Morning Brief: Market Madness

31 July 2008

With your coffee this morning:

The United States government has seized $24 million from bank accounts related to Bodog Entertainment Group, a business best known for online gambling and its billionaire front man, Calvin Ayre.

CryptoLogic Ltd., the Dublin software developer, said it expects second-quarter revenue to have fallen on seasonality and the 2008 UEFA European Championship.

Rank Group, the land-based and online gambling operator, revealed first-half revenues were down nearly 10 percent to £257 million on a £50.8 million loss.

William Hill, the London-listed betting company, reported first-half profits before tax of £145.1 million, down 10 percent against the previous-year period.

Henry Birch, the chief executive of Leisure & Gaming, has stepped down and will be succeeded by Richard E. Creed, the company's former chief financial officer.

Mark Balestra, the publisher of IGamingNews, has released his latest blog from Montreal -- a hilariously offbeat look at poor penmanship, strange (and utterly unhelpful) electronic devices and the beloved attendees of Next Generation in Gambling.




The IGN staff continually troll the wires, foreign papers, corporate news alert services and other dark, dusty corners of the Web to bring you the very latest industry news.