Gambling News
Under China's Watch, Macau Won't Return to 'Gangster's Paradise'
(Reuters) - Three murders, hammer-wielding heavies, and a high-profile police swoop have raised concerns that Macau, the world's casino capital, may be backsliding to the bad old days of the late-1990s. And that's even before ex-triad boss "Broken Tooth" ends a 15-year jail sentence in December.
All this at a time when China's economy, the world's second-biggest, is growing more slowly - hitting gambling revenue and possibly making junket operators, who collect gambling debts in exchange for commission from casinos, more aggressive.
Galaxy's H1 Net Profit Jumps Ninefold on New Casino
HONG KONG - (Reuters) - Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment, posted a ninefold increase in first-half net profit, beating expectations as its new casino cashed in on a steady flow of Chinese visitors keen to try their luck in the world's largest gambling destination.
Although China's economic slowdown is threatening to rein in the flow of visitors that made Macau one of the fastest-growing economies in 2011, Galaxy is seen as better positioned than most rivals as its new casino benefits from high traffic on Macau's glitzy Cotai strip.
Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Allegedly Tied to Organized Crime Figure
Reuters was reporting late Sunday that the Las Vegas Sands had allowed a man identified by the US Senate as an “organized crime figure” to move US$100k in gambling credit from the Sheldon Adelson managed Sands to one of its Macau-based casinos.
Documentation of this alleged incident emerged in the wake of a lawsuit filed by a former Sands employee who previously claimed prostitution was permitted on the Sands Macau property.
From Rueters:
Poker Pro Jonathan Aguiar Seeks Restraining Order Against Matt Marafioti After Bicycle Brawl
Jonathan Aguiar wants a restraining order against Matt Marafioti following Friday night’s brawl during the WPT Legends Tournament at the Bicycle
He tweeted:
Been told that if I got a restraining order against Matt he wouldn't be able to play any tournaments I play, is that a thing?
Multiple Top 10 FINNishes: Poker Phenom Ilari ‘Ilari FIN’ Sahamies Double Dips
As if finishing in 2nd place at the 2012 EPT Barcelona and winning €629,700 weren’t enough, Finnish poker phenom Ilari "Ilari FIN" Sahamies also managed to clean up online over the past week.
Earlier in the week, Sahamies managed a 4th place finish in the EPT Barcelona Super High Roller event to take away €291,900.
Finnish Poker Pro Jens 'Jeans89' Kyllönen Buys In for Virgin Galactic Space Travel
Finnish poker pro Jens 'Jeans89' Kyllönen is looking to become only the third person from that Scandinavian nation to travel into space.
Kyllönen recently offered up a mere $200,000 for his Virgin Galactic space journey.
“Space has always fascinated me. The first opportunity to try out one of the first space flight, I took the opportunity,” Kyllönen said.
Robert Pattinson Next Girlfriend: Elizabeth Olsen The Frontrunner Says Oddsmakers
Oddsmakers had Paddy Power have made Elizabeth Olsen the favorite to become Robert Pattinson’s next girlfriend.
Laurent Polito Wins 2012 EPT Barcelona €10,000 High Roller Event
Surprise winners are part and parcel of major poker tournaments, but they tend to be rarer in High Roller events.
Fired CFO of Philly Archdiocese gets 2-7 Years in $900k Theft for Gambling Addiction
PHILADELPHIA — (Associated Press) - A finance executive who linked her $900,000 embezzlement from the Philadelphia archdiocese to the church’s sex-abuse scandal was sentenced Friday to two to seven years in prison.
Anita Guzzardi, 42, said she succumbed to gambling and shopping addictions after feeling betrayed by the church over the priest sex-abuse scandal.Guzzardi had worked at the Roman Catholic archdiocese since she was 20, and was making $124,000 a year as chief financial officer when she was fired last year.
Jonathan Aguiar on Matt Marafioti Brawl: ‘How is Anyone Surprised I Didn’t Fight Back’
A brawl between poker pros Matt Marafioti and Jonathan Aguiar at the famed Bicycle Casino Friday afternoon could result in a lifetime ban for Aguiar, according to witness David “Doc” Sands.
