Asian Tidbit -- Galaxy, a Hong Kong interactive television platform, is to begin offering the SAR's first interactive television gambling, reports a news site called www.informamedia.com. Galaxy is to launch in Hong Kong later this year and hopes the gambling service will boost its popularity.
News from Israel -- Elyakim Rubinstein, the attorney general of Israel, recently expressed his strong opposition to legal casinos in Israel. According to IsraeliNationalNews.com, he sent a letter to MK Shalom Simchon, a member of the Knesset Finance Committee. Rubinstein stated that legal gambling is akin to allowing a criminal culture to take hold in the country.
Bit from Down Under -- Lasseters Corp. is reporting its first annual profit after a AU $5.6 million loss for the last fiscal year. The Internet casino company is listing a profit of AU $320,485 for the year ended June 30. Lasseters experienced a 46 percent increase in turnover to AU $463.8 million. "The maiden annual profit has been achieved just two years after the merger of Lasseters Casino and Gocorp and indicates the business model is viable," said Peter Bridge, managing director of Lasseters. The company is Australia's only licensed and regulated Internet casino, although most of its customers are American.
British Bit -- The U.K. Tote is adding itself to the chorus of voices challenging the existence of betting exchanges. However, Peter Jones, chairman of the Tote, said he wouldn't be opposed to the exchanges so long as they are regulated. "It is a question of their underlying legality," he said. "I can see professional bookmakers throwing in their licenses and going on to the exchanges -- illegally. I am in favor of exchanges but there has to be a level playing field and legality."
Another Moneymaker? -- Online poker site Prima Poker recently send two of its winners to the World Poker Tour's Grand Prix de Paris. The players, identified by the poker company as ShipDe Cheeze and HandSoLow, had their EUR 10,000 buy-in at the Grand Prix de Paris paid for by Prima Poker. In addition they received free airline tickets, hotel accommodations and EUR 500 in spending money. Both players were eliminated on the second night of the tournament, however. A Microgaming-powered site, Prima Poker is based in Curacao.
Making Deals -- The merger of Tabcorp and Jupiters could take until November to finalize due to how long it is taking Jupiters to unload its online betting arm, Centrebet. Tabcorp has stated that it does not want its merger to be muddied by the Internet betting operation. The Courier-Mail, an Australian newspaper, is reporting that Jupiters is likely to receive only half of the AU $180 million it was originally asking for Centrebet.
Names and Faces -- Rick Flood yesterday resigned as COO of Earthport, an Internet payment processor. Claire Rawlins, formerly the senior vice president and COO of Qwest, will take his place. Earthport also recently announced that Paul Townsend will be the new banking director and Christopher Hall will serve as CFO, effective Aug. 1. Earthport's clients include Ladbrokes, Betfair and Sportingbet.