Online Gambling Nachrichten, Nov./Dez. 2006

[Casinonews]

PartyGaming showing signs of improvement
PartyGaming said that revenues had 'stabilised quickly' after US anti-gambling legislation caused the online industry to crash, and is now beginning to see improvements in a number of its key performance indicators. In a recent trading report, the online gaming company said that its gross daily revenue had been roughly $921,000 per day in the last four weeks, while overall player volume for the same period was over 50,000 active players per day.

Bally will unveil Alpha series at ICE
US gaming organisation Bally Technologies has announced that it will be unveiling the new Alpha Elite series of modular gaming products at London's ICE 2007 exhibition in January (23-25). Registration for the event, held at the capital's Earls Court Exhibition Centre, is free.

Million strong machine market
Funworld AG have reported over one million multiplayer games have been played on Photo Play's linked online terminals during the last quarter. Funworld will be displaying its applications at London's ATEI 2007, held across 23-25 January at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre. Registration is Free.

Sportingbet announces losses, cites exceptional charge
Online gaming firm Sportingbet has announced a first quarter loss of £241 million, largely due to a one-off £252 million exceptional charge for halting its US operations. Bosses at the company said that current trading was in line with market expectations and announced an increase in gross profit from continuing operations of 48 per cent, to £31.7 million, in the three months to October.

Santa Shetland derby to raise money for children's hospital
Newcastle Greyhound Stadium is set to host the inaugural William Hill Santa's' Shetland Derby on Tuesday (19th) for the Great Ormond Street Hospital. A spokeswoman said that they were expecting a few surprised faces during the race, which will see four Santas and Shetland ponies fight it out at the dog track.

Sky in £100 million gaming deal
Broadcaster BSkyB has bought digital media firm 365 Media for £96 million. Sky said that the deal for 365 - which runs online sports websites Football365 and sportinglife.com, and the Ritz Club Casino website - represented a continued investment in new media.

Gambling entrepreneur bets on peace
Israeli Avi Shaked has offered the Palestinian prime minister $1 billion to reach a peace agreement with his Israeli counterpart. Shaked, who made his fortune in the online gambling industry, said that the money would go to an investment fund for the Palestinian people.

Arena in takeover rumours
Billionaire investors the Reuben brothers have triggered speculation of a takeover approach to Arena Leisure after amassing a 14 per cent stake in the racecourse company. The brothers reportedly view Arena as undervalued and with quality assets, and are keen to gain a seat on the board.

Russian gambling bill recommended by economic committee
The Russian State Duma's committee on economic policy has recommended the house approve the second reading of the amendments to the gambling bill, which specifies the locations of the gambling zones. Under the new bill, the four zones will be located in the Kaliningrad region, the Altai republic, the Maritime territory and on the borders of the Rostov region and the Krasnodar territory.

Legoland grants £3 million contract
Legoland Windsor has granted a £3 million contract for the theme park's new Lazy River Ride attraction to builder Dyer & Butler. The Southampton-based construction firm has previously worked with Legoland on the park's £200,000 Digger Experience and a base for an enlarged Lego model of London.

Winnie when they're winning
Tomy Yujin Europe will be using ATEI 2007, held at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London across 23-25 January, to promote its Winnie The Pooh Tropical Collection. The new Animal Wear range of toys, which is available for Gacha vending machines across the UK, has been produced in conjunction with Disney.

Levy Board will continue funding horseracing
The government has decided that UK racing will continue to be funded by the Levy Board after alternative schemes met with a number of setbacks. Sports minister Richard Caborn said that the move reflected the legitimate needs of racing against the ability of bookmakers to pay in accordance with the prevailing economic position.

Trinity Mirror to sell the Racing Post
The troubled Trinity Mirror group is planning to sell the Racing Post, which experts believe could fetch upwards of £200 million. Irish tycoons Dermot Desmond and John Magnier are already thought to have expressed an interested in the sports paper.

F1X2 looks to score big at ICEi
UK company F1X2 Games are hoping to 'raise awareness amongst international audiences' about the potential of soft games in a multi-channel gaming environment at Earls Court's ICEi 2007 exhibition in January (23-25). The games supplier said that it would also be showcasing a number of new releases, including Euro 2008 and Champions League at the London show. Registration is Free.

