Online lottery betting operator Lottoland’s insurance premiums are likely going up after one of its customers hit a €90m jackpot.

On June 1, a Lottoland customer in Berlin identified only as ‘Christina’ hit the jackpot after correctly betting on all five winning numbers in a EuroJackpot lottery draw. The €90m (US$106m) prize dwarfed Lottoland’s previous record payout of €14m in 2016, which also went to a German customer.

Lottoland claims that the payout is the single largest sum ever issued by an online gambling or lottery site and will likely prove a winner for the company’s future marketing strategies. And the best part is, the company isn’t on the hook for the whole sum.

In 2015, Lottoland took out an insurance policy against this type of jackpot scenario via an insurance-linked securities (ILS) scheme it lumped under the banner of Fortuna Insurance. This scheme also helped Lottoland defer the cost of that €14m payout in 2016.

An illegal gambling agent has won the dubious honor of becoming the first person convicted under Singapore’s Organized Crime Act (OCA).

On Friday, Singapore media reported that Or Poh Soon had pleaded guilty to acting as an agent for unauthorized online gambling operators that accepted lottery and sports bets via at least six websites, including Peng888.com.

The 55-year-old Or (pictured) was one of dozens of individuals arrested in 2016 in the city-state’s first online gambling bust since the Singapore Pools and Turf Club monopolies launched their state-approved sites. Six of these individuals, including Or, were charged last November with offenses under the OCA, marking the first time the OCA had been used since its passage in June 2016.

Or, a former newspaper vendor, had been recruiting punters for the online gambling group since 2013, earning an 8-10% commission on his punters’ wagers, plus an additional 5% of any lottery prizes his customers were lucky enough to win.

It’s that time of the year again when gaming executives from all over the world take a short break from their busy schedules and enjoy the company of old friends—while also meeting new ones—at the annual AGB Networking Social in Manila.

Over 100 gaming executives from the Philippines and across the globe are expected to attend the popular networking social for a night of revelry and laughter. The event is on Thursday, June 14, at Antidote Roof Top Bar in Makati City.

The AGB Networking Social is an annual gathering where everyone catches up with old friends in the gaming industry as well as build new connections with new acquaintances while enjoying the breathtaking views of Manila’s cityscape at night.

Companies that have already confirmed to attend the annual gathering include Asia Gaming, Astro Pay, August Gaming, BBTech, BetCris, Betdeal, ChromeLab Technologies, D’Heights Resort & Casino, DFNN, Fortuna Investments, Goldblue, Golden Hero, Hatch Asia, JackPotJoy Group, Lapu Lapu Leisure, Okada Manila, Paysec, Rebus Technologies, Spade9, and Triple One Tech.

Darren Elias has had a significant amount of prosperity at the poker tables. The New Jersey resident has racked up over $6 million in live-table earnings, and has won the World Poker Tour (WPT) four times—almost five before he was knocked out in third place at the WPT Tournament of Champions in May. His four wins broke a tie for the most titles, which had been shared by Elias, Chino Rheem, Carlos Mortensen, Anthony Zinno and Gus Hansen. Due to his success, his opinion carries some weight, so it might be conducive to future tournaments if WPT organizers listen to him about the decision to have all final table action of the upcoming season play out in Las Vegas.

Elias sat down for an interview with Card Player’s Julio Rodriguez, in which he was asked about his recent run at the tables and making it into the record books. Elias showed his humble side in responding to the questions, but when asked about the delayed final tables being played in Vegas, he didn’t hold back.

“The new arena is cool, although I think they still have some kinks to work out before the WPT goes back,” he explained. “For example, it was very cold in there, and we were seated close together considering the size of the set. But at the end of the day, if it draws in some Esports players to poker who might not otherwise have been exposed to the game, then it will be worth it. Right now, we don’t have a lot of younger players, especially in America, picking up poker like they did a decade ago, and maybe this is the way to get those players. If down the line, we get some big final tables going in the arena with some big crowds to watch, then that would be amazing.”

Elias also indicated that delayed tables can result in players gaming the system. He opined that players should be the same at both the start and the end of a tournament, and a break in between could give some players the ability to seek additional training and hire coaches to improve their skills.

Colorado residents now know the state’s position on gambling. Last Wednesday, Lt. Governor Donna Lynne signed off on a bill drafted by state Reps. KC Becker and Paul Lundeen and Sen. Bob Gardner that clarifies Colorado regulations regarding the subject of “simulated gaming activity.” It further provides definitions of “gambling,” “prize” and “simulated gambling device” in the state.

Under HB-18 1234, a simulated gambling device is now categorized as a device that combines “the elements of chance and skill, in accordance with the Colorado constitution.” The bill further explains that a simulated gambling device is illegal if the user is paid indirectly, “or in a nonmonetary form for use of a simulated gambling device, and that time of payment (i.e. before or after the use of the device) is irrelevant.”

The bill was pushed forward following a high-profile case this year related to gambling machines.

