THE AMERICAS
Nevada introduced new interactive gambling legislation that would double license fees, permit interstate compacts and ban PokerStars; a US District Court judge heard oral arguments in the New Jersey sports betting law fight; Delaware said it would consider sharing online poker liquidity with Europe; Atlantic City casino revenue fell again in January and the Trump Plaza was sold for $20m; the Canadian senate finally resumed debate of the C-290 sports betting legislation; Bally Technologies inked a deal to use Amaya Gaming’s Ongame poker platform; American Casino & Entertainment Properties launched a free-play poker site; Lock Poker segregated its tables from the other Revolution network skins; the World Series of Poker announced its 2013 schedule; online credit betting bookies in Hawaii pleaded guilty and Ashton Kutcher claimed to have been a front for a major sports betting syndicate.
EUROPE
Betfair reportedly sacked hundreds of staff as part of new CEO Breon Corcoran’s restructuring plan; Unibet revenue hit uncharted highs in Q4; full-year report cards were turned in by Lottomatica, Svenska Spel, Veikkaus and Net Entertainment; Switzerland suggested lifting its online gambling prohibition, the UK’s proposed point-of-consumption tax was called a solution looking for a problem; the UK Gambling Commission released its latest gambling participation survey; Bet-at-home lost its legal fight with the Belgian blacklist; Partouche Interactive suggested layoffs were imminent after revenue fell 10%; Full Tilt launched a dot-eu site; Holland Casino advertised for an online partner; Danish sports bettors went on a tear in Q4; three bidders looked to acquire London Capital Group and an Irish court said former Full Tilt Poker offshoot Pocket Kings owes PokerStrategy $1.2m, assuming there’s any money left when Pocket Kings finishes being liquidated.
ASIA
A casino in Hainan paying winners with non-cash prizes presented a challenge to Macau’s monopoly; Macau strained to contain the extra visitors during lunar new year celebrations; AERL shifted a VIP room to Sands Cotai Central; Singapore fined Marina Bay Sands for dodgy surveillance practices; sports bettors in Poipet said they weren’t bothered by potential match fixing and Bodog Nation announced it was looking for a few good men, women and/or hermaphrodites to fill some key positions.
