Daily Archives: May 14, 2021

Here are some of the worst fake news on COVID-19 testing – Manila Bulletin

Posted: May 14, 2021 at 6:49 am

Dr. Edsel Maurice T. Salvana

More than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, there is also an equally destructive and pernicious parallel epidemic of misinformation.

While scientists and experts meticulously choose their words backed up with sound data, purveyors of fake news boldly proclaim as gospel many half-truths and factoids taken out of context. Epistemic trespassing, where experts in one field readily dive into otherwise nuanced discussions and declare their opinions as facts, has misled many. Infectious diseases doctors and public health practitioners have been undermined by quacks and self-proclaimed experts, causing a lot of harm. This week, we address misinformation that continues to be shared on social media and online, sowing doubt and undercutting a proper science-based approach to COVID-19.

Unsupported statements from an email that has been circulating on mass testing are dissected, as well as some misinterpretation of newer developments on airborne transmission of COVID-19 and the role of testing for antibodies after vaccination.

Myth #1. Its been more than a year, why dont we still have mass testing?

This is a false and misleading statement. Adequate mass testing in the Philippines has been reached in the recent past. Per the World Health Organization guidelines, one of the criteria for the definition of a controlled epidemic is less than five percent of samples positive for COVID-19, at least for the last two weeks. This was achieved by the country from December 2020 to late February 2021. The current high positivity rate is a result of the surge, but with the ECQ, MECQ, and other interventions, this has been going down steadily. Haphazard testing can artificially bring positivity rates down, but this is not a meaningful way to properly achieve control. With more robust pandemic responses, the positivity rate will go down to manageable levels in the near future.

Myth #2: Testing 10 to 20 percent of a nations population per day would (sic) lead to rapid reopening.

This is false and impossible for most countries to achieve. First, there is no nation in the world, except perhaps very small nations, that have enough resources to test one-tenth of its population in one day. In the Philippines, that would mean over 10 million tests at a cost of P30-60 billion a day.

Taiwan has done about 600,000 tests (2.5 percent of the population); China has done 160 million tests (12 percent of the population); and New Zealand has done about two million tests (40 percent of the population) since the start of their respective pandemics and all these countries have very good control of their cases.

Doing testing on 10 to 20 percent of the population per day is unrealistic, wasteful, and logistically impossible. The US has done a total of 460 million tests in a country with 330 million peoplethe most number of tests by any country to date. A 10 percent of the population per day testing rate in the Philippines would mean that we have to test as many as the US has tested during its entire pandemic in a just over 40 daysan absurd proposition with no basis in reality.

Misleading Fact #1: Out of 1,000 Filipinos, only 85 get tested for COVID-19 per day.

This number is not meaningful without proper context. If one lives in Batanes where there are zero new COVID-19 cases, why would there be a need to test anyone? Testing for the sake of testing is wasteful and illogical if there is no risk of disease. Testing appropriately includes considering pretest probability and the tests sensitivity and specificity. Any number is meaningless unless taken in the context of disease prevalence and the purpose of testing.

Myth #3: Studies show that countries that test more have lower fatality rates.

This is false. The worlds leader in testing, the US, has one of the highest fatality rates in the world as well as the highest absolute number of fatalities. The document says studies but does not cite any. Gibraltar, which has the highest testing rate per capita globally, also has the second highest deaths per million population. It is not the amount of testing alone that is important but the availability of testing in combination with other control measures that determine how many people are infected and how many people die of COVID-19.

Misleading Fact #2: The Philippines ranks low at 110 out of 172 countries for total tests performed relative to its population.

This fact does not mean much without any context. Japan and Taiwan have done less testing than the Philippines relative to its population and these two countries have done well. We rank 115th in number of deaths per million population. Many countries (US, France, UK, Spain) rank higher than us in total tests relative to their populations but they have more than 10 times our number of deaths. Testing and testing rates should be seen within the context of need and demand, not as numbers in isolation.

Myth #4: We are fighting a fire blindfolded (pertaining to inadequate testing).

This is not true. There is a state-of-the-art genomic surveillance system that is keeping track of variants of concern. RT-PCR and antigen tests are being properly deployed among symptomatic and close contacts, especially in surge areas.

