Best Use of Technology -- Betfair has taken the award for Best Use of Technology at its regional National Business Awards. The company will advance as a candidate for the national final in November. Betfair's chief technology officer, David Yu, explained, "Our technology is constantly being challenged by the phenomenal growth of the company and the event-driven demands of our customers. We have retained 90 percent of the betting exchange market, and it is paramount that we remain as the leader in the technology battle." Betfair won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2003.
2.5G Mobile Service -- The Sunday Business Post in Ireland reported that betting volume and the number of customers using the new Paddy Power Mobile service are ahead of expectations. The service, which launched just three weeks ago, was developed by mFuse and speeds up the betting process by using 2.5G java-based technology. The service also features real-time pricing information and handset recognition, which simplifies the login process by requiring users to enter only a four-digit PIN code.
Technology Investment -- Irish bookmaker Boylesports plans to invest €3 million on a new betting platform that will enable punters to use a single account for betting through its retail, fon-a-bet and Internet services. The new system will speed up services and should be integrated by the end of December.
Handheld Terminals -- AB Trav och Galopp (ATG), Sweden's national horse betting company, has chosen EssNet to provide handheld terminals and software services at racetracks across the country. EssNet's handheld terminals will feature a touch-screen interface with a wireless LAN connection and Web browser. They will be installed at a few tracks for a trial period before being rolled out at several more tracks and even at some off-track agents. Ronnie Ronnersjö, ATG's Manager of IT systems, said, "Today, at the horse racing tracks in Sweden, players can only place bets at manually operated terminals accepting both verbal bets and coupons. ATG is now planning to install self-service terminals and the first step is to develop a terminal for use by the players directly at the restaurant tables."
Futures Trading -- Tradesports.com, an Ireland-based futures trading betting site, says that it will soon open contracts on technology events, such as when a new major virus will appear, or when eBay will be brought down by a DDoS attack. The site already offers contracts on political events, such as presidential elections and assassinations, and also on certain stock market performances, such as how well Google's shares will fare on their first day of trading.
Phantom and DGS -- The wireless technology experts at Phantom Fiber have signed a four-year license agreement with Digital Gaming Solutions (DGS) whereby Phantom Fiber will develop a mobile wagering platform based on DGS software. DGS, a company that provides software to the retail wagering electronic point of sale, Internet sport betting, online casino gaming and call center industries, will then market the mobile wagering platform to casino and sports book properties. Gaming operators can use DGS software to provide a one-stop wagering solution.