Let your mouth speak archive

At a time when the US government continues prohibition of online gambling, the rest of the world continues to expand within the industry. The height to which the industry has grown is exemplified by the looming sale of Gambling.com.

Considered to be the most valuable domain name within the Internet gaming industry, Gambling.com is being sold by Media Corp., a UK-based advertising and online casino company. The company has entrusted Sedo Holding AG, an Internet domain sales company, with the rights to the sale.

"This will be one of the biggest domain sales in history, and it shows how far the online gambling industry has come worldwide," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz. "It is not even known what the new owner will do with the site, but it certainly will be well worth the purchase price."

Media Corp. is hoping that the sale nets upwards of $10 million. If that is the case, there will likely only be a handful of bidders. The sale takes place at a time when the US, the largest online gambling market in the world, still is attempting to keep the industry free from regulations.

Senator Harry Reid has unveiled new legislation that would regulate online poker, but the Conservatives in Congress have attacked the bill. The Conservative stance over the past several years has been to deny Americans protection against unregulated Internet gaming sites.

The US government has continually turned their back on millions of online gamblers, and the sale of Gambling.com is just another example of how the rest of the world is far ahead of the US within one of the biggest growing industries on the planet.

Playtech Ltd. and Bet365 are two companies that have been mentioned as possible suitors for the prestigious domain name, according to the London-based Times. With both of those companies offering online gaming sites, it is possible they want the gambling.com as a base for their other sites.

H2 Gambling Capitals’ survey revealed that despite the economic sector in the U.K and all over the world going down hill the gambling sector has increased by 12.5 percent.

The total wins go up to just under £19 million even if the FIFA World Cup wins were taken away from the results the increase would have still been a staggering 11.5 percent.

The sports betting sector proved to be the most popular by bringing in £7.78 billion which is an increase of 10.8 percent and that`s including the FIFA World Cup Tournament.

In the second place came in online bingo bringing in £1.72 billion which is an amazing raise of 28.4 percent after which online casinos followed with a £4.02 million, an increase of 13.3 percent.

Weaker economic climate may have contributed to the number of gambling sites decreasing since 2009 with only 2400 sites left for the player to choose from.

It would have seemed that online poker was doing well but the survey showed that online poker wasn`t on a big increase since it only generated a 7.1 percent increase and brought in £3.26 million.

The main factor that contributed to the growth is the positive online gambling regulatory changes in Europe such as the newly opened French and Italian internet poker markets helped with the rise in revenues. Leaders in the area are Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Spain.

MasterCard and Visa have been busy lobbying for online gambling reform in the United States, with both credit card companies unhappy about the current state of legislation.
Lobbying to Repeal the Ban

The two global giants have complied with the regulations set out by the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which put the onus on companies that process transfers between players and online gambling operators.

According to a disclosure report released this past week, MasterCard Inc. spent $840,000 during the third quarter to lobby the federal government on a range of issues, including Internet gambling and online payments. That followed the $2.33 million it paid lobbyists in the second quarter of 2010, when the financial overhaul bill was before Congress.

For purposes of comparison, during the same three-month period the Poker Players Alliance reportedly spent around $500k and PartyGaming around $60k on online gambling lobbying.
HR 2267 Bill

The MasterCard disclosure is broken down into two key areas: specific lobbying issues and general lobbying issues. The latter contains a reference to Congressman Barney Frank's H.R. 2267 bill (the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act), which seeks to overturn the effective ban on online gambling introduced by the 2006 UIGEA.

Gov. Rick Perry on Monday reiterated his opposition to expanding gambling in Texas, saying he remains confident that lawmakers can balance the budget by cutting spending and avoiding new taxes, despite worsening projections about the state's budget shortfall.

In an interview with the Star-Telegram on the eve of the 2011 legislative session, Perry said he expects "every agency and every program" to come under scrutiny by lawmakers as they decide which services are priorities and which can be cut.

He also said that voters, both in Texas and nationally, sent a "very clear" message in the November elections: "Don't spend money that we don't have on programs we don't want."

The 82nd Legislature convenes at noon today to begin a 140-day biennial session expected to be dominated by efforts to craft a balanced budget in the face of a shortfall that some experts say could reach $27 billion. Others say the shortfall could be closer to $12 billion to $16 billion.

Texas' budget problems have fueled momentum among gaming advocates, who hope to convince lawmakers that expanding gambling could generate billions of dollars in added revenue to help offset the budget crunch.

