Let your mouth speak archive

New York State Senator Tim Kennedy (D-Buffalo) says the legalization of online-gaming in states across the country could lead to increased illegal and predatory gambling activity in New York State. Kennedy, who has long been an advocate for addiction treatment, says these sites are especially problematic for those suffering from gambling addiction. New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware's recent legalization of online gaming is raising red flags for states across the country that want to ensure the industry is regulated to protect consumers. Kennedy is calling on the New York State Gaming Commission to investigate illegal online gambling and to protect New Yorkers from predatory sites.

Kennedy says New York State is currently unable regulate the companies that are licensed in New Jersey, yet these sites will have easy access to New York customers through illegal middle-men who can set up "virtual private networks" to host "online casinos" in New York State. The technology is very simple and could easily be manipulated to prey on those with gambling addiction across the country – often charging over-the-top fees.

"There are some websites that have lured customers into using their online casino platform. They have built a customer base, but very few people are aware of the egregious actions they have taken over the years," said Senator Tim Kennedy . "These sites are stacking the deck and consumers are losing – and losing big. We need to prevent these bad actors from getting a license to behave this way anywhere in the country and especially prevent them from targeting minors and those suffering from a gambling addiction."

Current state law offers no enforcement mechanism to deter illegal sites from entering the New York market and little recourse for individuals who are harmed by gambling on these often-predatory sites. Enforcing regulations against illegal online gambling was typically the role of the FBI, but in 2011 the U.S. Department of Justice reversed its long-held opposition to many forms of internet gambling, leaving the decision and much of the regulatory power up to the states.

Now that states are legalizing or looking to legalize online gaming across the country, New York will have to come up with ways to protect consumers from the many bad actors out there. Kennedy says the New York State Gaming Commission should investigate the proliferation of illegal or predatory sites as online gambling becomes legal in neighboring states. He also points out that every dollar spent on gambling online illegally is lost revenue for casinos in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, which employ thousands of Western New Yorkers.

In 2011, the three largest poker sites operating in country -- PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker -- were charged with bank fraud, illegal gambling offenses and money laundering. These sites took part in an elaborate criminal fraud scheme, involving misleading some U.S. banks and bribing others to assure the continued flow of billions in illegal gambling profits. The charges were conspiracy to violate Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), violation of UIGEA, operation of illegal gambling business, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.

Another large player in the online gaming industry is 888-com, which has been operating from off-shore locations for years, has a history of taking illegal bets and offering no protection for minors and other individuals who would be harmed by online gambling. Some of these sites could be pushing for licensing in states like New Jersey, who are now offering legalized online gaming.

Senator Timothy M. Kennedy represents the New York State Senate's 63rd District, which is comprised of the town of Cheektowaga, Eden, Hamburg and West Seneca, the city of Lackawanna and parts of the city of Buffalo. More information is available at kennedy.nysenate.gov.






With States Rapidly Legalizing Online-Gaming, Senator Kennedy Calls on the New York... -- BUFFALO, NY, April 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The Boston Symphony Orchestra canceled its scheduled concert Monday night.

The Boston Bruins canceled their hockey game with the Ottawa Senators.

Tuesday night, the Boston Celtics canceled their basketball game with the Indiana Pacers.

That’s what we do when we’re stunned by something as unfathomable as Monday’s Boston Marathon bombing.

Potential security concerns aside, sports and entertainment just suddenly don’t seem so important.

Which, while we’re still reeling from the immediate shock wave, they are not.

Down the road, though, sports and entertainment play an irreplaceable role in helping us heal.

In a country where sociopolitical issues from gun control to school curricula divide us sharply and often bitterly, sports and entertainment provide the common ground for detente.

At a concert by Bruce Springsteen, who has twice helped elect Barack Obama President, the guy in the 10th row pumping his fist and singing the chorus of “Badlands” might be Chris Christie, who wants Obama’s job.

At any American sports event, from a Yankees-Mets showdown to a T-ball game for 7-year-olds, the crowd could include Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives and the Flat Earth Society.

Same with the audience for “NCIS,” “American Idol” or, oh heck, “The Walking Dead.”

Since dividing America into ideological teams is big business these days — talk radio would have to file for bankruptcy if we all kissed and made up — it’s not convenient to admit that when it comes down to the broader scope of life, like pizza, kids, sneakers and the price of gasoline, we agree with our nominal “enemies” far more than we disagree.

But this commonality remains one of the 21st century’s dirty little secrets, until a tragedy like the Boston bombing briefly puts us all on the same side.

