Bit from Nevada -- The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Thursday held its first public meeting to study the feasibility of and demand for an intrastate gaming system. Regulators are worried that such a system could hinder efforts throughout the state to curb gambling by Nevada residents. Many board members expressed concern that an intrastate system would only hurt the state. The board will explore the issue further, but has tabled all advancements of an interstate system.
Makin' Deals -- A leading Nordic tech firm is embarking on a new path that will integrate an Internet gaming platform with electronic banking services. HiQ entered a partnership with Veikkaus and Nordea Bank that will enable users of Nordea's Solo Internet banking service in Finland to play lotto and keno and make sports bets through the Solo banking site. The banking service has 1.2 million users.
Names and Faces -- David Rai has been picked to lead the new Gaming, Media and Leisure division of U.K.-based testing specialist TesCom. The new division will target the company's consultancy solutions toward a wider range of organizations and enable it to maintain its expertise in these areas. TesCom will work with companies to conduct a wide range of different tests, from ensuring that the initial design meets the customer's needs to ensuring that the applications meet the expected load and performance.
Bit from the South Pacific -- Despite an economy mired in a slump, the government of Papua New Guinea reported this week that gambling revenues will continue to soar. At least $13 million a month is being spent on poker machines, according to the latest figures from the National Gaming Control Board. Figures are not available for the other forms of gambling.