BINGO! Everyone is familiar with the joyous phrase that usually follows some kind of achievement, and thats exactly what one shouts out loud by the winner in the game of Bingo. Here we will be discussing about the most popular game of chance Bingo which is so ingrained in the society that it is much more than gambling. It is also the game of choice when it comes to community building and educational activities. But if you are playing it for monetary returns, then forget the bingo sessions at your church or local community center, or the variant used to teach stuff at schools and start looking for high stake events at casinos and online platforms.

Bingo has predominantly been an offline event where the participants were handed out cards with B-I-N-G-O spelt on the top row followed by few numbers filling up the columns under each letter, with all the numbers forming a 55 square matrix. With the cards in the hands of each participant, one of the organizers would shuffle tiny balls with a number and alphabet associated with the word Bingo written on it to pick one at random and call out whats written on it. If the participant has that corresponding number and letter on the card, then they will mark it. The first person to get all the numbers in a row either vertical, horizontal or diagonal will call out BINGO! loud to notify their success. Sometimes, the game continues until someone gets all the numbers to fill the card. In the UK, the Bingo cards have a 93 matrix with 5 numbers and 4 empty cells in each row, and the one who marks all the numbers on their card emerges as the winner.

While thats the basics of Bingo, it has evolved over time leading to the creation of various versions of the game. And with the rise in online gambling, the game of Bingo has also gone digital as a part of cryptocurrency casinos and even as standalone Online Bingo platforms like Umbingo. The very first online version of Bingo is said to have appeared in 1996 and has continued to grow since then. It has now become one of the most played games in the world, with a significant portion of traffic originating from the United Kingdom totaling about 3 million players.

The ease of playing Bingo has also played a huge part in its popularity, and online platforms are increasingly making it accessible across all devices to further increase participation. Further fueling the demand is the adoption of cryptocurrencies by these online platforms, thereby enabling users from across the world to sign up and start playing without having to worry about the gambling laws in their jurisdiction by overcoming any restrictions placed on payments to and from such platforms. Another advantage of playing Bingo online is the ease of access, as one doesnt have to wait for that particular day of the week or drive to the nearest casino to play a round or two of the game. Instead, they can choose to play anytime by just signing into their platform of choice and making a deposit with their currency of choice. Given that the amount to be deposited is generally lower than other casino games, it is easily affordable to most people.

With so many choices and factors working in favor of the player, it is all about finding the right platform before one can start playing. In order to have the best game experience, there are few things that one has to consider while choosing the platform, which includes an intuitive user-friendly interface, promotional campaigns and bonus structures offered by the platform, prizes offered and jackpot structures, if any. Attractive bonus offering is an added advantage for the players as it will allow them to get the most out of their deposit by being able to play more rounds for the same amount, and decent winnings will ensure that the game is worth the amount of time spent playing. Once the player chooses the platform which can often be helped by the amount of different new offers available on sites like bingomummy.com, it is always advisable to browse through the website to check whether it is licensed or not. Also, read through disclaimers and terms and conditions for any surprises to avoid being cheated. Only after being convinced, they should go proceed with the signup and deposit funds.

Overall, online Bingo is a fun game that requires no special skills, making it the best option for those who want to try gambling. It is also suitable for all age groups (as long as the player is above the minimum legal age for gambling in their respective jurisdiction) and most people are already familiar with it and would have played it on more than one occasion. If interested, pick an online Bingo platform and try your luck. Gamble responsibly.

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The Familiar Gambling Game Bingo in Its Online Avatar Continues to be Popular - newsBTC

January 28, 2020

People diagnosed with gambling disorder who also demonstrate symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to experience gambling disorder with greater severity, according to a new study in the Journal of Attention Disorders.1

The study, jointly conducted by Spanish, American, and Australian researchers, looked at the relationship between ADHD symptomatology, emotional regulation problems, and gambling disorder. The researchers considered existing research that suggests ADHD may be a risk factor for gambling disorder, and aimed to measure the observed presence of executive regulation impairments in people with ADHD and gambling disorder.

Close to 20 percent of individuals with gambling disorder also experience ADHD, according to research cited in the study. These conditions share many clinical features, like impulsivity, self-control difficulties, and executive functioning deficits. Emotional regulation problems observed in both groups, especially when faced with negative emotions, include emotional suppression, avoidance, and catastrophizing.

For the study, scientists tested 98 individuals diagnosed with gambling disorder, who were given the adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) two self-report measures that assess the presence of ADHD symptoms and ER, respectively among other measures.

The majority of participants (about 90 percent) were Spanish men with a mean age of 42.7 years.

The results showed that the 23 patients who tested positive for ADHD symptoms generally reported more severe symptoms of gambling disorder, too, and scored higher on DERS subscales. The results also suggest a direct link between ADHD symptomatology and emotional regulation problems, and a correlation between severity of emotional regulations problems and severity of gambling disorder, making emotional regulation a mediator between both disorders.

These results underscore the role of ER difficulties in the comorbidity between both disorders, part of the study reads.

The studys findings, according to the authors, emphasize the importance of evaluating both ADHD and gambling disorder in patients to identify possible comorbidities that exacerbate symptom severity, and treatments to address both conditions.

1Mestre-Bach, G., Steward, T., Potenza, M. N., Granero, R., Fernndez-Aranda, F., Mena-Moreno, T., Jimnez-Murcia, S. (2020). The Role of ADHD Symptomatology and Emotion Dysregulation in Gambling Disorder.Journal of Attention Disorders.https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054719894378

Updated on January 27, 2020

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Gambling Disorder: ADHD Symptoms Tied to Greater GD Severity - ADDitude

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- IHeartMedia is going all in on sports gambling radio in Cleveland even before betting on games is legal in Ohio.

Fox Sports 1350AM Akron signed off Sunday, playing Kenny Rogers The Gambler on a loop. On Monday, the station reemerged as Fox Sports 1350AM Cleveland, The Gambler.

The rebranded station features programming from VSiN (Vegas Stats and Information) and the BetR Network including hourly wagering updates and programs such as My Guys in the Desert with Brent Musberger and The Lombardi Line with former Browns GM Michael Lombardi. Fox Sports shows hosted by Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd remain, while Doug Gottlieb has beed added to the afternoons.

The Gambler is the future of sports radio, said Keith Hotchkiss, president of iHeartMedias North Ohio region, in a press release. We are thrilled to bring this hot new format to the market, helping Clevelanders navigate the ever-growing world of sports wagering.

Sports betting is now allowed in 20 states. Gov. Mike DeWine has expressed support for making it legal in Ohio, though the matter remains in the hands of the state legislature.

The stations launch comes amid a restructuring by iHeart that has led to massive layoffs nationwide. Industry sources told cleveland.com the changes would likely lead to the consolidation of the iHeartMedia Clevelands studios in Independence with a less local and more national focus.

