REPLACING
Tote Tasmania's new sports betting business,
Betasport (pronounced "bet a sport") will go live on May 30, according to the Tasmanian government's betting agency.
Replacing TAB Sportsbet, the new offering will move Tote Tasmania into a more business-centric area, the group said.
Betasport will set out with better offerings in fixed odds thoroughbred coverage as well as the ability to bet on non-sporting activities such as elections and entertainment events.
"Sports betting is a major growth area, not only in Australia but internationally," said Craig Coleman, the agency's chief executive, in a statement.
According to Tote Tasmania, its turnover grew by 164 percent in 2007-08 when compared to the previous financial year and amounted to nearly 19 million Australian dollars in turnover. This year the group said it expects even more growth.
RESIGNING
Lorenzo Pellicioli, 57, resigned as chief executive of Lottomatica Group on Tuesday but will remain the board chairman.
Marco Sala, Lottomatica's general manager who Mr. Pellicioli suggested as a replacement, has been unanimously elected as its new chief executive effective immediately, the lottery supplier has announced.
Mr. Sala, who has been with Lottomatica since March 2003, has held senior management roles with SEAT Pagine Gialle, Magneti Marelli and Kraft Foods.
The group also named Renato Ascoli, Lottmatica's head of business development, to fill Mr. Sala's role as general manager for the Italian market.
NEW MOBILE LOTTO
VODone Ltd., a Hong Kong-listed Internet video broadcasting company, has introduced a mobile lottery service in China.
VODone said it has become one of the first service providers authorized by Heilongjiang Welfare Lottery Center for the mobile lottery betting service.
In a statement, Zhang Lijun, VODone's chairman, estimated that China has 600 million mobile users currently.
The group said it also has opened a portal Web site named "Lottery Lifestyle" to broadcast lottery-related news and information supplied by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China.
A HELPING HAND
After specific requests from players, PokerHeaven has released another tool to help players improve their game.
"The Hand Tracker" provides a way for poker players to observe their activity through an animated console in real time, the poker site said.
Players can use the tracker to watch a history on every hand that is played, fast-forward or rewind the playback and also share it with friends.