Another Bidder -- Indian lottery operator Sugal & Damani is throwing its hat in the bidding ring for Britain's National Lottery license. The Mumbai-based company joins incumbent operator Camelot and Australian gaming company Tattersall's as an official bidder for the license, which would begin in 2009. Sugal & Damani submitted a preliminary proposal to the National Lottery Commission and is thought to be focusing its bid on its technical expertise. Other companies thought to be entering bids include Italy's Lottomatica and Greece's Intralot, while two-time bid loser Richard Branson has announced that his People's Lottery will not make a third run at the lottery.
Reaching Out? -- The Hong Kong Jockey Club is reportedly considering exporting horse betting, football betting and lottery (its three key products) to other countries, including the lucrative mainland market. Outgoing head Ronald Arculli said on Tuesday that the organization had been in talks with representatives from other countries over the past two to three years on the potential expansion of its business, but added that no concrete plans have been made.
Appointment -- Swedish gaming operator 24hPoker Holding AB has announced the appointment of Britt-Marie Boije as its new CFO, replacing Thord Norberg, who is leaving the company. Boije, who previously served as CFO for Ledstiernan, a venture capital company listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, will take up her new position on Oct. 1.
So Far Successful -- The Internet poker site run by Swedish National Lottery operator Svenska Spel has proven itself to be a great success since its April 2006 introduction. According to the company, 65,000 players have registered on the site, wagering more than SEK 2 billion (US$280 million) in the first three months of operation. The company has reported a profit of SEK 52 million (US$7.2 million) from Internet poker during this period.
Russians Gamble -- The Russian parliament has reported that the country's gambling industry has reached a size of over $6 billion in total wagers per year, mostly bankrolled by a few high rollers. Alexander Lebedev, a deputy of the Russian parliament, said most of the money is wagered in Moscow casinos and slot machine halls. But according to a recent survey of people over the age of 18, only 19 percent of the adult Russian population approve of casino slots, while many favor an outright national ban on gambling, which means that a very small percentage of the population is responsible for the $6 billion.
Stock Watch -- I-gaming stocks on the London market showed signs of life today after several days of lying dormant, although they seemed to move in the wrong direction. Fun Technologies fell 12.50p to 271.50; Sportingbet fell 8.50p to 226.75 and Neteller fell 7p to 393. Playtech, meanwhile, gained 8p to 240.