Indeed, both happened here as Fox Sports 1350AM moved from Akron to Independence. The stations daily schedule is made up of national shows with longtime local sports talker Mark Munch Bishop, who moves to the mornings, the lone exception. It becomes the second iHeart station to get The Gambler format. The other is in Philadelphia.

Here is the stations weekday lineup:

midnight-2 a.m.: The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon

2-6 a.m.: The Ben Maller Show

6-9 a.m.: Munch on Sports

9 a.m.-noon: The Dan Patrick Show

noon-2 p.m.: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

3-5 p.m.: The Doug Gottlieb Show 3pm-5pm

5-7 p.m.: My Guys in the Desert with Brent Musberger

7-9 p.m.: The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard & Rob Parker

9 p.m.-midnight: The Green Zone

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Fox Sports 1350AM rebranded as The Gambler, shifts focus to sports wagering - cleveland.com

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A handful of lawmakers in Washington state have put forth legislation aimed at preventing class-action lawsuits against video game companies. Two similar bills have been put forward in the state's Senate and House of Representatives this month that would change the legal definition of "illegal gambling games" to carve out an exception for video games.

Both pieces of legislation would add a sentence to existing gambling law stating, "For purposes of this section, 'illegal gambling games' does not include online games of chance when played solely for entertainment purposes with virtual items if such virtual items may be used only for gameplay and may not be, per the terms of service of the game, transferred, exchanged, or redeemed for money or property."

The justification for the change is spelled out in each bill as an attempt to protect the state's gaming businesses from lawsuits after two companies based in Washington had class-action lawsuits filed against them. The law doesn't spell out which companies, but it would presumably be the social casino outfits Big Fish Games and Double Down Interactive, both of which have been named in class action complaints since a 2018 court ruling that Big Fish Games' Big Fish Casino qualified as illegal gambling because its virtual currency counted as a "thing of value."

While the new legislation deals with the ability of players to cash out virtual items for real-world money, it does not directly reference the primary reason Big Fish Casino was deemed to be illegal in the first place. The judge in the 2018 ruling specifically said the ability to cash out was not the determining factor in virtual currency having value. Instead, the reason Big Fish Casino chips qualified as things of value was how they extended users' privilege of playing the games with more wagers or spins on a slot machine.

The two pieces of pending legislation -- House Bill 2720 and Senate Bill 6568 -- both have bipartisan support, with Democrats and Republicans sponsoring the measures. Both bills are also clear in that their motivation is to protect Washington-based businesses from consumer legal action.

As the legislators wrote in the text of House Bill 2720, "These lawsuits, if decided adversely to the game companies, pose a substantial financial risk for video game development in this state. The further possibility exists that companies based in Washington will move their base of operations to other states, which would remove thousands of jobs from the state and a currently incalculable, but materially significant, amount of tax dollars.

"Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to remove this economic uncertainty by clarifying that a player is not entitled to recovery under RCW 4.24.070 unless the video game played provides a mechanism for the withdrawal of money or property from the game."

The introduction of the bills comes a month after the formation of the Game On WA coalition, a group advocating for free-to-play and social game developers that warns the state legislature must act or else gambling concerns around social games "could mean game over for a vibrant and growing industry in this state." Game On WA is co-chaired by former Washington governor Gary Locke, Washington Technology Industry Association CEO Michael Schutzler, and Kristina Hudson, executive director of the OneRedmond economic development group.

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Washington bills would carve out exceptions for games in gambling law - GamesIndustry.biz

WASHINGTON D.C., DC The adrenaline keeps coursing through everyone's veins, building up to that transcendent moment in D.C. sports history: the advent of legalized betting on games. And it's happening at actual reputable businesses, like Capital One Arena and a DC Lottery mobile App.

While most serious, casual and degenerate gamblers still need to illegally go through their online and on-probation bookies for their favorite Super Bowl prop bet -- like how many plays Tony Romo will predict correctly before the snap -- there is a hope that by the time March Madness rolls around, residents of the District will be able to wager away.

WUSA(

RELATED: VERIFY: Will sports betting be ready by Super Bowl Sunday?

Now, I don't want to be that rain-on-your-parade guy, the rotten-luck Charlie Brown or Kenny from South Park type. But memo to those eagerly awaiting their first legal sports bet: You do know the owners of these establishments got into this business because they'd like to part people with their money, right?

I know this might be a revelation, but you can lose. And you cannot play for the teams you pick to win, giving you less control of the outcome than your average Texas hold' em or blackjack game. I know this because I lost several thousand many years ago. I know this because a guy I met who used to be head of the Virginia Problem Gamblers Association, lost everything. His wife. His job. Nearly his freedom.

See, legalizing gambling in the District is like ending prohibition. Some people will have two glasses of wine per night and go happily to bed. And others will have a scotch, another and another and by the end of the week end up in detox or a recovery room. The term "Responsible Gambling" is among the worst oxymoron known to man. Gambling is not responsible. It's a huge risk. Especially if you have kids, a mortgage and plans for summer vacation.

RELATED: Daniel Snyder and MD lawmakers discuss allowing sports betting at a future Redskins stadium

And as much as I want to celebrate this new revenue stream that's going to allegedly create more jobs and make it so convenient to win big, while actually attending an NBA or hockey game, I also know for some this will create the loss of wealth, health and sometimes families. One person's new entertainment venue can be another's nadir in life.

Here's hoping the purveyors of betting in town have enough resources to help those who have no control over the impulse to bet. Because if that doesn't happen, nobody is going to win.

That's my take. Agree or disagree, I'd love to hear yours. You can get me at mwise@wusa9.com or @MikeWiseGuy on Twitter. And if you got a question for #TheQandA, hit us up at TheQandA@wusa9.com.

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Wise: Anticipation over sports gambling in DC has one minus: parting with your money and possibly your sanity - WUSA9.com

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Gambling revenue in Pennsylvania hits record high - TribLIVE

As even the lowest-stakes players know, a good golf game (like a week in Vegas) can only leave you feeling one of two ways: on top of the world or at the bottom of the barrel.

Given that, its only fair that a golf game named Las Vegas would reflect the very best (and worst) of the gambling experience. Heres how to play just dont blame us if you find yourself living in a scene from The Hangover, while your playing partners are singing ZZ Top.

The Rules

1) Pick your teams

Las Vegas is a great game for players who love working alongside a partner. The game is played in a two-player format, but make sure you choose wisely. More than many other team games, Las Vegas relies upon strong, consistent play from both players. Its highly recommended that you only participate in this game if youre in a foursome of balanced golf ability.

2) Set your wager

Typically, players will wager $1 per point, but depending on the health of your bank account, you can probably choose anywhere from $.01 to $2 per point without needing an advance on next months rent when you leave the course.

