Let your mouth speak archive

Legislation proposed earlier this year could pave the way for Internet gambling to spread from New Jersey across state lines, state Assemblyman John Amodeo told a conference of gambling leaders and regulators Tuesday.

The bill that could see action after November, Amodeo said, would allow the hardware and software involved in Internet gambling to be located outside of Atlantic City casinos, provided the equipment is still within the resort’s borders.

That opens up the possibility of the state hosting a central hub for multistate online gaming. The state could sell rights to run programs out of such a hub, said Amodeo, R-Atlantic. He suggested that adopting the legislation would be the first signal that New Jersey might entertain the idea of interstate compacts.

New Jersey’s Internet gambling legislation requires players to be located within the state to place bets. Compacts or agreements with other states — not necessarily neighboring states — could open up online gambling to more consumers, creating larger players’ pools and a nationwide system for online betting.

“Ultimately, we could see Las Vegas handle everything west of the Mississippi, and Atlantic City could handle everything east of the Mississippi,” Amodeo said after his public remarks. “This is that big. It has that kind of potential.”

Amodeo joined other legislators and gaming regulators from various states at the “World Regulatory Briefing USA focusing on iGaming” in Philadelphia as one of many panelists discussing the future of online wagering. The possibility of interstate compacts was a dominant theme in Tuesday’s conversations.

While Amodeo lauded the possibilities, others raised questions about the viability of states cooperation, particularly given varying regulatory processes across states.

Of particular note was a report last week by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission that caused Caesars Entertainment to drop plans for a casino in East Boston amid doubts that the gaming giant would not pass the state’s background check. Caesars, meanwhile, owns four casinos in Atlantic City.

James McHugh, a commissioner with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said suitability issues across state lines would need to be considered in multistate compacts, but he could not say how that would be best accomplished.

“It doesn’t make any sense to continue to spend dollars to redo what has already been done,” McHugh said of casino licensing.

Amodeo said unless federal law sets criteria, suitability issues across states will be a hurdle in any potential compacts.

“If you have interstate, it has to be a collaboration. It has to work for all,” he said.

New Jersey is prepared to allow Internet gambling to begin Nov. 26 following a five-day, invitation-only trial period. The Garden State has joined Delaware and Nevada as the only three states to legalize online gambling.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has issued Internet gambling permits to five Atlantic City casinos, which have teamed with online gambling partners. Ten of the resort’s 12 casinos have divulged their plans for online gambling partnerships. Revel Casino-Hotel and Atlantic Club Casino Hotel have not made announcements.

New Jersey’s casinos are looking to online gambling to help reverse a seven-year gambling revenue decline brought on by increased competition in other states. However, some believe Internet betting could cannibalize the market rather than grow it if current in-state casino patrons decide to stay home to place their bets.

Bill Ryan, chairman of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, said Internet gambling will be a tough sell. More interest is circulating in legislation that would give bars and other social clubs the right to have small games of chance, he said.

“It may be that (Pennsylvania) will wait and see long enough to see how New Jersey makes it work ... and to see if there’s going to be any damage done by (online gambling) to the brick-and-mortar casino industry,” Ryan said.

Delaware is expected to begin online gambling this month, while New Jersey is about a month away from its trial period.

A.G. Burnett, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said very few problems were found when the state launched online poker earlier this year. Some issues have been seen with a few residents in western Nevada who are located close to California borders and have been blocked out of gambling by geo-location technology barring out-of-state residents from wagering, he said.

“I’m aware of problems, but none that was large,” he said.



Bill could help Internet gambling spread across state lines - pressofAtlanticCity-com: Breaking News

While October 31 is typically reserved for Halloween trick or treating by costume-wearing school-aged children, adults in Delaware will receive a treat of their own as online gambling will make its debut.

Delaware Lottery Director Vernon Kirk recently told Cardplayer that the official launch will go forward on the last day of October, but some online casino games may not be ready. Online poker will be available, "but it will still be awhile" before a full slate of casino games will be offered.

That means Delaware will beat New Jersey to the punch by almost four weeks, as the Garden State is on track for a November 26 launch date. Delaware's online gaming rollout is not receiving the same attention being bestowed on New Jersey and Nevada, perhaps because the state has only about 900,000 residents.

Delaware launched free-play online gambling in August to get Delawareans prepared for the real-money action that is now only a little more than a week away. Kirk indicated that free-play online gambling has "attracted a lot of interest" from residents, as a database of possible real-money players has been established.

Delaware gaming officials have been in contact with their counterparts in both New Jersey and Nevada to discuss interstate compact agreements. Kirk said that Nevada is very "anxious to compact with us" in hopes of increasingly player liquidity in its online poker scheme.

