Category Archives: Gambling

Sports betting contributes millions of dollars monthly $5.7 million in April to Marylands public education plans, but a push to divert 1% of the revenue to help fight problem gambling has met a lack of consensus in the legislature.

The legislature set up a problem gambling fund in 2007 with the legalization of casino gambling. But as the state has rolled out other forms of betting, lawmakers havent added revenue streams for the fund.

Unclaimed prize money from in-person sports betting goes to problem gambling resources, but 98% of money wagered on sports in Maryland is through mobile apps, which automatically pay out winners.

Longtime state Sen. Katherine Klausmeier, a Baltimore County Democrat who has pushed for 1% of the states sports wagering proceeds, or roughly $3.5 million annually, to go to problem gambling resources, said the state has an obligation to provide necessary support to those suffering from an addiction.

Problem gambling has become widespread, and I think so much more since sports gambling, Klausmeier, also vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said in a phone interview Friday. I would like to have the opportunity to help those people who are in the midst of having gambling problems.

Both the state Senate and House of Delegates voted during this years 90-day session to distribute a percentage of sports betting revenue to problem gambling resources, but a last-minute disagreement derailed the bill in the sessions final hours.

Klausmeier said she didnt know the details of the disagreement, and neither of the top Democrats whose apparent differences killed the bill Senate Budget and Taxation Committee Chair Guy Guzzone and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Vanessa Atterbeary could immediately be reached for comment by phone call Friday.

Since its inception in December 2021, sports betting has brought in $75.7 million for public education, according to the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.

Hundreds of millions of dollars from the states six casinos also go to public schools, including nearly $623 million last fiscal year.

Sports betting revenue goes to a dedicated fund for the Blueprint for Marylands Future, a plan to boost education systems and student performance statewide by starting childhood education at an earlier age, increasing pay for teachers and bolstering career and technical education opportunities.

Lawmakers have set aside money to cover the Blueprint for the next three years, but the plan lacks a permanent funding stream and is expected to be a major driver of multibillion-dollar operating budget deficits in later years.

Top Democrats have maintained full-throated support for the plan despite the fiscal uncertainty, and last year they shied from taking 1% of sports wagering proceeds from the Blueprint.

With annual fees from slot machines and table games, problem gambling proceeds usually reach between $4 million and $5 million each year.

Between $2 million and $2.4 million goes to the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling to pay for a 24-hour helpline, an outreach program that includes a voluntary exclusion list, treatment and prevention programs offered for free or at a reduced cost, and staff research.

Director of Operations Mary Drexler has said that, while the center has generally had a large enough budget to assist the more than 600 people seeking help at any given time, it lacks money for adequate preventative measures like public service campaigns and advertising.

She said those services would help the center inform people suffering from a gambling disorder about the resources available to them.

Drexler wrote to lawmakers in February that a dedicated funding stream from sports betting proceeds would help the center boost marketing to counter the gambling industrys multibillion-dollar campaigns.

It would also help the center attract more treatment providers to the states no-cost network and launch public awareness campaigns to target people who are especially prone to problem gambling, like veterans with PTSD, Drexler wrote.

Read more here:

Advocates seeking more revenue for problem gambling in MD will have to wait - Maryland Daily Record

The Gambling Commissionhas announced sweeping changes aimed at enhancing safety and empowering consumers within the gambling industry. These changes, outlined in alignment with theGovernment's High Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age White Paper,encompass various aspects crucial to fosteringresponsible gambling practicesand customer protection.

One of the key initiatives introduced by the Commission involves the implementation of financial vulnerability checks. These checks target online customers with a net deposit exceeding 150 per month on gambling activities. Initially set at500 per month from August 30, 2024,the threshold will subsequently reduce to 150 per month by February 28, 2025.This phased approach ensures a smooth transition for operators while prioritizing enhanced protection for financially vulnerable individuals.

In parallel, the Commission is conducting apilot program for frictionless financial risk assessments.These assessments focus on high-spending online accounts to identify and mitigate potential risks of harm associated with excessive gambling expenditures. Collaborating with credit reference agencies and gambling businesses, the Commission aims to refine assessment criteria during the pilot phase. The data-driven approach will inform decisions on the permanent implementation of these assessments, ensuring they align with the overarching goal of promoting safer gambling practices.

Furthermore, the Commission is introducing measures to improve consumer choice and age verification protocols. Gambling businesses will now provide customers with options to opt-in to specific product types and marketing channels, empowering individuals to control their gambling-related marketing exposure. This requirement, applicable to online gambling,will take effect from January 17, 2025.

''It will also change the good practice code to say licensees should have procedures that require their staff to check the age of any customer who appears to be under 25 years of age, rather than under 21 years of age.''

In premises, all gambling land-based licensees, including smaller operators, will be mandatedto conduct age verification test purchasing.This initiative, along with changes in good practice codes, aims to strengthen age verification processes and enhance responsible gambling practices.

The industry has responded positively to these initiatives, with a Betting and Gaming Council interim measure designed to streamline processes and reduce unnecessary document requirements. However, challenges remain, particularly concerning the implementation of frictionless financial risk assessments and the gradual reduction of net deposit thresholds.

