Gambling News
Online Poker Traffic Down 2 Percent This Week: Playtech Poker Revenue Down 20 Percent
Real cash online poker play activity over the past week was down 2 percent. Among the top 10 sites, decliners outpaced advancers seven to three.
Hawaii the Latest State to Consider Legalizing Internet Poker
Hawaii, one of two states that does not even offer a lottery, is in the process of considering three different bills that would allow for both land-based and online gambling including Internet poker.
Last month, the US Justice Department opened the doors for states to begin allowing both poker and casino games on the Web.
The first bill would allow for the establishment of a state lottery while the second bill calls for that lottery authority to manage an online gambling platform. A third bill would look to establish stateside casinos in Hawaii.
i-Dating Conference in Miami Beach a ‘Must Attend’ for Online Gambling Interests
Who would have thunk it? i-Dating and online gambling the perfect marriage. It is if you have someone like Marc Lesnick running this type of event.
Lesnick, who was one of the leading Internet gambling and affiliate conference organizers back in the day and remains a close friend of the Gambling911.com website, has branched out into other industries.
This week’s Internet Dating Conference in Miami Beach may very well be his most successful conference to date, attracting somewhere in the area of 450 attendees.
2012 World Poker Tour Coming to Tampa, Florida in March: Hopes to Repeat Past State Success
The Silks Poker Room at Tampa Bay Downs will play host to the 2012 World Poker Tour Regional Series. A WPT event held late last year in Jacksonville was the biggest poker tournament on record for the state of Florida and organizers hope to duplicate this success.
Five-Year Long Investigation Into Online Gambling About to Wrap Up?
Gambling911.com sources have revealed that a more than five-year investigation related to online gambling, telemarketing and alleged bank fraud is about to wrap up.
“Law enforcement agencies are under intense pressure to conclude ongoing investigations ahead of inevitable legalization of online poker, casino games and possibly even sports betting,” our source tells us. “But some of these agencies are just out for blood.”
Playtech Wants New US Partner in Bid to Lead Internet Poker Sector
Playtech, one of the leading software providers for the online gambling and Internet poker sector, revealed Tuesday it was in talks with a number of potential partners to begin offering legalized Web gambling in the United States.
PaddyPower Regrets Paying Out on Early Romney Bets
Following Newt Gingrich’s big South Carolina primary win this past Saturday, the Mitt Romney camp was not the only bunch banging their respective heads against the wall.
The bookmakers at PaddyPower.com shed some tears as well.
That’s because PaddyPower.com, an Irish bookmaker that accepts wagers from all over the world except for the United States, paid out Mitt Romney wagers after his big New Hampshire primary win.
New Jersey Congressmen Introduce Sports Betting Bill
New Jersey Congressman Republican Rep. Frank LoBiondo introduced legislation that would bring legalized sports betting to all states that want it, not just the Garden State.
New Jersey residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of a referendum that would legalize sports wagering in the state. Governor Chris Christie signed the legislation that passed through both the House and state senate last week. New Jersey legislators must now overturn a federal law that makes it illegal to bet on sports in all but four states.
Online Poker 2012 25k Booster Freeroll Announced by Carbon
Starting Sunday January 29th Carbon Poker will be running two types of daily qualifiers to their exclusive $25,000 online poker freeroll, to be held on Sunday February 26th at 14:00.
iPoker Network Latest to Change Rake Structure
The world’s number three largest real cash online poker network has announced its plans to change the site’s rake structure beginning in March.
iPoker Network will be shifting from a dealt distribution to a weighted rate.
Bet24 Poker Signs on 7 New Pros
Scandinavian online poker room Bet24 has brought on 7 new pros, one of whom has won more than $1 million in live tournaments thus far.
Bet24 appears to be following a similar model as that of Lock Poker, a Gambling911.com marquee sponsor that has bucked the past year’s trend by developing its professional player team while other competing sites continue cutting back.
Connecticut Tribes Want Online Poker
Connecticut’s two Tribal casinos are watching carefully for any developments concerning the Department of Justice change of stance as it applies to online poker. The DOJ last month announced that The Wire Act will no longer apply to poker. The decision allows individual states to move forward with their own regulation of the industry.
Senate Hearing on the U.S. DOJ Opinion on Internet Poker to be Held Feb 9
Yet another hearing will take place as it involves legalizing online poker and potentially other forms of Internet gambling.
A Senate hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice opinion on Internet poker will be held February 9. Gambling911.com will provide a link to the live hearing as that date nears.
Low Turnout to Kick Off Aussie Millions 2012 Main Event
Speculation is that the $100k Challenge may have acted as a distraction for a number of the big name pros in attendance at this year’s Aussie Millions. Day 1C was likely to attract a decent number of participants when compared to the lukewarm results of both Day 1a and Day 1b, as PokerListings.com can attest to:
Poker Pro Miikka Anttonen: Many Top Pros are ‘Stoners’
When playing poker, is smoking dope the way to make your opponents look like dopes?
At least one top poker pro thinks so!
And he's not afraid to say so publicly!
Finnish poker pro Miikka Anttonen, writing this past week in his blog, says that many of the top professional poker players in the game today are "stoner types" who "smoke bongs" and that's why they make "millions of dollars.
