Casino News Juli 2006 Gamblingnews

[Casinonews]

Prescott in casino controversy
Deputy prime minister John Prescott is in the middle of new controversy after it emerged that he stayed at the private Colorado ranch of casino lobbyist Philip Anschutz on a nine-day trip to America last summer. Anschutz owns Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) which runs the Millennium Dome, one of two venues in London vying for a regional casino license. Shadow culture secretary Hugo Swire called the news 'very compromising'.

Councils warn of gambling timetable fiasco
Council officials in the UK are claiming that the eight-week period between detailed guidance on the new gambling laws being issued and implementing those laws will result in the same 'chaos and confusion' as the recent change to pub opening hours. They are arguing that the timetable to license 30,000 casinos, racecourses and bingo halls is so tight that they would not be able to train staff or set-up essential IT in time.

Gala Coral tops largest private company list
Gala Coral has been named the UK's biggest private company with sales of £7.4 billion. Betfair and Bet365 also made the table published by KPMG, ranking 43rd and 58th respectively.

Bingo Association asks for £10 million tax break
The Bingo Association has asked the government for a 2-3 year exemption from VAT on bingo clubs' participation fees. The association has reportedly said that such a tax break would save Scotland's bingo clubs up to £10 million annually and would prevent a possible collapse of the industry caused by the smoking ban.

Aussie lottery operator to challenge Camelot
Australian lottery operator Tattersall's has confirmed that it will challenge Camelot for the 10-year license to run the UK lottery from 2009. The company's managing director Duncan Fischer is said to be confident that its bid will be well received by the UK National Lottery Commission.

SNP MP calls for credit card limits
Mike Weir of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has called on credit card firms to place a cap on the amount that could be spent on internet gambling sites. The MP for Angus said that a limit of £1,000 per week, with sites limiting players to one credit card each, should be set in order to curb gambling addiction.

Tennis is the new football
Bookmakers are predicting that Wimbledon will produce a record betting turnover of £75 million this year, after William Hill took over £1 million on the Federer-Henman match. Last years total for the tournament was £50 million.

ubet2win attributes losses to 'start-up period'
Bookmaker ubet2win PLC has said that tough competition and adverse horseracing results were responsible for its £264,000 loss for 2005, its first full year of trading. A statement from the bookmaker said that the 'year was a start-up period for the company and results reflected this'.

Korea's casino industry booming
The casino industry in Korea is booming according to the Korea Institute of Public Finance whose figures showed that the industry had paid 279 billion Won in taxes for 2005, an increase of 33 billion Won paid in 2004. It attributed the upward trend to the development and operation of the Kangwon Land resort, Korea's version of Las Vegas.

PartyGaming in Gamebooker discussion
PartyGaming is thought to be in serious talks to acquire online sports-betting firm Gamebookers for about £50 million, according to sources cited by Reuters. An unnamed industry source told Reuters that he was a 'million to one' sure that it was going to be Gamebookers, rather than the other alleged target Unibet.

eCOGRA launches worldwide gambling study
Regulatory body eCOGRA has announced plans for one of the world's largest online gambling research initiatives. Researchers plan to get the opinion of over 20,000 players worldwide from over 6 countries and aims to find out what constitutes fair gaming, perceptions of operator conduct and customer service standards.

Video game market a $46 billion industry by 2010
PricewaterhouseCoopers has said in its latest report on the global entertainment and media industry that the worldwide video game market should grow by an average of 11.4 per cent to $46 billion by 2010. In comparison, the report suggests that the filmed entertainment business will grow at a rate of roughly 5.3 per cent with the television networks business expected to grow by 6.6 per cent across the same period.

LCI's 'cool' casino venture appoints Orr
London Clubs International has appointed Andy Orr as Director of its luxury gaming, dining and live music venue Manchester 235. Andy is joining the firm from the Lowry Arts Centre in Salford, where he was previously the Commercial Director.

AWM backs Solihull bid
The board of Advantage West Midlands (AWM) has backed Birmingham's NEC's bid to get a super-casino in the latest proposal submitted by the venue to the Casino Advisory Panel. The new proposal also gives a detailed assessment of the regeneration prospects of landing a bid, and is now thought by Solihull councillor Ted Richards to be stronger than current short-listed bids.

Governator threatens tribes with legal action
Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has threatened to seek a court order to revoke six of the states Indian tribes' gambling licenses unless they remove a number of sot machines, or tally them as the state has asked. The ex-actor is arguing that the tribes are using slot machines with multiple seats to exceed the slot limits of state gambling.

Dell sponsors WSVG
Computer company Dell, Inc has signed up as an official sponsor of the World Series of Video Games. The tour, whose next event will be in Texas this weekend, will now feature gameplay on Dell's plasma TVs and LCD displays.

And Finally... Betfair fire delays Uttoxeter meet
Racing at Uttoexeter suffered a 100-minute delay after a Betfair betting unit caught fire between two of the grandstands, nearly causing a total-evacuation of the course. The fire is thought to have been caused by an electrical fault, although this has not been confirmed.

[Casinonews]

Prescott not leaving
The UK's deputy prime-minister John Prescott has told BBC Radio that he would get on with doing his job saying "I'm not leaving it." Prescott admitted that he had been in regular contact with Philip Anschutz, head of AEG and owner of the Millenium Dome, but denied the talks having any influence on casino decisions, despite the BBC suggesting that it had seen documents showing that the pair had discussed plans to turn the London venue into a casino as far back as 2004.

PR guru accuses premiership players of illegal betting
Public relations adviser Max Clifford has said that four Premiership players broke Football Association rules by betting around £500,000 on their own clubs through an offshore account last season. Clifford told the Daily Express newspaper that the four, who include at least one England international, came to him to keep the story out of the newspapers.

