South Africa's National Gambling Amendment Bill was amended last week by the National Council of Provinces to allow licensed online gambling operators to advertise in the country. But the National Assembly, which must give final approval to the amendment, is still insisting on a blanket advertising ban, according to a government insider. View the full story.
Patience would seem to be an essential virtue for the sports betting industry, based on the final day of Bet-Markets presentations. News from the various jurisdictions suggests that change is beginning to happen but that it will need time to build momentum. View the full story.
CryptoLogic has agreed to invest up to $2.5 million in Mahjong Time, an online software supplier, for a significant minority stake. View the full story.
The Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA), a U.S.-based trade association, said it is appealing its case against the U.S. government over the enforceability of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. View the full story.
Shares in Rank Group jumped nearly 10 percent today on rumors, first reported by the Daily Mail, suggesting Genting Berhad had made a $959 million bid approach for the London-listed operator. According to Bloomberg, the percentage gain was Rank's largest since Nov. 29, 2007. Malaysia-based Genting currently holds an 11.3 percent stake in Rank. Spokesman for both companies declined to comment. Mark Reed, an analyst with Landsbanki Securities in London, told Bloomberg he would be "surprised" if a deal was struck imminently.
BingoPort.co.uk, a bingo information and portal site, said its data show daily player numbers up 19 percent across all U.K.-focused bingo sites since the U.K. Gambling Act was fully implemented in September 2007. Co-founder and site manager Scott Logan said operators like Foxy Bingo, Ladbrokes Bingo and 888Ladies are now "aggressively using media to acquire players in order to gain a foothold in the growing marketplace."
In a white-label deal, Trivya Ltd., an Israel-based software developer, has agreed to supply ITV with its skill games platform for use on ITV Quiz.
On the London Stock Exchange today, Ladbrokes was up 15.25p (4.9 percent) to 326.50, William Hill was up 25.50 (6.8 percent) to 401.25 and PartyGaming was up 1.75 (8.4 percent) to 22.50.