Even then, if Oklahoma City, Atlanta or even 9/11 provide any guidance, our bond of grief and outrage will last exactly until our next argument over immigration.

It is the sports and entertainment bonds that will endure.

You want to see New York come together? Just let the Knicks win their first NBA championship in 40 years.

And if you want confirmation that we will survive the frustration, outrage and depression triggered by the Boston bombing, just watch commuters and joggers slowly plug their earbuds back in.

Escape? Sure. Ever since the Walkman became the iPod and now the smartphone, music has also walled us off.

But the music itself remains a common cultural denominator, a voice with dimensions the spoken word does not always possess.

That’s why Joe Scarborough of MSNBC played Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me in Your Heart” Tuesday morning.

That’s why, just 10 days after 9/11, musicians and TV networks assembled the nationally televised concert “America: A Tribute to Heroes.”

They raised about $200 million. But the money could have come from anywhere. It was the music we needed.

Defiant anger? Try Tom Petty singing “I Won’t Back Down.”

City pride? Billy Joel singing “New York State of Mind.”

The deep wounds? Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” or Neil Young’s rendition of “Imagine.”

Music brings no one back. It reminds us, even at its saddest moments, of what endures.

Two months after the “Tribute” concert in 2001, Bob Dylan played the Garden.

When he hit the first notes of “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” the crowd roared, simply because most everyone knew that the last line of the song is, “I’m going back to New York City / I do believe I’ve had enough.”

Written 35 years earlier, the song couldn’t possibly have referenced 9/11. It affirmed New York, and that was enough.

The roar for Dylan had the same intensity as the roar that filled the Garden in 1980 on the night it was confirmed the Canadian embassy had saved six Americans from hostage-taking Iranians — the clandestine mission dramatized in the film “Argo.”

The Rangers were playing a hockey game that night. Hockey games are preceded by the national anthem and, if a Canadian team is playing, the Canadian national anthem.

Usually the Canadian national anthem is played to the sound of rustling bags of peanuts. This night it brought down the house. Almost literally. You could feel the floor move.

Like sports, though in a different way, music finds our emotions. Just ask the Civil War and World War II, the two bloodiest conflicts in our history and not by coincidence, our two most fruitful incubators for popular song.

The Civil War gave us or repopularized “Dixie,” “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “The Yellow Rose of Texas” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

World War II songs were as righteous as “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition,” as bemused as “G.I. Jive” or “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and mostly sad and wistful, like “I’ll Walk Alone,” “Long Ago and Far Away” or “Sentimental Journey.”

World War II songs also told the hardest truth, that however high the stakes and imperative the victory, most people just wanted it to be done.

When the lights go on again

All over the world

And the boys come home again

All over the world ...

Happily, we don’t live our lives like an episode of “Glee,” conversing with those around us by breaking into lushly arranged and choreographed popular songs.

We keep music around us because we need it, the same way we need all cultural elements — like sports — that provide a shared outlet for entertainment and pleasure.

It wasn’t a song that brought the bluebirds back over the white cliffs of Dover. It was blood , toil, sweat and tears.

But music helped put us back together.

Read more: In wake of tragedies like Boston Marathon bombing, entertainment and sports help us heal together - NY Daily News

"Gangnam Style" reached the milestone of one billion YouTube views on December 21, 2012. A spoof documentary by videographer Simon Gosselin[104] was posted on YouTube and had promoted 2012 doomsday rumors across social media services such as Facebook and Twitter that linked "Gangnam Style" to a fake Nostradamus prophecy.[105][dead link] On December 21, at around 15:50 UTC, the video's YouTube page updated with 1,000,382,639 views.[106] YouTube specially marked the video's accomplishments with a cartoon dancing PSY animated icon, added first by the site logo,[107] and later next to the video's view counter when it exceeded a billion views.[




PSY - YouTube

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, owner of Foxwoods Resort Casino in eastern Connecticut, says it will partner with a provider of an Internet gambling provider to begin offering online games this year.

The Mashantuckets and GameAccount Network announced the deal on Monday. It must be approved by regulators.

The tribe and the London company say they will initially focus on play-for-fun online gambling in the United States. The two parties will be ready for real-money gambling if online is gambling is legalized.

The tribe and GameAccount say they will provide business-to-business services to other U.S. gambling operators.

Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods' Connecticut competitor, reached an agreement last year with Las Vegas-based Bally Technologies to provide free-play online poker.



Foxwoods tribal owner inks Internet gambling deal

In an effort to make their state a veritable force in the gaming industry, Pennsylvania lawmakers have now proposed legislation that includes legalizing online gambling.

