Monthly Archives: March 2015

Winning Powerball Ticket in South Lake Tahoe Claimed

Does the name Linda Emmons mean anything to you? It might ring a bell these days as Emmons came forward to claim her over $700,000 Powerball prize. Emmons was able to match 24-44-31-11 and 40 on a $20 Quick Pick ticket, missing only the number 27 from the drawing on March 11. The winning ticket was sold at the 7-Eleven location on Pioneer Trail in South Lake Tahoe.

US Representative Joe Barton of Texas Pushes Federal Poker Bill

US Representative Joe Barton (R-Texas) plans to introduce a bill that would regulate online poker at the federal level, a move that would put him in stark opposition to some Republican colleagues who support a total ban on Internet poker and casino games. Barton has previously pushed pro-poker legislation in recent years, and says that […]

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Tournament Directors Association Criticized For Meeting At Venetian

Poker tournaments need good tournament directors to run smoothly, and the profession is becoming more and more serious about making sure that players get a good, fair experience at tournaments worldwide every year. The Tournament Directors Association (TDA) is a big part of that, which has made the annual TDA Summit into an important, if […]

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Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott Diagnosed With Colon Cancer

One of the UK’s best loved poker players, Dave Ulliott also known as Devilfish, has recently been diagnosed with colon cancer. The unexpected news came to light over the weekend after London-based pro, Sin Menis Melin, posted a message of support on Ulliott’s Facebook page. “Apparently he’s got colon cancer n looking doubtful he’ll make […]

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OPAP’s 2014 profit rises 41% thanks to World Cup, new products and cost-cutting

Greek betting operator OPAP saw profit rise 41% last year thanks to aggressive cost-cutting, new product launches and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

OPAP reported revenue up 14.8% to €4.26b and profits up over €58m to €199.2m in its first full year of operations since the Greek government sold its one-third stake to the Emma Delta consortium. The new bosses imposed a raft of cost controls, including a voluntary redundancy program, a 56.5% drop in donations/grants and a 31% cut in sponsorship expenditure.

OPAP CEO Kamil Ziegler credited the uptick to the successful launch of a new lottery scratch card that contributed revenue of €203m. OPAP also enjoyed a solid performance by its Joker lottery product, which reported revenue up 28.5% to €267m. OPAP’s Stihima sports betting product saw revenue rise 21% to €1.5b thanks to the World Cup but revenue from OPAP’s flagship Kino product fell 1.6% to €2b. Gross gaming revenue rose 20.5% to €416m in Q4, the sixth consecutive quarter of positive traction.

Ziegler took pains to point out that OPAP contributed “significantly higher proceeds” to the cash-strapped Greek government in 2014, making OPAP “the largest taxpayer” in a country notorious for its tax-evading nature.

Amaya to sell Cadillac Jack gaming machine unit to American Gaming Systems

Canada’s Amaya Gaming has taken another major step toward divesting itself of its B2B assets via the sale of land-based gaming machine division Cadillac Jack.

On Monday, the Montreal-based Amaya announced it had struck a deal to sell Cadillac Jack’s indirect parent company Amaya Americas Corporation to American Gaming Systems (AGS), an affiliate of funds managed by Apollo Global Management. Apollo is one of the two hedge funds that control struggling casino operator Caesars Entertainment.

AGS, which designs and manufactures gaming products for US tribal casinos, has agreed to pay Amaya C$461m in cash plus a $15m payment-in-kind note bearing 5% annual interest that matures eight years from the deal’s closing date. The parties expect the deal to close later this year.

In January, Amaya announced its plans to shed its B2B assets in order to focus on its Rational Group B2C operations – including online gambling sites PokerStars and Full Tilt – that Amaya acquired last June for $4.9b. Amaya had already announced its intention to flog Cadillac Jack several months prior to the January announcement. The Cadillac Jack sale follows hot on the heels of last week’s announcement that Amaya would spin off its Diamond Game Enterprises lottery unit via an initial public offering.

Hartlebury Castle's future secured after it is bought for A 5 million

It was transferred from the ownership of the Church Commissioners to the trust, in association with Worcestershire County Council and Museums Worcestershire, on Friday. Its new owners will now be able to preserve the castle and its valuable assets, as well as embark on programs for activities and improved access.

Casino City Releases 2015 Indian Gaming Industry Report: Indian…

Casino City Press today announced the release of the 2015 edition of  Casino City’s Indian Gaming Industry Report – the most comprehensive, up-to-date study of Indian gaming available – authored by Dr. Alan Meister, an economist with Nathan Associates Inc., who has done extensive research and analysis on Indian gaming issues.