The states will likely pursue such an agreement a bit further down the road. "Right now we are just concentrating on getting our site up," Kirk said. "But that [interstate compacts] will be one of the very first steps we take after launch."



Delaware to Launch Online Gambling Oct. 31 | PokerUpdate

The well-worn sound bite from Louis Walsh has echoed through X Factor for what may seem like an eternity. Well, a decade is a long time in showbiz. But what is this competition all about, Louis?

ITV’s flagship talent show has become a behemoth, bucking entertainment trends by making it into a tenth series. Since 2004, it has given us tears, tantrums and – sometimes – talent. And Jedward.

But after two weeks of its live shows, X Factor is taking a bit of a bashing from critics and, crucially, viewers. X Factor has been on a ratings slide since 2010, when it averaged audiences of 14m and had a peak figure of 19m for the final, won by Matt Cardle. It is currently hovering around the 9m mark but is being beaten in the battle for Saturday and Sunday night entertainment by BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The clamour for Simon Cowell to return as a judge – he left in 2010 – has been replaced by frustrations with changes to the format and the feeling that perhaps audiences are getting slightly fed up with TV talent shows altogether.

Figures may be down, but 9m viewers is still a sizeable chunk of the market, although the more it decreases, the more advertising revenue from the show also drops. X Factor’s new ‘flash vote’ gimmick has been panned and there is a sense that the pool of talent among this year’s crop of contestants isn’t as deep as in previous instalments.

But then X Factor isn’t really about finding new talent. It’s entertainment first and foremost and if anyone manages to rise above the show then it’s a bonus. Leona Lewis, One Direction, Olly Murs and JLS have all done well after X Factor, while acts such as Steve Brookstein and Leon Jackson have struggled to stay in the limelight, highlighted last week when the pair were airbrushed out of X Factor history when left off the track listing for the show’s upcoming greatest hits compilation.

Artists invariably release a greatest hits package when their star is on the wane and they want to remind people that they used to be relevant – is X Factor doing the same?

‘It’s got that kind of desperate behaviour of a show that’s in decline,’ said Stuart Heritage, TV writer at The Guardian, who has live-blogged the show for seven years.

‘It’s trying out lots of things to see if any of them will stick. But if it sticks to what it does best then that’s what people will watch.’

Although he thinks X Factor’s quality has slipped, Heritage points out that it’s still one of the most watched shows on ITV and has no real competition in the vocal talent show arena. He is not a fan of BBC’s The Voice, which has experienced its own ratings problems. It returns with a new ‘coaches’ line-up that includes Kylie Minogue early next year.

‘When the BBC makes those things, it feels like you’re being made to eat your vegetables,’ said Heritage. ‘It’s a slightly worthy thing whereas X Factor is a relentless entertainment machine. Because it’s based on vocal ability and not personality, by the time you get to the last few episodes, everyone in it’s so boring. There’s too much of a focus on positivity. I always like to see bad singers get holes ripped in them by judges.’

But X Factor cannot afford to rest on its laurels. ‘When it was at its best three or four years ago, it had just found the perfect formula,’ said Heritage. ‘It changed really when Simon Cowell left for America. I don’t think that’s really worked out for him that much. There’s just a limit where even the most moronic viewer goes, “Oh God, no, not any more”.’
The search for a new gold-plated format for a TV talent show is on. In Israel, they think they might have found it.

Rising Star, which is broadcast on the Keshet 2 channel, lets viewers vote in real time for acts as they’re performing through a smartphone app. The rights to the show have already been snapped up by TV companies in Italy, France, Russia, Germany and Scandinavia.

Heritage thinks the idea is interesting, but smartphone ownership might need to increase in Britain for it to work here – currently, about 7 out of 10 people have one.

There are other ways for aspiring artists to make their name of course – look no further than Justin Bieber, who was discovered on YouTube. A new British website is following a similar model in its bid to propel new talent to big things by cutting out the middleman that is the TV talent show.

GetSung.com was launched at the beginning of this month by a small team from Surrey. It aims to be a one-stop shop for unsigned artists. The acts open an account with GetSung, which then promotes their videos on its site, running regular features such as song of the month and listing the top ten videos and artists. The acts are able to submit covers of existing hits or their own music. There are no judges here, but those behind the site are hoping it will soon be on record companies’ radar.

‘We eventually want it to be the verified place online for A&Rs and music executives to go and have a look and discover new talent,’ said Bobby Drewett, 23, from GetSung. ‘We want to make this specifically a hub for unsigned music.’

More than 600 artists have signed up to GetSung, which also has gig listings for its acts. It’s free for artists to sign up and the site won’t take a cut if someone from the music industry does swoop for a feature act – it eventually plans on making its money through advertising.

Drewett said not everybody wants to have an audition in front of Gary Barlow or Sharon Osbourne and that GetSung will give acts time to build an audience.

