Let your mouth speak archive

It’s nearly impossible to escape.

The TV commercials and radio spots are blasting into households all over New Jersey and neighboring states. Banner ads are plastered on news websites. Billboards line major highways. Marketing crews are in shopping malls and ferry terminals proclaiming the news:

Online gambling is legal in New Jersey and you should give it a try.

The marketing blitz — orchestrated by the Atlantic City casinos and several online gaming companies — is a sign of how big a deal internet betting is for the state. It represents the most significant expansion of gambling since the first casino opened in 1978. It also offers a look at a struggling Atlantic City’s fight to survive.

"They are using every angle — every traditional media angle they can," said Donald Hoover, an expert on the casino industry and a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University. "They are spending a lot of money advertising."

Not only have casinos and their partners bought spots on cable TV in New Jersey — the only place where Atlantic City can offer its online betting products — but some have made media buys on broadcast channels in Philadelphia and New York, where airtime does not come cheap.

And more ads are on the way: Caesars Entertainment, which has several online gambling websites through two of its four Atlantic City casinos, plans to launch its campaign in January.

"We will empty out our pockets in marketing dollars in 2014 and sort of judge things a year from now," said Seth Palansky, a spokesman for Caesars.

There’s a big reason for spending so much: The companies aren’t just marketing a product, they are trying to pitch a brand new industry, one state regulators began allowing just last month.

A new TV spot from the company Betfair, which is running an internet betting website in partnership with Trump Plaza casino, tries to explain how online gaming works.

"Play Betfair online casino anywhere," a spokesman says as two men spin a roulette wheel on a tablet computer while standing on the edge of a basketball court, the New York skyline visible behind them. "Like, right here, on a basketball court."

Experts and industry executives say such a message is hard to get across in a single advertisement — it takes repetition and the use of many different media channels.

"It’s important you get going right from Day One," said John Shepherd, a spokesman for bwin.party, which is running several online gambling websites in partnership with Borgata. "And to get going from Day One means you need to advertise."

There’s a lot at stake for companies such as bwin.party and Betfair, which are based in Europe and have spent big money to open new operations in New Jersey, as well as for the casinos, which have seen revenues slide since new competition began opening in 2006.

Total gambling revenue for the city’s dozen casinos has fallen more than 40 percent since then and more than half of those properties have filed for bankruptcy protection. Just Friday, word came down that the Atlantic Club casino has been sold to two competitors during a bankruptcy auction and will close its doors on Jan. 13.

Nearly three years into his five-year plan to revive Atlantic City, Gov. Chris Christie is anticipating online gambling will produce about $1 billion in casino revenue by July. Several analysts, however, expect much less. So far more than 91,000 accounts have been created, but it’s unclear how many people are actually playing. "It’s absolutely a pivotal year because we need to make continued progress in Atlantic City or we’re going to need to start considering alternatives," Christie said in a news conference last week.

For the internet betting companies that have joined the casinos, New Jersey is seen as the start of something much bigger. Many expect more states will legalize online gambling in coming years — and that being a part of the market here will ensure a future elsewhere.

"Many of the operators are coming from Europe knowing that this is the most significant opportunity in the United States," Hoover said.

But all that marketing for the newest form of gambling does raise ethical concerns, experts say. There are an estimated 350,000 compulsive gamblers in New Jersey, many in recovery, and they are being bombarded by advertisements to visit virtual casinos that can be accessed from just about anywhere.

The casinos say there are many safeguards to help problem gamblers prevent themselves from playing on the sites and find help. But Olivier Toubia, a marketing professor at Columbia University’s business school, said it’s important for advertisers to consider the effect of their work.

"It’s an addictive product," Toubia said. "In some ways, it’s similar to advertising alcohol or cigarettes or other addictive products. It influences people. So, on one hand you have free choice and people can ignore and choose not to gamble. On the other hand, we know advertising works and people tend to give in."



Casinos take over airwaves in online gambling marketing blitz | NJ-com

HTML5 is the new platform for online gambling content and the companies that offer games in the new format are ahead of the process. Spin Games, a gaming content developer has signed an agreement with Nektan, a Gibraltar-based online and mobile gaming company. The deal will see the implementation of its license development and integration of services.
Under the recently completed contract, Spin Games will license HTML5 game content and its remote gaming server the Robust Online Client to Nektan for deployment on the Nektan paltform. The implementation of the agreement will see HTML5 content in the United Kingdom under its license from Gibraltar.

Nektan is a social and online games, content and services developer and recently acquired mobile betting technology provider Mfuse Limited for an undisclosed sum. Nektan is the creator of the hybrid ‘sklots’ skill and chance game concepts and recently raised £5 million following a successful private equity fundraising campaign.

