Gaming News, Oktober 2006

[Casinonews]

Congress surprise industry, passes online ban
U.S. Congress has unexpectedly passed a bill effectively banning most forms of Internet gambling in the country. Gambling firm 888.com announced that it was suspending its business in the States on receipt of the news, while Leisure and Gaming added that it would be seeking legal advice over the situation.

Government rejects consortium's Tote bid
Plans by a UK racing consortium to purchase the Tote have been rejected by the UK Government. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport said that it had not been able to reach an agreement with the group, headed by Arena Leisure, the Racecourse Holdings Trust and the Racecourse Owners' Association for the publicly-owned bookmakers.

Dicks released from custody
Sportingbets chairman Peter Dicks was released from U.S. custody and allowed to return to the UK after George Pataki, the New York State governor, refused to sign an order to extradite Dicks to Louisiana. Dicks said that he was very grateful over the release and, when asked whether he was returning to Sportingbet, he said: "They've had enough of me!"

Online shares take £3b hit
An estimated £3 billion has been wiped off the value of UK online gaming companies in the wake of the US Senates ruling. Online operator PartyGaming saw £2.32billion wiped off the value of its shares after it announced that it would be suspending all real money gaming business once the President ratifies the new law.

Tattersall's pulls out of Lottery race
Australian firm Tattersall's announced that it will not be bidding for the new UK National Lottery licence. The lottery operator said that owing to a careful review careful review of the basis on which a bid is required to be made under the government's invitation to apply for the licence, it would not be submitting an application.

Bingo Association demands Scottish help
The chairman of the UK Bingo Association has demanded that the Scottish Parliament support the organisation in its attempt to gain a £10 million tax break from the British government. Sir Peter Fry told The Herald newspaper that because it had bought in the smoking ban, it must "accept some responsibility for the damages it had caused in the industry."

South African gaming revenue rises
South African gambling revenue in 2005/2006 has risen by 16 per cent according to the country's National Gambling Board, to rand11.5 billion. Talking to parliament, board chairman Chris Fismer said the rand1.6 billion increase from 2004/2005 was largely due to the casinos with contributions from horseracing, betting and bingo.

Betting boards banned at Monaco football match
The French Professional Football League forced AS Monaco to remove advertising boards for online betting firm bwin.com before its weekend's match could start. Monaco said that it would be contesting the decision and may take legal action to fight it.

Cocamatic win Time Crisis 4 distribution deal
Namco Europe has announced the appointment of Cocamatic as the exclusive and official distributors for Time Crisis 4 throughout the Iberian peninsula. The appointment was confirmed at the FER-Interazar expo in Madrid.

Cyberscan posts profit for first-half
Cyberscan Technology has announced a first-half pre-tax profit of £2.6 million, up from a restated loss of £0.5 million from the same period last year. Sales rose by 61 per cent to £11.4 million, despite what chairman Sir Michael Wilkes called 'slow progress in the casino market'.

Korea issues clampdown statistics
Korean police have arrested more than 2,800 people and booked a further 7,790 since it started its crackdown on illegal gambling according to the Supreme Prosecutors Office. About 9,460 of the country's adult-only gaming arcades and slot machine parlours were forced to close during the clampdown.

Top Ten profit slumps on prolonged summer
Bingo operator Top Ten Holdings said that it expected profits for the first-half to be around £500,000 below previous expectations. It cited a prolonged summer heat wave and the World Cup as reasons for the slump.

BetFred heads to Spain
Betfred has joined forces with Spanish gaming group EKASA in what Chairman Fred Done called a 'strategic alliance'. Done told the gambling and gaming expo Fer-Interazar in Madrid that he was delighted to be bringing his 50 years worth of industry experience to Spain to help Ekasa develop a 'robust retail gaming business'.

[Casinonews]

Tories issue casino warning
Shadow culture secretary Hugo Swire told delegates at the Conservative party conference that should they take power, he would cap the number of super-casino licenses available. Swire said that he would 'not sanction the super casinos on every street that Tony Blair and his cronies are so keen on forcing through'.

Putin proposes new gambling territories
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has proposed a bill that would restrict gambling to four territories in the country. Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov said the areas would likely be in Siberia, the Far East and two in European Russia.

UK machines brought back from the brink
The DCMS has this week given the go-ahead for a stake and prize increase for gaming machines, setting in motion a flurry of activity in the UK AWP market. Category C AWPs in licensed premises and AGCs move from 30p/£25 to a 50p/£35 configuration, while B4jackpot machines for registered clubs receive a stake increase from 50p to £1 (£250 jackpot retained). B3 jackpot games for bingo clubs also gain a stake increase from 50p to £1 and retain their £500 top prize. The new levels become effective from October 27 and are subject to strict codes of practice. Machines must bear GamCare contact details, display clear signage prohibiting under-18s and be supervised to prevent inappropriate play.

UK operators lobby WTO
Sportingbet and 888 Holdings have said that they are currently looking into whether U.S. legislation contravened commitments made by the country to the World Trade Organisation. The WTO last year ruled that the United States' gaming laws were illegal following complaints from Antigua.

Playtech to focus on Asian market
Playtech said that it would be re-focusing on the Asian market after George Bush signs the anti-gambling legislation. Avigur Zmora, CEO of Playtech, said that it was already focusing on software for the Japanese game Pachinko, as well as its first version of Mahjong.

