Poker Beat -- Online poker Web site PokerRoom.com has introduced a new team-play feature that enables players join or form teams of five to 10 players. Each team has a manager, who registers the team and sets up events in which the team plays. He also monitors the team wallet, which uses a percentage method to calculate how much money individual members can withdraw (ensuring that no one takes out a larger portion than he deposited). . . . WPT Enterprises, Inc., the parent company of World Poker Tour, has teamed up with online poker social network Chipleaders Inc. to produce what they hope will be the world's largest online poker community. Chipleaders will provide a global network, accessible from worldpokertour.com, which will enable users to connect with other players though blogging, photo sharing and e-mail, among other features. Membership will be free.
Mobile Mansion -- Gibraltar-based online gaming company Mansion, now has a suite of 12 casino games for mobile phones available for free download on mansion.com. Mansion Mobile Casino's suite of games includes blackjack, baccarat, video poker, casino war and slots. "These games are so much fun," said Mansion Head of Casino & Games David Knipe, "players may forget they can still use their phone for calling!"
Outdoor Party -- Media Week reports that PartyGaming, which owns PartyPoker.com, PartyBingo.com and PartyCasino.com, has hired International Poster Management (IPM) to run its outdoor advertising account in Europe. The £8 million account spans the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Latvia, Belgium, Turkey, Greece and the Czech Republic. The publication also reports that more than 40 percent of its 2005 advertising budget was designated to outdoor advertising. A property of New York-based advertising agency Interpublic Group, IPM will soon be re-branded "Magna Outdoor"
Mystery Complaint -- An unidentified German company has filed a complaint with the European Commission against Belgium's national lottery following a published article claiming that the lottery has increased its annual marketing budget by €16.35 million since 2000. "We have no information as to the identity of the plaintiff or the nature of the complaint," said State Secretary for Public Companies Bruno Tuybens. "Only when the commission has made a decision will there be an actual reason to examine the conformity of Belgian law with European legislation. Figures mentioned in the press are not always of the necessary accuracy." The government will set up an ethical commission with independent members to supervise the work of the lottery; the establishment of such a commission was originally proposed in 2002 when the lottery was launched.
Carried Away -- The Croyden Guardian reports that a gambling addict who worked as a supervisor for a charity in Croydon has been jailed for three years after fleecing £250,000 of donations to support an extravagant lifestyle. James Murray, 23, used the stolen dough to buy a car and designer duds, fund a lavish vacation in Florida with his girlfriend and gamble on the Internet. Murray was a supervisor at Scope, a charity organization that focuses on cerebral palsy. He admitted to 14 charges of theft and asked for 69 other offenses to be taken into consideration. Prosecuting attorney Philip Jones said that 83 payments made to the charity were deposited into Murray's personal bank account. Murray, shocked at the amount, told police he was in debt and only intended to steal once or twice, but got carried away.