The German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) issued a stern warning about the rising growth of the black market for sports betting during its recent annual press conference.

Britain's leading bookmakers have warned the Government that any attempt to increase taxes or regulation at the Budget will lead to betting shop closures and job losses, as well as further undermining their ability to compete with offshore rivals. In meetings with Gerry Sutcliffe, Minister for Sport, and Angela Eagle, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, some bookies have also hinted that any regressive move from the Government could force them to relocate parts of their business offshore.

Bookmaker William Hill attacked the Government's "flip-flopping" gambling policy as it posted an underlying 10pc fall in first-half profits, hit by losing results from Euro 2008 and Royal Ascot. Ralph Topping, chief executive, called for a cut in the tax paid by UK-based bookmakers on internet gambling and warned the Government against any crackdowns on fixed-odds betting terminals.

The Bush administration told Congress Wednesday that Indian tribes face long odds in winning federal approval for casinos hundreds of miles away from their reservations. Along with 10 other tribes, The Mississippi Band of Choctaws received a letter from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in January rejecting the application for a casino in Jackson County, almost 200 miles from the tribe's reservation in Neshoba County.

One of Swansea's existing casinos has warned the city may not be able sustain another competing gambling venue. Swansea is one of 16 places chosen by the UK government to become a regional gambling centre. Aspers, which opened a GBP 13m complex in the city last year, said it would be bidding for the new licence to develop its current business.

FIFA reiterated its warning on the illegality of the lotteries related to Football World Cup 2010, which circulate by e-mail, because it said it “has no links with any of them, it has not given an authorization and they are not related to the World Cup”. In a press release, FIFA, “recommends the public to distrust all type of e-mails related to money draws and urges not to bring any type of personal or financial information”.

A cut in the number of permitted GBP 500 jackpot machines coupled with the smoking ban have dealt Rank a double whammy, sending shares in the bingo and casino group plunging and threatening its dividend. In a shock profits warning, Rank said its Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos businesses had "experienced a significant deterioration in revenue in recent weeks". Rank warned that should such disappointing trading continue "group operating profit would be significantly lower" than 2006's GBP 77.4m.

Doctors' leaders have raised concerns the opening of Swansea's GBP 13 million casino will lead to a rise in problem gambling. Bosses at the British Medical Association have warned health workers need to be prepared to see more people suffering with such problems with the launch of the new Aspers Casino. The BMA called for gambling to be recognised as an addiction and treated on the NHS in its hard hitting report, Gambling Addiction and its Treatment Within the NHS.

As part of its efforts to safeguard the integrity of the game of football, FIFA is extending its early warning system for monitoring sports betting to take in the preliminary competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup when it kicks off later this year. Early Warning System GmbH, a company founded specifically for this purpose with its own staff and offices in Zurich, has been contracted to undertake this task and started the relevant work on 1 July 2007.