Daily Archives: May 6, 2017

Minister for communications senator Mitch Fifield says television licence fees are a relic of a bygone age of regulation in todays media environment. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Turnbull government will launch a crackdown on gambling advertising on live sporting coverage as part of a package of sweeping media changes.

Parents around Australia will be delighted when they know that during football matches, cricket matches and live sporting events before 8.30pm, there will be no more gambling ads, Turnbull told reporters in New York before leaving the US to return to Australia before Tuesdays budget.

The communications minister, senator Mitch Fifield, said the new restriction would ban gambling ads from five minutes before the commencement of play until five minutes after the conclusion of play or 8.30pm, whichever came sooner.

These things are also a balance between recognising that commercial media need to have sources of revenue but at the same time we need to protect families and children, he said.

The existing exemptions for advertising that covers the racing industry and lotteries will remain.

The anti-gambling campaigner and Senate crossbencher Nick Xenophon said the measure was a good first step but didnt go far enough.

Its not the end of the story in terms of gambling reform, he said on Saturday.

The independent MP Andrew Wilkie said gambling ads in sports broadcasts during G-rated viewing periods were normalising gambling for children and had to stop.

We know that children are especially susceptible to advertising and hero worship and that gambling advertising has a real and measurable impact on the children who are subjected to it, Wilkie said.

Struggling television broadcasters are celebrating after securing some financial relief.

They have had their broadcasting licence fees and datacasting charges abolished, which saves $130m but instead they will pay new annual spectrum fees estimated to raise about $40m.

Fifield said licence fees, which were revenue based, were introduced when broadcasters could generate significant profits due to their exclusive access to mass audiences.

In todays media environment, licence fees are a relic of a bygone age of regulation, he said.

The Nine chief executive, Hugh Marks, urged the parliament to pass the media reform package in its entirety.

The Seven West Media chairman, Kerry Stokes, also backed the changes.

It will give us a real opportunity to compete in the new media environment, he said.

The package includes changes to Australias anti-siphoning regime to reduce the size of the list.

The scheme stops pay TV broadcasters from buying the rights to sports events on the anti-siphoning list before free-to-air broadcasters have the opportunity to buy the rights.

The government will spend $30m over four years to encourage subscription television to increase coverage of womens sport and niche sports.

Senator Fifield confirmed the government would push ahead with plans to scrap the two-out-of-three rule that prevented a company controlling more than two of three radio, television and newspapers in an area.

It will also aim to axe the rule that prohibits a proprietor from controlling a TV licence that reaches more than 75% of the population.

Childrens and Australian content will undergo a review too.

The opposition is waiting to see the detail on the full package before it announces whether it will support it.

We want to see a diversity of voices in the Australian media and we know the economics of journalism have changed a great deal, the Labor deputy leader, Tanya Plibersek, told reporters.

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Coalition to ban gambling-related ads during live sports coverage - The Guardian

Financial Times

Gambling muddies reputation of the beautiful game Financial Times Football stadiums are filled with ads touting gambling apps, while half the 20 Premier League clubs have kits sponsored by betting groups. Stoke City is owned by Bet365, the Chinese characters of Mansion adorn the shirts of both Bournemouth and Crystal ... FA 'considering' relationship with gambling and alcohol firms - Greg ClarkeBBC Sport Does football have a gambling problem?World Soccer Talk FA orders inquiry into links with gambling and alcoholThe Week UK Sports Mole -Lancashire Telegraph all 17 news articles »

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Gambling muddies reputation of the beautiful game - Financial Times

I have a gambling problem. I admit it.

Its bad. And embarrassing. And its got to end.

But wait. Its not what youre thinking. Or what I think youre thinking. You see, my problem isnt that Im betting too much. Im not betting enough.

Battle of Midway gets a bath.

Photographer: Scott Serio/Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images

I was horrified to realize the other day that my 2017 racetrack wagering is down more than 70 percent from previous years. Come on. A man who calls himself a handicapper and a gambler -- someone who had his first encounter with an OTB as a toddler and was raised on the gospel of the Daily Racing Form -- has a reputation to uphold, a parimutuel obligation to fulfill. You know what happens otherwise? They downgrade you -- the racing gods do; theyre watching -- to "civilian" status. You become just another square, a zero.

There are any number of factors contributing to this mess (work, I will note to my bosses, being one of them) but Im vowing to put these troubles behind me. For tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby. And what better time to snap out of a betting funk than on the biggest racing day in America. I have meticulously pored through past-performance sheets, analyzed the film from dozens of races, dialed in to day after day of workout-session reports and am officially ready to gamble. No more fooling around.

McCraken grazes outside his barn at Churchill Downs.