The prime sponsor of the bill, State Rep. Tina M. Davis, pointed out that two bordering states—Delaware and New Jersey—have already legalized Internet poker.

“These states have seen their gaming industry take a hit from Pennsylvania’s casinos, with our state becoming the second largest gambling market in the country,” Davis wrote.

The proposal calls for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to regulate “licensing, operation of, and responsible participation in internet gaming to ensure that this form of gaming is within the regulatory framework,” she continued.

The full text of the bill has not yet been released via the state’s web site, but Chris Krafcik of Gambling compliance has reported that Davis has made significant changes to the bill since she announced it would be introduced. Originally slated to include a licensing fee of $16.7 million and a tax rate of 45% of Gross Gaming Revenue, the bill now suggests a license application fee of $5 million with a 28% tax rate.

The proceeds from internet gaming would be split between the Property Tax Relief Fund and the State Lottery Fund, according to Davis.

She estimated that the Pennsylvania gaming industry provides 16,000 jobs and generates more than $7 billion in tax revenue. Davis wants to ensure that the state keeps control of that money.

Last year, the National Governors Association, chaired by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, opposed a federal proposal to regulate online poker “as an unnecessary preemption of state authority.”

Of Pennsylvania House Bill 1235, Davis wrote:

It is imperative that we maintain the integrity of our gaming industry amid inevitable federal preemption and competing states, as well as possible expansion of internet games through the privatization of our own State Lottery. A responsible internet gaming system must be created in order to protect Pennsylvanians and the success of the established gaming industry in the Commonwealth.

Just last week, the state hosted the Pennsylvania Gaming Congress, organized by Spectrum Gaming Group, to “discuss the opportunities and challenges” in the state’s “meteoric” rise to become the second-highest-grossing commercial casino jurisdiction in the US.

Bally Technologies, which has a partnership with Amaya Gaming Group, owner of the Ongame online poker network, was a sponsor.




Online Gambling Bill Introduced in Pennsylvania | Pokerfuse Online Poker News

The Christie administration's estimate that online gambling will raise $180 million in state tax revenues in its first year is about $140 million higher than the predictions by two research firms, one released last week and the other commissioned by the industry itself in 2010.

State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff said the administration's figure is based on a third report, issued in January by Wells Fargo Securities, which said the online gaming industry in the state could grow to $1.5 billion annually after five years. Sidamon-Eristoff pegged the first year's in-come at $1.2 billion, with state tax revenues representing 15 percent of that number.

However, a study issued last week by Gambling Data, an industry research firm, offered a far more conservative viewpoint, estimating overall online gaming revenues in Year One at $261.9 million — which would lead to a 15 percent base tax rate of $39.3 million in money for the state.

That analysis was echoed in a December 2010 report by Philadelphia-based Econsult Corp. for the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, known as iMega, which is the online gambling industry's lobbying arm. It estimated $210 million to $260 million in "short-run" revenues, working out to $31.5 million to $39 million in state tax revenues.

The Wells Fargo Securities report also differed from the administration's finding. It stated that, "in the near term, we believe the New Jersey online market could generate between $650 million and $850 million." That would mean state tax revenues of up to $127.5 million.

State Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, said Monday, "I consider the $180 million number to be completely erroneous — it's not a number that has any credibility." Treasury Department spokesman Bill Quinn acknowledged that there are "widely varying [revenue] estimates," adding that the fact that Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey are introducing the first legal online gambling sites might provide a "novelty factor" boost to each.

"There can be a difference of opinion on these numbers," Quinn said.

Obstacles to startup

The Christie administration's first-year figures also are based on a fiscal year that begins July 1 — but even supporters of the new gambling options, including Internet poker or online slots, concede that the complexity of implementing regulations, installing the technical infrastructure and marketing the product to customers might mean a delay in a startup of play until the end of 2013.

Quinn said officials from the state Division of Gaming Enforcement have said they are working as quickly as possible to finalize the regulations. An agency spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.

Joe Brennan, iMega director, said that the report commissioned by his group produced a much lower estimate in part because it was designed to be used in support of the legislation that Christie signed two months ago — and that being too aggressive with the numbers might have complicated the effort.

Brennan added that the fact that millions of Americans played online poker for a number of years on foreign-based websites — before an eventual crackdown by the federal government — makes it difficult to pin down how much revenue can be generated now that there are no legal concerns.

"I think that if things get done in a timely manner, the [Wells Fargo] numbers could be reachable," Brennan said. "I hope they are correct. … Wells Fargo is not known for being adventurous — they are highly conservative."