‘It’s like their own mini-website,’ he said. ‘It’s a confidence booster. That’s what we want for them. It’s not easy going up in front of 2,000 people and these star judges. For them to get on here, build a fan base, gain some confidence, find open mic nights – they can build themselves slowly.’

The goal though is still to find the Next Big Thing. If someone in the industry likes an act on GetSung, they can approach the arti

Legal sports betting in mainland China could be facing the biggest shake up in nearly two decades, via government-sanctioned online gambling.
But the service is unlikely to be available in Macau – where Macauslot – Sociedade de Lotarias e Apostas Mútuas de Macau Lda – a monopoly founded by Stanley Ho Hung Sun, is the only company legally authorised to operate an online portal for betting on football and basketball.
Anyone trying to access the new online system via smartphone, computer tablet or laptop is likely to have their location automatically tracked so they cannot make cross border bets.
“If you had say an application on your phone for the new mainland online lottery, you would need to have it ‘talking’ to the national telecommunications system in China,” said a lottery industry source – who asked to remain anonymous as the person is not authorised to speak to the media.
“There will probably be a requirement that the app is linked to a global tracking system – making sure you are physically located in the right place in order to access the service legitimately,” the person explained to Business Daily.
A Chinese online company – 500.com Ltd – is planning a US$150 million (1.20 billion patacas) initial public offering in the United States after winning what industry sources say is tacit approval from China’s Ministry of Finance to develop a purpose built platform for Internet sports betting.

Offline, online

For the past eight to ten years in China, government-sanctioned lottery providers – licensed on a provincial basis – have merely signed agreements with online retailers to generate tickets for sale in traditional shops, rather than building tailor-made systems for online gambling in the manner of Western bookmakers.
500.com will work to change that on behalf of the country’s Sports Lottery. The latter was set up in 1994 as a sister body to the Welfare Lottery, established in 1987. Both distribute to good causes and the public coffers some of their net income once the player prize pools and administrative costs have been deducted.
The notion of a ‘lottery’ might conjure the idea simply of players being asked to match randomly-drawn numbers in a daily, weekly or monthly draw. But the products available to players are much broader in some provinces, reflecting the growth of Internet and smartphone use in the country, and also the technology available to deliver other random outcome games other than traditional number lotteries.
But the industry insider tells Business Daily one of the main barriers to building the legal sports betting business in China is that the return to player – the percentage of total stake money returned as prizes – is poor compared to the illegal bookmakers.
“…pricing in the government channels isn’t that great – with a mandatory maximum return to player of 69 percent. The return to player in the illegal market is probably 95 to 98 percent,” the person said.
But the source added: “The market is potentially absolutely vast. Net spending on the government’s lottery product in China is about 0.2 percent of GDP [gross domestic product]. In Hong Kong it’s one percent, in Japan I think it’s 1.5 percent. So what that indicates to me is that currently there’s an enormous illegal sports betting market in China.”

Right format

Another problem faced in curbing unauthorised sports betting in the Greater China market – including Hong Kong and Macau as well as the mainland – is that the authorities have so far declined to respond to market demand and authorise the form that Chinese consumers love the most. This is ‘in-running’ betting on football and basketball i.e., while matches are in progress.
Chinese media recently reported that a single unlicensed online bookmaker taking ‘in-running’ bets on the mainland and allegedly involved in running illegal websites in Macau was said to have made a profit of 11 million yuan (US$1.8 million) on one percent of players’ losses plus commission in fewer than 12 months up to the time of his arrest last year.
“…most people don’t use the government channels,” the lottery insider told Business Daily. “Making it available on the Internet is going to make it easier for some customers and no doubt that will stimulate some demand. But until you fix that fundamental pricing problem you’re still going to struggle to capture the huge market that is obviously there.”

500.com targets online-savvy U.S. investors

Likely to get better valuation on Nasdaq than via HKSE, says industry source

Shenzhen-based 500.com Ltd has applied to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WBAI. Deutsche Bank AG is managing the offering.
“The Hong Kong stock market is not a particularly good place to do an IPO if you’re a gaming company that doesn’t have casinos in Macau or the Philippines or Singapore,” a lottery industry insider told Business Daily.
“Investors and analysts in China only know about traditional casinos. Most of them don’t understand lotteries, sports betting etc. Additionally, many of the investors in the lottery companies involved in China have at some stage lost money,” stated the person.
The source added: “For all those reasons, to go to the United States and say ‘We have got access to the China gambling market, we are legitimate, and are using the Internet’ – the investors’ eyes will probably light up and the firm will probably get a higher valuation.”
500.com offers betting services through the Web and via mobile applications. It more than doubled its users to 18.4 million by the end of September, from 8.8 million at the end of 2010, according to a regulatory filing. The firm says it will use the proceeds from an initial public offering for technology upgrades and marketing.
Net income at 500.com almost doubled to 20.6 million yuan (27.04 million patacas) from a year earlier in the nine months to September 30, as sales increased 25 percent to 163.4 million yuan, the company said.
Two other China-bas

Two Atlantic City casinos have been very quiet regarding their plans for iGaming. The Atlantic Club and Revel were the two unknowns regarding iGaming in New Jersey but now we know their short-term plan. According to Brad Polizzano, the two casinos will not move forward with iGaming at this time and will not be part of the November 26th launch.

