Friday, March 12
Spanish Online Casino Launched -- Apuestas.com Casino is being billed as the first online casino dedicated exclusively to the Spanish-speaking player. Mil Treinta y Dos S.A. in Costa Rica announced the new site, which is powered by Net Entertainment software, on Friday. Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Net Entertainment said the site has a clear objective. "Our goal is that Apuestas shall become the casino of choice amongst players from Spain, Latin America and Spanish speakers in North America and the rest of the world," he said.
Costa Rican Future Unclear -- Rumors are swirling that one of the original offshore jurisdictions for the online gaming industry might be distancing itself from Internet casinos and sports books. The loosely regulated industry in Costa Rica, which allows operators to be licensed through commerce laws and has no established gambling control board or casino commission, could be coming to an end. High-ranking government officials have reportedly informed operators that they shouldn't renew their commerce licenses. The belief is that this is the government's initial effort to push the industry to other locations in the Caribbean and Central America.
Harrah's Starts WSOP Publicity -- The name is the same, but the World Series of Poker has a new owner in Harrah's and the Vegas-based operator is already pumping up publicity for the event. Harrah's issued a press release Friday about the WSOP, 33 events scheduled between April 22 and the finale of the World Championship event on May 28, in which it is predicting record number of entrants and prize money. Based on the expected number of participants, the total prize money in 2004 World Series of Poker could be more than $20 million and could easily exceed $25 million. The World Championship event (May 22-28), alone, could award more than $10 million in prize money, with 100 or more players expected to win cash.
Place Your Idol Bets -- A new season of American Idol doesn't just mean that FOX returns at a major competitor for primetime ratings, it also means online sports books start to offer odds on who will be the eventual winner. Intertops.com has installed Fantasia, the 19-year-old from North Carolina, as the early odds-on favorite at 5/2. Hot on her tail is LaToya London at 7/2.
No Luck for Addicts – While the State of Washington inches closer to enacting laws that would create an advanced deposit wagering system in the state for the horseracing industry, Gov. Gary Locke's plan to revive the state's defunct treatment and prevention program for gambling addicts failed. A tentative deal to help addicted gamblers collapsed amid finger-pointing Thursday in the final hours of the legislative session. Though all sides said they were closing in on a deal this week, negotiations bogged down in an ongoing debate over whether the state's tribal casinos, which aren't taxed by the state, have an unfair advantage over non-tribal gambling businesses.
Thursday, March 11
Tote Gets Face Lift – The 75-year-old betting organization in the UK, the Tote, announced a £5 million facelift for the company in a move to pull in more and younger punters. The company is expected to disclose further details of the rebranding at next week's Cheltenham Festival. Under the revamp, all of the Tote's 450 fixed-odds betting shops and its Internet and phone betting service will be called Totesport to reposition the consumer image that the Tote accepts bets on sports other than horseracing. The 59 on-course pool betting operations will be renamed Totepool. The new identity will see the group's offline shops touting the new Totesport fascia, which will also be used for its telephone and Internet betting.
New Magazine Launches – With a gambling overhaul expected soon in the UK, Dennis Publishing announced plans to launch a new magazine, Inside Edge, which will be marketed at the devoted gambler. The first consumer magazine in the UK dedicated solely to gambling, the monthly title, costing £3.99, will be targeted at 28- to 55-year-old men with high disposable incomes. It will include a focus on Internet betting alongside smart gambling tips, as well as how to make informed bets and offer strategic advice on sports, financial spreads and casino games.
Newspaper Rolls Out Games – Thisislondon.co.uk, the Evening Standard's online news website for Londoners, launched its stylish new instant win gaming package this week. Operated by online gaming specialists, Gamesys, the site offers everything from staple favorites such as slot machines, bingo and card games to interactive sports based games like Rugby Hero or Beat the Keeper. Games can be played for free to win prize points or on a 'pay-to-play basis' for cash prizes.
Bankruptcy Report Released – More people filed for personal bankruptcy in counties with casinos than in non-casino counties in America during the 1990s, according to a Creighton University study. While personal bankruptcy rates were higher in counties with casinos, business bankruptcies in casino counties were, on average, 35 percent lower than comparative non-casino counties. About 250 counties in the United States have casinos. Sixty of those are state-licensed casinos. The rest operate on Indian reservations. The study compared counties with casinos to non-casino counties that were similar in population, income and rates of poverty and unemployment. It then compared their bankruptcy rates from 1990 to 1999.
GLI Extends Deal – Gaming Laboratories International, a leading gaming products and systems testing company, extended its commitment to maintain its interoperability center for the benefit of the Gaming Standards Association (GSA) and its membership. In a renewed contract, GLI will continue to act as the GSA's sole interoperability gaming test lab for a specified length of time, testing devices and systems for GSA standards compliance. Testing has been and will continue to be conducted at GLI's Las Vegas office, where a staff of more than 30 engineers and support staff operate the 18,000 square foot laboratory. The Interoperability Center, the only one of its kind anywhere in the world, acts as a final checkpoint for regulators, suppliers and operators to ensure that devices and systems are compatible. It was created nearly two years ago and continues to expand with new products and systems being delivered daily.
