Daily Archives: April 6, 2021

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has released a National Detailed Report and State Detailed Reports as a follow up to The National Survey of Gambling Attitudes and Gambling Experiences (NGAGE) 1.0, which provided an overview of trends at the national and state levels. The reports can be found at http://www.ncpgsurvey.org.

With nearly half of the states across the nation legalizing sports betting since the repeal of PASPA, the report indicates that sports bettors exhibit far more problematic play indicators than non-sports bettors, including lied to hide gambling and a reliance on others to pay debts or bills.

It also found that younger players (under age 35) appear to be at higher risk for gambling problems and that many people who gamble do not understand the way gambling works.

Executive Director Keith Whyte explained: We hope the new reports spur the public and private sectors to redouble their efforts to implement policies and allocate resources to create a safer gambling environment, as well as assist those who show signs of gambling addiction or are in recovery.

While organizations like the National Council on Problem Gambling will use this data to help make those goals a reality, any entity that interacts with the gambling industry will benefit from better understanding public sentiment about gambling as America undergoes an unprecedented amount of gambling expansion, especially sports betting.

The National Detailed and State Detailed Reports from NGAGE 1.0 are NCPGs largest research project to date, comprising more than 28,000 respondents. It is likely the largest public survey of gambling attitudes in US history and includes over 170 charts with detailed data points and summary segmentation analysis offering insight into how Americans think and act with regards to gambling.

The survey questions address a broad range of issues including gambling participation, rates of problematic behavior and positive play, and public beliefs and opinions about problem gambling. It also includes an in-depth look at trends and attitudes about the emerging fields of sports and fantasy sports betting. The survey was conducted independently by Ipsos and was sponsored by GVC Group/Entain Group.

NCPG is to be commended for undertaking this enormous research project, said Robert Jacobson, President of the NCPG Board of Directors and Executive Director of the California Council on Problem Gambling.

He added: There is no need to make assumptions or rely on much smaller studies anymore. The State Reports are especially important whether you are an operator, regulator or health provider since all decision-making for the gambling industry resides at the state level, and health providers address local needs.

NCPG will also hold a 60-minute webinar focused on the new National Detailed Report from NGAGE 1.0 with Don Feeney, author of the reports and co-founder of the Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance, and Keith Whyte to discuss the findings on April 6 at 1pm EDT. It is free for the public and media.

NCPG anticipates a NGAGE 2.0 follow-up survey in the next 12 months, which will be the first effort to measure national changes in gambling behaviors since the expansion of sports betting was greenlighted by the US Supreme Court. The new data will help inform changes to business operations in the gambling industry, as well as a broad spectrum of governmental policy and funding directives going forward.

Originally posted here:

NCPG national and state report sheds new light on gambling habits - SBC Americas

Detroit, April 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Detroit, MI - LeanBackPlayer announces the release of the 2021 rankings of the best online gambling sites. The rankings are based on expert opinions about the quality of each operator and specific ranking criteria. The surveys were sent to professional gamblers and industry insiders in fall 2020 and early 2021.

So which are the best online gambling sites? The answer will change depending on which games you like to play. There are gambling websites that offer great casino games, while others excel in their sports betting offerings. Or perhaps you are looking for a great poker site.

We evaluated some of the best gambling websites out there, weighed their features, game offerings, and reputations to come up with a list of the top 25 gambling websites and which type of wagering game they are best at.

Best online gambling sites ranked by category:

Best for poker: Ignition

Best for slots - Slots.lv

Best for sports betting - Bovada

Best for live dealer games - Cafe Casino

Best for UFC bets - MyBookie

Best for free games: Red Dog Casino

Best bitcoin gambling site: Bitstarz

Best for DFS - Monkey Knife Fight

Best for CSGO gambling - CSGO Empire

Best mobile gaming experience: Super Slots

Best loyalty bonuses: Intertops

Best variety of games: Wild Casino

Best for unique games: Las Atlantis

Best for tournaments: Black Chip Poker

Best VIP program: Americas Cardroom

Runner-ups for the best online gambling sites:

Jackpot City

Royal Vegas

888 Casino

Ruby Fortune

BigSpinCasino

Juicy Stakes Casino

mFortune Casino

Casino.com

CasinoRex

Ladbrokes

Mr Spin Casino

Before well take an in-depth review at each site individually, lets look at how we ranked the gambling sites.

