Daily Archives: July 23, 2024

Seychelles Tourism Roadshow wowed US West Coast – African Travel and Tourism Association

Posted: July 23, 2024 at 6:06 am

Tourism Seychelles has concluded a successful roadshow across the USA's West Coast, promoting the archipelago as a premier travel destination. The event, which ended on 18 July 2024, visited Phoenix, Los Angeles, Costa Mesa, and San Diego, attracting over 100 top-tier travel advisors.

Led by Tourism Seychelles executives Natacha Servina and Rolira Young, the roadshow highlighted Seychelles' pristine beaches, world-class diving, and luxurious accommodations. Local partners from Eden Bleu Hotel, Constance Group, Creole Travel Services, and Blue Safari Seychelles also participated.

The event featured engaging presentations, one-on-one networking sessions, and giveaways of seven-day trips with airfare to four lucky attendees. Notably, only two of the seasoned travel professionals present had previously visited Seychelles, underscoring the importance of such educational events.

Tourism Seychelles emphasised sustainable tourism practices and the islands' commitment to preserving their natural beauty. The roadshow's success is expected to boost American long-haul travellers to Seychelles, already a top-10 visitor demographic for the island nation.

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UAE and Seychelles partner to promote local currency usage, interlink payment and messaging systems – Economy Middle East

Posted: at 6:06 am

This includes developing the exchange market, facilitating bilateral trade and direct investment, and remittance settlement

Khaled Mohamed Balama, governor of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), and Caroline Abel, governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS), signed two Memoranda of Understanding in Abu Dhabi. These agreements focused on enhancing the use of local currencies for settling cross-border financial and commercial transactions, as well as interlinking payment and messaging systems between the two countries.

The first MoU aims to establish a framework to promote the use of the UAE dirham and the Seychellois rupee in settling bilateral commercial transactions. This includes developing the exchange market, facilitating bilateral trade and direct investment, remittance settlement, and financial market development. The agreement outlines several elements to enable the settlement of commercial transactions in the two local currencies, in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.

Under the second MoU, the CBUAE and CBS will consolidate cooperation and mutual benefit from the services of instant payment platforms, electronic switches, and messaging systems. This involves directly linking the Instant Payments Platform (IPP) that the CBUAE is developing within its Financial Infrastructure Transformation Program, and the similar platform in Seychelles. Additionally, the central banks will explore the possibility of linking their messaging systems and collaborating on FinTech and Central Bank Digital Currencies.

Commenting on the occasion, Balama stated that the MoU signing reflects the CBUAEs commitment to expanding its relations with regional and international counterparts to enhance the UAEs economic and commercial partnerships globally. He explained that the use of the two countries currencies for cross-border transactions will contribute to reducing costs and saving time in settling transactions, while also developing the foreign exchange market in the UAE dirham and the Seychellois rupee.

Read more: CBUAEs foreign assets surge 2.55 percent to $204.27 billion in April 2024

Moreover, Abel underscored the importance of an effective and efficient financial system to facilitate trade for small open island economies like Seychelles. She stated that the MoUs, guided by relevant laws to safeguard the soundness and integrity of the respective financial systems, can assist in this endeavor. Abel also noted that the agreement to promote the use of the UAE Dirhams and the Seychelles Rupees in cross-border transactions can further facilitate trade relations between stakeholders across the two jurisdictions. She further added that the opportunity to collaborate on interlinking payment and messaging systems will facilitate the processing and settlement of cross-border financial transactions between the UAE and Seychelles, as the Central Bank of Seychelles continues to modernize and develop the Seychelles national payment system in line with the governments digital economy agenda.

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Best Bitcoin Roulette Sites Play Online Roulette with Crypto in 2024 – Cryptonews

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Last updated: July 16, 2024, 13:41 EDT | 23 min read

Roulette is one of the most sought-after table games in the online crypto gambling arena and many leading roulette casinos accept Bitcoin as a means of payment.

In this guide, we compare the best Bitcoin roulette sites for a range of metrics. This includes supported roulette games across both software and live dealers, odds and house edges, bonuses, wagering requirements, and more.

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The overall best Bitcoin roulette sites for 2024 are listed below:

Researching the best crypto roulette sites can be a time-consuming task, considering that players will need to review bonuses and promotions, house edges, supported variations, and safety. Players should also assess whether they wish to play other popular crypto casino games in addition to roulette, such as Bitcoin slots, blackjack, baccarat, or even sports betting.

