Casino News Mai 2006

[Casinonews]

Swire wants to know governments 'true intentions'
Speaking at the UK Conservative party gambling seminar last week, Shadow culture secretary Hugo Swire said that the party didn't want to see gambling banned, but instead wanted to see "an honest and open debate about what are the true intentions of the Government" over the proposed casino licenses. He went on to say: "We are being blindly led by the Government into a pilot where potentially the rules will be decided by the Government to meet the needs of the Treasury."

Major bookmakers looking at Molloys
William Hill and Paddy Power are looking at buying the Molloys estate of betting offices according to Irish news site Union. The ten-shop estate, owned by Joe Molloy, is estimated to be worth 10 million euros.

Kerzner International's $3.8 billion offer
A consortium of private equity and management groups has agreed to buy Kerzner International for $3.8 billion. The casino operator will not seek 'superior proposals' after the consortium, which includes current Chairman and CEO Sol Kerzner, offered $81 per share and took on $599 million of net debt.

Smoking ban causes football violence
Publicans in Glasgow, Scotland are saying that the recently introduced smoking ban is responsible for recent confrontations between rival football fans. Groups are forced to stand outside pubs to smoke which makes them targets for passing opposition supporters. Licensees are also warning of more serious violence if measures to keep fans apart aren't taken.

Graham suspends betting on Irish matches
Bookmaker Sean Graham suspended betting on three Irish league matches at the weekend, making it the second consecutive week that suspected illegal betting patterns have disrupted business. The matches between Cliftonville and Armagh, Glenavon and Limavady, and Larne and Portadown were cancelled because "there was a certain popular bet," according to a spokesperson for the company. Last week Paddy Power suspended betting on Armagh City and Glenavon.

'Realistic' game chip unveiled
Californian company Ageia Technologies has produced the PhysX processor, a chip which aims to add realism to video games by simulating the physical properties of 'everything from smoke to rocks'. Manju Hegde, AgeHia's chief executive, said: "What we are offering to the game industry is the ability to make physics and interactivity reach the same level of importance that graphics has."

Noble submits Blackpool casino plans
The Noble Organisation has announced plans to convert the Palatine Building on Blackpool's promenade into a three story casino, hotel and conference complex. The proposal may come into conflict with Blackpool Council's own project for the area.

Mcdowell vowes to clamp down on private clubs
Irish Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has decided to clamp down on private members clubs which offer gambling. "I am preparing proposals for changes in the law that will facilitate the prosecution of offences and the closing down of establishments engaged in such operations," he said.

Gambling poll suggests US government out of touch with voters
A poll of over 30,000 likely American voters by public opinion company Zogby International has revealed that less than 13 per cent of participants thought that the federal government should stop adult Americans from gambling with licensed and regulated online sportsbooks and casinos based in other countries.

Gambling poll suggests US government out of touch with voters
A poll of over 30,000 likely American voters by public opinion company Zogby International has revealed that less than 13 per cent of participants thought that the federal government should stop adult Americans from gambling with licensed and regulated online sportsbooks and casinos based in other countries.

AGA calls for Congressional review
The American Gaming Association (AGA), a trade body representing Las Vegas' casino operators, has called for a Congressional review to determine whether the US government should legalise and regulate online gambling. The AGA said that it remained 'neutral on all pending legislation'.

Free Breakfast Briefings
Gaming Industry News is the media partner for a series of free breakfast briefings for the gambling industry being run by Manches law firm. The first one on the 12th May addresses the taxation of remote gaming and whether it has been finalised. Click here for more details and to book your place.

PBL in Russian casino talks
Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd (PBL) is in discussions with Moscow developer Crocus Group over a management agreement for a casino and entertainment complex being built on the outskirts of Russia's capital. The development, being marketed as 'Las Vegas in Moscow', will be complete in 2007 according to Crocus.

GREGRI conference dates announced
The first Global Remote and E-Gambling Research Institute (GREGRI) conference is set to take place at Amsterdam's conference venue De Meervaart on August 31 through to September 1. GREGRI is a private, non-profit research organisation which focuses on the remote gambling and e-gambling sector.

Regent Inns in early stages of buy
Regent Inns is in the 'very early stages' of a takeover approach according to the company. The operator of the Walkabout and Jongleurs bar chain said that an offer still might not be made, and declined comment on the potential buyer, which is rumoured to be private equity firm Alchemy Partners.

MGM's first quarter net income rise
MGM Mirage has announced that its 2006 first quarter net income has risen nearly 30 per cent, from $111.1 million to $144 million. Share's were up to 49 cents, from 38 cents a year ago.

Bally being sued
According to TradingMarkets.com, Bally Technologies is being sued by International Game Technology over claims that Bally's products, which offer system-driven bonuses for casino "slot club" gamblers, infringe IGT patents. Subsidiaries Bally Gaming International and Bally Gaming were also named in the suit.

Bingo777 birthday treat
Bingo777.com is guaranteeing players a win as part of its second birthday celebration. Visitors to the site will be given their deposit back if they don't win during the birthday month.

[Casinonews]

Online stocks suffer as subcommittee approve anti-gambling bill
PartyGaming and 888 Holdings' stocks fell by about 5 per cent each after a US House of Representatives subcommittee approved a bill which would prohibit gambling on internet sites. The bill, which would also prohibit gambling businesses from accepting payments in the form of credit cards, cheques and internet transfers, may have trouble making it all the way to a floor vote in the House this year, as Congress has a relatively short schedule due to congressional elections in November.

