The Italian Job -- Italian newswire AGI reports that 56 people have been reported by Taranto Financial Guard soldiers as part of an investigation into "online gambling and illegal betting." The report says that the police have uncovered a "complex system which managed to evade the authorizations system in place for gambling, and have identified 20 illegal centers." It adds that the police have seized dozens of IT terminals, and that the suspects comprise the owners and clients of the locations where the bets were placed. The report did not clarify whether "online gambling" and "illegal betting" meant "illegal Internet gambling."
DonDecline -- Acknowledging stiffer competition in the sports information industry, Fun Technologies said on Tuesday that its sports information segment, DonBest.com, has experienced a 15 percent decline in its customer base this month. The Toronoto-listed company said DonBest intends to "move aggressively" to mitigate any negative financial impact from the decline and is currently investigating its cause. "As one of the only independent aggregators of sports information in the industry, we are confident Don Best will remain the leading, trusted information source in the marketplace," said Fun Chief Executive Lorne Abony. The company said the operating activities of its other business remains in line with expectations.
NetEnt, Betsafe Hook Up in Software Deal -- Sweden-based Net Entertainment (NetEnt) has agreed to supply Scandinavian gaming portal Betsafe with its CasinoModule software. In a prepared statement, Betsafe said it would apply for a remote gambling license with the Maltese Lotteries and Gaming Authority (MLGA) before the end of the year. NetEnt has already been licensed by the MLGA.
Fate of French Gambling Sector to be Discussed -- Gambling Compliance reports that a conference chaired by French Finance Commission Secretary and gaming advocate François Trucy will be held in Paris this October, during which attendees--including French MPs, gaming operators, academics and a representative of Betfair--will discuss the direction of the country's gaming sector. The report follows last week's suggestion by the French media that the Sarkozy administration, historically opposed to liberalized gaming in the country, was mulling a "controlled opening" of the market. The event, originally scheduled for March, was postponed due to political tension surrounding the issue. Details regarding the event, offered through the Agora organization, may be found here.
Real Deal -- Bloomberg says that according to a new study conducted by BBDO Consulting, Real Madrid, the 30-time Spanish champion, possesses the highest commercial value among European soccer clubs. The club, which in June inked a three-year sponsorship agreement with bwin, has a brand value of $1.53 billion. Its deal with bwin is worth an estimated $83.7 million.
Coming Soon -- The Guardian reports that Channel 4 racing is expected to announce its new backer following Totesport's decision to withdraw its £2.5 million-a-year sponsorship. Ireland-based bookmaker Boylesports, Betfair and Satellite Information Services, the paper says, were believed to be the front-runners.
Stock Watch -- On the LSE, Ladbrokes was up 18p to 441.75, William Hill was up 32.50p to 651 and Rank was up 3p to 167.75. In Stockholm, Unibet was up SEK 15.00 to SEK 209.00 and in Vienna, bwin was up 0.50 euros to 17.83 euros.