Online Gaming News, April 2007

[Casinonews]

Brown to scrap casino plans?
Chancellor Gordon Brown is considering abandoning the entire super-casino package according to industry experts cited in the UK Observer newspaper. A 'well connected gambling source' in the article said that Brown does not want the dispute over the super-casino’s final destination going on in the background while he prepares for Number 10.

Kerzner labels UK casino legislation too complex
Kerzner International's UK chief executive Tobin Prior has labelled the government's super-casino policy ‘too complex’, calling it the most protracted he has ever come across. Prior added that the situation was 'unique', saying that despite being registered in six jurisdictions, the casino company had never come across anything like it.

Government faces BCA embarrassment
A High Court judge will this week decide whether a challenge by the British Casino Association over the alleged "unfair competition" created by the Gambling Bill would go ahead. If successful, regular casinos would be able to increase the number of slot machines from 20 to 150 in line with the new-style casinos, creating another potentially embarrassing situation for the government.

Noble Organisation calls Peer statement slanderous
The Noble Organisation has called recent remarks by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Tom McNally ‘slanderous’, arguing that he had attempted to discredit the company under the guise of Parliamentary privilege. McNally last week called the Noble's Coral Island venue in Blackpool a 'gambling shed' and claimed that it was "sucking in the vulnerable and sucking out money from the town and making no contribution at all."

Dutch problem gambling expert praises new system
A Dutch problem gambling expert has praised the nation’s responsible gaming policies, saying that the procedures could no longer be manipulated. Under the scheme, all casino visitors have to show either their national ID card or a passport to enter, and are automatically logged into a nationwide networked computer system that tracks visiting frequency. Customers visiting the nationwide casinos more than 15 times a month on average are subject to an annual interview with trained casino staff, while customers aged between 18 and 23 would be interviewed if they go to casinos more than eight times a month.

FBI arrests BetonSport founder Kaplan
BetonSport's founder Gary Kaplan has been arrested in the Dominican Republic and transferred to US authorities, almost a year after being indicted by a US Grand Jury, along with his company, for racketeering and conspiracy charges. Kaplan was caught at a hotel in Santo Domingo following a "worldwide search,'' according to US attorney Catherine Hanaway.

Welsh smoking ban begins
Wales follows Scotland and Northern Ireland today (Monday) with a countrywide smoking ban, three months ahead of the English national ban due on 1 July. The British Medical Association's Welsh secretary, Richard Lewis, called it "the greatest public health initiative in Wales for over a century", while tobacco lobby groups labelled the measures "draconian".

WTO rule against US ban
The World Trade Organisation has supported an earlier decision by ruling that the US' ban on offshore internet gambling payments was illegal. A spokesperson for the US Trade Representative's office acknowledged the decision but said that the WTO report would allow it to maintain a ban on internet gambling in order to "protect public order and public morals'' as long as it doesn't discriminate against foreign companies.

Intralot's South African lottery operations suspended
Greek betting company Intralot said that South Africa's minister of trade and industry had halted its new National Lottery operations after rival bidder Uthingo won a court challenge against the tender process. A spokesperson for Intralot said that the minister was now re-examining the process of the shareholding structure for the award of the new National Lottery licence.

Scientific signs five year Sportech agreement
Gaming supply company Scientific Games has signed a five year strategic agreement with Littlewoods Football Pools-owner Sportech to provide football pari-mutuel tote services, technology development and related IT consultancy services. Scientific said that it expected to earn $8 million of revenue over the five-year term.

Gambling industry spent $25 million lobbying in 2006
According to a report in the USA Today newspaper, American land-based casinos and American Indian tribes spent a total of $25 million lobbying Congress in 2006 as legislation banning wagering online and off Indian reservations was considered. The figure was a slight increase on 2005's reported spend, but down from the estimated $28.5 million spent in 2003.

Melco PBL's losses mount
Melco PBL Entertainment posted a loss of $73.5 million for 2006, compared with a loss of $3.3 million in the previous year. The Macau casino company blamed the results largely on operating costs, which jumped from $21.1 million to $93.8 million in the period.

888 purchases bingo operation
888 Holdings has purchased the online bingo operations of Belize-based Globalcom Limited for $32.4 million. Under terms of the deal, 888 will deduct any amounts payable to customers from the acquisition price, with a further $11 million payable on the basis of performance during the 2007 financial year.

Cryptologic appoints new CEO
Gaming software developer Cryptologic has appointed Javaid Aziz as its new President and CEO. Aziz, who has previously served as chief executive of IBM United Kingdom, will take over from Lewis Rose effective immediately.

Milliken signs three-year deal with IBSF
Milliken Woollen Speciality Products has signed a three-year deal with the International Billiards & Snooker Federation to make it the official cloth supplier to IBSF. Milliken marketing director Duncan Kettell said that the agreement would "open significant new global opportunities," adding that it the agreement was similar to Milliken's recent deal with the Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports.