Casino group attendance rises
Stanley Leisure's casino attendance figures have risen by 17.2 per cent since the government abolished membership laws which required gamblers to be members for 24 hours before attending. The casino operator also added that the smoking ban in Scotland hadn't put people off visiting its venues.

Sega confirms ATEI move
Sega Amusement Europe's chief operating officer, Paul Williams, has confirmed that the company will be moving upstairs to take a major presence in the newly configured ATEI show at Earl's Court. The international video giant is the first key exhibitor in the new layout, which is being introduced by organisers Clarion ATE for the 2007 show.

Talarius' Harding cycles across the north south divide
Talarius' chief executive officer Nick Harding, along with members of his management team, is preparing for a 'north to south' sponsored relay charity ride, starting in Sunderland and finishing in Southampton. They will be raising money for CHIPS, a gaming industry funded charity that purchases bespoke powered wheelchairs for children with disabilities. Sponsorship pledges can be made via melanietaylor@talarius.com.

Survey shows online gamblers want more information
A survey commissioned by casino games inventor Prime Table Games has found that UK internet gamblers want more information from gambling sites and for the Gambling Commission to play a stronger role ahead of the adoption of the Gambling Act. The survey found that 73 per cent of gamblers thought that sites should make it clear if run by a third party, and 30 per cent were completely opposed to gambling brands outsourcing their online operations.

Harrah's offers £400 million investment
Harrah's Entertainment Inc has announced that it wants to invest £400 million in Blackpool's Central Station site if the resort wins the first super-casino license, and it becomes the council's preferred developer. Harrah's, owner of Vegas' Caesar's Palace, went on to say their project could be open as early as 2011.

Wynn losses shrinking
Wynn Resorts' reported a first quarter loss of $11.4 million, which is down from the same period last year when it reported a net loss of $30 million. Excluding one-time items though, the casino company had a profit of 1 cent a share.

ROA seeking Tote backers
The Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) has asked a group of 25 wealthy owners to establish whether they might be prepared to invest in its purchase of the Tote. A statement from the ROA confirmed: "We are seeking pledges that will enable us to go to the Tote and DCMS, and say that we have a group of people prepared, under the right circumstances, to make a very significant investment."

Project enters Spanish agreement
UK manufacturer Project has entered into a formal agreement with Sega SA of Spain to develop and distribute gaming machines for the Spanish market. The agreement follows the change in legislation which permits the operation of screen-based gaming products.

Pools group releases three FOBTs
Football pools group Vernon has teamed with Orbis Technology and e-gaming developer Dynamite Idea to launch 3 new fixed odds betting games. Trio Hi Lo, Break the Bank and Battlesheeps mark the first line from the companies' collaboration, with more games currently in development.

Telephone betting company blames cheque 'security problem'
Best Bet John has blamed a 'security problem' after cheques sent to winning customers bounced. The telephone betting firm, which advertises on Teletext and is linked to Essex based bookmakers William Claridge, has apologised to customers and promised to pay them in full.

Brent to unveil England's new world cup striker at AMUSE
Brent Sales will be unveiling its new video football themed simulator Striker Pro at AMUSE UK next week. Brent will also be launching two new family sector rides featuring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck at the exhibition in Blackpool.

Electrocoin debuts Simpsons carnival
The Simpsons themed Stern's Kooky Carnival will be making its UK debut on the Electrocoin stand at AMUSE. The roll-down redemption game, whose prototype was shown at ATEI, is now in full production.

Gamesmedia to show INDIGO
Gamesmedia will be showcasing its new digital entertainment terminal INDEGO in Blackpool, along with the new games titles set to feature in the unit. The company will also display a number of machines from each of its key brands -- Global Games, Voodoo Games and Channel 1 Games -- at the event.

Texas Fold 'Em from Genesis
Genesis Games will be showing its new range of gaming products in Blackpool next week, which includes their Texas Fold 'Em cabinet in AWP and tournament format. AMUSE will also see the first UK showing of the Genesis' JVL touchscreen products.

Crown to show host of new games
Distributor Crown Direct will be exhibiting a host of new and established games at the stand this year. Andamiro's Dragon Punch and the King's Castle from OK Manufacturing will be debuted, while Sega's House of the Dead 4 and Ford Racing will bolster Crown's offerings in Blackpool.

[Casinonews]

Gala plan '£5.5 billion' float in 18 months
Neil Goulden, chief executive of Gala Coral, has said that a float by the company was 'inevitable'. Speaking in the UK's Financial Times newspaper, he went on to say that he was intent on delivering profit growth over the next 18-months, and that by autumn 2007 the business would "attract a value of £5.5 billion".

Microsoft buys Massive advertising
Microsoft has announced that it is buying Massive Inc., a firm that helps companies place ads in video games. The software company said that it would be 'looking at ways to use Massive's technology to incorporate advertising into its other online services.'

AGA calls for one-year study on internet gaming
The American Gaming Association (AGA) has called on the US government to conduct a year long study into internet gaming. AGA president Frank Fahrenkopf wants Washington to evaluate "whether legislation, regulation and taxation of the Internet gaming industry would be a more advisable course than a complete ban on online gambling."

Worldspreads launch two European operations
WorldSpreads Group has launched operations in Greece, with the approval of the Hellenic Capital Markets Committee, and Hungary in a joint venture with NET Media Rt. The Irish spread betting firm said that this was part of its medium term strategy to focus on the emerging markets of Europe.

