Category Archives: Gambling

by Kristen Wilson, Kimberly Rusley

Authorities say Chicot Game Room, Just For Fun Game Room, Penny Place Game Room and Teana's Game Room were all raided due to reports of illegal gambling. (Photos courtesy: Saline County Sheriff's Office)

Four game rooms in Saline County were raided Monday by authorities due to gambling offenses.

The sheriff's office reports U.S. currency, gaming machines and several documents were seized from Chicot Game Room, Just for Fun Game Room, Penny Place Game Room and Teana's Game Room during the operation.

This type of gaming is considered illegal in the State of Arkansas and after fielding several complaints from local residents, the Saline County Sheriffs Office acted accordingly," Sheriff Rodney Wright said.

Authorities say search and seizure warrants were conducted after a collaborative investigation by the Saline County Sheriffs Office, Pulaski County Sheriffs Office, Little Rock Police Department and the IRS.

The investigation is considered ongoing.

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Authorities raid Saline Co. game rooms due to illegal gambling | KATV - KATV

A plan to use riverboat gambling revenue to offset any shortfall in state aid for TOPS sputtered and was shelved Tuesday in a House committee.

State Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, sponsor of the bill, withdrew his proposal after it sparked questions and concerns.

TOPS stands for Taylor Opportunity Program for Students.

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A bill that would require TOPS recipients who leave the state to repay some of their assista

It finances college tuition, and in some cases other costs, for students who meet academic guidelines.

About 50,000 students get the assistance.

However, the program faces a shortage of about $80 million for the 2017-18 college year, and was underfunded for the 2016-17 school year.

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In a bipartisan but controversial push, two state lawmakers have filed bills that would make

Foil proposed using riverboat gambling dollars to offset any shortages.

The Republican said lots of his constituents already think gambling proceeds are used for education.

However, Foil said only 25 percent of riverboat revenue goes for education while 65 percent is earmarked for the state general fund, which finances a wide range of services.

"I believe we have an obligation that, if the students meet the requirements, the program should be funded," he said of TOPS.

State Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, noted that TOPS would be fully funded under the operating budget approved last week by the state House.

Whether that plan will be changed when the Senate comes up with its own budget proposal is unclear.

Smith also said riverboat gambling money has slipped in recent years.

Others noted Foil's bill would mean less money for other state services amid recurring financial problems.

Rep. Walt Leger III, D-New Orleans, another committee member, said while he appreciated Foil's goals he planned to offer an amendment to instead direct some gambling money to the state Board of Regents for a wide range of higher education needs.

State aid for colleges and universities has been cut by about $700 million in the past seven years.

Leger's comments caused Foil to say he would voluntarily defer his bill, which means it is likely dead for the session.

"I understand the concerns of the committee," he said.

The legislation is House Bill 91.

Foil is one of two sponsors of bills set for hearings on Wednesday.

Both would increase the GPA needed for students to qualify for TOPS.

Follow Will Sentell on Twitter, @WillSentell.

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TOPS proposal to use gambling revenue for funding sparks concerns -- then is shelved - The Advocate

Always Dreaming took the crown at the Kentucky Derby and that got Dan and Chris thinking, is time for legalized gambling in New Jersey already?

Now that two professional franchises are going to be calling Las Vegas home, the stigma of pro sports and gambling are pretty much history. New Jersey has had a long history of attempts at getting sports gambling legalized. Isnt it time it actually happened?

Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll.

The guys also discuss what defines an MVP. The NBA has some superstars vying for the title of MVP this year but what does it really mean? Is an MVP the player that means the most to his team? Or is it the player is just the best overall athlete in the league?

The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles engaged in a nasty battle the last couple weeks with players on both teams being beaned by the opposing pitchers as retaliation for something the other team did. Chris thinks this is an archaic tradition that needs to stop. Dan, on the other hand, thinks its a sign of sticking up for your teammates and a sign of unity. If anything, Dan says that the league should impose harsher fines for retaliation.

The New Jersey Guys is also available on your favorite podcatcher services including iTunes and Google Play.

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Time for legalized sports gambling? What makes an 'MVP' and more The New 'Jersey' Guys Podcast - New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio

MANILA/HONG KONG China and the Philippines have joined forces to tackle illegal gambling, part of Beijing's broader campaign to curb illicit capital outflows and a pledge by Manila to weed out unscrupulous operators from the country's booming gaming industry.

The coordinated crackdown comes amid warming ties between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte, who has made illegal gambling the third front in his all-out war on crime, after drugs and corruption.

