Over a million pounds is to be devoted to promoting the heritage of the Isle and Hatfield Chase, with a future legacy to ensure projects continue to thrive. Groups are submitting bids now for a share of the Heritage Lottery funding.
Monthly Archives: January 2015
World Series of Poker Backs Off of $10 Million Guarantee
The World Series of Poker has gone through numerous changes since it began in 1970. Those changes have happened more rapidly since the poker boom, as organizers have tried to constantly adjust the series to meet the wants and needs of players at the year’s most important tournament festival. Last year’s changes included a $10 […]
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AGA Wants AG Nominee Questioned on Illegal Betting Views
US Attorney General Nominee Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s choice to replace outgoing AG Eric Holder, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC) for confirmation hearings starting today, and the American Gaming Association wants to know her views on illegal betting. In a letter sent on Tuesday to SJC Chairman Charles Grassley, and […]
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Knee Chip Sidelines Hutcheson Winner Barbados
Two-time stakes winner will undergo surgery to remove chip from upper left knee.
The Great War to Return in 96ROCK Stakes
The Great War, a promising colt who finished fourth in last year’s Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) is set to make his 2015 debut in the $75,000 96ROCK Stakes for 3-year-olds Jan. 31 at Turfway Park.
Ocean Knight, Catalina Red Top Sam F. Davis
Stonestreet Stables’ Ocean Knight, winner of his only start in solid fashion, and record-setting Florida horse Catalina Red head a group of 12 entered for the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 31 at Tampa Bay Downs.
Kentucky Approves Racing License for Blasi
A licensing committee of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved the license request of Scott Blasi, Steve Asmussen’s assistant trainer who last year was at the center of allegations from an animal rights group.
FBI, DEA bust illegal online betting site, marijuana trafficking operation
Eight people have been indicted for running an illegal online sports betting and marijuana trafficking ring in Oregon. Early Wednesday morning, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Agency raided several locations in Portland, arresting the eight individuals, all of whom share Vietnamese lineage.
Among the indicted are Kiet Anh Vo and Vinh Tuong Nguyen. Vo is accused of managing the ring’s password-protected betting site, vnbets.net (pictured), and the group also took wagers over the phone and in person. Vo and Nguyen ran a legit Portland business, the Lava Café, at which the ring’s agents would drop off bettors’ losses and collect cash to pay out winners on a weekly basis.
The other six accused reportedly acted as agents on the ground handling interactions with bettors. The bookies would charge a certain percentage on each wager, the amount varying depending on the bettor and the amount being waged. The ring is believed to have been in operation since April 2014.
The defendants are also accused of purchasing “bulk marijuana from wholesale distributors on the west coast” then shipping it to states on the eastern seaboard, including Tennessee and North Carolina. Cash from these sales would be deposited into accounts linked to the accused and Nguyen would sometimes fly to these states to pick up cash, returning from one trip in August carrying nearly $70k in cash.
The defendants are facing charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with both the gambling and drug trafficking operations.
New Jersey Store Sells $1M Powerball Ticket
A Bergen County, NJ, store sold a $1 million Powerball ticket this weekend, lottery officials announced.
The second-place ticket was sold at South Main Quick Stop in Lodi, matching all five white balls, just not the Powerball. No ticket hit the full jackpot, rolling it to $261 million for tonight’s drawing, Wednesday, Jan. 28.
The winning numbers were: 16, 19, 20, 29 and 33. The Red Power ball was 10 and the Multiplier was 02.
Greenville police seize 1,100 bags of heroin wrapped in NY lottery tickets
Greenville police say they seized 1,100 bags of heroin wrapped in New York lottery tickets and have one person behind bars on a $2-million bond.
Take Charge Brandi Set for Martha Washington
Few connections wanted to face Take Charge Brandi, but in the end a field of seven was drawn with the champion 2-year-old filly making her sophomore debut from post 6 under a highweight assignment of 122 pounds.
Invasor to Uruguay's Haras Cuatro Piedras
The son of Candy Stripes, who was named U.S. Horse of the Year and champion older male in 2006, will return to Uruguay to stand at Haras Cuatro Piedras, it was announced Jan. 18.
No Movement on Plans for Calder Barn Area
Calder and CDI still have not applied for any of the permits required to tear down barns and put up new structures, the head of the development department for the city of Miami Gardens said Jan. 26.
Xpressbet Offers 'X-Country Pick 4' Feb. 7
Online wagering provider Xpressbet, in conjunction with Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park, and The Stronach Group, unveils a new Pick 4 wager Feb. 7 featuring four important stakes races at the two tracks.
