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assachusetts gaming regulators failed to vote on Wednesday on pandemic-era gambling restrictions that would ban poker, craps and roulette and require plexiglass dividers at card tables and in slots parlors, after licensees balked at some of the commissions proposed requirements.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission met Wednesday to work towards finalizing its minimum requirements for reopening, and settled on a number of guidelines.

Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor in Everett have all been closed since March 15 and cannot reopen until June 29 at the earliest. Casino gambling has resumed in Las Vegas, Connecticut and other states around, and the Gaming Commission has been studying how those jurisdictions have fared.

No reopening date has been set, and casino operators say they will need 10 to 14 days notice in order to ramp back up. Encore Boston Harbor has discussed a tentative reopening date of Monday, June 29 as a tentative opening date. But the formal reopening date depends on Gov. Charlie Bakers reopening plan, and is expected to occur at Phase 3. The state is in what officials have called the first part of Phase 2. The gaming commission plans to meet again next week and vote on the new rules with any final decisions about reopening up to the governors office.

Plans call for no poker, craps or roulette until further notice, blackjack-style gaming tables will be capped at three players, and slots machines will be separated and are likely to have some sort of barrier between them. The commission is also weighing occupancy limits, but the licensees raised some issues with the cumulative effects of the commissions proposal to limit the total number of gaming positions and require the installation of plexiglass shields at all gaming tables.

Our licensees are saying to us that there is a potential that that is a game-changer for them, to impose that requirement, commission Chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein said, as reported by the State House News Service. We have, without knowing that, we all agreed that that made good sense in light of the current public health standards.

None of the gaming establishments said Wednesday that they would not reopen under the terms of the guidance commissioners discussed Wednesday, but said they wanted to better understand what reduced capacity would mean for their businesses and wanted to get updated employee counts to the commissioners if they plan to take workers into account when calculating capacity limits.So instead of voting to finalize the guidance document, commissioners decided to delay and asked Interim Executive Director Karen Wells to coordinate with each licensee to gather information and schedule another meeting. Judd-Stein said the commission will give notice of the next meeting as soon as possible.

She told the officials that even if their casinos in other states are not required to adhere to as rigid of a set of guidelines, they should recognize that the pandemic has played out differently in Massachusetts than in other parts of the country.

Were hopeful that you are appreciative of the challenges that are here in Massachusetts in terms of where we are with our public health metrics and that you keep an open mind to consider this mitigating option because the health of patrons and employees, we all agree, is paramount, Judd-Stein told representatives from the three betting halls. With that said, we want to be fair but we obviously need more information if this today presents a real challenge for you with your business model. I think we have a document that is really close.

At least a week before reopening, each licensee will be required to submit its own plan detailing the steps and measures the licensee will take to achieve compliance with the guidance and protocols to the Gaming Commission, and each facility will have to be fully cleaned and disinfected.

Upon arrival, gamblers will be told not to enter if they have recently had any COVID-19 symptoms, casino staffers will hand out masks or face coverings if guests do not have their own, and hand sanitizer will be made available. Players will be required to wear something that covers their nose and mouth upon entry and while in the gaming area.

The casinos will be asked to limit how often players touch cards or chips, and will have to develop a protocol for chip sanitization so that all chips have been sanitized before they are issued. Each facility will also have to come up with a plan to replace cards based on volume and frequency of play.

Commissioners acknowledged Wednesday that whatever guidelines they approve will probably change once the slots parlor and casinos reopen and the regulators can determine what is and what is not working the way they intend.

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Massachusetts weighs banning poker, craps and roulette - Yogonet International

There are two major variations of online roulette, the European and the American version. Once you sit at to play roulette, two things will catch your eye, the wheel, and the roulette board. The wheel has 37 or 38 numbers, from zero through to 37, depending on the version you are playing. You will notice the numbers colors are not in sequence. Instead, they alternate from red to black, except for the green-colored singles and double zeroes.

A croupier moderates the game and is responsible for spinning the wheel. If you pay close attention, you will notice as the wheel spins in one direction, the ball spins in the opposite direction. The roulette board is where you place your bets. The numbers on the wheel are replicated on the board, only that this time they are arranged consecutively. To place your bet, simply drop the chips to the left numbers. There are different betting options, depending on the numbers to choose to place your bet on.

Today, almost all online casinos offer online roulette. However, for the best gambling experience yet, we recommend you play at either Fruity Casa or Fun Casino.

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With Fun Casino you also start getting rewards from the start, sometimes up to 499 euros in percentage bonus on making your first deposit, in the 100% sign up bonus you are entitled to. Besides, you also receive 100 free spins on specified games, plus another 100% bonus of up to 499 euros on your second deposit. The site is licensed in Malta, UK, and Sweden, and offers a variety of top games from gurus in the industry. The least you can deposit is ten euros, while there is no limit to how much you can withdraw, though you may have to wait for up to 24 hours for the request to be processed.

