Nevada’s ‘entity’ sports betting legislation was narrowly approved by the state Senate on Thursday. Legislators approved SB 443 by a vote of 11-10, split strictly down party lines, Republicans edging out Democrats. The bill now heads to the state Assembly, where Republicans hold a larger majority.

SB 443 would allow out-of-state individuals to place wagers with Nevada sportsbooks via a Nevada-based entity. The bill seeks to avoid conflict with the federal Wire Act of 1961 – which bars such cross-border wagering – by denying out-of-state residents a direct line to the spotsbooks. Instead, the non-Nevadans will be like investors in a mutual fund, profiting from winnings but unable to dictate wagering preferences.

Non-Nevadans looking for greater wagering freedom are pinning their hopes on New Jersey’s quest to overcome the federal PASPA sports betting prohibition. The court fight, argued last month at the US Third Circuit Court of Appeals, is over the state’s desire to permit sports betting at Atlantic City casinos and state racetracks. The Court has yet to issue its verdict but, should New Jersey be allowed to go down this road, many other US states would follow.

Speaking via Skype at this week’s iGaming North America 2015 in Las Vegas, New Jersey State Senator Ray Lesniak handicapped the likelihood of a favorable ruling at 85% to 90%. Lesniak, a strong proponent of his state’s gambling industry, called the Third Circuit panel ‘the best shot [New Jersey] will ever have.” Even if the Third Circuit doesn’t outright side with the state, Lesniak believes it will lay out a viable alternate path to achieving betting legalization.

The he-said, she-said dispute between online gambling operator 666Bet and the UK Gambling Commission shows no signs of letting up.

If you’re just tuning in, the UK and Alderney gaming licenses of MetroPlay Ltd. – whose operations include 666Bet and MetroPlay.com – were suspended last month over questions of whether MetroPlay was “unsuitable to carry on” its licensed activities. One week later, 666Bet director Paul Bell was identified as one of several individuals arrested in a £21m money laundering and fraud investigation.

Both MetroPlay sites have been offline since last month and irate customers have launched an online petition demanding the refunding of players’ account balances. In response, 666Bet issued a statement saying it can’t make customers whole because the sites’ third-party payment providers had “immediately canceled or suspended” their relationships with the sites following the license suspensions. 666Bet claimed to be working on establishing new third-party relationships, but said UKGC approval would be required before the money could start flowing again.

The UKGC disputed this claim, saying it had yet to receive any communication from a third party looking to process payments on behalf of 666Bet. The UKGC added that its approval wasn’t necessary for 666Bet to enter into such a relationship in order for the site to make its players whole.

Accused illegal online bookie Wei Seng ‘Paul’ Phua has won a major court fight over the admissibility of evidence against him collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On Friday, US District Judge Andrew Gordon ruled that federal prosecutors couldn’t use evidence obtained via an elaborate FBI ruse. Gordon also said the FBI had violated Phua’s privacy rights in pulling off their investigative shenanigans.

Phua and seven other defendants were arrested last July following an FBI raid on three luxury villas at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Suspecting the occupants were engaging in illegal online betting on the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the FBI conspired with Caesars staff to cut off the villas’ internet connection. When Phua & Co. called Caesars to complain, the FBI sent in agents posing as tech support equipped with hidden body-cameras. The video footage was then used to obtain the warrants that led to the arrests.

The case attracted attention far beyond gambling circles, as civil libertarians decried what many viewed as violations of the suspects’ fourth amendment rights against illegal search and seizure. Even the Assistant US Attorney handling the case had warned agents in advance that their subterfuge raised certain “consent issues.”

Chinese authorities have shut down the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) 2015 Nanjing Millions for as yet undetermined reasons.

The Nanjing Millions had gotten off to a roaring start, with player demand compelling the organizers to add an extra Day 1 flight. Over 2,300 players had registered for the event, which was supposed to conclude on Sunday. But the poker party ended abruptly Friday afternoon when local police shut the event down cold.

World Gaming Magazine reported that police had blocked the entrance to the Wutaishan Sports Center host venue. A notice pinned to the door indicated that the tournament organizers were “suspected of illegal gambling” and that “the event is being ceased.” WGM reported that the organizers’ office had been similarly locked down and that players had been left in the dark as to what exactly had transpired.

The Nanjing Millions had been feted as the latest move by PokerStars to reestablish itself on Chinese soil. PokerStars Macau had teamed with Beijing’s Star Poker Club to sponsor the event, much as they had on last year’s Beijing Millions and Beijing Cup events.