Daily Archives: March 12, 2017

Discarded betting slips at the Cheltenham Festival, which last year drew a record total crowd attendance of 260,579. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

They say there is more Guinness spilt annually at the Cheltenham Festival than champagne quaffed at Royal Ascot. Its a hoary old saw that probably isnt true, but helps add to the sense of chaotic ribaldry with which National Hunt racings annual March jamboree is associated compared to its supposedly more genteel and moneyed Flat equivalent. In the coming days scenes of bawdy triumph and utter despair will unfold in what us hacks are obliged to refer to at least once per year as the great natural amphitheatre of Prestbury Park, where racing enthusiasts from both sides of the Irish Sea will convene for drinking, gambling and high-quality sport that is unrivalled in its sheer intensity for those of us who are into those kind of things.

While the Cheltenham Festival is a carnival of top-class racing, it is difficult to get away from the notion that without the attendant vices it would just be predominantly Irish men riding horses around an otherwise very sparsely attended field: a noble but ultimately futile pursuit that becomes a whole lot more fun with the introduction of hundreds of thousands of excitable, liquored-up punters clutching betting slips and roaring their fancies home. When the fun stops, stop, the bookies are obliged to tell us in their promotional material these days although one gets the feeling that were your fun to stop three races in when youve just done your nuts on Tuesdays Festival Handicap Chase, these less-than-rigorous enforcers of what does and does not constitute fun would not be at all adverse to you handing over even more money, money you might not necessarily be able to afford in an effort to recapture that warm and fuzzy glow of carefree optimism in which you found yourself enveloped before the tapes went up for the first race.

While it is all well and good to encourage people to stop gambling when it has become a source of teeth-grinding, potentially life-ruining misery and anguish, the simple fact of the matter is that even when the fun stops, there are plenty of punters out there who just cant resist throwing good money after bad, loading themselves with so much debt that their own lives and the lives of those around them are utterly destroyed by a craven inability to stop betting. Weve all seen the pictures of the former England full-back Kenny Sansom, homeless and passed out in a park or shuffling to and from the bookies that accompany tabloid stories detailing his desperate pleas for help on the grounds that he feels utterly incapable of helping himself. Its probably safe to say the fun stopped for Kenny a long time ago, but still he continues to fill out those betting slips.

The fun almost certainly came to an abrupt halt for Cathal McCarron when he was encouraged by the IRA to leave Northern Ireland for London after gambling so much money he could not afford that he took to stealing from friends and neighbours. A top-level Gaelic football player with County Tyrone in Ireland, McCarron continued with his punting to such an extent that he found himself agreeing to star in a gay porn movie, for which he was paid 3,000 and assured that his debut screen performance would be shown only on pay-per-view channels in a chain of American hotels.

Appalled by what he had done, but with the consolation of a few quid in his pocket to help him try to get his life back on track, McCarron treated himself to a chocolate bar and proceeded to blow every remaining penny of his appearance fee in the betting shop within two days. A short time later, when news of his cinematic escapades had inevitably made headlines in the papers back home, McCarrons life was saved when he received a supportive call from a family member as he tried to work up the courage to throw himself under a London tube train. He has since faced, if not completely conquered his demons and revealed the pitiful depths of self-loathing to which he was reduced by his gambling habit in a harrowing autobiography.

Ultimately it is the problem gambler, not the bookmaker, who is responsible for dealing with their addiction once what bookies label the fun has stopped and it would be churlish to suggest otherwise. However, for all their commitment to tail-ending their increasingly intrusive adverts with a catchy and largely meaningless platitude, the sheer volume of relentless promotion with which the giants of the bookmaking industry assail sports fans on a daily basis suggests that, for all their talk, they are not hugely interested in discouraging anyone from making a regular donation.

