Ladbrokes Stands Firm -- Officials with Ladbrokes said today that it could be a year before a decision is made in the company's case against Finland and its state-run gambling monopolies. Ladbrokes also said it would probably continue to advertise its services in the Finnish media. If they are then found guilty of a breach of the ban on marketing, they will appeal to the European Court of Justice. The situation could get interesting before the Commission hands down its judgment though. The Finnish Ministry of the Interior said it will try to block Ladbrokes' services by going to the courts, the same approach taken in Holland.
Quoteworthy -- "It looks like we are using technology to sell sex and gambling. But there are loads of places people can go for that. What people really want and what we are really selling is a sense of belonging and connection."-- Debbie Mason, spokesperson for The Gaming Channel and its flagship product, Avago. Mason's comments appeared in today's Independent in an article explaining how The Gaming Channel's business model differs from that of traditional television networks by earning its revenue through interactive services rather than through advertisements.
CAN-SPAM -- American President George Bush today signed the Controlling the Assault of Non-solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act. The Act, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2004, establishes rules governing how companies may communicate with consumers. It includes provisions that prohibit e-mail messages with false headers or sexually oriented e-mail that is incorrectly labeled. The Federal Trade Commission will receive new powers to enforce the laws, and it could possibly even set up a national do not e-mail list.
IASbet -- In late November Queensland Racing granted International All Sports Ltd.'s subsidiary IASbet.com Pty. Ltd. a racing bookmaker's license that allows the company to operate at betting and race meetings held each Saturday and Sunday by the Sunshine Coast Turf Club. IASbet.com can take bets either face-to-face or via telephone.
Sportech -- George Rushton was appointed Managing Director of Sportech plc last month, following the retirement of Colin McGill, who at 55 has decided to return to Scotland after having successfully managed the acquisition and transformation of the Liverpool-based Littlewoods Gaming business. Rushton, 50, has much experience in the leisure industry, having previously been a Main Board Director at Bourne Leisure and Managing Director of Hotels and Resorts at The Rank Group’s Holidays Division.