The announcement came via Twitter earlier this morning. Polizzano revealed that NJ attorney Lloyd Levenson had revealed that neither Revel nor The Atlantic Club would pursue iGaming at this time.

The revelation does not come as a total surprise seeing that neither casino went as far as to even name an online gaming partner. With the withdrawal of the Atlantic Club and Revel, just five casinos remain to receive approval from New Jersey gaming officials.

The four casinos owned by Caesars will all use 888 Holdings as their provider. It is likely just a matter of time before the announcement of their approval is made. Resorts is the only applicant that may have difficulty in receiving a license due to their partnership with PokerStars. PokerStars’ past in the United States post-UIGEA is the main issue that would keep them from getting a license.



Two Atlantic City Casinos Choose Not to Pursue Online Gambling

Sandy Talag was getting dressed for school when she first heard the good news.

Eunice de Asis, local producer of Jacco Groen’s “Lilet Never Happened,” called up to congratulate her one fine day. “I said, ‘thank you,’ thinking all the while that it was for the award (audience prize) ‘Lilet’ had won earlier in the Buster film fest in Denmark,” Sandy recalled. “But Tita Eunice said the trophy was for me.”

Befuddled, Sandy started “jumping, screaming and crying.”

“It was a different kind of excitement,” she recounted. “Maybe that’s what people call tears of joy.”

Sandy, a 15-year-old junior high school student, won best actress at the Oaxaca International Film Festival held in Mexico recently.

Belated reward

The honor is a belated reward for the former “StarStruck Kids” discovery.

She was only 11 and a graduate of wholesome GMA 7 shows like “Mahiwagang Baul” and “Majika,” when she auditioned for the risqué part of Lilet—a child prostitute in the slums of Manila.

“My mom was hesitant at first,” she related. “During the audition, my mom told me not to give 100 percent.”

Still, she handily aced the tryout.

Although the director and the producers tried to convince her reluctant mom, she remained unmoved until Sandy stepped up to the plate. “I explained to my mom that this movie was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Needless to say, the role of a flesh peddler can be difficult for a girl of any age—much more for the then 11-year-old.

“I couldn’t do research and visit nightclubs. I couldn’t read the script. I couldn’t ask questions,” she said. “So how did I prepare? I simply used my imagination. I kept reminding myself that I wasn’t shooting a movie; that it was real life.”

A psychologist was constantly on call to guide Sandy on the set. “The psychologist helped me understand the situation of the characters in the film. They really didn’t want to be in that position. But they didn’t have a choice. Prostitution was their only way out of poverty.”

Luckily, the mood on the set was always cheerful, in spite of the film’s grim subject matter.

“Direk Jacco made sure that the atmosphere on the set was light, not depressing. He was fun to be with … a real genius,” she quipped.

As a bonus, she got to interact with the best Filipino actors in today’s indie scene: John Arcilla, Marife Necesito, Timothy Mabalot, Angeli Bayani, among others.

Another award

The entire cast won a best ensemble honor at the International Film Festival Manhattan recently.

“It was an honor to work with them,” Sandy said. “They were not only great actors; they were also kind.”

She likewise considered herself fortunate that she got to share the screen with Johanna Ter Steege, an award-winning Dutch actress. “I know that she’s famous in Europe. On the set, she taught me how to act with my eyes, to make our scenes realistic.”

The international award came at the right time, she said. “I’m 15, what industry people call the ‘awkward stage.’ Producers don’t know what kind of roles to give me, whether [for] a kid or a teenager.”

The victory is sweet vindication for her. “Until now I couldn’t believe that I was able to portray such a demanding role. I waited for a role like this for a long time … I always thought that I was not able to prove my versatility in my previous show biz projects.”

Apprehensive

Since she’s currently enrolled in a Catholic school, she was initially apprehensive about letting her teachers and classmates know about her rather daring role in the international film.

“After finding out that I had won abroad, they watched the film’s trailer online and told me that they were proud of me. They’ve been very supportive since,” she noted.

That is precisely what she loves about acting. “It allows me to live the life of a different person, to explore emotions that I otherwise wouldn’t get to feel,” she remarked. “It’s also heart-warming that I am able to inspire other young people.”

