Implementation -- Delegates from Antigua and Barbuda and trade representatives from the United States met Thursday in front of the World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body in Geneva. Antiguan spokespersons have reported that the United States did not provide information about how it intends to comply with the body's ruling that the United States' restrictive approach to remote gambling violates the General Agreement on Trade in Services. Dr. Errol Cort, Antigua and Barbuda's Minister of Finance and the Economy, stated before the Dispute Settlement Body, "First, I would like to express my delegation's disappointment in the statement just made by the United States Ambassador. Prior to this meeting, we have had no contact or communication from the United States regarding its intentions in this matter. Under Article 21(3) of the DSU, we believe we were entitled to hear at this meeting specifically what the United States proposes to do to comply with the decision and what time frame it suggests in which to accomplish that. The statement of the United States ambassador today gives us no substantive guidance as to the United States' intentions, and we would respectfully ask the United States to be more specific in front of this Body today. Failing that, at the very least, I will extend an invitation to the United States delegation to meet with our delegation following this meeting in order that we may promptly get the clarity to which we are entitled."
Integrity Analyst -- Ireland's Turf Club has appointed Hugh Hynes, a former trader for Paddy Power, as the first person to take the group's newly created role of integrity analyst. Hynes is to meet with both the U.K. Jockey Club and Betfair within the next few weeks, and Turf Club CEO Denis Egan says he expects the club to have memorandums of understanding in place with Betfair and Betdaq by the end of June. According to Egan, the club is anxious to "sign memorandums with every exchange that trades on Irish racing if volumes are respectable." The agreements will be similar to the one already existing between Betfair and the U.K. Jockey Club.
Russian Mobile -- Russian publication Biznes reports that Russian cellular operator MTS has signed a contract with mobile solutions provider Jupiter Trade, whereby Jupiter will create a number of Java games for use on the MTS mobile network, including slot machines, dice and virtual horse racing. According to Biznes, the first mobile casinos appeared in Russia in 2002. The market for mobile casino gambling is estimated at US$7 million (compared to $20-30 million for Internet casino gaming) with an annual growth rate of 20 percent. With 89.2 million mobile subscribers in Russia as of April 2005 (according to ACM Consulting), mobile phone penetration has already exceeded 100 percent.
Carsands 6.0 -- Sands of the Caribbean (www.carsands.com) has released version 6.0 of its casino gaming software. The new software version includes a suite of 24 new games, including casino solitaire, pontoon, casino war, super fun 21 and several multi-line slot machines and rapid fire jackpot games.
WARPoker -- GWIN Inc., a U.S.-based publicly-listed sports handicapping company, has signed a letter of intent with online gaming solutions turnkey provider Live Cast Media to create at least two Internet poker sites that will utilize the Wayne Allyn Root (WAR) brand name. (Root is Chairman and CEO of GWIN.) Live Cast will create, support and operate WARPoker.com, which will focus on an international market, specifically Asia and Europe, but will not accept play from U.S. citizens. The second site, WARPoker.net, will allow U.S. resident to participate in non-rake games for fun and prizes. The two companies plan to promote the sites through GWIN's various media properties, including the "Wayne Allyn Root's WinningEDGE" television and radio shows and the winningedge.com Web site. GWIN will receive 50 percent of the profits of the WARPoker.net site and 25 percent of profits from the WARPoker.com site.
Gaming and Happiness -- A comprehensive study conducted by research group MMI and Professor Svein Aage Chrisoffersen of the Theological Faculty at the University of Oslo suggests a link between gambling an happiness among Norwegians. Some of the general findings of the study are that lottery games create joy among most participants, either through the act of playing games--especially in a social environment--or in daydreaming of victory or in actually winning. Commissioned by Norway's lottery operator, Norsk Tipping, the study also revealed that although Norwegians do not on average play for large stakes, a very large portion of the population does engage in gaming. In 2004, more than 2 million people gambled more than US$12 billion.