The Commission's careful approach, with changes implemented in four stages starting from August 2024, reflects a commitment to balancing consumer protection with industry adaptability. As the pilot programs progress and regulatory measures take effect, stakeholders anticipate a more robust framework for responsible gambling and enhanced consumer safety within the gambling landscape.

Source:

''New rules boosting safety and consumer choice'', gamblingcommission.gov.uk, May 01, 2024.

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New Regulations For Gambling Consumer Protection Are Here! - Latest Casino Bonuses

MONTGOMERY, Ala. Both chambers of the Alabama Legislature adopted the $9.3 billion 2025 education budget Thursday after hours worth of negotiations on legislation that could have legalized gambling in the state, legislation that ultimately failed to secure enough support before both chambers adjourned.

In the House, the first spending bill to come up for a vote was House Bill 144, a $681.2 million supplemental spending package for the current fiscal year. Among the bills largest expenditures include $109 million for local boards of education, $22 million for school nurse salary increases, and $17 million for Career & College Readiness grants.

Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, the chair of the House education budget committee, explained changes in the bill, including $5 million that the Senate originally allocated for the state employee retiree trust fund being split among several different items, such as $1.1 million to the Alabama Historical Commission for grants, or $1.1 million to the Alabama Arts Council.

Several bills were filed late this session to give cost-of-living adjustments for state retirees, but none advanced. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, told Garrett he was very disappointed that lawmakers were unable to secure any raises for state retirees.

Garrett said it was simply a matter of numbers, and that that state could not afford to do so this year.

What I think what the retirees want is a true COLA, I think thats what they really want, and Im going to go through the numbers and just show you how that really is not something we can afford to do, Garrett said.

Now were trying to address some of their concerns, but let me just give you some facts.

Garrett said that the Retirement Systems of Alabama Trust Fund is currently 67% funded, and has a $14 billion deficit, $2 million of which he directly attributed to COLAs adopted in the early-to-mid 2000s.

We all want to help retirees, were understanding of that, but we cannot afford a COLA. Garrett said. A 1% COLA is $200 million. What we dont have is a source of revenue to feed that money.

I hear you, but there are a lot of things that were funding that I dont see us getting a return on, Daniels responded.

These people put their health and their lives on the line for all these years, and were not showing appreciation. Im sick and tired of us flirting with them every year, telling them that were going to do something for them next year.

Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Phenix City, who sponsored one of the gambling bills that passed out of the House but stalled in the Senate, pressed Garrett on why the Senate even bothered to allocate $5 million to the retirees trust fund, something he argued would not benefit anyone at this time.

I believe that they wanted to let retirees know theyre not forgotten, that were thinking about them, Garrett explained.

Fine, but I dont think this gesture of $5 million, which would get a 25-year retiree theoretically $50, is doing anything. I think its an insult to be honest.

Circling back to his gambling legislation, Blackshear said the Senates failure to pass his gambling bill directly hurt state retirees, who with the gambling proceeds, potentially could have seen significant raises.

Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, also spoke against the Senate for its failure to pass the gambling legislation, specifically on its impact on state retirees.

We are spending $200 million across the street on a new State Capitol; we just spent a billion dollars on a prison that still hasnt been built, Givan said.

There are many avenues that we can take in the state of Alabama that we could have allowed for the citizens who have served this state, our state employees and educators, to reap the benefits of seeing some type of cost-of-living raise.

Several more lawmakers spoke on the bill, using their time to criticize the Senate for killing gambling and its revenues for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, House members voted to concur on the supplemental spending bill in a vote of 98-1, with Givan being the lone dissenting vote.

Also approved was House Bill 145, the $9.3 billion education budget.

They really didnt change anything substantial from the House budget, they did not delete anything that we had submitted, Garrett said when introducing the bill.

The bill has minor, inconsequential changes made to it when it came out of conference committee earlier this week, such as moving $1.5 million for school safety mapping from the Education Department to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Another change Garrett highlighted was $14.9 million for a proposed teachers compensation for teachers, which was contingent on a bill that ultimately failed, reverting to education operating expenses.

I think this is a good education budget with the exception of raises for the retirees, but I guess Im a little bit frustrated here on this last day, said Rep. Barabara Drummond, D-Mobile.

We have been talking and talking about education, and we had an opportunity. I applaud all of those who voted for gaming, but was particularly gratified because of the money that would have been generated for education.

The education budget ultimately passed the House unanimously, and was later concurred with by the Senate, sending it off to Gov. Kay Iveys desk for final approval.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, shared in the disappointment of some of his members that the gambling legislation had failed this year. House members overwhelmingly thanked Ledbetter for his efforts, however, and gave him a standing ovation before voting to adjourn for the year.

Alabama Daily News later asked Ledbetter what he considered to be the highlights of the budgets lawmakers adopted Thursday.

Youve got to be excited about the budgets, he said.

Giving teacher pay raises is a big deal, giving state employees pay raises is a big deal. This is the fourth year in a row that weve been able to give pay raises, which I think is probably as long of a run as the states had.