Studies see far less from online betting than state predicts : page all - NorthJersey-com

Legislators are still skeptical about how much revenue Internet gambling can earn for New Jersey, but state treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff is not among them.

Sidamon Eristoff has said that Internet gambling could bring in $1.2 billion, with state tax revenues reaching $180 million in its first fiscal year of operation.

But Sidamon-Eristoff said that earning estimates he had received from a Wells Fargo analysis did not take into account that the Division of Gaming Enforcement will be putting Internet gambling regulations at an indefinite time between late May and late November, according to The Press of Atlantic City.

Internet gambling will have a tax rate of 15 percent.

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer David Rosen, from the Office of Legislative Services, questioned the treasurer’s numbers. Rosen said, according to The Press of Atlantic City, “OLS has been unable to identify any independent source that endorses such an estimate. We would welcome receipt of such analysis, but remain skeptical.”

But Sidamon-Eristoff remains optimistic. He said, according to Online Casino News, “We also feel that the analysis underestimated the level of excitement, novelty and publicity that such a rare opportunity would create.”

The Press of Atlantic City reported that Philadelphia research firm Econsult Corporation estimated New Jersey’s gross Internet revenue to be between $210 million and $250 million for the first year.

Most revenue estimates have run between $210 million and $850 million.

Senator Paul Sarlo, representing Bergen and Passaic counties asked Sidamon-Eristoff whether he picked the estimate numbers out of the air, The Press of Atlantic City reported . But Joe Brennan Jr. of the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association said, “If they get up and running, I think it’s a possibility because I think there’s a lot of pent-up demand. It’s a potentially reachable number.”




N.J. Treasurer Estimates .2 Billion in First Year Internet Gambling Revenue, Legislators Divided | State | NewJerseyNewsroom-com -- Your State. Your News.

According to a report by the Associated Press, a 38-year-old former COO of the U.S. Travel Association will become the new head of the American Gaming Association (AGA) it was announced in Las Vegas last week.

The new head of the U.S. casino lobby is Geoff Freeman. He will replace the AGA’s only other president (since 1995), 73-year-old Frank Fahrenkopf, in July.

Freeman, according to the report, “will seek consensus on Internet gambling,” and will be faced with the major task of ” navigating the burgeoning online gambling industry,” states a report.

“Casinos no longer are just about gambling, and its lobbyists must also understand the travel and hospitality industries,” Freeman is quoted as saying.

“Gaming is really taking on a broader image, and that’s the image of entertainment. It includes restaurants, shows, hospitality and lodging, and gaming,” he added.

Freeman not only has connections to the travel industry, but to Washington as well, where he will remain based. He will however meet with casino executives around the country, according to the report.

“I’m going to be ears open to just about anything that anyone has to say,” he said.

Internet gaming has been a hot topic over the past year, especially in Atlantic City. Earlier this year the “Internet Gaming Bill” passed in the state of New Jersey. Many say it will help Atlantic City’s struggling casinos in terms of gaming revenue when it goes into effect.

Meanwhile, it’s been reported that Caesars Entertainment, which owns four casinos in Atlantic City, is planning to how to cash in on Internet wagering.

Over the past several months it’s been reported that the parent company of the popular online gaming site PokerStars is hoping to purchase the Atlantic Club Casino in Atlantic City.




The New Head of American Gaming Association and Internet Gambling | Atlantic City Central

Folk singer and guitarist Richie Havens, who opened the 1969 Woodstock music festival with a legendary and lengthy set that helped make him famous, died Monday at age 72. His family says Havens died of a heart attack, and that a public memorial will be announced later. A statement on his official website posted before Havens' death says that the singer never fully recovered from kidney surgery he underwent several years ago.

His career spans decades, but he may be most famous for his role as the first performer at Woodstock. He launched the three-day festival with more than two hours of music, even running out of songs and thus improvising the song "Freedom" based on the old spiritual "Motherless Child." Steve Davidowitz, who co-wrote Havens' 1999 autobiography, "They Can't Hide Us Anymore," tells TODAY that the book title was what Havens said while looking out at the enormous Woodstock crowd.

"The promoters of the event actually appealed to Richie to perform for 20 minutes or so, because no one wanted to be first," Davidowitz told TODAY. "Instead of 20 minutes, the crowd kept him on stage for more than two hours with their cheers and demands for more."

