The channel has begun streaming via The Betting Channel.tv, initially broadcasting from 9am to 11am, Monday to Saturday - with plans to lengthen the programming output to six hours a day. Along with technology partners SIS, The Betting Channel also aims to expand the breadth of its content to deliver betting-focused programming to both punters and bookmakers.

The concept is the result of several years planning by former Sky Sports and Liverpool TV presenter Alan Bentley. Since setting up his own production company in 2001, he has been working towards the idea of an online platform to provide entertaining and informative betting comment and live updated odds.

Alan himself anchors the live magazine show from its London studio alongside co-host Simone Thomas. The pair will be regularly assisted by a host of sports and betting journalists including legendary pundit Alan Brazil, The Racing Post’s Mark ‘Couch’ Winstanley and former Arsenal hero Perry Groves.

Internet TV is only considered the very start for The Betting Channel and the team’s extensive future plans include the provision of bespoke content for bookmaker partners, the launch of an affiliate scheme, expansion of the website and SMS and mobile content syndication.

“After such a long time spent working on this project it’s a very exciting time for the whole team and me personally,” Bentley said this week. “We believe the immediacy of our offering will prove attractive because punters will be able to obtain continually updated sports news and odds as soon as the news breaks. And by using an internet platform to broadcast we offer an immediate global reach.”

The roulette strategy session, which kicked off in the early hours of Tuesday morning, added $171 000 to Dwan’s takings. Largest hand of the clash was a $259 000 pot taken by Dwan.

The $171 000 loss barely dents Antonius’ bankroll - as the year draws to a close he is the second most profitable online poker pro with a yearly accrual of some $9 million according to MarketPulse statistics. Dwan provides the stark contrast of the other end of the scale, being down $5.3 million on the year, second only to Gus Hansen in the loser stakes - he’s in the red to the tune of $5.7 million.

The MarketPulse tally on the Challenge so far looks like this:

Total amount wagered: $ 242 009145
Amount Dwan is currently ahead: $937 271
Total number of hands played so far: 29 764
Rake accrued by Full Tilt Poker on who’s tables the Challenge is played: $ 6 712
Hours played so far in the Challenge: 95
Percentage of Challenge completed so far: 60pc

The highest contribution to the region by a foreign company, the funds have been earmarked to reopen a primary school destroyed by the worst Italian earthquake in 30 years. The new online casino facility will house 90 pupils over thirteen classrooms and is scheduled to open in time for the start of term in 2010.

“We have very close links in Italy as well as employing a significant number of Italian nationals within our internet gambling business,” said John Whittaker, Managing Director for StanleyBet.

“After such a tragic event, we felt it was incumbent on us to help in any way we could and as a result we decided to fund the rebuilding of the school in Arsita.”

“We are very grateful to StanleyBet for its generous contribution and making the new school a reality,” said Enzo Lucci, Mayor for Arsita.

“It means that our children will now have a building in which to learn.”

With the Arizona Cardinals online casinos losing heavily on Monday night to the San Francisco 49ers, the odds of the Saints making it to the Super Bowl as the NFC’s representative are now 9/10 with BoyleSports.

Slightly longer, WilliamHill, Bet365, SkyBet and BetFred are offering New Orleans at odds of 10/11 followed by StanJames with 20/21 and Coral.co.uk, Ladbrokes, PaddyPower and SportingBet with Evens.

The Saints have never appeared in a Super Bowl before and have been portrayed in the past by many NFL fans as a joke internet gambling team. However, with a record so far this season of 13 wins with no defeats, 2009 could very well see history made with ToteSport offering odds of 11/10 on this eventuality.

At the longer end of the spectrum, Betfair and BetDaq have New Orleans at odds of 13/11 to set the record straight after 42 years in existence by making it to the big game.

New Orleans is likely to face Philadelphia at home in its first playoff game with Ladbrokes and ToteSport offering odds of 11/2 on the Eagles making it to the Super Bowl. Even longer, SkyBet, SportingBet, BetFred, PaddyPower, WilliamHill and Coral.co.uk have the underdogs at 6/1 while Bet365, BoyleSports and StanJames show 13/2.

The NFC championship match could well see the Minnesota Vikings visit the Louisiana Superdome on January 24 with a ticket to Miami on the line. BetDaq is offering odds of 7/2 on the Vikings overcoming the Saints to make it to the Super Bowl while punters can get 11/4 from Coral.co.uk.

WilliamHill, Ladbrokes, StanJames, PaddyPower, SportingBet, BoyleSports and SkyBet show the Vikings, led by veteran quarterback Brett Favre, at odds of 3/1 to make it to Super Bowl XLIV while ToteSport is offering 10/3.

