Another Lotteries Merger -- New York City-based Scientific Games Corporation, which supplies instant tickets, systems and services to lottery companies, has signed an agreement to acquire a significant piece of the online lottery assets of the Swedish online lottery systems firm EssNet AB for 460 MSEK (US$60 million). The acquisition includes substantially all of EssNet's existing online lottery contracts, as well as all technological and intellectual property pertaining to its online lottery business, subject to certain closing conditions including regulatory and customer approvals, purchase price adjustments, and other specified conditions. Scientific Games will finance the purchase under its existing $250 million revolving credit facility.
Match Fixing Investigation -- Alan Berry and Karl Burke, the two trainers arrested in connection with the alleged race-fixing scandal that broke in 2004, have been warned that the UK Jockey Club will suspend their licenses if they are charged. It is the same stipulation jockeys Paul Bradley, Fergal Lynch, Robert Winston and Darren Williams, faced last year when their licenses were renewed. Both Berry and Burke's licenses expire at the end of January and both have been given an opportunity to contest the conditions when their new licenses take effect next month. The Crown Prosecution Service is continuing to study the files ahead of the next round of bail appearances starting in late February, and a police spokesman said on Thursday night: “Decisions are being made as to whether there is no case to answer, as with these two men who have been released, and it may well be that between now and bail-back time there may be others because obviously we are trying to concentrate on the key people in the investigation.”
BoSCasino.com -- Online sportsbook and gaming site BetonSports Plc has launched its flagship online casino through a new partnership with software provider RealTime Gaming. BoSCasino.com features more than 80 casino games.
Mac Full Tilt -- Fulltiltpoker.com has released fully downloadable poker software created specifically for Macintosh users. The new Mac software includes hand histories, player notes and supports an "Auto Center" functionality, which automatically gives players the best view of the table. Fulltiltpoker.com is also offering a service that allows users to view and subscribe to poker tips and interviews from the 11 pros behind the site, a.k.a.Team Full Tilt, including Phil Ivey, Phil Gordon and Howard Lederer.
Arbitrationmeister -- InterCasino.com and online gambling portal Casinomeister.com together are offering a unique program that gives players access to independent arbitration. Through the InterCasino Group Independent Arbitration Service, Casinomeister will act as an independent arbitrator for all customer issues that cannot be rectified by the gaming site, provided the customer has first sought resolution via InterCasino.com's Support Center and Casino Manager. InterCasino vows to abide by all decisions made during arbitration.
GamArena Uses EGET's WinOne -- EGET, the Finnish-based supplier of digital gaming solutions and managed services, announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to supply its WinOne gaming platform and a range of gaming services to skill games network operator, GamArena AB, set to launch early this year. EGET will also provide housekeeping services to GamArena including hosting, payment processing and help desk.