Ranking Methodology: How We Found the Best Gambling Sites

When choosing your next gambling site for a little online betting action, we put together a list of the 5 most important criterias.

As all of these criterias are very crucial factors that make safe and fair online gambling possible, we asked our 136 survey participants to evaluate and rank all the gambling operators accordingly.

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Is the Gambling Site Licensed?

The online gambling site you choose should be licensed or have obtained certification. To be licensed, a gambling site must meet certain requirements including the offering of fair gameplay and securing your sensitive data. Choosing an unlicensed gambling site gives you little to no protection against unfair practices, lost money, or theft of your banking account and other personal information. Therefore, all the gambling operators without an online gambling license were excluded.

Depositing and Withdrawal Options

Is your preferred method of depositing funds bitcoin or PayPal? Take a look at the deposit options the gambling site offers to make sure your chosen method is supported. While you are looking at deposit options, also be sure to check out the withdrawal options. Sometimes these options are more limited or they come with a transaction delay of a few days to a week or more.

Reviews and Complaints

Much like reading the reviews before choosing a restaurant, this is an important step when selecting an online gambling site. Scouring the reviews can tell you a lot about the site, how well or poorly they treat their players, the reliability of the site operation, and much more. Are there a lot of negative reviews and complaints? Then you might want to skip this site and check out another one.

Bonus and Promotion Offers

When making that first deposit, you definitely want to check out any bonus offers. You may find that by simply using a different deposit method, or depositing a higher amount, you may net a higher bonus. You also want to watch out for the reverse and ensure what the dollar limit on a bonus is. Also, consider if there are bonuses and promotions offered after the initial deposit.

Features & Games Available

Last, but certainly not least, take a look at the games and features offered. Does the gambling site offer the games you like to play? Do they offer progressive slots, or anonymous poker play, or any other gameplay feature that you require? If the online gambling site does not have the games or features that you are looking for, then why waste your time joining?

Top Online Gambling Sites Reviewed

1. Ignition Casino - Best for Poker

While Ignition Casino offers a variety of games ranging from slots to blackjack, their focus is on poker. They offer sit 'n' gos, tournaments, and if you are looking for fast gameplay they offer a type of game called zone poker that allows you to quickly hop between tables as each hand concludes.

If tournament action is what you are after, they offer daily tournaments, weekly tournaments, and special events with unique prizes. And to help protect newer players, Ignition Casino offers anonymous gameplay to prevent being preyed upon by seasoned players.

Ratings:

Banking: 9/10

Reputation: 10/10

Bonuses: 10/10

Features: 9.5/10

Pros:

Bonus:

2. Slots.lv - Best for Slots

Slots.lv is the ultimate resource for online slot play with a library of over 5000 slots to choose from. Choose from classic 3-reel slots to more modern themed slots like Jurassic Park and Monopoly. Each of these slot games is hosted by other gambling websites but are offered here for quick, easy, cost-free playing.

And when you are ready to move on to betting real money, Slots.lv lists out the details on their trusted gambling sites so you can choose the best one for your money.

Ratings:

Banking: 9/10

Reputation: 8.5/10

Bonuses: 10/10

Features: 8.5/10

Pros:

Play 1000s of slots for free

Review important facts for gambling sites

Spin the slots from a mobile device

Bonus:

3. Bovada - Best for Sports Betting

Bovada offers a range of popular casino games including some live dealer action as well as non-casino favorites like horse racing and online sportsbook. The array of sporting events that you can bet on is extensive. Bet on popular sports such as basketball, football, hockey, and other events such as political elections.

Search for an event by date or competitor and view all event info along with real-time odds. Bovada also offers a range of prop (proposition) bets giving you a chance of winning even if your favorite team/competitor loses.

Ratings:

Banking: 9.5/10

Reputation: 10/10

Bonuses: 9.5/10

Features: 9/10

Pros:

Bonus:

50% match up to $250 (75% match up to $750 for BTC)

Link: Welcome Bonus, BTC Bonus

4. Cafe Casino - Best Live Dealer Games

If you are looking for an experience that is as engaging as in-person play, then you might be interested in Cafe Casino's live dealer games. They feature blackjack, roulette (U.S. and European varieties), baccarat, and super 6.

Not only can you watch the dealers live on-camera, but you can also chat with them, other players and even tip the dealer at the end of your hand. These games are optimized for mobile play so you can take them with you wherever you go.

