Seeking Further Approval -- Nevada-based gaming device manufacturer FortuNet received approval on Thursday from Nevada's State Gaming Control Board to become a licensed operator of mobile gambling devices in the state. FortuNet is the third company to receive this distinction since the state passed AB 471, allowing mobile gambling in Nevada casinos, in 2005. The next step toward final approval is a vote by the Nevada Gaming Commission, which tends to follow the board's recommendations. This will come within the next few weeks. Reno-based slot machine manufacturer International Game Technology received final approval from the commission in August, and Cantor Gaming, which led the 2005 legislative efforts to get AB 471 passed, was approved in May and plans to introduce the first devices at the Venetian after a field trial late in late 2006 or early 2007.
Quotable -- "They are penalizing companies for being innovative and for their speed of growth - which is often faster than governments can cope with. All these countries have gaming themselves: casinos, racetracks and the like. . . . All we want is regulation."
- Making little effort to hide his feeling about the U.S. government's attitude toward Internet gambling, PartyGaming CEO Mitch Garber responded on Friday to the arrest of Peter Dicks, a non-executive chairman of Sportingbet plc.
Grand Improvements -- The Grand Privé group of online casinos, which includes Grand Bay, Bella Vegas, Lake Palace, Jupiter Club and others, has implemented "eZ PLAY," a new one-wallet system that enables individual players access all eight casinos through a single account. With the new system comes Grand Privé's new "Virtual Pit Boss" customer service tool, which lets players interact with the casino in real time and enables the casino to give players the kind of personalized service they'd get in Atlantic City or Las Vegas.
Stock Watch -- Following Thursday's chaos in the wake of news that Sportbet Non-executive Chairman Peter Dicks had been apprehended by U.S. authorities, I-gaming stocks bounced back slightly today in London. Payment processor Neteller, the biggest among several losers Thursday (falling 94p to 336), rose 34p to 370. Its counterpart, Fireone Group, which dropped 29p to close at 192.50 Thursday, put on a modest 2.50p, closing at 195. World Gaming, which was in the beginning stages of merger talks with Sportingbet fell 2.5p to 62. British gaming group Stanley Leisure, a highly coveted acquisition target of late, rose 13p to 855.