To help fast-track the decision-making process, below we provide in-depth reviews of the eight best Bitcoin roulette sites.

When it comes to the best roulette sites TG Casino is our number one recommendation. TG casino features over 24 versions of crypto roulette via RNG table games and live dealer versions as well. Furthermore, TG Casino is different from other top roulette sites as it is integrated with Telegram and features its own token ($TGC). This makes it more engaging and community oriented.

In addition to Bitcoin roulette, TG Casino features hundreds of online slots, other table games such as blackjack and baccarat, and so much more. Not to mention, the new player welcome bonus at TG Casino is substantial as you can get a 200% match deposit bonus up to 10 ETH.

TG Casino doesnt have a dedicated mobile app and you will need to access the casino via Telegram. However, the overall design and layout is well thought out. You wont have any issues accessing the many crypto roulette games it offers.

Lastly, if you choose to make TG Casino your go-to Bitcoin roulette site you will receive ongoing promotions and rewards such as 25% cashback. Simply put, TG Casino has quality games and great bonuses, which makes it one of the top crypto roulette sites available today.

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Betpanda deserves a spot on our featured list of the best online roulette sites. This is because like BC Game, they feature a very large selection of online roulette games. In fact, you will find over 100+ roulette tables at the Betpanda casino. Betpanda has been up and running since 2023 and is licensed out of Costa Rica. Ever since their beginning they have focused on providing quantity and quality which is evident with their Bitcoin roulette offering.

Banking at Betpanda is extremely easy. Transactions are crypto-based, which means they are extremely fast and there are no fees at the casino. The fact that they are licensed out of Costa Rica and use crypto creates a safe and trustworthy gaming environment, which is the standard across all of the best crypto roulette sites.

In addition to roulette games, you will find a live dealer casino, other table games such as blackjack, and quite the selection of Bitcoin slots. Also, Betpanda is known for rewarding its players. As a new player, you can claim a 100% deposit match bonus up to 1 BTC along with other promotions as you continue to play. The bonuses and large roulette gaming library is what makes Betpanda one of the best Bitcoin roulette sites around.

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Another one of the best online roulette sits is Lucky Block. The Lucky Block casino is a crypto-centric online casino. Meaning, you will exclusively find crypto roulette games and can only deposit and withdraw using Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Despite not offering any credit card or bank payment methods, you can rest easy knowing that Lucky Block is one of the most trusted roulette websites around. It is licensed out of Curacao and has amassed quite a following since it first started in 2022.

In addition to Bitcoin roulette, the casino at Lucky Block features over 40 table games and over 3,000 online slots among other games such as crypto live casino games. In short, the gaming selection is among the best compared to other top roulette websites.

If you are a USA casino player, you will have to use a VPN to access the casino. However, it is quite simple to do so. And because it is a crypto casino you will enjoy instant payouts and fast deposits with no fees at the casino.

As a new player you are entitled to a welcome bonus at Lucky Block, which is a 200% match deposit bonus up to $25,000. Additionally, the casino offers ongong promotions such as 15% cashback. You will be rewarded if you opt to game at Lucky Block.

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The BC Game casino is among the very best Bitcoin roulette sites. This is because they feature 96+ variations of online roulette. This is quite a large offering relative to other roulette sites. BC Game has been around since 2017 and is licensed out of Curacao. As such, they have established great relationships with several quality gaming providers, which has helped them to populate their online casino with several variations of roulette.

At BC Game, you will find American Roulette, European Roulette, and French Roulette. You will also find a large library of online slots, other table games, and live casino games. The casino even has specialty games such as lottery games and bingo.

Creating an account is simple at BC Game but you will need to use Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. That said, they do allow you to buy crypto on the spot using credit cards. Most of their banking transactions happen instantly, however, depending on the crypto network there is a chance you could wait longer. Overall, instant payouts are normal.

The welcome bonus at BC Game is fairly competitive relative to other crypto roulette sites. You can earn up to $20,000 BCD. The casino also hosts weekly giveaways, prizes, and tournaments as part of its ongoing promotions program.

