Gambling News
Over $3.4 Mil Won During Full Tilt Poker’s MiniFTOPS XXIV
Onchan, Isle of Man – Full Tilt Poker’s MiniFTOPS XXIV came to a close last weekend, with more than $1,500,000 in prize money awarded in its last three days alone. In total, players won over $3,400,000 across 39 MiniFTOPS XXIV events.
Fifteen days of action culminated on Sunday, as 10,459 players battled it out for their share of the Main Event’s $750,000 guarantee. Winning more than $115,000, “Koller67” took the title of Main Event champion and was the Series’ biggest winner.
PokerStars, Bodog May Be Given Green Light by Feds to Accept US Customers
In a shocking new development, the website CalvinAyre.com is reporting that the US Department of Justice will begin to take on a new approach in dealing with those online gambling operators who once took bets from US citizens. The feds are reportedly now accepting corporate pleas and fines to resolve all outstanding charges.
Bitcoin Now Accepted at Two Vegas Casinos: The D Las Vegas and Golden Gate
The D Las Vegas and Golden Gate Hotel & Casino become the first properties in Sin City to begin accepting the alternative digital currency bitcoin.
Both establishments will start offering bitcoin transactions on Wednesday (January 22, 2014) for reservations, dining and gift purchases. Bitcoin will not immediately be offered in the casino itself for gambling purposes at either hotel.
The Golden Gate was recently upgraded. It is the oldest hotel in Las Vegas, having opened in 1906. The D Las Vegas is a much newer property.
Lesniak Introduces Bill That Will Permit New Jersey to Offer Interstate Online Gambling
New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) has introduced a new bill that would further expand online gambling beyond the state’s borders.
Those establishments hosting their websites out of Atlantic City would be permitted to take bets from other states and countries permitting Web gambling. It is unclear how tax issues would be worked out should such compacts evolve.
Nordic Venture Capitalist Creates Biggest Bitcoin Exchange Database
A Nordic venture capitalists Creandum says it has build the world’s largest database of businesses dealing in the anonymous digital currency bitcoin.
From the Business Recorder:
Virgin Launches New Jersey Online Gambling Site This Week
Richard Branson wants a piece of the online gambling market in New Jersey as his Virgin Group is set to launch a real money site there this week.
VirginCasino.com is due to launch on Friday. It was one of 15 approved last fall to operate in the Garden State. Governor Chris Christie signed a bill into law allowing real money online gambling sites offering poker, roulette and blackjack.
The Virgin Group has teamed up with the Tropicana and online game maker Gamesys.
‘Money Talks’ Renewed by CNBC Despite Controversy: Eight New Episodes
Ratings were apparently good enough to keep “Money Talks” in the CNBC Prime lineup with eight new episodes ordered and a Season 2 premier date of March 19 scheduled.
Poker Pro Annie Duke Gets a Facelift
Annie Duke is back after enduring a few years of criticism for her role representing shuttered online poker room UB.com and perhaps more so for being the sister of disgraced Full Tilt Poker headman Howard Lederer. Full Tilt Poker still owes millions to US players.
Duke has mostly been in hiding…until now….and she’s getting a makeover.
Poker Pro Phil Ivey to Unveil Training Site IveyPoker.com by Month’s End
Poker pro Phil Ivey is set to open his much anticipated online poker training website IveyPoker.com in the coming days.
The aim of the site is to “teach the world how to play better poker.”
Prominent figures in the world of poker will be well represented on the site including Jennifer Harman, Patrik Antonius and Greg Mercer.
‘Stoner Bowl’ to be Played in State Where Web Gambling is Legal: Lots More Props Likely
All the sins converge February Sunday February 2 as the first and only two US states that have legalized marijuana will be represtented at this year's Super Bowl, hosted by one of only three states that have made Web gambling legal. It’s the first ever Stoner Bowl or Bong Bowl or….well….there are bound to be plenty of nicknames given to this most unusual Super Bowl.
Problem Gambling a Laughing Matter in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Associated Press) — The Ohio Lottery Commission is trying to draw attention to serious messages about problem gambling by depicting outcomes of some humorous bets.
The characters in the "I Lost a Bet" media campaign include a bearded man dancing atop a table with rhythmic gymnastics ribbons and another guy wearing a dog costume and crouching in a crowded elevator. The billboard and TV ads refer to the campaign website, where funny scenes precede serious messages about damaging effects of problem gambling.
New Jersey WSOP.com Online Championships Start Sunday, Run Until Feb 2
WSOP.com is offering the New Jersey online championships, which features a special $250,000 Invitational Freeroll to kick it off. There are actually two $250,000 freerolls that will be held during the Online Championships, one on January 19 for new depositors and one on February 2 (Super Bowl Sunday) for anyone who played in at least one event.
Judge Reschedules Trial for Those Running Illegal Gambling Operation
Jackson, Miss. (Associated Press) - A federal judge has rescheduled the trial for eight people indicted on charges of running illegal gambling operations in east Mississippi.
The defendants in the case had asked for a continuance, which was granted on Friday. The trial is now scheduled in U.S. District Court in Jackson in May.
Federal prosecutors said illegal gambling was taking place in Meridian at The Snack Shack, The Sports Connection, commonly referred to as "the Log Cabin," and The New Place.
Poker Pro Tom Dwan Responds to $25 million Win Story in Macau
Poker pro Tom “Durrrr” Dwan did not win $25 million as was reported on a variety of poker websites Friday.