Italy forwards identified in betting scandal
Italian prosecutors have identified over twenty players, including Italy forwards Vincenzo Iaquinta and David Di Michele, for involvement in an illegal betting ring. The investigation concluded that more than $14 million was made by the group of players over a seven-year period, beginning in 1998.

Tote offered to racing consortium
The UK government has invited a consortium of racing interests - the Race Course Association, the Racehorse Owners Association and the Racecourse Holdings trust - to make a final, full-market value bid for the Tote together with management and staff of the bookmaker itself. They have been given a 26 January 2007 deadline to make the offer.

Pollution drop since smoking ban
Pollution in Scotland's pubs has dropped by 86 per cent since the smoking ban was implemented in March according to research by Aberdeen University. The study, which aims to measure the health effects of the new legislation, also indicated that support for the ban had also risen from 50 per cent with a further rise expected at the one-year stage.

Camelot concerns over bid extension
Camelot has expressed anger over the National Lottery Commission's decision to extend the bid's deadline for the UK licence after reports circled that Indian company Sugal & Damani had requested the postponement. A spokesperson for Camelot, the current licence holder, said that this was the fourth time the deadline had been extended to accommodate other bidders, despite the date being known for two years.

ICE to host ACE demonstration
Sweden's ACE Interactive said that it would be giving live demonstrations of their open, server based systems on the Aristocrat stand at ICE 2007. Registration for the event, taking place at London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre across 23-25 January, is free.

Jukebox jury makes JayBox a hit
JayBox's internet jukebox will be making its ATEI debut in January, after undergoing extensive trials, which, according to the manufacturer, saw average cashbox takings double that of CD machines in similar circumstances. The jukeboax boasts over 50,000 tracks and will be on full display at the London Earls Court exhibition (23-25). Registration is free.

[Casinonews]

Playtech signs Chinese deal with Sino
Online gaming software supplier Playtech has signed a five year licence deal with Chinese gaming group Sino Strategic International (SSI) to provide it with online and gaming software. Playtech said that they would be the first major distributors of Texas Hold'em Poker in the Chinese market and additionally expects to launch a selection of Playtech-powered P2P Chinese tournament games in the first half of 2007.

US casino giant accepts $17 billion bid
Harrah's Entertainment has accepted a purchase bid of nearly $17 billion from private firms Texas Pacific and Apollo Management. Under terms of the deal, the two firms will pay $90 per share for Harrah's, amounting to $16.7 billion, and additionally assume $10.1 billion in debt.

Ainsworth granted New Jersey licence
Ainsworth Game Technology has been granted a casino service industry licence by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission (NJCCC), allowing the company access to the second-largest gaming market in the United States. The commission voted unanimously to approve the licence, which executive chairman Len Ainsworth called a 'significant achievement'.

Fallon trial date set
Champion jockey Kieron Fallon will stand trial in September next year over allegations of race-fixing and plotting to defraud customers of internet firm Betfair by ensuring horses lost races. The Old Bailey also ordered jockey's Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams to stand trial alongside Fallon.

PMI reports solid first half
Digital imaging company PMI has announced a 4.1 per cent rise in revenue to £113 million and reported a pre-tax profit of £12.1 million for the half year to 31 October 2006. Chief executive Serge Crasnianski said the results were in line with expectations and anticipated a considerable improvement in minilab manufacturing.

Sunday bingo ban revoked
The UK government has announced plans to allow Northern Ireland's bingo halls and bookmakers to open on Sundays. It also said that it would produce new employment rights to protect workers who do not wish to work on the day.

Stanley Leisure CEO to quit
Press reports are circulating that Stanley Leisure's CEO Bob Wiper will step down from his position after eight years as head of the company. A source cited in Reuters said that finance director Colin Child would step in as acting chief executive from 1 February, 2007.

Five years membership gets Midas touch
MachineGuard-UK has introduced a Gold Member status for companies and individuals with five or more year's continuous membership. The first coin-op industry businesses to be awarded the status are Barcrest Group, Cointron Amusments and Leisure Link.

ICEi showcases CyberArts' Foundation
US-based gaming software developer CyberArts will be showcasing the global capabilities of its upgraded Foundation software platform at ICEi 2007 from 23-25 January, 2007. The upgrade, which helps developers minimise the risk associated with the US Congress' Safe Ports Act, includes provisions that would prohibit US-based banks and credit card companies making payments to online gambling sites. Registration for the Earls Court-based show in London is free.