Ratings:

Banking: 8.5/10

Reputation: 10/10

Bonuses: 10/10

Features: 9/10

Pros:

Engaging action with live dealers

99.5% return on strategic blackjack play

Full range of casino games

Bonus:

5. My Bookie - Best for UFC Bets

My Bookie offers a full range of casino games and sports betting but the one area where they particularly excel is UFC betting. For those looking to gamble on UFC and other MMA fights, My Bookie offers detailed match information, sports/event news, and real-time odds. You can bet on the outcome of the match and enter a range of prop bets to boost your potential winnings.

If the event is live, My Bookie still allows you to enter your bets. And the site is optimized for mobile devices so you can keep track of and modify your bets on the go.

Ratings:

Banking: 10/10

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25 Best Gambling Sites: The Top Online Casinos, Sportsbooks, and Betting Apps in the USA - Yahoo Finance

A surge in internet betting during the coronavirus pandemic was followed by a rise in the number of gamblers trying to block themselves from using online casinos and bookmakers, it has emerged.

Gamstop, the national self-exclusion scheme for people wrestling with their gambling, recorded a 21% increase in new exclusions during February, according to figures seen by the Guardian.

The number of people who have signed up is on the verge of reaching 200,000, including 326 new registrations on 22 February, a record for a single day since the service was launched in 2018.

Gamstop said the increase in efforts to avoid gambling appeared to have followed a rise in online betting volumes during November and December.

It said this indicated that the trend towards more online gambling may be leading to more vulnerable individuals choosing to exclude themselves from all sites.

More people than ever may have signed up to the scheme, but Gamstops figures also demonstrate the difficulty that many people have in staying away from gambling.

In January 2021, 49,328 people out of a possible 177,038 attempted to gamble and were stopped from doing so by their registration with Gamstop, which allows people to shut themselves out of internet gambling for a defined period.

The organisation said this showed that blocking software was not a silver bullet.

With the rate of registrants continuing to rise, I would urge anybody putting self-exclusion from online gambling in place through Gamstop to also seek treatment, the organisations chief executive, Fiona Palmer, said.

Awareness around self-exclusion schemes and blocking software has been increasing throughout the last year, and its important that we continue to spread the message about what help is available to those who need it most.

Matt Blanks, a project manager at Peer Aid, a scheme that helps people who are addicted to gambling, began betting aged 11. He lost more than 700,000 and tried to take his own life.

He said being able to block himself from all online operators at once had been a lifesaver. It gives you that moments pause, that bit of breathing space, to ensure that when you have an urge or impulse, you cant place a bet in that moment, he said. That time to reflect can make all the difference.

People with a gambling disorder are disproportionately likely to be male, but Gamstop has recorded an increasing number of women registering during lockdown.

The number of women who have self-excluded reached 50,000 recently, and the gender split is 71% male, 29% female. People aged between 18 and 34 are the most likely to use the service, accounting for 59% of all registrants.

The figures come after evidence gathering for the governments gambling review ended last week. In its submission, Gamstopsaid there had been a rise in the number of websites publishing links to black market betting operations that are not signed up to the blocking service.

Membership of the scheme is a condition of being licensed to offer gambling legally in Great Britain.

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Number of gamblers trying to block themselves online surges - The Guardian

ELK CITY, Idaho, April 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Therapeutic Solutions International, Inc., (OTC Markets: TSOI), announced today completion of its 30-patient trial assessing the Kaihani Score blood-based test for gambling addiction.

The clinical trial, which as registered on the Federal Clinical Trials Database as Validation of Kaihani Score for Gambling Addiction1 showed a profound difference of a specific neuromodulatory protein between healthy controls (15.65.5 ng/ml), patients with moderate gambling addiction (34.811.2 ng/ml) and patients with severe gambling addiction (50.924.3 ng/ml). Severity of gambling addition was assessed using Pathological Gambling Adaptation of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (PG-YBOCS).

"This data demonstrates the ability to assess psychological abnormalities using quantitative blood-based approaches" said Kalina O'Connor, President and CEO of Campbell Neurosciences. "It is our aim at Campbell Neurosciences to address the root causes of mental illnesses, and using this knowledge to develop cures, not band-aid drugs."

Campbell Neurosciences, a spin-off of the biotherapeutics company Therapeutic Solutions International is named after Kathleen Campbell, mother of Kalina O'Connor, who was a victim of suicide.