3) Throw out traditional math

Las Vegas is played in a two-team format, but unlike traditional team games, where scores are added together (a player making a four and another making a five would equal a nine), scores in Vegas are paired. This means that if one player makes a four and their partner makes a five, the two players would pair their score for 45 points.

4) Find the difference

Heres where the financial aspect of the game kicks in. Money is decided by subtracting the higher and lower paired scores. For example, if you and your partner each shoot fours for a 44, while the opposing team both shoot sixes for a 66, you and your partner would win 22 points (and if youre playing for $1 per point, would claim a clean $22 for the hole).

5) Take the lower score

To properly record scores (and prevent the game from forcing you to take a second mortgage on your house), start with the lower of the two scores from the hole. An exception to this rule comes when someone on either team scores a 10 or higher, at which point, the higher score comes first (a 115 isnt ideal, but its a heck of a lot better than a 511).

6) Flipping the bird

The only other exception to the lower score first rule in Las Vegas comes by flipping the bird. But dont worry, you wont be spewing profanity towards your opponents (on second thought, you might be doing that, but it isnt part of the games rules). Flipping the bird comes when one team sinks a birdie, allowing them to flip the score of their opponent so the higher number comes first. So, if you drain a birdie while your opponents combine for a 48, you can flip the bird at them, making their score for the hole an 84.

Las Vegas (as the name suggests) is a high-stakes, high-intensity game for golfers playing in foursomes of similar ability. If you love competition and are willing to bet it all on yourself and your teammate (or are looking to add some spice to an otherwise dull round), take a trip to Las Vegas and see if good fortunes follow.

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Las Vegas: The golf game that will have you ready to go all-in - Golf.com

(Reuters) - Ladbrokes-owner GVC (GVC.L) said on Friday annual core earnings would be at the top end of its forecast, as stronger demand for online gambling buffers a hit from a bruising regulatory clampdown on slot machines in Britain.

The company, whose brands also include Coral, bwin and Foxy Bingo, said total annual group net gaming revenue rose 2%.

However, its UK retail like-for-like sales fell 11% in the last quarter of the year, as Britain cut the maximum stake allowed on high-speed slot machines - dubbed the crack cocaine of gambling by critics - to 2 pounds ($2.62) from 100 pounds.

Less than a year after Britain slashed the maximum stake that can be placed on popular fixed-odds betting terminals, GVC said this month that it would ban the countrys 24 million gamblers from using credit cards to bet online or offline to rack up debt, the latest move by the government to tackle problem gambling.

Britain has a thriving gambling industry. It employs more than 100,000 people and made 14.4 billion pounds ($18.84 billion) after paying out winnings in the 2018-2019 financial year.

But the government has sought to tighten rules in recent years, bringing in stricter age and identity checks for online gambling and expanding support for those who become addicted.

Foreign markets have been a boon for companies like GVC, as more U.S. states allow legal online betting and other countries offer softer rules on gambling than in Britain.

The company, founded in 2004, in October raised its annual core earnings forecast for the second time in three months as its U.S. joint venture cashed in on a booming online sports betting market in the country.

It said then that it expects full-year core earnings in the range of 670 million pounds to 680 million pounds.

Isle of Man-based GVC, which has a joint-venture with U.S. hotel and casino operator MGM Resorts International (MGM.N), said the business made good progress in the quarter.

Reporting by Indranil Sarkar and Tanishaa Nadkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber, Bernard Orr

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Online gambling to boost GVC's profit as tougher rules loom - Reuters

On Wednesday, the entertainment complex posted its worst monthly gaming numbers yet just under $19 million in revenue an unneeded reminder that the nearly $1 billion development in Western Massachusetts has fallen below expectations since it opened in August 2018.

Yet when Jim Murren, the chief executive of MGM Resorts International, flies in from Las Vegas to greet Red Sox owners and players in Springfield on Friday, he will bring a plan to change up the business mix at the companys first bricks-and-mortar operation in New England.

What will draw more customers, Murren said and ultimately lead them to spend more time and money on the slot machines and the gaming tables at MGM Springfield are more events like Winter Weekend: more concerts and more comedy acts to a venue thats competing with two well-established tribal casinos not far away in Connecticut.

Expanding MGM Springfields association with sports will also help.

Legalizing sports betting in Massachusetts should lift the casinos fortunes, Murren said, as will maximizing its business partnership with the Red Sox and expanding and establishing relationships with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium and at TD Garden, home to the Bruins and Celtics.

MGM Resorts International is a global company that had $3.3 billion in revenue in its most recent quarter. The corporate mother ship can weather a sluggish start in Springfield, but Murren said its going to take time.

We know that we need to drive a more consistent entertainment calendar in order to gain more consistent growth in gaming revenue, Murren said earlier this week. Weve been around for a long time as a company. Some of these properties ramp up really super quickly, like our MGM National Harbor [near Washington, D.C.], one that we opened a few years ago. Some of them take longer, like this one, but were in it for the long game.

MGM Resorts, the largest employer in Nevada, also owns well-known Las Vegas properties: the Mirage, Bellagio, MGM Grand, New York-New York, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay.

In Las Vegas, MGM gets 70 percent of its revenue from non-gaming activity, Murren said. He hopes MGM can market the Springfield casino much as it does its Vegas properties: first and foremost as a night out or a trip for entertainment.

I think its a matter of marketing, what we actually provide at MGM from a holistic entertainment experience, Murren said. When we have a concert, like an Aerosmith concert or Cher concert or several of the big tent-pole events we have, we have tremendous gaming numbers during those times.

But when we have a lighter entertainment calendar, we have underperformed on the gaming side. Our non-gaming business has been quite strong our hotel business, our food and beverage business have been above plan, the entertainment has been pretty much on track.

From the start, Murren said, the emphasis in Springfield was to make it a destination beyond gambling, with theaters, bowling alleys and even the Kringle Candle Emporium giving families options apart from the casino floor.

The non-gaming elements of it dont generally get that type of investment in most of these types of casinos, but weve learned over time that it provides a much more stable revenue platform, and theres an awful lot of synergy between these several different businesses, he said.

Space is reserved at MGM Springfield for a sports betting operation in hopes it will be legalized in Massachusetts.

The rollout of sports betting around the US is occurring, albeit at a slower pace than anyone predicted, and Massachusetts is a case in point where were hopeful that good legislation moves forward, but it hasnt happened yet in the timeframe that people predicted, say, three years ago, Murren said.

MGM has gaming partnerships with all the major sports leagues except the biggest of them all, the NFL. The company wants to replicate the type of one-on-one relationship it has with the Red Sox with other sports teams. Murren is from Fairfield, Conn., grew up as a Yankees fan, and played baseball at Trinity College. But he said he converted to cheering for the Red Sox in 2013, after hearing David Ortizs impassioned speech at Fenway Park after the Boston Marathon bombings.

