Category: gambling

The results of a recent study on gambling addiction are causing people to worry about the imminent legalization of casinos in Japan. According to the survey, almost 5% of Japanese adults are already problem gamblers, despite casino games being forbidden in the country.

The latest gambling news have revealed that, compared to the majority of other nations, this rate is five times bigger.Instead of popular games such as roulette, slot machines, or even blackjack, Japan’s favorite is pachinko. There are a number of pachinko parlors across the country, and they are all extremely popular.

In addition, the study showed a rising trend in Internet and alcohol addiction among Japanese adults. The survey was headed by Susumu Higuchi, a leading expert on addiction. Higuchi is worried that legalizing casinos would make things worse. “If something new becomes available, addiction will only rise,” he told reporters.

Yahoo News: Gambling, IT, booze addictions rife in Japan: studyThe study brought to light one of the most worrying gambling facts, that 5% of adults living in Japan have lost control over their gambling habits. What separates the Japanese from other developed, industrialized nations is the low public awareness regarding the dangers of gambling addiction.

A campaigner who has a significant amount of experience in the field said that while others prefer to talk openly about this issue and try to prevent it or to at least reduce its negative impact, things are different in Japan, where no one wants to confront the reality of problem gambling.

According to researchers, roughly 5.36 million people in Japan are most probably pathological gamblers. That number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population, all of them players who cannot resist the impulse to spend their money on wagers.

While casinos are still illegal at the moment, there are a number of pachinko parlors and other gambling establishments to choose from.

Wall Street Journal: Five Million Japanese Have Gambling Problem, Says Ministry Study

According to a group of researchers working under the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, around 5.36 million people living in Japan could be suffering from a pathological gambling problem. The number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population.

The study was funded by the ministry and the team of researchers was led by Susumu Higuchi of the Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center. In 2013, 4,153 randomly chosen adults living in Japan participated in the survey that found 8.7% of men and 1.8% of women show signs that they could be addicted to gambling.

Everyone participating in the survey was told to describe their gambling habits. They were asked to talk about activities such as betting on horse racing, online casino games, slot machines, boat racing, as well as pachinko. The latter is a very popular pinball-like game which can be played in parlors across the country.

The report also revealed that, compared to other developed countries, Japan had a higher percentage of pathological gamblers.

The Asahi Shimbun: Millions of Japanese hooked on gambling, survey shows

Recent news have revealed that an estimated 5.36 million Japanese adults – representing 4.5% of the nation’s adult population – are suspected of being addicted to gambling. About 4.38 million adult males and 980,000 female adults are habitual gamblers. The results are similar to those found in 2008, at the time of the last study.

The researchers asked subjects to answer “yes” or “no” to a number of questions or affirmations such as “I have gambled more than what I initially intended to do”. Those who answered “yes” to most of them are suspected of being pathological gamblers, as their replies indicate they cannot resist the temptation of playing for money.

Compared to other countries where similar studies have been carried out, the ratio for both men and women was particularly high in Japan. For example, in Switzerland only 0.5% of the total adult population was suspected of having a gambling problem; in the Us state of Louisiana, the percentage was a bit higher, at 1.58%, while in Hong Kong it reached 1.8%. Still, none of these come close to Japan’s 4.8%.

Susumu Higuchi, one of the researchers involved in the study told reporters: “On a global basis, Japan has one of the highest ratios of pathological gamblers as gambling devices such as pachinko and slot machine games are ubiquitous.”

Now the media believes that the study could impact the administration’s plan for economic growth, which includes proposals to allow casino resorts in certain parts of Japan.

The results of a recent study on gambling addiction are causing people to worry about the imminent legalization of casinos in Japan. According to the survey, almost 5% of Japanese adults are already problem gamblers, despite casino games being forbidden in the country.

The latest gambling news have revealed that, compared to the majority of other nations, this rate is five times bigger.Instead of popular games such as roulette, slot machines, or even blackjack, Japan’s favorite is pachinko. There are a number of pachinko parlors across the country, and they are all extremely popular.

In addition, the study showed a rising trend in Internet and alcohol addiction among Japanese adults. The survey was headed by Susumu Higuchi, a leading expert on addiction. Higuchi is worried that legalizing casinos would make things worse. “If something new becomes available, addiction will only rise,” he told reporters.

Yahoo News: Gambling, IT, booze addictions rife in Japan: studyThe study brought to light one of the most worrying gambling facts, that 5% of adults living in Japan have lost control over their gambling habits. What separates the Japanese from other developed, industrialized nations is the low public awareness regarding the dangers of gambling addiction.

A campaigner who has a significant amount of experience in the field said that while others prefer to talk openly about this issue and try to prevent it or to at least reduce its negative impact, things are different in Japan, where no one wants to confront the reality of problem gambling.

According to researchers, roughly 5.36 million people in Japan are most probably pathological gamblers. That number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population, all of them players who cannot resist the impulse to spend their money on wagers.

While casinos are still illegal at the moment, there are a number of pachinko parlors and other gambling establishments to choose from.

Wall Street Journal: Five Million Japanese Have Gambling Problem, Says Ministry Study

According to a group of researchers working under the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, around 5.36 million people living in Japan could be suffering from a pathological gambling problem. The number represents 4.8% of the country’s adult population.

The study was funded by the ministry and the team of researchers was led by Susumu Higuchi of the Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center. In 2013, 4,153 randomly chosen adults living in Japan participated in the survey that found 8.7% of men and 1.8% of women show signs that they could be addicted to gambling.

Everyone participating in the survey was told to describe their gambling habits. They were asked to talk about activities such as betting on horse racing, online casino games, slot machines, boat racing, as well as pachinko. The latter is a very popular pinball-like game which can be played in parlors across the country.

The report also revealed that, compared to other developed countries, Japan had a higher percentage of pathological gamblers.

The Asahi Shimbun: Millions of Japanese hooked on gambling, survey shows

Recent news have revealed that an estimated 5.36 million Japanese adults – representing 4.5% of the nation’s adult population – are suspected of being addicted to gambling. About 4.38 million adult males and 980,000 female adults are habitual gamblers. The results are similar to those found in 2008, at the time of the last study.

The researchers asked subjects to answer “yes” or “no” to a number of questions or affirmations such as “I have gambled more than what I initially intended to do”. Those who answered “yes” to most of them are suspected of being pathological gamblers, as their replies indicate they cannot resist the temptation of playing for money.

Compared to other countries where similar studies have been carried out, the ratio for both men and women was particularly high in Japan. For example, in Switzerland only 0.5% of the total adult population was suspected of having a gambling problem; in the Us state of Louisiana, the percentage was a bit higher, at 1.58%, while in Hong Kong it reached 1.8%. Still, none of these come close to Japan’s 4.8%.

Susumu Higuchi, one of the researchers involved in the study told reporters: “On a global basis, Japan has one of the highest ratios of pathological gamblers as gambling devices such as pachinko and slot machine games are ubiquitous.”

Now the media believes that the study could impact the administration’s plan for economic growth, which includes proposals to allow casino resorts in certain parts of Japan.

The gambling business is a massive industry that brings in enormous earnings year after year. Therefore, the Labour Party of UK has decided to take certain measures to see more money flowing back to the basic elements of sports by proposing a levy for sportsbetting. Some of the money will also be directed to help battle gambling problems that some players encounter.

The Labour Party believes that this step will help them create a solid foundation for future athletes, as revenues generated by the levy will go to their development.

The Guardian: Labour’s betting levy to be used for grassroots and problem gambling

The Labour Party is in the process of implementing a hefty levy on all bookmakers, as they hope to raise considerable revenue to redistribute throughout different areas in sports. A percentage of the levy revenue will go to problems dealing with gambling addictions and related issues, according to latest gambling news.

Harriet Harman and Clive Efford, shadow culture secretary and shadow sports minister respectively, have both issued a document “sports for all” as part of the levy proposal. Currently the levy is only applicable to horseracing, while around GBP 82 million given back to the racing industry in 2014.

Efford commented, “We believe it is right that businesses that make money from sport should contribute to sport. We are consulting on whether we should introduce a levy on betting, including online betting, to fund gambling awareness and support for problem gambling but also to improve community sports facilities and clubs.”

He also highlighted the importance of having the money returned to the grassroots of different sports, as that would help create the next wave of highly skilled athletes. “It’s my preference that the income from the levy went into a general pool to help grassroots sport and from which the respective sports would draw their future elite sportsmen and women.”

Reuters: UK opposition weighs betting levy to fund grassroots sport

Internet betting and Premier League TV revenue is the main target of the new levy, as the Labour Party is taking steps to see more people become involved in sports. The London Olympics 2012 served a great purpose in promotion people to become more active and partake in sporting recreations.

At the moment the levy is only attributed to horseracing activities, however the Labour Party sees additional potential in the Premier League and sportbetting providers.

Harriet Harman, shadow culture secretary, is certain that charging a new tax levy to the Premier League and betting firms will benefit the overall society. “Our consultation looks at a number of ideas which aim to boost investment in community and grassroots sports by getting tough with the Premier League and betting companies.”

Currently, the TV deals that the Premier League teams have negotiated are worth a staggering GBP 5 billion spread over a three year period. Labour wants more money to be directed to the lower levels of English football, to assist everyone involved.

The proposed levy received criticism from one online sportsbooks, namely Ladbrokes. The director of external relations of the betting giant, Donald McCabe, expressed his viewpoints on the levy matter that is surely going to impact their business.

“As far as we are aware no bookmaker or betting operator ever closed a community sports field or club. So we are not sure why an extra tax is being proposed on an industry already facing two tax increases and which pays out over 65 percent of all its earnings in taxes and levies.”

The Premier League issued a statement whereby they assert that the League already gives out GBP 56 million per season to good causes and grassroots football. They also spread out over GBP 60 million per season to lower tier clubs to help finance their operations.

“We understand that all those interested in the long-term health of English football want to see better grassroots facilities and higher levels of participation, particularly amongst young people. This is why we are committed to continue the unprecedented levels of funding we provide as well as being happy to engage on these matters.”

The Spectator: Labour’s sports betting levy will hit poor punters

A spokesperson from William Hill stated that the firm “welcomed all initiatives” that would benefit sports across all levels, but raised questions regarding the funding scheme. “We don’t believe that problem should be passed on to us,” said the spokesman.

The reasoning behind William Hill’s objections is that the gambling industry already shells out over GBP 1 billion to the UK Treasury. Another GBP 400 million is likely to be raised the following year, after recent new initiatives raised at the last Budget.

When it comes to imposing the new levy to the Premier League, clubs will have to charge more for their services, namely season tickets and similar products. For instance, football team Tottenham Hotspur charges its fans GBP 1,320 for the most expensive season tickets.

Taking into account that Premier League can be considered a “middle class” pursuit, a small hike in prices of season tickets could probably be tolerated by fans. However, the real problem with the proposed levy begs the question who will suffer from it? The middle class will most likely be able to afford the price increase, while another group won’t.

Many punters actively bet on a regular basis, however it is mainly considered to be a norm with the “working class.” The vast majority of people who bet regularly do not have over GBP 1,000 to splash out on a season ticket. So in reality they are the ones that would have to pay for the increase in prices of the new proposed levy.

BBC: Sport betting levy amongst ‘innovative’ Labour sport plans

Shadow culture secretary, Harriet Harman, claimed that the objective to use the 2012 Olympic Games as a tool to achieve higher sports activity within society did not have the effect they initially hoped for. She issued a statement saying that “strong government leadership” was necessary to achieve that goal.

Harman highlighted the negative results by saying, “We were all proud to host the Olympics and Paralympic Games in London two years ago, but instead of seeing increased participation things have got worse, especially among young people, as a result of the government axing school sports partnerships.”

Harman also added that she will look at options of restoring a rule to schools which dictated that students must have at least two hours of sport per week. Gambling news reports this requirement was previously removed by the coalition that made educational reforms.

