Friday 28 December 2012

News at my Desk Saturday, December 29, 2012




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Shake-Up By Ministers May Force Health Lottery To Contribute More
LONDON, UK (December 28, 2012) – The Health Lottery could be forced to give more of its proceeds to good causes as part of a New Year shake-up by ministers.
Mrs Miller was reported to have said a review of the law was needed to ensure all lotteries still made raising money for good causes their ‘main priority’.
Lotteries are hugely important in raising very large amounts money for charities and community groups up and down the country,’ she said.
But with a changing market it is right that we make sure that the main priority for each and every lottery is to raise money for good causes.’


Thursday 27 December 2012

News at my Desk, December 28th, 2012




Keeping a close eye on Industry News, this is whats happening at the moment.
Remember our blog is just a service to our readers in between our usual publications, it allows us to keep you informed on the latest happenings 24 / 7.
I post small snippets that alert you to breaking news and the full artciles will be available within our next publication.

Please head to our site:
To access the Daily News Service: http://www.lotteryinsider.com/subs.htm

To access the Daily News Service Mobile/ iPad Site:  http://www.lotteryinsider.com/news/mobile_version/index.htm


Berjaya Corp revenue climbs to RM1.8bil in Q2
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (December 28, 2012) -- Conglomerate Berjaya Corp Bhd has registered a higher revenue of RM1.77bil for its second quarter ended Oct 31 compared to the previous corresponding quarter

Lawmakers to consider Pa. lottery bid in hearing
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (December 27, 2012) -- Corbett administration officials are willing to appear before a Senate Finance Committee hearing on a proposal to hire a private company to manage the $3.5 billion Pennsylvania Lottery.

Lottery Bids Expected This Afternoon
TRENTON, New Jersey (December 27, 2012) – Several would-be operators are expected to file bids today in the state’s plan to privatize its $2.8 billion lottery system, despite ongoing protests from a retail group and scepticism from some lawmakers.

Sports Lottery Sales Reach 106b Yuan In 2012
BEIJING, China (December 27, 2012) -- Annual sales of sports lottery tickets have exceeded 100 billion yuan ($16 billion) for the first time, China's sports authority said.

Hoosier Lottery offices closed due to Weather
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (December 26, 2012) -- Hoosier Lottery offices in Indianapolis, Evansville and South Bend were closed for the day due to the state-wide weather emergency.









Wednesday 26 December 2012

News from my desk as at Thursday, December 27, 2012



Food For Thought

In Australia, we have long had registered Lottery tickets. The process is simple, you complete a form with your contact details and you are issued with a player registration slip, you use this slip each time you purchase a ticket from a retailer (News Agency) and the result is your winnings remain secure as even if you lose the ticket - the Lottery will still be able to contact you.
Over the years the slip of paper evolved into a plastic card, much easier to keep in the wallet and a more durable product.
Then along came online puchase of Lottery Tickets !
From a player perspective, this is the ultimate in convenience - you never need miss a draw. There are no queues and no irritable children to deal with, interuptions that often saw players keep walking rather than purchase a ticket.
But alas at the end of the month you are confronted with a credit card statement - where once players were oblivious to their weekly Lottery spend, as it consisted mostly of small change in a purse or wallet - all of a sudden - the amount outlaid on the purchase of Lottery Luck is now paraded in front of us in the form of a credit card statement. It is hard to ignore the amount - it may be small or in many cases large - and this brings me to wonder how many players will now start questioning their Lottery spend.
Certainly talk around the water unit in the office, indicates people are noticing their outlay more than ever before. In fact online lottery accounts even have a tab that can give the history of your Lottery spend, the small change is not so small an amount at the end of a year.
The competition for the player dollar is large - apart from the usual choice of Casino's where you can also be entertained with a wide array of food and or concerts and so forth - there are also the smaller market player choices - for Australia it may be the RSL Art Unions or Boystown Art Union - as well as the numerous raffles and online competitions, an ever increasing choice.
With the rise in the cost of living, more and more players are now questioning exactly where they will put their dollars when it comes to games of chance - the botton line is - everyone wants to win, and whether that win consists of a luxury house complete with watercraft and gold bullion, or a chance at a million or a couple of hundred thousand dollar lottery prize - the montly spend on the ticket will be questioned as more and more players see the exact amount in black and white on a bank statement at the end of the month.
So is Online Ticket purchase the golden grail at the end of the day for Lotteries -
food for thought !

