Compulsory Donations -- The Independent on Sunday reports that the U.K. government has proposed a scheme whereby a percentage of tax revenues collected from I-gaming companies would be committed to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust. The trust's chairman, MP John Greenway, said that certain larger operators, such as PartyGaming, were "big donors," while others were "less forthcoming." A Party spokesman, however, told the news source that compulsory levies were "counter productive" and were catalysts for "animosity." The trust, which funds GamCare and other charities, currently receives its donations from the I-gaming industry on a voluntary basis.
Sounding Off -- The Las Vegas Sun quoted American Gaming Association president Frank Fahrenkopf as saying the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) does not "have a chance in hell" to secure a poker carve-out from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Fahrenkopf was reportedly responding to PPA president Michael Bolcerek's statement regarding his discussions with U.S. state legislators at the NCLGS winter meeting in Duck Key, Fla. last month. Fahrenkopf said that the AGA was pushing for a study to assess whether the I-gaming industry has the technological wherewithal to address both problem and underage gambling. Regardless of the study's outcome, Fahrenkopf said, U.S. I-gaming regulation is not inevitable.
Launched -- Wireless casino solutions provider Vegas Wireless Entertainment said it has launched its mobile games suite on the Italy-based H3G network.
Reporting -- U.K.-based bookmaker Ladbrokes says it will announce its 2006 preliminary results on Feb. 22.