2007 May 02 Gambling News, Events and Happenings - Page 8

Folks on Wall Street have made a fortune betting on the moves of News Corp. (NWS) CEO Rupert Murdoch.

WHEELING Ohio County Commissioners unveiled Tuesday the official ballot for the Saturday, June 9, special election that will determine if Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center will be permitted to have table gambling.

Online games developer and turnkey provider Playtech has released three new games into its online casino game inventory. The new arrivals are in addition to the expanded introduction of the progressive side game Dollar Ball to all of Playtech’s non-progressive 5-reel video slots games.

It’s been almost two weeks since the Betex group announced that three of its employees were arrested by Chinese authorities, and this week the company issued a further statement that if anything adds more confusion on what is legal and what is illegal in the Asian country.

UK-listed online gambling group Party Gaming, often viewed as a bellwether stock, declined 9.2 percent this week on the company’s publication of a profit warning in its quarterly results. The announcement warns that Party Gaming expects to miss its profit forecast for 2007, due to higher than expected player recruitment costs.

The attempt by influential US Congressman Barney Frank to introduce online gambling licensing and regulation in the United States has continued to receive widespread mainstream media coverage and comment both for and against by groups and individuals

Followers of the US political manipulation surrounding the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act last year became familiar with the terms “earmark” and “Christmas tree,” used to describe problematic bills added late to other unrelated but “must pass” legislation.

The Australian and New Zealand media are reporting on the newest global online gambling licensing jurisdiction this week - Papua New Guinea, where parliament has passed a gaming law allowing casinos and internet gambling in the Pacific nation.

Bishop Fred Henry revealed general gambling statistics among Canadian youth this week in an article in the Catholic Weekly, which claims to be Canada’s largest religious weekly publication.