Horseracing Analysis Network -- LegalPlay Entertainment, the operator of SkillPoker.com, announced that it has begun the final stages of beta testing its Web-based horse racing analysis software. The system is designed to give bettors in-depth race analysis, predictions and betting strategies. The company plans to offer the platform on a subscription basis at www.DailyHorse.com. LegalPlay is in negotiations with content and news providers to offer such services on the DailyHorse network, which is expected to go live in April.
Canadian Lottery -- The Atlantic Lottery would like to be the first lottery in Canada to offer games online. The company's president, Michelle Carinci, said that Atlantic Canadians are already spending $20 million on offshore Internet gaming sites. By going online, the Atlantic Lottery could keep some of that money in its own region while at the same time providing citizens with fun entertainment.
Betfair Float -- Betfair has denied a report that the U.K. government's plans to more tightly monitor and regulate betting exchanges will have any effect on its upcoming float on the AIM. Betfair is hoping to raise £25 million through share offering. England's inevitable new gambling bill is likely to include clauses that will give a Gambling Commission powers to monitor betting exchanges and perhaps even require professional gamblers to pay to a tax. The Observer reported that the float now seems unlikely, but Andrew Silverman, Betfair's director of public affairs, said, "The modernization of gaming laws is something that we support and we have not mooted any such plans to float."
Cricket -- International cricket officials, who have been taking many precautions lately to insure against illegal match-fixing, have drafted new rules stating that anyone who is "reasonably suspected" of match-fixing will be banned from any future employment in International Cricket Council and the boards of the 10 Test-playing countries.
In-game Betting at FOBTs -- Cyberview Technology, a company that provides fixed-odds betting terminal solutions to British bookmaking shops, will help Interactive Systems Worldwide's subsidiary Global Interactive Gaming (GIG) distribute and market its in-game betting SportXction Sytem to bookmakers in the United Kingdom and Europe for use in betting shops. GIG and Cyberview would like to sell touch-screen gaming products that enable punters to place bets on in-game activities, such as whether a penalty kick will be successful. The companies want to establish agreements with bookmakers that would provide all parties with certain minimum fees and a share of wagering revenue.
More Clauses -- The U.K. Department of Culture, Media, and Sport has published another list of clauses for the new draft Gambling Bill. The provisions ban chain gifting schemes and maintain the status quo on credit inducements by gambling operators by maintaining a prohibition on casinos and fruit machines that accept credit cards.
TradingSports Supplies to Golanta -- Betting exchange software provider TradingSports Exchange Systems is supplying Cyprus-based Golanta Sports with a P2P system that will enable punters worldwide to bet on Turkish, U.K. and other European sporting events. In exchange for providing Golanta with a multi-currency multi-lingual system, TradingSports will receive a percents of all margins generated through Golanta's exchange service, which will be integrated with Golanta's sports book and casino offerings at SporBorsa.com.
Sportech -- Sportech plans to cut back on its horseracing betting offerings after reporting poor figures in its latest financial report. The company will redirect its focus primarily on sports betting, with an emphasis on soccer.
Quoteworthy -- "This type of betting is the fastest growing but unregulated form of gambling, with one U.K.-based operator alone turning over an estimated $150 million a week. It is a basic right for any great sport such as racing to control its intellectual property rights without being undermined by freeloading gambling operators, and consumers need to be protected as well." -- John Pandazopoulos, Victoria's Racing Minister, urging Australian government officials in Canberra on Friday to take action against betting exchanges which are costing the industry millions of dollars each year.
State Bill -- Washington State's Senate has approved a bill that would allow Internet and telephone wagering on horse racing with a 42-7 vote. The bill, which was also approved by the House of Representatives last week, has been sent to Governor Gary Locke, who will likely sign it into law.