Cheers


Breaking news snippets are as follows:

Please head to our site to read the full articles as well as supporting articles in our next publication

To access the Daily News Service, log on to: http://www.lotteryinsider.com/nasplnews.htm

To access the Daily News Service Mobile/ iPad Site: http://www.lotteryinsider.com/news/mobile_version/index.htm


Update on Privatization of Holland Casino................

Manila primes for casino boom despite graft spotlight
MANILA, Philippines (December 26, 2012) – The two most richly valued companies in the financial and consumer discretionary sectors in Southeast Asia share two things in common - both are controlled by Filipino tycoons and both are building casinos by the azure waters of Manila Bay.




Competition Grows For Mass. Slots Parlor Location
BOSTON, Massachusetts (December 26, 2012) -- Long before any glittering resort casino opens its doors in Massachusetts, patrons could be pulling handles on slot machines at a less ambitious gambling venue.
The commission appointed to oversee the state's year-old casino law recently decided that it would award the single slots-only license allowed under the law before it approved any of the three resort casino licenses. While the difference in licensing may only amount to a few months, the difference between when the facilities open could be far greater because the more compact so-called slots parlor would be quicker and cheaper to build..
 


SC asked to scrap TRO on Installation of Online Lotto Terminals in Luzon
MANILA, Philippines (December 27, 2012) -- Lottery equipment and service provider Pacific Online Systems Corp. has asked the Supreme Court to junk a lower court order restraining the state-owned Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office from installing and operating any of the former’s online lottery Terminals in Luzon.


European Commission Publishes Action Plan On Online Gambling:
Europe’s Lotteries Welcome Many of The New Proposals But Deplore Lack Of Initiatives for Law Enforcement Against Illegal Operators
BRUSSELS/STRASBOURG, (December 23, 2012) -- Today, the European Commission has adopted its Communication on online gambling. The European Lotteries (EL), the umbrella organisation of national lotteries operating games of chance for the public benefit, welcomes many of the initiatives in this new ‘Action Plan’ but deplores in particular the lack of initiatives to enforce the existing legislation against illegal operators.
EL stresses that the objective of protecting consumers, a declared aim of the actions proposed by the European Commission, is first and foremost met through efficient law enforcement measures to protect European consumers from a harmful and illicit gambling offering.
https://www.european-lotteries.org/data/info_2938/23_October_2012_EL_press_release_EC_Action_Plan.pdf 





Live Television Broadcast Gives New Jersey Lottery Players Even More Ways To Watch The Winning Number Drawings.
TRENTON, New Jersey (December 26, 2012) – The New Jersey Lottery announced that it will begin airing its live evening game draws on CBS-owned television stations, daily, beginning Jan. 1, 2013 at 7:57 pm. The daily drawing will air on CBS-owned stations WLNY-TV 10/55 in New York and The CW Philly 57(WPSG-TV). Viewers are asked to check their local cable listings for channel numbers.

Headlines you may of missed - 
To access the Daily News Service Mobile/ iPad Site: http://www.lotteryinsider.com/news/mobile_version/index.htm
 
Monday December 24, 2012
 
LOTTERY NEWS
1.      Spain’s 'El Gordo' Lottery Hands Out $3.3 Billion in Prizes, Lightens Economic Gloom.
 