Endemol highlights mobile development at MPG
Speaking at the ATE organised Multi-Platform Gaming conference in London this week, Endemol Gaming's creative director warned delegates that mobile gaming was still in the relatively early stages of development and that the platform would not necessarily be right for all games. He also reminded attendees not to neglect the 'offline' platform as an avenue of growth.

Atlantic City casinos shut down
Atlantic City's 12 casinos have been shut down when an agreement on how to fill the states' $4.5 billion budget deficit failed. New Jersey state governor Jon Corzine suspended government departments including the Division of Gaming Enforcement which is needed by law to run the venues. The closures will cost operators as much as $20 million in revenue daily, and the state $1.3 million in taxes per day.

Rank group mull Hard Rock sale
The Rank Group, owner of Grosvenor Casino and Mecca Bingo clubs, is considering selling its Hard Rock brand. Rising costs and a 14 per cent drop in sales in Scotland after the introduction of the smoking ban put profits at its gaming units 'under pressure'. Rank is planning to carry out a strategic review of Hard Rock, which is worth an estimated £500 million, to see whether it should retain the division.

Gaming League calls on Olympic Committee
Ted Owen, head of the Santa Monica-based Global Gaming League, has called on the International Olympic Committee to include video gaming as a demonstration sport at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Owen is arguing that computer technology has penetrated every aspect of the world and should be seen as a 21st century tennis racket.

Burgess leaves RIGT
Robin Burgess, director of the Responsibility in Gambling Trust, has left the organisation after 19 months to take-up opportunities in the substance misuse field. In the interim, current deputy director, Malcolm Bruce, will take over the role.

Camelot unveils Olympic Dream
UK Lottery operator Camelot has unveiled its first draw aimed at raising money to help pay for the 2012 London Olympics. Dream Number is a £1, twice weekly game that will see draws take place on Saturdays and Wednesdays alongside the main lottery game. The first draw will be conducted on Saturday 14th July.

Betfair information results in jockey's arrest
Jockey Kieren Fallon has been charged by police, along with four other men, with conspiracy to defraud Betfair customers. The charges were related to allegations of fixing the outcome of races between December 2002 and September 2004.

Disney waiting on second Chinese park
The Walt Disney Company is waiting approval from the Chinese government to build a new Disneyland theme park in Shanghai. Disney's chairman, George Mitchell, told the China Daily newspaper that the corporation had been in discussions with Shanghai officials over the planned project.

BACTA supports ATEI's new floor-plan
BACTA, the trade association for the UK coin-op industry, has announced its support for the new floor plan being introduced at ATEI 2007. Chief executive Keith Smith said: "We will be supporting our members by taking the BACTA Lounge to Level 1 developing a range of additional activities to run alongside and generally taking the opportunity to have a stronger presence." Level 1 will comprise upwards of 200 non-gaming exhibitors.

Stan James launches bounty tournaments
Stan James' poker arm has launched the Monday to Friday online 'Poker Bounty' tournaments, which allows players to compete against the SJpoker team. Players will be rewarded for every one of the SJ team they eliminate.

Parlay appoints Mutter
Parlay Entertainment has announced the appointment of Canadian James Mutter to its board as an independent director. Mutter currently serves on the board of the Vancouver Enterprise Forum and is the President of the Premier's Technology Council in British Columbia.

Seinfeld to play two casinos in one night
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is set to become the first performer to headline public performances at two different casinos in the same night. Seinfeld plans to perform at 8pm in the Atlantic City Hilton on October 7th before taking his routine across to the Resorts Atlantic City for an 11pm performance.

Top Ten clear the air on smoking ban
Top Ten Holding's Sir Aubrey Brocklebank has said that he wasn't worried about the upcoming smoking ban in England and Wales and the bingo company would be flexible enough to adapt. He also commented that the ban wouldn't be a catastrophe and described the recent publicity over the Scottish ban as scaremongering.

Game Group posts first half sales increase of over 10 per cent
British Game Group Plc has said that like-for-like sales for the first half of the year rose by 10.1 per cent, while total group sales over the same period climbed 21.1 per cent. The video game retailer attributed the rise to 'strong consumer appetite' for the new gaming technologies, including related software and accessories.

And Finally... Totesport angling for sponsorship!
Bookmaker Totesport has renewed its deal to be title sponsors with the world's biggest course fishing match Fish'O'Mania XIII. Along with being headline sponsor, Totesport Text Betting will also sponsor the Sky Television coverage.

[Casinonews]

Dome owner threatening to pull investment
AEG has warned the government that it would withdraw £250 million of investment from the Millenium Dome if it was not granted a super-casino license for the venue. Philip Anschutz's company originally planned to invest £600 million redeveloping the venue to include a casino, hotel and concert arena, but a spokesperson said that development would be 'limited' to £350 million if it did not get the license.

Permira takes lead in Hard Rock sale
Private equity firm Permira is thought to be the early favourite to purchase the Hard Rock restaurant chain from Rank, after reports suggested that it had already made an unsolicited approach nearly two-months ago. The company is thought to want to expand its portfolio of businesses in the US market with the purchase.

Prescott under pressure
John Prescott is under increasing pressure to step down after the Mail on Sunday newspaper alleged that the deputy prime minister had accepted gifts from Philip Anschutz during his stay on the billionaire's ranch. Liberal Democrat leader Ming Campbell told Sky News that he would not be at all surprised if Prescott stepped down.

