Monthly Archives: February 2021

Lets change the debate about casino gambling in New York City.

Forget the Atlantic City or Las Vegas model of large, noisy, neon-lit airplane hangars packed with dollar slots and poor and middle-class gaming addicts pouring their rent money into a hopeless pursuit of riches.

Instead, think James Bond at Monte Carlo.Classy joints that would neverallow schlubs like us in the front door.Casinos that attract only the richest people on the planet, people who can afford to drop $50,000 in a night on baccarat or roulette and wouldnt be caught dead in an Atlantic City or Poconos casino.

Think casinos that generate billions of tax dollars for the city and billions more in economic activity, with none of the undesirable social issues normally associated with casino gaming.

And if youre a progressive, think about a great new way to tax the rich.

Casinos like these have existed for years in London, and theyd work just as well in the world capital that is New York.

Following the London model, New York could require that casinos be members-only private clubs and set a somewhat steep minimum for membership dues say, $5,000. In London, these private-club casinos are limited in size, allowing perhaps no more than 100 players at a time. They are discrete, located in grand hotels behind closed doors. A small plaque is the only advertisement.

Theyd have no slots just table games. Nor venues for big-name entertainment; New York Citys got that already.

Hotels that lack their own casinos can become casino members, so someone from the concierge desk can escort a hotel guest to a casino. Think of the fat tip for some kid from Queens just starting out in the hospitality business.

These high-end parlors could be placed in iconic locations, such as the site of the recently closed 21 Club. The city could issue a request for proposals for perhaps five such casino licenses, setting rules governing size, occupancy, advertising, minimum membership fees and types of games.

Expect hotels to partner with gaming companies and bid for these five licenses. Screen the applicants and review the bids carefully a process that would be paid for by hefty application fees. Hold an auction; award licenses to the highest bidders and start counting the money from the license fees.

Count the money from tax revenues, too. London casinos pay 15 percent in taxes. Other countries set even higher tax rates.

Count the money from the global super rich who spend more hotel nights in New York because of this new attraction, something New Yorks tourism opponents always look to encourage.

Count the higher income taxes from New Yorkers who get jobs in these casinos and from everyone in the hospitality industry who benefits from an influx of rich tourists.

New York has very good hospitality programs at several schools, and they could add courses for this new concept. These would be some of the best jobs in the hospitality industry.

Yes, were talking about casinos for the super-rich. The rest of us wont be able to afford them. But wed still have Aqueduct and Yonkers, Atlantic City and the Catskills. And thered be little competition for these places: The high-rollers frequenting our New York City private-club casinos dont mix with the common folk in existing gaming venues. (When they do gamble here, they do it in off-the-books games, and government gets no piece of the action.)

So lets not get hung up on arguments about equality or elitism. Lets look at private-club casino gambling as a way to increase revenue and job opportunities, with little or none of the social downside normally linked to gambling, such as how it risks addicting and further impoverishing those who can least afford it.

And the impact of public safety is almost non-existent. Winnings and losses move by wire transfer. Who gets mugged riding in a limousine?

With tourism, entertainment and hospitality industries in the city shattered by COVID, nows the time to squeeze the global super-rich and give them a chance to support our schools, hospitals, social services, affordable housing, public transit and police. We can even convince them that theyre having fun doing it.

Pat Smith is a former journalist and public relations exec with no interest in casino gambling.

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Casino gambling: How NYC can squeeze the rich and have them enjoy it - New York Post

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) Pennsylvania has seen an increase in internet gambling revenue as the coronavirus pandemic carries on. But for some players, this popular method of gambling is also bringing about some new vices.

According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the state set a record for internet casino-style gambling revenue in December with more than $71 million. By January, the state broke its own record, bringing in $80.4 million.

Josh Ercole, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania, added his organization has seen an increase in people seeking help for an internet gambling addiction.

We did see a shift in the helpline volume in terms of the calls for help that we received, he said, where people who traditionally would be calling for help related to casino-based gambling, slot machines, table games, that type of thing.

Ercole said 25- to 35-year-olds make up a large portion of people gambling online and seeking help for it. Older adults, he said, are typically drawn to brick-and-mortar casino gambling.

Increased isolation and stress brought on by the pandemic can also be triggers for people struggling with a gambling addiction.

Its something that people realize now that they could do from the comfort of their own home, Ercole said. They dont need to travel 10, 20, 30 miles to get to the closest establishment, and theyre enjoying it.