[Casinonews]

Newspaper ad sparks Blackpool row
A row has erupted in Blackpool thanks to a national newspaper advertisement featuring Blackpool Liberal Democrat councillors Jon Bamborough, Steven Bate and Doreen Holt, which called on Parliament to support Manchester's bid for the super-casino licence and veto Blackpool’s plan. According to reports, all three could be brought before party leaders to explain why their names were included. A full report features in the latest Coinslot, published Thursday.

BCA deals UK casino policy new blow
The UK High Court has granted the British Casino Association permission to proceed in its Judicial Review case regarding ‘unfair competition’ introduced under the Gambling Act 2005. The Honourable Mr Justice Collins, lead Judge of the Administrative Court, said the case should be heard as a "matter of urgency at a full substantive hearing in the High Court."

GamCare publishes care services paper
GamCare chief executive Geoffrey Gobold OBE has warned that taking the charity’s recently published Care Services report out of context would not be helpful for the gambling industry. He said the figures, which showed a 30 per cent rise in people contacting the charity in 2006, were due to an increase in the number of people becoming aware of GamCare's services.

Government launches Gambling Act surgery
The Gambling Commission is launching a telephone call surgery aimed at explaining which licences are needed under the new Gambling Act as well as providing guidance on how to apply. According to the Commission, the aim of the 'surgery' is to provide parties the opportunity to clarify issues and discuss individual applications in a confidential one-to-one basis.

Noble objection causes local backlash
The Noble Organisation’s objection to Brighton's planned new i360 landmark has sparked controversy among locals have branded the firm 'arrogant' and accused it of ‘disgraceful’ protectionist tactics. According to comments posted on a local newspaper website, residents are claiming that the move could lead to a boycott of the Noble's hugely successful Brighton Pier. The i360, designed by David Marks and Julia Barfield, the architects responsible for the London Eye, will give an estimated L10 million boost to the city's economy.

William Hill posts L235 million profit
UK bookmaker William Hill praised the strong performance of its FOBTs and the World Cup as it posted a full-year profit for 2006 of L235.4 million, a rise of nearly L60 million compared with the previous year. The gaming company showed an increase in pre-tax profit to L292.2 million and a 15 per cent rise in gross win to L931.3 million for the year.

Macau deals out record results
Macau has officially overtaken the Las Vegas strip as the World's casino capital after posting record gambling revenues, which exceeded $7 billion from its 22 casinos for 2006. In comparison, Las Vegas' main strip generated $6.6 billion in revenue from its 40 casinos, which include the Venetian and MGM resorts.

Poland to legalise online gaming
Poland is to introduce laws legalising online gaming which will include new regulations to license and tax operators, according to a report in the Warsaw Voice newspaper. The article said that the country had decided to change current laws in order to 'meet the needs of the growing industry', and will implement the legislation by September.

Sega opens new operations on cruise ship
Sega Amusements Europe is re-launching its arcade concept with a new marketing project on a Mediterranean cruise ship. The Sega Village has been launched on the Ocean Village Two despite the firm having previously phased out its gambling facilities in the UK and mainland Europe. The full article appears in this week's Coinslot, published today (Thurdsay).

FBI investigate Second Life gambling
The FBI has been investigating betting taking place in the popular online virtual world Second Life. Ginsu Yoon, vice president for business affairs at Second Life, said the company was currently seeking guidance on virtual gaming activity but had not yet received clear rules from US authorities.

Britain's tourist economy hits five-year high
Tourism authority VisitBritain has announced that the British tourism industry has made a stirring recovery after five years in the post 9/11 doldrums. According to new figures, the value of Britain's visitor economy is now estimated at L85 billion, making it the country's fifth largest industry.

Farr sells operations to focus on distribution
Cosmic Video Amusement's CEO Terry Farr has sold the operations arm of his business to Steve Hawkins of Sussex Leisure. Farr told Coinslot that the sale would allow the company to focus its attentions on developing the sales side of the business.

Antigua feels 'vindicated' by WTO ruling
Antigua & Barbuda has praised the WTO's decision to uphold its claim that the US had unfairly discriminated against foreign online gambling companies, and said that the US could now be forced to rewrite its laws covering online gambling. Antigua’s WTO Ambassador John W. Ashe called the ruling a "smashing success for Antigua in every possible way" while finance minister Errol Court added that it vindicated "all that we have been saying for years about the discriminatory trade practices of the United States in this area."

Southend voted Pier of the Year
Southend Pier has been named Pier of the Year 2007 by the National Piers Society, the same day a public consultation to shape its future was launched. Gavin Henderson, president of the National Piers Society said the UK's longest pier had been chosen for the award because of its "heroic survival through fire and tempest."

BetFred owner purchases stake in SIS
BetFred boss Fred Done has purchased a 7.5 per cent share in London-based Satellite Information Services for an estimated L7.5 million. The data and technology supply company also operates Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in betting shops, and broadcasting services such as live coverage and programming for the digital TV racing channel At The Races.

