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PartyBets – alliance with Sporting Index on horse race betting

The PartyGaming, leading global online betting, has launched its platform PartyBets.com a full service betting at fixed on horse races through an alliance with Sporting Index. The new service provides a comprehensive coverage of services for all races taking place in Great Britain and Ireland and the major international races, including bets to share initial bets antepost and special.

All services compilation quota fixed horserace betting and related services business associates are provided by PartyBets.com Spin Services, a newly created division within the Sporting Index. The launch of the service betting on races of PartyBets is supported by an innovative promotion that doubles winnings on the first and fifth bet for all new customers.

A spokesman PartyGaming said: “Operators of Sporting Index are well known to be among the best in the sector and have made the company a world leader acknowledged the spread betting. Unirci the Sporting Index to expand our services betting at fixed been a winning move. ”

Richard Glynn, director general of Sporting Index, said: “The Spin Services is designed to assist industry gambling and betting in all its business needs. We are pleased to enable PartyBets to offer its customers services for the excellent level of racing horses. “

PartyGaming makes deal with RTL Interactive

Party Gaming, the world’s leading publicly traded online gaming company agreed the conclusion of an exclusive contract with RTL interactive, a subsidiary of the German TV station RTL Television, which is part of the RTL Group, Europe’s leading entertainment and media network.

Due to the great popularity of poker, RTL in Germany has decided to launch a new German site to launch the poker-interested users with information and game tips supplies. Already, the site has RTL.de over six million unique visitors per month.

On the new website will RTLPoker.de exclusive advertising links to PartyPoker.net, the leading free online poker school worldwide. RTL interactive is on the RTL.de-Netzwerk for RTLPoker.de, and the poker school PartyPoker.net advertise. In addition, TV commercials for the new achievements in the largest German private broadcaster, RTL Television, broadcast.
Party Gaming has the free poker school at PartyPoker.net operate, including the technical and administrative infrastructure. In addition, exclusive material for RTLPoker.de available.
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Svenska Spel one step closer in losing their gambling monopoly

Swedish gambling monopoly Svenska Spel looks much closer in losing their position in the Sweden’s gambling market after the annual conference of the Moderate Party saw a vote in support of a proposal to abolish the current government monopoly and to pursue a course to privatize Svenska Spel.

A formal timetable for the process of de-monoplozation is not public yet, so the problems of complying with the EU regulation still remain .

Poker news notes :

On Friday, Svenska Spel announced that a state-controlled gaming company had obtained permission from its government to offer online poker in cooperation with Svenska Spel and its online-gaming software supplier Boss Media. While the name of the procuring company was not disclosed, they are a member of The World Lottery Association and will use Boss Media’s software and Svenska Spel’s security and supervision systems. Why would Sweden want to sell off this successful moneymaking venture? While the company has come under fire for targeting the poorer population of Sweden and overly aggressive advertising campaigns, the real answer probably resides with Sweden’s current issue with the European Union.

Bwin wins legal case against German authorities

Bwin won a high stake lawsuit yesterday, 6 November 2007, when the Administrative Court of Appeal for the German state of Hessen decided to overturn a decision of a lower court that prohibited BWIN Interactive Entertainment AG’s German unit BWIN e.k. to offer its onling betting services in the state, taking into consideration the local gambling monopoly.

But the court of Appeal explained that “a ban on internet-based gaming as technically unfeasible, and thus regards the ban as essentially null and void.” This decision confirms the precedent from a Bavarian court presented by our blog in May 2007, contradicting the Bavarian Authorities that who decided that 3 companie could not accept wagers from the Bavarian users, since only the state-owned sports betting company is allowed to do that.

The decision actually makes sense in the online world and brings Germany closer to the European Court of Justice rulings.

The Europe’s trend is clear these days and a national decision to support its national monopoly against other EU -based operators is clearly seen as a breach of the freedom of services within EU. But if the trend gets stronger and EU pushes more for liberalization and increased transparency, it will certanly mean a much better position in an emerging market.

