Gambling News
Bwin.party Lower Margins in Sports Betting Hit Q2
The second quarter of 2013 for Bwin.party was mired by lower margins in sports betting, the City reported on Wednesday.
Bwin is dealing with a turnover tax on sports betting in Germany, its largest market, and competition in the bingo sector in Britain and Italy, according to the City.
“While the revenue performance was down on last year, we remain on course to deliver the targeted €70m (£60m) of cost savings in 2013 with more to follow in 2014,” chief executive Norbert Teufelberger said in a statement.
Atlantic City has Worst Year Ever
ATLANTIC CITY – (Associated Press) - This year is shaping up to be the worst for the Atlantic City casino industry in the last 22 years.
Figures released Wednesday by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement show the city's 12 casinos are on a pace that would see them take in less than $3 billion from gamblers for the first time since 1991.
For the first six months of the year, the casinos won $1.38 billion, down 10.7 percent from the same period last year.
Caesars Shares Up Due to Online Gambling Spinoffs
Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR) has gained 13 percent to $15.94 Wednesday after announcing it plans to offer about $1.18 billion in stock in its expansive US-based online gambling business. The company has more than doubled this year.
The company plans to offer a real money platform for its WSOP.com website and last week partnered up with its four Atlantic City properties to begin offering real money Web gambling to residents of New Jersey.
Poker Commentator Anna Benson Gun-Toting Home Invader Says Ex (911 Call)
A poker commentator and model, Anna Benson, has been arrested for an alleged home invasion.
The outspoken ex-wife of former Texas Rangers star Kris Benson reportedly broke into his Georgia home, brandishing a pistol and whacking his computer with it. Kris made a frantic 911 call at the time of the apparent forced entry.
2013 World Series of Poker Main Event: Greg Merson Watch
Day 2A/B of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event championship was filled with plenty of highlights, disappointments, and dramatic moments. The day belonged to a number of new names and faces, as well as some superstars who are intimately familiar to everyone who enjoys playing and following the game.
Of the 562 players who survived, perhaps the biggest story of the day was the major move by the defending World Champion, Greg Merson. He arrived on this day well above the chip average, at 81,650. By day's end, he bagged up a stack amounting to 275,600.
Zynga Unveils Real Money Gambling Apps for Facebook
Zynga was in the process of unveiling its real money gambling apps during a conference in Barcelona, Spain.
From ValueWalk.com:
Paddy Power to Offer Real Money Sports Betting on Facebook
The UK’s third largest bookmaker, Paddy Power, has announced it will be offering real money sports betting on Facebook.
The news broke early Wednesday with beta testing currently in progress. The new platform was developed by Paddy Power’s team out of Bulgaria.
“The app will add social engagement to online betting, enabling customers to bet on a wide variety of sporting events through Facebook while also giving them visibility of, and the opportunity to engage with, other users. Player participation will be subject to strict age verification checks,” said Paddy Power.
Americas Cardroom to Unveil Cutting Edge Software: Fastest Paying Online Poker Room
North America’s fastest paying online poker room, Americas Cardroom, is about to take it to the next level.
ACR has long been praised for its fast payouts and aggressive promotions including the first ever progressive rake race and, how can we forget THE BEAST?
The biggest criticism lodged against Americas Cardroom – Its software can at times be clunky.
MGM Funds Pro Casino Group in Massachusetts
BOSTON — (Associated Press) - MGM Resorts International, which hopes to build a resort casino in Springfield, spent nearly $1 million over a six-week period in an effort to convince voters to back a July 16 referendum on the proposal, according to campaign finance records.
The leader of a group opposing the casino said it has spent little and is relying on grassroots efforts to get its message across.
Foreigner Wins Case Against IRS on How Gambling Should be Taxed
WASHINGTON — (Associated Press) - An appeals court has sided with a South Korean businessman in a dispute over how his gambling winnings in the U.S. should be taxed.
Sang Park gambled away thousands of dollars at slot machines during trips to the U.S. The Internal Revenue Service said he had to pay taxes on every winning pull.
Park argued that he should be allowed to calculate his winnings on a per-session basis - the way that U.S. citizens are treated.
Cell Phone Usage, Computers Now Illegal in Florida as Part of Gambling Crackdown
Residents of Florida can no longer use their cell phones or computers.
It’s all due to a recently enacted gambling crackdown on Internet cafes.
The bill, passed into law two months ago, is so broad, it could be interpreted as prohibiting usage of cell phones and computers in the Sunshine State.
From CNN:
Whitey Bulger to Trial Witness in Court: ‘F*** You Too, You Suck!’
BOSTON — (Associated Press) - James “Whitey” Bulger and his once-loyal criminal apprentice had an angry, profanity-laced exchange in court Tuesday during Bulger’s racketeering trial after the former aide called Bulger and his partner “the two biggest rats.”
Nine Men Indicted in NYC Mob Crackdown With Ties to Online Gambling
(Associated Press) - Nine reputed members of the Bonanno crime family were charged in an indictment unsealed Tuesday with what prosecutors called old-school mob activity: gambling, loan sharking, extortion and drugs.
Phil Ivey Inks Deal With California Tribal Casino Online Poker Room
PokerFuse.com is reporting that poker pro Phil Ivey has entered into a deal to act as front man for the Pala band of Mission Indians new online poker room.
