Un-LuckyMe -- U.S.-based casino operator Harrah's Entertainment will close its Alderney-licensed online gaming site, LuckyMe.com, at the end of October due to low revenue levels. A subscription-based site targeted at female customers and featuring numbers and instant games, the site seemed like an experimental attempt since its launch in February 2004. The company might attempt another online gambling venture with a different business model in 2005.
Age Verification -- Trustmarque, a U.K.-based provider of payment processing solutions, has developed a new age verification product that should help British online casino and sports book operators do a better job of preventing minors from accessing their sites. Trustmarque will first offer the new product as a supplement to its Risk Guardian fraud screening system. The British online gaming industry came under heavy criticism in July of this year when GamCare, Citizencard and the Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS) tested 37 online gaming sites to see if a minor could set up an account and found that a 16-year old girl was able to gain access to 30 of the sites.
Shifting Gears -- Isle of Man-licensed sports book BetInternet.com is planning to offer its customers more tote-betting options on sports by providing direct links to pari-mutuel betting providers across the globe. The decision comes after the group experienced a 480 percent increase in tote betting turnover during the first four months of 2004. While increasing its tote betting offerings, BetInternet will also decrease its fixed-odds betting offerings. Managing director Paul Doona said that the success of bookmaking operations is dependent upon the results of sporting events, but with pari-mutuel wagering, the operator can use the critical mass to dictate its own margin. The company has announced plans to raise funds to implement the new business plan.
Hi-Lo on Avago -- I-gaming software developer Zone4Play's iTV Hi-Lo game is now available on BSkyB through the six channels operated by The Gaming Channel, including the popular number games channel Avago, which has over 125,000 registered users.
Keno.com -- Gaming Transactions Inc., a Canadian provider of online gaming portal management, has acquired Keno Limited, a U.K.-registered company that owns the www.Keno.com URL and a license to an Internet financial gaming transaction system from Red Ruth Ventures Inc.