Haphazard testing is not an efficient means of interrupting transmission. According to a recent Lancet Infectious Diseases paper by Kucharski and his colleagues, the effect of randomly testing five percent of the population every week (which is very expensive) is a reduction of a mere two percent in transmission. When testing is properly done and targeted, it can decrease transmission by 60 to 80 percent, RT-PCR sensitivity is variable throughout the disease course and testing asymptomatic patients especially those without recent exposure has a very high false negative rate.

Testing is important to guide interventions, contact tracing, and for surveillance. It is not, however, a panacea for controlling the pandemic. The proper way to manage case numbers is with the minimum health standards with face mask (85 percent effective), face shield (78 percent effective), and other interventions as shown in Table 1. Testing is essential, but only as part of a comprehensive set of interventions. Focusing on testing as a cure-all is an inefficient and misguided exercise with no sound basis in public health.

Myth #5: WHO has finally admitted that COVID-19 is airborne.

This is a false and misleading statement. WHO already recognized early on that COVID-19 can be airborne in hospitals, especially when doing aerosol-generating procedures. It later updated this guidance to include the possibility of transmission in indoor settings with poor ventilation. There is no specific admission since this has already been acknowledged from the very start. A recent Lancet letter on airborne transmission of COVID-19 is still consistent with our current understanding of how people get COVID-19. Masks and faces shields still work. There is now more emphasis on improving ventilation in enclosed spaces, and people should avoid taking their masks off in these places. Best evidence still indicates predominantly droplet transmission, with a possible airborne component, especially indoors.

Myth #6: You need to test for COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies to ensure that your vaccine worked.

This is false. The US Centers for Disease Control does not recommend testing for antibodies, whether IgM, IgG, or neutralizing antibodies after vaccination. This is because different vaccines induce different types of antibody responses, and different antibody tests measure different types of antibodies. Even purported neutralizing antibody tests can be inaccurate since there are no agreed upon standards on what constitutes protection. The best assurance for protection of vaccines is from the clinical trials and real-world efficacy studies.

A persons immune response to the vaccine includes not just antibodies but also cell-mediated immunity. Cell-mediated immunity in the form of T-cells is particularly important for preventing severe disease since these cells are responsible for recognizing virus-infected cells and destroying them before the virus can propagate. There are clear robust T-cell responses from all the approved COVID-19 vaccines, and there is good evidence that these also protect against the new variants.

With the latest COVID-19 surge starting to abate, we need to remember how scary the full hospitals and emergency rooms were so that we continue to take full precautions as we open up our economy. As more vaccines arrive, we need to boost peoples confidence in these injections since they represent the fastest way out of the pandemic. Stamping our fake news and misinformation is crucial toward achieving the goal of a COVID-19-free Philippines.

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Here are some of the worst fake news on COVID-19 testing - Manila Bulletin

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Mohan shares insights on ‘Fake News: Apex threat to National Security’ at INSS lecture – ft.lk

Posted: at 6:49 am

Institute of National Security Studies, the premier think tank on national security established under the Ministry of Defence, organised a public lecture on Fake News: Apex Threat to National Security, as a virtual session on 6 May from 3-4:30 p.m.

Department of Government Information Director General

Mohan Samaranayake

The Guest Speaker of the occasion was Department of Government Information Director General Mohan Samaranayake. The Moderator, Director of Communication and Publication Rear Admiral Dimuthu Gunawardena, welcomed the guest speaker and took an approach towards the dialogue on the threats posed by the circulation of fake news. The event was opened to the public and valuable outputs were rendered by the audience, inclusive of representatives of government authorities, tri-forces, academia, journalists and other invitees.

The bottom-line of the discussion on fake news was trifold. Those include the revisiting into the definition of fake news focusing on its evolution up to the digital age, motives of the circulation of fake news and critically putting under a lens, the progress Sri Lanka achieved in the regulation of the said matter.

The guest speaker first set straight on the fact that fake news lacks a universally accepted definition, thus positioning fake news as a semantically contested concept. A broad definition was also provided which referred to fake news as false or misleading information which appears as credible, but in reality, are mere fabrications. Three scholarly established elements of fake news were also identified, namely creating mistrust, misinformation and manipulation. Apparently, the misuse of information is nothing novel, and dates back to ancient chapters of history. Such instances were false allegations spread against Lord Buddha, Marc Antony committing suicide following the spread of baseless rumours and the sensationalising of news by Joseph Pulitzer and William Hearst competing with each other as news agencies in New York, which was later referred by the phrase yellow journalism. As the term fake news, lost its meaning given the newer advancements of the digital age, scholars promoted the use of the term, false information.