In the future, she would like to portray more complex characters. “I want to be a contravida or a superhero. I always cry and do heavy drama roles. I want something different … something more challenging than Lilet.”

Read more: Best actress at 15 | Inquirer Entertainment
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

As our sister site mGamingWatch first reported, comScore has just released its monthly ranking of U.S. web activity at the top online properties for September 2013 based on data from the comScore Media Metrix service.

“Schools were officially back in session in September,” comScore reports, “causing traffic to jump at Education and Retail sites. Major news developments around the impending U.S. government shutdown had Americans visiting the Political News category for the latest coverage.”

But online gambling was also on the minds of Americans.

Between August and September, online gambling saw a 5% spike in total unique visitors.







comScore Sees Spike in Online Gambling Related Traffic  | Mobile Marketing Watch

Law360, New York (October 24, 2013, 2:30 PM ET) -- The nation of Antigua and Barbuda said Wednesday that it is nearing completion of a bill that will enable it to exploit the suspension of U.S. copyright protections as part of its retaliation against the U.S. ban on Internet gambling services.

The government for the Caribbean island nation said the bill is in the final stages of preparation for submission to the country's legislature. The bill will create a platform for “monetization or other exploitation” of the suspension of U.S. intellectual property rights, which was approved...

Knowing that the games being played at internet casinos are safe and fair is a task that the industry of online betting takes very seriously. The specialized firms that offer the assurance that the games are tested and certified are given a task that is absolutely crucial to maintaining honesty and integrity for online casino owners.
For almost 25 years, Gaming Laboratories International, LLC has been the world leader in providing Independent testing, inspection and certification services to the gaming, wagering and lottery industry. GLI also offers independent network and information security assessments to its regulatory, lottery and supplier clients. With 21 locations across Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, North America and South America.GLI is the only global organization of its kind to hold U.S. and international accreditations for compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, 17020 and guide 65 standards for technical competence in the gaming, wagering and lottery industries.
The firm Gaming Laboratories International has a new offering with the Staging of the Argentina Gaming Regulators Seminar coming soon on 11 November in Buenos Aires at the Salón G. Leopardi Hotel NH City & Tower. GLI South America and ALEA the Association of Lotteries, Quinielas and Casinos of the State of Argentina will co-host the seminar.

The event will feature high level discussions of today’s most important topics facing regulators in Argentina. Some of the topics that will be covered include: Gaming Security, Progressive Systems Overview of iGaming and Field Inspections & Audits.

GLI Director of Latin American Development Karen Sierra commented, “GLI’s philosophy is to support regulatory development efforts in jurisdictions worldwide, and dedicating resources to achieve our recognition as a laboratory in a diligent manner is the best way to support the gaming regulator.
We are excited to be participants of the important regulatory development process that COLJUEGOS is going through and look forward to continuing to support their efforts.”



Online Gambling Testing Lab GLI Hosts Seminar in Argentina

Honor and remember deceased loved ones in the ancient traditions of Mexico at the “Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) — A Mexican Celebration to Remember Our Departed” this weekend at Seattle Center. Performances, activities, food and rituals of the holiday celebrate the art and spirituality of Mexican culture and its indigenous roots, honoring history, culture and family through remembrance of deceased loved ones and ancestors said to be nearest to the living at this time of year.

Displays include community altars and information on the influence of immigrant cultures in the Pacific Northwest. Art workshops and children’s activities invite all ages to decorate sugar skulls, make paper flowers and other Dia de Muertos traditions. All are invited to join a musical procession honoring the lives of loved ones who’ve died at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Welcoming ceremonies at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday kick off continuous entertainment including Aztec dance, mariachi bands and other Latin American performances. After the festival Saturday there’s an all-ages Baile de Calaveras dance from 7 to 10 p.m. with Latino Heritage Award presentation.

Dia de Muertos, part of Seattle Center’s Festàl world festivals throughout the year, is produced in partnership with the Dia de Muertos Committee and Latino City Employees.

When a cloud of suspicion hangs over a person there is little to do but wait and see what unfolds.
The recent Gambling 911-com story regarding the former Bodog 88 chief of Asian operations Robert Gustafsson and two other employees that have been charged with embezzlement in the Philippines has sent shock waves throughout the online gambling industry.

Robert Gustavsson who on LinkedIn is described as a in the Philippines Gambling & Casinos business and as CEO Bodog Asia at Bodog and past Co founder at InProdicon AB, Head of Global marketing at Metro International . His education is listed as ‘Different’ The summary in his own words ‘Myself, pragmatic, hard working, no politics, straight forward sometimes too boring Swedish’

An article in the Bodog news brought out the situation recently describing it as a climate of corruption and criminality which has made its way into the Philippine online gambling industry. Before the first charges against the former Bodog employees were laid it was obvious they were scamming and scheming to embezzle money from companies and people in the internet gambling industry.

