Alderney -- The Alderney Gambling Commission this week issued WagerWorks a license to operate Virgin Games.com. The commission says it is also considering an application by financial brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald. An independent, non-political body, the Alderney Gambling Commission recently reported its annual financial figures for the year ended Dec. 31, 2003. Interactive gaming and gambling licensing fees provided the commission with £535,502 over expenditure in 2003, while it experienced a small surplus of £62,165 the year before.
Dog Faster than Horse -- Kempton Park, Wednesday, was the setting for an unprecedented race. Simply Fabulous, a seven-year-old retired racing greyhound set up beside Tiny Tim, a horse in prime running condition, in what was dubbed the Challenge of the Species, an event to promote both the Epsom Derby and the Greyhound Derby this weekend. The debate over which racing animal is fastest was settled when Simply Fabulous stunned everyone by crossing the finish line seven lengths ahead of the horse. The owner of Simply Fabulous, David Hood, said, "I'm a bit shocked because I wasn't expecting Simply Fabulous to win. But greyhounds are terrific athletes, they can accelerate from 0 to 40 mph in one second. There's no other animal that can compete with them, and this shows that over a certain distance they can beat the best racehorses." Punters wagered close to £10,000 on the race, with nearly all it backing Tiny Tim to win. The largest single bet on Simply Fabulous was £200.
Bonus Pack 4 -- WagerLogic Limited, a provider of online gaming software and a subsidiary of CryptoLogic, has released Bonus Pack 4, which contains 11 new video slots with titles describing their themes. The new games are Dick Danger, 20,000 Leagues, Cash Caper, Cool Bananas, Eastern Dragon, Free Kick, Kanga Cash, Love Bugs, Magic Carpet, Nothin' But Net and The Oracle. The new slots offer three to 20 pay-line games, animated bonus rounds, and bonus features. Players can wager between $0.01 and $180, and each game pays out 95 to 98 percent. The full suite will go online first at InterCasino.com.
Encourage Lotto Bids -- Tessa Jowell, Britain's Secretary of Culture, Media, and Sport, said that her department is seriously considering government proposals to encourage competition in bidding for the National Lottery licenses. "We have listened to these concerns and recognize the need for a fresh look at how we can maximize returns to good causes," Jowell said. "We will look at evidence that has emerged since we announced our proposals and work with the NLC, Camelot and others on a variety of options - both within the existing law and those requiring legislation. We still intend to include licensing reforms in the Gambling Bill which we hope to put before Parliament as soon time allows."