Progress Slow to Come in Sportingbet's Turkish Tussle

Still no word on the legal fate of The Sportingbet Two, who have been held in an Istanbul jail since May 28.

George Hudson, a spokesman for the London-listed online sports betting operator, told Interactive Gaming News Tuesday that there have not been any developments.

"I've had no news on that front," said Mr. Hudson, who is a director of Smithfield Consultants in London. "It's unfortunately a slow process, and quite an opaque process with a lack of clarity. I know the company is trying its best, but thus far there's no update, I'm afraid."

Last week, Andrew McIver, Sportingbet's chief executive, told the Telegraph that the company was seeking to secure a bail hearing for the two detainees this week.

"The whole thing is very frustrating," Mr. McIver was quoted as saying. "It's very unfair on the individuals."

Mr. McIver has indicated the company has no imminent plans to discontinue serving Turkish residents, whom it targets with its Turkish-language Web site, Superbahis.com.

Turkey, a jurisdiction protected by strict anti-gambling laws that threaten perpetrators of illegal Internet gambling with prison time and hefty, daily fines, accounted for approximately 14 percent of Sportingbet's net gaming revenue during the third quarter.

Across the Internet gambling industry, a small number of companies, including Betsson, a Sweden-based operator, continue to target Turkish residents.

Several operators, including Ladbrokes, Betfair, Unibet, Bwin Interactive Entertainment and 888 Holdings, maintain Turkish-language Web sites targeting Turkish expatriates, exclusively.

Still others, including PartyGaming, have withdrawn from the market entirely.

The two detainees are Turkish nationals and are not members of the company's executive board.