Online Casino and Gambling News: March 2009

A statement on the French government website, widely reported in the French media yesterday, delivers further information on French moves to open up that country's gambling markets.

Lottomatica S.p.A.’s wholly-owned subsidiary, GTECH Corporation Owner of Boss Media), has announced that it has been chosen as the preferred bidder to negotiate a seven-year integrated services contract with the New York Lottery to provide new online lottery solutions and services. The Lottery has the option to extend the contract for an additional three years. GTECH’s proposed solution set includes a full suite of online and instant systems, up to 20,000 online lottery terminals, a variety of self-service lottery products and multimedia technology, a new wireless telecommunications network, instant-ticket warehousing, and ongoing services.

London-listed and based Managed Gaming Solutions plc (formerly Mobile Gaming Solutions), a provider of mobile and interactive gaming technology solutions, has strengthened its business positioning in the Caribbean region with the launch of interactive mobile lottery services in Curacao (Netherland Antilles) in collaboration with operating partner Sure Lottery, a local licensed lottery provider.

Online gambling marketers should again take note of the UK Advertising Standards Association's sensitivity to ads that might appeal to the underaged following its latest bans.

A six figure integrated TV, radio, press and online advertising campaign crafted by the JDA agency for Tombola Bingo was dislocated following a complaint that the material might appeal to youngsters.

It appears from the latest development in the case that iMEGA is pursuing against the US government and its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that the Department of Justice is reluctant to expose the practical shortcomings of the Act.

The European Gaming and Betting Association has published some penetrating and perhaps prescient questions regarding the liberalisation of the French gambling market currently underway.

Jadestone Networks, the Swedish company which owns and operates multiplayer gaming networks GamArena and DiceArena, has announced that the launch of its latest offering - online backgammon - is imminent. Licensees Bwin, NordicBet and Paf will be the first of Jadestone's partner sites to carry the new Backgammon network, which will debut in the northern hemisphere spring.

Following our earlier InfoPowa report on a new anti-problem gambling initiative launched at state colleges by the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, we now have more detail on the survey carried out by the University of South Florida.

[inline:ironman-head.jpg]London-listed online gambling software provider Playtech plc has signed another major movie and comic heroes deal, this time with Marvel Characters N.V. The agreement covers use of a selection of hit box-office block-busters, including "Iron Man" and “The Fantastic Four”, as well as their sequels, in addition to "The Incredible Hulk”, and the “Blade” and “X Men” trilogies amongst others.

Bwin is currently moving online poker players from its PokerRoom subsidiary across to Bwin in a move announced earlier this month. The move is being interpreted as an essentially rebranding initiative by industry observers, who have previously noted the lacklustre operational performance of PokerRoom.