Harrah's receives $15 billion takeover bid
Harrah's Entertainment has received a $15 billion takeover offer from private equity firms Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group. The casino company said that it had established a special committee of independent directors to review the offer, but had not committed to the deal.

bwin executive addressing EiG
The recently arrested Bwin chief executive Norbert Teufelberger will address attendees at this year's EiG on 11-13th October. Norbert will be joining a number of i-gaming executives speaking at the event in Barcelona, which includes Mark Blandford of Sportingbet and PartyGaming's Mitch Garber.

EA study finds support for classroom video games
A report commissioned by game company Electronic Arts has found that 59 per cent of teachers surveyed would use video games in the classroom. The Teaching with Games paper found that 62 per cent of students also support the use of games.

Bwin banned from Bundesliga
A German court has ordered Bundesliga club Werder Bremen to remove Bwin's sponsorship logos from its shirts while playing in the State. The club said it would appeal against the decision, which included advertising hoardings in the stadium, and would play the next home game with the slogan 'we win' on their shirts.

GTech signs Central American lottery deal
Italian Lottomatica's wholly-owned subsidiary company GTech has signed an agreement with Supreme Gaming to provide an online lottery system in Guatemala. The 15-year deal will see GTech additionally supply products and ongoing services for the new lottery from the commencement of sales, expected to be February 2007.

Gambling Commission at Betting Show
The Gambling Commission will once again be at The Betting Show in Birmingham's NEC from 25-26 October. The commission's Hazel Canter, Director of Licensing & Compliance, will also be sitting on the panel of the 'Step-by-step guide to accomplishing the new January 2007 licensing process' seminar.

Stanley applies for Glasgow complex licence
Stanley Casinos has submitted an application to open a £7 million casino and leisure complex in Glasgow's St Enoch shopping centre. If approved, the redeveloped venue will host a casino, shops, restaurants and a multi-screen cinema across three floors, and would become the gaming company's second city site after the Berkeley Casino.

World Gaming could be legislation's first casualty
London-based World Gaming announced that it could be in 'technical default of its loan conditions'. The Internet gaming company said that it was in discussions with lenders after its debt level hit £12.7 million and share price took a 75 per cent hit in the wake of U.S. legislation.

Council deny arcade permission despite warning
A planning board in Derbyshire, UK has thrown out an amusement arcade application despite being told by council officers that it would lose an appeal fight. Oak Amusement called the decision 'highly disappointing' and vowed to appeal.

Tote bid opportunistic
Arena Leisure's Chief Executive Mark Elliott has said that although disappointed in the failure of the racing consortium's bid for the Tote bookmaker, the company's attitude to acquisitions were always likely to be opportunistic in nature. Its bid was rumoured to have been between £300-350 million, well below the £450 million the Government is expected to get from the sale.

PartyGaming pull out of Gamesys bid
PartyGaming has pulled out of a £200 million all cash bid for rival Gamesys according to a report in the UK Financial Times newspaper, because of the impact of U.S. legislation. Unnamed sources said that the online gaming company was considering a renewed offer of cash and financial instruments.

Talarius raise £51k for CHIPS
Staff at Talarius, the owner of AGC chain Quicksilver and gaming portal Cyberslotz, have so far raised £51,000 for the children's charity CHIPS. The charity was founded on behalf of the Casino and Gaming Industry, in order to raise money to purchase specyclopcasinoed powered wheelchairs for children with disabilities.

Hackers sentenced for bookmaker attacks
Three Russian hackers have each been sentenced to eight years imprisonment for running a denial of service campaign against online bookmakers. Prosecutors accused the three of extorting up to $4 million in 54 attacks across 30 countries.

Genting's Stanley acquisition on home stretch
Genting has increased its current stake in Stanley Leisure to over 50 per cent after acquiring an additional 7 per cent of the UK casino firm. The Malaysian-based gaming company bought 5 million shares from City institutions at a price of 860p through its broker Citigroup.

Bookmakers' lose £1.5 million on 8-0 thrashing
Bookmakers have lost an estimated £1.5 million on last weekend's Scottish league match between Peterhead and Forfar. Forfar, who lost 8-0 and had 2 players sent off, had applied for a postponement claiming that it had just 8 fit players, citing an 'injury crisis'.

Royal makes bingo outing
Prince William, the second heir to the throne, has been spotted playing bingo at the Mecca hall near the Sandhurst military academy where he's stationed. Regulars at the club said that he bought a £5 book of five tickets after joining the club and spent an hour playing before chatting with fellow players and signing tickets.

[Casinonews]

Genting ups stake in Stanley, submits unconditional bid
Malaysian gaming group Genting said its offer for Stanley Leisure was now unconditional, after raising its stake in the UK-casino operator to 69.4 per cent. Chairman Lim Kok Thay said that the group was positioning itself to take full advantage of further gaming deregulation in the UK.

Stake and prize issues not straightforward
The UK AWP sector could be facing a slower uptake in demand for the new stake and prize configuration of 50p/£35 for Category C machines. The increase has attracted a £1,000 hike in Amusement Machine Licensing Duty per machine, meaning that operators will be more less likely to order new jackpot models in significant numbers. The tax could place machine suppliers in the pub sector in a particularly difficult position, though, as retailers are likely to demand a major injection of £35 models. The industry has until the next Budget, thought to be April 2007, to lobby the government for a sensible realignment of AMLD levels. Commenting on the situation was Games Media chief executive officer Andrew Ludlow who said: "Clearly the taxation issues regarding £35 jackpot levels will have some impact on the testing and rollout process. We must ensure that the industry is structured in its drive to ensure that the AWP (Cat C) is taxed at an equitable level for all stakeholders." For a full analysis see this week's Coinslot, published Friday.

