Daily Archives: June 27, 2017

Gambling: 'My wife found out we'd no money in the bank and my Da called me for a showdown - on way to the house I stopped to do a bet'

BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

High-profile NI Ambulance Service spokesman John McPoland has dedicated the last 14 years to saving lives, but his own life was almost destroyed by gambling, an addiction he picked up as boy and which consumed his being until day his family made him get help.

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High-profile NI Ambulance Service spokesman John McPoland has dedicated the last 14 years to saving lives, but his own life was almost destroyed by gambling, an addiction he picked up as boy and which consumed his being until day his family made him get help.

He's a straight-talking and committed ambulance officer who's dedicated the last 14 years of his career to trying to save members of the public, but John McPoland has admitted that his own life was almost shattered by a gambling addiction that started with a schoolboy bet on the Grand National and almost ended in a family meltdown.

John, who's the high-profile media and communications manager for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, opened his heart last night about his obsession in a frank, no-holds-barred interview with BBC Radio Ulster presenter Vinny Hurrell.

For John, who's used to talking to the media about accidents and modern-day crises faced by the Ambulance Service, it was a sometimes painful reflection on the darker days in his own past.

And he said that without the intervention of his parents, his wife and close friends, his life could have completely fallen apart.

John said he discovered gambling at the age of 16, adding: "I placed my first bet on the Grand National in 1974 or 1975. It was 2/6 or twelve-and-a-half pence. And it won. I can't deny that I idolised money and I thought this was a dead easy way to get money. I went down every Saturday to the bookies and then it was every day.

"In school I became a bookie. I remember when the FA Cup Final was on me and this other boy couldn't see Man United losing against Southampton."

So confident were the two boys, that he offered generous odds against a Southampton win, but John's pal took cold feet and pulled out of the betting partnership.

John said: "Southampton beat United 1-0 and I didn't have a penny to pay anyone. I owed 13.50."

His answer - perhaps inevitably - was to go to the bookies and a bet won him 26, which allowed him to settle his debts.

"I thought I was king for the day," said John. The next day he was taking more bets from his schoolmates.

John said he "scraped through" his examinations at school without working too hard and gained a place at St Joseph's Training College.

But that's where things started to go from bad to worse. "I met boys from the country who loved their oul drink and gambling," said John. He was soon joining card schools and he started missing classes before "his day of reckoning" came after gambling "took over too much" of his life.

He failed his exams and was told he would have to leave college. Which he knew would disappoint his parents.

John explained: "People said I was my father's blue-eye, but I don't really accept that because there were nine of us and I was in the middle. But I could see the hurt in his eyes."

John took a job as a bricklayer on a building site before he got a job in an office in the Housing Executive in 1979 where he stayed for 11 years - "the worst years of my life".

The problems revolved around John's workload - there was too little of it, he said, adding: "After three days my line manager came to me and said: 'Slow down; you have just done a month's work'."

John said he had to learn how to spread out a few days' work over a month. "And I became conditioned like everyone else to doing that."

But John, who was in his 20s, said that his idle hands made for the devil's work - his gambling.

He went into work in the mornings and got the newspaper to decide on his horse racing bets for the day.

"At lunchtime I went round to the bookies and I couldn't wait to go back round there. It impacted on everything in my life, including my sport and my work as a youth leader."

Ironically, he was also volunteering with the Samaritans, but he was unable to help himself.

"Gambling was a bit like a cancer. It eats into every aspect of your life. But I couldn't see it," said John, who'd got married but was struggling to pay off his mortgage.

He tried to keep his gambling problems from his wife, but he said she eventually discovered the truth.

"It all blew up. She found out we didn't have the money in the bank that we were supposed to have and she went and told my Da.

"He summoned me up to the house and on the way I stopped off at the bookies to have a bet."

John tried to soft-soap his father by saying that he didn't have a problem and that he only liked "a wee bet".

But he said that in reality there were nights he couldn't sleep, thinking about what he had done to people close to him and to others from whom he was borrowing money.

