TAB Talk -- According to the Sydney Morning Herald, UNiTAB has confirmed that it is in merger talks with NSW TAB. UNiTAB's CEO, Dick McIlwain said, " The idea of further consolidation in the wagering business is an irresistible concept that ultimately more will happen." He has given no indication of when, if at all, the merger could occur. UNiTAB operates 1,000 TAB outlets across Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. The company is valued around AU$900 million; NSW TAB is valued around AU$1.5 billion. No final proposals have been made by either company yet, partly due to legislation in Queensland that would require UNiTAB's head office to be maintained in state. . . . Jupiters boss Rob Hines told the Daily Telegraph that he thinks sports betting will continue to grow and poker machine betting will begin to fall. "To some degree Tabcorp has missed an opportunity by having us divest Centrebet because that is in my view, a major growth opportunity internationally," Hines said. "I think the next trend in gambling is going to be sports betting; it already is sports betting." He added, "And although Tabcorp has a sports betting operation in Victoria, they don't have one in Queensland and they don't have one anywhere else."
Sportodds -- In its appeal to invalidate restrictions on advertising and publishing odds in New South Wales, Sportodds opened a new line of argument today before a federal court in Australia. The court will now take written submissions and consider them no earlier than Oct. 23. The solicitor general has been granted the right to deliver an oral argument, but Sportodds still wishes to open a new line of argument.
Taiwan Ball -- A weekly tabloid in Taiwan called Next Magazine has alleged that players from all six of the country's professional baseball teams are accepting money to intentionally throw season games. The magazine names two pitchers for the Chinatrust Whales that it says have received NT$1 million. Over the last two days, league officials and players have put out press releases to refute the claims and denounce them as sensational journalism.
Law Suit -- ODS Technologies, which does business as TVG Network, has been engaged in a legal battle with Magna Entertainment Corp, which owns a majority of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park in Maryland. Magna, the Maryland Jockey Club and Laurel Racing would like to terminate a contract that permits ODS to simulcast horse racing events from the parks because TVG has failed to achieve a three-month average of $230 million in gross simulcast bets, which it had agreed to do under the terms of the contract. ODS filed for a preliminary injunction Oct. 3 to prevent the other parties from terminating the contract. The group believes the other parties would like it removed so that Magna can install its own simulcast network, HorseRacing TV. The court will respond to the request for injunction by Oct. 20. If ODS is unsuccessful in obtaining the injunction, its contract will end on Nov. 1.