All of these efforts are part of Labour’s plan titled More Sport for All. Part of the new plan includes setting new target for female participation in sports and also increasing the overall number of women on boards of sporting organizations.

The gambling business is a massive industry that brings in enormous earnings year after year. Therefore, the Labour Party of UK has decided to take certain measures to see more money flowing back to the basic elements of sports by proposing a levy for sportsbetting. Some of the money will also be directed to help battle gambling problems that some players encounter.

The Labour Party believes that this step will help them create a solid foundation for future athletes, as revenues generated by the levy will go to their development.

The Guardian: Labour’s betting levy to be used for grassroots and problem gambling

The Labour Party is in the process of implementing a hefty levy on all bookmakers, as they hope to raise considerable revenue to redistribute throughout different areas in sports. A percentage of the levy revenue will go to problems dealing with gambling addictions and related issues, according to latest gambling news.

Harriet Harman and Clive Efford, shadow culture secretary and shadow sports minister respectively, have both issued a document “sports for all” as part of the levy proposal. Currently the levy is only applicable to horseracing, while around GBP 82 million given back to the racing industry in 2014.

Efford commented, “We believe it is right that businesses that make money from sport should contribute to sport. We are consulting on whether we should introduce a levy on betting, including online betting, to fund gambling awareness and support for problem gambling but also to improve community sports facilities and clubs.”

He also highlighted the importance of having the money returned to the grassroots of different sports, as that would help create the next wave of highly skilled athletes. “It’s my preference that the income from the levy went into a general pool to help grassroots sport and from which the respective sports would draw their future elite sportsmen and women.”

Reuters: UK opposition weighs betting levy to fund grassroots sport

Internet betting and Premier League TV revenue is the main target of the new levy, as the Labour Party is taking steps to see more people become involved in sports. The London Olympics 2012 served a great purpose in promotion people to become more active and partake in sporting recreations.

At the moment the levy is only attributed to horseracing activities, however the Labour Party sees additional potential in the Premier League and sportbetting providers.

Harriet Harman, shadow culture secretary, is certain that charging a new tax levy to the Premier League and betting firms will benefit the overall society. “Our consultation looks at a number of ideas which aim to boost investment in community and grassroots sports by getting tough with the Premier League and betting companies.”

Currently, the TV deals that the Premier League teams have negotiated are worth a staggering GBP 5 billion spread over a three year period. Labour wants more money to be directed to the lower levels of English football, to assist everyone involved.

The proposed levy received criticism from one online sportsbooks, namely Ladbrokes. The director of external relations of the betting giant, Donald McCabe, expressed his viewpoints on the levy matter that is surely going to impact their business.

“As far as we are aware no bookmaker or betting operator ever closed a community sports field or club. So we are not sure why an extra tax is being proposed on an industry already facing two tax increases and which pays out over 65 percent of all its earnings in taxes and levies.”

The Premier League issued a statement whereby they assert that the League already gives out GBP 56 million per season to good causes and grassroots football. They also spread out over GBP 60 million per season to lower tier clubs to help finance their operations.

“We understand that all those interested in the long-term health of English football want to see better grassroots facilities and higher levels of participation, particularly amongst young people. This is why we are committed to continue the unprecedented levels of funding we provide as well as being happy to engage on these matters.”

The Spectator: Labour’s sports betting levy will hit poor punters

A spokesperson from William Hill stated that the firm “welcomed all initiatives” that would benefit sports across all levels, but raised questions regarding the funding scheme. “We don’t believe that problem should be passed on to us,” said the spokesman.

The reasoning behind William Hill’s objections is that the gambling industry already shells out over GBP 1 billion to the UK Treasury. Another GBP 400 million is likely to be raised the following year, after recent new initiatives raised at the last Budget.

When it comes to imposing the new levy to the Premier League, clubs will have to charge more for their services, namely season tickets and similar products. For instance, football team Tottenham Hotspur charges its fans GBP 1,320 for the most expensive season tickets.

Taking into account that Premier League can be considered a “middle class” pursuit, a small hike in prices of season tickets could probably be tolerated by fans. However, the real problem with the proposed levy begs the question who will suffer from it? The middle class will most likely be able to afford the price increase, while another group won’t.

Many punters actively bet on a regular basis, however it is mainly considered to be a norm with the “working class.” The vast majority of people who bet regularly do not have over GBP 1,000 to splash out on a season ticket. So in reality they are the ones that would have to pay for the increase in prices of the new proposed levy.

BBC: Sport betting levy amongst ‘innovative’ Labour sport plans

Shadow culture secretary, Harriet Harman, claimed that the objective to use the 2012 Olympic Games as a tool to achieve higher sports activity within society did not have the effect they initially hoped for. She issued a statement saying that “strong government leadership” was necessary to achieve that goal.

Harman highlighted the negative results by saying, “We were all proud to host the Olympics and Paralympic Games in London two years ago, but instead of seeing increased participation things have got worse, especially among young people, as a result of the government axing school sports partnerships.”

Harman also added that she will look at options of restoring a rule to schools which dictated that students must have at least two hours of sport per week. Gambling news reports this requirement was previously removed by the coalition that made educational reforms.

All of these efforts are part of Labour’s plan titled More Sport for All. Part of the new plan includes setting new target for female participation in sports and also increasing the overall number of women on boards of sporting organizations.

Over the past few years, economists and analysts have warned about the “casino saturation” in the north-eastern part of the US. Now authorities and business owners are witnessing the disaster and there’s nothing they can do about it.

With growing competition from other states in the area, New Jersey’s Atlantic City is in a desperate financial situation. There is no way out this time. The only thing left to do is to accept the defeat and close the resort’s unprofitable casinos, one by one. Otherwise, authorities are considering rebranding the city and turning it into a destination that offers visitors more than just casino games.

Let’s take a closer look at what recent gambling news have to say on the subject.

Philly.com: With casinos closing, Atlantic City considers future

About 2,100 employees received 60-day notices the next day, after Caesars Entertainment announced it was closing its Mardi Gras-themed casino, Showboat, by the end of this summer. The bad news comes only a few months after the Atlantic Club also went out of business and Revel is also likely to shutter if its owner doesn’t find a new buyer.

“Atlantic City is undergoing a massive economic transition,” Mayor Don Guardian said at a news conference Friday held at the site where a new nongaming attraction is being built. “We know it is painful for those who are losing their casino jobs.”

Liza Cartmell, chief executive officer of the nonprofit Atlantic City Alliance, told reporters: “Recent developments in Atlantic City are part of the larger picture of excess gaming across the United States that’s leading to painful economic decisions.”

There are simply too many casinos in the country, industry experts say. Over the past ten years, 26 gambling venues opened in the Northeast corridor alone; a dozen of them are located in Pennsylvania and a new one is scheduled to open in Baltimore later in August. The development of the casino industry in the area has put an end to the monopoly enjoyed by Atlantic City for nearly three decades.

ABC News: Atlantic City Casino Shutdown Needed, Analysts Say

The number of casinos in Atlantic City could go down from 12 to 9 by Labor Day, as analysts say the resort has too many gambling venues.

“We know that the oversupply of gaming product is a regional issue, as we’re seeing the effects of the pressure all around Atlantic City,” says Israel Posner, executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton College.

Atlantic City is going through a rough patch and Mayor Don Guardian believes a makeover will be difficult, but necessary. Officials say the time has come for the city transform itself and become a multi-faceted destination, where casino games are just one of the many entertainment options available.

“Although it is sad today, it’s part of the transition that Atlantic City needs to have,” the mayor told reporters. “There is pain as we go through this transition, but it’s critical for Atlantic City to realize we are no longer the monopoly of gaming on the East Coast. If you build more and more casinos and don’t increase the amount of people coming to them, you’re sharing that wealth. We’re just going through a very difficult time.”

Boston Globe: Atlantic City sees our folly of casinos

The US Supreme Court struck down New Jersey’s attempt to legalize sports betting and Atlantic City casinos are going out of business, despite Governor Chris Christie pumping $260 million of his constituents’ money into one of the local casinos.

While Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are considered interlopers who steal customers from the New Jersey resort, the story published in the Boston Globe says all players are “suckers, willing to part with their money for the house, because the house always wins.”

Locals worry about Massachusetts casinos stealing even more business. The market is already oversaturated, they say, and Atlantic City is already competing with Vegas, Connecticut and Philadelphia.

The Guardian: Atlantic City shutters casinos as north-east US builds gambling market

It’s becoming more and more obvious that there are too many casinos in Atlantic City. Competition has caused the Atlantic Club to close its doors, Revel says it will do the same unless owners find a new buyer and Caesars Entertainment is giving up on the Showboat.

During his five years in office, Mayor Don Guardian saw a quarter of the city’s casinos close. He believes this is a sign that Atlantic City needs a makeover, from a popular gambling resort to a multi-faceted destination instead.

Over the past seven years, casino revenue in the city has plunged from $5.2 billion to almost half that amount, reaching just $2.86 billion in 2013. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania surpassed Atlantic City as the country’s second largest casino market after Nevada. And with New Jersey’s new laws allowing locals to play casino games and online poker tournaments, profits soared even more.

All this sounds like bad news, but Fitch Ratings has a different opinion, claiming that “the closure makes financial sense for Caesars and is a positive for the oversupplied Atlantic City market.” According to the expert, Caesars will regain lost customers at its other resorts in the area.

CityLab: Atlantic City Is Becoming the Detroit of Casino Culture

At the beginning of the year, when the media argued that Atlantic City could be going the way of Detroit – which suffered a big shock after being forced to shut down gambling venues – State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Chris Christie both promised they would not let the city “become Detroit”. Now, the resort is facing a wave of casino closings.

Former casino workers are furious over losing their jobs and Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union, told reporters that Caesars’ decision to shut down the Showboat was “a criminal act”, as the venue was still making profit.

To help former employees find new positions within the company, Caesars promised to give them preference for existing roles at the company’s other three Atlantic City venues.

Over the past few years, economists and analysts have warned about the “casino saturation” in the north-eastern part of the US. Now authorities and business owners are witnessing the disaster and there’s nothing they can do about it.

With growing competition from other states in the area, New Jersey’s Atlantic City is in a desperate financial situation. There is no way out this time. The only thing left to do is to accept the defeat and close the resort’s unprofitable casinos, one by one. Otherwise, authorities are considering rebranding the city and turning it into a destination that offers visitors more than just casino games.

Let’s take a closer look at what recent gambling news have to say on the subject.

Philly.com: With casinos closing, Atlantic City considers future

About 2,100 employees received 60-day notices the next day, after Caesars Entertainment announced it was closing its Mardi Gras-themed casino, Showboat, by the end of this summer. The bad news comes only a few months after the Atlantic Club also went out of business and Revel is also likely to shutter if its owner doesn’t find a new buyer.

“Atlantic City is undergoing a massive economic transition,” Mayor Don Guardian said at a news conference Friday held at the site where a new nongaming attraction is being built. “We know it is painful for those who are losing their casino jobs.”

Liza Cartmell, chief executive officer of the nonprofit Atlantic City Alliance, told reporters: “Recent developments in Atlantic City are part of the larger picture of excess gaming across the United States that’s leading to painful economic decisions.”

There are simply too many casinos in the country, industry experts say. Over the past ten years, 26 gambling venues opened in the Northeast corridor alone; a dozen of them are located in Pennsylvania and a new one is scheduled to open in Baltimore later in August. The development of the casino industry in the area has put an end to the monopoly enjoyed by Atlantic City for nearly three decades.

ABC News: Atlantic City Casino Shutdown Needed, Analysts Say

The number of casinos in Atlantic City could go down from 12 to 9 by Labor Day, as analysts say the resort has too many gambling venues.

