Can TV viewers bet on the outcome of a penalty kick

A.� Armchair football fans will soon be able to use their remote controls to bet on games as they are televised. With their handsets, viewers will be able to open accounts and, as the match proceeds, place bets on various aspects on the action, such as the outcome of penalties or corner kicks.

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Q.� Who is operating this service

A.� ITV Digital and cable operator Telewest say the push-button service will be operational in February, and should be available for the European Champions League and World Cup games. The service will be supplied to ITV and Telewest by Global Interactive Gambling - one of its shareholders is Kirch, the German media company that owns the television rights to the 2002 and 2006 World Cup Finals. The interactive service will show live action of the game and a menu of betting options for viewers to scroll and choose. The wagers and odds offered will change, depending on the progress of the game. To start playing, viewers simply have to create an account with the broadcaster and transfer funds into it. The balance of their betting account is updated on the screen.

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Q.� Is this the first time this has happened

A.� The UK will be the first country to receive the interactive service, and this�is expected to be extended to other sports such as tennis and motor racing - with bets such as the number of aces served or pit stops made. Analysts estimate the market could be worth �1.4 billion by 2004.

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Q.� Has there been much opposition the the plan

A.� Anti-gambling groups have reacted angrily to the plan, saying the service will encourage more people to gamble. There are also fears that children may access the service if they discover their parents' account details. The company behind the service say that have used focus groups, who have not viewed the service as real gambling, but rather as a way of having fun with friends during an evening's viewing. The company says it has specialist software that tells them if someone is betting a lot of money, and they are holding talks with gambling support groups about what to do with that information.

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by Katharine MacColl