Daily Archives: May 28, 2017

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Caesars, Exiting Bankruptcy, Seeks Growth Beyond Gambling Wall Street Journal (subscription) Caesars Entertainment Corp., one of the most recognizable names in the global casino industry, will emerge from bankruptcy this year after nearly a decade of struggles with debt dating back to the financial crisis. Now it faces a new challenge: How to ... loveman gary w - SEC.govSEC.gov all 41 news articles »

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Caesars, Exiting Bankruptcy, Seeks Growth Beyond Gambling - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

"For most people, gambling is recreation," says Lia Nower, the center's director, who led the study."But the more games you play, the more often you gamble and the more venues you frequent, the more likely you are to develop a problem."

Rates of gambling disorder in the general population hover below 2 percent, but are more than 6 percent in New Jersey. Neighboring states offer many gambling venues to New Jerseyans.

Only 5 percent of gamblers in the study reported gambling online, while 75 percent stuck to casinos and other land-based venues. Nineteen percent of gamblers said they gambled both online and at land-based venues. The most popular games were lottery tickets and instant scratch-offs, gaming machines and live casino table games. Nower says online gambling doesn't seem responsible for higher rates of problem gambling.

"The people with the most severe problems are typically those who gamble on activities like slot machines and video poker at casinos and also played casino games online," she says.

Nower and her colleagues were surprised to find that Hispanic adults reported the highest rates of problem gambling of any ethnic group, 16 percent. That was more than eight times the rate in the general population and three times the rate of white adults.

The study also examined the relationship of gambling to daily fantasy sports play, which federal law excludes from gambling prohibitions. Both frequency and severity of gambling in this group were significantly higher than among gamblers in general, the study found.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gambling-rampant-in-new-jersey-rutgers-study-shows-300464713.html

SOURCE Rutgers University

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Gambling Rampant in New Jersey, Rutgers Study Shows - PR Newswire (press release)

The decision is part of the governments plans to transform the Gambia into an attractive hub for investors and to create employment opportunities for youths.

Speaking at the time of the ban, Mr Jammeh said sports betting and gambling dens have in recent years mushroomed all over the country and pupils including seven year-olds often line at kiosks during school hours and spend their lunch money on sports betting tickets. He added that many families now often go hungry because household incomes are wagered in gambling dens

He added that as Gambian society was built on the foundations of promoting positive social values like thrift and integrity rather than negative ones like greed and avarice, it is the duty of his government to safeguard and promote the welfare of his people.

The Gambling industry is one of the highest employers in the Gambia. The industry employs thousands of youths with decent wages and also pays millions in tax to the government.

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Gambia: President Barrow Lifts Jammeh's Gambling Ban - Jollofnews

By Wayne ParryThe Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. Attracting new customers to interactive experiences is going to be a big part of the future for casinos in the United States and around the world, participants in a major gambling conference predicted Wednesday.

Casino executives, digital experts and payment processors at the conference in Atlantic City agreed casinos need to offer new experiences that directly involve the next generation. This involves new, non-traditional products such as competitive video game contests, skill-based slots, and daily fantasy sports and sports betting in states that allow it.

These would allow casinos to bring in new customers and revenue, the executives and experts said.

"I think all casinos, 10 years from now, will evolve and offer some sort of interactive experiences," said Seth Schorr, chairman of the Downtown Grand casino in Las Vegas.

His casino has gone in big for eSports, the new name for competitive video game contests.

"Young people now consider video games a sport," he said. "It's shocking. It took me a long time to get my head around that. I'm a 40-year-old casino owner who believes in the future of our industry. If I'm not going to take a risk for the future, who is?"

Internet gambling is only offered in three states: New Jersey, by far the largest market; Nevada and Delaware. But other states are considering adding it. On Wednesday, Pennsylvania lawmakers moved a step closer to legalizing online gambling.

A prime opportunity for growth is the expansion of payment processing options for online gambling, said Joe Pappano, senior vice president of the payment processing company Vantiv Entertainment Solutions. Three years ago, when New Jersey offered the first internet bets, credit cards were used for only about 40 percent of transactions involving internet gambling. That figure has now risen to more than 80 percent, he said.

Casinos remain unsure whether daily fantasy sports and sports betting are potential friends or enemies, participants on a panel said.

States across the nation are grappling with how to regulate daily fantasy sports, in which players create a roster of real-life athletes who earn points based on their performances in games.

"Based on public statements from casino executives, there is a desire to see if daily fantasy sports can be added to the mix because of the millennials issue," said Joseph Brennan, CEO of SportAD, a fantasy sports startup firm.

