Bodog in the Big Apple -- Online sports betting site Bodog.com and its founder and CEO, Calvin Ayre, threw a huge bash Jan. 12 at New York City's place to be seen, the Rainbow Room, to promote their new poker room interface, which enables players to create their own personal profiles, chat with other players and play in multiple windows at once. Customers can also play live against celebrities. Rapper Busta Rhymes performed at the party and actors Luke Wilson and Bruce Willis; models Rachel Hunter and Angie Everhardt and Chef Bobby Flay made appearances. Ayre reportedly told the audience that Bodog.com would soon have a major presence in New York City, leaving observers wondering what's to come.
Jockey of the Year -- The lengthy police investigation involving 25 people, including six-time champion British jockey Kieran Fallon, suspected of being involved in fixing more than 90 horse races between 2002 and 2004, is a step nearer completion after files on the accused individuals were passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration at the beginning of the year. It is now up to the CPS to decide whether or not charges will be filed. Ironically, Fallon, who was released from jail last October, was named jockey of the year this week by the British Horseracing Board.
Here Comes Billiards -- "Billiards Live," a new interactive billiards Web site, is set to go live at the end of January and is inviting customers to participate in beta testing the product. Game play is free for the time being, but the site will eventually offer pay-for-play tournaments. TLC Industries, a developer of coin-operated gaming machines since 1985, has been working on the billiards site for two years.
Coming and Going -- Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. has named Andrew Tottenham managing director of development for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Tottenham is the founder and managing director of international gaming consulting firm Tottenham & Co., through which he served as a consultant to Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (which is now owned by Harrah's) for two and a half years. Harrah's announced its first European developments (in Slovenia and Spain) in November 2005. Tottenham will oversee these projects. . . . Richard Sowerby, co-founding director of Gala Bingo, is leaving his post after nearly a decade with the British gaming company. Sowerby, 53, joined Gala as sales and marketing director in 1997. His decision to retire follows the group's recent £2 billion acquisition of Coral Eurobet, a deal that transformed Gala into England's largest privately owned betting and gaming group. Gala was worth £235 million when Sowerby came on board; it's now worth £4 billion.