Interactive Gambling - 2007 and Beyond

11 January 2008

Top Stories of 2007

The WTO delivers its final decision in the US/Antigua case.

European member states' gambling policies remain in question.

The United States mounts its case against BetonSports.

Neteller endures a painful divorce with the U.S. market.

Unibet challenges European law . . . and suffers the consequences.

Yahoo, Google and Microsoft succumb.

The industry adjusts to the UIGEA era.

New prohibition efforts emerge across the world.

More governments regulate I-gaming.

England restricts advertising from non-approved territories.

It is once again time to take our annual walk down I-Gaming Memory Lane. While 2007 was one of the ugliest years on record for the interactive gambling industry, we enter 2008 looking for better things to come. The year was defined by legal and political matters, most notably the conflicts in the United States and Europe, and it was also defined by the end of an era for businesses focusing primarily on the U.S. market. Many of the companies we have come to know as industry titans for the past decade have faded into relative obscurity. Some have disappeared completely. Others have reinvented themselves and are poised to remain industry leaders. Regardless, never before has the business landscape for I-gaming changed as much as it did throughout 2007.

Now we look to a year of growth, as I-gaming businesses focus their sights on new revenue streams in untapped markets. And we look to a year of resolution. Finally, there is (relative) clarity in U.S. policy, and we could see the same thing this year in Europe, with infringement proceedings relating to member states' monopolies leading to the way toward negotiation. And perhaps with political matters settling, the top stories of 2008 will relate to innovations, corporate transactions and other developments indicative of a vibrant, prospering industry.

Check out the following articles for a closer look at 2007 and a look at what to expect in 2008:

A Look Back at 2007
Top Stories of 2007
The Best and Worst of 2007
A Glance at 2008