During a splendid week of sport in which highlights include an FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Manchester United, several Champions League matches, four days of thrilling racing and the denouement of the Six Nations, sports fans will find themselves driven to distraction by bookies falling over themselves to win the custom of regulars and the all-important potential new customers with various adverts, promotions and the usual tediously unfunny stunts that may involve an overweight footballer and a pie. Across the bookmaking industry more than 350m is expected to be wagered on Cheltenham alone and we all know where most of that will end up. The fun never seems to stop for the bookies.

See original here:

Enjoy Cheltenham but the gambling fun never stops for the ... - The Guardian (blog)

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno ALBERT ALCAIN/Presidential Photo

To eradicate the illegal numbers game jueteng, the government has decided to grant franchises to gambling lords so that they would shift to small-town lottery (STL) instead, Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno said on Sunday.

Sueno said the granting of STL franchises by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) was part of President Dutertes efforts to stamp out jueteng and replace it with STL.

He wants everyone to shift to STL because the government gets a percentage from its earnings. I think [PCSO] earned around P400 million monthly last year from STL, Sueno said in a radio interview.

The PCSO was able to find a way to give a franchise to these gambling lords. There should be no more jueteng only STL, he said.

Sueno said the monthly government income from STL was expected to rise this year to around P2.2 billion a month.

Sueno said it was from these funds that the President obtained the money to help Filipinos in need of medicine or food.

Actually, he has already released P1 billion I think either to (the Department of) Health or to DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) to buy medicines, he said.

Sueno earlier vowed to fight illegal gambling after reports surfaced that certain individuals were allegedly using his name to collect bribe money from illegal gambling operators.

I dont want to receive anything from illegal gambling. So, for the local government units and the Philippine National Police, expect that we will be strict in the implementation of anti-illegal gambling policies, Sueno said.

He said there should be a stop to the proliferation of illegal gambling if local government units and the PNP work hand in hand with a clear mandate of combating illegal gambling.

The LGUs and the PNP should be working doubly hard to eradicate illegal gambling, because if they help each other, there is no way it will persist, Sueno said.

He also released information relating to his statement and admission of being bribed by undisclosed illegal gambling protectors during a Senate hearing for games and amusement early this week.

Even before I became [Interior] Secretary, someone from Manila was already going to me asking if I want to accept [a bribe]. I said, I dont want to accept, I dont even want to entertain you, he said.

Sueno said the bribery attempts continued as early as his first week as chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government but he added that he did not to accept any money.

He said he was stunned when he heard reports that someone collected money on his behalf.

I have asked somebody to investigate on this matter. They say a police officer collects P12 million a month in Central Luzon. Here in Metro Manila, its P400,000. That does not include the other regions, he said.

Go here to read the rest:

Gambling lords get STL franchises - Inquirer.net

By JASON M. REYNOLDS ~ jreynolds@t-g.com

Shelbyville police report they conducted a major gambling bust Thursday.

Officers raided six businesses where they said illegal gambling video game machines were being used, Shelbyville Det. Lt. Brian Crews said. At least nine people have been cited in connection with the activity.

Police had received a tip about suspicious activity at the locations, Crews said. The business owners had previously been warned to end the gambling but did not, he said.

The machines and $8,198 in cash were confiscated, Crews said.

The locations were: West Lane Market; Tipsy Tavern; Suds Pool Hall; Pop-A-Top; Hillcrest Market; and Smith's Foodtown, Crews said.

According to Crews, the following were cited as of Friday with possession of gambling device and aggravated gambling promotion: Polly Sue Bearden; Veda Kay Reed; Timothy Scott Arnold; Gladys Darlene Sudberry; and Charles Rayburn Smith. James H. McCullough Jr. was cited with aggravated gambling promotion, Crews said.

Three people who had been gambling were charged, Crews said. Those cited with gambling are: Sebastian Pascual, Anderson Maurice Rucks and Lacy Bernard Cleveland, he said.

The people who were cited appeared for booking on Friday afternoon, Crews said.

