Lee Davy shares an op-ed based on his experience of playing poker with a transgender, and Doyle Brunson’s outspoken reaction to Bruce Jenner’s decision to become a woman.

I recently played poker with someone who is transgender. At least I think I did? I liked it. It piqued my curiosity. I’m not a cat. I’m the kid who stared at his Grandmothers moustache.

I grew up in a little mining village. Asian people worked in restaurants, Indian people ran corner shops, and there was only one black man in the whole village. I don’t know what he did? I don’t even know if I am allowed to call him black?

Then there was the kid who was not really Chinese, and not really white. He was a bit of an oddity. His name was Lee.

I know a bit about being the kernel in the popcorn. So forgive my fascination when a woman who looks like a man, but is a woman at heart, and a man in physical appearance, sits down at my poker table and starts kicking ass.

She sat down and everything changed. There was an awkwardness at the table. It wasn’t there before. There was confusion during a hand. Somebody called her him by mistake. Cheeks reddened. Hope that the male vernacular had not passed those pearl earrings not doing enough to fan the flames.

For several hours prior to this young woman taking her seat, some of the players were saying the word ‘ladies’ each time a pair of queens was shown to the table. The tone of the word was queer. Someone uttered it once, after the young woman sat down. Once again blusher was applied. I never heard it muttered again.

Throughout the whole process behind the latest negotiations of the Floyd Mayweather – Manny Pacquiao fight, the self-proclaimed “A-side” – that would be Floyd – always went back to one word to defend against complaints that the fight had lost its appeal: timing.

We can all argue when the fight should have been made until the cows come home, but in reality, the fact that we’re finally going to see it on May 2 after years of waiting boils down to when Floyd Mayweather decided that it was time to finally face Pacquiao. No one could’ve made this fight other than Mayweather. Not Bob Arum. Not HBO. Not Showtime. And obviously, not Pacquiao.

He held all the proverbial chips and for the longest time, he held on to his hand until the timing was right. This was never about Floyd being scared to fight Pacquiao. This was about Floyd understanding that he could keep the Pacquiao fight in his pockets because he could still rake seven-figure pay-per-view buys fighting anybody not named Pacquiao. He scored an incredible 2.2 million pay-per-view buys against Canelo Alvarez. He even got 1.5 million PPV buys against Miguel Cotto and 1.35 million against Shane Mosley. In hindsight, it now seems incredible that Mayweather was able to draw 1.25 million PPV buys against Victor Ortiz.

But that’s why he’s called Money Mayweather. He picks his opponents carefully knowing that it he can package the fight in a way to make them more interesting than they actually were. That and he knew that he still had the Pacquaio fight in his back pocket, ready to cash it in when public perception began to sour on his fights.

That turning point, at least in my head, happened during the two Marcos Maidana fights. At that point, Mayweather was already running out of viable opponents that he could sell to the public. Pure boxing fans may have been intrigued about the first fight, especially after Maidana scored a stunning win against Adrien Broner, or as he’s otherwise known, the faux Mayweather. But the rematch was anything but sellable, even after Floyd tried to sell it as a continuation of the surprising slugfest that was the first fight. Still, it only ended up selling 925,000 PPV buys, the first time a Mayweather fight didn’t reach 1 million buys since…I don’t really remember anymore.

Once it became clear to Floyd that his PPV numbers would only go south if he kept that Pacquiao card in his pocket and continued to insist on parading anybody that wasn’t the Filipino slugger to the boxing audience. Of all people, he knew this and he understand that the time was right to finally cash in on that card.

So after five years of on-again, off-again negotiations. After months of continued teasing, prodding, and more teasing, Mayweather-Pacquiao is finally on and just as Floyd expected, the timing was absolutely perfect.

Paddy Power’s Oscar Pistorius “Money Back If He Walks” received by far the most complaints ever in Britain, Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said on Friday.

In a list published by the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the media and advertising watchdog revealed that the Paddy Power advert had received 5,525 complaints, roughly three times more than the next highest offender.

The advert for Irish betting company Paddy Power appeared during Pistorius’ trial for murder last year. ASA demanded the operator to remove it immediately.

The ASA linked the record year of complaints to the rise of social media – and the outrageous retweets and shares that often accompany it.

