WLA Gets Responsible
The Switzerland-based World Lottery Association on Feb. 4 adopted its Responsible Gambling Practices, which include seven codes of conduct to foster the continuity of public order and the fight against illegal gambling in each member's jurisdiction.
Camelot Goes All in
U.K National Lottery operator Camelot said in February that retailer commission has reached an all-time high. Ticket sales through its 26,200 retail outlets account for over 90 percent of all lottery sales, or £3 billion ($5.8 million), the company said. Research shows that lottery shoppers visit their store more frequently and spend on average 67 percent more than non-lottery shoppers, rising to 80 percent between 5-7:30 p.m. on draw nights.
Camelot, which is bidding for another round as the National Lottery operator, has also announced plans for a £200 million ($390 million) lottery, should it receive the nod from the National Lottery Commission. The company said that 48 countries had signed up for a "world draw," which would create up to sixty millionaires each month. "If we win the bid, we're looking forward to working in close partnership with other world-class lottery operators from around the globe to develop what we believe will be the first world lottery draw," said Camelot CEO Dianne Thompson.
Uthingo May Retain Position
Current South Africa National Lottery license holder Uthingo, which is set to relinquish its reigning title to its competitor, Gidani, in less than a month, has won a court dispute which may help it retain the Lottery after all.
Pretoria High Court Judge Willie Seriti overruled Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa's decision in October 2006 to award the lottery license to Gidani because the National Lotteries Board had, according to Seriti, failed to investigate the shareholders of both Gidani and Uthingo.
Uthingo, which has operated the lottery since its launch in 2000, Mpahlwa's decision, saying it wanted the court to set it aside and hand the license to Uthingo, pending the outcome of a judicial review. It argued that the minister had not satisfied a provision in the Lotteries Act which prohibits political office-bearers from holding financial interests in the Lottery license holder.
Two members of the African National Congress national executive committee, Chris Nissen and Max Sisulu, were among Gidani's shareholders. But, as it turned out, one of Uthingo's shareholders was Education Minister Naledi Pandor.
South African law dictates that Uthingo's existing license, which expires on March 31, cannot be extended.
Nigerian Lottery Bridging Social Gaps
The director general of the Nigerian National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Titilayo Iroche, reportedly said in February that the proceeds from the lottery could be used for accelerated socio-economic development of the country. Titilayo said 20 percent of every ticket sold would be paid into the National Lottery Trust Fund. The company's CEO, Symeon Goergiades, also announced a mobile lottery option for the National Lottery.
Norwegian Lottery to Study Problem Gambling
Norwegian Lottery Board-financed SINTEF--The Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH)--has said it plans to poll 10,000 randomly selected Norwegian citizens to assess the magnitude of problem gambling in the country.
The poll is a follow up to a 2002 study which concluded that 49,000 people aged 15-74 were having, or had had, serious gambling problems. But, according to figures dating to 2005, the market has grown from NOK 30 billion ($4.78 billion) in 2002 to NOK 42.3 billion ($6.74 billion) in 2005. Figures for 2006 are not in yet.
SINTEF has sent out 10,000 questionnaires to a random sampling of persons aged 16-74. The study focuses on all sorts of gambling, from lotto and lottery tickets to slot machines and Internet poker.
Ladbrokes in Asia
U.K.-based operator Ladbrokes will partner with Hong Kong-based technology company MegaInfo Holdings to form a joint venture called Asia Gaming Technologies (AGT). The venture targets China's $10.2 billion lotteries market by launching Ladbrokes' video betting terminals, which allow fixed-odds wagering on sports matches and other games. Ladbrokes will hold a 49 percent stake in AGT in return for the option of a 5 percent stake in MegaInfo Holdings for a maximum price of HK$316 million. A recent research note published by gaming analysts at Citigroup in Hong Kong forecast that Chinese lotteries--the only legalized form of betting--will grow by 31 percent annually until 2010 to become the worlds second-biggest lottery market.
Weather Lottery Online
U.K.-based charity lottery Weather Lottery on March 1 launched its online betting system, which allows players to place bets through charitable Web sites of their choosing.
German I-lotto Agreement
Germany-based commercial lottery operator Tipp24 AG on Feb. 19 announced a cooperative agreement with ProSiebenSat.1 Group subsidiary SevenOne Interactive, which allows German I-lotto players to purchase tickets on ProSiebenSat.1's network of Web sites.