Winter Weekend is just the latest example of the MGM-Red Sox union. The event this weekend will feature a town-hall-style meeting and presentation with Red Sox owners and executives, panel discussions, and opportunities for fans to get autographs and photos of Red Sox players.

The companys partnership also includes the MGM Resorts logo adorning the Green Monster, while the team has begun construction on the MGM Music Hall next to Fenway Park, scheduled to open next year.

MGM Resorts has a sponsorship and hospitality deal with the Patriots that includes signage at Gillette Stadium. Murren said he and Jonthan Kraft, the son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft, speak frequently. Murren still sounds wowed from a visit to Patriots camp last summer that included a photo with Tom Brady, and he suggested that MGM is pursuing other business ideas with the team, as well.

Delaware North, owner of the Bruins and TD Garden, operates casinos and resorts in other states. Murren said he had had a couple of nice meetings with the Delaware North folks, another possible route to increase MGMs brand awareness around New England.

Said Murren: We believe that anything we can do to weave together sports and live entertainment throughout Massachusetts not just Eastern or Western Massachusetts, but throughout the whole region can be of great benefit to us because were creating more reasons for people to be part of the MGM ecosystem.

Michael Silverman can be reached at michael.silverman@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikeSilvermanBB.

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Springfield casino rethinks its business plan as gambling revenue lags - The Boston Globe

The gambling industry has exploded over the past decade and now takes 14.4bn from UK punters every year equal to more than 200 from every man, woman and child in the UK with the online sector growing particularly fast.

The sectors major firms have been transformed into some of the most recognisable brands in the country and gambling is a vast business, despite mounting concern among politicians and campaigners, which has shown it is willing to fight hard to preserve its revenues.

The gambling boom was kicked off when Tony Blairs Labour government passed the Gambling Act 2005, dramatically liberalising the laws governing betting. The late Tessa Jowell, who pioneered the legislation, later described this as one of her biggest regrets.

Some betting bosses have made vast fortunes. The Bet365 boss Denise Coates has received more than half a billion pounds in salary and dividends in the past two years. The Betfred bosses Fred and Peter Done have a combined fortune of more than 1.25bn.

High street bookies 100-a-spin fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) became known as the crack cocaine of gambling. They were linked to high rates of addiction and ruinous losses but produced massive profits. When the government limited their numbers to four per shop, the bookies opened more shops. Last year, after a long-running campaign, the government reduced the maximum stake to 2.

Some bookmakers sought to bypass the FOBT crackdown by quickly inventing new games that mimicked FOBTs while technically complying with the rules. They withdrew the games under pressure from the Gambling Commission after the Guardian exposed the practice.

Deregulation also led to a sharp increase in the number of gambling adverts. In 2013 the broadcast regulator Ofcom found the number of ads on TV had increased by 600% in six years. The sectors annual spend on advertising reached 1.5bn by 2017.

Many adverts were attached to live football broadcasts. Mounting public concern about the impact on children prompted the industry to impose a voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban on betting ads from 2019. However, some have since shifted to social media marketing instead.

Football remains the betting industrys cash cow. Of the top 40 clubs in English football, 25 have a gambling sponsor. There have also been controversial bespoke deals, including Wayne Rooney and Derby Countys tie-up with the online casino 32Red.

Shirt sponsorships and TV ads aside, football fans still see betting logos wherever they look. An episode of Match of the Day can feature more gambling logos than a Sky broadcast because of visible branding on pitch-side hoardings and elsewhere. Concern has been expressed about gambling branding in the childrens section of football programmes.

A recent tie-up that resulted in seven gambling firms buying exclusive rights to show FA Cup games free to customers with an active betting account prompted outrage and a swift climbdown from the industry and the Football Association.

The growth of the gambling industry has been accompanied by a wave of transgressions that has led to firms being sanctioned by the regulator. Firms to face punishment include Betfred, PaddyPower, Ladbrokes Coral, William Hill, SkyBet, 888, 32Red and LeoVegas, to name but a few.

In some cases, problem gamblers have been given hush money to sign a non-disclosure agreement that prevents them taking their case about a specific companys failings any further. The Gambling Commission has since clamped down on this.

Some techniques are still permitted but are increasingly seen as questionable. Earlier this year the Guardian revealed details of the industrys use of so-called VIP schemes offering free bets and free tickets to big sporting events to heavy gamblers implicated in multiple cases where problem gambling had spiralled out of control. The commission is reviewing the schemes and could ban them.

Earlier this month the commission announced plans to stop gamblers from using credit cards to bet in the light of cases where addicts used multiple cards to rack up huge debts.

The industry contends that the rate of problem gambling has remained relatively stable at 0.7% of the population, despite deregulation. However, that is equal to 340,000 people and hospital admissions related to the addiction are rising.

Recent studies have suggested a rise in the number of child problem gamblers to 50,000.

Free help and advice about problem gambling is available online at BeGambleAware.org or by calling the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133

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How Britain got the gambling bug - The Guardian

Now that all the dust has settled, we finally have our NFL final four. The Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs battle it out this Sunday afternoon to decide who will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, while the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers play Sunday night for the last spot in the Super Bowl.

Both home teams are favored this week, and the spreads of both of these matchups have been hovering out seven to 7.5 points. Below, we will analyze which bets I'm high on, which bets you should avoid and then some long shots I'm interested in.

Let's jump in now. All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Henry rushed for 182 yards against the New England Patriots in the wild-card round and 195 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round. Both of those defenses are two of the best in the NFL, and I have no reason to believe that Henry will not be able to replicate his success on the ground against Kansas City. When the Titans played the Chiefs in Week 10, Henry rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Take the over here.

Rodgers has thrown for over 240 yards six times this season. He only threw for 104 yards against the 49ers in Week 12, but if this game goes how many think it will go, the Packers will need to be throwing the ball a lot. Rodgers also has a personal vendetta against the 49ers for passing over him in the 2005 NFL Draft, and there is no better way to get some revenge than by preventing the 49ers from reaching the Super Bowl with a big performance. Whether the Packers win or lose this game, I think Rodgers will pass for at least 240 yards.

The Chiefs appear to be the best team remaining in the playoffs and are on a seven-game win streak, but they are running into a team of destiny. There aren't many people who expected the Titans to be in this situation -- one game away from the Super Bowl. Hardly anyone expected them to beat the Patriots and then the No. 1 seed Ravens, both on the road. I'm going to take the Titans to win this game, and if they don't, I think they can cover 7.5 points.

Wondering which teams will wind up in Super Bowl LIV? Pete Prisco and R.J. White join Will Brinson with their picks, gambling advice and more on the Pick Six Podcast. Listen below and be sure to subscribe for daily NFL goodness.