Many Woodstock fans noticed that Havens didn't have his top row of teeth while performing at the festival. After the event, and with the encouragement of Johnny Carson, who had the singer on "The Tonight Show" more than a dozen times, the singer bought dental implants. After Woodstock, Havens started his own record label, Stormy Forest. He also worked as an actor, appearing in the London stage version of The Who's "Tommy" and in the 1977 Richard Pryor movie "Greased Lightning," about the first black stock-car driver to win an upper-tier NASCAR race.

"Richie Havens was gifted with one of the most recognizable voices in popular music," Havens' agent said in a statement. "His fiery, poignant, soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since his historic appearance at Woodstock in 1969. For four decades, Havens used his music to convey passionate messages of brotherhood and personal freedom."

Havens was always grateful for his fans. "From Woodstock to The Isle of Wight to Glastonbury to the Fillmore Auditorium to Royal Albert Hall to Carnegie Hall, Richie played the most legendary music festivals that ever were, and most of the world’s greatest concert venues," the statement went on to say. "But even when performing in a Greenwich Village coffeehouse or a small club or regional theater, he was eternally grateful that people in any number turned up each time to hear him sing. More than anything, he feels incredibly blessed to have met so many of you along the way."

Actor Lou Gossett Jr. was Havens’ co-writer on one of his most popular songs, “Handsome Johnny,” which was released in 1967 and was also part of Havens' Woodstock set. In 2001, the song was covered by reggae musician Peter Tosh, and in 2002, by The Flaming Lips.

Havens also had a 1971 hit with his cover of The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun." "Working with Richie to write his book -- a very good book, one with no curse words, no sexual exploits, but a book that shared how he self-taught himself virtually everything ... was the single most enjoyable professional experience of my life," Davidowitz told TODAY. "Besides that, he was a great friend, an amazing, fantastic performer, a truly warmhearted, giving human being. "

[CENTER]"His legacy will live on forever," wrote Reese Karlan.[/CENTER]

Pennsylvania State Representative Tina Davis introduced a bill to legislative committee on Monday that would legalize online gambling within the commonwealth.

Spearheaded by Davis, House Bill 1235 is co-sponsored by eleven other Pennsylvania legislators including Thomas Caltagirone, Rosita Youngblood, Dom Costa, William Kortz, Vanessa Lowery Brown, RoseMarie Swanger, Mark Cohen, Ed Neilson, George Dunbar, John Galloway and John Sabatina.

If approved by the House Gaming Oversight Committee, it will then be heard and voted on by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

HB 1235 favors existing land-based casinos offering those with existing slot-machine licenses to apply for Internet gaming licenses. The bill will be not limited to online poker; the bill defines “Internet Game” as “table game, slot machine, or any other game approved by the regulation of Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to be suitable for the use of Internet gaming activities.” The bill does, however, restrict lottery games, bingo, keno and “small games of chance.”

The bill also says that both the licensed entity along with the player must maintain a physical presence in Pennsylvania, with players required to establish online accounts in person at a licensee’s land-based gaming facility. Online players would have to hold an “active players, which was applied for and issued at the slot machine licensee’s licensed facility.”

Davis originally proposed a bill much different from what was presented to the legislative committee. Among the more notable changes was lowering the one-time licensing fee from $16.5 million to just $5 million and reducing the taxable rate on gross gaming revenue from 45 percent to 28 percent. Other stipulations to the bill read that licenses would be valid for three-year terms and cost $500,000 to renew and would be approved or rejected within 90 days of receipt.

While the bill explicitly speaks to regulating intrastate gambling, Pennsylvania would not be opposed to considering interstate compacts with other states, such as Nevada, in the future.

In discussing the topic early last month, Davis eagerly explained, “If we do not protect our casinos and money in Pennsylvania, we will be hurt by all the competition.”

The urgency of pushing online gaming forward stemmed from Pennsylvania recognizing the need to evolve and enter the online gaming industry as a highly successful brick-and-mortar casino state. Pennsylvania trails Nevada in casino revenue, but is ahead of New Jersey and Delaware, both of which have legalized online gaming.

In addition to the benefits associated with tax revenues and licensing fees to be received by the state, Davis expects that online gaming would create thousands of new jobs for the state and prevent players from dipping into the pool of New Jersey and Delaware.


According to CalvinAyre-com, as stated by HB 1235, the state plans to use 55 percent of the taxes it collects to reduce property taxes for the elderly and an additional 30 percent for providing free or reduced transit for the elderly. The remaining 15 percent would go to the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development.

Republican State Representative Paul Clymer still remains pessimistic on the issue and intends to introduce his own bill to make online gambling illegal.


