Friday, May 13
No Action in Nevada -- The Nevada Senate Committee on Judiciary had AB 485, a bill to allow the use of mobile gambling at casinos, on the agenda for its Thursday meeting, but the it never came up for action. Under the proposed law, mobile gambling devices would be allowed at pools, hotel bars, shopping centers and other designated areas, but not in guest rooms. The committee has placed the bill on its agenda for May 18.
RAL -- RAL Interactive has launched a new game called "Jackpot Roulette," which was developed in-house and boasts a guaranteed £1 million jackpot. Meanwhile, the company's RAL Holdings Limited subsidiary is engaged in the process of being acquired by Talarius Plc in a reverse takeover. RAL's interactive division represented 4 percent of total revenues in 2004; the remaining 96 percent came from the operation of 129 High Street adult gaming centers under the "Quicksilver" brand. Talarius was admitted to trading last month on the Alternative Investment Market with the goal of acquiring or making investments in companies engaged primarily in the High Street gambling market.
Caborn Stays -- Tessa Jowell has confirmed that not only will she remain Secretary of Culture, Media and Sport in the United Kingdom, but also that Richard Caborn will remain Minister for Sport. Caborn's main responsibilities for the coming years will include sports, gambling, horse racing, the sale of the Tote to the Racing Trust, National Lottery policy and London's bid for the Olympics in 2012. His work as Sports Minister has been praised by representatives of the sports, racing and betting industries, and his return to the position is apparently welcomed by nearly everyone dealing in those areas.
Heathorns -- Interactive Gaming Holdings (IGH) has reached an agreement with Malta-based Internet and co-location solutions provider MaltaNET Ltd. whereby MaltaNET will host IGH's recently acquired Heathorns sports book within its co-location facilities. Heathorns, which has been in business since 1890 and claims to be the oldest established bookmaker in the world, was purchased by IGH in March 2005. Last month IGH signed an agreement with I-gaming software provider Orbis Technology whereby Orbis will provide its OpenBet platform and a call center for the Heathorns' sports book. The platform is slated to go live in the third quarter of 2005.
Headquarters -- Even though the Tasmanian government has yet to make its decision regarding the licensing of Betfair, the company has begun searching in Hobart, Tasmania for office space to become its Australian headquarters.
Great Gifts -- Online poker room Pokertropolis.com says that it delivered gift bags to 25 celebrity guests on American late night talk show "Last Call with Carson Daly" during the May sweeps week. Each gift bag included a little black box filled with shredded money, a Pokertropolis.com baseball cap and an invitation to play in this year's $10,000 buy-in World Series of Poker, compliments of Pokertropolis.com. The gifts were given to Matt Dillon, Carmen Electra, Jon Favreau, Shannon Elizabeth, Donald Faison, Tom Green, Hugh Hefner, Gabrielle Union, Andy Richter, Terrell Owens, Gary Sinise, Rick Fox, Rob Schneider, Keane, The Donnas, The Wallflowers, Scott Weiland, Minnie Driver, The Dan Band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Trillville featuring Lil' Jon and Smashmouth.
Thursday, May 12
Hong Kong Racing -- A briefing paper by the Hong Kong Affairs Bureau revealed that the Hong Kong government is considering a number of ways to reverse plunging race betting figures. One possibility is dropping the levy tax on betting turnover in favor of a tax on profits after payouts. The government is also considering introducing new betting methods, such as fixed-odds betting, and lengthening the racing season by five days. Horse wagering turnover fell 30 percent from 1996-97 to 2003-04. Meanwhile, the amount of cash and betting slips seized from illegal horse and soccer betting operations more than doubled from 2001 to 2004. The Hong Kong government expects turnover to drop by another 30 percent by 2007-08 if it takes no action to remedy the situation. Wong Hak-lim, an antigambling activist and representative of Gambling Watch, says the government is overstating the problem and claims the decline in legal horse racing is due to the popularity of soccer betting, which became legal in 2003.
Youbet Records -- California-based online race wagering and content provider Youbet.com experienced record high daily wagering numbers Saturday for the Kentucky Derby. The $4.2 million in wagers received that day was the highest single-day total in Youbet history and was 15 percent higher than the amount taken on the same race day last year. Of that $4.2 million, the company contributed $2.6 million to Churchill Downs pari-mutuel pools for the day, a 19 percent increase over the previous year. The company also processed a record $1.4 million in customer deposits on Saturday--28 percent more than last year--and provided services to over 9,200 concurrent users.
