Ukbetting Radio -- Ukbetting's in-store media branch, TEAMtalk Broadcast, has just signed deals to provide Littlewoods' Index stores, Topps Tiles, and Makro Self Service Wholesalers with in-store radio services. With the new additions, TEAMtalk now supplies in-store radio to seven mainstream retailers, giving them access to the airwaves in over 1,000 outlets in the United Kingdom where over 15 million customers will hear the service each week.
TAB War -- The Sydney Morning Herald reports that ACT bookmaker SportOdds and U.K. betting exchange operator Betfair have both expressed that they do not oppose a merger between Tabcorp and Tab Ltd., as long as they are all permitted to fairly compete. "We would like to get licenses and enjoy the same benefits they do in reaching the consumer," said SportOdds owner, Con Kafataris, who would like to see the NSW Government change its licensing structure to allow more than one licensed online sports betting operator. Betfair would also like access to bettors in NSW. Mark Davies, spokesman for Betfair, said, "If you are going to create as great a monopoly as this, you have to ensure that there is greater competition to make sure the consumer has choice."
Sarawak Loophole -- The government of Sarawak, Malaysia's largest state, has tried to stem the proliferation of gambling by limiting the number of licensed numbers forecast operations (NFO). The Sarawak Tribune reports that a large betting company based in peninsular Malaysia has for the past few weeks aggressively sought an NFO license, but all of its applications have been rejected. The company, whose name has not been verified, reportedly may have found a legislative loophole to circumvent the state's authority by setting up its NFO outlets through telelink service centers. The centers would allow customers to bypass tickets (the sale of which is regulated by the Finance Ministry) and access their accounts with mobile devices. The company is reported to have made arrangements with a bank to ease transactions of the service accounts, and the centers could possibly start operating next month as live horse racing telecasts via satellite TV begin. If the online network is successful, the Sarawak government will lose the 5 percent gambling tax that it earns on NFO tickets.
Fate of Tote -- The Independent reports that the U.K. Office of Fair Trading and the U.K. Department for Culture, Media, and Sport will likely inform the Tote this week that its monopoly on pool betting will expire in seven years. The Tote has an exclusive license to operate pool betting for an unlimited amount of time, but the OFT expressed last year that it would like to enhance competition by removing the license. Tote's chairman, Peter Jones said, "The license is indefinite at the moment. We're hopeful there will be a reasonable length to enable us to have a smooth transition. What we were promised originally by the Home Office was 15 years and what the OFT suggested was nil." Some speculate that the loss of license could lead to the Tote's privatization through a transfer to a not-for-profit trust. Meanwhile, the Tote announced today that its pre-tax profits for the 25 weeks ended Sept. 17 have risen 39 percent.
The Funding Question -- "Current accusations leveled at betting exchanges--regarding turnover, margin, punter behavior, bookmaker behavior, bookmaker profitability, and ultimately the funding of racing--are unfounded."
- forward to "The Funding Question," Betfair's 86-page refute of attacks from bookmakers. The report analyzes starting price data for every horse in every race in the past eight years. Betfair also argues that the removal of the betting tax in 2001 has impacted horseracing in a way that has been "dramatically underestimated." Betfair will send the report to all of racing's major interest groups and to the U.K. Parliamentary Committee established to evaluate the draft Gambling Bill.
Casino Freeplay -- Ladbrokes is launching a six-figure Internet marketing campaign for Ladbrokescasino.com. Called Casino Freeplay, the promotional program will let new customers play the online casino for free until November 28. In that time Ladbrokes will be offering 1,500 prizes, including gift vouchers from Amazon and Hilton, a new Mini, a trip to Las Vegas, and a grand prize BMW Z4. Ladbrokescasino's lead online agency, Unique Digital, will splatter the Ladbrokescasino logo in about 55 million places such as on banners, buttons and skyscrapers.