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Category Archives: Gambling

Pattaya woman accused of prostituting granddaughter to repay gambling debts – The Thaiger

Posted: October 7, 2020 at 8:49 am

Zoos across Thailand will be investigated for possible involvement in the black market wildlife trade. The probe follows a case where 2 rare albino barking deer went missing at Songkhla Zoo and a top zoo official investigating the disappearance was shot and killed at the zoo in an apparent murder-suicide.

After suspicion that the deer were stolen and sold in the illegal wildlife trade, the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand board set up a panel to investigate zoos nationwide for possible involvement in the trade. The zoos that fall under the organisations responsibility are in Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Songkhla, Ubon Ratchathani and Chon Buri.

The panel will determine whether or not illegal wildlife trading and trafficking is happening at the zoos, according to the board chairperson and former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chavalit Chookajorn.

Chavalit says the board also wants answers to the disappearances of the 2 albino barking deer at Songkhla Zoo. They went missing in February and September. The latest missing deer is believed to be eaten by a python. The boards acting director Smitti Darakorn Na Ayudthaya says the deers carcass was found in a snakes stomach.

The organisations director, Suriya Saengpong, initially went out to Songkhla Zoo to investigate the 2 disappearances. He was allegedly shot and killed by senior veterinarian Phuwadol Suwanna who later allegedly killed himself. After the fatal shooting, some have cited concerns that the deer may have been stolen and sold in the illegal wildlife trade. The case prompted the prime minister to order the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to investigate.

The Zoological Park Organisation panel plans to look at the current state and numbers of animals at the zoos under their jurisdiction and determine if there are signs of illegal wildlife trading. The system for reporting animal populations at the zoos needs to be updated, Chavalit says, adding that the process is complicated and time consuming. He also says the organisation plans to list zoos information on their website with animals birth and death dates.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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The Panthers Could Be Gambling With Christian McCaffreys Health This Season – Sportscasting

Posted: at 8:49 am

Christian McCaffrey is not only one of the best running backs in the NFL today, but he is also one of the best players at any position. In 2019, McCaffrey became just the third player in history to rack up 1,000 yards in both rushing and receiving over the course of a single season.

The Carolina Panthers depend so heavily on McCaffreys production that this year head coach Matt Rhule is even considering using McCaffrey as a returner. Critics have warned that that approach could represent a serious health risk. Here we take a look at McCaffreys NFL career so far, his potential new role, and how it could be a dangerous move for both McCaffrey and the team.

The Panthers drafted McCaffrey with the eighth pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-11 running back put together a solid rookie season, rushing for 435 yards, with two touchdowns, and receiving for 651 yards, with five touchdowns. In his second season, those numbers leaped to 1,098 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns,and 867 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.

That performance earned McCaffrey Second-team All-Pro honors in 2018. 2019 was McCaffreys true breakout year, with the hyper-athletic running back racking up 1,387 rushing yards and 1,005 receiving yards. Among receivers who were targeted more than 100 times, McCaffrey had the second-best catch percentage, at 81.7%.

As a result, he earned his first Pro Bowl selection. After just three seasons, McCaffrey has also set numerous franchise records with the Panthers, including single-season records for most receptions, most scrimmage yards, and most receiving yards by a running back. Provided he can remain healthy, McCaffrey should be the Panthers core player for many years to come.

RELATED: Panthers Stephen Weatherlys Proposed Social Justice Patch Could Create Problems

As Christian McCaffreys considerable talent on the field became apparent, his usage rate climbed correspondingly. That increase already had some fans worried about increasing McCaffreys risk of injury. And how Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is openly discussing the possibility of using McCaffrey for kickoff and punt returns as well.

Rhule made it clear that he hadnt yet decided to use McCaffrey in that role just that he was keeping the possibility open. So long as Pro Bowler Pharoh Cooper remains healthy and productive, the Panthers will likely stick with him as their primary returner.

As Rhule himself put it to the media (per Sports Illustrated): We think weve got something really good in Pharaoh [Cooper], but McCaffrey, D.J., anybody will be used if it gives us an advantage.

RELATED: Panthers Legend and NFL Network Analyst Steve Smith Says Taco Bell Saved His Life

Many pundits have already weighed in on Rhules comments, with most of them agreeing that using McCaffrey as a returner would be a risky move. Simply put, it increases his injury risk profile to an unacceptable level.

For one thing, taking the field with special teams would increase McCaffreys playing time even more. With that increased utilization comes a higher risk of injury.

The risks increase even more when you consider that kickoffs and punts are the two most dangerous plays in professional football and the two most likely to result in concussions. The reason is simple: players have a huge runway, and as a result, they slam into each other at top speeds. For years, commentators have been clamoring for the league to do away with kickoffs entirely.

To utilize a player as talented as McCaffrey as a returner represents an unacceptable level of risk for the Panthers. Whatever they might sacrifice by losing out on his returning abilities, they would more than make up for by keeping him healthy during the rest of the time he spends on the football field.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference

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Should online gambling in India be regulated? – The Hindu

Posted: at 8:49 am

Regulation, rather than a ban, could bring with it several benefits as seen in other countries

A few weeks ago, Google pulled Paytm from the Play Store for violating its gambling policies. The growing popularity of gaming platforms like Dream11 and Paytm First Games raise questions about whether they are proxies for online gambling as they can involve financial transactions but are currently classified as games of skill. In a conversation moderated by Jayant Sriram, Jay Sayta (has extensively tracked issues pertaining to the gaming industry and gaming laws over the last decade and now advises several gaming companies on policy, regulatory, tax and legal issues) and Vidushpat Singhania (Managing Partner of Krida Legal and specialises in sports and gaming laws) discuss the current legal position in India on games of skill versus games of chance, the size of the gambling industry, and issues of regulation. Edited excerpts:

Well start the discussion with Paytm First Games and Dream11, both of which, I think, most people are familiar with now. The current legal position is that though they are transaction-based, various courts have held that they are games of skill rather than games of chance. Is this settled law now or is there still some grey area?

Jay Sayta: As you said, games of skill are exempt from the ambit of gambling. Gambling and betting are a State subject. Every State has its own legislation on gambling, and most States have an exemption for games of skill. However, these statutes are pretty old, and they do not clearly define or enumerate which games fall within this skill category. Nagaland, for instance, has a separate legislation which details what are games of skill. But for the most part, most States do not have that kind of clarity. So, it falls within the judiciarys ambit to interpret whether a particular game falls within the ambit of skill or not.