"In contrast to the Campbell Score, which assesses inflammatory markers as a means of diagnosing suicidal ideations, the Kaihani Score assesses specific neuromodulatory peptides made by the brains of gambling addicts" said Dr. James Veltmeyer, Chief Medical Officer of the Company. "A completely different nature of the cytokines involved suggest the existence of complicated neuroimmune circuits. Our mission at Campbell is to decipher these circuits and develop practical interventions."

Ms. O'Connor recently published a manuscript outlining the contributions of the immune system to nervous system function with emphasis on mental illness Suicide: An Immunological Disorder?2

"The successful completion of this clinical trial indicates that we now have a potential new weapon in identifying who is at risk of gambling addition, which is the first step in conquering this epidemic which takes a $54 billion annual toll on our economy3" said Wais Kaihani, co-inventor of the Kaihani score and consultant to the Company.

"I congratulate Campbell Neurosciences and the excellent work their clinical team has performed in rapidly completing the second clinical trial this year demonstrating successful identification of mental illness using blood based immunological tests" stated Timothy Dixon, President and CEO of Therapeutic Solutions International and Co-Inventor of the Kaihani Score.

The Company is currently engaging regulators in discussions with the aim of initiating a pivotal registration trial for both the Campbell Score and the Kaihani Score.

About Therapeutic Solutions International, Inc.Therapeutic Solutions International is focused on immune modulation for the treatment of several specific diseases. The Company's corporate website is http://www.therapeuticsolutionsint.com, and our public forum is https://board.therapeuticsolutionsint.com/

[emailprotected]

1Validation of Kaihani Score for Gambling Addiction2 Suicide: An Immunological Disorder?3 Social costs of gambling nearly half that of drug abuse, new book concludes

SOURCE Therapeutic Solutions International

therapeuticsolutionsint.com

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Therapeutic Solutions International Spin-Off Campbell Neurosciences Demonstrates Efficacy of Kaihani Score in Prediction of Gambling Addiction -...

As loot boxes have continued to appear in more and more video games over the years, many have suggested (perhaps without any proof) that the randomized objects essentially promote gambling. Over time, some have started to do more research into these claims to see if troublesome gambling habits and loot boxes really can be tied to one another. As it turns out, the assertion seems to be spot on.

According to new research that has come about from UK-based schools University of Plymouth and University of Wolverhampton, it was discovered that loot boxes are "structurally and psychologically akin to gambling." The research was pushed for by the GambleAware charity and found that a large number of children are the exposed to the practices of loot boxes. The data specifically asserts that of the 93% of children that play video games, roughly 40% of them have been exposed to loot boxes and opened them at one time.

What's perhaps most staggering comes in regards to those who are spending the most on loot boxes. The research says that a mere 5% of video game players spending about half of all money that is generated by loot box sales. What's even worse is that those who are spending this money aren't necessarily quite wealthy, like one might think upon first hearing this information. "Our research therefore demonstrates that games developers, unwittingly or not, appear to be generating outsized loot box profits from at-risk individuals (these are likely to include both people with gambling problems or problematic patterns of video gaming) - but not from wealthy gamers," the report stated. Those who do fall into this 5% are also estimated to spend around $100 per month on loot boxes.

As for what will happen moving forward, this research is going to be presented to government officials in the UK. "It is now for politicians to review this research, as well as the evidence of other organisations, and decide what legislative and regulatory changes are needed to address these concerns," said GambleAware's had Zoe Osmond. Depending on what politicians may decide, loot boxes could then fall under gambling laws that are already in place within the region.

Within recent years, loot boxes have definitely stopped being as prominent in many popular video games, primarily because of the push back they have received at a high level such as this. It remains to be seen what will happen in this specific instance moving forward, but we'll share any new developments with you if they come about.

[H/T GameSpot + BBC]

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Loot Boxes and Poor Gambling Habits Have Been Linked to One Another in New Research - ComicBook.com

Esports Entertainment Group Inc (GMBL) is near the top in its industry group according to InvestorsObserver. GMBL gets an overall rating of 71. That means it scores higher than 71 percent of stocks. Esports Entertainment Group Inc gets a 100 rank in the Gambling industry. Gambling is number 83 out of 148 industries.

Finding the best stocks can be tricky. It isnt easy to compare companies across industries. Even companies that have relatively similar businesses can be tricky to compare sometimes. InvestorsObservers tools allow a top-down approach that lets you pick a metric, find the top sector and industry and then find the top stocks in that sector.

