Anyone holding these? Evil K drove the price right down and now they seem to be recovering---are they worth considering now they seem to have sorted out their finances?

Ianayel

Don't the Yanks make you want to laugh (with appologies to the genuine ones!)

In a note to clients, Canaccord said the move is likely to be 'politically motivated'.

The broker said it it is too early to say if this is part of a broader strategy on the prevention of Internet gambling in the US or if it is the Department of Justice 'flexing its muscle and trying to influence legislation'.

So when are they going to nuke Las Vegas??!!!!!

kim

http://www.theonlinewire.com/articleView.aspx?ID=1095

Breaking news of BETonSPORTS plc CEO David Carruthers's detention in Miami travelled lighting fast this morning, shocking the entire gaming industry and negatively affecting gaming stocks on the UK Stock Exchange. TheOnlinewire.com Costa Rica and U.S. sources report that Carruthers' detention is unlikely related to the online gambling ban (HR 4411) approved by the House last week but is more likely related to the federal investigation on BETonSPORTS's former owner Gary Kaplan.

It was known within the industry that Gary Kaplan was under federal investigation for his actions while at the helm of BETonSPORTS before the company went public in 2004. Sources report that federal authorities want to clearly identify possible criminal activities directly related to credit business ran by BETonSPORTS at the time Kaplan was at the helm of the company.

According to the same sources Carruthers' detention is related to the mentioned federal investigation. Investigators believe Carruthers might be in possess of information that could lead to Kaplan's indictment.

Gary Kaplan is rumored to be the real main man behind Igotsportsbook.com, a sportsbook established last year after Kaplan sold his remaining shares in BETonSPORTS.

If this arrest is indeed relating to Gary Kaplan then all the other gaming companies that were hit today will recover strongly tomorrow.

Ian

LONDON (Reuters) - Fears of a crackdown on online gambling in the United States knocked another 600 million pounds off UK gaming stocks on Tuesday after the FBI moved to shut down the U.S. operations of BETonSPORTS.
Gambling executives in the $12 billion (6.56 billion pound) industry were also assessing their personal exposure after BETonSPORTS said it had been unable to contact Chief Executive David Carruthers, who was detained on Monday and is being held in Fort Worth, Texas.
A U.S. indictment seen by Reuters laid out criminal charges against a number of individuals including Carruthers, who had spearheaded a campaign to defeat a Republican-written bill to crack down on online gambling, and BETonSPORTS founder Gary Kaplan.
After losing over 300 million pounds on Monday, stocks in the sector fell again after BETonSPORTS asked for its shares to be suspended. Sportingbet was down 12 percent at 1134 GMT (12:34 p.m. British Time), PartyGaming down 7 percent, and 888 Plc and BETandWIN both down 10 percent.
NATWEST THREE
"The language used in the Department of Justice release suggests to us there is the possibility that other Internet sports books could be targeted," said leisure analyst Richard Carter at Numis Securities.
BETonSPORTS said it was urgently trying to clarify the situation and assess the impact of a temporary restraining order on its business in the U.S., its biggest market.
"This comes a week after the extradition of the NatWest Three, and a lot of companies will be looking at their travel plans," said leisure analyst Wayne Brown at Altium Securities, referring to three British bankers extradited to the U.S. last week on fraud charges linked to the defunct energy giant Enron Corp.
"It's not just travel," said one UK gaming executive who declined to be named. "The U.S. has proved it can get to anyone it wants in the UK. A lot of executives are feeling very uncomfortable."
Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman declined to comment when asked whether gaming executives could be extradited to the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday that BETonSPORTS was among 11 individuals and four corporations facing various charges of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud.
The founder of BETonSPORTS.com, Gary Kaplan, 47, was also charged with 20 felony violations, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest, it added.
"BETonSPORTS.COM and other gambling Web sites operated by Gary Kaplan and his co-defendants offered gamblers in the United States illegal wagering on professional and college football and basketball," said a copy of the indictment seen by Reuters.
The indictment lists violations from 2001 to as recently as April, 2006.
It includes violations of the "Wire Wager Act", which gaming companies such as 888 and PartyGaming have always viewed as a reason not to enter the U.S. sports betting market.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has instructed four telephone companies to stop providing services to BETonSPORTS, the company said, citing the U.S. Department of Justice.
The United States has also filed a civil case ordering BETonSPORTS to stop taking sports bets there and to return money held by U.S. customers in their gaming accounts. A hearing in the case could be held within 10 days.

This is a massacre market...