There is a lot of money coming in on the Packers and 49ers to score more than 45 collective points, but I think there's a possibility that will not happen. It's interesting that 45 points is the exact point total both teams scored in Week 12, when the 49ers blew out the Packers, 37-8. This game could end up being a defensive showdown. Both teams have incredible pass rushers who can get to the quarterback in a hurry, and both have been spotty when it comes to putting up big points. Even if the 49ers blow out the Packers again, I think it won't be as bad as Green Bay's Week 12 showing.

I was surprised to see that Hill's under for receptions was favored by that much. The last time Hill played the Titans, he set a new career-high in receptions with 11 for 157 yards and a touchdown. He only caught three passes last week against the Houston Texans, but I think Andy Reid will try to get his star wideout going with a Super Bowl appearance on the line.

I'm going to have to explain this Packers' moneyline pick, because I also have it ranked fairly high when it comes to ranking moneyline value. I like that people are ready to throw it all on the moneyline for the Packers, but don't throw all your eggs in one basket. I say this because I think there's a better possibility of the 49ers winning this game but not covering the spread than the Packers winning straight up.

Jones has scored two more more touchdowns in seven games this season, including last week against the Seattle Seahawks. I think there's a good chance it happens again this Sunday against a 49ers defense that ranks just 22nd in preventing TDs in the red zone.

Williams scored the first touchdown for the Chiefs last week, and it was just the first of three he would score against the Texans. There's no way the Chiefs start off as slow as they did last week, and I think they strike first -- and strike first with Williams.

If the Titans beat the Chiefs, then the game is going to go how Tennessee wants it to go. That means that Henry is going to have another magnificent game and the Titans are going to control time of possession. If the Titans win, then I don't see the over hitting.

1. As my colleague R.J. white points out -- though there hasn't been a clear ATS advantage for the home team (better seed) in the conference title games over the last decade, we should note that over the last 20 years, there have been 13 conference title matchups with a spread of seven points or greater. The underdog went 10-3 ATS in that stretch, most recently with the Jacksonville Jaguars covering in Foxborough two years ago. That makes it pretty difficult to lay the points in both matchups this week; I'd say at best you should think about taking either one or both 'dogs.

2. My good friend John Breech -- who was the only media member in the country who went 4-0 on his straight-up picks last week -- brought up this nugget in his picks piece: The good news for the Titans (and the 49ers) is that over past three years, teams that played on Saturday in the divisional round have gone 5-1 in the championship round. That's not a recent trend, either: Saturday teams have also gone 15-5 in the championship round over the past 10 years. Apparently, one extra day of rest can go a long way in the NFL.

I think it's very possible both underdogs could flat out win on Sunday. I even threw a little money on a parlay that includes Titans and Packers moneyline. Everyone is very high on the 49ers because they crushed the Packers in the regular season, but I'm just not convinced. Rodgers has won a Super Bowl while Jimmy Garoppolo is making his second ever postseason start.

Advantage teaser players are going to make the obvious play here and drop the favorites down through the key numbers of 7 and 3. But I would abandon that strategy this week, as I believe we're going to see at least one upset on Sunday. To me, the safer play is teasing the 'dogs both up to around two touchdowns, as I don't see either of these matchups being a blowout by the home team.

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NFL playoffs gambling guide: Locks, props, trends, what to avoid and more for the conference championships - CBS Sports

WANTED IN LACEY Time to help Lacey Police identify a gambling gas station robber who stole cash and scratch tickets from the Shell station on Martin Way E. on December 31st.

He came in there with a mask on his face, a backpack in his hand, gloves on his hands. Went to the cashier and told them to give him their money and some lottery tickets, said Lacey Police Det. Jon Mason. The investigation, so far, shows it may be someone whos associated with a homeless encampment in the area. We want to catch this guy really bad. We dont have any information on who he is, so if anybody can help us identify this subject, wed love to get him in custody.

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Detectives think the homeless encampment the suspect may be connected to is behind The Marq on Martin apartments.

If you know who the suspect is, use the P3 Tips App on your smart phone to submit the information to Crime Stoppers, or call the hot line at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). It's anonymous and you'll get a cash reward if your tip helps lead to his arrest.

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Help ID gambling gas station robber who stole scratch tickets, possibly connected to nearby homeless camp - Q13 News Seattle

LAS VEGAS What kind of weirdo would come to this city and not gamble? No poker, no slots, no craps, no roulette, no sports betting, not even baccarat: not a penny spent on the fickle whims of Fortune.

Presumably youre familiar with the world-famous charms of this sprawling city in western Nevada: the show business, the glitz, the $7.99 buffets, the ease of access to every single vice known to human civilization.

Above all, the gambling, or gaming, as the industry prefers: an entire urban economy rooted in games of chance that, almost by definition, favor the house at the expense of the gambler.

As someone who doesnt gamble or drink, and who regards lavish stage productions with the kind of low-intensity dread young children feel before visiting a particularly dull grandparent, it would seem that Las Vegas had little to offer.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Because, in this desert of 24-hour casinos built to look like famous structures in Europe and pedestrian-hostile thoroughfares, there are plenty of oases of quirky interest that can satisfy even the most discerning seeker of offbeat fun.

Perhaps the most impressive and informative of these sites currently sits about a mile and a half east of the famed Strip, with its garish hotel casinos and packs of wandering showgirls drumming up business for their employers. The National Atomic Testing Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is a jaw-dropping collection of artifacts and displays related to nuclear weapons, which grimly seems more relevant than ever.

Arguably as important to the development of Las Vegas as gambling, the Nevada Proving Grounds, about 65 miles north of the city, was the main U.S. test site for nuclear weapons for four decades starting in 1951. Nearly 1,000 nuclear bombs have been detonated here, with most of the explosions occurring underground, although many of the iconic images of mushroom clouds soaring from desert flats were from tests conducted here in the 1950s.

At the time the atomic testing began, Las Vegas was a sleepy gambling town with a population of around 40,000. The test site brought a massive influx of federal employees and contractors more than 100,000 at its height plus families moving into the area.

The tests also brought tourists: casinos with north-facing views held rooftop bomb parties, and beauty pageants were organized to crown Miss Atomic Bomb, invariably pictured wearing a bathing suit designed to look like a mushroom cloud. By the early 1970s, when the citys population had more than quadrupled since 1951, casino magnate and mob boss Benny Binion proclaimed, The best thing to happen to Vegas was the atomic bomb.

This odd local pride in the most destructive weaponry ever devised by humans is on full display at the museum, which houses some 3,500 artifacts and 16,000 photographs related to the nearby atomic testing. You can see just about everything here, from literal nuclear weapons to pop culture ephemera produced during the atom craze of the 1950s if youve ever eaten a spicy Atomic Fireball candy, youve got Vegas bomb test site to thank.

