New Stuff -- Parlay Entertainment Ltd. has been given a U.S. patent for its new Internet bingo operation system. The announcement was made by dot com Entertainment Group Inc. , Parlay's parent company. "The technology behind DCEG's patent ensures fairness for all players regardless of network connection speed and access," said David Outhwaite, dot com's CEO. "The granting of this patent protects the instrument we have made in developing and marketing our online bingo technology that is currently in use by customers around the world." The now-patented systems ensures that Internet connection speed isn't a factor in whether a player wins or loses, and also allows players to win on a card even if they get kicked offline during a game.
Asian Bit -- The Xinhua News Agency reported Hong Kong has -- just days after making soccer betting legal in the Chinese special administrative region -- given a soccer betting license to the Hong Kong Jockey Club's soccer betting company, HKJC Football Betting Ltd. Patrick Ho, the secretary for Home Affairs, said the move was made to cut down on illegal betting. "The issue of the license would enable the licensed operator to capture the expected upsurge in demand for football betting arising from the upcoming international football season in August, which would otherwise turn to illegal channels," he said.
Quoteworthy -- Stephen Hill, the new CEO of Betfair, recently told New Media Zero that he would like the person-to-person wagering operation to be known more for its technology business than for betting. "I don't think of Betfair as a gaming company but much more of an Internet technology company," he said. "I see no reason why the technology can't be used in other business areas and I expect the company to be thinking very seriously about it."
More New Stuff -- AVN Online reported recently that payment providers to the Internet porn industry are frustrated that a new Visa policy that will cut their chargebacks to 1 percent of domestic transactions and two percent of international transactions.
Thursday, July 17
New Stuff -- AngelCiti Entertainment said today that to celebrate the successful launch of SharkCasino.com, it will make a donation to The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, a non-profit group in Santa Cruz, Calif. Robert Szmigiel, the marketing manager for Shark Casino, said the shark-themed online gaming site will help out the charity in two ways: through banner ads that urge players to donate and by giving about ten percent of the casino's monthly profits to the foundation. In the second instance, AngelCiti's contribution would depend on the size of the video poker tournaments offered and could reach upwards of $10,000, Szmigiel said. He said he choose the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation because it is a small organization that does research for groups like National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. "They're not a large organization that does a lot of things -- they focus specifically on shark populations," he said. "The casino is Shark Casino, and that segues into this type of charity project." Szmigiel said everyone who enters a tournament on the Web site will get a t-shirt advertising the casino and the foundation. In addition, Shark Casino is giving the foundation a stock of the shirts to give to its members.
UK Bit -- The U.K. Minister of Sport, Richard Caborn, yesterday told the Tote that he supports its continued monopoly of pool betting on horseracing. He said that both he and Tessa Jowell, the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, agree that the Tote should be given a time-limited exclusive license. Peter Jones, chairman of the Tote, said he was appreciative of Caborn's support, especially since the Office of Fair Trading has a negative opinion of the monopoly.
Legal Stuff -- The Copenhagen Post reported today that the Netherlands is beginning to clamp down on certain activities that could pose a money laundering risk, such as buying sizable amounts of foreign currency, casino gaming or sending money abroad. The newspaper states that tax officials are taking greater control over money exchange bureaus, estate agents and casinos.
Wednesday, July 16
Asian Tidbit -- Galaxy, a Hong Kong interactive television platform, is to begin offering the SAR's first interactive television gambling, reports a news site called www.informamedia.com. Galaxy is to launch in Hong Kong later this year and hopes the gambling service will boost its popularity.
News from Israel -- Elyakim Rubinstein, the attorney general of Israel, recently expressed his strong opposition to legal casinos in Israel. According to IsraeliNationalNews.com, he sent a letter to MK Shalom Simchon, a member of the Knesset Finance Committee. Rubinstein stated that legal gambling is akin to allowing a criminal culture to take hold in the country.
Bit from Down Under -- Lasseters Corp. is reporting its first annual profit after a AU $5.6 million loss for the last fiscal year. The Internet casino company is listing a profit of AU $320,485 for the year ended June 30. Lasseters experienced a 46 percent increase in turnover to AU $463.8 million. "The maiden annual profit has been achieved just two years after the merger of Lasseters Casino and Gocorp and indicates the business model is viable," said Peter Bridge, managing director of Lasseters. The company is Australia's only licensed and regulated Internet casino, although most of its customers are American.
British Bit -- The U.K. Tote is adding itself to the chorus of voices challenging the existence of betting exchanges. However, Peter Jones, chairman of the Tote, said he wouldn't be opposed to the exchanges so long as they are regulated. "It is a question of their underlying legality," he said. "I can see professional bookmakers throwing in their licenses and going on to the exchanges -- illegally. I am in favor of exchanges but there has to be a level playing field and legality."