LEGAL, LEGISLATIVE, POLITICAL & GOVERNMENT
1.      New Jersey Can be Sued to Stop Sports Betting, Judge Rules.
2.      Trade Group Slams National Lottery Bill.
3.      Lotto Receivers Lose Maltco Injunction Bid.
4.      William Hill Rejects Playtech Claim on Sportingbet Deal.
5.      Lottery Row’ Continuing to Evoke Anger in Neighbouring Areas.
6.      Lottery Text Message Firm Fined £250,000 by Phone Industry Authority.
7.      Benefits of Legalizing Web Shops Outweigh Those of Establishing A National Lottery – Consultant.
8.      Novomatic to Appeal Decision to Grant Casino Licenses in Austrian Cities.
 
MARKETING and SPONSORSHIP
1.      Colorado Lottery Now Broadcasts Amber Alerts on Advertising Monitors Throughout State.
2.      D.C. Lottery Presents $15,000 Shopping Spree Sweepstakes Promotion!
3.      Tennessee Lottery Nabs Local Cow, Huff's for New TV Commercial.
 
VENDOR NEWS
1.      SPIELO International 100% Successful in Bids for Canadian VLT Replacement Cycle.
2.      First Interblock Installation in Republic of Djibouti.
3.      IGT Extends Relationship with Ladbrokes to Launch Entire Games Portfolio by IGT.
 
REMOTE GAMING
1.      Mobile Gaming Market to Hit US$100 Billion by 2017 – Study.
2.      Gambling Industry Predicts That Virtual Money Can Become Real.
 
MARKET WATCH
1.      Lottomatica Group Announce Change in Share Capital.
2.      Tipp24 Buys Stake in GeoSweep.
3.      Zynga Shares Retreat as Legal Internet Casinos Move Closer to Reality.
4.      Churchill Downs, Partner Complete Purchase of Licenses and Assets for Planned Ohio Racino.
 
CASINO NEWS
1.      Pinnacle to Buy Ameristar Casinos for About $869 Million.
2.      Lottery Told Extra Workers Needed to Regulate Expanded Casino.
 
GAMING MACHINES (VLTS)
1.      OLG Announce Tentative Lease Agreements for Slot Operations with Western Fair and Kawartha Downs.
 
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
1.      Paddy Power Announce Senior Management Changes.
2.      Governor-elect to Retain Hoosier Lottery Director.

Tuesday 25 December 2012

News at my Desk December 26th, 2012


 
 
 
 
 
 
So did you have a great christmas, or in some areas you're still having the big day or recovering from it. Best wishes to all of you.
 
Our family enjoyed the day together with fine friends and wonderful food and treats, we feel very blessed and privledged.
 
On my desk now, in the quiet afterglow, sipping tea and one too many shortbreads - and the news from my desk follows:
 
 



Lottery Insider's Blog Service - the news between the Daily News - you could say.
I post small snippets of breaking news stories, its not the ful article but enough to give you a general idea and alert you to breaking news stories

The full article as well as supporting articles will appear within our next edition of the Daily News, which at this point will be January 2, 2013

http://www.lotteryinsider.com/

Mobile / Ipad site : http://www.lotteryinsider.com/news/mobile_version/index.htm
 
 
Gambling Becoming a National Concern for Italy
Experts Say State Does Not Recognise Scale of Problem As Legislation Clears The Way For 1,000 New Arcades
LONDON, UK (December 25, 2012) – Italy is to press on with plans to open 1,000 new gambling arcades despite mounting concerns that problem gambling is becoming a national issue.
The artcile discusses the statistics relating to the rise in gambling and the associated issues in regard to problem gamblers.
Earlier this month, officials in predominantly German-speaking South Tyrol reported that the number of compulsive gamblers who had sought help in the province had risen by 76% in 12 months.
A spokesman for the gambling industry's representative body said it was preparing to challenge the order, describing it as "a way of fuelling illegal gaming". The industry is, however, co-operating with new measures introduced by the government in Rome which will require gambling machines to carry "health warnings" and an indication of the odds against winning.

 
A Lottery Prop has caused as much shock to a player as the lottery win itself.
It seems during a televised draw, the player thought a million dollar win was on the cards and stepped back in anticipation, only to fall over the celebratory stage prop cannon.
In the end the player still won a substantial prize and recovered from the fall, but the Lottery prop's day may be numbered.


