Cherry Split -- The Board of Directors of Swedish gaming company Cherryforetagen AB will propose at the next shareholders meeting its plan for splitting the firm into three distinct and independent companies: Betsson, Net Entertainment and Cherry Casino. The board will propose that Cherry Casino be separated from the group in June 2006, and that the company's software development division, Net Entertainment, be separated during the fall of 2006. The splitting of the company requires the approval of major shareholders.
SICL Report -- The Swiss Institute of Comparative Law is nearing completion of its draft report on gambling services in the EU internal market. The report has been conducted for the European Commission, and it entails an in-depth analysis of the economics of gambling in the European internal market as well as an analysis of all the existing laws and regulations that govern gambling in the various member states. The draft report will be available on April 24th at on the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law's website, and on May 8th parties with an interest in the European gambling industry will be given the opportunity to meet in Geneva to comment on the draft report and to provide additional information for inclusion in the final report, which will be published in June.
Garber V. Lanir -- PartyGaming's new CEO Mitch Garber will face Empire Online's boss man Noam Lanir in a race for charity at the Global Interactive Gaming Summit and Expo (GIGSE) in mid-May in Montreal. The two top execs will don Velcro ski boots and race each other on a 24-foot Velcro track. Spectators will be able to place play wagers on the winner of this race and others, and donations raised will go to the UK's Gordon House Association, which helps problem gamblers. The charity event will feature several other amusing pairing competing for the sake of charity.
Sponsorship -- Just days after online poker company Mansion lost a £70 million (US$99million) sponsorship deal with the Manchester United football club, online casino and poker operator, 32Red Plc has reached a conditional agreement for a two-year sponsorship deal with the Aston Villa football club. The deal includes a logo on the both the home and away jerseys beginning next season. According to UK newspaper the Times, the deal is valued at just under £1million per year, with Aston Villa receiving additional revenues under its marketing affiliate arrangement with the company.
Blue Rinse Mob -- Ladbrokes, which launched online bingo this month, is looking for the best bingo players in the UK to represent the company in their online facility and at events across the country. The special group of bingo gurus, to be called the Blue Rinse Mob, will also be charged with bringing newcomers to bingo success.
Welcome Aboard -- Skill games network GameAccount announced Thursday that Kevin Dale will replace John Jones as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Dale has been involved at GameAccount as a non-executive director, and he previously served as interim managing director at Betdirect. He has also previously served as marketing director for both Sportingbet and Betfair.