Moneybookers for sale
German retail tycoon Otto Beisheim has put UK-based ePayment provider Moneybookers up for sale, with a price tag of around £100 million. Payment processor Neteller, whose share price plummeted 81 per cent in the wake of the US' anti-gambling legislation, is thought to be interested in the company in order to bolster its presence in the European gaming market.
Admiral wants a thousand more venues
Admiral Taverns' owner Gary Landesberg said that the pub company is looking for a further 1,000 pubs, days after buying over 150 premises from Greene King for £56.5 million. The latest purchases have taken Admiral's pub portfolio to nearly 2,000, making it the third biggest pub landlord in the UK.
Ainsworth falls into red
Ainsworth Game Technology announced that it would fall Au$15 million into the red for the six months to December blaming a slow down in sales and regulatory licensing in both its native Australia and key overseas markets. The group posted a profit of Au$3.2 million in the year to June on the back of a rights issue which raised Au$21 million.
Gamestec staff strip for Children in Need
Leeds-based amusement and gaming machine operator Gamestec have raised £1,650 for Children in Need as staff stripped off for a 'cheeky' calendar. MD Rolf Nielsen called the event a great success and said that he was positive the calendar would raise even more money for the charity once it went on sale in the next few weeks.
Talarius sold to European Gaming
Gaming company Talarius Plc, owner of the Quicksilver brand of adult gaming centres, has agreed to a £137.2 million cash offer from European Gaming, a venture company owned by Australian firm Tattersall's and Macquarie Bank. Talarius called the 270p per share offer 'fair value' for the business.
Research supports Spanish market
A new study by Munich-based research company MECN has shown that the Spanish online gambling market could grow to a 4.2 billion eur industry by the year 2010. It identified Spain as a key region for future growth, with overall gambling potential reaching 39 billion eur in 3 years.
Sound Leisure 'talking swing'
Sound Leisure has been discussing its latest product, a 'talking' swing sign which plays recorded messages when it detects movement. Founder and chairman Alan Black said that the company is currently applying its jukebox technology to retailing, which includes producing touch-screen marketing panels for shop fronts and audiovisual displays to go inside.
Fourth company may enter Tote bidding
Former Tote chief executive John Heaton has said that his current company, Interactive Gaming Holdings, would be interested in bidding for the UK state-owned bookmaker when it came on the market. Heaton added that IGH would have to find partners to finance a formal bid for the £400 million valued company.
Enterprise sells Scottish portfolio to Iranian entrepreneur
Enterprise Inns has sold its 137 Scottish pubs to entrepreneur Robert Tchenguiz's R20 investment vehicle for £115 million, citing 'strategic reasons'. Tchenguiz also announced that he had bought a further 46 pubs from Scottish & Newcastle Plc and the Globe Pub Company.
ICEi exhibitors grow
No fewer than 20 of the 25 exhibitors returning to ICEi 2007 have opted to increase their stand size, by an average of 150 per cent. Taking place in London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre across 23-25 January, ICEi is also boasting a 40 per cent rise in floor space to accommodate the 36 already confirmed companies, hailing from 16 jurisdictions. Registration is free.
Australian IGA given 20 year warning
Australia's Independent Gambling Authority has been told that it would take at least 20 years to achieve Adelaide state government's target of removing 3000 poker machines from hotels and clubs unless the trading system was immediately reformed. Representatives of key Adelaide welfare and church groups also claimed that there was also a 'high degree of scepticism' over the government's handling of the reduction in gaming machine numbers.
Purvis appointed UK sales MD of Cyberview
David Purvis has been named as Managing Director of UK sales and operations at Cyberview Technology, making him the company's top UK executive. He will now report directly to group CEO Seamus McGill.
BISL annual conference to discuss gambling fee consultation
The DCMS' long awaited consultation 'Gambling Fees for Premises and Permits' will be a central subject of discussion at the Business In Sport and Leisure's annual conference on November 30th. Chief executive Brigid Simmonds will be on hand at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London to discuss her views on the fees, alongside Neil Goulden, chairman of BISL and chief executive of Gala Coral Group.
Government and Commission defend consultation process
Culture Minister Richard Caborn was given a relatively easy time by delegates at this year's BACTA Convention. One of the recurring themes he had to tackle was concern over the vast amount of consultation the industry is currently wading through regarding secondary legislation contained in the Gambling Act 2005. When challenged over timings he answered: "I can be as bureaucratic as you like, but that's not the way to get good legislation." Backing his views was Gambling Commission chairman Peter Dean who, during question time, added that the consultation process - while onerous - was crucial and that the industry should crack on with it.
US customers find alternative methods of payment
A former New Jersey gambling regulator has said that sites are simply setting up offshore where US law enforcers can't reach them and gamblers will find alternative ways to pay them. Frank Catania, who now lobbies on behalf of the online-gambling industry, argued that the Federal Reserve is not expected to force banks to screen personal cheques or any payment methods that are more difficult to track, hence players sending in cheques would be 'fine'.
Jowell's Olympic deficit to be funded by lottery
British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell MP told the House of Commons that the £900 million extra cost of the 2012 London Olympics would likely be partially funded by lottery money. The UK Liberal Democrats' Don Foster MP said that extra plans for regeneration should be privately funded and not siphoned off National Lottery good causes.
Ascot calls in consultants
Engineering consultants Arup and High-Point Rendel have been asked to provide solutions for 'viewing problems' at Ascot racecourse's new £200 million grandstand. The venue has received more than 1,000 complaints about the problem since opening in June this year.
Bookmaker cites poor performances for racecourse pitch sale
Ubet2win has agreed to sell the remainder of its English racecourse pitches for just £160,000, a write down of over £170,000 on their book price, due to 'continued poor performances'. The gaming company added that it had already sold its pitches at Ascot and Aintree for £22,500.
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