Jockey Club of Hong Kong football punters were seriously irritated this week when the regional government’s Home Affairs Bureau slapped a ban on betting on an international clash between two English Premier League teams visiting the city, ruling that because the match was part of a tournament in which a local team was playing, betting …
Online gambling’s high profile founder of the Bodog brand, Canadian entrepreneur Calvin Ayr, was featured in the business section of the UK newspaper The Guardian over the weekend, described as “web gambling’s king of bling”. Aside from the usual diversions of wine, women and la dolce vita that are routinely associated with Ayr, this successful …
Recent hints that New Jersey state senator Ray Lesniak is planning another run at legalising online gambling have again raised the question of (state) constitutional legality. Our readers will recall that Lesniak successfully guided an intrastate online gambling legalisation attempt to overwhelming approval in the New Jersey legislature, only to see it vetoed by the …
The latest UK gambling prevalence study, conducted by independent specialist ICM Research, has been released by the UK Gambling Commission. Key findings in the current study are: For remote (online) gambling: • Over the year to June 2011 (that is, an average of figures for September 2010, December 2010, March 2011 and June 2011), 11.8 …
One of the critical elements in the resolution of Greece’s perilous financial situation is the fate of state gambling monopoly OPAP and the legalisation of online gambling that could enhance its value. Both are essential components in the nation’s undertakings to the EU and IMF to meet its debt obligations by selling off state assets. …
A new online gambling proposal Bill S.132 authorising the Massachusetts Lottery Commission to conduct an online gambling pilot programme has come to light. The bill filed in late January this year by State Senator Michael Rush has proponents estimating that The Commonwealth of Massachusetts could potentially net $ 1 billion per annum from the programme. …
The Latvian Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance is in the process of reviewing existing land and online gambling laws according to Vostokreport.com. Home to some impressive online gambling software companies, the pastime has been legal since 2003, with a 10 percent interactive betting tax that has not discouraged …
The Greek minister of finance, Evangelos Venizelos, caused a stir Thursday by suggesting that the cash-strapped government may not sell its full stake in gaming monopoly OPAP, the key asset on the nation’s 2011 privatisation list. He said that the country intends to meet its EU and IMF commitments, but that there may be alternatives …
bwin.party and Amaury Group have announced their intention to merge their bwin France and SAjOO online gaming business due to the challenging regulatory and fiscal regime in the French gaming market. Terms of the merger are not being disclosed, however, the companies believe the combination will deliver financial benefits in a number of areas including …
Net Entertainment NE AB announced the resignation of CEO Johan Öhman due to family reasons, this week. Öhman, who has held the position of president and ceo of Net Entertainment since November 2006, will be available to the board for a three month handover period, while the company’s sales director Björn Krantz will fill the …
The major US horseracing company Churchill Downs Incorporated has reported business results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2011, with online operations making a significant contribution to its improved numbers. Net revenues from continuing operations for the quarter grew 16 percent compared to the prior-year period–to $249.7 million from $215.4 million–primarily …
The Irish Sun reports that Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has again signalled an increase in the land and online betting tax, in part to fund the horse racing industry. Minister Coveney said that it made no sense for the government to continue paying into the Horse and Greyhound Fund, when the industry could be self-financing. …
Virtual sports developer and supplier Inspired Gaming Group (Inspired) announced the introduction of Virtual Tennis to its portfolio of horse racing, football, motor racing and cycling, this week. Using motion capture techniques from the TV and Film industry, the twelve month development process involved a large team of engineers who filmed two of Britain’s prominent …
Online live casino Dublinbet.com has signed a shirt sponsorship with the Bohemian Football Club, a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland who compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. DublinBet.com will be the club’s official home shirt sponsor for the Airtricity Irish League 2011 and the Ford FAI Cup 2011. The company’s …
Land-based and online gaming company International Game Technology (IGT) delivered the results of its fiscal third quarter ending June 30, 2011 this week. Key Performance Indicators (compared to Q3/2010) for the period include: – Total revenues increased 3 percent to $489 million (Q3/2010: $475 million), of which 55 percent was generated from gaming operations and …
The Rank Group Plc (Rank) has appointed Clive Jennings (50) as group finance director and as a director of the Company, with immediate effect. Jennings, a chartered accountant, previously held the position of group financial controller at the company prior to which he was the financial controller of Rank’s gaming division. His appointment follows a …
Online gambling operator Sportingbet is reported to be on the verge of divesting of its Turkish-facing operation following a strategic review. In a statement this week the company said : “The company confirms that, as part of its long term strategy of increasing the proportion of its business mix derived from regulated markets, it is …
Software developer Playtech has developed a new line for some of its more popular game titles in the form of a series of scratch cards. Titles already developed and deployed in the scratchcard format include Santa Scratch, Pharaoh’s Kingdom and Easter Surprise Scratch with Iron Man 2 Scratch and Kong Scratch the latest releases to …
French national lottery operator La Française des Jeux (FDJ) announced the signing of a licencing agreement with live streaming service provider Watch&Bet, this week. Watch&Bet, powered by digital sports media company Perform, will deliver live sports events streamed across FDJ’s sports betting website parionsweb.fr. Thomas Lamaury, Research & Development – Sport, FDJ said: “We are …
French national lottery operator La Française des Jeux (FDJ) announced the signing of a licencing agreement with live streaming service provider Watch&Bet, this week. Watch&Bet, powered by digital sports media company Perform, will deliver live sports events streamed across FDJ’s sports betting website parionsweb.fr. Thomas Lamaury, Research & Development – Sport, FDJ said: “We are …
Irish bookmaker Paddy Power’s Australian-focused online betting website Sportsbet has relaunched its Sportsbet and IASbet sites utilising OpenBet sportsbook software. OpenBet who has had a relationship with Paddy Power for the past decade was selected for “the quality of its sportsbook, the flexibility of the platform, and its ability to ensure compliance with the requirements …
One of the highest profile brands in the online gambling US market, Bodog, will be no more from the end of this (2011) year. The branding agreement, currently franchised to operator the Morris Mohawk Gaming group by Bodog Brand for use in North America, will be allowed to expire at the end of the year, …
Swedish gaming services company Betsson AB released its second quarter 2011 financials this week, with mixed results but overall a steady performance. The company is of the opinion that the online gaming market will continue to develop strongly due to the rapid growth in internet users and the accompanying confidence in using the internet in …
The Australian online sportsbook Sportsbet has agreed to cancel more than A$80,000 in debts run up by a Melbourne man who claims he was lured into trouble by the agency’s offer of $5 000 in free bets. The Australian newspaper The Age reports that the man, who has a mental illness, faced losing his house …