Puttnam issues call to action for gaming industry
Lord David Puttnam has called on the UK games industry to support the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association's (ELSPA) new initiative to promote video games as educational tools. He told the launch for its new report 'Unlimited Learning: Computer and Video Games in the Learning Landscape', that children now expect more engagement than is currently offered by textbooks alone.

Greenway issues £3m warning
In an interview with October's edition of Betting Business, John Greenway - chairman of The Responsibility in Gambling Trust - has warned that the government will have 'no hesitation' in introducing a social responsibility levy if the £3m funding target is not met by voluntary means. Greenway's warning appears in October's record 64 page edition of Betting Business. To subscribe click on the Betting Business link on the top of the page.

PartyGaming shares in recovery
Speculation over PartyGaming's consolidation plans has helped its share price rebound after they lost 60 per cent of their value in the wake of the U.S. gaming regulation. The firm today (Monday) led the FTSE 100 leaders with a rise of 12per cent, to 45p.

Ministers lobbying for favourable online tax regime
The Labour government wants to turn Britain into a 'world leader' in internet gambling according to a report in the UK's Sunday Times newspaper. Internal Whitehall documents revealed that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been lobbying the Treasury, on behalf of the online gaming industry, to introduce a favourable tax regime.

World Gaming shares suspended
World Gaming has asked for its shares to be suspended 'with immediate effect' due to uncertainty over its ability to continue trading. The online gaming company's value had plummeted from £56.6 million to £7.7 million in the wake of the new U.S. legislation.

Trinidad bans slots and online gambling
Trinidad and Tobago is to outlaw online gambling and has banned casino slot machines after Prime Minister Patrick Manning claimed they encouraged vice. Speaking at his budget proposal speech, Manning called gaming activities a 'great concern' to the country and announced that he would also discontinue the country's national lottery.

GTech signs Caribbean lottery deal
US technology provider GTech Corp has signed a five-year, $78 million contract with Trinidad and Tobago's National Lottery Control Board despite the country's proposed plan to ban internet gambling. The Rhode-Island based company will provide the NLCB with 800 computer terminals and 400 handheld lottery devices for online gambling, and will also provide the lottery with 250 keno monitors and 400 express lottery ticket terminals.

EiG announces record pre-registration
Organisers have announced that pre-registration for EiG, which begins Wednesday, has already exceeded the 850 attendees that came to last year's event. Taking place from 11-13th October in Barcelona, EiG will be welcoming delegates from over 40 countries and from 485 different companies.

GB unveils location monitoring software
GB Group has launched the extended version of its international identity verification technology which can now monitor the geographic location of customers when they place bets. The ID3TM software is able to divert customers from a 'restricted zone' to a legal 'free play' area, or block the transaction altogether.

Clarion announce enhanced floorplans for ATEI
Visitors to ATEI, ICE and ICEi will have additional help in negotiating their way around the Earl's Court exhibition halls following the release of new 3-D floorplans. The easy-to-follow maps are available online and will be deployed around the exhibition, held across 23-25th January, 2007.

U.S. horse racing industry 'buys' exemption
The American horse racing industry reportedly made over $3 million of contributions to politicians to ensure that it was exempt from the country's restrictions on online gambling. According to the UK's Independent newspaper, the money was given in the form of political donations, and on entertainment and 'education' for politicians.

Ministry shuts Moscow mafia casino
Russia's Interior Ministry has closed the Golden Palace Weekend casino in Moscow because of suspected links to the Georgian mafia. It is the third venue in the city, allegedly owned by Georgian crime bosses, to be shut down this month by the ministry's Economic Security Department, for violations of the country's tax code.

Trust buys M&B pubs
Trust Inns has bought 102 properties from operator Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) for £101 million. The pubs, for the year to August 2006, made pre-tax earnings of £10.2 million. Under terms of the deal M&B will provide services to Trust Inns to support the pubs for an additional nine months after completion.

Ukbetting confirms approaches
Ukbetting has confirmed that it had received a number of takeover approaches since the online ban in the U.S. The sports betting company added that there had been no formal approaches as yet and that there can be no certainty that any offers will be forthcoming.

Busy week in conference calendar
Possibly the busiest week in the gaming industry exhibition and conference calendar kicks off Tuesday with GamCare's annual conference in London and the SAGSE show in Buenos Aires. Wednesday sees the European Interactive Gaming Congress and Expo (EiG) in Barcelona and London's Preview begin while Italy's Enada 2006 follows on Thursday in Rome.

NLB launches legal challenge on 'illegal' lotteries
South Africa's National Lotteries Board (NLB) has launched legal action against the First National Bank (FNB) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for running 'illegal' lotteries. The NLB has petitioned the Pretoria High Court to stop the companies from conducting their respective Million-A-Month and WiniKhaya competitions, arguing that both competitions contravene the country's Lotteries Act.

[Casinonews]

EU to launch new infringement procedures
The European Union is to launch infringement procedures against France, Italy and Austria for supporting restrictive laws on gambling. Internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy will open proceedings with a 'letter of formal notice' to the countries.

Blackpool's 'bleak picture' ruining tourism
Blackpool's Sealife Centre boss accused the town's council of deliberately exaggerating the decline of the resort to boost its chances of landing the UK's first super-casino. Iain Hawkins, said that the 'running down' of Blackpool had led to a noticeable drop in custom for many of the resort's seafront attractions.

eCOGRA calls on operators to maintain standards
Gaming standards organisation eCOGRA has called for online gaming companies to maintain 'consistent and professional standards' during the current US crackdown on internet gambling. Chief executive Andrew Beveridge warned that recent development's in the US could lead to under-funded, unregulated and unprincipled gambling sites.

