PayPal Plastic -- Following the successful launch of financial service products in the United States, PayPal, online auction site eBay's money transfer arm, is collaborating with U.S.-based GE Money to offer credit cards in the United Kingdom for the first time. That means Britons will be able to make payments through PayPal's online service. PayPal began offering online payment services to British betting exchange Betfair in February and U.K.-based sports betting site Ladbrokes in March.
Losing an Ally -- According to the Salt Lake Journal, Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, who openly opposes gambling, has vowed not to support Rep. Bob Goodlatte's Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, for fear that it would lead to legalizing some forms online gambling (such as horse wagering) in Utah. Cannon has tried several times to have the horse racing language removed from the bill. "While I am an ardent opponent of gambling, one of the things I don't want to see is an opportunity for gambling because we pre-empt state law," Cannon said. "I don't want Utah to get bombarded with gambling if it becomes legal." Utah and Hawaii are the only states that outlaw all forms of gambling. Supporters of the legislation said Cannon's change would cost the bill the support it needs to pass.
The Code -- Britain's leading sports organizations (including those representing football, cricket, tennis, speedway, snooker and darts) will be required to subscribe starting next week to a new 10-point code designed to stamp out betting fraud and protect the integrity of their events. The code states, "In the context of betting, sports authorities will expect their participants to avoid any situation that may involve a conflict of interest with the sport. Participants will not misuse privileged information." The code also obliges the sports bodies to take necessary action when they suspect or are aware of any dubious betting activity. The crackdown will be debated April 19 at the Integrity in Sports Betting summit called by Sports Minister Richard Caborn.
Harsh Reality -- Bodog.com announced today that it suspended all wagering activity on the popular CBS reality show "Survivor Panama" after bookmakers received a number of maximum wagers from the same area on contestant Danielle DiLorenzo, 24, of Florida. Further, the customer service center reportedly received an anonymous phone call suggesting that a close friend of DiLorenzo has been leaking information.
Get Naked with Bowmans -- BowmansPoker.com, part of the Bowmans International gaming group, today launched a viral marketing scheme through the release of a tantalizing new strip poker download. The game has all the excitement of online poker, plus the bonus of getting up close and personal with a video feed of a female opponent who sheds an item of clothing with each losing hand. The video offers everything a strip poker enthusiast could ever ask for, including a surprise at the end.
iTV Deal -- Gaming designer GameLogic and interactive television provider Navic Networks, both based in the United States, announced a partnership today to develop and distribute a new casino- and lottery-themed iTV network. The portal will deliver on-demand, regulatory-compliant play-for-fun interactive games like lottery and casino and other leisure-related programming to cable and satellite TV viewers in partnership with participating cable and satellite TV providers throughout the United States. The company said it plans to announce the first round of distributors in the next couple of months.