THE AMERICAS

The Restoration of America’s Wire Act got the hyperbolic congressional hearing it deserved; Quebec announced plans to IP-block illegal gambling sites while offering a lifeline to other operators; Delaware and Nevada launched the first US interstate online poker network and IGT launched the first interstate video poker wide area progressive; Amaya Gaming spun off its Diamond Game lottery business; New Jersey published its first online responsible gambling study; MGM Resorts said it wanted to go “toe-to-toe” with Connecticut casinos; Fanduel won its legal case against rival DraftKings over US bragging rights; an Illinois court dismissed nuisance suits against PokerStars and Full Tilt; gambling proponent Senator Harry Reid said he won’t run for reelection in 2016; a former Watergate prosecutor was appointed to probe Caesars Entertainment’s asset sales; PlayStudios teamed up with Shaquille O’Neal and DoubleDown Casino inked the Heartland Poker Tour; American claims that Antigua’s online gambling market was growing were met with derision; Phil Ivey failed to quash the Borgata’s edge-sorting lawsuit; Income Access CEO Nicky Senyard offered strategies for US land-based casinos and affiliates while Lee Davy wondered why US poker players weren’t leading the charge against RAWA.

EUROPE

A 666Bet director was arrested as part of a £21m fraud investigation and Leyton Orient FC terminated its 666Bet sponsorship; 888 Holdings said it’s “never been so healthy” after a record 2014 and a new World Series of Poker sponsorship; Optimal Payments bought rival Skrill and Neteller began accepting Bitcoin; GVC Holdings’s 2014 was “a resounding success;” a Dutch court said Unibet wasn’t responsible for a gambler’s €178k losses; Austria announced it would IP-block international online operators; Mansion CEO Guy Gussarsky announced his resignation; Robbie Davies offered tips for online gambling writers and Italy defeated Russia to claim the inaugural Global Poker Masters.

A director of Isle of Man-based online gambling company 666Bet has been arrested in connection with a money laundering and fraud investigation.

Last week, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) suspended the operating license of Metro Play Limited, which controls both the 666Bet and MetroPlay.com online gambling sites. At the time, the UKGC declined to specify what had prompted the suspension, saying only that it suspected the firm was “unsuitable” to carry on its gambling activities.

The suspension was preceded by news that police in the UK, the Isle of Man and Guernsey had arrested seven unidentified individuals as part of a VAT fraud and money laundering investigation titled Operation Bannock. The operation saw police execute a number of raids in Cheshire, London, Manchester, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, seizing “significant” amounts of cash and business records. Rumors circulated that the raids were linked to Metro Play’s suspension but police declined to confirm the speculation.

On Saturday, the Independent reported that 666Bet director Paul Bell, a former stockbroker turned investor, was one of the individuals arrested as part of Operation Bannock. Bell was reportedly released on bail last week only to be rearrested the following day following his arrival on the Isle of Man. Isleofman.com reported that two individuals were released on bail last week and that police had seized £500k in cash following raids on two Isle of Man premises.

PokerStars and Full Tilt are breathing a little easier after an Illinois court dismissed a pair of nuisance lawsuits against the online gambling sites.

Illinois residents Kelly Sonnenberg and Judy Fahrner filed the suits way back in 2012, looking to capitalize on the Illinois Loss Recovery Act (ILRA), a nineteenth-century statute that allows individuals to collect “illegal gambling” losses suffered by third parties, provided those gamblers haven’t filed their own claims within six months of suffering their losses.

The suits were dismissed for lack of cause in March 2014 but the court gave the plaintiffs an opportunity to resubmit claims that met the ILRA’s requirements. The plaintiffs responded by adding the names of a couple players who’d actually gambled on Stars and Tilt.

On Tuesday, Judge David Herndon dismissed the updated suits, saying the plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate that Stars and Tilt had ‘won’ the losses at the center of the suits. An 1894 court decision involving the ILRA declared that it was “the winner, not the keeper of the house, who is liable to respond to the loser.” As Stars and Tilt only took a rake of the poker pots, Herndon said the plaintiffs were barking up the wrong tree.