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After gambling standoff, Alabama lawmakers pass $9.3 billion education budget - Alabama Daily News

Saturdays mean the UFC, and this week is no exception. But this week, the UFC octagon is on the road for a Fight Night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. For my best bet for Saturday (May 11th): UFC St. Louis Predictions, Ive got a play on one of the main card heavyweight fights.

Regardless of the sports, the Sports Gambling Podcast Network has you covered. Weve got shows and winning picks for every sport under the sun. No one around is delivering free picks for the entire year and working with you to battle Corporate Gambling. Today and every day, we are delivering best bets, free picks, and stone-cold locks. Sean and Kramer also are ready to Let it Ride, check out their best bet video below.

CHECK OUT THE SPORTS GAMBLING PODCASTS DAILY BEST BETS

Start Time 4:00 pmEST

The main card portion of Saturdays UFC action (start time 7:00 pm EST) opens and closes with big boys swapping leather. Weve got heavyweights in the main event and heavyweights in the curtain jerker. And its the main card opening fight that Im headed to for my best bet for Saturday.

Robelis Despaigne is just getting started on his MMA journey, with only five pro fights (all five fights ending with him knocking out his opponent), which is odd considering hes 35 years old. However, he was busy before this winning an Olympic bronze medal in taekwondo for his native Cuba. Hes a knockout machine who is going to turn opponent Waldo Cortes-Acostas lights out (his T/KO prop play is not much better than his moneyline, currently sitting at -170).

Best Bet: Robelis Despaigne (-240)

Overall Record: 44-23 (66%) Profit (based on $100/bet):$1,786.94 Return on Investment: 27%

First Field Goal Props NBA

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS THE PICKS POWERHOUSE

NHL PICKS LET IT SLIDE

SOCCER PICKS KICK IT ON THE PITCH

NASCAR PICKS FEEL THE THUNDER

UFC PICKS TAKE DOWN CORPORATE GAMBLING

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Best Bet For Saturday (May 11th): UFC St. Louis Predictions - SGPN

MONTGOMERY The 2024 legislative session ended on Thursday without the Senate taking another vote on a gambling constitutional amendment developed by a conference committee last week.

The Senate was one vote short of passing a lottery and gambling constitutional amendment last Tuesday. The House passed the proposal easily last week.

The Senate vote failed by a 20-15 margin. It needed 21 votes to pass due to constitutional amendments requiring a 60% threshold in each chamber. However, according to Senate Secretary Pat Harris, a vote on the amendment could've been called again in the Senate since a majority of members voted in favor of adopting the conference committee report.

Eric Johnston, president of the anti-gambling conservative Southeast Law Institute, said a lawsuit could be filed if the constitutional amendment was brought back up again before the session ended.

"I have not heard of what that rule is or the citation of that rule that would've allowed them to bring that bill back. That vote failed. That was the end of that bill, and it should not have come back," Johnston told 1819 News on Thursday.

However, no second vote on the constitutional amendment ever happened last week or this week before the legislative session concluded. Both the House and the Senate passed differing lottery and gambling packages earlier in the session.

"I'm quite disappointed because we were so close yet so far," Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) told reporters on Thursday. "It is what it is."

Separate legislation legalizing historical horse racing gambling machines in Greene County died in the House without a vote after passing the Senate in April.

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.

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Gambling constitutional amendment dies with the Senate declining to - 1819 News

If you have ever been to a Las Vegas casino, its likely you will remember the experience vividly. The lack of windows, and clocks. The sound of coins jingling, of slot machines, of cries of delight and angry frustration. If you arent a gambler, you may have marveled at the sheer lack of seats available for anything other than betting or playing.

Casinos are an experience all of their own, like a candy store where the sugar high comes from the constant flow of money rushing to and from - though lets face it, mostly to - the house. The chance, however small, of myriad financial problems being solved by a single spin of the roulette wheel means gambling remains an enticing prospect for many, so it is no wonder that the sector seems endlessly popular, and this popularity is spreading to the online, virtual world.

This happened earlier in Europe than in the US but slowly, state by state, online gambling - also known as iGaming or simply gaming by those in the industry - has opened up on the other side of the Atlantic too.

As with anything based on the Internet, iGaming needs to be hosted somewhere, and that appears to be where significant complexity has arisen.

Continent 8 Technologies is one company providing the digital infrastructure for the gaming industry. It offers colocation and cloud services specifically to the gaming and online gambling markets. Its a credit to our founder [and former Telecity CEO], Michael Tobin, says Justin Cosnett, chief product officer at Continent 8, of the businesss move into the US market.

Michael always had the ambition to service the US market once it was regulated. He took the incredibly unusual step of getting a casino license in Atlantic City to service New Jersey and then build a data center in Atlantic City.

From there, Continent 8 has been opening colocation sites as each state legalizes the online gaming industry.

We do data centers where other people wouldnt, because lots of other data center providers are looking for cheap power and great connectivity. We dont actually need to be in those places, we go where the vertical takes us and locations are needed for regulatory purposes.

This technique of keeping a keen eye on where new locations are opening up is also being followed by competitor Internet Vikings. Rickard Vikstrm, founder and CEO of Internet Vikings, told DCD that, similarly, the company is attempting to offer its services in every state applicable.

