SOLD -- A few weeks away from its scheduled merge with Tabcorp Holdings, Jupiters has sold its Centrebet online betting group to SportOdds, the largest privately owned sports betting company in Australia, for $46.55 million in cash. Jupiters will distribute the net proceeds of the sale to shareholders through a special fully franked dividend. The sale is expected to be completed Oct. 27, three days after shareholders will vote on the Jupiters and Tabcorp merger proposal.
Australian News -- Australia's Interactive Gaming Act is scheduled for presentation in late October, and shortly afterwards legislators are expected to decide whether Betfair should be granted a license to operate in Australia. On July 10, the Australian Betting Exchange Task Force reported conclusions to its research into the effects of licensing betting exchanges in the country. The task force recommended that licenses not be granted, or that they be licensed with severe restriction. . . . The Advertiser reports that the Victorian State government taskforce is examining proposals that would dock the wages of problem gamblers. A similar approach is being adopted in South Australia, where families who have been without financial support for three months can apply for a "family protection from problem gambling" order. This order can deduct funds from a gambler's wages or direct him to return money and property to his family.
Quoteworthy -- "There is no law on the book in the United States currently that states it's illegal to advertise a sports betting Internet company."-- Gary Hoyle, Sportsbook.com's director of marketing for the Americas. The London-based company hosted the Grand Prix Americas in Miami this weekend. It also sponsored a car in the Champ Car World Series race.
Code of Conduct The Interactive Gaming, Gambling, and Betting Association has established a code of conduct to which all of its members must adhere. The code is composed of a list of 14 guidelines for areas such as probity and trust, accountability, banking and transaction management and prize payouts.
Colombia Avantel, Wireless Business, and Motorola have developed an online lottery system in Colombia that gives players access to information about all available options, results and prizes. Avantel will provide the network for the mobile and data transmissions, Wireless Business will provide the services and Motorola will provide its latest technology.
Lotto TV -- SAZKA, the Czech Republic's Ministry of Culture, T-Mobile and a television station called TV Nova have all joined forces to launch T-Mobile RENTA, a television lottery show in the Czech Republic. After purchasing a ticket from a vendor for about the price of a U.S. dollar, players have a few different ways to win and might even be lucky enough to participate at a taping of the show. RENTA was first broadcast Sept. 21 and will continue to air on a weekly basis.