"It was a nightmare. The only way out for me, as a gambler, was to gamble sensibly and win," he said, acknowledging that was what all gamblers told themselves about the "elusive win". However, John's father finally told him that he wasn't going to let him destroy his wife's life, and his son vowed to do something about his gambling.

He told Hurrell: "I thought that would be the end of it, but he was too wise. He had already made contact with a group and he put me in touch with them.

"I had to go in to phone the guy there and then.

"He was waiting for the call and that was the first night that I sat talking to someone who knew what I was going through.

"I'm not ashamed to admit it - I cried like a baby."

And that was the beginning of the end of John's gambling.

"It was 1987 when I got married. It was 1988 when I had my last bet," said John, who added that he still lived with the problem every day.

He also said he was deeply concerned about the high numbers of young people who are taking their own lives here.

"Down through the years I have listened to people who have come to our group and they talk about how close they were to suicide and everything else.

"They need to know there are people there to help them."

In his own youth, sport was important to John, who played Gaelic football in west Belfast and was once on the bench for the Antrim county side in a game against Cavan at Breffni Park, where he thought he was about to hit the big time.

"The manager said 'John get stripped' and I got up, but there was another John who got stripped and he got playing," added John, who was mercilessly ribbed by his colleagues among the substitutes, including his own brother.

His late father Hugh was once a referee and chairman of the GAA in Antrim and John's proudest moment came when his father presented him with clubman and player of the year awards for his club.

John said: "They're the only trophies I have from my Gaelic football career that I still have and they are very dear to me because my father is no longer with us and he was a massive influence on my life.

"He instilled in us a lot of values and it broke my heart sometimes, the way I let him down." Long after John had beaten his gambling demons and when his father was dying in 2004, he asked him quietly: "Daddy you know the way you've always looked after me here, promise me you'll look after me when you're up there."

The response wasn't what John had been expecting.

"He just turned his head round and he said to me: 'What the f*** have you done now?'"

Belfast Telegraph

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Gambling: 'My wife found out we'd no money in the bank and my Da called me for a showdown - on way to the house I ... - Belfast Telegraph

ALBANY Has New York hit a saturation point when it comes to venues for gambling?

That question has surfaced at the statehouse where some lawmakers are pushing to legalize online poker.

Meanwhile, Jeff Gural, operator of Vernon Downs racino in Oneida County, says he fears he will have to close his operations and lay off hundreds of workers to stem mounting financial losses.

CASINO EXPANSIONS

The discussion over the state's gaming policy is heating up less than a year after three full-service casinos opened in upstate New York.

They joined nine racinos, including Vernon Downs, as well as 11 venues operated by Native American tribes:Akwesasne Mohawk Casino and Mohawk Bingo Palace and Casino, both in Franklin County, andthe Seneca Nation casinos in Niagara Falls, Irving, Cuba and Salamanca.

Gaming expansion has also happened throughout the Northeast and eastern Canada, a region home to more than three times the number of casinos it hosted in 2002, said Phil Pantano, spokesman for the Seneca Nation.

"Of course there has been an impact on existing properties," Pantano said.

New York's three new non-Indian casinos in Schenectady, the Finger Lakes and Tioga Downs were opened after voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2013 that ended a ban on non-Indian gambling halls.

GAMBLING OPTIONS

The menu of options was sweetened last year when lawmakers allowed betting on fantasy sports after a lobbying campaign that included Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly advocating for the special interests plugging the new form of wagering.

Meanwhile, state-regulated lottery games scratch-off tickets, Powerball and Quick Draw have grown steadily since being introduced in 1967.

The state's four thoroughbred race tracks and eight harness tracks have been around even longer.

CLOSURE THREAT

Among those arguing that it's time for state policymakers to hit the brakes on further expansion of gaming is Gary Greenberg, a minority investor in Vernon Downs and long-time follower of the industry.

"There is plenty of gambling already in the state, Greenberg said. We don't need any more."