Wednesday, March 10
New TV Show -- Gala Bingo announced plans to sponsor a ground-breaking ITV quiz show called I'm The Answer, which features the entire audience as contestants. Each has to guess the question to a provided answer for a big cash prize. The daytime show, hosted by Dale Winton, will begin airing later this month. The six-figure sponsorship was negotiated by Granada Enterprises and Unique Communications Sponsorship, sister company to Unique TV, which produces the quiz show. Gala Bingo will also advertise in the break bumpers and plans to integrate the game into its bingo clubs and Web site.
Moon River Winner -- Andy Williams' mother-in-law turned a quick trip to Trump 29 Casino last week into a memorable experience. Williams gave his mother-in-law, Mary Jane Myer, $100 in gambling money. The first-time gambler headed for the slot machines while Williams and wife, Debbie, went to a blackjack table. After she was playing for a while a friend come over to Williams and told him to "come quick, your mother-in-law ..." Concerned over the breathless message from their friend, the 76-year-old singer bolted from the blackjack table to find out what had happened to his mother-in-law, who was 200 yards away. A large crowd had formed and Williams feared the worst. He asked her what was wrong. "Wrong? I just hit the jackpot and won a new red Ford Mustang convertible by putting two quarters in this machine," Myer said.
Cali. Rally -- About 100 community representatives rallied at the California Capitol in Sacramento to criticize some tribes for damage to everything from roads to planning procedures. The rally came after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's called for Indian casinos to pay their "fair share." The demonstrators, who were joined by the Sierra Club and California State Sheriffs' Association, complained both about tribes that are trying to open casinos, especially on newly acquired land, as well as those with existing gambling operations.
Popular Publisher Passes On-- Chuck Di Rocco, the colorful publisher and founder of Gaming Today and a pioneer in bringing racing simulcasts to Las Vegas casinos, died Saturday morning after a long illness. He was 69.
In addition to publishing Gaming Today, a weekly gambling, horse racing and sports betting publication in its 28th year, Di Rocco's Dirson Enterprises also prints parlay cards for the city's sports book industry and sells the wallboards used to post race and game results in the books.
Horseshoe Update-- Officials with Harrah's Entertainment were hoping to close a deal on Friday for Binion's Horseshoe, but that plan hit a snag yesterday when former state Sen. Bill O'Donnell made a $1.184 million offer for one of the many separate parcels on which the Horseshoe sits. A hearing is scheduled before District Court Judge Michael Douglas on O'Donnell's offer. Officials with Harrah's are hoping to have the deal finalized not later than Tuesday morning.
Tuesday, March 9
Fallon Fiasco -- Kierren Fallon spoke publicly for the first time since his controversial race last week, telling Sky News that he never agreed to accept anything from the News of the World journalists who posed as bettors offering him rewards to throw the race… The British Horseracing Board's chief executive Greg Nichols has again stressed the BHB's opinion that the UK's new gambling bill must protect racing's authority by placing tighter regulations on betting exchanges. He said, "We have recommended to the Joint Scrutiny Committee on the draft Gambling Bill and to Government that: Recreational layers on a betting exchange should be distinguished from non-recreational layers by the size and/or frequency of their laying over a specified time period, whereby non-recreational layers would be deemed to be in the business of betting and would require an appropriate license, awarded on the basis of a 'fit and proper' test. The Gambling Commission should be given powers of investigation and audit to uncover abuse. The Gambling Commission should be given sufficient powers of sanction to deter wrong-doing including, but not necessarily limited to, the withdrawal of licenses from non-recreational users."… Meanwhile, racing's integrity grew a little more suspect when jockey Sean Fox, who yesterday rode horse Ice Saint, jumped from the horse before finishing the race, receiving a 21-day suspension as a result. It was later revealed that Ice Saint had drifted on the betting exchanges. Fox says he will appeal his suspension. Also, the Jockey Club announced that it would investigate three more men for conspiring in fraud in relation to the racing of Hillside Girl last summer. The horse's trainer Alan Berry and jockey Paul Bradley, as well as amateur rider Dale Jewett, will be investigated.
The New Tote -- The UK's Tote is introducing two new brands, Totepool and Totesport, after recent research revealed that most customers are not aware of all of the Tote's betting options. The two new brands represent an attempt to create a more user-friendly Tote. Totesport, the new retail unit that accepts bets on over 20 sports, is the network composed of shops, telephone, and Internet betting. Totepool offers unique pool betting services for horseracing and will be available at 59 tracks in addition to all other channels. Totepools service will first become available at the Cheltenham Festival next week and will be introduced to other racetracks and shops within the year. www.totesport.com will launch tomorrow.