“We know that the oversupply of gaming product is a regional issue, as we’re seeing the effects of the pressure all around Atlantic City,” says Israel Posner, executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton College.

Atlantic City is going through a rough patch and Mayor Don Guardian believes a makeover will be difficult, but necessary. Officials say the time has come for the city transform itself and become a multi-faceted destination, where casino games are just one of the many entertainment options available.

“Although it is sad today, it’s part of the transition that Atlantic City needs to have,” the mayor told reporters. “There is pain as we go through this transition, but it’s critical for Atlantic City to realize we are no longer the monopoly of gaming on the East Coast. If you build more and more casinos and don’t increase the amount of people coming to them, you’re sharing that wealth. We’re just going through a very difficult time.”

Boston Globe: Atlantic City sees our folly of casinos

The US Supreme Court struck down New Jersey’s attempt to legalize sports betting and Atlantic City casinos are going out of business, despite Governor Chris Christie pumping $260 million of his constituents’ money into one of the local casinos.

While Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are considered interlopers who steal customers from the New Jersey resort, the story published in the Boston Globe says all players are “suckers, willing to part with their money for the house, because the house always wins.”

Locals worry about Massachusetts casinos stealing even more business. The market is already oversaturated, they say, and Atlantic City is already competing with Vegas, Connecticut and Philadelphia.

The Guardian: Atlantic City shutters casinos as north-east US builds gambling market

It’s becoming more and more obvious that there are too many casinos in Atlantic City. Competition has caused the Atlantic Club to close its doors, Revel says it will do the same unless owners find a new buyer and Caesars Entertainment is giving up on the Showboat.

During his five years in office, Mayor Don Guardian saw a quarter of the city’s casinos close. He believes this is a sign that Atlantic City needs a makeover, from a popular gambling resort to a multi-faceted destination instead.

Over the past seven years, casino revenue in the city has plunged from $5.2 billion to almost half that amount, reaching just $2.86 billion in 2013. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania surpassed Atlantic City as the country’s second largest casino market after Nevada. And with New Jersey’s new laws allowing locals to play casino games and online poker tournaments, profits soared even more.

All this sounds like bad news, but Fitch Ratings has a different opinion, claiming that “the closure makes financial sense for Caesars and is a positive for the oversupplied Atlantic City market.” According to the expert, Caesars will regain lost customers at its other resorts in the area.

CityLab: Atlantic City Is Becoming the Detroit of Casino Culture

At the beginning of the year, when the media argued that Atlantic City could be going the way of Detroit – which suffered a big shock after being forced to shut down gambling venues – State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Chris Christie both promised they would not let the city “become Detroit”. Now, the resort is facing a wave of casino closings.

Former casino workers are furious over losing their jobs and Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union, told reporters that Caesars’ decision to shut down the Showboat was “a criminal act”, as the venue was still making profit.

To help former employees find new positions within the company, Caesars promised to give them preference for existing roles at the company’s other three Atlantic City venues.

Since introducing online gambling to its residents, the state of New Jersey has not been able to achieve the financial results that they hoped for. Internet gambling was legalized in efforts to help the ailing economy, but has so far shown no signs of improvement.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has previously asserted that the industry will generate substantially more than what the current reality shows. In efforts to boost the online gambling industry, he was been trying to add an online sports betting service to the current offer, but nothing has come to fruition so far.

New York Business Journal: New Jersey’s online gambling flop threatens the rest of the state’s spending

A month ago in May, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie predicted that the state would see an inflow of $180 million during this year from taxes associated with online gambling operations. Considering that the state is estimating much smaller figures closer to $12 million, the Governor’s predictions were highly overvalued.

According to gambling news, the whole New Jersey gambling scene doesn’t have very good prospects for the future. The state’s overall casino industry is currently experiencing an economic slump, as many gaming facilities are not achieving expected results.

The online gambling sector is not performing as anticipated due to certain challenges. Some banks do not allow their clients to use their credit cards for internet gambling purposes, making it difficult for players to gamble with their money.

The biggest problem stems from the fact that some reports indicate that New Jersey has an illegal online gambling market which is valued at over $400 million a year. This may prove to be a great obstacle for legislator trying to implement changes to their online gaming market, by adding sports betting to their ranks.

Bloomberg Businessweek: Online Gambling Slump Adds to Christie’s N.J. Budget Woes

New Jersey initially saw a decline in revenues in April, just months after starting their online gambling industry. The decrease in online traffic is not the only gaming sector suffering a gradual revenue decrease. Casinos in Atlantic City have seen their revenues drop a massive 44% since peaking in 2006.

The state has high investments in Atlantic City, as it depends on the coastal town to provide jobs, attract tourists and most importantly taxes. The current economic climate will see the state government receive considerably less than initially expected.

Online mobile news reports that New Jersey is hoping to get $12 million from taxes, an amount that is substantially less than what the first projections claimed. Governor Christie believed that they could fetch somewhere around the $180 million mark form imposing the 15% internet gambling tax, however that figure now seems like a distant dream.

The chief operating officer of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Tom Balance, commented on the unlikely turn of events for the industry. “I don’t think anyone had the crystal ball to predict what the market would be.”

The Republic: New Jersey’s Internet gambling revenue falls again in May; industry struggling after 6 months

Following the first disappointing results in April, New Jersey has not managed to see an increase occur over time. Instead, online gambling revenue has been declining for two consecutive months.

Atlantic City’s casinos first showed signs of a bad economy when some of them started closing down. The Atlantic Club shut down operations in January, which served as a precursor of the state of the market. Additionally, casinos in Atlantic City recorded a 3.1% revenue decrease as compared to a year before.

Online gambling was introduced as a way for the state to create additional tax revenue sources, as other sectors of the market were not performing well. Governor Christie assumed that the overall value for the first year of online gambling operations would amount to over $1 billion.

However, many Wall Street analysts disagree with his estimates, as they anticipate to find gambling results far lower than $1 billion. They forecast the industry to generate somewhere between $200 million and $300 million for the year. Up until now gaming companies have managed to only make $61.9 million, a figure that is far below the projected results.

Nj.com: Online gambling hits wall in NJ 6 months after launch.

Since introducing online gambling to its residents, the state of New Jersey has not been able to achieve the financial results that they hoped for. Internet gambling was legalized in efforts to help the ailing economy, but has so far shown no signs of improvement.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has previously asserted that the industry will generate substantially more than what the current reality shows. In efforts to boost the online gambling industry, he was been trying to add an online sports betting service to the current offer, but nothing has come to fruition so far.

New York Business Journal: New Jersey’s online gambling flop threatens the rest of the state’s spending

A month ago in May, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie predicted that the state would see an inflow of $180 million during this year from taxes associated with online gambling operations. Considering that the state is estimating much smaller figures closer to $12 million, the Governor’s predictions were highly overvalued.

According to gambling news, the whole New Jersey gambling scene doesn’t have very good prospects for the future. The state’s overall casino industry is currently experiencing an economic slump, as many gaming facilities are not achieving expected results.

The online gambling sector is not performing as anticipated due to certain challenges. Some banks do not allow their clients to use their credit cards for internet gambling purposes, making it difficult for players to gamble with their money.

The biggest problem stems from the fact that some reports indicate that New Jersey has an illegal online gambling market which is valued at over $400 million a year. This may prove to be a great obstacle for legislator trying to implement changes to their online gaming market, by adding sports betting to their ranks.

Bloomberg Businessweek: Online Gambling Slump Adds to Christie’s N.J. Budget Woes

New Jersey initially saw a decline in revenues in April, just months after starting their online gambling industry. The decrease in online traffic is not the only gaming sector suffering a gradual revenue decrease. Casinos in Atlantic City have seen their revenues drop a massive 44% since peaking in 2006.

The state has high investments in Atlantic City, as it depends on the coastal town to provide jobs, attract tourists and most importantly taxes. The current economic climate will see the state government receive considerably less than initially expected.

Online mobile news reports that New Jersey is hoping to get $12 million from taxes, an amount that is substantially less than what the first projections claimed. Governor Christie believed that they could fetch somewhere around the $180 million mark form imposing the 15% internet gambling tax, however that figure now seems like a distant dream.

The chief operating officer of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Tom Balance, commented on the unlikely turn of events for the industry. “I don’t think anyone had the crystal ball to predict what the market would be.”

The Republic: New Jersey’s Internet gambling revenue falls again in May; industry struggling after 6 months

Following the first disappointing results in April, New Jersey has not managed to see an increase occur over time. Instead, online gambling revenue has been declining for two consecutive months.

Atlantic City’s casinos first showed signs of a bad economy when some of them started closing down. The Atlantic Club shut down operations in January, which served as a precursor of the state of the market. Additionally, casinos in Atlantic City recorded a 3.1% revenue decrease as compared to a year before.

Online gambling was introduced as a way for the state to create additional tax revenue sources, as other sectors of the market were not performing well. Governor Christie assumed that the overall value for the first year of online gambling operations would amount to over $1 billion.

However, many Wall Street analysts disagree with his estimates, as they anticipate to find gambling results far lower than $1 billion. They forecast the industry to generate somewhere between $200 million and $300 million for the year. Up until now gaming companies have managed to only make $61.9 million, a figure that is far below the projected results.

Nj.com: Online gambling hits wall in NJ 6 months after launch.

Until July 14, the 2014 World Series of Poker will be the main attraction in Las Vegas. All eyes are on the world’s best poker players, as they battle it out for poker’s most coveted bracelets. This year’s edition of the tournament is already proving to be the largest ever, with the senior’s event drawing a record number of players.With more than 4,400 players joining the game, the total prize pool added up to almost $4 million. Dan Heimiller managed to make his way to the top, winning his second bracelet and a prize of $627,462. Read more about the 2014 WSOP here:

CardPlayer: Dan Heimiller Wins World Series of Poker Seniors Event and Second Career Bracelet

This year’s tournament drew the largest seniors event field in WSOP history. A total of 4,425 players paid the $1,000 buy-in, hoping to get a bigger share of the $3,982,500 prize pool. However, only three notable players made it to the top. David Tran and Dennis Phillips tied for 5th place; Dan Heimiller fought 58-year-old Iowa firefighter Don Maas for the title and won.

CardPlayer has described Heimiller as “one of the quirkiest players on the tournament circuit”. The poker pro has won his second career bracelet and pocketed his biggest cash prize so far – $627,462. Heimiller’s total tournament earnings now add up to $4.7 million.

“Back in 2002, it wasn’t for as much cash, so that makes this one a lot more important,” Heimiller said about his first win. “It was also a smaller field and wasn’t as prestigious back then. It was a great feeling, but this one feels extra spectacular because it was for such a big prize.”

ESPN: Heimiller outlasts 4,425 in Seniors

The 2014 WSOP schedule includes some spectacular events, such as the $1 million buy-in One Drop, the $50,000 Poker Players’ Championship, the $25,000 mixed-max and the Main Event. But the $1,000 buy-in Seniors Championship always gets a lot of well-deserved attention. This year, the event drew a massive field of 4,425 players over the age of 50.

Dan Heimiller proved he is not ready to retire from poker just yet, by making his way to the final table and defeating his rival Don Maas heads-up. Maas won his first cash prize at the WSOP. The 58 year-old is captain of the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. For Dan Heimiller, winning the event meant grabbing his second WSOP bracelet and taking home $627,462 in cash.

PokerUpdate: Dan Heimiller Wins WSOP Seniors Title

PokerUpdate offers a detailed account of the largest Seniors Event in WSOP history, which started out with more than 4,400 players. At the beginning of the third day, there were only 32 players left; a couple of hours more and the number was reduced to 10.
One of the players at the final table was Dennis Philips, who finished third place 2008 Main Event and came in second in the Seniors Event in 2012. The poker pro seemed confident that he could get a better result this year, but in the end he came in 5th, winning a prize worth well over $150,000.