In association with the raids, Shelbyville Officer Brock Horner reported that he and Officer Christopher Vest responded to 300 N. Hillcrest Drive on a search warrant for the alleged illegal gambling devices. They saw several people inside the building. After getting permission to enter, Horner reports he and Vest saw Lacy Cleveland sitting at an illegal gambling device.

Vest told everyone what was happening while Horner reports he began talking to Cleveland, who told him he was cleaning the windows in the room for the owner. Horner reports he looked in the room and told Cleveland there was only one window in the room and it was boarded up. Cleveland was given a General Sessions Court summons for gambling and told the booking procedure, Horner reports.

Drive-through charge

Shelbyville Police Officer Bobby Peacock responded to Dairy Queen Thursday about 2:35 p.m. There was a black Chevrolet Suburban in the drive-through with a female in the driver seat who had reportedly passed out.

The woman was identified as Jennifer Marie Blackwell, Peacock reports. She was inside a Bedford County ambulance being checked out when the officer arrived. Peacock reports she appeared to be lethargic, had slurred speech and her pupils were pinpointed. Her hair was disheveled. Peacock reports he asked if she was on any medicine or had been drinking alcohol. She said no, according to the report, although she had just taken two Xanax pills that she takes every morning. She said she does not drink.

Officer Bruce Davis had Blackwell do field sobriety tests, which she failed, according to Peacock's report.

Peacock reports that Blackwell was taken into custody on a charge of driving under the influence. She had a 7-year-old child in the vehicle who was released to her husband along with the vehicle, according to the report.

Funny money

A complainant reported receiving a counterfeit $20 bill Thursday at McDonald's restaurant. Shelbyville Police reported that the bill was passed around lunch time.

Off-road

On Thursday Shelbyville Police Officer Jerry Draine responded to a call of a vehicle that had gone off the road into the tree line around 6 p.m.

Draine and Officer Todd Sanders arrived and found the vehicle, which appeared to have been cutting doughnuts and lost control, Draine reported. The vehicle was facing south just off Railroad Avenue.

Jeffery Waters was found 200 yards west on Railroad Avenue, sitting on the north side of railroad tracks, Draine reported. Upon questioning, Waters said he had consumed alcohol, the report said.

Draine reported that Waters failed a field sobriety test. He was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. At the police station, Waters blew a 0.172 on an intox test, the report said. He was taken to the jail and charged with DUI, driving on a revoked license and reckless driving, the report said.

Jail intake

The following were arrested since Thursday by the Shelbyville Police Department, Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts.

Jennifer Marie Blackwell, 37, Blue Stocking Hollow; driving under the influence, reckless endangerment, driving on a revoked license; $5,000 bond, held

Termel Lamon Dowdy, 45, Pickle Street; domestic assault-simple, $2,500 bond, held

Orville Octavious Layton, 50, Tullahoma; public intoxication, $500 bond, held

Frankie Lee Mays, 58, South Brittain Street; failure to appear (two counts), $30,000 bond, held

Corey James McDonald, 43, Cates Street; violation of sex offender registry, $50,000 bond, held

Eve Powell, 35, Halls Mill Road; domestic assault-simple, $2,500 bond, released

Jessica Marie Pruett, 27, Pickle Street; hold-extradition-another state, no bond listed, held

Jeffery Tyler Waters, 24, Maplewood Drive; driving under the influence, driving on a revoked license, reckless/careless driving; $3,500 bond, released

Read the original post:

Police bust 9 in gambling cases - Shelbyville Times-Gazette

There have been lessons learned in how best to help those in need, but otherwise, only incremental gains have been made in responding to what many term the "silent addiction,'' according to today's team at the Vanguard program.

In terms of access to care for compulsive gambling, the country today is where it was in the early 1970s with treating chemical dependency, according to Mike Schiks, executive director and CEO of Project Turnabout, which also offers alcohol and drug recovery.

The Vanguard Center for Gambling Recovery in Granite Falls, an independent program within Project Turnabout, remains the only residential treatment program for compulsive gamblers in the state, and one of only a handful in the country, he said.

