Spin3, IMCI Play for Fun -- Spin3 has agreed to supply Netherlands-based International Marketing Concepts and Innovation (IMCI) with its SpinLite suite of play-for-fun casino-style mobile games. "The SpinLite suite of play-for-fun games is perfect for us as it provides a ready-made games platform allowing us to expand the product offering to our customers and, most importantly, penetrate new markets and expand our revenues," said IMCI Chief Executive Michael Boevink.
PKR Surpasses 1 Million Registrations -- Roughly one year after launching, online poker operator PKR.com said it has registered over 1 million users. The company, licensed in Alderney, is optimistic about the jurisdiction's white-listed status in relation to the United Kingdom and expects to benefit from its "advertising efforts in one of its key markets while many rivals are frozen out."
MediaCrop Re-Launches Gambling.com -- London-listed MediaCorp this morning announced the beta re-launch of its Web site, gambling.com, which provides sports information, gambling content and related Internet services. “The new site incorporates sophisticated Web functionality including user-generated content, tournament games and content ranging from sports results to up-to-date poker tournament information and jackpots,” the company said in a prepared statement.
PacNet Inks Deal with Advansys -- PacificNet has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with casino management systems provider Advansys, whereby PacificNet Games will customize, co-develop and deploy Advansys products across multiple Asian markets.
Where Are They Now? -- Former 365 Media Advertising Director Colin Elms has joined affiliate marketing group Value Click and will head client development at its Commission Junction division.
Lucrative Modifications -- Interactive Systems Worldwide Inc. (ISWI) has received a $175,000 purchase order from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLGC) for software development and other services. Under the agreement, ISWI is to supply the OLGC with a version of its SportXction sports betting software modified to include parley wagering. The companies are currently negotiating the agreement, which would allow OLGC to conduct a six-month trial of the modified product. On the back of positive second-quarter results, ISWI is "excited by the longer-term prospects of a broad-based deployment of the SportXction product throughout Canada," said ISWI Chief Executive Bernard Albanese.
Nokia is Top Brand in Europe -- Vienna's European Brand Institute has found that Nokia (32.33 billion euros) ranks atop Europe's most valuable brand corporations, which include LVMH (29.83 billion euros), Unilever (25.14 billion euros) and Telefonica (23.86 billion euros). The mobile phone supplier in March entered an agreement with California-based mobile gaming publisher Glu Mobile, which saw Glu provide a number of titles for Nokia's N-Gage gaming platform.
RIGT Solicits UK Government for £10 Million -- The Times reports that the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT), which funds the GamCare helpline, is lobbying for increased funding ahead of the U.K. gambling Prevalence Study's publication tomorrow. The RIGT wants its funding increased from £4 million to £10 million, the paper says, and plans to use the money to set up the country's first dedicated gambling addiction clinic.
Dutch Call-Ins under Fire -- Thomson Financial reported on Thursday that Dutch authorities had raided the offices of Bertelsmann AG's RTL media group in the Netherlands on suspicion that certain call-in television game shows breach Dutch gambling laws. Sources told the news source that the Dutch fiscal police are also involved and have searched the offices of ProsiebenSat.1 Media AG's recently-acquired SBS as well those belonging to Dutch broadcaster Endemol. RTL's television channels, RTL 4, RTL 5 and RTL 8, carry the call-in shows.
Quoteworthy -- "In the end, although still with substantial flaws, it is a better bill that has been passed by the Parlaiment than the first draft. We will at this stage make no further arguments before the National Council of Provinces. There is still a long process of a separate bill from the treasury regarding taxation on interactive gaming and the drafting of regulations by the minister. We do not foresee that there will be any movement with regard to licensing of interactive gaming for at least another one to two years."
- From Charlie Faurie, general manager of the Casino Association of South Africa, last week in an e-mailed response to IGN regarding the South African Parliament's approval of the National Gambling Amendment Bill.
Stock Watch -- On the LSE, Probability was down 1p to 54.50, 888 was down 1.50p to 114 and Playtech was down 6p to 338.