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Welcome to Bet Sage's
Online Gambling News Section, featuring the latest breaking
gambling industry news courtesy of
InfoPowa
News. This is your
one stop source for all
and any of the latest
developments concerning
all aspects of the
Online Gambling
Industry. InfoPowa News
headed up by senior
partner Brian Cullingworth
are recognised as one of
the leading and most
respected independent
gambling news services
in the online gambling
industry.
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| 18
APRIL 2008 : HEADLINES |
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New bill seeks to stop implementation of unworkable UIGEA regs in its tracks
Following the recent Congressional hearings in Washington on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, few can doubt that government agencies and the financial services industry required to police it have a monumental task in thinking up practical ways to implement this flawed law passed by Congress in 2006.
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"We certainly appreciate the interest," says banking association
The Washington DC publication The Hill reports that the banking industry is cheering the fresh assault on the UIGEA (see previous InfoPowa report) mounted by House Financial Services committee chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Congressman and presidential aspirant Ron Paul (R-Texas).
Congressman Frank has teamed up with the libertarian-minded Paul, who crusaded against big government during his recent White House bid, on legislation to block the contentious 2006 legislation by forbidding federal officials from writing rules to implement it. Those officials have already admitted that the regulations supporting the UIGEA are proving difficult to draft, with strong opposition from the financial industry that is required to act as policeman for the federal government.
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Recently-floated online and land-based gaming company turns in golden results
Recently listed gambling group Asian Logic plc has produced an impressive set of maiden results that include a 210 percent growth in pre-tax profits and annual revenues up 95 percent.
The company, which has a close association with online gambling software developer Playtech, reported pre-tax profits of $12.4 million, 210 percent up from the 2006 comparative of $4 million. Annual revenues rose 95 percent to $54.3 million (2006: $27.8 million) with average daily casino turnover up 67 percent to $6.2 million (2006: $3.7 million)
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Saxony-licensed online casino operator chooses Canadian gambling software
One of the German states will soon have an online casino operation up and running. Calgary-based online gambling software developer Chartwell Technology has revealed that it has been successful in clinching a deal with Spielbanken Niedersachsen GmbH (SNG), the exclusive Lower Saxony state licensed and regulated casino operator, for an online gaming system.
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3 Card Poker already a firm favourite
Mobile gaming solutions provider Spin3 powered by Microgaming has launched a new 3 Card Poker gambling game for mobile phones.
3 Card Poker is a popular table game in land-based casinos around the world because it is easy to learn. Played with a standard deck of 52 cards that is shuffled before each game, 3 Card Poker consists of two games in one - the Pair Plus game and the Ante game - which can be played together or as individual games.
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Major new policy now evolving
The French daily newspaper Aujourd�hui en France has confirmed earlier reports in Le Parisien (see previous InfoPowa reports) that France is moving toward the regulation rather than prohibition of online gambling, perhaps as early as 2009. The newspapers report that "everything is ready" for France to initiate discussions on its proposed framework for online gaming and betting.
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Adventure the theme of latest GBP 2 million advertising push
UK gambling group Ladbrokes has launched its latest campaign, a GBP 2 million initiative crafted by M&C Saatchi to promote the company's online casino.
Shot in South Africa, the ad. "Climb" drives the campaign and is the first in a series that show adventurers pushing themselves too far in their quest for the ultimate thrill. The tagline, "Quench your thrill buds," makes the point and attempts to tap into the emotional thrill of playing online casino games.
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Slovakian software developer Inlogic hopes for mobile phone action
The Slovakian software developer Inlogic Software has released a new slot game for use on mobile phones, but at present the game is for fun only.
Players stake virtual amounts of money on three differently themed slot machines, in this latest product from the company says Jan Kalafut, Head of Business of Inlogic Software: "Inlogic has already developed several gambling games based on popular card games.
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ePassporte calls it a day, citing US enforcement activity
The California based e-wallet service ePassporte appears to be about to exit the United States online poker market, although as InfoPowa went to press Sunday this had not been confirmed by a general public statement from the company.