Forty-five percent of Texans favor legalizing casinos and allowing slot machines at racetracks, including Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, to raise revenue, according to a new survey by the Star-Telegram and other newspapers; 34 percent oppose expanding gambling.

Perry, who has opposed past efforts to broaden gambling, said he has not changed his position. "I have consistently been an opponent to expanding the gambling footprint in Texas and continue to maintain that position," he said.

But a spokesman for gaming interests said Perry's support isn't essential, since their proposal would be in the form of an amendment to the Texas Constitution that would be decided by voters.

"We're asking the legislators to let the voters decide," said Scott Dunaway, a spokesman for the Texas Gaming Association. A constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds vote of both chambers in the Republican-dominated Legislature to be placed on the November ballot. Unlike legislation, which the governor can either sign into law or veto, a constitutional amendment does not need the governor's consent, Dunaway said.

Perry, who will be inaugurated next week to an unprecedented third four-year term, has been touted as a possible 2012 presidential contender, but he insists that he has no interest. "Nothing's changed," he said.

Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, said it's far too early to discuss whether he would seek another term in 2014. "That's way down the road," he said. "We'll just leave that laying there."

Despite the crush of big issues, Perry said he believes that lawmakers can complete their work during the 140-day regular session and won't require him to call a special session.

Dave Montgomery is the

Star-Telegram's Austin bureau chief. 512-476-4294

Pennsylvania was like an up and coming sports team that has taken their lumps, and was finally ready to stake their claim to a title. Much like in sports, however, the champion, in this case New Jersey, threw a punch that staggered the challenger.

The gaming industry in the Northeast has changed drastically over the past couple of years, with Pennsylvania making a strong push to become the top destination in the region. Last year, when Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a bill that legalized table games, it only figured to pull more customers from Atlantic City casinos, and it did.

On Monday, New Jersey legislators came back in a way that nobody thought possible. The lawmakers ignored federal laws regarding online gambling, and passed a bill that will bring blackjack, slots, and many other casino games to the comfort of gamblers' homes in the state. It was the type return punch that may take years for Pennsylvania to regroup.

There is little doubt that Pennsylvania had the momentum. New casinos had been opened in recent years, and their gaming industry is thriving at a time when Atlantic City casinos are all flirting with bankruptcy. New Jersey lawmakers knew they had to act quickly to help their famed gaming industry, and they did just that.

The legislation passed Monday will not only change the future of gambling in the Northeast, but most likely the entire nation. California legislators have a bill on the table to regulate online poker, and now that New Jersey has taken the bold move to be the first into the industry, the risk is not as great as it was Sunday for California.

Pennsylvania, meanwhile, is left to wonder how they came so close to overtaking New Jersey, but fell short. If the legislation passage Monday was any indication, New Jersey is not ready to give that throne up just yet. Add in the fact that New Jersey will also likely soon add sports betting for their casinos, and it appears as though Pennsylvania's run at the top will be short-lived.

In the race to become the first state to regulate online gambling, New Jersey has won. Lawmakers in both the Senate and the Assembly overwhelmingly passed legislation Monday that will bring poker, blackjack, and other popular casino games to the Internet.

In a rare show of solidarity, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass the online gambling bill. The Senate passed the bill 34-2, while it passed the Assembly by a 63-11 vote. Now, all that is left between Atlantic City casinos and their customers at home will be the signature of Governor Chris Christie.

The governor is a Republican, and may receive a little pressure not to sign the bill because of the legal battle that will follow on a federal level. Christie has been an advocate of expanded gambling to help Atlantic City casinos in the past year, so the expectation is that he will sign the bill.

New Jersey had been in a race with California and Florida to become the first state in the country to regulate online poker and other games. Millions of dollars are expected to be pumped into the state economy and budget if the legislation becomes reality.

The federal laws will create a stumbling block for New Jersey. While states have the right to create their own laws, New Jersey will have to be careful of how they regulate the Internet gaming industry. One key factor will be monitoring to ensure that only New Jersey residents gamble at the online sites.

The groundbreaking vote today should have major ramifications throughout the US. California lawmakers will likely step up their efforts to regulate online poker, while dozens of other states will monitor how the online gaming industry takes shape in New Jersey.

Senator Raymond Lesniak will become the cult hero of millions of gamblers in the US should Christie follow through and sign the bill. Gamblers have been looking for a legislator to take up their cause of consumer protection, with Lesniak and his fellow New Jersey lawmakers finally providing that stability.