Now, with regards to Dream11 and daily fantasy sports, the matter has gone to multiple High Courts starting from 2017. In 2017, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that the format of Dream11, which involves picking 11 players from a real-life match from both sides and allocating points based on their real-life performance, is a game of skill and does not fall within the definition of gambling. Following that, in 2019, the Bombay High Court also passed a similar ruling. The Rajasthan High Court gave a similar ruling earlier this year. However, on March 6 this year, the Supreme Court, while hearing the appeals from the Maharashtra government against the Bombay High Courts order on Dream11, issued notice to all parties and stayed the operation of the Bombay order, which means that they will go into the merits of the matter in detail and adjudicate finally on whether it is a game of skill or not.

Vidushpat Singhania: The State Acts largely dont define what is a game of skill. What you go by is the interpretation given by the Supreme Court in various judgments starting from Satyanarayana (pertaining to the card game Rummy), where it said skill predominates over chance. Its still open to interpretation for a range of other games. The Rajasthan High Court, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and then the Bombay High Court all held that in the format being offered currently, Dream11 is a game of skill. There have been several appeals filed and dismissed against these judgments. But earlier this year, in another petition that is pending, the Supreme Court looked at it and stayed the order of the Bombay High Court and is looking to hear the matter afresh. What this means is, if the Supreme Court says that daily fantasy sports are games of chance, then the entire industry shuts down and the issue goes back to the States in a sense. State governments can issue licences for these games. If the Supreme Court says it is a game of skill, then the industry is open all over India.

Also read | Online gaming companies see 24% spurt in traffic

The user base has grown phenomenally for online gaming, especially in this lockdown period. Are most of these transaction-based in some way? What is the size of the industry we are talking about in monetary terms?

Vidushpat Singhania: Its a very tricky question because the gaming industry has legal as well as illegal components. And not everything is about paid gaming; there is also a lot of free gaming, casual gaming, gaming just for entertainment. Some parts of it are regulated. Betting on horse racing is regulated, casinos in Sikkim and Goa are regulated, certain games of skill are also regulated in States like Nagaland. According to companies like KPMG, the gaming industry in India would be worth about $150 billion.

Jay Sayta: Within that, the category of skill-based games is a complicated one because while these games can involve monetary transactions, they are largely offered for free. These skill-based games themselves could cross a billion dollars in value, the KPMG report states, and are growing at around 30% annually. Now thats the skill part, but if youre looking generically at gaming, both skill or chance, it is a very high number. Largely it is unregulated and in the grey space.

Also read | Lockdown brings spotlight on online gaming addiction

Lets get to the issue of regulation and what that might look like within each of these categories. Lets start first with illegal gambling.

Jay Sayta: Just taking a step back from how to go about regulation or legalisation, the question we need to ask is whether this is desirable or not; whether a ban or more stringent laws are the answer; or whether we need to take a more nuanced perspective and recognise that even if we pass new laws, this would still continue in some manner or shape.

In my view, regulation, rather than a ban, has certain benefits. One is the revenue argument. Since its happening largely underground, its a huge source of black money. So, if it is legalised and taxed in a realistic and reasonable manner, it can be a huge source of revenue for the government. The second is with regard to sports betting where there are a lot of allegations of match-fixing. Now, regulated and licensed betting regimes, as in the U.K. and many European countries, have a strong mechanism to monitor each of the betting websites, track suspicious patterns if there is a sudden spike in betting for certain events, and investigate them. And there are, of course, other ancillary benefits like employment.

Also read | Centre urges Madras High Court to dismiss case against online gambling

Vidushpat Singhania: By way of a legal framework, we have regulations in Goa and Sikkim, where there is a licensing regime to allow certain types of casino games. So, you could expand that kind of legislation itself. Or you could look at international examples like the U.K. which has the Gambling Act of 2005. The Act has four or five categories, and they regulate it based on those categories. So, they have casual gaming, mid-level gaming, serious gaming, high-stake gaming. Theyve divided the games into four or five categories, and then based on that, they have a licensing regime. This applies across all games, whether skill or chance. That is the closest we could also go, where we divide various games into various categories and have a different licensing fee for each. Now, whether that can be pan-India or State by State is the issue.

Games of skill seem to exist in a legal grey area. How is this nascent industry being regulated?

Vidushpat Singhania: Games of skill are largely self-regulated. There are bodies such as the All India Gaming Federation, FIFS [Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports] and The Rummy Federation which have developed self-regulation codes for advertisements, the way of playing, taxation... The only State where gaming or skill gaming has been regulated is Nagaland. Otherwise, games of skill are generally self-regulated by these industry bodies, which is not bad. I dont think we need the government to step in to regulate everything. Maybe a basic level of licensing regime can come in, but the operational regulation, I think, should always be with the industry.

Also read | Enforcement Directorate to probe 1,100-crore online gambling racket

Jay Sayta: I have a bit of a different opinion because self-regulation, be it in gaming or in broadcasting or anywhere else, has always been less than satisfactory. There are no sanctions or penal measures that can be invoked against any erring operators. While it is great that these guidelines or charters are there, there are various operators out there who dont follow them and there is nothing that can be done against them apart from naming and shaming them. A lot of people must have also seen advertisements about skill gaming companies. Some of them are misleading and give false assurances.

The Consumer Protection Ministry has issued certain guidelines on advertising. Perhaps these real money games can be included in that ambit and certain dos and donts [can be specified]. For example, I dont think it is appropriate to give the message that during the lockdown, you can play day and night on these platforms and use them as instruments to solve your social or financial problems. So, the government should step in.

Also read | Gaming: a question of skill

One issue that immediately stands out is whether there should be a cap on the amount of money people can play with. Is there regulation on this aspect?

Vidushpat Singhania: This is an issue that the Law Commission of India has also gone into. It has said we will have to demarcate serious gaming and casual gaming limits. If somebody is putting up 100 or 200 a day, you can allow it as a kind of social gaming, because the prizes will also be limited in that sense and you dont really need a licence. But where the monies are bigger, say you are allowed to put 5,000 and you can win up to a crore, that goes into the serious gaming or gambling aspect and that will definitely need complete regulation.