Macau revenue surpasses Vegas
Gross gaming revenue in the Chinese enclave of Macau reached $5.51 billion for the first ten months of this year according to the territory's Gaming Inspection and Co-ordination Bureau. The figure surpassed the Las Vegas strip's total of $5.44 billion over the same period and is expected to extend the difference in the coming year, the Bureau added.

HRA clears Wolverhampton
The Horseracing Regulatory Authority has given Wolverhampton the all clear after an investigation into why five horses have died on the all-weather course since last month. Fergus Cameron, the clerk of the course, attributed the deaths to a run of bad luck, adding that the fatality rate was roughly in line with the national average for flat tracks.

ATEI marks growing commitment for Nexcom
Industrial computer product supplier Nexcom UK is preparing to showcase its range of gaming solutions at London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre, January 23-25. The firm will use the ATEI show to promote its ODM/OEM service, a solution provider for gaming and arcade equipment manufacturers. Registration is free.

Betfair appoints new exchange MD
Betfair has appointed Mathias Entenmann as managing director of the company's Exchange business, effective from 2nd January, 2007. Entenmann will lead the Exchange business function with direct line management of product marketing, customer acquisition and retention, and will be responsible for the core betting exchange.

Camlock to launch BV90 range at ICE
Camlock Systems will be displaying its new patented T48 Series lock system at ICE 2007, held in the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, across the 23-25 January. The locking systems specyclopcasinot is also planning to launch its new BV90 range of locks at the show, which incorporates Camlock's unique 'Octagon' mechanism. Registration for ICE is free.

AGI discussing ICE
Austrian Gaming Industries (AGI) will be hosting a press conference to discuss plans and projects on the first day of ICE 2007, which takes place across 23-25 January at London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre. Its UK-based subsidiaries Astra and Nova Casino UK will also be displaying their new range of products at the show. For free show registration, click here.

Milliken's Strachan 400 makes debut at ATEI
Milliken Woollen Speciality Products has announced that its Strachan 400 series pool cloth will make its UK debut at London's ATEI 2007. Sales manager Stuart Gardiner said the offering completed the range of English pool options Milliken can offer the market.

Russian State Duma passes gambling zones
Russia's State Duma has passed a bill to establish four gambling zones in the country on the third and final reading. President Vladimir Putin originally proposed the law after the Interior Ministry launched an investigation into the financial, tax and sanitary-epidemiological documents of a number of gambling establishments in Moscow which were allegedly linked to the Georgian mafia.

Fry blasts licence fees
Sir Peter Fry, chairman of the Bingo Association, has said the industry's 'grave concerns' have not been taken on board by the Gambling Commission's recently unveiled licence fees. He said that the legislation didn't make sense and argued that it could be classed as anti-competitive. For a full report, see this week's Coinslot, released today (Thursday).

Hastings gives casino go-ahead
Hastings Borough Council in East Sussex has voted in favour of proceeding with an application for one of the UK's small casino licenses despite receiving three petitions objecting to the development. The council sided with the licensing officer's recommendations that said that the casino would only represent a small part of the gambling mix in Hastings.

Malawi wants gaming funds channelled to tourism
The Malawi Gaming Board (MGB) said that funds from its gambling industry could be channelled to tourism as a way of boosting the country's infrastructure. Under current legislation, the board collects 7.5 per cent of gambling revenue from operators, part of which, according to MGB chief executive officer Master Maliro could be channelled to tourism.

[Casinonews]

German states draft violent game bill
The German states of Bavaria and Lower Saxony have drafted a bill that would impose a maximum one year sentence and fine on developers, distributors and players of video games in which the aim is to inflict 'cruel violence on humans or human-looking characters.' The move comes as a reaction to a recent secondary school shooting, which was blamed on video games which 'desensitized an unstable individual'.

William Hill resigns with CryptoLogic
Bookmaker William Hill has signed a new three year exclusivity contract with software developer CryptoLogic subsidiary WagerLogic. The partnership, which will now continue to 2010, also includes the launch of a new Spanish language poker game on Hill's website.