Canada’s Amaya Gaming has taken the first step in its plan to divest itself of its B2B assets by spinning off its Diamond Game lottery division.

Amaya acquired the Los Angeles-based Diamond Game Enterprises – which operates 2,100 instant ticket vending machines in 15 jurisdictions in North America – in 2013 for $25m. On Thursday, Amaya announced it would spin off Diamond Game via a public float on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Amaya has created a new division, Innova Gaming Group, that will hold all shares in Diamond Game. Amaya declined to offer expectations for how much money it intends to gain via the initial public offering. Whatever sum it raises, Amaya plans to use the proceeds to pay down debt and/or repurchase its own shares.

Meanwhile, Amaya has issued a statement addressing the province of Quebec’s plans to introduce some form of licensing regime for private online gambling operators. The plans, outlined in Quebec’s 2015-16 budget statement, also call for internet service providers to IP-block other “illegal” gambling sites so as to boost the fortunes of Loto-Quebec’s online site Espace-jeux.

Macau casinos might want to blame other regional gaming jurisdictions for the downturn in VIP gambling activity, but a new report says this claim is overblown.

Morgan Stanley analysts issued a report this week examining the causes of Macau’s VIP decline. February’s VIP gaming revenue was off 50% year-on-year and analysts are expecting a similarly epic swoon when March numbers are released next week.

Beijing’s corruption crackdown is the prime culprit in Macau’s VIP decline, but competition from casinos in Australia, South Korea and the Philippines is routinely cited as a chief contributing factor. Leading junket operators like Suncity and David Group have made no secret of their plans to expand their presence in these markets, which are ramping up as Macau winds down.

Morgan Stanley acknowledges that these other jurisdictions have benefited from Beijing’s crackdown, but not to the degree many suspect. True, Australia’s VIP market rose 80% in the second half of 2014, while South Korea gained between 20% and 30% over the same period.

New Jersey gaming regulators have published the first research report into the impact of the state’s regulated online gambling market on problem gambling.

The report (viewable here), which was submitted by Rutgers Center for Gambling Studies’ Lia Nower, covers the first full year of New Jersey’s online market. The study is the first of four annual reports that Gov. Chris Christie insisted upon when he approved the state’s online gambling legislation in February 2013.

Of the three states that have launched regulated online gambling operations, Nower says New Jersey’s regulations are “the most clearly directed toward aiding consumers in making informed choices about their gambling behavior and promoting responsible gambling (RG).”

In overall terms, Nower says “very few” gamblers utilized any of the RG features. Nower also said that the data couldn’t distinguish players who selected these options at multiple online skins, meaning the actual take-up rate could be even lower than the numbers indicate.

US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has announced he will not seek re-election in 2016, leaving gambling proponents mourning the loss of a key ally.

Reid, who first won election to the Senate in 1987, made the announcement in a video released early Friday morning. The 75-year-old Reid said his decision had “nothing to do” with the fall he suffered earlier this year in which he broke several ribs, facial bones and temporarily left him without the sight of his right eye. However, the downtime had given him the opportunity to reassess his situation and his conclusion was it’s time to hang up his spurs.

American Gaming Association CEO Geoff Freeman issued a statement calling Reid a “tireless supporter of gaming who solidified Nevada and the industry’s significance across the country.” Freeman said Reid had been “a visionary for what could be possible” and his “leadership and dedication will be missed.”

It remains to be seen what impact Reid’s decision will have on the likelihood of passage of the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA), the Sheldon Adelson-backed federal legislation that would ban most forms of online gambling except horseracing, fantasy sports and the types of closed-loop on-premise mobile gambling available in some US brick-and-mortar casinos.

The Canadian province of Quebec plans to implement IP-blocking of internationally licensed online gambling sites, unless those sites obtain waivers from the provincial gambling regulator.

Quebec’s Finance Minister Carlos Leitäo dropped his province’s 2015-16 budget plan on Thursday, which includes changes to the Consumer Protection Act and laws governing gambling. The government plans to introduce a legislative amendment that would require the province’s internet service providers to block “illegal” online gambling sites.

