Stanley and Playtech -- Stanley Leisure, England's largest casino operator, has re-launched the Acropolis Casinos brand, which it bought in 1999. The new site will target the U.S. market and use technology by software provider Playtech. Stanley Leisure has also indicated that it will soon launch the entire Playtech gaming suite as well, including casino, poker room, bingo system and soft gaming products. The company has two additional online casinos--stanleycasino.com and crockfordscasinos.com--that use proprietary software.
Bodog in UK -- Costa Rica-based betting company Bodog.com has obtained a bookmaker's license in the United Kingdom. "We have focused heavily on the North American market over previous years," explained CEO Calvin Ayre, "and seeing our explosive growth during that time, we feel that we are now prepared to move our world class services into the U.K. marketplace."
Counterpoint -- Betfair spokesperson Antonia Sharpe told eGaming Review that there's no truth in a Sunday Observer article indicating that the U.K. government will raise the tax rate on betting exchanges in a few months. Sharpe said the story is likely the result of some clever spinning on behalf of betting exchanges' rivals: traditional bookmakers. "It looks like the story was motivated by vested interests because we have heard nothing along those lines from the Treasury" Sharpe said. "We are not concerned, and we await the finding of the Treasury with interest." She also pointed out that the primary finding of a recent National Audit Office report from which the Sunday Observer story was spun is that the government's gross profits tax reform on betting in 2001 was successful in encouraging bookmakers to keep their core operations in the United Kingdom. She said this is important to remember because if the government were to raise taxes on betting exchanges, relocating offshore would always be a viable option.
Quoteworthy -- "The government just seems to have lost the plot. We have now got an act that nobody wants, and they want to railroad it through before the feneral election. These kind of reforms only happen once every 40 years."
- Neil Goulden, CEO of British bingo and casino operator Gala. Goulden believes the U.K. government's new plans for the Gambling Bill will make it extremely difficult for native companies to compete against foreign competitors. He added, "It will be like tying our hands behind our backs and asking us to fight Mike Tyson. It's no surprise that when the government's amendments were made, shares in quoted U.S. casino companies went up (and) British ones went down." The next reading of the Gambling Bill before the House of Commons is scheduled for Jan. 24, one day before the International Casino Exposition gets underway in London.
US Agenda -- U.S. Senator Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, has announced his committee's agenda for 2005. Though it was not listed as a top priority, Internet gambling prohibition was named as an issue that the committee expects to address either at the full, subcommittee or staff level in 2005.
Farewell -- Rob Hartnett is leaving his position as managing director of betting exchange Betdaq next month to lead a new media and betting organization that will launch this year with the backing of leading players in British racing. After joining the Betdaq in 2001, Hartnett helped launch the company's P2P site in 2002 and has since been a vital voice of betting exchange advocacy. Betdaq CEO Brain O'Sullivan will assume Hartnett's duties until further appointments are made in the coming months.
Oddities -- GoldenPalace.com has purchased another religious relic to accompany its Virgin Mary-emblazoned grilled cheese sandwich. The latest acquisition, which sold for $2,550 on eBay, is a rock that bears the image of a weeping Jesus. Seller Steven Wolfe said the rock helped to heal his mother and brother from cancer and also helped his mother and sister win $600 playing bingo. Yesterday a man in Switzerland announced that he will auction off an oyster shell that also bears the image of Jesus; perhaps it could be the next Golden Palace purchase.
Pay Bills With Lotto -- Customers of Enel, Italy's largest electric company, can now pay their bills via Bancomat cards at lottery outlets, tobacco shops, bars or any other facility connected to the Lottomatica Totobit network, which happens to be the most extensive citizen services network in Italy, handling about 190 million transactions per year.
Live Betting -- Interactive Systems Worldwide Inc. (ISWI) announced that the three Internet terminals at the Welsh Open snooker tournament at Newport Center will be equipped with the SportXction play-by-play wagering system so that spectators at the venue can place bets on live action while they watch.