Plus Red Sea cable attacks, Khazna's CEO, and more

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Internet Vikings is based in Sweden, and along with Continent 8, began its operations in Europe as the market is, according to Vikstrm, 10-15 years ahead of the US in terms of regulations.

This is not to say that gambling was not popular in the US, but that a variety of federal and state laws have held the sector back. In 1961, the Interstate or Federal Wire Act was established, prohibiting the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest or a communication that enables the recipient to receive money or credit for bets or wagers via a wire communication facility.

The Wire Act prevents you from placing bets on sporting events across state lines, explains Cosnett. Its meant that each state has to regulate and have that transaction happening in the state - so even users on their mobile devices using a mobile app have to be in that state.

Beyond that, there was the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 which effectively outlawed sports betting nationwide excluding a few states, and then the 2007 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which prohibited gambling businesses from "knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager that involves the use of the Internet and that is unlawful under any federal or state law."

In combination, these three laws make the US a hostile environment for online gambling, and sports betting - both major parts of iGaming.

However, in 2018 PASPA was overturned, thus freeing up states to begin making their own choices. This has created an extremely challenging market, with each state having its own regulations, and hosting service providers must get licensed to comply with every set of rules.

It depends on which state you are in. Its so fragmented because every state has its own rule book so it's impossible to just know In this state, you do this or do that, explains Vikstrm. Ive had to send in fingerprints and tax returns for the last 10 years, Ive had interviews with investigators. Everything in my life has been gone through. Then they need to check the servers and our company to make sure we are a good supplier, and also the shareholders behind us.

These regulations slow down the process of business expansion for the likes of Internet Vikings and Continent 8, but they have both now made the process as efficient as possible.

According to Cosnett, Continent 8 was, at one point, opening new locations once every two months over a period of six months as new states added wiggle room for iGaming activities.

Theres no guarantee that every state is going to regulate, but all of our customers that want to come to the US want to be first to market, so weve had to compress our ability to open up a new location to between two and six weeks we can be ready for customers to start installing their equipment, explains Cosnett.

Currently, Continent 8 has been leasing space in other colocation facilities - always at a Tier III-quality site with good connectivity and capacity availability - but in the future, the company is looking to acquire and own its premises.

Not only do the likes of Internet Vikings and Continent 8 need to be licensed, but in some states the colocation facility they operate from will need licensing.

That is a bit of a competitive differentiator, argues Cosnett. We might look like we're just buying or leasing someone else's data center, but we're also bringing that regulatory approval to operate and provide our customers as well as the network and cybersecurity.

But even beyond the complex regulatory landscape, iGaming as a sector has a key set of needs.

Justin Cosnett, Continent8 Continent8

According to Vikstrm, iGaming is very similar as a sector to e-commerce in terms of its IT needs.

Its more about security, more about making sure it's always online, rather than a lot of capacity needed because, at the end of the day, it's not that much data, says Vikstrm.

Cosnett reaffirms this, noting that Continent 8 has been offering services including DDoS (distributed denial of service) protection, WAF (Web App Firewall), and has added a SOC and SIM service and end-point protection.

It's a rich target for cyber attacks, says Cosnett. We've seen that in the press in the land-based casino world over the last year or so.

While he does not explicitly name any particular incident, one heavily reported on was in September 2023, when a cyber attack against MGM Resorts brought down the casino and hotel groups slot machines and hotel room key systems in Las Vegas, as well as its website.

Cosnett continues: It is just as viable a threat to an online business as it is to a land-based casino. Almost more so because all these guys are doing is servicing the bet, so every second that a site is down or unable to service its customers, significant potential revenue is lost. And thats not just for the gaming company, but for the regulator in tax revenue as well.

Beyond security implications, latency is a key consideration. Online sports books, in particular, have a competitive advantage by having low latency connectivity and being able to deliver the user the latest possible betting odds and information about a game, particularly with options like cashing out, says Cosnett.

Because of this, Continent 8 drags its multiprotocol label-switching (MPLS) network to all of its locations to try and speed things up. Label switching can be faster than a routing table lookup because switching can take place directly within the switched fabric and avoids CPU and software involvement.

Depending on the data center in question and its location, which is sometimes impacted by the state it is based in, this could be even more important.

The debate in each state as to whether they should legalize iGaming is a complicated one. Currently, iGaming is only fully legal in seven states, though several more allow online sports betting and other limited gambling services.

A major driver in favor of iGaming is, predictably, money. Once something is regulated, it can be taxed, and such a popular sector has the potential to bring in a lot of tax revenue. There are few industries in the world that tell a regulator or a state or government, please regulate us, please take our tax money, says Vikstrm.

New York is one market the vendors are studying closely. Late last year it was revealed that it is expecting its budget deficit to reach $4.3 billion. Senator Joseph Addabbo proposed legislation to authorize iGaming and iLottery in New York, arguing that it could produce $1bn in tax revenue for the state. Despite this, the state has not included the sector in its 2024 Senate Budget Proposal.

While iGaming as a whole is not allowed in New York, online sports betting is, though only from a few select locations - the casino resorts.

The transactions have to happen inside an actual casino, so we havent yet managed to get to a position where we could take a data center or even build a data center in a casino property, explains Cosnett. Instead, Continent 8 intends to provide casinos that already have their own servers with better connectivity.