BetonSport executive denies infringing US law
BetonSport executive director Lord Glentoran has denied any wrongdoing by the firm's directors in the US, saying that they had infringed no laws that have been tested in the country. He added that he and his family were living with a feeling of 'absolute insecurity' over exportation fears.

Austria defends monopoly accusations
Austria's Finance Minister Karl-Heinz Grasser responded to McCreevy's warning by challenging the EU's reasoning. "Many European and worldwide providers offer gambling and betting in Austria via the Internet," he said. "So the question presents itself - what makes a monopoly in this sector; a sector where there is worldwide competition on the Internet?"

WBN shifts focus to Europe
World Bingo Network has announced plans to license a stand-alone UK network to focus exclusively on the European market. The new network will signal an immediate shift in focus away from the North American market for the company according to operations director Derek Morran.

Nevada gambling revenues rise 7.5 per cent
Nevada's gaming revenue rose from $989.1 million to $1.06 billion in August, an increase of by 7.5 per cent compared with the same period last year. The state's Gaming Control Board announced that gambling revenue on the Las Vegas Strip had increased by 14.3 percent to $556.3 million for the same period.

Packer joins Singapore casino bid
James Packer's Publishing & Broadcasting joined Eighth Wonder's Sentosa Island casino-development bid 'hours' before the deadline closed. They will be competing against Genting International's $3 billion 'Resorts World at Sentosa' proposal and Kerzner International for Singapore's second casino-resort.

Carruthers opens EiG
BetonSports former CEO David Carruthers sent a recorded message to open the 5th annual EiG exhibition yesterday (Wednesday). He thanked the industry for its words of support and wished attendees a succesful show.

'Subdued' Preview still showing positives
Reports from London are that Preview 2007 is 'subdued' with some very positive areas. Organiser Phil Howard said that, given the difficult circumstances and the confusion in the industry over stakes and prizes, Preview has performed better than anyone would have thought.

Coral opts for Global machines
Coral has given Scientific Games' subsidiary Global Draw a four-year contract to become the exclusive supplier of gaming machines to its UK shops. Global has supplied approximately 9,000 fixed-odd terminals in the UK to date, with over 5,000 going to Coral.

Gala launches bingo channel with Endemol
Gala Coral Group has launched Gala TV in partnership with Big Brother producers Endemol. The live, interactive bingo channel will broadcast programming through the day, with eight hours of live presenter-led bingo in the evening.

Pier bosses to meet with Hastings council
Hastings Pier's owner Ravenclaw Investments said that it wants to meet with Hastings council 'as soon as possible' to discuss the pier's long-term future. Ravenclaw's commercial manager Harmesh Pooni also said that the company would be 'happy to set up a trust to protect the structure for an eternity'.

Lottomatica subsidiary extends US lottery deal
Lottomatica SpA's subsidiary Gtech has extended its contract with the Kentucky Lottery Corporation for a further three years, taking the length of the agreement to 2014. The Italian lottery company estimates that turnover for the duration of the extension will average $5 million per year.

Fairground closes US operations
Fairground Gaming Holdings said that it was closing its US business and implementing 'urgent' cost cuts because of the recent US legislation. The company is also thought to be considering consolidating its business through buyouts.

Kerzner heir dies in helicopter crash
Kerzner International's Howard Kerzner has died in a helicopter crash in the Dominican Republic. The 42-year old chief executive was reportedly surveying a site for the company when the helicopter went down, killing the two pilots and another passenger.

[Casinonews]

Bush signs gambling legislation
President Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act on Friday, making it illegal for US-based banks or credit card companies to process payments for internet gambling activities in the country. Republican Jim Leach, one of the bill's original sponsors, welcomed the legislation calling internet gambling a liability to America and to Americans.

EU requests gambling information from Austria, France and Italy
The European Commission has asked Austria, France and Italy for information on legislation restricting the supply of certain gambling services. The EU's Internal Market commission, headed by Charlie McCreevy, said that it wanted to ascertain whether the countries' measures are compatible with EU rules guaranteeing the free movement of services.

Camelot receives GRAMIA award
National Lottery operator Camelot has won a silver GRAMIA (Grocery Advertising Marketing Industry Award) for its "Are you making the most of us?" retail trade press campaign. Camelot's director of sales, Steve Lucas, called the award a tribute to the efforts and hard work of Camelot's customer communications team.

Online firms sold for a dollar
Online Gaming companies Sportingbet and Leisure & Gaming both sold their US operations for $1 apiece. Sportingbet said it was necessary in order to avoid closure costs of $14 million, while Leisure & Gaming's chief executive Alistair Assheton, who headed a management buyout of his group's U.S. operations, said that the company saved about $6 million in shutdown costs.

Pokerstars to continue with US business
Internet gaming firm PokerStars said that its US business would continue as normal despite the new anti-gambling legislation. The Costa Rican-based company, which processes payments through subsidiaries in the Isle of Man and Cyprus, argued that poker is a game of skill and therefore exempt.

World Gaming appoints administrators
World Gaming announced that its directors had resigned and that it has appointed administrators from UHY Hacker Young to deal with business after acknowledging that the new US anti-gambling law would make it difficult to continue. The AIM-listed online company suspended its shares early last week.

