Gambling News via Media Man Int, Media Man and Casino News Media

Casino News Media

Casino, Gaming and Hotel Stocks

Markets/Trades

January 2026

Current

Jan 7 into 8

Sin City Sydney to Wall Street and Vegas

MGM Resorts International $34.12 -1.62 -4.53%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $116.37 -4.14 -3.44%

Las Vegas Sands $61.43 -2.35 -3.68%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $86.07 -1.74 -1.98%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $23.00 -0.77 =3.24%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $61.27 -0.82 -1.32%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $46.04 -0.36 -0.78%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $13.82 -0.99 -6.68%

Light & Wonder Inc CHESS $157.26 +0.36 +0.23% (ASX)

Profile

Light & Wonder, Inc., FKA Scientific Games Corporation, is an American corporation that provides gambling products and services. The co HQ in Enterprise, Nevada.
The gaming division provides products such as slot machines, table games, shuffling machines, and casino management systems. Bally, WMS & Shuffle Master.

January 2026

Jan 3

MGM Resorts International $36.49

Wynn Resorts Ltd $122.57 +2.24 +1.86%

Las Vegas Sands $65.21 +0.12 +0.18%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $86.19 +0.95 +1.11%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $23.56 +0.17 +0.73%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $62.97 +1.02 +1.65%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $45.49 +0.74 +1.65%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $14.85 +0.100 +0.68%

Light & Wonder Inc CHESS $156.00 -1.57 -1.00% (ASX)

News Flashback

Markets/Trades

News (post Xmas)

Dec 26

December 2025

New York, USA and Sin City Las Vegas

MGM Resorts International $37.68 +0.59 +1.59%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $124.36 -0.66 -0.53%

Las Vegas Sands $66.20 -0.13 -0.19%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $86.60 +1.19 +1.39%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $24.79 +0.29 +1.18%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $62.74 +0.69 +1.11%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $45.22 +0.18 +0.40%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $15.10 +0.46 +3.14%

Light & Wonder Inc CHESS $158.00 +0.54 0.34% (ASX)

News Flashback

Hotels offering up to 50% off rooms ahead of Black Friday

Nevada (Las Vegas)

A Strip casino-hotel has announced discounted room rates ahead of Black Friday, including up to 50 percent off rooms and resort credits. Sahara announced its “cyber steals” Wednesday, offering discounted rates on bookings into the first half of 2026. Until Dec. 3, travelers can book and receive 50 percent off “best available” room rates for stays through June 30, 2026, with no booking fees and guaranteed room type.

News

Three days of Formula One excitement about to hit the Strip

Nevada (Las Vegas)
The Las Vegas Grand Prix returns for its third year this week, transforming the Strip into a three-day motorsports extravaganza — complete with racing action, associated events and road closures across the corridor. This year’s spectacle is expected to draw 300,000 fans. “What I love about this event is that there truly is something for everyone,” said Emily Prazer, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

News

Fallout exhibit anchors new era of atomic pop-culture tourism

Nevada (Las Vegas)
As Fallout fans converged on Southern Nevada for their annual pilgrimage, the National Atomic Testing Museum was transforming itself, stocking fridges with ice-cold Nuka-Cola, showcasing pristine bright blue Vault 33 suits and lighting up the iconic “Welcome to New Vegas” sign. The preparations heralded an unprecedented partnership between the museum and game publisher Bethesda Softworks, bringing the world’s largest publicly available Fallout collection to its spiritual home in Southern Nevada.

News

The Lead Up/Flashback

Casino, Gaming and Hotel Stocks

Markets/Trades

November 10, 2025

New York, USA and Sin City Las Vegas

MGM Resorts International $32.85 +0.19 +0.58%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $130.24 +4.10 +3.25%

Las Vegas Sands $66.35 +1.14 +1.74%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $83.06 +1.79 +2.15%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $20.27 +0.45 +2.27%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $59.21 +1.38 +2.39%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $40.31 +0.58 +1.45%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $15.81 +1.27 +8.71%

Light & Wonder, Inc. $89.50 +8.94 +11.10%

News

(In Case You Missed It - over a month ago)

Crown Resorts/Crown Perth, Australia

Writes:

We couldn’t be more proud of our Crown team members who volunteered their time to support Telethon7, a West Australian charity supporting sick kids and their families. For the 17th year, we were honoured to support the incredible work of Telethon, hosting the Telethon Ball at Crown Perth, answering phones in the call room, giving the Little Telethon Stars and their families a staycation at Crown Towers and sponsoring the Telethon Community Stage. On behalf of the Crown Resorts Foundation, Crown Perth CEO Brian Pereira FCA GAICD FAIM closed out the weekend with a $2.5 million donation towards Telethon. (Source: Crown Resorts/Crown Perth)

News

Current

U.S Sports

Two MLB pitchers indicted in gambling investigation

Two Major League Baseball pitchers allegedly conspired with sports bettors to rig pitches they threw so the bettors would profit from illegal wagers, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn and the FBI announced in an indictment on Sunday. Cleveland Guardians player Luis Leandro Ortiz was arrested Sunday at Logan Airport in Boston.

News

Non-gaming spending up 10.7%, per-capita down 2.6%

Asia (Macau)
Macau visitors spent MOP20.38 billion (US$2.55 billion) on non-gaming offerings last quarter, with this amount up by 10.7 per cent year on year…same-day visitors spent some MOP3.62 billion, an increase of 27.6 per cent – versus MOP16.76 billion by visitors who spent more than one day, up 7.6 per cent…per-capita spending fell 2.6 per cent, at MOP1,950…the third quarter of 2025 welcomed an increase of 13.6 per cent in visitation, which totalled 10.45 million.

News

F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix race weekend rooms

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Room rates on the Las Vegas Strip during this year’s Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend at the top two resort companies are mixed compared with last year. The average three-night room rate at MGM Resorts properties on Las Vegas Boulevard are higher for this year’s race weekend than last around the first week of November, while Caesars Entertainment’s rates are running lower than a year prior. The lowest available room rates at the nine MGM Resorts properties are averaging $1,624.08 for Nov. 20-23, up 24 percent.

News

Vanderpump, ‘I’m not going to price myself out of the market’

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Lisa Vanderpump has stamped her brand across the Strip. Her Vanderpump Hotel will replace the Cromwell next year. Vanderpump says she’s planning “attainable luxury” on the corner of the Strip and Flamingo Road. “It has to be something that everybody who has supported me can afford,” Vanderpump said. “I’m not going to price myself out of the market.”

News

Casino News

Resorts World estimates it will generate $2.5B for transit by 2030

New York (New York City)
Resorts World has estimated that it will send $2.5 billion to the MTA [over the next four years if it is awarded one of the gaming licenses by the state in December. Resorts World, which has operated a racino in South Ozone Park for the last 14 years and has long been considered one of the frontrunners to receive one of up to three downstate gaming licenses.

NBA, sportsbooks review most vulnerable bets, wager limits

National (sports)
In the wake of the NBA betting scandal, the league and its partner sportsbooks continue to review what types of bets are most vulnerable to manipulation and how much bettors should be allowed to wager on such bets, sources familiar with the discussions told ESPN on Thursday.

Macau
Macau’s gaming operators recorded gross gaming revenue of $3.01 billion in October, up 15.9%. The October GGR figure was 8.7% higher than the previous post-COVID record month of August. For the first 10 months of 2025 combined, GGR climbed to $25.7 billion – up 8.0%.

Major Strip operator predicts strong fourth quarter

Nevada (Las Vegas)
A slower summer in Las Vegas, marked by declining September visitation and muted gaming revenue, is prompting casinos to adjust their strategies, but top Strip executives remain cautiously optimistic about a rebound in the fourth quarter and into 2026… Bill Hornbuckle, president and chief executive officer of MGM Resorts, said, “Vegas is fine. Fundamentally, we feel good about the fourth quarter (of 2025).”