Focusing on the motives behind the circulation of false information, the guest speaker pointed out several factors citing examples. The predominant motive was politically oriented, where false information was used as a weapon against regime change. Most of the regime change attempts on political leaders such as Viktor Yanukovych by the West during the cold war, was sparked by misuse of information. The speaker also pointed out the alleged misinformation campaign during the 2015 Presidential Election as another objective of fake news; seeking victory in elections.

Rather than disposing of fake news solely to the account of internet-based sources; social media, mainstream media was also assigned with a liability of being responsible in dissemination of misinformation, which has affected greatly for the losing of their credibility.

As to self-assess the credibility of information, the guest speaker proposed several factors such as detecting the credibility of the source, reading behind headline and critically viewing the content, checking for supportive sources and dates and assessing the authenticity of the author.

The discussion was also turned towards Sri Lankas commitment on battling fake news. In this regard, the most recent cabinet decision on social media regulation was considered highly debatable, and the consequent discussion revealed several crevices in the local system towards regulation of information. The Government does not have a specific institutional body solely in charge of regulating fake news. No studies were conducted as to propose policy options, hence no academically sound and politically viable regulatory measures were adopted on the misuse of information.

By concluding the lecture, Samaranayake brought up valuable outputs to the issue, which ranged from attitudinal transformation to policy formulation. Therein, the approach towards the matter was preferred to be both bottom-up, which focuses on increasing public awareness and top-down options which include introducing fact-checking mechanisms within the parliament itself, which is currently not in existence and the establishment of proper supervisory bodies.

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SB 176 Could Create Hundreds of Underregulated Gambling Locations in Ohio – KPVI News 6

Posted: at 6:48 am

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The latest draft of legislation from Senate Bill 176 would lead to a massive increase in casino-style gambling machines across Ohio. On Wednesday, the Ohio Select Committee on Gaming released a substitute version of SB 176, which would authorize an unlimited number ofunderregulated slot machines in nearly 900 locations across the state. The new gambling venues would not share their revenue with education and other state programs, and would offer unprecedented and unchecked gambling access to Ohio residents, including teenagers.

"Expanded gambling without an appropriate regulatory framework is a bad bet for Ohioans," said Derek Longmeier, executive director of the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio. "SB 176 does not currently contain the necessary consumer protections to mitigate the harm that will result from introducing e-bingo in Ohio. The bill contains no requirements to ensure the e-bingo staff, whether paid or volunteer, are consistently trained to respond to those experiencing a gambling problem."

Advocates of regulated and contained gaming remain hopeful that the Ohio Select Committee on Gaming will be open to improvements in SB 176 that will protect consumers and avoid the consequences of an unprecedented expansion of underregulated gambling machines.

About Get Gaming Right Ohio

Get Gaming Right Ohio is committed to educating the public about the need for responsible, regulated, and limited gaming and sports betting. Get Gaming Right Ohio is supported by JACK Entertainment, MGM Resorts International and Penn National Gaming.

About Problem Gambling Network of Ohio

The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio promotes responsible gambling principles and provides ample treatment services for those negatively affected by gambling by working with state agencies, regulators, and operators to continually ensure a cohesive system for minimizing harm and growing Ohio's gambling treatment workforce through trainings and professional development opportunities.

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Gambling issue hovers over the last day of the legislative session – alreporter.com

Posted: at 6:48 am

Monday is the 30th and final day of the 2021 Legislative Session. Any legislation that has not passed both houses of the Alabama Legislature in the exact same form before the end of the session on Monday will be dead and will have to be reintroduced next year in the 2022 Legislative Session, barring the governor calling a special session to address it.

Almost every Republican politician in the state likes to campaign on a strong pro-Second Amendment platform. Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, told reporters on Thursday that Senate Bill 358, the Second Amendment Preservation Act, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Northport, would be addressed by the Legislature during this session. If House leadership tries to resurrect the gambling bill, SB319, then priority bills like SB358 could fail from lack of time.

The Alabama House of Representatives faces a logjam of legislation that it was supposed to address that it has not addressed in the previous 29 legislative days. All of day 28 and most of day 29 were spent on medical marijuana legislation, SB46. The House then wasted six hours negotiating on yet another substitute version of the gambling bill SB319.