However, both Cake Poker and Full Tilt Poker have been advised by ePassporte management that "...a widespread investigation of Internet gambling, including poker" by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Southern New York" is responsible for the decision, according to online media reports from Poker News.com.
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Casino770 buys "770.com" for GBP 175 000
Online domain marketplace Sedo.com has reported brokering the sale of the domain "770.com" to Casino770.com, widely believed to be associated with the French land casino group Partouche, for an impressive GBP 175 000 this week. The previous owner is described only as "a private investor."
The new owner will use the domain to expand its online web presence and market the 770 brand aggressively.
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Two royal flushes in 3 days - and this is not the first time!
The Golden Tiger online casino reports an exceptionally lucky online gambler this week, identified only as "PS", who has scored two royal flushes and picked up a GBP 100 000 jackpot for each....all within 3 days.
The British player defeated all odds this month by hitting his second royal flush in only three days...and as recently as February this year he managed to do the exact same thing, and then again in March 2008, bringing his total winning balance up to GBP 400 000 in a mere three months, reports Golden Tiger spokesperson Emma Hall.
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Online casino group reports another double jackpot
Last week it was a British player at the Golden Tiger in the Casino Rewards group who had scored two royal flushes and picked up a GBP 100 000 jackpot for each....all within 3 days (see previous InfoPowa report). This time around another online casino in the same group - Blackjack Ballroom - reported making another lucky player wealthy after dishing out two jackpots in two days totaling more than $200 000.
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WPT and players disagree in percentage-of-prizepool donation plan
Entry into the World Poker Tour Ladies Tour scheduled for Las Vegas next week may be influenced by a disagreement over a charity donation which surfaced during a radio talk show this week.
Apparently the WPT has decided that the Las Vegas event at the Bellagio will have a 15 percent chunk of the prize-pool donated to
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Coming to a theatre near you from April 25....
Several top international poker aces have cameo roles in a new gambling movie set to follow closely on the heels of the popular "21" currently on the global cinema circuit (see previous InfoPowa report) Titled "Deal," the new film is all about poker and stars Bret Harrison, Burt Reynolds and Shannon Elizabeth in the main character roles.
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Washington dispute will now be heard May 15
After many months of legalistic stonewalling by Washington state representatives, it looks as if Seattle lawyer Lee Rousso is at last to get his day in court to challenge the constitutional legality of draconian state bans on Internet gambling.
Probably hoping to bury Rousso's challenge in demands for volumes of personal information, Washington state legal representatives have for months delayed the hearing as part of the discovery process. Rousso fought this on grounds that certain information is personal, confidential and is entitled to Fifth Amendment protection.
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Austrian online gambling group strikes back for the industry
The Vienna-listed online gambling group Bwin has revealed that it has taken the organisers of the French Open tennis tournament to court for slander in a legal counterattack following litigation to ban Internet betting at the Grand Slam tournament.
The case dates back to February this year, when the tennis organisers filed complaints in Belgium and Paris claiming that computer betting companies stain the reputation of the clay-court championship.
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"Poker Excitement" is PKR's slogan in helicopter campaign
PKR.com's marketing director Simon Prodger is nothing if not adventurous in his marketing tactics, this week introducing a new airborne campaign to get the PKR message across in big, bold letters.
The 3 D online poker company has commissioned a giant banner three-quarters the size of a football pitch which, when trailed through the skies behind a helicopter, will be seen by millions in the London area.
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Fully managed online casino solution
WagerWorks/IGT announced this week that Irish bookie group Boylesports has �gone live� with its fully managed end-to-end online casino solution. The new system replaces that previously used from Chartwell Technology, and integrates with the Finsoft MarginMaker sportsbook platform.
The new, fully managed system gives Boylesports full access to WagerWorks� entire suite of casino games, allowing its casino to provide players with top quality online slot games. A Wagerworks spokesman said that the feature- rich WagerWare casino platform will additionally assist in Boylesports marketing campaigns through better data mining and player database management.
