Category: gambling

A new style of lottery tickets has emerged in China. The tickets bear colorful portraits of the ancient philosopher Confucius, along with proverbs form his work The Analects. If the proverbs on a ticket match those drawn by lottery operators, the player wins a cash prize. The new lottery is bringing a lot of criticism by people who find this use of Confucius’ teachings distasteful.

China Daily: Confucius lottery tickets draw ire

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who encouraged people to seek their fortunes in a noble manner. Ironically, his portrait and words of wisdom can now be found printed on lottery tickets, which are the only form of gambling allowed by the Chinese government.

Last month, lottery vendors in China’s Shandong province started selling these new Confucius tickets which offer a top prize of 300,000 yuan (about $44,000).

The new lottery tickets have enraged bloggers and columnists across the internet who claim that the lottery tickets are tarnishing the image of the wise man who lived more than 2,000 years ago.

Lottery officials are surprised. Tang Nianbing, a manager at Shandong’s lottery center, defended the company against accusations that they are using Confucius to promote sales. “The center is not trying to influence the sale of their lotteries (by using Confucius’ image), ” he said.

“The Confucius-themed lotteries are the country’s most real culture-centered tickets,” wrote Tang in an article that introduced the lottery. “Its cultural content will erect a milestone in the development of our country’s lotteries.”

The Shandong area was home to Confucius about 2,500 years ago. Several different tickets from the Shandong lottery center of are printed with the cultural themes from region.

The Washington Post: Critics question wisdom of Confucius-brand lottery

China’s official lottery is now offering Confucius-themed lottery tickets adorned with colorful drawings of the ancient philosopher. The tickets have promoted discussion over whether the combination of gambling and his teachings is appropriate.

According to the lottery’s website, the Confucius tickets are intended to teach players about ancient Chinese culture, and to help people live a “healthy, wholesome life.” The site also reports that the Ministry of Finance approved the program, which launched last week in Confucius’ hometown of Qufu.

Critics of the program see gambling standing at odds the spirit of Confucius’ teachings. One anonymous critic on a Chinese forum cited a Confucian proverb, “The gentleman sees righteousness, the petty man sees profit.”

This state-run lottery is the only form of gambling allowed in China. A single Confucius-themed ticket costs 10 yuan (about $1.50) and scratching the ticket reveals a quote from “The Analects,” a compilation of the philosopher’s works. The grand prize ticket is worth 300,000 yuan ($44,000) and will read, “Of all rituals, harmony is the most valuable.”

Global Times: Confucius is a brand name in hometown lottery promo

A picture is worth a thousand words in China’s first welfare lottery based on the ancient philosopher Confucius. His picture and words can also be worth 300,000 yuan ($43,936) if they appear on a winning lottery ticket.

A portrait of Confucius along with sayings of the legendary philosopher show up on lottery tickets that went on sale last week in Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, located in East China’s Shandong Province.

Each ticket is printed with proverbs from The Analects, Confucius’ most famous work. If the sayings on a player’s ticket match the ones drawn by the lottery center, the player wins cash.

The top prize lottery ticket, worth 300,000 yuan ($43,936), will read, “Of all rituals, harmony is the most valuable.”

China’s lottery center believes these new tickets can help educate people about the wisdom of Confucius, but many commenters think it is distasteful to use the ancient philosopher’s words and portrait for profit.

Tang Nianbing, who works in the marketing office of the Shandong Welfare Lottery Center, believes the tickets are a valuable teaching tool. “Everyone in China knows Confucius and The Analects, but not everyone can recite three sentences from it,” said Tang. “People who buy lottery tickets will have a chance to remember several sentences from The Analects, which is a win-win situation.”

Not everyone agrees. An internet poll conducted on a popular Chinese website showed that out of 1,869 voters, 52.6 percent disapproved of a Confucius-themed lottery. Only 4.2 percent were undecided.

Four men were caught playing dominoes in Indonesia and sentenced to 6 canings each on behalf of their sins. The first of the 4 men were publicly caned, but the other 3 escaped prison and fled before they were punished.

The Washington Post: Indonesian gambling convicts escape before caning

Three Indonesian men convicted for gambling escaped imprisonment just before a public caning in the Muslim province, Aceh. Muhammad Rusli, the Local Islamic police chief, said the men fled Saturday during an unguarded bathroom visit minutes before being punished.

