The Ongame Network is likely to amount to "surplus assets” once Bwin and PartyGaming have combined platforms following their merger at the end of the current quarter and will either be sold in full or offered to strategic partners to take a stake, a Bwin spokesman has confirmed.
He confirmed that Ongame was included in the assets referred to in the merger prospectus as “no longer needed”, and potentially up for sale to "generate revenue which can subsquently be reinvested".
“There will be surplus assets once platforms are unified, and this may be poker. Bwin and Party have strong platforms, and in order to avoid duplication, not all platforms will be needed” , he said.
“Ongame may be repackaged, offered to a potential buyer. Partnerships are also thinkable, where they would take an interest. But no deadlines for this have been decided.”
The spokesman also emphasised that the companies were “not in a hurry” to offload the network, and would perhaps prefer to await US regulation in order realise the highest possible price and therefore maximise value for shareholders through the merger.
“We believe that the trend to regulation in the US is still there. Even though Congress is not dominated by Democrats any more, this does not make it different from our perspective.
“We understand that that the American gaming industry wants online poker regulated, as they want access to that revenue stream. Regulatory developments in the US would raise interest in these assets. But we haven’t yet established any firm deadline, and will look at all options.”
Bwin acquired the Ongame network for €474m in December 2005, but was subsequently forced to write down the value of its acquisition following its pull-out from the US in October 2006.
February 10, 2011
February 08, 2011
Spanish cabinet approves draft gaming law
The Spanish cabinet has today approved a draft law to regulate all forms of remote gaming, including mobile.
The bill will now go before the country’s Congress on Tuesday, before passing to the Senate and being notified to the European Commission, laying the foundations for a potential legislative framework to be put in place by the end of 2011.
The tax model approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers is however not yet known. Industry associations such as the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) have been lobbying against a turnover tax for sports betting, arguing this would result in an uncompetitive offering to Spanish consumers. The governing Socialist Workers Party is believed to be in favour of a tax on turnover rather than gross profit.
Santiago Asensi, a gaming lawyer with Asensi Abogados in Madrid, said the priorities of the ruling party had potential to hinder the progress of the bill in a format desired by online operators.
“The gaming industry and the opposition People’s Party have been clamouring hard against turnover tax, and gaming groups from all areas of Spain have been pushing hard for a gross profits tax to be implemented .
“The socialists have so far been keen to implement a turnover tax, but there is a chance that they will eventually respond to the pressure. We will only know their response when we hear the official confirmation from the government.”
The European Commission’s forthcoming decision on Danish proposals to tax the online industry at a different rate to the land-based industry also had potential to slow the passage of legislation, according to Asensi.
The European Commission is, however, not expected to receive the draft bill until June or July, at which point the statutory standstill period set aside for review of the proposed legislation will commence. The usual three months is expected to apply in the Spanish case.
It is uncertain whether the system used in the autonomous region of Madrid – where licenses may be issued as soon as operators meet a predetermined set of requirements – will be applied on a national level. Madrid issued authorisations to existing land-based casinos and bingo halls in 2007 for offering online betting, casino and bingo.
The bill will now go before the country’s Congress on Tuesday, before passing to the Senate and being notified to the European Commission, laying the foundations for a potential legislative framework to be put in place by the end of 2011.
The tax model approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers is however not yet known. Industry associations such as the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) have been lobbying against a turnover tax for sports betting, arguing this would result in an uncompetitive offering to Spanish consumers. The governing Socialist Workers Party is believed to be in favour of a tax on turnover rather than gross profit.
Santiago Asensi, a gaming lawyer with Asensi Abogados in Madrid, said the priorities of the ruling party had potential to hinder the progress of the bill in a format desired by online operators.
“The gaming industry and the opposition People’s Party have been clamouring hard against turnover tax, and gaming groups from all areas of Spain have been pushing hard for a gross profits tax to be implemented .
