As millions of Americans get ready to place their bets this week on the annual March Madness men’s college basketball tournament, few remember the bitter war ten years ago over sports betting between Nevada and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

California gaming regulators have uncovered a blackjack card counting program that could turn the popular iPhone into a cheating device. Now the Nevada casino industry is on the lookout for gamblers using the device after being warned about the program by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

A new rule notified by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board on January 22nd 2007, and now subject to public consultation, has the potential to introduce expanded mobile phone and internet betting in the state.

As Nevada prepares for the first field trial of legal mobile gambling later this year at the Venetian property in Las Vegas, Cantor Gaming, the operator that lobbied for its legalization, have said they plan to roll out mobile gambling that combines skill gaming bonus rounds on top of traditional games of chance.

Although the latest monthly revenues figures show that Nevada casinos have experienced a decline in profits for the 21st consecutive month, visitor numbers are up for the first time in 15 months.

Take up of gambling on mobile phones is increasing as more phones offering high data speeds become available. Juniper Research, which is predicting that mobile phone gambling worldwide will be worth nearly $12bn globally by 2010, attributes this surge to the increasing deployment of multiple mobile payment technologies, as well as the liberalisation of remote gambling legislation in key markets, but they also expect lottery operators to play a huge part in driving growth.

Partners in a new Colorado-based online gambling site are planning to launch a sports-based offer, including in-game selections, in the expectation of being permitted in some American jurisdictions as a “skill” game. In states that do not allow fantasy games of skill for cash tournaments, FantaZsports intends to make its product available to play for free.

Spin 3 is driving mobile gaming take-up in China with its play-for-fun games, introduced on a pay-per-download basis in conjunction with local partners in order to fit in with the complex regulatory landscape.

Continuing a trajectory that began with offering sophisticated sports betting products to a savvy band of largely financial traders, and then pioneering wireless gaming in Nevada, Cantor Gaming now finds itself offering slot machines in Moose Lodges and Las Vegas laundries.

While discussions on the federal internet gambling proposals are under way, several states are also currently looking to legalize internet gambling at a state level. In the meantime, a six month delay in the implementation of the UIGEA regulations has been announced by the US Treasury.