Donald Maas, David Smith and Dan Heimiller were the last three players standing, with Maas having more chips than the other two combined. Heimiller knocked Smith into 3rd place, claiming his chips and leaving him with a $279,412 cash prize. With a chip advantage of about 3:1, the player managed to eliminate Maas, who earned $388,054 for his efforts. Heimiller became champion and claimed his second WSOP bracelet, as well as over $600,000 in cash.

Bluff Heimiller Scores the Eagle While Kitai Wins Third Bracelet

Sunday was a big day for players who participated in the 2014 WSOP. The schedule included seven tournaments and two ceremonies, and Bluff offers a detailed account of each and every event. Davidi Kitai beat Gordon Vayo, taking the big prize at the Six-Max event and securing his third bracelet.

Meanwhile, the Seniors Championship started at 11 am and took 12 hours to go from a total of 32 players to the final three. The Golden Eagle Trophy ended up in Dan Heimiller’s hands, who held the chip lead with 4,140,000. Throughout his career, Heimiller sat at 60 final tables and won 8 of them. This is his second WSOP bracelet.

The $10,000 Razz Event was another popular competition on the schedule, with 12 players remaining in the game by Sunday. David Bach started out well, as chip leader, but he was soon eliminated and came in 8th. Daniel Negreanu was really hoping to win his seventh WSOP bracelet, but ended up finishing in 10th. The title went to George Danzer, who defeated Shack-Harris to win his first bracelet and the $294,792 prize.

CardsChat WSOP Day 13: Danzer, Kitai, and Heimiller Collect Gold

CardsChat also offers a thorough report on the 13th day of this year’s WSOP, which brought three players some impressive cash rewards and new bracelets. Davidi Kitai, a Triple Crown winner, has won his third WSOP bracelet. George Danzer is at his first, and Dan Heimiller took home his second one.

It wasn’t a good day for James Woods, one of the celebrities present at WSOP; the poker pro started to experience chest pain while he was playing. It is believed that the pain was caused by heart problems and the player was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Later that day, he tweeted that the incident was in fact caused by food poisoning.

Until July 14, the 2014 World Series of Poker will be the main attraction in Las Vegas. All eyes are on the world’s best poker players, as they battle it out for poker’s most coveted bracelets. This year’s edition of the tournament is already proving to be the largest ever, with the senior’s event drawing a record number of players.With more than 4,400 players joining the game, the total prize pool added up to almost $4 million. Dan Heimiller managed to make his way to the top, winning his second bracelet and a prize of $627,462. Read more about the 2014 WSOP here:

CardPlayer: Dan Heimiller Wins World Series of Poker Seniors Event and Second Career Bracelet

This year’s tournament drew the largest seniors event field in WSOP history. A total of 4,425 players paid the $1,000 buy-in, hoping to get a bigger share of the $3,982,500 prize pool. However, only three notable players made it to the top. David Tran and Dennis Phillips tied for 5th place; Dan Heimiller fought 58-year-old Iowa firefighter Don Maas for the title and won.

CardPlayer has described Heimiller as “one of the quirkiest players on the tournament circuit”. The poker pro has won his second career bracelet and pocketed his biggest cash prize so far – $627,462. Heimiller’s total tournament earnings now add up to $4.7 million.

“Back in 2002, it wasn’t for as much cash, so that makes this one a lot more important,” Heimiller said about his first win. “It was also a smaller field and wasn’t as prestigious back then. It was a great feeling, but this one feels extra spectacular because it was for such a big prize.”

ESPN: Heimiller outlasts 4,425 in Seniors

The 2014 WSOP schedule includes some spectacular events, such as the $1 million buy-in One Drop, the $50,000 Poker Players’ Championship, the $25,000 mixed-max and the Main Event. But the $1,000 buy-in Seniors Championship always gets a lot of well-deserved attention. This year, the event drew a massive field of 4,425 players over the age of 50.

Dan Heimiller proved he is not ready to retire from poker just yet, by making his way to the final table and defeating his rival Don Maas heads-up. Maas won his first cash prize at the WSOP. The 58 year-old is captain of the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. For Dan Heimiller, winning the event meant grabbing his second WSOP bracelet and taking home $627,462 in cash.

PokerUpdate: Dan Heimiller Wins WSOP Seniors Title

PokerUpdate offers a detailed account of the largest Seniors Event in WSOP history, which started out with more than 4,400 players. At the beginning of the third day, there were only 32 players left; a couple of hours more and the number was reduced to 10.
One of the players at the final table was Dennis Philips, who finished third place 2008 Main Event and came in second in the Seniors Event in 2012. The poker pro seemed confident that he could get a better result this year, but in the end he came in 5th, winning a prize worth well over $150,000.

Donald Maas, David Smith and Dan Heimiller were the last three players standing, with Maas having more chips than the other two combined. Heimiller knocked Smith into 3rd place, claiming his chips and leaving him with a $279,412 cash prize. With a chip advantage of about 3:1, the player managed to eliminate Maas, who earned $388,054 for his efforts. Heimiller became champion and claimed his second WSOP bracelet, as well as over $600,000 in cash.

Bluff Heimiller Scores the Eagle While Kitai Wins Third Bracelet

Sunday was a big day for players who participated in the 2014 WSOP. The schedule included seven tournaments and two ceremonies, and Bluff offers a detailed account of each and every event. Davidi Kitai beat Gordon Vayo, taking the big prize at the Six-Max event and securing his third bracelet.

Meanwhile, the Seniors Championship started at 11 am and took 12 hours to go from a total of 32 players to the final three. The Golden Eagle Trophy ended up in Dan Heimiller’s hands, who held the chip lead with 4,140,000. Throughout his career, Heimiller sat at 60 final tables and won 8 of them. This is his second WSOP bracelet.

The $10,000 Razz Event was another popular competition on the schedule, with 12 players remaining in the game by Sunday. David Bach started out well, as chip leader, but he was soon eliminated and came in 8th. Daniel Negreanu was really hoping to win his seventh WSOP bracelet, but ended up finishing in 10th. The title went to George Danzer, who defeated Shack-Harris to win his first bracelet and the $294,792 prize.

CardsChat WSOP Day 13: Danzer, Kitai, and Heimiller Collect Gold

CardsChat also offers a thorough report on the 13th day of this year’s WSOP, which brought three players some impressive cash rewards and new bracelets. Davidi Kitai, a Triple Crown winner, has won his third WSOP bracelet. George Danzer is at his first, and Dan Heimiller took home his second one.

It wasn’t a good day for James Woods, one of the celebrities present at WSOP; the poker pro started to experience chest pain while he was playing. It is believed that the pain was caused by heart problems and the player was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Later that day, he tweeted that the incident was in fact caused by food poisoning.

A modern-day Robin Hood has emerged on the Las Vegas scene and some families couldn’t be happier. This anonymous professional gambler, known only as Robin Hood 702, is a high-stakes blackjack player who puts his money to good use through personal charity. Here’s more on his story:

eCanadaNow: Modern Day Gambling Robin Hood

A modern day Robin Hood “702” has emerged in the gambling world and has already donated $35,000 to a needy family. The fortunate family, from Detroit, has a daughter with brain cancer and was in dire need of money.

A website was set up for those who want to be considered for a donation again this year. Families in dire financial need must submit videos explaining why they need the money. He will pick the family that touches his heart most. Those looking for publicity should leave Robin Hood 702 alone.

The blackjack gambler will fly the chosen family to Las Vegas. They will watch him play and, whether he wins or loses, he will pay at least half of their bills. Robin Hood’s good friend will match the final cash donation. He will not be gambling to earn the money.

Thaindian News: Blackjack Robin Hood to help two deserving families this year

Last year, a modern Robin Hood helped a family out of debt and to begin life anew. This year, he has roped in more benefactors, and plans to help not 1, but 2 families who face a financial crisis and need immediate help.

He is as a “self-made man and expert blackjack player” and will help a family based on their video submission. He will fly them to Vegas and provide an all-expense paid weekend, including a true high-roller suite, show tickets, spa appointments, and meals. His website claims, “You will live like the high roller Robin Hood 702 is, then watch him win the money you need to become debt-free.” He guarantees that if you’re selected, at least half of your bills will get paid no matter what happens at the table. Last years family got this special treatment and $35,000.

“I’m looking for anyone that’s in debt … that needs some help” says the anonymous gambler, who will be working the tables to raise money for another family in need. “I’m going to look for the story that’s really going to touch my heart. That’s it.”

Fox News: Modern-Day Robin Hood

Robin Hood 702 is a high stakes blackjack player known in Vegas casinos for wagering thousands of dollars a hand, sometimes winning and losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day.

Now he’s offering his skills, and his own money, to help a family in need. He wants to remain anonymous to keep the focus on the good deed he’s ready to do.

“I’m looking for a well deserving family up against hard times. People $25,000 to $50,000 in debt who did right by family or neighbors in the past. Now it’s their time to be helped and I want to be the one to help them.”

He’s created a website, Robinhood702.com, where he’ll collect submissions now through Sept. 15 before choosing a winner. Anyone can nominate a friend, relative, neighbor or themselves, by sending a video explaining their hardships, contributions or other reasons they should be chosen. He’ll choose a winner after confirming the details of their story and financial crisis.

The chosen family is promised “an unforgettable experience” in Las Vegas or a similar gaming venue. He’ll fly them in, put them up in a high-roller suite and cover meals, spa treatments and show tickets. He’ll go into the casino’s VIP high-limit room and win the money necessary to pay off their debt.

“What if you lose?” I ask him. “I won’t” he insists.

He doesn’t recommend that others try this and says he knows some perceive gambling as “the dark side,” but he believes he can use it to do good and says he hopes to start a national movement, with people using their skills or expertise in other fields to help families in crisis.

“My goal,” he says, “is to save someone’s house, pay their debts and win back their American dream.”

Robin Hood 702 is a pro blackjack player who will choose a needy family and pay off at least half of their debts while they live like high-rollers.

A modern-day Robin Hood has emerged on the Las Vegas scene and some families couldn’t be happier. This anonymous professional gambler, known only as Robin Hood 702, is a high-stakes blackjack player who puts his money to good use through personal charity. Here’s more on his story:

eCanadaNow: Modern Day Gambling Robin Hood

A modern day Robin Hood “702” has emerged in the gambling world and has already donated $35,000 to a needy family. The fortunate family, from Detroit, has a daughter with brain cancer and was in dire need of money.

A website was set up for those who want to be considered for a donation again this year. Families in dire financial need must submit videos explaining why they need the money. He will pick the family that touches his heart most. Those looking for publicity should leave Robin Hood 702 alone.

The blackjack gambler will fly the chosen family to Las Vegas. They will watch him play and, whether he wins or loses, he will pay at least half of their bills. Robin Hood’s good friend will match the final cash donation. He will not be gambling to earn the money.

Thaindian News: Blackjack Robin Hood to help two deserving families this year

Last year, a modern Robin Hood helped a family out of debt and to begin life anew. This year, he has roped in more benefactors, and plans to help not 1, but 2 families who face a financial crisis and need immediate help.

He is as a “self-made man and expert blackjack player” and will help a family based on their video submission. He will fly them to Vegas and provide an all-expense paid weekend, including a true high-roller suite, show tickets, spa appointments, and meals. His website claims, “You will live like the high roller Robin Hood 702 is, then watch him win the money you need to become debt-free.” He guarantees that if you’re selected, at least half of your bills will get paid no matter what happens at the table. Last years family got this special treatment and $35,000.

“I’m looking for anyone that’s in debt … that needs some help” says the anonymous gambler, who will be working the tables to raise money for another family in need. “I’m going to look for the story that’s really going to touch my heart. That’s it.”

Fox News: Modern-Day Robin Hood

Robin Hood 702 is a high stakes blackjack player known in Vegas casinos for wagering thousands of dollars a hand, sometimes winning and losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day.