Photographer: Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images

For those kindred spirits out there who are of a similar mindset, I offer up my analysis of the field, including my top pick, McCraken, who I will play to win and in exacta wagers with a pair of longshots: Tapwrit and Battle of Midway. (Horses are listed by post position. Odds are Churchill Downss forecast of how gamblers will bet the race.)

Read more about Kentucky Derby gamblers herd mentality

No. 1 Lookin At Lee (20-1) -- Something of a plodder. Unlikely to win but could clunk up late for a minor prize.

No. 2 Thunder Snow (20-1) -- Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammeds horse. This will be his debut race in America. It wont be a winning one.

No. 3 Fast and Accurate (50-1) -- Slow and Accurate would be a more appropriate name.

No. 4 Untrapped (30-1) -- I cant knock anyone who wants to put a few greenbacks on him at a big price. His last race was better than it looks on paper. He can run a little.

No. 5 Always Dreaming (5-1) -- He might prove to be the most talented in this three-year-old crop when its all said and done. Hes fast and can seemingly run all day. But I dont love this inside post position for him and Im also not crazy about how high-strung hes appeared in his morning gallops in Louisville. Needs to settle into a comfortable beat early.

No. 6 State of Honor (30-1) -- Not without ability, but hes just too anxious in the early stages of races to run effectively at a long distance like this.

No. 7 Girvin (15-1) -- He comes into the race nursing a bad hoof thats compromised his training. Ill pass.

No. 8 Hence (15-1) -- Pretty quirky horse. Acted like a lunatic when winning for the first time back in January, then got trounced in his next start before rebounding to win a race in New Mexico. Maybe a candidate for a minor prize.

No. 9 Irap (20-1) -- He was a shocking 31-1 upset winner in his last race. I need to see him do it again to believe it.

No. 10 Gunnevera (15-1) -- Hell drop far back early and make a big, looping charge on the far turn. That style makes him a fun horse to watch, but he needs things to set up perfectly to have a chance.

No. 11 Battle of Midway (30-1) -- Probably in over his head but Im intrigued. Seems like a fighter. Playable at a big price.

No. 12 Sonneteer (50-1) -- Hes winless in 10 races, which kind of feels like a problem.

No. 13 J Boys Echo (20-1) -- Just OK.

No. 14 Classic Empire (4-1) -- Last years two-year-old champ is real classy and has shown an affinity for the Churchill Downs racing surface. I cant bet him at this kind of short price, though, given all the setbacks he had in his training this winter.

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No. 15 McCraken (5-1) -- This horse is the goods. He relaxes nicely early, settles in toward the back of the pack and then flashes an explosive turn of foot late. True, he just suffered his first career defeat but that race was a means to an end -- a way to tighten him up for this spot. Besides, the lackluster effort will drive some gamblers away and push up his odds (expect him to drift above that 5-1 estimate). Hes undefeated on the Churchill Downs strip and has looked great the past few weeks. His trainer Ian Wilkes oozed confidence when I spoke to him earlier this week: I think hes peaking. So do I. And Im betting him.

Tapwrit gallops at Churchill Downs.

Photographer: Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images

No. 16 Tapwrit (20-1) -- A closer who possesses a big finishing kick. He needs to bounce back after flopping badly in his last race. Strong workouts the past couple weeks indicate he may be ready to do just that.

No. 17 Irish War Cry (6-1) -- Very nice horse. Capable of not only winning but winning in a romp. Yet, given how mysteriously awful his race back in March was (he finished more than 20 lengths behind the winner that day), I cant bet him at this price. Was it just some weird one-off blip? Or will he do it again Saturday? Its a nagging doubt in the back of his trainers mind. And mine too.

No. 18 Gormley (15-1) -- In a year of very erratic Derby contenders, he may be the most erratic of them all. And even on his best day, I suspect hes a cut below the top horses in here.

No. 19 Practical Joke (20-1) -- Hedge-fund guru Seth Klarmans horse is pretty talented but seems better suited for shorter-distance races.

No. 20 Patch (30-1) -- Cool name, interesting back story. Hes missing an eye. Hes also pretty slow.

(David Papadopoulos, a managing editor at Bloomberg News,votes in the thoroughbred industrys annual Eclipse Awards. He has been publishing his Triple Crown picks since 2012.)

Link:

My Gambling Problem Ends Kentucky Derby Day: David Papadopoulos - Bloomberg

A bid to bring more casinos and gambling to Florida collapsed yet again this year as state legislators were unable to reach an agreement on a comprehensive gambling bill.

Top Republicans announcedTuesdaythat they were giving up on any attempt to pass legislation during the annual session that is scheduled to endon Friday.

"We just couldn't get it across the finish line; we were too far apart," said Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, a Miami Republican who led negotiations for the Florida House.