But, he cautioned, it might be difficult to compete with industry leaders like Draft Kings and Fan Duel "that have spent billions of dollars to establish their brands."

Brennan said casinos are perfect partners for daily fantasy sports companies because of the existing player databases and the casinos' knowledge of their customers, their likes and gambling histories.

Sports betting is currently limited to just four states. On Wednesday, Acting U.S. Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall urged the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear New Jersey's appeal of a lower court decision that invalidated the state's sports betting plan.

Melissa Price is senior vice president of Caesars Entertainment, which was first in the nation to deploy skill-based slot machines at its Atlantic City casinos. Unlike traditional slot machines, which are solely dependent on luck, the amount of skill an individual player has can influence whether he or she wins.

"Yes, it's true that there are fewer millennials playing slot machines," she said.

The company removed the 21 machines after six months because they were not generating enough money to cover the vendor fees, she said.

"We all understood that we were learning and experimenting," she said.

But Price said the company remains committed to the concept and plans to deploy new machines when they are available.

Casinos also have to constantly update their offerings and keep up with their customers' interests, said Vahe Baloulian, CEO of BetConstruct, which offers sports betting and online gambling software.

"The time will come when we're saying, 'This generation is not playing on their mobile phones anymore; they're playing on something else we don't know about.'"

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Gambling meets gaming: Contests of skill are a big part of casinos' future - The Providence Journal

Three women face charges in connection with operating an alleged speakeasy. Ted Czech, York Daily Record/Sunday News

York City Police raided what they called a "known speakeasy" in the 200 block of South Sherman Street on April 29.(Photo: Ted Czech, York Daily Record/Sunday News)Buy Photo

Three York women face charges in connection with the alleged operation of a speakeasy, where an entrance fee was charged for alcohol, food and gambling,according to charging documents.

Police said they raided the "known speakeasy," located inside a home in the 200 block of South Sherman Street, York, onApril 29, where they cited 33 people for prohibited patronizing and arrested nine on various criminal charges.

In addition, policeseizeddrugs, guns and more than $11,000.

This week, police filed charges against three women:Latricia Ann Thomas, 43, and Paula Faye Thomas, 60, both of the 200 block of South Sherman Street, and Tina Marie Duncan, 49, of the 800 block of West King Street, York.

READ: Newberry police cite drunken couple passed out in road

Documents did not state if the Thomases are related.

All three were arraigned Wednesday. Paula Thomas and Duncan face charges of dealing in procuring unlawful activity/intent to promote and unlawful sale of alcoholic beverages.

No other charging documents related to the other six who were arrested were available Thursday.

Latricia Thomas faces charges ofdealing in procuring unlawful activity/intent to promote, allowing gambling,unlawful acts relative to liquor, alcohol and license, possession or transportation of liquor or alcohol, and unlawful sale of alcoholic beverages, according to the documents.

The womenwere released on their own recognizance at their arraignment and are scheduled for a preliminary arraignment before District Judge Linda Williams on June 27, according to online court dockets.

READ: Loud, drunk man hangs out on Manchester porch, police say

On Thursday, there was no answer at the home police identified as the speakeasy, and the women could not be reached for comment

According to Sgt. James Lynam of the state's Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement,someone can't just decide to sell things like alcohol.

"You can't sell liquor, alcohol or malt beverages without a license," he said Thursday.

In addition, a casino license must be obtained to run a gambling operation,particularly if a cover is being charged at the door.

"If it's a game among friends, that's fine; however, if you charge an entry fee for a seat at the table where the house benefits, you're facilitating gambling, or in essence, a casino," Lynam said.

Also, the house did not have a food distribution license, according to documents.

Lynam said his bureau was approached by York City Police Officer William Wentz for their help in conducting the raid.

The bureau participated, but as far as specifically how they did so, Lynam declined to say, adding that it was an ongoing investigation.

Police identified Latricia Thomas as the tenant at the home where the speakeasy was operating.

READ: Man in Drunk Lives Matter shirt charged with DUI

Using a search warrant, police went to the home at about 3:45 a.m. Inside, they found crack, heroin, marijuana, five handguns and $11,783, police said.

"Patrons of the speakeasy admitted to being charged a cover charge to enter where in return they received food and drinks and were permitted to gamble," documents state.

Other patrons said they were charged additional amounts of money to buy shots of liquor or containers of malt or brewed beverages, according to documents.

Police spoke with Latricia Thomas, who admitted to charging and collecting money as patrons entered her home, documents state.

Contact Ted Czech at 717-771-2033.

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Food, drink, gambling at 'known speakeasy,' York cops say - York Daily Record/Sunday News