That could help them connect with iGamers elsewhere in the state, and also potentially the hyperscale cloud providers as many online gaming platforms use cloud services.

According to Vikstrm, New York currently has four licensed locations. There are a lot of rules, and it costs a lot of money to set up commercial operations there, he says. These casinos do not have a secret and vast colocation data center in their basements for this purpose - Vikstrm suggests it is closer to a few racks than a big commercial data center.

As with anything with limited supply, these casinos are able to charge a premium for hosting there. At the end of the day, we [Internet Vikings] are not paying for it, it's the operators. We forward that cost to them, and they then forward it to the player, says Vikstrm.

DCD reached out to the licensed casinos in the state, but did not receive any comment.

Notably in New York, those casinos that are licensed for sports betting exclude any on Native American land, in line with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

A Native American casino operator that asked not to be named confirmed this limitation to DCD, adding that some are in negotiations with the state for a new Compact - an agreement with the state that Indian Gaming sites need to operate - that would enable tribal casinos to take part.

Getty Images

The tribal casinos are, in many states, a motivation to not allow iGaming, according to Vikstrm. The reason states dont want to legalize it is the Native American tribes, he says. Tribal gaming and casinos have a big influence politically, and online casinos would cause them to lose a lot of money.

"The government would then have to give something back to the Native American facilities.

The history connecting Native Americans with casinos and gambling is complex and rife with colonialism, dating back to the invasion of the US by European countries in the 1500s, which led to conflict with tribes and saw many Native Americans displaced as their land was annexed.

Centuries later, Native American reservations were established by treaties and executive orders, returning some of that land that should never have been stolen in the first place. Inequalities prevailed, though, with federal and state government, regulations and grant funding often leaving the reservations with few options and limiting their ability to empower themselves.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, many Native American tribal governments began establishing casinos and gambling locations which brought in significant revenue to the reservations.

In 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) was established; a federal law dictating the jurisdictional framework governing gaming sites on tribal land. According to the act, its purpose is to protect gaming as a means of generating revenue for the tribes and to boost economic development. But the IGRA states that all Indian gaming must take place on native land, which is problematic for igaming, which is mobile by nature.

An example of such can be found in the 2018 court case of the State of California vs Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel. The federally recognized Indian tribe tried to revitalize its gaming revenue stream by establishing a server-based bingo game over the Internet.

Those servers were located in Iipays casino on tribal lands, which has since closed down. The casino had an on-site staff member who was supposed to act as a proxy for the patron by placing bets.

While the proxy and the server remained within tribal lands, judges ruled this was in contravention of the act, as the patron would not necessarily be within tribal land. Thus, the Iipay Nation was not allowed to continue its operations of the online bingo game.

DCD contacted several tribal gaming establishments and gaming regulatory boards for comment, but none were willing to do so.

Another important layer for digital infrastructure providers in the sector is the ethics of gambling itself. The phrase the house always wins is well-known, and not inaccurate, because the business model of casinos relies on them winning more money than they lose.

At every level of iGaming, each service provider, be it the gambling platform or the IT hosting company, relies on the customer continuing to place bets that will end in failure. Cosnett is philosophical about this.

Everyone will have their own personal view, he says. Continent 8 isnt a company that is full of gamblers. We are a technology provider, rather than a gambling company ourselves. My normal response is that what weve seen is that the best regulation and regulated companies will offer the best consumer protection.

Continent 8 remains in favor of regulation, with Cosnett saying that, if asked by regulators, they will switch customers operations off. Total prohibition has been tried in certain environments, and it's not necessarily successful, he adds. People respond accordingly, they carry on doing it but in ways that arent necessarily the most suitable to the providers or the consumer.

This philosophy is further supported by Internet Vikings Vikstrm. For me, its easy. It needs to be regulated, licensed, and controlled by someone because it's an industry that can come with a lot of implications, like alcohol, tobacco, or anything like that. People will always do it, so it's much better that it's regulated, he says.

Regulations mean you have to prove things such as source of funds, Vikstrm says. If you want to bet with $100,000, you need to prove that it is legal money and that you actually have an income that can support that kind of gambling.

In unregulated gaming, they will try and squeeze as much money out of every single person as possible.

Indeed, besides Nevada, which is home to Las Vegas, there does not seem to be a clear link between a states friendliness to gambling and gambling addiction statistics - the results are mostly scattered, but the data itself is also hard to establish. It relies on self-reporting, which many gambling addicts would not do.

The US is unlikely to see a widespread opening up to iGaming. Cosnett puts this down to politics: At a federal level, trying to get approval has been almost impossible, he says.

We [Continent 8] view it as part of the entertainment industry but, morally, you can have different views on gambling, and no one is going to win votes by legalizing and or making gambling easier.

While the politics in some states means legalization of iGaming is unlikely to ever happen, there does seem to be a continuous trickle of states changing their policies, with Rhode Island among those joining the legalization list this year.

Be it for better or worse, demand for iGaming is unlikely to go away.

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Betting on the US market; the IT infrastructure of gambling - DatacenterDynamics

MONTGOMERY The Alabama House of Representatives closed out the 2024 regular legislative session Thursday after briefly holding up the Education Trust Fund budget in hopes of securing a compromise on the now-dead gambling package.