Finally, on Thursday night, the House adopted a 25 bill special order calendar that included SB358 as well as other items including civil asset forfeiture reform, a ban on vaccine passports, postponing implementation of a rule that would fail every third-grader who performs poorly on standardized testing regardless of their grades, a ban on puberty blockers and hormone treatments to minors, a plan for blind people to vote absentee and reforms to give the Legislature some oversight on future extended public health emergency orders.

While the house did pass legislation putting Alabama on year-round daylight savings time, if Congress allows it, most of that ambitious calendar was torpedoed when Rules Committee Chairman Mike Jones, R-Andalusia, tried to adopt a new special order calendar late in the night to introduce yet another House substitute version of the gambling bill this one creating a state lottery.

Of course, he and the gambling faction in House leadership did not bother to release the text of this surprise new version of the bill to members, the press or the public until after 10 p.m., and they expected the membership to vote on that proposed constitutional amendment by 11:45 p.m. That effort was so late and so clumsily orchestrated that that request for a second special order calendar was ultimately withdrawn in the face of strong bipartisan criticism.

Now the Alabama Legislature has one day left to finish all of its business. The House still has not published a special order calendar for the last day of the session. Both houses of the Legislature still have to vote on the conference committee version of the state General Fund budget. That has not yet been released.

The House leadership is keeping all of their plans closely guarded secrets, as they have done throughout the debate on SB319. Instead of just passing the Senate version of SB319, the House insisted on writing a substitute version of the bill prior to it going to committee, without having all major factions in agreement on what should be in it.

That substitute apparently satisfied no one so a new substitute was written.

That second substitute was ultimately given a favorable report by the House State Government Committee on April 28. House leadership and Democratic leadership were still far apart on what actually would be in the bill, substitute No. 3, which would have been introduced on the House floor after tabling the committee substitute.

A 21-bill special order calendar that included civil asset forfeiture reform and the Daylight Savings Time bill was to be addressed on May 4. Instead, the Rules Committee adopted a new special order calendar that had SB46, the medical marijuana bill, at the top of the calendar.

The debate on marijuana and a determined filibuster by House conservatives led by Rep. Carns, R-Vestavia, and Rich Wingo, R-Tuscaloosa, slowed progress on the bill to a crawl. Meanwhile, negotiations between the House leadership and the Democrats continued through late Thursday on substitute No. 3 that they would introduce on the House floor, ultimately achieving nothing.

When the House Minority Leadership took a hard-line stand on their demands, the Republican House leadership chose to go to a lottery, which they felt could pass without Democratic support. Reporters asked the House speaker if he had a lottery bill already written.

We have five, he told the reporters as he left to meet with a member of his leadership team while the members worked on day 29s special order calendar. Joness one-bill special order calendar introduced at 11:53 p.m. included substitute No. 4.

If the House leadership intends to bring SB319 to the floor, there are a least four possibilities. It could be a gambling bill with:

Three of those have actually been written as bills at some point in this process and the fourth is being discussed. Nobody knows what is in the gambling bill to even coherently discuss it at this point. Unless the House votes to table the committee sub and passes the Senate version of SB319 unamended whatever passes out of the House will have to go back to the Senate for their consideration.

Ultimately, that could be so late in the legislative day that the Senate may have to take the House version of the bill, whatever that ultimately is, and take it or leave it. Meanwhile, dozens of other pieces of legislation will die in the House from lack of consideration on the House floor.

If a gambling bill is ultimately passed by the Legislature, voters will have an opportunity to vote it up or down into the state Constitution in the 2022 general election.

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Five best gambling venues for golfers to visit in Australia and New Zealand – National Club Golfer

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Australia and New Zealand are considered to be among the most popular travel destination countries for golfers and bettors alike.

Australia, for instance, is one of the best tourist attraction destinations mostly frequented by tourists from diverse parts of the world. However, it must not be ignored that gamblers and lovers of casino games, now prefer to visit either Australia or New Zealand. Both countries have got unique gambling laws and regulations that appeal to gamblers.

There are several gambling locations all scattered across Australia. These are not just merely casinos, but also restaurants and hotels including the best golfing destinations. Gambling enthusiasts who are interested in visiting any of the two countries can be sure to check them out. Some of these popular venues also double up as golf destinations.