888 accused of unethical marketing
A report by Silicon.com claims that 888.com has been blacklisted by the International Gaming Affiliate Marketing Initiative (iGAMI) for 'unethical marketing techniques'. It is alleged that affiliates of the online casino operator have been using web crawling technologies to spam message boards and chat forums with links to the 888 site, leading iGAMI to claiming that the online gaming company had 'breached its code of practice.'

Fairground acquires Spin Palace for £66 million
Fairground Gaming has completed the $66 million acquisition of the Spin Palace-Piggs Casino group. Its London AIM shares were temporarily suspended on Friday as the purchase was finalised.

Wyoming uphold Instant Racing ban
Wyoming's Supreme Court has upheld a ban on 'Instant Racing' machines, which allow customers to put bets on horseraces that have already taken place. It ruled unanimously that the computerised game constituted a form of illegal gambling as the races didn't happen in real time.

Bingodrome wins Best Bingo award for the fourth time
Bingodrome has won the Best Bingo Overall award for the fourth time in a row. The online bingo site has won 22 awards since its inception two years ago and listed in the Top 10 for Which Bingo's Site of the Year for 2005.

Tote discussing support for Channel 4 sponsorship
The Tote has said that it intends to hold discussions with the Racecourse Association and the Levy Board before renewing the £3 million sponsorship deal it signed with Channel 4 last year. Chairman Peter Jones said: "We are definitely going to continue to support the deal. The only things there are doubts about at the moment are the level of our support."

Gamestec extends brewery contract
Gamestec has extended its license with brewery Holt and will now operate on 40 per cent of Holt's estate. The gaming and amusement machine operator will put soft AWPs and SWPs in 53 sites round the country.

Betfair could provide £50 million in revenue for US
Betfair's director of US business development, Christian Hellmers, said that the betting exchange could provide up to $50 million in new shared revenue for itself, racetracks and horsemen by 2008 if it is permitted to operate in the country. Hellmers explained that it could increase the $134 million annual wagering market in the US, while gross revenue could hit $30 million by 2007 and $50 million by 2008.

Cryptologic loses one contract, extends another
Cryptologic has lost its contract with Ritz Club, but said that, as the account only makes up less than 2 per cent of its revenue, financial results would not be impacted. The software development company also announced that it had extended its contract with Overseas Internet Gaming Entertainment NV until 2012.

Greenway takes over at RIGT
MP for Ryedale, John Greenway, took over the role of chairman for the Responsibility in Gambling Trust last Friday. Greenway, who resigned from the Conservative frontbench in the summer of 2003 to take up the Chair of the pre-legislative Scrutiny Committee for the draft Gambling Bill, succeeds Sir David Durie in the post.

Blackpool considering arcade on arson site
Blackpool council is considering Crown Leisure's application to place a new amusement arcade on the old Grab City arcade site, which was destroyed by a fire in 2002. Blackpool's Public Protection committee will meet later this week to discuss the proposal.

Montreal gears up for 8th GIGSE
The eighth annual Global Interactive Gaming Summit & Expo (GIGSE) is set to take place in Montreal next week. The three day event, taking place from 16-18 May, will feature panels with experts Warwick Bartlett of Global Betting & Gaming Consultants and Andrew Beveridge from eCOGRA.

Gextech to unveil Fantastic technology at GIGSE
Gextech, the interactive gaming content provider, has confirmed that it will be using next week's GIGSE show in Montreal to unveil details of its trade marked Smart Stitch technology. Smart Stitch is the driving force behind the company's flagship Fantastic League fixed odds football betting game. A further six mobile games will be launched by the company at GIGSE.

Charity grudge match at GIGSE
This years GIGSE will see a number of industry luminaries take part in the Velcro Drag Racing charity grudge match-ups. The expo will also feature an auction to raise money for the River City Group charity.

GIGSE expecting record turnout
GIGSE's organisers are expecting record numbers of delegates to attend the expo this year. Last year saw over 250 gaming software suppliers, 210 operators and 340 consultants attend, alongside 266 gaming CEOs.

AMUSE brings a smile to the industry
AMUSE UK, one of the most sociable exhibitions on the coin-op calendar, opens its doors to the industry this week at Blackpool's Norbreck Castle Hotel. Over 50 exhibitors will be at AMUSE, a third of whom will be attending for the first time.

SAM unveils Fast Soccer at AMUSE
SAM Leisure will be presenting Fast Soccer at AMUSE UK, a football themed variation of its four-player Double Fast Track air hockey game. Amuse runs from 10-11th May.

CMS to unveil Jackpot programmes
CMS/Thomas Estates will be unveiling a new program for its Jackpot Bingo game at AMUSE, which will make sure the machine stays as a bingo product and not a S16 machine. It will also be displaying two traditional reel based games and one 2-screen poker game, all available as kits for previous models from the company.

Ainsworth all gold at AMUSE
Ainsworth, which was formed by Barry Marchini 12-months ago, will be displaying its Golden Road and Free Game Fever at AMUSE. Both games will be housed in its Celebrity Cabinet.

[Newsflash]

Murdoch and Branson interested in Lottery bid
Representatives from Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB, Ladbrokes and Sir Richard Branson's People's Lottery are all expected to attend a private briefing by the National Lottery Commission today (Monday), which aims to 'clarify details of the process ahead of the final invitation to tender'. The Commission is set to decide by the end of the year who will get the third license, which starts in 2009.

Mansion agree £34 million deal with Tottenham
Mansion has agreed a four-year shirt sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspurs for a reported £34 million. The internet casino group, who were strongly linked to a deal with Manchester United earlier in the year, was chosen ahead of an offer from Korean company LG Electronics.