Most of those who arrive for care discover insurance companies do not cover their treatment costs, unlike the case for chemical dependency. Vanguard "stretches'' the funds made available by the state of Minnesota from unclaimed lottery prizes and its own fundraising efforts to make possible much of the care it offers, according to Schiks and Mark Sannerud, communications director for Project Turnabout.

Many other things remain the same as 25 years ago too. Only 1 to 10 percent of those who need help for compulsive gambling will obtain it, according to Sheryl Anderson, coordinator for Vanguard.

Their lives may be in a mess, but they put off getting help in the belief that it can all be solved with one big win.

"Just maybe I can get myself out of this,'' said Sherry Parker, director of residential services, of the thought pattern.

There's another, equally disturbing pattern with this disease: "It is pretty standard that people that have a gambling problem are seeking help for lots of other things way before they ever seek help for gambling specifically,'' Anderson said.

Anxiety; thoughts and attempts at suicide; financial, marital and family stress; and criminal behavior are among the issues that many will report as their problems. And yet, unless the question is directly asked, few will disclose that compulsive gambling is at the root of their troubles. "So much shame and stigma is associated with it,'' Anderson said.

The secret about this addiction that remains the most difficult to expose yet today is the toll that compulsive gambling takes on families and communities, according to Sannerud. Arrests of formerly law-abiding citizens. Divorces and broken families. Suicide attempts, ER visits. Bankruptcies.

Schiks believes more should be done to identify and steer those with gambling problems to the help they need. Every county has a designated professional whose job it is to assess people who may need chemical dependency treatment. Far harder to find are those trained to recognize problem gamblers.

"Most physicians, most social workers, most psychologists, most chaplains, get almost zero training in this area,'' Schiks said.

And in many ways, Minnesota is far ahead of other states. Some of those coming to Vanguard are from states where "zero" help is offered for this addiction, he said.

The Vanguard residential facility on the Project Turnabout campus in Granite Falls can care for 20 people at a time. There are usually 12 to 18 receiving treatment in any given week, Anderson said. Most patients remain for 30 days. Outpatient treatment and participation in Gamblers Anonymous or other programs is critical for recovery.

Obtaining continued care can be a challenge for those with this addiction, Schiks said. While virtually every small community has an Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous group, Gamblers Anonymous groups are far fewer.

Men and women seem equally vulnerable to compulsive gambling. At Vanguard, it's been roughly a 53 percent to 47 percent split in terms of men and women receiving care, respectively.

Statistically, men are more likely to start gambling earlier in life, but they progress to the problem stage at a slower pace, Anderson said.

Women tend to start at a later age, but make up for the lost time quickly, she said. More so than men, they tend to gravitate toward video gaming machines, where the onset of compulsive gambling appears to have a faster progression.

Opportunities for gambling are never more than a smartphone away. The venues in Minnesota for gambling, whether it's sports betting, charitable gambling, or Indian casinos, have expanded greatly since Vanguard opened its doors.

Last year in the U.S., more than $9 billion was wagered during the "March Madness'' NCAA college basketball tournament, according to the NorthStar Gambling Alliance.

Schiks is quick to point out that there are many in the state's gaming industry who recognize the need to help compulsive gamblers. There is a certain portion of the population vulnerable to the addiction, while the majority of people can treat gaming as recreation without the adverse consequences, he explained.

"This isn't about good guys and bad guys. This is about certain folks desperately in need of help and they deserve it,'' he said.

Schiks said Vanguard's mission today remains exactly what it was 25 years ago: Giving those with the courage to walk through its doors hope to carry with them as they walk out.

Vanguard has met many challenges in its 25 years, including the need to rebuild after a tornado tore apart its then newly built facilities in 2000.

Schiks said the Project Turnabout board of directors remains committed to providing care for compulsive gamblers even though in many ways, the financial and societal challenges remain as daunting today as 25 years ago.

