GAMING

Apple's iPad tablet computer hasn't been out a week yet but there are already over 830 video games that have been developed to suit the large format, high definition, multi-touch screen.

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters Life!) - Apple's iPad tablet computer hasn't been out a week yet but there are already over 830 video games that have been developed to suit the large format, high definition, multi-touch screen.

Sony Corp has unveiled its new motion-controlled video game system, pitching it to both casual and hard-core gamers alike, as the company looks to ride one of the hottest trends in gaming.

Consolidation among online gaming firms is set to spark into life in 2010 with a possible deal between PartyGaming and Austria's bwin seen as the potential catalyst for a wave of takeover activity.

Gaming and entertainment company Black Gaming LLC said it had reached a deal with its lenders to restructure its debt and that it would file a pre-negotiated bankruptcy petition to implement the plan.

China's top online game operator Tencent Holdings said on Wednesday that its quarterly net profit doubled to a record high thanks to surging popularity of its online games.

Nokia Oyj will close its battered gaming service N-Gage next year, acknowledging failure in its first major services offering.

Wynn Macau's strong debut in Hong Kong on Friday shows appetite for gambling stocks is strong despite high valuations, and will cheer U.S. casino rival Las Vegas Sands , which plans a listing later this year.

U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and other lawmakers on Friday urged regulators to delay the December 1 implementation of financial rules to enforce a ban on Internet gambling.

Forget the shows, buffets, show girls and cigar bars. As it prepares for a $1.6 billion initial public offering for its casino operations in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau, U.S. gaming giant Wynn Resorts has figured out what Asian punters want and is giving them plenty of it: Good old-fashioned gambling.

Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd, which reported its best half-year earnings since 2005, said it saw signs of recovery in Macau's gaming sector and would welcome Las Vegas operators listing their Macau assets in Hong Kong.

The 2.5 billion euro ($3.6 billion) online betting industry suffered a setback on Tuesday as the European Union said that a member states could be allowed to ban gambling websites if its intention was to stop crime.

The 2.5 billion euro ($3.6 billion) online betting industry suffered a setback on Tuesday as the European Union said that a member states could be allowed to ban gambling websites if its intention was to stop crime.

Video games might be regarded as an obsession for youngsters but in fact the average player is aged 35, often overweight, introverted and may be depressed, according to a U.S. study.

Luring new audiences by moving away from traditional gaming consoles is more crucial than ever as the downturn curbs consumer spending in a sector once seen as recession-proof, analysts and executives said.

The average U.S. gamer is no where near the age of a teenager, as many may have previously thought, in fact, they look nothing like that kid.

Casino operator Boyd Gaming Corp said Wednesday that quarterly profit fell 41 percent as consumers spent less, particularly at its Las Vegas properties.

Online gaming firm 888 said on Monday it is close to making an acquisition after strong trading from its casino, bingo and sports betting web sites led to an improved overall performance in the second quarter.

Agents for Greek betting firm OPAP, Europe's biggest, went on strike on Thursday over a tax on winnings and said a new smoking ban in public places in Greece had added to a fall in sales.

A little-known Swedish software firm has snapped up file-sharing website The Pirate Bay with the hope of turning the source of legal controversy into a money-spinner that appeals to both users and content providers.

A day after Pirate Bay unveils its new streaming site - The Video Bay -that will compete with sites like YouTube and Hulu, the popular BitTorrent search engine said it will be bought out by a gaming company Global Gaming Factory X for $7.8 million.