EGR Snapshot: NetPlay-Five TV deal for daily UK TV casino; iMEGA Kentucky supreme court date; CryptoLogic; Bwin... 07/09/2009

NetPlayTV has signed a five year deal with Channel Five Broadcasting to broadcast a daily live casino show on UK TV channel Five, making Five the first UK national television broadcaster to take advantage of new rules classifying gambling programmes as tele-shopping.

Kentucky state governor Steven Beshear is to face off against the Interactive Media and Entertainment Gaming Association (iMEGA) in the Kentucky Supreme Court after iMEGA  and other groups persuaded the Kentucky Court of Appeals to block an order by a lower court to have 141 Internet gambling domains seized.

CryptoLogic has dismissed fears that the recent US$4bn takeover of comic book stable Marvel by entertainment giant Disney might spell the end of its licensing agreement with Marvel.

Bwin has confirmed that it is in the process of acquiring Italian poker operator Gioco Digitale.  In a statement, the company said the board and shareholders had “agreed on principle terms for the acquisition of 100% of Gioco Digitale”. No timeframe has been set and Bwin would not comment on the widely-circulated price of €90m-€95m. A spokesperson for the Austrian operator said only: “The possible acquisition of Gioco Digitale represents the importance of the Italian market to Bwin and means we will be looking to build on our strengths there.”

Bingo software provider Virtue Fusion Alderney is to provide software to Malta-licensed sports and casino portal Begawin.com.

Mobile betting solutions provider Mobenga has launched NordicBet’s sportsbook for the iPhone.

NeoGames will supply its online scratch card products to Gaming Media Group to create the ScratchcardHeaven brand. Gaming Media Group is the parent company of online poker room Pokerheaven.com and European TV gaming network The Poker Channel.

Income Access is sponsoring the online marketing and affiliate focus track taking place on 16 September at the European iGaming Congress (EiG) in Copenhagen. Income Access staff will also be available to meet directly with attendees at the Bella Centre conference venue, booth 247.

Boss Media, Finsoft, St Minver and Dynamite Idea, the four companies acquired to form the GTech G2 group, will exhibit at EiG under their collective new brand name for the first time. GTech G2 will host a gala dinner for igaming executives gathered for EiG.

The Gambling B2B affiliate programme will be showcased at the Budapest Affiliate Conference on 10-13 September at SYMA in Budapest at E56, the booth of their affiliate software provider, Income Access. The Income Access booth is sponsored by UK mobile casino and mobile bingo operator mFortune.

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Posted: 07/09/2009