Charlie Sheen is currently enjoying a full-blown booze and porn star bender, according to TMZ. Sheen has been seen in Vegas at The Palms Hotel and Casino complaining at the bar that execs associated with Two and a Half Men want him to go to rehab. He was seen taking vodka shots and to make matters a little more spicy, Sheen has reportedly taken three porn stars back to his room. Weeee!

Sheen was just minding his own business downing vodka in Vegas when he happened upon three lovely ladies who are in Vegas for a porn convention. What are the odds? Apparently, one of his favorite porn companions is named Bree Olson, a 23-year-old whose achievements thus far include her 2008 win for Best Anal Sex Scene at the AVN Awards.

Sheen is due back on the L.A. set of his hit show bright and early tomorrow morning, but so far, no one from his show has heard a peep from the highest-paid actor on television. They are reportedly quite worried about him. Think he'll have a hangover? (Answer: probably.)

Sheen has been on a slippery slope over the past year. In October, while Sheen was still on probation for threatening to kill his ex wife Brooke Mueller, he got drunk and trashed his hotel room while a hooker hid in the bathroom, even though the terms of his probation clearly stated that he not use alcohol or drugs in excess. Many fear if Sheen doesn't abandon his drug-fueled crazy train, his career and life will be in serious peril.

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The new year after an election is always a difficult time for state legislators. In Illinois, it became even tougher on returning lawmakers who are looking for major casino expansion in some of the state's biggest cities.

Danville was one of the areas that was hoping the proposed gambling bill would be voted on during Tuesday's session. With many other bills up for consideration, the gambling legislation never came up for a vote. That left local lawmakers discouraged.

"If it doesn't get done now, I don't know if it is going to be considered again," said Dansville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer. The residents of Dansville were equally upset about the legislation not being brought up for a vote.

"This was an important issue that could have saved many of us residents money in taxes," said Marcus Williams. "In addition, the jobs that would have been created could have helped families get back on their feet. It's upsetting that they didn't even consider the bill."

Danville was not the only city upset about the transgressions of lawmakers on Tuesday. Chicago stood to be one of the biggest beneficiaries if the bill had passed. Racetracks in the state lost out as well, many of which struggling and could have used the help of expanded gambling. Thousands of jobs would have been created under the bill.

Illinois has had to keep up with neighboring states in recent years when it comes to gambling expansion. Mayor Eisenhauer also alluded to the idea that the gambling bill that was not voted on would have produced more jobs that some of the bills that were taken up by the House on Tuesday.

It’s been like maybe a month since power couple Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson filed for divorce and it seems that Ryan has already moved on? The reports are in that actress Scarlett Johansson is hurt by the fact that out of all people he has chosen to move on with, he has chosen their mutual friend Sandra Bullock to be his rebound girl. Ayya Yay!

Ryan and Bullock spent the New Year together at her restaurant Bess Bistro in Austin, Texas where according to E Online, “They sat next to each other and were holding hands at one point. They were very cute together.”

The two claim that they are just friends and it's true, the two go way back and have been friends for quite some time, but now since the paparazzi is hounding them they are starting to see a real connection between the two.

It would make sense for both of them to be simply just comforting each other since Sandra has been through the ringer herself with a recent public divorce and would know how to counsel and support him. Friends of Sandra claim that there is nothing serious going on but that they would love to see the two together.

Now, back to Scarlett who has been hitting the party scene, and is definitely in an awkward position since Bullock is a mutual friend and a source close to Jezebel claims that, “Even if they are not a couple yet, this is very awkward for Scarlett. She too thinks of Sandy as a friend and hates the thought that Sandy is on team Ryan after the breakup, that is if she isn’t already his girlfriend.”

Well, Ryan isn’t really doing anything wrong necessarily, I mean the two aren’t together at this point anyway and she has the right to seek comfort of her own with whomever she pleases, just try to keep it under wraps a bit Ryan will ya!

Yay to New Jersey😡,at least somebody realizes the money to be made by regulating online gaming.
As I watch tv,and see how our country,the USA owes trillions of dollars,and multiplying every second of the day,I just cant understand why Congress refuses to see that regulating online gaming could help this great country of ours to get out of debt.
Not only would regulation help the USA,but it would help the entire world.Just about every country is in dire straits except China.
This would help alot,if the funds generated were not pocketed by some greedy people.

