FYI - Betmaker press release

[Jeff]

On behalf of GSC & the sportsbooks that operate under the GSC umbrella (betmaker.com, 7palms.com, GoldMedalSports.com, betzone.com & bookmaker.com), I have some great news to share with our customers.

All of our sportsbooks except betzone will be switching to iNet Software. We have thought long and hard about this change for many, many months. Our customers should be pleased to see the following improvements:

--The introduction of horse software with more than 40 tracks daily
--One balance for sportsbook, casino & horses--no chip transfers at all
--All balances are now in dollars & cents
--Multi-sport parlays will now be available online
--If/win & round-robin bets will now be available online
--The Web sites will now load faster & is easier to navigate
--Online payout requests
--Football & basketball Pleasers & Super teasers
--1st & 2nd half teasers
--Improved teaser & parlay odds
--More advanced reporting options for customers

Due to the complication of multiple languages and currencies on iNet, betzone will continue to run on the present software.

Also, GSC is moving its call center from Curacao to Costa Rica. We are very excited about this move, as we are moving back into the building where betmaker grew to be one of the best-known brands on the net. Ever since the sale to Sportingbet, we have maintained our marketing & programming offices in Costa Rica, so this is like a long awaited homecoming for our management team. This move is something that we've been planning for close to a year in order to make it seamless to our customers, & should bring several benefits to our company & customers, including the introduction of 24-hour customer service.

We expect there to be very little interruption of service during the software switch. All books should be back up & running at full speed by Monday evening & our phones should only be down for a short time in the middle of Sunday night.

There will be no changes in phone numbers, deposit instructions or company procedures.

I feel it is also important to mention that we have made a concerted effort to be as responsible as possible regarding this move. All of our call center employees in Curacao were given a minimum of 30 days notice and GSC worked tirelessly with several other sportsbooks on the island to see that its employees landed on their feet at another operation. Our thanks for their great service and good wishes in their new roles go out to them.

Should anyone have any questions regarding our software change, the move, or anything else about our company, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Kind regards,

Mike Foreman
mikef@betmaker.com

[LoboLoco]

if there are big groups of books moving into the country, there cannot be that many problems here. i'm glad to see business returning to costa rica, it will be good for the people looking for jobs for football.

[brink]

Why not fo to costa rica. no gaming laws, cheap license. Seriously, it's just as attractive as any other location since Antigua and Curacao both have proved to be worthless to the player.

[sportshobby]

Brink, that is very true. At one time the books and the players would place an added value on being located in Antigua or Curacao. But after this past year, why spend the extra tax dollars?

[Blowfish]

The only reason to located in the Caribbean is cost. (ok, and the weather) Cheaper labor, cheaper licensing (overall), cheaper operating costs (even with satellite connections, etc.) Since Britain has opened the floodgates for online gaming you'd think people would be knocking down their doors, but with rent, salaries, utilities, license and so on, it is just cheaper for places to operate down south.