Column | Captains suggest a (legal) bet on things changing

What is the revenue possibility for the government? And how does that tie into the question of regulation?

Vidushpat Singhania: GST [Goods and Services Tax] and income tax are still applicable to these games. Its only a licensing fee which may not be applicable at this point of time. Dream11, for instance, is paying GST, and the winners will end up paying income tax as well. So, if it is regulated as a game of skill, and the court allows it, then there will be an exponential growth in this game and the collection of GST will increase.

Jay Sayta: The activity is already being taxed. The only aspect is the category of tax. Right now, the argument is that it has legal basis as a game of skill and so it does not fall within the sin category of, say, gambling and casinos. So they are paying a lower amount of tax. That is one aspect which needs to be thought through whether there needs to be a slightly higher rate of tax for these kinds of activities.

Also read | Enforcement Directorate freezes funds of companies running Chinese online betting applications

The revenue potential has also been weighed in. If taxed in a rational and reasonable manner, games of skill or chance could lead to tens of thousands of crores in revenue. For instance, the Maharashtra government is already looking at the aspect of regulating sports betting, as per reports.

Vidushpat Singhania is the Managing Partner of Krida Legal and specialises in sports and gaming laws; Jay Sayta has extensively tracked issues pertaining to the gaming industry and gaming laws over the last decade and now advises several gaming companies on policy, regulatory, tax and legal issues

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Cash ban as gambling card to overhaul $6b pokie industry in NSW – Sydney Morning Herald

Posted: at 8:49 am

NSW's 95,000 poker machines bring in $1 billion in state taxes each year and create as many as 100,000 jobs, including in sophisticated gaming machine manufacture.

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But poker machine expenditure is increasing and spiked during the pandemic, rising by more than $200 million or 12 per cent between June and August, compared to the same period last year, government figures show.

Mr Dominello last week released draft harm minimisation legislation for public consultation, which suggested facial recognition technology could be used to identify problem gamblers.

The gambling card was not included in the draft bill, but Mr Dominello has been consulting widely with his colleagues and MPs from all parties to shore up support for it.

Pubs and clubs have slammed the draft legislation released last week, warning measures such as facial recognition would cost the industry millions at a time when it can least afford it.

"Gaming revenue has fallen 14 per cent year-on-year as a result of the 10-week industry shutdown, while food and beverage takings are down 60 to 70 per cent," Clubs NSW chief Josh Landis said.

"I dont think anyone would agree that the middle of a pandemic is the right time to introduce onerous new compliance requirements."

The NSW Australian Hotels Association has also warned that pubs were already struggling to survive amid the pandemic and could not cope with expensive regulation.

"We dont believe our patrons want to be monitored through facial recognition each and every time they catch up with mates at the pub," AHA boss John Whelan said last week.

NSW relies on an industry-run self-exclusion scheme, which involves individuals signing a deed asking to be banned from one or more gaming machine venues.

But there are no sanctions for an individual or venue for breaching a banning order, and last year's NSW Gambling Survey showed that 92 per cent of excluded gamblers were successful in regaining entry to a venue.

The harm minimisation changes also propose a new exclusion scheme to allow family members to ask pubs and clubs to ban someone whose problem gambling is harming themselves or others.

Mr Dominello said NSW had the unenviable title of the "poker machine capital of Australia" and he was determined to use technology to bring the $6 billion gaming machine industry into the 21st century.

He said pubs and clubs played an important role in the community and were a "modern meeting place" that provided social support in the form of grants and donations.

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"As a member of the taskforce to open up the NSW economy, I strongly advocated for an earlier opening of pubs and clubs as they provide employment for thousands of people," Mr Dominello said.

"While I understand their concerns, I vehemently disagree with their conclusion that we should just walk away from this reform or kick it down the road because it is all too hard.

"COVID has shown us how businesses can quickly adapt their practices when confronted with new realities like social distancing or the need for QR Codes to assist contact tracing.

"Pokie machine addiction is an old reality, and we have the technological solution to help which is what we must do when someone asks for it because its destroying their life."

Our weekly newsletter will deliver expert analysis of the race to the White House from our US correspondent Matthew Knott. Sign up for The Sydney Morning Herald's newsletter here, The Age's here, Brisbane Times' here and WAtoday's here.

Alexandra Smith is the State Political Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.

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NFL Week 3 – Best Bets From the SI Gambling Team – Sports Illustrated

Posted: September 26, 2020 at 7:00 am

Over the course of this year's 2020 NFL season, the SI Gambling team, along with a few of our friends from the SI MMQB NFL team are putting our collective heads together to pick our top game of the week against the spread. We'll keep track over the course of the year for bragging rights as well as transparency. So far, our group has gone 10-3-0 ATS!

For the third straight week, our SI Gambling Insider Frankie Taddeo's information was spot-on for Thursday's matchup between the Dolphins and Jaguars. SI Fantasy PRO members received the Dolphins +3 pick Wednesday afternoon as the public continued to back Jacksonville at home.

In 2020, the "Vegas Whispers" NFL betting plays have gone 15-5-0 ATS as well as 5-0 on Thursday Night Football dating back to last season.

Before checking out the team's selections and "best bets," here are the latest Week 3 NFL lines at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.

Please note: These are our FREE picks, not our PREMIUM picks which are reserved for MEMBERS only at SI Fantasy PRO. Members receive alert notifications immediately upon pick release.

Ben Heisler (@bennyheis)

Green Bay Packers at New Orleans (-3) | TOTAL: 52.5

Much like the public overreacted to Tom Brady's rough start (coincidentally in New Orleans), everyone is ready to put Brees on the bench in favor of some various combination of Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston.

While Brees seemed to be out of sorts on his timing, I'll put more of the "pie chart of blame" on not having the best wide receiver in the game, as well as losing time of possession by almost 13 minutes to a Raiders team that executed their gameplan to perfection.

The Packers offense has looked terrific, but step back and think about who they've played. In Week 1, they faced a Minnesota Vikings secondary that lost most of their starting corners and safeties from a season ago, and the Detroit Lions who let Mitchell Trubisky throw three touchdowns on them in the 4th quarter to blow a late lead. The Saints present a much more difficult matchup for Green Bay, and if Davante Adams is unable to play, the line will start climbing back in favor of New Orleans. This opened all the way at Saints -6 and moved three points towards the Packers. I think this is the lowest number you'll see the Saints at this week, so jump on this before it starts heading in the "right direction."