This ranking system incorporates numerous factors used by analysts to compare stocks in greater detail. This allows you to find the best stocks available in any industry with relative ease. These percentile-ranked scores using both fundamental and technical analysis give investors an easy way to view the attractiveness of specific stocks. Stocks with the highest scores have the best evaluations by analysts working on Wall Street.

Esports Entertainment Group Inc (GMBL) stock is trading at $17.42 as of 2:20 PM on Tuesday, Apr 6, an increase of $1.35, or 8.41% from the previous closing price of $16.07. The stock has traded between $15.83 and $17.72 so far today. Volume today is low. So far 1,068,964 shares have traded compared to average volume of 2,139,059 shares.

Click Here to get the full Stock Score Report on Esports Entertainment Group Inc (GMBL) Stock.

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Where Does Esports Entertainment Group Inc (GMBL) Stock Fall in the Gambling Field After It Has Gained 14.76% This Week? - InvestorsObserver

My questions are more meta. Feel free to answer as many or few as you would like:1.) Do you gamble on sports? Why or why not?2.) Do you think it enhances sports or detracts from sports for betting information to be prevalent on a website, on the tv broadcast, etc?3.) Do you find betting information interesting/useful?

I'm asking this because the fox sports RSNs just got switched over to Bally's. I didn't think of myself as a gambling curmudgeon before this but this Bally's transition has made me think about what I care about when it comes to sports/gambling. I've personally never bet but have never been against it. Now that the pregame shows (for the Cardinals/Blues at least) are all lines and O/Us, I find myself getting annoyed. I'm generally interested to hear from others to see if y'all prefer sports through the gambling lens or if you'd rather leave it out, or if there's some happy medium.

DISCLAIMER: Forum topics may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

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Ask TKP: Sports Gambling Edition - The Key Play

New York State has made more progress with mobile sports gambling in two months than it has in two years, but theres a huge obstacle in the path that is slowing things down. After repeatedly (and somewhat erroneously) arguing that sports gambling expansion couldnt take place in the state without a change to the constitution, Governor Andrew Cuomo relented earlier this year and began working on a plan with lawmakers to get a market up and running as quickly as possible. However, as was to be expected, compacts New York has with state tribes are likely to be monumental challenges that could leave millions of potential sports gamblers in certain parts of the state isolated and in the dark.

Last month, a new budget for New York was approved by lawmakers that included revenue from online sportsbooks. It was heralded as a victory by those who have supported sports gambling expansion in the state since the demise of PASPA in 2018, but the celebratory environment has been squelched by the realization that certain language in tribal gaming compacts could now stand in the way of widespread implementation. As lawmakers have tried to come to terms with how best to introduce a mobile sports gambling market, addressing these compacts almost seems an insurmountable task, unless some agreement can be worked out with the tribes.

As explained by Syracuse.com, the Oneida Indian Nation has a tight grip on Central New York. Since 2013, it has had autonomous control over gaming in the region through an agreement with the state that includes the operation of virtual sportsbooks. This region includes the counties of Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego and Otsego. In addition, the Seneca Nation, through its separate tribal compact, could thwart state efforts to introduce non-tribal sports gambling in the counties of Cattaraugus, Erie and Niagara.

According to New York Senator Joseph Griffo, Cutting out major parts of Upstate New York from participating in mobile betting is terrible public policy and would be unfair to these residents. If tribal nations are not incorporated into the states final bill, we would potentially be disenfranchising millions of New Yorkers from participating in mobile sports betting and from the economic benefits it generates.

Lawmakers are still grappling with the necessary legislative language required to put mobile sportsbooks into action, so there is some leeway to work with the tribes. However, they are also having to fight resistance from Cuomo, who has his mind made up about how the market should be managed. He wants the state to control all sports gambling activity, while many lawmakers want to create an open market. Those in the latter group have suggested that the Oneida Nation, and possibly others, be allowed to install a mobile sportsbook server at a commercial casino, but Cuomo is opposed to the idea.

Given Cuomos proven ability to stand in the way of legislative efforts that dont represent his beliefs, there still remain a number of challenges before mobile sports gambling emerges in New York. Even if it does, unless there is some type of agreement made with the tribes, geofencing that locks out millions of state residents is a real possibility. Should that happen, the states sports gambling revenue, estimated to potentially be greater than that of New Jersey, would fall drastically short of expectations.

