PokerNetwork -- Poker software licensing firm PokerNetwork has signed three new licensees: Net Entertainment, Hollywood Poker and Futurebet. Net Entertainment is a subsidiary of Swedish Stock Exchange-listed Cherry and a provider of non-download Internet casino software. Hollywood Poker is an American celebrity poker site headed by actor James Woods and Futurebet is a Canadian software company that will begin licensing PokerNetwork's software to other licensees through third-party agreements. PokerNetwork, which has a worldwide player base over 3 million, gives players the option of playing with Java-based, no download platform or with a downloadable client for Windows.
Antitrust Fines -- Italian gaming company Lottomatica SpA has been fined 8 million euros by Italy's antitrust authority for agreeing to share the games and betting market with rival company Sisal, which was also fined 2.8 million euros. An investigation launched in July 2003 determined that the companies were successful in keeping two competing operators, Formula Giochi and G-Tech, from entering the contest to manage games that were previously managed by state-owned provider Coni. The authority claims that that Lottomatica and Sisal entered a market sharing deal in October 2001, and that it lasted until after the launch of the investigation. The companies plan to appeal the decision. Lottomatica argues that there is a historical rivalry between itself and Sisal, and that its independent behavior is evidenced by its strong diversification from the Lotto game and by large investments that would not make sense if it had agreements with other companies.
Oddities -- GoldenPalace.com's latest buys include a supposedly haunted walking cane that was auctioned on eBay for $65,000. The cane's seller claims that the ghost of her father, who used to tap her five-year old son with the cane whenever he misbehaved, returns repeatedly to torment her son. The online casino also recently purchased staplers autographed by Paris Hilton, Bill Gates, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Donald Trump and Tom Brady, as part of the "Staplers of the Stars" online charity auction created by Staples. The $12,000 raised by Staples will benefit several charities designated by contributing celebrities.
Making Deals -- I-gaming software provider Chimera Technology Corp has signed a $2 million deal to sell a master license agreement for Europe and Africa to Pegasus Gaming Corp. The deal calls for Pegasus to pay $1 million to be paid in quarterly payments of $25,000 while the remaining $1 million will be paid in common stock of Pegasus. Chimera will also receive a royalty fee from Pegasus' online gaming operations.