EBA becomes EGBA as it extends its remit
The European Betting Association has now become the European Gaming and Betting Association after an official re-launch in Brussels. The new organisation said that it was hoping to build on the EBA’s reputation and provide a “strong voice” for European operators.

Spanish operator buys Blackpool zoo
Spanish-based leisure operator Parques Reunidos has bought Blackpool's zoo as part of a L10.4 million deal which includes the Aquarium of the Lakes in Lake Windermere and The Oceanarium in Bournemouth. Blackpool Council has agreed to transfer the lease on the 32-acre animal park from Grant Leisure to the new owners, with the transaction expected to be completed next week.

[Casinonews]

Gambling Commission want information sharing talks
The Gambling Commission is to meet with representatives from the betting industry in the hope of securing the open sharing of information relating to the betting habits of punters who place large and suspicious bets. Tom Kelly, chairman of the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) said that provisions made in the 2005 Gambling Act were sufficient to protect sport from cheating, but added that he hoped some middle ground would be reached.

Tote sale 'collapsed'
Plans to sell the British state-owned Tote bookmaker have collapsed according to reports in the UK's Mail on Sunday newspaper. Unnamed sources quoted in the paper said that the sales process had been "kicked into the long grass" by the government, which was not prepared to discuss future sale strategies.

Blackpool Easter attracts 250,000 people
A quarter of a million people were reported to have travelled to Blackpool over the Easter weekend according to the Town Council's tourism department. Tourism director Jane Seddon said that a combination of great weather and recent publicity had all played a part in attracting the visitors, which she hoped would mark the start of a busy summer for 2007.

Aspers commissions NECA staff training
Aspers Casino in Newcastle has commissioned the North East Council on Addictions (NECA) to train staff and management in recognising indicators of problem gambling. The training modules, ranging from the reasons why people gamble to identifying the signs of problem gambling, as well as the related problems and social implications, is being developed specifically for Aspers.

Mecca signs agreement with WagerWorks
Mecca Bingo has signed an agreement with WagerWorks to integrate its online Orbis Fixed Odds Games Framework with WagerWorks premium casino brands. WagerWorks president, Paul Mathews, said that the integration would begin with its Cleopatra, Monopoly, Cluedo and Wheel of Fortune Hollywood Edition games. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Hill's Harding nets L4 million
David Harding, chief executive of bookmaker William Hill, has netted L1 million in pay and bonuses for 2006, as well as gaining a profit of L2.85 million on share options. Tom Singer, who left the UK-based gaming company last November, received L1.07 million while netting L1.63 million from his share options.

Warne escapes illegal gambling punishment
Australian bowler Shane Warne has escaped punishment for promoting illegal gambling after management took down his Pokercricket.com website. The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation said that gambling was a strictly regulated business in the state and they expected all people to comply with legislation, "whether they were high profile or not".

888 takeover talks cooled
Ladbrokes' long anticipated takeover of online gaming firm 888 has cooled considerably according to latest reports, with further rumours circulating that the UK bookmaker is being lined up for a private equity bid. Investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort labelled 888's current share price as 'overvalued' in light of the news, while Ladbrokes' shares increased 2.9 per cent amid the speculation.

Betfair's Grand National ad labelled 'sickening
Pressure group Fight Against Animal Cruelty in Europe (FAACE) has condemned Betfair's latest Grand National ad as 'relishing the prospect of horses dying' in the name of entertainment and gambling. FAACE chairman Tony Moore went on to call the ad – which depicts a jockey falling from his horse alongside the slogan 'Long shots are only long shots until the favourites fall' – "absolutely sickening".

Seven per cent of centenarians play video games
According to the second annual 'Evercare 100 @ 100' survey, seven per cent of this year's US centenarians play video games. The study, which aims to give an insight into the age group's habits and practices, also showed that six per cent had been on the Internet, while four per cent said they had listened to music on an iPod.

Japanese arcade robbery nets 3 million yen
Three masked men made off with over 3 million yen after robbing an amusement arcade in Fukuoka, Japan at the weekend. The raiders brandished knives according to reports and forced staff to open safe and change machines, before locking them in the storeroom.

Georgica making good progress in Rileys sale
Leisure group Georgica said that it was making 'good progress' in its search for a buyer for its Rileys chain of snooker clubs and Tenpin bowling centre brands. Chairman Don Hanson said that despite a drop in sales at Rileys, discussions were underway concerning a number of potential deals.

Smoking ban uncovers nightclub stink
Nightclub operator Luminar said that it was currently trialling scented air conditioning in its Welsh venues, to mask the smell of body odour previously covered by cigarette smoke. An industry operator quoted in the UK’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper said that the recent smoking ban had uncovered ‘all sorts of smells’ they hadn’t thought about.

