Monthly Archives: April 2019

Imperial Pacific agrees to fine over labor violations

Imperial Pacific, which one day hopes to be able to launch the Imperial Palace on Saipan, has had to deal with a lot of hurdles to bring that project to light. Granted, most of the hurdles were put in the company’s path by its own incompetence, but it still manages to jump each one. As the Imperial Palace continues to be delayed, Imperial Pacific has been caught up in a lawsuit regarding questionable employment practices brought against it by former workers, as well as an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The latter conducted an investigation into the company and determined that it was liable for a number of violations and fined Imperial Pacific. The company has now agreed to come clean and will have to turn over $3.36 million to try and appease both workers and the DOL.

The money is mean to cover back wages, civil monetary penalties and damages related to a string of labor violations committed by companies contracted by Imperial Pacific. They reportedly did not comply with minimum wage and overtime rules, nor did they maintain adequate payroll records in accordance with law for a two-year period spanning 2016 and 2017.

Even if it were the contractors who were at fault, Imperial Pacific is in charge of the project and is responsible for the contractors’ actions. The acknowledgement by the DOL that violations were committed will most likely reinforce the lawsuit brought against it by the former employees, who are seeking compensation for a number of concerns, including lack of proper pay, hazardous working conditions and accidents.

Going forward, Imperial Pacific is now required to receive a deposit into escrow of $100,000 by each contractor to cover possible wage claims. It must also hire an independent entity to train supervisors on U.S. wage laws and has to pay for an independent monitor who will supervise and report on wage compliance. That supervision includes leading on-site inspections, reviewing payroll records and interviewing workers.

Kambi crowned America’s number one sportsbook supplier at EGR North America Awards

Kambi wins Sportsbook Platform Provider and Sports Betting Supplier of the Year at last night’s prestigious ceremony in Atlantic City

Kambi has been recognised as the number one sportsbook supplier in the North American market, after the multi-channel provider won two honours at last night’s EGR North America Awards in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

A panel of independent judges, officiated by professional services giant Deloitte, considered Kambi to be ahead of its peers in the two B2B sports betting categories at the prestigious ceremony, which celebrates the most successful operators and suppliers in the North American online gaming and sports wagering market.

In winning Sportsbook Platform Provider of the Year, judges gave Kambi top marks for its provision of a full end-to-end sports betting solution, outscoring competitors across key criteria including scalability and integration, jurisdictional compliance, stability and security, and commercial success.

NBA playoffs betting preview: West & East odds

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

Since 1984 when the NBA playoffs expanded to its current 16-team field, just five times has a No. 8 seed upset a No. 1 in the first round and not since 2012 when the Philadelphia 76ers upset the Chicago Bulls. That one deserves an asterisk because Bulls star Derrick Rose suffered a season-ending injury in Game 1. Oddsmakers don’t expect a similar upset in the first round this year because both top seeds are favored to win their conference title.

The Golden State Warriors are -375 favorites to win the Western Conference for a fifth straight season and open defense of their back-to-back NBA titles on Saturday against the No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers (+8000 to win West). That’s a matchup the Warriors probably wanted because while the Clippers won the first meeting of the two very early in the season, Golden State won the final three – the last two with ease. Dubs star Steph Curry left Tuesday’s game with a minor injury but is expected to be fine for Game 1.

Golden State could be on a crash course in the second round with the Houston Rockets (+600), who are seeded fourth and open Sunday against the No. 5 Utah Jazz (+2800). Of course, the Warriors and Rockets went seven full games in last year’s Western Conference Finals, and most believe Houston is the only team capable of dethroning the Dubs in the West.

Americans Are Set To Make Record-Breaking Bets On 2019 Triple Crown Races This Year

Photo by Gene Devine on Unsplash

With this year’s Triple Crown races just around the corner, online bookies are set to make the most profit from derby horse races they have ever seen. PayPerHead.com, the leading online sportsbook software in the industry, states that online bookies will have over $145 million up for grabs from the Kentucky Derby alone.

“Triple Crown races are one of the most busiest and profitable times for online bookies.” explained Nate Johnson, Product Manager of PayPerHead.com. “Online bookies had a total of $139.2 million up for grabs last year. With recent legalization and an increased betting wave from across the country, online bookies are expected to make a record-breaking profit this year.”

The Triple Crown races are comprised of three races within the U.S, the Kentucky Derby, the Princess Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. In order to win the Triple Crown, a horse and jockey must win all three races. This makes the Triple Crown one of the most prestigious trophies in thoroughbred racing.

“Placing bets on the speculated Triple Crown trophy winner is one of the longest betting traditions in the U.S.” explained Johnson. “Last year, the sports betting industry saw hundreds of millions of dollars in bets placed on the Kentucky Derby alone. This year, we anticipate another record-breaking number due to factors like sports betting legalization.”

Throughout recent years, sports betting legalization has played a significant role in the growth of the sports betting industry. Even though placing bets on horse races has been legal for quite some time in the U.S, PayPerHead.com states that more Americans are becoming online bookies and starting their own businesses.

PayPerHead‘s online bookies can make up to $10,000 in their first month. As the stigma of online sports betting begins to disappear, PayPerHead sees an influx of new users from across the country.  With the Triple Crown races being one of the largest sports betting events of the year, PayPerHead online bookies have great potential to grow their current books and profit.

“The last horse to win the Triple Crown was American Pharoah in 2015. Currently, online bookies are predicting that Game Winner, War of Will, Signalman and Improbable have the closest chance to winning Triple Crown in 2019. If one of these top four thoroughbreds wins two of the three Triple Crown races, we can expect hundreds of millions in bets across the online bookie industry.”

IDSCA Offers Action on the 2019 NBA Playoffs, Beginning Saturday

IDSCA, a pay per head site, will offer players the opportunity to bet on the 2019 NBA Playoffs starting April 13. That is the start date for the playoffs, when the post-season tournament will begin, eventually ending with the crowning of a new champion.

In 2018, IDSCA online bookie software also allowed players to bet on the NBA playoffs. Many players, as well as bookies, made quite a bit of money when the Golden State Warriors won another championship. Compared to last year, the field this year is more wide open. While some teams have separated themselves from the pack in terms of wins, there does not seem to be the clear, consensus favorite that there was a year ago.

“Anything can happen in the NBA this year. Sure, Golden State has to be a favorite, but that record says they aren’t as dominant as they used to be. This makes for a great opportunity for bookies and players. We’re excited to see the kind of money that our bookies are going to make during this playoff season,” said Julio Vargas, marketing manager of IDSCA.

In addition to the NBA playoffs, IDSCA also offers betting on the NHL playoffs, college basketball tournament, baseball season and more. The site also includes online casino games as well as the option to bet on horse racing.

For more information about the 2019 NBA playoffs, betting on basketball or to make a press inquiry, visit https://www.idsca.com/ or contact IDSCA at (866) 225-5437.