Hollywood Casino Columbus Scheduled to Open in October (2012): Biggest in Town
COLUMBUS —(Associated Press) - Developers are ready to provide a peek on Monday at the new Hollywood Casino Columbus, which will offer gambling in the state capital as the third and largest of four casinos approved by voters.
Playtech, iPoker Internet Poker Network’s Teddy Sagi to Float Energy Company Genesis
Teddy Sagi, the Israeli billionaire who founded online gambling software firm Playtech and its Web poker network iPoker, is set to float his energy company on London’s AIM this week.
Genesis Energy, a Middle East focused gas explorer, is 40 percent owned by Sagi.
It is his intent to raise between $90m-$120m through the Initial Public Offering, valuing the group’s equity at as much as £500m.
If successful, the IPO would be the largest on Aim this year.
Tottenham Hotspur, Everton Football Clubs Join Forces With Betting Firms
Just days after the world’s largest sports betting company, Bwin, announced it has joined forces with publicly traded Manchester United as part of a sponsorship deal, two more betting firms have announced shirt sponsorships with Premier League football clubs.
Revel in Atlantic City Loses Money First 3 Months of Operation: Other AC Casinos See Profit
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Associated Press) — Atlantic City's newest casino lost $35 million in its first three months of operation, while the gambling resort's other 11 casinos posted an increase in gross operating profit.
In a report issued Friday by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement, Atlantic City's casinos excluding Revel showed a 12.5 percent increase in profit from the same period in 2011, from $136 million to $153 million.
However, revenues at the 11 casinos fell about 8 percent compared to 2011's second quarter, from $855 million to $785 million.
Software Developer Executives Arrested in Connection with ‘Online Gambling Scheme’
Several executives from a Fort Worth, Texas software development company have been arrested Friday and charged with money laundering, felony gambling and organized criminal activity.
The company, HEST Technologies, claims to develop promotional systems for sweepstakes cafes, Internet cafes and nonprofit organizations.
Authorities allege the company's "sweepstakes" systems constitute illegal gambling devices by claiming to sell a lawful service as a means to induce people into gambling.
Facebook Shares Hit Another All Time Low
By Alexei Oreskovic
(Reuters) - Facebook Inc (FB.O) shares sank as much 4.3 percent on Friday to set a new low, a day after early investors got the green light to sell for the first time.
More than 270 million shares owned by the early investors became available for trade on Thursday after a 3-month curb on sales ended. That's more than one-half the 421 million shares sold in its initial public offering on May 18. [ID:nL2E8JG39E]
Zynga Poker Coming to Nokia Asha Touch Devices
Nokia today announced they will bring Zynga Inc.'s global hit games, Draw Something and Zynga Poker, to Nokia Asha Touch devices in Q3 2012 as part of their partnership announced earlier this summer. Nokia Asha Touch users can soon challenge their friends to a round of the popular social drawing and guessing game, or enjoy their own virtual poker match. Zynga's Draw Something and Zynga Poker will both be free to download from the Nokia Store.
Jackson County Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina Begins Offering Live Games
As part of a compact that gives the state a portion of revenues from new live games, the Harrah’s owned Jackson County Casino began offering live blackjack at 12 tables this past Wednesday.
The 15-year-old casino on Cherokee Tribal land had previously only offered electronic variations of casino games.
Facebook Hits New Low as IPO Lock-Up Ends
SAN FRANCISCO – (Associated Press) - Facebook's stock plunged to a new low Thursday after the expiration of a ban that had prevented some early investors and insiders from dumping millions of additional shares they own in the social-networking leader.
Howard Lederer Parties it Up in Las Vegas as DOJ Now ‘Flush With Full Tilt Poker Money’
Wendeen H. Eolis of Poker Player Newspaper was the first to reveal that great news was on tap for those owed monies by Full Tilt Poker. She’s proven to be an excellent resource for the poker community.
On Thursday, Ms. Eolis reveals that the “face behind Full Tilt Poker” over the past several years, Howard Lederer, was seen partying it up in Las Vegas after the deal was made official.
Pinnacle Entertainment Granted Approval to Open New Baton Rouge Riverboat Casino
Baton Rouge, La. — (Associated Press) - Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. has received approval from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board to open its new $368 million Baton Rouge casino on Aug. 29, if the riverboat passes a safety inspection.
Maryland Governor Signs Measure Expanding Gambling
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Associated Press) — Gov. Martin O'Malley has had misgivings over the years about raising money for the state of Maryland through gambling, and while he had hoped he would only need to ask voters once whether to allow an expansion, he has decided he needs to do it again.
Zynga Adds Real Money Gambling: Spends $75k on Lobbying Efforts
The Wall Street Journal late Wednesday reported that Zynga, the publicly traded social gaming behemoth, has spent upwards of $75,000 lobbying in the United States to legalize online gambling. The primary focus up to this point appears to be in the state of California, where a current measure to legalize Web poker in the Golden State is expected to die by month’s end.
Bwin Signs Three-Year Deal With Football Club Manchester United
The world’s largest online sports betting firm, Bwin, confirmed on Thursday that it has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with England Premier League football club Manchester United for an undisclosed amount.
Facebook Insider Lockup Ending, Share Impact to be Seen Thursday
On Thursday (August 16, 2012) we will get to see how Wall Street reacts to a deluge of Facebook shares hitting the market following the end of a so-called “lockup period”.
Since the largest social media network went public back in May, the share price has fallen from a peak of $45 to Wednesday’s closing price of $20.74.
Reuters Doris Frankel suggests the stock's slump may actually work in Facebook’s favor this week as insider’s may be less inclined to dump the 271 million shares that are unlocked on Thursday, hopeful of a fast recovery.
Book on Absolute Poker to be Written by Ben Mezrich (Video)
Appearing on CNBC’s “The Squawk Box” Wednesday, author Ben Mezrich revealed he is writing a book about Absolute Poker, an online poker site caught up in a series of indictments last year.
Online Poker CAP Tables Expanded to Include All Limits at Americas Cardroom
Just one week after introducing CAP tables at low stakes tables in its latest software update, Americas Cardroom has expanded CAP tables to include all limits. CAP tables will be available at low, medium and high-stakes tables, and no software update is needed to access the latest expansion.
Cantor Gaming Combines Fantasy Football and Gambling
Gambling911.com reported just the other day on how Web-based sportsbooks such as Northbet were starting to enter the Fantasy Football fray. Now comes word that gambling giant Cantor Gaming will be offering its own Fantasy Football variant.
And, yes, there is gambling involved.
Poker Phenom Viktor Blom Ends Sponsorship Deal With PokerStars
Famed Swedish online poker player Viktor “Isildur1” Blom has ended his representation of the world’s largest online poker room, PokerStars, after nearly a two-year relationship.
Record Bad Beat Jackpot Paid Out by Caesars Entertainment in Atlantic City
A bad beat jackpot spread out across five different Atlantic City casinos paid out around $800,000 to 411 poker players Monday, the largest amount in two years since inception of the bad beat jackpot concept. Caesars Entertainment offered the jackpots.
Vice Presidential Hopeful Paul Ryan Meets With Republican Donors at Adelson Property
US Vice Presidential hopeful Paul Ryan has scheduled to meet with deep-pocketed Republican donors at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. That property just happens to be owned by the granddaddy of GOP donors, casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson.
The Wisconsin congressman will meet with members of the Nevada finance team on Tuesday evening - his first such event as part of Mitt Romney's campaign - but members of the media will not be allowed to attend, according to Reuters.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
