CryptoLogic has licensed its suite of online poker and casino products to newly-launched Scandinavian site OPoker.com to keep on expanding its "core European market". According to CryptoLogic, the management team behind OPoker has a "long-standing history in egaming software, operations and affiliate marketing". Chief executive Brian Hadfield added: "Today's announcement is consistent with our strategic imperative of adding liquidity and strengthening the CryptoLogic poker network within Europe, including Scandinavia."

Michael Hallen, chief executive of Boss Media, is set to step down from his post at the company's next board meeting on 13 May, when he will hand over to his successor Rahul Parekh. Jan Stocklassa, chairman of Boss Media's board of directors, commented: "Michael has been a great leader and made significant achievements for Boss Media. We strongly regret to see him leave." Hallen said: "I have enjoyed working at Boss Media from day one. I leave Boss Media very proud of what we have achieved together. As I see it GTech brings stability, growth, internationalization and new significant opportunities to Boss Media".

According to the Daily Telegraph, Gala Coral has "held exploratory talks with representatives of Britain's leading racecourses over a potential £300m-plus joint bid for the Tote, the state-owned bookmaker". Neil Goulden, chief executive of Gala Coral, reportedly held a meeting last Friday with David Thorpe, chairman of the Racecourse Association, and Mark Elliott, chief executive of Arena Leisure, the operator of seven UK race tracks, to see if the "Coral betting chain and Britain's 60 racecourses should team up to bid for the Tote. The tracks are particularly interested in the Tote's exclusive seven-year licence to operate pool betting". The issues at stake will include whether Gala Coral can add "the Tote's betting shops to its near 1,600-strong estate" and whether "the courses are considering taking a stake in the pool betting wing, whose turnover rose 17% last year to £323m", while "Britain's tracks are also concerned over how the Government distributes sale proceeds  to racing".

Sportingbet likely to exceed 2008 forecast

Sportingbet's pre-close trading update for the third quarter 2008 highlighted a rise in operating profits to £7m, compared with £3m for 2007. Operating profits for the first nine months to date equates to £18.7m, compared to £6.7m in 2007.

ITV fined record £5.7m for phone-in scandal 

UK media regulator Ofcom has fined ITV a record £5.7m for last year's premium rate phone-in competition scandal. The fine is nearly three times the record amount of £2m previously handed to GMTV, and was issued in connection with gaming transgressions that occurred during shows such as Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Soap Star Super Star and Gameshow Marathon.

Posted: 2008-05-09