HSBC Ups Card Fees For Gambling -- HSBC has become the latest bank to increase charges for funding gambling activity via its credit cards, the BBC reported Wednesday. Effective Feb. 1, 2007, customers will pay interest at between 21.9 percent and 27.8 percent, rather than the purchase rate, which carries an interest rate of between 15.9 percent and 22.9 percent.
Intralot May Bid for UK National Lottery License -- Greece-based lottery operator Intralot is expected to announce "within the week" that it will compete for the U.K. National Lottery license, ATE Online reports. Intralot was rumored to have been working on a joint bid with U.K.-based operator Ladbrokes, though Ladbrokes has reportedly abandoned the venture. The new license, up for renewal in 2009, will be awarded in August 2007, with bid proposals to be submitted by Feb. 9. Intralot will compete alongside incumbent Camelot--a strong candidate to retain the license--and India-based lottery operator Sugal & Damani.
Inked -- Asia-facing e-biz solutions provider PacificNet on Wednesday announced that its subsidiary, PacificGames (PacGames), had entered into an exclusive three-year distribution agreement with I-gaming provider Euro Games Technology (EGT) to promote, sell and distribute EGT's gaming products in Macau, the Philippines and elsewhere.
IGC Updates Guidelines -- The Interactive Gaming Council (IGC)--an international trade association comprised of I-gaming operators, software suppliers, e-commerce providers, and others--announced today the revision of its responsible gambling guidelines, which are intended primarily for operator members and members involved with developing gaming software. Click here to view the updated guidelines.
Philanthropizing -- The American Gaming Association (AGA) announced today that three of its fundraising programs last fall raised an estimated $290,000 for the National Center for Responsible Gambling (NCRG).