Zany Brainy toy stores to stop selling video games
GameSpot
The 170-store toy chain owned by FAO Schwarz will pull the E-rated games it had been selling, saying that the game industry focuses too much on violent themes. Read more >>>

Clark County, smoking foes cite ballot and plan Legislative push
Las Vegas Sun
Clark County health officials and anti-smoking advocates have started a drive to get smoking restrictions through the Nevada Legislature following approval of two advisory initiatives earlier this month. Read more >>>

Orbis toots its own horn
OnlineCasinoNews
To read the news these days you would think that Internet-based companies are having a hard time, with online gambling companies faring the worst. So the news that gambling software provider Orbis has been named one of the UK’s fastest growing technology companies, with revenues that have grown 999% in three years, deserves at least a mention. Read more >>>

iGGBA Launches Industry Position Paper on Money Laundering
iGGBA
The Interactive Gambling, Gaming and Betting Association (iGGBA) - the representative trade body within Europe’s growing I-Gaming industry - has published a new paper addressing the issue of money laundering as it affects the sector. iGGBA has long recognised the threats posed by money laundering and has been engaged in discussions with APACs (the Association for Payment Clearing Services) the UK Government and the Gaming Board of Great Britain to create a tough regulatory framework which will prevent cybercrime through I-Gaming sites. Read more >>>

Over 85% of Nevada tax revenue from gambling
OnlineCasinoNews
A state tax study shows that Nevada earned 85.8 percent of its tax revenue last year from sales and gambling taxes - nearly double the national average. Read more >>>

i-Gaming focus at ICE
ICE
The online gaming industry will be to the fore at January’s International Casino Exhibition (ICE) in London. The sector will be represented by no fewer than 29 exhibiting companies from 13 nations, occupying 624.1 square metres (6,715 sq.ft.) of net floor space. Read more >>>

Death by Doubling Down
Jonathan Hoenig, SmartMoney.com
THE MARKET DOESN'T slit our throats - we do it to ourselves. The Martingale, gambling lingo for what experienced traders call "doubling down," is perhaps the quickest means to a bloody end. I got my first gray hair the day I understood why the Martingale system, despite all its attractions, simply doesn't work. Read more >>>

Casino ejects winning players
Las Vegas Sun
Detroit Greektown Casino has ejected about 30 video poker players in recent weeks because they have become unprofitable customers, casino officials said. The players' winnings -- combined with cash-back incentives and freebies -- are costing the casino, according to Greektown officials, who said the casino would have to consider broader cost-cutting measures if it didn't bar some gamblers. Read more >>>

Old Bombs Found at Asia Disney Site
AP
Nearly 200 bombs and artillery shells dumped offshore by the British military decades ago have been removed from the site of a Disney theme park being built on dredged land, officials said Sunday. Read more >>>

Toys R Us Post Narrower 3rd-Quarter Loss
Reuters
Toys R Us Inc, the No. 2 U.S. toy retailer, on Monday reported a narrower quarterly loss versus a year-ago as better inventory management boosted results and sales of staple toys such as "Bob the Builder" playsets increased. Read more >>>

Jack First! at Photo Play
funworld a.g.
Block-buster Jack First! is starting on the 25th of November in the Photo Play NET. A new net game by remote update every six weeks, is the motto of the Photo Play contents department. This update is also one of the core products provided by Photo Play NET, which scores well with contents such as the download of mobile phone logos and ringing tones, photo cards, e-mails, etc. in addition to classic MASTERS tournaments. Read more >>>

Magic Rings in the Photo Play NET in line with cinema launch of Lord of the Rings II
funworld ag
Photo Play terminals will launch a new net game "Magic Rings” at the official midnight premiere of the "Lord of the Rings II” on December 18th. Read more >>>

Credit Card Companies to Charge Extra for use of Porn Sites
OnlineCasinoNews
New rules set by financial companies could threaten the growth of one of the most vibrant drivers of the Internet's early success: pornography. Read more >>>

NPD forecasts record year for game sales
GameSpot
Research group NPDFunworld has released a report based on its sales data that shows that 2002 is likely to break the all-time record for game sales, which was set last year. Sales for games and game hardware for the first 10 months of the year have topped $6 billion, which is up 25 percent over the same period last year. The fourth quarter traditionally accounts for half of all game sales, and at least $4 billion in sales is expected this holiday season, which would push the year past 2001's sales of $9.4 billion. Read more >>>