Exhibits range from a model bomb shelter designed for a family of four, bringing new meaning to the term nuclear family, to the multimedia experience of the Ground Zero Theatre, where sounds and vibrating seats replicate the experience of watching an above-ground nuclear test. The museum isnt above whimsy, either, with smaller displays devoted to Atomic Age science fiction, and the fevered speculation about space aliens being housed at Nevadas Area 51 military site.

There are also displays with slightly less prominent positioning that detail the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, sober reminders that for all the campy Cold War enthusiasm, the purpose of these weapons was to kill as many human beings as possible.

If all that seems a little grim for a vacation, the Neon Museum, about 5 miles north of the Strip, should provide a whimsical alternative. A repository for abandoned casino and hotel signs spanning the citys history, the 2.25-acre campus has about 200 examples of the garish, distinctly American pieces of advertising. Youll want to visit after dark, when the Neon Boneyard is lit up, creating an eerie effect as you wander among the glitzy detritus of past decades.

Finally, if you absolutely insist on having a gambling-related experience, head to the Flamingo Hotel and casino in the heart of the Strip. Follow the signs for the Flamingo Habitat, and soon enough youll encounter an outdoor preserve where a flock of slightly sad-looking Chilean flamingos strut around for the cameras of tourists. If you walk the winding path through the preserve, eventually youll find one of the oddest memorials in any American city: a commemorative plaque dedicated to Benjamin Bugsy Siegel, the gangster and mass murderer who oversaw construction of the original Flamingo in 1946.

Siegel, who was himself murdered by erstwhile chums less than a year later, seems like an odd candidate for a sincere memorial, but what else do you expect from Las Vegas? At least he never got his hands on an atomic bomb.

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What (else) happens in Vegas? There's more than gambling for adventurous tourists in 'Sin City' - Journal Inquirer

HARRISBURG Gamblers placed almost $1.5 billion in wagers and generated $30 million in revenue for the state in the first full year of legalized sports gambling.

In December alone, gamblers wagered more than $342 million on sports bets in Pennsylvania, according to the Gaming Control Board.

The key reason for the Pennsylvanias year-end momentum is its growing roster of online sportsbooks, which combined to produce almost 87 percent of the states total December handle the amount wagered by gamblers, said Dustin Gouker, an analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com, a web site tracking the gambling industry.

That last two months of 2019 began to show us the real potential of the Pennsylvania market, Gouker said. Now that the online market is maturing, it is entirely possible that 2020 could bring in $4 billion or more in online and retail bets."

Pennsylvania will finish 2019 a distant third in total handle among all legal sports betting jurisdictions. New Jersey, the countrys No. 2, attracted $4.6 billion in bets in 2019. But Pennsylvanias haul in state taxes was more comparable to New Jersey, which generated revenue of $36.5 million. Nevada is still the top state for sports wagering revenue.

Pennsylvania is beginning to succeed where it wanted to most: making sports betting a significant revenue driver for the state, Gouker said. Its tax rate is significantly higher than every other state, which has slowed the industrys growth. But Pennsylvania is the most populous state to fully legalize sports betting, and that has proven to be too enticing for operators to ignore.

The Department of Revenue projected that sports wagering would generate $35.5 million in 2019-2020, said Jeffrey Johnson, a spokesman for the department. The state fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, rather than by the calendar year.

Sports wagering provided almost $21 million in state tax in the first six months of this fiscal year, he said.

The tax revenue from sports wagering, while still significantly more than the state had been getting earlier in the year, actually dropped in December, compared to November, as gamblers took home more in winnings, leaving casinos with less profit for the state to tax, Gaming Control Board data shows.

Decembers bets produced $17.5 million in revenue down from Novembers $20.6 million win. The states take in tax was $3.9 million in December, double what the state got in sports wagering tax in August, but still less than the $5 million in tax generated by sports betting in November.

Sports wagering winning and losing is going to be very volatile, said Doug Harbach, a spokesman for the Gaming Control Board.

Gouker called the problem as double-edged sword for states because when gamblers win more, theres less casino revenue to tax. But if gamblers dont win often enough, theres the chance that they will become less likely to continue placing sports wagers.

Richard Auxier, a researcher whos studied sports wagering for the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center in Washington, D.C.,said that when the public was first presented with the idea that sports wagering was going to be legalized, there was a lot of confusion about how much revenue would be generated.

Much of that confusion arose because people were fixated on how much people projected gamblers would wager.

Some of the exuberance might be chalked up to a misunderstanding of what is being taxed. In a widely cited number, the pro-gambling American Sports Betting Coalition estimated Americans illegally wager $150 billion a year on sports. But even if that number were correct and all of Americas illegal betting became legal and taxed, it would not produce much tax revenue, because only a fraction of it would be taxed, he said.

Thirteen states including neighboring states, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia have sports betting. Close to half the states either have legal sports wagering or there is legislation moving to allow sports wagering, Auxier said.

This isnt just states having dreams of big revenue scores. They know better, he said.

Where theres resistance, its not primarily driven by other factors than concern that the tax revenue from sports wagering hasnt been as impressive as people expected, he said.

In some states, tribal communities have lobbied against state-run sports wagering.

An Associated Press investigation found that tribes helped derail legalization efforts in Arizona, Minnesota, Texas, and Washington, he said. Lobbying from tribal communities stopped sports betting legislation from being introduced in California, Florida, and Oklahoma, he said.

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Gamblers bet $1.5 billion on sports in Pennsylvania last year - TribDem.com

CHICAGO (CBS) Something troubling is brewing at the Illinois Lottery.

And its leading to millions of dollars missing for the state.

As sports wagering emerges in Indiana and online gambling expands in Illinois, the outfit that gets us to scratch and win may be scratching their heads.

CBS 2s Chris Tye has the story youll see only on CBS 2.

If you believe lotteries sell hope, business is spotty.

CBS 2 dug in and found out that in in the last six months of 2018, the lottery pumped 344 million dollars into the state school fund.

In the last six months of 2019, it fell to 280 million. An 18% drop totaling 64 million fewer dollars.

I think the progress report has come in with these numbers, said David Greising of the Better Government Association said the progress report is for Camelot, the private company hired to run Illinois lottery for 26 million dollars a year.

Whose general manager 18 months ago predicted to Crains Chicago a 3.5% sales increase.

These numbers are new, but these problems at the Illinois lottery are not new, said Greising.

Lottery officials claimed a late year infusion of revenue wasnt included in the state report. It wouldve cut the 64 million dollar dip by more than half.

And a record breaking Mega Millions in 2018 artificially boosted that years numbers.

And some are forecasting it could get worse before it gets better. Illinoisans use discretionary dollars to spend on the lottery, and as we all know, a big new lane of discretionary spending emerged in Illinois.

I have this kind of fun money. The choice is do people want to get high or do I want to gamble? When economic times get tight they probably cant do both, Greising said.