Now he’s offering his skills, and his own money, to help a family in need. He wants to remain anonymous to keep the focus on the good deed he’s ready to do.

“I’m looking for a well deserving family up against hard times. People $25,000 to $50,000 in debt who did right by family or neighbors in the past. Now it’s their time to be helped and I want to be the one to help them.”

He’s created a website, Robinhood702.com, where he’ll collect submissions now through Sept. 15 before choosing a winner. Anyone can nominate a friend, relative, neighbor or themselves, by sending a video explaining their hardships, contributions or other reasons they should be chosen. He’ll choose a winner after confirming the details of their story and financial crisis.

The chosen family is promised “an unforgettable experience” in Las Vegas or a similar gaming venue. He’ll fly them in, put them up in a high-roller suite and cover meals, spa treatments and show tickets. He’ll go into the casino’s VIP high-limit room and win the money necessary to pay off their debt.

“What if you lose?” I ask him. “I won’t” he insists.

He doesn’t recommend that others try this and says he knows some perceive gambling as “the dark side,” but he believes he can use it to do good and says he hopes to start a national movement, with people using their skills or expertise in other fields to help families in crisis.

“My goal,” he says, “is to save someone’s house, pay their debts and win back their American dream.”

Robin Hood 702 is a pro blackjack player who will choose a needy family and pay off at least half of their debts while they live like high-rollers.

Australian newspaper, “The Mail,” published the summary of an exchange that they had with a mysterious Australian, in which he offered to sell the personal details of 4.5M Ladbrokes betting customers this weekend. The police, Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office, and The Mail are working together to resolve the matter.

The Herald Sun: Mystery Aussie in Ladbrokes breach

A mystery Aussie approached UK newspaper, The Mail, and offered to sell confidential information about millions of punters who’ve placed bets with bookmaker Ladbrokes. The newspaper was given 10,000 Ladbrokes customers’ personal information including addresses, account numbers, phone numbers, and gambling histories on Sunday after the man claimed to have cracked the bookmaker’s 4.5 million member database.

Ladbrokes is contacting its punters to assure safety on credit card details, passwords and other financial information. The police were also contacted and informed of the breach. The matter’s also under investigation by Britain’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
The Australian, “Daniel,” offered to sell the database, claiming that he worked as a computer security consultant for Ladbrokes in Britain 2 years ago.

“We’ve been informed that a person connected to our organisation offered details from a customer database to the Mail on Sunday,” Ciaran O’Brien, head of PR at Ladbrokes stated. “This is a criminal act and we are working with the police, the ICO and the newspaper to identify and apprehend the culprit.”

Mail Online: For sale: Personal details of millions of Ladbrokes gamblers, offered to the MoS by a mysterious Australian

Millions of British gamblers’ confidential records were offered for sale to The Mail on Sunday. The huge data theft is at the center of an investigation after the paper was given personal information about 10,000 Ladbrokes customers and offered access to its 4.5 million member database.

Last night we alerted Ladbrokes of the breach and handed the customer files to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which immediately began to investigate. The records include home addresses, gambling histories, customer account numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses.

Ladbrokes contacted the police and started to reassure customers that credit card details, passwords and other financial information is safe.

During protracted negotiations via email and in one phone call, the man who offered to sell the information gave his name only as ‘Daniel’ and claimed to represent an Australian company. The Mail received an email from ‘Daniel’ Sunday, saying that he was ending negotiations and warning against passing his details to the authorities.

The Mail was first approached by ‘Daniel’ earlier this month. He said he had been passed the data by a ‘relatively junior’ employee, who was trying to sell it on. ‘Daniel’ claimed that his initial intention was to tip Ladbrokes off about the breach, but he then decided it would be better to contact the media.

IT Wire: Ladbrokes secures personal data, wanna bet?

A data breach of 4.5M Ladbrokes customers’ personal and gambling details emerged over the weekend. Ladbrokes are adamant that customers are safe. An exposing summary of an exchange with ‘Daniel’ of Melbourne was publically displayed by the newspaper, “the Mail,” on Sunday.

Prior to going public, the paper passed all information to Britain’s data oversight group, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a more formal investigation.

‘Daniel’ claimed to be from DSS Enterprises, an organization run by Dinitha Subasinghe. The newspaper did not indicate whether ‘Daniel’ spoke with an accent.

Initially, ‘Daniel’ told the newspaper that he was going to contact Ladbrokes but decided to contact the media directly with the information that he’d been passed the stolen data by a relatively junior employee of Ladbrokes who was trying to sell it on.

Australian newspaper, “The Mail,” published the summary of an exchange that they had with a mysterious Australian, in which he offered to sell the personal details of 4.5M Ladbrokes betting customers this weekend. The police, Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office, and The Mail are working together to resolve the matter.

The Herald Sun: Mystery Aussie in Ladbrokes breach

A mystery Aussie approached UK newspaper, The Mail, and offered to sell confidential information about millions of punters who’ve placed bets with bookmaker Ladbrokes. The newspaper was given 10,000 Ladbrokes customers’ personal information including addresses, account numbers, phone numbers, and gambling histories on Sunday after the man claimed to have cracked the bookmaker’s 4.5 million member database.

Ladbrokes is contacting its punters to assure safety on credit card details, passwords and other financial information. The police were also contacted and informed of the breach. The matter’s also under investigation by Britain’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
The Australian, “Daniel,” offered to sell the database, claiming that he worked as a computer security consultant for Ladbrokes in Britain 2 years ago.

“We’ve been informed that a person connected to our organisation offered details from a customer database to the Mail on Sunday,” Ciaran O’Brien, head of PR at Ladbrokes stated. “This is a criminal act and we are working with the police, the ICO and the newspaper to identify and apprehend the culprit.”

Mail Online: For sale: Personal details of millions of Ladbrokes gamblers, offered to the MoS by a mysterious Australian

Millions of British gamblers’ confidential records were offered for sale to The Mail on Sunday. The huge data theft is at the center of an investigation after the paper was given personal information about 10,000 Ladbrokes customers and offered access to its 4.5 million member database.

Last night we alerted Ladbrokes of the breach and handed the customer files to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which immediately began to investigate. The records include home addresses, gambling histories, customer account numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses.

Ladbrokes contacted the police and started to reassure customers that credit card details, passwords and other financial information is safe.

During protracted negotiations via email and in one phone call, the man who offered to sell the information gave his name only as ‘Daniel’ and claimed to represent an Australian company. The Mail received an email from ‘Daniel’ Sunday, saying that he was ending negotiations and warning against passing his details to the authorities.

The Mail was first approached by ‘Daniel’ earlier this month. He said he had been passed the data by a ‘relatively junior’ employee, who was trying to sell it on. ‘Daniel’ claimed that his initial intention was to tip Ladbrokes off about the breach, but he then decided it would be better to contact the media.

IT Wire: Ladbrokes secures personal data, wanna bet?

A data breach of 4.5M Ladbrokes customers’ personal and gambling details emerged over the weekend. Ladbrokes are adamant that customers are safe. An exposing summary of an exchange with ‘Daniel’ of Melbourne was publically displayed by the newspaper, “the Mail,” on Sunday.

Prior to going public, the paper passed all information to Britain’s data oversight group, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a more formal investigation.

‘Daniel’ claimed to be from DSS Enterprises, an organization run by Dinitha Subasinghe. The newspaper did not indicate whether ‘Daniel’ spoke with an accent.

Initially, ‘Daniel’ told the newspaper that he was going to contact Ladbrokes but decided to contact the media directly with the information that he’d been passed the stolen data by a relatively junior employee of Ladbrokes who was trying to sell it on.

Playtech announced yesterday that they have formed a joint venture with Scientific Games, a US company that has strategic ties with state lottery operators. Through the new partnership, Playtech will provide online gambling software for use in gaming terminals currently offered by Scientific Games in the UK. The venture places Playtech in a prime position to re-enter the US online gambling market should it open in the future.

Financial Times: Playtech gets ahead of the game

Playtech made a huge step forward in the global lottery market by sealing a deal with Scientific Games, a gaming services provider in the US. The deal gives Scientific Games access to government contracts, and provides a boost to its Videobet machines business.

As US state governments begin to legislate for online gambling, their local lottery operators need online casino, poker, bingo and other online gambling products to remain competitive.

Fortunately for Playtech, Scientific Games supplies lottery systems in 31 US jurisdictions. This gives Playtech a direct route into a market that it was forced to exit back in 2006, when the Bush administration closed the doors to online gambling in the US.

Playtech’s chief executive Mor Weizer said: “This secures our position in the US and provides a great opportunity if and when the US market is regulated.”

After the announcement, Playtech shares jumped 18% to 515p, bringing it back to levels last not seen since August 2008.

Wall Street Journal: Playtech Signs Joint Ventures With Scientific Games

Playtech Ltd., a designer, developer and licensor of software for the online and land-based gambling industry, recently announced the creation of a strategic partnership with New York-based Scientific Games Corp. The partnership will see the companies jointly develop and market next-generation online and land-based gambling products and services to regulated gaming operators in the US and abroad.

MAIN FACTS:

• The partnership will combine Playtech’s gambling software and portfolio of products with Scientific Games’ ability to provide services to government-sponsored gaming operators in regulated (and soon to be regulated) jurisdictions.
• An exclusive joint venture called ‘Sciplay’ will focus on the global online gambling market. It will use software Playtech’s technology together with Scientific Games’ global infrastructure and experience.
• Playtech will develop gambling terminal software for Scientific Games and its subsidiary The Global Draw, including upgrades to of existing terminals in the UK currently using the Videobet platform.

Reuters: Playtech forms joint venture with Scientific Games

Online gambling software provider Playtech just announced the formation of a strategic partnership with US-based lottery operator Scientific Games.

The joint venture is called Scriplay. A statement released yesterday by Playtech Chief Executive Mor Wizer and Scientific Games Chief Exectutive Mike Chambrello described how the venture will combine Playtech’s technological expertise with Scientific Games’ experience and strong relationships with US state lotteries.

The statement further explains that the companies will “jointly develop and market next-generation internet and land-based gaming products and services to regulated gaming operators in the U.S. and other countries”.

“We have highly complementary skill-sets allied with a global reach and this partnership provides the opportunity to leverage off this combined know-how to maximum effect.”

After the announcement, shares in Playtech were trading at 475.5 pence, up 9%, valuing the business at 1.14 billion pounds ($1.86 billion).

Playtech announced yesterday that they have formed a joint venture with Scientific Games, a US company that has strategic ties with state lottery operators. Through the new partnership, Playtech will provide online gambling software for use in gaming terminals currently offered by Scientific Games in the UK. The venture places Playtech in a prime position to re-enter the US online gambling market should it open in the future.

Financial Times: Playtech gets ahead of the game

Playtech made a huge step forward in the global lottery market by sealing a deal with Scientific Games, a gaming services provider in the US. The deal gives Scientific Games access to government contracts, and provides a boost to its Videobet machines business.

As US state governments begin to legislate for online gambling, their local lottery operators need online casino, poker, bingo and other online gambling products to remain competitive.

Fortunately for Playtech, Scientific Games supplies lottery systems in 31 US jurisdictions. This gives Playtech a direct route into a market that it was forced to exit back in 2006, when the Bush administration closed the doors to online gambling in the US.

Playtech’s chief executive Mor Weizer said: “This secures our position in the US and provides a great opportunity if and when the US market is regulated.”

After the announcement, Playtech shares jumped 18% to 515p, bringing it back to levels last not seen since August 2008.

Wall Street Journal: Playtech Signs Joint Ventures With Scientific Games

Playtech Ltd., a designer, developer and licensor of software for the online and land-based gambling industry, recently announced the creation of a strategic partnership with New York-based Scientific Games Corp. The partnership will see the companies jointly develop and market next-generation online and land-based gambling products and services to regulated gaming operators in the US and abroad.

