Gambling News
PayPal Cracks Down on March Madness Betting
PayPal has restricted some accounts for their apparent participation in March Madness betting, according to a report appearing in Bloomberg News Thursday.
Emails were sent to those suspected of using PayPal’s service for violation of the gambling policy.
The emails read:
“It has been determined that you are in violation of PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy regarding your sales/offer of March Madness sports pool,” according to the report.
Targeted customers are required to sign an acceptable use affidavit prior to their account being reactivated.
Fool’s Gold: Jamie Gold Poker Room at Tropicana No More After One Month
In a blink of the eye, the much ballyhooed Jamie Gold Poker Room at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is no more after only one month.
The poker room is still open. It’s just not called the “Jamie Gold Poker Room” and any association with the WSOP champ seems to have been erased.
Gold is the biggest winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event ever, having won in 2006. Ultimately he had to split the funds with a promoter as part of a settled lawsuit.
Gold promotional posters have since been replaced with March Madness promos.
Iowa House Kills Online Poker Bill
The Iowa House has decided not to take up Senate File 2257 which would have legalized Internet poker in the state.
House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, said there has been a “general lack of interest” in the topic among his 60-member GOP caucus, according to Dubuque’s KCRG.
“What are we in? Week 10?” Paulsen said March 15. “I don’t know if I’ve had three members mention this subject to me … until this week when the big hub-bub was.”
2012 EPT Madrid Chip Leaders After Day 2
Mike McDonald led the pack at the 2012 EPT Madrid after Day 2.
The Canadian pro has 21 career cashes in live tournament play and has taken in $3,639,312 to date.
Lock Poker elite player Melanie Weisner still remains among the 116 players yet to be eliminated. She was clinging onto 43,200 chips.
EPT Main Event Chip leaders at End of Day 2
Place
Name
Chips
1
Mike McDonald
409,800
2
Frederick Jensen
404,500
3
Dmitry Vitkind
Full Tilt Poker Deal Could Happen This Week
Reports have surfaced that the Groupe Bernard Tapie (GBT) is fully prepared to acquire the Full Tilt Poker website as early as this week. While we have heard the same song and dance for months now, there is renewed optimism as a result of the specific time frame being announced.
Covers Up: Sports Handicapper Ben Burns Denies Covers.com Exclusivity Demand
Famed sports handicapper Ben Burns is insisting that the popular sports picks website Covers.com has not required exclusivity deals from its sports prognosticators.
In a Gambling911.com world exclusive, Burns did reveal that sites like Covers.com do frown upon sports handicappers “undercutting” the company by selling their plays elsewhere.
Third Horse Death Results in Suspension of HBO Series ‘Luck’
All future production of “Luck” has been suspended, according to HBO. This news comes following the death of a third horse in connection with filming the racetrack drama.
The most recent incident involved a horse that had to be euthanized after sustaining an injury.
From the Associated Press:
Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck Millions Went to Pay Off Mob Bosses
Legendary performers Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck lost millions as a result of their manager, music mogul Gordon Mills, siphoning off the cash to pay gambling debts to the Mob, according to reports that surfaced this week.
Mills, who passed away from cancer in 1986, is reported to have owed $320 million in gambling debts.
The monies disappeared from Las Vegas shows that were on a retainer of $8,000 (£5,000) per week.
Americas Cardroom to Celebrate Black Friday, Jenny Woo Birth With Quarter Million Giveaway
April 15 is fast approaching and for those in the online poker world, this marks the infamous “Black Friday”, a day in which the US Justice Department unceremoniously shut down three of the biggest US-facing Web card rooms. To mark the occasion, Americas Cardroom is giving away $250,000 as part of a No-Limit Hold’em online poker tournament with the first prize a guaranteed $50,000.
Isaac Haxton Wins Superstar Showdown Against Viktor Blom
The highly anticipated PokerStars Superstar Showdown between Isaac Haxton and Viktor “Isildur1” Blom has been won by Haxton.
Former US Vice Presidential Candidate Wayne Root Looks to Launch Online Poker Site in US
Nevada based online social media and gaming company W Technologies Inc. is looking to launch an online poker within the USA that could eventually embrace “real cash” play.
Matchbook Betting Exchange Looks to Expand in Europe, Asia With Multi-Currencies
Matchbook Betting Exchange is delighted to announce the release of their new multi-currency platform. This will allow all customers to bet in Euro, Sterling, Canadian and Hong Kong Dollars, as well as the previously available US Dollars. Since being newly acquired in early 2011, there has been heavy investment in the product and this is the first of a number of exciting announcements, including a fully functional mobile application, to come in the next few months.
Iowa Forges Ahead With Legalized Internet Poker
Could Iowa soon become the hub for legalized Internet poker in the Midwest USA?
No Voter Referendum Needed for New Jersey Internet Gambling
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) In the race to be the first to approve Internet gambling and dominate a potentially multi-billion-dollar market New Jersey lawmakers heard what they wanted to hear Monday from a Seton Hall law professor and expert on the state constitution.
€2.3 Million Prize Pool for 2012 EPT Madrid
A total of 477 players from 46 countries competed at EPT Madrid creating a €2,313,450 prize pool. The winner will snag a first prize of €545,000 as well as a bracelet worth more than €10,000 from EPT Season 8 Official Bracelet Sponsor Shamballa Jewels. A total of 72 players will be paid. (See below for nationalities pie chart)
Nearly 60 players have already signed up for the Last Longer contest run by Skrill, the Official Payment Provider for EPT Season 8. The winner will get their €5,300 Main Event buy-in credited back into their Skrill account.