Xbox Live connection issues
GameSpot
Last Friday, Microsoft launched Xbox Live, a $50-a-year service that allows Xbox owners to tap into an existing high-speed Internet connection to play games online. While Xbox fans were pumped up for the debut of the service after a successful test version, those who had altered their consoles with "mod chips" have been out of luck. Mod chips are gray-market add-ons that allow the Xbox to play legally and illegally copied discs, imported games, and homemade software. Microsoft has followed through on earlier threats, originally reported by CNET's News.com, to use Xbox Live to detect and bar consoles outfitted with mod chips. Read more >>>

October video game sales - Top Ten
GameSpot
Rockstar Games' criminally good action sequel GTA: Vice City has shot straight to the top of NPD's latest video game sales chart, despite not going on sale until the end of the month. Only a single non-PS2 game has made it into the top 10 this month, despite the fact that many of the games listed are also available on other platforms. September / October / Title / Platform / Publisher / Average Price Read more >>>

October Game Sales Strong, 'Vice City' Dominates
Reuters
Video game software sales were up sharply in October, financial analysts said on Monday, as the hotly-anticipated criminal adventure game "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" made a smash-hit debut. Read more >>>

Park Place CEO Quits in Shake-Up, COO Promoted
Reuters
The president and chief executive of Park Place Entertainment Corp. quit on Tuesday in a shake-up at the world's biggest casino operator whose stock has fallen 40 percent under the exiting executive. Read more >>>

Xbox Headline Sponsor for Robbie Williams' 2003 European Tour
GameSpot
At a press conference in Berlin yesterday, Microsoft and Robbie Williams have together announced their partnership for Williams' upcoming European tour. The Xbox will be one of two headline tour sponsors and will have a presence at all 15 of the dates on the tour, which will take in eight different countries and kicks off in Edinburgh, Scotland, on June 28, 2003. Read more >>>

Random Media gets Sony contract for games’ sites
Revolution UK Online
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has appointed digital agency Random Media to create web sites for its Sly Racoon and Shinobi games. Read more >>>

ATEI débutants bring new ideas from 15 countries
ATEI
Visitors to ATEI 2003 are set to benefit from seeing an even greater variety of new products in January with no fewer than 34 companies from 15 different countries taking stand space at the international amusements extravaganza for the very first time. The figure represents just under 14 per cent of the total number of exhibitors (251) to have confirmed their stand space at ATEI by the beginning of November. Read more >>>

TRENDY goes international
Stella International
STELLA International started promoting the export version of the Trendy touchscreen on Preview 2003 show in London, 9th and 10th of October. In cooperation with adp Gauselmann GmbH, STELLA International developed an international marketing concept tailor-made for the UK market. Read more >>>

More than a quarter of new companies at ICE 2003
ICE
No fewer than 37 companies from 18 countries will be making their first ever appearance at the International Casino Exhibition (ICE), which takes place at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London on 21-22-23 January. The figure represents more than a quarter (26.8 per cent) of the total number of exhibitors (138) to have confirmed their stand space at ICE 2003 by the beginning of November. Read more >>>

PC Game of the Month: Unreal Tournament 2003
GameSpot
The respected videogame website GameSpot.com awarded the new edition of the notoriously known shooter Unreal Tournament as the October PC game of the month. The original game review and more to be found inside this article. Read more >>>

Online Poker is Down
OnlineCasinoNews
Poker.com, a leading provider of online gaming systems, announced that, based on preliminary estimates, it expects earnings for the third quarter of 2002 to be lower than projected. The company expects it's third quarter to be a loss of approx. $100k. The shortfall is primarily due to difficulties with its casino software provider. These difficulties have impacted the company in several ways, including: Read more >>>

Microsoft reveals Xbox losses
GameSpot
Microsoft yesterday filed its results for the financial quarter that ended on September 30, and the new report provides a clearer breakdown of how the company's individual divisions are performing. Read more >>>

Mafia Battles Hand Big Win to Czech Software Firm
Reuters
Tommy Angelo, a cab driver turned mafioso, makes loads of money while his Ford cruises the streets of a Chicago-like city in 1930s America. But Tommy doesn't pocket any of the cash. Instead, it is a small, five-year-old software firm in the Czech Republic that is reaping the bounty from the gangster's deeds. Read more >>>

LCI to sell casino at 50 St James
ATE-Online, Independent News
The Independent Newspaper reports that casino operator London Clubs International, has put its prestigious 50 St James Casino up for sale with a price tag of more than Ł50m. The group completed a debt restructuring in the summer, but still has Ł320m of borrowings, which it has promised to reduce. Read more >>>

