Gambling News
Mississippi Gambling Revenue Steady After Harrah’s Closure
JACKSON, Miss. (Associated Press) - Gambling revenues tumbled in Mississippi's river region in the first month after Harrah's Tunica Hotel & Casino closed, but the trend didn't worsen much. Meanwhile, Gulf Coast casinos posted their best June in years.
State figures show casinos statewide won $174 million from gamblers in June, up less than 1 percent from June 2013.
The 18 river casinos won $78.7 million, down 12 percent from a year earlier. The 12 coastal casinos won $95.7 million, up 13 percent from June 2013.
’Girls Gone Wild’ Founder Joe Francis Slapped With $5k Daily Fine
The founder of the raucous and salacious DVD franchise “Girls Gone Wild” has been ordered to pay a $5000 fine each day he fails to return two luxury automobiles.
Joe Francis claims he no longer has the vehicles and that they were taken by an angry Mexican businessman.
NFL Launches Pay-for-Play Fantasy Sports Leagues
The National Football League (NFL) has become the first of the North American professional sports leagues to launch a pay-for-play fantasy sports League.
The fantasy gambling concept, legal under federal law, will become available in 43 states.
Entrance fees will vary from $4.99 to $124.99 with prizes that include top-of-the-line sports memorabilia.
Professional Sports Bettor Billy Walters Auctions Off Sprawling Estate
One of the world’s most famous sports bettors, Billy Walters, is auctioning off his 21,000 square-foot home in Rancho Santa Fe, California next month without a reserve price.
The home, located at 5425 Los Mirlitos, features seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, three half bathrooms, a tennis court, putting green and, of course, a swimming pool. It had previously been listed at just shy of $20 million.
Two Suspects Wanted in Armed Heist of Atlantic City Casino
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J (Associated Press) - Police are seeking two masked suspects who robbed an Atlantic City casino at gunpoint and made off with more than $180,000.
The heist occurred Monday morning at Caesars Atlantic City.
A law enforcement flier obtained by The Press of Atlantic City says the suspects fled in a car with two plastic boxes containing more than $180,000 in cash.
Police are not releasing any details.
Bwin Activist Investor Jason Ader Wants to Bring Major League Soccer Team to Vegas
An activist investor at one of the world’s largest online gambling firms Bwin.party is floating the idea of bringing a Major League Soccer team to the gambling Mecca of Las Vegas.
Can You Believe This? Manhunt Follows Gambler’s False Stabbing Claim
A man who fell on a can and slit himself outside a South Wales bookmaker appeared in court where a judge decided his fate.
No, tripping over a can is not a crime.
Calling 999 to say you were stabbed is.
Poker Pro Daniel Negreanu Turns 40 in Style: Party at the Cosmopolitan
If you happen to be in Vegas this weekend, be sure to check out the Marquee Day Club Friday and the night club on Saturday to come celebrate the 40th birthday of poker icon Daniel Negreanu.
All are invited including Gambling911.com readers!
According to PokerStrategy.com, the pre-party will take place Friday at the Day Club, complete with pool and drones that deliver champagne.
Vanek Cooperating With Feds in Gambling Probe
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – (Associated Press) - Minnesota Wild left wing Thomas Vanek says he's cooperating with federal authorities conducting an investigation in Rochester.
Local media report that Vanek was at the federal courthouse in Rochester to speak with officials.While they wouldn't comment specifically what Vanek is helping with, multiple sources say the case involves a federal gambling probe.
Vanek recently signed a 3-year deal with the Minnesota Wild.
William and Kate Expecting Again? Bookie Suspends Betting as George Turns One
British bookmaker Coral has suspended wagering on whether Prince William and his wife Kate are about to announce the arrival of a second royal sibling for one-year-old Prince George.
Coral halted all bets last week ahead of George’s first birthday.
EU Issues New ‘Flawed’ Regulations for Online Gambling
The European Union has issued new regulations for online gambling in a quest to "safeguard health and minimise the eventual economic harm" suffered by the punters.