The men were caught playing dominoes for 1,000 rupiah ($0.10) per game. They were each to be caned six times at a mosque on Friday.

Aceh banned alcohol and gambling as it adopted Islamic law, after achieving semi-autonomy from the secular central government after a decades-long civil war.

The Jakarta Post: One whipped, three escape corporal punishment

With a Sharia police escort, Syahrul bin Muhammad limped to stage. He was about to receive a public caning as punishment in front of a mosque in Jantho city, Aceh Besar regency, on Friday. Syahrul was one of four arrested for gambling and scheduled to be punished.

He was unlucky. The other three suspects escaped the detention cell at the prosecutor’s office, 15 minutes before they were to be caned.

The four were caught gambling in the village one month ago. They were immediately taken to the public order and Sharia police headquarters together with Rp 100,000 (US$11) in cash and a pack of domino cards as evidence. On Thursday, each was sentenced to six lashes of the cane.

Rusli denied allegations that the detention center’s officers were bribed. He blamed the escape on the officers’ negligence, saying the three suspects escaped after making an excuse to use the bathroom. He learned of the escape just before Friday prayers and ordered his men to comb the city, but the search was fruitless. He promised they will be punished if caught.

MSN News: Rights groups slam caning in Indonesia’s Aceh

Islamic Caning in Indonesia’s Aceh province is a “systematic human rights violation” and is against state law, according to a national human rights group. The group, Kontras, calls for the local administration to “annul physical criminalization” and revise its Islamic legal code. Kontras said laws in the semi-autonomous Aceh shouldn’t work against Indonesia’s international treaty obligations.

Activists noted the province’s Sharia regulations were being applied selectively and affected the poor most. They claimed that rich businessman would never be caned for gambling.

The caned farmer was one of four men who were arrested in December after betting up to 1,000 rupiah (11 cents) on dominoes. The others escaped punishment but he received six strokes of the cane outside on Friday.

This issue is another blow to the Sharia police in Aceh after three officers were charged with gang-raping a woman in custody last month.

Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is currently being fined a total of $16,000 by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board due to two counts of Underage Gambling violation. A 14 year old girl and 15 year old boy managed to play slots in the casino where state law dictates no one is permitted to play under the age of 21.

MSN Money: Pa. gaming control board fines Rivers Casino

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has levied a $16,000 fine against Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh for underage gambling. The fine is an agreement between the board and Holdings Acquisition Co. LP, the casino operator, regarding 2 incidents in October and December.

A 15-year-old girl was able to play on a slot machine for about 17 minutes before being caught in October, and in December, a 14-year-old boy played slots for about 4 minutes.

Rivers Casino says it “takes this incident very seriously. We join the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in this and every effort to prevent underage gaming. That’s why we monitor our floors 24-7 and immediately report any occurrence, such as these, to the state.”

Extensive employee training and security are in place to prevent underage access, along with signs throughout the property. Parents and guardians are reminded that bringing minors onto the gaming floor is not allowed. State law prohibits anyone under 18 from entering the gaming floor of a licensed facility; anyone under 21 is barred from playing.

During the past two years, the Gaming Control Board says, it has levied fines statewide on eight occasions for violations of underage gambling or minors on the gaming floor totaling $232,500.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Pittsburgh casino fined for 2 teen slots players

State gaming regulators are fining a slot machine casino in Pittsburgh because a 15-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were able to gamble for a few minutes each last year. The gaming board says a 15-year-old girl gambled for around 17 minutes on Oct. 15, while a 14-year-old boy played slots for about four minutes on Dec. 13 before he was caught.

The $16,000 fine imposed on the Rivers Casino on Wednesday was part of an agreement between the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P., which owns the casino.

State law prohibits anyone under 21 to play slot machines and anyone under 18 from being on the casino floor.

PR Newswire: PA Gaming Control Board Fines Casino for Underage Gambling Violations

A $16,000 fine was levied today by the Commonwealth’s gaming oversight agency on a Pennsylvania casino operator for underage gambling violations. The fine was part of a consent agreement between the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P., operator of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The penalties occurred at Rivers Casino in October and December of 2009.