Rank's head of gaming steps down
Rank's head of gaming, David Boden, has stepped down from the board and will be leaving the company at the end of the month with a reported £364,000 pay-off. The leisure group has denied a clash with Ian Burke, Rank's chief executive, who will now take day-to-day control of the group's Mecca bingo, Grosvenor Casinos and Blue Square betting businesses.

Scotland Yard may launch insider betting investigation
Scotland Yard has said that it may launch an investigation into the use of inside information at the West Ham V Tottenham premiership match, which cost the UK betting industry millions of pounds. Bookmakers and betting exchanges reported a significant surge in betting on West Ham when they opened for business, which was a full 2-hours before the official announcement that 10 Spurs players were suffering from food poisoning.

Australian state opposition leader calls for cut in poker machines
Victoria's new opposition leader Ted Baillieu has said that he would cut more than 5000 of the state's 30,000 poker machines. Ballieu went on to say that the measures would act as a starting point in tackling problem gambling in the state.

New Ladbrokes takeover rumours for London Clubs
London Clubs International's shares rose by more than 6 per cent on Thursday as fresh rumours of a takeover by Ladbrokes circulated. Shares were up 4.1 per cent to 114 pence, giving the company a value of nearly £250 million, while reports were suggesting that Ladbrokes may offer around 140 pence per share.

Rank's Claremont under offer
Rank is considering selling the Clermont Club after receiving unsolicited approaches for the casino, with analysts saying it could be worth £35-40 million. The approaches for the Mayfair club are thought to have been made by individual businessman rather than rival groups.

Monday directors awarded up to £10 million
The new UK lottery company Monday has awarded around £10 million in shares and bonuses to its directors according to Lottery Post. Members of the board have been granted shares worth £3.4m, share options worth a further £5.2m and can bank a further £1 million each per year from company bonus schemes and incentive plans.

Huxley to supply new Bond movie?
Casino equipment manufacturer TCS John Huxley has reportedly been commissioned to supply props for the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment on the subject.

Former London Clubs chairman appointed director of Les Ambassadeurs
London Clubs International's former chairman, Alan Goodenough, has been appointed as a director of the London casino Les Ambassadeurs after its sale by LCI to Putera Sampoerna's Twinwood for £115 million. Goodenough originally quit LCI in 2001 citing heart problems.

Big bets on Big Brother
Betting on this year's Big Brother reality TV show is expected to top £10 million in the UK, double the amount wagered on the previous series. The extended length of the show and increase in the number of contestants is thought to be partially behind the expected boom, although a spokesperson for William Hill said: "In the space of five years, reality TV betting has become a multi-million pound industry and is the bet of choice for many punters."

UK horseracing channel lined up for award
UK horseracing channel At The Races has been shortlisted for the Broadcast Digital Channel Awards' Best Specialist Channel category. Criteria for being nominated for the award includes 'being the channel that best connects with its target audience'.

Online casino 'super-group' planned after merger
Online casinos groups Trident Entertainment and Carmen Media are in discussions over a merger of operations. If the merger goes ahead, they would form the Carmen Media Group, which would feature a line-up of 10 online casinos, 4 poker rooms and a sportsbook.

Women fuel novelty betting craze
Greg Sindall, senior analyst for betting site SportsInteraction.com, has said that America's interest in betting on novelty events such as the Oscars and Britney Spears pregnancy, has become a 'significant and surprising revenue generator'. Sindall also pointed out that women accounted for nearly half of online novelty punters.

Red Cross threatens prosecution
The Red Cross has called the use of its emblem in video games 'illegal and detrimental to its protective value,' and has threatened to prosecute makers for using the cross. The use of the symbol in war games, according to head of international law for the British Red Cross Michael Meyer, undermines its use as a 'an agreed symbol of neutral protection.'

Gextech builds London business base
In a series of moves aimed at 'gaining greater market penetration and strengthening its customer facing profile', Gextech has made two UK based, high level appointments and opened a new office near Baker Street in London. Marc Campman will assume the role of commercial director at the interactive gaming content provider, whilst David Sidaway becomes technology and services director.

Hard Rock Las Vegas sold
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas has been sold for $770 million to the hotel operator Morgans Hotel Group. Terms of the deal haven't been released but the Hard Rock's founder and chairman Peter Morton is expected to net more than $700 million in the sale.

Probability for IPO
Charles Cohen, CEO of UK games operator Probability Games, has said that the company was planning to seek a listing on the London Stock Exchange later this year. He went on to say that the IPO, tentatively scheduled for September, could value his company at £30 million.

[Newsflash]

Carlton's expansion on hold
Peter Perrins, managing director for Carlton Bingo, has said that the Scottish-based bingo operator will be putting a hold on expansion plans for at least a year as the company ''takes stock of the smoking ban". 'It's certainly affecting us at the moment,' he said. 'What we don't know is how deep the trough is and how long we've got to go in that trough.'

Gala Coral acquires Goodyear's shops
Gala Coral Group has acquired Brian Goodyear Group's chain of twenty-five betting shops for an undisclosed sum. The shops will operate under the Coral name and will take the betting company's portfolio of licensed betting offices up to 1,363 marking an increase of over 50 per cent since 2002.

Lottery operator posts strong 12-month figures
Camelot has announced an overall increase in sales of over 5 per cent to £5.01 billion in the 12 months to the end of March, marking the strongest sales since 1998. The lottery operator disclosed that sales for games, based on the main draw were up to £4.15 billion, an increase of 3 per cent and that its fastest growth area came from its interactive, online and mobile phone ticket sales, which increased by 145 per cent.