Endemol Games -- Victoria Real, a creative communications agency that is part of entertainment producer Endemol UK, and interactive media group YooMedia have released "The 24 Hour Drop," a new fixed-odds betting game developed specifically for the Avago numbers betting channel. The game was inspired by popular family game Bagatelle and offers complex betting opportunities. Victoria Real's Drop gaming products are designed to be easily convered to Internet, mobile, and interactive TV platforms. Earlier this week Victoria Real announced an agreement that will allow I-gaming technology provider FUN Technologies' SkillJam unit to build and support online skill games based on three of Endemol's popular reality television and quiz shows: "Fear Factor," "Big Brother" and "Last Man Standing."
Cell Use in Europe -- British market analysis company Analysys estimates that cell phone penetration in western Europe will reach 90 percent by the end of this year, 98 percent next year, and 100 percent by 2007. The company says market saturation is already at 100 percent in several western European countries, including Britain, Italy and Sweden. Analyst Alex Zadvorny says that France, Germany and other countries might be able to increase penetration by marketing prepaid offerings.
Pay with Ukash -- 7WIN7 Mobile Casino, a Java-based wireless casino launched last month by Kahnawake-based Jackpot Factory Group, has added new payment processing brand Ukash to its list of purchasing options. Ukash is operated pay Universal e-cash Limited, a joint venture between Smart Voucher and Proc Cyber Services Limited. Consumers can purchase Ukash vouchers from PayPoint outlets, retailers and convenience stores and use the vouchers to purchase goods and services over the Internet. Ukash is intended to appeal to consumers who either do not have credit or debit cards or who do not wish to use them online due to fraud and security concerns. It's available at more than 12,500 PayPoint locations across England in denominations from £15 to £100, and Universal e-Cash Limited is negotiating agreements with e-commerce merchants to make it an accepted form of payment. The company also intends to roll out Ukash across continental Europe.
Quoteworthy -- "You hear that? [Sound of motorcycle engine revving] That's my new ride. Can you believe I took him down with pocket threes? I'm 23. I won enough to finally buy it playing poker online. I'm Graham, I live in New York, I play poker at Bodog.
- A transcript from a new television commercial from Costa Rica based online betting company Bodog.com. The spot is part of a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign that will feature two different television ads on U.S. television in the coming months. The company says its commercials will air in major cities across the United States on a variety of networks, including ESPN, Fox Sports, Discovery, Travel, Bravo, E! , A&E, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1 and more. The campaign also includes a number of print and radio ads, including four-page print ads in men's magazines Complex, Razor and Fast Company.
Party Coming to AIM -- PartyGaming, operator of the world's largest online poker room, PartyPoker.com, today appointed Michael Jackson, the current chairman of Sage Group, as a non-executive chairman to the company and Brian Larcombe, former CEO of 3i Group, as a non-executive chairman to the company. Most analysts are certain the appointments indicate the company is ready to float in London, especially considering that the private company also revealed today that its revenue had quadrupled in 2004 to US$602 million. PartyGaming's CEO Richard Segal told Reuters, "The strategic review has been completed and we are considering the conclusions of that. Our decision will be made sooner rather than later. This is a company that has always been in a hurry."
Favorable Opinions -- According to the American Gaming Association's 2005 "State of the States" report on the American casino industry, 79 percent of civic leaders and elected officials in jurisdictions that permit casino gaming believe that casinos have had a positive impact on their communities, primarily because the officials credit casinos with expanding local economies by creating jobs and boosting neighboring businesses. The research, conducted by Peter C. Hart Research Associates, also showed that 82 percent of responding community leaders believe that casinos are good corporate citizens. An average of 58 percent of local officials reported having a favorable opinion of casino gambling before casinos entered their jurisdictions, but the number grew on average to 75 percent after the officials have had time to experience the positive impact on their communities.
Wednesday, May 11
Racing Coverage -- Britain's Channel 4 is expected to announce at the end of May whether it will continue to broadcast racing in the United Kingdom. The network has covered racing since it first aired 1982, and last year it covered 88 racing days, including 500 races from 30 different courses. It claims, however, that it can't continue coverage unless it gets £8 million to cover broadcasting costs. The racing industry seems reluctant to pay the sum, as do bookmakers, who experience about a 300 percent increase in turnover when races are broadcast on terrestrial television. "My feeling is that it would set a dangerous precedent to start giving money away like that, and in any case the amount they are asking for is exorbitant," William Hill CEO David Harding told the Guardian. "The BBC would be sure to pick up the coverage of a number of the prestige races, and there is already a lot of coverage on At The Races and Racing UK. It would be a shame if they left racing, but I don't think it would be disastrous."