Spin Games said that the Robust Online Client delivers special content offering a wide range of game content on multiple platforms, including Android, iOS and desktop applications. The firm will now be able to offer its clients Android slots and many other online and mobile games.
Spin Games ROC platform has been developed with multiple game engine capabilities such as slots, video poker, ball games, table games and Keno, games like mobile bingo will be included in the company’s portfolio. The ROC is a remote gaming server (RGS) and a for-wager game content delivery system designed to streamline the delivery of for-wager gaming content for the interactive market. It is a content delivery system built for today’s interactive gaming markets using the latest state of the art technology.

Nektan’s commercial director David da Silva, said, “The demand for quality mobile HTML5 real-money slots and video poker in regulated markets is insatiable, and we are delighted to be have secured this unique content from Spin to add to our catalogue.”



Spin Games Online Gambling Content For Nektan

Nigella Lawson is facing a police investigation into her admission that she used drugs after a dramatic about-turn by Scotland Yard.

Police are to carry out a review of evidence she gave during the fraud trial of Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, her former personal assistants.

In the witness box, she admitted taking cocaine several times, most recently in 2010, and smoking cannabis. However, evidence was also given by the two women, claiming she had repeatedly used the Class A drug.

When they were acquitted on Friday, Scotland Yard said it would not look at her admissions or the women's claims. She would only be investigated if new evidence emerged.

But later, Commander Stephen Watson, of the Metropolitan Police, told the Sunday Telegraph that officers would examine the "implications" of what she had said under oath and seek advice on what to do next from the Crown Prosecution Service.

Read full coverage of the Nigella case here.

Police will consider whether to bring drug possession charges and could also interview her to attempt to identify her suppliers. Social services could also intervene either at the request of police or on their own initiative after claims that she used drugs in front of her children.

The developments came amid mounting anger from Lawson and her supporters over what they see as a determined campaign to smear her and damage her career after the collapse of her marriage to art dealer Charles Saatchi.

Friends said at the weekend that Lawson was furious about how allegations of her drug use had emerged. However, her supporters also made clear that she was pressing ahead with her work. Saatchi was understood to have left the country for a holiday in the Caribbean.

Lawson's spokesman disclosed that all her nine cookery books would be republished over the coming months with new cover designs. A new television series called The Taste - in which she stars as a cooking competition judge - is to be shown for the first time in a prime-time slot next month. The disclosure is an apparent sign of the cook's confidence that her career is unharmed by the court case.

But she faces a new investigation which could be protracted. Mr Watson, one of Scotland Yard's most senior officers, said officers would look at all aspects of what was said during the trial.

On Friday, Scotland Yard said: "At this stage the Metropolitan Police will not be investigating these allegations."

But Mr Watson said: "Frankly, I don't think the full colour of the Metropolitan Police Service's position was conveyed in that statement."

Scotland Yard's new review is likely to focus on evidence Lawson gave at Isleworth Crown Court on December 4. The cook disclosed that she took the Class A drug with John Diamond, her first husband, when he found out that he had terminal cancer. She also admitted smoking cannabis in the last year of her marriage to Saatchi.

She claimed in her evidence that Saatchi had "told everyone" he was taking cocaine out of her nose after he was photographed holding her neck at Scott's restaurant. She said the incident was provoked by another, unrelated comment.

Potential areas for the police to pursue include not just whether Lawson should be charged, but whether she can identify the suppliers of the cocaine.

However, legal experts and police officers said pursuing a case against her presented several difficulties.

Professor David Nutt, the former government adviser on drugs laws, said: "The law in this country is based on possession of drugs, not on their use. The police would not be able to prove it."

One former senior police officer said: "Clearly she was getting her drugs from someone and that, surely, must be a matter of public interest."



Police to turn heat on Nigella - Entertainment - NZ Herald News

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Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Sheng Dan Kuai Le
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Hungarian: Boldog Karácsonyt
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Kurdish: Serî sallî nwê pîroz
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig Chridheil dhuibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Switzerland (Swiss-German): Schöni Wienachte
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Z Rizdvom Khrystovym or S rozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!



Merry Christmas

Everyone knew it would happen eventually once the online gambling firms in New Jersey were off to a good start the advertizing blitz would begin. Most ordinary people had no idea that online gambling would flood their lives with constant reminders that online gambling is now available.

What with radio, television, news websites and banner adverts, the billboards and the marketing gangs in malls and transport terminals there are very few people that haven’t been told, online betting is now on tap in New Jersey.

It feels like the Atlantic City casinos are making sure if you like to gamble at home in your shorts your welcome to do just that in New Jersey now. This is a big change for the industry is the biggest since gambling was introduced in the first casino in 1978. Donald Hoover a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University said, "They are using every angle, every traditional media angle they can," Hoover, who is an expert on the casino industry added, "They are spending a lot of money advertising."

Caesars Entertainment, which has several online gambling websites operating out of two of its four Atlantic City casinos, plans to launch its advertizing campaign early in the New Year. Seth Palansky, a spokesperson for Caesars commented, "We will empty out our pockets in marketing dollars in 2014 and sort of judge things a year from now,"
Betfair, is another online gambling firm in partnership with Trump Plaza casino, that uses a different approach to get its message across by trying to explain how online gaming works. "Play Betfair online casino anywhere," as a virtual roulette wheel spins on a tablet, "Like, right here, on a basketball court."

