Daily Nambling Notes - June 11, 2002

UK Tidbit -- The House of Commons' committee for culture, media and sport heard testimony on problem gambling today as part of its examination of the government's proposal to liberalize gambling laws in the United Kingdom. Paul Bellringer, director of Gamcare, a charity that helps people with gambling addiction, told the MPs that gambling reform should not happen unless more cash is available to fight gambling addiction. Bellringer said that unless more help is targeted at gambling addiction, the United Kingdom could see an upswing in gambling problems much like what happened in Australia after its gambling laws were liberalized.

World Cupdate -- A Christian group held a public prayer session in Hong Kong yesterday to protest possibility that soccer gambling could be legalized there. The Rev. Siu Yu-fat, the leader of the rally, said more people are interested in soccer betting now because of the World Cup. "We have seen more people discussing bets on the World Cup. Betting odds are also highlighted in the media. This may encourage more illegal betting activities and the public to support the legalization of soccer gambling." Since the beginning of the World Cup on May 31, Hong Kong police have arrested 34 people in connection with soccer betting and seized more than $32 million in betting slips.

New Stuff -- Move over Playboy Betting Bunny, there's a new woman in town. Magna recently introduced Betty, its voice-recognition phone betting system that replaces the need for a live operator to take calls. Magna XpressBet president Ron Luniewski said the system was developed by the New South Wales TAB. The company's Web site is still its most popular betting forum, though. "This could be for the bettor who is out on a Saturday afternoon, isn't near his computer, and only has a second to take a bet," Luniewski said. Word has it that Betty's picture in the Magna brochure is reminiscent of Judy Jetson. The Albany Law School is now offering a new Web page devoted to racing and wagering information about New York. The page, which is sponsored by the school's racing and wagering law program, is at http://www.als.edu/glc/wagering.

Makin' Deals -- Y3K Secure Enterprise Software Inc. yesterday announced an agreement with Carib International, an online casino and sports book company. Y3K will be providing Carib with secure instant messaging software to be used for corporate communications within the company.

Say What? -- "There's no way I am going to be anywhere near a TV at the time so I'm just going to have to take the TV with me. It is the only way for me to watch the action without neglecting my mate."

-Ben Jeffery, a UK soccer fan who didn't want to miss the England vs. Argentina World Cup match just because he had to be the best man in a friend's wedding at the same time it was on., as quoted in the Evening Post, June 7.