State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said he’ll reintroduce a gambling bill next week that would grant Rockford a casino license, and he predicts lawmakers will give the bill an up-or-down vote by the time the 112th General Assembly adjourns in May.

Syverson, who was sworn in today for his sixth term as an Illinois senator, said the new gaming legislation might not be written exactly as similar gambling expansion legislation that died Wednesday, but it will be substantially the same.

The previous bill would have opened up casino licenses for Rockford and four other cities. The proposal was approved in the Senate and had made it out of a House committee but was not called for a vote before the full House. The bill died for lack of approval when new lawmakers were sworn in, but not before the previous General Assembly approved income and corporate replacement tax increases to help Illinois climb out of a projected $15 billion deficit.

“As soon as they got their tax increase, they thought that it would cover the state’s deficit problems, but it won’t,” Syverson said. “Plus, this legislation had bipartisan support in both chambers, so I think there’s a good chance to make it happen this session.”

He said the framework of the failed gaming legislation has already been worked out and the financial impacts have already been studied, that’s why the bill that he plans on pushing — either as sponsor or co-sponsor — should go through relatively unscathed.

“We spent a year getting the studies done and the support lined up,” he said. “So that’s all done.”

Still, a new gambling bill has to start at square one. That means being introduced, then shuttled off to at least one committee before making it to the floor of one chamber for a vote. The process then starts over in the next chamber.

Syverson said a renewed push from folks that support the casino for Rockford could help expedite the process.

John Groh, president of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, said his organization will do “whatever is asked” to get a casino in the Forest City.

“The CVB has consistently supported a casino since 1990,” Groh said. “We will do it again.”

It almost seemed like the James Bond character was going to be buried under MGM’s sea of debts but fortunately they’ve solved their issues and Daniel Craig will be back on the screen to reprise his role along with Sam Mendes, who is set to direct the next flick set to be released in 2012.

There was a bit of a scare that the James Bond character would fade into obscurity after MGM filed for bankruptcy last November but fortunately there was light at the end of the tunnel after Spyglass Entertainment intervened and is now helping to push forward the 23rd release in the classic series.

Actor Daniel Craig was always on board for the next production and will now follow the direction of Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) who isn't exactly known for his action movies but should have an interesting take on the character. This will be Craig’s third Bond production after getting his start in 2006 with Casino Royale (2006) followed by Quantum of Solace (2008). With Casino Royale, Craig’s Bond took us back to reveal his character’s roots and how he became the womanizing, jet setting spy we know today.

As for the next Bond girl and villains in the next flick, that is not known as of yet, but there is a rumor floating around that they are considering Craig’s, real-life love interest actress Rachel Weisz, as one of the Bond girls. Angelina Jolie was once considered but it turns out she would only consider the role if she played Bond herself and she put the gender bending theory to the test with her lead in Salt, which was originally intended for Tom Cruise.

Time Magazine also revealed how they are considering actor Michael Sheen to fill the villain role as well as actor Simon Russell Beale. Bond fans everywhere, get your martini glasses ready because the next Bond flick is due out on November, 2012.

With last week being full of tragedy, there is a glimmer of hope with the news that Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head outside a Tucson Safeway on Saturday, is now breathing on her own and has a 101% chance of survival rate, hospital spokesperson Dr. Peter Rhee said in a press conference today.

Doctors have said that Giffords follows simple commands like moving her fingers and toes. Doctors are especially optimistic since Giffords has been able to breathe on her own and has given thumbs-ups and other responses that require a high level of cognition.

At the University Medical Center in Tucson, Giffords underwent brain surgery after being shot at a public “Congress in Your Corner” rally by 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner. Typically 90% of people shot in the head don't survive, but Giffords was lucky in that the bullet passed through only the left hemisphere of her brain, avoiding the critical neural connections, leaving parts of the brain that control hearing and significant motor skills undamaged.

Meanwhile, the left is criticizing Sarah Palin's use of crosshairs to target Democrats she wanted to see defeated, while the right is arguing that the left's politicizing of the shooting is taking advantage of a terrible situation. Now, Palin herself has finally taken to the airways to voice her opinion, and in typical Palin fashion, she is unapologetic, saying that media pundits "should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the hatred and violence that they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible."

Sadly, six people died and a memorial service will be held tomorrow.

It is the news that the internet gaming industry has been waiting for. And it has the potential to transform the fortunes of a number of lucky companies listed here in Europe.