Gtech gets Creative
Lottomatica subsidiary Gtech has entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire instant lottery ticket provider Creative Games International. The acquisition is expected to be completed in November, assuming certain pre-closing conditions are met.

e-Gaming breakfast seminar
The next free e-Gaming breakfast seminar produced by Manchess LLP, "Update on Implementation of Gambling Bill 2005 and Secondary Legislation" with speakers Sarah Thomas, Head of Remote Gaming at the DCMS and David Schollenberger of Manches LLP, will take place on the 19th October. Click here for free booking information.

Talarius continues acquisition programme
AIM-listed Talarius plc has acquired Displaymatics Holdings Limited (DHL) for a total consideration of £5.2m. The group, which owns AGC brand Quicksilver and online gaming company Cyberslotz, will fund the acquisition from cash and £4.5m of additional bank facilities. CEO Nick Harding said Talarius now had 196 UK AGCs and was keen to pursue further opportunities, particularly in mainland Europe.

Pagebet reports revenue increase despite 'unpredictable' year
UK betting firm Pagebet will post 'at least a 15 per cent increase' in turnover this year, on sales of £40 million in the year ending September. Managing director David Archer said the company had posted a 6 per cent like-for-like increase in revenues despite an unpredictable trading environment.

Addiction study delivers blow to Dome casino project
A report commissioned by Greenwich council has highlighted a number of what they term as 'significant risks' as a result of the Millennium Dome casino development. PricewaterhouseCoopers' study said residents of the new houses being developed as part of the project would be most at risk to gambling problems arising from the super-casino.

Betdaq provides tipping service
Dublin-based Betdaq is to offer a resource centre for tips in association with Besttipping. The tipster service called Tip Check will initially offer two services: Naps of the Day and Private Tipster.

L&ES forced to close more pubs
The London & Edinburgh Swallow Group closed a further 22 managed pubs, with administrators saying that it had not been possible to conclude a sale for any of the venues. Angela Swarbrick, joint administrator for Ernst & Young, said that "Regretfully, we are no longer able to continue trading the sites affected."

Lottery winner returns to bingo job!
A lottery winner from Carmarthenshire, Wales has asked to return to his job as the town hall bingo caller. Ken Henry, who won £13 million in May, said that being a multi-millionaire could get a bit boring.

Betting Business drive competition at NEC Show
Betting Business and promotions company Sports Alive Ltd are giving away £10,000 and a new Volvo S60 at next week's Betting Show. Visitors to stand 201 at Birmingham's NEC complex (25-26th October) will be given the opportunity to 'crack the safe' or forecast the top ten finishers at the Volvo Masters to win the prizes.

Starwood signs with Eighth Wonder for Sentosa bid
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has been chosen by Eighth Wonder to manage four of its hotels on Sentosa Island if the Las Vegas developer succeeds in its bid to build the country's second casino-resort. Eighth Wonder is competing with Kerzner and Genting International for the $3 billion Singapore development.

Newbury development plans unveiled
Newbury Racecourse unveiled amended development plans which it hopes will 'appease local concerns'. The cost of the redevelopment, which now includes just one four-star, 120-room hotel and 1,450 new homes, has not been revealed, but will require 'significant capital investment' according to officials.

[Casinonews]

Dome-owner reported to Department of Justice
Millenium Dome-owner Philip Anschutz has been reported to the US Department of Justice over Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's stay at his Colorado ranch. Officials are investigating whether the hospitality is in breach of US law banning American businessmen from attempting to bribe foreign officials.

Picasso dream gets the elbow
US casino boss Steve Wynn accidentally elbowed a 'dollar sized' hole in his Picasso picture 'Le Reve', vetoing a proposed £74 million sale. A spokesperson for Wynn said he was now keeping the painting, which was currently being repaired.

Chariot sales slump again
Chariot warned that it may have to call in administrators after ticket sales for its lottery game Monday fell below 396,000. Share prices plummeted by 85 per cent to 0.3 pence on receipt of the news, valuing the company at just over £250,000.

Gala interested in Tote
Gala's chief executive said that the gambling firm would bid for the Tote bookmaker as soon as it became available. Neil Goulden commented that the government probably had no option but to auction the state-owned bookmaker.

Smoking ban survey reveals profit increase
A survey by the UK's Times newspaper found that English pubs which have already instigated a smoking ban have seen profits rise by an average of 50 per cent. The increase was attributed to an average rise in food sales of 80 per cent.

EU and Japan attend US gaming consultation
Antigua and Barbuda's delegation to the World Trade Organisation held consultations in Geneva with representatives from the European Commission, Japan and China over its Internet gaming case against the United States. The WTO is expected to deliver its final ruling in January or February 2007.

Ladbrokes loses Dutch appeal
Ladbrokes has lost an appeal case in the Netherlands which sought to overturn a law preventing Dutch customers from betting with the company. The bookmaker is now preparing to take the case to the Dutch Supreme Court, as well as lodge a complaint with EU Internal Market commissioner Charlie McCreevy.

BetonSports case resolved by next week
A civil case filed against BetonSports by US federal prosecutors could be resolved as early as next week. BetOnSports' lawyer Jeffrey Demerath told a US District Judge that the online company had received a 'proposed consent order' from prosecutors, and was going to consult with the board of directors after the weekend.

