Nambling Notes - April 14, 2008

When asked about H.R. 5767, the new bill co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Barney Frank and Ron Paul, Peter Garrucio, public relations officer with the American Bankers Association, said in a telephone interview with IGN this morning:

"As the [UIGEA] regulations have turned out, they're both unworkable and burdensome. Considering that the bill is sort of an opportunity to fix that, we support it."

If enacted, H.R. 5767 would prohibit the Treasury and Federal Reserve from "proposing, prescribing or implementing" any regulations under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Jaxx UK Ltd., the sports betting operator, has signed a two-year shirt-sponsorship deal with Motherwell F.C., the Scottish Premier League side. Under the terms of the deal, valued at $396,390 per season with revenue share, Jaxx will become the club's official betting partner, with a Jaxx-Motherwell branded Web site to be developed. Mark Irvine, the company's managing director, said he was "particularly keen" to secure a presence in Scotland on the back of betting partnership deals with Newcastle United F.C. and West Ham United F.C. of the English Premier League. Jaxx said in a prepared statement Monday that the deal was facilitated by Fuse Sport, a group which develops sports-related sponsorship packages for major brands.

Norsk Tipping AS, Norway's national lottery operator, has revealed full-yearly profits of $618 million -- up 8 percent versus 2006 -- from revenue of $2 billion. Revenue for the group's interactive gaming division, meanwhile, was up 48 percent to $138.6 million. Across 2007, Norsk Tipping contributed $250 million to the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs, $43.8 million to Ministry of Health and Care Services and $2.4 million toward problem gambling treatment services.

PKR.com, the online poker operator, has partnered with Helibanners Ltd., the aerial advertising company, to launch an airborne ad campaign above London. The agreement sees a 25000-square-foot PKR.com banner affixed to, and flown behind, a Helibanners chopper. The company said Monday that the banner "is visible for more than 10 miles and introduces PKR.com to over a million people every flight."

Jackpot Factory Group, the online casino operator, has gone live with its bingo offering, All Bingo Club, on the Microgaming platform.

Income Access, the affiliate marketing group, has added Canbet's affiliate program to its network.

On the London Stock Exchange today, PartyGaming was up 0.75p, or 3.6 percent, to 21.50, 888 was down 2.50p, or 1.7 percent, to 147.00 and Sportingbet was down 1p, or 2.5 percent, to 38.50.