Developers of stalled casino project seek to keep plans alive

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Last fall, the developers of a stalled casino project faced some stark words at a Clark County Commission meeting. With the team behind Dream Las Vegas asking for more time on their approvals again, Commissioner Jim Gibson said the situation “can’t go on forever,” that officials want projects they “believe are really happening,” and the likelihood of more extensions down the road was “remote.” Now, the developers are back with yet another request for more time…commissioners on Wednesday are scheduled to consider a request for a third time extension on the Dream hotel-casino project.

Kelly Clarkson adds August 2026 dates Caesars Palace

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Grammy-winning singer Kelly Clarkson is adding four performances in August 2026 to her “Studio Sessions” residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The new shows are scheduled for Aug. 7, 8, 14 and 15. Clarkson, 43, launched the residency in July then postponed several dates after her ex-husband died. She rescheduled those performances to July and August 2026.

Off-Strip resort sets Elvis series, no-cover NYE shows

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Westgate is leaning into — and gyrating with — favorite showmen past and present. The off-Strip resort has formally announced details of what we posted some weeks ago, a series of Elvis revivals in 2026. “The King: 1973 Live — Aloha From Westgate” plays Jan. 14.

Thousands turn out in downtown Las Vegas for no-cover events

Nevada (Las Vegas) - John Katsilometes, Review-Journal - Crowds are eating up Feed The Block on Fremont East. And the annual Halloween adventure on the abutting Fremont Street Experience drew a mass of humanity on Friday night. Downtown was jammed on both nights. Diplo’s headlining performance drew about 10,400 people, city of Las Vegas stats, to the third Feed The Block event. This was on a Monday night, mind you. By comparison, about 2,200 people were counted in the same area on the Monday before Halloween. An average Friday night in September with no event is about 5,000 on the block.

News Flashback

Casino News

Nov 3, 2025

U.S. Online and Social Casinos

Fanatics Casino Expands with Major Launches: Fanatics Casino, which debuted its standalone real-money app in May 2025 across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia, continues to gain traction with aggressive promotions and a robust game library, positioning it as a top new entrant for November.

New Sweepstakes Casinos Hit the Market:
Fresh platforms like Sweeps Royal and BankRolla launched in late October 2025, offering over 1,000 slots each, generous sign-up bonuses (e.g., 750,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweeps Coin), and themed promotions for Halloween and beyond, targeting social gaming enthusiasts.

Top Social Casinos Ranked for November: McLuck and Crown Coins lead the list of U.S. social casinos with free Gold Coins play, welcome bonuses up to 500 spins, and 5,000+ titles, emphasizing no-risk sweepstakes-style.

November Bonus Offers Surge: Sites like BetMGM are rolling out 100% deposit matches up to $1,000 plus $25 no-deposit credits, while others like Bet365 offer spin bonuses, capitalizing on the month's promotions to attract new players.

Physical Casino Developments

Resorts World New York Boosts Economic Projections: The casino has revised its forecast for contributions to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) upward to $2.5 billion, highlighting ongoing revenue growth from slots and table Casino Dotorg

Arizona Tribe Eyes Major Redevelopment: The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is seeking proposals to transform a former mine site near Loop 101 into a potential replacement for Casino Arizona, promising economic boosts and new gaming facilities.

Canadian Casino Relocation Breaks Ground: The Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs broke ground on a $100 million project to relocate the Gold Eagle Casino to a 67-acre site in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, aiming to enhance tourism and community development.

International and Regulatory News
Finland Ends State Gambling Monopoly: On November 3, 2025, Finland introduced a new licensing system, allowing private operators to enter the market for the first time and breaking Veikkaus Oy’s long-standing exclusivity on slots, lotteries, and betting.

UK Faces Backlash Over 24-Hour Slot Casino: Tynemouth MP Alan Campbell criticized the approval of a controversial 24-hour slots venue at Preston Grange, calling it a "terrible decision" amid concerns over gambling addiction and community impact.

YouTube Cracks Down on Gambling Content: Starting November 2025, YouTube is enforcing stricter rules on gambling and gaming videos, including age restrictions and demonetization, to protect younger audiences from promotional content.

Legal and Industry Updates
BetMGM Lawsuit Advances: A federal judge denied BetMGM's motion to dismiss a lawsuit from VIP gambler Larry Murk, who alleges the operator unfairly inserted him into an online promo contest; oral arguments are scheduled for January 26, 2026.

No-KYC Casinos Gain Popularity: Platforms like BetWhale and BitStarz are seeing a 68% uptick in users opting for anonymous play without ID verification, offering faster payouts and privacy-focused real-money gaming.

News

WWE and UFC Themed Slot Games Continue To Build Upon Popularity; TKO Beancounters See Strong Merit; No Official Betting On TKO's/WWE Action Pro Wrestling Match Outcomes!

UFC MMA Match Betting Remains Bullish! UFC themed 'The Smashing Machine' movie gets strong industry and fan reviews; UFC/MMA themed movie 'Brawler' still happening; Tipped to be a big hit in Vegas (Media Man Group/Casino News Media)

News Flashback And Lead Up

News

Will Las Vegas be awarded another Super Bowl this week?

Nevada (Las Vegas)

Las Vegas could learn this week whether it will be named the host city for the 2029 Super Bowl when NFL owners hold their fall meetings. Future Super Bowl sites will be a topic of discussion, but whether those talks result in a decision remains to be seen. What’s known is that the NFL and Las Vegas recently began exclusive negotiations for hosting duties for Super Bowl 63 in 2029 at Allegiant Stadium. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has formally submitted Las Vegas’ bid, and the NFL is reviewing the package, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

News

Analyst predicts 2026 comeback for Las Vegas

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Weakness in Las Vegas will continue through the third quarter, but the fourth quarter "could be better" ...Truist Securities

“In the current environment, we don’t expect many earnings surprises, but continue to favor companies with best-in-class assets.”

Citing: Monarch Casinos, Churchill Downs, and Station Casinos. Jonas also liked real estate investment trusts (REITs) and digital B2B firms, lauding their safety, earnings growth, and cash flow.

News

Green Valley Ranch Resort unveils new logo to coincide with renovations

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Green Valley Ranch Resort in Henderson has unveiled a new logo, timed to coincide with property-wide renovations. Parent company Station Casinos says the "refreshed identity" is meant to reflect the resort's transformation and the guest experience. That includes a monogram that blends the initials G-V-R into a shorthand. "As Green Valley Ranch approaches its 25th anniversary, this was the perfect moment to step back and celebrate our journey while looking ahead to the future," Ken Janssen, the resort's vice president and general manager, said. “The refreshed logo reflects the on-going $200 million transformation of the property in terms of being contemporary in design."

News

Major film studios could be here if some unions have their way

Nevada (Las Vegas)
Movies like “The Hangover” and “Ocean's Eleven” piqued interest in the Las Vegas Strip long ago. But now Nevada labor unions hoping to boost jobs and tourism are pushing state officials to offer tax credits aimed at bringing more Hollywood filmmaking to the state. The effort to offer up to $95 million in tax credits to Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery for a new film production facility in the Vegas suburbs didn't win enough legislative support earlier this year. But more than a dozen labor unions are pushing to revive the proposal during an expected special session next month. (Wires)

News

Developer celebrates opening of new Las Vegas hotel

Nevada (Las Vegas)
The developer of Symphony Park’s new hotel held a grand opening celebration for the project. Dallas real estate firm Jackson-Shaw, which opened its dual-branded hotel in the sprawling mixed-use Las Vegas spread this summer, threw a flashy party Thursday to give people an inside look at the AC Hotel and Element property. The five-story, 441-room hotel boasts 18,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, as well as a restaurant and a piano lounge.