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The final top roulette site we wanted to feature is Wild.io. Wild.io is widely considered to be one of the best Bitcoin roulette sites and one of the best overall crypto casinos as well. This is largely due to the fact that they have developed an easy-to-use casino for mobile, feature a ton of online slots, and have a well-developed VIP program.

In terms of table games other than roulette, you will find baccarat, blackjack, and craps just to name a few. The main offering at Wild.io are their slots. However, there is also a live casino and other types of gaming such as tournaments and challenges.

If you achieve VIP status at Wild.io, you will receive cashback rewards, including on losses at the roulette tables. Also, you can earn reload bonuses, free spins, and other unique crypto casino bonuses. Other roulette sites also have VIP programs, but we think Wild.io is able to stand out due to the variety of bonuses they offer.

As a new player, you can claim a match deposit bonus of up to $5,000 (at 120%). As mentioned, there are plenty of ongoing promotions too. All-in-all, Wild.io has a good selection of online roulette as well as other gaming options, which is why it is considered to be one of the best online crypto roulette sites.

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DCA Slot Roulette: Who Should Win The New Beyond-Perimeter Slots? – Live and Let’s Fly

Posted: at 6:05 am

Airlines are jockeying for new beyond-perimeter routes after Congress approved five new slots for longer-distance flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Who should those slots go to?

Here is what airlines have requested:

Note that both JetBlue and United have requested a slot to Los Angeles (LAX) as a backup.

Without getting into the intricacies of the slot award requirements, there is reason to question whether Frontier and Spirit are even eligible. My feeling is that they will be deemed eligible and theres a strong case for Spirits SJC route since no other carriers offer nonstop service to DCA from the Silicon Valley.

The new slots would augment the current beyond-perimeter slot allowance:

Selfishly, Id love to see United get the Los Angeles slot (instead of a second San Francisco slot), but with service already by Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, I guess the 2x daily SFO service makes more sensea JetBlue LAX slot would also be welcome. That said, I dont think United or JetBlue will get a slot at all.

Delta certainly doesnt want United to have a slotor American or JetBlue, but it wont be Deltas lawyering but rather a decision to maximize connectivity that will lead to the following awards:

Thats my guess. If I were in charge, Id award Southwest to Las Vegas, Delta to Seattle, United to Los Angeles, Alaska to San Diego, and JetBlue to Los Angelesyou can see where my SoCal bias lies.

Thats my best guesswhich five DCA beyond perimeter slots do you think will be awarded?

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INSPIRED LAUNCHES ONLINE AND MOBILE GAMES: 20P BOOST ROULETTE AND WOLF IT UP! – European Gaming Industry News

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Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, systems and solutions, is pleased to announce its July line-up of mobile and online games: 20p Boost Roulette and Wolf It Up!.

20p Boost Roulette is a thrilling new twist on Inspireds classic table game, 20p Roulette. This latest launch enhances the traditional roulette experience with its electrifying Boost Spinbar, offering players an exhilarating way to maximise their winnings from straight bets, spin after spin.

At the start of each game, players are invited to place their bets on the main betting table or on the neighbouring table, setting the stage for the games Spinbar to whirl into action. The Spinbars dynamic design, features three sections that determine a players odds for straight bets. Landing on the 50/1 section triggers the Boost, while hitting the 100/1 section activates the Super Boost, paving the way for potentially substantial wins.

With a return to player (RTP) rate ranging between 95.07% and 97.3%, 20p Boost Roulette is the perfect game for roulette enthusiasts seeking both excitement and rewards.

Wolf It Up! featuring Cash Bank is a captivating, big bad wolf-themed successor to Inspireds smash-hit slot, Big Piggy Bank. With its vibrant, enchanted forest backdrop, the games eponymous Wolf takes players on a thrilling ride to fun and fortune.

Landing four or more apples with cash values in the base game triggers the Cash Bank Free Spins Bonus, awarding players with eight complimentary Free Spins. The games innovative pseudo-persistence feature ensures that every apple collected in the base game contributes to the apple pile, which can activate the exhilarating Wolf Wheel Bonus Game, at random. Players can spin the Wolf Wheel for a chance to enter the Cash Bank Bonus, win additional Free Spins, or hit one of four Prize PotsMini, Minor, Major, or Grand.