MAIN FACTS:

• The partnership will combine Playtech’s gambling software and portfolio of products with Scientific Games’ ability to provide services to government-sponsored gaming operators in regulated (and soon to be regulated) jurisdictions.
• An exclusive joint venture called ‘Sciplay’ will focus on the global online gambling market. It will use software Playtech’s technology together with Scientific Games’ global infrastructure and experience.
• Playtech will develop gambling terminal software for Scientific Games and its subsidiary The Global Draw, including upgrades to of existing terminals in the UK currently using the Videobet platform.

Reuters: Playtech forms joint venture with Scientific Games

Online gambling software provider Playtech just announced the formation of a strategic partnership with US-based lottery operator Scientific Games.

The joint venture is called Scriplay. A statement released yesterday by Playtech Chief Executive Mor Wizer and Scientific Games Chief Exectutive Mike Chambrello described how the venture will combine Playtech’s technological expertise with Scientific Games’ experience and strong relationships with US state lotteries.

The statement further explains that the companies will “jointly develop and market next-generation internet and land-based gaming products and services to regulated gaming operators in the U.S. and other countries”.

“We have highly complementary skill-sets allied with a global reach and this partnership provides the opportunity to leverage off this combined know-how to maximum effect.”

After the announcement, shares in Playtech were trading at 475.5 pence, up 9%, valuing the business at 1.14 billion pounds ($1.86 billion).

A new bill was just introduced to the state senate of New Jersey that would allow Atlantic City casinos to offer online gambling services. The game terminals would have to be located in restricted areas of casinos and racetracks, and all equipment would have to be located within the boundaries of the city, making this more “local intranet” gambling than true internet gambling.

Press of Atlantic City: Legislation would permit online betting at Atlantic City casinos

New legislation introduced a few days ago would allow online gambling at casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The bill is sponsored by state Senator Raymond Lesniak. Specifically, it would allow “New Jersey residents to place wagers on casino games via the Internet.” All online games from blackjack to poker would be available.

The bill would require that all computers used for legal online gambling be located in a separate area of a casino, “but within the territorial limits of Atlantic County.”

An annual tax of 20% on gross revenue from online gambling would be paid into a casino revenue fund. A new unit would be created under the state’s Casino Control Comission called Division of Internet Wagering.

The Casino Control Commission along with the New Jersey Racing Commission would also allow the operation of online gambling terminals at racetracks, where “individuals who have registered to participate in Internet wagering may wager on games conducted at casinos in Atlantic City.”

WebProNews: New Jersey Considers Legalizing Online Gambling

A newly proposed law introduced in New Jersey would allow players there to gamble online through special websites run by casinos in Atlantic City.

The bill was introduced into the New Jersey State Senate last week by Senator Raymond Lesniak. Incidentally, Lesniak also introduced a different bill which asks New Jersey residents to vote on a constitutional amendment which would allow state-regulated sports betting at Atlantic City casinos.

Right now, New Jersey offers legal online gambling on horse races to local residents through the 4NJbets.com website. If this bill passes, the state will change the law to permit online versions of any game currently allowed in Atlantic City casinos, such as poker, blackjack and baccarat. The new online gambling system would be controlled and regulated by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which would establish a new Division of Internet Wagering to manage operations and licensing.

“We’re happy that New Jersey has taken this issue into their own hands,” said iMEGA chairman Joe Brennan Jr.

StandardBred Canada: Gaming ‘Terminals’ Coming To NJ Tracks?

A newly proposed bill introduced by New Jersey state senator Raymond Lesniak could allow Atlantic City casinos to offer online gambling services to New Jersey residents. The bill reportedly has some support in the senate already, but those that do not want to online gaming at the state’s racetracks are voicing their displeasure.

An article by Press of Atlantic City states that Mark Juliano, who is chief executive officer of the three Trump Entertainment Resorts casinos in Atlantic City, revealed that the legislation appears to allow racetracks to also get video lottery terminals.

The report further states that any equipment used to run the new internet gambling system must be located within the territorial limits of Atlantic County, such as within a casino or at another secure location.

The bill reportedly states that the New Jersey Casino Control Commission might also let racetracks operate online gambling terminals. These terminals will likely be identical in appearance to slot machines found at local casinos.

A new bill was just introduced to the state senate of New Jersey that would allow Atlantic City casinos to offer online gambling services. The game terminals would have to be located in restricted areas of casinos and racetracks, and all equipment would have to be located within the boundaries of the city, making this more “local intranet” gambling than true internet gambling.

Press of Atlantic City: Legislation would permit online betting at Atlantic City casinos

New legislation introduced a few days ago would allow online gambling at casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The bill is sponsored by state Senator Raymond Lesniak. Specifically, it would allow “New Jersey residents to place wagers on casino games via the Internet.” All online games from blackjack to poker would be available.

The bill would require that all computers used for legal online gambling be located in a separate area of a casino, “but within the territorial limits of Atlantic County.”

An annual tax of 20% on gross revenue from online gambling would be paid into a casino revenue fund. A new unit would be created under the state’s Casino Control Comission called Division of Internet Wagering.

The Casino Control Commission along with the New Jersey Racing Commission would also allow the operation of online gambling terminals at racetracks, where “individuals who have registered to participate in Internet wagering may wager on games conducted at casinos in Atlantic City.”

WebProNews: New Jersey Considers Legalizing Online Gambling

A newly proposed law introduced in New Jersey would allow players there to gamble online through special websites run by casinos in Atlantic City.

The bill was introduced into the New Jersey State Senate last week by Senator Raymond Lesniak. Incidentally, Lesniak also introduced a different bill which asks New Jersey residents to vote on a constitutional amendment which would allow state-regulated sports betting at Atlantic City casinos.

Right now, New Jersey offers legal online gambling on horse races to local residents through the 4NJbets.com website. If this bill passes, the state will change the law to permit online versions of any game currently allowed in Atlantic City casinos, such as poker, blackjack and baccarat. The new online gambling system would be controlled and regulated by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which would establish a new Division of Internet Wagering to manage operations and licensing.

“We’re happy that New Jersey has taken this issue into their own hands,” said iMEGA chairman Joe Brennan Jr.

StandardBred Canada: Gaming ‘Terminals’ Coming To NJ Tracks?

A newly proposed bill introduced by New Jersey state senator Raymond Lesniak could allow Atlantic City casinos to offer online gambling services to New Jersey residents. The bill reportedly has some support in the senate already, but those that do not want to online gaming at the state’s racetracks are voicing their displeasure.

An article by Press of Atlantic City states that Mark Juliano, who is chief executive officer of the three Trump Entertainment Resorts casinos in Atlantic City, revealed that the legislation appears to allow racetracks to also get video lottery terminals.

The report further states that any equipment used to run the new internet gambling system must be located within the territorial limits of Atlantic County, such as within a casino or at another secure location.

The bill reportedly states that the New Jersey Casino Control Commission might also let racetracks operate online gambling terminals. These terminals will likely be identical in appearance to slot machines found at local casinos.

After Gov. Riley’s anti-gambling task force was deterred from action by a judge’s order in Alabama recently, the debate over gambling and its legality has escalated rapidly. The subject has the potential to split the states vote, and a scandalous resignation has fueled the fire.

WTVM 9: AL task force commander quits after gambling win

The commander of Alabama Gov. Bob Riley’s task force on illegal gambling has resigned due to a recent, $2,300 win at a brick-and-mortar casino in Mississippi. David Barber, the commander, resigned on behalf of his actions potential to be a “political distraction” for the task force.

The commander submitted a formal resignation in a letter to the governor on Friday. In the letter, Barber explained that he gambled at a casino in Mississippi and legally won the money in a game.

Both Riley and Barber, the former district attorney in Jefferson County, claim that the electronic bingo machines used in a new facility operated in Alabama are, in fact, slot machines, which are currently illegal in Alabama.

Barber’s resignation arrived on the same day that the Alabama Supreme Court lifted a judge’s order which had blocked the task force from raiding electronic bingo operations at Country Crossing in Dothan.

CBS 42: Jackpot! Gambling Task Force Commander Resigns

Bob Riley’s Commander of the Illegal Gambling Task Force, David Barber, struck a generous jackpot of $2300 on recent trip to Mississippi. Trying to remove himself from the politics circling around the issue, David Barber resigned from his position. Here are a few excerpts from the Commanders resignation and the Governors reply:

Commander David Barber
I hereby resign as Commander of your Task Force on Illegal Gambling.

While I remain committed to the Task Force’s goals, I have concluded that my continued participation will become a political distraction from the Task Force’s important work. On a recent visit to Mississippi, I visited a legal casino and won a $2,300 prize playing a legal game. While my actions were in full compliance with the law, I am convinced that the forces that operate illegal casinos in Alabama will focus on my actions as part of their continuing effort to smear you and your Task Force.

Governor Riley
With regret I accept your resignation as Commander of the Task Force on Illegal Gambling.

I want to commend you for your service to the State of Alabama as the Task Force’s leader. Adherence to the rule of law is the cornerstone of the free and fair society that we enjoy in our state and nation. Thank you for being willing to take a stand in support of that most fundamental principal.

WSFA 12 (NBC): Congressman Bright weighs in on gambling debate

Without a doubt, gambling is the hottest topic in Alabama. According to 2nd District Congressman, Bobby Bright, “This shouldn’t be an issue that divides our state.” Regardless, this is one such issue. The definition of gambling legality is creating tension between the state’s residents and leaders.

Congressman Bright thinks there’s a more suitable solution to the issue than ridding the state of electronic bingo machines according to the wishes of Gov. Riley.

“What we could all do is agree on a referendum and let the people decide. That way it eliminates the Governor having to go down into a community and raid and make it look like he’s fighting the local leadership.”

Should the situation lead to a referendum, there must be boundaries.

“It would need to be regulated. A commission should be set up and private individuals should not be profiting from the proceeds of a gambling initiative if it passed,” he adds.

While the congressman doesn’t agree with gambling, he knows the decision isn’t his to make.

“I also am a public servant speaking for my constituents. And whatever they choose to do, however they choose to live their life in their communities, I will honor that.”

Bright hopes that if a referendum were passed, education would be the recipient of the industry’s revenue.

After Gov. Riley’s anti-gambling task force was deterred from action by a judge’s order in Alabama recently, the debate over gambling and its legality has escalated rapidly. The subject has the potential to split the states vote, and a scandalous resignation has fueled the fire.

WTVM 9: AL task force commander quits after gambling win

The commander of Alabama Gov. Bob Riley’s task force on illegal gambling has resigned due to a recent, $2,300 win at a brick-and-mortar casino in Mississippi. David Barber, the commander, resigned on behalf of his actions potential to be a “political distraction” for the task force.

The commander submitted a formal resignation in a letter to the governor on Friday. In the letter, Barber explained that he gambled at a casino in Mississippi and legally won the money in a game.

Both Riley and Barber, the former district attorney in Jefferson County, claim that the electronic bingo machines used in a new facility operated in Alabama are, in fact, slot machines, which are currently illegal in Alabama.

Barber’s resignation arrived on the same day that the Alabama Supreme Court lifted a judge’s order which had blocked the task force from raiding electronic bingo operations at Country Crossing in Dothan.

CBS 42: Jackpot! Gambling Task Force Commander Resigns

Bob Riley’s Commander of the Illegal Gambling Task Force, David Barber, struck a generous jackpot of $2300 on recent trip to Mississippi. Trying to remove himself from the politics circling around the issue, David Barber resigned from his position. Here are a few excerpts from the Commanders resignation and the Governors reply:

Commander David Barber
I hereby resign as Commander of your Task Force on Illegal Gambling.