Buckingham Bingo buys Corby's Stardust Club
Buckingham Bingo has purchased the Stardust Bingo Club in Corby from Hamblin Leisure for an undisclosed amount. The bingo chain now plans to invest around £1.5 million in refurbishing the 30 year old club in the next six months.

Sega reveals net sales growth
Sega Sammy Holdings' results for the 2005 fiscal year -- ending 31 March -- show a year-on-year increase in net sales of 7.3 per cent to £2.65 million. Sega's operating income showwed a marked improvement, up from £503 million to £570.2 million, and net income rose by just over 30 per cent to £317.0 million, up from £242.1 million the year before.

UK's inbound tourism grows, but still lagging behind
Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show an eight per cent rise in inbound tourism with a record 30 million people choosing the UK as a destination. However, Kurt Janson, policy director for the Tourism Alliance, said that while numbers had increased, they were still under the average global tourism growth rate over the last ten years.

Packer buys Macou plot
Hong Kong-listed casino operator Melco International Development and James Packer's Publishing & Broadcasting have bought 6,480 square meters of land in the Chinese enclave of Macau for $194 million, with the intention of building their third joint hotel and casino project in the area.

JPM appoints McCarthy
JPM has officially announced the appointment of Simon McCarthy as the firm's sales and marketing director. McCarthy will be based in Birmingham, report directly to JPM's managing director Charles Walker and will be responsible for driving sales and marketing efforts.

Paddy Power paper released ahead of AGM
Paddy Power's group turnover is running 25 per cent above last year's figure according to a statement released by Fintan Drury, chairman of the Irish bookmaker. Drury also said that turnover in its betting shops was up 19 per cent, telephone betting was up 18 per cent and online turnover was 44% higher than last year.

Talarius' growth above last years figures
Talarius, owner of the Quicksilver Adult Gaming Centres (AGC) and the Cyberslotz internet gaming business, announced that its AGC like-for-like sales growth is above the 9 per cent increase reported for the second half of last year. Cyberslotz's 30 per cent growth is also well above the rate achieved for the whole of last year according to the company.

Solent sailing challenge announced
Mobile technology provider Mfuse has announced dates for its annual mGaming Sailing Challenge on the UK's Solent channel. The 'round the cans' event features four races across the weekend, and will be held on the 16-17 September.

Over a third of U.S. citizens now playing video games
Forty per cent of Americans now play computer and/or video games according to a poll conducted by the Associated Press-AOL Games. Figures show that 45 per cent of respondents play online and that urban game players are more likely to play on the Internet than 'suburbanites', with statistics showing that 52 per cent of gamers in cities play online, compared to 41 per cent who live in the suburbs and 43 per cent in rural areas.

Shuffle Master agrees deal with Image Fidelity
Shuffle Master has signed a licensing and distribution agreement to use Image Fidelity's object recognition technology in its intelligent table system products, and will further market and distribute them. The technology ranges from chip sorting devices to table players tracking technology. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Pub company Enterprise's profits rise
Pub operator Enterprise Inns has announced a rise in pre-tax profits to £153 million (up 12.5 per cent) for the six months leading to 31 March 2006. Profits for the same period in 2005 were £136 million. Ted Tuppen, Enterprise's chief executive, said the results were "achieved against a background of weak consumer spending and increasing cost and legislative pressure on our licensees."

Milan keeper pictured in betting shop
AC Milan's reserve goalkeeper and Australian international Zeljko Kalac has been drawn into the Italian match fixing furore after pictures appeared in the country's La Gazzetta dello Sport showing the footballer entering a betting shop. Kalac claimed to have been betting on the horses, and went on to say that he'd spoken to lawyers over the incident who said there's nothing to worry about.

Stanford professor warns of Internet regulations at GIGSE
Speaking at Montreal's GIGSE conference, Lawrence Lessig, a Stanford law professor and founder of the university's Centre for Internet and Society, told delegates that the gambling and gaming industry should be prepared for government's to regulate the industry. 'Today it is, effectively, unregulable,' said the cyber law expert, 'but it's a mistake to bet the industry on the capacity to escape government's ability to regulate.'

One year sentence given to machine thief
Professional gambler Craig Brown has been given a 12-months prison sentence suspended for 2 years after pleading guilty to theft, passing counterfeit currency and having control of counterfeit currency with intent. Police discovered over £4,000 in counterfeit notes when they raided a storage unit owned by Brown, after he was caught defrauding a fruit machine at a Dawlish holiday park.

Short wins Coinslot's inaugural putting competition
Brent Electronic's Steve Short won the inaugural Coinslot/AMUSE UK putting competition by holing four of the five shots. The competition was staged to promote the Coinslot Golf Tournament, which is being held at the Forest of Arden Golf Resort, Warwickshire, on 12-13 July. For more information, contact John Sullivan on 01204 396 397.

Torquay want casino to save promenade
Torbay's mayor Nick Bye has said that the only way to save Torquay's eroding seafront promenade is for the area to land one of the eight new-style large casinos. He went on to say that the council does not have the estimated £1 million needed to renovate the promenade, and that a private development, such as a casino, would help pay for the upgrades.

[Newsflash]

EU gives green light for Gtech purchase
Italy's Lottomatica has been given the go-ahead to purchase U.S. technology provider Gtech Holdings after the European Union said that it 'saw no antitrust problems'. The EU, after investigating the gaming and betting market in Italy - where Lottomatica operates the state-run "Lotto"' - concluded that Gtech has only "a limited presence in gambling and betting in Italy," and therefore foresaw no problems with the acquisition.