“The socialists have so far been keen to implement a turnover tax, but there is a chance that they will eventually respond to the pressure. We will only know their response when we hear the official confirmation from the government.”
The European Commission’s forthcoming decision on Danish proposals to tax the online industry at a different rate to the land-based industry also had potential to slow the passage of legislation, according to Asensi.
The European Commission is, however, not expected to receive the draft bill until June or July, at which point the statutory standstill period set aside for review of the proposed legislation will commence. The usual three months is expected to apply in the Spanish case.
It is uncertain whether the system used in the autonomous region of Madrid – where licenses may be issued as soon as operators meet a predetermined set of requirements – will be applied on a national level. Madrid issued authorisations to existing land-based casinos and bingo halls in 2007 for offering online betting, casino and bingo.
February 07, 2011
Interpol deny investigation into Newcastle - Arsenal game
A French television station reported at the weekend that German authorities had alerted senior Interpol officials after spotting suspicious betting patterns during Saturday’s game, which ended in a draw after Arsenal led 4-0 at half-time.
An Interpol spokeswoman told the Telegraph this morning that it does not conduct independent investigations and has not received any information or request for assistance in relation to the allegations.
“Interpol is not aware of any request for assistance and any investigation would be conducted by national authorities. Interpol’s general secretariat has not been asked to provide any assistance in relation to this matter,” said the spokeswoman.
The Premier League has not been notified of any investigation into the game at St James’s Park.
An Interpol spokeswoman told the Telegraph this morning that it does not conduct independent investigations and has not received any information or request for assistance in relation to the allegations.
“Interpol is not aware of any request for assistance and any investigation would be conducted by national authorities. Interpol’s general secretariat has not been asked to provide any assistance in relation to this matter,” said the spokeswoman.
The Premier League has not been notified of any investigation into the game at St James’s Park.
February 02, 2011
NJ legalises betting exchanges
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie yesterday signed bills to legalise exchange wagering and single-pool wagering, as part of a package aimed at propping up the Garden State’s ailing racing industries.
Christie said in a statement after applying his signature to Senate bills S-2229 and A-2926: “These measures represent the next steps in following through on my administration's commitment to securing a strong, independent, self-sufficient horse-racing industry in New Jersey. We are providing new tools to help the industry implement new strategies, generate additional revenue and capitalise on interest in horse racing around the state.”
S229 would allow the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to contract with a betting exchange operator to provide this form of wagering in the state.
The bill’s passage into law will have been welcomed by European-based betting exchanges Betfair and Global Betting Exchange-owned Betdaq. The formerentered the US in January 2009 with the US$50m purchase of horse racing TV and wagering network TVG. California last year passed a similar bill allowing for exchange wagering by 2012.
Christie now has 20 days left to decide whether or not to sign Senator Raymond Lesniak’s S490 egaming bill to allow Atlantic City’s casinos to offer online versions of their games. In addition to making New Jersey the first US state to license and regulate egaming, the bill would also redirect a portion of tax revenues raised towards New Jersey’s ailing horse racing industry.
Christie said in a statement after applying his signature to Senate bills S-2229 and A-2926: “These measures represent the next steps in following through on my administration's commitment to securing a strong, independent, self-sufficient horse-racing industry in New Jersey. We are providing new tools to help the industry implement new strategies, generate additional revenue and capitalise on interest in horse racing around the state.”
S229 would allow the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to contract with a betting exchange operator to provide this form of wagering in the state.
The bill’s passage into law will have been welcomed by European-based betting exchanges Betfair and Global Betting Exchange-owned Betdaq. The formerentered the US in January 2009 with the US$50m purchase of horse racing TV and wagering network TVG. California last year passed a similar bill allowing for exchange wagering by 2012.
Christie now has 20 days left to decide whether or not to sign Senator Raymond Lesniak’s S490 egaming bill to allow Atlantic City’s casinos to offer online versions of their games. In addition to making New Jersey the first US state to license and regulate egaming, the bill would also redirect a portion of tax revenues raised towards New Jersey’s ailing horse racing industry.