This “illegal website filtering measure” is intended to boost revenue at Espace-jeux, the online gambling site of provincial monopoly Loto-Quebec. The site has struggled to gain headway against internationally licensed sites, capturing only 10% of the province’s estimated $250m online market. The government expects to reap an additional $13.5m in the first year that IP-blocking is implemented and an additional $27m in each year that follows.

The first mention of these blocking plans came in November when Leitäo said he’d discussed the matter with his counterpart in Ontario, with the idea of eventually instituting a Canada-wide blocking program. However, a nationwide system would require federal politicians to revise Canada’s Criminal Code.

International Gaming Technology (IGT) has partnered with the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino to launch its first video poker interstate jackpot pool game for Nevada and New Jersey players.

Players in Nevada and New Jersey, the first two states to offer the WAP link, can now try their luck at Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and Atlantic City and contribute to the same jackpot pool for greater payout potential. The two properties will celebrate SuperTimes Pay Poker Mega Progressive with a casino player event, featuring merchandise giveaways and free play on March 28-29.

“The debut of SuperTimes Pay Poker Mega Progressive is a huge milestone for IGT and we are thrilled to collaborate with our long-time partner, Golden Nugget. said Joe Sigrist, IGT VP of Global Product Development & Operations. “The game further builds on our pioneering spirit to develop best-in-class WAP products as well as the Company’s leading position in the video poker segment. Las Vegas and Atlantic City are poker powerhouses, making them ideal markets to offer our most innovative poker product to date.”

Golden Nugget Atlantic City Executive Vice President and General Manager  also commented: “IGT is our trusted provider of proven poker games, and we are thrilled to offer video poker’s first interstate Wide Area Progressive. The installation of SuperTimes Pay Poker Mega Progressive to our floors allows us to further benefit from IGT’s advanced technology and transform our video poker player experience with a new avenue for larger jackpot potential.  IGT is changing the landscape of video poker gaming, and we’re excited to be on the forefront of such a significant moment.”

Two former University of Toledo basketball players have been sentenced to probation in light of a point-shaving scandal that rocked the school 10 years ago. Sammy Villegas and Anton Currie received their sentences earlier this week after admitting to their involvement in the case in federal court. Villegas and Currie are two of seven former members of the Toledo Rockets, including three former football players, who will be sentenced this spring.

The two former players admitted that they received thousands of dollars from a local gambling kingpin, identified as Ghazi “Gary” Manni, in exchange for throwing away games when they were members of the team. Villegas reportedly received anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000 from 2004 to 2006 while Currie accepted $1,000 and $2,000 in cash and groceries.

An investigation was eventually opened about the case and when it appeared that he could face as much as 30 months in prison under sentencing guidelines if found guilty, Villegas pre-emptively acted, pleading guilty to conspiracy in 2008 and helping the FBI in their investigation.

The former player also admitted in court that he received $300 to $400 from Manni after a fixed Toledo game. In a separate incident, Villegas came clean that he intentionally missed two free throws late in one game against Central Michigan to manipulate score, which ended up being a 78-62 win over the Chippewas.

iGaming North America (iGNA), an event designed to introduce U.S. land-based gambling companies to the global online gambling industry, kicks off in just a few weeks in good old Las Vegas.

The 2015 iGaming North America, which will be held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, Las Vegas on April 14-16,  marks the fifth year of this networking and educational event.

The conference will host a number of important seminars, with many of them touching on one of the hottest issues in the online gambling industry including new products—social casino games and fantasy sports. There will be panelists from companies such as Amaya, 888, IGT, and more.

iGNA will also examine payment issues in the igaming world, the state of individual states such as New Jersey and Nevada, and more. There will also sportsbetting panelists such as Don Best and Senator Lesniak .

Online payments company Optimal Payments have agreed a deal with the global bitcoin payment service provider BitPay, enabling customers to use bitcoin to top up their NETELLER accounts.

Bitcoin fans will be pleased to know that NETELLER will be accepting the digital currency after parent company Optimal Payments agreed a deal with the global bitcoin payment service provider BitPay.