Read more: Internet Gambling Bill Introduced in Pennsylvania | PokerNews

The arrival of online gambling in New Jersey will add $180 million in tax revenue to the state’s bottom line in the next fiscal year – so says the Governor Christie administration, based in large part on a Wells Fargo study from January.

But two other studies came up with almost the same – very different – number. That is, about $40 million in first-year revenues from online gambling.

And if they are right, the hole in the budget will surely be even deeper than that:

That’s because those studies are based on a first full year, while the fiscal year for New Jersey begins on July 1.

Raise your hand if you think New Jerseyans will begin gambling online by July 1. Even Joe Brennan, the iMEGA lobbyist (no relation), doesn’t predict that.

If the kickoff is Nov. 26 – that legal “get it done by” date being a far more likely scenario – and the studies by Gambling Data and Econsult are right, then the fiscal year payoff will be only about $20 million – not $180 million.

I haven’t figured out why the administration worked off an estimate of $1.2 billion in the first year, even as they note that Wells Fargo foresees a $1.5B annual figure in five years. That report’s start-up year figure is $650 million to $850 million, which seemingly should have been the figure to use for an estimate.

It’s true that no one really knows how quickly online players will flock to the games once introduced. What could fuel an unexpected first-year bonanza is an instant embrace of the official websites by the former players on sites like PokerStars, and a potentially unforeseen big market of new players who have been itching to play – but held back because of the murky legality of the previous era.

And I suppose it’s possible that the launch could come this fall and not at the end of the year. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

One fun thing about that Gambling Data report – which clearly is a scholarly, scientific research effort – is that they unsurprisingly looked to foreign markets to start a baseline of expectations, since no U.S. state has yet implemented online gambling.

One European country has the same basic gross gaming revenue tax rate of 15 percent as New Jersey – and has enough similarities that the adjustments needed to account for demographic differences is not too difficult.

That country, as it happens, is …. Italy.

Think it’s no coincidence for the Soprano state to be compared to Italy of all places? Fugheddabout it. It is a coincidence – and fun.

Meanwhile, Chris Grove at Online Poker Report has that detailed analysis. Probably the most important point he makes is that the numbers could hinge heavily on whether PokerStars’ parent company is approved this summer to take over The Atlantic Club. That would open the door for PokerStars to offer its well-known brand as home to newly-legalized online gambling – a big boost for the state’s first-year tax revenues, one would assume.




New Jersey annual online gambling revenues: $40 million, or $180 million, take your pick | Meadowlands Matters | NorthJersey-com

Bwin is doing it PokerStars has been doing it Betfair is doing it actually any firm that’s setting sights on America is doing it. These firms are cleaning up their act as it is said and are doing that by following the E.U. guidelines and working within regulated and licensed markets. The shredding of the online gambling market in the USA back in 2006 and then the further break down of the online poker legality in 2011 with the turnaround from the Department of Justice definition of illegal online gambling coming soon after one might think the big Casinos in Nevada have won the shell game.

Bwin has been active lately announcing it will no longer take new clients from a variety of countries most of which are in non regulated jurisdictions. Recently the industry giant Bwin Party Digital Entertainment officially withdrew its services to Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and the Ukraine. Playing the game in legal territory has opened up new and exciting possibilities for the Bwin.party entity. AS Bwin foreges forward in the social gaming trend a squeaky clean image is more likely to attract the everyday punter while the American market also continues to become many Bwin is not without aspirations.

The bold and decisive move is gaining popularity among other online gambling firms looking to clean the slate for a new round of business The move away from theses markets is as the company explains for “commercial reasons” with good intentions all round. Everyone knows the saga that Bwin has created with its cavalier attitude in Belgium and Argentina. Bwin’s pending license applications to operate in New Jersey and Nevada could be influenced by their past behaviour but now reformed approach. Argentina’s casino regulator revoked Bwin’s online license recently after Bwin disregarded the Argentine authorities and legal system pretty much all together.



Online Gambling Bwin.Party Disengages from Unregulated Markets

A proposed bill extending Pennsylvania’s regulatory reach into online gambling has been introduced by Pennsylvania State Representative Tina Davis (D-Bucks County).

The measure, titled House Bill 1235, was immediately referred to Pennsylvania’s Gaming Oversight Committee, on which Davis serves. The measure had gone through several draft phases dating from its original creation in 2012, with Davis announcing in January her plans to introduce a bill this session.

Major recent additions to HB 1235 deal with internet gaming and its possible licensure by the commonwealth. Speculation that the bill would include a “bad actor” clause was unfounded, though the licensing structure proposed within the bill would favor Pennsylvania’s existing land-based casinos.