February 01, 2011
Parlay to launch integrated social bingo application
Online bingo platform provider Parlay Entertainment Inc. and Wonder Interactive have joined forces to integrate features of the WonderBingo Facebook application with the Alderney Parlay Game Services network.
WonderBingo was launched on Facebook in late 2010 and currently enjoys over 67,000 active monthly users. The Facebook app delivers social networking content and features, virtual currencies and community assets, and has already been integrated into the Parlay Game Services North America network.
Parlay said that following the success achieved on Facebook, they took the step to create an innovative online bingo offering by combining the community features and assets used within the Facebook app with Parlay’s bingo technologies. Those features include community rankings, friending, updates and profiles, and free-play bingo for cash prizes.
“We are very pleased with the success of WonderBingo and we look forward to the launch of this truly unique gaming product for Internet bingo,” said Jacob Fuller, President of Wonder Interactive. “We acknowledge that the success of our WonderBingo product on Facebook clearly demonstrates the demand for social content. We expect excellent reception of these same features within an Internet bingo gaming environment and believe that the social hooks within the game will keep our players faithful to WonderBingo.”
“WonderBingo is just another example of how Parlay continues to drive innovation within the online bingo industry,” added Perry Malone, CTO and co-founder of Parlay. “Although many others have followed and have done well in their own right as online bingo has grown, Parlay continues to show thought leadership as it drives new opportunities in this rapidly evolving gaming sector.”
WonderBingo was launched on Facebook in late 2010 and currently enjoys over 67,000 active monthly users. The Facebook app delivers social networking content and features, virtual currencies and community assets, and has already been integrated into the Parlay Game Services North America network.
Parlay said that following the success achieved on Facebook, they took the step to create an innovative online bingo offering by combining the community features and assets used within the Facebook app with Parlay’s bingo technologies. Those features include community rankings, friending, updates and profiles, and free-play bingo for cash prizes.
“We are very pleased with the success of WonderBingo and we look forward to the launch of this truly unique gaming product for Internet bingo,” said Jacob Fuller, President of Wonder Interactive. “We acknowledge that the success of our WonderBingo product on Facebook clearly demonstrates the demand for social content. We expect excellent reception of these same features within an Internet bingo gaming environment and believe that the social hooks within the game will keep our players faithful to WonderBingo.”
“WonderBingo is just another example of how Parlay continues to drive innovation within the online bingo industry,” added Perry Malone, CTO and co-founder of Parlay. “Although many others have followed and have done well in their own right as online bingo has grown, Parlay continues to show thought leadership as it drives new opportunities in this rapidly evolving gaming sector.”
January 27, 2011
Greece to auction up to 50 online betting licences
Opening up gaming will be a major step for the debt-ridden country, which hopes to get hundreds of millions of euros in extra revenues. The move will also put it back in line with EU regulations and allow it to stop paying hefty fines to Brussels.
“The bill is expected to be voted within the first quarter of the year,” the official, who has direct knowledge of the government plans, said on condition of anonymity. “Our aim is to tender the licences by the end of the year.”
Greece aims at proceeds of at least 700 million euros ($949 million) from new gaming licences and royalties this year as part of the EU/IMF bailout plan that saved it from bankruptcy last year. It has earmarked another 625 million euros for 2012.
The country had struggled to crack down on unlicenced gambling, estimated at about 4 billion euros a year, since it imposed a blanket ban on gaming machines in 2002.
Betting monopoly Opap and slot machines in casinos were excluded from the ban.
The official did not say what the duration of the new betting licences or the payout would be. Referring to the VLTs, the source added that there would be a limit on wagers.
Greece’s finance ministry was not immediately available for comment.
“The bill is expected to be voted within the first quarter of the year,” the official, who has direct knowledge of the government plans, said on condition of anonymity. “Our aim is to tender the licences by the end of the year.”