He tweeted late Friday evening:
ya so at the time of this bogus macau story 36hrs ago i was losing on my macau trip, and definitely hadnt won 25 million in a session.
Borgata Cancels Winter Poker Open Event Due to Fake Chips
New Jersey state gaming regulators found that one or more entrants participating in a $2 Million Guaranteed Borgata Winter Poker Open event used a significant number of counterfeit chips.
The Borgata Winter Poker Open is among the most highly anticipated tournaments on US soil.
No charges have been filed in the case.
Oklahoma Bookie Gets 27 Month Prison for Illegal Sports Betting, Poker Business
OKLAHOMA CITY—On Friday January 17, 2014, Teddy Dryden Mitchell, 59, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced by United States District Judge David L. Russell to serve 27 months in federal prison for running an illegal gambling operation, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Poker Set Recalled Following Player’s Finger Being Cut Off
A defective poker table set with chairs sold at discount chain department store Wal-Mart has been recalled, according to CardSchat.com.
Americas Cardroom Launches Early Satellites for $900K Online Super Series III
San Jose, Costa Rica – While New Jersey and Nevada online poker sites struggle to push their guarantees above five figures, one national online poker site is going all in by dropping $900,000 in guarantees on the table this March. Americas Cardroom today announced the return of its popular Online Super Series.
Poker Blogger, Photographer Used Chopsticks to Steal Dealer Tips at Casino
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. – (Associated Press) - A poker blogger has been sentenced to a probation program for stealing nearly $700 in dealers’ tips by pulling the cash out of a locked box with chopsticks.
Forty-one-year-old Jay Newnum of Fishers, Ind., has returned the money and announced in a blog post that he plans to “step away from the poker world indefinitely.”
Meet Asia’s Second Richest Man: Lui Che-woo
Head of Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment, Lui Che-woo, remains Asia’s second richest man according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. Only Hong Kong multi-billionaire Li Ka-shing, whose fortune stood at $29.5 billion, is richer.
Judge: Alabama AG Office Can’t Keep Confiscated Gambling Machines, Cash
(Associated Press) - A judge says the Alabama attorney general's office can't keep nearly $94,000 in cash and 376 gambling machines seized in a raid of Greenetrack in 2011.
Circuit Judge Houston Brown ruled Wednesday that the state waited too long to file correct paperwork seeking forfeiture of the cash and machines seized in the raid of the Greene County gambling business on June 1, 2011.
The judge said the state's 13-week delay made the forfeiture complaint ineffective.
$1 Mil Buy-in Royal Poker Challenge High Stakes Tournament Looks Like a Fake
An advertised high stakes poker tournament, the $1 million buy-in winner take all $50 million Royal Poker Challenge, might not be real.
The casino where the event is supposed to take place has never heard of this tournament.
Rocker Ted Nugent Tells Gambling911.com He Might Run for Political Office
Senator Ted Nugent?
Governor Ted Nugent??
President Ted Nugent???
Hold on to your hats, folks, it just might be!!!
Rocker Ted Nugent, as well known for his outspoken conservative views as he is for his hard-edged rock music, tells Gambling911.com in an exclusive interview that he is considering a run for political office.
"The Motor City Madman," who grew up in Detroit and now lives on a sprawling ranch in Texas, frequently has his conservative political opinions reported in the media.
Sacramento Kings, Overstock.com Begin Accepting Bitcoin
Americas Cardroom, the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise and Overstock.com all have begun to accept the anonymous digital currency bitcoin.
‘The Diamond Collar’ to Air on OWN: Mob Enforcer Turned Dog Rescuer (Video)
A new Mob series is about to begin airing on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). Just what we need, another Mob reality series. Weren’t “Mob Wives” and “Amish Mafia” enough?
Well, “The Diamond Collar” will be different….much different.
The series features former Gambino Mob enforcer
Pennsylvania Casino Industry Sees Decline
(Associated Press) - Gamblers at Pennsylvania casinos continued to hit the tables in a big way last year, but all those hands of blackjack and spins of the roulette wheel still weren't enough to prevent the industry from suffering its first overall revenue decline since casino play began in 2006.
London Affiliate Conference 2014 Registrations Massively Up (Video)
Alex Pratt of London Affiliate Conference (LAC) tells CalvinAyre.com the event is so far seeing record numbers over past years.
“We are seeing between 50 and 100 registrations per day,” he relayed.
The event, now celebrating its 8th year, will take place on February 7-9 (2014). Over 3000 people attended last year’s LAC with that number to be higher this year, based on Pratt’s estimates.
32Red.com Seeing Black With Record Profits Up 21 Percent in 2013
32Red.com, which has become one of the biggest online casino brands in the world, has reported an increase in revenues of 21 percent during the last 12 months (£38.8m in 2013 compared to £32.1m in 2012).
Oscar 2014 Betting Odds as ‘Gravity’, ‘American Hustle” Win Most Nominations
Carrie Stroup here with your Oscar 2014 betting odds as nominations were announced Thursday morning.
Borgata President Dismisses Early Online Gambling Results in New Jersey (Video)
Atlantic City casinos reported online revenue of $8.4 million this week for the first two months of legalized Web gambling in the Garden State.
With New Jersey forecasting revenue of $1.2 billion, many pundits found the early numbers disappointing.
Tom Ballance, Borgata president & COO, broke down the online gambling numbers and explained what obstacles online gaming has faced so far.