Depending on jurisdiction, players can activate Fortune Spins in the base game for an enhanced gameplay experience, where one in five spins will trigger bonuses or collections. Inspireds Gamble feature is also available, allowing players to risk their base game wins for more cash or to increase their chances of triggering the Bonus.

With two available RTP rates of 92% and 94.5%, Wolf It Up! is a medium-volatility game designed to appeal to casual online slots players.

Claire Osborne, Vice President of Interactive at Inspired, said: Our summer games line up is brimming with superb iGaming content, and 20p Boost Roulette and Wolf It Up! are exciting additions to Inspireds growing portfolio. Our hit table game, 20p Roulette has been given a boost with new enhanced features, set to take players on a fun journey, where every spin is a chance to boost their winnings. Wolf It Up! is packed with vibrant symbols and great features that offer players an entertaining adventure thats filled with big potential wins and non-stop excitement for that perfect, fairy-tale ending.

From table games to slots and more, Inspireds got Operators covered. Watch this space for more great games launching throughout this year.

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INSPIRED LAUNCHES ONLINE AND MOBILE GAMES: 20P BOOST ROULETTE AND WOLF IT UP! - European Gaming Industry News

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Oceania Cruises’ Expansive East Asia Sailings Explore Celebrated Cities and Hidden Gems – PR Newswire

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Unique Itineraries, Small-Group Shore Excursions, and Remote Ports Allow Guests to Dive into Local Life

MIAMI, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oceania Cruises, the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, is offering an extensive collection of voyages across East Asia in the first half of 2025 that boast destination-rich adventures for even the most seasoned world travelers.

Within the new collection of sailings, Oceania Cruises invites guests to explore the wildly diverse landscapes of Asia from the vibrant city of Hong Kong to the lush coves of Bali, and the ancient temples of Kyoto to the stunning turquoise coastlines of Phuket. Oceania Cruises' small, luxurious ships carry no more than 1,250 guests and are more than an elegant means of travel with exceptional guest-to-staff ratios. They are perfectly sized to access some of the most remote ports, giving guests the chance to completely immerse themselves in untouched ancient cultures.

"Asia is one of the most striking regions in the world to explore by sea; the powerful contrasts between its ultra-modern and historic influences are breathtaking," remarks Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises. "Through our thoughtful itineraries and our incredible array of immersive small group tours, guests can enjoy the region's timeless heritage and impressive futuristic strides in one trip making guests feel like they're traveling through time. These destinations are truly not to be missed."

With Oceania Cruises' wide range of small-group shore excursions, guests can experience the vibrant cultures, cuisines and natural beauty of the region the way they want: Food-focused tours that range from cooking classes in Thailand to market visits in Vietnam; Wellness Discovery Tours that nourish the mind, body and spirit; Go Local Tours that invite guests to discover authentic local life; Go Green excursions that focus on sustainability practices in local communities; and more. For guests looking for even further adventure, there are endless opportunities to fulfill even the most ambitious bucket list items through Oceania Cruises' overland experiences. Guests can trek through jungle hills and mountains to discover the wet caves in the Tu Lan system in China, relax on the banks of the Red River in Hanoi, and tour Asia's most spectacular attractions, including Angkor Wat and the Terracotta Warriors Museum.

With itineraries ranging from six-day jaunts to 24-day journeys aboard a variety of Oceania Cruises' ultra-premium ships, these sailings are the perfect way to absorb the wonders of East Asia in world-class comfort. With the line's simply MORE value promise, guests will enjoy more value and greater convenience with 2 for 1 cruise fares, free shore excursions, free Champagne, wine and beer, and free WiFi as they discover the wonders of East Asia.

Highlighted Voyages

View All Featured 2025 East Asia Itineraries Here.

For additional information on Oceania Cruises' small-ship luxury product, exquisitely crafted cuisine, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com, call 855-OCEANIA, or speak with a professional travel advisor.

About Oceania CruisesOceania Cruises is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's eight small, luxurious ships carry a maximum of 1,250 guests and feature The Finest Cuisine at Sea and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences are available aboard the designer-inspired, small ships, which call on more than 600 marquee and boutique ports in more than 100 countries on seven continents, on voyages that range from seven to more than 200 days. Oceania Cruises has two additional ships on order scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028 or 2029[1]. Oceania Cruises is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH). To learn more, visitwww.nclhltd.com.