Gural said Vernon Downs is losing about $150,000 each month. He plans to close the operation, located just several miles from the Turning Stone casino run by the Oneida Indian Nation, unless the Assembly boosts the percentage of revenue from video lottery terminals that the gaming hall can keep.

He said he is prepared to close the track, racino, restaurants and a hotel on the complex.

The chairman of the Assembly Gaming Committee, Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (D-Westchester), said the lower chamber can't agree with Gural's proposal to let Vernon keep more gaming revenue because it would crimp the amount of aid sent to public schools.

But he said he hopes Gural reacts favorably to a counterproposal that would result in a reduction of administrative fees imposed on the facility.

Pretlow also said that while most of the state has not experienced gaming saturation, the congestion of venues running from Oneida County to the Rochester region has hurt the profitability of gaming halls in that vicinity.

The troubles that have befallen Vernon Downs mainly relate to its proximity to the much larger Turning Stone, said Bennett Liebman, who retired from state government in 2014 as Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top adviser on gaming matters.

"Vernon has always been in a difficult position because it is so close to the Oneidas," who run Turning Stone as well as the smaller Yellow Brick Road casino in Chittenango, Liebman said.

Liebman said discerning whether New York is headed for a decline in action at gambling halls because of increasing competition is not easy to fathom.

He said he doesn't take any projections of a gaming glut or market expansion very seriously.

"Nobody really knows what is going to happen," he said.

COMPETITION

Meanwhile, a large casino is scheduled to open next year in Springfield, Mass., about an hour's drive from the Albany region.

Liebman said that venue will likely be a greater threat to two Native American casinos in Connecticut than to the racino in Saratoga or the new casino in Schenectady.

Lee Park, spokesman for the state Gaming Commission, said his agency, given its role as a regulator that does not offer policy opinions, would not weigh in on whether the state has too much gaming.

But he did note: "The Gaming Facility Location Board closely studied the matter and determined that the market can and will support competition among appropriately scoped and appropriately financed gaming operations."

ONLINE POKER

Meanwhile, the proposal that would allow online poker, meanwhile, has gained traction in the Assembly, where it is backed by Pretlow's committee.

The bill, authored by Sen. John Bonacic (R-Orange County), would allow such interactive online games as Texas hold 'em. The senator has said the measure would protect consumers who now play unregulated games, while boosting revenue for state education programs.

If the measure is approved, it could face legal challenges from gambling foes questioning Bonacic's assertion that online poker is a game of skill, not a game of chance.

Email Joe Mahoney:

jmahoney@cnhi.com

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Lawmakers may add online poker to state's gambling options - Plattsburgh Press Republican

DAllesandro has spent the past two decades fronting the effort for New Hampshire to build massive slot machine casinos, but has suddenly become concerned about the potential side effects of expanding gambling.

Yet DAllesandros hypocrisy does not wash away the costs of gambling. And this Legislature has quietly expanded gambling across New Hampshire.

Keno supporters finally got their new game authorized by using it to fund increased state aid for full-day kindergarten. How this will actually work has been pushed off to rulemaking.

The budget trailer bill, HB 517, authorizes the Lottery Commission to start selling online scratch tickets. Again, the details havent been decided.

New Hampshire has been selling lottery tickets to raise money for schools for decades. And for many people, playing the games is harmless entertainment. But gambling comes with real costs, for those who become addicted and for the communities in which they live.

Lawmakers this year placed hasty bets on expanded gambling without carefully considering the consequences of their actions.

Go here to read the rest:

Bad bets: Recklessly expanding gambling | New Hampshire - The Union Leader

BBC News

Watchdog clamps down on online gambling BBC News The competition regulator is to take action against some online gambling companies which it suspects of breaking consumer law. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said some punters did not get the deal they expected from sign-up promotions ... Gambling companies probed for 'unfairly holding onto people's money'Business Insider Online gambling firms face clampdown after watchdog's probeThe Guardian Watchdog targets online gambling firms that 'load the dice' against playersTelegraph.co.uk The Independent -Financial Times -The Times (subscription) all 44 news articles »

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Watchdog clamps down on online gambling - BBC News

Kenyas government has introduced a five-fold tax hike on online betting in a bid to discourage minors from gambling, and to raise funds that would support sports and cultural activities. On June 21, president Uhuru Kenyatta signed the Finance Bill 2017, which increased tax rates for betting, lotteries, and gambling from the current rate of 7.5% to 35%.