The House had delayed voting on the ETF budget for some time while House legislators attempted to negotiate a compromise with the Senate over a comprehensive gambling package the Senate rejected last week.

SEE: Lottery, gambling constitutional amendment falls one vote short in Senate

The House spent most of Thursday in recess while lawmakers scrambled between caucus meetings and negotiations to leverage the ETF vote for some compromise on gambling. Some House lawmakers suggested delaying the vote on the ETF budget bills until after the session, which could force a special session and possibly another vote on the gambling package.

SEE: House passes ETF supplemental after bashing Senate for killing gambling package 'This House bows down to the Senate too often'

Ultimately, the negotiations fell through, and the House passed the ETF budget and swiftly adjourned Sine Die.

The ETF budget emerged from a conference committee between the House and Senate, and the House passed it with minimal changes last week.

RELATED: House easily passes education budget, appropriations totaling nearly $11 billion

Several lawmakers used debate time to complain about the Senate, a common theme for the last several weeks. However, the House eventually passed the ETF budget unanimously right before adjourning for the final time. The Senate swiftly followed suit, and Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill later that evening.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) said that House members attempted a last-minute push for some gambling compromise on Thursday but quickly discovered that was not possible.

"I think there was some ideas of maybe they could get something for the people," Ledbetter said. "That's kind of what they were trying to do. And, when they seen it wasn't going to happen, it's time to move on. That was kind of it. I mean, it wasn't a major push. It was just something that they seen some opportunities, and certainly, we listened to those and give that a chance to look at it, but it just wasn't possible."

"We talked about it. As I said, we've passed it out twice; we could have passed it again, but, you know, It just wasn't meant to be in this session at this time," he continued.

Apart from gambling, Ledbetter stated he was "excited" about the ETF and General Fund Budgets advanced by the legislature this year.

"Both the chairmen did an outstanding job," Ledbetter continued. "And certainly, the education budget being as strong as we've ever had, and the general fund as well. I'm very proud of those people, the chairmen, and their committees for the work they've done."

"Giving teacher's pay raises is a big deal. Giving state employees pay raises is a big deal. You know, this is the fourth year in a row that we've been able to give pay raises, which I think is probably as long a run as the state's had, so I'm proud of that. I'm proud we're able to support our employees and give them the raises that they deserve.

Gov. Kay Ivey also applauded the final passage of the ETF budget.

"Ensuring every Alabama student receives a quality education is my number one priority, and I am proud we are once again, for a sixth straight year, investing a record amount in education," Ivey said.

"From fully funding critical programs like the Literacy and Numeracy Acts to supporting the Turnaround Schools program to increasing our investment in special education to prioritizing workforce development needs like career coaches and dual enrollment, this budget wisely invests in the spectrum of education. I am proud we are jumpstarting priority projects like the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences. We are giving more Alabama families the ability to choose the school that best suits their child's needs through my education savings account program. We are ensuring students are protected by investing in their mental health care and in the safety of our schools."

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.

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RIP GAMBLING 2024: House closes session by approving the education - 1819 News

After Maryland casinos posted their fifth-best month ever for gaming revenue in March, gamblers pulled back in April.

After Maryland casinos posted their fifth-best month ever for gaming revenue in March, gamblers pulled back in April.

Total gaming revenue from the states six casinos fell 6.6% from a year earlier to $163.2 million last month.

Gaming revenue from slot machines and table games at MGM National Harbor led casinos with $68.1 million, though that was down 9.8% from a year earlier.

Baltimores Horseshoe Casino had $14.7 million in April gaming revenue, down 10.8% from a year ago. Live! Casino & Hotel at Arundel Mills had the smallest year-over-year decline, with $60.1 million in April gaming revenue, down 1.9% from April of last year.

April results were mixed at the states three smaller casinos, up 6% at Hollywood Casino, down 7.6% at Ocean Downs and down 20.6% at Rocky Gap Casino.

Casinos contributed $69.8 million to Maryland, with the majority of it going to the states education trust fund.

April figures were down from March, when the states casinos had a combined $178.1 million in gaming revenue.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming posts monthly and year-to-date gaming revenue figures and contributions to state programs online.

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MGM National Harbor gambling revenue down 10% - WTOP

Taking a Quick Side trip on the Money Angle

In the first detail article we took a trip down memory lane and dug though some major court decisions and fan misperceptions to get a look at the landscape of college athletics as they stand in 2024.

Judging from the reaction, its still not gaining a whole lot of traction from the readership as seen in the Facebook numbers. Hopefully, as this series grows a bit, more of the readers will visit the baseline detail article to better understand the current situation.

As the first article was developing, and the money related section was being researched, items kept popping up in the source search that started to refocus some attention regarding an entirely different, but admittedly very old, source of secondary monetary influence on college sports, namely gaming and/or gambling.

