Mystery surrounds the origins of GTBets.com

Thursday September 15,2011 : ACQUISITION OR RE-BRAND AT U.S.-FACING ONLINE SPORTSBOOK?
 
Mystery surrounds the origins of GTBets.com
 
The closure of online gambling sites VIP Sportsbook, BetGameDay.com and Nine.com  appears to have been the genesis for a new, and US-friendly, internet sportsbook and casino branded GTBets.com.
 
The respected sports betting information site Sports Book Review has given the IGW and Cryptologic-powered site a C rating, noting that it surfaced beginning August when VIP et al went offline, with the new site apparently taking on board the accounts of the players at the three closed sites.
 
Interestingly, SBR also records: "…gtbets.com shares the VIP Sportsbook server, customer service numbers and website skin. In addition, players [were] forwarded marketing mailers which contained their VIP username and passwords."
 
Yet on August 16 VIP Sportsbook operations manager "Jay" told SBR that VIP, Nine.com and BetGameday "have nothing to do with gtbets", although he confirmed that former employees are now working on the new site.
 
Did GTBets acquire the three sites lock, stock and barrel, or is this simply a re-brand with a more liberal policy on US action? are the questions currently being asked by industry observers intrigued by the corporate manouevres…and where is the new operation licensed?