Scotland receives tourism funding
Scotland is to receive funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) to enhance the value of the tourism sector and create further tourism employment opportunities. The Quality Customer Service Training in the Tourism Industry project will receive a £176,530 grant towards the provision of Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

Betcorp confirms sales discussions
Betcorp confirmed that it was in sales discussions for the group's gaming operations and infrastructure, and was going to cut staff by around a third. The group told the Australian Betting Exchange that there was no certainty that such discussions will lead to a sale, or on what financial terms such a sale might take place.

Study finds bingo more sociable online
A study by St. Minver suggested that the majority of UK bingo players prefer to play the game online because they find it 'more sociable'. Of the 2,667 people responding to the survey, most people said that they preferred to chat while playing and were encouraged by the growth of internet platforms for meeting new people, catching up with friends and 'gossiping'.

Jowell accused of casino numbers plot
Tessa Jowell has been accused of 'secretly plotting' to increase the number of super-casino licenses, after a junior minister proposed a bill to make the initial number eight. The Liberal Democrats called the move a 'last throw of the dice' by the culture secretary who is alleged to have suggested the move.

Excapsa sells gaming network
Excapsa Software is selling its Excapsa Gaming Network to Malta-based Blast Off Limited. The company said that it was exiting the internet gaming software business to maximise value for its stockholders.

Ukbetting votes for 365 Media name change
Ukbetting will change its name to 365 Media Group effective immediately. The company will now be found in the London Stock Exchange's TDM code as 365, and is seeking to be reclassified within the Alternative Investment Market's sub sectors.

Macau reports record takings
Macau's gambling receipts for the second quarter have risen by 11 per cent to 12.9 billlion patacas against the same period last year. The enclave's Census Department reported that gambling revenue now superseded all other forms of income in the country, including exports which amount to a total of 5.6 billion patacas.

FAS recommends government funding for video games
A new report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) has recommended that the US government provide funding to create more educational video games. According to the paper, video games teach higher-level, complex thinking skills which are conducive to today's workplaces.

Sportingbet takes £210 hit
Sportingbet is to take a £210 million exceptional hit as a result of its forced closure of its American operation. The group said it would write down £200 million of goodwill on its US business and take a £10 million special restructuring charge.

Lottomatica bids for Italian licenses
Italian lottery company Lottomatica SpA intends to bid for the sport and horse betting licences released by the state-owned group Monopoli di Stato. The group, which currently has Italian licences for the Lotto game and scratch cards will be facing competition from, among others, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power.

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[Casinonews]

PartyGaming incurs $250 million withdrawal charge
PartyGaming is expecting to incur a one-time charge of $250 million in the second half of this year for the closure of its US operations. The online gaming company also said that its profit before tax, interest and depreciation would be significantly lower than it was in the first half.

Super-casino selection delayed a month
The selection of the site for the UK's first super-casino has been delayed until the end of January after the panel responsible for the choice requested an extension to allow 'time for the printing process'. The Conservative party labelled the selection process a 'shambles' and asked for the real reason to be made public.

Harrah's raises LCI bid by $40 million
Harrah's Entertainment has raised its offer to buy British casino operator London Clubs International to $570 million and expects the deal to be finalised by the end of the year. The news comes after the Las Vegas-based Harrah's said that it had agreed to purchase a 29.6 per cent stake in LCI for 135 pence per share from a subsidiary of Genting International.

Intralot expected to bid for UK lottery
Greek-based lottery firm Intralot is expected to announce that it will bid for the UK National Lottery licence. The international operator, which already runs lotteries in China, US and Malaysia, has previously won all six of the bidding processes entered.

DCMS issue AWP warning to licensees
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has warned that the change in maximum stakes and prizes for pub gaming machines could be 'under threat' if licensees are found not to be supervising their machines effectively. A statement by the department said that individual licensees who do not comply with the industry's new voluntary code on responsible management could present 'problems for the whole pub trade'.

'Record' Betting Show begins Wednesday
A record number of 70 exhibitors will be taking part in this week's Betting Show (October 25-26th) held at Birmingham's NEC. The Responsibility in Gambling Trust's John Greenway MP will begin the show's seminar programme with a look at the impact of changes in legislation on betting businesses. Pre-registration for the exhibition is closed, but free registration is still possible on the door.

Garber predicts 50 per cent chance of ban being overturned
Mitch Garber, chief executive of PartyGaming, thinks there is a 50-50 chance that US anti-gambling legislation could be lifted within three-years. He argued that a player backlash could cause a change in control of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Alderney grants four new licenses
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission has granted licenses to WagerWorks, Asia Pacific Gaming Ltd, World Poker Tour and ElectraWorks, bringing the total number of issued licenses to 25. Alderney last month granted full eGambling licenses to the Alderney subsidiaries of William Hill and Sportingbet.

Bookies face record payout on Champions League
British bookmakers lost an estimated £10 million on last week's Champions League after 14 of the 16 favourites won their mid-week fixtures. Ladbrokes were thought to have the worst single loss with a £115,000 accumulator payout.

Maltese authority licence bingo terminals
The Maltese Lotteries and Gaming Authority has given licensed bingo halls a six-month trial period to test electronic bingo terminals. The LGA said that it wanted to consider the new developments and ensure future compatibility.

Science Museum opens video game exhibition
The London Science Museum has opened an exhibition detailing the history of Video Games. The new exhibition displays 120 games for kids to play, and asks adults to questions the benefits and pitfalls of the £13.3 billion industry.

Bodog buys Betcorp for $11 million
Costa Rican gaming group Bodog will purchase Australian-based Betcorp's Canadian and Antiguan assets for $9 million in cash, and will assume liabilities of $2 million. Following the sale, Betcorp's net assets will be comprised solely of cash.