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Motherwell FC deal valued at GBP200 000 a season
Scottish Premier League football club Motherwell has signed a new two-year sponsorship deal with the German online sports gambling firm English subsidiary JAXX.com.
The deal, valued at up to GBP 200 000 per season with revenue share, will see the JAXX brand appear on Motherwell's distinctive claret and amber strip from the beginning of the 2008-09 season, replacing Anglian Home Improvements, which has built significant market share in Scotland on the back of its association with the club.
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Vienna listed betting group achieves an important turnaround
Bwin, the Vienna-listed group that is a major force in the European online gambling sector has released 2007 results that show a turnaround for the business year, with net profits of Euro 50.4 million, a major improvement on the losses of Euro 539.6 million euros in the previous (2006) year.
Adjusted operating profits were Euro 72.8 million in 2007, after losses of Euro 585.8 million in 2006, and gross gaming revenues surged 21.4 percent to Euro 350.3 million.
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Senior government minister hints strongly at a regulated online gambling policy
The Deputy Minister of Finance in Poland has reportedly made a public statement this week that the EU country plans to regulate and license online gambling, and this could happen as early as the second half of 2008.
Minister Marek Kapica was quoted in Polish media reports as being pragmatic on the issue, saying: "We cannot control this process anyway and it is better that the budget at least derives some revenues from it."
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California legislative proposal moves forward to Assembly Appropriations Committee.
California legislators appeared to be taking a sensible and pragmatic view of online poker in the state this week as the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee (AGOC) unanimously forwarded a proposal to study the issue thoroughly to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2026 calls for the California Gambling Control Commission and the Department of Justice to initiate and carry out a study into factors surrounding the authorisation of online poker in California, reports Cardplayer magazine. The results of the study would be presented to the California Legislature by June 30, 2009 if it is approved.
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Good public response to Pokerstars.tv
The new Poker Stars public video initiative (see previous InfoPowa report) appears to have been well received in its beta testing phase at Pokerstars.tv.
Still in the test phase, the video site provides live webcasts of major events and a unique collection of high quality poker footage. Understandably, there is a marked promotional element that includes current Stars-sponsored events and the latest happenings from the growing Team PokerStars.
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Schleswig-Holstein law adviser says German bans won't stand the test of ECJ
Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG, probably Europe's biggest private online sports-gambling company, may win a legal fight that threatens Euro 118 million in annual revenues, or a third of its take, reports the Bloombergs business news service this week.
The service quotes Johannes Caspar, a law professor at Hamburg University and legal adviser to the Schleswig-Holstein state legislature, who says that Vienna-based Bwin may succeed with lawsuits challenging the January 2008 ban in Germany on Internet sports wagering.
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Swedish online gambling firm offers research scholarships
Kudos to Swedish online betting group Betsson, which has stepped up to contribute to the real need for research into the impact and consequences of problem gambling in the industry.
The company has launched a scholarship for problem gambling research in its native Sweden. The scholarships, each amounting to 15 000 SEK, will be awarded twice a year by a panel of experts knowledgeable in the field of gambling, from a list of candidates pre-selected by the respective student faculty. Betsson has previously used the services of the G4 for responsible gambling guidance.
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'Bet on the Move' service now available
If you have a Pearl, Curve, 8700 or 8820 Blackberry handset, you'll now be able to use Sporting Index's 'Bet on the Move' sports services following an announcement from the company this week.
The move comes as new reports show that mobile betting revenues have increased by 29 percent over the last year.
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Joint venture with Cirsa set to pay off under liberalised regional betting policies
Sportium, the 50-50 sportsbetting venture between Cirsa Slot and Ladbrokes has been awarded a license for the Madrid region, opening up strong possibilities for the new company, which is headed by CEO Alberto Eljarrat.
The group plans to open up to 70 outlets by the end of the year, and in 2007 announced an investment in the venture of Euro 30 million, forecasting more than 150 betting points employing 150 people in the first year.