The EU wants to provide punters with the ability to set their own spending limits, minimize minors exposure to gambling ads and institute health warnings on said advertisements.
Declan Lynch of the Independent suggests these new regulations are flawed.
9 Biggest Screw-ups in Bitcoin History
With more and more online gambling sites popping up that incorporate the anonymous digital currency bitcoin, CoinDesk.com featured an interesting piece Monday that unveils nine of the biggest screw-ups in bitcoin’s short – and some would say shaky – history.
As you can see, these aren’t just simple screw-ups.
NHL Player Thomas Vanek Tied to Gambling Investigation
(CSNPhilly.com/Associated Press) - Minnesota Wild forward Thomas Vanek has been connected to a federal gambling investigation, according to Rochester's News10NBC (via ProHockeyTalk).
Turkey Has Blocked 110 Online Gambling Websites Over Past Five Years
Turkey has claimed success in the blocking of 110 illegal online gambling websites over the past five years according to that nation’s telecommunications authority on Monday.
The National Lottery and Turkey’s telecommunications authority have joined forces to prevent access to the unlicensed sites.
Turkey had once been among the most lucrative online gambling jurisdictions, serving a number of big name European bookmakers prior to the government action. Most of these bookmakers have since stopped accepting customers from Turkey.
Online Gambling Ads Popping Up on Purported MH17 Crash Victim Facebook Pages
Scammers wasted no time in their attempt to cash in on the unfortunate victims of Malaysia Flight MH17, which crashed Thursday over the Ukraine after reportedly being shot down by a missile. All 298 passengers, most of them Dutch, were killed in the crash.
From the London Telegraph:
2007 WSOP Main Event Champion Jerry Yang Watch Selling for $787k on eBay
A watch awarded to 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jerry Yang is apparently up for auction on eBay, according to a listing recently discovered by poker media outlets.
Yang lost his bracelet and other prized possessions as part of an IRS seizure for failing to pay taxes.
The listing appears below and the bids were currently coming in at $787k.
Disgraced Ex-Utah AG John Swallow Court Dates Set: Ties to Poker’s ‘Black Friday’
Former Attorneys General John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff are due to appear in court on on July 22 and 30, respectively, after the two men were charged last week with racketeering following a sweeping public corruption investigation.
Swallow faces 11 felonies and two misdemeanors, including a pattern of unlawful activity, receiving or soliciting a bribe, evidence tampering and making false statements.
One of Nevada Gambling Regulators Most Wanted Fugitives Arrested in PA
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Associated Press) - One of the fugitives most wanted by Nevada gambling regulators has been arrested across the country at a Pennsylvania casino.
The Express-Times reports 40-year-old Jubreal Chahine was spotted Saturday afternoon at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem.
State police took Chahine into custody without incident after being alerted by Sands employees.
Mounting Gambling Debts Provide Motive for Indianapolis Deadly Explosion
INDIANAPOLIS (Associated Press) — Prosecutors have filed court documents indicating that mounting gambling and credit card debt were the motive behind a deadly explosion that devastated an Indianapolis neighborhood in 2012.
Monserrate Shirley, her then-boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother, Bob Leonard, face charges of murder, arson and conspiracy to commit arson in the Nov. 10, 2012, blast that killed two of Shirley’s neighbors and wrecked dozens of houses in the Richmond Hill subdivision on the city’s far south side.
Hallucinogenic Drugs Likely Led to Poker Pro’s Death
An autopsy has revealed that hallucinogenic drugs were found in the system of 29-year-old German professional poker player Johannes Strassmann.
Slovenian police confirmed that a body found in the Ljublijianica River last week was that of Strassmann. The poker pro had been visiting some fellow players. He went missing after a trip to the town of Ljubljana.
WSEX.com Founder Jay Cohen Assets Sought Ahead of Possible Lawsuit
Gambling911.com intrepid reporter Thomas Somach has learned that an Ohio man who plans to sue now defunct World Sports Exchange (WSEX.com) founder Jay Cohen for almost $70,000 owed plans to hire an investigative team to locate the ex-convict’s assets believed to be hidden around the world.