[Casinonews]

Caborn urges industry to get licensed
Richard Caborn MP has issued a firm reminder in the run up to the April 27 licensing deadline that gambling firms should be fully compliant or face closure. In a statement to industry bible Coinslot, Caborn commented "My message to all adult gaming centres or family entertainment centres is that if you don't apply to the Gambling Commission by the deadline, you will be making life much harder for yourself."

Dean thanks industry for hard work
Gambling Commission chairman Peter Dean has thanked members of the gambling industry for their hard work in keeping up with the new regulator's ‘seemingly endless’ treadmill of consultations. Dean acknowledged that consultation placed huge demands on the industry and its advisers, and added that the industry had made a valuable contribution to the whole process. The full article appears in Thursday's Coinslot.

Hill and Ladbrokes accused of TV coverage stranglehold
The group behind Turf TV has accused bookmakers William Hill and Ladbrokes of breaching British competition law and urged the Office of Fair Trading to launch an investigation. According to a report in the UK's Financial Times newspaper, Racing UK along with partner Alphameric have said that moves by the betting firms to withdraw sponsorship from races that supported Turf TV constituted anti-competitive behaviour.

Coinslot 2000 Poll
Coinslot is publishing its 2,000th edition on 27 April and will be producing a special commemorative issue looking back at the very best of British coin-op history since 1970. This issue will also carry the results of an industry survey to determine the personalities and products which have had the greatest impact on the business over the last 37 years. To register your views click here.

PartyGaming withdraws from Turkey
Online gambling firm PartyGaming announced that it would no longer offer gambling services to customers in Turkey. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, PartyPoker's owner said that it would be halting the service in light of the recent legislation which prohibited certain forms of online gaming from being offered by any unauthorised domestic or foreign company.

Kaplan hires star attorney
BetonSports founder Gary Kaplan has hired New York attorney Benjamin Brafman as his lead counsel. Brafman, in 1998, defended and lost the federal case against Jay Cohen of World Sports Exchange, who was charged with violating the Wire Act as well as conspiracy. Subscribe to IGamingNews for the full story.

Grand National attracts record interest
Half of England's adult population is expected to bet on this year's Grand National, wagering an average of L8 each, with one in three being bets placed by women. Bookmaker William Hill said that it expects wagers to top L250 million by race-time on Saturday, with an estimated turnover of L500,000 for every minute they are open, until the off.

Virgin Games pulls out of Canadian market
Citing "a review of the legalities of online gambling within Canada," UK-based Virgin Games informed its Canadian customers that it will withdraw from the Canadian market on April 13. The decision is consistent with the policies of WagerWorks, a subsidiary of land-based gaming machines provider International Game Technology (IGT) and the gaming software supplier to Virgin.

Nobles say i360 objections are fair
The Noble Organisation, owners of Brighton Pier, has claimed its objection to the planned development of the i360 viewing tower on the city’s seafront was made simply in the interest of pursuing a level playing field. It said that the planning permission was granted on the basis that developers won a harbour revision order, something that the company argued should not stand as the West Pier is not a proper harbour.

Sega moving
UK-based Sega Amusements Europe is moving from its Epsom office to a new 25,000 sq ft of office, warehouse and showroom space in Chessington, Surrey. A company spokesman said that a spate of new appointments coupled with Sega’s re-entry into the spares business with the creation of Sega Total Solutions had necessitated the move.

Government warnings could encourage gambling
GamCare’s chief executive Geoffrey Godbold has warned the UK government that using 'high risk' on gambling warnings could encourage the behaviour it is trying to deter. Godbold said that the warnings may act as a psychological trigger for gamblers looking for "even more fun".

Canadians gamble for entertainment
Forty-eight per cent of Canadians gamble for entertainment value according to the annual National Gaming Monitor. Just 22 per cent said their prime motivation for gambling was to win money, while 80 per cent of those surveyed indicated that they establish a set budget.

Gaming Investor announces CEO line-up
Organisers of the one-day Gaming Investor conference have announced an exclusive CEO panel – which includes Leisure and Gaming's Henry Birch, Luke Alvarez of Inspired Broadcast Networks and BetBroker's Wayne Lochner – as the finale to the day's events. Taking place on the 25 May the conference includes seminars on succeeding in the crowded European marketplace and pin-pointing tools to track, control and minimise gaming investment risk. For more information, click here.

GBGC unveils new report on smoking restrictions
A new report on the introduction of smoking bans on gambling premises by UK-based consultancy Global Betting and Gaming Consultants indicates that a fall of over eight per cent in casino income is likely on table games, based on comparisons with Scotland. Entitled 'Fewer Chips Without Fire', the paper also notes that the worldwide trend in smoking restrictions has been problematic for casino operators in various jurisdictions.

Disney still planning second theme park for China
The Walt Disney Company is still planning to build its second theme park resort in China according to a report in Chinese newspaper China Daily. However, despite previous rumours that the entertainment giant would target Shanghai as the probable site, it now appears Disney is prepared to look beyond the country’s economic capital.