Merrill Woman Wins $1 Million in Wisconsin Lottery
Marilyn Katke bought her winning ticket on Monday at the Kwik Trip at 2311 East Main Street in Merrill. She will take home more than $673,000 after taxes.
Netherlands fines ComeOn Europe €180k for serving Dutch punters
The Netherlands gaming regulator has slapped Malta-licensed online gambling operator ComeOn Europe with a €180k fine for illegally serving Dutch punters. The fine is the latest in a series of six-figure fines the Kansspelautoriteit (Dutch Gaming Authority, or KSA) has levied against unauthorized operators as the country prepares to launch its own regulated online gambling market.
The KSA accused ComeOn Europe Ltd. (now Co-Gaming Limited) of targeting Dutch gamblers via Comeon.com. The site featured a Dutch language option, a Dutch flag and a Dutch-language chat service. The KSA says it repeatedly contacted ComeOn reps with various cease-and-desist messages, to which ComeOn reportedly replied by promising to amend its errant ways. However, the KSA says that the site was never updated to its satisfaction, leaving it no option but to levy the fine.
The KSA has also put eight associated companies and eight directors and shareholders of ComeOn on notice that they appear to be “more or less” involved in the unauthorized activity. The KSA cautions that their investigation is ongoing, so it does not at this time feel comfortable labeling the individuals as offenders.
Over the past year, the KSA has levied similar fines against the operators of 7Red.com, RoyaalCasino.com, Mansion Online Casino Ltd. and associated support companies. Most recently, Titanbet.com operator Imperial E-Club was dinged for €200k, the largest fine to date. The KSA even went after a Belgian couple for offering an online house lottery in which Dutch was a language option.
Netherlands’ legislators are in the process of passing the country’s new Remote Gambling Bill, which was supposed to take effect on Jan. 1 but has run into the traditional legislative snags. The latest word is that the upper house may bring the bill up for a vote before its summer break, making it more likely that the new regime won’t take effect until early 2016.
Notwithstanding, the KSA continues to ink info-sharing deals with its counterparts in other gaming jurisdictions. In November, the KSA inked a deal with gaming regulators in Malta and the KSA has since signed a letter of intent with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. The letter is the prelude to a memorandum of understanding that will spell out the details of cooperation on a number of online gambling issues, including licensing, compliance and enforcement.
Lottery winner waits a year to claim his $1M prize
The Camrose, Alta., resident won $1 million in the March 14, 2014, LOTTO MAX draw, but waited until January to claim his prize. He discovered his big win two days later, when he checked his ticket at an Edmonton retailer’s self-serve ticket-checker.
Finalists for Inaugural American Poker Awards Revealed
Europe no longer has exclusive rights on poker awards banquets (the British Poker Awards and the European Poker Awards) as the inaugural American Poker Awards is scheduled to take place on February 27th in Los Angeles, California.
The American Poker Awards are the brainchild of Zokay Entertainment CEO Alex Dreyfus, whose activities were selected as one of PokerUpdate’s top news stories of 2014.
Dreyfus, who owns such poker brands as The Hendon Mob, the Global Poker Index, and the APA’s sister award show the European Poker Awards, launched a “Sportify Poker” marketing campaign in 2014, aimed at bringing the poker world together and creating a positive buzz around the industry. The APA’s, along with initiatives like the Global Poker Masters, are part of this campaign.
Nomination Panel
WSOP.com & 888 Merger Rule NJ Player Traffic
A look at player traffic in the regulated market in New Jersey finds that PokerScout has made a proper adjustment and is now listing traffic totals that reflect the recent partial merger between 888poker and WSOP.com.
As most are aware, those sites began combining player pools in select games in mid-January, resulting in enhanced action at the tables. As of this writing, the merger between 888’s All American Poker Network and WSOP.com averages 260 cash players.
That collaboration has allowed WSOP/888 NJ to outdistance player traffic at the Party Borgata Network by roughly a 3 to 2 margin. Party Borgata, made up of BorgataPoker.com and PartyPoker.com, currently enjoys a seven-day average of 170 ring game players.
PokerScout.com’s latest report indicates that WSOP/888 NJ manages to reach a daily peak in traffic “that is 25% higher than the pre-merger total.” But to keep things in perspective, off-peak player traffic may sometimes be less than previous numbers.
German Online Gambling Sites Plan Exodus Amid Concerns Over Recent Clamp Downs
German online gambling laws are among the most restrictive in Europe, as the federal government does not license poker or casino sites or expressly allow them to operate there. The country has even clamped down on its own citizens playing on unlicensed sites. That may be why several online casino sites are now leaving the […]
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