IFX Annexed -- London-based spread betting company City Index announced today that it is acquiring financial trading platform operator IFX Group at an agreed upon cash offer priced at 180p per share, valuing IFX at £57.9 million (US$109.2 million). City Index has reportedly already secured support from nearly 60 percent of its shareholders.
888 Jerseys -- Online gambling company 888 has reached a two-season sponsorship agreement with Toulouse Football Club in France. The company already has similar deals with various sports teams, including a very successful shirt sponsorship for Middlesbrough Football Club in England as well as a deal with the World Snooker Championship.
New-Look Bowmans -- Bookmaker Bowmans International has revamped its Web site, Bowmans.com, as well as other products in response to a customer feedback questionnaire carried out in December 2005. One of the main changes to the site is a new layout designed by Betoptions Software. Additionally, banking has been made more user-friendly through a suite of online deposit and withdrawal facilities provided by Neteller, Citadel and CLICK2PAY, enabling customers to manage their money easily with the one-click access to online statements. Betoptions Software provides players with a much wider choice of sport betting options, including football's double results, correct score and first goal scorer. Bowmans has also re-branded its image with a new logo
Mansion' UK Presence -- Gibraltar-based online gaming group Mansion is establishing a strong foothold in the United Kingdom in the sports betting and poker sectors. The company, which recently signed a £34 million (US$64.1 million) shirt sponsorship deal with English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, is in the process of establishing a sports-betting fixture at the club's White Hart Lane stadium. And to build brand awareness, Mansion is preparing to open its first poker rooms in England. It has been scouting locations around London and has applied for a casino license. The company is also in negotiations with an unnamed broadcaster to bring its TV show "Poker Dome," which already airs in the United States and Canada, to the United Kingdom within the next month.
Stock Watch -- Online gaming stocks on the London market stayed fairly neutral today, with the exception of a few companies. On the down side, Ladbrokes lost 5.75p to close at 382.50; Playtech dropped 8p to close at 244 and Neteller shed 7p, closing at 370. On the positive side, CryptoLogic gained a 82.50p to close at 1,175.