Coral float inevitable
Coral's chief executive Neil Gordon has called a potential £5.5 billion flotation "inevitable" and is looking at autumn 2007 as a possible date. 'We are massively cash generative and our growth portfolio makes us attractive,' he said. 'We have had lots of public funds asking to see us so there's clearly appetite there.'

Star City up for sale
Birmingham's Star City amusement and leisure complex has been put up for sale. The centre, which boasts a casino and multiplex cinema, is owned by X-Leisure which is selling the operation for an as yet undisclosed sum.

Endemol enters gaming sector
Big Brother's owner Endemol UK has entered into the gaming market with new division Endemol Gaming, headed by Brian Macsweeney and Sarah Bellamy, who have been appointed as Creative Director and Managing Director respectively. The new company plans to develop live sports betting projects as well as poker formats, instant win games, gaming TV, fixed odds games, multiplayer quiz formats and other skill games.

EGB returns for 2006
The European Gambling Briefing 2006 (EGB) will take place from the 31st May and 1st June in Brussels. Gaming regulators, lawyers and operators from throughout Europe will debate the controversial issues of cross-border gaming, challenges to monopolies and investment opportunities in emerging markets. The program is viewable here.

Carlton announces £3.5 million profit
Bingo operator Carlton Clubs' pre-tax profits rose to £3.5 million in the year to December, up from £3.3 million for the same period in 2004. Turnover also increased by £1.3 million to £24.4 million, thanks in large to the opening of two new venues in Dunfermline and Inverness.

Ritzio IPO on hold
Boris Belotserkovsky, one of Ritzio Entertainment's owners, has said plans for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of 15 per cent of its shares were on hold until a law regulating the gambling business in Russia has been adopted. The Cyprus registered company, which is reported to control around 10 per cent of Russia's gambling industry, had initially planned to put the shares on the London Stock Exchange sometime in the first half of this year, but according to Belotserkovsky, because of the 'unclear rules on the [gambling] market, potential investors would offer much less for shares' hence the delay.

Quarter of video gamers over 50
Twenty-five per cent of video game players are over 50 and the average age of video and computer game players is 33 according to a study released by the Entertainment Software Association. Forty-four percent of gamers were aged between 18 and 49, while the average age of the most frequent computer and video game purchaser was 40. Three in every five gamers was shown to be male.

Antigua questions US decision
The Antiguan government has called the U.S.' indictment of two Antiguan residents on money laundering charges 'more than a little ironic'. Dr John Ashe, Antigua's Ambassador to the WTO, went on to say: "These indictments, coming down at a time when the United States is supposed to be undertaking efforts to comply with the rulings of the WTO, are surely no coincidence.

Online sites a lucrative target
Global Betting and Gaming Consultants has said that online gambling sites are a 'potentially lucrative target for fraud' after posting global profits in excess of £6.9 billion last year. Authorities uncovered two scams in April where hackers had attempted to gain access to both Betfair and Partygaming's accounts last month by using a 'Trojan' virus that retrieves passwords from the infected computers.

Bookmakers brace for betting bonanza
British bookmakers are planning on employing extra staff from June to cope with an expected £1 billion 'betting bonanza' on the World Cup. Ladbrokes suggested that it would require about 20 per cent extra man hours from its 500 call centre staff to cope with the tournament, and would be using speech recognition software to help during peak periods.

Columbia acquires Aztar
The Aztar Corporation, owner of the Tropicana casino in Las Vegas, has been bought by the Columbia Sussex Corporation for $2.01 billion. The deal was finalised after Pinnacle Entertainment declined to raise its bid of $1.9 billion. Aztar paid Pinnacle a termination fee of $78 million, as it had previously agreed to be purchased by the leisure company.

Betfair close to securing Victorian license
Betfair is close to gaining approval for a Victorian racing operating license after satisfying requirements introduced by the Victorian Government in November under the Gambling Regulations Act. Betfair's director of corporate and business affairs Andrew Twaits said 'We've made a lot of progress, addressing the integrity concerns that they've got.'

Paddy Power may run strip poker
Bookmaker Paddy Power is apparently looking seriously at staging a 'strip poker' contest after the idea, which was originally floated as an April fool's Day joke, received over 100 requests to enter. The Irish bookmaker is currently investigating the legality of staging such an event while the Guinness Book of Records confirmed that it is also looking into what would be a new category for the event.

Video games 'a creative activity'
Andrew Mactavish, assistant professor of multimedia at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, has announced that 'playing computer games is actually a very creative and productive activity.' Mactavish, who is studying gaming culture with a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, went on to say that in games such as SimCity: 'There's a dialogue between the player and the game. You get the feeling that you are the virtuoso performer in a symphony. It's a very positive experience.'

Atlantic City to lose $30 million
Wall Street analysts have estimated that Atlantic City could lose 5 to 8 per cent in annual slots revenue (up to $30 million) once all 14 of Pennsylvania's new slots parlours are up and running under legislation that passed in 2004. Atlantic City has responded to the competition by expanding its market to include non-gamblers, with attractions such as the Quarter, a retail, dining and entertainment complex at the Tropicana casino, and the similar Pier at Caesars.