In their first joint exercise, Philippine and Chinese authorities cracked a transnational cyber gambling operation in April, shutting four illegal websites run out of the Philippines, arresting 99 people and freezing more than 1,000 bank accounts, China's Public Security Bureau said.

Martini Cruz, chief of the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation's cyber-crime division, told Reuters authorities were preparing further raids in May targeting illegal betting and online fraud originating in the Philippines and targeted at Chinese gamblers.

"We have been visited by Chinese police to crack down on these illegal gambling operators. They are also targeting possible fugitives who have made our country a sanctuary," Cruz said.

So far, the crackdown has not targeted proxy betting, which is permitted in licensed casinos in the Philippines and has contributed to a boom in VIP revenues. Casinos in the country raked in nearly $3 billion in overall revenue last year.

The practice, in which a gambler outside the casino gives instructions to an agent via a live stream or online platform, allows people to bet anonymously and can allow players to escape the attention of authorities in their home countries.

Industry executives have said increased scrutiny could impact the lucrative proxy business in the Philippines particularly if it continues to ramp up ahead of the official opening of Japanese slot machine tycoon Kazuo Okadas new $2.4 billion casino in the capital Manila in July.

PROXY GAMBLING

While proxy gambling is banned in Singapore and in Macau, the world's largest gambling hub, it operates in a legal gray area in the Philippines and officials tend to tread cautiously when discussing the subject.

Andrea Domingo, the head of the Philippines gaming regulator, PAGCOR, told Reuters she was not familiar with proxy betting.

"It is allowed in the casinos. I am not very conversant about it," she said.

Chinese law forbids citizens from gambling online and at home. The Public Security Bureau has made repeated statements since March that transnational cyber gambling is harmful to the country's economic security, image and stability.

Yet proxy betting is growing at such a pace in the Philippines that Suncity, the top junket operator bringing in high rollers from China, told Reuters in April that 80 percent of its business comes from proxy gambling and 20 percent from customers traveling to casinos for live table games.

Ben Lee, managing partner of IGAMIX Management and Consulting in Macau, said the latest directives this year from China were clear warning signs.

"China warning specifically that they would crack down again on foreign casinos should be heeded by all, especially those operating in the online space," he said.

The proxy business in the Philippines is mainly facilitated by Macau junket operators who bring high rollers into the casinos' opulent VIP parlors, either in person or via proxies. The junkets take on the risk for casinos, settling all credit and debt for the players in Macau, Hong Kong and China via their own internal banking networks.

In a VIP area in a Manila casino, Chinese and Korean nationals wearing earpieces shuffle from table to table after a series of bets, carrying rectangular white plastic trays containing gaming chips and smartphones.

A Macau-based executive whose company operates proxy gambling in the Philippines said there was little concern on the ground in Manila as the practice is licensed by PAGCOR.

To play the game in China is legal online, it is not happening in China, he said, explaining that the casinos install video screening so punters can see the play.

For now, proxy gambling continues to boost the VIP coffers in the Philippines with mega casinos Solaire and City of Dreams reporting double digit VIP volume growth in the first quarter this year. The casinos do not report proxy betting figures.

However, executives in Macau familiar with the VIP boom in the Chinese territory prior to Xis crackdown on corruption and tighter junket regulation cautioned against relying too strongly on the method.

Proxy betting in the Philippines is a ripe target for China, said a senior casino executive based in Macau who was not allowed to be named due to company policy.

For a graphic on Philippine gaming revenues, click here

(Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and Jerome Morales in Manila; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

YOKOHAMA, Japan Japan and China agreed to bolster economic and financial cooperation, Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday, as U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist stance and tension over North Korea weigh on Asia's growth outlook.

(This version of the story corrects the name of subsidiary in 10th paragraph)

President Donald Trump sent no tweets, set no deadlines and issued no public ultimatums to strong arm Republican support for a bill to repeal Obamacare. They said they felt he spoke to them, not at them. (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-trump-idUSKBN1802T6) And with that, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved the bill, handing Trump a victory that could prove short-lived. The legislation heads into what is likely to be a tough battle in the Senate (http://www.reut

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As Philippines joins China to fight illegal gambling, more scrutiny of casinos likely - Reuters

Placing a bet on boxing has been around for almost as long as the sport itself. If you think of an early boxing ring then youll probably be thinking of the touts and bookies that take the bets around it. Being able to gamble on boxing comes with positive and negative effects though, not all of which we are really aware of.

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The positive effects of gambling include sponsorship, without this valuable money its likely that boxing wouldnt be as popular. Sponsorship money allows for new players to be found, equipment to be provided and even maintenance and booking of large scale arenas. This money comes in exchange for pure screen time, so its a symbiotic relationship between organisers and advertisers.

