Business & Financial
Betting on the Olympics Now Allowed in Vegas
LAS VEGAS (Associated Press) — Come summer 2016, when the best of the best athletes climb podiums wearing gold, silver and bronze medals, Las Vegas gamblers could very well be counting their green.
Nevada gambling regulators voted Thursday to allow the state's sports books to offer bets on the Olympics for the first time in years.
It was a move unopposed by anyone in the industry and cheered by the regulators themselves. International sports books in Great Britain, Ireland and Australia and offshore Internet sites already allow such bets.
Ladbrokes Posts 9 Percent Fall in Profits
(Reuters) – Ladbrokes (LAD.L), Britain’s second biggest bookmaker, said it intended to maintain its dividend in 2015, defying some analysts' expectations of a cut to help fund marketing costs, as it posted a 9 percent fall in annual profit.
The firm has struggled to keep pace with rivals such as William Hill (WMH.L) and establish itself in a growing online sector, with investment in marketing and product lagging others.
Latest Joe Francis Lawsuit Supports Wynn Accusations of 'Illegal Spending'
Lawyers who are attempting to collect approximately $2.2 million in debts owed by “Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis claim much of that money was spent on his palatial Puerto Vallarta, Mexico estate.
Microsoft Bing’s Duane Forrester to Speak at Daily Fantasy Sports Expo
Ticonderoga Ventures Inc. has announced that long time Microsoft Bing Webmaster Outreach Manager Duane Forrester will be speaking at the first ever Daily Fantasy Sports Expo in Miami Beach August 6-7.
Just how pivotal is Forrester: Last year he was awarded Top Search Personality at the US Search Awards.
Macau Casino Stocks Tanking as Revenues Continue to Decline
Casino shares in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau fell Wednesday, a result weak travel expectations for the Lunar New Year holiday period and diminishing high roller activity.
From Bloomberg News:
Fantasy League Meeting With Ray Rice Reps on Wednesday
$1 Million Endorsement Deal is on the Table
VANCOUVER -- Only time will tell which of the many fantasy sports leagues popping up all over North America are destined to survive.
And thrive.
But if marketing savvy is any indication of future success, one new league looks like it has hit a home run (or in this case, scored a touchdown).
Breaking News: DraftKings CEO Jason Robins to Speak at DFSE in Miami Beach
Miami Beach will be Daily Fantasy Sports Central the first week in August with organizers of the highly anticipated Daily Fantasy Sports Expo confirming that DraftKings.com CEO Jason Robins will be speaking at the event.
DraftKings is a leader in the world of Daily Fantasy Sports. They have partnered with a number of major league sports teams including the New England Patriots, and more recently the red hot Golden State Warriors.
WPN Sees Success With First Ever Winning Millions: More to Come
The first ever Winning Millions is now history and it appears to have gone off without much of a hitch, albeit the initially scheduled event had to be cancelled due to Denial of Service attacks.
Fantasy Sports Industry Pushes for Legalization in All 50 States
The Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) recently unveiled the Fantasy Sports Freedom initiative with the goal of promoting legalization of fantasy sports in all 50 states.
Right now five states – Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana and Washington – clearly bar pay-related fantasy sports operations. Some daily fantasy sports sites have also steered clear of states where contests paying cash prizes fall into a grey area.
Bitcoin-Only Online Poker Room Seals With Clubs Closes After ‘Sledgehammer’ Raid
The largest of the Bitcoin-only online poker rooms, Seals With Clubs, has unceremoniously closed its doors following a raid of CEO Bryan Micon’s Nevada home.
Another Deal to Sell Revel Casino is Dead
CAMDEN, N.J. – (Associated Press) - Another deal to sell Atlantic City’s former Revel casino is dead.
A bankruptcy court judge on Thursday approved Revel AC’s termination of a deal to sell the shuttered gambling resort to a Florida developer for $95.4 million.
The sale was supposed to have been completed by Feb. 9.
Winning Millions is This Sunday: Get Your Share
On Sunday, February 22nd at 3:00pm ET, Americas Cardroom will make history by hosting the Winning Millions Poker Tournament! This $540 buy-in no-limit Texas Holdem tournament guarantees the first place winner will bring home a life-changing $200,000.00!!!
PokerStars Excluded From NJ Market: Resorts Moves Forward With Web Gambling
ATLANTIC CITY (Associated Press) - New Jersey’s oldest casino is about to get in on the newest form of gambling.
Resorts Casino Hotel won approval Wednesday to launch its Internet gambling site, which may be fully operational within several days.
But the approval by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement isn’t the one many online gamblers were hoping for.
Bruce Jenner Betting Crosses Line: Bookie Apologizes for Taking Bets on New Name
Australian bookmaker Sportsbet.com.au has apologized for offering what some say was offensive betting options on one-time Olympian Bruce Jenner’s new name after it was confirmed he is undergoing a sex change.
While the wagering firm may be sorry, they are not about to suspend betting on Jenner’s gender transformation.
ProDraftLeague.com Raises ‘7 Figures’ Worth of Funding: Business Doubles in One Month
Vancouver-based ProDraftLeague.com hopes to make the big leagues, having just raised over a million in funding since January and doubling their business from roughly 5000 customers to 10000 customers since the start of the year.
FanDuel Looking for a $1 Billion Valuation: Wants to Go Public Next Year
FanDuel.com, one of the two largest daily fantasy sports sites, is looking to raise another $100 million over the next few months in order to reach a $1 billion valuation.