Under the agreement, the casino must pay a fine of $16,000 for two incidents. The first was on October 14, when a 15-year-old female gained entry to the gaming floor and placed wagers on a slot machine for about 17 minutes. The second instance was on December 13, when a 14-year-old male gained entry to the floor and placed wagers on a slot for nearly 4 minutes.

The Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act dictates that it’s unlawful for persons under 21 to operate or use slot machines and that individuals under 18 may not enter the gaming floor of a licensed facility.

During the past two years, the Gaming Control Board has levied fines statewide on eight occasions for violations of underage gambling or minors on the gaming floor totaling $232,500.

UK-based football pools operator Sportech today struck an acquisition deal with Scientific Games Racing (SGR) worth as much as $83 million. SRG is a subsidiary of Scientific Games, which itself recently combined forces with gaming software provider Playtech. This three-way partnership will make the newly-enlarged Sportech one of the world leaders in pari-mutuel betting.

Times Online: Football pools operator gambles on $83m US deal

Sportech, a football pools operator, today sealed an $83 million (£51.4 million) acquisition deal with SGR, a US-based pari-mutuel betting company.

The new deal will allow Sportech to provide technology to the tote-betting operators at half of America’s racetracks, and will give them a direct window into tote betting operations in the state of Connecticut and the Netherlands.

Sportech is buying the business from Scientific Games Corporation for an initial sum of $65 million. Half will be paid in cash and the rest in Sportech shares issued at 50p. In the end, Scientific Games will hold a 19.99 per cent stake in the newly enlarged company.

Gaming software supplier Playtech also just announced a partnership with Scientific Games, and intends subscribe for shares as well. Playtech will emerge with a 9.99% stake in Sportech.

The acquisition comes shortly after Sportech’s entry into the Indian market by means of a joint venture with the country’s biggest gambling group.

Some are suggesting that the presence of both Scientific Games and Playtech together on the share register might spark merger speculation in upcoming years.

Sportstech chief exec Ian Penrose said: “If anything happens in the future, then we’ll deal with it, but at the moment we’ve got our hands full making all of this work.”

Financial Times: Sportech to buy US pool better

Sportech, a football pools and gaming business, just announced that it will soon be giving up close to a purchase one of the main providers of pool betting on horse racing in the US.

Liverpool-based Sportstech is paying $75m in cash and shares deal to acquire Scientific Games Racing (SGR), a division of the New York based gambling services provider Scientific Games.

SGR is the provider of pool betting systems for half all racetracks in North America, and is also the equivalent of the UK’s Tote in the US state of Connecticut and Holland.

The deal involves a $32m cash payment along with the placing of $33m of new shares that will be purchased by Scientific Games, which will come out of the deal holding a 20% stake in the expanded Sportech.

Playtech, an online gambling software provider which last week forged a joint venture deal with Scientific Games, is also contributing £10m. This will give them a stake of just under 10 per cent.

Sportech hopes that through the deal, they will become a major player in pari-mutuel betting across the globe, with the help of the technologies and networks that its new partners provide.

Ian Penrose, chief executive, said: “The transaction leaves us as a leading business in the global pari-mutuel marketplace, with representation in Europe and in North and South America.”

Mor Weizer, chief executive of Playtech, says: “We share many of Sportech’s goals in growing our business in regulated markets.”

Sportech shares dropped 2½p to 54p on Wednesday. Playtech shares fell marginally to 514p.

Reuters: Sportech buys SGR betting unit for up to $83 mln

British gaming company Sportech is to buy US racing and venue management business SGR from Scientific Games Corp for as much as $83 million in cash and shares as part of their drive to become a world leader in pari-mutuel betting.

Sportech will an initial $65 million in cash and shares, followed by $10 million in 2013, and up to $8 million more if SGR meets its targets over the next three years.

Pari-muteul or Pools betting is a sports gambling system where all bets are placed in a pool, and then payout odds are calculated by sharing the money in the pool with all winning bettors.

Piers Pottinger, chairman of Sportech, says: “This is a transformational transaction for Sportech. It catapults the business onto the international stage.”

Internet gaming software company Playtech intends to buy a 9.99 percent stake in the enlarged group, and has already signed a letter of intent to provide gaming products and services to the SGR business.

The people of Kentucky came very close to having a say in all gambling expansion issues in the state this week. Unfortunately the law proposal was conquered by the democrats in the state senate. It seems as though horse racing is going to remain the top form of gambling for the time being.

