TAB War -- The Age reports that NSW-based Tab Ltd. has held "in-depth discussions" with the racing bodies in NSW and Victoria and plans to offer a share of TAB's Sky Channel profits as part of an agreement that would allow Sky Channel to renew its contract on the broadcast rights. Discussions are continuing, and Tab Ltd. emphasizes that no agreement is certain. Meanwhile, Sky Channel is still competing with five other groups for the media rights…. Tabcorp's board met yesterday to discuss the possibility of placing a higher takeover bid for Tab Ltd., which for now seems set to merge with Queensland's UNiTAB unless Tabcorp can trump UNiTAB's offer. A statement from Victoria-based Tabcorp today said, "The company continues to assess its position and a further announcement will be made in the event of any material developments." Australian analysts say another bid from Tabcorp is likely.
eCOGRA -- e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA), a U.K.-based non-profit organization backed by software providers to the online gaming industry, says it will award its first seals of approval to online casino operators within a few weeks. eCOGRA's independent directors are currently in the process of evaluating applicants to insure that each complies with the group's Generally Accepted Practices (eGAP), which includes player protections, fair gaming, and responsible conduct.
US-CERT -- To warn computer users about viruses, worms and other online security threats, the U.S. government has created US-CERT, a partnership between the Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security Division and the private sector. Internet users can register at www.us-cert.gov to receive e-mail warnings about emerging threats in addition to tips about how to protect their computers. The e-mails will not contain color-coded threat levels.