Greece aims at proceeds of at least 700 million euros ($949 million) from new gaming licences and royalties this year as part of the EU/IMF bailout plan that saved it from bankruptcy last year. It has earmarked another 625 million euros for 2012.
The country had struggled to crack down on unlicenced gambling, estimated at about 4 billion euros a year, since it imposed a blanket ban on gaming machines in 2002.
Betting monopoly Opap and slot machines in casinos were excluded from the ban.
The official did not say what the duration of the new betting licences or the payout would be. Referring to the VLTs, the source added that there would be a limit on wagers.
Greece’s finance ministry was not immediately available for comment.
January 25, 2011
Mandalay puts Tournament.com up for sale
Costa Bingo and Casino Choice owner Mandalay Media Group has put its Tournament.com domain up for sale after deciding not to re-enter the skill gaming arena.
Mandalay owners Richard Skelhorn and Alex Holt launched pay-to-enter first person shooter tournaments on the Tournament.com and Tournament.co.uk domains in 2007, under licence from games provider Valve, operating their CounterStrike and Half-Life games, but decided to close the site the following year due to financial pressures.
In a statement today, Skelhorn and Holt said: “We still believe there is a market for pay-to-enter video game tournaments, however due to the investment required in infrastructure and content licensing it is something that we have decided not to re-approach.
“We believe that unless a content owner like EA approach it themselves and therefore remove the licence fee element we will not see a third party operator again on the scale Tournament.com achieved. We are ready to sell the domain now along with the .co.uk and move on.”
The Tournament.com founders said they believed the domain would interest a wide range of businesses, including poker sites and games publishers.
“The word 'tournament' is very descriptive and generates over five million Google searches per month. It could be developed into a very powerful brand in the right hands,” said Skelhorn and Holt.
Mandalay said it would be reviewing sensible offers received via the contact form on the Tournament.com website.
Mandalay owners Richard Skelhorn and Alex Holt launched pay-to-enter first person shooter tournaments on the Tournament.com and Tournament.co.uk domains in 2007, under licence from games provider Valve, operating their CounterStrike and Half-Life games, but decided to close the site the following year due to financial pressures.
In a statement today, Skelhorn and Holt said: “We still believe there is a market for pay-to-enter video game tournaments, however due to the investment required in infrastructure and content licensing it is something that we have decided not to re-approach.
“We believe that unless a content owner like EA approach it themselves and therefore remove the licence fee element we will not see a third party operator again on the scale Tournament.com achieved. We are ready to sell the domain now along with the .co.uk and move on.”
The Tournament.com founders said they believed the domain would interest a wide range of businesses, including poker sites and games publishers.
“The word 'tournament' is very descriptive and generates over five million Google searches per month. It could be developed into a very powerful brand in the right hands,” said Skelhorn and Holt.
Mandalay said it would be reviewing sensible offers received via the contact form on the Tournament.com website.
January 15, 2011
Police arrest former Weather Lottery CEO
The former CEO of The Weather Lottery (TWL), Keith Milhench, together with another former employee, Amie Pickersgill-Smith, have been jointly charged by Nottinghamshire Police with seven counts of fraud and four charges of theft totalling £80,000 against the company.
The charges relate to the alleged misappropriation of jackpot payments to lottery winners between April 2008 and April 2010, when both Milhench and Pickersgill-Smith worked for TWL.
The matter was referred to Nottinghamshire Police following an investigation by the UK Gambling Commission. Nottinghamshire Police have confirmed that no one else connected with TWL is suspected of any wrongdoing and that they are satisfied that the alleged victims have been identified.
Milhench was CEO of TWL until September of last year when he resigned from the role, citing “ill health” and an inability to carry on with his duties. Milhench formed Lottery Service Providers Ltd in 2000, which performed all of the administrative duties for TWL, serving as its managing director. He was later appointed CEO of TWL in April 2006.
