Simulcasting Provider Pushes for Offshore Hub Serving North Dakota
Lien Games is lobbying the North Dakota Racing Commission for approval of an offshore gambling operation. The company would set up a computer hub in the Caribbean through which money wagered on horse races in the state could be funneled. Lien, which supplies video signals of horse races to North Dakota off-track betting sites, is arguing that approval would help revive the state's gambling industry. Mike Cichy, the company's general manager, has pointed out to the Racing Commission that a handful of other states have similar systems in place, but commissioners say they want to ensure that the proposal is fully legal before making any decision on its implications. The commission hopes to make a decision on the matter during its May meeting.
Tabcorp Eyes International Expansion
The Economic Times reports that Australia's Tabcorp is considering international expansion. The company is said to be interested in opening casinos and sports betting shops in India and other parts of the world. Company representatives visited India this month as part of an exploratory search party looking at opportunities in foreign markets.
MagnaBet Launches in the UK
MagnaBet, a subsidiary of Magna Entertainment Corporation, opened up its online horse betting platform to the English market at the beginning of April. Visitors to www.magnabet.co.uk can bet on races held at 58 tracks around the world. MagnaBet facilitates betting from 32 racetracks in the United States, including major venues such as Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Laurel Park. Visitors can wager on races from Germany, Austria and the United Arab Emirates as well. Up to 160 races are streamed live daily at the U.K. site.
Betbull Launches Racing-Only Site
Betbull rolled out a new betting exchange designed to be the first horse racing-only site that will offer a split commission with the racing industry. The site offers P2P wagering on races in Munich and Baden Baden, with each of the German states' racing associations getting a cut of the action. The existing partnerships provide Betbull with the exclusive rights to promote its live betting exchange at the racetracks themselves.
UK Jockey Club Probes Insider Betting
One day after assuming his roll as head of the U.K. Jockey Club's Regulatory Board, John Bridgeman launched an investigation into insider betting. "We have to be open-minded," Bridgeman said, "but the real question is to decide whether the current rules by which we ensure fair play in horseracing and betting are as appropriate now as they were when they were framed." The Jockey Club's security department has been grappling with a formal approach to defining and dealing with insider information for at least six months.
Licht Joins Youbet
Roger Licht, the former head of the California Horse Racing Board, has been named to the wagering compliance committee for Youbet.com. As a three-year member of the CHRB and its chairman in 2003, Licht helped bring advanced deposit wagering to California. Youbet.com CEO Chuck Champion called Lict "a horseman with extensive regulatory and legal experience who also has a comprehensive understanding of ADW and publicly held companies."
Massachusetts Legislators Question Lottery Officials
The Massachusetts Lottery's proposed virtual horseracing game might be an expansion of video gambling and a form of off-track betting, according to state lawmakers who are calling for a closer examination of the lottery's authority to debut the game later this year in bars and restaurants. After Massachusetts racing leaders expressed concerns that the game could draw bettors away from live and simulcast racing, some lawmakers questioned whether the game should be allowed because of its potential effect on the state's struggling horseracing industry. Joseph Sullivan, the lottery executive director, defended the proposed game, insisting that it would be no different from the state's existing keno game.
Betfair Ready to Invest in Australia
Hoping to sweeten the pot in its effort to get a license in Australia, Betfair.com told the state of Tasmania that it is prepared to open a second company headquarters in the state. (Its main headquarters are in London.) The creation of the new facility would mean an infrastructure investment of more than $39 million. Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon told The Australian that all aspects of a potential license for Betfair are under consideration.