For the past two years, authorities in Russia have been adamant to ban the use of bitcoin in the country. But recent reports are suggesting that Russian officials are now softening against the popular digital currency.

A source familiar with the matter told Russian news agency Interfax that representatives of the country’s Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and government staff are seeking to abandon the idea of punishing whoever is caught involved in bitcoin operations in the country. According to the report, the group is planning to submit a recommendation to President Vladimir Putin in the second half of August.

The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federations has been very vocal in opposing digital currency in the country. In fact, ministry officials has been working on a draft law that will punish those who use bitcoins and engage cryptocurrency trade and mining activities. That bill, however, has met strong opposition even before reaching the lower chamber of the Russian Parliament.

In May, the Ministry of Justice challenged the bill’s lack of a precise definition for money substitutes or ‘surrogates,’ which is the term that Russian officials often use to describe bitcoin.

Philippine-based gaming technology provider Philweb Corp.’s plea for their license to be renewed has fallen on the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) deaf ears.

PAGCOR chairman Andrea Domingo stood pat with her decision not to renew the license of PhilWeb to provide software to online casinos in the Philippines despite the futile attempts of resigned PhilWeb chairman Roberto Ongpin to insulate the company from Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s ire.

It would be recalled that Ongpin voluntarily stepped down from his post as PhilWeb’s chairman and offered to auction 771.7 million company shares or equivalent to 53.76 percent days after Duterte singled him out as an “oligarch” he wanted to destroy.

Domingo denies singling out neither Ongpin nor Philweb when she guested on local TV news show Mornings@ANC, as she pointed out that they were merely promoting responsible gambling in the country

Thanks, but no thanks.

That was the answer that UK bookmaker William Hill had for the revised takeover bid from rivals Rank Group and 888 Holdings on Monday, saying that it still does not see any merit in engaging with the joint venture for a proposal that “substantially undervalues” the company.

Rank and 888 has been eyeing a merger with Hills to create UK’s largest multi-channel gambling operator by revenue and profit. Last week, the consortium submitted a joint £3.16 billion ($4.1 bilion) bid, but the high-street bookmaker spurned the cash-and-stock offer, which represents a 16% premium on Hills’ current share price, calling it a “highly opportunistic” bid.

Unfazed, the two suitors returned with a fresh approach over the weekend, offering Hills’ investors a larger share of the merged company, according to UK media. Rank and 888’s revised offer still has the same 199 pence per share in cash offer, but it now offers 0.86 new shares instead of the initial 0.725 shares, which means that William Hill shareholders would own 48.8 percent of the combined group, up from the 44.6 percent under the original proposal.

Thanks, but no thanks.

That was the answer that UK bookmaker William Hill had for the revised takeover bid from rivals Rank Group and 888 Holdings on Monday, saying that it still does not see any merit in engaging with the joint venture for a proposal that “substantially undervalues” the company.

Rank and 888 has been eyeing a merger with Hills to create UK’s largest multi-channel gambling operator by revenue and profit. Last week, the consortium submitted a joint £3.16 billion ($4.1 bilion) bid, but the high-street bookmaker spurned the cash-and-stock offer, which represents a 16% premium on Hills’ current share price, calling it a “highly opportunistic” bid.

Unfazed, the two suitors returned with a fresh approach over the weekend, offering Hills’ investors a larger share of the merged company, according to UK media. Rank and 888’s revised offer still has the same 199 pence per share in cash offer, but it now offers 0.86 new shares instead of the initial 0.725 shares, which means that William Hill shareholders would own 48.8 percent of the combined group, up from the 44.6 percent under the original proposal.

Thanks, but no thanks.

That was the answer that UK bookmaker William Hill had for the revised takeover bid from rivals Rank Group and 888 Holdings on Monday, saying that it still does not see any merit in engaging with the joint venture for a proposal that “substantially undervalues” the company.

Rank and 888 has been eyeing a merger with Hills to create UK’s largest multi-channel gambling operator by revenue and profit. Last week, the consortium submitted a joint £3.16 billion ($4.1 bilion) bid, but the high-street bookmaker spurned the cash-and-stock offer, which represents a 16% premium on Hills’ current share price, calling it a “highly opportunistic” bid.

Unfazed, the two suitors returned with a fresh approach over the weekend, offering Hills’ investors a larger share of the merged company, according to UK media. Rank and 888’s revised offer still has the same 199 pence per share in cash offer, but it now offers 0.86 new shares instead of the initial 0.725 shares, which means that William Hill shareholders would own 48.8 percent of the combined group, up from the 44.6 percent under the original proposal.

888poker has released their schedule for the forthcoming Super XL Series in September. There will be $4m in guaranteed prize money, spread over 40 tournaments: Main, Mini, and Turbo, culminating in a $1.5m guaranteed $1,050 buy-in Main Event.

We all have that feeling from time to time.

You know that the shopkeeper has given you the change of a £20 instead of £10, and you are figuring out what to do next?

If life is smooth, then you give the money back.

The decision to end 40-years of Atlantic City’s monopoly and open two new casinos in Northern New Jersey rests with the public and the money men and women with a vested interest in the outcome start spending their millions in marketing dollar in an attempt to own those minds.

She is 65-years old.

She wakes up at 8 am on the dot, walks downstairs, goes to the front door and picks up her newspaper. A visit to the front room is next. The TV bursts into life as if by magic. Breakfast news. War, riots, murder, misery. She makes a cup of tea. She nestled into the groove of her couch, perfectly moulded to fit her exercise free ass. She turns up the volume, places her glasses over her nose, opens the newspaper, and the propaganda starts to invade her mind.

That’s the average voter who said ‘Yes’ to Brexit when David Cameron opened up the decision to leave the European Union (EU) by public vote. An ideology shaped by the imagery that is put in front of her and never questioned.

Researchers at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia have revealed that children between the ages 8-16 see gambling as a ‘normal’ part of a sporting event, and they remember details of betting promotions even believing that you cannot lose when gambling.

I have a photograph of my boy long before he could walk. He is on the floor of my living room, propped up by pillows, a dummy stuck in his mouth, and the reflection of a giant TV screen glittering in his eyes.

There was no thought behind that decision.

It was a way of escaping the manic life of a parent.