Busy Month for Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes has extended its sponsorship contracts of the St. Leger Festival at Doncaster racecourse. Ladbrokes took over the Classic in 2005 for an initial three-year period, and will continue lending it support for an additional four years.
"We are looking forward to returning to the new look Doncaster later this year and to working with Arena Leisure to ensure that the Ladbrokes St. Leger continues to go from strength to strength over the coming years," said Ladbrokes Public Relations Director Mike Dillon.
Ladbrokes has also increased its commitment to the Curragh racecourse in Kildare, Ireland. This year the company will sponsor five of the seven opening day races of the new Flat racing season, which begins March 25.
Betfair Appoints Klok as CEO of Australian Operations
Betfair and its Australian joint venture partner Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) have appointed Anthony Klok as the new CEO of Betfair's Australian operations.
Klok, formerly Director of Business Development for PBL, replaces Betfair co-founder Edward Wray, who has returned to the UK to take the role of Chairman of the Betfair group globally.
Green Party Making a Case
Various news sources reported in February that New Zealand's Green Party is calling for the shutdown of online gambling Web site Race-O New Zealand, amid claims that its operations contravene existent gambling-related legislation and "threaten the viability of the racing industry."
New Zealand MP Sue Bradford said that the site might be illegal because the Gambling Act passed three years ago outlawed online gambling within New Zealand. It also made betting on horses illegal unless bets were laid with the TAB, she said.
Race-O is registered in Costa Rica and licensed in Kahnawake in Canada.
"The Government should immediately close down the site, and pursue prosecutions vigorously if laws have been broken," Bradford said.