Casino News: Las Vegas

Key Expansions and Projects

Durango Casino & Resort Growth:
Red Rock Resorts is accelerating its Durango expansion in southwest Las Vegas, adding 25,000 square feet of gaming space and 250 hotel rooms. Construction starts July 2028, following record Q2 2025 earnings of $108.3 million (up 55% YoY). The project targets the booming residential corridor near the resort.

Bally's Tropicana Site Redevelopment:
Bally's Corp. unveiled a three-year timeline for a 3,000-room hotel-casino-entertainment complex around the new Oakland Athletics ballpark. Groundbreaking is set for April 2026, with the $1.5 billion project aiming to transform the former Tropicana site into a mixed-use hub.

Henderson Casino Approval:
Clark County commissioners greenlit a new casino in Henderson's Water Street District, including street vacations and design reviews. This off-Strip project could boost local gaming options by late 2026.

Operational Changes and Challenges:
Golden Gate Goes All-Virtual: Downtown's historic Golden Gate Casino has fully phased out live table game dealers, replacing them with electronic roulette and blackjack terminals. Owner Derek Stevens calls it a "doubling" of projected revenue, appealing to younger players, though tourists are mixed—some miss the human element, others praise the faster pace and lower house edge.

Las Vegas Sands Digital Shutdown:
The company axed its live-dealer streaming platform, cutting 150 local jobs. The initiative targeted legal iGaming states but couldn't compete in a crowded market.

Cyberattack Hits Off-Strip Resort:
An unnamed casino-hotel suffered a breach between Jan. 8-11, 2025, exposing data of ~4,700 guests, staff, and partners. No ransomware details were disclosed, but it highlights ongoing cybersecurity risks in gaming.
North Las Vegas Sale: Poker Palace Casino changed hands for $9.4 million, per county records. The buyer plans minor upgrades to the locals-focused property.

Tourism and Competition Pressures:
California Rival Looms: The $600 million Hard Rock Casino Tejon opens November 13 near Bakersfield, featuring 2,000 slots and 150,000 sq ft of gaming—rivaling MGM Grand-scale floors. It's expected to siphon West Coast gamblers, exacerbating Vegas's 1 million visitor drop in early 2025.

No Panic Yet:
Despite sluggish Strip hotel rates and airport traffic, experts like Citizens' Jordan Bender forecast a rebound, with conventions driving 15-20% growth in 2026. The $600 million Las Vegas Convention Center expansion is key to this outlook.

Big Wins and Buzz:
Jackpot Fever: A gambler turned a $3 bet into a life-changing payout at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa near Las Vegas. Details on the exact amount weren't specified, but it lit up social media as a feel-good story amid industry woes.

Governor's Blackjack Streak:
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker reported $1.4 million in Vegas winnings on his tax return, crediting "incredibly lucky" blackjack hands.

Dining, Events, and Accolades:
Michelin Milestone: Fontainebleau Las Vegas earned the first "One Key" designation for a Nevada gaming resort in the 2025 Michelin Guide, recognizing its luxury amenities alongside 37 other U.S. hotels.

New Eats:
High Steaks Vegas, a modern steakhouse by chef James Trees, debuted atop Rio's Masquerade Tower mid-month. Meanwhile, Bellagio's Yachts of Monaco boat tours launch October 3 from the new Carbone Riviera dock.

Halloween Hype:
Vegas ranks #7 in North American Halloween excitement per Betway's study. Red Rock hosts "Fright Night Bingo" on October 30 with free drinks, DJs, and costumes. Citywide events include the When We Were Young Festival (Oct 18-19) and Downtown Rocks concerts.

G2E Spotlight:
SuzoHapp returned to the Global Gaming Expo with innovations in gaming tech partnerships, drawing crowds to booth displays. (Grok)

News

Cleopatra wins Media Man 'Casino Classic Game Of The Month' award

News

News Flashback

MGM CEO says Dubai casino approval still pending as 2028 resort construction advances

MGM Resorts International has yet to receive approval to operate a casino at its upcoming $2.5 billion integrated resort in Dubai, CEO Bill Hornbuckle said, despite earlier expectations that a decision would have been made by now.

“I thought by now, Abu Dhabi would have ruled on what they were doing,” Hornbuckle said during a recent industry conference, referring to the anticipated regulatory green light. “There’s a lot of dialogue around that.”

The resort, currently under construction on a 25-acre artificial island near Jumeirah Beach and the Burj Al Arab, is being developed in partnership with the government-owned Wasl group. It will feature MGM Grand, Bellagio, and Aria-branded hotels, along with a 250,000-square-foot podium that has been purpose-built to accommodate a casino should regulatory conditions allow.

While a federal gaming regulator, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), was established in recent years to oversee commercial gambling activities across the UAE, the final decision to authorize casino operations remains with the rulers of individual emirates.

Hornbuckle noted that the company is still waiting on an official directive from Dubai’s leadership. “We don’t have permission yet from the ruler of Dubai to go forward,” he said. “I don’t know when we’ll hear, but I do believe this ... If this gets a casino, and I believe it will over time, we think it’s a massive opportunity.”

MGM submitted its license application to the GCGRA in September 2024. Any future approval would likely involve both federal coordination and local consent. The GCGRA is currently chaired by Jim Murren, MGM’s former CEO.

Meanwhile, competition in the UAE's nascent casino sector is heating up. Wynn Resorts is preparing to open the country’s first casino at its upcoming property in Ras Al Khaimah.

Scheduled for a 2027 launch, the resort on Al Marjan Island will likely be the UAE’s only licensed casino at the time of opening, according to Wynn CEO Craig Billings. He said last month that he anticipates it will be “the first and only casino in the country.”

Wynn has also expanded its footprint in Ras Al Khaimah by acquiring an additional 70 acres of land, raising speculation of a potential second property in the emirate. Analysts estimate that the UAE gaming market could generate annual revenues of up to $8 billion, while Wynn has projected figures closer to $5 billion.

Despite Wynn’s confidence in securing a dominant position, sources cited by Arabian Gulf Business Insight suggest that other operators may eventually receive licenses, casting doubt on the prospect of a long-term monopoly.

Global Gaming Directory

Casino News - July 2023

Online Casino Gambling in NJ Nears $1 Billion in 2023

Online Casino Gambling in NJ Nears $1 Billion in 2023 (July 14, 2023)
Online casinos in New Jersey are way ahead of last year's record-setting pace with data released on Friday by the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement showing the activity generated $149.3 million in revenue in June, an increase of 12.1 percent year-over-year for this month.

Online casinos netted more than $930 million in revenue, which represents a 12.1 percent year-over-year clip growth compared to 2022.

June’s numbers are coming in below May’s $161.4 million. Casino gambling to some extent will likely come down with fewer people betting sports during the last spring and summer months.

The DraftKings-owned Golden Nugget has reclaimed the top spot for all NJ online casinos, knocking off Borgata, which is part of the BetMGM group of casinos.

Golden Nugget took in over $41.7 million.

Half of the Recent 850 Referred Gambling Addicts at One Clinic Are Children (July 14, 2023)
More than 850 people have been referred to a clinic for video game addicts since it opened in 2020 and half of those were children, according to a report appearing in the Guardian on Friday.

The National Centre for Gaming Disorders (NCGD), a London clinic, was originally given NHS funding based on seeing just 50 people a year. That nunber, however, ballooned to 30 people a month since the end of March this year – more than seven times anticipated demand.