BEST BET: Saints -3

Frankie Taddeo (@Frankie_Fantasy)

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (-11) | TOTAL: 44

The biggest chalk / square play on the board as the Colts are the only double-digit favorite in Week 3. There is no real need to explain this. I have been riding the Fade Gase train the first two weeks and I am not getting off even at the inflated number. If Indianapolis can beat the Vikings by 17, they can handle the dysfunctional inept 2020 Jets an even greater amount.

The Jets defense has surrendered 140 rushing yards per game through the first two games and now they will face arguably one of the best run blocking offensive lines in the NFL. The great offensive mind (per Christoper Johnson) of Adam Gase has the Jets ranked 32nd in total offense with 531 yards through two games. Lay the wood and watch an easy two touchdown-plus Colts victory.

BEST BET: Colts -11

Corey Parson (@TheFantasyExec)

Washington Football Team at Cleveland Browns (-7.5) | TOTAL: 45

The D.C. Football team is coming off a bad road loss vs the Arizona Cardinals, while the Browns scored a 35-30 victory over the Bengals.

The Washington Football team is not ready for primetime yet but that defensive line can create all kinds of problems for Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns. Plus, do you really think it would be smart to lay 7.5 points with the Browns?

BEST BET: Washington Football Team +7.5

Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano)

San Francisco 49ers at New YorkGiants (+4) | TOTAL: 41.5

The 49ers are a mess of injuries right now, as their top quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end are all out or highly questionable. Their defense has also taken a beating due to injuries, and coach Kyle Shanahan could play it safe with some of his players due to questions about the turf at MetLife Stadium. The Giants have their share of injuries too, most notably Saquon Barkley, but theyre not nearly as bad off as the Niners and theyre a home dog. The sharps seem to be siding with the G-Men in a potential letdown game for San Francisco, and I agree. Take Big Blue plus the four points against these banged-up Niners in a likely low-scoring contest in New Jersey.

BEST BET: Giants +4

Dr. Roto (@DrRoto)

Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons (-3) | TOTAL: 47.5

After watching last weeks second half meltdown against Dallas, it almost pains me to recommend laying points with Atlanta. However, one of my major betting axioms is to have a short memory when it comes to how teams played the week before. I am banking on Atlantas defensive line shutting down Bears RB David Montgomery and when that happens (notice I said when and not if), it will put the ball in the (in)capable hands of Bears QB Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky has been solid two weeks in a row, but are you willing to bet on three? I know Im not and I think Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn needs this win to save his job.

BEST BET: Falcons -3

Bill Enright (@BillEnright)

Washington Football Team at Cleveland Browns (-7) | TOTAL: 4.5

The Browns are coming off a mini-bye week after their Week 2 victory on Thursday night while Washington is flying back east after a double digit loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. With the Browns impressive rushing attack and newly found play-action deep passes, Cleveland should roll past Washington at home.

BEST BET: Browns -7

Roy Larking (@SIGambling)

Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (-5.5) | TOTAL: 47

Cam Newton and the Patriots (1-1) return home following a 35-30 loss in Seattle. David Carr and the Raiders (2-0) are on the road after opening Allegiant Stadium with a 34-24 win over New Orleans. As is the case across the NFL both teams have a laundry list of questionable players. Its concerning for Las Vegas that RB Josh Jacobs (hip) and TE Darren Waller (knee) both missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. The Raiders are also dealing with key injuries along the offensive line and stud MLB Nick Kwiatkoski is doubtful.

Wide receivers Julian Edelman (knee) and NKeal Harry (ankle) plus center David Andrews (hand) are the primary concerns for the Patriots. Newton has regained his form with New England and he is the Patriots leading rusher with 122 yards and 4 TD. In addition to injuries, the Raiders are in a tough spot here as they travelled west to east and have an early start on short rest. DraftKings Sportsbook is giving the undefeated Las Vegas respect with a short point spread. The New England defense tips the scale on this play.

BEST BET: Patriots -5.5

Steve Renner (@Steve_Renner)

Los Angeles Rams at Buffalo Bills (-2.5) | TOTAL: 47.5

There are only two games this weekend which feature two teams who have started off the season 2-0. In this case the L.A. Rams are forced to travel across the country for the second week in a row as they were not permitted to stay east following their road win over the Eagles last week. The extra travel, along with facing a strong Buffalo defense should prove to be too much in the end for the Rams to burn me two weeks in a row. Take the home Bills, who are the better team and have a hot Josh Allen at Quarterback right now.

BEST BET: Bills -2.5

Ian Ritchie (@SIGambling)

Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons (-3) | TOTAL: 47.5

The Atlanta Falcons have started strong at 2-0 while the Chicago Bears have really struggled to an 0-2 start.

Sounds believable, right?

It's exactly how I feel but those records are reversed. I think Atlanta scores 30-plus points in this game and the only way Chicago covers is if they get a defensive or special teams touchdown.

If I compare teams position by position, little to no chance the Falcons don't get a win and cover this game! Bet the Falcons and take your ticket to the window.

BEST BET: Falcons -3

Scott Atkins (@ScottFantasy)

Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (-5.5) | TOTAL: 55.5

This is one of those weeks where I think well look back and realize we didnt know just how good this Cardinal team really is. The Lions cant stop anybody on the ground having given up over 200 yards per game so far and the Cardinals feature both the 9th (Murray) and 14th (Drake) most rushing yard leaders in the league. Add to this how terrible the Lions have been away from home (0-6 ATS) in their last six road games, I think the Cardinals should easily cover the spread here.

BEST BET: Cardinals -5.5

Casey Olson (@Y2CASEY)

Los Angeles Rams at Buffalo Bills (-3) | TOTAL: 45

Maybe i'll become an honorary member of the Bills mafia if they leave Sunday 3-0. One of the bigger matchups on Sunday, both squads are coming in perfect SU and ATS through the first two weeks. The Rams head into Buffalo coming off back to back wins as underdogs against the Cowboys and Eagles, with a decent shot to make it three in a row. The Bills had a much easier first two weeks as they were matched up against the Jets and Dolphins, yet defensively looked lackluster, even giving up over 400 yards to the Dolphins.