“2014 was the year social media came into its own in making it easier than ever to lodge complaints en masse. While some ads will inevitably split opinion, as the diverse nature of complaints we received shows, last year underlined the importance of our work in cracking down on misleading ads, including copycat websites, that are simply unfair to consumers,” said ASA Chief Executive Guy Parker.

However, Paddy Power spokesman said to eGaming Review that the company made the right decision to take bets on the Oscar Pistorius murder trial and would do it again in the future.

“We went into Pistorius with our eyes wide open and fully aware that it might stir controversy. However, as the biggest news story on the planet and as the main topic of discussion around water coolers, we wouldn’t be true to ourselves had we not taken bets on it,” the company spokesperson said. “In hindsight, the feeling is that it was the right decision and we would 100% do it again.”

The Aviation Club de France has shut down for good after the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris announced plans to place the poker room into liquidation.

The Aviation Club de France (ACF) is dead.

Concern has become reality. The Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris will not be renewing their license. They have been placed into liquidation. 213 employees are out of work. French poker players are running out of places to play.

“It’s so sad that the historical place of gaming in France has disappeared.” Says PokerNews France Chief Editor, Mathieu Sustrac. “107 years of history and 20 years of poker in the Champs Elysees. It’s a shame the government didn’t try to save this. And lest we not forget the 213 employees who have fought for their dignity in the past five months.”

It was not that long ago that a nomination panel of Bruno Benveniste, Laurent Dumont, Alexandre Dreyfus, Bruno Fitoussi and Mathieu Sustrac were awarding ‘The “213” in the Aviation Club de France and Victor Saumont’ with a special Jury Award at the 2014/15 French Poker Awards. That trophy no longer has a home.

The club was closed down in September after the French Judicial Police raided the joint and arrested 12 people. The order came from judges at the Grand Instance Court in Paris.

It has remained closed ever since. 213 employees have struggled to make ends meet. Uncertainty casting a shadow that has finally left after a downpour they will never forget. There were many campaigns to keep the place open – most notably the #BringbackACF campaign that was waged via social media networks. Nothing worked. The opinion of policymakers couldn’t be changed.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement have improved the process for self exclusion from Internet gaming sites, but make sure you read the fine print before signing on the dotted line.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has improved the options for Internet Gaming self-exclusion. You can now log on to the DGE website, or NJPortal.com, and complete an online form that will exclude you from all New Jersey Internet gaming sites.

Previously, you had to open an Internet gaming account, before being allowed to self-exclude. All that has changed as of last week. The old forms of self-exclusion still exist. This includes walking into the DGE offices, or in person at racetracks around the Garden State.

“The Division of Gaming Enforcement has one of the most comprehensive responsible gaming programs in the country,” the Division of Gaming Enforcement Director David Rebuck told Pokerfuse. “We strive to be innovative and remain at the forefront of Internet gaming regulation while giving individuals options to play online responsibly, or opt out if that is the right choice for them.”

The self-exclusion period can be for one, or five years, hence the warning to take a breather before hitting that return key. It’s also imperative that you read the fine print before opting for self-exclusion. Here are a few of the reasons why.

1. If you do opt for self-exclusion, and somehow manage to break your own vow, and play online. If you are caught, they will forfeit any winnings, and immediately remove you from the site.

2. By following this option you are opting to be self-excluded from ALL Internet gaming sites in New Jersey. Not just the one site that is giving you all that damned bad luck.

Two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Brian Rast, has launched Zen Poker Mentoring: poker training for the body, mind and soul, with the first class being rolled out in Las Vegas later this month.

With two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, and $8m in live tournament earnings, tucked away in his treasure chest, Brian Rast knows a thing or two about the finer details of becoming a top notch poker player.

This is why his new venture Zen Poker Mentoring is going to be a great success.

But it’s not just Rast that makes this enterprise exciting.

It’s different.

Poker has evolved; a lot. But, in my humble opinion, the training that is available for poker players hasn’t kept pace. The record yourself playing poker and then posting the video way of doing things is old hat.

There is a movement growing. People call it many different things. I prefer to call it wellness. We are destroying the planet. We are destroying our bodies. More people are realizing this. More people are taking action.

