Learning how to avoid burnout has been a topic of conversation over the last year in the gambling industry. Becoming familiar with the signs of burnout is especially vital since the shift to working from home.

The symptoms of burnout include fatigue, anxiety, exhaustion and frequent illness. When the little everyday chores start to blow-up into a major drama it’s time to seek out some help. Here are some tips to help you avoid burnout in 2021.

Burnout is something that is recognised by psychologists as a genuine condition; left untreated it can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes and even depression. It’s something that won’t disappear on its own and requires the help of a doctor.

Bedrest is a solution

SJM Holdings had a difficult 2020 because of COVID-19, but it isn’t going to let a little thing like money trouble get in the way of the casino operator continuing its plan to offer annual “living subsidies” to its Macau employees. It, like other casino operators in the city, has given annual bonuses to its workers over the years and has confirmed that it is ready to start distributing checks once again. The pay will be split into two parts, with the first payment expected to be made this week. 

SJM announced the payment scheme today, explaining that it will distribute the first half of the subsidy this Wednesday and the second half in July. Daisy Ho Chiu Fung, the company’s chairperson, added in the announcement, “We would like to thank our staff members for their diligent work and dedicated support amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Those company employees who earn $2,505 or less will be given a bonus of two months’ salary, according to GGRAsia. Those who earn above that mark will pick up a bonus of one-and-a-half times their monthly salary or $5,000, whichever is higher. The bonus is valid for all eligible employees, even those who have worked for the company for less than a year; however, those who fall in the latter category will find their bonuses prorated based on the amount of time they have been with SJM. The living subsidy scheme has been in place for six years and SJM confirmed in 2019 that it doesn’t anticipate making any changes for at least another year. That, of course, was pre-COVID-19, but the global pandemic hasn’t forced it to alter its course too drastically. 

SJM just picked up a new chief financial officer, who will help ensure the company can continue to make good on its promises and bounce back from the coronavirus issues. Toh Hup Hock is taking over for Robert Earle McBain, who decided it was time to retire. Toh officially started last Friday, having most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer (Finance and Development) for SJM’s Macau operations. Prior to that, he spent almost six years with Sands China, from 2010-2016, and about three years with Shangri-La Asia Limited, from April 2016 to March 2019.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) may have had a pretty rough year in 2020, but it still helped the government’s coffers quite a bit. The regulator and casino operator contributed P17 billion ($353.7 million) to the Bureau of the Treasury through 15 December 2020, making it the country’s third biggest contributor, but only delivering half of what they did in 2019.

As PAGCOR is a Government-owned or controlled corporation (GOCC), it’s mandated to hand over 50% of it’s net earnings to the treasury. The P17billion was enough to rank it only behind the country’s central bank, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which contributed P40.53 billion ($843.4 million), and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) with P17.98 billion ($374.1 million).

 In a statement, the Department of Finance noted that GOCC contributions would help fight Covid-19, as well as help restart the economy and help those in need.

The contribution from PAGCOR, while admirable, is still a far cry from what they contributed in 2019. In that year, they sent P35.93 billion ($706.38 million) to the treasury. But so many difficulties resulted in revenues being a far cry from what they once were.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmu0vUMKynk?feature=oembed&w=640&h=360]

Long-time readers of Calvinayre.com will be familiar with Lee Davy, who wrote for the site for years, providing great coverage of the Poker world. He’s come back to speak with our Becky Liggero Fontana on this week’s episode of The Long Con about his new project, 1000 Days Sober, and how everyone can live a better life by embracing sobriety.

Davy talks about his introduction to addiction through smoking, and how he gradually developed a drinking problem too. He’s made it his life passion to help others struggling with addiction, and explained where he gets his wisdom:

“It’s called the STRIVE method for addiction, and it’s an experience that is born out of my personal experience, and the teaching and training that I’ve learned from everybody along the way. It’s based on the Transtheoretical Behavioral Model of Addiction by a guy called James Prochaska, who wrote an amazing book called ‘Changing for Good,’ which basically says there are six stages of addiction. So addiction is a subjective experience for all of us, but his research showed that there are six specific phases, and that allowed me to think okay I kind of get this.”

It’s taken over a decade, but Huck Seed is finally a member of the Poker Hall of Fame.

Just a few weeks ago, when the list if potential inductees was released, we ourselves favoured the induction of Las Vegas poker superstar, Main Event champion and prop bet legend Huckleberry Seed. Despite that, it didn’t seem likely to happen. Others threw their weight behind the considerable talents of Lon McEachern and Norman Chad, for example. Plenty of other big names were up for nominations, too, such as Antonio Esfandiari and Mike Matusow. Sure, Chris Ferguson looked like an empty slot, but many other had high hopes.

In the end, however, Huck Seed made it into the Poker Hall of Fame during this strangest of years with an overwhelming voting advantage. Here’s how the final vote stood, as confirmed by the World Series of Poker’s announcement of Seed’s induction.

Huck Seed (winner) – 76 votes

There can be no doubt that over the last 17 years, one player’s name has been uttered more than any other. From the initial miraculous heralding of a champion to a constant energy at live festivals and a permanent influence on the game of poker itself, the legend that is Chris Moneymaker has personally defined poker more than any other player in recent times.

Other than that butterfly that Ashton Kutcher couldn’t stop going on about, who else can lay claim to having spawned an ‘effect’?

Since his epoch-making victory in the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event Chris Moneymaker has been patched up as part of the PokerStars Team Pros.

In the years since his ambassadorial reign began, of course, many things have changed in poker. The way the game is played is very different, as is the coverage that surrounds it, the money involved and sponsorships have been hugely influenced by the ‘Moneymaker Effect’.