There's no question this will be the best team the Bills have faced this season, and the Rams have a history of performing on the road. In their last 18 road games, the Rams have a 12-6 record ATS, including 4-0 ATS in their last 4, and 7-0-2 in their last 9 after scoring more than 30 in their previous game. The Bills on the other hand are just 2-4 SU and ATS the last two years after winning two straight. Josh Allen is on fire out of the shoots leading the NFL with 729 passing yards, but I expect the Rams to take him down a notch. The Rams allow just 6.2 yards per attempt (third best) and a 73 opponents' passer rating (second best).

BEST BET: Rams +3 (has moved to +2.5)

Gary Gramling, The MMQB (@GGramling_SI)

Los Angeles Rams at Buffalo Bills (-2.5) | TOTAL: 47.5

Since the start of the 2018 season, the Bills have played in nine games in which the total was 43 or higher and the under hit in all nine. If we want to get into the Xs and Os of this matchup, Buffalo plays quarters coverage as well as any team in football, and Cover-4 has been Jared Goff's Achilles heel.

On top of that, the Bills will likely get their top two linebackers (Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano) are back in the lineup after missing last week, and they have two weeks of the Rams' new-ish misdirection-heavy offense to study. They should force LA's offense that is already dink-and-dunk to scratch and claw for everything they get. On the other side of the ball, while Josh Allen hype is reaching a fevered pitch, keep in mind that to open the season he got to pick on the Jets' secondary and the Dolphins minus Byron Jones (Allen didn't start attacking downfield until Jones went down last week). Jalen Ramsey is likely to shadow Stefon Diggs and Aaron Donald should provide the kind of heat Allen hasn't seen since the second half of last January's playoff loss. Allen always presents a risk of turnovers and therefore short fields (and quick scores) for an opponent, expect the Bills to dial things back a bit in Week 3.

BEST BET: Under 47.5

Mitch Goldich, The MMQB (@mitchgoldich)

Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (-5.5) | TOTAL: 55.5

Its kind of funny to remember that these two teams tied in Week 1 last season. If we consider that they were perfectly evenly matched at that point (not exactly how these things work, but just go with it) then its a little dramatic to consider how far each franchise has gone in opposite directions since. I know some people were high on Year 3 of Matt Patricias Lions, and still may be even now, but I am not one of those people. And the Cardinals look to be fulfilling their destiny as the annual second-year-QB breakout team. Theyre going to beat the Lions, Panthers and Jets and be 50 going into their Monday night game against Dallas. Exciting stuff! But truly, this just struck me as a line they got wrong. I was surprised Arizona was only favored by 5.5 at home, and Ill happily lay the points.

BEST BET: Cardinals -5.5

Want more NFL picks? Check out the MMQB Team's Week 3 picks for every game!

Who are SI's College Football experts and insiders picking to win this week?

Ben Heisler

Saints -3

1-1

Frankie Taddeo

Colts -11

2-0

Corey Parson

Washington FB Team +7.5

0-1

Michael Fabiano

Giants +4

1-1

Dr. Roto

Falcons -3

2-0

Bill Enright

Browns -7

0-2

Roy Larking

Patriots -5.5

2-0

Steve Renner

Bills -2.5

0-2

Ian Ritchie

Falcons -3

2-0

Scott Atkins

Cardinals -5.5

2-0

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NFL Week 3 - Best Bets From the SI Gambling Team - Sports Illustrated

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Workshop entitled ‘Gambling: What’s the Problem?’ | News, Sports, Jobs – Evening Observer

Posted: at 7:00 am

A training entitled Gambling: Whats the Problem? is being provided through Zoom video meeting software from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The presenters are Jeffrey Wierzbicki and Angela DiRosa. Wierzbicki is the team leader with the Western Problem Gambling Resource Center and serves as the point person for training and prevention activities and drives community relationship-building in order to advance problem gambling prevention, treatment and recovery efforts throughout the Western New York region. Prior to his role with the Western PGRC, Wierzbicki directed federal and state programs for runaway and homeless youth, including allocating and advocating for funding and support.

DiRosa is the program manager with the Western Problem Gambling Resource Center. In addition to assisting with awareness and outreach efforts, she collaborates with mental health professionals to build a robust problem gambling service network and connects individuals being negatively impacted by problem gambling to the resources they need. Angela has worked in a similar field before joining the Western PGRC conducting training, advocacy and policy change with the state Bureau of Tobacco Control.

Problem gambling can be defined as any gambling that causes a problem in a persons life. While gambling is a widely-accepted activity in our community, problem gambling can cause personal, family and career issues. In some instances, problem gambling becomes an addiction called gambling disorder. Nearly 668,000 adults in New York state struggle with a gambling problem.

The program will give an overview of problem gambling and how it impacts many aspects of the community. Topics will include types of gambling, including online gambling; accessibility to gambling; warning signs of problem gambling; at-risk populations; problem gambling and suicide; impact of problem gambling and problem gambling treatment & resources

Community members interested in the topic are welcome and encouraged to attend. The course is also suitable for those seeking professional credentialing as a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP) or Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPS). The one hour CPP/CPS (Section 1); CASAC-G/ CPP-G/ CPGC (Section 1), CPP/CPS/CASAC renewal hours are approved for initial credit hours and for CASAC/CPP/CPS renewal by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).

To register, email WesternPGRC@nyproblegambling.org.

Since 1974, Prevention Works, a United Way partner agency, has provided social emotional learning and the prevention of risky behaviors in Chautauqua County school districts and the local community. Prevention Works is the only state OASAS approved and supported alcohol and other drug prevention agency in Chautauqua County. For information on future trainings offered by Prevention Works, contact Kathleen Colby, director of training services, at 664-3608, email kjcolby@preventionworks.us or visit Prevention Works website, http://www.preventionworks.us.

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On Tap Bets NFL Week 3 Edition – On Tap Sports Net

Posted: at 7:00 am

Well, well, well Im new to the gambling writing world, but not to the gambling playing world. After a night where my Jordan Howard TD anytime and Dolphins Money Line bets hit, Im here to give you three bets I like ahead of NFL week three action. Lets go!

