Quoteworthy -- "I was on record, at least three years before the United States changed its rules, saying the low-hanging fruit in our industry is the public companies, and if the U.S. government want to make a statement all they have to do is rattle the bush and the public companies are going to fall out . . . exactly what I said happened. That is why we would never go public."
- From Bodog Chief Executive Calvin Ayre, who recently interviewed with Simon Bowers of British daily Guardian. The full story is available here, wherein are recapped the musings of whom the paper calls the "Perma-tanned Internet gaming boss."
More Mobile for Ladbrokes -- U.K.-based mobile technology developer Mfuse has said its branded fixed-odds betting title Deal or No Deal is available via Ladbrokes' mobile betting service. Mfuse has also agreed to supply Ladbrokes with its On Handset Registration solution, which, in part, would allow Ladbrokes to advertise via SMS messages sent directly to registered customers. "Previously our clients couldn't advertise their mobile services," said Mfuse Product Development Director Rick Brownlow. "Now they have mass market access."
$1 Million Secured -- Lotteries technology supplier New Media Lottery Services said non-executive directors Milton and Joseph Dresner have provided a new additional loan facility of $1.0 million to fund working capital requirements for the company. The yearly interest rate has been set at 3 percent. To date, the company has borrowed roughly $1.7 million from the Dresners.
Big Spenders -- The Associated Press reports the National Basketball Association paid U.S. lobbying firm McGuirewoods Consulting $280,000 in the second half of 2007 to preserve the U.S. ban on sports gambling and to "strengthen prohibition against Internet gambling." A federal law enacted in 1995 requires lobbyists to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches. Click here to take a look back at numbers submitted by I-gaming lobbying firms for the first half of 2007.
Stock Watch -- On the LSE today, 888 continued to gain and was up 2.50p to 124.50, London Capital Group fell 19.75p, or 5.90 percent, to 315.00, while Playtech had another big day gaining 6.2 percent, or 23p, to close at 395. Rank, also a darling among investors this week, was up 5p, or 5.22 percent, to 100.75.