[Casinonews]

Solihull omission result of 'regeneration card'
Lorely Burt, MP for Solihull, has accused the government of playing the 'regeneration card' in response to the NEC's bid for the super-casino license being left off the Casino Advisory Panel's regional casino shortlist. In an interview with Gaming Industry News, she said 'I have no idea why Solihull wasn't included. It was an absolutely ideal venue. The places that have been short-listed, it looks like they're all regeneration areas. I think the regeneration card has been played and I think that the best venue has been missed.' Alan Cavill, Blackpool's head of corporate policy and development, countered saying 'I think regeneration was one of the criteria in the panels requests for information, so its not surprising that the panel has focused on the existing regeneration projects' while Newcastle's MP Jim Cousins, talking to GIN, said 'I think it's wise that the government wants regeneration benefits from any super-casino', and went on to liken the selection process to the Eurovision song contest. The short-list of locations are: Blackpool, Brent, Cardiff, Glasgow, Greenwich, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Partygaming's key pair to leave
Partygaming's co-founder and marketing director Vikrant Bhargava is leaving the company at the end of the year, while operations director Anurag Dikshit is quitting the board, but will continue to work with the online company on research and new projects. The pair, who own 8.6 per cent and 30.4 per cent of Partygaming respectively cannot sell any shares until the end of June unless they inform house broker Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein.

Intralot halt mobile lottery plans
Intralot has shelved plans to offer Autralian lottery and gaming services to mobile phones after the acting prime minister Peter Costello and anti-gambling groups raised concerns of it text-message gambling systems as a way of appealing to a 'younger customer base'. Costello said that the federal Government would move to block any plans for mobile phone gambling or lotteries.

GamAid launched at GIGSE
Gordon House officially launched its online counselling project GamAid at Montreal's GIGSE expo last week. GamAid has been developed to tackle problem gambling online by providing links to local services and allowing the possibility of online counselling.

Greenway to speak at bingo AGM
The new chairman of Responsibility in Gambling Trust, Conservative MP John Greenway, will be giving his first speech in the role at the Bingo Association's AGM next month. The meeting takes place at the Queen Elizabeth II convention centre on 6 June.

Hill signs Talksport agreement
William Hill has signed an agreement with national radio station Talksport to become the official bookmaker for the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast Show, The Weekend Breakfast Show and Talksport's official coverage of the World Cup. The bookmaker will have editorial involvement in the lead up to, and during the World Cup itself, while Talksport presenter Rodney Marsh will provide in-store audio content for Hill during the competition.

Packer plans IPO
Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd. and Melco International Development are planning to raise $1 billon in an IPO, by selling 20 per cent of its Macau casino development according to a report by the Australian Financial Review. James Packer's company plans to use the funds to expand its Macau developments.

US residents spend $4 billion on online gambling
The American Gaming Association has released a report showing that US residents, despite being subject to an online gambling ban, spent more than $4 billion last year on internet gambling. The report showed that online gambling by US residents is growing at a rate of 20 per cent per year, and the AGA concluded that its findings supports the need for a "congressional study of ways to regulate online gambling for US residents in a way that will help support US jobs and tax revenues."

Withers appointed by Games Media
Roger Withers has been appointed as non-executive director of gaming content provider Games Media. Withers is currently chairman of Playtech PLC and is senior non-executive director of payment processing provider Fire One.

Calamity Jane rides off into the sunset
The Horseracing Regulatory Authority has decided to dismiss racecourse judge Jane Stickles after an internal inquiry into her March blunder at Lingfield which cost the industry an estimated £2 million. Stickles announced the wrong winner of a race and failed to spot the mistake until after the official weigh-in.

MGM pressures government over online laws
MGM are putting pressure on the US government to relax gambling laws after claiming that the 'enormous opportunity' is being 'completely handed to foreign companies right now'. Alan Feldman, spokesman for MGM Mirage, went on to say that despite this, U.S. companies weren't losing customers to foreign operators.

GamCare show rise in female gamblers with problems
GamCare has revealed figures showing that over 25 per cent of its online message forum users are now female. The gambling addiction charity said that in 2000, 2 per cent of clients were women, rising to 9 per cent of counselling clients and 18 per cent of helpline callers in the second half of 2005.

Video games pivotal in shaping economy
Entertainment Software Association President Douglas Lowenstein has published a report claiming that the video game industry is playing a pivotal role in shaping tomorrow's economy and stimulating innovation in areas ranging from medicine to anti-terrorism technology. He went on to say that efforts to improve game speeds, graphics and sounds has driven technology advances that have spilled into mobile telephones, personal computers, medical equipment and military hardware.

Punch considers Beefeater purchase
Britain's biggest pub company, Punch Taverns, is considering bidding for Whitbread's 220 Beefeater and Brewers Fayre chains. The brands, whose sale is being handled by Morgan Stanley, will have an estimated value of up to £500 million and is expected to get interest from companies such as Mitchells & Butlers, Greene King, Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&DB) and Robert Tchenguiz's R20.

Ukbetting affiliate signs O2 partnership agreement
TEAMtalk Media, the sports content provider of ukbetting PLC, has signed a partner agreement with telephone company O2 to build a 'community' of football fans via their mobile phones, under the Football365 Chat banner. The venture is set to launch just before the World Cup.

10bet re-launches online site
UK licensed betting company 10bet has re-launched its online gambling site to include 9 languages, additional betting events and a new flash based platform. The new website is supported by 10Bet's own proprietary software.

Phonographic Performance to examine tariffs
Phonographic Performance Ltd. is to examine the way Specially Featured Entertainment tariffs are calculated, which could result in price increases of up to 300 per cent for licensees. The PPL moved to raise background music prices by 500 per cent in January this year.

Brulines to float
Coin-op machine management and manufacturing firm Brulines is to float on the Alternative Investment Market. It will have an estimated value of £40 million, and is planning to use the listing to boost its presence in the UK and penetrate the US markets.

