The week that was…
AMERICAS
Sen. Harry Reid admitted failure in his attempt to sneak online poker language into the payroll tax cut extension; another casino operator wants a Nevada online poker license and two firms want to be the ones to test Nevada applicants’ technology; Zynga released its first earnings report since going public and signed its first licensed game deal with Slingo; the Everleaf Gaming Network confirmed the US Secret Service had taken down one of its payment processors; Canadian MP Joe Comartin’s single-game sports betting bill won the approval of a parliamentary committee; Antigua plans another action against the US at the World Trade Organization; Apple sold more iOS devices last year than it did Macs in the previous 28 years, but it’s Android that owns half the smartphone market; Pinnacle Entertainment posted record results but Vince Martin kindly studies gambling company quarterly reports so you don’t have to.
EUROPE
Ladbrokes’ year-end results failed to impress but those of Lottomatica, Svenska Spel, Unibet and Finnish operator Ray fared better; Serbia ordered its internet service providers to block 70 online gambling sites; the Remote Gambling Association launched another complaint against Greece while the European Court of Justice said Italy wasn’t playing fair with its gambling licenses; the Danish Gambling Authority placed unlicensed gambling sites under surveillance; Playtech’s iPoker network may split in two; PokerStars launched its .eu site and a UK mobile app, while Bet24’s iPhone app went live in 14 countries.
ASIA
The Securities Exchange Commission launched an investigation into Wynn Resorts‘ $135m donation to the University of Macau, then Wynn forcibly bought out the man who first questioned that donation, number one shareholder Kazuo Okada; Macau authorities busted a fake VIP casino that was allegedly drugging its patrons; an Australian parliamentary committee recommended tighter controls on online sports betting while the country’s regulators plan an investigation into alleged hanky panky at the Star Casino; Filipino operator PhilWeb reported a healthy earnings bump; tourism is up in both Macau and Singapore; Japan’s casino draft law is now expected to be introduced in April; Sands Macau handed out the gambling enclave’s biggest ever jackpot, the son of former Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il was booted from a Macau hotel after he couldn’t pay his tab and Jade Entertainment’s Joe Pisano discussed the convergence of land-based and online casinos.