US gambling sites see slight gain
Online gambling operators with US facing sites have seen an increase in player traffic since October despite the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. A study by Alexa Internet found that Bodog saw an increase of 2,413 people in the period, Sportsbook 3,116 and PokerStars 2,037.

Empire owner sells remaining shares
Empire Online's owner Noam Lanir is selling his remaining shares in the company to rival PartyGaming for $40 million. The deal is expected to be finalised before the New Year, with analysts speculating that it will spark sales talk for 888 and Playtech, the two remaining Israeli online companies trading on the London Stock Exchange.

ICE to host South American reception
ICE 2007 will be hosting the South American Gaming Industry Reception at the VIP Lounge in Earls Court Two on the first day of the exhibition, which runs from 23-25 January. Drinks and refreshments will be provided at the reception, which begins at 3.30pm.

Gay online casino to be launched
Members of the gay community are launching an online casino site focusing their games, design and service specifically at gay people. The site, the first online gaming room to direct games at a specific sexual identity, will feature chat rooms, forums and other special features, and intends to give 10 per cent of its profits to charitable causes relating to HIV/AIDS.

Gold Reef issues share warnings
South African gaming group Gold Reef Resorts announced that it is in talks that may have an effect on the price of its shares. The company did not divulge details of the talks but advised shareholders to exercise caution when dealing in Gold Reef's securities until a further announcement was made.

Shufflemaster announces revenue increase
Gaming supply company Shufflemaster has seen revenue increase by 39 per cent to $46.1 million and an adjusted EBITDA increase of seven per cent to $17.7 million as part of its fourth quarter financial results. It also announced that revenue for the full fiscal year had increased by 45 per cent to $163.5 million.

Racing Consortium expressing concern over debt funding
The Racing Consortium bidding for the UK Tote has expressed concern over whether it would be able to sustain a bid funded by a high level of debt. Reports have suggested that to meet the £405 million government asking price, the consortium would have to borrow upwards of £350 million.

Master Games going wild at ATEI 2007
Master Games has announced that it will show its new 42-line, double-screen video game Wild West XL at ATEI 2007. The Ukrainian video game manufacturer, which specyclopcasinoes in five-reel, poker gaming and amusement machines, will also be exhibiting a range of 21-line video games at the show, taking place across 23-25 January at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. Registration is free.

New video game advertising blasted
Anti-advertising campaigners in the US have claimed that plans for 'real-time advertising', which updates in-game ads whenever there is a connection to the web, erodes parental control. The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood's co-founder Dr Susan Linn said that with ads changing daily, parents would have no idea what's being marketed to their off-spring.

Maltese undersea casino in doubt
Plans for an undersea casino in Malta are in jeopardy after the project's backer, The Cala Corporation, failed to provide serious proof of 'financial standing' according to the country's tourism minister Francis Zammit Dimech. He also accused the US-based company of not showing any evidence of due diligence or feasibility indicators.

Brent appoints Spencer to sales team
UK amusements distributor Brent Sales has appointed Geoff Spencer to its field sales team as regional sales manager, effective 1st January, 2007. He will report directly to the company's recently promoted head of sales, Mick Kennedy.

X-Factor winner costs bookies £1 million
A spokesperson for Ladbrokes bookmakers claimed that the UK betting industry had lost close to £1 million on X-Factor winner Leona after she gained the Christmas number one. William Hill called the result a 'disaster' and said that it would not be taking bets on the chart number one next year.

Bingo win for Vegas losers
Three women who came back from Las Vegas broke have won nearly £300,000 at a Mecca bingo hall in Somerset, UK. The trio said they had saved for nine months to make the trip to Nevada's gambling capital, won nothing, and then returned to Bridgwater before winning two separate prizes of £91,000 and £201,300 in three days.

London Town makes £95 million pub purchase
Property development group London Town has bought 167 pubs from Jack Petchy for a total of around £95 million. As part of the deal, entrepreneur Petchy will gain a 22.2 per cent stake in the AIM-listed London Town through his investment vehicle Incorporated Holdings.

Research suggests video games fulfils psychological needs
According to research from the University of Rochester, NY, the fun of playing video games is rooted in fulfilling basic psychological needs. During research, gamers reported that they felt the best when a game produced positive experiences and challenges connected to the realities of life, and provided opportunities for achievement, freedom and connecting with other players.