Pagcor Mobile -- The Philippines' National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is scheduled to hold a hearing on Wednesday to discuss the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.'s (Pagcor) request to operate mobile gambling services in the country. The state-run company first made its intentions to operate mobile games publicly known in July 2004 when it asked the NTC to grant it four access numbers to handle text and multi-media messages for mobile phone-based gambling. At that time, Smart Communications, the largest mobile phone company in the Philippines, objected to games of chance being made available through its mobile phone network. Smart Communications' legal counsel, Dr. Rogelio V. Quevedo, stated, "The majority of cellular phone users are young people, including a large number of minors. Pagcor's plan to offer games of chance through mobile phones would inevitably expose them to the dangers of getting hooked on gambling." Pagcor estimates the size of the Philippine gambling market at $1.8 billion, but says that illegal gambling constitutes half that figure.
Net Lottery Co's -- Win Win Gaming Inc., a Las Vegas-based lottery and gaming operations company that develops, operates and markets lotteries, Internet lotteries and gaming sites, has agreed in principle to acquire Pixiem Inc., a developer and publisher of wireless games and applications. Pixiem was established in early 2004 and now develops mobile applications for clients in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Win Win Gaming's CEO, Patrick Rogers, says the acquisition of Pixiem will provide his company with immediate access to the global mobile gaming market and enable it to expand its business model in mainland China, its primary area of focus.
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