Loot boxes were among the chief culprits and accounted for about a quarter of those seeking treatment. These comprise of gambling-style features offering randomised rewards.

Almost 12% of patients who played video games compulsively referred to playing Fortnite, with 10% citing Minecraft, 8% mentioning Call of Duty and 4.7% using the gaming platform Roblox.

Of the 855 referrals, 408 were gamers, of whom 227 were under 18.

Maine's Head of Sports Betting Claims White Supremacist Sympathizing Tweets 'Meant to Be Humerous' (July 12, 2023)

Maine's top gambling law officer, Milt Champion, returns to work on Monday after serving a 40-hour suspension. He was also expected to undergo in-person state training on workplace harassment and social media policies.

This all stemmed from a series of tweets back in May deemed to contain racist and misogynistic subject matter.

"While the two tweets were intended to be humorous, I recognize they were anything but. They were a mistake and an error in judgment, and I apologize for my actions," Champion said in the release. "I thank the employees of the Unit for their hard work and commitment in my absence."

On May 6, Champion expressed frustration about being told “ladies” was an unprofessional term for females, and suggested “Bitches” would be more appropriate.

Sure that could be viewed by some perhaps as a bad attempt at humor.

But as Gambling911.com also noted at the time, Champion somehow felt compelled to defend a tweet by Brian Krassenstein describing the Patriot Front as a "hate group in the United States that espouses white nationalism and neo-fascist ideologies".

Kentucky Sports Betting to Go Live September 7 (July 10, 2023)

Steve Bittenbender breaks things down following today's meeting in Kentucky regarding the upcoming launch of regulated sports betting in the commonwealth.

"Monday was really just a checkpoint for Kentucky officials responsible for rolling out sports betting statewide. They still have 59 more days of work ahead of them and that's just to get brick/mortar sportsbooks up and running and 80 to get online apps live."

He had a few key takeaways:

1. Tracks and operators will be able to start applying for sports betting licenses in Kentucky as soon as tomorrow (July 11, 2023).

2. The Sept. 7 brick/mortar launch date appears to be universal, according to the KHRC, if the tracks are ready.

3. The KHRC also tells me that tracks could theoretically have one brick/mortar operator at their track and another at their HHR satellite parlor. Remains to be seen how many (if any) may take advantage of that.

As many as 27 licensees could have the ability to operate in Kentucky apparently. It's not likely we'll get anywhere close to that number.

Unibet Vows Fixes Following Gambling911 Scathing Reports (July 10, 2023)

Unibet appears to have finally recognized it can't keep allowing its website and retail sportsbook business in Pennsylvania to keep going down and making as if nothing is wrong.

The company advised its PA customers over the weekend that "site improvements are on the way".

It's about time.

Unibet has already switched over to proprietary software in neighboring New Jersey.

Our own Thomas Somach had highlighted how folks were unable to place bets with the Unibet mobile app over extended periods of time in the state. The walk-in book at The Downs at Mohegan Sun in the Lehigh Valley, which is run by Unibet, also was shuttered during this time.

The company appeared to be more concerned about customer cleanliness than they were about keeping their website and sportsbook operational.

Somach also reported on how the company’s facility at the Downs at Lehigh Valley had erected signs warning customers that if they don’t get the smell out, they can get the hell out.

Man Charged With Riding Motorcycle Through Vegas Casino (July 6, 2023)
A motorcyclist is facing numerous charges after doing wheelies along Las Vegas Boulevard and riding through a casino, and on stairs and escalators.

Las Vegas Metropolitan police posted the arrest on one of the department’s social media accounts. It said R.A.I.D. officers took the man they referred to as the “reckless rider” into custody.

The rider is yet to be identified. He was wearing a shirt that read “Till the (expletive) wheels fall off.”

“The rider thought he would never get caught,” the police post stated.

He is facing the following charges:

3 felony counts of driver disobeying police officer, endangering person or property

4 gross misdemeanor counts of disregard for the safety of person or property

4 misdemeanor counts of reckless driving

1 felony count of assault with a deadly weapon

1 felony count of child abuse and/or neglect

1 felony count of coercion with force or threat of force

Pro Sports Care More About Gambling Than Violence Against Women and Racism (July 6, 2023)

Deadspin's Carron J. Phillips writes that "if you’re talented or rich enough, it’s becoming clear what will and won’t be forgiven in sports."

Gambling on games or in team facilities will not.

"Greg Hardy got to play football again. Antonio Brown keeps hanging around. Donald Sterling and Robert Sarver made millions after selling their teams," Phillips writes.

He points out that the Titans Hassan Haskins was arrested last month for allegedly strangling his girlfriend.

"Society didn't blink," he writes.

Wouldn’t it be great if sports took racism and violence against women this seriously from the jump? Imagine where we would be if that happened.

But, for something like that to occur it would mean that society, let alone sports, would have to take a stand against both transgressions — and we know that’s a pipedream.

Now, it seems like the rest of the sports world is following the NFL’s lead — as it often does. And once you realize that the NFL is usually a mirror of society, it becomes quite clear why racism and violence against women are easily forgiven while “gambling” is a blasphemous offense.

Last week, the NFL suspended indefinitely more players for violating the league's gambling policy. They included Isaiah Rodgers, Rashod Berry, and Demetrius Taylor.

“The gambling policy, which is annually reviewed with all NFL personnel, including players, prohibits anyone in the NFL from engaging in any form of gambling in any club or league facility or venue, including the practice facility,” read the NFL’s statement after the latest round of suspensions.

Phillips does note that the New York Yankees suspended relief pitcher Jimmy Cordero on Wednesday for the rest of the season for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.

ASA Bans Jake Paul Ladbrokes Tweet (July 5 2023)
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has determined that a Ladbrokes tweet violated its terms and conditions.

They claim that boxer and YouTube influencer Jake Paul was featured in the tweet and that his appeal is too geared towards minors. It's not immediately clear now many of his more than 20 million subscribers are actually teenagers. Paul does appeal to adults as well, thanks in no small part to his boxing skills.

Of course the irony in all of this is that Jake Paul now has an ownership interest in a sportsbook, Betr.

The tweet in question appeared back in February.

"@TommyTNTFury beat @JakePaul by split decision last night. So, we've got to ask the question… What's next for Jake Paul? Vote here now."

At the bottom of the tweet, the gambling company also linked to a poll with the options: "Win the re-match", "Head to the MMA", "Return to YouTube" and "Join the WWE".

it's not immediately clear what fine, if any, will be imposed.

Churchill Downs Extends Baffert Ban Through 2024 (July 3, 2023)

Churchill Downs Inc. has decided to extend Bob Baffert's two-year suspension for at least another 18 months, per a release. That would keep the Hall of Fame trainer from running horses in next year's 150th running of the Kentucky Derby.

“Mr. Baffert continues to peddle a false narrative concerning the failed drug test of Medina Spirit at the 147th Kentucky Derby from which his horse was disqualified by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in accordance with Kentucky law and regulations," Churchill Downs said in a statement. "Prior to that race, Mr. Baffert signed an agreement with Churchill Downs which stated that he was responsible for understanding the rules of racing in Kentucky and that he would abide by them. The results of the tests clearly show that he did not comply, and his ongoing conduct reveals his continued disregard for the rules and regulations that ensure horse and jockey safety, as well as the integrity and fairness of the races conducted at our facilities.

"A trainer who is unwilling to accept responsibility for multiple drug test failures in our highest-profile races cannot be trusted to avoid future misconduct. Mr. Baffert will remain suspended from entering horses at all racetracks owned by CDI through 2024. After such time, we will re-evaluate his status.”