Theres still hope that resolution is found quickly and Cuomos support base has dwindled. However, there is no clear path toward acceptance of any mobile sports gambling measure and more work is needed. Until cooler heads prevail, New York will continue to lose out millions of dollars in potential sports gambling revenue as it looks to fill a multibillion-dollar revenue gap caused by COVID-19.

Continued here:

Online Sports Gambling in NY Has a Huge Hurdle to Jump Before Approval - GamblingNews - GamblingNews.com

Coffee magnate Travis Boersma has launched one of the great longshots in Oregon business history.

The co-founder of the Dutch Bros empire of coffee kiosks has brought live horse racing back to the state. Hes spent $15 million on a complete makeover of the old Josephine County Fairgrounds horse track in Grants Pass. Hes prepared to spend another $10 million on an adjoining restaurant and entertainment center dubbed the Flying Lark in honor of a famed Oregon horse.

My friends say Im crazy, he said. The thing is, Im having a great time. Im determined to do this.

Boersma doesnt expect the actual horse races to make money. But hes got a plan to cover any losses: The main attraction at the Flying Lark will be 250 betting terminals known as historic horse racing machines. The controversial machines allow players to bet on a replay of a past horse race, disguising the identities of the racers so gamblers cant know which horse won before placing their bets.

They have landed Boersma in the middle of an acrimonious argument over what constitutes legal gambling in the state. Native American tribes as well as advocates for problem gamblers argue historic horse racing terminals are nothing more than slot machines, which they sometimes resemble, and say the Flying Lark will be a casino.

Boersmas plans have thoroughly shaken up the perennial debate over gambling in Salem. For the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, which operates the Seven Feathers Casino Resort in nearby Canyonville, the Flying Lark will be direct competition.

With an increasing number of internet gambling purveyors now offering their own version of historical horse racing games, it is available to any Oregonian with the right phone and app.

The rise of horse racing betting has to some degree put a tiny state agency into the gambling policy drivers seat. The Oregon Racing Commission will ultimately rule on Boersmas plan. Gov. Kate Bown will defer to the racing commission, a spokeswoman said.

The agency has 10 employees and a biennial budget of $7.3 million. Its charter is to regulate the horse racing business for the good of the horses, the horsemen and women, the bettors, the licensees and the citizenry.

Most observers expect it to approve Boersmas plan.

It caught a lot of people off guard, said Julie Hynes, executive director of the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling. Everyone is keeping such a close eye on the lottery, no one was looking over at the other corner of the internet where these historic horse racing machines came online. A lot of people dont even know these things exist.

Jack McGrail, executive director of the racing commission, said the agency is not a rubber stamp.

Recommendation by this office will be based on a rigorous examination of factors like security, technology and vendor approval.

For Oregon tribal officials, who are struggling to maintain their share of the states gambling dollar, the racing commissions new clout is troubling. They allege that the horse racing terminals are essentially slot machines and their introduction is an end-run around established gambling rules.

Its concerningthat the Oregon Racing Commission has already moved to a mobile slot machine platform without any consultation with tribes, evaluation on affected communities, or broader public input, said Dan Courtney, chairman of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. The way the state is managing its gaming policies and oversight is starting to feel like a frantic race with no course or end. If the state isnt thoughtful, Oregon is going to open doors that cannot be shut, and the tribes are not the only people who will be impacted.

The Sport of Kings

Sixty years ago, horse racing competed with baseball and boxing as the nations most popular sport. Huge crowds spent the day at the track, pored over the Daily Racing Form, and put some money down on their favorite.

But the sports popularity nosedived. Portland Meadows, Oregons one major track, played to a largely vacant grandstand for years before closing down entirely in 2019.

The major players in the industry realized they needed to diversify if they were to survive.

Racing is on life support, said Jonathan Stettin, a professional handicapper and columnist for the pastthewire.com website. The decline in fan base has led to an environment where the tracks that survive and thrive are the ones with casinos, slots, other unconnected sources of revenue.

Strangely enough, many of those big gambling companies came to Oregon years ago to take advantage of favorable laws and a friendly racing commission. Oregon has become to the online horse race betting industry what Delaware is to corporations: a user friendly and inexpensive place to get licensed.

TwinSpires, the gambling subsidiary of famed Kentucky track Churchill Downs, is licensed in Oregon. So is NYRA bets, the online operation of NYRA, which owns Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Saratoga.

The pandemic was very good to the online gambling concerns. As tracks shut down, gamblers turned to their computers and smartphones in record numbers. The total handle in 2020 nationwide was a record $11 billion, according to the Jockey Club.