While I remain committed to the Task Force’s goals, I have concluded that my continued participation will become a political distraction from the Task Force’s important work. On a recent visit to Mississippi, I visited a legal casino and won a $2,300 prize playing a legal game. While my actions were in full compliance with the law, I am convinced that the forces that operate illegal casinos in Alabama will focus on my actions as part of their continuing effort to smear you and your Task Force.

Governor Riley
With regret I accept your resignation as Commander of the Task Force on Illegal Gambling.

I want to commend you for your service to the State of Alabama as the Task Force’s leader. Adherence to the rule of law is the cornerstone of the free and fair society that we enjoy in our state and nation. Thank you for being willing to take a stand in support of that most fundamental principal.

WSFA 12 (NBC): Congressman Bright weighs in on gambling debate

Without a doubt, gambling is the hottest topic in Alabama. According to 2nd District Congressman, Bobby Bright, “This shouldn’t be an issue that divides our state.” Regardless, this is one such issue. The definition of gambling legality is creating tension between the state’s residents and leaders.

Congressman Bright thinks there’s a more suitable solution to the issue than ridding the state of electronic bingo machines according to the wishes of Gov. Riley.

“What we could all do is agree on a referendum and let the people decide. That way it eliminates the Governor having to go down into a community and raid and make it look like he’s fighting the local leadership.”

Should the situation lead to a referendum, there must be boundaries.

“It would need to be regulated. A commission should be set up and private individuals should not be profiting from the proceeds of a gambling initiative if it passed,” he adds.

While the congressman doesn’t agree with gambling, he knows the decision isn’t his to make.

“I also am a public servant speaking for my constituents. And whatever they choose to do, however they choose to live their life in their communities, I will honor that.”

Bright hopes that if a referendum were passed, education would be the recipient of the industry’s revenue.

From out of nowhere it seemed like the United States, and the rest of the world for that matter, fell into a huge whole of economic depression about 2 years ago. It came and it seems that its still here, but in sunny Las Vegas profits are once again on the rise.

Business Week: Vegas Casinos Revenue Up 8.3%, First Gain in 2 Years

For the first time in about 2 years, gambling revenue in Las Vegas rose 8.3 % in November. Nevada’s Gaming Control Board said proceeds on the Strip rose to $473.8 million. Revenue for all of Clark County, including downtown Las Vegas, gained 6.9 % to $750.8 million, according to the board.

Vegas resorts have slashed room prices and increased special offers to spur demand. Daily room rates in October 2009 were $99.59 on average, down 14% from 2008, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

December 2007 was the last time gambling revenue increased, and then it rose less than 1%. New Jersey’s Casino Control Commission says Atlantic City gambling proceeds fell 9.8% last month.

Market Watch: Nevada gambling revenue up for first time since 2007

Good news came from Nevada, Tuesday, when state regulators reported an increase in gambling revenue for November, the first monthly rise in almost two years. Silver State casinos reported $873.2 million for the month, up 4.4% from November 2008. On the Las Vegas Strip, revenue increased more than 8% to $473.8 million.

Other jurisdictions reporting increases include North Las Vegas, the Boulder Strip and parts of Washoe County. The rest of Nevada was down by anywhere from 1.7% in downtown Las Vegas to almost 27% in South Lake Tahoe.

The total win on table games statewide jumped 17% to just more than $308 million, largely due to a better than doubling of the take from baccarat on the Strip. Slot-machine revenue was down slightly to $547 million.

Hotel rooms that were $300 are typically running at half that, squeezing margins in a business that’s traditionally high priced. These low room rates are attracting leisure travelers long priced out of the high-end resorts, keeping occupancy levels from falling as far as other key measures, but pressuring other revenues.

Analyst, Bill Lerner, commented, “multiple restaurateurs that we have spoken with are experiencing growth in key metrics such as covers and average checks,” and when that is combined with “overall Las Vegas visitation momentum … we are more confident that 2010 will represent the positive inflection in Las Vegas.”

ABC News: Nev. Casino Winnings up for 1st Time in 23 Months

November gambling revenue in Nevada rose for the first time in roughly two years, as casinos won nearly $873.2 million from bettors. The 4% rise in revenue from last November was the first increase after 22 months of declines.

State revenues collected in December topped $57 million, up 28.3% from $44.4 million last year. Taxes paid on casino winnings account for about 30 % of the state general fund. The control board said the state collected $313.2 million in the first 6 months of the fiscal year, down 5.1 % compared with July-December 2008.

November’s results benefited from baccarat on the Strip and the Nov. 14 Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto boxing match at the MGM Grand. Revenue at Downtown Vegas casinos was down 1.3 %, while North Las Vegas and the Boulder Strip saw double-digit increases.

Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and is Nevada’s largest county, was the only county in the state with a year-over-year increase in monthly revenue.

From out of nowhere it seemed like the United States, and the rest of the world for that matter, fell into a huge whole of economic depression about 2 years ago. It came and it seems that its still here, but in sunny Las Vegas profits are once again on the rise.

Business Week: Vegas Casinos Revenue Up 8.3%, First Gain in 2 Years

For the first time in about 2 years, gambling revenue in Las Vegas rose 8.3 % in November. Nevada’s Gaming Control Board said proceeds on the Strip rose to $473.8 million. Revenue for all of Clark County, including downtown Las Vegas, gained 6.9 % to $750.8 million, according to the board.

Vegas resorts have slashed room prices and increased special offers to spur demand. Daily room rates in October 2009 were $99.59 on average, down 14% from 2008, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

December 2007 was the last time gambling revenue increased, and then it rose less than 1%. New Jersey’s Casino Control Commission says Atlantic City gambling proceeds fell 9.8% last month.

Market Watch: Nevada gambling revenue up for first time since 2007

Good news came from Nevada, Tuesday, when state regulators reported an increase in gambling revenue for November, the first monthly rise in almost two years. Silver State casinos reported $873.2 million for the month, up 4.4% from November 2008. On the Las Vegas Strip, revenue increased more than 8% to $473.8 million.

Other jurisdictions reporting increases include North Las Vegas, the Boulder Strip and parts of Washoe County. The rest of Nevada was down by anywhere from 1.7% in downtown Las Vegas to almost 27% in South Lake Tahoe.

The total win on table games statewide jumped 17% to just more than $308 million, largely due to a better than doubling of the take from baccarat on the Strip. Slot-machine revenue was down slightly to $547 million.

Hotel rooms that were $300 are typically running at half that, squeezing margins in a business that’s traditionally high priced. These low room rates are attracting leisure travelers long priced out of the high-end resorts, keeping occupancy levels from falling as far as other key measures, but pressuring other revenues.

Analyst, Bill Lerner, commented, “multiple restaurateurs that we have spoken with are experiencing growth in key metrics such as covers and average checks,” and when that is combined with “overall Las Vegas visitation momentum … we are more confident that 2010 will represent the positive inflection in Las Vegas.”

ABC News: Nev. Casino Winnings up for 1st Time in 23 Months

November gambling revenue in Nevada rose for the first time in roughly two years, as casinos won nearly $873.2 million from bettors. The 4% rise in revenue from last November was the first increase after 22 months of declines.

State revenues collected in December topped $57 million, up 28.3% from $44.4 million last year. Taxes paid on casino winnings account for about 30 % of the state general fund. The control board said the state collected $313.2 million in the first 6 months of the fiscal year, down 5.1 % compared with July-December 2008.

November’s results benefited from baccarat on the Strip and the Nov. 14 Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto boxing match at the MGM Grand. Revenue at Downtown Vegas casinos was down 1.3 %, while North Las Vegas and the Boulder Strip saw double-digit increases.

Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and is Nevada’s largest county, was the only county in the state with a year-over-year increase in monthly revenue.

From the first of the year, Estonians can gamble online. For now, only locally-hosted sites are allowed to operate. Any online gambling website in Estonia that does not meet new regulations will be blocked. In 2011, the country will open its online gambling industry to foreign operators.

The Baltic Times: Estonia Legalizes Online Gambling

Estonia recently legalized internet gambling in order to generate revenue through taxation.

The country is hoping to adopt the Euro next year and is frantically looking for further sources of income after suffering one of the hardest-hitting recessions in the EU.

This move to legalize online gambling was influenced in part by recent and very successful poker tournament held in the country. The tournament was sponsored by PokerStars, one of the largest online gambling sites in the world.

According to the Estonian Free Press, players will be able to use Estonian online gaming sites starting immediately. In 2011, Estonia’s internet gambling market will open to foreign operators.

“We are truly glad of this opportunity to start our partnership with Olympic as the leading casino entertainment provider in Central and Eastern Europe,” says Mor Weizer, Executive Manager of Playtech, who has been granted one of the first foreign licenses.

Estonian poker legend Imre Leibold believes development may be detrimental to Estonian players. “The possibility that online poker gaming could be restricted is not good news for us,” he said. “I believe and hope that the whole affair is resolved and that there will be several reasonable gaming locations on the market. However, if things get tough, one may have to consider moving residence or start working abroad like Estonian builders in Finland.”

Estonian Free Press: Estonia Legalizes Online Gambling

Following the success of the Baltic Poker Festival, held in Estonia organized by online poker site PokerStars, Estonia prepares to its doors to the global internet gambling market that.

Starting immediately, the Government will allow Estonian players to gamble online. The liberalization of online gambling is expected to help the nation financially through taxes imposed on gaming operators.

With the Estonian economy down by close to 36%, these changes will bring even more revenue in 2011 when the gambling market will open to international gaming operators that are able to satisfy the regulation requirements.

Until then, Estonians will be able to play only at locally-run sites, like the one set up by the Olympic Casino group that is running on Playtech software.

Now that online gambling in Estonia is as legal as it is in land-based casinos, here is hoping that no one will have to report about stories about things such as the Arvo Viool scandal – the ex-manager of the Fund for Furthering Culture who was arrested and imprisoned for stealing 500,000 Euros from the State to satisfy his gambling addiction.

Baltic Repots: Online Gambling Regulation Begins

Online gambling in Estonia has gone unregulated for many years, but now that is all changing since the government now requires online casinos to be physically hosted in Estonia.

Before January 1 2010, gambling sites could not be hosted Estonian servers, and players could freely use foreign hosted sites. The new Gambling Act reverses this; now, online gambling sites must be hosted on Estonian servers, and those not will be blocked.

For a company set up an online gambling site in Estonia, they must receive a license and agree to pay a 5% sales tax (excluding player winnings).

“As such, online gambling taxation in Europe is nothing new, it has been applied in most of the countries,” says Annika Vilu, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Finance. “Estonia’s tax rate is still one of the lowest in Europe.”

According to Tõnis Rüütel, executive director of Estonian Association of Gambling Operators, “There are countries with smaller tax rate, such as Malta and Gibraltar with 3 percent but we don’t want to have a reputation of a tax paradise. Also the situation so far has been absurd as the gambling addiction emerged in Estonia, but all of the income went elsewhere.”

If an online gambling site in Estonia does not meet these new requirements, its website will be blocked and its bank accounts will be frozen.

“We’ll see how the law comes into force, and if it will be possible to block the gambling sites not fit for the requirements, but some other countries have not been able to do it so far including the U.S.,” Rüütel said.

From the first of the year, Estonians can gamble online. For now, only locally-hosted sites are allowed to operate. Any online gambling website in Estonia that does not meet new regulations will be blocked. In 2011, the country will open its online gambling industry to foreign operators.

The Baltic Times: Estonia Legalizes Online Gambling

Estonia recently legalized internet gambling in order to generate revenue through taxation.

The country is hoping to adopt the Euro next year and is frantically looking for further sources of income after suffering one of the hardest-hitting recessions in the EU.

This move to legalize online gambling was influenced in part by recent and very successful poker tournament held in the country. The tournament was sponsored by PokerStars, one of the largest online gambling sites in the world.