Ohio Will Reportedly Double its Tax Rate on Sports Betting (July 2, 2023)
Mobile gambling analyst Steve Brubaker tweeted this weekend:

"Lots of chatter about Ohio doubling the tax rate on the already nearly destitute OSBs. Boo hoo. Don’t forget that this same industry marched all over the country telling legislators that the hold was only 5% and to keep taxes and fees low. Hold rate is now 8% and climbing. 60% (up arrow)."

His tweet comes after that state's House and Senate reached an agreement on a budget for the state and that budget with the budget conference committee agreeing on a version doubling the current tax rate of 10% on sports betting to 20%.

Jessica Wellman had this to offer:

Alex Cane, CEO of Sports Trade responded:

"Horrible precedent. What other businesses in Ohio are taxed by revenue, much less *over 1,000% of revenue*?"

These costs will almost certainly be passed onto gamblers in the form of less competitive lines and bonus offerings.

West Virginia House Minority Whip Foresees Sports Betting Content Creator Oversight Bill Passing in Next Session (July 2, 2023)

West Virginia House minority whip Shawn Fluharty foresees the sports betting content creator oversight bill passing in the next session.

This is proposed regulation that applies to content creators in the industry. Such concerns were in the spotlight over the past week after it was revealed that an NBA insider, Shams Charania, forced a line change based on his wrongful information while employed by a sportsbook.

Maryland already requires disclosure and independent evaluation of influencers and media partners by its regulated sportsbooks.

Fluharty tells Legal Sports Report this is bigger than the Shams controversy.

“I’m not saying FanDuel had any unclean hands here. But if they wanted to, they certainly could. That’s because there is no regulatory boundary in place,” Fluharty told LSR on Monday. “… This is kind of the forecast of what’s next in the regulatory and legislative realm. And it shines a light on something we’ve been talking about for months. You just needed a clear example, and this is a clear example.

“I think really what the Shams thing did was it blurred the lines of influencer and reporter,” Fluharty said. “ … It used to be, in Las Vegas, the public drove the lines. Now, the sportsbooks are driving the lines 100%. They have the ability to do that now. Because they can influence the public using their own people.”

Casino Theft Cage Scheme Involves at Least 3 Properties, Mexican Phone Numbers (June 30, 2023)
A scheme to dupe casino employees into thinking they were transferring money from cages to a legitimate business involves at least three casinos and Mexican phone numbers, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

Documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained Friday reveal the allegations involve thefts at Circa Hotel & Casino, Eureka Casino Resort in Mesquite and the Golden Nugget in Laughlin — as well as federal investigators, including the U.S. Secret Service.

SpankOdds Free Indefinitely (June 29, 2023)

SpankOdds to be Free for All Eternity - Well, at least indefinitely. At some point the nearly one-year-old line service is likely to begin charging, but its founder, Gadoon “Spanky” Kryollos, announced via Twitter there will be no charge entering this football season (2023) at least.

SpankOdds is one of the few line services incorporating US regulated books and those out of Vegas along side offshore mainstays.

The platform bills itself as "a real-time odds monitoring and injury alerting software that gives sports bettors an advantage".

CBS Sports: Isaiah Rodgers Among Those to be Suspended for Violating League Gambling Rules (June 29, 2023)
Colts veteran Isaiah Rodgers is one of several NFL players facing full-season 2023 suspensions as part of the league's latest investigation into gambling allegations, according to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones - Read More
Kim Zolciak’s Estranged Husband Has His Own Issues Amid Controversial Claims (June 29, 2023)
Kroy Biermann claims he and Zolciak's financial debts are because of her gambling problem, but he has his own personal gambling bills to worry about. Zolciak appeared on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Biermann, she claims, owes the Baha Mar Casino in the Bahamas $52K in unpaid gambling debts. The casino filed suit and the complaint has since been obtained by TMZ. According to the suit, Kroy obtained a $100,000 line of credit for use at Baha Mar Casino in advance of a November 2021 trip, and he ended up using $52,500 to gamble. The company in charge of handling Baha Mar Casino's credit line allege the reality TV star and NFL player drew $52,500 in chip markers at the casino and didn't repay the amount before leaving. Ugly divorce allegations continue. The couple's marriage fell apart after 13 years. Read More
More Gambling Suspensions Coming: Colts Isaiah Rodgers Among Them
(June 28, 2023) - Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (an arm of NBC Sports) has been doing an admirable job of covering the hypocrisy surrounding the National Football League's gambling policy and its attempts to reign in players while reaping the rewards of US regulated sports betting partnerships.

ESPN warns of more suspensions coming by week's end. We don't know who or how many, though Indianapolis Colts' Isaiah Rodgers is being named in media reports.

The good news is that the league seems to be trying harder, when it comes to properly educating players. The bad news is that flaws seem to remain.

Florio writes:

And they surely will. As previously mentioned, it becomes difficult for the NFL to have true moral authority when it comes to properly enforcing “thou shalt nots” when the NFL is stuffing its pockets full of cash from those who shalt continue to lose it.

Only when the league creates a true firewall between football and wagering will the league truly be equipped to create safeguards that players can understand, honor, and accept — especially since the entire situation currently oozes with hypocrisy.

Current Hot Headlines

Report: Colts' Isaiah Rodgers Among NFL Players Facing Yearlong Gambling Suspensions
Charles Barkley on His Gambling: 'I Wanna Be Dead Broke When I Keel Over'
DraftKings Drops Bid for PointsBet
$35K Fine Imposed After Underage Gambling At Harrah's Casino
Philadelphia Man Sentenced in Stabbing Death of Girlfriend at Atlantic City Casino

Holy Smoke! Circa Casino Scammed Out of $1 Million

(June 27, 2023) - A popular Las Vegas casino has reportedly been scammed out of $1 million in what's being called a "fire extinguisher scam".

Say what?

Erik Gutierrez, 23, has been charged with theft of more than $100,000.

He is alleged to have contacted Circa’s casino cage claiming to be the owner of the property and said he needed $320,000 for an emergency payment to the fire department in order to check fire extinguishers and other gear.

Ultimately, a cage supervisor ended up allegedly handing over $1.17 million during off-site exchanges believing they were giving it to Circa’s owner.

While Las Vegas police have recovered $850,000, $314,000 remains missing.

The casino’s CEO Derek Stevens said, “Although I love a good PR story, this isn’t one of them. Circa Resort & Casino is cooperating with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in this investigation. We greatly appreciate their efforts to date and cannot comment further due to an ongoing investigation.”

Joe Theismann Backs NFL's Gambling Crackdown
(June 27, 2023) - "We can't have fans believing games are 'fixed'," said football legend Joe Theismann, noting that he supports the league's crackdown on sports betting.

The NFL policy reinforcements and "re-education" come in response to the sport-wide surge of athlete suspensions for violating gambling rules. Sports analysts like Mike Florio still point to the hypocrisy.

"It better work. I think the NFL, because of the stringent nature of these rules that have been put in place, realizes that you just don't want to let anything seep into the game to give people the perception that the games are fixed, they're really trying to make sure of that," Theismann said Thursday during an appearance on "Varney & Co".

"From an NFL player standpoint, you think of the millions of dollars that the players are making. If you wanted to go into a facility, I guess in the off-season, it might be okay. But I don't think they're going to say if you play in the NFL, you can't gamble. But they certainly want to protect the integrity of the game as much as they possibly can. And I can certainly understand it," he continued.