The Maryland Lottery takes the business of gaming very seriously
Every drawing that you see on TV, every day — that’s 365 days of the year — we still always do them,” Everett explained. “It’s amazing. Doesn’t matter. Christmas, New Years, you name it, we’re doing it.
Coming up in January, the Maryland Lottery turns 40 years old. It will celebrate with a new scratcher game titled “40 Rubies” and its own exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Industry that kicks off in March

Spain's Annual Christmas Lottery Pays Out Nearly $1 Billion
MADRID, Spain (December 26, 2012) -- Spain's annual Christmas lottery, "El Gordo," paid out about $950 million overall, and most of the lucky winners were in the historic town of Alcala de Henares
.............

Lottery Reports Bump In Scratch Ticket Sales
DES MOINES, Iowa (December 26, 2012) -- A pre-Christmas blizzard that dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of Iowa was a gift to the state lottery, which saw a spike in scratch ticket sales last week compared to the same period a year ago.
Sales were attributed to bad weather which meant people could not get out to purchase gifts and may have chosen lottery tickets instead.

A Lottery In Wyoming
A lottery bill narrowly failed in the 2011 legislative session on a 27-33 roll call vote.
It was the third time in six years lawmakers spurned a lottery bill.
Wyoming currently is one of only seven states without a lottery.
State Rep. David Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, sponsored the 2011 bill and will introduce the same bill again next year. The session opens Jan. 8.
The idea is receiving strong support.


check for updates throughout the day............... keep our blog as your homepage and hit refresh often for the latest news





Friday 21 December 2012

At my Desk Saturday December 22, 2012





Lots of Lottery News coming through today...

Lottery Education Search Available
Find Out How Much Money Your School Received in Supplemental Funding During FY 2011-12
SACRAMENTO, California (December 19, 2012) -- The California Lottery just released to the public its annual Contributions to Education Report for the Fiscal Year 2011-2012. Recognized as one of the fastest growing lotteries in the United States, the California Lottery saw its sales rise by more than 27 percent in Fiscal Year 2011-2012.

Virginia Lottery: More Than Quarter Of Raffle Tickets Sold
RICHMOND, Virginia (December 22, 2012) -- The Virginia Lottery says more than a quarter of the 440,000 tickets for its annual New Year's Millionaire Raffle have been sold.

Free Christmas Lottery Tickets Given to Unemployed and Elderly People
MADRID, Spain (December 22, 2012) -- Unemployed and elderly people are receiving free Christmas lottery tickets on the Costa del Sol.

Trade Group RGDATA Slams National Lottery Bill
DUBLIN, Ireland (December 21, 2012) - -RGDATA, the trade group representing the owners of 4,000 shops, has called on Minister Brendan Howlin to include his commitment to ring fence the margin paid to retail agents in the new Bill which was published in draft format last night..

Lotto Receivers Lose Maltco Injunction Bid
MALTA (December 21, 2012) -- A judge has rejected an application by lotto receivers to stop lottery company Maltco from imposing a higher bank guarantee on them.

William Hill Rejects Playtech Claim on Sportingbet Deal
LONDON, UK (December 21, 2012) -- British bookmaker William Hill has rejected a claim by joint venture partner Playtech that it should share in the benefits of a planned takeover of online gambling group Sportingbet.

Governor Retains Agency Leaders
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (December 22, 2012) -- Gov.-elect Mike Pence announced Friday that he would be retaining the heads of IDEM, the BMV, the Hoosier Lottery and other state agencies.

Bodog launches Anonymous Poker Series in 2013
To celebrate the Bodog Poker Network’s (BPN) creation of the first network made in Asia for Asia, Bodog will embark on a year-long poker series in 2013. The Anonymous Poker Series will be comprised of both live and online events, to showcase the BPN’s unique product offering. January 2013 will also see the BPN’s newest B2B partners join the network.