The most popular casino venues in Australia and New ZealandCanberra Casino The Canberra casino is a popular casino center in Australia located in the city of Canberra. The venue is perfect for those gamblers who prefer to place high stake wagers trying their luck on the likelihood huge winnings. Top celebrities, wealthy influencers and politicians frequently visit the place. Besides just gambling, the venue also offers other past time activities in the local restaurant.

The Star Casino For the lover of casino games in the Australian city of Sydney, the Star Casino doesnt disappoint. It is one of the largest venues in the country that features amazing casino equipment with a massive gaming floor. An amazing five star hotel with incredible restaurants, spa and a retail location also form part of this popular casino in Sydney.

The Country Club Casino The Country Club Casino is yet another amazing destination for casino lovers who also love the golf game. There are different services offered at this facility including restaurants, conference space, golf courses, and top-notch accommodation. There are lots of casino games featured in the venue such as Blackjack, poker, pokies, keno, as well as sports betting.

SkyCity Auckland There is no arguing that all of the six SkyCity casinos spread across New Zealand are highly popular with locals and tourists. However, the premier destination for the avid gamers is the SkyCity Auckland. It features over 2100 pokies as well as 150 table games making it one of the most prominent New Zealand casinos.

Adelaide Located in the Southern part of Australia, Adelaide casino is mostly popular with players from the south of the country. Tourists visiting the city of Adelaide can also visit the venue and enjoy various slot machines which are constantly undergoing updates to incorporate the latest releases.The 5 Best Gambling Venues for Golfers to Visit in New Zealand and Australia

For those who like playing golf and also enjoy the thrill and entertainment that gambling offers, finding quality gambling venues is important. Well, New Zealand and Australia have some of the best golfing and gambling venues to try.

Find out the best five gambling venues for golfers in the two countries:

1. SkyCity Auckland: At this iconic golfing and casino venue, visitors get to enjoy all the entertainment as well as the glamour of the night! From the indulging golf courses in the golfing section to the thrill of taking a gamble at the various slot machines there. There are just so many casino restaurants throughout the destination to help keep the revelers all entertained.

2. SkyCity Hamilton: Experience the spectacular views of the Waikato River from the SkyCity Casino in Hamilton. Play golf on the beautiful golf courses and also enjoy the various casino and table games available there. However, it is important for any visitor under the age of 20 years to be aware of the relevant casino laws that govern the casino industry in the country.

3. The Country Club Casino, Tasmania: this is yet another exciting golf venue featuring over 10 golf holes for the golf lovers. Interestingly, the venue also has a casino, a hotel and several nice retreats for the visitors. It is one of the few casinos that can be found in Tasmania however, it is really a good casino and an excellent golf venue!

4. SkyCity Adelaide: This venue is strategically located within the restored Adelaide Railways station right in the heart of the city. It features various gambling facilities ideal for the gambling enthusiasts. Visit the venue to enjoy top notch service in some of the countrys best restaurants.

5. The Star Sydney: It is the second largest casino in Australia that overlooks the Darling Harbor. It features two gaming floors and various restaurants for the revelers. Golf enthusiasts who also love to gamble can find this venue quite amazing.

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Wife Won’t Let Husband Help With Her Gambling Problem – OB Rag

Posted: at 6:48 am

Straight Up With a Twist

By Edwin Decker

Dear Ed, Me and the wife like to play blackjack at the casino from time to time. The problem is that she is a terrible player. Its not the money I care about but the groans and eyerolls (sometimes even outbursts) she receives from players who are seated after her. As a blackjack player yourself, you know how much it sucks playing behind a bad player. Especially when they hit when they should be standing and end up taking the card YOU were waiting for.

I hate to say it, but I understand where they are coming from and cringe when she does that. But she refuses to listen. Every time I try to give strategy advice, she gets annoyed and says, Let me play my game! Any suggestions?

Sincerely, A Friend Whos Been Reading You Since the CityBeat Days

Hi Friend, I do have a suggestion. Let the woman play her game fer crissake!

You said she gets annoyed every time you give her advice? I can only imagine how many times that has been. Its one thing to offer blackjack tips to someone who is open to receiving them. Its another thing to keep doing it when they arent. I call it game-splaining and the only thing more annoying than a game-splainer is being game-splained by someone who doesnt understand the game which, my friend, you arguably do not. Or at least not the probability part of it.

