Operation Dadu, the Malaysian police’s ongoing drive against illegal internet gambling, resulted in more equipment confiscations and arrests Wednesday night as police parties raided eleven premises scattered across the country. In one raid, a photographic shop had been set up in a shopping complex as a front for internet gambling. After a tip-off, police maintained …
Amaya Gaming’s takeover of online gambling software developer Cryptologic is almost complete, with the Montreal company announcing this week that it presently controls 86.06 percent of the veteran’s shares with holdings of 11,898,294. To accommodate late sellers, Amaya has further extended its offer to May 2 2012.
British land and online gambling giant Ladbrokes plc announced its interim management statement for the 3 months ended 31 March 2012 on Thursday, noting that Q1 operating profit is up 3.9 percent to GBP 50.4 million; UK retail sales are up 9 percent; and revenues from “digital” operations are rising. The company, which pulled out …
Russian gamblers and operators are hoping that rumours about a review of the country’s tough gambling restrictions are true, reports the latest Alsart newsletter. In a sweeping edict several years ago, Russian leader Vladimir Putin banned all gambling in major Russian cities, instead consigning it to four remote regions of the vast country. Understandably, this …
The Danish Gambling Authority (DGA) released preliminary information on its first quarter gross gaming revenues for betting and online casino, this week. Data, based on duty payments from all licence holders for the period January to March 2012, indicated total gross gaming revenues of DKK 470 million (approx. $82.94 million), with betting yielding DKK 285 …
An advisory from RM Royal Media Ltd’s online rummy website Rummy Royal has announced that it will no longer operate in the Turkish market going forward due to changes in the regulatory environment. This exit marks its fourth in less than a month as Rummy Royal stopped offering services to Israel, France and the U.S. …
Indian Police report a cricket betting ring bust and the confiscation of 21 mobile phones, a computer, two laptops and Rs. 86 400 in cash. Five people identified as Raviram Gani, Mukeshlal Gani, Sonu Digwani, Naresh Sharwani and Anil were arrested following a raid on a house in Ghoghar Mohalla after Police received a tip-off. …
William Hill’s marketing hype have been deemed excessive by rival bookmakers across the British press this week. Particularly aiming at the report of a punters good fortune on the Grand National Big Buck’s GBP 500 000 bet to win GBP 100 000 , competitors are grumbling that William Hill provided selective information on the wager …
The European Gaming and Betting Association’s (EGBA) anticipated manifesto for sustainable online gambling in the European Union was published this week stemming from its involvement in the issue raised by the European Parliament Report on Online Gambling in the Internal Market in November 2011. Five priority action points have been identified by the organisation which …
Malta’s Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) has entered into a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. The MOU covers areas such as the exchange of information and applicant eligibility assessments along with compliance and regulatory assurances with respect to gaming. Other possibilities stemming from the agreement include joint, …
Betfair has extended its existing relationship with the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) in a sponsorship deal announced this week. The sponsorship covers both men and women’s GB Boxing teams, who will appear at a series of promotional events to raise awareness of the Betfair partnership, in which the online betting exchange has been named …
Part-time and definitely illegal Singapore bookie Goh Weng Soon will have time to reflect on his activities this week following a severe sentence of one year in prison and a fine of $390,000 handed down by District Judge Wong Peck on 11 counts of illegal sports betting. A vegetable seller in his more usual life, …
The Swedish online gambling group Betsson AB has announced that it is to acquire the Malta-based Nordic Gaming Group and its three sportsbook, casino and poker subsidiaries, NordicBet, Tobet and Triobet. Magnus Silfverberg, CEO and President of Betsson, said in a statement Wednesday: ”Through this transaction, Betsson continues to strengthen its Nordic operations and its …
The state of Delaware’s interest in regulating and licensing online gambling is now well known, but Businessweek reports that state officials have recently taken their initiatives a step further, setting up a series of meetings with representatives of the state’s gambling industry. State financial director Tom Cook attended some of these meetings Tuesday, briefing Delaware’s …
North Carolina internet cafe owners who also facilitate thinly disguised online gambling are claiming that a recent Appeal Court decision permits them to continue running their businesses despite the state’s intention to stamp out the pastime. In 2010 the state Legislature passed a law to ban internet cafe sweepstakes that use an “entertaining display” to …
Reports on iGaming Suppliers and other information sites Tuesday indicate that the Bodog franchising operation in the UK is the latest in founder Calvin Ayre’s business group to be restructured, reportedly with the loss of 70 UK jobs. The report in iGaming Suppliers quotes sources as saying that the lay-offs are associated with the company’s …
European Court of Justice Advocate General Mazak was critical of Austria’s restrictions on internet gambling advertising this week, commenting that these are discriminatory and a potentially concealed total ban for cross-border advertising. The Austrian Gambling Act had previously banned all advertising for non-Austrian based gambling operators. After its amendment in 2009, in reaction to an …
The reaction to Playtech’s announcement that it was to spend Euro 95 million on social gaming initiatives through acquisitions from its 48 percent main shareholder Teddy Sagi was not long in coming Tuesday. Reuters reported that amidst investor concerns the share price waned, falling as much as 9.7 percent to 316.66 pence, although there was …
Antigua and Barbuda prime minister Baldwin Spencer met last week with US Trade Representative Ron Kirk to discuss the islander’s long-running internet gambling World Trade Organisation dispute with the Americans, reports the publication Caribarena this week. The discussions with Kirk saw the prime minister express his disappointment that although the WTO case was first adjudicated …
Online slot fans have plenty of treats in store despite the launching of several new games already announced this (April) month. Starting on April 18, RealTime Gaming licensees will be offering a different version of the Bulls and Bears slot, themed on the stock market rather than ball sports. In the new game, the Bulls …
The Playtech acquisition of PT Turnkey Services Limited is to be finalised earlier than agreed with the payment of the remaining initial purchase price ahead of the agreed timeframe, in return for a Euro 4.2 million discount. Playtech advised in a stock exchange advisory Tuesday that the main points of the transaction are: * Consolidation …
Staff at the headquarters of the internet gambling software developer Playtech plc were hard at work this week laying the groundwork for the company’s imminent move to a Premium Listing on the main market of the London Stock Exchange and its penetration of the burgeoning social gaming sector. The company signed a non-binding memorandum of …
The British press is currently reporting that the Ladbrokes betting sites went down temporarily earlier this week on one of the busiest betting days of the year – the confluence of Grand National horse racing and the Scottish and English FA Cup football semi-finals. The website was reportedly overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of online …
The Malaysian police anti-online gambling drive moved to the Jelan Slim area over the weekend, with police mounting a raid on an online gambling operator’s premises after receiving a public tip-off. The raid, launched at 8pm, may have been premature, because police found only a young caretaker on the premises, which was protected by sophisticated …