Let your mouth speak archive

Gov. Steve Beshear reached out to Kentuckians on Friday, urging them to contact their state lawmakers in support of having the opportunity to vote on allowing casino gaming in Kentucky.

A small, bipartisan group of lawmakers this week introduced legislation, which if passed by a supermajority of legislators would go to voters as a November ballot referendum. The bill would allow up to five casinos to be established at existing racetracks, as well as two additional casinos that would not be located within 60 miles of current tracks. “Opponents of expanded gaming should not deny their fellow citizens the right to vote on this issue,” Beshear, a Democrat, said in his weekly video address. “Kentuckians deserve the chance to have their votes counted in this decision.”

State Rep. Jim DeCesare, R-Bowling Green, said he’s already heard from several constituents. Of the 57 calls he received this week regarding the legislation, 53 callers were opposed to either gambling or to putting the matter up to a vote. The other four constituents said they wanted the opportunity to vote.

DeCesare said he hasn’t had an opportunity to review the legislation because it’s currently waiting to be heard in committee, which is expected to happen next week.

DeCesare said he is generally against expanded gaming, but also said there might be a time when the only way to put the issue to rest is by letting voters have their say.

“We’ll see what happens in the Senate,” DeCesare said. “My gut is that even if it gets out of the Senate, it will have a real tough time in the House.”

Three-fifths of House members and three-fifths of Senate members must vote in favor of the bill before the constitutional amendment question can go before the voters.

“We propose to give Kentucky voters the opportunity to allow similar types of expanded gaming in our commonwealth and keep that money inside our borders,” Beshear said.

State Sen. Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, said he remains firm in his stance against casino gaming. Asked whether seven casinos is too many, Wilson said, “One is too many.”

Beshear said casino gaming would allow “Kentucky entertainment dollars” to remain in Kentucky. He said potential tax revenues are being spent on gaming in surrounding states.

“This money funds their schools, their libraries, their police departments and other improvements,” Beshear said.

Beshear said Kentucky runs the risk of taking steps backward in areas such as education, public protection and job creation if casino gaming fails to be approved.

“The proposed state budget is bleak, thanks to a sagging national economy and slow-to-recover state revenues,” Beshear said. “And until our state generates more revenue, we will always fall behind.”

Wilson said, based on conversations he’s had with lawmakers, that some had been considering voting in favor of the measure, but now seem to be changing their minds. Because of the restrictions on where the casinos can be located, Wilson said some legislators feel the measure would put their home communities out of possibility getting a casino, so they’re not in favor of the bill.

After months of strategic silence on casino gambling, Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker wants to bring a high-end gaming facility to National Harbor.

The Baker administration released plans this week for a billion-dollar resort facility, to include slots and table games, that it thinks could generate $50 million per year in direct revenues to the county, and would not be linked to funding for a proposed new regional hospital in the county.

The mixed-use, waterfront development near Oxon Hill is the ideal location for a casino in the county because it would draw visitors from Virginia and Washington, D.C., as well as guests of the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in the development itself, administration officials said.

“National Harbor already is a high-end, destination facility,” said Brad Frome, Baker's deputy chief of staff. “It's got multiple entertainment venues, it's got a convention center that draws visitors from all over the country, probably the world.”

The administration projects the casino would create 5,000 permanent jobs and 1,300 construction jobs.

The Baker administration's plan would require several changes to enabling legislation currently before the General Assembly. State Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Dist. 23) of Bowie introduced a bill this month calling for voters to approve a slots casino in Prince George's and allow table games at casinos throughout the state.

The bill should be amended to collect a 5.5 percent local share from table games, similar to the 5.5 percent collected from slot machines, according to the administration. Peters could not be reached for comment on Thursday. The bill also should make sure there is no tie between the construction of a new hospital and gaming in the county, according to the administration.

Baker hadn't taken a firm position on bringing slots to the county until now. He objected to a ban proposed by County Council members last year, encouraging lawmakers to keep all options on the table until specific proposals had been considered.

An agreement reached last year among the county, state and University of Maryland Medical System to overhaul the struggling Prince George's Hospital System calls for the construction of a new regional medical center, expected to cost about $600 million. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach has suggested slots revenue could be used to fund a new facility.

“We don't want to have the concept to take root that the source for the state's share for the hospital is contingent upon there being gaming in Prince George's,” Frome said.

