Nambling Notes - March 20, 2008

Shares in Parlay Entertainment have dropped 16 percent on a full-yearly net loss of CA$76,000. The Toronto-listed bingo software supplier revealed revenues of CA$8.03 million, down 11 percent on 2006, with royalty revenues down 6 percent to CA$7.32 million.

The Thai government's Department of Special Investigation is reportedly gathering evidence with the intent to track and shut down Web sites offering Internet gambling. Bangkok Post reports the Web sites under investigation "are connected to betting on soccer matches."

Stanleybet subsidiary Stanley International Betting Ltd. has taken a two-thirds stake in Star Typ z.o.o. (STS), a Polish sports betting operator. STS owns and operates a network of 450 betting shops. Stanley International looks to increase that number within the next three years, it said.

IGT subsidiary WagerWorks has released its Captain Quid's Treasure Quest slot, a five-reel, 15-playline game which offers up to £50,000 in prizes.

Ladbrokes Poker is offering 100 seats via online satellite victories for this year's World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

In an opinion piece, "Where the votes are," the LA Times suggests that that a pro-online gambling stance -- among other policies -- can be used to win voters who identify neither with the Republican nor Democratic parties. "Win them over," the paper says, "and win every national election for the next several decades."

It adds: "At least since the mid-1970s, betting has been something Americans love to do. A 2006 poll found that 78 percent of Americans believe that the government should not 'restrict what adults do on the Internet in the privacy of their own homes.' Yet the feds are waging an unwinnable war on online gambling -- even incurring a World Trade Organization sanction for jailing the head of a legal, Britain-based operation when he changed planes in Dallas."

Marketing Week reports Sportech will fully re-launch its Littlewoods and Vernons brands as The New Football Pools this summer, with branding and repositioning to be handled by Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest. The move falls in line with the group's long-term objective of refocusing its core football pools business.

On the London Stock Exchange today, London Capital Group was down 15p to 330, PartyGaming was up 0.25p to 19.25 and Ladbrokes was down 7.25p to 284.00.