In April, three people were arrested and charged with 430 counts of operating illegal gambling operations at three different locations. The defendants, Eduard Gugulyan and the husband-wife team of Bargrat and Tammy Garamov, were accused of engaging in professional gambling, possession of gambling devices, fraudulent limited gaming acts, maintaining a gambling premise and shipping and invoicing slot machines. All three pleaded not guilty, in accordance with existing laws.

Universal Entertainment Corp. (UEC) is turning to its US-based subsidiary, UE Technologies Inc., in an effort to win an operating license in the Philippines. The company hopes to use the company to obtain a license to manufacture casino equipment and devices, such as currency validators, player tracking systems and fully automated casino tables and machines, in the country.

According to the media outlet The Standard, UEC indicates that the manufacturing license will give the company protection in the event a  “shareholder or an officer of the company become the subject of an investigation and later on determined to be an unsuitable individual.”

UEC pointed out that, per worldwide regulations, shareholders and officers alike are required to maintain compliance with regulations in order for the entity to retain its license. Due to the regulations, management officers and shareholders are also subjected to suitability screenings led by gaming commissions to ensure adherence to the regulations.

UEC further indicated, “So much so that before being given a license to operate, members of the management and shareholders are required to undergo strict screenings on sustainability conducted by the gaming commission serving as the regulatory authorities.” If any officer or shareholder is found to be unsuitable, the company represented by the official can be denied a license, as well as have its current license revoked.

More Australians are calling on the federal government to abandon its plan to ban lottery betting, according to Lottoland Australia Chief Executive Luke Brill.

Gaming Intelligence reported that over 15,800 Australians have signed the petition prodding the federal government to spare wagering on overseas lotteries. For Brill, the numbers are encouraging, particularly since the operator is nearing its possible eviction from the land down under.

“The public response to this petition has been staggering and sends a clear message to the Government that the community does not support a ban on overseas lottery betting,” Brill said, according to the news outlet.

To put things in perspective, the Lottoland executive claimed that it only took less than three weeks to garner enough support and signatories compared with the supposed ‘Lottoland’s Gotta Go!’ campaign of rival Tabcorp Holdings.

South Korea’s foreigner-only casino operator Paradise Co Ltd. is back on its feet after its casino revenues accelerated by as much as 25.2 percent in May.

In a disclosure to Korean Stock Exchange, Paradise Co. announced that its May casino revenue grew to KRW51.96 billion ($48.5 million), compared to about KRW41.51 billion ($38.63 million) in May last year.

The casino operator managed to recover from a minor financial slip, with casino revenues surging 36.0 percent last month from KRW38.39 billion ($35.86 million) in April 2018.

The company attributed the higher May results to robust table revenue, which grew 22 percent to KRW47.53 billion ($44.23 million) compared with KRW38.98 billion ($36.27 million) it posted in the same month last year.

India’s tax agency has placed 10 of the biggest casinos in the state of Goa under investigation over allegations that they have been evading service taxes, according to The Economic Times of India report.

Tax officers from India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence came knocking on the doors of the supposed erring casinos to serve their respective tax notices. The government is demanding these 10 casinos to pay the service taxes on their license fees.

India’s intelligence arm accused the casinos of failing to pay tax on license fees from 2014 to 2016. The government argued that the law clearly stated that the casinos were required to remit 15 percent tax on the license fees to be in business.

Data showed that Goa hosted at least six land-based casinos while the remaining were floating casinos. The brick-and-mortar casinos were situated in the Indian state’s five-star hotels, where only visitors from other states are welcomed.

Another round-up of weekly poker news including all of the winners from the World Series of Poker, a recap from 888Live Barcelona and much more. 

Another’s weekly dose of poker news is about to drop on the floor with the same grace as bits and pieces that fall from a rhino’s foot caked in mud, beginning at the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Elio Fox leads the Player of the Year (POY) race with nine events resigned to history. Fox himself won the first one when he took down Event #2: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super Turbo Bounty for $393,693 before finishing runner-up to Nick Petrangelo in Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for $1.8m; Petrangelo scooped $2.9m for the win.

Jordan Hufty was in tears when he took down Event #1: $565 Casino Employees Event No-Limit Hold’em for $61,909. Joe Cada won his third bracelet when he took down Event #3: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout for $226,218, and joining him on that number was Paul Volpe, beating Eli Elezra, heads-up, to win Event #9: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship for $417,921.

Another review from the World Series of Poker, this time focusing on Paul Volpe’s third bracelet win in Event #9: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better. 

If you’re going to have an early punt on the face to replace Chris “Was That Really an Apology” Ferguson as the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Player of the Year (POY) look no further than Paul Volpe.

Volpe has never spat into my dictaphone.

I don’t know the man.

Lee Davy sits down with Nathan Hunt, CEO of the decentralised, analytical blockchain platform for smart e-sports betting, Bettium, to talk about his plans to disrupt the industry, customer value and much more. 

I don’t know why I gambled. Of course, it made the game more interesting when watching it on the box. How pointless a horse race becomes without a flutter. Golf and cricket, two games that are about as interesting as coming across a dog in a zoo, make orgasms seem dull.

But that wasn’t it.

Freedom.