"At the bottom of it all is people are worth it,'' he said. "This population is worth it.''

Read more:

Minnesota's first residential gambling treatment center remains only ... - South Washington County Bulletin

Kampala

Paul Wasswa has been sat at the counter for seven hours, his eyes darting between a virtual roulette screen above and betting slips in front. The university student hopes his Saturday spent in one of Kampalas many betting outlets brings big rewards.

This is my work. I wake up early and I just come to betting, it is enjoyable, the 25-year-old says. The betting helps me pay my tuition fees and next month I will go back to school.

Wasswa is among millions of Ugandans gripped by gambling. But it wasnt always so.

While betting on people playing pool and games of Ludo, for example, have long been popular activities in almost every Ugandan town it was the emergence of casino operators and creation of a national lottery in 2004 which saw bettings appeal rocket, according to locals.

Here in Uganda, you have to try your luck. There is no money, so people resort to gambling.Back in 2007, Sports Betting Africa opened the first licensed sports betting outlet in the country, capitalizing on the rising popularity of the top soccer markets such as the English Premier League. There are now more than 200 such betting shops, with a recent report estimating 150 billion Ugandan shillings ($42 million) is now spent on gambling annually.

Yet a rise in illegal operators and growing community unrest coupled with the ever rising number of unemployed youth, is forcing the government to act with a series of new regulation and a first-ever responsible gambling campaign set to be introduced.

Similar to many African countries, Ugandas population is youngof its 37.6 million citizens, 78% are below the age of 30. This demographic imbalance has left many youth jobless with more than 22% aged 15-24 unemployed, and an increasing number turning to gambling.

Ive almost spent two years betting, Wasswa, who spends around 10,000 Ugandan shillings a day gambling, says. The youth have turned betting to their business and I live with my aunt so I find some little money here to help me.

Kabalagala Road is the gambling epicenter in Ugandas capital, home to an array of betting shops, with virtual games and slot machines supplementing wildly popular sports betting.

Peter Arach, manager at Paragon Bet on Kabalagala Road, one of Ugandas 40 mainly foreign-owned firms, says it is easy to see why gambling is taking ahold. Look here, the street is full of betting companies, Arach says. There is nowhere you can hang out without gambling.

Arach says the biggest win he has seen is a 6,000 Ugandan shillings bet which delivered 70 million Ugandan shillings. Here in Uganda, it is more an individual fightyou have to try your luck, he says. There is no money, so people resort to gambling.

Inside Paragon Bet, there is standing space only. Rows of plastic chairs are full with more than 70 people, some holding betting slips, others just eager to watch live, as soccer teams Arsenal and Hull City go head-to-head 6,000 miles away in London.

On a good day with sports betting we can make 10 million Ugandan shillings, Arach adds. Everyone here is born knowing football.

In order to encourage our young generation to be active and productive, gambling has to be done away with.Perched on a stool outside rival operator Top Bet, Isaiah Mugisha fingers through a booklet of latest odds. Today he is placing bets on soccer matches from England, Belgium, Brazil and Argentina. Mostly, I bet on weekends, he says. People like football and it is because of the English Premier League. It is all about the hope if you come here with just 1,000 Ugandan shillings you have a chance to win.

The rise of the English Premier League and the growth of Pay TV, subscriptions are expected to spike 88% from 2015 to 30 million by 2021, has created a betting boom across Africa. The emergence of international online firms such as Betway is also driving interest.

In South Africa, sports betting gross turnover is expected to top 5 billion rand ($380 million) in 2018 (pdf), in Kenya the figure is predicted to be 5.1 billion Kenyan shillings ($50 million)a 142% rise from 2014. One of Kenyas local sports betting firms, SportPesa, has been so successful it has been able to afford to be a shirt sponsor Hull City. Meanwhile in Africas largest country, a reported 60 million Nigerians regularly bet on sports.

But in Uganda such rapid growth in gamblings popularity is creating tensions and the need for greater regulation.

