No Action in Nevada -- The Nevada Senate Committee on Judiciary had AB 485, a bill to allow the use of mobile gambling at casinos, on the agenda for its Thursday meeting, but the it never came up for action. Under the proposed law, mobile gambling devices would be allowed at pools, hotel bars, shopping centers and other designated areas, but not in guest rooms. The committee has placed the bill on its agenda for May 18.
RAL -- RAL Interactive has launched a new game called "Jackpot Roulette," which was developed in-house and boasts a guaranteed £1 million jackpot. Meanwhile, the company's RAL Holdings Limited subsidiary is engaged in the process of being acquired by Talarius Plc in a reverse takeover. RAL's interactive division represented 4 percent of total revenues in 2004; the remaining 96 percent came from the operation of 129 High Street adult gaming centers under the "Quicksilver" brand. Talarius was admitted to trading last month on the Alternative Investment Market with the goal of acquiring or making investments in companies engaged primarily in the High Street gambling market.
Caborn Stays -- Tessa Jowell has confirmed that not only will she remain Secretary of Culture, Media and Sport in the United Kingdom, but also that Richard Caborn will remain Minister for Sport. Caborn's main responsibilities for the coming years will include sports, gambling, horse racing, the sale of the Tote to the Racing Trust, National Lottery policy and London's bid for the Olympics in 2012. His work as Sports Minister has been praised by representatives of the sports, racing and betting industries, and his return to the position is apparently welcomed by nearly everyone dealing in those areas.
Heathorns -- Interactive Gaming Holdings (IGH) has reached an agreement with Malta-based Internet and co-location solutions provider MaltaNET Ltd. whereby MaltaNET will host IGH's recently acquired Heathorns sports book within its co-location facilities. Heathorns, which has been in business since 1890 and claims to be the oldest established bookmaker in the world, was purchased by IGH in March 2005. Last month IGH signed an agreement with I-gaming software provider Orbis Technology whereby Orbis will provide its OpenBet platform and a call center for the Heathorns' sports book. The platform is slated to go live in the third quarter of 2005.
Headquarters -- Even though the Tasmanian government has yet to make its decision regarding the licensing of Betfair, the company has begun searching in Hobart, Tasmania for office space to become its Australian headquarters.
Great Gifts -- Online poker room Pokertropolis.com says that it delivered gift bags to 25 celebrity guests on American late night talk show "Last Call with Carson Daly" during the May sweeps week. Each gift bag included a little black box filled with shredded money, a Pokertropolis.com baseball cap and an invitation to play in this year's $10,000 buy-in World Series of Poker, compliments of Pokertropolis.com. The gifts were given to Matt Dillon, Carmen Electra, Jon Favreau, Shannon Elizabeth, Donald Faison, Tom Green, Hugh Hefner, Gabrielle Union, Andy Richter, Terrell Owens, Gary Sinise, Rick Fox, Rob Schneider, Keane, The Donnas, The Wallflowers, Scott Weiland, Minnie Driver, The Dan Band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Trillville featuring Lil' Jon and Smashmouth.