The charges against Gustafsson allege that he was using corporate funds to pay for personal liabilities in a grave abuse of confidence.
A source with the Global Internal Audit said to Gambling911-com with anonymity, “There is at least one more charge coming out this week and one ready for early next week.” They also added, “Keep in mind the audits have only just begun and have barely scratched the surface. There are tons of other shady transactions the forensic team is piecing together but this first set of fraudulent transactions which were just too obvious and stood out like a sore thumb.” If these three are convicted of the charges they could face a maximum of 640 years in a Filipino prison.



Online Gambling Executive Charged in Philippines

Singer-songwriter Greg Keelor's farmhouse was the birthplace of Blue Rodeo's most acclaimed album, Five Days in July, so the band felt it fitting to return there to record new work during their 25th anniversary year.

The familiar setting set a comfortable, relaxed tone for what became the country-tinged Canadian rock band's new album, In Our Nature, according to Keelor and co-frontman Jim Cuddy.

"It's OK to have fun making music. It's OK. You don't have to, you know, torture yourself for your art. It's actually good to be relaxed. Keep your senses keen, but be relaxed," Cuddy told CBC News.

In the attached video,Cuddy and Keelor, who have been performing together since their school days, talk to CBC's Zulekha Nathoo about recording at the farm, modifying their live shows to adjust for Keelor's tinnitus and continuing to make music together.

The band celebrated its silver anniversary with a tour earlier this year. In Our Nature debuts on Tuesday.

Today's conversion rate for Canadian to US dollar is is $ .096
Here is what I found on the PokerStar site, If you convert $.03 Canadian into US, you get $.02 US, so people are losing pretty much $.01 on $.03.
If I am to understand this correctly, the brokerage is scooping $.01 for every $.03 Canadian. How does $.004 difference from the conversion calculate to $.01?

I know this is petty, but I believe personally this is a scam where the brokerage in the long run will generate thousands of dollars monthly from this.

Can someone please explain if I am wrong on my calculations?

Thanks

Your calculation looks ok, thanks to let us now that.

cheers!

Pennsylvania may have become the Las Vegas of the East with its land casinos, but the state is not looking to follow the original when it comes to offering games online. While at least two of the state’s neighbors are pushing forward with online gambling plans, Pennsylvania isn’t worried, and apparently plan to take a “wait and see” approach to Internet gaming.
Waiting and Watching

Surrounding states New Jersey and Delaware are both looking to launch their online gambling platforms this fall, with Delaware set to start offering real money play as early as Halloween. But according to officials in Pennsylvania, they’ll need to take a look at how things go in those states – and potentially others – before they even consider allowing such games to be licensed in the Keystone State.

“I don’t see any real groundswell right now for Internet gaming,” said Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board chairman William H. Ryan Jr. at a conference in Philadelpia. During that conference, Ryan took part in a panel discussion on gambling regulation that also included officials from New Jersey and Delaware, as well as representatives from Massachusetts and Florida. All of these states have expanded – or are considering expanding – the gambling options in their states, though only New Jersey and Delaware have included Internet gaming.

One of the big concerns for officials in the state is the potential impact on existing land-based casinos and the Pennsylvania Lottery.

“We want [land-based gambling] to survive here and to prosper, because it puts money in our coffers,” said State Senator Kim Ward.
Online, On Land or Both

This concern is at the heart of many online gambling debates in the United States. Many state governments have considered online gaming as a potential source of new tax revenues. However, it’s been difficult to figure out exactly how much money will be raised, since it’s possible that some of the money gained on websites will be money that would have otherwise been spent at a brick-and-mortar casino. Pennsylvania officials hope that New Jersey will show them just how much money could be earned through online gambling, and how much damage – if any – is done to land-based casinos in the process.

That’s not to say that Pennsylvania isn’t looking at the possibility of adding Internet betting sometime in the future. It’s no coincidence that the World Regulatory Briefing USA was just held in Philadelphia this year, and state officials were certainly interested in hearing from others with more experience in the online realm.

“We’re basically hoping to learn more about how other states, jurisdictions and even some international jurisdictions…would approach Internet gambling,” said Kevin O’Toole, executive director of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

But at the current time, legislators all agree that online gambling isn’t being considered in Pennsylvania, and it’s not a priority for debate or research at the moment. Instead, any expansion of gambling options is going to come in the brick-and-mortar world.

“What we are seeing is far more interest in legislation that would give the thousands of bars and social clubs the authority to have small games of chance,” Control Board chairman Ryan said. He added that these groups also have much more active lobbying groups in the state, which gives them a better chance of seeing their issues show up in the legislature.