ETOA report warns of 'Olympic effect'
The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) has published a report saying that the Olympics deterred regular tourists and led to stagnation in tourism growth in the years surrounding the event. It went on to call for a co-ordinated, government-backed strategy to combat the 'potentially damaging' effect of the 2012 Olympics on the UK's leisure industry.

Gambling Commission clamps down on illegal poker
The Gambling Commission has set out to 'clamp down' on illegal poker games by writing to police forces, local authorities and the licensing trade. It warned operators that a permit is needed to run poker games and such games cannot be used as an inducement for people to visit a pub.

Bookmaker returns to casino venture
Ladbrokes is set to enter the casino industry again after a 5-years hiatus with the opening of its Ladbrokes Casino and Sports Bar at the London Paddington Hilton hotel. The £5 million development comes at a time when city analysts are suggesting that the firm is waiting to see the outcome of the LCI and Stanley Leisure merger before making a bid for the combined company.

Venetian first in mobile gaming
The Las Vegas Sands' Venetian hotel in is set to be the first Nevada casino to allow use of mobile gambling in its establishment. The gambling devices will be provided by the venue and will only be allowed in the public areas of the casino and not in hotel rooms or other private areas.

Ladbrokes talks football lottery with Hanoi
Ladbrokes chief executive Chris Bell has confirmed that he was in preliminary talks with the Vietnamese government over a new lottery based football betting exchange due to launch next year. The bookmaker is discussing the venture with the Vietnam Sports and Physical Training Committee and its football-governing body.

Schools reject bishops gambling funding plee
Trustees for the Catholic school board in Calgary, Canada have refused to comply with Bishop Fred Henry's instructions to stop taking revenue from gambling sources. The money is donated by casinos for voluntary work undertaken by parent groups to help with problem gambling. Bishop Henry is arguing that it was morally wrong for a Catholic institution to formally cooperate in an industry that exploits the 'weak and vulnerable'.

Paddy Power reveal betting bonanza
Paddy Power has taken 40 million euro in bets on the World Cup, but admitted to taking a 1 million euro hit as a promise to refund on bets for teams knocked out by a penalty shoot-out. A spokesperson said that Argentina's exit on penalties proved costly to the company while England and Brazil's departure were harder on the punters.

Champion jockey 'devastated' by HRA decision
Former champion jockey Kieren Fallon has said that the he is devastated by the Horse Racing Authorities' decision to revoke his UK licence. Fallon went on to say that he was utterly amazed that the police were able to charge him and that he was confident that the case had no validity 'whatsoever'.

ATEI organisers appoint two to operational division
Clarion ATE has appointed two new staff to its operational division. Sophie Matthews has become the events organisers' operations manager after being involved with Clarion since 1998, with Paul Mills, who previously worked in a sales capacity for the firm, being appointed as Operations Executive.

Center Parcs application finally rejected
Mid Bedfordshire District Council has rejected Center Parcs' application to build a £160 million holiday village at Warren Wood. The council adhered to recommendations put forward by town planning officials and concluded that the 700-chalet development would be 'inappropriate in the South Bedfordshire Green Belt'.

Betfair granted Victoria license
Betfair has been granted approval by the Racing Victoria Ltd board to begin its operation in the Australian state. Rival Tabcorp said the decision was disappointing and called betting exchanges a serious threat to the proper conduct of racing.

US gambling legislation to be heard next week
Legislation attempting to ban Internet gambling is expected to be debated by the full US House of Representatives this week. The legislation to be debated would be a blend of Bob Goodlatte and Jim Leach's versions of the bill, both of which are attempting to outlaw the $12 billion per year industry in the country.

Mississippi proposes bill to keep casinos running
Rep. Bobby Moak, the Mississippi House Gaming Committee chairman, wants to introduce a bill that would keep the commission running, allowing the casinos to stay open, if the state ever has to shut down like New Jersey. The executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, Larry Gregory, praised the proposal saying that it would create peace of mind for the industry.

[Casinonews]

US bill changes 'nothing'
Analysts at investment banker ABN Amro has said that nothing has changed in the wake of the US online gambling bill passing through the House of Representatives, and that "PartyGaming and others can continue to operate as they currently do." Dresdner Kleinwort went on to say that the current status quo would remain unchanged for 'many years to come'.

Culture secretary passes National Lottery Act
Government ministers have passed the new National Lottery Act which will see the establishment of the Big Lottery Fund replace distributing bodies the Community Fund, the New Opportunity Fund and the Millennium Commission. Players of the National Lottery will now be able to choose which causes their money should go to, a move which culture secretary Tessa Jowell believes will result in a £6-12 million efficiency saving.

Online poker could generate $3.5 billion in tax
A study commissioned by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) revealed that the US government could make $3.5 billion per year in taxes from Internet poker. Income taxes on winnings would amount to nearly $2.5 billion of that total while a 1 per cent user fee on online poker transactions would generate another $1 billion in revenue.

Caborn visits Gibraltar
UK minister Richard Caborn's has visited Gibraltar to meet with chief minister Peter Caruana and 888.com CEO John Anderson. He toured the 888.com facilities on the island before being attending a dinner with senior political and industry figures.

Macau gaming experiences 14 per cent growth
Macau's gaming sectors gross revenues has risen by 14 per cent in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2005. The increase in revenue and tax are being attributed to the rise in gaming tables and slot machines at the enclave's 21 casinos.

Alderney introduces new eGaming legislation
Alderney has completed a review and revision of its legislative framework under which it regulates the island's eGambling industry. The new changes include a single eGambling licence, operation of licenses being administered by the island's Commission and the introduction of a new Restricted Use eGambling License.