Illinois has surgically focused on casinos and marijuana lately, but it may just be the 46-year-old Illinois Lottery in need of a check-up.

If as some think a recession will hit in late 2020, those numbers will really start to go down, noted Greising.

CBS 2 asked the lottery and the private company now managing the lottery to go on camera Tuesday. Both declined the request.

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Lottery Sales Sink As Other Gambling Options Take Off - CBS Chicago

A company owning nearly half Washingtons card-room casinos threw its support Friday behind a new legislative push to legalize sports gambling throughout the state both in land-based and mobile form.

Maverick Gaming LLC had been a driving force behind this weeks introduction of HB-2478 and companion SB-6277, which seek to legalize widespread sports betting through licensed card rooms, racetracks and tribal casinos for pro sports everywhere and college sports outside Washington. The bills are sponsored by Rep. Brandon Vick (R-Vancouver) and Sens. Ann Rivers (R-La Center) and Curtis King (R-Yakima).

Weve done our best to be as inclusive and build as broad a base of support as possible for legislation we think can be successful, said Eric Persson, a Hoquiam native and CEO and co-founder of Nevada-based Maverick, which in the past year has acquired 19 of the states 44 card rooms and is in the process of purchasing five more. Were looking forward to partnering with the Native American tribes in the state to bring a service to the Washingtonian public that theres clearly a demand for.

A competing effort at legalizing sports gambling launched last year and initially sponsored by a current NHL Seattle director has been focused on limiting the activity to Native American tribal venues.

And that renders unlikely any immediate partnering between the two camps, given the potential money at stake in a state with some of the nations toughest anti-gambling laws and where sports betting anywhere is outlawed. Any casinos here beyond tribal lands are limited to card rooms also called mini casinos where poker, blackjack and other card games can be played against the house but not individuals and where slot machines, video lottery terminals and video pull tabs are prohibited.

Persson acknowledged although hes had initial dialogue with some tribal groups, nothing much has come of it.

While there have been conversations, I wouldnt say that theyve progressed, he said. I wouldnt even say that theyve been incredibly productive.

States nationwide have looked at legalizing various forms of sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 quashed a federal law banning such activity since 1992. The striking down of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act left it up to individual states to legalize sports betting, and 13 of them now allow it.

The sports-gambling bill previously introduced a year ago in the state legislature, HB-1975, says limiting such activity within tribal facilities already accustomed to gaming is the best way to regulate the practice and prevent abuses.

HB-1975 was sponsored by Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D-Seattle), who in October became an NHL Seattle community ambassador and director of suites services.

NHL Seattle has said it isnt yet planning for legalized sports wagering once it launches play next year, despite partnering last October on a sponsorship deal with the Muckleshoot Casino. Pettigrew since that time has withdrawn as the primary HB-1975 sponsor, given his involvement with the team.

If that bill eventually passes in lieu of the new effort, Muckleshoot and other tribes would gain exclusive domain over sports betting, something Maverick CEO Persson argues would deprive Washington of up to $50 million in annual tax proceeds off such gambling statewide. Persson added only legalized, strictly regulated sports gaming can protect Washingtonians from fraud and other issues that arise when they illegally place sports bets through offshore entities.

The likelihood of either competing bill becoming law this legislative session seems remote given the shortened schedule due to it being an election year. Vick said Friday his newly sponsored HB-2478 will at least help lawmakers consider all possible options beyond tribal casinos.

Weve never had what I would really consider a rather robust discussion, he said.

Rivers echoed her companion SB-6277 effort signifies the start of a very full and robust conversation and likely wont come to a vote before next year.

There are so many people to talk to and so many things to consider, she said.

One hot topic will be mobile gambling, the fastest-growing sector within sports betting and comprising about 80% of it given the easy access that doesnt require being in a physical location. Sports-gaming efforts in some states have been slowed by concerns such online betting makes it easier for minors to become gambling addicts.

Internet gambling of any kind is outlawed in Washington as a Class C felony.

Persson said regulating online betting here by allowing qualified and vetted individuals licensed by the state to control sports-gaming servers would discourage Washingtonians from betting offshore where they have no protection.

He hopes all sides eventually find common ground.

I believe ultimately that well all work together, he said. Because well all benefit from this.

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New legislative push seeks to legalize sports gambling in Washington - Seattle Times

CLEVELAND (AP) - Gambling revenue at Ohios four casinos and seven racinos rose to a record $1.94 billion in 2019, according to figures reported by the states lottery and casino control commissions.

Continuing a year-to-year upward trend, it brought the total to $11.9 billion in gambling revenue since Ohios first casino opened in May 2012, Cleveland.com reported. That sum accounts for the money left after facilities pay out winnings for slot machines and table games, but it doesnt include profits from horse wagering or food sales.

The total gambling revenue for last year was up more than 4% from $1.86 billion in 2018. The "racinos", which offer only chance-based slot machines, brought in $1.1 billion, an increase of 6.2% from 2018. The casinos saw a smaller increase of 1.6% and logged $851 million in gambling revenue.

Taxes and fees send about one-third of the revenue or about $650 million last year to the state.

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Ohio gambling revenue rises again, to record $1.94B in 2019 - 13abc Action News

Crime

EL PASO, Texas -- Allegations of El Paso County Sheriff's deputies gambling using betting boards on county time surfacedTuesday.

Former deputy Joe Kluge initially made the claim in a social media post that Sheriff Richard Wiles was made aware of the gambling and turned a blind eye to it. He also alleged in an interview with ABC-7 that that high-ranking and command staff have participated in the scheme.

According to Kluge, "a current deputy lieutenant has been running a gambling scheme by selling Super Bowl squares at $350 a square."

Sheriff Wiles told ABC-7 that he's not aware of any gambling within the Sheriff's Office, and added that no formal complaint has been filed.

However, Kluge says he submitted information about the alleged gambling to the Texas Rangers, who in turn, turned the information over to the El Paso County Attorney's office.

Wiles says gambling is illegal in the state of Texas under penal code 47.3 and would be treated as an illegal activity even in his office.

Wiles adds that Kluge's allegations are politically motivated. He says he demoted Kluge several years ago for questionable behavior. Wiles indicated Kluge eventually resigned and took a job with one of his opponents running against him for sheriff of El Paso County.

Kluge adamantly denies his allegations are politically motivated.

The sheriff said he consulted with legal staff to make sure there is no ongoing investigation regarding illegal gambling.

Wiles tells ABC-7 that his office will be sending an email out to all of his employees reminding them that this type of activity is both a violation of the law and a violation of department policy, adding employees should refrain from it.

El Paso / News / Texas Politics / Top Stories

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El Paso County Sheriff accused of allowing deputies to partake in illegal gambling pools at work - KVIA El Paso

TAPACUHLA, Mexico Honduran Katherine Cabrera is among thousands of migrants who didn't expect to get bottled up in this southern Mexican city, unable to proceed to the American border as planned, because of President Donald Trump's insistence that Mexico block them with troop deployments and whatever else the Mexicans could come up with.