Current Hot Headlines

Could Sportsbooks Stop Taking Bets on Drafts After NBA Controversy in Light of Shams Scandal?
How Reporters Can Affect Betting Lines
Survey Confirms Worst Clichés About Lottery-Loving ‘Crypto Bros’
Bare-Knuckle Fighting, Disc Golf, Futsal, Snooker, and Water Polo Bets Among 17 New Sports Betting Markets Approved in Arkansas
New Jersey Senator Proposes Bill to Regulate Sports Betting and Casino Advertising
Marcin Horecki Denies Mike Matusow as he Captures Poland's First-Ever Live WSOP Bracelet
PrizePicks Sued

(June 25, 2023) - PrizePicks has fast become a behemoth on the Daily Fantasy Sports scene with its hybrid DFS product that comes the closest to sports betting without requiring a license in most US states.

Now that the company is so big, it's also a target for what some say are frivolous lawsuits.

Case in point, a lawsuit filed this week alleges PrizePicks stole technology to use on its prop product, an accusation the company denies.

“After years of trying unsuccessfully to get us to buy its technology and intellectual property, Vetnos has now apparently resorted to a frivolous lawsuit to change our minds. That is not a good business or legal strategy. We intend to aggressively defend against this lawsuit and point out its many errors and outright falsehoods,” said Jason Barclay, Chief Legal Officer and Head of Public Policy at PrizePicks.

Sports Sports Betting Television Wrestling Business Gaming Entertainment Pop Culture Steaming

Advertising Promotions

News

Trending News Stories in the World of Gambling - November 21, 2022 (10 am ET)

Another One Bites the Dust

In case you missed it, Maxim Bet Sportsbook we hardly got to know ya.

That online sportsbooks announced its closure last week, joining what is thus far a rather small but fast growing list of casualties in recent weeks that include the likes of Fubo Sportsbook, BetAmerica and soon Fox Bet apparently.

Last week, Maxim Bet, which was limited to just the state of Colorado, issued the following statement:

On Wednesday, November 16, 2022, MaximBet closed its sports betting operations and is no longer accepting deposits or wagers. Customers can withdraw any deposited balances until Thursday, December 15, 2022. Any remaining player balances after this date will be refunded via check sent to the address on the account.

Colorado players log in to co.maximbet.com to withdraw. Indiana players log in to maximbet.com/bet to withdraw.

Open wagers are being returned to customers. The amount returned will be the greater of the original wager amount or the current fair value market pricing.

Customers can contact customer support at support@maximbet.com to void wagers and to request player withdrawals.

The anticipated Fox Bet closure has more to do with a complex arrangement between various entities such as FanDuel and PokerStars parent Flutter Entertainment and Fox Corp.

"Fox Bet is on borrowed time,” according to the research firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming. “Both Fox and Flutter can terminate the Fox Bet agreement in August 2023 and essentially dissolve the business.”

Fox Bet is heavily promoted during the Fox NFL Pregame Show Sunday mornings.

The Maxim Bet closure comes just days before FanDuel CEO Amy Howe declared others are sure to follow in that path, and that FanDuel will pretty much help get them there.

“It should be clear that new entrants that are entering now at this point may face a real challenge taking on scale players who have more than a four-year head start,” Howe said at the company’s Capital Markets Day on Wednesday.

(Gambling911.com)

A Bunch of Big Names Affected by FTX Collapse

Our friends at CoinGeek reported on how the FTX Exchange named as its compliance officer one Daniel S. Friedberg well over a year ago. Few can say they were not warned of what could become of this organization if, say, there was a sudden drop in the price of Bitcoin. Friedberg was not only tied in with a massive online poker cheating scheme way back in 2008, he was actually allegedly heard on audio discussing a coverup.

Now the bloodbath continues with a number of companies adversely affected by the abrupt closure of FTX two weeks ago.

Institutional trading firm Genesis announced on Nov. 11 it had $175 million in locked funds within the firm’s trading account on FTX but that it had limited exposure and daily operations would not be negatively affected.

Others admitted to having more significant exposure. Venture capital company Sequoia Capital was among those that warned of substantial losses. In their case, $213.5-million investment in companies FTX and FTX US was now said to be worth zero.

The BlockFi exchange tried to calm fears that much of its assets were tied up in FTX.

“While we will continue to work on recovering all obligations owed to BlockFi, we expect that the recovery of the obligations owed to us by FTX will be delayed as FTX works through the bankruptcy process.”

Kris Marszalek, CEO of exchange Crypto.com, claimed that $1 billion worth of assets that the exchange moved to FTX was fully recovered. His company advertised heavily over the past year, including during the most recent Super Bowl broadcast.

The Amber Group advised that it had funds tied up in FTX yet to be processed but those amounted to just 10% of the company's overall assets.

Galaxy Digital, Wintermute, CoinShares and Pantera Capital were also adversely impacted.

Meanwhile, the New York Post was all over the Friedberg online poker cheating scandal connection Sunday.

Friedberg, who reportedly resigned from FTX company earlier this month as it filed for bankruptcy, appears to have since scrubbed his LinkedIn account, which now displays a message “this page doesn’t exist”. Online bios for Friedberg said he joined FTX after a stint at the Seattle-based law firm Fenwick & West, where he chaired the payments systems practice.

FTX, meanwhile, has taken down an “about” page that listed short bios for its top executives, including disgraced ex-CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX co-founder Gary Wang and Friedberg, as well as links to their LinkedIn pages.

- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com

Stagnation of the US Online Casino Market

In 2013, New Jersey approved online gambling. Delaware had already gone live, and Nevada offered online poker, but NJ was the first state to bring on a complete set of online casino games. In these first few years, several other US states were still moving to pass bills that would legalize online casino gaming.

However, it appears that the US online gambling marketplace has lost momentum. And today, regulated online casinos are a reality only in six states—New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan. There are currently just over 50 online casino operators registered within different states. And not many new operators have launched lately.

The Early Days

Though not the most prominent online gaming market, Delaware was the first-ever state to legalize online gambling in the US. The state authorized its three tribal racinos, Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Raceway & Casino, to start online platforms in partnership with Scientific Gaming and 888. To date, no other operator has come on board. Nevada also allowed players to enjoy online poker games through various sites.

In NJ, online gaming companies such as Caesars launched soon after the introduction of the online gaming legislation in 2013. Another pioneering online gaming company to launch on US soil is Borgata New Jersey, which offers a complete casino lobby.

By the end of 2014, the online gaming industry had generated over $130,000,000, with an average monthly handle of $10,000,000. Since New Jersey had the highest number of regulated operators and a population bigger than Nevada and Delaware, it accounted for about 90% of online casino gaming revenue.

For the first 3 years, the US online casino industry only existed in three states. During this time, many proposed bills were voted down in other states, such as Pennsylvania. The revenue levels grew steadily, and in 2021, the US internet gaming industry earned over $3.71 Billion.

Online Casino Legal States

Online casinos seem to be taking too long to spread across America. The biggest concern for most states is the possibility of untamed gambling addiction. Some states are inhibited by traditional, religious, and social norms entirely opposing gambling activity. Since 2013, only six of the fifty American states have succeeded in legalizing online gambling. These are Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

Caesars, Borgata, Fanduel Casino, and DraftKings are the most dominant operators running in the different states. With nearly 20 recognized operators, New Jersey has the largest and most diverse internet gaming marketplace. Connecticut only has two casinos, the Mohegan Sun and DraftKings. In most cases, state legislation requires that all online casinos be offered through partnerships between local land-based establishments and international online operators.

Connecticut was the last state to introduce online gaming. The previous few casinos to launch include Bally Casino, which went live in New Jersey in January 2022, and PointsBet, which joined the West Virginia market. Another recent launch came up in Michigan in April 2022, a gaming site known as Eagle Casino & Sports.

What Does the Future Hold?

As you may have noticed, very little has moved since Connecticut legalized online casinos. However, let’s look at what other states are doing to bring regulated internet gaming to their shores. New York wasn’t the most gambling-friendly state. However, since it recently legalized sports betting, online casinos may be on the way. A February 2022-proposed Bill 8412 is set to legalize internet casino games.

