Gamer's Advocate -- e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA), a newly formed independent entity that provides important player protections to consumers, has appointed Julie Sidwell as a fair gaming advocate. Sidwell will help develop eCOGRA's player safety provisions and will serve as a representative for players who have concerns about gaming sites. Sidwell had been the administrator of Gambling Grumbles at Gambling.com, where she helped resolve disputes between online casinos and players. She's written several articles for Gambling OnLine Magazine concerning casino and player relations and she's helped train the staffs of several operators to prevent disputes.
Agenda Setter -- Betfair's CEO, Stephen Hill, has been named to silicon.com's list of the Top 50 Agenda Setters for 2003, ranking in as the tech industry's 41st most innovative driving force. He was also listed as the fifth most innovative entrepreneur.
Singapore's Stats -- According to Singapore's Internal Revenue Service, the country's residents spent over $6 billion (US$3.4 billion) on lotteries, horse racing, and other types of legally sanctioned gambling last year. That is an average loss of $1,500 (US$900) per person. The $6 billion industry earning is $135 million (US$77 million) less than the previous year's figure.