iGaming Business – Betradar, the sport betting data brand of Sportradar, has announced that Swedish state-run gambling operator Svenska Spel has deployed the firm’s live odds service for its betting offering. The launch sees Svenska Spel follow fellow Scandinavian state lotteries Veikkaus and Norsk Tipping in opting for the service. Betradar said its live odds services offers a fully automated and integrated in-running trading service, featuring a range of live betting sports and markets. The Betradar live betting portfolio covers 15 different sports and more than 12,000 matches per month. “The market demand has stretched Svenska Spel’s resources to the…

Gaming Intelligence – South African online gaming operator BetFlash has bolstered its offering with the launch of Betradar-powered in-play betting, which is now live online and for mobile and tablet devices. BetFlash is initially offering in-play betting on rugby, football and tennis, with more sports to follow, using Betradar’s live odds solution. The company’s general manager Samantha McMurtrie said she was very proud to have launched the live betting offering, which she said was “superior to any other in-play product currently in the South African market.” “We have focused on a clean, easy to use screen layout, as well as…

iGaming Business – The Advertising Standards Authority Ireland (ASAI) has ruled that an advert campaign by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power featuring Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was “offensive” after it breached several rules. The campaign referred to the outcome of a trial in which Pistorius is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in February 2013. The advert offered the opportunity to bet on the outcome of the trial and stated punters that placed a bet could access a special money-back offer. The advert stated: “IT’S OSCAR TIME. MONEY BACK IF HE WALKS. WE WILL REFUND ALL LOSING BETS ON THE…

Gambling 911 – The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned Irish online bookmaker from ever promoting bets on the Oscar Pistorious trial.Some 65 complaints were considered after the controversial betting firm began taking wagers on the outcome of the paraplegic runner Pistorius’ murder trial.  The South African fatally shot his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp but claims he did so by accident out of fear an intruder had entered through a bathroom window. The company made matters worse by featuring Pistorius as an Oscar statuette during the Academy Awards with a caption that read: “money back if he walks”. The ASA…

The Christian Institute – Gambling advertisements should be banned in sports, the Church of Scotland has said in a report published ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The report, titled Striving Together: Celebrating Competitiveness in Sport, also urges the Scottish and UK Governments to ban adverts for short-term loan companies who “charge exorbitant rates”. The Glasgow 2014 games, which involves athletes competing across 17 sports, will begin in July. Sponsors include a host of organisations such as John Lewis, Virgin Media and ScotRail. But Scottish football team Hearts is sponsored by payday loan company Wonga and Rangers are set to receive…

Calvin Ayre – Shortly after he sold his independent betting firm Betstar to UK bookies Ladbrokes, Alan Eskander bemoaned the (mostly) British invasion that was changing the face of the Australian betting industry. Ladbrokes also recently acquired Bookmaker.com.au, while William Hill now owns Centrebet, Sportingbet and TomWaterhouse.com, Paddy Power owns Sportsbet, Bet365 is operating under its own banner and Betfred is prepping its own down under launch. Eskander told the Australian Financial Review that if current consolidation trends continue, “in five years time there will be three or four major players in Australia at best.” The biggest player in Australian…