The pandemic forced casinos to close at times, and people had to alter how they gambled. Similarly, the council had to adjust how they offer help.

Self-help meetings, things like gamblers anonymous meetings, theyre very limited in terms of physical meetings right now throughout the state, he said. There are virtual options we try and put people in touch with. There are phone meetings that are available every night of the week.

According to the state Gaming Control Board, internet gambling was up nearly 3% in January compared to the same time last year.

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Pa. sees record rise in revenue for online gambling and addictive behaviors - KYW Newsradio 1060

The Governments review is shining a light on the link between gambling and sport. Football jersey sponsorship is just one facet of this. Premier League teams are less dependent on the money they get from gambling operators logos emblazoned across their shirts than the rest of the football league, whose headline sponsor is Sky Bet.

Away from football, the reliance on sponsorship gets starker; bookmakers play a key role in keeping rugby league, snookerand darts afloat.

Recent reports have suggested that banning gambling sponsorship will plunge sport into its biggest crisis since tobacco advertising was outlawed.

Jackson is not convinced. With the exception of horse racing and its intrinsic links to betting, sport will evolve and survive without the industry. If gambling is not allowed to continue its association with sports, because thats what the Government decides, I think there would need to be a good transition period, he says.

I dont think that the switch would be an easy one because the gambling industry is a source of revenue for the sector. A lot of these sports are saying: Nows a really difficult time for us because weve lost all gate receipts... Please dont make life harder for us.

But as weve all shown over the last 12 months, people are very adaptable and ... different sports could get there with enough notice.

As the UK rows back on the liberalisation of sports gambling, the US is moving in the opposite direction. America is in the grip of a gold rush as states scramble to legalise wagering, switching on the vast tax revenues that come with it.

Eye-watering valuations are being hung on the US opportunity. Draftkings, for instance, boasts a $23bn (16bn) market value - andis yet to turn a profit.

When we bought FanDuel in 2018, was I expecting that we would see Paspa [laws banning sport betting] repealed within four weeks, and that well be taking bets in the [New Jersey race track] Meadowlands four months later? And that here we are not quite three years after that being number one in the US market?

No, we didnt expect any of those things to happen.

Jackson says that operators like FanDuel and Draftkings have a significant advantage over rival operators such as Ladbrokes owner Entain and William Hill that have concentrated partnerships with casinos to build a US customer base.

We are winning because between us [FanDuel and Draftkings] we had millions and millions of customers who were the perfect target audience. In fact these people were giving us their money already and would have been betting it but were not allowed to.

Less successful has been the tie-up with Fox Corporation, Jackson concedes. Rupert Murdochs empire is also an investor, holding a 2.6pc stake in the FTSE 100 company.

But Jackson is not going to mince his words. They are an important partner for us. [But] we havent got the same market share and traction with the Fox Bet product yet because the product isnt good enough.

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Gambling will deliver, even if the odds are raised, says Flutter chief - Telegraph.co.uk

The interest in Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has increased all throughout the National Football League.

According to NFL Network, more than 10 organizations have reached out to the Seahawks to inquire about Wilson's availability.

In recent weeks, multiple reports have surfaced indicating thatWilson is highly frustrated with the Seahawks' inability to improve the offensive line in the past few seasons -- resulting in the veteran passer being pressured or sacked at a fairly high rate compared to other franchise passers.

"Wilson has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning if it came to a point where the two sides needed to part ways, the Seahawks would be limited, if not handcuffed in their ability to strike a deal that works out for both parties," NFL writer Nick Shook explained.

What are the odds that the Detroit Lions could actually land the services of one of the most talented signal-callers in the entire league?

Let's just say oddsmakers do not believe that Wilson will be suiting up for Detroit anytime soon -- placing the current gambling odds at 50/1.

While the rumor mill has fired up again regarding Wilson's future, the chances of him landing with another organization in 2021 are quite slim.

More from SI All Lions:

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Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DetroitPodcast.

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Gambling Odds of Lions Landing QB Russell Wilson - Sports Illustrated

Local officials in Linn County are trying to decide if they should put the countys gambling referendum on the ballot this year, as well as when the best time for a vote would be, the Gazette reported on Sunday. This would (again) bring Cedar Rapids a step closer in its attempt to develop a casino.

The referendum could be placed on the Nov. 2 ballot when voters will make their picks for city council and school board, or a special election could be held in March or September, the countys deputy elections commissioner Rebecca Stonawski said.