In TWL’s most recent financial results, the company stated that Milhench was a director of CBI Holdings Limited, parent company of Cantbuyit Limited. During the course of last year, TWL made payments of £5,950 on behalf of Cantbuyit and at the end of the year was owed £9,450 from the company. The amount has been provided for as “irrecoverable” as at July 31st 2010, although the company said it will pursue repayment.
TWL also stated that Milhench received loans of £17,940 from the company, all of which were outstanding at the year end. Milhench received 4,800,000 share options in TWL during the last financial year, worth £48,000.
Both Milhench and Pickersgill-Smith will appear before Nottingham magistrates on January 24th.
TWL confirmed that its Gambling Commission license to operate as an External Lottery Manager, held by Prize Provision Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, remains in place having been renewed last October.
The charges relate to the alleged misappropriation of jackpot payments to lottery winners between April 2008 and April 2010, when both Milhench and Pickersgill-Smith worked for TWL.
The matter was referred to Nottinghamshire Police following an investigation by the UK Gambling Commission. Nottinghamshire Police have confirmed that no one else connected with TWL is suspected of any wrongdoing and that they are satisfied that the alleged victims have been identified.
Milhench was CEO of TWL until September of last year when he resigned from the role, citing “ill health” and an inability to carry on with his duties. Milhench formed Lottery Service Providers Ltd in 2000, which performed all of the administrative duties for TWL, serving as its managing director. He was later appointed CEO of TWL in April 2006.
In TWL’s most recent financial results, the company stated that Milhench was a director of CBI Holdings Limited, parent company of Cantbuyit Limited. During the course of last year, TWL made payments of £5,950 on behalf of Cantbuyit and at the end of the year was owed £9,450 from the company. The amount has been provided for as “irrecoverable” as at July 31st 2010, although the company said it will pursue repayment.
TWL also stated that Milhench received loans of £17,940 from the company, all of which were outstanding at the year end. Milhench received 4,800,000 share options in TWL during the last financial year, worth £48,000.
Both Milhench and Pickersgill-Smith will appear before Nottingham magistrates on January 24th.
TWL confirmed that its Gambling Commission license to operate as an External Lottery Manager, held by Prize Provision Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, remains in place having been renewed last October.
January 11, 2011
Béraud appointed president of BetClic Everest
Nicolas Béraud, the founder of BetClic, has been named the new president of the BetClic Everest Group.
He replaces Stéphane Courbit, founder and former chairman of the group which changed its name from Mangas Gaming in November. Courbit has stepped down after more than two years in the role.
Béraud set up BetClic in 2005, selling the bookmaker to Courbit’s Mangas group in 2008, and had been CEO of the group since March last year. In his new role, he will be tasked with overseeing the management of the four companies under BetClic Everest’s control: Everest Gaming, BetClic, Bet-at-Home and Expekt.
In addition to serving as CEO of the BetClic Everest Group, Béraud was interim CEO of Expekt following the departure of Per Widerström in December 2009.
He is not the only member of the group to move into a new role. Former vice-chairwoman Isabelle Parize is now the new chief of the group’s skill games site SkillStar.com, while Jean-Laurent Nabet has been named as the new chairman of the group’s holding company, which is split evenly between Stéphane Courbit’s Lov Group and high-end hotel owners Societe des Bains de Mer.
Courbit’s influence within BetClic Everest will not be entirely eliminated. Lov Group still controls 50% of the group’s holding company, whose new chairman Nabet has worked alongside the 45-year-old entrepreneur since joining Lov Group in 2008.
BetClic Everest rose three places to fourth in eGR’s 2010 Power 50, but moves to regulate European markets – and the French market in particular – have grated with the group’s management.
In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro last November, former Endemol France chairman Courbit claimed French authorities were responsible for imposing the “worst online gambling laws in Europe.”