New Mexican travel restriction rules required that Cabrera either go home with her newborn child or stay here in Tapachula to apply for Mexican asylum and await an outcome perhaps months in the future. Rather than return home as some have, though, Cabrera said she reached a carefully reasoned-out decision. She'll stay in Mexico and pursue that asylum claim in a calculated gambit: that Donald Trump will lose the November 2020 election and once the Democrats control the White House, they'll reverse everything Trump did and reopen the U.S. southern border so that she can finally breach it.

"I want Trump out!" Cabrera said. "I'll wait for that because it would make things easier to get in."

In this calculus and in their perhaps surprising savvy about national American politics and timing, Cabrera has plenty of company all over Tapachula, where thousands like her have been forced to pool up for long asylum process waits or returns home.

Dozens of politically woke migrants, like Honduran Wilson Valladaras, recently told CIS their decisions to stay in Mexico were predicated on the Trump-defeat gamble. Valladaras said he would wait for his Mexican asylum approval, move to Tijuana "until Trump leaves", and then cross over the U.S. border when the Democrats undo his policies because "right now, the Americans will throw you back" to Mexico.

Outside Tapachula's main detention center where they had to check in, CIS asked five migrant women to raise their hands if they had chosen to stay in Mexico to await the hoped-for Trump defeat. All did so without reservation.

Trump's demand that Mexico stop the mass migration or face debilitating tariffs prompted a variety of Mexican measures, includingNational Guard troop deployments blocking once relatively free and open migrant travel on road routes north and deportations of those who refuse to stay in Mexico and apply for asylum, or who don't qualify.

Along with the Trump administration's push-back "Remain in Mexico" for asylum policy (formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols), thousands have been left to the deterring circumstances of indefinite waits in Mexico, when the plan all along was always to get over the U.S. border by any means and then live and work illegally (most asylum claims by Central Americans are rejected for ineligibility, and economic motives are disqualifying). The result: Apprehensions at the U.S. border have declined 70 percent in a few short months, from 144,000 in May 2019 to a still-high level of about 40,000 in December.

But the Trump-defeat gamble offers a powerful hope and motive for some migrants to keep coming a 50-50 chance that the way over the U.S. border will clear once again in less than a year.

Across the Suchiate River border south of Tapachula, where thevast majority of migrants enter, lays the dusty, crime-infested town of Tecun Uman. There, the Catholic church offers the only sheltered layover, Casa del Migrante, for tired migrants to rest up for the river crossing into Mexico aboard rubber rafts. On a recent visit, CIS found the shelter full of migrants, but was only allowed to interview two who volunteered to meet outside.

One of the volunteers planning to cross the next morning with her two-year-old daughter was El Salvadoran Brenda Ramos. She was very well aware of the new Mexican policies that would trap her in Mexico, but said she decided to gamble the eight or nine months leading to the American election.

"A lot of people in El Salvador believe he [Trump] is the reason all this is happening, that he is selfish and cruel and doing everything he can to make us suffer," she said. "But once Trump is defeated and the Democrats take over, things are going to get better."

It wasn't immediately clear how many Mexican asylum applicants have stayed or gone home.

An office of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Tapachula provides bus passage and job leads for Tapachula migrants who have been approved for Mexican asylum, 5,000 in recent months, to other Mexican cities in the north, said its Public Information Officer Pierre-Mark Rene. He said to his knowledge, most of them just need jobs right now to sustain themselves and may well plan to start new lives in Mexico "for the long term".

But the UN's Rene, appearing uncomfortable when questioned about whether many were biding their time until the election, conceded that once working in northern Mexico, "they'll have to see their options."

Alma Delia Cruz, the head of the Mexican agency processing the claims (Comision Mexicana de Ayuda a Refugiados, COMAR) said nearly 70 percent of all claims in Mexico in 2019 were filed in Tapachula, about 44,000. Of those, she estimated an abandonment rate of about 40 percent. Many of those likely decided to go home after applying.

But of the remaining 60 percent? Cruz acknowledged they likely have no intention of staying in Mexico for the long term.

"None want to stay in Mexico; this is just their first chance to get into the United States, of course," she said. "I don't know what's on the minds of these people exactly, but the threats from Trump can't deter them from eventually getting into the U.S."

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U.S.-Bound Migrants Gambling on Trump Defeat in November - Immigration Blog

It should come as no surprise to anyone that the illegal immigrants who are being stopped in Mexico and prevented from reaching the U.S. border are hoping for President Trumps defeat in the 2020 election. According to a report by the Center for Immigration Studies, these immigrants are choosing to stay where they are in the hopes a Democrat will defeat Trump in the election and open up the borders again.

Katherine Cabrera, a Honduran who traveled through Mexico with her newborn baby, cant get to the border because Mexican troop deployments are preventing them and thousands of others from being able to complete their journey across the border into the United States. Rather than return to Honduras, she plans to wait it out in Tijuana, gambling her fate on the election. "I want Trump out!" she said. "I'll wait for that because it would make things easier to get in."

In this calculus and in their perhaps surprising savvy about national American politics and timing, Cabrera has plenty of company all over Tapachula, where thousands like her have been forced to pool up for long asylum process waits or returns home, writes Todd Bensman, the Senior National Security Fellow at CIS. Dozens of politically woke migrants, like Honduran Wilson Valladaras, recently told CIS their decisions to stay in Mexico were predicated on the Trump-defeat gamble.

Valladaras said he would wait for his Mexican asylum approval, move to Tijuana until Trump leaves, and then cross over the U.S. border when the Democrats undo his policies because right now, the Americans will throw you back to Mexico, Bensman continued.

Trump threatened Mexico with sanctions if they didnt do more to stop the flow of illegal immigrants through their country and into the United States. In response to the sanctions threat, Mexico promised to deploy National Guard troops to address migrant travel through their country. Thanks to these efforts, border crossings by illegals have plummetted 78 percent. So, while Trumps pressure on Mexico has succeeded in curbing illegal immigration, U.S.-bound migrants are clearly aware that this strict policy will likely be reversed by any of the Democrats likely to win the partys nomination.

Once Trump is defeated, and the Democrats take over, things are going to get better, said Brenda Ramos of El Salvador.

Should Trump lose, these migrants see a new administration as their cue to start heading back to the border, which will result in a massive influx of illegal immigrants and a lot of happy Democrats.

_____

Matt Margolis is the author of Trumping Obama: How President Trump Saved Us From Barack Obama's Legacy and the bestselling book The Worst President in History: The Legacy of Barack Obama. You can follow Matt on Twitter @MattMargolis

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Illegal Immigrants Are Gambling on Trump Losing Election So They Can Cross Border - PJ Media