AWP increase expected by September
According to a report in the Morning Advertiser, Martin Rawlings, the British Beer and Pub Association's director of pub and leisure, told the Community Pubs inquiry that discussions with the DCMS were well underway concerning an increase in AWP machine payouts and that they were expected by September. Speaking at the inquiry Rawlings called the proposed change desperately needed in order to combat problems like the smoking ban.

PartyGaming directors sell shares
PartyGaming's finance director Martin Weigold and chairman Michael Jackson sold stock in the company days before the US House of Representatives issued their ruling on the online gambling bill. Weigold sold his entire holding of shares for £3.1 million, while Jackson reduced his stake to 600,000 shares raising £305,000.

Whitbread bids reach £500 million
The UK's Daily Mail newspaper, citing 'City sources', has said that bids for Whitbread's Brewers Fayre and Beefeater pub restaurant chains have reached more than £500 million. Brewer and pub operator Mitchells & Butlers is said to be the current frontrunner in the bid.

ukbetting reports record user surge
ukbetting has reported a monthly average of 9.1 million users on the site for this year, up 7 per cent from 2005. The numbers peaked at 9.75 million in June during the World Cup competition.

Brent opens consultation period
Brent Council has opened its public consultation period over the super-casino bid for Wembley, which will include questionnaires, a debate and a microsite on the council's website. The process will continue until mid-August.

Lantz appointed to eCOGRA board
eCogra (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) has appointed Anders Lantz to its board of directors. Lantz is the chief security officer for Swedish online poker firm Ongame, a subsidary of Betandwin, and a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) with management experience in information technology auditing, governance, compliance testing and security.

Betcorp delists from ASX
Betcorp will be delisting from the Australian Stock Exchange by the end of October in favour of the London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market. The company said that it wanted to attract greater interest from investors and that shareholder's interests would be better served by focusing on the UK listing.

Experts praise positive video games
A number of experts from the world of video games meeting in Brussels last week praised the positive aspects of the videogame, highlighting the growing number of innovative applications in education, the treatment of behavioural problems with youngsters and manned space exploration. The Interactive Software Federation of Europe's secretary general, Patrice Chazerand, called the discussion a thorough analysis and promised that the organisation would build upon the event.

Sands to start Singapore construction by end of year
Las Vegas Sands is in the final stages of talks with the Singapore government over the design of the country's first casino. Sands' senior vice president of Asian development Stephen Weaver said that in order for getting the project open by 2009, it was critical they start putting in the foundations and piling for the hotel towers this year.

And Finally... Full house for bingo grandmother wins £100K
A grandmother from Suffolk, UK has won £100,000 after playing bingo for over 35 years. Fifty-nine year old Val Phillips took the prize when she completed a full house of 39 numbers and won the National Bingo Game at the Breckland Club in Brandon.

[Casinonews]

Victor Chandler appoints Zeus
The Victor Chandler Group is rumoured to have hired the corporate finance company Zeus Capital to advise and evaluate on unsolicited approaches. The betting organisation, estimated to be worth £300 million, is viewed as an attractive target due in part because it doesn't take bets from the United States.

BetOnSport chief detained
BetOnSports' chief executive David Carruthers has been detained by US federal authorities while travelling to the company's base in Costa Rica. Shares in the company plunged 20 per cent after the arrest and the online gaming company has said that it was currently 'seeking clarification as to the basis of the detention'.

Blair backs Prescott
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he had not yet seen any evidence that his deputy John Prescott interfered in the selection of the first super-casino to be opened in Britain. Speaking on the BBC's The Politics Show, Blair also rejected calls for an inquiry over Prescott's links with US billionaire Phillip Anschutz despite new evidence, from the chief executive of AEG Tim Lieweke, claiming that the issue of casino licenses came up in a 'couple of conversations' at different meetings.

Rank makes £53 million in sale
Leisure group rank will make a net gain of £53 million before tax from the sale and leaseback of its 43 bingo and casino properties worth £211million. The deal with joint venture companies Earth-Solarus includes a 15 year leaseback of the properties at £11.2 million per year and the transfer of a further 40 leasehold liability's worth £39 million.

Chariot raises charity charges
Troubled lottery company Chariot is raising its charges to charities wishing to take part in its donation scheme from 1.8p to 6p in the pound. The company said the move was worked in partnership with the charities and would be reviewed after six-months.

Gambling Commission report reveals gambling hike
The Gambling Commission's annual report has revealed that the British public raised its spending in casinos to £4,231 million over the last year, a jump of nearly £73 million. Figures in the report also show that £1.826 million was spent at bingo clubs and £2.1bn was retained by suppliers and owners of gaming machines. UK casinos contributed £143 million in taxes during the year period from July 2005.

Minister claims gambling enhances quality of life
Richard Caborn said that gambling could enhance the quality of life if it was brought into the mainstream. Talking at the opening of the Birmingham headquarters of the Gambling Commission, the minister for sports and gambling went on to say that the majority of adults who enjoyed gambling should be allowed to bet in a well-regulated environment.

Armed officers arrest man over arcade robbery
Ten armed police officers stormed a house in Bristol and arrested a man in connection with a robbery at an amusement arcade in the city. A spokesperson for Bristol police said that the raid was 'one of a number in the area relating to a robbery at a Casino Slots in Kingswood, near Bristol, earlier this month'.

Online heavyweights agree to new KPI reports
A collection of the largest online gaming operators in the world have agreed to undertake an overhaul of their company reporting to standardise the sector's disparate accounting. PartyGaming, 888, Ladbrokes, Sportingbet, CryptoLogic and Carmen Media Group agreed to instigate a universal set of key performance indicators (KPI) to provide comparable reports in the sector.