According to the language presently within HB 1235, internet gaming licenses could be applied for by those entities who already hold an existing slot-machine license, which defines the approved gambling venues within the state.

Both the entities licensed to offer online gaming and the players themselves must maintain a physical presence within Pennsylvania, with players initially required to register in-person at a licensed gaming venue. A minimum internet gambling age of 21 is also declared within the measure.

Online poker and other non-house-banked games are specifically included in the measure, along with dozens of traditional table games, including poker-themed, house-banked variations offered in many live venues. All would be regulated in online versions should this measure become law, with approval and testing required for each.

Pennsylvania would receive 28% of the gross revenues generated from online gambling, with online poker revenue defined to come from the rake and tournament fees, not players’ winnings.

Another revision in the full version of HB 1235 is the lowering of the proposed initial application/licensing fee from $16.7 million to $5 million, with a $500,000 renewal fee due every three years.

Davis’ Bucks County 114th District borders on New Jersey and is a battleground over gambling revenues between Pennsylvania and nearby New Jersey and Delaware, both of which have already authorized some forms of online gambling.

Eleven other Pennsylvania legislators have already signed on as co-sponsors of the bill: Thomas Caltagirone, Rosita Youngblood, Dom Costa, William Kortz, Vanessa Lowery Brown, RoseMarie Swanger, Mark Cohen, Ed Neilson, George Dunbar, John Galloway and John Sabatina.




Pennsylvania Legislators Release Text of Proposed Online Gambling Measure | Pokerfuse Online Poker News

A “for sale” sign hangs on Millennium Entertainment, as the indie distributor has tapped Los Angeles-based Salem Partners to find a buyer. Best-known for “Bernie,” the Jack Black comedy directed by Richard Linklater that grossed $9.2 million at the box office and garnered two Indie Spirt nods, Millennium saw record revenue and earnings in 2012 and owns a film library of 665 titles, largely stemming from its roots in First Look Studios.

“Millennium Entertainment has become one of the top players in the independent realm,” said Salem co-founder Stephen Prough. “With a pipeline of high-profile films and direct distribution in all media in the United States, Millennium is a new entrant into the mini-major arena.”

In the three years since its formation, Millennium has developed strong relationships with theatrical exhibitors, including AMC, Regal and Landmark, and works closely with all major retailers and home-entertainment and digital platforms in the downstream markets, including Walmart, Target, iTunes, Netflix and cable system operators.

“Millennium Entertainment has created the most comprehensive distribution platform outside of the major studios,” said company CEO Bill Lee. “We look forward to working with Salem Partners to identify a new owner who is excited to participate in the next phase of our growth.”

Millennium is 60 percent owned by Avi Lerner’s Nu Image, with the remaining 40 percent split between Nigel Sinclair and Guy East’s Exclusive Media and Connecticut-based hedge fund Prentice Capital. Sinclair and East bought into the company in September with en eye toward eventually taking it over, reported Variety, but that deal never materialized, and now all three investors are looking for a buyer. The sale, which they hope to complete by August, could fetch in the $60 million to $75 million range.

In the meantime, Millennium management intends to stay intact and continue to operate the company and support new ownership in the event of a sale. Upcoming titles include “The Iceman,” starring Michael Shannon and Winona Ryder; “Stuck in Love,” with Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connelly; and “What Maisie Knew,” featuring Julianne Moore.



Millennium Entertainment up for sale - L.A. Biz

That's very positive for american players!

That's good news.

It’s still really early in the game, but some are predicting a huge Internet gambling market to be created in New Jersey, once regulators and businesses get everything in order.

According to NewsRoomNewJersey-com, the state treasurer has said that Internet gambling could bring in a whopping $1.2 billion, with state tax revenues reaching $180 million in its first fiscal year of gamblers placing online wagers. Regulations for the Internet gambling industry there are reportedly expected out sometime late this year.

Officials reportedly are skeptical of such a high estimate. Others have predicted much less.

Atlantic City has been slumping mightily ever since 2006. Gov. Chris Christie legalized online gambling in February of this year after a long and tough fight in the legislature. Lawmakers had been trying to get the activity authorized for years.

The legalization of Internet gambling could be huge for PokerStars, which is close to buying a casino in Atlantic City. The hope is that players from foreign and domestic jurisdictions could join in on the party, creating even bigger revenues for the state.

The only other states with legalized online poker are Nevada and Delaware. Their respective industries are expected to kick off sometime this year.



Estimate For New Jersey Internet Gambling Revenue Could Be More Than $1 Billion: Report

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa plans to jump right into the Internet gambling market. Executives with the casino’s parent company said Wednesday they believe it will complement Borgata’s land-based games and draw new visitors to Atlantic City.