Under such an adjusted tax structure, Prince George's County could collect about $29 million per year in gaming tax revenue, $5.8 million in property taxes, $1.5 million in income taxes, $2.6 million in hotel taxes and $10.7 million in admissions and amusement taxes, according to the administration.

Of the $29 million, 20 percent would go to county nonprofits, 40 percent to address foreclosure issues in the county and 40 percent to economic development investments.

The administration's proposal has gained support from National Harbor's developer, The Petersen Cos., as well as from Gaylord Entertainment, which runs the nearby hotel and convention center.

Operation of the new casino would be put out to bid, as with other slots facilities in the state, according to the administration

But the plan might not convince those opposed to gaming in the county.

“It's a farce,” said County Councilwoman Mary Lehman (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, who co-sponsored an unsuccessfully bill to ban slots last year. “This is not the way you build an economy; it's not the way you grow the county's future.”

Council Vice-Chair Eric Olson (D-Dist. 3) of College Park, who led the charge on last year's ban efforts, said the proposal has done nothing to change his personal objections. “I don't think that slots make for good economic development,” he said.

The council as a whole has not taken a position on the proposal, Olson said.

Whitney Houston's cause of death is still unknown, but her body is being heavily guarded tonight. After leaving the New Hope Baptist Church this afternoon, her gold casket was brought back to the funeral home before it was dropped off at the cemetery for Sunday's burial. According to TMZ, "the casket will be kept at the cemetery until tomorrow's burial ... but will be well-protected [by 10 security guards]." The site also adds that the family will get to view the body one last time before it's secured in its final resting place, next to Whitney's father, John.

Saturday's funeral (or "homegoing service," as it was called) was tasteful and very emotional. Listening to all of the stories that friends and family shared was moving for fans all over the world. Many are continuing to tune in to extended coverage and will be watching on Sunday as friends and family gather once more to lay Whitney Houston to rest.

It's really a pity that she died so young. I love her songs so much!

Saturday was an exceptionally long day for Bobby Brown.

The singer appeared at his ex-wife Whitney Houston's funeral for a short time early in the day. Later, he took a private jet from New Jersey to Connecticut to perform at the Mohegan Sun casino's arena with his longtime, on-and-off band New Edition, according to a rep for the casino.

The show – which lasted more than an hour and included hits such as "Candy Girl," "Mr. Telephone Man," "Tenderoni" and "My Prerogative" – featured some emotional moments for Brown.

"I wanna give blessings to my ex-wife Whitney Houston. I love you," Brown said, pointing toward the sky. "I want to give blessings to my kids, my brothers and all of you. Thank you for the love."

"He was upset today," one of Brown's band mates told the crowd, adding that the rest of group told him, "hit 'em with your voice, man."

After the show, Brown, some band mates, and a group of family and friends hit Bobby Flay's restaurant Bar Americain. Wearing a gray vest and a Red Sox baseball cap, Brown looked relaxed and low key as he posed for photos with fans. A source tells PEOPLE he drank Grey Goose on the rocks. At one point, he did a little dance for the table.

Brown hugged friends and family throughout the evening, as the crowd of about 15-20 people hung at the upscale bar and restaurant along with him.

Around 12:15 a.m, he and much of his entourage left the restaurant and headed for the high rollers gambling area of the casino, where Brown settled into a $500 minimum bet blackjack table.

"He wasn't really partying, but he was having a good time with his old crew from Boston," says an onlooker. "He had a lot of support and bodyguards stuck close to him to keep fans from being too intrusive."

But Brown and friends gambled for only a short time. Says an eyewitness: "In the end, it looked like his heart wasn't in it. No one gambles for 20 minutes. It was like token gambling just because they were there at the casino."

They soon moved on as an entourage across the casino floor, where Brown posed for more fan photos. He was holding his fiancée, Alicia Ethridge's hand much of the time. Around 1 a.m., they arrived at seafood joint and raw bar Summer Shack and hunkered down at a secluded back table. There, Brown seemed to really crash, putting his head down wearily at times.

After a quiet snack, smokes and drinks, a source tells PEOPLE, they all filed out at 2 a.m. and back to their hotel rooms.

As California considers a major expansion of legalized gambling, Gov. Jerry Brown wants to revamp how the state regulates the industry and protects its millions of customers.

Brown’s January budget plan includes a proposal to consolidate parts of the California Gambling Control Commission, which is autonomous, with the state Department of Justice, which is overseen by Attorney General Kamala Harris.