[1]Delivery for the second Oceania Cruises ship is contractually scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2028, but may be delayed to 2029.

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King Charles Dramatically Shortened Royal Tour of Oceania This Fall Shows He Cant Do Everything, Friend Says – Marie Claire

Posted: at 6:05 am

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that, come October, King Charles and Queen Camilla are headed to Oceaniabut, instead of their planned four country stop to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Samoa, the couple will just be visiting Australia and Samoa, Hello reports.

The King and Queen will visit Australia at the invitation of the Australian government, and will feature royal engagements in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales; their state visit to Samoa will celebrate the strong bilateral relationship between the Pacific Island nation and the U.K., Hello writes.

The King and Queen will take their first international trip since the King's cancer diagnosis earlier this year in the fall, when they'll visit Australia and Samoa.

(Image credit: Getty)

A Palace spokesperson said of the visitCharles first international trip since announcing his cancer diagnosis in Februarythat The Kings doctors have advised that a further extension to Their Majesties trip should be avoided at this time to prioritize His Majestys continued recovery. As with all His Majestys recent engagements, his program in both countries will be subject to doctors advice, and any necessary modifications on health grounds.

Hello reports that this visit will be the first trip Down Under by a reigning monarch since 2011, when Queen Elizabeth visited for what would be her final time. Charles and Camilla last visited Australia in 2018, when they represented Her late Majesty at the Commonwealth Games there.

Including travel time, the King and Queen will be away for 10 daysthough the trip was originally intended to be closer to three weeks, The Daily Beast reports.

The couple's Oceania trip was cut in half, in terms of both length and number of countries visited.

(Image credit: Getty)

There has been a lot of debate in the Palace about how much Charles should be doing, a source told the outlet. There are plenty of people who think a long haul foreign tour is unwise when you have cancer. But ultimately the decisions are coming from the top, and the problem is he knows that if he doesnt do a trip to Australia as King now, it will probably never happen.

The trip is critical for the monarchys relationship with Australia, as the country is a very important country to him, a friend said. Its no secret that there are Republican rumblings Down Under, and he wants to do everything he can to keep the Aussies on board. But its clear he wouldnt be going unless he was on the mend and his doctors thought he could handle it. Its a hugely encouraging sign.

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Visiting Australia is particularly important to Charles, as he wants to maintain the relationship between the monarchy and the country.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The trip to Oceania was also originally planned to include New Zealand and Fiji, but those legs of the tour have been scrapped.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When pressed if cutting the New Zealand leg of the royal tour was a sign that the King was still struggling with his health, the friend said I think that would be a churlish interpretation. He has been very open about having cancer. It is absolutely plain to see that he is doing really well. Its very sad about New Zealand, but I think its just the reality of trying to work while being treated for canceryou cant do everything.

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Join the Adventure as Oceania Cruises Sets Sail for East Asias Spectacular Shores in 2025 – Travel And Tour World

Posted: at 6:05 am

Home CRUISE NEWS Join the Adventure as Oceania Cruises Sets Sail for East Asias Spectacular Shores in 2025

Friday, July 19, 2024

Oceania Cruises, renowned for its emphasis on culinary excellence and destination-centric voyages, has launched a comprehensive series of journeys through East Asia scheduled for the first half of 2025. These trips promise rich, cultural experiences tailored for avid globetrotters.

This new assortment of itineraries by Oceania Cruises provides an opportunity for travelers to delve into Asias vast diversityfrom the dynamic metropolis of Hong Kong and Balis verdant hideaways to the historic shrines of Kyoto and the pristine azure shores of Phuket. The fleets small yet opulent vessels, accommodating no more than 1,250 passengers, offer a unique travel experience with superior guest-to-staff ratios. Their compact size allows access to secluded ports, enabling travelers to engage deeply with the regions enduring traditions and untouched locales.

Asiais one of the most striking regions in the world to explore by sea; the powerful contrasts between its ultra-modern and historic influences are breathtaking, remarksFrank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises. Through our thoughtful itineraries and our incredible array of immersive small group tours, guests can enjoy the regions timeless heritage and impressive futuristic strides in one trip making guests feel like theyre traveling through time. These destinations are truly not to be missed.

