Hot Gambling News Archives - October 8, 2023

Written by:
Gilbert Horowitz
Published on:
Oct/08/2023

No Casinos Inc. Requests to Submit Amicus Curiae Brief in Florida Sports Betting Matter (October 6, 2023)

No Casinos Inc. has requested it be allowed to submit an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court in support of West Flagler's lawsuit against the online sports betting component of the 2021 gaming compact.

No Casinos was founded by Governor Reuben Askew in the late 1970s to stop a proposal to legalized Las Vegas style casinos in Florida. Since 1978 we have brought together business, community and government leaders from throughout the state and across the political spectrum to stop proposals that would expand gambling.

Esteemed Florida gaming attorney Daniel Wallach commented on the filing via his Twitter feed.

"As the sole author and proponent of Amendment 3, No Casinos can add important context about the intent behind the provision. However, any ‘post-enactment’ interpretation would be entitled to less weight because it’s the Court’s  role to interpret the law.

"More importantly, No Casinos will undoubtedly cite this unequivocal admission by Governor DeSantis that sports betting is within the scope of Amendment 3. How do I know that? They were the ones who discovered it by looking up the author in the “document properties” metadata."

NFL New Policy Reduces Punishment for Players Betting on Non-NFL Games at Team Facilities (October 2, 2023)

The NFL has revised its gambling policy and is reinstating three players who previously received longer suspensions.

Tennessee’s Nicholas Petit-Frere and Detroit’s Jameson Williams can return to their teams on Monday. Free agent Stanley Berryhill will be eligible to participate in all activities, including games, starting Tuesday. All three players were initially suspended six games.

The new policy reduces the punishment for gambling on non-NFL sports from within team facilities to two games.

The minimum suspension for gambling on NFL games increases to one year, and for players who bet on their own teams, the minimum suspension was raised to two years.

JP Morgan Upgrades DraftKings Based on 'Strong Moat'? (September 27, 2023)

DraftKings has been upgraded by JP Morgan.  Here is their assessment per Co-founding Partner at Acies Investments, Chris Grove:

"Joseph Greff at J.P. Morgan upgrades $DKNG based on several factors, including a 'strong moat' and increasing market share driven by 'higher hold rates,' 'improved loyalty,' and continued decline in customer acquisition costs."

The full statement from JP Morgan:

"DKNG stands to benefit from continued increase from market share from higher hold rates (driven by parlay mix and better risk/trading) and improved loyalty (from brand recognition, trust and product enhancements).  Customer acquisition costs can continue declining as national scale is achieved and sales/marketing costs fall precipitously.  These translate to better flow-through and rapid EBIDTA margin expansion."  

$4.5 Million in Bets Placed First 2 Weeks of Sports Gambling in Kentucky (September 25, 2023)

Millions of dollars have poured into legalized sports wagering in Kentucky after just two weeks from the launch.  And the betting hasn't even taken place online yet.  This is just occurring at brick and mortar casinos.

The latest figures for these first two weeks show $4.5 million in bets were placed....at land-based casinos.

Since sports betting began on Sept. 7, Turfway Park has seen a huge spike in business.

“Football is king right now -- college and pro. We’ve seen a really strong amount of wagering at Turfway Park," said Gary Pecorello, senior director of operations at Turfway.

Taxes derived from sports betting in the state will go towards Kentucky's pension plan.

Mobile betting will go live in Kentucky on Thursday.

Governor Andy Beshear says well over 60,000 mobile accounts have already been created.

Gambling911 Founder Talks the Dark Side of Sweepstakes and Social Online Casinos (September 18, 2023)

Gambling911.com's founder Chris Costigan recently sat down with The Online Bet to talk about the often creepy influences behind those social media casinos you see advertising on TV.

Back in the day we attended one of the first social media casino conferences and the folks from Cantor Gaming (Cantor lost much of its work force during 9-11 and would re-emerge as a gaming company).

The American Gaming Association recently celebrated the Michigan Attorney General shutting down one such website, Massachusetts based Golden Hearts Games, Inc. Of course they were quick to paint this as yet another hit on an unlicensed gambling operator doing business in a regulated environment.

Reading their tweet you’d swear they were celebrating the shutdown of one of those dastardly offshore sports books, many of whom are now in business 20 plus years. But, no, this was one of those charitable casinos (sweepstakes casinos) freely operating in Michigan from the US commonwealth of Massachusetts. Only after the MI AG threatened to sue did Golden Hearts Games offer to exit. 

Read More Here

PokerStars VR to Rebrand as Vegas Infinite (September 13, 2023)

Flutter will be rebranding its PokerStars VR platform to Vegas Infinite.  While poker will still be a part of the rebranded Virtual Reality concept, it will widen to include the following:

Blackjack

Roulette

Slots

Craps

Rocket Rush

The VR poker will now include Spin & Go and multi-table tournaments.

There will be multiple casinos and cityscapes to visit in the VR environment.

