Quoteworthy -- "Internet gambling could not be stopped without cutting New Zealand off from the rest of the world," said United Future Member of Parliament Marc Alexander, as quoted by www.stuff.nz.co. New Zealand's Gambling Bill went into effect today, permitting the state-run Lotteries Commission to set up Internet gambling. Claiming that gambling problems have not been properly addressed, the Progressives plan to introduce a Private Member's Bill in order to reform the laws and protect families.
Spam Police -- According to Xinhua News Service, Internet Society of China (ISA) has announced that it has blocked 127 spam servers around the world. It has blocked 90 servers in Taiwan, 29 outside China, and eight in mainland China.
Latino Bingo -- ValCom, Inc. has announced it will launch Latino Bingo, America's first live interactive Hispanic television game show. Contestants will compete for prizes at home via their television and telephone. Broadcasting will begin Oct. 25, 2003 from seven Telemundo affiliates in Palm Desert, San Diego, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Santa Barbara-Santa Maria, Yuma-El Centro, and Bakersfield.
Dealing -- Global Interactive Gaming, a sports betting company that is wholly owned by Interactive Systems Worldwide, Inc., has signed a Strategic Relationship Agreement with Hauppauge Computer Works Limited, a European distributor of digital video boards which plug into computer monitors and enable them to display a TV window so that a user watch and bet on an event at the same time using only a computer. The terms of the agreement state that both of the companies will promote awareness of the other's products…. DataStream Card Services Ltd. and Gateway Financial Services Ltd. have formed a strategic alliance, whereby the two companies will develop and manage custom debit and credit card products and systems. DataStream will contribute its card products and Gateway will provide Central Coin, its E-Wallet platform, its full Payment Connections Payment Processing Outsourcing service, and other products to the venture, which will be marketed under the brand name DataStream Cards.