Nor do the groaners and eye-roller types understand probability either. Yes, it can be unnerving to be at the receiving end of their contempt. I have seen plenty of crabby, overly-serious, sourpusses wig out on less skilled players for taking what they believed was their card. But thats absurd. First of all, they have no claim to that card. More to the point, there is nothing another player can do no ill-advised card they can take, no bad hand on which they might stand that will change the odds of anyone elses game on the table.

Now, for my readers who dont play 21, you might want to breeze through the next paragraph because it meanders into pedantic, nerdish, mathy and worst of all mundane blackjack minutiae.

For those who do play, you have probably seen similar scenarios unfold a hundred times: Lets say the dealer is showing a six and Player A has 14. The proper action for Player A is to stand. However he injudiciously hits for a ten and busts. Ok, well thats to be expected. But its also a bummer for Player B who has an eleven and needed that ten for the almighty 21. Instead, he draws an utterly disappointing four and ends up losing the hand. If hes a groany, rolley-eyed crybaby type he will blame Player A by issuing said groans and/or eye-rolls. Sometimes he will even make snotty comments like, You cost me 25 bucks, dumbass! or, Go play slots, willya?

But there is a huge problem with this thinking. Sure, Player B got screwed this hand. But maybe not the next, or the next, or the next, ad infinitum. Indeed, over time (which is how probability works) the likelihood of Player A stealing a card that would have helped Player B is equal to Player A taking a card that would have hurt Player B. There are a myriad of studies that bear this out. Such as the digital simulation performed by Michael Shackleford of the Wizard of Odds website.

Shackleford created a computer program that simulatedbillions of hands of blackjack. He ran two scenarios with two players. In the first scenario both Player A and Player B were programmed to play all 1.6 billion hands using sound blackjack strategy. This resulted in both players suffering the expected, approximate 0.3 percent in losses. In the second scenario, Player B played the same, sound strategy but Player A was reprogrammed to play badly hitting on 16, splitting all pairs and so on. The results? Player B enjoyed .0007 increase in wins.

Of course, .0007 is a statistical tie but the point is, after over a billion simulated hands, the bad players bad plays had virtually no effect on the odds of the player who followed.

So why does this myth prevail?

Well, because of a biological foible called Confirmation Bias. You know, the psychological dissonance that allows people to continue to believe what we already believe and the number one reason why this planet is as fucked as it is. We do this by remembering the instances that reinforce a belief and forget those that diminish it. So, if a blackjacker already thinks that being behind a bad player will mostly hurt them, they only remember the instances when that turned out to be true and forget the times it wasnt.How convenient.

So, no, Friend, I do not agree that it sucks to be behind an unskilled player. I would rather that than be anywhere near one of these over-serious blackjack crabs blaming others for their losses. And If they ever lipped off to my beloved, Id tell em to watch their mouths if they dont want a seven-deck blackjack shoe shoved into it. Shes your wife. Have her back, not theirs. Let her play her game, not yours. And if you really dont have the sack to ignore their tantrums, then take a walk over to the roulette wheel to cool off. Be sure to check the history board for the list of hot and cold numbers because everyone knows, the cold ones are due!

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Online Gambling Market Detailed Analysis of Business Overview, Statistics, and Forecasts to 2025 | William Hill PLC, Bet365 Group Ltd. The Shotcaller…

Posted: at 6:48 am

The online gambling market is predicted to reach USD 87.75 billion by 2025, registering a CAGR of 8.77%, during the forecast period (2021 2025).

The online betting is the fastest growing segment during the forecast period. Artificial intelligence, Chabot, and machine learning have taken over the market. The rise in the number of female population in casinos and convenience of cashless mode of payment during the gaming are likely to boost the online gambling market, during the forecast period. Online gambling companies are likely to expand their sport betting options after sport betting was legalized in the United States by the Supreme Court, in 2018, which is further supporting the markets growth. However, stringent regulations related to online gambling are expected to hinder the market growth rate.