Keith Smith, president and chief executive officer of Boyd Gaming Corp., said Borgata will quickly introduce online wagering once New Jersey officials finish the regulations. He did not give a specific date. “We intend to be among the first to offer online gambling in the state of New Jersey and are confident the Borgata brand will allow us to capture a substantial share of this lucrative market,” Smith told analysts during a conference call on Boyd’s first-quarter earnings.

Although Smith described the New Jersey market as lucrative, he declined to give any estimates on the amount of Internet gambling revenue it may produce for the company. Casino analysts and state officials have widely estimated Internet revenue from $200 million to $1.2 billion annually. Smith said the actual figure may fall somewhere near the middle.

Internet gambling is expected to begin by Nov. 26, according to New Jersey regulatory officials. The state Division of Gaming Enforcement is in the process of crafting the regulations to govern Web betting on casino slot machines and table games.

Smith said Boyd does not believe Internet gambling will cannibalize business from Borgata’s brick-and-mortar operations. In some cases, particularly with poker players, it could actually drive more visitors to Atlantic City, he added.

“We think it’s going to be a great addition to our land-based platform,” Smith said.

Borgata is counting on Internet gambling to boost profits, which were down in the first quarter compared to last year. Net revenues fell 6 percent to $165.6 million, while gross operating profits plunged 27 percent to $28.4 million compared to the same quarter in 2012, Boyd reported Wednesday.

Borgata, however, remains Atlantic City’s leading casino. Paul Chakmak, Boyd’s chief operating officer, said Borgata was able to “outperform the market in every category in the first quarter.”

Chakmak pointed out that Borgata grabbed a 22 percent market share of the slots revenue for the quarter, up 2 percent. It also captured a little more than 50 percent of Atlantic City’s poker revenue, he said.

“Borgata is clearly maintaining its leading position in the market,” Chakmak said.

Overall, the Atlantic City market remains under pressure from the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy and competition from casinos in surrounding states, Boyd executives said. In an optimistic outlook, Smith noted Borgata has begun to recover from the hurricane as it prepares for the arrival of the peak summer tourist season.

“We’re expecting a busy summer, and we’re expecting good results from Borgata over the summer,” he said.



Borgata to be among first Atlantic City casinos to offer Internet gambling - pressofAtlanticCity-com: Atlantic City | Pleasantville | Brigantine

William Hill, Britain's largest bookmaker, has announced a big first-quarter operating profit on the back of its online gambling success, and intends to invest more in order to increase its market share.

Hill's online boom

William Hill's growing online operations fueled a 15 increase in net revenues in the first quarter, the company announced. It said that more was spent on online betting in the 13-week period ending April 2 than what was spent at the traditional land-based betting outlets that used to be its core business.

In the United Kingdom alone, Hill has grown its online market share from 10% to 15 over the last four years, CEO Ralph Topping said in a statement. He added that it aims to increase this share by making "significant investments in marketing, technology and people to achieve that."

Latest developments

This job will be made easier now that William Hill has full control over its William Hill Online product. The company completed its £424 million buyout of Playtech's 29% share in their former joint venture, closing the book on what was becoming an increasingly trouble partnership.

In addition, Hill recently acquired the Australian operations of leading rival gambling firm Sportingbet for £459 million, as part of international expansion strategy. The move helps the company gain a foothold in another corner of the world, as it looks to spread its particular online gambling brand.



William Hill Soars on Online Gambling - Industry Coverage - Onlinecasinoreports-com

A few weeks ago California joined the Powerball and within its first three days sold a record $8,408,180 worth of tickets. According to a California Lottery news release it’s “an all-time record for any new Powerball member.” Of course, the increase in sales results in an increase jackpots. A week ago the jackpot was $80 million and soon increased to $95 million then $116 million, a faster increase than ever seen before.
While California is just one of 43 states in the Powerball, it holds around 12% of the US population. The impact of the state is just as Chuck Strutt, the executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, predicted.

Earlier this month Strutt said “The average jackpot hit will stay the same … but long-term, the jackpots will grow faster. With California the number of jackpots won per year will go up 1.5 jackpots.”
If the jackpot goes wild again, as in November when it increased from $225 million to $587 million in just a few days, then the effect of California is likely to be massive. On the other hand, by having more players involved, it’s possible that a Californian player would win before the jackpot has a chance to skyrocket.



Powerball Jackpot Grows Faster Thanks to Californians - Online Casino Archives