I’m talking about the lifting of the ban on internet casinos introduced by stealth back in 2006, but which seems likely to be progressively dismantled as we move through 2011.

Financial necessity appears to be the mother of reform, with both federal and state governments struggling to deal with the fall-out from the financial crisis.

Online gaming of course would provide central and state coffers with a much-needed new source of tax revenues.

Here we catch up with Michael Campbell, equity analyst at Daniel Stewart, who will help us get to grips with what many believe could be one of the big stories of 2011.

The analyst reckons that the European business-to-business gaming firms are likely to benefit most, either through tie-ups with US firms or going it alone.

Campbell believes that the front-runners in winning new business will be Playtech (LON😋TEC) and Partygaming (LON😋RTY).

The potential beneficiaries also include the Italian firm Lottomatica’s (BIT:LTO) GTECH unit and possibly 888 Holding’s (LON:888) Dragonfish - although the latter may be hampered by its ongoing dispute with the US Department of Justice.

Speaking with Proactive Investors Campbell said that Playtech would be at the top of his list of winners.

“Whether things go ahead on a federal level, or whether it goes through on a state-by-state level, Playtec has a good chance of doing some business there.”



Outlaws: Gaming firms effectively deported by Bush administration

George W Bush effectively outlawed online gaming in the United States when he signed the SAFE Port Act into law in October 2006. The bill was fundamentally focused on homeland security and America’s freight ports.

As a late adjunct the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was integrated into the bill.

UIGEA effectively made the online gambling and casino industry illegal because it prevented money transfers from any American financial institution to online gambling websites.

Consequently the gaming firms that operated the major online poker and sports betting websites had little option other than to accepting customers from the United States.

UIGEA hit the market hard, the entire sector losing a large proportion of their valuations.

Five years, and a global financial meltdown later, and the US legislature is looking at ways to reopen the potentially lucrative industry.

It is hoped that the resulting boost to tax revenues could provide a much needed boon to the deeply indebted state governments – particularly California, New Jersey and Nevada.



Legalise It: One way or another

Legally and politically it is not exactly clear how this change will take shape.

Many had pinned their hopes on a proposal to put forward a new Federal bill - which would legalise online gambling across all 50 states - however the bill did not make it through congress in the tail end of 2010.

“It’s up in the air at the moment as to how it’s really going to pan out,” Campbell told Proactive Investors.

“It’s by no means a slam-dunk in terms of it not going through ... but with the Republicans being against online gambling it is going to be tough to get it (a federal bill) passed.

Campbell adds: “So although there a reduced chance that a Federal bill is going through, there is a possibility it could happen.

“They’ll have to make a really good case in order to really convince the Republicans that it will be a good idea.”

Meanwhile two of the most financially strained states - New Jersey and California - have pressed ahead with their own intra-state bills. A number of these intrastate bills - which would legalise online gambling, confined within state borders – have been put forward with mixed success.

However the Daniel Stewart analyst stressed that once written into law it could take just a matter of months for things to get going. Then many publicly traded firms will try to tap into these ripe new markets.



Badda Bing: New Jersey could be the first territory to reopen

Last night Senator Raymond Lesniak's online gambling bill (S490) was passed through the New Jersey assembly and it could become law in a matter of weeks.

“New Jersey is moving ahead, not just with online poker, it is also allowing online casino and they’re also open to legalising online sports betting,” Campbell said.

“They’re moving quite swiftly.”

The Govenor of New Jersey, Christopher Christie, has the right to veto the bill over the next 45 days, after which point it will become law by default.

“The Governor has veto and it is not clear at this stage what Governor Christie's stance is with regards to online gambling and Senator Lesniak’s bill in particular,” Campbell said in a note to clients.

However it is clear that the state must do something to plug its US$10.5 billion budget deficit.

Campbell added: “Lobbying for business, Atlantic City will be competitive as it has the potential to be a reasonably sizeable online gambling market.

“The news comes at a crucial time when Atlantic City casinos are set to reveal another tough year of trading (revenue of around US$3.6 billion down 9.6 percent year-on-year, and down around 31 percent over a four year period).

“Lesniak’s bill will grant licenses to Atlantic City casinos to set up an online gambling industry based in Atlantic City.”



California Dreaming: A potential US$1.5 billion market

With around 37.25 million inhabitants California is America’s most populated state. The state’s huge budget deficit is believed to be in the region of US$25 billion.