Betting firms in Kenya are now saying the punitive tax measures will not only dent their returns, but also affect jobs in the industry, lead to the defunding of corporate social activities, and discourage investment in an emerging sector.

SportPesa, the leading Kenyan online sports betting platform, said it will withdraw sponsorship from local sports clubs in Jan. 2018when the new bill will come into effect. The company has grown rapidly in recent years and is major sports sponsor at home where it backs the Kenyan Premier League, as well as two of the leagues leading clubs, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards. The betting company also splashed out on a costly sponsorship both Everton and Hull City in the English League.

Ronald Karauri, the chief executive of SportPesa, said on Twitter that the tax amendments will greatly affect their operations and that their partners should plan accordingly before they withdraw support. Notably, Karauri said the cuts will not affect sponsorships of teams outside Kenya.

The taxing hike augurs how African governments will deal with sports betting and gambling as it grows into a multimillion dollar industry across the continent. Behind South Africa and Nigeria, Kenya is home to the third-largest gambling market in Africa. The betting boom has also caught on in countries like Uganda where the expansion of satellite TV and the creation of a national lottery lured many jobless Ugandans into betting. In Nigeria, 60 million people between the ages of 18 and 40 years spend up to 2 billion naira ($6.2 million) on sports betting daily.

The growing adoption of smartphones has also increased the time people spend gambling in Kenya, with many of them spending hours researching teams, reviewing scores, or learning betting tactics. Authorities say they imposed the hefty taxes in order to deter minors from betting. Local media have reported stories of people committing suicide after losing bets or falling into debt.

The initial proposal from Kenyas Treasury was to actually increase the tax to 50%, but after stakeholder meetings, the rate for all betting, lotteries, and raffle competitions was amended to a uniform 35%.

Karauri says gaming operators in Kenya will barely be able to sustain their businesses come 2018. The expected financial project will force closure of firms and that theres no company in the country which has the capacity of complying to the tax, he told The Star newspaper.

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Kenya thinks a five-fold tax hike on its betting sector can deter child gambling - Quartz

JOLIET A new fee and license for bars with video gaming machines goes into effect as another cafe-style gambling parlor is about to go to the city for approval.

Daisy's, a video gambling cafe planned for 18 S. Larkin Ave., could go to the city council for a vote at its July 5 meeting.

But it won't be subject to the new Class V license fees approved by the council last week because the application came before the fees were enacted, said Interim City Attorney Chris Regis.

The prospective owner plans to have painting parties and other events in addition to video gambling machines and alcohol, Regis said Monday.

Regis said the city developed a new ordinance regulating video gambling in part to avoid a proliferation of such businesses.

"A business that involves a vice like gambling has to be regulated," he said.

Daisy's will be the fourth cafe-style video gambling parlor in the city, Regis said.

At the time that the city's first video gambling cafes arrived in 2013, there was concern that Joliet would be flooded with such businesses and some applicants were turned down.

The new ordinance requires that no more than one permit for video gambling be allowed for any single shopping center, plaza or strip mall. It also requires that a business be operating for 120 days before getting a city permit for video gaming.

Operators must pay a $250 fee for the Class V license as well as a $250 fee for each video gambling machine.

No complaints about fees

The council last week also approved an increase in the application fee for any liquor license from $100 to the new rate of $750.

Councilman Pat Mudron was the lone no vote, saying he thought it was too much of an increase at once.

Mudron and other city officials, however, said they received no complaints about the proposed fees for lliquor licenses and video gambling before they were enacted.