ABC News: Dems Kill Counter-Gambling Proposal in Ky. Senate

Thursday in Kentucky’s Senate, Democrats killed legislation that would have given voters decision making power on all proposals that would expand gambling in the state. The measure received only 21 of the 23 needed votes, all from Republicans. The defeated measure was sponsored by Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville.

The proposal called for an amendment to the state constitution that would’ve required all gambling issues placement on the ballot for Kentucky voters to accept or reject. The vote came during an election year in which 19 of 38 Senate seats could be up for grabs.

There are currently 2 different measures being processed in the Senate and House that would legalize slots at horse tracks without a voter referendum. Under those proposals, the state would sell gambling licenses and then tax the revenues from slots to generate $780 million over the next 2 years.

The House would use raised revenue on specific initiatives, including a massive school construction program that would create work for thousands of jobless Kentuckians. The Senate’s version would put revenues into the general fund to help stave off budget cuts and potential employee layoffs.

Kentucky’s political leaders have been reluctant to legalize forms of gambling, outside of horseracing.

Thoroughbred Times: Kentucky Senate does not pass Williams’ VLT bill

This year, Republican State Senate President David Williams sponsored a bill that would have taken the issue of gambling expansion out of state lawmakers’ hands by requiring state voters to approve any gambling expansion in Kentucky. The bill fell short of approval on Thursday.

Due to voting along party lines, the bill received a majority of votes at 21-16 but failed to acquire the needed 23 votes to reach the three-fifths standard for a constitutional amendment.

The horseracing industry opposed the bill because it would have added an additional step before tracks could add video lotteries. Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway ruled that state lawmakers could approve adding video lotteries without voter approval, last year.

A Senate bill proposed this year would place video lotteries at racetracks to raise revenue for horse racing. Money from taxes and fees would be placed in the state’s general fund as opposed to being targeted to any specific area.

WLKY: Democrats Kill Counter-Gambling Proposal In Senate

Democrats in the Kentucky State Senate failed legislation that would have allowed voters to have a say in all state gambling proposals. The measure needed 23 votes to pass but only received 21, all of which were from Republicans.

Sixteen Senate Democrats voted along party lines Thursday and defeated the measure which was sponsored by Republican Senate President David Williams, of Burkesville. The bill would have ruled that all gambling issues be placed on the ballot for Kentucky voters to accept or reject.

Pro-gambling state Sen. David Boswell, a Democrat from Owensboro, said Williams knew the bill had no chance of passage in the senate and sponsored it so that Republican challengers could make an issue of it in upcoming elections.

Anurag Dikshit, one of India’s richest men and co-founder of online gambling giant PartyGaming, has just sold his remaining share in the company. Dikshit’s history with PartyGaming includes a legal battle with the US Department of Justice in 2008. The sale generated over 100 million pounds, which Dikshit intends to give to his charitable organization.

Financial Times: Dikshit sells remaining stake in PartyGaming

Anurag Dikshit, the co-founder of the online gambling company PartyGaming, has just sold the remainder of his stake in the group that he started in 1997.

In brief statement to the stock exchange, Dikshit’s vehicle Crystal Ventures said that it had sold the remaining 9% stake of about 38.8m shares at a rate of 270p per share. The shares were sold via an accelerated bookbuilt offering available only to institutional investors.

The sale came just days after Partygaming announced it was in preliminary discussions with several other companies in the industry regarding possible consolidation. Among those including in the talks is Bwin, an Austrian-based online gambling group.

In 2006 Dikshit stepped down from the board at Partygaming. Back in October, he sold two-thirds of his stake in the company for £188m, which he then donated to his charitable foundation.

Dikshit paid authorities $300m (£183m) after pleading guilty to an online gambling charge in the US in 2008. Taking this money into account, Dikshit has gained about £540m since PartyGaming floated in June 2005.

Bloomberg: PartyGaming Founder Dikshit Sells Remaining Stake

PartyGaming founder Anurag Dikshit sold his remaining stake in the PartyPoker online gambling site that he helped start in back 1997. After the sale, shares fell as much as 7% in London trading.

Dikshit sold 38.8 million shares for 270 pence per share to institutional investors through an accelerated bookbuild. The sale of the 9.5% holding generated about 105 million pounds.