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Finest Live Dealer Online Roulette Sites to gamble this summer - Tunf.com News

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Poker rooms are reopening across the states now. While several places have reopened their slots and table games, poker has remained off most of their menus.

Ostensibly this is because poker is a particularly dangerous game in a pandemic. In reality, it is probably because the hourly take from raking a poker table tends to be lower than at roulette or blackjack.

In an effort to reassure punters that playing a few hands of cards isnt a death sentence, casinos in Vegas are instituting mandatory mask rules. Laying aside the loss of life question, a lot of people are asking how this will impact the dynamics of the game.

What is live poker when you cant read anyones faces?

While many players already wear hoodies and wrap-around shades to reduce non-verbal leakage, the new rules will mean everyone is covered chin to cheek.

While some experts suggest the false confidence might lead to additional tells and giveaways in other areas, some are pointing out that faces are often the least reliable source of reads. Instead, players focus more on hand and eye movements or on non-body language tells like betting patterns.

The biggest effect, however, is likely to be on the social side of the game. Humans like to see who theyre talking to, and covering faces will muffle table talk and have an impact on the sense of community about the table.

Whatever the effects on the game, players should remember that masks are not going to make a game completely safe. They reduce transmission but do not eliminate it.

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Wearing a Mask to Your Poker Room: What to Expect - PokerTube

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There's been a spike in the number of discarded canisters of nitrous oxide in parks and public areas since the outbreak of Covid-19.

A Dublin TD has asked the Minister for Health to set up an awareness campaign on the dangers of nitrous oxide or "laughing gas".

Mark Ward says large numbers of so called silver bullets, which hold the drug, have been discovered in the Clondalkin and Lucan areas recently.

The Sinn Fin deputy says the misuse of the gas has become widespread and that young people are playing Russian Roulette with the substance.

In my role as a Director of the Clondalkin Drugs and Alcohol Task Force I became aware of nitrous oxide about two years ago, however the level of use has seriously increased," he said.

You only have to walk through the parks and estates in Dublin Mid-West and see the discarded silver bullets and balloons, the nitrous oxide is released into the balloon and then inhaled. This causes a shortness of breath that produces a very quick high for the user.

The problem is that kids are playing Russian Roulette with this substance and do not know how it will affect them until they take it.

"These silver bullets are used in the catering trade and can be bought for cheap online. Unscrupulous dealers are then selling them on for big profits

We need an awareness programme on the dangers of nitrous oxide rolled out in schools across Dublin

Visit our Covid-19 info hub for the latest news and information on the Covid-19 pandemic

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Silver bullets of nitrous oxide found in Lucan and Clondalkin - FM104

Wakefield Council has been accused of playing Russian roulette with taxi drivers lives in a row over screens.

Local cabbies have been stopped from putting up partition screens between the front and rear seats in private hire vehicles, as a temporary coronavirus precaution.

Councils in Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham have allowed their licensed drivers to put up screens, in a bid to minimise the risk of infection to and from passengers, while Uber has taken similar measures.

But despite calls from some drivers in Wakefield to be allowed to follow suit, the council has refused, advising only that both passengers and drivers wear masks, wash their hands and keep surfaces clean.

The decision was strongly criticised by taxi driver Wajid Ali. He said thatalthough some of his colleagues have returned to work, the decision was another blow to the trade after lockdown forced cabbies to stay home.

I wont go back to work without a safety screen, Mr Ali said. That means me losing out on financial gain, but my life is important.

Shops have got protective screens up. Pubs will be coming back with screens, so why cant we have screens? Our vehicle is our place of work.

If were carrying 15 passengers a day, then thats 15 different environments and workplaces were being exposed to every day.

Were offering an important service and were taking pressure off public transport. But were being asked to go out onto the frontline and put ourselves in danger.

Theyre playing Russian roulette with our lives.

Mr Ali also cited the disproportionate impact of coronavirus on black and ethnic minority groups (BAME), pointing out that most cabbies in Wakefield are from the South Asian community.

People from ethnic minority backgrounds have been hit by a higher death rate from the virus.

He also suggested the industry could take legal action against the council if any driver was to die from COVID-19 while working without a screen.

Current guidelines do allow some private hire vehicles to put up screens permanently, but only if they fit very specific criteria. That process can be lengthy, leaving some drivers either out of pocket or more at risk in the meantime.

The issue has been taken up in other parts of the country, with unions Unite and the RMT expressing concerns on behalf of drivers. Its understood that some of the 1,500 cabbies working in Wakefield have not taken issue with the councils stance.

But Mr Ali added: If the screens save one life then theyll have been worth it.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and were trying to get the council to see the benefits of this before its too late.