First Online Gambling Site Intertops Returns to U.S. After Nearly 4 Year Absence
Antigua-based Intertops has re-entered the U.S. market after exiting in 2011. The site features a popular sportsbook, online casino and poker room.
Intertops, an Austrian-owned company, has the distinction of being the first ever online gambling site. It has held a license on the island of Antigua for 20 years now. The company has a reputation for fast payouts and few complaints.
TradeSports.com a New Type of Fantasy Sports League Where Salary Cap is Eliminated
NEW YORK -- Your state lottery never pays you to try out one of its new scratch-off tickets.
And your local casino never hands you free cash to sit down at the poker table with.
And most certainly your local neighborhood bookie never calls you up and tells you he's going to start paying you to make bets with him on sporting events.
But when it comes to the crowded and cut-throat world of fantasy sports, anything you can do to rise above the din and garner attention is a plus.
Even if it means doling out free cash!
Trading Apps Wooing Gamblers
LONDON (Reuters) - Twenty-something consumers raised on video games such as Grand Theft Auto and Angry Birds are being wooed by financial trading apps, keen to build bridges with a post-crisis generation that is disinterested in financial services or plain mistrustful.
Bright colors, cartoon graphics and the ability to trade risk-free with virtual credits are features of apps such as BUX and Kapitall, which eschew financial lingo and complex charts in favor of competitive head-to-head battles and motivational messages like "OMG!" after placing a trade.
William Hill and 888 End Takeover Talks, Nio Acquires Guts.com
William Hill, Great Britain’s biggest bookmaker, has confirmed they ended talks to buy 888.com.
Shares in 888 Holdings plunged in early morning trading Monday as a result of the news.
“Due to a significant difference of opinion on value with a key stakeholder, it has not been possible to reach agreement on the terms of a possible offer and the board of the company has agreed with William Hill to terminate discussions,” 888 said.
Bwin.Party Shares Tank as Hopes for Buyer Diminish
Shares in the FTSE 250 online gambling company Bwin.Party lost almost a fifth of their value Friday after reports surfaced that a potential suitor had stopped pursuing the struggling company.
The shares fell 18.95p to close the day at 83.55p.
The gambling firm was in talks to be acquired this past November but discussions reportedly stalled.
Ray Rice Gets $1 Mil Contract Offer From Daily Fantasy Sports Site ProDraftLeague
A daily fantasy sports site has offered NFL player Ray Rice a $1 million sponsorship deal to represent their company. Rice was suspended by the NFL after he was observed punching his then fiancé in an Atlantic City casino elevator. His former team, the Baltimore Ravens, cut the star soon afterwards.
Bookmaker Looks for Boost With Morgan Spurlock ‘Inside Man’ Bitcoin Survival Piece
CNN’s Morgan Spurlock “Inside Man” plans to take us inside the world of anonymous digital currency Bitcoin on Thursday February 19, 2015 at 9 pm EST and online gambling site Bookmaker.eu is hoping to capitalize on what will likely be a mini-surge of sorts on folks trying out the mysterious currency.
Criminal Probe of Christie-Adelson Relationship, PokerStars Runaround Possible
New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie is being accused of preventing the world’s largest online poker room, PokerStars, from entering into a deal with Atlantic City’s Resorts Hotel and Casino and his relationship with casino mogul and GOP mega donor is being cited as the reason why.
PokerStars made plans to open a $10 million poker room at the Resorts Casino back in June 2013.
Attorney Jeffrey Ifrah to Speak at First Ever Daily Fantasy Sports Expo
One of the most prominent attorneys in the world of fantasy and gaming, Mr. Jeffrey Ifrah, has been slated to speak at the first ever Daily Fantasy Sports Expo in sunny Miami Beach this August 6-7.
Fantasy Sports Site DraftKings.com Exclusive Deal With UFC ‘Imminent’
One of the powerhouses in daily fantasy sports, DraftKings, is reported to be close to an exclusive sponsorship deal with the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
Colin Neville, vice president of the venture capital firm The Raine Group in NYC, first disclosed the pending UFC deal during a conference in New York City on Monday.
FINRA Investigation Into Amaya, PokerStars Acquisition Could Scare Off US Suitors
PokerStars had hoped to potentially enter the U.S. regulated online poker market through an acquisition by Canadian gaming firm Amaya. Those hopes could soon be dashed with fears over an ongoing investigation into last year’s blockbuster acquisition being conducted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Daily Fantasy Sports Expo to be held August 6-7, 2015 in Miami Beach
First ever trade show and conference covering the daily fantasy sports industry. DFSE plans to bring new faces to the industry, introduce unique methods of thinking and provide the ultimate networking experience for executives.
New York, NY--Ticonderoga Ventures, Inc. announces the Daily Fantasy Sports Expo ( www.fantasysportsexpo.com ) on August 6-7, 2015 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
William Hill in Talks to Acquire 888.com: Shares Jump Over 20 Percent on News
(Reuters) - Online gambling company 888 Holdings has received a takeover approach from Britain's biggest bookmaker William Hill, it said on Tuesday,, lifting its share price by more than 20 percent.
The statement from 888 came shortly after The Times newspaper reported that William Hill had held advanced talks over a 750 million pound ($1.14 billion) offer as it looks to accelerate expansion of its online gaming operations.
The report said William Hill had reached a preliminary agreement with the 888 board on an offer at 210 pence a share.