The potential increase is the dangling carrot that provides one of the main plus points in the argument to legalise online gambling in California.

Experts estimate that online poker could be a US$1.5

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey is at the stage where he will need to make an important decision regarding the future of gambling in the state. After New Jersey lawmakers approved a series of significant reforms, Governor Christie could find himself taking control of much of New Jersey’s gambling market, especially in Atlantic City.

According to the proposal voted on by the Assembly, Christie will take control of the land use and development, as well as the policing, of a tourism zone that has been specially designated in Atlantic City, including the area’s famous Boardwalk. Other areas are also encompassed in this demarcated area.

The Assembly also voted that some of the functions currently ruled by the state’s Casino Control Commission will be transferred to the State Attorney General’s office instead.

Most importantly, however, is the fact that New Jersey casinos will be allowed to offer online gambling such as poker and blackjack to state residents.

Governor Christie now has to make the decision of whether he wants to sign the proposal into law or not. According to his spokesman, Michael Drewniak, Christie is “scrutinizing the bill”. However, the spokesman would not elaborate on the governor’s final decision.

New Jersey’s gambling industry has been losing revenue for some time now, dropping 31% over the past four years. In addition, neighboring states such as Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Delaware have started to expand their own markets, offering tough competition to New Jersey’s already struggling industry.

In 2006, NJ casinos won $5.2 billion, although those numbers dropped to $3.6 billion last year.

Polar shelf is melting?

No, they just launched the world’s most extravagant yacht, and the Atlantic rose up a foot or two under the weight of excess.

A British boat designer has floated the idea of creating a billion-dollar hyper yacht called the Streets of Monaco. Almost a floating country, the concept vessel is modelled after the gambling paradise. It’s an heir-craft carrier for the filthy-rich family that already owns enough stuff on dry land.

Yacht Island Design, the Derby, U.K., developers, aren’t yet sure whether the floating microstate will ever move across a real horizon.

Company director, Scott Poxon, tells QMI Agency: “We certainly hope this will be built, but it is also intended to show to our potential clients that Yacht Island Design is here to (offer) something different.”

Not that different floats everyone’s boat.

The U.K. Guardian began a story on the 155-m super-yacht this way: “Money can’t buy you taste.”

Poxon says he can’t discuss whether anyone is interested in actually paying for the ship to be built. And the exact specifications are under wraps, he added.

But the boat's possible routes are clear: “It is envisaged that this yacht would be suitable to traverse between the world’s major yachting destinations,” Poxon said.

Designers say the yacht could be molded mostly out of steel and could have a maximum speed — using diesel electric motors — of 15 knots.

If that’s not fast enough, you can jump into a speed-cart to follow the path of the Grand Prix circuit built into the ship.

Did we mention the glass-bottom fountain that every family should have?

A place to watch their own submarine go by.

It would hold a crew of 70, who could cater to the needs of a family of 16.

The response, Poxon says, has been amazing.

Now his company is bracing for the super-rich to get onboard.

Florida legislators have already been leaning towards taking up the casino resort debate this session, and after what they heard on Tuesday, that effort could be amped up soon. Lawmakers heard a report of how other states have prospered from major casino expansion.

The Sunshine State has already been one of the quickest movers when it comes to gambling. The state currently is the fourth biggest gaming state in the country. Las Vegas executives, however, have been pushing to add their flavor to an already diverse group of gaming options.

The report showed how thirteen other states that have added traditional casino games such as blackjack, craps, and roulette, have benefited from millions of dollars in revenue. Senate President Mike Haridopolos authorized the report that was heard in the committee that heard the results Tuesday.

Senator Dennis Jones is sponsoring a bill that would change the entire casino gambling industry on the East Coast. The legislation would bring up to five casino resorts to the state, but that likely would only open the door for more casinos in the future.

Haridopolos believes there is even odds on whether the legislation will actually pass this session. If it does pass the Senate, it would still have to move through the House, where it would likely gain more opposition.

Pennsylvania was used as an example of how much the additional gaming revenue from table games can help a state budget. Pennsylvania lawmakers approved table games last year, and already the states casinos are making a push to overtake New Jersey as the gaming capital of the Northeast. If Florida were to add casino resorts to their already attractive tourism industry, they could dominate business on the East Coast.

In approved in its current form, the bill would call for bidders to pay a $50 million application fee. The winners of the licenses would receive a contract and the exclusivity to operate the casino resort no closer than seventy-five miles from the next. This may become a problem during discussions, with some lawmakers wanting to add four or five Vegas-style casino resorts in South Beach alone.