Were not even asking for money from the taxpayer to put them in as Leeds have done. We just want a yes to allow us to do it ourselves.

We want to protect the whole Wakefield community, not just ourselves.

In response, senior council officer Glynn Humphries said: We ask all drivers and operators to ensure they comply with the current government guidance to help keep themselves and their passengers safe.

This includes the use of PPE, ventilation in vehicles and antibacterial cleaning of affected surfaces following each journey.

We will continue to permit drivers to install permanent screens, provided they conform to the criteria in respect of design and materials.

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Wakefield taxi driver refuses to return to work after council stops him from putting up partition screen - Yorkshire Live

The Gambling Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has published its final report on igaming harms, concluding that a range of strict new controls should be introduced, including a total prohibition on advertising and banning in-play betting.

The report is the culmination of a year-long investigation into Great Britains online gaming market, which has seen evidence gathered from operators, lawmakers, the Gambling Commission, as well as those that have suffered from gambling related harms.

It sets out more than 30 recommendations for regulatory change, perhaps most notably a blanket ban on gambling advertising. It claims that as gambling can cause harm to individuals, and as advertising is designed to encourage people to gamble, total prohibition is justified.

However, it also suggests that strict controls similar to those set to be implemented in Spain, where gambling advertising is restricted but not banned outright, could be adopted. The prohibition should go beyond traditional channels, the group continued, and apply to console titles such as the Fifa football sim, where gambling branding appears on team shirts.

Furthermore, it said, a review into the use of bonuses and incentives by gambling operators, to determine whether these contributed to harmful gambling. The APPG added that it is of the view that such prohibition should be banned.

While the APPG welcomed industry efforts coordinated by the Gambling Commission to better manage VIP schemes, it demanded these highly problematic loyalty programmes be banned.

These schemes drive profit for the industry and [] the Commission itself has seen the dependence of the gambling industry on VIP customers of those who are disproportionately likely to be addicts, the report explained. One firm is said to have taken 83% of all deposits from just 2% of its customers through VIP schemes.

The award of VIP status has been cited as a factor in seven out of ten regulatory penalties issued to companies by the Commission for failures to prevent problem gambling.

The report goes on to take aim at products it considers to be particularly popular among problem gamblers, namely in-play betting, slots and online roulette. The APPG believes an independent review of how online products are regulated, tested and classified in terms of addictiveness, arguing that current processes appear to be heavily weighted in the industrys favour.

As such, it called for the speed of random number generated digital slots and roulette be reduced, with no free spins, turbo spins or reel stop play. Consumers should also be given more accurate information on their chances of winning, and the element of skill or random chance involved.

A 2 slot stake limit that was first included in the APPGs interim report in November 2019 should also be imposed, it added.

For sports betting, the APPG believes in-play should be restricted to venues, or via telephone, saying this would bring Great Britain in line with Australia. However, Australia prohibits in-play entirely, having closed a loophole that allowed operators to take in-game bets via telephone in 2017.

Across all products, it continued, it was clear that stake limits were needed to reduce harm. The risks associated with remote gambling are clearly not being managed effectively and comprehensively, meaning an urgent review of stakes and prize limits was needed.

This should be followed up regularly, through a triennial review, with every customer to complete affordability checks that would allow deposit limits for their personal circumstances to be set.

The group concluded that there was no justification not to have regulatory parity across channels, in that online gambling should be subject to the exact same controls and limits as land-based.

We would be interested to know the Gambling Commissions view as to why this is not the case.

The group also renewed its attack on the Gambling Commission, that it has consistently condemned as not fit for purpose since November last year.

It is our view that the Gambling Commission is not fit for purpose and we recommend an urgent review of the Gambling Commission and its capacity to effectively regulate the burgeoning online gambling industry, the APPG said. The Government must commit further and more flexible funding for the Gambling Commission to enable it to cope with the growth in its responsibilities and there must be rigorous oversight as to how this is money is spent.

This should be supported by greater clarity for consumers on how to resolve disputes, overseen by a new industry ombudsman, it added.

However, it did praise the Commission for implementing a ban on credit card betting, though questioned why it took so long for this to be implemented from 14 April. This, the APPG continued, was a good start but one that must be built on by banning betting with other forms of credit such as loans and overdrafts.

This cannot take two years as was the case with the credit card ban, it warned.

It also suggested that if reverse withdrawals - where a player cancels a request to withdraw funds from their account - is banned by operators such as GVC to protect players under lockdown, this feature should be banned permanently.

Further work is needed on research, the report continues. It points out there is little understanding of female problem gamblers, saying a large-scale piece of work is needed in this area. This should be complemented by a nationwide prevalence study, to provide a basis for the governments planned review of the 2005 Gambling Act.