Another Moneymaker? -- Online poker site Prima Poker recently send two of its winners to the World Poker Tour's Grand Prix de Paris. The players, identified by the poker company as ShipDe Cheeze and HandSoLow, had their EUR 10,000 buy-in at the Grand Prix de Paris paid for by Prima Poker. In addition they received free airline tickets, hotel accommodations and EUR 500 in spending money. Both players were eliminated on the second night of the tournament, however. A Microgaming-powered site, Prima Poker is based in Curacao.
Making Deals -- The merger of Tabcorp and Jupiters could take until November to finalize due to how long it is taking Jupiters to unload its online betting arm, Centrebet. Tabcorp has stated that it does not want its merger to be muddied by the Internet betting operation. The Courier-Mail, an Australian newspaper, is reporting that Jupiters is likely to receive only half of the AU $180 million it was originally asking for Centrebet.
Names and Faces -- Rick Flood yesterday resigned as COO of Earthport, an Internet payment processor. Claire Rawlins, formerly the senior vice president and COO of Qwest, will take his place. Earthport also recently announced that Paul Townsend will be the new banking director and Christopher Hall will serve as CFO, effective Aug. 1. Earthport's clients include Ladbrokes, Betfair and Sportingbet.
Tuesday, July 15
Legal Stuff -- CryptoLogic subsidiary WagerLogic Ltd. announced that it has reached a settlement with William Hill and Julian Menashe regarding a United Kingdom patent claim for Menashe's Internet gambling technology. All three parties stated that they are happy to have the matter agreed upon. The settlement terms were not released to the public. "I am delighted that the matter has been resolved on terms fair to everyone concerned, avoids further expense and allows all parties to capitalize on the growth of the Internet gaming market," Menashe said.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes -- Park Place Corp. is changing its name to Caesars Entertainment Inc. , citing research done by the Las Vegas-based company showing that the name "Caesars" is the best-recognized casino resort brand in the world. Park Place President and CEO Wallace R. Barr said the change would help the business leverage new marketing projects and international expansion. "We believe that the new name also will aid our recruitment efforts and facilitate new relationships with partners, vendors and sponsors," he said. "For all of these reasons, becoming Caesars Entertainment clearly is the right thing to do." Park Place operates the Caesars Palace casino as well as Bally's, Flamingo, Grand Casinos, Hilton casinos and Paris Las Vegas. It employs 54,000 people and operates in five countries.
US Bit -- Kenilworth Systems Corp. has been granted a U.S. patent for simulcast of live, in-progress casino table games as of June 20. Let the lawsuits begin. The company reports that it is waiting for patent approval in "most countries of the industrialized world, including China and Russia."
Names and Faces -- Christine M. Cournoyer is being appointed to GTECH Holdings Corp. 's board of directors. Cournoyer was most recently the president and CEO of Lightbridge Inc. , a provider of mobile and online business solutions.
Monday, July 14
Bit from Italy -- GoldenPalace.com and veteran streaker Mark Roberts struck again this weekend when Roberts, sporting a Golden Palace tattoo on his back and chest, ran around naked at Pamplona's annual running of the bulls. According to the gambling operator, Roberts joined the bulls as they turned the last corner before reaching the bullring, narrowly missing getting run over by the animals, who pursued the streaker "like two angry heat-seeking missiles." "It's unbelievable how fast those things can move," Roberts said. "I thought I was a dead man." Eleven people were injured this year at the running of the bulls. Roberts' most recent streakings include the UEFA Cup Final in Spain, the French Open and the Royal Ascot.
Names and Faces -- The chairman of Stanley Leisure, Leonard Steinberg, said Friday that it "appeared probable" that gambling reform legislation in the United Kingdom will be delayed. Steinberg, speaking with The Guardian, said he will give up his executive role with the bookmaker in September.
News from Down Under -- TAB Ltd. is, not shockingly, applauding the New South Wales government's desire to put the hammer on betting exchanges. The bookmaker, calling the person-to-person betting industry a "parasite," said the government is correct to want to amend the Interactive Gaming Act to outlaw the exchanges. "These operators provide not one cent to the staging and development of racing and sport in this country, nor do they provide funding for community projects," said TAB Ltd. chief wagering executive Peter Kader.
Problem Gaming -- A variety of experts on problem gambling spoke recently to the Associated Press about youth and gambling. George Meldrum of the Delaware Council on Problem Gambling warned that children are being exposed to too many more forms of convenient gambling at a young age. "This is the first generation of kids growing up when gambling is legal and available virtually nationwide," he said. Jeffery Dervensky, co-director of the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems at McGill University, said that not only are 8 percent of young gamblers compulsive gamblers, they are less likely to seek help than the three percent of adults who gamble who are addicted. "These kids still live at home, and nobody's dragging them in, saying, 'If you don't go for help, I'm leaving you,'" he said. "These kids steal money, usually from their family. If you get caught, your parents are not going to turn you in."