The relationship between these bookmakers and the teams they work with can be positive or negative. They can provide them with additional support or be seen to be meddling in the games or arena selection. Its a double edged sword in this regard but overall, most fans see sponsorship as a positive aspect.

This casino relationship has been around for so long that Las Vegas has become a spiritual home for the sport. Many high profile matches take places in casino homes in Las Vegas, a tradition that goes back to the 1960s.

With all of these positive aspects, you may wonder if there are actually any negative ones at all. The big, glaring, ugly negative that exists as a direct result of sports betting is match fixing. This insidious way to turn a quick buck exists in many sports, even football players have been banned for betting on games.

However, boxing managers can place bets by proxy and give tips for the outcome of a match, which fetch a high price. Corruption, bribery and fixing exists on a massive, global scale. It is possible to support the sponsor, i.e. visiting their site, to play on other categories.

Betting operators can also have bingo sites, where players can play the best games in the category without actually betting on the outcome of the match. These bingo sites wont be to the tastes of every spectator but it is a solution to the match fixing problem without stripping gambling from the mix entirely.

This type of extortion and match results fixing is illegal, but that doesnt seem to stop those that are involved in it. Its worth billions of dollars every year and there seems to be no way to effectively stamp it out, short of banning bets on boxing altogether. The structure of boxing, management and competitors makes this an easier game to fix than team games like football.

In general, betting has brought a lot to this games and there has to be a degree of appreciation for that. That doesnt mean that we cant strive to improve and reduce the negative effects however, which should be more than possible to do. Wed like to see the positive effects of this to become more prominent and the negative ones take a back seat in future.

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Gambling and Boxing: Beneficial or Negative? - WBN - World Boxing News

Football stars are blowing millions of pounds on gambling after being wooed by bookies promising a host of freebies and glamour invites, an insider has claimed.

And the whistleblower alleged bosses allowed them to carry on betting even after they had lost fortunes and were showing signs of addicition.

Account managers offer players from across the Premier League VIP incentives such as invites to horse racing, Formula One and top football matches as well as offers of free booze, parties and entertainment packages.

Lifting the lid on the gambling craze sweeping the game, the insider told how one England star bet 500 on his own transfer to a top flight club in a bid to win 5,000.

And a Premier League defender lost 500,000 on mobile phone casino games in a year, leaving him with just pennies in an account that once had 1.2million in it. One Scotland star begged bookies to close his account after blowing 25,000 on slot machines and roulette, telling them: My gambling is out of control.

And another player lost half of the 500,000 he deposited in his bets fund.

The insider, from a major UK bookie, said: Top players get invites to big sports events. They give them goodies so they get them to spend money, and free food and booze when they get there.

One PL defender at a struggling club lost 500,000 on his mobile phone.

Gambling on casino games is just too easy. You lose in seconds, on a spin.

The England player who bet on his own transfer was sussed and the bet was voided. He had one account closed. Anyone else would have been banned. He set up another 40,000 account for roulette. They let him play. They do pick up big names.

If it was Joe Average, not a footballer , they would not be allowed to continue playing.

The Association of British Bookmakers said a host of new responsible gambling measures had been introduced in a bid to stop wagers getting out of hand. They include giving players the ability to set a limit on money they spend or time gaming. And there is a self-exclusion scheme and 50 stake limits.

But our source claimed the player who lost 500,000 on mobile casino games was allowed to continue betting.

The insider added: He had 39 pence left. At one stage, he had 1.2million.

The claims came after Burnley star Joey Barton was banned from football for 18 months on a FA betting rap .

He admitted to being addicted to gambling after placing 1,260 bets on matches last year.

But the whistleblower said: Barton is typical. There is one Premier League outfit with a lot of players who deposited money together. I dont know if they were betting together.

Former Stoke winger Matthew Etherington said bookies should refuse to take wagers from players if their gambling is getting out of control.

The 35-year-old, who lost 1.5million due to his addiction, added: They need to recognise those that are vulnerable and dont take bets from them.

I was targeted. We had gambling companies come into the club and say, You can bet with us.

They knew we were young, a bit vulnerable and had lots of money. Looking back, it was very irresponsible of them.

There are an estimated 250,000 problem gamblers in the UK, with about half a million people deemed to be at risk of addiction, according to GambleAware

Chief executive Marc Etches said: Young men are among the most vulnerable. Professional sport is dominated by them. It is about having time and liking risky behaviour. A lot of work needs to be done to help them.

But our source alleged problem gamblers could still walk into a branch and open an account even after they had self-excluded.

FA chairman Greg Clarke has ordered a report into whether it is appropriate for clubs to have official partnerships with gambling and betting.

