e-Gaming Ambassador -- Bill Mummery, who was until recently technical director for Betinternet.com, has joined the Isle of Man's Department of Trade and Industry to take over the e-Gaming Ambassador position from John Gilmore, who is resigning to explore new opportunities. Gilmore says he will continue to be involved in the island's e-gaming industry as a consultant.
The Greek's Acquisitions -- Jamaica-based betting company Olympic Sports Data Services, operator of TheGreek.com, has acquired Kahnawake-based sports books WagerStreet.com and BetAllSports.com for an undisclosed amount of money. If the company's conflicts with the Jamaican regulators persist, Kahnawake could prove a viable destination for its headquarters.
Bejeweled Slot -- WagerLogic, the licensing and services subsidiary of I-gaming software provider CryptoLogic Inc., has signed an exclusive five-year deal with PopCap Games for the rights to create and market an Internet slot version of the popular puzzle game "Bejeweled." WagerLogic will develop a play-for-real, 10-line slot variation of the fast-paced gem-matching game, which is scheduled for release to CryptoLogic's licensees this autumn. PopCap Games says more than 50 million people have played Bejeweled since its release in 2000, and the game continues to be one of the most popular titles on the game networks of AOL, MSN and Yahoo!
Malta License -- British betting exchange Betfair.com has been awarded a license to operate in Malta, just one year after the jurisdiction introduced its new Remote Gaming Regulations. Betfair's CEO, Stephen Hill, stated that Malta's excellent technological infrastructure, its progressive and responsible gambling legislation, and its E.U. membership were the three key reasons his company applied for a license on the island. He also said the company plans to launch an innovative exchange-based product from Malta in the near future. Having obtained an offshore license, the company could viably relocate the bulk of its business if the U.K. Treasury were to introduce a tough tax structure for online betting exchanges. Technically, the company could also relocate its betting servers to Malta while keeping its main office in the United Kingdom. Because Malta is a member of the European Union, the company would still be able to pursue advertising and sponsorships in Britain.
Czech Stats -- The Finance Ministry of the Czech Republic reports that Czech citizens spent a record US$3.6 billion on legal forms of betting in 2004 ( 8.5 percent more than the previous year). The amount of money won by Czechs, $2.7 billion, is also a record setting number. Although the amount of money gambled was an all-time yearly high in 2004, the rate of growth in gambling expenditure was actually less than the two previous years. Gambling on slot machines and at casinos grew, while the amount spent on lotteries and fixed-odds betting decreased.
New Skill Games -- Victoria Real, a creative communications agency that is part of entertainment producer Endemol UK, has signed an agreement that will allow I-gaming technology provider FUN Technologies' SkillJam to build and support online skill games based on three of Endemol's popular reality television and quiz shows: "Fear Factor," "Big Brother" and "Last Man Standing."
Parbet.com -- Online gambling site Parbet.com has chosen CWC Gaming (Casino Webcam) to provide live casino studio video feeds and software to its webcam casino, which was provided by Live Gamble AB.
Skill Deals -- Skill gaming provider GameAccount has signed a deal to provide online gaming systems provider Digital Gaming Solutions with a fully white-labeled skill gaming solution with real-time foreign exchange rate conversions and multiple languages. Digital Gaming Solutions' existing clients will obtain access to GameAccount's skill-based games through the deal.