Floating Stars -- Online poker company PokerStars is reportedly close to a £1.6 billion stock market flotation. The poker giant is expected to name HSBC as sole global coordinator and sponsor of the proposed market listing. HSBC provided advice on rival 888 Holdings' float. Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein (DKW), which floated PartyGaming, would serve as joint book runner. PokerStars had previously worked with NM Rothschild on a possible trade sale, but a high asking price reportedly ended the relationship. PokerStars is said to be looking to float by the end of the year.
Not Permitted in Sweden -- The local council in Örebro, Sweden has closed down one of the town's Internet cafes because its 12 PCs were being used for gambling without a gaming permit. After both the country administrative board and the administrative court ruled in favor of the café, the case was taken to the administrative court of appeal in Jönköping, which ruled yesterday that a PC, regardless of location, automatically becomes a gaming machine if someone plays games with a financial stake on it. Internet cafés in Sweden are now forced to monitor which sites their users are visiting.
Changing Hands -- U.K.-based casino and poker operator 32Red Plc announced today the acquisition of online gaming company BetDirect, the sports betting division of Sportech Plc, for a total of £12.5 million (USD$23 million) in cash. BetDirect was costing Sportech millions of pounds in lost revenue. Last year it lost around £4.5 million as a number of heavily backed favorites won a string of sporting events and as online betting exchanges like Betfair enticed gamblers with better odds. 32Red CEO Ed Ware said the 32Red and BetDirect brands would not come under a single ewallet, but 32Red poker and casino players that want to have a sports bet they will be able to go to the forthcoming 32Red sports book, soon to begin development. BetDirect in April launched an online casino and an online poker room. Sportech had been rumored to be looking for between £15 million and £20 million for the sports book before agreeing to £12.5 million.
Tab Takeover Talks -- Gaming group Tabcorp Holdings Ltd. has launched a takeover bid for Unitab Ltd. that trumps rival lottery/gaming operator Tattersall's Ltd.'s offer. Tabcorp has offered $14.25 per Unitab share, assuming Tabcorp shares remain at a value of between $15.00 and $17.00 - either between 0.84 and 0.95 Tabcorp shares per Unitab share, or $8.25 cash and between 0.35 and 0.40 Tabcorp shares per Unitab share. Tattersall's last offer was at a value of $12.90--offering 4.33 of its shares for each Unitab share, plus $522 million for an alternative cash offer of $14 per Unitab share. Tattersall's shrugged off the speculation on Wednesday, saying its offer was would win out.
Micro Tomb Raider -- Microgaming has extended its exclusive licensing contract with games developer Eidos Interactive, creator of Lara Croft Tomb Raider, giving Microgaming consent to continue to develop Tomb Raider-branded games for online and land-based casino platforms. Microgaming has also come to an agreement with Eidos for a new deal to develop popular computer game Hitman as a video slot game.
Boss and Zest -- Interactive gaming software developer Boss Media has signed an agreement with Zest Gaming--a Lecco, Italy-based company which designs and produces gambling machines, gaming boards, games and related software and hardware applications--for the use of cabinets for the IVT's both in Sweden and internationally. Boss Media will also outfit Zest gaming machines with three games for the Italian market.
Playtech and Mahjong -- Interactive gaming software developer and licensor Playtech today announced that it has commissioned TankSoft Inc. to develop a suite of mahjong gaming software. Playtec said TankSoft is an ideal partner because it is the only company that offers solutions to the major issue of collusion and because the deal enables Playtech to offer a full range of mahjong games including country-specific versions and various unique and patented features. Playtech expects to be offering its licensees mahjong games by the end of 2006.
More WC Tools -- Online gaming group betinternet.com has announced the release of a World Cup desktop alert and screensaver download to keep customers up to date with the latest World Cup scores and features team and fixture information. . . . Online betting exchange Betdaq is preparing to launch an odds comparison service called "Price Check" in time for the World Cup. The company has partnered with Betgenius, operators of the Bestbetting.com sports betting odds comparison brand, to provide the service.