Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has announced resignation of its two members—Commissioner Jim McHugh and Executive Director Rick Day—who were described as key players in licensing and regulating an entirely new industry in Massachusetts.

“After careful consideration and discussion with Chairman Crosby, We have decided to conclude my full-time employment in my position as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. I will continue with the Commission in a consulting role for as long as my services are required,” said Day.

Day, who was appointed as MGC executive director in February 2013, will retire effective this week but will remain as MGC consultant. His future work for the commission will likely be remote as he would be move back to his hometown in Montana.

“I am proud of the work accomplished over the last 2.5 years and pleased that the state is now experiencing the benefits of jobs and revenue currently being derived from the new gaming industry,” added Day. “Since joining the Commission as Executive Director, my number one priority has been to support the Commission in its efforts to prepare an efficient and effective regulatory structure in advance of the opening of Plainridge Park Casino.”

Coverage of the recently announced deal between Ladbrokes and Gala Coral seems to be focusing on the new “largest bookie in the UK” by counting up the number of betting shops between the two. Apparently the answer is 3945. In yet another signal showing how far removed government regulators are from the realities of the businesses they harass, the big story now is that the merged company will have to fight some UK bureau to push the merger through. The bureau will be counting up the number of shops the new company will control, and then if approved, it may be forced to sell a bunch to William Hill or Paddy Power.

So those two are now crowding around looking to take advantage of any forced sales that result from the merger. But the simple fact is that Ladbrokes and Coral are not merging to become the largest bookmaker in the UK, so the number of shops both will now own together is mostly irrelevant. They are merging to become a serious competitor in digital and mobile bookmaking. There are, however, no regulations in place to try to prevent a merger aimed at maximizing digital and mobile market share, which is essentially what this merger is about.

We have already seen how William Hill pulled away from Ladbrokes around the same time that Ladbrokes’ digital efforts were failing. Digital accounted for about 6% of operating profit in 2013. By contrast, William Hill’s digital business accounted for 48%. Up until 2013, the two companies were neck and neck, but Ladbrokes’ digital and mobile failure widened the gap significantly between the two.

The problem was stagnant revenues and increasing costs of doing business. In other words, it’s not that Ladbrokes’ business was shrinking. It was that it wasn’t growing and its expenses were rising. Then it took on PlayTech to completely revamp its digital business, and the move gave some hope for the company because it seemed to be working. Coral also uses PlayTech technology to manage its online business as well, so merging will present less technical challenges while eliminating redundancies.

The director of Florida’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering Ken Lawson sent a letter to the Seminole Tribe on Monday asking how it planned to shut down its table games.

The Seminole’s gambling compact with Florida has the tribe pay about $250m a year for the exclusive right to deal house-banked table games such as blackjack and baccarat at its seven casinos including Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Seminole Classic in Hollywood. Terms of the agreement state that the tribe will have to fold up the tables and put away the cards within 90 days of the compact’s expiration on July 31.

“The letter was actually expected and is just another part of the process,” said Seminoles spokesman Gary Bitner.

Seminoles maintain that the state has already breached the compact by allowing racinos in South Florida to operate electronic versions of the games that the Tribe operates with live dealers, therefore, the tribe will continue to deal the games as the efforts to get a compact extension go into mediation and probably a federal court suit.

The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission has blocked the access to 310 online gambling websites in the country since January.

Malaysia is making good on its promise to go after online gambling websites the country has deemed illegal. On Monday, the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it has blocked access to some 310 online gambling websites in the first half of 2015.

Deputy Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Jailani Johari was quoted by The Malaysian Insider saying the crackdown was the commission’s response to “the online gambling activity which had raised public concern.”

Authorities have closed down gaming houses and cyber cafes, which prompted suspected illegal operators in the country to resort to making online gambling offers to the public via text messages.

World Poker Fund Holdings have acquired the television and show rights for the defunct International Poker League and International Poker League Vegas Open. 

Who and what is World Poker Fund Holdings (WPFH)?

I haven’t been this intrigued since a YouTube clip landed on my computer suggesting that a poker tournament was going to be held on the hallowed turf of Wembley Stadium.

I thought that was a load of bollocks. Then a year later I was standing on that hallowed turf managing the massage team that was working at the inaugural International Stadiums Poker Tour (ISPT) event. A flash in the pan it might have been, but it created one hell of a flash.

Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group is testing the European waters with a “relatively small investment” of $42.3 million in Monaco’s Societe des Bains de Mer et du Cercle des Etrangers a Monaco, also known as SBM.

Galaxy Entertainment Group is expanding beyond Macau. The gaming operator announced it’s acquiring a 5 percent stake in Monaco’s casino firm Societe des Bains de Mer et du Cercle des Etrangers a Monaco, also called SBM.

In a statement, the company said it is making a “relatively small investment” of $42.3 million in SBM.

“This is a minority strategic investment into SBM shares and we are not seeking to purchase more shares,” Galaxy Entertainment Group said. “This is the first step in an exciting partnership with SBM, and we look forward to working closely with SBM for our mutual benefit.”

The U.S. Indian gaming industry has posted $28.5b gross gaming revenue, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth since 2009.

National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) has released a data showing that the Indian gaming industry revenue is up 1.5% to 28.5b in 2014 compared $28b last year.

“Overall, the Indian gaming industry remains stable. Stability comes from solid operations, strong tribal management, and effective regulation by the Indian gaming’s regulatory community, which includes the NIGC and more than 5,400 tribal regulators,” said NIGC Chairman Jonodev Chaudhuri. “Sound regulation is an essential pillar of support for the critical avenue of self-sufficiency and self-determination that Indian gaming has proven for so many tribal nations. Sound regulation preserves public confidence, protects tribal assets, and promotes a safe and fair environment for all people who interact with the industry.”

In 2014, 72% of operations showed year-on-year improvement, 68% of which showed a moderate growth.

PokerStars join forces with Prostate Cancer UK to launch “Lads Night In,” a series of poker nights created to raise money for the leading men’s health charity.

Do you know anyone affected by prostate cancer?

Keep waiting.

It will happen.

Blake Bohn has won the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Main Event at the Meskwaki casino in Iowa after defeating Justin Thurlow in heads-up action to take the first prize of $101,229.

Blake Bohn is in pole position for the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Player of the Year (POY) title after topping a field of 410 entrants in the $1,110 MSPT Main Event at the Meskwaki Casino, Iowa.

[Image Credit: PokerNews]

Bohn – who is a member of MSPT Team Pro – bagged his second title after overcoming a final table that contained two other former champions: Peixin Liu taking the Shakopee title in 2014, and David Gonia doing likewise in Columbus in 2013.