BETonSPORTS says anti-gaming move to fail
Fri Jul 14, 2006 09:59 AM ET


LONDON (Reuters) - Online gaming group BETonSPORTS (BSS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) is confident an attempt in the United States to ban Internet gambling will fail, it said on Friday, adding that the World Cup tournament had boosted its Asian operations.
It said current trading had followed the positive outlook it gave in May and that the World Cup had delivered over 10,000 new Asian players for its Easybets, Hooball and 777ball sites.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a Republican-written bill to crack down on Internet gambling, in what critics said was an election-year appeal to the party's conservative base.

"We continue to believe that the likelihood of the bill passing the Senate is remote," said Chief Executive David Carruthers.

BETonSPORTS shares fell 1.4 percent to 145 pence by 0838 GMT, against a broadly weaker leisure sector, valuing the group at around 130 million pounds.

"Hooball.com and 777ball.com have high soccer profiles, and I am in no doubt that through these brands the World Cup has given instant impetus to the business," Carruthers said.

Analyst Wayne Brown at Altium Securities called the Asian customer acquisitions impressive but noted that the region accounts for less than 6 percent of group profit.

"We await a further update where we can get a clear indication of whether the impact of the World Cup is a spike or whether current momentum can be maintained," he said in a research note.

Altium set a target price for the stock at 180 pence based on a calculation of 9.8 times its estimate of BETonSPORTS's 2007 earnings per share.

"We believe the sub-sector will be re-rated when it becomes apparent that prohibitive legislation will fail to pass the U.S. Senate," said Brown.



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Oops Lanayel....u got it wrong......sub 200 pence today....better off sticking with DMR.

PS. Your comment was a bit of a rampish nature.

There (LaLa) speaks (types) the biggest ramping pump and dump git on the internet Best thing you can do with DMR is stick it up yer arse!

unbelievable!!! what a fucking day.

SueHelen posting on a proper thread !!!
Good grief.
Yes I admit I have been hit very hard with this one.
Normal research goes out of the window (unfortunately) when the Americans get a bee in their bonnet.
I can afford to hold (which I fear may not be the case with many shareholders).
Common sense suggests the fall in the SP is a huge over-reaction but how long it will continue is anybodys guess.

Ian

I think this is yet another case of doing your own research & investing in companies which have a strong management structure & are well run. All gambling stocks are risky, but SBT is one of the least so.
For those people who have some spare cash, SBT & others are a good buying opportunity, but keep locking in profit. The problem of the Americans trying to ban internet gambling in the U.S. is not going to go away, so every time this hits the headlines, the share price will take a big hit.
A company called PLAYTECH suffered the same fate as all the others, but has absolutely nothing to do with the BetonSports fiasco.
So, based on the risk factor, I cannot see any arguement for holding on to this stock for a long term investment. Regular trades, locking in regular profit.

Harry

Hi has anyone recently bought or kept these shares ahead of tomorrow's US law bill supposingly to be passed. Does anyone think the shares are going to fluctuate like crazy before the outcome?

How or when do we find out whether the bill has been passed?

This is one of the best places to find news on gaming companies.
Nothing there yet.
www.theonlinewire.com/articlelistall.aspx

Harrycat found this interesting read

http://www.onlinecasino.org/news/poll-91-in-usa-dont-want-a-online-gambling-ban-hr-4411-1311.php

Hmmm.
That's all very well, but popular opinion doesn't always affect policy decisions.
(Most people want the death penalty reintroduced & community charge to be scrapped. Neither will happen in our lifetime.)
However, one arguement is to tax gambling revenues in the U.S. Once they find a way of doing this effectively, then they may change their minds.

SBT has very good results and the recent trading update was encouraging. I jumped in as soon as the fuss started and bought SBT and PRTY there's been a nice bounce up so far and IMO much higher to go. The Senate has broken up for the summer now and there's not much support for the bill anyway so unlikely to rear it's head again until after the Nov elections over there. I'm holding and hoping!

There is normally a restistance level of 300p & then 400p for this stock.
I am still holding and am targeting just under 300p for my first sell.
Keep locking in profit.

Harrycat and moneyplus....
what did you guys think of the big jump in shares late Friday, I was surprise by the speed of the rise. I think the conifidence is returning in internet gaming sector, for the likes of 888, PRTY and SBT. However it will remain volitile whenever there is news relating to the Bet on Sport.

Exactly that. I can see no reason that SBT shouldn't reach it's 400p level as confidence comes back to this sector. In november, when the americans start looking at this again, then maybe that is the time to get out & take profit, but don't forget that the SBT dividend date is late december.

it is unlikely to reach 400p this year purely on the basis that the americans will start investigating again later this year. However the current share price of 272p does offer scope for at least a 15-20% gain in the next 3 months.
Not bad in the great scheme of things.

Ian

The price has reached 288 this morning, partly due to a big trade of 125000 shares. I think that your estimate of 15-20% is a little understated, particularly as the main reason for the fall in the first place was the BetonSports fiasco. But, as you say, 20% is a very good return.