PokerStars originally launched its VR product on Sep. 20, 2018, before the company was part of Flutter.

James O’Reilly, Director of VR and Innovation at PokerStars, said:

"As we approach our fifth anniversary, it’s incredible to think how far our game has come. From a cutting-edge experiment in applying virtual reality to the poker table, we’ve grown to become a living entertainment destination with a full suite of games and experiences played in otherworldly environments that are home to an avid community of players. Today, we’re much more than poker and much more than VR. Vegas Infinite is where we’re taking our players next and there’s lots more in store."

UK Government Now Claims Little Evidence Gambling Ads Alone Cause People Harm (September 5, 2023)

The UK government has come under fire for stepping back from a ban on gambling advertising, citing the "lack of evidence".

“We have very much gone on the evidence [and] there’s little evidence that exposure to advertising alone causes people to enter into gambling harm,” minister for sport, gambling and civil society, Stuart Andrew, told MPs on Tuesday. “Once we have the research if there’s more evidence that proves advertising is causing harm then we will look at that.”

Dr Matt Gaskell, a consultant psychologist who runs the NHS’s northern gambling service, balked at the new government stance.

“The evidence is clear that gambling advertising drives consumption, which increases harm,” he said.

“This is well known internationally, and as a result many European countries have taken action to protect their communities with stringent advertising curbs. Our children, young people, and those experiencing harm or in recovery continue to be exposed to ubiquitous gambling advertising, and the government have chosen to expose them to harm.”

The demands of broadcasters that make substantial revenues from gambling advertising are understood to be one factor influencing government thinking in what Andrew acknowledged was “a very difficult debate at times”, writes Paul MacInnes of The Guardian.

A ban on Premier League shirt sponsorships is still expected to go into effect, but not until 2026.

Record $40M Prize Set for 2023 World Poker Tour World Championship (August 31, 2023)

The largest guaranteed prize pool in poker ever was announced Thursday.  A whopping $40 million will be up for grabs in the 2023 World Poker Tour World Championship in Las Vegas, which takes place December 12-21 at the Wynn.

This is quite the leap from last year's record setting prize pool of $15 million.

"The WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas is poised to reach new heights and we wanted to match that expectation with a guarantee that no live poker tournament has ever seen before," Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour, said in a release announcing the tournament.

The WPT winner will be paid out more than last year's champion, Eliot Hudon of Canada.  He took home $4.1 million last year.  There is a $1 million buy-in for this year's tournament.

FA Wants Gambling Companies to Stop Allowing Yellow Card Bets (August 26, 2023)

The FA wants to stop gambling companies offering markets on yellow cards in a bid to crack down on spot-fixing amid a rise in high-profile betting probes.

The FA’s investigation into suspicious betting patterns surrounding bookings received by West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta in three Premier League games this year is their fourth high-profile probe into gambling on yellow cards in the last five years.

Arsenal midfield player Granit Xhaka and Oxford defender Ciaran Brown were both investigated for allegedly betting on Premier League and FA Cup games though no action was taken.

Reading defender Kynan Isac has been banned from the sports for 12 years after participating in a betting scam involving a matchup between Stratford Town and Shrewsbury.

The FA are concerned that yellow card markets in particular are open to manipulation.

Betting on yellow cards is already banned outright in some big gambling markets, including Germany and Sweden.

West Flagler Finally Files Suit in Response to Florida Sports Betting Decision (August 17, 2023)

Sports betting is unlikely to be coming to Florida this football season as the state parimutuels appeal a ruling that would have allowed Seminoles to launch their mobile wagering app.

West Flagler and Associates Monday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for an en banc hearing.  This comes after a three-judge panel’s June 30 decision overturning a U.S. District Court ruling that prevented the Seminoles from moving forward with their plans to launch mobile sports betting two years ago.

Attorney Daniel Wallach has provided regular commentary on potential options for West Flagler et al.

"In most cases, the court just denies the petition for rehearing without requesting a response. The fact that they ordered a response -- on their own motion, no less -- adds some further intrigue. But I still expect rehearing to be denied. SCOTUS is a different story, however."

Athletes Overconfidence Will Lead to More Betting on Own Games Claims Expert (August 16, 2023) 

Why would athletes risk losing eligibility and possibly going to jail over relatively small amounts of money but on their own team?

National Council on Problem Gambling executive director Keith Whyte said he isn’t surprised by allegations of athletes betting on their own games and risking a permanent ban.

“Much of the psychology of gambling, and sports betting in particular, revolves around knowledge of the game and belief in your own skill,” Whyte said, speaking to Reuters, “so the closer you are to the action, the more likely it is you may think that bet is a sure thing.

“So if you’re an athlete who has been studying the film, it’s not necessarily about controlling the outcome; it’s a belief you know the outcome of a game. But there’s a very fine line between knowing how a partiuclar game is going to go because of film and experience and crossing into manipulating the game.”

