Fun Acquisition -- The Globe and Mail reports that Englewood, Colo.-based Liberty Media Corp. has agreed to pay about US$194-million for a 51 percent stake in AIM-listed skill games provider Fun Technologies Plc. Liberty Media is hoping to entice Fun's 9 million registered users into its toddler-aged "participation TV," which enables players at home to participate online, as the Fun Technologies spelling game, "Lingo," airs on Liberty's Game Show Network. Fun Technologies will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media.
Motown Legends -- Motown stars The Four Tops and The Miracles are investing in a real-money gaming Web site called "Motown Legends Casino," despite the U.S. government's tough stance on Internet gambling. Detroit developer Herb Strather, who had a hand in bringing three land-based casinos into Detroit in the 1990s, said the site will be accessible in 64 countries that allow Internet gaming; U.S. players will be able to play for fun on a separate free-play site that will generate money from advertisements. Nevada-based gaming management and software company Atlantis Internet Group has been tapped to provide the technology. "The amazing thing about Motown artists is that they are known around the world," Donald Bailey, chairman of Atlantis, said. "We believe that gives us a major advantage over the competition." The site is expected to go live in February 2006.
Betfair Saga -- Before the Tasmanian Upper House entered its final debates today over the Gaming Control Amendment (Betting Exchange) Bill 2005, the Australian Racing Board (ARB) painted a dismal picture in a last-ditch effort to sway the 10 Independents to decline Betfair's bid for an Australian license. The ARB said Betfair would open the flood gates to money laundering, race fixing and other criminal activity and disputed Betfair founder Edward Wray's promise to inject $35 million into the local racing industry by 2009. Harness Racing Tasmania President John Hammond, however, said the ARB does not represent the views of the grassroots members of the industry. Member for Rowallan Greg Hall and Leader of the Government Michael Aird have both spoken in favor of an amended bill calling for socio-economic impact studies every three years. If amended, the bill will return to the Lower House for final approval.
Poker Beat -- EZ2 Companies, Inc., a provider of Internet-based services ranging from dating and relationship services to national mortgage services, is getting in on the online poker craze and has formed a wholly owned Bahamian subsidiary to develop and license the technology for the company's newest portal, ez2poker.com. Otto Bethlen, EZ2's president and CEO, said he expects pre-registration to begin around Dec. 15. . . . Poker for a good cause has debuted on the Excapsa poker network. The new venture, BenefitPoker.org, is a poker platform designed almost solely for charity. Excapsa donated the technology powering BenefitPoker, which next week will host its first tournament aimed at raising money for Dylan Hartung, a seven-year-old cancer patient from Australia who is undergoing treatment in New York. Though 80 percent of its profits go to charity, the site moonlights as a standard, for-profit poker room enabling participants to play for their personal charities.