Fluxx AG's U.K.-based subsidiary Jaxx has agreed to acquire more than 17,000 player accounts that belonged to now-defunct BetandGame.com. All customer data, credit and outstanding bets will be transferred to the Jaxx database.
Betinternet owner Webis Holdings posted a first-half pre-tax loss of £380,000 compared to a £93,000 profit during the previous-year period. For the 26 weeks ended Nov. 27, 2007, turnover increased to £53 million, while cost of sales rose to £51.74 million from £42.08 million. Profit at EBITDA level totaled £43,000 versus £182,000 in 2006.
Payments providers TransSend and Intercash have launched a co-branded MasterCard prepaid gaming payout card in Europe -- the first of its kind, the companies said.
Swedish software developer Jadestone has agreed to develop and supply Betfair with a new raft of multiplayer games, the first of which are to be launched during Q2 2008.
Brokerage Credit Suisse has upped its performance rating on William Hill from "underperform" to "outperform," but reduced its target price to 500p from 580; upped its performance rating on Ladbrokes from "neutral" to "underperform," but reduced its target price from 380p to 350; and downgraded its rating on Rank to "underperform" from "neutral," lowering its target price from 110p to 100.
NetEntertainment revealed a 32 percent jump in full-year sales to SEK 132 million from SEK 99 million, with operating profit up 24 percent from SEK 40.8 million to SEK 50.6 million. Post-tax profit totaled SEK 45.9 million, up 61 percent from SEK 28.5 million. NetEnt said it will apply for a listing on the OMX Nordic Exchange, Small Cap, in 2008.
Unibet has publicized the prospectus for its 100 million euro bond issued in December 2007. It said it intends to complete the bond's listing on the Retail Bond list on the OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm tomorrow.
The London Times carries the responses of four U.K.-based legal experts who have been asked to give their opinion on whether William Hill is responsible for Graham Calvert's £2 million gambling losses. The case is scheduled to get underway this week in British High Court.
The ATP said today that Italian player Giorgio Galimberti was found guilty of betting on tennis and has been suspended for 100 days and fined $35,000. Galimberti is the fourth Italian player to be suspended for betting. Late last year, Potito Starace, Daniele Bracciali and Alessio Di Mauro were found guilty of gambling on matches involving other players.
IGN is in the process of confirming reports suggesting eCOGRA has refused its "Play it Safe" seal to Casino Action and Arctic Poker, which are licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. More on this to come.
The New York Post reports that a license plate with nothing but the number "1" on it fetched a record $14 million at a charity auction in the United Arab Emirates. The successful bidder wouldn't say how many cars he owns or which might carry the plate. The UAE began auctioning off vanity license plates last May.
On the London Stock Exchange today, Playtech was up 3.75p (1.0 percent) to 380, 888 was up 6.75p (4.6 percent) to 154.25 and British Sky Broadcasting was up 11.50p (2.0 percent) to 587.50.
Chris Krafcik is the editor of IGamingNews. He lives in St. Louis, Mo.