Poker News Bytes — December 14, 2007

PokerTek Reaches Settlement in TELLIS Lawsuit

PokerTek, Inc. came to a settlement with Texas-based TELLIS Software, Inc. recently, resolving a dispute over royalty payments. According to the suit, filed in February of 2007, TELLIS designed the software for PokerTek's growing line of electronic poker tables designed for live casino play. TELLIS had sought up to $730,000 and 2% equity in PokerTek in compensatory and punitive damages. TELLIS's lead attorney, Adam Loewy, confirmed the settlement, though specific terms remain confidential at this time.

Canada Dodges 'Inadvertent' Online-Gambling Prohibition in Proposed Bill

An undisclosed modification

to language governing the legality of online gambling in Canada nearly made it into law before being spotted by a sharp-eyed Senator who questioned the clarity and intent of the bill's language. Liberal Party Senator George Baker noticed a shift from "telephone and telegraph" to more general communications references within a bill aiming to modernize Canada's prohibitions against illegal bookmaking. However the too-broad language created a gray area that endangered all forms of online gambling and was lobbied against, once discovered, by PartyGaming CEO Mitch Garber, among others. The bill is expected to be returned to committee for a change in language to affirm the legality of offshore, online, non-bookmaking operations.

Svenska Spel Confirms Austrian State-Run Site

Svenska Spel's mystery government customer for the creation of a state-run online room was revealed this week after lengthy speculation. Austria's national lottery, Osterreichische Lotterien, will offer poker under its 'win2day.at' site, with the room launching sometime in 2008. The deal comes at a good time for Svenska Spel, which has been hampered in expanding and enhancing its offerings within Sweden by that country's ongoing negotiations with European Union trade officials over full and fair access to its markets in the online-gambling sector.