Sci Games in Germany -- New York-based lottery solutions provider Scientific Games has been awarded a contract to supply a new Internet system to German state lottery Lotterie-Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, located in Hessen. The technology will enable customers to use the Internet to purchase Lotto, Oddset, Keno, GlucksSpirale, Toto and other lottery games. The new system is expected to be delivered in October 2006.
Centrebet on the ASX -- Australian online wagering company Centrebet International listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on Monday, but made a less-than-spectacular debut at $2.03, up 3 cents from its $2.00 issue price. Managing Director Con Kafataris said he was pleased with the first day of trading on the local bourse and that the company, which now has a market capitalization of about $174 million, will use the funds raised to broaden the family-run business that began as an on-course racing betting operation. Centrebet now plans to enter selected new markets in Europe.
Caborn on the Rock -- U.K. Sports Minister Richard Caborn visited Gibraltar Monday to see how the country operates as a global jurisdiction for online gambling. He met with the country's chief minister, Peter Caruana, and later with John Anderson, CEO of 888.com, to tour the 888.com facilities. England is preparing to hold an international online gaming summit later this year in Gibraltar to develop an international code of practice for the industry.
Losers in the Sky -- Online poker room InterPoker.com is gearing up for the World Series of Poker by throwing poker players out of a plane above the Las Vegas desert in its latest installment of the Extreme Poker Challenge on July 26 at Jean airport. During "Loser's Leap," players will load into a skydiving aircraft to play Texas Hold 'Em at 10,000 feet. But as they run out of chips they will have to jump out of the plane, with a parachute of course. The last player on the plane will be the winner. InterPoker will pit members of the InterPoker.com professional poker team, such as Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari and Scott Fischman, against players who qualify for the event online through the InterPoker.com site. The qualifying online tournament will take place Saturday.