Oceania Cruises offers a diverse array of small-group shore excursions, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the rich cultures, flavors, and natural splendors of the region in personalized ways. These include culinary explorations with cooking workshops in Thailand and market tours in Vietnam; Wellness Discovery Tours that rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul; Go Local Tours for a deep dive into genuine local lifestyles; and Go Green excursions that emphasize sustainable practices within local communities. For those seeking grander adventures, Oceania Cruises provides overland adventures where guests can navigate jungle terrains to explore Chinas Tu Lan cave system, unwind along Hanois Red River, and visit iconic sites like Angkor Wat and the Terracotta Warriors Museum.

The cruise line offers a range of itineraries from six-day getaways to extensive 24-day expeditions on its ultra-premium ships, delivering an unparalleled experience of East Asias marvels in supreme comfort. With Oceania Cruises simply MORE value promise, guests enjoy added value and convenience, including 2-for-1 cruise fares, complimentary shore excursions, and free amenities like Champagne, wine, beer, and WiFi.

Highlighted Voyages:

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Canada Is Primed for the Next Big Sports Betting Scandal – Front Office Sports

Posted: at 6:05 am

Criminal and banned betting activity in American sports leagues is already sounding alarm bells. But for all the problematicand mostly poorly regulatedactivity in the U.S., the next gambling bombshell could drop from our neighbor to the north.

Despite its relatively small population of 39 million, Canada is a big gambling nation. Canadians legally wager more than $20 billion a year on sports, according to the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. They spend another $10 billion with illegal bookies. Yet amid this thirst for sports betting, there are no laws on the books explicitly banning match-fixing, warn sports betting experts.

Take the case of Jontay Porter, the disgraced NBA journeyman who in July pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in connection to his involvement in an illegal betting scheme. Amazingly, Porters actionswhich included betting on his own games and sharing inside info with gamblersare not technically illegal in Canada, notes Declan Hill at the University of New Haven, the author of The Insiders Guide to Match-Fixing in Football.

The reason for this lack of governance is complicated. Section 209 of Canadas federal criminal code does state that cheating while playing a game, or betting with intent to defraud someone, are indictable offenses, according to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

But that archaic provision was written before the country legalized sports betting, says Danielle M. Bush, senior counsel at McCarthy Ttrault in Toronto. Canadian lawmakers need to pull their heads out of the sand and pass something more specific, she tells Front Office Sports.

Without a firm national policy or effective reporting mechanisms, Canada may be sleepwalking into a major point-shaving scandal. And looking north, match-fixing watchdogs, like Hill, are already at DEFCON 1. Even on July 1st [Canada Day], our national holiday, there was a [soccer match] we flagged as being highly suspicious in Canada. But theres nothing anyone can do, Hill, who is Canadian, tells FOS. Its open season for match-fixing up there.

Some guardrails are in place, yet theres already plenty of precedent of match-fixing, point-shaving, and bribery in Canada.

The federal government legalized single-game sports betting in August 2021. Mobile sports betting kicked in the following year. In the wake of those moves, the Canadian Football League banned its players from betting on games, wagering via proxies, or sharing inside information. This year, the CFL suspended defensive lineman Shawn Lemon of the Calgary Stampeders for betting on multiple league games in 21, including one of his own games.

Canada has also become a host for organized crime groups. In April, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police broke up an underground online sports betting network controlled by alleged Hells Angels enforcer Paris Christoforou. The ring operated five gaming houses in the Toronto area. Previously, the Ontario Provincial Province busted a Hells Angelscontrolled betting ring in 2019 that included illegal sports betting and online gaming websites offering gamblers as much as $20,000 in credit.

In 2012, CBC News reported a European organized crime syndicate bribed Canadian soccer players to fix a game. For years, the semipro Canadian Soccer League has been rumored to be a hotspot of match-fixing and corruption, according to the Toronto Star; one Chinese Malaysian bookie who ran his own illegal gambling site said to the papers reporter, You are supposed to be honest people. How can you be honest when so many fixed soccer games are going on in your country?

