Gambling
Online Bookmaker Paddy Power Sponsors Dennis Rodman 2nd North Korea Trip
Paddy Power, the UK’s third largest bookmaker, is sponsoring former NBA star Dennis Rodman’s trip to North Korea. It is Rodman’s second trip to the “Hermit Kingdom” in so many months.
No Contest Pleas From 2 Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Gambling, Extortion Case
A federal judge has accepted the no contest pleas from two Outlaws Motorcycle Club members charged with illegal gambling, extortion and wire fraud. Both men will avoid a trial as a result of their pleas.
“By accepting this, she (Walton-Pratt) has saved the government probably about $400,000 for a seven-week trial,” said Monica Foster, a federal defender for the Indiana Federal Community Defenders Inc.
New Book 'The Quiet Don' Claims Pennsylvania Gambling Mob Ties
EASTON, Pa. (Associated Press) — A new book says Pennsylvania state police ran a top-secret investigation into whether then-Gov. Ed Rendell and his administration rigged the outcome of the casino licensing process to benefit favored applicants, including a politically connected businessman suspected of having mob ties.
Using ‘Big Data’ to Help People Bet Smarter this Soccer Season
With powerful new offering from Bet Smart Media, soccer bettors can now use statistics to look for historical trends that help predict upcoming match results
VICTORIA, Canada - Bet Smart Media is giving soccer bettors across Britain a new, must-have weapon for their arsenal this season.
Anti-Terrorism Police Question 60 in Connection to Online Gambling Ring
60 Cambodians were being held in connection with running an online gambling ring that authorities believe could have ties to terrorism, though no specifics were given.
Out of Work Smoking Casino Chimp Undergoes Nicotine Rehab
A chimpanzee that once worked as a smoking mascot for a Moscow casino is now out of work and undergoing nicotine rehab.
John was the mascot of Space, one of Moscow’s biggest casinos. He was let go in 2009 and, since that time, his owners have attempted to find John a new home. Also they have placed him in rehabilitation for nicotine and alcohol addiction.
Fox 1 Sports to Focus on Betting the Races
Fox 1 Sports promises to be a different kind of sports network and this is already taking shape with news that FS1 will begin to incorporate sports betting into broadcasts.
More specifically, they will be emphasizing the wagering aspect during ten slated graded horse races beginning in 2014.
Nevada Strip Gambling Drops 14 Percent in July
CARSON CITY, Nevada — Nevada gambling revenue dropped 8 percent in July, led by a 14.4 percent drop on the Las Vegas Strip that analysts Friday chalked up to a tough comparison to the same month the year before.
Casinos statewide won $925.7 million from gamblers in July, down from July 2012 when casinos surpassed the billion-dollar mark and posted a 17 percent increase. The "win" is what was left in casino coffers after gamblers wagered $11.5 billion. A breakdown shows $8.8 billion was plunked into slot and video machines, while $2.7 billion was bet on card and table games.
Former Nebraska Lawmaker Faces Ethics Complaint Over Gambling Scandal
LINCOLN, Neb. (Associated Press) — An ethics complaint has been filed against former Omaha state Sen. Brenda Council over her involvement in a gambling scandal.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the Nebraska Supreme Court's Counsel for Discipline filed the complaint accusing Council of professional misconduct.
Council pleaded guilty last year to two misdemeanor counts of filing false campaign finance reports. Prosecutors say the reports concealed her misuse of more than $63,000 in campaign donations at casinos. She was fined $500 and ordered to pay court costs.
Online Gaming Solutions for Bookies – 2013 Football
Our friends at Wagerhome.com are experiencing their biggest year thus far with their online gambling solutions for bookies.
In fact, online sportsbooks are reporting some of the best traffic heading into Week of the 2013 College Football season they have experienced in over five years.
Neighbors on Edge as Mob Boss Vito Rizzuto Moves in Next Door
Meet your new neighbor, Mob boss Vito Rizzuto.
One of Canada's best known mobsters was released from a US jail last October after being sentenced to 10 years for various offenses including gambling, racketeering and murder.
He recently settled into the quaint Quebec city of Laval and that has neighbors on edge.
Purple Lounge Casino Parent Company Closes Two Years After Disney BJ Scandal
The parent company of now defunct Purple Lounge Casino and Poker Room, Mediacorp plc, has ceased trading on the London Alternative Investment Market (AIM).
Purple Lounge shut down in April of last year due to what Mediacorp termed “liquidity issues”.
But Mediacorp months earlier had been embroiled in a messy sex scandal involving one of its non-executive Directors, Chris Gorman.
Palazzo Hotel-Casino Wants to Put End to Bestiality, Simulated Sex in Nightclub
LAS VEGAS (Associated Press) — It turns out that even in Sin City, some sins are hard to overlook.
The Palazzo hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip is trying to evict a 10-month-old nightclub for shows it says are so raunchy that they violate obscenity laws. It says actors — some nearly naked — toss condoms into the crowd and simulate sex acts and bestiality on stage.
Police Investigate Website That Lists Gambling Deadbeats
(Reuters) - A bilingual website has been naming and shaming gamblers who allegedly fail to pay Macau casino debts.
The site, Wonderful World, claims it has already helped recover 50 million yuan (HK$63.35 million).
But the police are not sure about its legality and are now compiling an internal report.
The English version features a list of more than 70 people from across China who have allegedly failed to repay debts ranging from thousands to millions of yuan.
PFA Pledges Full Support for Gambling Chief Gordon Taylor
LONDON (Reuters) - England's Professional Footballers' Association pledged its full support for chief executive Gordon Taylor on Thursday following newspaper allegations that he ran up gambling debts of over 100,000 pounds.