This liquidation follows Dikshit’s sale of two-thirds of his stake already in October. “This is simply about moving on,” said Shimon Cohen, his spokesman. “It’s been a process over four years since he first withdrew from the board. And that’s now it.”

In December 2008, Dikshit pleaded guilty to involvement in unlawful online gambling operations in the U.S., and agreed to cooperate with the US Justice Department in its probe of his company. He paid $300 million in fines, and is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

“It’s brought its fair share of issues,” Cohen said. “We have the court hearing and sentencing still hanging over us. Anurag voluntarily went to America and pled guilty so that he could move on.”

PartyGaming shares fell as much as 20.5 pence to 273 pence, and traded at 276.4 pence at 9:23 a.m. in London, giving the company a total market value of 1.12 billion pounds ($1.82 billion).

Telegraph: PartyGaming founder Anurag Dikshit severs ties with company after £114m share sale

Indian software expert Anurag Dikshit asked Goldman Sachs to sell his remaining 38.8m shares in the online gambling operator PartyGaming via a bookbuilding exercise. The sale follows a similar move last October when Dikshit sold a £188m holding in the company. PartyGaming shares rose 8 to 293.5p.

Mr Dikshit was responsible for developing PartyGaming’s online gaming software, but he became concerned about the company’s operations being declared illegal in America when laws changed in 2006. The US was once PartyGaming’s biggest market.

In December 2008, under pressure from the US Department of Justice, Dikshit pleaded guilty to breaking US gambling laws and agreed to pay a fine of $300m (£185m). Dikshit may still face a two-year jail.

One of the richest men in India, Dikshit is estimated to have already taken out more than £700m from the company since its float in 2005, though most of it is has been donated to his charitable trust.

Last week, PartyGaming confirmed that it is “continuing to hold discussions with a number of companies in the gaming sector regarding potential consolidation opportunities”, including a possible tie-up with Austrian rival Bwin.

Joseph LaForte, a 39 year old New Yorker, admitted to the US Disctrict Court last week that in 2005 and 2006 he played a role in an illegal online sports bettingoperation.

LaForte directed players to an internet sportsbook hosted offshore, supplying them with user names and passwords for online sports betting. The website gave LaForte a share of the profits. LaForte now faces a possible prison sentence.New York Man Admits Role in Sports Betting Ring

A man from New York admitted last week that he helped to run an illegal online sports betting website that offered services in several US states, including New Jersey.

Joseph W. LaForte admitted to the crime in U.S. District Court in Trenton last Wednesday.

LaForte, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal online sports betting business. LaForte is already serving time in New York on separate charges, and now faces a sentence of up top five years in prison along with a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced April 6th.

Online sports betting

LaForte’s admission said that between 2005 and 2006, he and several others helped punters to place wagers through an online sportsbook hosted outside the United States, then shared in the profits from the sports betting business.

NY man admits role in sports betting ring

A man from Staten Island, New York, recently pleaded guilty to setting a former employee’s Mercedes-Benz on fire in 2004 out of revenge.

James LaForte Jr., 32, also admitted last Wednesday to offering high-interest loans, then using threats and violence to collect on them. Loan sharking carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Additionally, LaForte’s brother Joseph W. LaForte admitted to a federal court that he had participated in an illegal online sports gambling business in New Jersey, New York, Florida and elsewhere. Joseph LaForte, 39, is currently serving a sentence in New York state prison on unrelated charges.  He admitted to conspiring with others in 2005 and 2006 to helping bettors to place wagers at a foreign internet gambling site. They provided punters with user names and passwords so they could wager on online sports betting, LaForte admitted. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; sentencing is set for April 6.

Breaking Local News from Staten Island, NY: Staten Island man admits role in sports betting ring

Joseph W. LaForte, a Staten Island native who most recently lived in Huguenot, admitted on Wednesday that he helped operate an illegal online sports betting ring in New Jersey.

Joseph W. LaForte made this admission Wednesday at the U.S. District Court in Trenton.

Thirty-nine year old LaForte pleaded guilty to charges he was accused of, including conspiracy to operate an unlawful online sports betting business. LaForte, currently serving a prison term in New York on unrelated charges, faces up to five years and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced on the 6th of April.

In his admission, LaForte revealed that in 2005 and early 2006, he and his associates directed bettors to a particular online sports betting website located outside the United States. LaForte shared in the profits from the online business.