The body, which has a deal with Ladbrokes, is expected to make a decision this summer.

A worldwide ban on betting on football came into force at the start of the 2014-15 season for all those involved in the game from Premier League though all the leagues to the lower levels.

That means stars cannot wager, either directly or indirectly, on any match or competition.

It also made it illegal to gamble on any other football-related matter including, the transfer of players, hiring of managers or team selection.

The world of football has been littered with players suffering huge gambling problems.

Paul Merson was one of the stars with the biggest addiction.

He admitted blowing a staggering 7m on betting.

At his worst, when playing for Aston Villa, he even contemplated breaking his own fingers to stop himself dialling the bookies.

Former Manchester United, Newcastle and Blackburn star Keith Gillespie blew 7.2m.

He said: Without a doubt I was a stupid gambler. But then theres not too many clever gamblers. I had a good education, I was brought up well, but once you get caught up in it, it takes the wits out of you.

By his own admission former Spurs star Matthew Etherington estimated he has lost about 1.5million on greyhounds, horses and poker.

He said: I was gambling in all forms, playing poker on the internet or in schools, but it was basically the dogs and horses, going into betting shops, betting online.

Not football, because there are a lot of rules and it was becoming known that I had a problem and I didnt want to go down that road.

Back in 2009, it emerged former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen had a 6million gambling debt.

The Icelandic international became addicted whilst recovering from a serious knee injury at Barcelona, having spent two summers visiting Las Vegas.

Excerpt from:

England footballer bet on his own TRANSFER in stark example of gambling epidemic gripping the game - Mirror.co.uk

Mr Francis Tay believes that to avoid addiction, gamblers can and should exercise personal responsibility and self-discipline (Self-responsibility the answer, not govt action; May 5).

Having counselled hundreds of gamblers (including those addicted to jackpot machines), I can testify that compulsive gamblers are unable to stop gambling, even if they want to.

Research has shown that gambling, like addictive drugs, rewires one's brain, changing its structure, functioning and chemistry.

It damages the pre-frontal cortex, which enables rational decisions and helps override impulsive urges.

In layman terms, it is like a brain driving a car with no brakes.

Such a gambler cannot make rational decisions nor refrain from gambling, even if he wants to.

This explains why gambling addiction is difficult to treat.

There is no way of knowing before you start gambling whether you will become an addict.

Self-responsibility cannot be the answer. Neither is it wise to lay the onus of not falling into addiction solely on the individual, especially when the source and supply of such addictive activity is brought to his doorstep.

Former jackpot machine addict Madam Loh was quoted as saying: "The jackpot rooms are so easy to get into... The Government should slowly close them down." (Jackpot addict: I lost $10k in a day; April 30)

We should pay attention when former jackpot addicts are calling for the Government to disallow clubs offering easy unlimited access to jackpot machines in heartland estates.

When the authorities are in a position to protect the vulnerable, they should do so.

Billy Lee Han Tiong

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Gambling addicts may not be able to stop, even if they want to - The Straits Times

Financial Times

Gambling muddies reputation of the beautiful game Financial Times Football stadiums are filled with ads touting gambling apps, while half the 20 Premier League clubs have kits sponsored by betting groups. Stoke City is owned by Bet365, the Chinese characters of Mansion adorn the shirts of both Bournemouth and Crystal ... FA 'considering' relationship with gambling and alcohol firms - Greg ClarkeBBC Sport Does football have a gambling problem?World Soccer Talk FA orders inquiry into links with gambling and alcoholThe Week UK Sports Mole -Lancashire Telegraph all 17 news articles »

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Gambling muddies reputation of the beautiful game - Financial Times

Minister for communications senator Mitch Fifield says television licence fees are a relic of a bygone age of regulation in todays media environment. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Turnbull government will launch a crackdown on gambling advertising on live sporting coverage as part of a package of sweeping media changes.

Parents around Australia will be delighted when they know that during football matches, cricket matches and live sporting events before 8.30pm, there will be no more gambling ads, Turnbull told reporters in New York before leaving the US to return to Australia before Tuesdays budget.

The communications minister, senator Mitch Fifield, said the new restriction would ban gambling ads from five minutes before the commencement of play until five minutes after the conclusion of play or 8.30pm, whichever came sooner.

These things are also a balance between recognising that commercial media need to have sources of revenue but at the same time we need to protect families and children, he said.

The existing exemptions for advertising that covers the racing industry and lotteries will remain.

The anti-gambling campaigner and Senate crossbencher Nick Xenophon said the measure was a good first step but didnt go far enough.

Its not the end of the story in terms of gambling reform, he said on Saturday.

