Market Briefs - Aug 30 - Sep 3, 2004

BETandWIN Issues Statement to Dispel Rumors

Last Thursday Austria-based BETandWIN.com Interactive Entertainment AG (BWIN.VI) issued a statement addressing "the many inquiries it has received recently from investors regarding the high volatility in the trading of its shares." According to the company, "Contrary to isolated rumors on the market… no unusual events have occurred to date that might invalidate the statements made at the press conference immediately before the Annual General Meeting and at this year's Annual General Meeting itself, or the facts published in the quarterly reports." BetandWin says the company is performing better than expected this quarter due to the successful acquisition of new customers in the second quarter of 2004. On August 20th the company issued 150,000 new shares on the Vienna Stock Exchange. The capital increase was made from authorized capital by the exercise of performance-dependent management stock options in May. The equity capital of BetandWin now stands at 12,200,950 euros. Those shares are in no way connected with the expiry date of the call options issued by RCB, and the co-CEOs have not sold any BetandWin shares in recent weeks.

Reports Released

Arena Leisure Plc (ARE.L) operator of At The Races, has reported its financial results for the six months ended June 30th, 2004. The company has broken even in the first half of 2004, despite having to launch a second At The Races earlier in the year after its first attempt failed. Last year the company suffered a loss of £1.8 million in the first half of last year. The collapse of the old At The Races left the company with £48.9m in losses. Operating profits at the Arena's racecourses has grown by 16 percent to £3.7 million after it stripped the loss of income from the old contract. The company now says trading is so strong that it might offer a full-year dividend payment.