Inspired broadens international outlook
Inspired Gaming Group (INGG) is enhancing its sales and management team within Inspired Gaming International with the appointment of Marc van Rooji as director Northern Europe. Rooji will be responsible for growing the firm's business and will report directly to MD Anne de Kerckhove.

[Casinonews]

Bolton MP joins bingo campaign
Bolton Labour MP David Crausby has visited the Mecca Bingo hall in Breightmet to pledge his support for the national "Stop Destroying My Bingo" campaign. Crausby discussed putting forward an Early Day Motion in Parliament aimed at abolishing VAT on bingo.

Milan dealt Bavarian fine for Bwin shirt sponsorship
AC Milan has been fined $135,000 for wearing Bwin logos on their shirts in the recent Champions League game against Bayern Munich. Bavarian officials said that the Italian club had ignored warnings, outlining its laws which prohibit advertising of commercial betting companies.

Caborn appeals to betting industry
Minister for sport Richard Caborn has appealed to operators in the betting industry to get their applications in before April 27. Speaking to Betting Business, Caborn said: "Implementation of the Gambling Act is going well and most of the gambling industry has got the message that they need a new licence to carry on operating come September.”

Frank to begin anti-gambling law opposition
US congressman Barney Frank said that he would start pushing to lift the US ban on online gambling within the next few weeks, but warned that it was too early to make any definite moves to lift restrictions ruled illegal by the World Trade Organisation. Frank called the law one of the stupidest things he had ever seen and went on to say: "I want to get it undone. I plan to file legislation."

Tattersall's inks third state lottery deal
Australia's second-largest gaming company Tattersall's will pay A$530 million for the Queensland government's lottery business. Melbourne-based Tattersall's will operate the lottery exclusively until at least 2016 and give the company a monopoly in three of Australia's six states.

Hill threatens Greece with European Court
William Hill warned the Greek government that it will go to the European court should it fail to get permission to establish outlets in the country. Chief Executive David Harding said that the matter would escalate if the bookmaker hadn't heard anything within three months.

Merlin announces Legoland discovery
Merlin Entertainment announced that it was building its Legoland theme park brand with a L200 million chain of indoor Legoland Discovery centres. The theme park operator said that it plans to open up to 30 outlets in the north of England, Scotland, continental Europe and in North America, after recently opening a prototype version in Berlin last week.

Think-tank calls for higher legal drinking age
The Institute for Public Policy Research has suggested that the UK government should raise the legal drinking age to 21. Tony Blair's 'favourite think-tank' said that society was increasingly reluctant to tolerate passive smoking, and would therefore benefit from a clampdown on passive boozing, which it defined as what innocent people experience when exposed to drunken behaviour.

Genting's integrity supported by Singapore
Singapore's government said that it was no longer concerned with Genting International's business integrity after the casino operator sold the shares linking it to a Macau tycoon. The country's minister for trade and industry, Lim Hng Kiang, said that Genting understood its need to maintain probity checks, adding that there was now no longer an issue.

Great Yarmouth casino development begins
Development work has begun on Palatial Leisure’s new L2 million, 17,000sq ft casino in Great Yarmouth. The complex, due to open in October, will put the company into ‘pole position’ for the town's large casino licence if Parliament gives the go-ahead, according to managing director Patrick Duffy.

Reuben brothers acquire Northern Racing
Simon and David Reuben's NR Acquisitions investment vehicle has bought Northern Racing for L65.9 million plus debt. Northern Racing's current management team will remain under the new ownership, which promised to keep the racecourses as going concerns.

China introduces anti-gaming addiction software
China has moved to clamp down on problem gaming by limiting the number of hours that individuals can play online. The government said that it hopes that young gamers will be less motivated to continue playing video games if there is a limit on what can be achieved during the given time.

[Casinonews]

Betex suspends shares after Asian arrests
Shares in Betex have been suspended after two of its senior software staff were arrested at its Beijing office and a third went on the run. It is believed the three were attempting to defraud the AIM-listed lottery specyclopcasinot. Go to IGamingNews for more on this story.

Tote meeting cancelled
A meeting between the DCMS and the Treasury over the proposed L400 million sale of the Tote was called off amid 'mounting tensions' within the racing consortium vying to buy the state-owned bookmaker. The Racecourse Association’s chairman, David Thorpe, recently wrote, in a confidential memo seen by the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper, that the consortium "did not like the deal."

Nova appeal dismissed
Nova Productions has had its SWP copyright protection appeal against the High Court's ruling last January dismissed. The Court of Appeal also ordered that Nova should pay costs of the appeal in addition to those of the trial, and refused Nova leave to appeal to the House of Lords.

Bookmaker suspends PFA betting
Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has suspended betting on this season's PFA Player of the Year award after an 'avalanche' of bets on favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. The Manchester United midfielder opened betting as the 4/9 favourite, but caused the bookmaker to cancel betting after the number of bets, including 'several substantial four figure sums' drove his price down to 1/10 in less than 24 hours.