Michael Mizrachi Among Top 5 Chip Leaders at WSOP Main Event
One of the biggest names in poker and a past World Series of Poker Main Event finalist, Michael Mizrachi, was among the top 5 chip leaders following Day 1c’s action.
The Lock Poker pro has amassed more than $14 million in career live tournaments to date. He also managed to finish 4th and 9th in two of this summer’s World Series of Poker events.
Some of the other big survivors after Day 1c included Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Laak, and 2010 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel.
Italy Online Poker Future is Bleak
For a time, Italy had become one of the most lucrative online poker epicenters with its population just shy of 60 million.
Attendance Records Set at 2013 World Series of Poker: Record 79,471 Entries Overall
LAS VEGAS – The 44th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas established a host of new records as poker enthusiasts from 106 nations traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the game’s grandest spectacle. The WSOP remained the industry standard-bearer, with 79,471 entries in 62 events and awarding the second largest prize pool in WSOP history: $197,041,468.
Steve Wynn on Conclusion of Investigation: ‘Only Damn Newspapers Cared’
US federal investigators are now through looking at a US$135 million donation given to a university in Macau by casino giant Wynn Resorts.
The Securities and Exchange Commission concluded Wynn Resorts, which has a casino in the gambling enclave of Macau, did nothing wrong and will not be perusing enforcement action.
“We were so sanguine that we never paid any attention to it; we had no exposure. It was a non event except for the damn newspapers,'' CEO Steve Wynn said.
Best Price Per Head: 2013 Football Season
Gambling911.com has your best price per head shops for the 2013 Football season below.
Here we will profile BookiePPH.com, though below we offer up two other options should BPPH not appeal to you.
Gambling Nun Gets Sentenced to 90 Days for $130k Theft
(Associated Press) - Sister Mary Anne Rapp also was ordered at Monday's sentencing to perform 100 hours of community service and repay $128,000.
Rapp pleaded guilty to grand larceny in Orleans County Court in April. The 68-year-old admitted stealing from St. Mary's Church in Holley and St. Mark's Church in Kendall from 2006 to 2011. The thefts were discovered during an audit.
World Series of Poker Day 1C Likely Record Breaker for Single Day Entries
Today marks the final starting flight of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event, and already the record for the largest one-day Main Event field in history (3,418 players) looks to be in jeopardy. Earlier today, Ty Stewart of the WSOP tweeted that there were already 3,000 players registered for the third and final starting day, and this was three and a half hours prior to play starting and eight hours before registration closes.
Dragon’s Tale Multiplayer Role-Playing Bitcoin Casino Finally Launches in Beta (Video)
The folks at eGenius have launched a new Bitcoin online casino called “Dragon’s Tale”, billed as the “first ever massively multiplayer role-playing online casino”.
This is a 3D platform featuring a collection of mini-games that will begin beta testing on July 12.
Macau Remakes Gambling Landscape
(Associated Press) Most people still think the U.S. gambling industry is anchored in Las Vegas, with its booming Strip and 24/7 action, a place where years of alluring marketing campaigns have helped scrub away the taint of past corruption.
‘Closeted Skeletons’ Complicate Legalization of Online Gambling in US
Joshua Brustein of BusinessWeek.com wrote an article Monday dealing with what he calls the “closeted skeletons” getting in the way of online gambling legalization in the US.
Online Poker Phenom Daniel Cates Among Chip Leaders at WSOP Main Event
One of online poker’s biggest names, Daniel Cates, was one of the chip leaders ending Day 1b of the 2013 World Series of Poker.
Cates had the 3rd biggest stack by the end of Day 1b.
PokerStars New Security Measure Implemented
SMS Validation will protect the security of PokerStars player accounts
ONCHAN, ISLE OF MAN –PokerStars is pleased to announce ‘SMS Validation’, a new feature in the software to protect the security of PokerStars player accounts. The new feature is designed to reduce the vulnerability of player accounts to unauthorised hackers.
Free to Play Online Poker: Ivey Poker Facebook App Review
When it comes to free to play online poker websites, none are likely to come close to the new Ivey Poker, which recently launched on Facebook.
Big Name Busts at the 2013 WSOP Main Event
Day 1b of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event got underway on Sunday and there were already some notable eliminations.
Saying “Good Bye” after Day 1a play included the likes of funnyman Jason Alexander, Soi Nguyen, Abe Mosseri, TJ Cloutier, Chino Rheem, Sopranos actor Robert Iler, Sam Barnhart, and 2011 Main Event Champ Pius Heinz.
2013 World Series of Poker Main Event Kicks Off
The 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event kicked off on Saturday with The first of three starting flights in this year’s event, the opening day of action is already drawing some big names from both the poker world and the sports and entertainment industries, according to WSOP.com. The event requires a $10,000 buy-in. Last year's Main Event paid winner Greg Merson $8,531,853.
Snow Job: Latest Edward Snowden Odds as Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela Step Up
Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela are the latest countries to offer NSA leaker Edward Snowden asylum.
Snowden is accused of leaking details of top-secret U.S. and British government mass surveillance programs to the press. He is believed to be holed up in a Russian airport currently.
Russia remained the 10/11 favorite at Paddy Power as Snowden’s eventual “permanent” home though this looks less and less likely by the day.