Before we get into this, lets make the parameters of the discussion plain. There is no advocacy intent, one way or the other as to gambling, sports betting, or sports gaming (fantasy football, baseball, etc.). The purpose here is to illuminate an economy that has become a major secondary factor in the monetary posture of collegiate athletics. We are here to observe, not judge, and attempt to digest their potential impact on the audience motivations that drive the media revenues. An additional note must be given in full disclosure, several online gaming and gambling sites advertise on SB Nation sites including Gobbler Country and that includes a live link to DraftKings Sports Book. We arent scolds, here. However, it is undeniable that the sports gaming and gambling industry has made a major change in the interest, appeal, and viewership of college sports events.

The influence of money and audience on college sports is obvious, but how does the gambling theme fit in with the remainder of the more direct influences involved? Gambling or Gaming on sports has been around for as long has humans have engaged in competitive events. Bored soldiers would bet on boxing matches, cockroach races, and the like in the field probably far before the Mycenean Greeks formed the army to visit Troy. There would be no surprise generated to realize that the ancient Greeks probably bet on the original Olympic game contests. Even when life was at stake, there is a better than even chance (wink here) that someone was betting on the outcome of the contest.

In some cultures, the wagering was completely legitimate and open. For much of modern (late 19th and all of the 20th centuries) American history its been limited, heavily regulated, or prohibited altogether. Well, at least legal gaming, anyway. Who hasnt put a few bucks on some squares for the World Series, or March Madness (which is actually an oblique reference to the immense sums gambled on the tournament, under the table so to speak)?

Everyday gambling habits on sporting contests have their darker sides, however, bookies and broken knees, illicit favors for illegal gambling debts riddle the past, and provide rich fodder for many a detective novel, or police procedural. Those stories ring true because they are a functional part of human and more recently American cultural interchange.

Well, sports gambling was pretty much entirely a no-go zone at every level until the advent of three things: the Internet, Fantasy Sports, and the Federal Court System. Remember the dodges and semi-sort-of-denials about the most popular fantasy sports setups? Well, most people really dont because basically they werent completely true, and the Supreme Court of the United States made all of that moot anyway. It all changed in a May 2018 instant.

The court ruled in favor of the state of New Jersey and struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. The move effectively legalized betting on all sporting events both amateur and professional. The Act had been a response to the growing trend of Internet gambling, and in particular the wagering on NCAA contests, in particular the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament. ESPN has a pretty good summary of the event in its archives.

As with many court decisions, and frankly almost all of this massive change in the reality and the perception of collegiate athletics, the end result of the outcome has national impact, and virtually no regulation or legislatively derived law behind it. Suddenly, overnight, what was illicit and under the table became licit, and there was a certain understanding that what was under the table was untaxed as well as unregulated as interstate commerce. Teams are even signing deals with legal sports book entities where it is allowed by state law. Inside the Rise of Sports Betting on College Sports (businessofcollegesports.com)

The brutal truth is, for the government, in this case the state of New Jersey, gambling on sporting events was a black market sort of affair. The entire thing was done behind closed doors, or in shady areas in the backs of bars, or off of foreign web sites on the internet. You are supposed to report winnings as other income, even if there were no Form W-2Gs (see: Taxes on Gambling Winnings & Losses: Gambling Taxes Explained | Kiplinger for a good summary of the rules.) But all of us know that no local bookie is going to take your tax information and file a payout report to the IRS. Of course, legal gambling sites, parlors, and the like actually must and do that for the state as well.

However! The federal government has done little to stabilize and standardize the regulatory environment for gambling and gaming. It has remained in state hands and state control with various rules for various jurisdictions. Washington seems to only care about law enforcement when malfeasance is involved, or the limited rules in place are violated. It also only cares that the line on the 1040 form, and the W-2G is filed along with the 24% federal gambling tax paid. It has little interest in the possible and probable influences on the conduct of the sports being wagered upon.

The advent of legalized sports gambling has pulled the hidden issue out from under the table, the nature of being a fan, and in particular a fan of college sports. The reality of collegiate athletics is that there are only a few sports that garner any real fan and betting attention: football and basketball (mostly still mens). These are considered the revenue generating sports and all other collegiate athletics are subsidized by those revenue generating sports.

If you want to get an idea of the scale of the amount of money in the sports gambling industry, take a look at the numbers from CBS on how much How much money is bet on March Madness? The 2024 NCAA tournament is expected to generate billions. - CBS News Now realize thats combined for both mens and womens basketball, but thats a staggering legally gambled $2.7B (Thats B for billion. Folks).

Those revenues depend upon the nature of collegiate fan participation, whether through direct gate attendance, club contributions, and/or advertising viewership and response. Those revenue flows are largely proportionally tied to the size of the interested alumni base, family, and friends. There is an additional regional appeal. As someone once noted in a discussion, [T]he Cornhuskers ARE Nebraskas professional football team. That is a totally accurate evaluation on many fronts. Though there are quite a few Kansas City Chief or Royals fans in mostly Eastern Nebraska, and maybe a few Denver fans in the west, for the most part the Nebraska Cornhuskers serve as the states favored spectator sport team. The same goes for quite a few states including Oklahoma, West Virginia, (even Virginia to a degree), etc. The list gets long, but the point is that the fan bases are niche affairs with local or regional appeal.

