A Great Place to Work -- Computer Weekly has nominated betting exchange Betfair as a finalist for its "Best Places to Work in IT" awards in 2005. Betfair and the other finalists are companies that the judges found to excel in creating positive work environments, in continuing professional development and in committing to a fulfilling balance of life and work.
Welcome Aboard -- At its bi-annual meeting in Las Vegas in December, the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) broadened its board of directors by electing Jan Jones, a senior vice president at Harrah's Entertainment Inc., Eileen Luna-Firebaugh, an associate professor of American Indian studies at the University of Arizona, and Eric M. Turner, a former lottery administrator. The board also created an advisory council of gaming industry experts to provide ongoing strategic counsel as well as tactical and financial support to the NCRG. Inaugural members of the advisory board are Greg Avioli of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Thomas Brosig of the University College at Tulane University, Marc Falcone of Deutsche Bank Securities, Penelope Kyle of the Virginia Lottery and Bo Bernhard of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The advisory council's first tasks are to develop a mission statement and to begin identifying additional candidates for recommendation to the executive committee.
China -- Cai Haowen, the Chinese transportation official whose gambling loss of US$420,000 in public funds was largely responsible for sparking a massive national crackdown on all forms of gambling, has finally been arrested after eluding authorities for three months as a fugitive.
Guilty -- Jason Smathers, the former AOL employee who stole a list of 92 million customer names and e-mail addresses and then sold the data to the owner of an online gambling site for $28,000 in June 2004, has for the second time pleaded guilty to violations of the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act. Smathers first pleaded guilty in December, but U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein refused to accept the plea because he was not certain that Smathers had actually deceived anyone, which is required for an action to violate the law. On Friday, however, Judge Hellerstein accepted Smathers' guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for May 20.
Bookie Busts -- Police in the United States moved in on at least three illegal bookmaking operations over Super Bowl weekend. The largest sting occurred in New York, where officers arrested 12 people associated with what prosecutors call a $100 million organized crime operation. Police ended a month-long sting dubbed "Operation Kings Flush" by raiding nine parlors in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island. . . Meanwhile, police in California arrested three men and confiscated $120,000 after a three-year investigation into an illegal gambling ring. Officers say they have a list of individuals who used the bookmaking operation, and they say they will make more arrests soon. . . Virginia police also made a small bust over the weekend, confiscating $25,000 and charging three men with seven counts each of promoting illegal gambling.