Back to back FTOPS Leaderboard winner, Mark ‘Dipthrong’ Herm, gives his opinion on the XXVIII schedule, and PokerStars show they aren’t just playing lip service when it comes to SCOOP feedback.

There are many things that made Full Tilt famous: t-shirts adorned with donkeys, Rush Poker, and a bunch of robbing bastards immediately spring to mind. But it was an acronym that produced the most groin heat.I’m talking about FTOPS.

15-29 March 2015 are the dates when bedrooms all over the world will smell of sweaty farts as online poker players refuse to leave. FTOPS XXVIII (number 28 for those of you that didn’t go to school), will consists of 35-events, and the organizers have promised $4m in guarantees.

There is a little something for everyone.

The working class can get involved in the action. There are eight events carrying a $100 price tag. Although, you had better like No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE), otherwise you will have to dig a little deeper to play. There are 25 NLHE events all-in-all.

The men and women with too much money can also get involved. Sunday, 22 March, sees the start of a two-day event that will cost $2,500 to enter, and carries a $350,000 guarantee.

There is also a $250 NLHE event carrying a $200,000 guarantee, and the $1,000 Main Event will take place Sunday, 29 March. There will be a million dollar guarantee for that one.

World Series of Poker Main Event fourth place finisher, Jorryt van Hoof, will be the special guest star at the upcoming British Poker Awards, due to take place at the Hippodrome on Monday, 23 Feb 2015.

The British Poker Awards (BPA) have announced that Jorryt van Hoof will be a special guest star at the award ceremony due to take place on Mon, 23 Feb 2015.

The Dutchman – who finished fourth at the 2014 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, for a $3.8m score – will guest star in a specially arranged pro-am poker tournament, scheduled to take place after the awards have been distributed to the fortunate few.

“With the awards just a few days away, we’re hugely excited to welcome one of the standout poker players of 2014 for our fifth anniversary. Whoever knocks out Jorryt van Hoof from our pro-am tournament is set for a fantastic prize, so you won’t want to miss out!” said Michael Caselli, Bluff Europe Editor-in-Chief.

The special ‘Bounty Tournament’ will be organized by Bluff Europe. Unibet will be the sponsor, and they will supply all bounty prizes, as well as a little something special for the winner.

We are unsure who will be joining Jorryt in the game, but can confirm that Liv Boeree, Victoria Coren Mitchell and Neil Channing will be attending the annual bash at the Hippodrome. Coren Mitchell is one of three players each nominated for three awards: Patrick Leonard and Simon Deadman are the other two.

If you want to get involved in the game then head over to www.hippodrome.com to register. Hurry though. The tournament will be capped at 50 entrants. Tickets for the awards show are also still available at the same site.

UK-listed betting operator Ladbrokes is preparing to close another 50 betting shops as increased taxes and thinning margins take a bite out of retail profits.

The Sunday Times was first to break the news that Ladbrokes will announce the shop closures when it turns in its Q4 and FY 2014 report card on Thursday. The 50 shops due for the axe are in addition to the 90-odd closures Ladbrokes had previously announced. When the rubble clears, Lads’ remaining complement of UK betting shops will have fallen to around 2,150.

The announcement comes just ahead of the March 1 implementation of a hike in the Machine Games Duty. The rate is going up from 20% to 25%, and with fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBT) accounting for half of betting shop revenue, shops that were already struggling to clear a profit will have to go. Lads is far from alone in this regard, as rival William Hill announced the closure of over 100 shops last April.

News of the closure will be celebrated by the Daily Mail and the hordes of anti-FOBT campaigners who never fail to mention their ‘crack cocaine of gambling’ meme when discussing bet shops. (We’ve tried hard to push the ‘salted peanuts of gambling’ alternative but to no avail.)

UK councils have long advocated for more powers to be able to block new betting shops moving into their neighborhoods, even though bet shops are one of the only industries actually willing to occupy many vacant high street storefronts. Both the Association of British Bookmakers and the newly formed Senet Group have attempted to inject some reality into the betting shop discussion but it appears the taxman is winning.

As for Lads’ 2014 results, Morgan Stanley is forecasting revenue will be up 6% over 2013’s total but earnings will fall 7%. In addition to the increased machine duty, UK operators’ margins are having to adjust to the Dec. 1 imposition of the 15% online point of consumption tax.