[Casinonews]

Mitchells & Butlers' food sales grow after introduction of Scottish smoking ban
Pub group Mitchells & Butlers has said that the Scottish smoking ban had not hit its performance in the first half, with like-for-like sales rising 5.8 per cent in the seven weeks of trading since the ban was introduced. Tim Clarke, the company's chief executive, said had seen a "sizeable uplift in food sales" in Scotland and only "a moderate slowdown - not a decline" in drinks sales growth.

Sportingbet slams Gamcare
Online gambling operator Sportingbet has spoken out against charity GamCare for "whipping up a media storm" after claiming that Britain was "basically a lawless land" because most online gambling sites were run out of overseas jurisdictions. Sportingbet's chief executive Nigel Payne said that he was "disappointed" with GamCare's approach, adding: "Either they want to work with the industry to help it to be better controlled, or they want to be a sensationalist organisation that stirs up media headlines."

Telegraph predicts Dome-shaped destination for Super Casino
The Telegraph newspaper has suggested that London's Millenium Dome will be the likely destination for the UK's first Super Casino, saying part of the deal that relieved the government of the structure was the potential for siting a massive casino complex within it. It also implied that Phil Anschutz, the backer behind Meridian Delta, the company chosen by the government to redevelop the Dome, would be disappointed if the rights for the Super Casino were to go elsewhere.

World Cup fever expected to provide £1.25bn boost to UK economy
With World Cup fever expected to prompt a surge in retail sales, advertising and bookmakers' takings this summer, a £1.25bn boost to the UK's economy has been forecast. The Centre for Economic and Business Research has said that consumer spending and higher business spending on advertising will provide much of the short-term boost, and estimates that an additional £750m will be spent regardless of how England progress in the tournament.

Washington initiates further crackdown on online gambling
The United States' $12 billion internet gambling industry has come under more fire after a House of Representatives panel in Washington D.C. voted to initiate a crack down by applying federal prohibitions to games such as online poker, blackjack and roulette. The legislation, which would amend the 1961 Federal Wire Wager Act, would also would outlaw electronic transmission of funds to pay for gambling bets, give law enforcement agencies authority to block such money transfers, and increase penalties for violation of the law.

Gamestec teams up with Greene King
Gamestec has teamed up with pub owners Greene King and pool table cloth supplier, Hainsworth to upgrade a number of pool tables on sites across the UK. The trial will see 25 pool tables upgraded to a professional playing standard with each table featuring the industry's premium "smart" pool table cloth.

Las Vegas Sands to build Singapore's first casino
Las Vegas Sands has been awarded the right to build and operate Singapore's first casino by the country's government, beating rival bidders MGM Mirage, Genting of Malaysia and Harrah's Entertainment. William Weidner, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands, said: "Our top priority is to partner with the government and the people of Singapore to ensure that we deliver on Singapore's economic and social goals to enhance its status as one of the world's greatest travel destinations."

Malaysia hoping for Disney theme park
According to reports, government officials from Malaysia are in talks with the Japanese company that operates Disneyland Tokyo to run a similar theme park in Malaysia's southern Johor state. As the country competes with Singapore to become a major tourist destination, economic planning minister Effendi Norwawi told reporters that the government is exploring all options that will make the country's southern region attractive to visitors.

FA to investigate suspicious betting
The Football Association is preparing to launch an investigation into claims that a League Two match could have been fixed last season. A professional gambler has supplied information to the FA that highlights significant sums of money being staked from the Far East on a particular game, as yet unidentified.

Lord Bishop warns Isle of Man over online gaming
Officials on the Isle of Man have been warned against betting its future on e-gaming by Lord Bishop Graeme Knowles. In an impassioned address to the island's Legislative Council he questioned whether it should stake its reputation on online gambling, and expressed fears that this form of gaming provided fewer checks against addiction than traditional methods of gambling.

Mecca sparks bingo battle
Mecca Bingo has sparked a bingo battle in Sutton after it objected to a planning application submitted by Mayfair Bingo to develop a former gym in the town centre, citing that it already satisfied the demand in the town. Simon Hannah, chief executive of Mayfair, said: 'They seem to think Sutton is part of Croydon. We would invest £1.5million into the Sutton site. Mecca's objections are based on commercial reasons.

Las Vegas property costs pricing many out of the market
Several casino companies looking to set up an operation in Las Vegas are being deterred from doing so after witnessing some of the recent deals for gaming property in the city, such as the acquisition of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino by Morgans Hotel Group Co. for $770 million. Commenting on the Hard Rock deal Penn National Gaming chief executive Peter Carlino said: "The costs are getting to be prohibitive and the numbers are out of control over there. They (Morgans) are paying way too much for that for our taste."

Le Roux steps down as IG Group chief
Nat Le Roux Chief is to step down as chief executive of spread betting company IG Group in order to "do something completely different". Le Roux stated that he will not be going to a rival company and intends to move away from the industry as a whole, possibly to start a PhD in psychology next year.

Gaming Corporation results show marked improvement
The latest interim results from UK-based gambling group Gaming Corporation have shown an after tax profit of £1.3 million - a marked improvement on last year's comparable figures which returned a loss of £100,000. In the last two years the company acquired the Got2Bet and Gambling.com sites, and recently signed a contract with Vodafone to launch its mobile gaming service.

Hong Kong struggling to reign in illegal bookmakers
A report has shown that Hong Kong police are struggling to clamp down on illegal bookmaking operations, with nearly 80 per cent of raids on gambling dens ending in failure. According to the South China Post, of the 327 raids that were undertaken in 2005 only 68 resulted in any evidence of illegal activity being collected.