Its the last big city in Iowa that doesnt have gambling, Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart told the Gazettes Marissa Payne. So I think there really is a market here for someone to do it right.

Voters overwhelming authorized licensed gambling in 2013, but that authorization expires this year. This time voters would be asked to approve permanently authorizing licensed gambling in Linn County.

But even if the measure passes, creating a casino would still require the approval of the Iowa Racking and Gaming Commission (IRGC). The five-member commission has already rejected proposals for a casino in Cedar Rapids twice since 2013. In both 2014 and 2017, the IRGC based those rejections on concerns that adding another casino in the state would hurt business at existing ones, citing the lack of growth in Iowas gaming businesses.

Commission member Kristine Kramer said in 2017 that Linn County might have missed its opportunity for a casino. She pointed to 2003 when the IRGC recommended Cedar Rapids as a site for a casino, but Linn County voters rejected a referendum authorizing licensed gambling by 53 to 47 percent.

Cedar Rapids has been through a lot, Kramer said in 2017. I have seen the energy of its citizens to rebuild after a devastating flood. Cedar Rapids is Iowas second-largest city. But, you were the second-largest city when you turned gaming down.

The vote in 2017 was 3 to 2 against the Cedar Rapids casino proposals. Of that five-member board, Kramer is the only member who is still serving. Her term will expire at the end of April.

There has been no decision on the location for a casino, according to Hart.

The First and First West site was the location proposed in 2014 and 2017, but that is no longer an option. The Cedar Rapids City Council approved a resolution last June to use the eight acres of land to develop a Big Grove Brewery, movie theater and an ice skating rink, among other attractions and features.

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Linn County voters may see gambling referendum on the ballot this year - Little Village

By Faye Gaston

Citizens of Bullock County can contact their government leaders about the bill on gambling in Alabama. Bill SB214 states: To establish an Alabama Education Lottery and the Alabama Education Lottery Corporation, to establish the Alabama Gaming Commission to regulate the conduct of bingo, charitable bingo, sports wagering, and casino-style games; to impose license fees and a tax on certain gaming proceeds; to authorize the commission to adopt rules governing the licensing, administration, and conduct of sports wagering; to authorize the Governor to negotiate a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians for the operation of casino-style games on lands held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians; and to require the legislature to meet in special session to enact implementing legislation.

A description of the bill from the South East Law Institute states: "This bill is a constitutional amendment to remove all restrictions on gambling in Alabama. While it will be voted on by the people, it has very little substance and will leave much of the decision-making to the Alabama Legislature. Here are some pertinent points: (1) There are no mandatory provisions to address gambling addiction and related problems.

(2) The bill has few details. If the people approve all of these forms of gambling, all authority is delegated to the legislature to pass general laws to implement this gambling monopoly in Alabama. The Alabama Education Lottery Corporation and the Alabama Gaming Commission will be laws unto themselves. (3) The forms of gambling authorized by the bill will be old fashion charitable bingo, electronic bingo, lottery, and casino-style and sports gambling. (4) It creates a monopoly allowing gaming at seven sites: Jefferson County, Mobile County Greentrack and VictoryLand, and three Poarch Indian sites, i.e., Atmore, Wetumpka, and Jackson or Dekalb County. No other sites are permitted.

(5) Gambling revenues from the above-listed venues will be taxed at 20% payable to different government recipients, including 75% of the said 20% payable for broadband expansion (65%), rural health care services (25%), and mental health services (10%). Lottery revenues will fund a post-secondary scholarship program. (6) The Governor is given authority to negotiate a compact with the Poarch Indians concerning what gambling they may have and, presumably, what taxes they will pay. However, the bill contains no provisions as to those terms. The Indians have participated in the preparation of this bill, but the facts are kept from view".

Bullock County citizens may contact their Alabama government leaders, representing them to let them know if they favor this bill or oppose it. State Senator Billy Beasley represents Bullock County in District 28. Contact him at 334-261-0868 or billy.beasley@alsenate.gov, or 11 South Union Street, Suite 737, Montgomery, AL 36130-4600. State Representative Berry Forte represents Bullock County for District 84. Contact him at 334-261-0566, or berry.forte@alhouse.gov, or 11 South Union Street, Room 540-D, Montgomery, AL 36130-4600.

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Contact Beasley and Forte about gambling bill | News | unionspringsherald.com - Union Springs Herald