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finally getting things together. After a disappointing week one loss, the Bucs rebounded and won in week two. This week, the Broncos are without quarterback Drew Lock, and Tampa is returning Chris Godwin after he missed last weeks contest. This will be the first time that Tampa has been at full strength on offense after Mike Evans missed week one against the Saints.

Its pretty easy to get excited about the Bucs here. Sure, could Denver keep it close like they did against Pittsburgh? 100%. That said, I think Tampa is a better team and Tampas defense is comparable, if not equal to that of the Steelers. Give me the Bucs on the spread. If it continues to drop and you can get it at -5 or -4.5, HAMMER IT.

Pick: Tampa Bay -5.5

Sunday Nights game will be a thriller as the always dominant Saints host the high-flying Green Bay Packers. For those reading who know me, the author, you know picking the Packers in anything is always a shot at my pride. That said, I think that after New Orleans lost to a Raiders team with a lot of unknowns, theyve shown they can be beaten. The Packers, on the other hand, look really good after two weeks.

Aaron Rodgers is on a vengeance tour after the front office refused to draft a wide receiver in Aprils draft. Instead, they took Rodgers heir apparent in QB Jordan Love and took a backup plan to RB Aaron Jones when they selected A.J. Dillon, showing that the organization was more concerned about the future than helping this current roster. Rodgers took that personally.

Rodgers has thrown for 604 yards in his first two games to go with six touchdowns and zero interceptions. He is playing at an elite level and is out to prove to the front office that they should have done more to help him in the offseason. Give me an angry Rodgers to shock the Saints, even in the Super Dome. If youre feeling really ballsy, you could even take the Green Bay moneyline.

Pick: Green Bay +3

This game is interesting. Dak is playing like his you-know-whats are on fire and hes on a tour to get paid. On the other side, Russell Wilson is playing at an MVP level with nine touchdowns in two weeks. It doesnt matter who wins this game, but it should be a high-scoring, competitive affair.

That said, give me the Cowboys on the spread. Im not saying theyll win, but I like the Cowboys to keep it close and make Russ look like the MVP that hes playing like. I think Dak comes out and pushes him, but itll be close no matter what.

Pick: Dallas +5

If I have more picks Ill tweet them on Sunday, especially as lines move. Follow me @rnldluce on Twitter and lets make some money. If I lose, you are allowed to heckle me.

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What Is Responsible Gambling? An Interview with Jennifer Shatley – UNLV NewsCenter

Posted: September 18, 2020 at 1:10 am

Editor's Note: September 13-19, 2020, marks this years annual Responsible Gaming Education Week.

Sept. 13-19 marks this years Responsible Gaming Education week. Those outside the hospitality industry might not know exactly what responsible gambling is or how it differs from problem gambling.Jennifer Shatley, who works at UNLV International Gaming Institute as she pursues her doctorate in public policy, is a longtime industry expert and President of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling. Here she sheds some light on an often misunderstood topic.

Responsible gambling is about using gambling for fun and entertainments sake. Gambling can become problematic when patrons use it as a source of income or when they gamble with more money than they can afford to lose.

Responsible gambling programs are really about prevention. They are intended for gambling operators entire customer base because the goal is to stop problem gambling behaviors from developing in the first place.

Ironically, though, responsible gambling programs are often thought to be problem gambling programs. Because of this, casino patrons might ignore responsible gambling programs because they dont identify themselves as problem gamblers.

Thats a terminology and perception issue that needs to be addressed. We need to determine how to position these programs to make them relevant within the minds of all customersbecause thats who they are for.

Gambling responsibly means taking breaks, not using gambling as a source of income, only gambling with money that you can afford to lose, and setting limits for yourself (both with time and money). Limit-setting is actually easier to do online because a lot of online gambling sites have built-in tools that allow gamblers the ability to set limits directly on the site.

For example, an online casino patron can say, OK, I only want to gamble for two hours today. Then, all they have to do is put that time into the site and, after two hours, the site will tell the patron that theyve reached their daily limit. Oftentimes, online sites also include 24-hour cooling off periods, where players can block themselves from using the platform entirely.

When we talk about responsible gambling, we always say that gambling is and should be a social activity. You should do it for entertainment and fun. You should do it with friends and family. But what does that look like in the COVID eranow that we have all of these social distancing protocols in place? How does that change how we talk about responsible gambling? Because unless youre living within the same household of people, you cant be within six feet of them. So something we need to think about is, How do we keep gambling a social activity when we have to enforce social distancing and put barriers between people?

Gambling operators also need to be aware that most of the customers who are returning to casinos have potentially experienced because of COVID-19 increased anxiety, loss of income, loss of a loved one, depression, and unemployment. These are all factors that generally contribute to problem gambling, and now most of the customer base is going to have some if not all of these experiences.

Basically, awareness is still key and the first step to gambling responsibly.

Its a very complicated disorder. There are neurological, biological, psychological, genetic, and other factors, but there are some factors that might make a person more at risk.

For instance, children who are raised by a problem gambler are more likely to become problem gamblers themselves. It also typically occurs alongside other mental health struggles, like post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and depressionamong others.

Call the helpline number: 800-522-4700.Help is available 24/7, and its 100 percent confidential. When you call, youre going to get specific resources for assistance in your area. They will also give you referrals for financial resources in addition to problem gambling treatment and support resources in your area. And best of all, the helpline is not just for problem gamblers its for their families and loved ones, too. They might receive referrals to GamAnon, which is like Gamblers Anonymous but for family members.

Another idea is to contact the casino or other gambling venue to see if they have self-exclusion programs.These programs allow gamblers to request that their play privileges be restricted. The whole idea behind self-exclusion programs is that the individual recognizes that their behavior is a problem and they play an active role in changing that behavior. Family members can play a role in self-exclusion, too, by encouraging the gambler to seek treatment and offering support.

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Juventus and Pirlo are gambling that the legendary player can get the best out of Ronaldo & Co. as manager – ESPN

Posted: at 1:10 am

It's another leap into the unknown for Andrea Pirlo and for Juventus, who are entrusting their mega-investment in Cristiano Ronaldo -- $375 million over four years in wages and transfer fee -- and their perennial hunt for the Champions League to a new manager who, until last month, had coached zero minutes of football. But Pirlo has been here before. It may look as if his bearded savant, cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow (cit. Stuart Scott) persona means everything has come easily for him, and that he's been nourished on a diet of certainties and perpetual upward travel, but this is far from the case.

