Antigua has proposed new rules and taxes for online gambling operators that unfortunately could have the opposite effect of what the government hopes to achieve.

The Antiguan government’s Financial Services Regulatory Commission held a Gaming Sector Meeting last Thursday, which was attended by four of the eight companies currently licensed to operate online gambling in the country.

The government has proposed a new Gambling Act of 2016 that is primarily aimed at regulating land-based casinos, although the 2007 Interactive Gaming and Wagering Regulations will be folded into the 2016 Act.

A new Gambling Authority Division will be established to handle licensing and monitoring of all gambling on the island, including the online sector. The government proposes to introduce “an appropriate monitoring system and mandate monthly reports and/or data,” with the “reasonable costs” of this monitoring to be borne by the licensees.

The allure of retail shops has kept tourists at bay from Singapore casinos.

The Business Times reported that the number of tourists visiting shopping complex in Singapore has surged by as much as 44 percent in the first half of 2016 from a year ago, citing official data.

It is also the first time since 2012 that Shopping has overtaken gambling as the biggest earner in Singapore’s tourism. Among all visitors, those from China, Indonesia and India were the top three spenders in the second quarter of 2016, clocking up 40 per cent of all tourist receipts.

Data showed that some 2.1 million Chinese flew to Singapore last year, more than double that of 2009 – the year before the country opened the first of its two casinos.

Las Vegas, December 2016 — Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ: SGMS) (“Scientific Games” or the “Company”) today announced the launch of the Company’s new TwinStar J43 curved, portrait-style slot platform. The extraordinary cabinet debuted in locations on the Las Vegas Strip and will be rolled out globally over the coming months.

The TwinStar J43 is currently approved in multiple jurisdictions across North America and will launch internationally during the 2017 calendar year.

Scientific Games Launches Innovative New TwinStar J43 Curved Portrait-Style Slot CabinetThe pioneering slot cabinet, the second in Scientific Games’ TwinStar family, delivers a portrait monitor presentation with a 43-inch J-style curved 4K monitor, sleek new styling, and an eye-catching lighting package with animated attraction sequences. The larger iDeck touch-screen button deck provides enhanced player interaction, and the multi-channel custom sound package with a 5.25-inch subwoofer delivers extraordinary surround sound, engrossing the player in the game. The TwinStar J43 supports game content from Bally, Shuffle Master, and WMS.

This groundbreaking cabinet launched with the Asian-themed game title Dancing Drums, a follow-on title to Scientific Games’ high-performing 88 Fortunes. Dancing Drums delivers the player-favorite pick-em Fu Fly Feature, the popular Fu Babies four-level near-area progressive jackpot, and a free games bonus with an exciting re-trigger feature – all featuring dazzling Asian imagery evoking luck and fortune.

James Romero has won the $1.9m first prize in the record-breaking World Poker Tour Five Diamond event, and Jason Koon mops up big money in the High Rollers.

James Romero has won the 17th largest individual prize of 2016 going wire-to-wire at the final table of the World Poker Tour (WPT) Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio, Las Vegas.

The sum of $1,938,118 resides in Romero’s piggy bank after overcoming a final table containing High Roller expert Jake Schindler, and Global Poker League (GPL) stars Igor Yaroshevsky and Justin Bonomo.

It was like the good old days when the WPT was handing out multi-million dollar prizes faster than Cate Hall gets involved in Twitter bust-ups. The 791 player field tied with the 2007 WPT LA Poker Classic for the largest-ever $10k+ field. Eric Hershler banking $2.4m back when the payouts were a tad top heavy.

James Romero has won the $1.9m first prize in the record-breaking World Poker Tour Five Diamond event, and Jason Koon mops up big money in the High Rollers.

James Romero has won the 17th largest individual prize of 2016 going wire-to-wire at the final table of the World Poker Tour (WPT) Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio, Las Vegas.

The sum of $1,938,118 resides in Romero’s piggy bank after overcoming a final table containing High Roller expert Jake Schindler, and Global Poker League (GPL) stars Igor Yaroshevsky and Justin Bonomo.

It was like the good old days when the WPT was handing out multi-million dollar prizes faster than Cate Hall gets involved in Twitter bust-ups. The 791 player field tied with the 2007 WPT LA Poker Classic for the largest-ever $10k+ field. Eric Hershler banking $2.4m back when the payouts were a tad top heavy.

James Romero has won the $1.9m first prize in the record-breaking World Poker Tour Five Diamond event, and Jason Koon mops up big money in the High Rollers.

James Romero has won the 17th largest individual prize of 2016 going wire-to-wire at the final table of the World Poker Tour (WPT) Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio, Las Vegas.

The sum of $1,938,118 resides in Romero’s piggy bank after overcoming a final table containing High Roller expert Jake Schindler, and Global Poker League (GPL) stars Igor Yaroshevsky and Justin Bonomo.

It was like the good old days when the WPT was handing out multi-million dollar prizes faster than Cate Hall gets involved in Twitter bust-ups. The 791 player field tied with the 2007 WPT LA Poker Classic for the largest-ever $10k+ field. Eric Hershler banking $2.4m back when the payouts were a tad top heavy.

World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Andrew ‘luckychewy’ Lichtenberger has gazumped Phil Galfond by opening a new online poker room with the promise that it will be a poker site by the players for the players.

Open a juice bar, yes.

Open a retreat to deepen meditation and yoga practice, yes.

Open an online poker room?

World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Andrew ‘luckychewy’ Lichtenberger has gazumped Phil Galfond by opening a new online poker room with the promise that it will be a poker site by the players for the players.

Open a juice bar, yes.

Open a retreat to deepen meditation and yoga practice, yes.

Open an online poker room?

