Women Only -- 888.com will launch a "women only" poker room in response to research showing an increasing number of female players use the secure and non-intimidating environment of online poker rooms as a way to learn and play what was once perceived as a male dominated game. 888.com's table will include special design features to appeal to the female audience, including larger chat boxes so players can spread the latest gossip, tables that can be customized with hot pink baize and disco balls and a virtual bar from which players can order Sex and the City-style cocktails. According to 888.com's U.K. marketing manager Matt Robinson, "Men don't really care what the site looks like as long as it is realistic, fun and entertaining. However, women notice their surroundings a lot more and as with fashion, demand the very latest colors and styles, as well as the desire to chat while playing." The site will launch before the end of the year.
Quoteworthy -- "I believe Betfair were contacted by (BHB chef executive) Greg Nichols, with the support and agreement of Martin Broughton, and were told they should withdraw the offer immediately because within a month Racing UK would fail and they would be forced to go in with At The Races."
-David James, chairman of Racecourse Holdings Trust, which constitutes 13 of the 30 courses from which racing is broadcast on television network Racing UK. The network is currently free-to-air but will likely have to launch as a subscription-based service on October 1st in order to draw needed revenue. The company has been seeking sponsorship deals with a number of bookmakers so that it can remain free-to-air. James' statement was made to the Racing Post, which asked him whether it was true that the British HorseRacing Board had spoiled a potential deal between Racing UK and Betfair.
He added, "I was told they had done it because the highest priority of the BHB is to extract the most amount of money for British racing from the biggest number of sources, including betting exchanges. We're furious. We’ve lost a substantial amount of money and the opportunity to stay free-to-air."
At the US Races -- At the Races has signed a five-year agreement with U.S.-based The Racing Network International (TRNi) whereby At the Races will show U.S. and international racing on its Sky Channel service and receive a percentage of wagering profit. TRNi will also promote British racing in North and South American markets.
Roulette -- BettingCorp UK Ltd. has launched an interactive roulette game on its PlayMonteCarlo fixed-odds gaming service on the Sky Digital Network. Nearly one month ago Sky Subscriber Services, the interactive services division of British Sky Broadcasting, informed gaming operators that it would permit roulette games to return to its network. Sky digital viewers will be able to access BettingCorp's roulette game through PlayMonteCarlo on Channel 7 on Sky's Interactive Main Menu as well as through the Sky Active portal.
Chinese I-Gaming -- RTG Ventures, an Internet-based gaming and events promoter, has licensed database technology from NewCoTech Inc. for use with Internet gaming portal that it plans to launch in China in early 2005. In 2002 RTG Ventures signed an exclusive contract with the Chinese Sports Ministry to bring Internet-based games of skill and chance to China, including Chinese chess, mahjong and Chinese poker.
Restructure -- Online betting company Sportingbet and gaming software firm World Gaming have restructured the terms of their relationship with each other after a few months of uncertainty as to the future of their arrangements. The companies are now initiating a three-year minimum limited liability partnership that includes funding and developing software for NewCan, a newly incorporated British Columbian company owned by Sportingbet. In addition, World Gaming will transfer 50 percent interest in its gaming software for $10 million in cash. Sportingbet, which accounted for 80 percent of World Gaming's royalty revenues last year, would have saved close to $5 million if the restructured deal had been in effect during the 12 months ended July 31, 2004. Sportingbet says it will reinvest a reasonable portion of its future savings back into the development of software. . . . Sportingbet's founder and executive vice chairman Mark Blandford purchased 50,000 shares in Sportingbet at 92 pence each today. His holding now amounts to 14,980,173.