Gambling changes that equation. Suddenly a team that might not have much in the way of potential viewer ratings becomes a huge draw because there is some gaming reason altering the viewership and ratings patterns. What happens if the betting action on a Boise State vs. Air Force football game drives the viewership numbers into the stratosphere because of some betting action?

Do the conferences and participating teams get ratings related benefits from the increased viewership? When does that fluidity get accounted for in the re-negotiation of their media rights contracts?

And finally, are fundamentally disinterested gambling observers really fans? And do they or their betting enablers have any influence over the conditions of betting? Do they end up involved in NIL deals with individual players?

If you look at the sports gaming industry from a more high-altitude angle, you begin to see the holes and pitfalls of the rapidly growing phenomenon. College Sports Gambling Data Market Cools as Negotiations Persist (sportico.com) Its an erratic market, and often pinned to seemingly unrelated events, activities, and personalities. It is still largely the wild west with the NCAA scrambling to keep up, the pressures mounting on NIL contracts and involvement, superstar status for various individual athletes. The Caitlin Clarke/Angel Reese effect on womens college basketball cannot be discounted. Personalities can drive interest, which drives potential betting action.

How does a legal gambling environment affect the way players participate in it? How do the Athletic Departments and NCAA handle the pressures, govern the activity, and discipline players for participating? From where does the authority come? Who writes and maintains the regulations? What sort of due process is provided for accusations? Who investigates charges? There are some newish attempts to begin to answer these things, but the entire phenomenon is court created and not legislated. The regulations that come out of the process might end up erased by further individually based court decisions.

The NCAA is beginning to track the issue and has published NCAA releases sports wagering survey data - NCAA.org for interested parties to peruse. Please read it and follow the study link. The results, and this was from mid-2023, are something that can rock folks back on their heels. The main part of the conclusion of the report summary is eyepopping:

Overall, the present survey found that sports wagering is pervasive among 18- to 22-year-olds, with 58% having engaged in at least one sports betting activity.

Sports wagering activity is widespread on college campuses 67% of students living on campus are bettors and tend to bet at a higher frequency. 41% of college students who bet on sports have placed a bet on their schools teams and 35% have used a student bookmaker.

There just are no answers here. That is the hardest part of writing this particular side piece to the money section of the first article. There are only further questions, and more problematic facts begging even more difficult questions.

Next up we get back to the main series with a look at The End: the Svengali Coach, Transfer Portal, and the Effect of Free Agency. There will be another sidebar article that will dive back into the money element as it affects both the Portal and virtual Free Agency and that will be: The End: The Name, Image, and Likeness Fiasco.

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The End: The Money Picture Changes with Legalized Gambling - Gobbler Country

There is no denying that gambling is a fun and exciting pastime, and with it being easier than ever to download a gambling app or visit a casino, more people than ever are partaking. Whilst this is great news, it does carry risks with it. As the popularity of gambling grows, so does the number of people who want to take advantage of players, either through rigging games or committing fraudulent activity. Luckily, were here to talk you through the ways to ensure that a gambling site (online or physical) is safe.

Safer gambling has been on everyones lips lately, after a scandal at the Legends Poker Room in Houston, Texas, rocked the local betting community. A dealer was accused of rigging a deck during a game, and although no further action has been taken, it was enough for many to question just how fair some games are, and how safe they are whilst gambling. The news came thanks to a video that began circulating not long after the infamous game. In the clips shared, the dealer seemed to be improperly shuffling a deck and then placing some of the cards in a particular order on the table. Despite no confirmation as to whether or not these unusual actions were deliberate, they have added fuel to the rumors that already surround Legends Poker Room.

For those who want to take extra measures to ensure their safety when placing a bet, a new option has opened up in recent years that can guarantee this: Pay N Play licensed online casinos. These sites offer a secure connection between your bank and the casino, allowing for near-instant withdrawals and deposits. Regardless of the payment methods accepted, a surefire way to tell if an online casino can be trusted is to check if it has an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. This is considered a badge of honor, letting the user know that the website keeps data secure, verifying site ownership, and stopping hackers from replicating the site. If the casino does not have this certification, the odds of fraud occurring are much higher.

In addition to looking for relevant credentials, checking user reviews is another must before playing at an online casino. Not only does this allow potential customers to see if theyll enjoy the games, but it also serves as verification that the casino is legitimate and has happy and regular players. It goes without saying that if any reviews mention rigging or unfair gaming, the risk is not worth taking. It is also worth mentioning that if multiple reviews are complaining about the lack of customer service or the inability to contact the casino provider, these should be taken as warning signs. Its best to choose an online casino that values its users, and where, in the event that any suspicious activity takes place, there will be somebody on hand immediately to help.

This next trick may seem obvious, but is something that many people overlook. After choosing an online casino, but before signing up to the site or app, double-check that the provider has clearly stated and readily available terms and conditions. The T&Cs should have thorough policies on things like bonuses, deposits, and withdrawals, and how to unsubscribe from the site.

These tips are relevant no matter what kind of online gambling is taking place - be it crypto casinos or online sportsbooks. To conclude, protecting personal and financial details online is paramount, and any reputable online casino should have extensive safety measures in place to protect the privacy of its customer base. This allows users to relax and play all of their favorite games without having to worry, knowing that their identity and money are protected.

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