According to the Estonian Free Press, players will be able to use Estonian online gaming sites starting immediately. In 2011, Estonia’s internet gambling market will open to foreign operators.

“We are truly glad of this opportunity to start our partnership with Olympic as the leading casino entertainment provider in Central and Eastern Europe,” says Mor Weizer, Executive Manager of Playtech, who has been granted one of the first foreign licenses.

Estonian poker legend Imre Leibold believes development may be detrimental to Estonian players. “The possibility that online poker gaming could be restricted is not good news for us,” he said. “I believe and hope that the whole affair is resolved and that there will be several reasonable gaming locations on the market. However, if things get tough, one may have to consider moving residence or start working abroad like Estonian builders in Finland.”

Estonian Free Press: Estonia Legalizes Online Gambling

Following the success of the Baltic Poker Festival, held in Estonia organized by online poker site PokerStars, Estonia prepares to its doors to the global internet gambling market that.

Starting immediately, the Government will allow Estonian players to gamble online. The liberalization of online gambling is expected to help the nation financially through taxes imposed on gaming operators.

With the Estonian economy down by close to 36%, these changes will bring even more revenue in 2011 when the gambling market will open to international gaming operators that are able to satisfy the regulation requirements.

Until then, Estonians will be able to play only at locally-run sites, like the one set up by the Olympic Casino group that is running on Playtech software.

Now that online gambling in Estonia is as legal as it is in land-based casinos, here is hoping that no one will have to report about stories about things such as the Arvo Viool scandal – the ex-manager of the Fund for Furthering Culture who was arrested and imprisoned for stealing 500,000 Euros from the State to satisfy his gambling addiction.

Baltic Repots: Online Gambling Regulation Begins

Online gambling in Estonia has gone unregulated for many years, but now that is all changing since the government now requires online casinos to be physically hosted in Estonia.

Before January 1 2010, gambling sites could not be hosted Estonian servers, and players could freely use foreign hosted sites. The new Gambling Act reverses this; now, online gambling sites must be hosted on Estonian servers, and those not will be blocked.

For a company set up an online gambling site in Estonia, they must receive a license and agree to pay a 5% sales tax (excluding player winnings).

“As such, online gambling taxation in Europe is nothing new, it has been applied in most of the countries,” says Annika Vilu, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Finance. “Estonia’s tax rate is still one of the lowest in Europe.”

According to Tõnis Rüütel, executive director of Estonian Association of Gambling Operators, “There are countries with smaller tax rate, such as Malta and Gibraltar with 3 percent but we don’t want to have a reputation of a tax paradise. Also the situation so far has been absurd as the gambling addiction emerged in Estonia, but all of the income went elsewhere.”

If an online gambling site in Estonia does not meet these new requirements, its website will be blocked and its bank accounts will be frozen.

“We’ll see how the law comes into force, and if it will be possible to block the gambling sites not fit for the requirements, but some other countries have not been able to do it so far including the U.S.,” Rüütel said.

Fifty-two year old Cliff Bryant, placed several accumulator bets on whether cities in Britain would enjoy a White Christmas, and won all of them bringing his winnings to £7.1 million. Ladbrokes, the betting site where he placed the bet, is refusing to pay out this sum on account of the bets being accumulators instead of singles.

Press Association: No £7.1m payout after bet ‘error’

Bookmaker Ladbrokes refuses to pay off a bet worth £7.1 million to a man who wagered snow would fall on Christmas because it was accepted by mistake. Cliff Bryant placed 2 £5 accumulators on snow fall across 24 British Cities on December 25.

Ladbrokes staff accepted the bet by mistake as the company rules state such a wager can only be a single bet. The first accumulator would’ve netted Mr. Bryant over £4.9 million, the second £2.23 million. The company honored the relevant single bets and paid out a lesser £31.78 instead. They’ve since apologized for the mistake.

Mr. Bryant is seeking legal advice over the error and says he was “gutted” by the decision. He urged the company to make rules clearer. A Ladbrokes spokesman said company rules state “snow at Christmas” bets must be singles only, rather than accumulators.

Reuters: Bookie refuses to pay out £7 million on snow bet

Cliff Bryant placed 2 £5 accumulator bets that snow would fall on 24 towns and cities across the north of England on Christmas. Now he’s being refused the £7.1 million payout he won.

“We have apologized to the customer for any confusion and for mistakenly accepting an accumulator bet when our own rules state that only single bets are available on a market of this nature,” said a Ladbrokes spokesman. “We are happy to void the bets and to pay the customer his winnings on the relevant singles.” That would be a mere £32.

The graphic designer from Southampton, says he was “gutted” and will seek legal advice. He claims the 1st bet would have won him 4.9 million pounds, with the second adding 2.2 million. “If I make a mistake in my work like that it costs me dearly and I think the offer should be a lot more generous than they have made.”

Ladbrokes gave Bryant details of the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS), an neutral adjudicator that deals with gambling operators and customers disagreements.

Danny Cracknell, an IBAS manager, told Reuters that Bryant had been in contact and they would be investigating the issue once he had completed the relevant forms.

Mirror.co.uk: Punter furious after bookies refuse to pay out on £7m white Christmas bet

A UK punter thought he won £7million betting on a white Christmas and ended up with just £31. Cliff Bryant spent £10 on 2 accumulator bets that 24 UK cities would see snow fall on Christmas. All of his predictions were correct but he was later told that his wager was invalid.

Company rules say accumulators, a series of linked bets, can’t be placed on the chances of a white Christmas. Cliff received the winnings he would have got had he placed 24 single bets. The dad-of-three, said: “My heart was beating fast when I thought I’d won but now I’m absolutely fuming. If I’d been paid I would have loved to have got my teeth done.”

A Ladbrokes spokesman said: “We apologize that a bet was taken in error. We intend to talk to Mr. Cliff to see if we can make it up to him.”

Cliff Bryant would’ve made over £7 million this Christmas but Ladbrokes claims that his bets were invalid and will award him only £31 due to the mishap.

Fifty-two year old Cliff Bryant, placed several accumulator bets on whether cities in Britain would enjoy a White Christmas, and won all of them bringing his winnings to £7.1 million. Ladbrokes, the betting site where he placed the bet, is refusing to pay out this sum on account of the bets being accumulators instead of singles.

Press Association: No £7.1m payout after bet ‘error’

Bookmaker Ladbrokes refuses to pay off a bet worth £7.1 million to a man who wagered snow would fall on Christmas because it was accepted by mistake. Cliff Bryant placed 2 £5 accumulators on snow fall across 24 British Cities on December 25.

Ladbrokes staff accepted the bet by mistake as the company rules state such a wager can only be a single bet. The first accumulator would’ve netted Mr. Bryant over £4.9 million, the second £2.23 million. The company honored the relevant single bets and paid out a lesser £31.78 instead. They’ve since apologized for the mistake.

Mr. Bryant is seeking legal advice over the error and says he was “gutted” by the decision. He urged the company to make rules clearer. A Ladbrokes spokesman said company rules state “snow at Christmas” bets must be singles only, rather than accumulators.

Reuters: Bookie refuses to pay out £7 million on snow bet

Cliff Bryant placed 2 £5 accumulator bets that snow would fall on 24 towns and cities across the north of England on Christmas. Now he’s being refused the £7.1 million payout he won.

“We have apologized to the customer for any confusion and for mistakenly accepting an accumulator bet when our own rules state that only single bets are available on a market of this nature,” said a Ladbrokes spokesman. “We are happy to void the bets and to pay the customer his winnings on the relevant singles.” That would be a mere £32.

The graphic designer from Southampton, says he was “gutted” and will seek legal advice. He claims the 1st bet would have won him 4.9 million pounds, with the second adding 2.2 million. “If I make a mistake in my work like that it costs me dearly and I think the offer should be a lot more generous than they have made.”

Ladbrokes gave Bryant details of the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS), an neutral adjudicator that deals with gambling operators and customers disagreements.

Danny Cracknell, an IBAS manager, told Reuters that Bryant had been in contact and they would be investigating the issue once he had completed the relevant forms.

Mirror.co.uk: Punter furious after bookies refuse to pay out on £7m white Christmas bet

A UK punter thought he won £7million betting on a white Christmas and ended up with just £31. Cliff Bryant spent £10 on 2 accumulator bets that 24 UK cities would see snow fall on Christmas. All of his predictions were correct but he was later told that his wager was invalid.

Company rules say accumulators, a series of linked bets, can’t be placed on the chances of a white Christmas. Cliff received the winnings he would have got had he placed 24 single bets. The dad-of-three, said: “My heart was beating fast when I thought I’d won but now I’m absolutely fuming. If I’d been paid I would have loved to have got my teeth done.”

A Ladbrokes spokesman said: “We apologize that a bet was taken in error. We intend to talk to Mr. Cliff to see if we can make it up to him.”

Cliff Bryant would’ve made over £7 million this Christmas but Ladbrokes claims that his bets were invalid and will award him only £31 due to the mishap.

Talks of a new way of going about dealing with offshore online gambling operators are now circulating. Under the proposed changes, foreign operators would be required to obtain licenses from the UK Gambling Commission, and to comply with British gambling laws. The issue of taxing foreign operators has not been mentioned.

The Times: Overseas online gambling groups will need license

Foreign internet gambling companies that target British gamblers will soon require a license according to a proposal released yesterday by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe admitted only a few of the biggest overseas gambling operators that target British players are forced to comply with the Gambling Commission’s regulations. The proposed system would require online gambling operators licensed outside Britain to apply for a license from the Gambling Commission before they could legally offer their services to British players.

An additional rule would require any company that targets British players to record information about suspicious betting patterns, and to share it with UK sports bodies and with the Gambling Commission.

The Government is also looking into ways of securing levy contributions from overseas operators, which has been a concern since UK companies Ladbrokes and William Hill moved offshore. The issue of tax, however, has yet to be mentioned.

The Guardian: Online betting faces regulation overhaul

The British government will soon overhaul the problematic online gambling tax by tightening regulation of offshore operators.

The change is influenced in part by the recent successes of online gambling regulation in other European Union countries.

“Online gambling has changed significantly in recent years with many European countries taking new approaches to regulation,” says Sports Minister Gary Sutcliffe. “It would be wrong of us to stand still where things are changing around us.”

The proposed changes may see the Gambling Commission issuing individual licenses to online gambling operators, with license fees contributing to the cost of gambling regulation and the treatment of gambling addictions.

Sutcliffe’s announcement comes shortly after Ladbrokes and William Hill, fed up with UK tax policy, announced plans to move their operations to offshore tax havens.

Because one of Gordon Brown’s last moves as chancellor was to bump the tax rate for internet gambling firms to 15% of gross profits, no poker or casino sites conduct their UK business through a Gambling Commission license or pay tax here.

According to a Treasury spokesperson: “The focus of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) review was on the regulation – not taxation – of remote gambling … The Treasury will continue to work with DCMS to ensure that any implications for tax policy, arising from the proposals, are properly considered.”

The Independent: Plans to regulate offshore gambling websites

The British government today revealed to regulate foreign gambling websites that target UK customers.

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe revealed that the new rules will require all foreign operators that cater to British players to be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and follow UK gambling laws.

Under the proposed changes (which are still being discussed), all offshore gambling operators targeting the British market will have to comply with the Gambling Act and will be required to report suspicious wagering patterns to the Gambling Commission and to sport governing bodies.

Licensed foreign operators will also have to comply with British license regulations, such the protection of children against gambling, and will be required demonstrate how they can contribute to lessening problem gambling in Britain.

In a statement to Parliament, Mr Sutcliffe revealed that few companies active in the British market are now regulated by the Gambling Commission. “Though British consumers are not unprotected – most overseas jurisdictions have regulatory systems – standards vary and requirements differ from our own.”

Several UK bookmakers recently chose to shift their online businesses overseas to avoid UK taxes; this is one of the driving forces behind the recent talks.