Longer still, bettors can get odds of 7/2 from Bet365, Betfair, BetDaq and BetFred that 2010 will see the Vikings in its fifth Super Bowl.

Just in time for Christmas, the poker chip advice site is offering to send players a pack featuring a variety of models from leading manufacturers from around the globe to help potential customers internet gambling compare different types before buying.

A full-colour guide and descriptive details of the chips are also being included in every pack along with vendors’ marketing materials and discount codes for members of ChipTalk.

“The very first piece of advice that we tell prospective buyers is to get samples,” said Greg Cagle, online gambling owner of Dallas-based ChipTalk.

“But now we’ve made it even easier for them. We’ve gathered a whole bunch of samples from leading chip manufacturers all in one package and we’re giving them out free. All they need do is pay for postage.”

ChipTalk.net also has an interactive online factory tool that members can use to design their own custom clay poker chips from several different manufacturers. Clients can load moulds and select options and colours for each custom chip.

The British operator has received a license from regulator Amministrazione Autonoma Dei Monopoli Di Stato and is set to launch a dedicated italian poker service early next month.

Ladbrokes stated that the new service would only be available to Italian players in accordance with local regulations, which also require all competitions to be tournaments rather than cash casino games.

“The regulated Italian gambling market is expected to be the biggest in Europe this year with online regulated poker expected to generate €2.2 billion in turnover,” read a statement from Ladbrokes.

“According to H2 Capital, regulated poker in Italy will generate €280 million in gross revenues for operators in 2009. With regulations set to allow cash games and casino gaming, the onshore regulated market is expected to generate gross revenues of approximately €630 million during 2010 rising to nearly €800 million by 2012.”

Ladbrokes launched its Ladbrokes.it Italian sportsbook service last year and revealed that it is also looking to expand into casino and bingo over the coming months.

“We are committed to expanding the international reach of our online business and Italy is an excellent regulated market opportunity,” said Christopher Bell, Chief Executive Officer for Ladbrokes.

“We hope that further positive changes in regulations in Italy will allow us to further expand our product range by launching cash games in poker as well as bingo and casino gaming later this year.”

“Internet casinos have seen their business fall, and many people are at risk of losing their jobs.

“…Goa is the exception in a country where gambling is illegal. The state attracts 2.4 million visitors annually.

“Recently, state authorities implemented measures to discourage local young people from gambling.

“…The entry fee to get into casinos has increased ten-fold from 4 dollars to 40 dollars. The state government has also doubled its taxes on gaming revenue…”

“The latest figures from the State’s Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation show nearly 44,000 poker machines in Queensland clubs and hotels have swallowed up a collective $1.36 billion so far this year.

“The figures come on the eve of the Productivity Commission’s draft report on the social and economic impacts casino slot machines of gambling in Australia, The Courier-Mail reports.

“The report, to be released in Canberra today, is expected to focus on problem gambling.

“…But in one of more than 260 submissions to the current inquiry, the clubs industry argued problem gambling involving poker machines had decreased, citing declining demand for counselling services…”

Collecting the award, Bwin UK country manager Nic Wenn said: ”It’s great that Bwin has won this award after ten years…..leading the way in opening new territories in Europe and leading the technological advance in our industry.”

The judging panel recognised Bwin for its ‘consistency, leadership, scale, the strength of the brand, for promoting responsible online gambling, and for showing continued, consisted leadership.’

The Austrian company has had a good year in terms of recognition and business success, topping the eGaming Review Power 50 leading operators for the second year running and acquiring the major Italian poker site Gioco Digitale to position itself strongly in the Italian market.

Winning companies in each category of the Awards faced tough competition from rivals as the judges declared a range of other accolades that included:

Unibet - Top in the European Sports Operator category

Cashcade - Bingo Operator of the Year

Betsson - Most Socially Responsible Operator

Betfair - Best UK Sportsbetting Operator

Party Poker - Poker Operator of the Year

Competition is incredibly fierce in Europe and the UK right now and a lot of the online casinos are interested in the emerging markets because they provide a new base of gamblers who have very little previous brand inclination when it comes to gambling companies. To this end, 888 has announced that its Dragonfish gambling division of the company has signed a partnership deal with the Tsogo Sun Gaming Group in South Africa. This deal currently includes deals and developments within Tsogo’s land casinos and gambling industry but will eventually include a jointly launched venture into the online gambling industry once the South African government passes through the regulations that are currently in the drafting stage of development.

Dragonfish is one of the first European online casino gambling groups to make a strong launch into the South African gambling industry and the potential for a developed internet gambling industry is the primary reason that the global 888 gambling brand has chosen to specifically seek out a South African gaming partnership.