The Las Vegas mansion once owned by actor, Nicolas Cage, is back on the market after his bank foreclosed on his property in 2009 and sold it for $4.5 million which was almost half of its original value.

For the last two years, Cage has been plagued with debts including $6.5 million which is owed in back taxes. Cage has raked in the millions over the years and with his fame and fortune he has managed to amass some truly high-ticket items which could have attributed to his financial woes but according to Cage it was his business manager who led him to his current status. Celebitchy, confirmed that Cage is currently suing his manager for placing him in “numerous highly speculative and risky real estate investments.” There is a counter argument here from people that know the guy that claim he owns two islands, castles, mansions and even a luxury-car-a-month habit.

His mansion in Las Vegas was purchased back in 2006 for $8.5 million, according to TMZ. Once he fell on hard times in 2009, the bank seized the home and then resold it for $4.5 million. The news on the streets now is that the new owner is putting back on the market for $9 million, which makes for a very nice chunk of change.

As far as Cage’s debt is concerned, good thing he’s lucky enough to have good friends that are willing to bail him out. Back in 2009, Yahoo reported how once his good friend Johnny Depp heard about Cage’s financial troubles, he immediately offered to help out. He offered to give Cage however much he needed to get him back on solid ground. One interesting bit of information offered by Yahoo was how Nicolas Cage was the one to arrange a meeting for Depp with his agent, which eventually led to his role on Nightmare on Elm Street. Nice one Nic!

Hey baby, what’s your sign? Well, that’s a tough question to answer these days after news was released today that the zodiac sign which you have planned your dating schedule around has changed completely. If you’re a Leo, now you’re a Cancer – that’s just madness.

The news was released today by astronomers from the Minnesota Planetarium Society, who according to the Washington Post, claim that over time the moon’s gravitational pull has moved the Earth in its axis, therefore creating a shift in the star’s alignment and shifting your sign.

While many of us probably think that horoscopes are incredibly bogus, you’d be surprised at how many of us snag a peek at what the stars have in store for us for the day. Is it mere curiosity? Yeah, probably, or maybe it’s just a quick escape from the daily grind.

To add insult to injury, astrologers have also determined that there was a sign left out of the list by ancient Babylonians who created the whole system thousands of years ago. The sign is called Ophiuchus and it falls between November 29th and December 17th which is identified by being the “serpent holder” who happens to be associated with good luck and a seeker of peace and harmony.

So for those of you wondering what your new sign is, here is the list of updated zodiac signs:

Capricorn: Jan. 20 – Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16 – March 11
Pisces: March 11- April 18
Aries: April 18- May 13
Taurus: May 13- June 21
Gemini: June 21- July 20
Cancer: July 20- Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10- Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16- Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30- Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17- Jan. 20

Think about how many people out there will have to change their zodiac tattoos….:1orglaugh

Network television may have stopped for President Barack Obama's speech on Wednesday night, but other industries moved right along. Among them were casinos around the US that had thousands of gamblers playing slot machines and table games instead of watching the president's speech.

The speech seemed to target the idea that the tragedy that took place over the weekend in Arizona should not be a target for partisan nonsense. Instead, Obama spoke of how politicians should join together and honor the six Americans that died after the horrid shooting.

During the speech, over 15,000 in attendance looked on attentively. Many US politicians were on hand, and some have been Obama's harshest critics. Even so, at a time like this, politics is placed on the back burner. That was exemplified when longtime Obama detractor Republican Representative Trent Franks hugged the president after the speech.

The drama was high for millions of viewers that watched the speech, but gamblers were dealing with tensions of their own. In Florida, poker players were busy chasing a bad beat jackpot at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood.

"I have been at the casino since 5(PM)," said Mark Paulter. "I was playing cards, and I didn't even know that the president was giving a speech. My friends and I were trying to break the bad beat, and we didn't have time to stop and watch any speeches."

Across the US, thousands of gamblers spent their Wednesday evenings at the casinos. In some cases, it has become an every week thing, in others, today just happened to be an unexpected day off thanks to the harsh weather their states were experiencing.

The president at one point ignited emotions when he spoke of how he visited Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the afternoon at the hospital and that the lawmaker opened her eyes for the first time since the shooting and subsequent surgery. The revelation sent many in the audience scurrying for tissues.