Ex-championship jockey appeal rejected
The Horseracing Regulatory Authority (HRA) has rejected Kieren Fallon's appeal to have his UK license reinstated. The board decided that the decision to prohibit him from riding in races in Great Britain until the conclusion of his trial for allegedly defrauding Betfair customers was justified and that it would be upheld until the conclusion of the trial bought by the City of London Police.

No reign in Spain for VC
VC Gaming's financial director Gerard Cassells has revealed that the company was pulling out of its Spanish operations due to disappointing results in the country. Cassels attributed the poor performance to relatively low broadband penetration and online transaction levels.

US video game sales increase by a quarter
US video games sales jumped by 25 per cent in June to over $840 million, with hardware sales increasing to nearly $298 million from $200 million a year ago. Market research company NPD attributed the rise partly to the strong sales of Nintendo's DS systems over the Father's day period.

Man spared jail after losing £150,000 online
Richard Mahon, who lost £150,000 on an online betting site in 50 minutes using his parent's credit cards, has been spared a jail sentence. Mahan had admitted fraudulently running up the debt and was put on probation and given 300 hours community service.

ICEi growth to top 70 per cent
The 2007 International Casino Exhibition will host the biggest collection of remote and i-gaming providers in the show's history. According to the latest update from the event's organisers, the dedicated ICEi component of the London show will in 2007 comprise 1,500 sq metres of stand space - a 70 per cent increase on the 2006 show. So far a total of six ICEi exhibitors have doubled their stand space year-on-year, with three organisations - US based Iovation (+200 per cent), the Isle of Man Government (+201 per cent) and Gextech (+312 per cent) - leading the expansion trend.

Blackstone buys more Center Parcs
Center Parcs Europe has sold seven of its 16 Center Parcs holiday villages to New York-based private equity firm Blackstone Group for an undisclosed sum. The villages, located in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, will be leased back to Center Parcs Europe for an undisclosed sum.

Hastings pier traders prevent closure
Traders on UK's Hastings Pier have won an injunction against owners Ravenclaw Investments to prevent the closure of the condemned 130 year old attraction. A high-court judge has ruled that the closure would amount to a breach of their lease contracts. The traders are now pursuing further legal action to force Ravenclaw to repair the rest of the pier.

And Finally... BHA offer £100K for 2-day per week chairman
Britain's new horseracing regulatory body, the British Horseracing Authority, is currently looking for a chairman willing to work 2-days per week for a salary of £100,000 per annum. It is also searching for a chief executive in a remuneration package worth £200-250K.

[Casinonews]

BetonSports deny deal
BetonSports representatives have denied reports that it had reached a deal with US prosecutors over charges against chief executive David Carruthers and the company. Shares in the sector rose sharply after reports of a deal broke then dipped, causing BetonSports to issue a statement denying anyone acting on behalf of the company were in negotiations with the US Department of Justice.

Carruthers in court
David Carruthers' defence lawyer Tim Evans told the BBC he was "hopeful" of securing bail at a hearing scheduled for the end of the week. The US Department of Justice has stated that it will oppose any appeal on the grounds that Carruthers is a 'flight risk'.

US issue stark warning
Executives from the online betting industry were strongly reconsidering visiting the US after the country's Department of Justice issued a stark warning to operators. Sports betting companies are now looking at the possibility that this might be the first in a number of prosecutions related after a DoJ statement read: "Maybe some people weren't paying attention. Online gambling is a violation of US law."

WTO panel to investigate US online restrictions
The World Trade Organisation has set up a panel to investigate US restrictions on Internet gambling and whether they comply with international trade rules. Antigua and Barbuda requested the panel after claiming that since the WTO's original ruling that the US had been busy passing legislation 'directly and unequivocally contrary to the ruling'.

UK operators calm investors
Gaming software company Playtech has assured investors that it does not provide sports betting software and is not an online gaming operator, explaining that it provides 'licensed software to operators in online casino, poker and bingo markets'. Ukbetting's board also attempted to assuage investor fears by reiterating that the company doesn't take bets from the US market.

Prescott calls meetings with Dome boss 'right and proper'
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott rejected accusations of corruption stemming from his meeting with Philip Anschutz, and called them 'right and proper'. Facing the Commons, Prescott responded to questions from opposition MPs about the scandal saying "There is no evidence and those charges shouldn't be thrown around in this House."

Smoking ban good for online bingo
Online bingo operator Bingo Fabulous is claiming that since the introduction of the smoking ban in Scotland it has seen new membership rise by 40 per cent. Bingo Fabulous' marketing manager Aviva Lange said: "Although we can attribute this to many factors, including the heavy promotion of our bingo brand in the UK market, we feel that the ban on smoking has been a positive influencing factor."

Clarion buys River City
Information resource company River City Group has been bought by events organiser Clarion for an undisclosed sum. The group's founder and CEO Sue Schneider stressed that there will be little or no change to the River City Group operation as a result of the sale as she, and the management team, have made multi-year commitments to staying with the company.

Advertising consultation begins next week
Public consultation on guidelines concerning television adverts for casinos, betting shops and gambling websites will begin next week. Launched jointly by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), the consultation will be seeking opinion on the proposed rules which state that gambling adverts must not link gambling to seduction, sexual success or enhanced attractiveness.

Withers backs new ATEI plan
BACTA's ex-president Roger Withers has backed ATEI's new floor plan, which will see non-gambling companies move to Level 1of Earl's Court 1 in 2007, saying it was a "necessary move to protect the long-term health of the shows". He added that the new layout would reflect the changing nature of both the UK and world's gaming market.

