Dandy Derby -- California-based online bookmaker Youbet.com, Inc. said today that its International Racing Group (IRG) and United Tote subsidiaries surpassed all previous records for betting volume on Kentucky Derby day. Youbet is reporting that it processed almost $5.6 million in wagers that day, a 34 percent increase over 2005; United Tote processed a record $175.0 million in wagers, and IRG handled $4.3 million in live operator-assisted wagers on race day.
Diversifying -- Internet gaming software developer and poker network Excapsa Software Inc. has launched a single-player blackjack product for its licensee, eWorld, operator of UltimateBet and UltimatePoker. Excapsa said this is the first of several planned blackjack versions that will be released in 2006.
Seeking Protection -- The Victorian Bookmakers' Association (VBA) in Australia wants the state government to protect the local betting market against the double threat of Tabcorp and corporate bookmakers taking wagering turnover away from Victoria. "While we have the best racing and sporting events in the country, our national market share of wagering and gaming turnover is declining, and it is no good waiting until 2012 to make appropriate changes," VBA co-chairman Lyndon Hsu explained. The association maintains that for local operators to be competitive, they have to be granted off-course fixed-odds wagering licenses, be able to offer tote odds, operate at approved sporting venues and participate as minority shareholders in any new pari-mutuel license. "All we are seeking is even-handed treatment on competition issues," Hsu said. "If the TAB can offer our products, we ask the government to give us the same opportunity to compete against it and the corporate bookmakers in Australia and off-shore."
Seeking Seals -- eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) today unveiled its "100 Seals Campaign," intended to increase the number of online casinos and poker rooms committed to player-safe gaming from 76 to 100 by the end of the year. More than a dozen sites are currently undergoing eCOGRA's third-party inspection and monitoring process. CEO Andrew Beveridge invites online gambling software providers and their licensees to join in the campaign as well.
Getting Greenway -- British MP John Greenway was appointed on May 5 as the new chairman of the Responsibility in Gambling Trust. He replaces Sir David Durie. Greenway served as a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee (1987-1997) and as shadow Minister for Gambling, both in Home Affairs (1997-2000) and Culture, Media & Sport (2000-2003). He resigned from the Conservative frontbench in summer 2003 to take up the chair of the pre-legislative Scrutiny Committee for the draft Gambling Bill.
Getting Approval -- Casino game technology provider Progressive Gaming International Corporation announced Monday that it has received approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board to commercially distribute its Rapid Bet Live (RBL) product to race books and sports books throughout the state. RBL enables customers to place live, real-time wagers on professional and collegiate sporting events. The company's next step is to submit to the Board for approval the wireless edition of RBL, which it plans to do within the next two months. The Nevada Gaming Commission on March 23, 2006 approved the use of wireless gaming devices in Nevada casinos.