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Top leading Players Profiled in Online Gambling Market Report are:

William Hill PLC, Bet365 Group Ltd., Paddy Power Betfair PLC, Betsson AB, Ladbrokes Coral Group PLC, The Stars Group Inc., 888 Holdings PLC, Sky Betting and Gaming, Kindred Group PLC, GVC Holdings PLC

Regional Analysis for Online Gambling Market:

North America, United States, Canada, Mexico, Asia-Pacific, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Europe, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe, Central & South America

Competitive Landscape

Market leaders have been focusing on mergers since the past few years, primarily to increase their market share and to improve margins. For instance, Paddy power Plc and Bet fair Plc merged into Paddy Power Betfair Plc. Similarly, Ladbrokes and Coral merged and formed Ladbrokes Coral Group Plc. Many online gambling companies rely on third party providers, such as Playtech, for software. However, some companies choose to backward integrate. 888poker heavily invested in developing its own software and online gaming technology, primarily not to rely on suppliers. The key players in the online gambling market are providing similar or almost identical services and products, leading to a fierce competition with a heavy focus on pricing and marketing activities.

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Key Market Trends

Online Betting Holds a Prominent Share among the Online Gambling

The online betting segment is predominantly applied in the sports category, especially in events, such as FIFA World Cup and European Championships. Online betting is also popular in horse racing and greyhound racing. Many of the online sports betting companies are sponsoring different teams as a part of their marketing initiatives and strategic expansions. For instance, the bwin brand, a pioneering online sports brand across Continental Europe, attained global recognition through high-profile sponsorships with football clubs, such as Real Madrid and AC Milan. Similarly, for the 2018 World Cup, the Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) launched an advanced and innovative platform for sports betting, thereby driving the market.

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Online Gambling Market Scenario:-

North America Remains the Fastest Growing Region

The current legislation framework for online betting in the United States allows only bookmakers licensed in Nevada, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to operate legally, as these are the three states where online betting is regulated. Pennsylvania is the fourth and biggest state to legalize and regulate online gambling. The new law allows for online casinos, online poker, sports betting, and more. New Jersey is currently the largest market for regulated online gambling in the United States. There are a number of sportsbooks and online sports betting apps live in the state. Canada is largely an unregulated country in terms of online gaming. Whereas, Mexico is reviewing its gambling laws, with the aim to regulate the online gambling sector to bring it in line with the rest of the nations gambling industry.

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Overwatch and Call of Duty Leagues welcome betting, gambling, and liquor deals, reports say – InvenGlobal

Posted: at 6:48 am

Source: Blizard

Reporting from Kevin Hitt in the Esports Observer suggests that both the Call of Duty League (CDL) and the Overwatch League (OWL) will relax their stance on gambling and betting sponsors attached to the projects. Both products are owned by Activision-Blizzard, and the latter has struggled for commercial success in recent times with western views dropping dramatically and an increasing reliance on Chinese viewing numbers.

While the CDL has had less of a public struggle than the OWL of late, both competitions asked for a high buy-in from their founder teams based on a business model they have not been able to realize as of yet. Part of that is down to the fact they had a location-based model lined up prior to COVID hitting, but part comes down to the gap between expectation and reality when it comes to fan interest and their ability to monetize esports.

It seems that the owners have finally realized they are not yet big enough to turn down major sponsorship deals, but what makes this more interesting and potentially controversial is the position of the two games in the esports space. Overwatch in particular is a very family-friendly title, and while Call of Duty has a massive adult player base it also skews younger than other games like CSGO or Rainbow Six Siege.

Views from inside the industry were cautiously optimistic, with Flashpoint commissioner and former League of Legends caster Christopher "MonteCristo" Mykles welcoming the move, and confident it can be executed responsibly. While there is no doubt the products can be marketed to adults, as he said, the question may arise when talking about the younger parts of the Call of Duty fanbase, and how they are affected by deals such as this.

This is not the first time the OWL has partnered with alcohol companies, as Bud Light had a deal with the company back in 2019, but it does appear to be their first foray into working with betting companies directly. Last year, the CoD League entered into a partnership with Sportsradar in an effort to increase confidence in punters looking to bet on esports, and this seems like a logical next step for a competition looking to provide value to their investors.

When contacted for comment, original reporter Kevin Hitt stressed his own belief this move is aimed squarely at providing further commercial value for partners who may have paid $25M for their spot in the league. Finding different ways to increase revenue to survive in this COVID-19 world has never been more difficult. What I think the loosening of these sponsorship restrictions means is that there is obviously a need right now for teams to have more money-making opportunities, Hitt said.

Hitt did caution against the potential harm, as well as the perceived public backlash over the deal at a time when traditional sport is wresting with its relationship with the gaming industry. With that being said, Activision Blizzard will need to make sure that the way in which the activations are presented to a young video game playing audience is responsible and above reproach.