Little is known about what the governor has in mind beyond a two-sentence description in last month’s budget that criticized a “bifurcated system of gambling control” and describes a goal of “consolidating support, investigatory, and compliance functions” within the Justice Department. The proposal, unlike other parts of the January package, has not been fleshed out in bill form.

“We’re not really sure what the plan is. We saw the paragraph in the budget and we’ve made inquiries,” said gambling commission Chairwoman Stephanie Shimazu. “The commission would still exist, but to what extent, we don’t know.”

Lynda Gledhill, a spokeswoman for Harris, said the attorney general’s office has not received any details of Brown’s plan.

Brown spokesman Evan Westrup said the commission would remain a stand-alone entity. Much of its staff, however, would become part of the Justice Department’s Bureau of Gambling Control.

Gambling regulation would not suffer, he said.

“One of the reasons that the staff is being incorporated into the bureau is because the bureau has special agents who have expanded authority to engage in investigations and enforcement activities,” Westrup said.

California is one of 48 states that have at least one type of legal gambling. Gambling in card clubs and at horse tracks has been legal for generations.

In 1984, voters approved a state lottery. And in 2000, voters legalized Las Vegas-style gambling on tribal land. Legislation to legalize online gambling in California is expected to be introduced soon in the Legislature.

Casinos, card clubs and other gambling businesses have a large Capitol lobbying presence and spend heavily on campaign contributions to state lawmakers.

A jumble of different state agencies regulates the industry. Besides the gambling control commission and Department of Justice, there is the state lottery commission, the state Horse Racing Board, the Office of Problem Gambling in the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, and the governor’s office.

Shared duties

Among other duties, the Department of Justice and the gambling control commission share regulation of Las Vegas-style gambling on tribal land. The commission has 70 employees. The Bureau of Gambling Control has 160 employees inside the Department of Justice.

Brown’s proposal, which would not change the other agencies, is the first time any leader has called for revamping the state’s gambling oversight. Even former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California Performance Review, the sweeping 2004 report on overhauling government, left the subject untouched.

Brown has first-hand knowledge of the issue. He has appointed three members of the gambling commission and designated Shimazu as chairwoman. He was attorney general from 2006 to 2010 and his top adviser on gambling-related issues, Jacob Appelsmith, formerly was chief of the Bureau of Gambling Control.

Cheryl Schmidt of Stand Up California, a longtime gambling watchdog group, said she is unsure about the governor’s proposal and wants to see more details.

She once had high hopes that the commission would be an effective forum for public concerns about gambling. She has been disappointed, she said.

Skepticism about the commission also comes from some of the entities it regulates. Some gaming tribes, for example, have had chilly relations with the agency.

Jack Duran, an attorney with many tribal clients, said he thinks the state Justice Department should take the lead role to regulate gambling in California.

“I think it has a good collaborative relationship with the tribes,” said Duran, who also is a Placer County supervisor. “Unfortunately, I think the gambling control commission looks at things a little bit differently.”

Duran cited the commission’s recent efforts to impose casino rules and procedures to protect patrons and tribal members after a court ruling revoked a federal agency’s power to do the same. The years-long push angered some tribes, whose leaders felt they already had adequate safeguards in place.

The Bureau of Gambling Control brokered the final deal, Duran said. “That was a situation that could have gotten really ugly,” he said.

Concerns expressed

But others spoke highly of the commission. They worried that Brown’s proposal could set back the regulatory relationship between the state, tribes, and card clubs.

George Forman, an attorney for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning, said the commission finally has knowledgeable membership and staff.

“It would be unfortunate if this group of commissioners were to be rendered obsolete, particularly so soon after they have become fully functional,” Forman said in an email.

A potentially worthwhile goal, he said, would be to model California’s system of gambling oversight on Nevada. There, a gaming commission acts on the recommendations of a gaming control board, which conducts audits, enforcement and other activities.

Hello,

Great offer....

Antigua and Barbudan authorities have announced that they will again launch WTO proceedings against the United States and its treatment of offshore gambling operators.

“Having won a landmark decision from the WTO in 2004 that United States laws criminalising remote gaming services offered to American consumers from Antigua were in violation of US international treaty obligations, Antigua and Barbuda has been unable despite sustained efforts to either get the United States to comply with the WTO ruling or to negotiate any nature of reasonable compromise to settle the dispute,” the government said.