Reid proposes immigration 'two strike' ban on directors
Home Secretary John Reid has unveiled plans to disqualify company directors if they are found to be breaching immigration rules on two separate occasions. Reports were saying the proposal would be aimed at 'rogue' employers and targets could include those in the leisure sector that employ large numbers of foreign workers.

Ireland to regulate casinos
Casinos in Ireland are to be regulated rather than outlawed under new proposals put forward by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell. He told RTE Radio that the government was changing its position on casinos but was not going to turn Ireland into a Las Vegas-type gambling centre for Europe.

Culture secretary launches 2012 tourism initiative
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has launched Welcome -Legacy: The Tourism 2012 Strategy Consultation, a paper aimed at ensuring the tourism industry's interests are fully represented in all decision-making regarding the 2012 Olympic Games. The consultation discusses how the UK must align and develop the 'British brand' to appeal to a new and younger market.

Fallon granted unconditional bail
Jockey Kieren Fallon appeared at the City of London Magistrates Court this week to face allegations of conspiracy to defraud customers of betting exchange Betfair. Fallon spoke only to give his name, age and address before being released on unconditional bail.

Celebrity Big Brother star launches slot game
GoldenPalace.com has teamed up with Celebrity Big Brother and US basketball star Dennis Rodman for its new slot game. Rodman has been a regular spokesperson for the Golden Palace Group and will be featured in the 5 reel, 20 line video slot game.

Government considers smoking shelters
The UK government is considering allowing shelters to be put up outside pubs in England to accommodate smokers when the smoking ban comes into effect next summer. Draft proposals for a plan, which is being put out for consultation by the Department of Health, have been welcomed by the industry for providing some clarity over the issue, although government opposition claimed the consultation was still 'riddled with complications'.

Remote Media to install remote terminals for Camelot
National Lottery operator Camelot has appointed Remote Media to install 1,050 digital point-of-sale screens across participating retailers in the UK and update 400 of the company's already existing screens. Remote Media said the deal will enable Camelot to communicate brand and marketing messages at the point of purchase and obtain increased sales of the lottery products.

IGH appoint Heaton
Online sports betting operator Interactive Gaming Holdings has appointed John Heaton to the board as chief executive. Heaton was previously chief executive of The Tote and will replace current chief executive Thomas Taule, who will be moving to the position of executive chairman.

[Newsflash]

BetonSports chief waives bail hearing
BetonSports chief executive David Carruthers waived his right to a bail hearing after appearing in court and is reportedly planning to plead not guilty to the charges against him. Carruther's lawyer Tim Evans said the bail hearing would be held when the defendant arrived in St Louis.

PartyGaming calls US 'consistent'
PartyGaming's new boss has insisted that the US' curb on gaming companies was not aimed at all online betting firms and called US authorities consistent. Chief executive Mitch Garber did say that he had no imminent plans to travel to the US though.

Coral halts US betting on website
UK betting firm GalaCoral has said that it had blocked US residents from wagering on its websites due to uncertainty over the current legal situation. "A very small number of US citizens have played bingo and poker on the website and Gala has never taken bets on US sporting events and has never advertised in the US," a spokesperson for the company said.

Online investors mulling legal action
BetonSports investors are threatening legal action against the company and its advisors after shares in the company were frozen. The group of investors are claiming they should have been told that founder Gary Kaplan had been arrested in America on gambling charges in 1993 before they bought shares and that the AIM prospectus was inadequate.

Vegas exhibition cancelled
Online sports betting firm Bodog has cancelled its annual gambling conference in Las Vegas amid overwhelming concerns from attendees over the US legal situation. A statement from the company cited a high level of uncertainty from guests as the main reason, and said that the conference would take place at an international destination later in the year.

Poker float faces doubt
Pokerstars proposed £1.6 billion flotation is in serious doubt following the recent arrest of David Carruthers. The online poker company has been working with HSBC and Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein on its strategic options but sources claimed that a float was not an option at the moment.

Prescott gets 'slap on the wrist'
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has been given a 'mild rebuke' over his ranch stay by the British parliament's standards and privileges committee. Prescott has accepted the findings, while Downing Street says the problems 'have now been resolved'.

Sportsman calls in administrators
The Sportsman has called in administrators after just four months, having spent its initial £11.5 million start-up budget and failing to secure a further £4.5 million from backers. Sports Betting Media's chairman Jeremy Deedes, the paper's publisher, told staff that it was business as usual as far as publishing the paper while the company sought additional funds.

Stanley announces satisfactory results
Liverpool based Stanley Leisure has announced an increase in turnover from £220 million to £224 million, a rise of 2 per cent, with pre-tax profits of £19.1 million compared with £16.2 million from the last period. Shareholders will be getting a 10 per cent increase in the total dividend, from 10.5p to 11.6p.

Clarion announces ATEI 'Inward Mission' for journalists
Clarion ATE has announced details of an Inward Mission of Journalists designed to help promote the 2007 exhibition visitor sell-in. The Mission takes place in early September and will see up to 20 editors of coin-op b2b titles from across 13 countries convene in London for the three day programme.

Irish ministers call for betting limit on legalised casinos
Ministers in Ireland are calling for the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras and a betting limit to be applied to the country's first legalised casinos. Ministers also supported the idea of local authorities deciding whether casinos should be allowed in their area and asked that casino owners produce tax-clearance certificates before licences are granted.

Whitbreads sold for nearly £500 million
Mitchells & Butlers has bought Whitbreads' freestanding pub restaurants estate, including the Brewers Fayre and Beefeater chains, for £497m. M&B chief executive Tim Clarke said that the acquisition would accelerate the company's repositioning towards the higher growth eating out market.