The Sun said that Taylor, who has been in the role since 1981, had gambled four million pounds in 2000 bets over two-and-half years, and owed a now-defunct telephone betting firm just over 100,000 pounds.
Betting Scandal: Gordon Taylor ‘Looked Bewildered, Bruised and Broken’
The Daily Mail is calling it Chief Gordon Taylor’s worst day in his 41 years at the PFA.
The current chief has been caught up in a gambling scandal that could ultimately leave him crippled.
888 Plans Online Gambling Expansion Into California, Florida, New York
With online gambling already legalized in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware, 888 Holdings has its eyes on bigger fish, some of the most populous states in the US.
888 boss Brian Mattingley signaled moves into potential emerging online gambling markets like California, New York and Florida.
“There are now nine more states considering [legalising online poker]. California is beyond doubt the biggest prize, and between California, New York, New Jersey and Florida that’s 50pc of the potential market,” Mattingley said.
Bond Set for Mississippi Man Charged in Massive Dog Fighting Ring
GULFPORT, Miss. (Associated Press) - Bond has been set at $25,000 for a Biloxi, Miss., man arrested in a federal investigation of dog fighting and gambling.
Ricky Van Le was among 12 people arrested by federal authorities Friday in an investigation into organized dog fighting and gambling in the Southeast. The defendants allegedly conspired to promote and sponsor dog fights and arranged for dogs to be at the fights in several south and east Alabama counties and in Holly Springs, Miss., between 2009 and 2013.
Delaware Rolls Out Online Gambling
The US state of Delaware rolled out its free online casino gaming platform Wednesday ahead of its planned October launch of real money online gambling.
"This first phase will allow us to really get the players acclimated to the virtual world in a legalized environment," said Tom Cook, Delaware's secretary of finance.
Footballer Union Chief Gordon Taylor Wagered £4million in Under 3 Years Says Sun
In a London Sun shock report, it has been revealed that PFA boss Gordon Taylor wagered £4million on 2,000 bets in 30 months.
At the same time, he warned players of the perils of betting.
The exclusive report was unveiled during the early morning hours Wednesday.
Report: Billie Jean King’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Win Rigged Due to Mob Gambling Debt
A report surfaced Tuesday that Billie Jean King’s “Battle of the Sexes” win in 1973 may have been fixed.
Scores Strip Club Opening Inside Atlantic City Taj Mahal Casino
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – (Associated Press) - What if, after seven years of plunging casino revenues and fleeing customers, Atlantic City's real problem was this: People are wearing too much clothing?
Scores, the famous New York strip club, will open a satellite establishment inside the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort next month -- the first strip club inside an Atlantic City casino in the 35 years of legal gambling here.
CNBC: ‘Seismic Shift’ Coming for UK Bookmakers as Government Imposes Tax
CNBC on Monday reported that UK-based bookmakers and other online gambling websites will be scrambling to move into the Asian and Australian markets following news that Great Britain plans to impose a 15 per cent levy on remote betting firms.
This will hit major U.K. bookmakers like William Hill and Ladbrokes, which operate from Gibraltar, where taxes are currently levied at 1 per cent and capped at £425,000, CNBC notes.
Smaller bookmakers are likely to be forced out of the market.
Allied Veterans Lawyer Wants Charges Tossed
SANFORD, Fla. (Associated Press) - A Jacksonville attorney who prosecutors claim was the mastermind of a veterans' charity that actually was a $300 million gambling operation was in court asking that some of his criminal charges be tossed out.
Kelly Mathis was in a Seminole County courtroom Monday, trying to convince a Florida judge to dismiss money laundering charges he faces.
Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester didn't immediately rule.
Victoryland Case Gets New Judge
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (Associated Press) -- A new judge has been assigned to the case involving the state attorney general's seizure of electronic gambling machines and cash from VictoryLand casino in Shorter.
Circuit Judge Tom Young has appointed Circuit Judge Ray Martin to replace him in the Macon County case.
The Alabama Supreme Court ordered Young to step aside from the case Friday because he made disparaging remarks about the state's "attempts to enforce Alabama's gambling laws against VictoryLand."
12 Arrested in Multi-State Gambling Dog Fighting Ring
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Associated Press) — A federal and state investigation into dog fighting and gambling has resulted in the arrest of 12 people from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas.
U.S. Attorney George Beck said Monday the 12 are charged with conducting an illegal gambling business and multiple dog fighting charges, including promoting dog fights. Additional defendants are being sought.
More Arrests Possible in Billion Dollar Sports Betting Case Tied to Legends
A promised superseding indictment by the US Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma related to a billion dollar sports betting ring was expected to be handed down in the coming days, quite possibly in conjunction with the start of the 2013 NCAA College Football season by week’s end.
Thirty-four individuals and 23 entities from across the US and the country of Panama have already been indicted.
Governor Chris Christie: ‘New Jersey Will Win Sports Betting Case’
Sitting in as a special co-host on the “Boomer and Carton in the Morning” show in New York Monday morning, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie proclaimed that his state will win its case against the professional sports leagues in their effort to prevent sports betting in NJ.
High Stake Poker Players Accept Plea Deals in Russian Mob Gambling Probe
Two high stakes poker players have plead guilty to reduced charges in connection to a gambling ring bust that allegedly has ties to the Russian Mob.
Justin Smith, 25, and Edwin Ting, 41, have plead guilty to running an Internet gambling business. They are two of 34 individuals charged.
Two other men plead guilty earlier in the week.
Online Gambling Accounts for More Than Half of Bitcoin Transactions
Bitcoin is becoming big business in the world of online gambling. Earlier in the month, Gambling911.com reported that one of its ad sponsors, SportsBettingOnline.com, had become the first online sportsbook that was not bitcoin exclusive to begin offering the anonymous digital currency.