Nearly half of those Iowa and Iowa State athletes who placed bets in violation of NCAA gambling policy bet on games they were playing in or could have been playing in.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission said Aug. 3 that no evidence had been discovered suggesting any game outcomes were compromised.

Twitch Streamer's Giveaway Sparks Mayhem in Union Square (August 4, 2023)

Kai Cenat, who began his Twitch streaming in 2021, announced the giveaway on his Instagram.  He is the most subscribed streamer.

By 5:30 p.m., police officers in growing numbers had regained control of much of the area, but small skirmishes were still breaking out, with young people knocking over barricades and throwing bottles and even a flowerpot at officers.

Police planned to charged the streamer, Kai Cenat, with multiple counts of inciting a riot, unlawful assembly and possibly other crimes, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said in the evening. Officers arrested 65 people, including 30 juveniles.

Controversial Kick streamer Adin Ross recently lost thousands of dollars in a bet against Kai Cenat.  That bet was on whether Ryan Garcia would win his fight with Gervonta Davis.

Confidential Informant Tweets Michael Jordan Had Relationship With Bookie Indicted By Feds (August 3, 2023)

A confidential informant who helped bring down a massive California bookmaking operation and more recently claims that Las Vegas casino executives used casino assets to pay off gambling debts to that very same bookie is now claiming NBA legend Michael Jordan, too, had a relationship with Wayne Nix.

Nix pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. He is a former minor league pitcher who ran a major league illegal sports betting operation in California, according to federal prosecutors. Nix ran his website, Sand Island Sports, out of the sports betting hub of Costa Rica. 

Nix, who threw for Oakland Athletics farm teams, used his connections to recruit three former Major League Baseball players and a former pro football player as fellow bookies, prosecutors said.

RJ Cipriani (AKA Robin Hood 702 on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter) is credited with helping feds take down the multi-million dollar illegal bookmaking business.  Cipriani's claims that Las Vegas execs were using promo chips to pay off gambling debts to Nix's operation appear to have legs based on reporting from the Nevada Current.

Gambling911.com is unable to verify Cipriani's claims regarding Michael Jordan.

He has named names in regard to the casino executive allegations and tells Gambling911 he has no fear in doing so as "the last thing they want is to be deposed". 

Broncos Coach Sean Payton Rips NFL’s Gambling Policy (July 25, 2023)

Following the indefinite suspension of Broncos player Eyioma Uwazurike for violation of league gambling policy, that team's new head coach, Sean Payton, lashed out at the NFL.

Uwazurike is alleged to have placed bets on NFL games last season. Uwazurike is eligible for reinstatement no earlier than July 24, 2024.  He is the 10th player to be suspended for breach of the policy that many believe is hypocritical considering the league's cozy relationship with sports betting websites.

Payton made it clear he is not excusing what last year's 4th round draft did, but the Broncos coach admitted to tearing up material the NFL sent him about its gambling policy earlier this spring, saying it was "awful".

“When you have a bunch of players getting D’s, you have to start looking at the message,” Payton told USA Today. “And we’ve had a lot of D’s in our league this year with the policy.”

Payton said his message was clear to players, as opposed to the conflicting message sent by the NFL.

“You can’t bet on NFL football, ever, ever, ever,” he said, via USA Today. “I don’t give a [expletive] what it is.

“The other thing is, it’s the same as the gun policy. You can’t bet on nothing if you’re at your facility, your hotel, your airplane. So, wherever you can’t carry a gun, you can’t place a bet … You can’t bring a gun to the parking lot … the team hotel … to training camp … to the stadium.”

Another NFL Player Suspended for Violating Gambling Policy (July 24, 2023)

The Broncos' Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended for betting on NFL games it was revealed late Monday. The bets were placed last year and he can petition for reinstatement no earlier than July 24, 2024.

Uwazurike was a 4th round draft last year and played in eight games last season with 165 snaps on defense.

"We were informed by the NFL [on Monday] that Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended by the league indefinitely for violating its gambling policy," the Broncos said in a statement. "Our organization fully cooperated with this investigation and takes matters pertaining to the integrity of the game very seriously.''

Four New Casinos, Video Gambling Coming to NC (July 22, 2023)

(AP) As many as four new casinos as well as video gambling machines could be authorized in North Carolina under proposals now being discussed by legislators, the top General Assembly leaders said this past week.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters separately about the ideas, which they said have yet to reach the level of formal legislation to be voted upon.

The negotiations appear intertwined with extended talks over a final two-year state budget that was supposed to be enacted by July 1.

“I would anticipate that if at the point in time when we get a budget done, we will have made a decision about (gambling) as well,” Berger said.

The state currently has three casinos, operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians or the Catawba Indian Nation.Proposals would permit casinos that are part of “entertainment districts” — that could include hotels and restaurants as well as residential and commercial development — in Anson, Nash and Rockingham counties, Moore and Berger said.

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- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com

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