Gambling News
SkyCity Profits Up Nearly 13 Percent on Year
Aug 15 (Reuters) - New Zealand gaming company SkyCity Entertainment Group on Wednesday said its profits for the year rose almost 13 percent on improving revenue.
Sky City, which owns or has interest in four of the country's six casinos and two in Australia, reported a net profit of NZ$138.5 million ($111.7 million) in the 12 months to June 30, up 12.6 percent from NZ$123 million last year.
A Reuters estimate based on three analysts forecast a profit of NZ$142.2 million.
SkyCity announced a final dividend of 8 cents per share, unchanged from a year ago.
Jerry’s Nugget Casino Files for Bankruptcy
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Associated Press) - A casino that's been a fixture in North Las Vegas since it opened in 1964 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Jerry's Nugget casino filed papers Monday after efforts to restructure its debt fell through. Chapter 11 protection allows the business to continue operating while coming up with a reorganization plan.
DOJ Help Wanted Ad Looking for Full Tilt Poker Claims Administrator
The DOJ is hiring thanks to Full Tilt Poker.
A Help Wanted ad posted this week is requesting the assistance of an independent Claims Administrator to assist in the facilitation of payments to those owed monies by Full Tilt Poker customers.
Australia Sport Welcomes Proposed Fixing Laws
SYDNEY (Associated Press) Australia's major sporting organizations have thrown their support behind proposed new laws that include penalties of up to 10 years in prison for sports corruption and match-fixing.
The Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports which includes football, cricket, both rugby codes, tennis and Australian Rules football said Tuesday it commends plans by the New South Wales state government to introduce the Crimes Amendment (Cheating at Gambling) Bill 2012.
Record Breaking £80-100 Million Bet on London Olympics
The final tallies are out and the big winners at this year’s London Olympics was not the athletes but rather the online bookmakers.
An estimated £80-100 Million is believed to have been wagered on the London Olympics, according to Sporting Index. Initial forecasts called for somewhere between £20-£40m.
Chuck Blount on Legalized Internet Poker in the US: ‘Reason For Hope’
Since Gambling911.com first broke the story that PokerStars had reached a deal with the US Government to pay back players owed by Full Tilt Poker as part of an acquisition of its one time rival, some skeptics have expressed concerns over whether US players will actually see their monies.
Nevada Regulators Investigating Sheldon Adelson’s Sands Corp re Bribery Charges
Nevada gaming regulators are reportedly looking into whether Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Corp broke stringent bribery laws through its dealings in the Asian gambling Mecca of Macau.
14 Online Poker Players Win Way Into Punta Cana Poker Classic
Someone might want to tell the spa at Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Punta Cana to hire more masseuses. Another 14 online poker players from Americas Cardroom are heading to the 5-star resort in Dominican Republic after securing their $5,000 all-inclusive package on Sunday through the online poker site's 12-package guaranteed tournament.
Maryland Senate Passes Prince George’s County Maryland Expansion Measure
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Associated Press) Members of the Maryland House of Delegates are starting to define proposed changes to a measure to expand gambling in the state.
Baltimore lawmakers met Monday morning to discuss amendments.
They are concerned about when a Prince George's County casino could open.
A bill approved by the Senate says the casino could open July 1, 2016 or 30 months after a casino opens in Baltimore in 2014. Baltimore lawmakers want to specify opening at 30 months after the Baltimore casino opens.
PokerStars to Deal Its 85 Billionth Hand This Week
PokerStars is back on the Road to 100 Billion this week, as the site’s 85-billionth hand is set to be dealt in the next seven days. Every five billion hands, PokerStars celebrates by awarding players cash prizes for being dealt into every millionth hand in the run up to the big milestone.
High Stakes Poker Playing Monks Fined Two Million Won
SEOUL — (AFP) - A South Korean court said Friday it has fined two Buddhist monks for illegal gambling, after video footage of their high-stakes poker game sparked a scandal in religious circles.
The Seoul Central District Court Thursday fined the monks from the Jogye Order, the country's largest Buddhist order, two million won ($1,775) each.
"The court only ordered fines because they showed remorse for what they had done," a court spokeswoman told AFP.
Poker Phenom Gus Hansen Up $548k in PLO Over Past Weekend
In a mere 48 hour period this past weekend, Danish poker pro Gus Hansen managed to go up $548k in PLO with his return to the high stakes online tables.
From HighStakesDB.com:
Paul Ryan and Online Gambling: When it Was Time to Put Up, He Shut Up
Mitt Romney on Saturday tapped Paul Ryan, a seven-term congressman from Wisconsin, to be his Vice Presidential running mate on the Republican ticket.
Times of Trenton Editorial: New Jersey High Stake Wager on Sports Betting May Pay Off
The Times of Trenton Editorial staff offered their take on Tuesday’s not-so-shocking lawsuit filed by the four professional sports leagues and NCAA that attempts to stop the state of New Jersey from allowing legalized sports betting.
If New Jersey prevails, visitors to the state’s casinos and racetracks will be able to place bets on professional games, as well as college contests that are played outside the state and don’t involve New Jersey teams.
Former Full Tilt Poker Patsy Michele Clayborne Says She’s No ‘Sybil’
One time lackey for Full Tilt Poker, Michele Clayborne, insists she never posted on public message boards as a man in an effort to cover up the mess transpiring at her former employer.
Immediately following the indictments of Full Tilt Poker executives on April 15, 2012, an individual using the handle “FTPDoug” took to the posting forums insisting all was well at FTP.
All was not okay at Full Tilt Poker, however, and “FTPDoug” was immediately called out as Ms. Clayborne by some.
