Top Gambling News: Bitcoin Exchange Mt.Gox Becoming Compliant
These are the top gambling news stories here at Gambling911.com heading into June 3, 2013. Follow us on Twitter here.
*Bitcoin Exchange Mt. Gox Tightens Identity Requirement – In the wake of a US Government crackdown on anonymous digital currency Liberty Reserve last week, Bitcoin exchange Mt.Gox is looking to become more transparent and less anonymous per se.
Bitcoin itself had some of its monies froze by US authorities for failing to register as a money transmitter.
From Forbes.com: On Thursday Mt. Gox announced that it would begin requiring “verification” for all accounts seeking to deposit or withdraw currencies other than Bitcoin, a measure that means users would need to submit government identification and a utility bill or information about the company they work for to trade Bitcoins for traditional money, in effect ending anonymous use of the service.
“The Bitcoin market continues to evolve, as do regulations and conditions of compliance for Mt. Gox to continue bringing secure services to our customers,” reads a statement on Mt. Gox’s site. “It['s] our responsibility to provide a trusted and legal exchange, and that includes making sure that we are operating within strict anti-money laundering rules and preventing other malicious activity.”
Bitcoin is beginning to make inroads into a more mainstream market while the online gambling sector is starting to consider its own Bitcoin options.
*Connecticut Gambling Expansion Plan Approved by House - HARTFORD, Conn. (Associated Press) — A state budget that calls for big spending increases for science and technology at the University of Connecticut and expands gambling to bring in more revenue cleared the House of Representatives on Sunday and now heads to the Senate just days before the 2013 legislative session ends.
The deal between Democratic Gov. Daniel P. Malloy and majority Democrats shifts about $6 billion in mostly health care spending for the poor from under the state's constitutional spending cap. It does not include large-scale tax increases such as those in the budget that passed two years ago, but minority Republicans still found fault.
"We're still inching forward. We're putting it together with duct tape, and Band-Aids, a little spit and glue," said House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk. "So much so, to fill holes we're relying on things like keno — things we haven't even studied or heard about," he said, referring to the bill's authorization of the Connecticut Lottery Corp. to institute the game of chance keno, which is based on the drawing of numbers.
*International Stadiums Poker Tour Day 4 Field Set - Day 3 of the International Stadiums Poker Tour at Wembley Stadium took place on Sunday, and what a day it was. When play began there were 421 players in their seats, but by the end of eight 60-minute levels all but 99 of them were eliminated. Leading the way going into Day 4 is a name you are all probably familiar with — Ole Schemion. (source: pokernews.com)
*Catskills Casino Hopes at Nevele Resort - WAWARSING – (Associated Press) - Casino dreams in this corner of the Catskills focus on an empty hotel that had its heyday when families came here in station wagons for shuffleboard, swimming, swanky lounge singers and all-you-can-eat meals.
A proposal to spend at least $400 million on a destination resort with gambling, golf, a long water slide and more at the old Nevele resort 70 miles north of New York City is supported by people in this bucolic but struggling upstate area who feel it could recapture some tourist traffic from the Borscht Belt era.
But in gambling terms, the Nevele proposal is a bit like anteing up before the dealer picks up the deck: Votes and decisions on expanded gambling are months away. "It's time for the Nevele to come back and put us on the map again," said Armando Rodriguez, owner of Arod's Barber Shop in Ellenville, a hardscrabble village near the old resort.
The 110-year-old Nevele was one of the big hotels of the Catskills region, with swimming, skiing, a big room for comedians and crooners, and -- most distinctively -- a nine-story round tower of rooms. President Lyndon B. Johnson stayed there one night for a hospital dedication. It closed in 2009 after accumulating about $21 million in debt.
*Mumbai Police Take Custody of Bookie With Alleged Ties to IPL Spot-Fixing Probe - The Mumbai police want to find out whether the bookie was in touch with any other player than Ajit Chandila.
Seeking custody of bookie Ashwin Agarwal alias Tinku Delhi, arrested earlier by Delhi Police, Mumbai Police's crime branch on Saturday told the local court that it wanted to find out whether he had links with IPL players other than Ajit Chandila.
"Tinku was in touch with one IPL player (Ajit Chandila) and we want to find out if there were any other players with whom Tinku was in touch," public prosecutor Wajid Sheikh said.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