Gala workers threaten strike
Workers from Gala's London casinos are threatening strike action after demands for a 5.1 per cent pay increase were rejected. The workers were also demanding hot meals and provisions for safe travel home.

Towers ride investigated after crash
A rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers is still closed while investigators continue their search for the cause which saw 29 people injured last week. Two women were taken to hospital by air ambulance after the front carriage of the Runaway Mine Train became separated from the ride and rolled back into the following carriages.

IGT revenue grows by 6 per cent
International Game Technology has posted a slight fall in quarterly profits from $114.7 million to $114.1 million citing a decline in unit shipments amid limited expansion opportunities. The slot machine maker's international sales grew by $18.6 million to $114.7 million while North American sales rose from $182.6 million to $187.2 million and total revenue grew by 6 per cent to $612.4 million.

Tabcorp criticises Victorian Liberal party
Australian gaming company Tabcorp has spoken out against Victoria's Liberal party plans to cut poker machines by 20 per cent in pubs and clubs if they win government support in the upcoming election. Matthew Slater, Tabcorp's chief executive, said that the amount of machines available did not promote problem gambling while a reduction would impact the enjoyment of a large number of customers.

Casino company plans $8 billion investment
Las Vegas Sands is planning to invest more than $8 billion in its casino, leisure and convention facilities in Macau over the next four to six years according to UK's Financial Times newspaper. The investment will take the form of two $3 billion development phases for the Cotai Strip and in developing Heng Qin island.

[Casinonews]

BetonSports hoping to reopen within a week
BetonSports is hoping to restart its operations within a week according to a report in the UK Daily Telegraph newspaper. The beleaguered betting company hopes that the sacking of its CEO will give it enough leverage with the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen.

U.S. gambling bill put on 'hold'
Congressional sources cited in the Washington Post have said that the bill banning most forms of internet gambling was not going to pass. It is thought that some Republican senators have broken rank and put a 'hold' on the legislation, which will prevent it from being brought up for vote until concerns on the measure are resolved.

888 sales fail to meet forecast
Shares in 888 Holdings dropped by more than 6 per cent after it announced that sales for the second quarter of the year had not reached the expected forecast. The company did report that its sales had risen by 23 per cent in the period and casino revenues were up year-on-year by 9 per cent.

Playtech reduces exposure in the U.S.
Playtech has increased revenue by 22 per cent from the first to the second quarter of this year, and reassured investors that it was continuing to reduce its exposure to the U.S. market. The company reduced the percentage of income from its U.S. players to 48 per cent, down 10 per cent compared with the same period last year and 49 per cent for the first quarter.

Ladbrokes face fresh takeover rumours
Bookmakers Ladbrokes is at the centre of fresh rumours over a takeover bid after more than 6 million shares changed hands since the recent US crackdown on Internet gaming. Private equity bidders are thought to be looking to cash in on the current unrest bought on by the arrest of David Carruthers, with Ladbrokes shares currently trading at just over 385p per share.

Culture secretary admits talking to Prescott over casinos
Culture secretary Tessa Jowell has admitted that she had talked with the Deputy Prime Minister about casinos and their potential for regenerating inner cities. The Liberal Democrats culture spokesman, Don Foster, called the admission growing evidence of Prescott's personal interest in casino policy and reiterated calls for a full investigation into his involvement.

Conservatives accuse Prescott of compromising casino process
London's Millennium Dome has won the initial round of competition to host the UK's first regional casino, triggering fresh speculation over Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's influence on the selection process. The Conservative Party's shadow culture secretary, Hugo Swire, said that Prescott's relationship with AEG owner Philip Anschutz has compromised the super-casino selection process.

Blackpool plans to strengthen bid
Spokespeople for Blackpool's casino bid have said that they would now concentrate on 'improving its score' after placing third in the Casino Advisory Panel's first study of super-casino locations. The head of Blackpool's corporate policy and development, Alan Cavill, said that had the importance of the different categories been weighed, their bid would have been higher.

Caborn to release Tote price
The minister for sport Richard Caborn is due to release the price set by the government for the transfer of the Tote to a racing trust. Because EU law determined that the betting company could not be sold at a reduced price, Caborn has been determining 'fair market price', which will be in the region of £300 - £360 million.

Lottery chief wins achievement award
Camelot's chief executive Dianne Thompson has won the business category of the Women of Achievement Awards 2006. Judges said they were most impressed with her strategy for 'bucking the international trend of falling lottery sales.'

Whitbread takeover talks boost share prices
Shares in the leisure group Whitbread rose by 72p to £12.44 after rumours circulated that the leisure company was about to receive a takeover approach from US private equity group Starwood Capital. According to reports in the UK's Guardian newspaper, Starwood is talking to investment bank JP Morgan about the possibility of a £3 billion deal.

Plan to cut poker machines dealt blow
A plan by the Liberal Party in Victoria, Australia to reduce the number of poker machines was rejected by the party's traditional coalition ally, the Nationals. The Nationals leader, Peter Ryan, called the proposed bill a distraction from the real issue of dealing with problem gambling.

Harrah debates Asian casino bid
Harrah's Entertainment is still contemplating whether it should bid for a casino in Singapore ahead of the 31st July deadline. "We are continuing to evaluate our position in Singapore," said a spokesperson for the company. "There is a considerable amount of effort that is ongoing as we review our position."

Scrutiny council report in
Ten 'scrutiny councils', introduced by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to monitor the impact of the Licensing Act, have reported that residents are now far more aware of their rights with regard to licensed premises and licensees are more aware of their responsibilities. The councils have also made a number of recommendations for improvements, including changing the current advertising arrangements and increasing the amount of time during which police can object to a temporary event.