DCMS consultation strikes at lottery machines
The DCMS has launched a new consultation paper, the Gambling (Lottery Machine Interval) Order, which could have major implications for the member's club segment of the market. And two of the big casualties, should its main recommendations be accepted, will be the lottery ticket machine Fortune 2000 produced by Reflex Gaming and the Lottery Terminal developed by Intouch Games. For the full article, read this week's Coinslot, published today (Thursday).

Greek authorities make online gambling arrests
Greek authorities have arrested nine people for 'illegally' betting with an unnamed British bookmaker. Police arrested the owners of three internet cafes, which had installed gaming software offering foreign-based online betting on games, as well as customers.

Poker clubs threaten Jowell with legal action
Culture secretary Tessa Jowell is facing fresh opposition to her gambling laws after the UK's poker clubs announced that they were forming a trade body and were considering taking legal action against the government. A spokesperson for the newly formed UK Poker Clubs Association said that it had already hired top legal advice and PR firm Citigate as lobbyist.

BBFC publishes video gaming report
A new report on video game players' habits and game effects has found that the vast majority of gamers reject the notion that video games encourage people to be violent in real life or that they have become desensitised to violent acts. The paper, published by the British Board of Film Classification, added that gamers know that they are playing games and don’t misconstrue the act as real life.

Cameron playing politics with casino recommendations
Conservative leader David Cameron has reportedly caused 'astonishment and dismay' amongst his party's MPs over the way he played politics with the recent Parliamentary vote on where the new casinos should be sited. Cameron had originally backed the Casino Advisory Panel's findings, before deciding to oppose the recommendations weeks later. A full report appears in this week's Coinslot, released Thursday.

BACTA northern region backs special school
The In-Store Group's David Robinson and Andrew Robinson from World of Rides have presented the special needs Villa Real School a cheque for L1,000 on behalf of the Northern Region of BACTA. The money will go towards the L20,000 needed to help the school achieve Government Specyclopcasinot status.

Video games becoming fully fledged advertising channel
Video games are becoming a fully fledged advertising channel in the US according to a new report by Internet usage data and research company eMarketer. The paper, entitled Video Game Advertising: Getting to the Next Level, projected that almost 60 per cent of 2007s total $502 million game advertising spend will go on in-game advertising, with the rest being spent on advergaming – the creation of games for the purpose of promoting a brand.

Great expectations for new Dickens theme park
Work has almost finished on the L62 million 'Charles Dickens' theme park in Chatham, Kent, where the novelist lived as a boy. The park is scheduled to open this summer and will include a Great Expectations boat ride, a house haunted by Ebenezer Scrooge and a Dickensian-style courtyard complete with Fagin, Artful Dodger and Little Nell characters.

Northampton questions arcade numbers
Milton Keynes-based Agora Amusements has run into objections over its plans to create what locals are describing as a 'super arcade' in the centre of Northampton. During a meeting of the local borough council's planning committee, councillors said that, while not being against arcades in general, the town already has sufficient gambling facilities.

Swedish government considers Privatisation
Swedish MP Tomas Tobé is spearheading the drive to privatise the country's gambling industry. Tobé and his party colleagues from Gävleborg County will put forward a proposal during the Moderate Party's conference in October 2007 to end Svenska Spel's gaming monopoly. Subscribe to IGamingNews for the full story.

Macau posts record 1Q revenue
Macau's first quarter gaming revenue jumped 44 per cent to US $2.25 billion according to figures issued by the enclave's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. Experts are predicting that Macau's gaming revenue could reach US $8 billion in 2007, outstripping Las Vegas' predicted $7 billion revenue for the year.

Arcadian to stand in May council elections
Marcus Kravis, director of Lincolnshire Automatics in Minehead, is to stand as a Labour candidate in May's local council elections. Kravis said that he had put himself forward in response to his local authority's failure to focus on the regeneration of Minehead.

[Casinonews]

Gala Coral wants to break Tote deadlock
Gaming group Gala Coral is keen to meet with the Racehorse Owners Association and the Racecourse Association to break the current deadlock with the government over the L400 million sale of the Tote bookmaker. According to the UK's Independent newspaper Coral is willing to manage the Tote's on-course betting operation on behalf of the consortium.

Blair calls Manchester casino decision a 'pity'
Prime Minister Tony Blair called Manchester's selection as a destination for the UK's first super-casino a "pity", adding that it was a justified decision, albeit a disappointing one as it was at the expense of Blackpool's regeneration plans. Speaking in the Commons, Blair went on to defend his party's casino policy, insisting that the developments would bring 'much needed investment and regeneration to some of Britain’s regional cities'.