The independent MP Andrew Wilkie said gambling ads in sports broadcasts during G-rated viewing periods were normalising gambling for children and had to stop.

We know that children are especially susceptible to advertising and hero worship and that gambling advertising has a real and measurable impact on the children who are subjected to it, Wilkie said.

Struggling television broadcasters are celebrating after securing some financial relief.

They have had their broadcasting licence fees and datacasting charges abolished, which saves $130m but instead they will pay new annual spectrum fees estimated to raise about $40m.

Fifield said licence fees, which were revenue based, were introduced when broadcasters could generate significant profits due to their exclusive access to mass audiences.

In todays media environment, licence fees are a relic of a bygone age of regulation, he said.

The Nine chief executive, Hugh Marks, urged the parliament to pass the media reform package in its entirety.

The Seven West Media chairman, Kerry Stokes, also backed the changes.

It will give us a real opportunity to compete in the new media environment, he said.

The package includes changes to Australias anti-siphoning regime to reduce the size of the list.

The scheme stops pay TV broadcasters from buying the rights to sports events on the anti-siphoning list before free-to-air broadcasters have the opportunity to buy the rights.

The government will spend $30m over four years to encourage subscription television to increase coverage of womens sport and niche sports.

Senator Fifield confirmed the government would push ahead with plans to scrap the two-out-of-three rule that prevented a company controlling more than two of three radio, television and newspapers in an area.

It will also aim to axe the rule that prohibits a proprietor from controlling a TV licence that reaches more than 75% of the population.

Childrens and Australian content will undergo a review too.

The opposition is waiting to see the detail on the full package before it announces whether it will support it.

We want to see a diversity of voices in the Australian media and we know the economics of journalism have changed a great deal, the Labor deputy leader, Tanya Plibersek, told reporters.

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Coalition to ban gambling-related ads during live sports coverage - The Guardian

A bid to bring more casinos and gambling to Florida collapsed yet again this year as state legislators were unable to reach an agreement on a comprehensive gambling bill.

Top Republicans announcedTuesdaythat they were giving up on any attempt to pass legislation during the annual session that is scheduled to endon Friday.

"We just couldn't get it across the finish line; we were too far apart," said Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, a Miami Republican who led negotiations for the Florida House.

This marks yet another year where the GOP-controlled Legislature was unable to piece together a bill amid a dizzying array of competing interests, including those in the gambling industry as well as those in the state's tourism industry who have been traditionally opposed to any wide expansion to gambling.

But the main reason the effort failed this year was due to a push by Senate President Joe Negron to allow eight counties across the state to add slot machines to existing dog and horse tracks.

Voters in those counties approved referendums authorizing slot machines, but state regulators and Attorney General Pam Bondi have said the tracks have no legal authority to add them. The state Supreme Court is currently considering a lawsuit challenging the state's position.

Negron said that the Legislature needed to respect the "will of the voters" in those counties, but House Republicans were unwilling to go along. Diaz pointed out that tracks in south Florida only won the right to add slot machines after voters approved a statewide referendum.

Gambling is supposed to be "illegal" in Florida, but really isn't. There's plenty of it around the state, often tucked away from theme parks and beaches in locations known mostly to locals and retirees who flock to Florida each winter.

While the state lacks high-end casinos like Las Vegas, the Seminole Tribe operates several casinos, including Hard Rock hotels and casinos in Tampa and Hollywood. Dog and horse tracks are scattered statewide, but only those in south Florida have been permitted to install slot machines, while only the tribe is authorized to offer blackjack. The state makes money off gambling, and has been paid nearly $2 billion since 2010 from the tribe.

Seven years ago the state reached an exclusive deal to let the tribe offer blackjack at many of its Florida casinos, but that provision expired in 2015. State officials have argued the tribe must stop offering blackjack, but the tribe sued and won the first round in court.

Because legislators have been unable to reach a deal this year, Florida's gambling landscape could be decided by the courts. Diaz said if the Supreme Court approves slot machines in eight counties it could prod legislators to hold a special session.

"Gaming is going to continue to keep expanding without us controlling it," said Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican and sponsor of a sweeping gambling bill.

The collapse of gambling talks may also doom efforts to resolve the murky legal status of fantasy sports.

Florida's attorney general back in 1991 issued an opinion that football fantasy leagues were a form of illegal gambling. But fantasy leagues have continued to flourish and expand since then, including the creation of daily fantasy leagues. Some legislators including Galvano say that fantasy leagues are illegal. His gambling bill included provisions that would have made it clear that fantasy sports is legal under Florida law.

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Push To Expand Gambling In State Folds Again - WLRN