Mobile Partners -- i-gaming software provider RealTime Gaming (RTG) has signed a license agreement with wireless solutions company Phantom Fiber Inc, whereby RTG will use Phantom Fiber's wireless framework technology to make RTG's online casino software available to mobile users. In the second quarter of 2004 VegasMagic.com will be the first RTG client to offer wireless access.
Ads Pulled -- Card Player magazine recently asked Peak Entertainment to change its print advertisements for its online poker room at www.caribbeansunpoker.com in order to make them tamer. Johnny Jordane, Peak's Director of Promotions explained the advertisements: "We're using face cards in our campaign for Caribbean Sun Poker. They talk to each other, using double-entendres." He added, "We weren't showing anything violent nor were we showing nude images or anything distasteful. The ads, which use the tagline, "It's hotter here," were accepted by and are currently running in other publications, including Poker Europa, Southern California Gaming, and Canadian Poker Player.
Awareness Week -- This week is National Problem Gambling Awareness Week in the United States. The National Council on Problem Gambling, the Association of Problem Gambling Service Administrators, and other help-groups have kicked off campaigns featuring various problem gambling-related programs across the country.
Monday, March 8
Settlement -- The Player who won $1.3 million two months ago playing Real Time Gaming's Caribbean 21 on Hampton's Casino but was never paid because of a robot controversy has finally reached an undisclosed settlement with both Hampton's and Delano Casino, who also owed winnings to the player. Rumors also speculate that Hampton's Casino will be taken over by Connect To Casino.
Quoteworthy -- "Although we have continued to be successful in growing our business, I am dismayed about the state of the industry. The handle numbers that have been reported by Magna on Santa Anita and Gulfstream have shown a substantial decline. No matter how competitive we are at AmericaTab, we still understand that the industry as a whole needs to succeed in order for us to survive on the long term."-- AmericaTab President Charlie Ruma in a recent letter to the company's account holders. Despite having no signals from Magna Entertainment Corp's racetracks, AmericaTab reported that it has gained over 1,000 new accounts in the last two months and that its business had risen by 45.8 percent in January and 28.4 percent in February. Ruma's letter continues, "To have two major American racetracks experiencing a decline in business is not good for the industry. To have a significant number of horseplayers committed to a boycott is not good for the industry. It is time for us to put past practices behind us. Horsemen have put a considerable amount of investment in bringing top quality horses to top quality racetracks. We all should be watching, wagering, and participating in the programs of each racetrack without interferences. At some point in time this industry will find a way to come together for the benefit of the horseplayer. We will find a way to permit you to wager across the board on all tracks with one account. In deep respect for our horseplayers and as a racetrack owner, I apologize on behalf of this fragmented racing industry."
VAT Court Ruling -- London's Court of Appeals declared today that companies that provide call center facilities for bookmakers but play no role in fixing odds or determining which bets to accept cannot be exempted for Value Added Tax. The court decided that such companies provide purely administrative services and are not in the gambling business so must therefore account for VAT.
News from Taiwan -- After a wave of illegal betting arrests two weeks ago, Taiwan's police launched a second campaign on Wednesday in order to stop illegal wagering on the March 20th presidential election. The Criminal Investigation Bureau reported that in just two days the police had arrested 149 people for involvement in 135 illegal gambling cases. The police's sting operation two weeks ago resulted in the arrest of 242 for involvement in 188 illegal gambling cases. . . . Thirty thousand pigeons were scheduled to perform in a pigeon race off the Taiwan coast. Close to $3 million worth of illegal bets had been staked on the race, which was unfortunately canceled because 5,000 of the birds were drowned when some of the cages became loose on one of the boats that was transferring them to the race.
India vs. Pakistan -- As the cricket teams from Pakistan and India prepare to play each other for the first time in 14 years on March 14, cricket officials say they are expecting about $15 million worth of bets to be placed on the series. The threat of match-fixing is so high that security guards have appointed to accompany both teams at all times to insure that no illegal betting syndicates approach any of the players. All telephone calls will also be closely monitored.
Fallon Fiasco -- England's Jockey Club gave jockey Kieren Fallon a 21-day suspension, the maximum penalty, for failing to ride out a victory. Fallon faces a further investigation by the Jockey Club because betting exchange Betfair had warned officials before the race that suspicious betting patterns were detected. According to Betfair, it was not the amount of money placed on the event but the particular accounts that placed bets which led the company to suspect illegal activity. News of the World reported over the weekend that Fallon had revealed to some undercover journalists posing as wealthy bettors that he would lose the race. The Jockey Club now plans to join Crimestoppers, a charity that seeks to eliminate corruption sports. Although the Jockey Club already operates Raceguard, a confidential telephone for informants that offers rewards for information leading to prosecution, the joining of Crimestoppers should increase informants' confidence that their identities will remain anonymous. The Jockey Club also hopes to send the message to the racing industry that any attempt at corruption is a criminal offense.