Making a Case -- The Times reports that National Lottery operator Camelot has made a strong case to retain the lottery license after announcing a 3 percent rise in ticket sales in the first three quarters of its year. Sales increased by £105.4 million ($207.7 million) to £3.71 billion ($7.3 billion) in the nine months to December, the paper said. The figures, released just weeks before the Feb. 9 deadline for license applications, indicate that under Camelot, the National Lottery will complete a fourth year of growth. With Ladbrokes and Sir Richard Branson out of the running, Camelot faces competition from Sugal & Damani, the India-based state lotteries operator, and Greece-based operator Itnralot.
Bailed -- Stephen Lawrence, one of two former Neteller directors arrested on Monday on charges of money laundering, was released on US$5 million bail today in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was released into the custody of an FBI agent. Half of the bond was transferred by wire to a New York City court clerk's office before his release. The conditions of Lawrence's release require him to board a direct commercial flight to New York under FBI supervision and surrender his passport. He must then appear at a Jan. 26 court hearing in New York, which is subject to change. Fellow director John Lefebvre was arrested in Malibu, Calif., on Monday. The pair has been charged in connection with the creation and operation of an Internet payment services company that facilitated the transfer of billions of dollars in illegal gambling proceeds from U.S. citizens to the owners of overseas Internet gambling companies.
Casual Gaming -- Canada-based online casino group Jackpot Factory said that it will continue to serve U.S.-based customers in 39 states--"business as usual," it said--after acknowledging the departure of payment processors Neteller and Citadel from the U.S. market this week.
Pulling a Fast One -- Online poker operator Eurolinx today announced it will leave Tain Poker to join Microgaming's poker network. Eurolinx said increased market consolidation and a desire to provide players with what it believes to be the best software available motivated the decision.
Acquired -- British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSkyB) on Wednesday announced that its £96 million ($189.2 million) cash offer for online sports content and gaming company 365 Media, originally pitched on Dec. 15, was declared "unconditional as to acceptances," with the offer to remain open until further notice.
Inked -- Austria-based skill games provider Greentube AG on Wednesday announced an agreement with fraud-protection solutions provider iovation, with iovation to integrate its fraud-protection software with Greentube's skill games software and other products.