Sportsbook Review Defendant in Trademark Infringement Lawsuit
Stevo Design, Inc. is suing SBR Marketing Ltd. over a trademark infringement. SBR Marketing runs the popular Sportsbook Review website and posting forum.
Court Description:
Nevada Anticipates Online Poker Sites to be Live by Fall: NJ Big News Coming
In an interview with iGaming Business, Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board Mark Lipparelli, said he anticipates Internet poker rooms to go live as early as this coming fall (2012).
He said, licensees “thoughtful about their approach and had their systems reviewed by test labs in the past” will be the first given the green light. An operation could go live soon after a successful technical evaluation, “by late fall and certainly by late winter or the early part of 2013.”
Mississippi Burning: Internet Poker Bill Dies in Committee
A controversial Internet poker bill that would have seen players funds essentially confiscated for nonactivity has died a quick death in the Mississippi legislature.
Annie Duke: ‘You Can’t Ride a Green Unicorn Because They are Impossible to Tame”
On her Huffington Post blog Monday evening, poker pro Annie Duke talked of green unicorns in making a point about good decision making and drawing parallels to the recent financial crisis.
Ontario to Move Gambling Online and Build Casino in Downtown Toronto
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) announced its plans to being selling lottery tickets, close or relocate gaming facilities that are "underperforming," move gambling onto the Internet and build a new casino in the Greater Toronto Area, all of which supposedly would mean $1.3 billion in new revenue annually.
William Hill to Open Talks With Playtech Following Tel Aviv Debacle
(Reuters) - William Hill (WMH.L) is to open talks with Playtech (PTEC.L) this month to try to salvage the companies' joint online venture following a breakdown in relations last year, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
USA Today: Nevada Gearing Up for Court Fight Over Gambling Tax Hike
USA Today reported on Monday that a petition drive to raise taxes on Nevada’s biggest casinos has been met with strong opposition by the gaming lobby via a lawsuit filed in Carson District Court.
‘All-In – The Poker Movie’ Trailer Starring Matt Damon Released (Video)
‘All-In – The Poker Movie’, a documentary about the game of poker and its rise in popularity, is set to debut in theatres March 23 (2012) with an iTunes release date set for April 24, though we trust that many Gambling911.com readers won’t be waiting around for the iTunes release.
Pregame Cries Foul Ahead of March Madness Over Covers.com Sports Capper Exclusivity Demands
Two of the most powerful and respected sports handicapping websites are embarking on a bitter feud, Gambling911.com has learned exclusively.
Covers.com has reportedly ordered its sports handicappers to sign exclusivity deals preventing them from working at rival Pregame.com.
Moon Kim Enjoys 2012 WPT Bay 101 Win
Poker player Moon Kim is the winner of the 2012 WPT Bay 101 event and takes home $960,000 after battling it out with Ubaid Habid, who finished 2nd and leaves with $570,220.
From the World Poker Tour:
FBI Probes Auburn Point Shaving: Guard Varez Ward Implicated (Video)
The FBI has begun a probe into possible point shaving at Auburn, specifically suspended point guard Varez Ward. He is accused of attempted point shaving in at least two games, according to a Yahoo Sports report filed Thursday.
The FBI began its investigation in late February centering on losses to Alabama on Feb. 7 and Arkansas on Jan. 25.
Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta Cites Irregularities with Everleaf Poker Network
The Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta (LGA) has finally broken its silence regarding the Everleaf Gaming poker network, and it’s not good. The regulatory body has discovered irregularities with the firm following its delayed payouts to customers and abrupt exit from the US market early last month.
Sanctions were issued against Everleaf by the LGA.
An investigation yielded “a number of irregularities in their operation” resulting in the network “being monitored closely to ensure its operation respects Maltese law.”
WPT Bay 101 Final Table 2012: Erik Cajelais Leads, Jonathan Duhamel Falls Short (Video)
Canadian poker pro Erik Cajelais was leading the way at the WPT Bay 101 Final Table 2012 while fellow Canadian pro and 2012 World Series of Poker champ Jonathan Duhamel just missed making the final cut in 13th place. He takes home $25,620, adding to his 2012 first quarter hot streak.
Additionally, Duhamel managed to collect two $5k bounties in the tournaments.
Poker Maximus Reload Bonus Offered at Carbon Poker
With Poker Maximus in full swing on the Merge Network, Carbon Poker has decided to once again reward their loyal players with yet another great reload bonus. Carbon Poker is known to have some of the best bonuses in the online industry, and with Poker Maximus taking off; they thought they would offer another great bonus to get more people involved in the action.
Documentary Chronicles Rise of Poker
A documentary about poker that was made three years ago will finally see the theatrical light of day later this month.
The film, titled "All In: The Poker Movie," chronicles the rise of poker's popularity and includes interviews not only with professional poker players but also with political and social commentators who weigh in on the larger meaning of poker.
The movie, produced and directed by documentary film maker Douglas Tirola of 4th Row Films, was shown once at a film festival in Las Vegas in 2009, but that was the extent of its public screenings.
