Nambling Notes - March 14, 2003
In today's Nambling Notes: Jupiters talks about the potential sale of Centrebet and more.
Tidbit from Down Under -- Part of the merger agreement between Tabcorp Holdings Ltd. and Jupiters is that Jupiters sells its sports bookmaking operation, Centrebet. Jupiters said today that it has a list of buyers interested in purchasing the online bookmaker that includes buyers from Europe, the United States and Australia. "We have quite a long list now and we'll go through the process of providing information to all those who have registered and then we'll form a short list and negotiate with the short list and select someone," Rob Hines, the managing director of Jupiters, told the AAP. Credit Suisse Boston is valuing Jupiters at between AU $75 million and AU $120 million. (US $44.57 million to US $71.32 million.)
Making Deals -- The Ritz Club London is entering a cross-promotion agreement with the U.K. Tote in which the Tote will offer access to The Ritz's gaming site from its own Web site, betXpress.
New Stuff -- Trident Entertainment Group announced yesterday that it is now offering problem gambling counseling from its online casino Web sites, which include King Neptune's, Trident Lounge and Vegas USA. The person who will be answering the counseling inquiries is a qualified social worker and recovering gambling addict. Trident's spokesman, Scott Gaines, said the company is committed to offering ethical entertainment. "Should a player become a danger to himself or herself, we are here to assist them in taking the first step towards recovery," Gaines said.
News from Asia -- The South China Morning Post reported today that Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping has proposed that he be able to allow betting on soccer matches on a case-by-case basis, including if the Hong Kong soccer team makes to the finals rounds of international contests. "The rationale is that we need to preserve the possibility of allowing betting on international football tournaments on a case-by-case basis, where a Hong Kong team is able to enter the final stage, and if a strong demand for betting on such matches has been established," the Home Affairs Bureau said in a statement. Hong Kong's Legislative Council is to consider the matter of legalized soccer betting in April.