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Analysts take a pessimistic view in the short term
Reports from the Las Vegas Gaming Wire and mainstream business news outlets are suggesting that times are already tough, and could become tougher, in the gambling industry due to weakening economic conditions.
The LVGJ reports that gaming revenues on the Las Vegas Strip fell 3 percent in February, with the sinking economy, high gasoline prices, airline troubles and other downbeat financial news causing casino customers to stay at home or hang on to discretionary income.
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Quality all the way for Asian poker epic
The Asian Poker Tour (APT) has announced that Matt Savage has signed on as tournament director for the APT�s Manila Main Event next month.
Few men are as qualified for the position. Savage was appointed tournament director for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in 2002 after working his way up the poker ladder. On his watch a boom in prize money at the tournament from �6 million to �25 million developed, and he has worked on more than 300 televised poker shows, in 2003 being awarded the inaugural Benny Binion award for outstanding service to the poker industry.
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Mystery approach to acquire online gambling group
Piqueing the interest of online gambling analysts and observers this week was a curt regulatory notice from the non-executive chairman of Gaming VC Holdings SA, Adrian Smith.
In a brief statement, Smith advised that the firm, which includes Casino Club, Casino Club Poker, Betaland and Poker Kings among its online gambling interests, has received a preliminary approach which may or may not lead to an offer being made for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company.
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All Bingo Club has lots of balls...
The Microgaming-powered Jackpot Factory online casino group has entered the world of online bingo with the successful launch of All Bingo Club.com this week.
Under the slogan "We�ve Got Balls," All Bingo Club deploys the latest bingo technology to bring 90 ball bingo straight to its players� homes. The bingo action is totally secure and continuous around the clock, backed by a full 24/7 support team.
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The honeymoon's over for Trillion Poker and Boss Media, it appears.
Harsh words and litigation were the order of the day this week as a serious falling-out between Boss Media's International Poker Network and one of the member websites, Trillion Poker surfaced. Reports are that Trillion is departing the Boss Media network under acrimonious conditions, threatening to lodge a garnishee order along with a Euro 45 million law suit.
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Poker Trillion succeeds in freezing Boss bank accounts
The dispute between online poker website Poker Trillion and its former network operated by Swedish Internet gambling provider Boss Media (see previous InfoPowa reports) has resulted in the award of a garnishee (or freezing) order on the bank accounts of Boss Holdings Limited and Boss Media Malta Poker Ltd.
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Bespoke product to be delivered to Betsson to complement other Internet gambling products
Betsson, an associate company of the major Swedish public gambling company Cherry Fortragen has commissioned online gambling software developer Playtech plc to supply an online casino product to Betsson, itself one of the largest publicly traded online gambling operators to the European market.
Under the terms of the licence agreement, Playtech will provide Betsson with its download casino portfolio, consisting of over 110 games, and integrate its back-end system, allowing Betsson to effectively manage and maximise the potential of the portfolio.
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URU-provider racks up GBP15 million in revenues - up 17 percent
The UK identification verification firm GB Group has issued a positive trading update on its financial year ended 31 March 2007, reporting that revenues grew 17 percent to GBP15 million.
The company has continued to invest in technology and skilled staff over the year, offsetting the additional costs with strong growth in revenues.
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Significant marketing leverage in Europe expected to flow from new deal
International online bookmaker and gambling operator Canbet has selected Income Access as its affiliate marketing program, making available to its affiliates the opportunity to promote a revolutionary football product where punters have access to Live 'In-Play' Football Betting on over 500 global games each week, along with a comprehensive selection of live Asian Handicap markets.
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Online gambling software developer plans new slot themes
The Dublin-based online gambling software developer Cryptologic is in synch with the current wave of nostalgia for the Street Fighter genre which has seen a resurgence of the late 'eighties game fighter culture, characterised by the imminent release of Street Fighter IV and a new movie featuring the SFII hero Chun-Li.
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Or "How to make a fast quarter million?"