This marks yet another year where the GOP-controlled Legislature was unable to piece together a bill amid a dizzying array of competing interests, including those in the gambling industry as well as those in the state's tourism industry who have been traditionally opposed to any wide expansion to gambling.

But the main reason the effort failed this year was due to a push by Senate President Joe Negron to allow eight counties across the state to add slot machines to existing dog and horse tracks.

Voters in those counties approved referendums authorizing slot machines, but state regulators and Attorney General Pam Bondi have said the tracks have no legal authority to add them. The state Supreme Court is currently considering a lawsuit challenging the state's position.

Negron said that the Legislature needed to respect the "will of the voters" in those counties, but House Republicans were unwilling to go along. Diaz pointed out that tracks in south Florida only won the right to add slot machines after voters approved a statewide referendum.

Gambling is supposed to be "illegal" in Florida, but really isn't. There's plenty of it around the state, often tucked away from theme parks and beaches in locations known mostly to locals and retirees who flock to Florida each winter.

While the state lacks high-end casinos like Las Vegas, the Seminole Tribe operates several casinos, including Hard Rock hotels and casinos in Tampa and Hollywood. Dog and horse tracks are scattered statewide, but only those in south Florida have been permitted to install slot machines, while only the tribe is authorized to offer blackjack. The state makes money off gambling, and has been paid nearly $2 billion since 2010 from the tribe.

Seven years ago the state reached an exclusive deal to let the tribe offer blackjack at many of its Florida casinos, but that provision expired in 2015. State officials have argued the tribe must stop offering blackjack, but the tribe sued and won the first round in court.

Because legislators have been unable to reach a deal this year, Florida's gambling landscape could be decided by the courts. Diaz said if the Supreme Court approves slot machines in eight counties it could prod legislators to hold a special session.

"Gaming is going to continue to keep expanding without us controlling it," said Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican and sponsor of a sweeping gambling bill.

The collapse of gambling talks may also doom efforts to resolve the murky legal status of fantasy sports.

Florida's attorney general back in 1991 issued an opinion that football fantasy leagues were a form of illegal gambling. But fantasy leagues have continued to flourish and expand since then, including the creation of daily fantasy leagues. Some legislators including Galvano say that fantasy leagues are illegal. His gambling bill included provisions that would have made it clear that fantasy sports is legal under Florida law.

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Push To Expand Gambling In State Folds Again - WLRN

The rector of a Delaware County retirement home forPhiladelphia Archdiocesepriests admitted in federal court Thursday that he embezzled more than a half-million dollars from the residence over nearly nine years.

Msgr. William A. Dombrow told U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert that he siphoned funds from a private account set up to support Villa St. Joseph in Darby Borough.He pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud.

Much of the money that flowed into that account came from life insurance payouts of priests who had died while residing there or bequests from the estates of parishioners.The facility also houses priests who have been accused of sexual abuse.

Dombrows theft was discovered last year after the bank that administered the account flagged several suspicious transactions atHarrah's Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester, and notified the archdiocese.

In addition to paying off gambling debts, the monsignor used the money on $1,000 tickets to Philly Pops concerts,elaborate dinners, and at casinos in Aruba; Key West, Fla.; and the Poconos, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rotella said.

He agreed to cooperate with archdiocesan investigators after being confronted with the theft last summer. Dombrow remained rector at the Villa St. Joseph, although the archdiocese restricted his administrative duties to ensure he no longer handled finances.

Among the money that Dombrow was accused of embezzling was $14,410 left to Villa St. Joseph by the Rev. Francis P. Rogers, against whom numerous sexual-abuse complaints had been lodged prior to his death in 2005. They were spelled out that year in a Philadelphia grand jury report detailing the history of priest sexual abuse throughout the archdiocese.

Dombrow, 77, was ordained in 1970 and served as pastor and parochial vicar in several parishes. A recovering alcoholic, he devoted much of his time to helping other priests with their struggles with addiction. He previously led the Archdiocesan Priests Committee on Alcoholism and a center for those seeking help with addiction treatment.

Under federal guidelines, he could face a sentence of about three years at a hearing scheduled for August.

Published: May 4, 2017 1:16 PM EDT | Updated: May 4, 2017 1:52 PM EDT

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Monsignor admits to embezzling $500K to cover gambling debts, dinners, concert tickets - Philly.com

Deadline

TNT Buys Gambling Addiction Drama From Mark Cullen & Gary Sanchez Prods. Deadline Written by Cullen, The Collector is the redemptive journey of a man who has to work as an indentured collections expert for an agency specializing in gambling debts in order to pay off his own debts. It will look at addiction, corporate greed, flawed ...

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TNT Buys Gambling Addiction Drama From Mark Cullen & Gary Sanchez Prods. - Deadline