Online Lottery in Canada -- The Atlantic Lottery Corporation is about to become Canada's first government-operated betting company to sell lottery tickets over the Internet. Beginning early next month, Atlantic Lottery's Web site will sell tickets for six games, including Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Super 7. Lara Wood, the company's managing director, said that the lottery is trying to reach a new market, and not drive retailers out of business.
Gambling Search Engine -- In an effort to take over the void left from Google's and Yahoo's decisions to exit the online gambling advertising market, Gambling.com has re-launched as a search engine for gambling-related terms and sites only, using an initial sole proposition of pay-per-click search in an easy-to-use, Google-like interface. Gambling.com, which boasts that its domain name gives it thousands of unique visitors per day through type-in traffic, says that the pay-per-click model will enable advertisers to bid on keywords at a price that suits their budgets while receiving pre-qualified traffic. The search engine's strict editorial policy ensures that a keyword search will yield only what the user asks for instead of marginally related sites. The company began developing its proprietary search technology after purchasing the site from the Web site's founder in December 2003.
Quoteworthy -- "Betting on cricket is not decreasing. The recent Pakistan-India series involved enormous betting. That means the potential for players to receive corrupt approaches is ever present."
- Paul Condon, head of the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, commenting in the ICC's annual report. The sport of Cricket gained much media attention in February as rumors speculated that the ICC suspected several cases of illegal betting and match fixing. Condon's added, "Intelligence gathering is an essential part of our investigative program and the Unit continues to forge ever-stronger links with police forces in the major cricket nations. We have developed relationships in the legal and illegal betting worlds and our network of contracts and informants enables us to monitor the activities of the known and potential corruptors."
British Racing -- The British Horse Racing Board (BHB) is creating a position to be filled by a representative of the punting population: an independent non-executive director to ensure that the board's policies remain fair to punters. . . The Jockey Club's disciplinary panel today began hearing testimony in the case surrounding the running of Hillside Girl, which pulled up halfway at Carlisle in June of 2003 after having drifted on Betfair. Trainer Alan Berry, jockey Paul Bradley, amateur rider Dale Jewett, and blacksmith Steve O'Sullivan all face charges of illegal betting and race fixing that could result in the loss of their licenses. The hearing will span two to three days.
Ten Years of Pokies -- Last weekend marked the 10-year anniversary of a vote in South Australia's State Parliament allowing licensed gambling machines. In 1994-95 there were 7,372 machines operating in 307 venues, while now both figures have nearly doubled, with 14,799 machines operating in 593 venues. In 10 years the machines have taken over $5 billion in profit (over $9 million a week) and turnover of $40.5 billion. The Australian Hotels Association claims that gaming has created 4,400 jobs and allocated $90 million to community organizations. "No Pokies" MP Nick Xenopohon, however, said that 23,000 problem gamblers have been created in the last 10 years as a direct result of the machines.