Take Our Poll

The world’s top gambling hub recorded its first annual decline in 2014 since Macau began releasing financial figures in 2002 and is expected to continue to post a year-on-year drop in the coming months, which is why we decided to ask our readers, “Which gambling destination will benefit from Macau’s slowdown?”

42% voted for “Singapore” while 31% said that it will be “Las Vegas.” 23% belived that it will be “Philippines” and 2% for “Korea.”

Singapore presents an attractive alternative for Chinese gamblers given its proximity and the common use of Putonghua—also known as Mandarin. However, Singapore is feeling the effects of the drop-off and analysts believe that the Philippines and South Korea may be the next best bets for Chinese gamblers.

Total casino revenue on the Las Vegas strip fell as high-rolling baccarat players from China stayed home fearing President Xi’s corruption drive.

Sweden intends to delay its promised revamp of its online gambling market, despite having been called to account by the Court of Justice for the European Union.

Ardalan Shekarabi, minister for public administration, said plans for a national consultation on how best to end the online gambling monopoly of state-owned Svenska Spel will have to wait until the government finds the money to pay for it. This could come as early as April, when the next budget is due to be fixed, although the actual implementation of any new plan could be years away.

In the meantime, we’ve got three Swedish online gambling operators’ earnings reports to consider, which we’ll try to relate with a minimum of tedium. To help the fiscal medicine go down, we’ve littered this page with images of the lovely Sofia Hallqvist, a lads’ mag model who’s set to marry Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip after living in sin together for the past four years.

Way back in 2005, Sofia swapped spit with porn star Jenna Jameson during a trip to Las Vegas. (Top that, Kate Middleton!) Sofia claimed to not have known who Jameson was when the two crossed paths at a party and Jameson reportedly told Sofia she was the cutest girl she’d ever seen. No kidding…

CHERRY AB

Swedish gaming operator Cherry AB addressed the country’s gaming market in its Q4 results statement. New CEO Fredrik Burvall said Sweden had been “quite rightly” taken to the European Court for having “too long, delayed a re-regulation.” Burvall called for a “new order” and a “modernized legislation” that allowed companies like Cherry to “compete on equal terms.”

Cherry saw revenue rise by one-third in Q4 while setting records across all its verticals. Revenue in the three months ending Dec. 31 hit SEK 100.2m (US $12m) while operating losses narrowed to SEK 6.5m from 10.7m in Q4 2013. The quarter contained an SEK 4m cost related to the change at Cherry’s CEO position.

More light has been shed on Friday’s announced demise of Bitcoin poker site SealsWithClubs (SwC). On Saturday, SwC chairman Bryan Micon (pictured, in skivvies) posted a video to YouTube revealing that his Nevada home was raided on Feb. 11 by gun-toting agents armed with a search warrant issued by the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) “regarding SwC and Bitcoin poker.”

In the video (viewable below), Micon said he was handcuffed and led out of his house in his underwear while a “bunch of guys with guns” searched his house for eight hours and ultimately “stole most of my electronics.”

Micon maintains that he doesn’t believe he was “doing anything unethical” and says he wasn’t arrested or charged with any crime. Micon said the agents who conducted the raid “made it clear that they were very familiar with my social feeds and my entire output as a journalist.”

Micon noted that SwC cashouts were processing as promised and all Bitcoin funds were safe. As Micon put it: “Math does not bow down to guns.”

The timing of the raid coincides with the start of the events that SwC’s Friday announcement said led to the site’s “perpetual state of jeopardy.” Micon said there’d also been “an irregularity” with one of SwC’s data servers hosted by Voxility in Romania, although Micon said it was unclear to him what had transpired from a technical perspective.

The rest of SwC’s management team decided to quit but Micon has vowed to carry on. Micon has assembled a team that is “working extremely hard” to get the new swcpoker.eu domain up and running with the new SwC 2.0 software.

Micon made the announcement from his new base of operations in Antigua. Micon said he’d been planning a family trip to Antigua long before the raid but the developments prompted him to make the move permanent. Micon said he didn’t want his two-year-old daughter to grow up “in a police state where creativity is often met with guns and handcuffs and whatnot.”