“Last December’s surprise announcement by the United States Department of Justice that United States law did not prohibit many forms of internet gambling has been a game changer. Although the United States had lost the case at the WTO, its defence was predicated on its stated position that American laws prohibited all remote gaming, because the activity was so pernicious that it was incapable of being regulated to protect the public interest. Publicly, the United States had continued to use its supposed prohibition of all remote gaming as a basis for continued non-compliance with its international trade obligations.”

The territory's Minister of Finance and the Economy, Harold Lovell said: “Now that the entire basis for the United States' objection to allowing our trade in remote gaming services has gone away. It is increasingly impossible to understand why the United States has not complied with this decision.”

In the absence of successful negotiations, the government said the territory has a number of options at the WTO with which to force American compliance with the ruling. “In the coming days,” Lovell announced, “the government will be consulting with appropriate officials and legal counsel to determine the best way forward for our people and industry. We played by the rules and earned a hard-fought and fair victory. It is high-time that the United States do what it routinely expects from its own trading partners - comply with WTO law and rulings.”

The government continued: “Although the WTO ruled more or less in favour of Antigua last year, and required the US to amend its legislation to permit Antiguan gaming operations to offer their services to US citizens on a level-playing field, the opposite has happened, with the US not only stubbornly refusing to do any such thing, but now passing legislation to criminalize banks or payment processors who assist in e-gaming across state or international borders.”

“Indeed, since then the US has passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which while expanding domestic opportunities for legal gaming, effectively bans all international and inter-state online gaming, by making it illegal for banks and credit card firms to make payments to such internet operations.”

It was the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which US prosecutors cited in their legal action against offshore gambling operators, including two other operators, industry leaders at the time, Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker.

The Antiguan government has to date failed to gain the benefits of the protracted WTO legal case, with Antiguan enforcement actions historically limited to trade sanctions. Due to bilateral trade's inferior size in comparison to lost gambling sector revenue such actions would fail to adequately compensate the nation in any meaningful way. In 2006, it was estimated that Antigua held a 25% market share in the American market.

Latest reviews for known gambling brands.

Online gambling reviews - Latest reviews for known gambling brands.

Forget having to leave your house to try and hit it big. Both Iowa and Illinois are looking into legalizing online gambling.

That easy access to hitting the jackpot has addicts and counselors on pins and needles.

On Monday, a Senate panel approved a bill to legalize internet poker in Iowa, and across the river, Illinois lottery officials hope to start selling tickets online next month. Supporters of online gaming see it as a way to bring more money into the cash strapped states, but those who struggle with addiction say the move could be dangerous.

It was the fast paced thrill from gambling and the thought of striking it rich that Chad Williams said he couldn't resist.

"You win a little bit in the beginning so you play, then you lose, then you win, then you lose, then you try to get caught up and you never do," Williams explained.

It wasn't only money that Williams lost.

"I lost a marriage, a really good job that I had for 19 years, that really hurt," Williams said.

Now 7 years clean from both his gambling and drug addictions, Williams helps men with similar problems turn their lives around at The 180 Zone in Rock Island. He fears having gambling at your fingertips is a slippery slope for those with addictive behaviors.

"I think it's dangerous," Williams warned, "they are just making it too easy."

180 Zone Director, Rusty Boruff, who helps treat those with addictions, said online gaming won't give addicts a break.

"It's like you are living in a casino," Boruff said, "the reason why alcoholism is so common is because alcohol is at your fingertips."

Boruff said society's "get rich quick" mentality fuels gambling problems, issues he said affect people from all walks of life. Now, Boruff fears, it will be so much harder for gamblers to walk away.

"It's hard to get clean when you are in a puddle of mud. You have to get out first," Boruff said, "an addict has to get out of the environment and it's hard to get out of your living room."

Counselors said it's like a two edge sword, just as gambling is going online, more and more cuts are being made to centers which help deal with addicts.

If you or anyone you know has a gambling problem, call The 180 Zone 309–762–4166.

Serious thought has been put into online gambling legislation in the USA and when two former heads of the country’s national security organizations come out and publically announce they are in favour of a regulated system, someone should take notice.
Former Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Director Louis Freeh and Former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge have put it in writing via the Washington Examiner stating their support for legislation that would see online gambling legalized and regulated on a national level.

