Neteller Returns to the US: Shares Surge Nearly 3 Percent
Online payment solutions company Neteller announced Monday that it will be relaunching services in the US.
The company was forced to flee the US market in January 2007 after two of its founders were charged with violating anti-gambling laws. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed just two months prior to the highly publicized arrests, with Gambling911.com breaking that news story.
Optimal Payments Plc is the parent company of Neteller, released a statement saying that it had partnered with a federally-insured financial partner in the USA to provide the service.
"The NETELLER service and Net+ Card being launched in the U.S. are brand new services that have been developed to meet the unique needs of the U.S. marketplace," said Joel Leonoff, President and CEO, Optimal Payments. "With our U.S. financial institution sponsor, we are leveraging NETELLER's flexible deposit and payment options and with our expertise, resources and management are offering something truly unique in the U.S. Optimal Payments has been the trusted payments processing partner across the globe for over 18 years and we have set the standard for excellence in service to consumers and merchants alike."
"The new NETELLER service and Net+ Card we are bringing to the U.S. have been re-branded with a new look and feel. We are providing updated features, capabilities and security as well as quick access to funds through our Net+ Card." said Neil Erlick, Executive Vice President, Business Development, Optimal Payments. "Together with our U.S. financial institution sponsor, Optimal Payments will continue to be a leading provider of integrated payments solutions."
New Jersey and Nevada has legalized online gambling within their respective borders but currently utilizes Skrill as its exclusive eWallet. Rejected credit cards has been a major issue for online gamblers in those states with a 35% rate for Visa, 50% for MasterCard, and 100% for American Express.
The Newark Star Ledger noted that it was unclear at this time if Optimal Payments has entered into specific agreements with US online gambling sites to use Neteller and the Net+ Card for online gaming transactions, or if the details are still being hashed out.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