William Hill willing to make Tote offer
William Hill's chief executive David Harding said that the company would be willing to make an offer for the state-owned Tote if it were broken down into parcels. He ruled out bidding for the whole estate on competition grounds, saying that Hill was too big.

Ladbrokes sets site on poker world series
Ladbrokes will invest £3 million in its Poker Million tournament with the aim of turning it into a European competitor to the World Series of Poker. The UK bookmaker's said that the US ban on online gambling would open up a huge opportunity for the European-based tournament.

Galaxy to open StarWorld
The Galaxy Entertainment Group is preparing to open its new HK$3 billion, 300-gaming table StarWorld hotel in Macau this week, taking its total number of venues in the region to five. Galaxy chairman Lui Che-woo said that he expected the company's gaming market share in the Chinese enclave to reach 25 per cent by the end of the year.

Greene King to sell 150 venues
Greene King is selling 150 of its tenanted pub for an undisclosed sum and is thought to have appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers to advise it on the process. According to The Times newspaper, the Suffolk brewery and pub operator's package is drawing strong interest from Admiral Taverns and Trust Inns.

Clare leaves Northern Racing
Northern Racing's development director Steve Clare is leaving the company at the end of the year to launch his own consultancy business. Clare will be retained on a consultancy basis by Northern Racing to advise on the new gaming legislation and will also join Bath Racecourse as a non-executive director.

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[Casinonews]

MP fails to raise number of regional casinos
Coventry MP Jim Cunningham has failed in his Commons bid to extend the number of regional casinos under the Gambling Act, by 240 votes to 55. Cunningham had argued that the UK could lose more than £5bn in investment if an increase was not granted.

Gaming Corp profits soar
Gaming Corp has seen its net profit soar by 400 per cent to £2.5m for the year ended September 30. The gaming portals provider increased gross profits by 75 per cent, to £4.7m, and boosted its net assets by £2.5m to £17.3m.

Sharon Osbourne to endorse Galabingo.co.uk
Television celebrity Sharon Osbourne has finalised an agreement with the Gala Coral Group to endorse Galabingo.co.uk, an online and interactive betting and gaming site. Under its terms, Osbourne will appear in a series of television commercials, which began airing on October 23, during primetime hours.

Gambling Commission at loggerheads with poker companies
A row has broken out between the Gambling Commission and poker companies over the legality of running poker nights in pubs. Despite the Commission's warning to licensees over the pitfalls of hosting the game, poker companies have continued to launch new leagues claiming it is not illegal.

Leeds' casino bid on course
A major new casino is still on the cards for Leeds according to the city's council, despite its failure to secure a place on a shortlist for the UK's sole regional casino licence. Leeds Council said that its bid remains strong and according to the panel's official ranking system, it is in sixth place among the locations that are bidding for one of eight large casinos.

Macau rivals Las Vegas
Macau could soon surpass Las Vegas as the gambling capital of the world after statistics revealed its gaming income rose by 39 per cent in September. Gaming revenue reached $4.25bn for the first eight months of 2006, closely behind the Arizona resorts $4.39bn for the same period.

Bishop's casino support called into question
Anti-casino campaigner Councillor Steven Bate has requested an urgent meeting with Right Reverend Nicholas Reade after the Bishop of Blackburn gave his cautious backing to Blackpool's bid for the first regional casino. Bate said he wants the Bishop to change his mind and consider the economic and social damage that can be caused by casino slot-machines.

Betting Show pulls the punters
Initial reports from the first day of the Betting Show, boosted this year by a record 70 exhibitors, suggest that the event has been busier than ever. With significant presence from major players including Alphameric, Betfair, BskyB, SIS, as well as pay-to-play giants Gamestec and Leisure Link, the floor at the Birmingham NEC was understandably awash with activity.

Doubts cast over effectiveness of US ban
The effectiveness of the US' anti-gambling bill has been called into question after a lawyer quoted told the Associated Press that the language used in the legislation provided a loophole for overseas payment processors and US banks that want to do business with them. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act bans US citizens from processing payments to online sports gambling sites.

RIGT as close as ever to 'totemic' £3m
The Responsibility In Gambling Trust chairman John Greenway said the organisation was "as close as it ever had been" to reaching the £3 million earmarked in the Budd Report, but was still £300,000 off hitting that target. Speaking at the Remote Gambling Association AGM, Greenway identified the remote industry as the principle area from which it could make up the shortfall.

Scarborough arcade operator renews casino planning permission
Scarborough-based arcade operator James Corrigan has been granted a renewal of his planning permission to develop a small casino on his site. However, any sale will depend on Scarborough Council winning a casino licence and if that licence is large or small.

William Hill chooses provider of its Skill Game service
William Hill has selected GameAccount, an integrated network of skill-based games, to supply it with Skill Game products. The terms of the multi-year agreement will allow William Hill customers to access the GameAccount network, joining players wagering real money from over 130 countries worldwide.

JPM sees successful launch of Linear cabinet in Poland
Gaming machine manufacturer JPM International introduced its Linear cabinet to the Polish market with maximum effect this week, picking up the 'Best Foreign Product' award category at SUREXPO 2006 in Warsaw. JPM's exclusive distributor in Eastern Europe, Synot was highly commended in 'Best Foreign Stand' category.

Eastbourne in running for second award of the year
Eastbourne has once again reached the final for the best UK resort in the Group Leisure Industry Awards 2006. Should it win again, it would be represent the second honour that Eastbourne has collected this year, having already won the most friendly UK destination award at the 2006 Group Travel Awards.