Reports from the online gambling affiliate marketing community are starting to surface regarding what appears to be the failure of an affiliate program that offered members the prospect of million dollar returns at 65 percent commission rates....all for an initial outlay of a thousand dollars for membership. Alas, from accounts by some of those who signed up and paid their cash, it appears it was all too good to be true.
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Restructuring impacts business
London listed Leisure & Gaming plc has released current results, revealing that its first-quarter gross profit declined to Euro 2.1 million euros from Euro 2.5 million a year ago, but adding that trading in the period was in line with expectations.
In a trading statement, the betting and gaming group said results were below the comparative period in 2007, which benefited from exceptional sports results and was based on a larger estate of shops.
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State monopoly rakes in an extra 8 percent
The attraction of a state monopolised revenue stream was apparent this week when Norway's state-owned Norske Tipping reported $2 billion in 2007 revenues, driving an eight percent increase in annual profit to $618 million.
Revenue from interactive gaming rose 48 percent to $138.6 million
Norsk Tipping contributed $250 million to the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs, $43.8 million to Ministry of Health and Care Services and $2.4 million toward problem gambling treatment services.
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Asian company follows 888.com agreement with another major online gambling deal
Fresh from a partnership deal with online gambling giant 888.com (see previous InfoPowa report) Entertasia has signed an agreement with turnkey provider CryptoLogic in which Entertasia will provide CryptoLogic licensees with its Live Dealer software platform. The deal will help licensees to penetrate the Chinese speaking market with relevant online offerings.
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Intercasino will be the first to receive six new games this month
Hard on the heels of its release earlier this week of a new Street Fighter themed slot (see previous InfoPowa report) the Dublin-based online gambling software developer Cryptologic has announced a further six new game launches.
Roamin' Gnome is a 5-reel, 30-payline Slot in which players follow the Roamin' Gnome to historic and exotic locations around the world and can win massive cash prizes and free spins. Bets from 1 cent to $600 per spin are possible as the player trys to reach the Holiday Bonus feature game.
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Intralot among companies that lost out to Will Hill in Basque license bids
The business and financial new specialists Thomson Financial advise that Greece's Intralot SA and two Spanish companies were among those which lost out to William Hill plc on the tender for the license to operate the lottery in Spain's Basque region.
The Thomson sources said Intralot was among the six short-listed parties, which also included Ladbrokes plc.
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Heads up between the UK and Ireland a thriller
The 2008 Party Poker.com Nations Cup concluded this week with a truimph for the UK team after a heads up against Ireland. Team Great Britain, captained by Roland de Wolfe with members Neil Channing, Surinder Sunar, Joe Beevers, Ian Frazer and PartyPoker.com VIP online qualifier Charlie Durbin were jubilant over the win.
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Land casinos subject of significant new restrictions
Costa Rica, the Central American republic that is home to many online casino operators, is currently cracking down on land casino venues within the country in moves that will change the way that such operations are run and could ultimately discourage new casinos being built.
A six month window for the implementation of the new requirements has been provided.
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Sponsor Betfair has released details of Sky TV coverage
The European version of the World Series of Poker sponsored by online gambling group Betfair will be extensively televised, according to an announcement on the 2008 London-based event this week.
The 2008 edition of the series, which begins on September 19th will be covered by Sky Sports Xtra and Sky Sports 2 and 3 from 21 September through 28 September in broadcasts that will reach throughout the UK and Europe.
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JCM Global and casino owners' association to combine in fund raising game of golf
The American Gaming Association and JCM Global are set to celebrate their decade-long partnership for responsible gaming at the 10th annual JCM/AGA Golf Classic held at Cascata in Boulder City, Nevada on April 28. The Golf Classic is a fundraiser for the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG).
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New legal staffer joins Gibraltar staff
One of the many interesting delegates at the recent eCOGRA training course on responsible gambling held in London was a bright, attractive woman called Victoria Allison, a lawyer who had just joined the legal team at Party Gaming's head office in Gibraltar.
