Two South Korean opposition lawmakers have been charged in court in connection with their alleged involvement in the hiring scandal inside in the locals-only casino Kangwon Land.

KBS World Radio reported that Rep. Yeom Dong-yeol and Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, members of the conservative Liberty Korea Party, were indicted in court for abuse of power and business interference following allegations that they wielded their influence to ensure the employment of their acquaintances in Kangwon Land.

The case against Kweon and Yeom stemmed from the investigation conducted by South Korean prosecutors against former Kangwon Land CEO Choi Heung-jip, who was accused of hiring hundreds of people based on their political connections.

The hiring scandal, which rocked the governing Democratic Party, was dubbed in South Korea as the “Kangwon Land Gate.” It was also described as “a crime which would have been possible only in the 1960s or ‘70s.”

At least six Pennsylvania casino operators have filed applications to offer online gambling ahead of Monday’s initial licensing round deadline.

In April, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) invited its 13 brick-and-mortar casino licensees to apply for multi-vertical (slots, table games, poker) online gambling licenses, which were available for $10m. But well into July, the PGCB had yet to receive a single application.

On Friday, the dam broke with news that the operators of the state’s market-leading Parx Casino, the Mount Airy Casino Resort in the Poconos and the as-yet-unbuilt Live! Hotel & Casino in South Philly had submitted applications.

While the PGCB won’t release full details until Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that operators of Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino (pictured), the SugarHouse in Philadelphia (which already operates the PlaySugarhouse.com site in neighboring New Jersey) and the Hollywood Casino in Dauphin County had also joined the application parade.

While the WSOP has been running hot and heavy at the Rio in Las Vegas, just down the road, the Wynn Summer Classic just got underway last week. The $1,600 Championship event began with three starting flights and saw 2,119 players descend on the casino for a chance to grab a piece of the prize pool. The incredible turnout saw the $1.5-million guarantee more than double, reaching just under $3.1 million. By the time the final cards were flipped over, Romania’s Florian Duta emerged victorious, taking home the top prize of $429,161.

Going into the final day, Duta was in command of the table. He led with 7.5 million chips and held onto the lead for the duration of the action. He began to eliminate players, first taking out Richard Tatalovich in seventh, following it by sending Jack O’Neill to the rail in sixth.

Next to be sent packing was Kovoor Jayaram, the first final table finalist to receive a six-figure payday with a little more than $103,000. Steven van Zadelhoff, the Dutch player who took down the $1.6-million WCOOP Main Event last year, would go next, pocking $139,801 in the process. After Cy Williams exited with $195,722 in third place, Duta found himself in a showdown against Bulgarian player Yuliyan Kolev.

It wasn’t an equal matchup, due to the monster stack Duta was showing off at the table. Kolev could never find his footing and would eventually fall in second place. It wasn’t all bad, though, as his $283,796 purse certainly made the $1,600 investment worthwhile.

Rogello Bangsil, who previously worked for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR), launched a lawsuit in Macau against Wynn Macau over allegations that the casino operator had improperly shared his personal information with third parties. A judge, however, didn’t see things the same way, and has dismissed the lawsuit.

According to Bangsil, Wynn Macau unlawfully shared his information following a trip to the resort. He was suing for $1.25 million in damages, arguing that his reputation had been irreparably harmed and the release of his information was the cause of his demise at PAGCOR. Macau’s Court of First Instance heard the case, but determined that it was without merit, leading to its dismissal.

In 2011, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), led by director Louis Freeh, compiled a report in which Bangsil’s name appeared as possibly being involved in an improper relationship between several PAGCOR officials and Kazuo Okada, a Japanese entrepreneur and then-shareholder in Wynn Resorts.

The report, which was given by Wynn Macau to Wynn Resorts, alleged that Okada had given gifts and payments to 17 people, including to Bangsil and his wife. The supposed action occurred when the individuals were staying at Wynn Macau between June 2008 and June 2011. Okada was accused of trying to sway the opinion of PAGCOR officials in his quest to open a casino project in Manila independently from his involvement in Wynn Resorts.

The Imperial Palace integrated resort (IR) in Saipan just got a little boost to try and speed up construction. After announcing a little more than a week ago that it couldn’t meet its construction deadline, the casino developer, Imperial Pacific International (IPI), has now hired 600 Filipino construction workers to try and make up for lost time.

According to IPI, the construction workers, who will join more than 1,000 workers out of Guam who are already involved in the project, were issued H-2B visas, which allow an employer to hire foreign employees to temporarily enter the US to work. The IPI said in a statement, “Construction progress on the casino-hotel project is much better than it was during the last half of last year with substantially larger numbers of construction worker.”

IPI already admitted that it wouldn’t be able to meet the August deadline to have the casino completed. It cited issues related to labor shortages as one of the reasons when it decided to request an extension to December of this year. IPI has also said that it is considering bringing in a night crew to work construction across two shifts in an effort to speed up completion of the million-dollar resort.