Match-fixing is a coming tsunami that threatens both the integrity of beloved Canadian sports leagues like the NHL and CFL and the safety of players and coaches, according to a 2023 white paper by CCES and McLaren Global Sports Solutions. Competition manipulationor match-fixingis rising at an alarming rate globally, and Canada is not immune to this threat, warned MGSS chief executive officer Richard McLaren. Both regulated and illegal betting markets are being exploited by bad actors and criminal organizations, who often prey on vulnerable athletes in the process. Several Canadian sports have been shown to be at heightened risk and can be influenced from abroad, including offshore betting.

Despite growing legalization of sports wagering, match-fixing is a problem for global leagues, even when there are explicit bans in place.

This summer, an investigative team at Hills University of New Haven flagged matches played around the world, from May 31 to July 2, when bizarre odds movements triggered alarms. They included games in the U.S., Canada, Russia, China, and Brazil. This encompasses major sports such as tennis, and basketball as well as volleyball, cricket, and table tennis. And Hill warns the problem may be spilling into womens sports amid growing suspicions of illegal betting and corruption across these leagues.

There are tons of big events which are being fixed. Especially now, lately the trend is very huge events in e-sports as well, Hill writes on his Substack page. Because there is no punition. You can just fix and not get punished.

There is renewed urgency to make changes, says Bush, as Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She tells FOS she would like to see something in place similar to the United Kingdoms Gambling Act of 2005. Canada would do well to pass a federal statute that closely hews to the U.K.s statute and to do so in time to deal with the World Cup games that will be hosted in Canada.

Organizations including CCES would also like to see some sort of national policy, too. They also want the Canadian government to sign the Macolin Convention, which aims to detect, prevent, and punish match-fixing.

Wherever it happens, match-fixing goes beyond crooked players making a few bucks. Instead, its a dagger aimed at the fan experience. If fans lose faith that games are legit, watch out, warns sports super-agent Leigh Steinberg.

Bad behavior by athletes doesnt kill professional sports. Theres been plenty of that, Steinberg told FOS. The only thing that could [hamper the popularity of sports] is the perception by fans that they were watching [professional] wrestling. That it is somehow scripted or predetermined or there were actions or facts going on the public wasnt aware of, and we have seen that happen.

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Canada Is Primed for the Next Big Sports Betting Scandal - Front Office Sports

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Chiefs Getting Heavily Involved in Missouri Sports Betting Legalization Push – KC Kingdom

Posted: at 6:05 am

The sports world has become synonymous with online betting throughout the last several years. You can't watch a single broadcast from the NFL to the MLB without odds, parlays, and futures markets being mentioned.

If you're able to get in on the action, the betting-related discussion can be entertaining at least. However, if you're living in one of the 12 states where sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings are still illegal, you're either tired of hearing about sports bets or frustrated that you can't get in on the fun.

Unfortunately, Missouri is one of the dozen states that outlaws online sportsbooks. Having said that, the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to do their best to help change that.

Following Friday's practice, Chiefs president Mark Donovan spoke with reporters about numerous topics, including sportsbooks in Missouri. According to team insider Matt Derrick, Donovan admitted that the Chiefs "will support voter initiative" to legalize online sports betting if it's on the state ballot at the November election.

Donovan added that he's "spent more time in Jefferson City on sports betting than any other issue" and that he was motivated to do so by St. Louis Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., who's also been openly pro-legalization.

"Like the vast majority of Americans, [the Cardinals] support legalized and responsibly regulated sports betting as an exciting new way for fans to engage with their favorite teams and sports. We welcome and encourage the progress being made in Missouri."

It isn't shocking to know that the Chiefs and Royals both want in-state sports gambling legalized. Aside from the entertainment it brings to fans, online sports betting is a near-$11 billion-dollar industry, so the likes of Donovan and DeWitt (rightfully) see a plethora of dollar signs in their eyes.

In May, a coalition composed of Missouri's professional sports teams Chiefs, Cardinals, Current, Royals, City, and Blues submitted a petition to the state to add a sports betting initiative to November's ballot. The target for the petition was 180,000 signatures, however, the coalition nearly doubled that with over 340,000.

November is only four months away, so it won't be much longer before Missouri residents know if they can start downloading sportsbook apps.

In the meantime, the Chiefs are darlings among sportsbooks across the country. Not only is DraftKings favoring a ninth straight AFC West title for Kansas City (-230), but it's also favoring the defending champions to pull off the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat (+500).

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Chiefs Getting Heavily Involved in Missouri Sports Betting Legalization Push - KC Kingdom

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