And that’s likely the reason the state’s Senate Appropriations Committee passed legislation this week that would allow bars to have raffles and drawings, as long as 60 percent of the money raised comes back to the state. Cha-ching.



Pennsylvania Online Gambling Not Likely Anytime Soon

The latest technology is changing the way everyone does business on the internet with the advent of smartphones and other devices it has become a mobile environment. One industry that has changed dramatically is the online gambling industry which has embraced the use of mobile connected devices by offering games compatible with the new formats.
The days of desktop computers are numbered a few industry insiders have predicted and now with smartphones and tablets the laptop’s demise is next.
The internet wagering industry is on the ball and is set to present on the latest trend at the Mobile and Tablet Gambling Summit to commence on November 4 and 5 in London England.
CalvinAyre-com, known for its coverage of the gambling industry, has signed up as video media sponsor of the 2013 Mobile and Tablet Gambling Summit at Hilton Tower Bridge.

In 2012 there were 1.038 billion smartphones in the world and some 118.9 million tablets sold in 2012 alone. After 16 years one billion came around and that number is expected to double in three years. 2013 is the year of mobile and with exponential growth,it has been suggested the next 18 months will define mobile`s future.

Organizers of the 2013 summit, Bullet Business has managed to obtain many of the industry`s top executives including Facebook’s Head of EMEA Gaming Sales Tarquin Henderson, Mobile Gaming Expert Industry Consultant Aideen Shortt, Playtech Chief Operating Officer Shay Segev, M&C Saatchi Mobile CEO James Hilton, PKR-com Chief Technology Officer Jeremy Longley, and other significant players.
Subjects on the agenda include information that tells us why and what makes mobile so important, gaining a firm understanding of how to ensure best practice when building a casino product road map, Blackberry and the gambling ecosystem, and the development of an application strategy. Other topics the Summit will engage are tablet gambling, mobile marketing, socialization of mobile gaming and the role of Twitter in mobile acquisition and retention.



Mobile and Tablet Online Gambling Summit Nov. 4-5 London

As Jamaica seeks to move from its current state of International Monetary Fund-triggered austerity to sustained, meaningful, growth, Jamaicans can take a measure of comfort from the fact that its entertainment industry, working in tandem with tourism, is now positioned to make our country one of the key entertainment capitals of the world.

The positioning comes through a series of initiatives from Jamaica's Entertainment Advisory Board.

The plan, which has already been approved by entertainment and tourism authorities, will see a slew of entertainment, cultural and other creative projects and events executed across the length and breadth of Jamaica on a year-round basis.

The game-changing initiative is expected to drive employment, industry development and the establishment of new hotels, as well as the provision of related services. It will have the capability of sharply increasing the number of stopover visitors, not just for general leisure, but specifically for these entertainment and cultural experiences.

The plan will also have a catalystic effect on the growth of several other industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, finance and investment, construction and infrastructural development.

Preliminary work has already commenced on the global marketing of the first of the planks on which the programme is being built.

Ninety Days of Summer and Reggae Month, It's Kingston for February, which come on stream in 2014, are about to be rolled out.

These will be followed by an entertainment project which will provide weekly opportunities for tourists to experience the best of Jamaica's music and culture in resort areas such as Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, as well as Kingston.

Kingston, already the Caribbean's entertainment capital, is targeted to be the city that best reflects Jamaica's cultural and creative strengths. Already boasting several calendar events, cultural attractions, museums, nightclubs, restaurants, bars and other similar facilities, Kingston has the potential to grow significantly.

New hotels

This growth will no doubt be supported by the planned construction of at least three new hotels in the city, as well as the restoration of the Wyndham's room stock to the market.

Further events are now being planned for the currently slow fall period, which could transform tourism in Jamaica in the same way that Reggae Sunsplash forever changed the summertime experience in the island.

Jamaica's Entertainment Advisory Board has already debated and approved these initiatives and recommended same to Government. Most of these recommendations have been accepted. Now, our collective challenge is to maintain focus, organise, manage and motivate.

We also need to strengthen private sector investments, establish new private-public sector partnerships, and most of all, ensure that there is sufficient funding in place, in both the public and private sphere, to make these plans work.

Entertainment is a very attractive option for Jamaica, being an industry which requires creativity at its core, something we have here in abundance.

Also, as entry levels are low, many Jamaicans, from all walks of life, have an opportunity to participate in its benefits. Many entertainment projects are not capital intensive and there is a wealth of experience and expertise available locally for execution.

It is, therefore, not surprising that over the last 20 years, entertainment has grown exponentially. Its potential for further growth is limitless. Over these years, creative businesses have gained much more understanding and respect as legitimate establishments.

Entertainment is also in our DNA as a people. We, therefore, have the capacity to use this natural resource to help transform our economic circumstances. And we should.