The co written letter to the press read, “We all know that Internet gambling takes place in a borderless enterprise outside an already ambiguous policy arena that affects millions of Americans. Americans across the country can gamble on various games on the Internet such as cards, sports and games of chance.”
It is obvious these enlightened individuals see the benefits of a licensed jurisdiction beyond just the tax revenue advantage. As law enforcement officers both gentlemen are in agreement that a regulated environment is better than one that can not provide a safe place for Americans to play for money over the internet. The letter continued, “Individual states simply do not possess the necessary law enforcement tools to effectively police gambling in a borderless Internet.”

A situation is developing in the USA similar to that in the European Union where the laws are diverse and complicated across the different jurisdictions. A nightmare scenario will develop for law makers in each individual state and a goldmine for lawyers who will debate the details. Surely those holding the reigns of power in Washington will listen to these two experienced and learned men and come to available solution to a problem as complex as this one. It is the American gaming public that suffers the threat of losing their money and their rights as free thinking individuals.

With each passing month, companies are viewing the jump to Cloud Computing as less and less of a gamble, and increasingly a must. One after another, industries can be found enjoying the benefits of online software services' integrating and management tools.

Including, ironically, the gambling industry.

International Game Technology has created an online suite of casino management tools using the AppLogic cloud computing platform, and is offering it to any casino who would like to take their data centers and administrative systems online.

How will casinos take to the Cloud? "Using the IGT Cloud, customers will be able to optimize and monitor their operations and rapidly adapt the mix of games on their casino floor to match their customers' tastes," said Chief Technology Officer Chris Satchell. Imagine controlling the casino floor of multiple locales in Vegas or Atlantic City from a single location, over the 'net...

"Casino owners using the IGT Cloud will have access to a games library and will be able to quickly change the games available on their gaming floors," added Satchell.

Some casinos' transactions on a daily basis can rival that of medium sized banks - an enormous gamble for information flow when moving your data flow elsewhere. IGT plans to grow incrementally, proving itself initially in Latin American, African and Middle Eastern gambling houses.

For an industry that lives on the odds of success, gambling moving its management online may say tons about the Cloud's odds for successful growth.

America has gone around and around with the idea of legalizing online gambling with nothing resolved with more confusion every day. Nevada is definitely the front runner state in competition to capturing the internet wagering business. So far the Nevada State Gaming Control Board has reported they have fourteen applications waiting for approval to offer a variety of services to gambling customers located in Nevada. The interactive division of American Casino & Entertainment Properties has applied for an intrastate online poker license to work as operator and service provider.

American Casino & Entertainment Properties runs the Stratosphere and two other establishments in Las Vegas, and the Aquarius in Laughlin, Nevada. Mark Lipparelli Chairperson for the Gaming Control Board mentioned that the recently approved online poker Minimum Internal Control Standards are considered ‘as flexible as possible” and would give companies in the running the ability to proceed to “concrete states of product development.”
Lipparelli has suggested Nevada intrastate online poker in 2012 was “plausible,” although he conceded that was an “optimistic” outlook and a 2013 launch date “wouldn’t surprise me.” The race is on to get a license in Nevada which many observers contend is just a possibility. Also contending for a license is Shuffle Master Inc. which is reportedly looking to acquire the Online Poker Network from giant Bwin.party.

Rival bidders in the row are Bally and WMS along with International Game Technology are lining up their ducks to offer online poker when the dime drops. Grasping strongly at the brass ring companies must know something or why would they be putting so much energy into applications acquisitions and time? Gambling interests have always been very aggressive in obtaining the opportunities in the USA. America is after all a very lucrative online poker market and land based operators are worried that their market share is going to be affected should it be made legal.

The last major gambling company with an onshore sportsbook is set to quit Britain if the Government fails to equalise the tax paid by offshore operations with what UK firms pay. Gala Coral's group chief executive Carl Leaver says this would be "sad", but warns that onshore betting taxes are crippling his business against rivals.

The location of the group's online sportsbook is now under "constant review". Industry figures suggest that the Government is losing £300m a year as a result of the gambling industry's internet and telephone operations moving offshore. Coral and Bet365 are the only two major firms left in the UK.

Tory MP Matt Hancock, whose Suffolk constituency includes Newmarket, horseracing's HQ, thinks he has the solution. He has tabled a Bill which would change the way the tax works by charging it on the punter's location rather than the bookie's.

This would be achieved by making it illegal for a company to accept bets from UK citizens without paying the tax and holding a licence from the Gambling Commission. For the sake of some of his important constituents, Mr Hancock also wants the levy on bookmakers racing profits – which funds the sport – to be treated similarly.