More than half that -- $6.6 billion -- was done by companies licensed in Oregon.

McGrail, executive director of the racing commission, said the state should be proud of Oregons status.

Our stamp of approval means something, he said. Its a significant imprimatur. Its why the biggest companies in the industry come to Oregon.

Commission meeting minutes do not mention a single investigation or compliance action against one of its large gambling licensees over the last four years. McGrail did not respond when asked to detail any recent enforcement actions.

Questions persist about the legality of the historic horse racing machines. It boils down to an arcane and highly technical argument over whether the machines qualify as pari-mutuel wagering. Pari-mutuel refers to the kinds of legal betting that are unique to the horse racing business.

Over the years, the definition of pari-mutuel betting expanded to include a limited number of off-site betting locations and simulcasts of real races. More recently, historical horse racing machines were introduced. They look like slot machines, but advocates insist the machines qualify as pari-mutuel wagering because they allow players to compete against other players and the odds of winning can change depending on the bets placed.

Regulators and horse tracks have argued over the machines, sometimes called instant racing machines, for nearly two decades. The Oregon Racing Commission first approved them in 2003, then reversed itself in 2006 amid doubts about their legality. The Oregon Legislature explicitly legalized them in 2013.

Reviews of the machines are mixed. Izzy Trejo, executive director of the New Mexico Racing Commission, decided to give the historical horse racing machines a try while traveling through Kentucky recently. Trejo assumed the machine would give him the time and opportunity to carefully consider his wager, just like real horse racing.

But he never did figure out how to get information about any of the virtual horses.

To me, it played like a slot machine, only I lost my $20 faster, Trejo said. It was gone in a heartbeat.

The Family Foundation of Kentucky argued all the way to the Kentucky Supreme Court that the machines are simply slot machines under a different label. The Supreme Court shocked the gambling industry when it sided with the Family Foundation in 2020 and again in 2021.

In response, the Kentucky Legislature tweaked the statutory language of what constituted a legal betting machine.

It was a total David and Goliath situation, said Martin Cothran, a policy analyst at the Family Foundation. We won the battle but lost the war.

The political gamble

Gambling is one of the hot-button issues in Salem. All of the major players came into the 2021 session with an agenda.

Boersma is seeking a tweak to existing law that would lower the payments Grants Pass Downs will have to pay the state. Instead of a percent of revenue, Boersma wants to pay a flat fee.

The bill is pending.

Anti-gambling groups hope to forbid the Oregon Lottery from expanding its mobile gambling operation. But House Bill 3078 has hit a snag. Gov. Kate Brown has directed lottery Executive Director Barry Pack to try to negotiate a peace treaty of sorts with the anti-gambling groups that both sides can live with.

The racing commission entered the session with an audacious policy goal. It got a bill introduced that would allow all of its regulated gambling companies to launch their own Oregon sports betting operations. It would have been a boon for gambling companies but politically, it was a nonstarter.

The tribes have not yet tipped their hand. They are considering a call for a complete moratorium on new gambling products and initiatives until the state can undertake a comprehensive review of how the current system is working.

Were 25 years into this, said Justin Martin, an influential lobbyist and member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Lets slow down and take a breath and reassess where were going.

Martin was blunt about the racing commission.

This is group of about five people that spends much of its time debating track conditions and the safety of horses, which is great, he said. But should they be making these big, important decisions on the states gaming policy?

The tribes eight casinos are losing ground financially to the Oregon Lottery.

Bob Whelan, an economist with ECONorthwest who has long studied gambling issues, estimates the revenue from the eight tribal casinos peaked in 2006 at about $500 million a year and has been flat since then. Sales at the lottery, meanwhile, have continued to grow and now exceed $1 billion a year.

Elizabeth Merah, spokeswoman for the governor, said Brown recognizes the issues facing the tribes. We have told our tribal partners that all plans for Oregon State Lottery expansion are on hold until we consult with them.

The problem gambling groups agree that its fitting time to hit the pause button. Polling indicates that about 83,000 Oregonians self-identify as problem gamblers, said Hynes, with the problem gambling nonprofit. She said that number will only increase as mobile gambling grows.

We have an opportunity to be a national leader here, Hynes said.

Feeling Luckii

In a quiet office park on Northeast Stucki Avenue in Hillsboro, the urgent politicking around gambling seems a world away. Tucked between a title company and an investment firm, Luckii.com has set up shop.