Kingsley Cooper is an attorney-at-law. He is also chairman of Jamaica's Entertainment Advisory Board and executive chairman of Pulse Investments Ltd.

The internet has brought together people from all over the world who can now communicate and play as if they live next door. The social aspect of the web and the new availability of real money gambling on social networks is creating a new frontier for the internet wagering industry.
In order to understand the trend and its opportunities organizers with present the second annual Social Gambling Conference, to run over two days, taking place on the 6th - 7th of November 2013 at Dexter House in London. The event will bring together industry experts in a series of presentations, panels and in-depth discussions on various current topics in the social gambling arena.
With the social gambling market predicted to grow from $1.7 billion today to $2.5 billion by 2015, opportunities in the market are incredible. That being said the potential risks, social responsibility and possible regulations all pose questions that need answers.Sessions at the Conference will cover items such as the transition between social and real money gambling, the regulation of social games, monetisation and the opportunities in social gambling.

Jason Prasad an iGaming Consultant will be presenting his exclusive new research on Social Gaming to Real Money Gambling Conversions at the Social Gambling Conference. Prasad recently conducted an academic research study on evaluating the effect of perceived marketing communication programs on social gamblers online.
The research study explored the extent to which conventional marketing communication programs, suitable for real money gamblers; influence social gambler’s buying behaviour online. Prasad will be presenting to delegates the results of his research in his session titled “Social Gaming: Will They Convert?”

Prasad has over a decade of experience within the online gambling industry, will be joining a rich and varied selection of key expert speakers including: Andy Rogers of MediaTech Solutions, Andrew Paradise of SKILLZ-com, Raf Keustermans of Plumbee, Simon Collins of Gaming Realms, Charles Cohen of Probability, Ohad Narkis of Williams Interactive and Vaughan Lewis of Morgan Stanley.



Social Online Gambling Conference Nov. 6-7 London

With just under a month until the launch of internet gambling in New Jersey a fifth operator has been granted a licence from the Division of Gaming Enforcement. On Monday the Tropicana Casino and Resort was given a license allowing it to offer real-money online gambling to customers located within the state.

New Jersey is going live with online gambling on November 26 after a five-day trial starting on November 21st. The state started handing out licences earlier this month with the first four going to the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, the Golden Nugget, the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort and the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.
The Tropicana has partnered with online gambling company Gamesys which will be running the casino’s online software platform. This is the first time that Gamesys has ventured in to the US after it became the first company to offer real money gambling through Facebook in the UK.

Tropicana President and CEO, Tony Rodio, said, “Both Tropicana and Gamesys are looking forward to introducing our customers to a new level of gaming through its online offerings, which will both entertain and raise the bar in gaming experience.”


Tropicana Casino Receives NJ Online Gambling License

Chris Brown was arrested early Sunday in Washington, D.C., after a fight broke out near the W Hotel, police said, complicating an already snarled legal history for the Grammy Award-winning R&B singer.

Brown, 24, was charged with felony assault in an incident that started just before 4:30 a.m., D.C. police spokesman Paul Metcalf said Sunday morning. Chris Hollosy, 35, also was arrested on felony assault charges, Metcalf said. Police believe the two men were together during the incident but said they couldn't confirm any relationship between the suspects.

Brown and Hollosy were being held in police custody until Monday, Metcalf said.

A man was injured in the fight and reportedly taken to a hospital, police said, but they did not identify him or give details on his injuries. It was not clear whether the victim was taken by ambulance or another vehicle. He had been released from the hospital as of early Sunday afternoon, Metcalf said. Brown's publicists and attorney, Mark Geragos, did not immediately respond to messages left early Sunday.

Brown remains on probation for the 2009 beating of his on-again, off-again girlfriend Rihanna just before the Grammy Awards. The photos of Rihanna's bruised face caused outrage among many fans. Brown pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault as part of a plea deal.

His probation was revoked briefly earlier this year after a hit-and-run incident, and he was given 1,000 more hours of community service to perform. There were allegations that he may have skated on some or all of the 1,400 hours he was first assigned.

Brown, who lives in Los Angeles and is originally from Virginia, has been involved in a number of incidents since the 2009 arrest. He was initially sued for a nightclub brawl that allegedly erupted between his entourage and that of musician Drake, at the time believed to be a paramour of Rihanna.

Brown also tussled with singer Frank Ocean and others after Ocean parked in Brown's space at a recording studio in Los Angeles. Ocean said he suffered an injured finger, but no charges were filed. A second man, Sha'keir Duarte, sued Brown, claiming a concussion.

Brown's arrest could prompt Los Angeles prosecutors to seek a revocation of Brown's probation for the Rihanna beating and ask a judge to impose additional penalties on the singer, including time in jail or prison.

Brown is due back in court Nov. 20 in Los Angeles to update a judge on his probation.