At the time he complained that “we are overtaxed, the scope of authorised gambling is too limited and the rate of return to players is too low.”
He replaces Stéphane Courbit, founder and former chairman of the group which changed its name from Mangas Gaming in November. Courbit has stepped down after more than two years in the role.
Béraud set up BetClic in 2005, selling the bookmaker to Courbit’s Mangas group in 2008, and had been CEO of the group since March last year. In his new role, he will be tasked with overseeing the management of the four companies under BetClic Everest’s control: Everest Gaming, BetClic, Bet-at-Home and Expekt.
In addition to serving as CEO of the BetClic Everest Group, Béraud was interim CEO of Expekt following the departure of Per Widerström in December 2009.
He is not the only member of the group to move into a new role. Former vice-chairwoman Isabelle Parize is now the new chief of the group’s skill games site SkillStar.com, while Jean-Laurent Nabet has been named as the new chairman of the group’s holding company, which is split evenly between Stéphane Courbit’s Lov Group and high-end hotel owners Societe des Bains de Mer.
Courbit’s influence within BetClic Everest will not be entirely eliminated. Lov Group still controls 50% of the group’s holding company, whose new chairman Nabet has worked alongside the 45-year-old entrepreneur since joining Lov Group in 2008.
BetClic Everest rose three places to fourth in eGR’s 2010 Power 50, but moves to regulate European markets – and the French market in particular – have grated with the group’s management.
In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro last November, former Endemol France chairman Courbit claimed French authorities were responsible for imposing the “worst online gambling laws in Europe.”
At the time he complained that “we are overtaxed, the scope of authorised gambling is too limited and the rate of return to players is too low.”
NJ legislature votes to legalise egaming
The New Jersey Assembly this evening voted overwhelmingly in favour of Senator Raymond Lesniak’s bill to allow egaming in the US state.
In a vote taken at 6:44PM Eastern Time, Lesniak’s S490 bill to allow Atlantic City casinos to offer online versions of their games to state residents received 63 votes in favour, 11 against, and three abstentions, comfortably ahead of the 41 votes required for passage.
Having passed both the New Jersey Senate and the Assembly, this evening’s vote leaves New Jersey just one step away from becoming the first US state to get a law legalising and regulating egaming on the statute books.
The bill now passes to Governor Chris Christie, becoming law upon his signature or after 45 days if no action is taken during this time. Christie has however yet to publicly declare his position on Lesniak's bill.
President and CEO of New Jersey-based games supplier High 5 Games, Anthony Singer, said: "This is an historic day for New Jersey. With the state legislature’s decision to legalise internet gaming, New Jersey now becomes the center of the US iGaming industry.
“We are optimistic that Governor Chris Christie will sign this important piece of legislation into law to revive the state’s gaming industry. This law will allow our state’s gaming industry to thrive, creating more jobs and much needed tax revenue for the people of New Jersey."
In a vote taken at 6:44PM Eastern Time, Lesniak’s S490 bill to allow Atlantic City casinos to offer online versions of their games to state residents received 63 votes in favour, 11 against, and three abstentions, comfortably ahead of the 41 votes required for passage.
Having passed both the New Jersey Senate and the Assembly, this evening’s vote leaves New Jersey just one step away from becoming the first US state to get a law legalising and regulating egaming on the statute books.
The bill now passes to Governor Chris Christie, becoming law upon his signature or after 45 days if no action is taken during this time. Christie has however yet to publicly declare his position on Lesniak's bill.
President and CEO of New Jersey-based games supplier High 5 Games, Anthony Singer, said: "This is an historic day for New Jersey. With the state legislature’s decision to legalise internet gaming, New Jersey now becomes the center of the US iGaming industry.
“We are optimistic that Governor Chris Christie will sign this important piece of legislation into law to revive the state’s gaming industry. This law will allow our state’s gaming industry to thrive, creating more jobs and much needed tax revenue for the people of New Jersey."
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