Littlewoods - In with the New, Out with the Old
Interactive Systems Worldwide Inc., creator of the SportXction patented real-time betting software system, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Global Interactive Gaming Limited (GIG), has launched SportXction on Littlewoods Betdirect's Internet site. GIG will offer play-by-play wagering on well over 1,500 soccer, tennis, golf, cricket, rugby and snooker events in the coming year on and will continue to work on bringing SportXction to mobile phones and PDAs.
Sportech, operator of the Littlewoods gaming and betting brand, on Jan. 5 terminated a seven-year contract it signed with ITV in March 2002 that allowed it to offer betting on ITV's interactive television channel. Sportech CEO Ian Penrose stated, "Following a thorough review of the business, it has been established that our contract with ITV is commercially unviable. Given the huge contractual payments due under the contract from February 2006 onwards, we are not prepared to expose the company to this ongoing liability. Sportech will continue to participate in the interactive betting market and we look forward to updating the market about new launches we have in the pipeline early in 2006." For ending the partnership Sportech will have to pay ITV an estimated £14 million over the final three years of the contract.
OPAP to Outsource Sports Betting Game
Although Greece's lottery operator, OPAP (Organisation of Football Prognostics), stated over the summer that it would operate its sports betting game Pame Stihima in-house after the expiration of its contract with Intralot expires in January 2007, it is now believed to be preparing an international tender for a betting partner to assist with forming odds and providing risk management. The company has reportedly changed its mind on outsourcing the duties because it will not be ready to perform them itself by the beginning of 2007. The betting partner could be offered a management fee or a stake in an OPAP subsidiary. OPAP intends to make its operating costs paid to the new partner lower than what it now pays to Intralot.
Ladbrokes Goes Tax-Free in Ireland
Ladbrokes, the betting and gaming division of Hilton Group plc, announced in December that it is offering tax-free betting in all of its 150 shops in Ireland, following Irish Finance Minister Brian Cowen's decision to reduce betting tax to 1 percent.
Bodog's Bowl
Bodog.com has signed a huge, multi-year deal to take over the Lingerie Bowl, which will air on pay-per-view during the Super Bowl this Sunday. First seen on pay-per-view during the Super Bowl in 2004, The Lingerie Bowl features scantily-clad female models playing tackle American football. The value of the deal is undisclosed at this time, but is rumored to be in the millions. Basketball bad boy Dennis Rodman was slated to serve as commissioner of the Lingerie Bowl, but has reportedly withdrawn due to his contractual obligations to online casino GoldenPalace.com.
Premiering an Auto Racing Channel
German pay TV operator Premiere is planning to set up a motor sports channel, following its loss of the broadcasting rights to the German national football league to Arena. The company said it will also concentrate on other popular sports in Germany and has not ruled out the idea of converting its existing sports betting channel, Premiere Win, into a free channel, so that it can broadcast Champions' League matches. Premiere said it also intends to acquire new football rights.
Ban on Mobile Phones
Following a rash of betting scandals, football players, rugby players and golfers may be banned from using mobile phones in and around changing rooms. This is one of many rule changes being considered by the Institute of Professional Sport, the umbrella body for players' associations, which is drawing up a voluntary code on gambling. The new rules have already been handed down to jockeys and cricketers, who have seen more than their share of scandal in the last couple of years. Other items up for discussion concern whether athletes should be allowed to bet at all on their own sports and how to control the misuse of legitimate insider information such as team selection.
A Final Tidbit
Online casino and poker site 888.com has signed a multi-million-pound, five-year sponsorship deal with World Snooker.