N.J. Can Be Sued To Stop Sports Betting, Judge Rules
A federal judge has ruled that the National Collegiate Athletic Association and a coalition of professional sports leagues can sue New Jersey to stop the state from sanctioning and regulating sports betting.




Head to: http://www.lotteryinsider.com/

Thursday 20 December 2012

HAPPY HOLIDAYS



On behalf of all of the staff at Lottery Insider, We wish you and your families the very best Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year.

Lottery Insider & Gaming Portal will continue to release the complimentary magazine on Monday December 24, 2012 and also the Daily News Edition on Monday.

The Blog will be updated over the weekend and week only if essential breaking news is apparent - I just can't help myself but search for news - but the publication will not be published until January 2, 2013, as we continue with maintenance on the site and a well deserved day or two off !!!!

So check back if you find a quiet moment or two over a glass of eggnog or something stronger.....

cheers

Trace

Headlines as at Friday December 21, 2012


 
 
To access the Daily News Service: http://www.lotteryinsider.com/subs.htm

Please check back for the news snippets in between publications - all part of Lottery Insider keeping you informed around the clock as much as possible.

Cheers

Trace
 
TODAY'S HEADLINES

Friday December 21, 2012

PRIVATIZATION NEWS

  1. Turkish Government Plans to Sell Betting Company, May Tender National Lottery Licence in H1 2013.
  2. Pennsylvania in Talks to Extend Lottery Bid Deadline.
  3. Secretary of Aging Defends Lottery Privatization Process.
 LOTTERY NEWS

  1. South Dakota Lottery to Test New Technology, Expand Games.
  2. China Lottery Sales Grow Faster in November.
  3. Tennessee Lottery Reaches Milestone with 100th Winning Ticket Worth $1 Million or More.

LEGAL, LEGISLATIVE, POLITICAL & GOVERNMENT

  1. Berjaya Locked in Legal Battle with Government Sweepstakes Organization Over Lotto License.
  2. IT Worker Jailed for Stealing Online Bet Files.
  3. Retailers Threaten to Lodge Lawsuit Against Norsk Tipping.
  4. Shuffle Master Wins Appeal on Patent War.
  5. Poker Machine Reforms Pass, But Clubs Win Two-Year Delay.
MARKETING and SPONSORSHIP

  1. Michigan Lottery Heats Up the Winter! It’s Blazing 500s Again!
VENDOR NEWS

  1. GTECH Executes Exclusive License and Representation Agreement with Caesars Entertainment Operating Company for Rights to Licensed Content.
  2. INTRALOT Granted New Sports Betting License in Poland.
  3. GTECH Executes Exclusive License and Representation Agreement with Caesars Interactive Entertainment for World Series of Poker® Brand.
  4. AGTech Closes China's First International Lottery Hardware Sale.
  5. Net Entertainment Releases Elements: The Awakening™.
  6. GLI Europe Renews RvA Guide 65 Accreditation.
  7. PokerTek Re-Enters Mexican Gaming Market with PokerPro.
  8. GTECH Renews Exclusive Trademark License Agreement with Prometheus Global Media for Rights to the Billboard Brand.
REMOTE GAMING

  1. Caesars Scores Nevada Web Poker License.
  2. New Commercial Bingo Game Launches On Facebook.
MARKET WATCH

  1. Betting Giant Pays Out £130m Tax Bill.
  2. Sportingbet Chairman’s AGM Statement.
  3. Rank Group Must Sell Six Casinos to Win Gala Takeover.
  4. International Game Technology Completes $400 Million Accelerated Stock Buyback.
CASINO NEWS

  1. Crown's Chairman Lifts Stake in Casino Group.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

  1. NeoGames Appoints New Chief Executive Officer.
  2. Elisabeth Lennhede Appointed New Communications Director At Net Entertainment.

At my desk Friday December 20th @ 4.30AM



Very tired today - we went xmas light watching till late last night.
Some people do amazing jobs of decorating their houses with lights for xmas.

But..............Dedicated as ever -  I am at my desk !