Sure, Pirlo was tagged as a phenom from a young age, outperforming kids two or three age groups above him (and then, as he relates in his autobiography, often crying after because his teammates wouldn't pass him the ball). But Pirlo, who was born in 1979, came along a decade too late to shine in the Golden Era of Italy's "No. 10s" (your Roberto Baggios, Gianfranco Zolas and Roberto Mancinis) and a decade too early for the possession and passing game of the 2010s. Lightweight, taciturn and playing a position that was quickly becoming obsolete -- like the 7-foot, low-post scorer in the NBA -- his career looked to be going nowhere.

- Stream new episodes of ESPN FC Monday-Friday on ESPN+- When will fans be back? Guide to Europe's top leagues- Stream Serie A live on ESPN+ in the U.S.

So he struck his own path, reinventing himself as a deep-lying playmaker -- a role that simply didn't exist in Serie A at the time, when holding midfielders were hard-hat guys whose main job was tackling, running and giving the ball to guys who can actually play. That he did it at a huge club like Milan, elbowing his way into a midfield that contained far greater stars, makes it all the more impressive.

2 Related

It happened again in 2011. Pirlo was 32, and Milan, where he spent 10 glittering seasons, winning two Champions League titles and a World Cup, deemed him surplus to requirements, letting him leave as a free agent. He could have gone anywhere; he chose Juventus, despite the fact that a club had just appointed an ambitious up-and-coming manager, Antonio Conte, whose preferred system, 4-2-4, again had no place for him. No matter. He took the leap of faith. He and Conte worked out a way to accommodate him, changing the system to 3-5-2, and Pirlo enjoyed a stellar "second career" at Juve.

Going into management is a different leap entirely, both for him and for Juventus. As a player, you control what you do and if you're clever enough and gifted enough, you can shape your destiny, as Pirlo did. Twice. As a manager, you work with the players you have. A bit like parenting, you can give them direction and education, preparation and inspiration, but, ultimately, they're the ones who have to go out and make things happen.

It's a leap for Juve, too. There is no history of Pirlo the manager, no body of work to evaluate. (We do, however, have his master's thesis, written as part of his Pro License courses.) There's plenty on Pirlo the player and Pirlo the man, but those things don't always translate. So, you have to go with what you believe.

First and foremost is that -- contrary to his predecessor, Maurizio Sarri, who described the team as "uncoachable" -- Pirlo will be able to actually coach them. What made Sarri say Juventus were uncoachable? Mainly the fact that this is a team packed with been-there, done-that veterans, many of whom have gotten used to winning the league year after year. (In fact, Juve have won the past nine straight.) Sarri was a revolutionary; Juve's players were blue-bloods whom the status quo suited just fine, thank you.

Pirlo won't be asked to revolutionize. He'll be tasked with connecting, motivating, inspiring and man-managing. Juve's belief is that when you're dealing with guys who already know how to win, it's more about the tweaks and nudges. And if they come from Pirlo, it will carry that much more weight.

In this last point, there is a blueprint: Zinedine Zidane. He too was a legend catapulted into a top job at Real Madrid in 2016 with little experience (though more than Pirlo has). He too was known as someone quiet, maybe even a little introverted. But when he speaks, people listen. The hope is that it will be the same with Pirlo: those who know him well say that while his public persona is low-key, privately he's wickedly funny and engaging.

Take the quiz: Which Bundesliga club should you support?

In terms of the football, we have very few clues -- just some public pronouncements and a friendly match against Novara, a third-division side. Juventus lined up with a back three, like in the Conte era, but without the directness of the past. Instead, it was all about short, intricate passing, positional switches and committing men forward.

It's a glimpse of what they might do, nothing more. But you see the logic. This club is still all-in on Ronaldo as the anchor, and Pirlo's 3-5-2 allows him to operate centrally with plenty of support around him, but without the need to exert himself on the flanks. How the other pieces fit around him remains to be seen, because there's a cynical reading to this as well.

1:56

Mina Rzouki argues that Juventus' success could depend on whether they can get the best out of Paulo Dybala.

Pirlo is the cheap, low-risk option for a team that is prepared to take a breather after winning nine straight league titles. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, he'll earn around $4.1 million a season (plus bonuses) over two years, which is less than one-third of what Sarri got and less than virtually all his players. Makes sense: he's a rookie, after all. Pirlo is not coming in making demands for signings and throwing tantrums if the front office don't get him the players he wants.

Juve's newcomers -- midfielders Weston McKennie and Arthur and forward Dejan Kulusevski -- also skew young and cheaper. The transfer window is open until Oct. 5, and they'll probably sign a veteran name-brand center-forward on a short-term deal -- like Barcelona's Luis Suarez or Roma's Edin Dzeko -- to tide them over. But having lost around $80 million last season and with projected losses in 2020-21 (in part due to the global pandemic), this is neither time for heavy investment nor for a comprehensive rebuild.

From that perspective, Pirlo fits the cost-benefit analysis. He'll command respect from the players and garner the support of both fans and media, at least for a while. Worst-case scenario is that he can't cut it on the bench, but if that transpires, it's not the end of the world, since he didn't cost much.

Pirlo, no doubt, is aware of this. Maybe, in a non-COVID-19, non-Sarri and non-Ronaldo world, he wouldn't be handed Italy's most storied club as his very first job. And he knows it won't be easy, principally because he has to work with what's available to him and because, unless he wins the league in his debut campaign, he will have done worse, on paper, than anyone who has coached the club in the past nine years.

But that's OK. Pirlo has been here before and defied the odds. That effortlessness you see? There's plenty of grinding and sweat behind it.

If he fails? Well, he'll go back to being Andrea Pirlo, football legend extraordinaire, which isn't a bad day job either.

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Smokescreens and Slot Machines: Berks DA Calls for PA Legislative Action on Unregulated Gambling Devices – Play Pennsylvania

Posted: at 1:09 am

Enforcement of Pennsylvania law when it comes to gambling devices outside casinos ranges from sporadic and scattershot to non-existent.

That means there are tens of thousands of unregulated, unlicensed, and untaxed gambling devices across the Quaker State. Those machines are competing for dollars with the heavily-regulated and taxed legal gambling industry.

A cloud smokescreen might be more accurate has allowed the devices to populate Pennsylvania like toxic toadstools.

