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10 

  In April 2010 an iTunes app was released, with Betfair noting that their registered mobile users increased 

40% in 2009 with a 50% increase in year‑on‑year mobile revenues.  

  

11 

  Betfair’s API allows customers or software developers to interact with, and develop applications linked to, 

the Exchange directly, without the need to use its website. The first site to go live with an app cloud bet‑

ting service was Manchester United’s official website,  manutd.com .  

  

12 

  Mobile bets doubled between 2011 and 2012, to 44 million in total in 2012 based on apps and the mobile 

site  ( Figure   1.12   ).    

  Source :  Corporate  site  ( www.betfaircorporate.com ).  

  E‑government  defined 

  

E‑government

  refers to the application of e-commerce technologies to government and 

public services. In the same way that e-business can be understood as transactions with cus-

tomers (citizens), suppliers and internal communications, e-government covers a similar 

range of applications:   

   

● 

   Citizens  – facilities for dissemination of information and use of online services at local and 

national levels. For example, at a local level you can fi nd out when refuse is collected and 

at national level it is possible to fi ll in tax returns.  

  

● 

   Suppliers  – government departments have a vast network of suppliers. Th e potential ben-

efi ts (and pitfalls) of electronic supply chain management and e-procurement (described 

in   Chapters   6     and   7 )  are  equally  valid  for  government.  

  

● 

   Internal communications  – this includes information collection and dissemination and 

email and workfl ow systems for improving effi  ciency within government departments.   

 E-government is now viewed as important within government in many countries. The 

European Union set up ‘i2010’ ( European Information Society in 2010 ) whose aims included 

   providing an integrated approach to information society and  audio‑  visual policies in the 

EU, covering regulation, research, and deployment and promoting cultural diversity. 

(eEurope, 2005)      

  Digital  business  opportunities 

 Digital business has introduced new opportunities for small and large organisations to com-

pete in the global marketplace. As we observed at the start of this chapter, many commenta-

tors have noted that one of the biggest changes introduced by electronic communications is