Skill Gaming -- SkillJam Technologies, the skill gaming software provider and subsidiary of FUN Technologies, has entered into a Web development and marketing agreement with SINA.com Online, the U.S. subsidiary of SINA Corporation, whereby SINA.com Online will localize and translate certain SkillJam Web pages into Chinese and also promote selected games to global Chinese online users. SINA, whose network of localized Web sites targets China and overseas Chinese communities and has over 100 million registered users, will first promote SkillJam to the North American Chinese speaking market and then possibly expand to include the mainland Chinese market.
Charity Tourney -- The VIPpoker.com brand of Curacao-based online gambling company VIP Management Services is teaming up with the Normandie Casino in Los Angeles to create a $25,000 cash poker event called the "Big Show Tournament." The event will take place Sunday and will be hosted by ESPN radio personalities Mason & Ireland. It will also feature several celebrity players. Proceeds will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
See Life in a New Light -- A new £250,000 advertising campaign for Victor Chandler's online casino (VC Casino.com) features signage on over 800 red buses across central London and its suburbs. The campaign also includes posters, stickers and bar mats across more than 400 London bars, and later this month advertisements for VC Casino.com will be posted on all main London tube lines. Celebrity Rowland Rivron also plays a role in the "See Life in a New Light" campaign.
Site Closing -- AnyBets.com, a site that allowed users to participate in pari-mutuel pools betting on any event, including sports, politics, finance and entertainment, has shut down service, reportedly due to heavy losses. Launched in November 2004 by Graeme Levin, founder of Gambling.com, the site is believed to have attracted only about 500 real-money users.
Poker Software -- U.S.-based PokerBook Gaming Corporation, which organizes land-based and Internet poker tournaments for charity in addition to developing and licensing Internet poker software, has released a beta version of its no-download poker tournament software, which it has dubbed "PB25." During the final phase of development, the company will conduct weekly free roll tournaments to introduce the product to players and potential clients. The company plans to introduce another product in early June called "PB Turbo," which it describes as a faster, more robust gaming platform designed for the serious Internet poker player.
Casinofeed Sold -- Casinofeed.info is being re-branded as Affiliatefeed.com and has already transferred to the URL www.Affiliatefeed.com following the purchase of the service by U.S.-based Casino Affiliate Programs (CAP). Launched on a full basis in January 2005, the affiliate service provides a way for affiliate sites to display the most recent bonus offers and promotions the moment they are released by operators. Since its launch, Casinofeed has obtained a user base of over 60 casinos and poker rooms while registering more than 100 affiliate sites. CAP will move the service to a faster server and assist its over 2,000 registered affiliates is integrating the real-time information into their Web sites.
Snooker Fix? -- The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) is investigating claims from The Sun that Australian player Quinten Hann accepted £50,000 to fix a China Open match last month for an undercover reporter posing as an agent for an illegal betting syndicate. If found guilty, Hann would likely be banned from the sport for life. Earlier this week Hann was found not guilty of groping and attacking a singer and actress at his home, and last year he was found not guilty of two counts of sexual assault. He's currently ranked 18th in the world.
Tuesday, May 10
e-Gaming Ambassador -- Bill Mummery, who was until recently technical director for Betinternet.com, has joined the Isle of Man's Department of Trade and Industry to take over the e-Gaming Ambassador position from John Gilmore, who is resigning to explore new opportunities. Gilmore says he will continue to be involved in the island's e-gaming industry as a consultant.
The Greek's Acquisitions -- Jamaica-based betting company Olympic Sports Data Services, operator of TheGreek.com, has acquired Kahnawake-based sports books WagerStreet.com and BetAllSports.com for an undisclosed amount of money. If the company's conflicts with the Jamaican regulators persist, Kahnawake could prove a viable destination for its headquarters.
Bejeweled Slot -- WagerLogic, the licensing and services subsidiary of I-gaming software provider CryptoLogic Inc., has signed an exclusive five-year deal with PopCap Games for the rights to create and market an Internet slot version of the popular puzzle game "Bejeweled." WagerLogic will develop a play-for-real, 10-line slot variation of the fast-paced gem-matching game, which is scheduled for release to CryptoLogic's licensees this autumn. PopCap Games says more than 50 million people have played Bejeweled since its release in 2000, and the game continues to be one of the most popular titles on the game networks of AOL, MSN and Yahoo!
Malta License -- British betting exchange Betfair.com has been awarded a license to operate in Malta, just one year after the jurisdiction introduced its new Remote Gaming Regulations. Betfair's CEO, Stephen Hill, stated that Malta's excellent technological infrastructure, its progressive and responsible gambling legislation, and its E.U. membership were the three key reasons his company applied for a license on the island. He also said the company plans to launch an innovative exchange-based product from Malta in the near future. Having obtained an offshore license, the company could viably relocate the bulk of its business if the U.K. Treasury were to introduce a tough tax structure for online betting exchanges. Technically, the company could also relocate its betting servers to Malta while keeping its main office in the United Kingdom. Because Malta is a member of the European Union, the company would still be able to pursue advertising and sponsorships in Britain.