Combine this with the WTO demands against the US on this topic and we can see a big problem coming up between the two superpowers.

888 gets into betting services

888′ offerred until now Casino, Poker, Bingo and Backgammon on its website, and ow want to extend to sports betting, with an agreement signed with Blue Square, part of the Rank Group Plc.

Under the terms of the partnership Blue Square will manage fixed odds betting and sports content per region, working closely with 888′s country managers on scope, timing and form of the offering launch and lifecycle management. As part of the partnership, 888 will provide Blue Square with its payment processing platform, as Blue Square takes its own sportsbook offering to new international markets.

New regulation for Italy Internet betting points

Many were already arrived ‘invitations to provide’ all’Aams and exhortations to monitor what was happening in the opening race of the more than 14mila points betting assigned by Bando Bersani 2006. Now, even Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato, send a circular calling dealers, the new contractor, to adhere to the provisions in the agreement. In fact, you refer to and corner shops already open but that apparently does not meet the parameters set.
“We forwarded all’Aams acts of” invitation to provide the sanctioning new dealers that have opened undisturbed corner of the sports betting without the slightest respect the constraints on the Bersani law for the reorganization of the sector. In the reality of things, however, the bookmakers holders of licenses have not done more than sign the contracts, delivering a monitor to existing agencies or businesses that have now betting among assets of any kind. ” This was reported as Fernando Petrivelli just one day before the release of this circular dell’Aams that ‘Officially’ the emergence of these openings not comply with the instructions contained in the legislative decree.

A defense of bookmakers must be said that the territorial limits, the distances and the different technical parameters, the stakes are very difficult within which to settle and work points to open the game and the agencies themselves. It is not always easy to find a suitable local, an owner willing to change spaces depending on the needs of corner shops and contained in the regulations and, once found, it is said that the distances from one room to another to be respected.

Many were born in corner spaces or bars of agencies that have paid less space than that required in the decree. While other points of the game offer wide and spacious, while others are simply services in more than a bar bets, tobacco and agencies already equipped with other types of merchandise offered. The situation of those who have invested millions of euros for the concessions that have already ‘old’ one year should be included. Without counting competition of online betting and all those Ctd that now protected by European rules and judgments, open and operate almost undisturbed throughout Italy.
The data, comforting, speaking of thousands of openings thus can be placed in doubt dall’Aams same even if it seems unlikely that the points are open forced to take a step backwards.

Here, however, the circular of Monopoly sent to dealers betting:
“With reference to the activities undertaken by licensees to enable network and the operation of retail outlets game public under Article 38, paragraph 4 of the decree law on July 4, 2006, No. 223, and converted changes and additions by law on August 4, 2006 ‘No 248 are invited dealers to make all appropriate action in respect of documents relating to the concessions, in particular attention should be given in the report:
- The subsistence minimum requirements to be held, respectively, for shops and points of the game;
- To the physical separation of space for gaming outlets, including prevailing business and the marketing area of public games;
- To the prevalence for gaming outlets, activity other than public marketing of games;
- Respect for maximum funded by the sale of public games.

It is that this Administration will give maximum attention to compliance with the regulations in force at the controls provided by the grant in place. “

Partypoker – also in Danish, Swedish and Finnish

Partypoker has announced a new upgrade to their software, that includes the poker software in the native language of the users from Denmark, Sweden and Finland. Partypoker announced with the same occasion that it will host a 50 000 USD Freeroll, exclusively for nordic players on 22 November 2007 – starting with 14:30 ET ( that is 19 00 CET – why the hell didn’t they put the CET hour if this is just for nordic players ? -LOL). Registration starts on 1 November 2007.

This is another cool decision from PartyGaming that wants to better penetrate the European market – see also a cool article from Independant on the company recent financial announcements.

In another somehow related news from Gaming Intelligence we findout that the Swedish Moderate Party ( the party in power ) has announced on Saturday that it will sell Svenska Spel and ATG, the swedish gambling monopolies.