Another $5 Million Check From Sheldon Adelson to Pro-Newt Gingrich Pact
Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson was reportedly sending yet another $5 million check to a pro-Newt Gingrich pact following the former House Speaker’s big South Carolina primary win.
From the New York Times:
Scientific Games Shares Fall 10 Percent: Relationship With Playtech Turbulent
Scientific Games Corp (Nasdaq: SGMS) witnessed a sharp decline in its share price on Monday following reports it may be ending a joint venture with Playtech, one of online gambling’s leading software providers and poker networks.
eGaming Review claimed the joint venture between the two was reduced to a "strategic partnership" from a full-blown joint venture. More news was forthcoming.
PartyPoker Pulls Away From The Pack
For the first time in a long time, PartyPoker has built a solid lead over closest rival the iPoker Network.
For the past six months, the two rooms have alternated between the number two and number three spots in terms of global traffic.
Kicking off this week, Party now holds a comfortable lead, averaging close to 600 more real cash players than iPoker on average.
New York Times: State Revenue From Online Poker May be Small
The New York Times this weekend published a report questioning whether a state-legalized online poker sector could actually be sustainable especially when one considers the population center for some states and the need for a rather significant player pool to make games more enticing to enter.
Dan Smith Wins Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge
Poker pro Dan Smith beat the likes of WSOP Main Event champ Joe Hachem and Danish pro Gus Hansen to win the Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge and the $1,012,000 that goes with it.
Phil Ivey Knocked Out of 2012 Aussie Millions $100K High Roller Event
Phil Ivey is the latest poker pro to make an appearance down under, taking part in the 2012 Aussie Millions $100K High Roller Event.
The Ron Paul Online Gambling ‘Gaffe’ Good for Industry (Video)
During a post-South Carolina primary speech, Texas Congressman and US GOP Presidential candidate made mention of how US citizens had stood together, forcing politicians to essentially back off unfavorable policy as it relates to online gambling. The speech was widely broadcast on all three major cable networks (scroll down to watch the video of his speech below).
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission 80 Percent Success Rate: No Mention of UB.com
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) this week boasted about their impressive 80 percent success record for complaint resolution. That left many a poker player scratching their respective heads. UB.com and Absolute Poker, which was forced out of the US market last April following a series of US Justice Department indictments ranging from conspiracy to money laundering, has yet to pay any of their US-based customers. Company bank accounts were also froze as a result of the investigation.
Joe Hachem Becomes New Ambassador of the Asian Poker Tour
2005 World Series of Poker Main Event winner, Joe Hachem, will now serve as Ambassador for the Asian Poker Tour. Hachem recently parted ways with the world’s largest online poker room, PokerStars. At the time of his departure, Hachem claimed he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Aussie Millions Event 6 $1,100 NL Rebuy Won by Michael Pedley
Michael Pedley has won the Aussie Millions Event #6 $1,100 NL Rebuy and the $122,670 cash prize. There were a total of 331 rebuys for this event.
One of Pedley’s biggest cashouts to date was at the 39th World Series of Poker 2008 Main Event whereby he walked off with $35,383. He actually finished in 242nd place.
His biggest payday was at the 2008 Crown Aussie Millions Championship Event Number 5 – No Limit Hold’em. Pedley walked away with $177, 011.
Ron Paul South Carolina Speech Mentions Online Gambling
While it appeared likely GOP Presidential hopeful Ron Paul was getting online gambling legislation confused with the Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA), it was interesting to see the Texas Congressman mention online gambling and how the US people essentially got the issue off the docket.
Paul was a co-sponsor of a bill to legalize Internet gambling in the US along with Democrat Barney Frank.
Huffington Post: Where the GOP Candidates Stand On Gambling
The Huffington Post’s Ron Dicker published a piece this weekend on the four remaining US GOP candidates and their stance as it relates to gambling.
Gambling911.com founder Chris Costigan was quoted in the piece as it relates to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
"I can't see Romney supporting gambling. I just can't see it," said Costigan.
Zen Entertainment Adds New Suite of MAC and PC Compatible Browser-Based Applications
Zen Entertainment (ZEN) has announced that its brand partners, including South Point Casino’s South Point Poker website, can now offer their customers the opportunity to play through a new suite of MAC and PC-compatible browser-based applications. The network is expected to become iPad compatible in the coming weeks.
Psychiatrist on Why People Get Transfixed to Slot Machines, Video Poker: Draws Similarities to Prayer
Dr. David Forrest, clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, claims that gamblers enter into a “meditative” state or a “trance” when playing casino slot machines and video poker.
Forrest should know. He’s not just a psychiatrist, he’s also an avid slots player himself.
Social Security Payroll Tax Extension Bill Could Carry Online Poker Measure
Harry Reid this past week confirmed he is in talks with Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona to draft legislation that would essentially override the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and make online poker legal at the federal level. Kyl was the architect of UIGEA, which requires banks to halt transactions related to Internet gambling, with some exceptions. Financial institutions have, however, chosen to ignore those exceptions, opting instead to block nearly all gambling-related transactions.