Ladbrokes discontinues 888 talks
Ladbrokes confirmed that it had 'amicably' discontinued takeover talks with 888 Holdings. The online gaming firm’s board issued a statement saying that it remained confident of 888’s prospects, adding that it would release its preliminary results for 2006 at the end of April.

Frank hails growing opposition to gaming ban
Barney Frank said that opposition is growing in Congress against the US' online gambling ban. Frank added that he would be introducing a bill against the Internet gambling ban in the next few weeks and that he expected a number of congress members to reconsider their stance.

Spain has most potential for gaming opportunities
Spain has been earmarked as the European gaming market with the most potential for growth according to a report by Dublin-based Research and Markets. The research group said that Spain's overall gambling market is expected to grow to €39 billion by 2010, with interactive gambling set to reach €4.2 billion.

Galaxy posts year loss despite four new casinos
Hong Kong-based gambling company Galaxy Entertainment reported a loss of HK$1.53 billion for 2006, compared with a HK$2.4 billion for the previous year. A report to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange said that the company's loss stemmed mainly from depreciation of its gambling license, the opening of four new casinos and high interest costs.

African Gaming Summit announced
Details of the innaugral African Gaming Summit have been released by organisers Clarion ATE. Taking place in Cape Town, South Africa (5 & 6 September), the event will offer a 'comprehensive view of African gaming on and offline' and explore new regulatory legislation under consideration in the continent. Get more details here.

Resorts World announce extensive refurbishment
Resorts World Bhd has announced plans to invest RM300 million to refurbish its Asian casinos and hotels, and to maintain its electronic gaming machines. A statement from the company said that the continued reenooooovaaaaation and upgrading works were "essential" in order to strengthen its position as an attractive tourist and gaming destination for visitors.

Bwin reports €539 million loss
Austrian-based gaming firm Bwin has reported a loss after tax and minority interests of €539.6 million for the financial year 2006, against a profit of €6.4 million the previous year. Gross gaming revenues from sports betting totalled €74.6 million, up 84.3 per cent compared to 2005, with sports betting accounting for over 45 per cent of total gross gaming revenues for the period.

YouTeller launch delayed
London-based technology company Seed Capital Ltd. has announced it will delay the launch of its nascent payment processing service, YouTeller.com. The company cited its hazy relation to – and associated legal problems with – Neteller as the reason behind the move. Subscribe to IGamingNews for the full story.

Bet Direct to focus on the UK and Irish markets
Bet Direct chief executive Ed Ware said that although he had looked at opportunities in Asia, the company would concentrate on the markets in the UK and Ireland. He added that by doing so, Bet Direct could compete with the "so-called second division of operators" in the regions.

US attorney general Gonzales questioned at Internet gambling regulation hearing
The US’ attorney general has faced a series of questions from Senator Jon Kyl regarding the status and potential substance of the anticipated Administrative Regulations to be adopted in connection with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). The questioning appeared to catch the attorney general off guard, as the hearing related to his responsibility for the alleged improprieties associated with the firings of eight US attorneys.

German parties propose abolishing state monopolies
Germany's Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union parties have agreed to propose abolishing the country's state monopoly on sports betting. They added that the lottery market would be allowed to continue unchanged under the terms of the 2004 State Treaty in the new proposal.

IBA appoints inaugural board
The Independent Bookmakers' Association has appointed Joe Phillips of Cheshire Racing as its first vice chairman and Ian Hogg of independent bookmakers, Better, as a member of the board. Graham Gilbert from Wilf Gilbert Staffs and Darren Coombes of Independent Bookmakers were also elected at the second official meeting of the organisation.

WSE spearheads Congress lobby
The World Sports Exchange has called on its players to lobby the US congress to support the World Trade Organisation's ruling in favour of Antigua and Barbuda regarding internet gaming. The online firm said that the players should call on the House of Representatives to remind members that the US needs to abide by the decision in the Antigua-Gaming matter if it expects other countries to comply with further WTO decisions in favour of the United States.

Charity gig nearly goes to the Dogg
Troubled rapper Snoop Dogg is said to have almost pulled out of a UNICEF charity concert because organisers could not provide him with an Xbox games console. Despite receiving a reported $150,000 fee to appear, Snoop was an hour late on stage because he and his entourage were 'enjoying a lengthy gaming session'.

[Casinonews]

Gambling Commission expresses application concerns
The Gambling Commission has said that the 1,016 applications for operating licences it has so far received represented only 43 per cent of the total who could have applied before 27th April to gain continuation rights. It admitted it was worried about smaller operators who may be less aware of how the new legislation affects their businesses and warned those leaving applications until later risked being shut down.

Cyberslotz to help operators beat smoking ban
Cyberslotz has introduced a service to help amusement operators beat the expected loss of revenue once the English smoking ban comes into force, through which it will design a bespoke web site featuring reel-based games targeted at the 20 per cent of smoking customers it predicts will start playing online after 1 July. Those interested should email www.cyberslotz.co.uk.