"I didn't get a call," Mudron said. "I didn't get a call after I vote no, either, to say thank you."

Regis said the new city fees are more in line with what other communities charge.

The $100 fee for liquor license applications may go back to the 1980s, Regis said, noting that one veteran city staffer had told him that it may have been set during the term of the late Mayor John Bourg.

Link:

Joliet video gambling operators face new rules, fees - The Herald-News

No one expected India to lose in the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy. At least not against arch-rivals Pakistan. India had an enviable 13-2 record against Pakistan in ICC matches (out of 15 ICC matches ever played between these teams, India won 13 and lost only two). The Indian teams defeat is just one side of the story. Another darker side of this story concerns the betting industry. The defeat in the final also led to huge betting losses. Unverified media reports suggest that about Rs 2,000-2,500 crore were riding on this match with around 80-90 per cent bets placed in favour of India. Such huge sums of money are quite commonly bet in big-ticket ICC matches, IPL, etc. As such, things have gone on unabated despite the fact that betting in cricket is still not legal in the country. So, it is natural to question why should betting continue to be prohibited? Why not open it up and make it legal?

It is first pertinent to look at the existing legal framework on this subject. The term betting is mostly used within the larger context of gambling. Gambling is defined as an act of wagering or betting for money on a future outcome. Gambling has been put as a State subject under the Constitution and hence most states have legislations on this. In general, other than some exceptions, gambling is largely prohibited in the country. By its very nature, an element of chance is inherent in gambling. The government does not want the lay man to take unknown risks with his/her hard-earned money. It fears that if gambling is allowed, large sections of the society, particularly the poor, may get exposed to the perils of taking chances with their money. Hence, the ban is said to exist for the larger good of society.

Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, there is no blanket prohibition on gambling. Some exceptions do exist. Gambling is largely permitted on events where success depends on a substantial degree of skill and not chance. Moreover, a few states also permit casinos and online gambling. Many allow lotteries as well. This piecemeal approach has created a lot of avoidable regulatory confusion. Take for instance interpretation of events where success depends on skills. In a case in 1996, the apex court held that betting on horse racing was a game of skill since factors like fitness and skill of the horse and jockey could be objectively assessed by a person placing a bet.

This interpretation is quite interesting as one may theoretically argue on similar lines for betting in other sports like cricket. Factors such as skills of teams, forms of players, etc, may be used to predict possible outcomes in cricket as well. But still, while debating betting in cricket, authorities would presumably like to take a more cautious stance. The reason is obvious. Cricket has a much broader appeal cutting across sections of the society. Horse racing, on the other hand, is followed by a limited elite and possibly a richer section of society. Another important repercussion of the above confusion is that the gambling market in the country has been segmented artificially. Gambling in casinos is permitted to a limited extent in Goa, Daman and Diu, and Sikkim. Not in other states. Sikkim permits online gambling, which is not the case for others. Many states allow lotteries while states such as MP do not.

However, prohibition on gambling has not led to the elimination of the practice itself. People often come up with ingenious ways in finding a way around the ban. As per reports, the overall betting market in India is worth around Rs 3 lakh crore. Betting in cricket accounts for almost 80 per cent of this. Taking a note of this, the Justice RM Lodha Committee on BCCI reforms recently recommended making betting on cricket legal. The Supreme Court took a much broader view on this. It mandated the Law Commission to study the possibility of legalising the overall betting and gambling scenario in the country.

This is a prudent move as its high time we acknowledge the ground reality that gambling and betting would exist irrespective of a ban. Therefore, its worth working towards evolving sound regulations along with appropriate safeguards given the Indian context. This may also have positive economic advantages in the form of increased taxes, jobs and boost to the travel and hospitality sectors. The Law Commission is likely to examine all these aspects and submit its final view to the government. Whatsoever happens eventually, this is going to be an interesting space to watch and that is something all of us can bet on.

The authors are economists with NITI Aayog. Views expressed are personal.

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Legalising gambling good bet? - Daily News & Analysis