Just as Government revenues from the tax have been tumbling, so has the levy, and horseracing is in the midst of a funding crisis as a result.

Mr Hancock's Bill has its second reading on 30 March, although as a "10-minute rule bill" it faces an uphill struggle for Parliamentary time.

"The Bill (would) bring the main offshore gambling platforms onshore by making it illegal for them to accept bets without paying tax and levy. It will be classified as a bet in the UK if that is where the punter is," he says.

Some betting companies might chose not to comply. But, says Mr Hancock: "They would be illegal. Of course you have to make enforcement effective, ban their ads, and their executives wouldn't be able to come to the UK without facing sanction."

A spokesman for the Department for Culture Media & Sport says the Government supports the intention to regulate remote gambling on a "point of consumption basis" and is "committed to bringing forward a Government Bill as soon as Parliamentary time allows".

But that won't be this year – or next year. However, if Mr Hancock's Bill passes its second reading and reaches committee stage the ministry says it will be supported "albeit with a few technical amendments".

Mr Leaver would be relieved at that prospect, because for his company, time is running out: "Right now there is no competitive advantage to being onshore other than, perhaps, securing a better relationship with racing and even that is debatable."

He is also annoyed that betting shops "which create jobs in the UK and pay rent on the high street" are crippled by taxes which "remote" rivals don't face.

"That seems a topsy turvy situation because offshore creates no employment. We want to see all offshore gaming taxed in the same way and at the same level as onshore. If not, then there is no way we could continue to see ourselves disadvantaged in this way."

Those bookmakers that have moved offshore are wary. Ciaran O'Brien, corporate affairs director at Ladbrokes, says: "We pay more tax than we retain in profit. The Association of British Bookmakers' figure for the industry shows that it paid £1bn in tax and yet retained just £600m in profit. We are working harder for the Government than we are for ourselves.

"Let's say you set a very high tax rate. How would you enforce it? There will be a lot of people outside the net. The experience of the Government here when they extended the gross profits tax at 15 per cent (in 2005) was the death knell for any operators onshore."

On the issue of enforcement, Mr O'Brien argues that even when advertising gambling was banned under the old Gaming Board, ads still appeared for offshore online casinos on the tube.

He adds: "We would welcome a full, proper review. The sensible option would be a low rate (for remote gaming) to bring everyone in, at point of consumption. The other option would be a rate of say 10 per cent for all betting."

Mr Leaver would agree with the latter: "We would like to see some of the money that the Government recovers (from offshore gambling) invested in easing the burden on outlets like betting shops and bingo halls which create jobs."

Interestingly, at least one offshore operation is now looking to move onshore. Bodog, based in sunny Antigua, is about to relocate here.

Its UK chief executive, Patrick Selin, says: "All over Europe you are seeing a trend to make taxes on gambling higher. Different countries are doing different things to enforce this. Some are trying to get ISPs (internet service providers) to block gaming, others to get the banks to stop dealing with betting sites.

"The UK has the best tax. The lowest of all in Europe. There are benefits from being onshore too. You are more credible and there are more marketing tools, deals with newspapers, football clubs. It is also easier to employ talent."

As for horseracing, it should be cheering from the sidelines. But maybe not.

Will Lambe spokesman for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) says there is a problem: making the levy part of a "point of sale" gambling tax could violate EU rules on state aid for industry.

"Certainly it is clear that the regulatory system for remote betting platforms isn't working... but there are state aid concerns if you bring in secondary licencing (along with a new tax)."

William Hill, the largest levy payer in the UK, agrees: "There are state aid issues in extending the current levy scheme to offshore operators through any mechanism. Levy would not necessarily follow regulation or tax."

And as for that tax? "There is now a significant body of evidence... which shows that a controlled closing of the UK market at a double-figure tax rate with weak enforcement will be bad for customers, bad for com

Jeremy Lin has taken over the city of New York, which says something about the futility of the Knicks, who haven’t won a playoff game since 2011 and have only two postseason trips in that time. This season was quickly spiraling out of control before Lin took over an 8-15 Knicks team and turned the “Big Apple” on its head. With Lin in the lineup, the Knicks had won nine of their last 10 and the former Harvard baller has now the king of New York.

Join Bovada Sportsbook right now and bet Entertainment Props!