Joint venture announces US$200 million Vietnam entertainment complex project
AP, 19.11.2002
A foreign joint-venture company plans to build Vietnam's first large-scale amusement center - a US$200 million entertainment complex in southern Ho Chi Minh City, company officials said Wednesday. Read more >>>

Brigitte Bardot supports Photo Play’s "International Prix Non Violence"
ATEI
Celebrities including Brigitte Bardot support the Photo Play’s "Int. Prix Non Violence" - the violence prevention aimed contest for young people which is organized under the patronage of UNESCO. Read more in this article. Read more >>>

Sky in talks with gaming charity Gamcare
ATE-Online
Sky, satellite TV broadcaster, has been in talks with gambling charity Gamcare with the aim of developing a safe environment for its iTV gambling service. The broadcaster has been focussing on ways to prevent underage and problem gamblers from accessing its site. Read more >>>

SAGSE 2002 Tenth Anniversary
Temples Of Gambling
Monografie S.A., the organizer of the South American Gaming Suppliers Expo, promises the tenth SAGSE exhibition will be more exciting than ever. SAGSE 2002 will be "An Expo to remember". From the 20th till the 22nd of November, some of the most important international companies in the casino industry will be present in Buenos Aires to show their latest gaming machines and casino equipment. Read more >>>

PST cleans up in Innovation, Productivity and Export
PST
Prestige Seating Technology (PST) has scooped three prestigious UK awards finishing top of the pile for Innovation in the North East Manufacturing Challenge Awards for the last 12 months as well as being rated the best in terms of Productivity and the best for Export over the last quarter. Read more >>>

InterCasino Beats two thousand Online Casinos
Online Casinos news
InterCasino.com, for a second year in a row, has taken home what the Internet gambling industry affectionately nicknamed "The Gambling Oscar”. The award, officially entitled "Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers Choice Award”, is given annually to one of the 2,000 online casino gambling sites that its readers declare "the best in the business”. Over 60,000 online gamblers took part in the voting this year, making it the most comprehensive online gambler’s poll ever conducted. Read more >>>

Big discounts on London show accommodation
ATEI, ICE
Organisers of the Amusement Trades Exhibition International (ATEI) and International Casino Exhibition (ICE), which take place on 21-22-23 January 2003, have produced a list of recommended hotels close to the Earls Court exhibition complex with special discounts which can save show visitors up to 60 per cent on published room rates. Read more >>>

Rank Interactive Gaming reveals weekly gambling of Ł1.5m
Revolution UK Online
The interactive arm of Rank Group, the national gaming and bingo firm, is attracting weekly gambling levels of more than Ł1.5 million online. Read more >>>

iGGBA adopts ICRA standard for parental controls on I-Gaming
iGGBA
At the European I-Gaming Congress and Expo, the interactive Gaming, Gambling and Betting Association (iGGBA) announced the adoption of the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) system of parental control. Each member of iGGBA will rate their web site which will then allow parents to voluntarily set filters to prevent children from accessing I-Gaming sites. Read more >>>

Gambling reform: sooner rather than later?
GIF
"Gambling reform remains at the forefront of the [UK] Government’s mind … and is coming over the horizon at a rate of knots,” says Paddy Whur, head of betting & gaming at Nottingham-based solicitors Poppleston Allen. Read more >>>

Xbox Live coming Friday
GameSpot
Microsoft will officially bring the Xbox online this Friday when Xbox Live officially launches. The service has been in beta testing since this August, with a select group of consumers selected to be part of the program. Read more >>>

Mobile Casinos for First Time
OnlineCasinoNews
For the first time, a cellular service provider is offering an interactive casino game channel using advanced mobile technology. Israeli content provider Zone4Play has announced it will be using the casino game system it developed for the cellular service provider Orange. Read more >>>

Analysts cautious on Nevada casino industry after report
Las Vegas Sun
Wall Street analysts remain cautious about the recovery of Nevada's casino industry despite healthy increases in statewide gambling revenues and Strip gambling revenues in September compared to the same month a year ago. The increases -- which were in line with third quarter earnings results reported by major casino operators -- are driven by easy comparisons to September 2001, when casinos were profoundly hurt by the terrorist attacks that hurt the tourism industry. Read more >>>

Alliance buying casino software supplier
Las Vegas Sun
Alliance Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas announced today that its Bally Gaming and Systems unit has acquired CMS, LLC, a supplier of casino software focusing on player database management, player tracking and promotions. Read more >>>

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