Czech Stats -- The Finance Ministry of the Czech Republic reports that Czech citizens spent a record US$3.6 billion on legal forms of betting in 2004 ( 8.5 percent more than the previous year). The amount of money won by Czechs, $2.7 billion, is also a record setting number. Although the amount of money gambled was an all-time yearly high in 2004, the rate of growth in gambling expenditure was actually less than the two previous years. Gambling on slot machines and at casinos grew, while the amount spent on lotteries and fixed-odds betting decreased.
New Skill Games -- Victoria Real, a creative communications agency that is part of entertainment producer Endemol UK, has signed an agreement that will allow I-gaming technology provider FUN Technologies' SkillJam to build and support online skill games based on three of Endemol's popular reality television and quiz shows: "Fear Factor," "Big Brother" and "Last Man Standing."
Parbet.com -- Online gambling site Parbet.com has chosen CWC Gaming (Casino Webcam) to provide live casino studio video feeds and software to its webcam casino, which was provided by Live Gamble AB.
Skill Deals -- Skill gaming provider GameAccount has signed a deal to provide online gaming systems provider Digital Gaming Solutions with a fully white-labeled skill gaming solution with real-time foreign exchange rate conversions and multiple languages. Digital Gaming Solutions' existing clients will obtain access to GameAccount's skill-based games through the deal.
Monday, May 9
Jet Set Recreation -- Television producer Platinum Television Group, which specializes in educational programming, will prominently feature PokerRoom.com in a 30-minute episode of its Great Taste series, which explores the toys and lifestyles of the world's most affluent individuals. An episode called "Jet Set Recreation" will cover the global recreational phenomenon of online poker and will demonstrate to viewers how easy it is to set up and fund an account to use PokerRoom.com's Internet and mobile services. The show is expected to air on regional networks in the United States in late 2005.
Downtime -- Online betting exchange Betmart.com shut down its Web site on April 28 for an indefinite amount of time "for maintenance," which the company said is to be performed by site owner FUN Technologies. The company notified its customers that it would void all outstanding bets and return remaining balances to its customers. Launched in June 2003 with the support of 34 independent British and Irish bookmakers, the site has been unable to achieve a high profile and is now seeking additional financial backing. Spokesperson Paul Williams said the site may close for good if it is unable to obtain more funds. "The bookmakers are useless," Williams told the Racing Post. "We could have had a successful business had the bookmakers made an effort. A number of them, to be fair, made a financial effort, but they made no physical effort to use the site, and that was its downfall really."
Quoteworthy -- "[Online gambling] is running rampant right now and it's hurting us. I think we've been very lax as far as protecting this industry that employs more than 6,000 people. We're really promoting the death knell for racing, and that's sad."
- Massachusetts state Rep. David Flynn (D), speaking to the Boston Herald about the effect of online gambling on the state's horse racing industry. The Herald reported that Flynn plans to seek an outright ban on online betting in Massachusetts.
Binary Options Exchange -- Dublin-based Trade Exchange Network has applied to become the first European financial trading and betting exchange company regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The Financial Times reports that the company plans to file the application in the name of one of its subsidiaries. The CFTC enforces a stringent code of conduct to protect market users and ensure that exchanges are run in line with the best taxation and customer security practices. Trade Exchange Network wants to make its new "binary options exchange" more attractive to U.S. users in the financial services industry, and if its application is successful it will be subject to the same standards as some of the biggest exchanges in the world, including Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade, and the New York Mercantile Exchange. The company operates three online betting exchanges that target the American market: Intrade.com, tradesport.com and tradebetx.com.
License Termination -- I-gaming software provider Playtech and VBC Ltd., operator of Casino Solei, have agreed to end their two-year licensing relationship. Casino Solei had been using Playtech gaming software since September 2003.
Seeking Traffic -- Gaming Transactions Inc., operator of the Keno.com Web site, has entered an agreement with Internet business development company DPMG, whereby DPMG will use online media and advertising on its individual Web sites to promote the Keno.com Web site.
Affiliate Tool -- I-gaming software provider Orbis has announced the launch of its OpenBet Affiliate Manager marketing tool for online gambling operators. The OpenBet Affiliate Manager automates management processes, payments to affiliates and reporting and produces real-time information for affiliate partners to assess their program's productivity. Blue Square, Stanleybet and ukbetting are already using the new program.