For Sale? -- Online sports content and gaming company ukbetting is preparing to appoint financial services firm UBS to perform a strategic review of the company, which could lead to a sale of its betting operation, according to British newspaper the Times. The report said a sale such as this is likely to attract suitors such as PartyGaming and 888 Holdings, which have been looking at sports book acquisitions. Ukbetting owns a network of sports content Web sites, including teamtalk.com, planet-rugby.com and sportinglife.com.
National Right -- A non-profit organization has been formed to keep the Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act (HR 4411) from being passed in the U.S. Congress. The National Right for Online Gambling (NROG) was co-founded six weeks ago by Brian Jakusik and Jason Bailey, who plan to use the media to educate the American public on the issue. One of NROG's messages is that the online gambling companies are no different than any other legal, legitimate business and Jakusik and Bailey have a few tricks up their sleeves to get their message out. They plan to conduct a nationwide poll to gauge how many Americans know or even care about the issue. They plan to use the results to build a more effective media campaign, which will target states that will influence opposing congressmen and focus on "battleground" states, as well as a nationwide campaign. "Mass media will be our big push," Bailey said. "There are thousands of outlets we could use tomorrow, but we want to do our research first and build our message and backing."
gamAid Live -- U.K.-based gamAid, the first online service to provide instant help for problem gambling, is set to go live this month. GamAid provides instant, real-time, one-on-one access to professional help for remote gamblers who feel they are losing control of their gambling activities or who want to know more about responsible gambling. During its six-month trial period, the service received over 55,000 visits and between April and July 2006 provided 1,000 one-on-one help sessions. Online gaming operators Betfair, Ladbrokes, SportingOdds, VIP, Camelot, BetMax, DigiBet and Playboy already employ the service. The initial pilot has been supported by the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT), and gamAid hopes to announce soon further funding for the purpose of making the service available to all gamblers based in the United Kingdom.
Guilty -- A financial adviser in England who stole £1.75 million from mostly elderly clients squandered the fortune on an online gambling habit, the Times reported today. Philip Smith, 48, pleaded guilty yesterday at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester to 49 offenses of theft, money laundering, false accounting and forgery. Smith admitted to conning his clients into trusting him before embezzling their credit cards and bank accounts. All told, Smith, a former Lloyds TSB banker, stole cash from 51 clients. The money, including £42,000 stolen from his brother, went on betting accounts with Betfair, Stanley James, Blue Square and Spread Ex. The judge told Smith that he faced a lengthy prison sentence.
New Live Poker -- Customers logging into online gaming site Live3DPoker.com today will be automatically redirected to livepoker.com, a new site with the same features as well as some new and improved ones. Fred Luchetti, general manager of Live Poker, which launched Live3DPoker in April 2005, said: "We've listened to our players and made a number of positive changes on the Live Poker site, including adding more bonuses that are available to our playing community." LivePoker has also started an affiliate marketing program through the Income Access Affiliate Network, which specializes in affiliate marketing for the international online gaming industry.
Software Lincensing Deals -- Boss Media has signed an agreement with gaming solutions provider St. Minver to deliver the Boss Media Management System, an open business system for the management of complete digital gaming operations. The agreement entitles Boss Media to receive income from royalties for the use of games from suppliers other than Boss Media for an initial license fee of US$3 million. Ongoing royalties will be calculated as part of the total gaming volume handled through the system, separate from the supplier of the gaming products. Launch of the system is scheduled for the beginning of December 2006. . . . Online gaming site BetbyInternet has expanded its catalog to offer horse wagering, casino cash games and online poker. The new and improved site, which has operated under the WorldGaming PLC software package since its inception a few years ago, now uses a package from BLR Caribbean Technologies. "We felt it was the right time to make a change for the better and give our members a different look and feel at BetbyInternet.com without affecting our superb gambling service", said Lee Samuels, director of promotions. "Our online betting entertainment package offers much more like real-time horse wagering, online casino games and online poker."