Bookmaker News – Sportech Closing On Tote Bid?

Pool-based betting platforms across the globe may be about to face a new rival for their product. The Tote in the UK and the PMU in France just be just two of the big names under attack with the news that Sportech, the Liverpool-based football pools operator who own the Littlewoods, Vernons and Zetters brands, have bought out US gaming and systems provider Scientific Games for more than £50million. Scientific Games Racing are a giant in their field, providing automated tote systems and equipment for off and on-track racehourse and greyhound betting around the world. Sportech will now have a stake in pool betting systems in Europe, North America and South America and there is a rumour that one of their first moves will be to offer the UK Tote a place under their rapidly expanding umbrella. A familiar name involved in the deal is prominent national hunt racehorse owner Trevor Hemmings. Hemmings, owner of 2005 Grand National winner Hedgehunter, is underwriting the deal via his investment company Newby Manor along with several of Sportech‘s other major shareholders including the Bank Of Scotland and software developers Playtech, who are also heavily involved in the development of new online gaming ventures with William Hill. Bet365, meanwhile, have fallen foul of the UK Advertising Standards Authority over a free bet promotion they were running in conjunction with Channel 4 Racing. Their ads were offering punters the potential to have free bets throughout Channel 4‘s coverage, providing they kept backing winners at odds of 4-1 or higher. But several punters complained that, in actuality, bet365 were refusing to honour their promise, stopping the free bets after one race. The bookmakers claimed that their promotion was being exploited in certain quarters, with some customers using their free bet to lay off their selection on the betting exchanges and thus ensuring they were in a no-lose situation. However, the ASA found that bet365 hadn’t specified in their advertisement if the free bet was subject to special terms and conditions so was therefore liable to mislead. The ads have subsequently been banned.