He has certainly caught the attention of Kim Kardashian, who is rumored to be interested on going on a date with the newest sports star in New York. Kardashian, known for her exploits as a reality-television star and socialite, seems to be in the news every week for various reasons. She has dated her share of athletes, such as Reggie Bush of the Miami Dolphins, Miles Austin of the Dallas Cowboys, and more recently, she was married to Kris Humphries of the New Jersey Nets for 72 days before calling it off. Now, it looks like that split will turn ugly in the courts.

Will Jeremy Lin and Kim Kardashian go out on a date before the NBA Finals is complete?
Yes 5/1

That is just one reason why you won’t see Lin on an episode of “Kourtney and Kim Take New York”, much less on a date, before the end of the NBA Finals. Lin has stated that Kardashian isn’t his type, as he is a deeply religious person and he already has to deal with being a huge star in the biggest market in the country, not to mention, his Asian heritage has made his worldwide superstar virtually overnight. The last thing he needs is to become a part of the Kim Kardashian circus, so don’t expect to see any Lin-Dashian headlines anytime soon. But love conquers in many ways. Maybe some way it will bring them together.

The British government has been for some time working on a proposal that would require offshore online gambling operators to obtain secondary licenses and pay taxes in the UK. At current rates of taxation it has been estimated that government is losing revenue of £300 million a year. The Independent newspaper carried out interviews with the industry leaders to ascertain their views.

The two top online gambling operators that have not moved offshore are Gala Coral and Bet365. Gala Coral's chief executive Carl Leaver stated that onshore betting taxes are crippling his business and not providing any competitive advantage. Therefore the decision to move offshore is under "constant review". Leaver wants equalization of onshore and offshore taxation.

Tory MP Matt Hancock has already prepared a draft bill in which taxation would be based on the location of the online gambler rather than of the location of the servers of the operator. This would eliminate the onshore versus offshore distinction completely. Hancock has taken his cue from a 2011 South African high court ruling. The penalties provided in the bill for offenders include halting advertising in the UK and prosecution of operators if they enter Britain. The Department for Culture Media and Sport, which is responsible for the regulation of UK online gambling, has stated its commitment to a Government sponsored bill as soon as Parliamentary time allows. It may be 2014 before there is time for online gambling on the Government's agenda. Therefore, if Hancock's bill reaches the committee stage, the ministry will support it with a few technical amendments.

Ladbrokes is one of the online gambling operators that have moved offshore. Ciaran O'Brien its corporate affairs director, made a case against raising online gambling taxes any further. He cited figures from the Association of British Bookmakers that the gambling industry paid £1 billion in tax and retained only £600 million as profit. He said, "We are working harder for the government than we are for ourselves." He pointed out that high tax rates would eventually bring in unlicensed sites. In the past such sites have not only operated with impunity but have also advertised their services. O'Brien advocated a reasonably low rate of online gambling tax to be levied at the point of consumption.

Meanwhile the land casino operators have sounded a different call. Their representative body, National Casino Industry Forum, called for higher taxation on online casinos to bring them on par with land casinos. The Forum chairman Malcolm Moss told Sunday Telegraph that offshore casinos pay no tax in the UK while land-based casinos pay up to 50% tax. Leaver of Gala Coral, which is also into land based gambling, pointed out that land casinos and betting shops create jobs in the UK and pay rent on the high street, which online gambling operators do not. Clearly the Government's job is not going to be easy.

Online gambling is fun and sometimes expensive when you feel particularly lucky and loose control of your spending. It doesn’t take long before you realize you may be paying large for that hunch too many times. Before loosing too much punters have options for counseling if they feel there may be issues beyond their control. Services provided by every online gambling include problem gambling research and help.

Most of today’s modern research is carried out by universities and institutes with a great deal of funding from governments and private industry. The industry does a lot of studies on the youth demographic to stave off possible problem gambling at an early age by identifying factors that indicate issues before they become problems. Countries vary when it comes to the statistics on problem gambling so treatment is also variable, custom tailored to the specific sport, game, or slot machine. Lots of ways to get control over the impulse to bet are available on the internet and in government services offices.

Sometimes when you think about it gambling can become just like any other habit, so budget for it and be responsible, after all slot machines don’t give you a hug in the morning. Keeping the good life intact should be a big influence on how much a person spends on punting. Even if you’re winning, calculating the time you spend should be factored into the win.
Some researcher say we are living in a society that gambles all the time and that in order to belong in the society we have created we have to learn to take chances and that is taught to us very early in life. The understanding that youth has of the internet and communications and living in the now is much more intuitive than the generation before and the grandkids will be even more tech savvy. It is no wonder that online entertainment is so popular and pervading, with technology feeding that market. Online gambling is part of it and will only continue to attract large audiences.