Her appointment, confirmed this week in The Lawyer by Party Gaming assistant general counsel James Elliot, reflects a fresh attitude to matters legal as Party Gaming does away with much of its outsourcing in favour of a more in-house approach.
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14 percent gains in online gambling activity
Online gambling activity soared 14 percent during March, according to statistics from comScore which attributed the increase in gambling site visits to the NCAA basketball tournament known as "March Madness."
The boost came despite the political turmoil in the United States over online gambling, illustrating the continuing demand for the pastime in America.
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Gearing up for athletics, football and tennis interest
The British Broadcasting Corporation has spruced up its mobile website, promising coverage of key sporting events such as Wimbledon and the Beijing Olympics and targeting football fans with posters inviting them to text the word 'football' to 81010 for a link to the site.
Research firm Nielsen Mobile said that the BBC's mobile browser service is the most popular mobile site in the UK, attracting 2.7 million unique users per month and seeing year-on-year growth of one million users.
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Over $100 million in transactions processed in illegal sports betting operation
The Deseret News reports that federal prosecutors are claiming seven busted Las Vegas residents were involved in an elaborate money-laundering service for illegal Internet gambling sites, which at one point was processing more than $100 million in transactions.
During an evidentiary hearing in federal court this week, federal prosecutors gave a glimpse of an automated cash laundering system that ran parts of its operation in Draper, Utah and in the UK, Korea and Antigua. Prosecutors allege that the system would allow online gambling sites to process credit card transactions without reporting to credit card companies and banks that the transaction was for gambling purposes.
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US legislative hypocrisy encapsulated in a comment
Online poker information website operator Jay Lakin effectively summed up the hypocrisy of online horse race and state lottery betting legislative carve outs this week in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Commenting on the exclusions from the UIGEA and other federal legislation, Lakin said that he wanted the Internet gambling ban repealed as hypocritical because it included exemptions for horse racing, state lotteries and fantasy sports but not poker.
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Failed sportsbook owners directed by Malta authorities to settle up with players
This month will hopefully see the final resolution and payouts to players in the Playbanks affair, a small sportsbook rated "F" by Sportsbook Review which failed in late 2006, leaving players unpaid. The Malta licensing agency the LGA stepping in to safeguard player interests in a task bedevilled by apparently inaccurate records and undeclared chargebacks.
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As the economic slowdown bites, MGM Mirage takes drastic action
MGM Mirage Inc., the largest casino operator on the Las Vegas Strip, told more than 400 middle management employees Monday they would be terminated immediately in a cost-saving move, Associated Press reports.
The decision will save $75 million annually and came after the company saw weakness since August at its properties, which include Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mirage and Mandalay Bay, spokesman Alan Feldman revealed.
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US politician's url turns to Italian gambling
The Plains Dealer newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio published an intriguing story this week on the radical change of direction of a domain and website formerly held by a local politician, which overnight morphed into an Internet gambling information portal without the politician's knowledge.
Longtime Republican congressman David Hobson of Springfield, Ohio isn't rolling the dice on another congressional run, and it appears that his website Hobsonforcongress.com has been tranformed into an Italian-language online gambling portal, perhaps because his staff failed to renew the domain.
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Move to counter fall-off in players caused by smoking ban
Australian gamblers may have a slightly better chance at beating the pokies in land gambling establishments following a move to tweak the machines for better results to combat falling attendance due to smoking bans.
The Australian Daily Telegraph reports that poker machines have been tweaked to return a total of $57 million extra in winnings in a desperate move to lure back punters to pubs and clubs.
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Sore, red-rimmed eyes and whacked out brains from too much Internet? The Japanese may have an answer!
Gambling fans suffering from sore eyes and tired brains may be able to perk up with "Game Suppli," a new supplemental drug product developed specifically for the Japanese gaming addicts, Reuters reports.
Manufacturer Kyowa-Yakuhin has developed two different supplements for the "Game Suppli" range: blueberry tablets that target tired eyes, and transparent capsules containing Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA - a fatty acid that apparently enhances concentration and refreshes the brain.
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