Kampala schools have reported an increase in dropouts with gambling students unable to pay fees, while several communities, including Ugandas second largest city Gulu in November, have sought to ban betting amid claims of mounting crime and underage involvement.

Alongside Gulu, the town of Mpigi, a largely agricultural area 25 miles outside the capital, is also looking at prohibition.

Last June, a 16-year-old boy in the district was killed over a 500 shilling ($0.15) bet and the town council now wants to ban the activity, dominated by slot machines, from its streets. In order to encourage our young generation to be active and productive, gambling has to be done away with, Mpigi Town Clerk Mathias Bwawika says.

Those engaged in it do not have sustainable income, they engage in illegal activities and it is an area of security threat for the community. The activities are not progressive to our people.

The Ugandan government, which earns around $5 million in taxes a year from gambling, is making efforts to regulate the sector. Its Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board has increased operations and in Nov. 2015 passed new legislation but it will be this year when many regulations take effect.

A nationwide sensitization initiative to educate local leaders and communities will start imminentlyand prevent district banning orderswhile a task-force has been expanded to crackdown on illegal operators and underage gamblers.

And ultimately the national law controls the sector and issues the licenses.

The boards corporate and public affairs manager says there are plans to launch a responsible gambling program and counseling services from this summer.

We realize we have so many people who are being affected by gambling and they get addicted, Jonathan Kyeyune says. If you ban an activity it will go underground to the black market. When that happens such individuals are hard to identify and so it is better to have this in place and be able to help those individuals who are having problems.

Leaving the early evening crowds on Kabalagala Road and Paul Wasswa remains hunched over the counter, hoping the next spin will help him get ahead.

If I get a job after my studies I wont come back, he says. I would rather have a job but since I dont, I find myself here.

Sign up for the Quartz Africa Weekly Brief the most important and interesting news from across the continent, in your inbox.

See the rest here:

Uganda's youth are addicted to gambling on English soccer, now the government wants to crack down - Quartz

Thumbs-down: To gambling expansion is yet another nonsolution to Illinois budget woes. There certainly are problems with whats been described as a grand bargain, particularly a massive income tax hike, but it looked for a moment as if a solution to the lack of a state budget was at least on the horizon. Instead, the shiny object was new gambling licenses for Chicago, Lake County, Rockford and other locations around the state, which were approved by the Illinois Senate. This is no jackpot for weary Illinois taxpayers.

Thumbs-up: To Algonquin resident Greg Freund and all of those who will be participating in the St. Baldricks Foundation shave this year. This year will be different for Freund, as he is raising money to benefit his 14-year-old daughter, Talia Freund, who was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma in July, as we documented this week. This also is an event that is personal to so many people. In March, organizations throughout the country hold head shavings to benefit the St. Baldricks Foundation and other local causes. The events raise money for childhood cancer research and show children who have lost their hair because of treatments that others stand proudly with them, according to the foundations website.

Thumbs-up: To Serena Huberty, the Richard Bernotas Middle School eighth-grader who won the 2017 McHenry County Spelling Bee. Spelling is difficult, especially on stage in front of a crowd with so much at stake. So, congratulations to Serena and all of those who competed Wednesday night, including first runner-upTagan Gizel of Parkland School in McHenry and second runner-up Giuliana Ramirez from Heineman Middle School in Algonquin. Serena, 13, goes on to compete in the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be from May 28 to June 3. We wish Huberty the best of luck at the national bee.

Thumbs-down: To the election tradition of anonymous mailers attacking candidates who are seeking local office. Whether you support him as a candidate or not, Lakewood Village President Paul Serwatka has been smeared for a few years with a packet of half-true information seeking to discredit him. He isnt alone and many candidates find themselves victims of cowardly character attacks. It should be a good hint to residents that when the source of the unverified information wont show its face, theres likely more to the story. Its hard enough to run for office without facing illegitimate attacks.

See the original post here:

Our View: Gambling expansion is no solution - Northwest Herald