It’s quite the reversal for NETELLER. In the summer they changed their conditions of services, making it crystal clear that ‘virtual currency’ would not be allowed to take their shoes off and walk onto their white carpet.

The new deposit option is already available on the NETELLER site. The word ‘FREE’ standing out like a middle finger, on a hand containing nothing but percentage fee sore thumbs.

Struggling casino operator Caesars Entertainment was raked over the coals by Nevada gaming regulators on Thursday.

The Nevada Gaming Commission was holding what ordinarily would have been a routine licensing renewal hearing, a situation greatly complicated by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in January of Caesars’ main unit Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. (CEOC).

Caesars general counsel Tim Donovan (pictured) called CEOC’s bankruptcy “unfortunate,” prompting NGC Chairman Tony Alamo to suggest “embarrassing” was a better adjective. Commissioner Randolph Townsend humbly suggested Caesars focus on its core casino business and “not build any more Ferris wheels for a while,” referring to the High Roller observation wheel in Las Vegas, which is currently attracting only half its projected ridership.

A significant chunk of the hearing was devoted to the 63 former Caesars employees whose pension payments were cut off following CEOC’s bankruptcy. Donovan claimed that the terms of the bankruptcy filing left Caesars no ability to pay these people and thus Caesars was “not the villain here.”

Lee Davy breaks down this week’s poker news including a look at the European Poker Tour in Malta, the Global Poker Masters, the European Poker Awards, a Twitch security breach, and the news that 888 will be the headline sponsor for the World Series of Poker, and World Series of Poker Europe festivals, in Las Vegas and Berlin.

It’s not often that people are interested in a country that takes great delight in eating the cast of Watership Down, but that’s exactly the case, as the eyes of the poker world bore deep into the heart of Malta this week.

The European Poker Tour (EPT) decided to set up camp. The Global Poker Index (GPI) pulled up a sleeping bag. Thousands of poker players turned up with marshmallows in hand. Plenty of cold feet, but a lot of warm hearts.

It was the largest EPT festival ever held. 69 events in total, and partnerships with the aforementioned GPI, and the Italian Poker Tour (IPT), creating memories that will stick to the craniums of so many people.

The developer behind MGM Resorts’ popular myVEGAS social casino app has inked a promotional tie-up with former basketball great Shaquille O’Neal.

On Thursday, Playstudios CEO Andrew Pascal announced the release of two new social casino titles developed in partnership with O’Neal. CaddyShaq is a slots-based game featuring the occasional detour into a game of golf at the Shaqusta Country Club, where (just like the movie) Bucky the Gopher is hell bent on messing with your balls.

The second title is ShaqJack, a blackjack variant featuring basketball-themed layouts in lieu of the traditional green-felt table. Both games are currently available on Facebook, as well as on Google Play, iOS and Amazon.

As with myVEGAS, players earn online points that can be redeemed for non-gaming amenities at MGM properties, Royal Caribbean International and other Playstudios partners. Players can also win autographed CaddyShaq t-shirts and basketball jerseys, floor seats at a Sacramento Kings game and even a chance to go one-on-one with the big man himself at his home court. (Your best bet to beat him? Stick to free throws.)

Lee Davy talks about his feelings after failing to win the Media Personality of the Year award at the European Poker Awards.

Is it just me, or was there a stark difference between the razzmatazz of the American Poker Awards (APA), and the European Poker Awards (EPA)?

One felt like the Oscars, the other one felt like the Golden Globes.

I will let you do the math.

Phil Hellmuth appears on Fox Sports Live as a pundit on the poker-playing prowess of the NBA’s finest, and hints on Twitter about a forthcoming reality TV show.

@phil_hellmuth Please help prevent an Internet #poker prohibition and #OpposeHR707 by contacting Congress http://t.co/Diu89iKu5f

— PokerPlayersAlliance (@ppapoker) March 24, 2015

It’s not difficult to figure out why the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) would seek assistance from Phil Hellmuth when it comes to fighting against Internet poker prohibition in the United States.