JP Morgan assesses UK betting and gaming
Financial giant JP Morgan has identified UK betting and gaming stocks as presenting an "attractive investment opportunity in the medium term" due to deregulation under the Gambling Act. It has picked betting as a favoured sub-sector, and listed Ladbrokes as its top stock pick.

[Casinonews]

Gala executive steps down
John Kelly will relinquish his executive duties as chairman of bingo group Gala-Coral this week. Kelly, who will become a non-executive director, said Neil Goulden would continue as chief executive for the company.

MTV founder wants Hard Rock
MTV co-founder Robert Pittman's Pilot Group is thought to be the leading bidder for Rank's £500 million Hard Rock Cafe restaurant chain. Other firms interested are thought to include private-equity groups Permira and TDR Capital, and the American buyout firm Apollo.

PartyGaming and 888 hold 'early' merger talks
Executives from PartyGaming and 888 Holdings have held preliminary talks over a possible merger, with more planned in the near future, according to reports. Experts predict that the companies would have a market value of £1.6 billion if they were to merge.

Thistle Hotel granted Glasgow casino license
The City of Glasgow Licensing Board has granted the Glasgow Thistle Hotel a gaming licence allowing it to begin work on a £7 million project to convert its ballroom into a 'Las Vegas-style' casino. The Thistle Group argued that the casino would be a 'niche product' that was unavailable anywhere else outside London.

BetXTech launches Betting Kiosk in Birmingham
Software developer BetXTech showcased its new networked XSS EPOS terminal at the Betting Show in Birmingham's NEC last week. The Betfair integrated machine is fitted with bill acceptors, credit card swipes, thermal printer and touch-screen monitor, and boasts wi-fi capabilities.

River City announce new InDepth conferences
The River City Group has announced two more of its InDepth conference series focusing on casual games and bingo. Taking place across November 9-10th in Vancouver, the conferences will discuss legalities, software developments, marketing and community-building issues in both sectors.

Horseracing to attract £300 million investment by 2012
A report commissioned by the Racecourse Holdings Trust has found that British horse racing will attract £300 million in investment by 2012. Deloitte & Touche found that increased investment in racetracks and the extended racing calendar will cause a rise in attendance and turnover, making the sport the country's second most popular sports investment sector after football.

Bally considers selling Rainbow
Bally Technologies has appointed Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC to evaluate the sale of its Rainbow Casino in Mississippi. The gaming technology company said that it was considering a sale to reduce a portion of its long-term debt before acknowledging that the announcement would likely result in a 'dilution of the company's earnings per share.

Ontario proposes Internet advertising ban
The Canadian province of Ontario is hoping that a proposed ban on Internet gambling advertisements will prompt a federal crackdown on online gambling. The province's minister of government services, Gerry Phillips, said that the ban aimed to stem the flow of young people gambling online.

British tourist board reports 44-1 ratio
VisitBritain reported that it had generated an average return on investment of £44 visitor spend for every £1 spent on marketing inbound tourism over the past three years. In its annual review for 2005-06, the tourist organisation showed that it had also dealt with nearly 10 million enquiries.

Olympic proposal wants more lottery money
A proposal by the UK Treasury has suggested that all non-arts related Lottery funding be used to finance the 2012 Olympics project. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that it was studying a revised Olympic budget, which could be up to three times the initial £2.4 billion estimate, and that lottery players could be a source of extra funding.

Asia is new online prize
Asia is going to be the 'prize' of the online gambling industry when it overcomes its current legal issues according to Simon Holliday of Global Betting and Gaming Consultants. Speaking at the Remote Gambling Associations AGM, Holliday said that the Chinese online gaming market, 94 per cent of which is unregulated, would take time to crack.

Sun revenue rises by 16 per cent
South Africa gaming group Sun International has reported an increase in revenue by 16 per cent for the third-quarter compared to 2005. In its trading report, Sun revealed that overall earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation margin was 34.3 per cent, compared to 31.2 percent in the same period a year ago.

Jowell issues 'prohibition' warning
British culture secretary Tessa Jowell has compared the US' stance on Internet gambling to alcohol prohibition in the early 1920s and said that it would force customers to seek unregulated alternatives. She went on to add that the UK's plans to regulate the industry will do most to protect children and vulnerable people.

G2E reports international increase
The American Gaming Association has reported a 20 per cent growth in international exhibitors, a 54 percent rise in event sponsorships as well as a 15 percent increase in pre-registration for its Global Gaming Expo. G2E takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nevada from 14-16th November. Click here for more details.

Parlay and Chartwell merger terminated
Parlay Entertainment and Chartwell Technology have terminated their already postponed merger plans, citing market uncertainty due to the passing of the United States' Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Parlay's shares dropped by 19 per cent after the announcement.

Betfair launches Russian football probe
Betfair has launched an enquiry into suspicious betting patterns surrounding a Russian football league match between FC Luch-Energia Vladivostok and FC Tom Tomsk. The betting exchange's integrity division was alerted after an estimated £800,000 was taken on Luch winning, which was over a 'hundred times' what would normally be bet on such a match.

IGC and Coca-Cola project extended
Amusement machine developer Inspired Gaming Group said that it was expanding a machine trial development begun in Ireland with drinks giant Coca Cola. The new vending machines will sell Coke as well as ring tones and pre-pay top-up vouchers for mobile phones, act as jukeboxes and allow customers to burn CDs and play computer games.