Tomas Tobé MP declared that “By December 2008, an in-depth report on the gambling market will be released following an investigation by Jan Nyrén, legal counsel of the police authority, but the party congress did not want to wait for this and voted for change to take place more rapidly” .

Mr Tobé also said that with the European Commission monitoring Sweden’s activities with regard to the provisions of the EC Treaty, it would be preferable that the government took steps to address the issue of its own accord, as opposed to being compelled to do so by a ruling from the European Court of Justice.

Svenska Spel generated a profit of 523 million euros in 2006 and could be valued at roughly 7.05 billion euros.

Partygaming presents its 2007 third quarter revenues

Partygaming, owner of the PartyPartners Affiliate Programme released its Q3financial results, that show and increase with 24 % from the same period last year. This mounts up to 115.7million USD, thanks to a huge rise by their Casino business (promoted under the brand PartyCasino) that rose with 158 % and sports betting activities ( especially from the recently-acquired Gamebookers) that were bigger with 91%.

PartyGaming achieved average daily revenue of 1.26 mln usd during the third quarter period and suprisingly it “pointed out this was after a particularly strong first half in 2007 and said, for the year to date, the number of new player sign-ups was still 44 pct ahead of the same nine-month period in 2006.”

The gambling group, listed on the London Stock exchange, looked optimistic in the future – and the data confirm the estimated trend.

Unibet Chief Executive Peter Nylande arrested in Holland

Mr. Peter Nyland, the director of the Swedish online betting firm Unibet, was arrested on the Amsterdam airport, when he was trying to fly to UK.

The Dutch authorites have claimed that they have a warrant from the French authorities that have accussed Mr. Nylande of breaking French laws that prohibit online gambling. This case has apparantely nothing in common with the recent decision against Unibet in the Dutch trial against De Lotto.
It is an application of the controversial European Arrest Warrant, under which people accused of a crime in one country can be arrested in another country without a prima facie case having been established.

According to BBC, French lottery monopoly Francaise des Jeux and horse racing betting monopoly PMU filed the proceedings against Unibet in 2006.

The moment of this new scandal is the worst possible for French authorities that want to comply with the European Commission recommandations and European Court of Justice decisions regarding online gambling in European Union. France could change its gambling laws soon.

Unibet has demanded Nylander’s immediate release. In a statement the company said it was “outraged by France’s total disregard of European Community law aiming to protect a domestic commercial gambling monopoly, which is being challenged by the European Commission. However disturbing French authorities’ methods are, for Unibet it is business as usual.”

The European Commission representative confirmed their concern over the story : “This is an issue which we have been informed about, we are worried about, and that in our view somebody might have been arrested who is innocent under (EU) law,” said Oliver Drewes.

Unibet is registered in Malta, operates out of Britain and is listed on the Stockholm stock exchange. It claims to have 1.8 million customers in 150 countries.

Update 25.10.2007  : After a hearing on 24 October 2007 in the afternoon, Unibet CEO Petter Nylander was released to the more comfortable surroundings of a local hotel, after agreeing not to leave the Netherlands. Nylander is expected to gop at  the beginning of the next week in France to face the judge that issues the warrant. Th eFrench authorities were embarrased by the new situation and aid thatThe Financial Minsitry declared it “regretted the timing of Nylander’s arrest and hoped that the FDJ and the PMU would drop the complaints that started the case against his firm.”

Bwin and Betbull will start Madrid betting shop

After bwin impressive four-year $70 million shirt sponsorship deal with the famous Real Madrid Football Club, the company decided to take advantage of the brand development in Spain and, in partnership with Betbull, will start its first shops in the first quarter of 2008.

The duo bettinmg companies takes advantage of the new lax regulation from the spanish government regarding betting shops. The companies have announced that they will expand inall Spain later on.

Simon Bold, Betbull Director, declared “The forthcoming year will see the fruition of many months of planning and fine tuning of our betting products and systems for the Spanish market.”

On another note, bwin announced that it is interestied in buying 36% of the Austrian lottery Monopoly Bawag, that could cost approx. 200 millions euros.