The Guardian – Amid criticism bookmaker vows to link executive pay to targets tackling issue and set up a board committee to investigate policy Ladbrokes will seek to calm the row over the lucrative fixed-odds gambling machines in high-street bookies this week with a vow to link executive pay to targets on tackling problem gambling. The bookmaker also plans to set up a board committee to investigate responsible gambling policies as it responds to widespread criticism of machines dubbed the “crack cocaine of gambling” by campaigners. Ladbrokes has written to the minister responsible for gambling, Helen Grant, and industry stakeholders…

BBC – Bookmaker Ladbrokes has reported a sharp fall in profits, hit by costs related to an upgrade of its online offering. Pre-tax profits for 2013 were £67.6m, down 66% on 2012, dragged down by £51.6m in exceptional costs driven largely by a software upgrade. Chief executive Richard Glynn admitted the results were “disappointing”, but insisted it had made “real operational progress”. It will shut 40 to 50 shops this year. Ladbrokes formed a tie-up with software developer Playtech last year and is now switching its gaming products to a new system. It is aiming to complete the upgrade by…

IGB Affiliate – The media world was buzzing on January 9, 2014, when the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA (locally known as the Sixers) and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL became the first major US-based professional sports teams to sign a sponsorship deal with an online gambling company, PartyPoker. To learn more about the story behind this ground-breaking deal, and what it means for the future of online gambling in the United States, iGB Affiliate spoke exclusively to Scott O’Neil, CEO of the Devils and Sixers. How will the PartyPoker brand be integrated into the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers teams,…

iGaming Business – Bookmaker Ladbrokes said it remains optimistic about 2014 despite having posted what it described as “disappointing” results in the 12 months through to December 31, 2013. With the firm recording net revenue of £1.1 billion (€1.35 billion/$1.85 billion) during 2013, a decrease of 0.6% on the previous year’s figure, total operating profit fell by 32.9% from £206.1 million in 2012 to £138.3 million. Ladbrokes’ digital division suffered the most significant fall by generating £8.2 million in operating profit, a drop of 74.2% on the previous year’s figure of £31.8 million. UK retail operating profit amounted to £133.9…

iGaming Business – Sports and betting-related data company Sportradar has announced a new partnership with the Australian Rugby Union, the country’s national governing body of rugby union. Under the agreement, Sportradar’s Fraud Detection System will monitor fixtures featuring Australian teams in the Super Rugby competition – which also involves teams from New Zealand and South Africa – as well as international Test matches held in Australia for signs of betting-related corruption and fraudulent activity. The system tracks betting odds across hundreds of different betting operators around the world in real-time. Earlier this week, Sportradar extended a similar partnership with Football…

This Week in Gambling – Our interview with Lloyd Levenson who has twice served as Chairman of the Casino Law Section of the New Jersey Bar Association, and was a recipient of the Gaming Industry Leadership Award for his work in various gaming related disciplines. Discussion includes what has happened in New Jersey in regard to sports betting up to now, why the professional sports leagues are so opposed and what the future holds with the U.S. Supreme Court. . . ..