Cohen served nearly two years behind bars for his role in running World Sports Exchange. Last year, co-owner Steven Schillinger gave new meaning to the term “deadbeat” when he blew his brains out, at the time owing countless numbers of customers well over a million dollars.
Poker Player Paul Phua Among Those Charged in World Cup Betting Scheme
A high-stakes poker player, Paul Phua, was among the eight men charged this week with running an elaborate World Cup betting ring out of Las Vegas.
A criminal complaint detailed the scheme to take bets over WiFi and DSL lines they had casino employees install in their suites at Caesars Palace.
According to the Department of Justice press release:
Sands Sees Slower Than Expected Earnings: Shares Sent Reeling
Sands Las Vegas reported slower-than-expected revenue growth from its Macau operations resulting in second-quarter adjusted earnings that were $0.04 below the consensus of $0.89.
Sands traded recently at $73.02, down about one percent.
The casino company’s competitors shares were adversely affected as a result of the poor performance.
Wynn Resorts was down 1.4 percent Thursday. Wynn is expected to post second-quarter earnings in August of $1.97 per share on revenue of $1.44 billion.
Melco Crown Entertainment was also down 1.4 percent.
HPT Season X Debuts Nationwide
FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA - New episodes begin airing around the globe this week for Heartland Poker Tour's milestone tenth season. Now available in over 110 million homes throughout the United States and millions more overseas, HPT is showing no signs of slowing down in Season X. With more stops than ever before, the tour will produce a record number of original episodes in 2014. At least 48 one-hour shows will air over the next 52 weeks. HPT televises more poker tournaments than any other tour in the world.
Romanian Princess Pleads in Cockfighting Case
(Associated Press) - Romanian princess Irina Walker pleaded guilty Wednesday to operating an illegal gambling business in connection with a cockfighting enterprise in rural Oregon.
Casino Boat Passengers Rescued After 16 Hour Ordeal
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. — (Associated Press) - After 16 hours stuck at sea, passengers stranded on a casino boat that ran aground off Georgia’s coast were ferried to shore Wednesday aboard two Coast Guard cutters.
About 94 of The Escapade’s 96 passengers and 27 crew members arrived at the dock shortly after 4 p.m., nearly a full day after the boat left for the maiden voyage of its operator’s new Savannah service Tuesday night. A second cutter carrying 20 more people arrived shortly afterward. Four people were ferried ashore by helicopter.
Brand New Casino Boat Stuck Off Georgia Coast With 123 People On Board
A casino boat making its maiden voyage has gotten stuck off the coast of Savannah, Georgia with 123 people on board.
The Escapade was supposed to return to dock around 12:30 am local time but the ship instead ran aground off the north end of Tybee Island Wednesday.
US Attorney Charges 6 With Illegal Gambling, Money Laundering in Texas
TYLER, Texas — (Associated Press) - Authorities say six people from east Texas have been charged with illegal gambling, money laundering and drug trafficking.
U.S. attorney John Bales says police seized more than $30,000 in cash during the arrest earlier this week. Officers also took several firearms and methamphetamine.
Online Poker Comes to California Courtesy of Iipay Nation
Forget waiting around another 10 years for online poker to become legalized in the world’s 8th largest economy. One California Tribe is moving ahead, with or without legislation.
The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel established Santa Ysabel Interactive and launched the I-gaming poker website Private Table at www.privatetable.com to offer Class II gaming to customers through Internet servers located on tribal lands, according to a press release issued by that Tribe.
The Isle of Man Is Becoming Cryptocurrency Hotspot
Crypto Next plc is an Isle of Man company that wants to bring digital currencies to grassroots level by providing turn-key packages that include a company, operating and trading accounts and white label currency exchange platform, instantly overcoming regulatory and technological barriers.
Crypto Next plc is the second cryptocurrency company to launch in the Isle of Man, where the Government has openly welcomed digital currency companies; a development which is attracting cryptocurrency based businesses since the announcement on the 10th June 2014.