It is the latest gambling company to come to Oregon and be licensed by the state racing commission. It is also a unique animal in horse racing gambling. Luckii is purely virtual. It is not affiliated with any track.

Luckii offers a variety of what it calls Vegas-style games. They qualify as pari-mutuel because the results of each game are powered by the results of actual horse races previously run at hundreds of tracks around the country.

The company is owned and managed by ELS Gaming in Boston.

For now, Luckii is making its website available only to Oregonians, which offers a unique look at the size of the local market. Since launching late last year, the company claims more than $2 million has been bet on its site.

Volume is showing consistent double-digit weekly growth. Dozens of Oregonians have won $10,000 or more and hundreds have won more than $1,000 since the sites launch, it claims.

Larry Lucas, company chairman, said the future for online gambling and for his company are bright.

Oregon is just the first stop, he said.

-- Jeff Manning | jmanning@oregonian.com | 971-263-5164

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Return of horse racing makes for a crowded field in the contest for Oregon gambling dollar - OregonLive

Gambling problems can happen to any gambler at any point in time. One doesnt even understand that when casual bets turn into obsessive and unhealthy ones bearing serious consequences and after-effects. Whether one gambles on sports, slots, poker, scratch cards, roulette, or any other form, a gambling addiction can severely cause harm to a persons life in terms of work interference, relationships, and financial disasters.

Problem gambling is an impulse control disorder that needs to be curbed before one has no other options left in life. Overcoming gambling is never forceful. It has to come willingly and one must really want to mend relationships, regain control of his own life. Thus, taking the first step and thinking about leaving gambling behind itself can do wonders.

Gamstop is a free self-exclusion scheme that helps UK gamblers to overcome gambling addictions. All the Uk based businesses are licensed under the UKGC and Gamstop prevents individuals who have signed up for self-exclusion to access any Gamstop registered gambling site for a minimum period of time.

Gamstop can only stop access to sites that are UK-based. For offshore casinos operating under licenses from Malta Gaming Authority, Curacao, Government of Gibraltar, etc., Gamstop is not effective at all. British players can easily access UK online casinos not with GamStop self-exclusion via several gambling portals such as CasinoGap or NonStopCasino.

Gamstop might not be able to spot inaccurate details provided by a punter. Thus, failure is not achieving ones goal is entirely upon himself.

If a punter has any pending withdrawable funds in any online gambling accounts in the UK, upon beginning the session and self-exclusion has been activated, the gambling operators of those accounts are bound to return these funds to the gambler. Gamstop uses certain personal data in order to register the users details for protection purposes.

In certain cases, placing bets can quickly escalate to severe gambling addictions and one loses control over his betting behaviour which is extremely harmful. People who struggle with problem gambling must definitely consider therapy for personal benefit. Gambling can stem from a lot of problems and it becomes severe when it cannot be controlled and interferes with other aspects of life. Most of the problem gamblers are unaware of their addiction and keep falling deeper into the trap.

Certain trigger factors that lead to a change in behavioural patterns include:

People developing an addiction are at a higher risk for developing more addictions due to neurological and genetic factors and pre-deposition for addiction.

Therapies related to this are split into three main types:

Gamcare was founded in 1997 and is the leading provider of advice, support, and information to people affected by gambling. Gamcare operates the National Gambling Helpline and provides treatments for the problem gamblers in order to create awareness about the importance of safer gambling methods.

Gamcare can be considered as a doctor in the UK gambling industry as it informs and sensitizes people about the possible effects of gambling. This organization takes a three-dimensional approach to the issue and helps the people with gambling issues, offers preventive measures, public education, and the people who work with gambling operators are also protected.

Gamcare also helps the punters who have signed up with Gamstop and are facing issues in controlling their gambling urges. This organization not only caters to problem gamblers but also their partners, family members, and people around them.

Overcoming gambling in the UK is much easier in terms of prospects and options available. One must always try to identify his own problem first and then decide upon choosing Gamstop in order to be able to give his best shot at it.

Gamcare national centre for information is looking forward to having a successful second mission to cooperate with gambling companies and operators. The approach of this body requires the operators to implement effective policies in order to protect their customers who will also be given a certificate for arrival at Gamcare. The aim of this organization is to educate and raising awareness about the risks that gamblers can experience.

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Where To Get Inspiration To Overcome Gambling? - Santa Clarita Valley Signal