We also recommend the establishment of a substantial longitudinal study to allow us to understand the development and lifecourse of gambling disorder, as well as the impact of awareness raising and treatment, it said.

Moving forward, ongoing research should be handled by an independent commissioning body, the APPG added.

Publication of the report brings to a close a year-long process, that saw the APPG hold 10 public evidence sessions, closed sessions, supported by stakeholder submissions and meetings with the Gambling Commission and gambling ministers.

The groups chair and MP for Swansea East Carolyn Harris described the gambling sector as a multi-million pound industry [that] has destroyed peoples lives.

They resist change at every turn and claim to be reforming themselves but put forward limited changes. Their primary motive is profit, she claimed. During the Covid pandemic they said they would end TV and radio advertising but just ended up replacing ads with ads - that none of us want to see.

They have shown time and again that they will not effectively self-regulate. We cannot ignore this any longer. Urgent change is needed to stop this industry riding roughshod over peoples lives.

However, the APPG took exception to being indirectly called prohibitionist by industry associations such as the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), claiming that this was to debase what is an important discussion to protect vulnerable people and children and prevent online gambling harm.

Every day I speak to people whose lives have been destroyed by gambling addiction while the online gambling industry grows exponentially, APPG vice chair and MP for Inverclyde Ronnie Cowan said. This Government must not sit back and watch the unfettered growth of an industry that extracts money from people across the UK to line their own pockets.

We are bombarded by gambling across all mediums and our sports are in hoc to an industry which seeks to profit from them. Young men, women and families are being destroyed by online gambling.

As such, a totally new act to regulate the sector is ultimately needed, the APPG said. While changes could be made to some elements, a more comprehensive, updated framework was the only way to properly protect players, it claimed.

While APPGs have no legislative power, the Gambling Related Harm group has been especially influential. Its recommendations, such as calls for stake limits and the interim publication from November last year, have caused significant declines in operators share prices previously.

MPs lead the research component, and the group has also employed public affairs and association management consultancy Interel, with funding provided by entrepreneur Derek Webb.

Webb is a prominent advocate for changes to British gambling regulation, who played a key role in campaigning for changes to fixed-odds betting terminal stakes from April 2019.

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APPG calls for gambling ad ban and in-play prohibition - iGaming Business

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Football is one of the most popular and exciting sports in the world. Throughout the years there have been many iconic football players that have won the hearts of fans all over the world. Their skill in football is unmatched as is their extravagant lifestyle. Some of them are pretty stingy with their cash and dont shy away when it comes to showing off. Others like to gamble regardless if its playing casino games or betting on sports. Here are a few such individuals:

He started his career in Arsenal and then managed to get into Tottenham, as well as West Ham later on. David was well known for skills on the field but he also didnt shy away from gambling. He liked to gamble on many kinds of things.

Horse racing and poker were no strange things to him as he stated that he had placed his first bet when he was just 14. David also managed to explore the world of online casino games by playing blackjack online at sites likeCASINO. These sites offer more than one variant of classic table games and slots players can choose from, which is why theyre so popular.

Bentley realized that his hobby was spiraling out of control so he decided to quit. To this day, he thanks his girlfriend for his support during those tough times.

Although he is a former football player, Dominic Matteo left his mark on the world of football. In his career, he played for Stoke City, Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, and Liverpool. Due to injuries, later on, he was forced to retire at 35. What he didnt retire on was gambling, which was something he frequently did.

He was extremely fond of sports betting and one he bet 200,000 on a horse race and managed to win. Nowadays, most of sports bets are done online via online bookies such asNetBetsport. They offer bets on football, horse racing, and many other sports. Special offers are also available to make things interesting.

Bardsley is the well-know defender of Burnley F.C. When hes not out on the football field preventing rival players from scoring hes visiting the casino and trying his luck with table games. Back in 2012, the Black Cats didnt manage to draw with Southampton which turned out to be a reason to celebrate for Phil. A bit later on his pictures in the newspapers showed him enjoying roulette and lying on the floor covered in banknotes. His manager was so furious that he fired him.

Buffon is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of all time. In a way, hes a living legend that has been playing for Juventus for many years. Despite his skills on the football field, hes also known as a good poker player. PokerStars even appointed him as their ambassador at one point. There are a fewfootball players that are good at pokerand Gigi Buffon can easily join that fold.

Back in the day, Keith was one of the best football players that played in Manchester United as well as other teams. His football skills were amazing and theres no doubt that hes one of the top football players alive. What left a stain on his remarkable career was his gambling habit that unfortunately turned into an addiction. It was because of that addiction thathe lost over 7,000,000and declared bankrupt in 2010.

Football players will continue to be fan favorites regardless of their private lives. After all, theyre good at football and thats what they should be remembered for.

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Football Players That Like to Gamble - The twelfth Man Times