Bit from New Zealand -- Christchurch Casino in New Zealand recently launched a bingo Web site, www.kiwibingo.com, that is offering prizes of up to US $10,000 per game. The casino already has an online version of casino
games up on the Internet, www.kiwicasino.com, which is hosted in Antigua. The operation was recently cleared of an investigation from the New Zealand Internal Affairs regulators, who say it is illegal for any company other than the TAB to take Internet bets in the country. Gregory Cott of the Internal Affairs gaming compliance office, said the matter was settled when Christchurch Casino pledged that it takes no bets from New Zealanders or anyone within New Zealand's boundaries.
Makin' Deals -- Sportinglife.com will now provide the sports content for FT.com, the Web site of the Financial Times newspaper. Sportinglife will include news about football, cricket, golf, horse racing, motor sports, rugby and tennis. As part of the deal, FT.com will post links to betting sites affiliated with Sportinglife, including
www.sportal.com and www.ukbetting.com. According to its January 2002 figures, FT.com has 2.7 million unique monthly users and 55 million monthly page views. David Annat, managing director of Sportinglife.com, said the partnership will benefit his group. "We are
delighted to be working with a leading content provider such as the FT, and this partnership is testimony to our success in the field of sports content," he said. "It enables us to attract even more users to our sites,
further enhancing our position in the market."
US Bit -- Youbet.com has a free rider problem, and the Los Angeles-based company is doing something about it. Youbet.com announced today that starting in 30 days, people who use the site to gain sports information and not place significant wagers will have to pony up a subscription fee. Unlimited access to the site's information, including audio and video, will cost $14.95 per month. Ten hours of access per month will cost $7.95.
New Stuff -- A fantasy league for lawyers? It's true. Fantasycourt.com said today that it will allow people to bet and receive points for every Supreme Court decision they correctly predict for the court's entire term. At the end of the term, the player with the most points will receive the title "Fantasy Justice of the Year" and will receive $2,500.
Bit from the UK -- Sky is consulting with U.K. gambling addiction awareness charity Gamcare to develop a safety net for players who use Sky's interactive television gambling channels such as attheraces and Ladbrokes. Richard Flint, director of betting gaming for Sky Interactive said the company wants to make sure its partners offer responsible gaming opportunities.