And thats the bigger issue, according to Berks County District Attorney John Adams.

The DA spoke exclusively toPlayPennsylvania earlier this week. In Adams view, the PA Legislatures complacency on acting on this issue is now the real problem facing the Commonwealth.

Their complacency on acting on this issue is a disservice to businesses and to the revenue source which could help the Commonwealth. Limbo is causing a monumental problem. To sweep this aside is not doing their duty. It is time for our legislature to act. It is time for the legislature to act, not to kick the can down the road.

Adams understands the confusion over the devices legality largely stems from a single 2014 court ruling, a ruling which has created a lingering legal smoke bomb.

But he adamantly contends that the bulk of the problem is the complete failure of the Pennsylvania Legislature.

Adams believes politicians have not done their jobs. They should have passed laws leading the state out of the haze by creating clear legislative guidelines.

I think hes right.

But instead, the PA Legislature has simply waffled.

Some lawmakers are pushing to regulate and tax the devices and make them expressly legal. Others are looking to ban them.

The Beaver County Common Pleas Court six years ago found that an element of skill was necessary to win the three games found on one seized device taken from a social club in Aliquippa, an economically pinched former steel mill town in Beaver County, near Pittsburgh.

The trial court also ruled that the skill element meant the games in question were therefore not games of chance, such as the licensed slots in casinos or the regulated VGTs video gaming terminals installed at some approved truck stops.

However, the court did not address the fact that the only approved machines licensed as casino slot games, and more recently VGTs licensed at truck stops, are considered legal under state gaming laws.

Also, the ruling involved exactly one style of wagering machine a particular model of a device known as Pennsylvania Skill. These games have a single distributor Miele Manufacturing of Williamsport, which which also goes by Pace-O-Matic, or POM of Pennsylvania. POM makes the machines using proprietary software from Pace-O-Matic in Georgia.

And then there is this seldom-discussed nuance: The outcomes of the skills games are based on coded software. Changing the software arguably means the game has changed. The court did not address how changing the coding could change its approval of the device.

With that favorable court ruling, Pennsylvania Skills sought and were granted a temporary injunction preventing the seizure of their machines, a task which primarily had fallen to the PA State Police.

But the unintended consequence of the muddied message conveyed by the injunction was all manner of gambling devices proliferated across PA.

More than 15,000and perhaps as many as 20,000unregulated and untaxed devices are scattered throughout the state in gas stations, bars, convenience stores, fraternal organizations, pizza shops, and even strip mall arcades. On the other hand, there are 24,000 slot machinesin casinos. The state regulates and taxes them, heavily.

A court in November 2019 labeled skill games as slot machines. Then, the enforcement injunction was lifted in January 2020.

Casino forces and manufacturers catering to casinos united in February to target the machines, attempting to clarify what is legal and what is not. A flurry of State Police enforcement actions also happened in February.

All of that finally prompted the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) to get off the sideline and definitively call the POM machines illegal slot machines under the states gaming laws.

But then PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro further increasedthe ambiguity surrounding the unlicensed machines.

The states top law enforcement officer quietly shelved his offices enforcement efforts against gambling devices outside casinos earlier this year. Instead, Shapiro has decided to await either a court or legislative action.

Even now, six years down the road, the Beaver County court ruling remains under review in higher courts.

All of which has resulted in a landscape of murky legal mumbo jumbo and confusion, and a law enforcement bureaucracy too timid to act.

But not in every case.

Working in tandem with PA State Police, Berks DA detectives recently shut down an illegal, unlicensed slot casino in tiny Kenhorst Borough near Reading. At the 777 Casino in a strip mall, $67,768 in cashand57 unlicensed machines were seized. An investigation continues and charges are pending.

Strangely, local authorities had signed off on the operation, which had opened last December.

But underscoring the legal murk, Kenhorst had submitted a letter seeking guidance and an investigation by PA gaming regulators in late December.

The letter went unanswered.

Adams thinks the PGCBs failure to pass the letter along to the State Police shows some of whats wrong with laws and enforcement as they stand today.

They absolutely should have passed that letter to the State Police, the DA said.

A spokesman for the PGCB declined to comment, but they have made it clear previously that their jurisdiction only pertains to matters of legal gambling and they are not authorized to investigate gambling operations outside casinos or other regulated gaming facilities.

A State Police spokesman also declined comment. And so did Kenhorsts lawyer, Jill E. Nagy, though she did provide the letter.

All of this further muddies the question of which entities are in charge of investigation of and enforcement against unregulated devices.

Adams finds it particularly troubling thatnot a single PA legislative member has spoken to him since the raid on the illegal casino.

Call me. Tell them to call me! he said.

And while no legislative action has become law, casinos and POM are readying elbows as the PA budget season looms.

As it has previously, POM continues to try and distinguish itself from other wagering devices commonly found outside of regulated casinos in PA.

First, they held a press conference to showily point to a strip mall in Lancaster County which appears filled with unlicensed gambling devices, operated as Largo at 3071 Columbia Avenue in West Hempfield Township.

A state lawmaker had complained about the location eight years ago, with no apparent legal action taken.

POM, which employs Tom Marino, a former U.S. Attorney and former member of Congress, delivered a packet of information to Lancaster DA Heather L. Adams. She took office in January. A spokesman said the information and any past actions by the office are under review. POM presser images follow:

POM followed that up with a live-streamed press conference with just three viewers on Wednesday from the state capitol Rotunda, again trying to set themselves apart from other devices.

The family-owned company presented several supporters. They included two legislators, a charity leader, and a member of a non-profit service organization, calling for regulation and clarity in the law.

Meanwhile, Pete Shelly, the spokesman forPennsylvanians Against Illegal Gambling, said licensed casinos have drafted a letter opposing any legalization of any new devices. But not all 12 retail casinos have yet signed off on the language.

He said any move to legalize and license the devices operating outside casinos and truck stops would simply be rewarding bad behavior which is killing the lottery.

He also pointed to billions invested in casinos, the employment of more than 20,000 employees, and the tax revenue generated.

It doesnt matter what name is on the machine. They are illegal, said Shelly. And they should all be taken out of service, he added.

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Smokescreens and Slot Machines: Berks DA Calls for PA Legislative Action on Unregulated Gambling Devices - Play Pennsylvania

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