There have been a number of problems related to the casino since it was first proposed. The developer has been accused of violating employment agreements, subcontractors have been forced to make restitution of unpaid compensation to the tune of $14 million, and there continue to be whispers of bribes and other questionable financial activities.

A round-up of all the Day 1 action from the $1m buy-in Big One for One Drop live and direct from the World Series of Poker including a chip lead for Rick Salomon and five people going to bed with a headache.

After the Little One for One Drop raised $525,000 for the One Drop Foundation, it was time for Big Brother to chip in.

After a disastrous move to Monte Carlo in 2016, the $1m buy-in Big One for One Drop returned to its spiritual home of Las Vegas determined to save lives en masse all over again.

Each player donated $80,000 to the Foundation, and with 24-players competing in the first 10-Levels of Day 1, poker has safely secured $1,920,000 for people who are struggling to gain access to clean water. Let’s hope we double that by the end of Day 2.

New Jersey gaming regulators have warned Atlantic City casinos that they won’t be offering sports betting this football season unless they light a fire under their software coders.

This weekend, the Associated Press quoted New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) director David Rebuck warning AC’s casino operators to submit their sports betting software for testing by the end of business on Monday (16) or run the risk that they won’t be approved to offer legal wagering in time for the upcoming NFL season.

Without offering specifics, Rebuck said a number of operators had yet to submit their sports betting platforms as of one week ago. The DGE warned casino operators on July 9 that the clock was ticking on their technology testing, given the regulator’s need for “a reasonable amount of time to evaluate and test all of this.” The NFL season officially kicks off Thursday, September 5.

Late Monday, the Associated Press reported that the DGE had received five additional sports betting applications – two for land-based wagering and three for mobile betting – although the regulator declined to identify the applicants by name.

Another round-up from the World Series of Poker including Brian Hastings coming out of retirement to win his fourth bracelet, a man from China leaving behind his little one so he could win the Little One, and a man called Polk wins a sliver of gold. 

Retire – Leave one’s job and cease to work, typically on reaching the normal age for leaving service. 

Of course, this wiki definition of retirement doesn’t apply to poker players. Doyle Brunson is 187 years old and still manages to turn a profit. Christ, I can’t even remember my daughter’s name half of the time, and the old Brunson Burner is calculating double and triple barrel merge whatsits like an 18-year-old.

But I do think it’s time for a company like SolveForWhy to create a course on the meaning of the word ‘retirement’ because I don’t think poker players get it.

James Obst becomes the latest high profile poker player to take a timeout to pursue an alternative career, as the Australian hopes to achieve his goal of becoming a professional tennis player.

When I asked Wai Kin Yong, son of the Triton Poker Series co-founder, Richard Yong, what, as a child, he wanted to be when he grew up, he paused for a moment and said:

“A taxi driver.” 

I have to be honest; it took me by surprise. 

Lee Davy brings you another round-up from the World Series of Poker including a fifth bracelet win for Shaun Deeb, and maiden victories for Denis Timofeev and Yaser Al-Keliddar.

Each year, someone stands that little bit taller than everyone else stuck inside the Big Brother-style house that is the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Last year, it was Chris “I Didn’t Do It” Ferguson.

This year, it’s Shaun Deeb.

UK National Lottery operator Camelot is being tipped as the likely frontrunner to manage the privatized operations of French lottery and retail betting monopoly Française des Jeux (FDJ).

The French government recently announced plans to privatize FDJ’s operations as a way of raising some quick cash for the national government’s depleted treasury. This weekend, the Evening Standard reported that Camelot was the French government’s choice to lead a €1.5b consortium bid to take over FDJ’s privatized business.

Camelot sources told the Standard that no formal talks had taken place, but French government advisers said that President Emmanuel Macron’s preferred plan is for Camelot to partner with France’s leading media firm TF1 on a joint bid for the FDJ operations.

Camelot’s history of public-private partnerships in other jurisdictions reportedly helped boost its status in the eyes of the French government. Macron also reportedly appreciates that Camelot is owned by Canada’s Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, as the administration apparently doesn’t want to be seen selling off the family silver to a company from China.

UK-listed bookmakers William Hill have launched a new responsible gambling initiative in response to regulators’ increased crackdown on operators who fail to observe social responsibility obligations.

On Monday, Hills CEO Philip Bowcock announced the company’s new Nobody Harmed program, vowing to “recognize the hidden side of gambling and get much better at helping our customers stay safe, in shops and online, in the UK and around the world.”

Bowcock claimed Hills had “not taken seriously enough the challenge of problem gambling” but now realizes that “every type of gambling product has the potential to cause harm to our customers.” Bowcock added that society “expects” the company to do everything in its power to mitigate gambling harms, and the company’s “sustainable future” depends on getting this right.

The company’s strategy involves a four-pronged approach, including designing and marketing its products in a way that allows customers to stay in control; identifying customers ‘at risk’ of developing problem gambling behavior; strengthening support systems for those gamblers who experience harm; and empowering Hills retail and online staff to be able to make an impact when they encounter problem gambling activity.