Merger Deal -- Shareholders of U.K.-based online bookmaker Canbet have voted to approve the merger deal with Australia-based International All Sports that was announced in August. IAS will offer one share for every 25 Canbet shares, and Canbet will become a subsidiary operating under the IAS banner. The deal makes the newly formed company better equipped to offer wagering on sports other than horseracing as well as wagering via betting exchanges. IAS chief executive Robert Edge stated, "By taking Canbet and adding it to our base, we become even more resilient to market influences, and the fact that we have the skills should betting exchange licenses be issued, we're more likely to survive than most." He also said that his company has already applied for a license to operate a betting exchange in the Northern Territory, and that, "We remain the first to lodge with the Northern Territory, and we remain first in line to get one if they're issued."
ATE For Sale -- Britain's Amusement Catering Trade Association (BACTA) has revealed that it plans to sell its ATE Ltd. subsidiary for a sum of about £20 million. BACTA approved the sale of ATE at a national council meeting last week, where the group also decided that the sale would not be put to an EGM. BACTA has already spent three days delivering presentations to possible buyers, which may include EMAP, Reed International, three other exposition companies and at least one venture capital company. "At this critical time for the industry, it is considered that the time is now right to very seriously consider the sale of the group in order to safeguard BACTA's financial future and its ability to best represent the interests of its members," BACTA President Tim Batstone said. ATE puts together the ATEI trade show and the London International Casino Exposition. Any deal with potential buyers is subject to approval by BACTA's Trustees and Management Committee.
Slovak Lottery -- TIPOS, the Slovakian national lottery company, has added Internet betting to its list of products. The company has already logged 1,500 registered players, and it attributes a great deal of the growing interest in its online products to its new marketing campaign, "KLIKY KLAKY." TIPOS is offering four lottery games online, and it plans to release more games in 2005.
Busted -- Two Israeli soccer officials have received six-month jail terms after being found guilty of receiving bribes to fix matches to benefit illegal betting rings. Prosecutors charged that the referees staged a number of incidents between 1997 and 2000, including awarding penalties and giving yellow and red cards. . . . Last week Israel's Council for the Regularization of Gambling in Sport sent letters to law enforcement authorities asking them to make the investigation of illegal online gambling one of its top priorities.
Making Deals -- Interactive TV and mobile services solutions provider Two Way TV has partnered with Zone4Play to launch two fixed-odds interactive TV services across the United Kingdom on the ntl and Telewest Broadband digital cable platforms at the beginning of next year. One interactive channel, called the Winner Channel, will provide fixed-odds classics such as slots, hi-lo, keno and dice, while the second channel, called the Roulette Channel, will feature a range of roulette-style games.