The conversation comes at a time with major esports streaming services are already being forced to consider how their users are protected from what is traditionally perceived as "adult" content. Twitch in particular has come under fire for the rise of "hot tub" streamers on a platform once aimed solely at gamers, and the company being forced into a situation where every user had to use age verification to access content could be potentially disastrous for their business model.

On the other hand, CSGO and other games are already knee-deep in betting deals, and the FGC even saw forays from the pornography industry a few years ago, leading to the brief existence of Team YouPorn within the space. This wont generate quite as much controversy as that deal did, but it does add to the growing volume of questions relating to safeguarding the younger parts of the esports crowd as the scene continues to grow.

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Overwatch and Call of Duty Leagues welcome betting, gambling, and liquor deals, reports say - InvenGlobal

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When Will Cashless Gambling Land In PA? Penn National Hopes Soon – Play Pennsylvania

Posted: at 6:48 am

Penn National Gamings CEO flatly said in a recent earnings call, then again in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that his company is working to roll out cashless gambling this year.

Jay Snowden even set a tight timeline but with an escape clause in a forward-looking statement filed with the SEC:

We will be launching the 3Cs (cashless, cardless and contactless) experience throughout the remainder of 2021 at our four casinos in Pennsylvania with the first launch near the end of Q2 2021, pending regulatory approval.

The end of Q2 is a little more than six weeks from now.

Penn National now operates two casinos in PA, the state that houses its headquarters. They are Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and The Meadows. The companyplans to open a mini-casino in York sometime in August, at the top of the third quarter.

A fourth facility, also a mini-casino, is set to open in Morgantown late in the year, in the fourth quarter.

According to spokesman Doug Harbach, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board currently has no cashless proposals in front of them from anyone.

Harbach said the PGCB is already looking at the cashless alternative, but theres no hard deadline.

He cautioned an operator would need to spell out and get approval for criteria, controls, and equipment. The equipment would need to pass testing in the PGCBs lab. None of that has yet happened.

Without additional elaboration, a Penn spokesman responded to PlayPennsylvanias questions about the timing of their cashless rollout in PA:

As noted, our timeline is pending regulatory approval.'

In late March, Joe Pappano, CEO of leading payment processor,Sightline Payments, toldPlayPennsylvania he believes cashless payment options should arrive in the Keystone State by Q3 2021.

Sightline, regulators, and operators alike expect cashless options to help promote responsible gambling within casinos.

The company has not responded to a recent request for an update on where the rollout now stands.

The Seminole Nations 12 Florida casinos offer cashless wagering via Scientific Games. Some tribal casinos in California are also using various forms of cash-free gambling.

But otherwise, cashless remains mostly in pilot program mode at select Boyd Gamingfacilities inNevada,Indiana, andOhiousing the companys rewards card,BoydPay, which comes with adigital wallet.

Some small Nevada gaming operators use a variation known as a pin debit system supported by ACS PlayOnfor cashless play.

For a quick visual overview of cashless in casinos, see the following video fromPlayUSA.

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Wayne Parry

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When Will Cashless Gambling Land In PA? Penn National Hopes Soon - Play Pennsylvania

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Raid of gambling parlor in Sumter County won’t result in prosecution – Villages-News

Posted: at 6:48 am

Small gambling parlors are popping up across Sumter County and the county has no effective way to regulate them, County Administrator Bradley Arnold told commissioners Tuesday night.

Arnold said parlors have opened recently in Wildwood, Coleman and Lake Panasoffkee.

Sometimes called fish games, the gambling issue was raised during the public forum part of the meeting by Billy Bowles, a candidate next year for Sumter County commissioner.

Describing enforcement as futile, Arnold said the sheriffs office raided one parlor on U.S. 27-441 and seized the equipment, but had to return it because state prosecutors did not want to take the case.

Zoning restrictions wont work because the parlors are located in commercial areas, the county administrator said.

It is considered a retail activity, he said. Theres no reason for law enforcement to get involved.

Arnold said Marion County recently approved an ordinance to regulate the parlors, but state prosecutors are not going to enforce a county ordinance.

Im in a wait-and-see mode, he said. Theres no reason to bring something to the board thats not enforceable.

The best solution, he said, may be to lobby state lawmakers to address the problem in the legislature.

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Raid of gambling parlor in Sumter County won't result in prosecution - Villages-News

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