If You Can't Beat 'Em . . . -- The Herald Sun reports that two of Australia's biggest corporate bookmakers, IAS Bet and Centrebet, are likely to follow newly licensed exchange Betfair's lead by introducing betting exchanges in Australia. Mark Read, managing director of IAS Bet, said he was ready to give Betfair a run for its money in Australia, while Con Kafataris said he is looking at a betting exchange model to offer overseas clients. "Betfair is an indisputable member of the marketplace," Read said. "To bury our heads in the sand and say we're going to ignore it is ridiculous."
Fun is Selling -- Online games provider Fun Technologies PLC has sold the majority of its interest in the European Betting Exchange PLC (betbull) for an aggregate price of €4.8 million. The company reportedly sold off 686,700 shares at €7 per share; it will retain 413,300 shares.
Sci Games in Mexico -- Scientific Games, a company that supplies instant tickets, systems and services to lottery companies, has won an initial eight-year contract with a two-year extension option to provide technical support, hardware and consulting services to Apuestas Internacionales SA for its number draw-based games. Apuestas Internacionales recently obtained a permit from the Mexican Ministry of the Interior to operate sports books and number draws in Mexico. Scientific Games will be compensated based on percentage of revenue derived by Apuestas Internacionales.
Treatment -- Drugs traditionally used to treat conditions like alcohol and heroin addiction may soon be used to treat compulsive gamblers. The Las Vegas Sun reports that Jon Grant, M.D., and other researchers are looking into a possible prescription drug treatment to curb gambling addiction. Grant said that a study he conducted in 2003 of more than 200 patients in treatment for gambling addiction found that the drug Nalmefene, an opiate blocker, curbed gambling cravings after 16 weeks of use. Grant said he isn't banking on a cure for gambling just yet, however, because compulsive gamblers often suffer from multiple disorders. "Compulsive gambling is a complex disorder and isn't easily solved with drugs or other means," Grant said. "I'm far from believing in a perfect pill."
Blockage -- The Malaysian New Straits Times Sunday reports that Malaysian Internet media company MOL AccessPortal Bhd will spend RM2 million over the next 18 months to market and promote campaigns instilling awareness among cybercafe patrons on the negative effects of adult content Web sites. MOL AccessPortal CEO Ganesh Kumar Bangah said this is his company's way of doing its part to block access to negative Web sites, particularly access by children. He said the company will also continue installing its content filtering system, MOL CyberCafeWatch, at 1,000 cybercafes nationwide under its affiliate. "The team will monitor, source, check and block any adult/pornography/gambling Web sites within 24 hours and updates instantly to the software, which are connected to MOLAccess servers," Ganesh said. The company plans to offer similar filtering services to schools, corporations and home users, he added.