Woods win causes record loss
Tiger Woods' victory at the Open last week is said to have cost the bookies in the region of £10 million, a record loss for any single golf tournament. A spokesperson for Ladbrokes told Gaming Industry News that the victory was a 'Punters Paradise', adding: "It was the darkest day in our golf history."

New arcade plan gets heavy criticism
An application to turn an empty shop in Chorley's town centre into a Goldrush amusement arcade has met with heavy criticism from the local community. Councillor Eric Bell, executive member for Streetscene, Neighbourhoods and Environment, said: "We already have two arcades and you would have thought that would be enough."

[Casinonews]

BetonSports case "not part of a coordinated federal crackdown on the industry"
US Justice Department spokesperson Jackie Leach has hinted that its actions against BetonSports are "not part of a coordinated federal crackdown on the industry". Speaking to The Houston Chronicle, Leach said that the Justice Department would only pursue cases that have the strongest evidence and greatest potential for deterrence, and that the BetonSports indictments were sealed on June 1.

Victor Chandler prime for takeover bid
With a flourishing business in Europe and Asia - and no exposure in the US - industry experts have identified Victor Chandler as a prime acquisition target. Company founder Victor Chandler confirmed that there had already been some interest and did not rule out the possibility of a takeover, suggesting "everything has a price".

Great Yarmouth heads field for large casino licence
Great Yarmouth has topped the Casino Advisory Panel's shortlist for one of eight large casino licences with 54 points, putting it ahead of other contenders including Canterbury, Leeds, Luton and Southampton. Managing director of Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Albert Jones, confirmed he was in discussion with two major casino operators with a view to bidding for the licence for the attraction.

Sega Sammy posts first quarter results
The first quarter financial results for Sega Sammy show that its net profits drop by nearly 93 per cent, following a downturn in sales of Sammy's pachinko slot machines. However, Sega Sammy made no changes to its full year predictions, with an expected net profit rise of 13.3 percent to ¥75 billion (£350m) on a 23.3 percent increase in revenue of ¥682 billion (£3.2bn).

Hermes continues on the bingo acquisition trail
Not deterred by the potential impact of next year's English smoking ban, the private-equity arm of fund-management group Hermes is now favourite to acquire the Beacon Bingo chain for approximately £80m. Hermes has fought off competition from rival bidders and entered into exclusive talks with Beacon's parent company Thomas Holdings.

IG bosses cash in on strong results
Directors and senior managers at spread-betting firm IG Group last week disposed of £42m worth of shares, accounting for around 6.1 per cent of the company. The sale was announced the day after IG posted strong year-end results, eating into some of the gains registered by the group's shares.

GamCare concern over pub fruit machines
GamCare has urged publicans to train their staff to monitor fruit machines, after its latest research showed that 24 per cent of all callers to its helpline in 2005 cited the pub as the location they played on fruit machines. Adrian Scarfe, head of clinical services at GamCare said: "At gaming centres where fruit machines are a central part of the business we train gaming staff, but publicans have other problems to think about."

Climate change could boost UK resorts
A report carried out by the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit has indicated that resorts such as Blackpool could see a "dramatic" change in tourism in the next 20 years due to climate change. Published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, the study suggests that scores of tourists could flock to the UK to try to escape excessive summer temperatures in continental Europe.

Fallon ban upheld in High Court
Jockey Kieron Fallon has failed to have his blanket ban on riding in Britain lifted before he is brought to trial on charges of conspiracy to defraud. Refusing him an injunction, Mr Justice Davis said: "Racing might suffer damage in the perception of the public if Fallon were allowed to continue racing while facing fraud charges."

Acquisitions enhance Gamingking profits
After it completed three acquisitions during the last financial year, lottery products supplier Gamingking has seen its annual pre-tax profit more than double from £23,000 to £63,000. Its turnover also rose from £3.06m to £5.28m, with the firm predicting that its sales performance will improve over coming months.

Gaming industry makes 21 million ID checks per year
New research on behalf of the fraud prevention speciiiaaaaaliiiiiiizzzzzzzts GB Group has found that an average of 500 million identity checks are performed in the UK every year, with the number set to rise to 750 million by 2010. The gaming industry makes 21 million checks per year - six million online and 15 million offline.

Video gaming hits the big screen
To coincide with the release of the new Disney - Pixar film, Cars, cinemagoers are being offered the chance to play the tie-in video game on the big screen at six Vue cinemas around Britain. This has been made possible by the new digital projectors, which can also be used to project a diverse range of events, from sports events to surgical operations.

Korea launches arcade crackdown
The Korean government has launched an aggressive law enforcement campaign aimed at that country's 14,000 arcades and online cafes, some 11,000 of which are suspected of running illegal gambling operations. The Korean Supreme Prosecutor's Office has already arrested more than 400 people and seized 5.8 billion won (£3.2m), and the National Tax Service has begun auditing 54 amusement centres.

Firefighters free pier worker
Firefighters were called to Brighton Pier last Friday after a rollercoaster operator slipped and trapped her leg under one of the ride's cars. Pier general manager Anne Grainger said the woman, who was freed after an hour and taken to hospital, was not badly hurt.

Arcade operator expresses flower power
Amusement arcade owner Robert Parkin staved off council officials in West Bay, Dorset, armed with three policemen, a digger and a lorry from removing the prize-winning flower display outside his premises. After a three hour confrontation, the policemen persuaded the council to back down and urged Parkin to make a belated application for planning permission.