EssNet Goes Platinum -- Stockholm-based lottery systems supplier EssNet has become a platinum contributor to the World Lottery Association (WLA). Hans Vigmostad, president and CEO of EssNet, which had until now been a gold-level contributor, explained that the "WLA is playing an important role in the lottery industry and we wanted to increase our support of their efforts to look after the members' interests and to provide new services like security certification and RFP standardization. Also, the focus on responsible gaming and high business and ethical standards will be crucial to the high reputation of the lottery business in the future. We are very pleased to be part of these processes." EssNet joins GTECH, Scientific Games, and Intralot as platinum contributors.
iTV in the USA? -- The results of a survey conducted by Ipsos-Insight show that consumer awareness of interactive television in the United States is very low, with only 50 percent of the survey's respondents replying that they had ever heard of iTV. Eleven percent said they were familiar with iTV and 39 percent said they had heard of it but didn't know anything about it. Most of those who reported to be familiar with iTV came from households that earned over $100,000 per year. Ipsos-Insight also polled respondents who reported to be interested in iTV and found that 26 percent are interested in controlling different camera angles on sporting events, 19 percent are interested in requesting product information, 18 percent are interested in receiving sports statistics, 15 percent are interested in playing games against other viewers, 13 percent are interested in making purchases through the remote control and 5 percent are interested in betting on sporting events and horse races. The recent purchase of satellite provider DIRECTV by Rupert Murdoch could lead to a bigger future for iTV in the United States.
Ritz Relocates -- Ritz Club London Online this week re-launched its online casino, originally based in Curacao, under a gambling license issued by Alderney. The transition became possible last year when the Alderney Gambling Control Commission certified CryptoLogic's WagerLogic software, which powers the Ritz Club's online casino.
UK Gambling Bill Scrutiny -- The Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Salvation Army, the Evangelical Alliance and other opponents of the England's draft Gambling Bill, which would permit more forms of gambling (including Internet and mobile gaming), today argued their case before a joint committee of the Houses of Commons and Lords. The committee, which visited GamCare's headquarters yesterday, will likely continue holding semi-weekly public evidence sessions until early February. It will report its recommendations to both houses of Parliament by April 8.
BHB Responds to Jockey Club -- British Horseracing Board (BHB) chief executive Greg Nichols has responded to Jockey Club senior steward Julian Richmond-Watson's fears that all commercial power will be transferred to British Horseracing Enterprises by issuing the following statement: "BHB continues to be supportive of the principle of a separation of governance and commercial functions. But, as the democratic governing authority, it has absolutely no intention of giving up any of its current responsibilities unless and until it is satisfied that a proper balance of interests for all sectors of racing will be maintained. A number of options remain under consideration. Julian Richmond-Watson has set out a hypothetical scenario which would result from the absence of those vital safeguards. Racing must seek to avoid such an outcome."
TAB Talk -- The Australian Financial Review (AFR) reports that Tab Ltd. has held secret negotiations with the NSW and Victorian racing industries. To continue broadcasting racing from the two industries, TAB has reportedly offered the industries partial ownership in its $250 million monopoly broadcaster, Sky Channel. The AFR says discussions with NSW racing are still progressing, although talks with Victorian racing have failed since TAB could not provide a majority stake in Sky. Tab Ltd. and Sky have neither confirmed nor denied the claims.