Delegate Wants Legislative Oversight On Gambling in Maryland
(Associated Press) - A Maryland lawmaker said Saturday he will propose changing a measure to create a joint House and Senate panel to oversee gambling.
Delegate Eric Luedtke, D-Montgomery, indicated his plans during a meeting with about a dozen members of the House of Delegates. Luedtke said he will submit the proposal on Monday, when delegates come back to work during a special session.
Paul Ryan was 10 to 1 Long Shot to be Chosen Romney Running Mate in Veepstakes
Back in April, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan was listed at 10-1 odds of being chosen as GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s running mate. Ahead of Ryan at Sportsbook.com, Marco Rubio at 3/1, Rob Portman at 5/1 and Chris Christie at 8/1.
PartyPoker Launches FastForward Fast Fold Poker Game Platform
PartyPoker, the world’s third largest online poker room, is the latest to offer its very own fast fold poker game, FastForward.
FastForward follows in the footsteps of PokerStars Zoom and iPoker’s Speed Hold’em.
Maryland Senate Gives Preliminary OK to Gambling Bill
Brian White, Associated Press
The Maryland Senate gave preliminary approval to expanding gambling to allow table games like blackjack and a new casino near the nation's capital.
The Senate, which took a recess on Friday until 6 p.m., planned to take a vote in the evening.
Senators spent much of the afternoon rejecting amendments, including one that would have lifted a provision in the bill to ban political contributions from casino owners.
Marvin Rettenmaier WPT Cypress Classic Win Historic
With his win at the 2012 WPT Cypress Classic this week, poker pro Marvin Rettenmaier has made history.
Rettenmaier won the WPT Championship in May to end Season X and, with his victory in the WPT Cyprus Classic to kick off Season XI, becomes the first player to win back-to-back tournaments in the history of the WPT, Poker News Daily noted.
PokerStrategy Sues Full Tilt Poker, Pocket Kings for $1.2 Million
eGaming Review Magazine this week revealed that the online poker portal, PokerStrategy.com, has sued Full Tilt Poker for $1.2 million claiming unpaid ad revenue.
MGM Posts 2nd Quarter Loss, but Revenue Surges 29 Percent
(Associated Press) - MGM Resorts International on Tuesday posted a second-quarter loss double what Wall Street was expecting, but revenue surged 29 percent on gambling and hotel room gains.
Shares rose 12 cents to $9.38 as the market opened.
The Las Vegas company, which runs the MGM Grand, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay and other properties, lost $145.5 million, or 30 cents per share, compared with a year-ago profit of $3.44 billion, or $6.22 per share.
12 Seats to Punta Cana Guaranted on Sunday August 12th
The big US airlines might want to start adding more flights to Punta Cana this October. Americas Cardroom is handing out 12 more Punta Cana Poker Classic packages worth $5,000 apiece this Sunday (August 12), offering winners the poker vacation of a lifetime at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
California Online Poker Bill Near Dead
Don’t bet on Internet poker in California. A bill to regulate the activity is about to die a quick death in the California legislature. The man who helped draft the measure has said it himself.
Co-sponsor of the bill, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg had this to offer: "Three-to-one odds that that bill has a 50 percent chance of passage. And I would bet the under."
NFL Okay With Female Replacement Official Shannon Eastin Past Participation in WSOP
No worries for NFL replacement official Shannon Eastin in regard to her World Series of Poker back in 2007.
Maryland Lawmakers Gather in 2nd Special Session to Consider Gambling, Pit Bulls
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — (Associated Press) - Maryland lawmakers convened for the year’s second special session Thursday to consider a significant expansion of gambling in the state to raise more revenue and create jobs.
The measure, which is tailored to make Maryland more competitive with neighboring states with a larger variety of gambling options, would allow table games like craps and a new casino in Prince George’s County near the nation’s capital.
Foxwoods CEO Sees Business Shift
HARTFORD, Conn. (Associated Press) — Increased gambling competition is forcing the largest casino in the Western Hemisphere to shift its business to include more non-gambling enterprises such as retail and conferences, the chief executive of Foxwoods Resort Casino said Thursday.
Scott Butera, CEO of the Indian-run casino, said in an interview with The Associated Press that Foxwoods anticipated the success of New York's Aqueduct Racetrack "racino."
"We planned for the effects of Aqueduct," Butera said.
Record $1.13 Billion Bet at Aqueduct Racetrack in July
(Associated Press) - More than a billion dollars bet by nearly a million customers last month is the latest evidence that the “racino” at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York City is capitalizing on its prime location and drawing dollars and gamblers from neighboring states’ casinos.
Clinkville: Facebook Online Poker Players Ask for Leniency, Face 7 Months in Prison
11 poker players in Jakarta, Indonesia have been charged with playing online poker via Facebook, with each facing up to 7 months behind bars for their crime.
Online chips were transferred during the commission of the crime. The chips are deemed to be “virtual cash” since Facebook does not permit real money gambling in Indonesia.
The seven poker players were identified as: Kesuma Wijaya Sidauruk; M Nasir, aka Aldo; Eman, aka Liang Sun; Hendry, aka A Hen; Haris Pratama Putra; A Seng, aka M. Ikhsan; and M. Zulfikar.
Shannon Eastin World Series of Poker Past: NFL Officials Prohibited From Gambling
The National Football League apparently has a zero tolerance policy as it relates to officials gambling.
Shannon Eastin is to become the first female to officiate an NFL game Thursday night when the Packers meet the Chargers for the start of preseason play. Eastin will serve as a replacement official.