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots face a persistent nemesis, the Baltimore Ravens, as they continue to adapt to life without dominant tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots are listed as 7-point favorites against the Ravens with a 45-point total in the Monday Night Football matchup.

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

The Patriots are 9-0 straight-up in their last nine games in Week 14 and 6-2 against the spread in their eight most recent games. Since the 2009 playoffs, Baltimore has gone 4-2-1 ATS against New England.

The Ravens are 7-5 SU and 6-6 ATS, on the strength of wins against the spread in four of their last five games. While it’s true they are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games after consecutive ATS wins, the Ravens have tidied up their pass protection in recent weeks. Quarterback Joe Flacco, WR Steve Smith Sr., WR Mike Wallace and TE Dennis Pitta are very prolific when the pass blocking holds up.

A father and son from Halstad in northwestern Minnesota both won the $100,000 top prize in the Dec. 2 All or Nothing drawing.Winner Stories, Minnesota, Multi-State Game, All or Nothing

Vietnam’s next major integrated resort casino finally has a name and a launch date.

This week saw Vietnamese real estate investment and development firm VinaCapital Group proudly announce that its $4b “integrated tourism and leisure destination” would operate under the name Hoiana. VinaCapital says the property’s first phase will open in Q1 2019.

Hoiana will occupy four kilometers of beachfront just outside the UNESCO World Heritage site Hoi An in Quang Nam province. Hoiana’s first phase will include a 445-room hotel, 220 residential apartments operated by Hong Kong’s New World Hotels, a luxury Rosewood resort offering 75 villas and 25 residences, a golf course and, oh yeah, a casino.

Vietnam’s government has fast-tracked plans to expand the Danang International Airport to accommodate the expected influx of tourists to the “thriving township of hotels, residential and lifestyle zones” that the completed Hoiana will feature when it’s fully completed within the next decade or so.

Philippine authorities are sending mixed signals regarding fugitive gaming operator Jack Lam’s ability to return to the country.

Lam fled the Philippines on November 29 after Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II accused him of attempting to bribe himself and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) boss Andrea Domingo to obtain preferential treatment of Lam’s gaming operations. Lam has denied the bribery allegations.

On Thursday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Lam could resume operation of his Fontana Casino in the Clark Freeport and the Ford Ilocandia casino in Laoag City if he paid all his outstanding tax obligations and accepted a new gaming contract that aligned his tax obligations with other Philippine casino operators.

On Friday, Aguirre said Lam had been blacklisted due to his online gambling operation at the Fontana lacking the necessary permits, contrary to claims made last week by Lam’s attorney Raymond Fortun. Aguirre said Philippine authorities were preparing to issue criminal charges against Lam and that Lam would be arrested if he attempted to return to the Philippines.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is hitting back at an NGO’s legal challenge of its right to regulate Philippine-based online gambling operators serving international betting customers.

On Wednesday, local anti-corruption advocates at the Union for National Development and Good Governance-Philippines (UNLAD) filed a legal challenge of PAGCOR’s ability to issue new Philippine Offshore Gambling Operator (POGO) licenses, the first 35 of which were awarded last week.

On Friday, PAGCOR issued a statement saying the POGO licenses were “within the bounds of its charter,” in keeping with its mandate to “operate, authorize and license games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers” in the Philippines.

UNLAD had claimed that PAGOCR lacked the authority to regulate online operators catering to gamblers outside the Philippines, but PAGCOR said “as long as the game is produced and its operation managed within the Philippine territory, it falls within PAGCOR’s jurisdiction.”

Available to all live casino licensees for no additional fee

London: December 9th 2016 – Playtech, the world’s leading Omni-channel gaming software, systems and services supplier, has unwrapped a dedicated live roulette room this Christmas as a gift to all licensees.

Going live just nine days before the big day on December 16th, the magical live dealer area will be a feast for your eyes and puts festive fun into every spin. Yule have a ball with this fully custom-built studio, bursting with colourful Christmas decorations.

The advent of the room will see players presented with a fully bespoke table layout and greeted by a host of Christmas characters, with dashing dealers dressed head-to-toe in festive costumes.

The Australian division of UK bookmaker Ladbrokes Coral is about to go live with a customizable proposition bets solution.

Ladbrokes Australia confirmed that it has signed a deal with sports betting solutions provider Digital Sports Tech to integrate its “Player Props” offering, which allows players to create and customize their bets based on player performance in a wide array of statistics and sports, including football, American football, basketball, rugby league and Australian-rules football—all in real time, according to the company.

Digital Sports Tech said its software uses a “proprietary algorithm” to “instantaneously analyze each customized beat.” In the future, the company plans to integrate statistical bets, head-to-head bets and combined statistic bets in the product.

The Australia-facing subsidiary of Ladbrokes is the second bookmaker to install the “Player Props” product, following Digital Sports Tech’s first launch with Madbookie.com in June. Outside of Australia, Digital Sports Tech has also launched with Coral in the United Kingdom and Europe in November.

Vegas Mobile Casino integrates NetEnt Live Casino games on its mobile casino lobby

Friday, 9th of December 2016 (London, England) Vegas Mobile Casino has partnered with leading game developer, NetEnt to bring the best live casino gaming experience for its players to enjoy. The live casino games powered by NetEnt, features impeccable quality and offers the best in the world of live gaming.

Blackjack is available on PC while Roulette is available on PC & Mobile and both platforms offer fast streaming, crisp images and great sound. A new partnership with this game developer will further consolidate Vegas Mobile Casino’s position as the Best Mobile Casino in the UK market.

The Marketing Manager of Vegas Mobile Casino said – “Our main aim has been to provide the players at our mobile and online casino with the best gaming experience and by offering the NetEnt Live Casino Games; we aim to take the mobile live casino games to the next level altogether!”