FUN TECHNOLOGIES OPTIMISTIC FOR SKILL GAMES
(623) (7-October-2006)
No changes planned regarding US market
The giant Canadian skill games provider FunTech , which is part of the
Liberty Media group said this week that it would continue to operate
business as usual in its FUN Games and FUN Sports divisions following
the US legislative moves to cut off American financial flows to online
gambling companies.
Company spokesmen pointed out that the US legislation includes a specific
allowance for fantasy sports contests, such as those offered by FUN Sports,
and permits online competitions in games of skill, such as those offered
by FUN Games, to continue in the U.S. states in which they have always
been legal. Skill games have always been legal in the states in which
FUN Games operates.
Analyst David Shore of Desjardins Securities, stated, "We believe
the passage of this bill will actually benefit FUN Technologies, not
only because it plays in the areas not covered by the bill, but also
because other large Internet gambling companies that just lost a big
chunk of their market will be looking to fill the void with legal activities,
the kind FUN Technologies owns."
"If skill games are not unlawful under applicable state or Federal
law, then they are not unlawful under this Act," explained Anthony
Cabot , an attorney with the Las Vegas law firm of Lewis and Roca. "The
sponsors of this legislation repeatedly asserted that nothing in this
Act converts currently legal activities to unlawful activities."
"The Internet Gambling bill is a neutral or positive development
for FUN Technologies," said Lorne Abony , CEO, FUN Technologies. "The
reality is that skill gaming is in the same position it was in before
the bill: it is legal in the majority of U.S. states. The bill does not
change the definition of gambling or the legality of skill games and
fantasy contests. FUN has been committed from its inception to operate
its business in complete compliance with U.S. regulations and will continue
to do so."
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