Free Speech? -- Seattle Times Columnist Danny Westneat wrote in an article published today that Washington State citizen Jim Harvill last week received a letter from the publisher of two gambling publications to which he subscribed--Casino Player and Strictly Slots--informing him that all subscriptions to Washington State had been canceled due to recent changes in the laws of the state. Washington State passed a law criminalizing Internet gambling that went into effect June 7.
Backgammon Party -- PartyGammon.com, the latest offering from PartyGaming, announced today that it will host the PartyGammon.com Million tournament Jan. 21-25, 2007 at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, the same venue as the original World Championships of Backgammon, which took place between 1975 to 1978. Half of the 128 players in the tournament will qualify online beginning today. First prize is US$500,000 and another half-million dollars will be distributed to other finishers in the main and consolation event. The PartyGammon.com Million will be filmed for television and distributed to key television networks around the world.
Tote and Sky -- SkyBet signed a deal today enabling customers to bet on the full range of totepool products by pressing the interactive red button on the Sky remote control. Punters will be able to watch the action on TV while placing bets into Tote pools through Sky Bet's "picture in picture" facility allowing viewers to monitor Tote pool prices at the same time as placing a bet. Sky Bet said it plans to offer this option for telephone customers and for skybet.com Web punters in the near future.
Moving On -- The Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT) has announced that its director, Robin Burgess, will be leaving his post after only 19 months. According to the board, Burgess is returning to the substance misuse field, where until joining RIGT, he had spent the majority of his career. Deputy Director Malcolm Bruce will become acting director in the interim.
Money Laundering Study -- The Asia-Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering, a group of 32 countries and jurisdictions committed to implementing laws and measures against dirty money, will investigate the dangers of money laundering in casinos, including those on the Internet, in a upcoming study. The group said that without sufficient controls criminal could enter a casino and gamble for a few minutes just to cleanse money that originated from drug syndicates. The group also listed real estate, jewelry and dealers in high-value goods such as precious metals and stones as other avenues for money laundering.
Bad Habit -- A bookkeeper in England pleaded guilty today to stealing more than £1million from a construction firm to support his online gambling addiction. Bryan Benjafield, 23, told the Dorchester Crown Court that he stole the cash through electronic transfers and by writing checks to himself while working for Charminster Limited in Dorchester. He stole the money between Jan. 1, 2004 and Oct. 28, 2005. The firm has been liquidated as a result. Prosecutors said Benjafield was stealing £17,000 a day to gamble through Ladbrokes and Skybet.
WPT Acclaim -- The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) Wednesday honored the World Poker Tour (WPT) as the Best Sports Brand License of the Year for 2005 at the LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards. New York-based licensing agency Brandgenuity LLC, which handles North American licensing for WPT was also commended for its contribution. Two World Poker Tour partners were also recognized for their expertise. Mobile games developer Hands-On Mobile and lottery solutions provider MDI/Scientific Games were both nominated for Best Sports Brand Licensee for their WPT mobile games and scratch off lottery tickets, respectively.