Indiana introduced two identical bills to regulate the state’s online gaming industry. HB 1337 and HB 1356 await approval by the House before the governor can sign them. Illinois, too, may soon be getting casino apps. Illinois already allows internet sports betting and horse racing. Residents can also play at DFS sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. This means that there is a high potential for Fanduel Casino to launch soon.

A few other states have a strong likelihood of reforming gambling laws in 2023 or in the next two or three years. Big brands such as DraftKings and BetMGM will likely launch in Florida and California. These brands already exist in these jurisdictions, offering DFS, sports betting, or in-person gambling.

However, a decade since the first step was made, only six states in America offer legal online gaming and there have been fewer new launches coming through recently. So where does it leave players from the remaining 44 states?

“If You’re Not Moving Forward, You’re Drifting Backward”

That phrase accurately represents the rest of US market. Due to “upcoming” legislation, there are almost no new groups that ready to spend money on launching new brands in US. It’s just not worth it, considering the time is limited. Or at least supposed to be so.

In UK, EU, Canada, the online gambling market goes through rapid changes: new brands popping up, endless number of mergers and acquisitions. Of course not all of those changes are for the best, but the industry is live and evolving.

But if we serf the web here, in US, we will find the same programs that ruled the market 4, 6, 8 years ago. No new alternatives. Bovada sister sites still hold the lion share, BetOnline group next, as if nothing changed.

The worrisome aspect here is that when there are no new competitors emerging, the old groups can get sloppy, as they know that players have no alternatives to go to.

Conclusion

USA online gambling market is in transition stage. The problem is that instead of being a phase, a bridge to the future, it became the new normal. Unfortunately, no one knows when it will end.

- B.E. Delmer, Gambling911.com

Trending News Stories in the World of Gambling - November 12, 2022 (1 pm)

Tom Brady's FTX Connection

Much of the news in the world of poker and cryptocurrencies involves the collapse of the digital currency exchange FTX. And now there's a new wrinkle....Tom Brady.

Brady, Steph Curry and Kevin O’Leary are all reportedly set to lose big from Friday's FTX bankruptcy filing.

The Tampa Bay starting quarterback and seven times Super Bowl champ received an equity stake in the exchange.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time in the crypto-world and Sam and the revolutionary FTX team continue to open my eyes to the endless possibilities,” Brady said in 2021. “This particular opportunity showed us the importance of educating people about the power of crypto while simultaneously giving back to our communities and planet. We have the chance to create something really special here, and I can’t wait to see what we’re able to do together.”

FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried warned investors on Wednesday that the exchange had a $8 billion shortfall and that FTX would require emergency funding. That emergency funding was yet to come as of Saturday.

The poker community was shocked to learn this week that FTX's head of regulatory compliance was tied to a high profile 2008 poker cheating scandal despite our friends over at CoinGeek having reported on this rather terrifying revelation last year already.

Mattress Mack is Ready for Primetime

First Jimmy Kimmel, then GMA, and following that up with ESPN. Houston furniture mogul Jim McIngvale, known affectionately as "Mattress Mack", has made the rounds of all the big name media outlets following his entertaining presence during this year's World Series.

Now he's set to truly make it to the big stage.....Gambling911.com (ahem).

Our own Thomas Somach sits down with Mack to discuss his beloved Houston Astros winning another World Series.

"We spoke for over an hour," Somach tells us as he anticipates the interview going live on the Gambling911.com website Monday.

We spoke with the beloved Houston icon last year but Mack's Astros came up short against Atlanta in that World Series.

Mack won big this time around.

33 Detained in San Antonio Gambling Raid

Nearly 60 gambling machines were confiscated and 33 individuals taken into custody following an eventing raid of two illegal San Antonio gambling dens.

Deputies were called to both locations around 5 p.m. Thursday -- one in the 2500 block of West Woodlawn Avenue and one in the 100 block of Esma.

Eighteen people, both employees and customers at the Woodlawn location, were detained after deputies found roughly 40 eight-liner gambling machines. They also found a stolen vehicle parked at the establishment.

“There are organized crime ties to this location as well as the other,” Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said.

The two businesses are believed to be linked.

- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com

Media Man

Gambling Millionaires and Billionaires

Denise Coates: bet365

Denise Coates: 'I’ve been bossy all my life.' Photograph: Felix Clay for the Guardian

Ruth Monicka Parasol (PartyGaming - GVC Holdings)

Ruth Monicka Parasol (born February 27, 1967) is an American entrepreneur and attorney who founded PartyGaming in 1997. The company merged with Bwin Interactive in 2010 to form Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment then the world’s largest publicly traded online gaming company. Parasol is the single largest individual stakeholder of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. (Wikipedia)

James Packer and his father, the late Kerry Packer (Crown Resorts)

James Douglas Packer (born 8 September 1967) is an Australian billionaire businessman and investor.

Packer is the son of Kerry Packer AC, a media mogul, and his wife, Roslyn Packer AC. He is the grandson of Sir Frank Packer. He inherited control of the family company, Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, as well as investments in Crown Resorts and other companies. He is the former executive chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL) and Consolidated Media Holdings, which predominantly owned media interests across a range of platforms, and a former executive chairman of Crown Resorts. (Wikipedia).

David Walsh (art collector)

David Dominic Walsh AO (born 1961) is an Australian professional gambler, art collector and businessman. He is the owner of the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and Moorilla Estate.

Background
Walsh grew up in a Roman Catholic family in the Glenorchy district of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, the youngest of three children. He attended Dominic College, and the University of Tasmania, where he briefly studied mathematics and computer science in 1979. Walsh made his fortune by developing a gambling system used to bet on horse racing and other sports.

Walsh describes himself as a "rabid atheist". He has been married twice, the second time in March 2014, to artist Kirsha Kaechele. He has three children from different relationships.

In 2001, he founded the Moorilla Museum of Antiquities on the Berriedale peninsula in Hobart, which closed in 2007 to undergo $75 million renovations. It was re-opened in January 2011 as the Museum of Old and New Art or MONA. MONA won the 2012 Australian Tourism Award for best new development and is a major Tasmanian tourist attraction.

In July 2012, Walsh was involved in a dispute with the Australian Tax Office, which demanded he pay $37 million from the profits of his gambling system. The dispute was "entirely resolved" in October 2012.

In December 2013 Walsh gave a revealing interview on his personal philosophies, his quantitative approach to gambling, and the role of chance in his life to The Australian Financial Review's contributing editor Christopher Joye. He has stated that he subsequently developed a new chapter in his 2014 memoir based on the ideas that were formulated during this dialogue.

In October 2014 Walsh's book A Bone of Fact was published. The publisher described it as Walsh's "utterly unconventional and absorbing memoir".

On 20 July 2015 Walsh's partner Kirsha Kaechele gave birth to their child Sunday Walsh.

In the 2016 Australia Day Honours, Walsh was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for 'distinguished service to the visual arts through the establishment of MONA, and as a supporter of cultural, charitable, sporting and education groups.'

News

Denise Coates: the hidden 24/7 woman behind Bet365 - 9th July 2012

The founder of the highly profitable online bookmaking empire is arguably Britain's most successful self-made businesswoman

By Simon Bowers

The most visible face of online bookmaker Bet365, at least to Premiership football fans, is the actor Ray Winstone, who appears on half-time adverts during televised matches with updates on up-to-the-second odds - for example on whether Wayne Rooney will be the next goal scorer. But behind this most male of messengers is a passionate businesswoman, one of Britain's most talented entrepreneurs of her generation.