The player tweeted:
Poker Pros Matt Marafioti and Jonathan Aguiar Fight at WPT Legends: Security Dispatched
A near fist fight broke out this afternoon at the WPT Legends event between two controversial poker pros, Matt Marafioti and Jonathan “ADZ” Aguiar. Both had to be escorted out of the famed Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, California just as the event was getting underway this August 24.
(Ad: Poker, Sports Betting at BetDSI.com)
2012 EPT Barcelona Final Table has Ilari ‘Ziigmund’ Sahamies Chip Leader
Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies leads EPT Barcelona final. Student Samuel Rodriguez, from Barcelona, is second in chips - he won his seat in a €50 re-buy on PokerStars.
A total of 1,082 players entered the €5,000 tourney, creating a total prize pool of €5,247,700; 160 places are being paid. The winner gets €1,007,550 plus an amazing Slyde watch from HD3.
Cancelled $100k Horse Bet in Final Seconds at Emerald Downs Causes Chaos
A $100,000 bet placed and canceled within seconds of the start of the 6th race at Emerald Downs on Thursday caused chaos at the tracks with odds on the No. 2 horse moving from 5-1 to 1-20 as the horses were being loaded into the gate.
Disgraced Former Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano Turns to Poker to Pay for $25k Theft
Former Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano wants to repay $25,000 he stole from his department through the sale of wood carved poker chip trays.
Solano, 48, plead guilty last year to five counts of felony fraud in connection with the illegal sale of county property that included bullet proof vests and gun holsters. He served six weeks in jail.
"I'm trying to just do everything right and pay back the restitution that is required of me," Solano told the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper. "I'm trying to go back to some sense of normalcy with my family, life and everything."
Reno Nevada’s Atlantis Casino Resort Spa Among Those That Get First Online Poker License
Monarch Casino & Resort Inc, owners of Reno Nevada’s Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, received final approval to operate an online poker venture within the Silver State’s borders on Thursday. Las Vegas hotel and casino, South Point, and Global Cash Assets Holdings were also granted a license by the state Gaming Commission.
Ilari Sahamies €2,000 All Day Massage at EPT Barcelona Gets Him Close to Final (Video)
Finland’s online poker phenom is making a run for the live event at this year’s EPT Barcelona. Ilari Sahamies was one of a lucky 13 still remaining after Thursday’s play.
Sahamies made the best of it, spending €2,000 (plus tip) on an all-day massage.
The high stakes Finn has €29,400 locked up with a solid shot at the €1,007,550 title, so what’s €2,000?
Lynn Gilmartin caught up with the Finn during the break to discuss the EPT Barcelona event and talk a little more about that expensive massage.
Scroll Down For Video
Gambling Expansion Referendums on Ballots in Both Rhode Island and Oregon
Both Rhode Island and Oregon will let voters decide on proposed gambling expansion in their respective states.
In both matters, powerful Tribal casino operators are in staunch opposition.
New Leads in Brutal Murder of Wealthy Gambler’s Wife
A grand jury has revealed that new leads have come out in an investigation of the brutal beating death of Julie Mitchell, 34, the wife of a wealthy Oklahoma City gambler.
Grand jurors reported they are “optimistic that this case will ultimately be solved.”
South Point Poker, Monarch Interactive Given Final Approval to Operate Online Poker in Nevada
LAS VEGAS — (Associated Press) - Nevada gambling regulators have approved three companies' plans to participate in Internet poker sites accessible only within state boundaries, although the sites themselves have a few hurdles to clear.
The Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday approved South Point Poker LLC for the state's first interactive gambling operator's license. Reno-based Monarch Interactive Inc. was also licensed as an operator.
The Las Vegas Sun reports Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc., was licensed to provide online payment services.
Probe Requested Into Revel Casino Financial Troubles: Credit Relief Obtained
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Associated Press) - Atlantic City's newest casino has some more room to breathe.
Revel signed a new credit deal Wednesday night allowing it to borrow up to $100 million.
