Monthly Archives: February 2015

RAWA to get hearing before House Judiciary subcommittee on March 5

The Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) anti-online gambling legislation introduced this month by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) will get a hearing on Capitol Hill on March 5.

News of the hearing was broken by Michelle Minton, a member of the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute, which was one of a dozen prominent conservative organizations that voiced opposition to RAWA last November. Citing anonymous sources, Minton said the Sheldon Adelson-backed RAWA had a date with the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations.

Chaffetz is one of nine Republicans on the 17-member Subcommittee and the Republican party’s belief that online gambling is the nexus of all evil is well documented. Another member of the Subcommittee, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), once claimed there was “a correlation between drug dealers and gambling sites.”

At last month’s confirmation hearing for Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who is reportedly close to introducing a Senate version of RAWA, spent most of his allotted time quizzing Lynch over whether she believed Islamic extremists were utilizing online gambling as a means of funding their terrorist activities.

Speaking of Graham, Adelson has signed on as co-chair of a March 3 luncheon benefitting Graham’s Security Through Strength presidential exploratory committee. A Graham aide told McClatchy News that the involvement of Adelson, a significant GOP campaign financier, need not be construed as an endorsement of Graham’s presidential ambitions.

Meanwhile, presidential ambitions may have prompted another pol to step down as co-chair of Adelson’s Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling (CSIG). Former New York governor George Pataki’s name no longer appears on the CSIG website, which may reflect Pataki’s desire to rid himself of divisive associations before throwing his hat into the 2016 presidential derby. Pataki’s CSIG tenure was marked by embarrassing media appearances, including a CNBC interview in which he insisted (without evidence) that “transnational” criminal gangs were getting fat off online gambling.

Hoosier Lottery: Where does the money go?

Winter Weather Advisory issued February 18 at 12:37AM EST expiring February 18 at 12:00PM EST in effect for: Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland Wind Chill Warning issued February 18 at 3:45PM EST expiring February 19 at 12:00PM EST in effect for: Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland Wind Chill Warning issued February 18 at 3:45PM EST expiring February 19 at 12:00PM EST in effect for: Fayette, Union, Wayne Winter Weather Advisory issued February 18 at 12:13PM EST expiring February 18 at 8:15PM EST in effect for: Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Clay, Clinton, Daviess, Decatur, Delaware, Fountain, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Randolph, Rush, Shelby, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Vermillion, Vigo, Warren INDIANAPOLIS – Since the … (more)

Paul Phua Prosecutors Seek to Have Banned Evidence Reinstated 

Paul Phua isn’t off the hook just yet. Federal prosecutors in Nevada are asking US District Judge Andrew Gordon to reconsider Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen’s conclusion to prohibit evidence obtained through questionable FBI tactics last July. On suspicion that Phua was operating an illegal sports betting ring, agents shut off the Internet to his Las […]

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PokerStars and Caesars Partnering to Push for Online Poker in America

Caesars Entertainment and PokerStars have announced that they will be working together to help promote online poker throughout the United States, a move that puts two of the largest companies in gaming on the same page in the online poker debate. The announcement came just after Caesars noted that they were willing to let go […]

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Tatts online wagering outperforms retail as UBET rebrand looms

Australian betting and lottery operator Tatts Group posted revenue growth in the low single digits during its fiscal H1 but cost controls and a strong online performance helped push profits up 14.6% to $139.8m.

Tatts overall wagering revenue in the six months ending Dec. 31 was basically flat at $339.2m, although earnings rose 6.4% to $91.8m. Online wagering revenue rose 13% while retail wagering fell 1.8% and phone betting slumped 12.7%. Digital operations now account for 24.8% of Tatts wagering revenue and Tatts CEO Robbie Cooke said the company was “optimistic about our potential to deliver strong growth in digital.”

In November, Tatts announced it would consolidate its Tattsbet, TAB, Tote and Tatts.com brands under the new UBET umbrella. Cooke said the first rebranded retail outlet is set to launch in early April. The rebrand will also include a “significant” marketing spend to promote the new website and mobile apps.

Tatts’ lottery operations revenue rose just 1.2% to $1.01b, but online lottery revenue rose 18%, representing 10.8% of overall lottery sales, up from 9.2% in the previous comparable period. Cost controls helped lottery earnings rise 2.4% to $161.1m.

Tatts is preparing the launch of a new Set For Life lottery, which offers players the chance to win $20k per month for 20 years. Cooke said the intention was to rope in some younger lottery players, particularly those just starting families and “looking for a life-changing outcome.”

Tatts’ gaming venue services business Maxgaming reported revenue up 1.1% to $58.8m. The Bytecraft machine services division saw revenue fall 4.5% to $51.3m and the UK-based Talarius slot machine division reported revenue up 12.3% to $59.3m.

Tatts says it has yet to book as income the $540m judgment it received from the state of Victoria over its discontinued pokies license. Two days before Christmas, Victoria appealed the ruling to the High Court of Australia. There’s no hearing scheduled for the appeal and Tatts says it will continue to treat the windfall as a current liability until it’s sure there will be no clawback.

WSOP.com Offers Mega Promos in NV and NJ

New Jersey and Nevada online poker players who enjoy tournaments with small buy-ins would be wise to head over to WSOP.com. The Mini Festival of Poker has been running since February 1, with 10 days remaining in which to participate.

One tournament is being held each day over the course of the month. Buy-ins during the Mini Festival are all $10 or less, except for the event scheduled for February 28. The final MTT for the fest features a $20 entry fee with re-buys and add-ons, and promises a prize pool of at least $4,000.

That concluding event marks $20,000 in combined guarantees throughout February in the Mini Festival of Poker. Players may click here to find out more information about playing at WSOP.com.

Welcome Week Bonus Bonanza

Officials Discuss TVG Purchase of HRTV

The chief executive officer of TVG, on the heels of the announcement that the Betfair subsidiary has purchased rival HRTV from The Stronach Group, said Feb. 18 the company plans to maintain two racing channels and market them accordingly. Kip Levin, the TVG CEO, and Keith Brackpool, chairman of West Coast operations for The Stronach Group, addressed the California Horse Racing Board on the topic of the sale of HRTV to Betfair subsidiary TVG.

Irish Rugby Player Loses a Pot, and Then Loses the Plot

A professional rugby player from Dublin, Ireland, has been ordered to pay a man €10,000 in compensation after flooring him during a poker game in April 2012.

I am currently in Dublin.

I was invited to play in a poker event.

After learning of the fate of 57-year old Michael Frisby, I might have to buy myself a gum shield.

Frisby suffered three broken bones, in his face, after being floored by a punch from former professional rugby player Neilus Keogh, 27, after a poker hand that went awry in April 2012.

The Irish Times reported that the pair were playing in a nine-handed poker game, in Dublin’s The Sporting Emporium, when Keogh lost a pot, stood up and floored the man twice his age. He topped things off with a chair shot whilst the Frisby was floored.

Keogh, who was playing for Nottingham at the time, did not have his contract renewed due to the ‘adverse publicity’ of the case. The Times reported that Keogh currently plays amateur rugby for London Irish and works as a building construction worker earning £350 per week.