News filtering through to go into todays edition follows:

Please head to our site to read the full stories late this morning

Turkey May Tender National Lottery Licence In H1 2013-Finmin
INSTANBUL, Turkey (December 20, 2012) -- Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said on Thursday Turkey plans to tender a licence to operate the national lottery in the first half of 2013.

China Lottery Sales Grow Faster In Nov
BEIJING, China (December 20, 2012) -- Sales of lottery tickets saw faster growth last month, rising 12.8 percent year on year to 23.71 billion yuan ($3.76 billion), the Ministry of Finance said Thursday .

Berjaya Girds for Legal Battle with PCSO over Lotto License
MANILA, Philippines (December 19, 2012) – Berjaya-led Philippine Gaming Management Corp. (PGMC) is ready to “go to war” with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for allowing another entity to enter its supposed exclusive Luzon territory without any public bidding.


GTECH Corporation Executes Exclusive License And Representation Agreement With Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc. For Rights To Licensed Content
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND (USA) – (December 20, 2012) – GTECH Corporation announced that it has signed an exclusive, multi-year License and Representation Agreement with Caesars Entertainment Operating Company Inc. (“CEOC”).  In 2008, GTECH executed a four-year License and Representation Agreement to exclusively offer the World Series Of Poker®, Caesars® and Harrah’s® brands to the lottery industry for use with certain lottery games. 




WMS Industries Recognized As One of the Nation’s Best and Brightest Places To Work For
WAUKEGAN AND CHICAGO, Illinois (December 17, 2012) -- WMS Industries Inc. (NYSE: WMS), a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of games, digital gaming content and gaming machines to the worldwide gaming industry, has been honored as one of the nation’s 2012 "National Best and Brightest Places to Work For" by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR). Leading up to the announcement and for the fourth consecutive year, WMS was also recognized as one of Chicago's "101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For."
AGTech Holdings Limited : AGTech closes China's first international lottery hardware sale - Provides progress update on other strategic initiatives
HONG KONG (December 20, 2012) --  AGTech Holdings Limited ("AGTech," together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") (SEHK code: 8279), the leading integrated gaming company in China's sports lottery market, announced that its 100% owned subsidiary Beijing AGTech GOT Technology Co., Ltd. ("GOT") has entered into a contract to supply 530 of its new generation C8 betting terminals to Gold Circle (PTY) Limited ("Gold Circle"), one of South Africa's leading gaming and wagering companies.


PokerStars and Casino Gran Madrid to Open New Poker Room
ISLE OF MAN (December 20, 2012) -- PokerStars, the world's largest online poker site, has reached an agreement with Casino Gran Madrid, the biggest casino in Spain, for a new state-of-the-art PokerStars-branded poker room at Casino Gran Madrid, which will deliver the highest-quality live poker experience.


Sportech PLC

·         Earnings Enhancing Acquisition Extends Sportech's Reach in US Gaming Market

·         Acquisition of eBet, a Leading Provider of Internet and

·         Mobile Betting Services for Horseracing in North America

LONDON, UK (December 20, 2012) -- The Board of Sportech PLC ("Sportech" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the acquisition of eBet Online Inc ("eBet"), a leading US business to business ("B2B") online betting operator and technology and services provider focused on the North American horseracing betting market. Total consideration, dependent upon future performance, is to be up to $12.6m (approximately £7.8m).
 
NeoGames Appoints New Chief Executive Officer
MALTA (December 20, 2012) --  NeoGames, the global leader of interactive scratch cards and lottery games has appointed Mr. Ilan Rosen as its new CEO, effective January 1st, 2013.
Mr. Rosen brings with him over 10 years of proven track record  in finance, management and gaming experience.
 
 
 
Please head to our site to read these and many, many other articles in full - as well as have access to over four years worth of news archives on the Lottery & Gaming Industry.
 
We feature the latest news on Casino, sportsbetting, internet gaming, Gaming Machines, Lottery & Gaming Marketing and statistics as well as profile pages on lotteries and individual vendors.
 
To access the Daily News Service: http://www.lotteryinsider.com/subs.htm

Cheers

Trace