Telegraph – William Hill, Britain’s biggest bookmaker, celebrates its 80th anniversary this year and it’s worth reflecting on how the business has changed. The company used the anniversary of Ralph Topping’s six years as chief executive on Friday to highlight progression during his tenure, from a predominantly UK-focused business, reliant on high street betting shops for 80pc of its revenue and profit, to one which now generates 48pc of its operating profit from its online and Australian operations. The former was built in partnership with software group Playtech – now no longer a partner – while William Hill bought Sportingbet’s…

AP – Caesars Entertainment Corp. is selling four properties to a separate unit that it controls for about $1.8 billion as it restructures its debt. The sale of Bally’s Las Vegas and the other three properties is valued by the company at about $2.2 billion, when debt and renovations at the Quad Resort & Casino are included. The other assets include Harrah’s New Orleans, and The Cromwell, which will open later this year and was formerly known as Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon. Caesars Acquisition Co. expects the deal to close in the second quarter. Caesars Entertainment will manage the…

Cincinnati.com – Churchill Downs executives say they remain “heavily engaged” in the pursuit of casino gambling in Kentucky. In a conference call Thursday with stock analysts about the Louisville-based racetrack and casino company’s 2013 fourth-quarter and full-year earnings, Churchill Downs Inc. Chief Operating Officer Bill Carstanjen said that it’s “getting to crunch time of the session. We have some cause to be optimistic, but our issues are wrapped up in other issues that can affect us that are hard to predict.” Representatives of Kentucky thoroughbred tracks and racing commission member Frank Jones met with state House Speaker Pro Tem Larry…

Online Poker Report – Last Thursday, PartyPoker released a new Android compatible version of its New Jersey poker room and casino. The much anticipated launch comes approximately two months after PartyPoker first released an iOS version of its NJ software. And while WSOP and 888poker beat Party to the Apple store, Party is the first major player to boast a native application for Android smartphone and tablet devices. I had a chance to download and peruse the poker version of the app, with decidedly mixed results. Unlike Apple’s App Store, Google’s Play Store weighs hefty restrictions on real-money gambling applications….

iGaming Business – UK Culture Secretary Maria Miller has called for gamblers to be given more protection despite the introduction of a new spending limit code of conduct, according to UK public-service broadcaster the BBC. As reported by iGaming Business, the new voluntary code was developed by the Association of British Bookmakers and introduced on February 28. The code allows punters to set limits on the amount of time and money they spend on fixed odds betting terminals. Miller has proposed that the new code becomes compulsory and the rules should be toughened up to include forced spending and time…

Poker News – On Thursday, Italy’s Houses of Representatives approved a bill which will modify the current rules applied to gambling ads. Yet despite what media outlets reported earlier this month, Italy is not going to apply a ban on TV and radio gambling advertising. The new law will not introduce a full ban, instead only adding some new limitations to gambling TV and radio ads. Furthermore, the new rules are not going to become immediately effective as the text approved only states guidelines for future gambling regulation to be translated into norms during 2014 by Italy’s government. Speaking on…