Customer Service Getting Better -- An independent audit of online gambling companies revealed a marked improvement in the level of customer service provided by U.K.-facing gambling sites. Customer interaction management solutions provider Talisma anonymously contacted 100 of the United Kingdom's top gambling sites, posing as customers, and found that the companies had improved overall since 2006 in three areas: responsiveness, new interactive channels and accuracy of information. By contrast, the audit revealed the failures of companies in areas of customer service. For example, only a small number of companies excelled in personalization and boosting customer confidence, according to the report. Among the companies audited were 888, Betfair, FullTilt, 32Red, Centrebet, Paddy Power, Betsson, PartyGaming, Betfred, PokerStars and Unibet.
Davy is Fed Up! -- Professional tennis player Nikolay Davydenko is fed up with the Association of Tennis Professional's investigation into suspicious betting patterns surrounding one of his matches. The association began looking into Davydenko's match against Martin Vassallo Arguello in Poland last August when online betting exchange Betfair flagged irregular betting patterns. Davydenko has submitted his personal phone records and he and his wife have cooperated with investigators, but he feels he is being victimized. "Maybe they just found one tennis player who they want to remove from the world's top 10,'' he said. "Maybe there is someone below me in the rankings who is more popular and they want to increase his popularity.'' The ATP dismissed his claims as "fanciful."
Freed Jockey has Need for Speed -- Recently acquitted jockey Kieren Fallon on Thursday entered a plea of not guilty to a speeding charge in Cambridgeshire, according to the Racing Post. Fallon was charged with driving a BMW at 40mph in Milton Road in Cambridge, a 30mph zone, on May 16, 2007.
Trading Update -- Sweden-based software provider Boss Media has released a trading update saying the end of a "turbulent" 2007 had been stronger than anticipated. The company's preliminary year-end report for 2007 will be released prior to the opening of the Stockholm Stock Exchange on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
Stock Watch -- On the LSE today, British Sky Broadcasting closed down 10p to 539, Fun Technologies dropped 3.50p to 163, Playtech lost 9.75p, closing at 360.25, and William Hill closed at 389.25, down 11.25p.