There is every chance you will never have heard of Denise Coates but with more than £12bn of bets a year staked with her highly profitable Bet365 online bookmaking empire, she is arguably the country's most successful self-made businesswoman.

"I really don't enjoy the attention. The public side does not come naturally to me," she explains, giving her first newspaper interview only after much persuasion. "I'm not saying I'm a shrinking violet. I'm not. I've been bossy all my life. It's just I very much enjoy actually running the business."

Coates can pass unrecognised through the streets of Stoke-on-Trent, where Bet365's success has made it the city's largest private sector employer, its unassuming offices a hi-tech hive of activity on the margins of an industrial landscape dominated by derelict pottery factories.

A gleaming Aston Martin, with personalised number plates bearing her initials in the small car park is the only overt sign of the fortune she has amassed. Certainly, Coates in person is striking in her lack of airs and graces.

In 12 years she has built Bet365 into a business with a revenue of £647m, only about a quarter of which comes from punters in the UK. Top-line operating profits of £147m are far greater than equivalent earnings from the online operations of either Ladbrokes or William Hill.

And there is a clue to Coates's success in the company name. "You start a 24/7 business and you work 24/7," she explains. "When you're not here [in the office], you take calls in the middle of the night, regularly – that's how the early days were. I've worked harder than you can possibly imagine. In the last couple of years, life has normalised … The impact on my life now is very different."

The latest filed accounts show Coates and her family have started to enjoy the fruits of their labour, sharing almost £75m in dividends over three years. Half of this has gone to Bet365's indefatigable founder, by dint of her 50.2% stake, making Coates a very rich woman indeed. Profits too have been used to subsidise Stoke City football club, which is majority owned by Bet365.

The Sunday Times' rich list published in April mentioned Coates almost as an adjunct to her father Peter Coates, the chairman of the football club, putting their combined wealth at £800m. In truth, however, while her popular and affable father has a small stake in Bet365, the business is controlled and run by his daughter.

"I'm not a social animal … I think there have been false assumptions made about my role," she says without a trace of irritation. "There was a misunderstanding that as dad was the chairman of Stoke, he ran Bet365 – something dad was always clear that he didn't do. However, the media decides, for whatever reasons, that maybe it makes a better story if they say he does."

She is similarly unperturbed about what it means to be a woman at the top of the bookmaking industry. "I never gave it a second thought. It didn't cross my mind. I probably had a few [meetings] at first where I had to put somebody right – but I knew my business, so it wasn't a problem … I just wanted to get on with making my business successful. I've never dwelled on the fact, or thought about the fact, that I was a woman."

Coates's start in the bookmaking industry was unremarkable. She began as a cashier, marking up results in a small number of betting shops owned by her father, and operated for him as a sideline to his main business which was football stadium catering. Outside the confines of the cashier's booth the bookmaking industry might have seemed to many a very male preserve, but Coates was blind to that and the trade appealed to her mathematical mind. "I really enjoyed it … by the time I left university [where she achieved a first in econometrics] I could run a betting shop."

Unclear what to do next, she went on to train as an accountant within the family firm – a useful move, she reflects, though the work was "dry" and she hated it. Given the opportunity by her father to take over what Coates remembers as "a small chain of pretty rubbish betting shops", she jumped at the challenge. Very soon the shops' fortunes had begun to turn around and, with the help of a huge loan from Barclays, Coates acquired a neighbouring chain, doubling the size of the business at a stroke.

But turning round the fortunes of the shops – long since sold on to Coral – was not enough. Working from an office above one of her father's bookies, Coates starting to notice the emerging popularity of gambling websites. Quickly, she was convinced this was where the future lay.

"She just kept saying: 'This is what we're going to do, this is what we're going to do,'" recalls her brother John Coates, who helps run the business and is her closest adviser. "The internet was there and she just felt sports betting was the thing."

Others too, such as Coral and William Hill, were tentatively exploring what the internet had to offer, but none leapt into these uncharted waters with quite the conviction of Coates. Having failed to raise a penny from venture capitalists in London, she turned instead to her father, other family members and Royal Bank of Scotland for the backing she needed.

"We mortgaged the betting shops and put it all into online. We knew the industry required big startup costs but … we gambled everything on it. We were the ultimate gamblers if you like."

It was a bet that has paid off spectacularly, producing a hi-tech business that employs 1,900 staff in Stoke and spends £60m a year on IT. "Why Stoke? It's a simple answer: it's where I'm from," says Coates. "We began in a Portakabin on a car park near one of the betting shops. It's to a large extent down to an accident of birth … As to why we have stayed here when every other major competitor is based in a lower tax jurisdiction, that's a more difficult question to answer logically."

In his March budget, the chancellor confirmed he wanted to remove this uneven tax regime, proposing the introduction of a tax based on the punter's jurisdiction rather than that of the online bookmaker. Bet365 has long pressed for such a move, claiming that about half of the £130m in taxes the group pays to the UK exchequer is made up of duty they might otherwise largely avoid if they relocated offshore. "The area means a lot to us," insists Coates. "We've always worked in Stoke, we've always had businesses in Stoke. I would never what to spend large parts of my time abroad if I can avoid it."

While Coates displays a loyalty to her hometown, she is markedly less sentimental when it comes to sport. Unlike many of her bookmaking counterparts, she is rarely to be found at big sporting events holding forth on her opinion of the likely outcome. She retains a resolutely commercial focus. "I'm not a regular at the races. I'm a regular in the workplace."

The group's ownership of Stoke City is a project she has almost nothing to do with, leaving it to her father and brother, for whom it is a great passion. Her husband also works at the club, which has received about £60m in Bet365 funds since it was taken over in 2006.

While some of her family relish the high-profile challenge of owning a Premiership club, Coates herself is happy to remain almost invisible, left to get on with her job. So protective of her privacy is she that she declines to discuss her interests beyond work. "My family is what's important to me," is the nearest she comes, though she won't say whether she has children.

Although she has not won the Veuve Clicquot businesswoman of the year award or enjoyed the celebrity of internet entrepreneur peers such as Martha Lane Fox, Coates's success was finally recognised outside the betting industry last year when she was awarded a CBE. Should Bet365 continue to flourish, it is hard to imagine her remaining below the radar much longer.

*click here for full article and multimedia

(The Guardian)

Gambling

Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three elements to be present: consideration (an amount wagered), risk (chance), and a prize. The outcome of the wager is often immediate, such as a single roll of dice, a spin of a roulette wheel, or a horse crossing the finish line, but longer time frames are also common, allowing wagers on the outcome of a future sports contest or even an entire sports season.

The term "gaming" in this context typically refers to instances in which the activity has been specifically permitted by law. The two words are not mutually exclusive; i.e., a "gaming" company offers (legal) "gambling" activities to the public and may be regulated by one of many gaming control boards, for example, the Nevada Gaming Control Board. However, this distinction is not universally observed in the English-speaking world. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the regulator of gambling activities is called the Gambling Commission (not the Gaming Commission).The word gaming is used more frequently since the rise of computer and video games to describe activities that do not necessarily involve wagering, especially online gaming, with the new usage still not having displaced the old usage as the primary definition in common dictionaries. "Gaming" has also been used to circumvent laws against "gambling". The media and others have used one term or the other to frame conversations around the subjects, resulting in a shift of perceptions among their audiences.

Gambling is also a major international commercial activity, with the legal gambling market totaling an estimated $335 billion in 2009.[6] In other forms, gambling can be conducted with materials that have a value, but are not real money. For example, players of marbles games might wager marbles, and likewise games of Pogs or Magic: The Gathering can be played with the collectible game pieces (respectively, small discs and trading cards) as stakes, resulting in a meta-game regarding the value of a player's collection of pieces. (Wikipedia)