THE AMERICAS
Gov. Chris Christie effectively granted ‘conditional approval’ of New Jersey’s online gambling legislation while Nevada’s online gambling operators pleaded for more time to get their software ready; Nevada gaming revenue rose slightly in 2012 but their sportsbooks had their second best year ever and this year’s Super Bowl generated a record handle; Canada seized the domain of an online credit sports betting site, but it was back in action under a different domain not long afterward; Caesars Entertainment said it would sell off part of its Interactive division; WMS Industries’ net income slipped in fiscal Q2; New Jersey rebutted the DoJ’s sports betting arguments; Zynga’s revenue was flat but still beat analysts’ expectations; PokerStars launched a Facebook app; Phil Ivey’s IveyPoker acquired LeggoPoker and Antigua suggested its digital download site could target individual companies in the country’s quest to drive the US back to the WTO bargaining table.
EUROPE
Operators 888 Holdings and Betsson and software supplier Playtech all saw revenue rise double-digits in 2012; Spain put the brakes on authorizing online slots while reliably litigious Codere sued Spain for issuing online gambling licenses; the EU proposed subjecting online gaming firms to the same financial reporting laws as land-based casinos; the French online poker market underwent another contraction in 2012; Full Tilt Poker planned the launch of a .eu site; the International Gaming Awards and iGB Affiliate Awards were handed out in London and be sure to check out all the coverage of the ICE Totally Gaming confab, the London Affiliate Conference and the Legal Gaming In Europe Summit.
ASIA
Rumors about a post-New Year Beijing crackdown on junkets prompted Macau to announce it would ‘purify’ its junket operators; Melco Crown revenue rose 9% thanks to mass market gamblers; NagaCorp’s full year revenues helped make its founder a billionaire; Philippine politicians closed their investigation of former PAGCOR chief Efraim Genuino and approved a financial reporting exemption for gaming firms; Tabcorp net profits fell in H1; Kazuo Okada’s lawsuit against Wynn Resorts was tossed by a Nevada court; the Hong Kong Jockey Club got the okay to commingle its betting pools; SHFL Entertainment acquired Chinese developer ProTec Games and an Australian report into drugs in sport somehow produced a call to ban betting.
