Gaming Industry News (GIN) 10. Juli 2011

10.07.2011, Gaming Industry News is the weekly e-news service from ICE Totally Gaming, sent to a 40,000-plus database of professional buyers and influencers in over 190 global jurisdictions. GIN is a free news service provided by Clarion Events:

GAMING INDUSTRY NEWS

UK gaming regulations amended STREET A grand committee in the UK's House of Lords has passed the Categories of Gaming Machine (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and the Gambling Act 2005 (Gaming Machines in Adult Gaming Centres and Bingo Premises) Order 2011. The Categories of Gaming Machine (Amendment) Regulations 2011 will increase the stake limit for B3 machines-that is, the maximum amount that can be staked on a single game-from £1 to £2, while the Gambling Act 2005 (Gaming Machines in Adult Gaming Centres and Bingo Premises) Order 2011 will vary the maximum number of these machines that AGCs and bingo clubs can offer customers to 20 per cent of the total number of gaming machines available for use on an individual premises. The new laws should come into effect during the latter half of July. The House of Lords said it would also like to see a return to the triennial review system, which reviews gaming machine stakes and prizes every three years.

Betfair files complaint over new German gambling legislation BETTING Online betting exchange Betfair has filed a complaint with the European Union about Germany's proposed new gambling legislation, which it described as "discriminatory and protectionist". Germany's 16 federal states have been forced to open the country's betting market after the EU Court of Justice ruled in September 2010 that Germany's betting monopoly, which only allows state-owned companies to offer most sports betting, violated European laws. Betfair believes the new laws, under which only seven sports betting licences will be issued, will only serve to increase the states' monopoly. It was also critical of the 16.67 per cent tax that licence holders would be forced to pay on each stake, as well as a rule that would allow punters to bet no more than 750 Euro's per month.

Aldernay enters talks to refinance Full Tilt Poker ONLINE The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) has announced that it is in discussions, all be it at an early stage, with its licensees trading as Full Tilt Poker and a third party concerning the prospective refinancing of Full Tilt Poker. It said the objective of the discussions is to enable the site to re-open to Full Tilt's current and prospective players. The AGCC also said that contrary to current reports circulating in the media, it had not authorised any statement by legal counsel in this regard and has no knowledge of the comments attributed by the editor of GamblingCity.net to a Mr. Werner Bers, of whom it said it is otherwise unaware, and disputes the correctness of his statement.

Macau's gaming revenue more than doubles CASINO Chinese tourists' voracious appetite for gambling has been credited as the reason behind Macau's 52.4 per cent rise in gaming revenue in June. Casinos in the Chinese territory took 20.79 billion patacas last month, up from 13.64 billion patacas a year earlier. This was still just short of the record 24.31 billion patacas they made in May, boosted by a week-long public holiday and the opening of Galaxy Entertainment Group's new $2bn resort. Figures released by the region's government showed that gaming revenue for the first half of 2011 was up by 44.6 per cent. As it is the only legal gambling destination in China, Chinese citizens account for the majority of Macau's visitors.

Rank Group board performs fifth u-turn on Guoco takeover BINGO The board of gaming operator Rank Group has yet again changed its position on the takeover offer of Malaysian investment firm Guoco Group. It has also seen Ian Burke return to the role of chief executive, despite announcing his resignation with immediate effect last week. Burke had invoked the ire of the Guoco, which hopes to complete its takeover by July 15, by suggesting in his resignation statement that it was more than likely that Guoco would delist Rank. Guoco released a statement expressing disappointment at Burke's point of view, as well as at the Rank's board various u-turns over the takeover offer, and declared that delisisting was not an outcome it had ever sought to bring about. On Monday, however, Guoco announced it was pleased that Burke had agreed to return with immediate effect and to become chairman as well as chief executive when the offer closes. On the same day, the Rank board reversed its position once again and advised shareholders to reject the offer.

Swiftstake adds former 888 CEO to its board LOTTERY Swiftstake Technologies, a provider of real-time marketing intelligence and targeted suggestive selling solutions to the retail sports betting and lottery sector, has appointed former 888 CEO John Anderson as its non-executive director. Still sitting on the board at 888 and chairman of the Interactive Gaming Council, Anderson has been brought in to provide strategic insight into the gaming sector and help to drive the growth and direction of the business. He led 888 Holdings in a successful IPO on the main listing of the London Stock Exchange in September 2005, capitalising the company at £590million. Anderson also oversaw a steady rising growth of profits before stepping down in 2006. Swiftstake announced its entry into the sports betting and lottery market in May and is already launched its Bet+ and Lotto+ products.

Melco Crown proves its green credentials CASINO Melco Crown Entertainment Limited a developer and owner of casino gaming and entertainment resort facilities focused on the Macau gaming market, has confirmed its environmental credentials with a number of awards. Its flagship resort, City of Dreams, has become the first integrated and entertainment resort in Macau to receive Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Certification issued by SGS, a world-wide international certification company. The IEQ Certification is given for high levels of comfort, hygiene and sanitary conditions and air quality in all common areas, including the gaming area, restaurants, hotels and shopping areas. All three hotels in City of Dreams have received the Bronze Award in the 2010 Macao Green Hotel Award. The award has been designed to leverage the importance of environmental management within the sector, and honour hotel establishments that have committed to environmental management.

Probability secures first overseas partnership MOBILE UK mobile gambling service provider Probability has entered into a commercial agreement with Grupo Caliente, a long established gaming group based in Tijuana, Mexico with interests in casino, racing and bingo in Latin America. Under the agreement, which is the first of its kind for Probability, the company's mobile gambling services will be offered to players in Mexico and Latin America under Caliente's local gambling licences. The firm also announced that it has continued to experience strong top line growth in player acquisition and player deposits for the period from April 1 to June 30. Player deposits in the quarter were 82.6 per cent higher than the same quarter in the previous year, while Probability's net gaming revenue was 45.6 higher than the same quarter in the previous year. It processed record wagers in June 2011, with a peak of 17 bets per second during the evening of June 29. June 2011 also saw the highest ever level of player deposits for a single month.

Betfred makes key appointments BETTING UK bookmaker Betfred has appointed Trevor Beaumont, formerly CEO of the Tote, as the new CEO of the enlarged Betfred Group. Prior to becoming Tote CEO in 2004, Beaumont was managing director of Coral Eurobet, racing director of the British Horseracing Board, and managing director of the betting and gaming division of UKbetting PLC. Betfred has also appointed former Tote managing director Joe Scanlon as the director of racing for the enlarged group. Scanlon will work with UK racecourses to develop new commercial relationships with horse racing. He will also be a member of the newly formed Tote Development Racing Board.

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