The Spanish National Gambling Commission will start issuing their first round of online gambling licenses by the end of March, three months earlier than the delayed deadline, deputy general director Juan Carlos Alfonso Rubio indicated last week.

Good News for Spanish Online Gambling

This announcement comes as good news for potential license holders, as it corrects an earlier postponement. Spain's new online gambling regulations were initially supposed to come into effect January 1, but this was later delayed until June because of concerns over how long it would take to review applications.

Gambling operators who win a license will obtain an important foothold in one of Europe's largest economies. However, their flexibility will still be limited, and they will be subject to 25 percent gross profits tax, one of the highest to be imposed on betting companies in all of the European Union.

Long Time Coming

Spain's new gambling laws were originally approved by the country's parliament in May 2011, following months of fierce debate. The legislation allows online and mobile gambling in the country for the first time, and establishes a strictly controlled regulatory environment in which they can operate.

Spain's online gambling market was estimated to be worth some 465 million euros in 2010, and these figures are expected to grow to more than 680 million euros by the year 2015, as betting and poker gradually enter the market this year and grow in popularity.

or more on online gambling in Spain, visit Online Casino Reports Spain.

The story of music stars Rihanna and Chris Brown has taken many twists and turns throughout the years and it came to a head in 2009 when Brown was arrested on domestic abuse charges and was later found convicted on all counts. He managed to get a plea deal to avoid jail time but his career looked all but over while Rihanna continued to top the charts.

Join Bovada Sportsbook right now and bet entertainment props!

Here we are, almost three years since Brown was charged, and his career seems to be doing fine and then some as he won a Grammy Award for “F.A.M.E.”, which took home the honors for Best R&B Album. The Grammys have been criticized for giving Brown an award given his past (ironically, the assault took place at a pre-Grammy party), but the one person it doesn’t seem to bother is Rihanna. Now, the two have been seen tweeting to each other and Brown sent Rihanna a birthday wish last week.

But the plot is getting thicker now as the two are working together; Rihanna is featured on the remix to Brown’s “Turn Up The Music”, while he returned the favor on a remix to her “Birthday Cake” song, both of which were released on the internet on Monday. Rihanna has stated that she has forgiven Brown for the assault and that she enjoys his music, and she is taking criticism from all corners.

The question “Will Rihanna and Chris Brown officially get back together as a couple in 2012” once seemed silly to even ask, but now, you have to wonder. The two obviously have some sort of connection that only they understand, even though it could be career-ending for Rihanna more so than Brown. When you consider their history, nothing that happens will be a surprise.

Cryptologic the Ireland based originally Canadian content supplier has announced it will be providing NeoGames a selection of its games for use on the NeoGames Network. The extended muti year arrangement will see NeoGames use the Cryptologic titles for scratch cards and instant win games.

Cryptologic has revealed more about its acquisition by Canada based Amaya Gaming. Stock holders in the content provider have until March the 28th to accept or reject the offer by Amaya Gaming to buy the complete ordinary share capital of Cryptologic at $2.535 a share. The deal with Amaya is subject to to being accepted in respect of more than 50 per cent in value of the share capital of Cryptologic and more than 50 per cent of the voting rights attached to it. The deal is expected to go through without issue according to market analysts.
Two of Cryptologic’s most popular branded slots games will be offered first, the titles of which are not detailed in the announcement. Cryptologic’s Instant Click platform will be used for the distribution of select games from the firms more than 300 online casino games. Integration of the games through the Instant Click platform allows software providers and operators a quick solution with fast results for game infrastructure and payment processing all in one package. The NeoGames network, will distribute the games to over 30 online casinos.

The Group Head of Business Development at Cryptologic, Ian Price, commented on the deal, "We are pleased to welcome a company with the reputation and reach of NeoGames to our list of blue-chip licensees."
NeoGames was established in 2005 and services online gambling operators, national lotteries, affiliates and media companies. Managing Director at NeoGames Networks, Shay Bar-Joseph, explained that integrating third party games into the NeoSphere platform was another important milestone for the company. NeoGames is committed to provide the best in online casino games to its clients and this deal with Cryptologic would go a long way in meeting that objective.