Crompton crowned ‘Legend amongst Legends’
Jim Crompton, who passed away on 8th March this year, has won the Coinslot Legends Poll, as voted for by his peers in the industry. Inventor of the Penny Falls and the first multi-player game, Film Star, Crompton is widely regarded as the father of that staple of so many arcades, the pusher machine.

Coinslot reaches 2,000th landmark
Today (Thursday) sees the publication of the 2,000th edition of Coinslot, marking a major milestone in the coin-op industry’s only stand alone weekly. Former general secretary of BACTA, John White, praised the resilience of what he deemed ‘a critically independent friend of the trade’. For the full article and special supplement, see this week’s issue of Coinslot.

Top Ten coin-op products unveiled
The top ten products from across the gamut of categories that comprise the coin-op sector, as voted for by readers of Coinslot, have been unveiled in the title’s 2,000th special commemorative supplement. Poll toppers include: Bally Midway’s The Adams Family, Bob’s Space Raider’s Whac-A-Mole, Crompton’s Disco Fever, Elaut’s Jumbo Topper, Electroin’s Bar X, JPM’s Give Us A Break, OMC’s Postman Pat, Sega’s OutRun, Sound Leisure’s Nostalgia and Taito’s Space Invaders.

Raw Thrills sequel drifts into Europe
The sequel to Raw Thrills’ The Fast and the Furious video driver, F&F Drift, has been launched in Europe by exclusive distributors Brent Sales/Namco Europe. It will be available for delivery ahead of the Whitsun Break and is slated to make its ‘show’ debut at London’s Park Avenue Open Day.

Crown schedules open days to prepare for Gambling Act
Distributor Crown Direct has scheduled an open day type of event, taking place on 19th and 20th June at the Preston Marriott. The firm’s Dean Harding explained that it would not feature amusement products, but would instead focus on gaming and what will and won’t be allowed come the start of the Gambling Act.

Researchers focus on problems of Internet gambling
The Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RiGT) is part funding a research programme into Internet gambling and the role of the family. Researchers based at the University of Leeds, will be interviewing UK citizens that have experienced difficulties arising from their Internet gambling, and are also appealing for people to complete an online survey at www.survey.leeds.ac.uk/gambling

JPM celebrates 35 years in industry
Gaming machine developer and manufacturer JPM has celebrated its 35th year in the industry. Despite more than 90 per cent of its sales currently achieved through export, sales and marketing director Simon McCarthy revealed the company was looking to regain a strong presence in the UK market. For the full article, read this week’s Coinlsot, published today (Thursday).

Poor product sales hit IGT results
Despite an increase in net income, the world’s largest manufacturer of gaming machines, IGT, has recorded a decrease in its second quarter results, due to unexpectedly poor product sales both at home and abroad. The parent company of the Barcrest Group saw its revenues fall 5.4 per cent in the three months to 31st March, compared to the same period in 2006.

Complex US market deters Ladbrokes from 888 deal
Ladbrokes CEO Chris Bell has revealed the reason behind the firm’s decision to ‘amicably’ discontinue talks with 888 Holdings was not just the possibility of litigation under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act, but the complexity of the US market as well. Paul Leyland, of investment bank Arbuthnot Securities, said it would have been impossible for Ladbrokes to ring fence the risk of buying previously US-facing operations or assets.

New Internet gambling legislation put forward by Democrat
Democrat Congressman, Barney Frank, will introduce legislation today (Thursday), that seeks to overturn the US ban on Internet gambling. Frank, who says he opposes the ban on philosophical grounds, is also chairman of the Financial Services Committee. Taxing the industry would raise tens of billions of dollars for social welfare funding. Read more at IGN.

Conference aims to boost FEC businesses
The third annual Vision XS Experience Conference, taking place at The Oxford Centre on 4th July, is set to highlight a wide range of key areas of operations in visitor attractions of all types, including family entertainment centres. Subjects to be covered include planning of new attractions, ticket pricing, spend per head and how to get value from suppliers.

CasinoRed.com seals record sponsorship deal
Football League division one side Huddersfield Town have announced a record shirt sponsorship deal with CasinoRed.com. The deal represents the biggest single sponsorship in the club’s 99-year history.

Bally breakthrough
Bally Technologies is claiming what has been described as the ‘largest combined slot and casino management’ deal in the industry’s history. The deal, with Las Vegas Sands Corp, covers resorts in Macau, Las Vegas and Singapore.

Celtic win makes bookies squirm
Scottish champions Celtic have cost British bookies an estimated L15m, according to William Hills. One anonymous punter collected L100,800 having placed a L72,000 wager on Gordon Strachan’s side. Hills have made Celtic 8-11 to make it three in a row next season.

Team strengthening at Aristocrat Europe
Aristocrat Technologies Europe has strengthened its team with the appointment of Julie Witherby to the post of Product Marketing Manager. Her responsibilities will include product management, research and intelligence as well as the implementation of regional marketing and sales support initiatives.