News from my Desk as at Friday January 18, 2013 @ 6AM (AEST)

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Georgia Lottery Reaches $14 Billion Mark For Education With Record First Half
ATLANTA, Georgia (January 17, 2013) -- Georgia Lottery Corp. officials today announced record profits for the first half of fiscal year 2013. The Georgia Lottery's first-half transfers to the Lottery for Education Account will bring the total raised for educational programs in the state to more than $14 billion since the lottery's inception in 1993.

Schleswig-Holstein Awards Three More Sports Betting Licenses
KIEL, Germany (January 17, 2013) -- The Ministry of Interior of Schleswig-Holstein has awarded in the past few days three more sports betting licenses. This time, however, the first time without official press release

National Lottery Ticket Price Hike Branded 'Abuse' Of Market Position
LONDON, UK (January 17, 2013) -- Camelot has announced changes to the National Lottery, doubling ticket prices in the process, in a move which the Health Lottery claims proves the case for more competition in the lottery market.

Express Newspaper Loud on Lottery Price Rise, Silent on Health Lottery Link
LONDON, UK (January 17, 2013) -- Today's Daily Express is putting the boot into the National Lottery on its front page. It reports the Lottery is doubling the price of a ticket and cutting prizes and this is emblazoned on the front page headlines.'
It should probably be noted that the Daily Express and the Health Lottery are both owned by Richard Desmond, a major competitor to the National Lottery - yet no where within the highly critical report does it make mention of this.

LOTTOMATICA GROUP Announces That GTECH GLOBAL SERVICES Corporation Has Signed a Five-Year Contract Extension With Westdeutsche Lotterie In Germany To Provide New Technology And Related Services Through 2018
ROME, ITALY and PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND (US) (January 17, 2013) -- Lottomatica Group S.p.A. announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, GTECH Global Services Corporation, has signed a five-year contract extension with Westdeutsche Lotterie GmbH & Co. OHG (WestLotto) to provide central system upgrades and ongoing support services through 2018. The contract calls for three one-year extension options. GTECH has been providing lottery technology and ongoing services to WestLotto since 2004.

Pennsylvania edges out Atlantic City for No. 2 Gambling Spot in U.S.
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (January 17, 2013) -- Pennsylvania has knocked Atlantic City out of the No. 2 spot, after Las Vegas, in the U.S. gaming market.

Rafi Ashkenazi Appointed Chief Operating Officer Of The Rational Group
ISLE OF MAN (January 17, 2013) -- Rational Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark Scheinberg today announced that Rafi Ashkenazi has joined the Group as Chief Operating Officer and will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Group and its brands, including PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, the two largest online poker sites in the world.

Gambling Advertising: Censorship Authority for TV and Internet - German Advertising Policy Unconstitutional
BERLIN, Germany (January 17, 2013) -- Companies in the gaming service will commence in the first February to submit their television and Internet advertising an authority for a preliminary examination. The Central Association of the German Advertising Industry ZAW has rated that provided for in the so-called advertising policy process as "unconstitutional censorship of advertising", and accuses the new regulation of being a blatant form of censorship according to constitutional case law and warns that it will only serve to strengthen the position of state gaming companies by providing states with an insight into the marketing activities of their private competitors.

Corbett Defends Lottery Privatization Contract
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (January 16, 2013) - In the face of legislative and public criticism, Gov. Tom Corbett on Wednesday defended his plan to privatize the management of the $3.5 billion Pennsylvania Lottery, arguing that the state has a duty to ensure the fiscal stability of programs for the aged that are underwritten by it. Whilst speaking to reporters after he toured a state jobs centre, the Republican rebutted claims from his critics, primarily legislative Democrats, that he was rushing the contract with the United Kingdom-based Camelot Global Services and not giving lawmakers enough time to vet it.

PRO-LITE Names Industry Veteran Linda Turner As Sales Manager

COSTA MESA, California (January 16, 2013) PRO-LITE, is pleased to announce the hire of Linda Turner as Sales Manager of the lottery sign division. Within the newly created role, Ms. Turner will spearhead PRO-LITE'S sales and marketing of jackpot and point-of-sale signage. She will report to Tom Yerke, Vice President, Sales and Andy Kaoh, President/CEO.

The Public Supports the Karunya Lottery Referred to as The Jewel In The Crown
State Lottery Department's turnover crosses Rs.2,000 crores; Karunya's net profit was Rs.112 crore
TRIVANDRUM. India (January 16, 2013) -- Kerala's state lottery sale crossed Rs. 2,000 crores just a few days back. To put in perspective this is the first time since 1967 that the state has crossed this milestone, a good three months before completion of the financial year. Last year, in the same period, the net turnover was around Rs.774 crores. The profit, this year is more than two times the last financial year.

The Belgian Betting Association Attacks the Monopoly of The National Lottery
BRUSSELS. Belgium (January 16, 2013) -- Members of the Belgian Betting Association (BBA), Stanleybet Bingoal and Betfirst, asked the Belgian Council of State to suspend the decision of the Commission of gambling to grant approval of paris sports exclusive Lottery national country

Plan to Limit Tax Charged on Companies that Provide Major Betting Services
FARGO, North Dakota (January 17, 2013) -- A plan by the North Dakota Racing Commission would limit the taxes charged on companies that provide major betting services. That includes one outfit that expects to do $300 million in so-called account deposit wagering, in which gamblers usually pay a significant amount of money up-front for bets

Lagging Pull-Tab Revenue Draws State Capitol Scrutiny
ST PAUL, Minnesota (January 16, 2013) - The financing plan for the new stadium was always off to a slow start creating a lot of debate, but this week will see the House Commerce Committee assess its progress at the Capitol. Minnesota Public radio reports that Shoreview company, 3 Diamond Gaming Supplies, is the biggest pull-tab supplier in Minnesota, and one of two currently licensed to distribute new electronic pull-tabs and bingo.

Lotteries Instrumental in Restoration for Anniversary of the Travellers Sweepstakes Draw
LLEIDA, Catalonia, Spain (January 16, 2013) -- State Lotteries have revived the ancient Drums once utilized for the 'travelers sweepstakes' draw of 1964, the drums which are 50 years old and no longer used were restored in a project that commenced some five years ago with Lotteries President José Miguel Martínez suggesting the use in the draw for Cadiz, which celebrates 200 years of the draw.

Playtech Limited: Notice of Q4 KPIs and trading update Notice of Q4 Key Performance Indicators and trading update
LONDON, UK (January 16, 2013) -- Playtech, (LSE: PTEC) the international designer, developer, licensor and provider of software and services for the online, mobile, TV and land-based gaming industry, announces that it will issue its Q4 Key Performance Indicators and trading update for the quarter ended 31 December 2012, on Thursday 7 February 2013.

City Officials Are Ready To Welcome Electronic Bingo Following a meeting with local organizations, the City Council appears ready to allow the devices in Hopkins establishments.
HOPKINS, Minnesota (January 16, 2013) -- City officials are ready to welcome electronic bingo to Hopkins following a meeting Tuesday night with local charitable gambling managers and the businesses that host their organizations

Former Zynga GM Jonathan Flesher joins Betable Team
NEW YORK, NY (January 16, 2013) -- Real money gaming platform Betable today announced it had hired Jonathan Flesher as its new Executive Vice President of Business Development. Online news source 'Inside Social Games' reports that Flesher comes to Betable most recently from Zynga, where he was the company's Vice President and General Manager of Business Development. Prior to Zynga, Flesher worked at companies like JP Morgan.