That deal came hours before a union president called on state casino regulators to investigate whether Revel is financially stable - a key requirement for running a casino in New Jersey.
Revel CEO Kevin DeSanctis says the credit deal guarantees the business adequate operating funds through 2013.
BetFred Pays Out on Sam Oldham’s Granny Olympic Bet Following Public Outcry
BetFred advised Gambling911.com late Thursday it had decided to pay out on an Olympic bet placed by the grandmother of Olympic gymnast Sam Oldham, ending a brief - albeit ugly - chapter in the company’s history.
The British bookmaker had endured extensive negative press over a 48 hour period after it was learned they had refused to honor a bet placed by Oldham’s grandma, Linda Aldred, that would have paid out £1000.
Swedish Poker Pros Held at Gunpoint in Casino Cosmopol: Others Extorted, Murdered
A number of Sweden’s most prominent poker pros have become victims of extortion plots, armed robbery and even murder.
Twitter Followers Have Beef With BetFred Over ‘Void’ Granny Bet: Firm Responds
Late Thursday, British bookmaker BetFred, run by multi-millionaire Fred Done, refused to budge in regard to paying the grandmother of Olympic swimmer Sam Oldham. Many across the nation – and the world for that matter – have taken to Twitter to voice their outrage and hopefully pressure BetFred into doing what they believe to be the right thing.
Ilari Sahamies, John Juanda Still Going Strong at 2012 EPT Barcelona: Faceless Man Leads
Two of the bigger names in poker today, Ilari Sahamies and John Juanda, were among the top 5 chip leaders at the 2012 EPT Barcelona event with just over 40 players remaining Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, a relative unknown Spanish player, Marco Fernandez, continued through the afternoon as the EPT Barcelona chip leader.
Fernandez came under fire earlier in the week after one participating player took to Twitter complaining about not liking Fernandez appearance. He’s basically faceless, playing with his hood up with a zipper that covers his eyes.
Player Verify Applies for Nevada Online Gambling License
Online poker sites in Nevada have 30 days after a player registers to collect detailed identifying information about that player. The policy is known as Know Your Customer, or KYC, and it can be especially problematic for gambling sites that lack the verification tools to properly conduct KYC activities. But with Player Verify’s recent application for a Nevada online poker service provider license, KYC will soon become simple and accurate for Nevada-based online poker companies.
Springfield Mass Might be Getting Massive New MGM Casino
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — (Associated Press) - Casino giant MGM Resorts International re-entered the Massachusetts casino sweepstakes on Wednesday with an ambitious $800 million plan for a resort entertainment complex in the heart of downtown Springfield.
Pay Grandma BetFred! Bookie Berated in London Press
The headlines these past 24 hours have been jarring.
From the Daily Express: I’ve Won 200-1 Bet on My Grandson at Olympics….But Bookies Won’t Pay Up
From the San Francisco Chronicle: British Bookmakers Won’t Pay Out Grandmother’s Winning Bet
Prince Harry in Naked Vegas Pool Romp With Olympic Swimmer Ryan Lochte
Michael Holden, Reuters
(Reuters) - Pictures of a naked Prince Harry were published on a U.S. website on Wednesday, showing the grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth cavorting with a nude young woman in a hotel room in Las Vegas.
A royal source confirmed to Reuters that the two photos published on the celebrity gossip website TMZ were of Harry, who has a reputation as a partying playboy and is often linked to an array of women in Britain's tabloids.
Poker Pro Jen Harman to Star in New Reality TV Series on TLC ‘Vegas High Rollers’
A new reality TV show on the American cable network The Learning Channel (TLC) will chronicle the lives of five high-powered women in Las Vegas, including professional poker player Jennifer Harman.
The show, called "Vegas High Rollers," is set to debut later this year, TLC announced.
61 Players Return for Day 5 of 2012 EPT Barcelona
Czech PokerStars qualifier Antonin Duda is chip leader for Day 4 of the €5,000 EPT Barcelona Main Event. Economics student Duda, 25, won his seat in a €22 re-buy satellite on PokerStars.com and bagged up 1,470,000 this evening.
