LONG-TERM DEAL Gtech Corporation announced Thursday it has signed a 20-year contract with Loto Real Del Cibao C.X.A., which was recently awarded a concession to manage and operate an online lottery in the Dominican Republic for 20 years.
Gtech’s contract began Aug. 28, 2008, for an online lottery system, terminals, future commercial services and additional gaming opportunities in the Dominican Republic and is expected to generate revenues of about $130 million during the term.
Under the agreement, Gtech will provide and maintain an online lottery central system and install 750 Altura terminals prior online system launch in 2009 and an additional 250 terminals will be installed at a later date.
“We have worked hard to achieve this great step,” said Jose Bernardo Guzman, president of Loto Real. “Our experience for more than two decades in the area of traditional games in our country, together with the experience and technology of Gtech, ensures from the beginning that we will be well positioned to become the leader in online lotteries operating in the Dominican Republic."
FRIEND OR FRAUD WagerLogic Ltd., a subsidary of CryptoLogic Ltd., announced today it has joined Ethoca Ltd.’s community of global fraud fighters.
The Cyprus-based online gaming licenser will work directly with Ethoca and allows WagerLogic to accept more valid player deposits, which should decrease fraud for its licensees and beef up player protection.
"Our business is built upon the twin pillars of integrity and innovation, and that's why we look for innovative approaches to protect the integrity of our business," said Antony Demetriades, managing director of WagerLogic. "Fighting fraud is both a challenge and an opportunity -- for our multi-billion-dollar industry, our customers, our players and our bottom line."
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM John M. Kelly, Gala Coral Group chairman, has criticized Ireland’s government on its leisure policies, reports The Scotsman.
During the announcement of his retirement next year, Mr. Kelly called the policies “unhelpful” and the 2005 Gambling Act, which doubles taxation on bingo products, “inflames” him daily.
The Scotsman quoted Mr. Kelly as saying: "The government over a period of many years has really not dealt with this sector well from either a legislative or a fiscal perspective."
MERGER International Game Technology’s United Kingdom division, called IGT-UK, and WagerWorks, a subsidiary of IGT, have announced the integration of WagerWorks into IGT-UK Gaming.
IGT-UK Gaming will be responsible for managing and developing the WagerWorks online gaming business in the United Kingdom and Europe.
"As our respective customer bases and technologies are increasingly converging, the integration of the U.K. division of WagerWorks into IGT-UK Gaming is a natural next step,” said Robert White, managing director of IGT-UK. “This is consistent with our strategy of developing new markets and new routes to market for IGT-UK's market-leading game content and systems, and builds on the recent acquisitions of Cyberview and Million-2-1.”
Additionally, Oliver Lofthouse has been appointed as director and general manager of the recently integrated business. Previously, Mr. Oliver was a director at Mars Snackfoods.
JUST BROWSING BT Group, a London-based communications service company, is developing an Internet browser on a TV platform, according to the Financial Times.
The browser will only be able to access certain Web sites, and BT will get a cut of revenue. Dan Marks, chief executive of BT Vision, noted that along with online shopping, gambling might “potentially” become a profitable use for the browser.
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