iTV in USA -- TVG Network today launched an iTV horseracing channel in the United States. The network features horseracing news and information and also enables viewers to participate in pari-mutuel wagering. The service will be made available to iTV-enabled subscribers of EchoStar's DISH Network satellite TV system in California, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Customers in Colorado will be able to view news, results and statistics but will not be permitted to wager.
Jersey Gaming -- Lawmakers on the island of Jersey, a U.K. dependency, on Tuesday debated plans to relax the jurisdiction's gambling laws. Plans to introduce online gambling were approved, while plans to establish a casino and commercial bingo were rejected.
Phantom Launch -- Mobile solutions provider Phantom Fiber has announced that seven new sports book operators will launch mobile applications powered by the company's wireless framework this week. The licensees are: TradeWinds Sportsbook and Casino, Badlands Casino and Sportsbook, Guardian Guaranty Corporation Sportsbook and Casino, Extreme Lines Sportsbook and Casino, Regency Sportsbook and Casino, Diamonds Sportsbook International and Carib Sportsbook. Phantom Fiber says that more additional deployments are expected in the near future. Jeff Halloran, Phantom Fiber's president and CEO, said the company is "preparing for the next logical evolution to our wireless framework, which takes advantage of higher bandwidth networks such as EDGE with a streamlined over-the-air delivery system designed for faster adoption, enhanced user convenience and improved functionality during product upgrades." He added, "In addition, our wireless framework will soon capitalize on emerging opportunities in poker, lottery, bingo, race book and sports content databases enabling operators to deliver functionally rich wireless gaming product suites to their customers through a single account."
Veikkaus Expands Betting Menu -- Finnish lottery operator Veikkaus Oy has added close to 50 new events to its list of fixed-odds betting offerings, including ski jumping, skiing, biathlon and Alpine skiing. The new additions, which brings Veikkaus' total number of betting events up to 150, are part of a reform that also introduces double and quintet systems. The company says the new products are a response to player feedback.
Quoteworthy -- "The government's claim that the Gambling Bill represents a business opportunity for British casinos must be a front-runner for the George Orwell prize for double-speak."
- Penny Cobham, chairman of the British Casino Association.