Major Acquisition -- Italian lottery operator Lottomatica today announced a bid to take over U.S. gaming technology provider GTech for $4.8 billion in cash. Lottomatica's largest shareholder, publisher De Agostini, has agreed to pay $0.35 per GTech share in a deal that would create one of the largest lottery operations in the world. If it goes through, the transaction will create a company with 6,300 employees and operations in over 50 countries and will be financed by Lottomatica's $400 million in cash reserves, a $1.7 billion capital increase, a $900 million bonds issue and a $2.3 billion loan. Upon completion of the deal, expected by mid 2006, GTech CEO Bruce Turner will take over the new company, and Lottomatica Chairman and CEO Rosario Bifulco will step down. GTech will continue to operate as a separate entity within the group.
Poker Beat -- Online gaming software developer and operator CYOP Systems International Inc. has finalized an agreement with Action Poker Gaming Inc. (APG) to license an online poker system and integrate the software at TenSeatPoker.com. APG plans to supply CYOP with Chinese versions of the software later in 2006. Mitch White, CEO of CYOP, said the launch will coincide with the start of the spring poker season. . . . Internet gaming software developer CryptoLogic Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary WagerLogic Limited, announced today the renewal of its software deal with sports betting company ukbetting plc. Through the extension of the agreement, ukbetting, which has employed WagerLogic since 2003, will continue to use WagerLogic's Internet poker solution exclusively through to 2009 for its betting brands, ukbetting.com and totalbet.com. ukbetting will also continue using WagerLogic's casino software until 2008.
Bush Betting -- Online gambling site Bodog says it has logged a record number of bets surrounding President Bush's forthcoming State of the Union Address, scheduled for Jan. 31. Among the odds is 8/1 on the president receiving 70 or more standing ovations during the speech. Other odds include 7/1 odds on the president saying "Iraq" 16 or more times; 2/1 odds on his using the word "evil" 0-2 times and 3/2 odds on Bush uttering the words "Patriot Act" 6-9 times during the annual address.
Certified -- Playtech has received an official random number generator (RNG) evaluation certificate for its casino, poker and bingo products from accredited testing facility Technical Systems Testing (TST), which works with gaming operators to ensure their adherence to strict standards of highly regulated jurisdictions. TST has verified through mathematical and statistical analysis that the Playtech RNG distributes numbers with sufficient non-predictably, fair distribution and lack of bias to particular outcomes.
Sealed -- Ten online casinos owned by Curacao-based gaming company MiniVegas N.V. are the latest casinos to receive the eCOGRA "Play It Safe" seal. The addition of www.colosseumcasino.com, www.vegasjoker.com, www.floriditaclubcasino.com, www.grandcasinovenice.com, www.grandhotelcasino.com, www.oldsamuraicasino.com, www.royalplazacasino.com, www.vegas7casino.com, www.vegascountrycasino.com and www.vegasslotcasino.com brings the total number of eCOGRA-approved casinos to 66.