Advertizing not only a gambling products but a whole new way of gambling these firms are European and experienced in that process. If at first you don’t succeed advertize some more as the saying goes.



New Jersey Online Gambling Ad Blitz Begins

The Colorado Attorney General, John Suthers, has issued a formal opinion on internet gambling in the Centennial State, saying that the issue can be explored as planned in 2014, however changes will need to be made to the Colorado Constitution.

Suthers was approached with questions about online gambling and poker by the state’s Division of Gaming and replied to a number of issues brought by the authority earlier this year. Among the subjects tackled was the process that the state would need to undergo in order to bring the question of a constitution amendment to the voters.

When asked the question about an online gambler’s physical location in order for it to be permissible under Colorado law, Suthers wrote: ”Under Colorado law, a bet is placed where the person placing the bet is located. However, the location of the server or other hardware or software that determines the outcome of the bet would also be relevant to the permissibility of any online gambling under Colorado law.”

The Attorney General was also asked whether the question of whether voters would need to approve the taxation of online gambling revenue. His reply was “unlikely no”, especially if voter approval was already given to online gambling, as many hope it will be.

“Authorization of online gambling by some other form of constitutional amendment may raise different issues related to TABOR (Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights),” wrote Suthers.

The state of Colorado is hospitable to the idea of gambling, offering its residents a multitude of options, including 40 casinos and 12 card rooms.

A bill legalizing online gambling in the state was drafted this year but was not passed. It is hoped that more progress will be made in 2014 in a state that is clearly open to a new type of gambling industry.



AG: Colorado Online Gambling on the Cards

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The OlyBet online casino is owned and operated by land based Olympic Casino Eesti Ltd. which Olympic Casino is the leading provider of casino entertainment in Estonia and operates 18 slot machine casinos around the country.
In efforts to expand its current reach in European markets the Olympic Casino has rebranded its OlyBet casino powered by Playtech software. Olympic Entertainment Group was started in 1993 and currently employs as many as 530 people.
Olympic Casino is a full member of the European Casino Association and a major sponsor of the Estonian Olympic Committee. The firm being a socially responsible organisation Olympic Casino has its own sponsorship and charity programme through which several social, cultural, educational and sports projects are supported. The Group operates in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Slovakia, and Italy.

Olympic-Online, has been renamed OlyBet and was established in 2010. OlyBet is hosting a wide variety of industry leading casino, poker and sports betting platforms from Microgaming, Playtech, Net Entertainment, Bet Construct and iForium.

The deal the two companies have agreed upon will see Playtech as OEG’s exclusive casino provider and support its expansion into the Estonian and Latvian markets with the revamped OlyBet brand.
Kaido Ulejev, General manager at OlyBet commented that with Playtech the company is “launching something truly unique to support our land-based casino and sports bar operations.” Continuing Ulejev said that with “Playtech’s help OlyBet will be able to offer the region’s best selection of online casino games, a fantastic poker interface, a huge range of events and “the most favorable odds for sports betting.”
Shay Segev, chief operation officer, for Playtech, said, “We are pleased OlyBet has chosen Playtech as their exclusive casino provider and are confident that our offering in the casino space will allows OlyBet to reach its goals and revenue targets.”



Playtech To Provide Online Gambling Software for OlyBet

A proposed new gambling agreement between the Navajo Nation and the state was met in the 2013 legislative session with complaints about the last-minute timing and a cascade of other questions and concerns.

The proposal will be back again in 2014, and it doesn’t appear the welcome will be any warmer.

But the nation says it intends to stick with what it has negotiated, at least for now.

“We love our compact,” said Navajo Nation Council Delegate Lorenzo Bates.

“On our side of the street, this is how we want to do business,” he said.

The agreement negotiated between the tribe and Gov. Susana Martinez’s office would be in force until 2037 and allow the tribe to have five casinos on the New Mexico side of the reservation, which has neighboring gambling tribes concerned about the competition.

The Navajos now have two casinos and a third facility with low-stakes gambling not regulated by the state.

The pact also contains several terms that other gambling tribes view as unfavorable and that they worry could become a precedent for their own, separate negotiations with the state.

State-tribal compacts require legislative approval. The Navajo agreement was unveiled in the last days of the 2013 session, ran into trouble right off the bat, and was never voted on by the full Legislature.

For 2014, the plan is to start early – even before the session gets underway Jan. 21.

Rep. James Roger Madalena, D-Jemez Pueblo, who is expected to chair the Legislature’s Committee on Compacts, says he wants the Navajo Nation to submit a compact – either the current proposal or an amended one – by Jan. 15.

On Jan. 20, the committee would meet to discuss it. If it were approved, it would be introduced in the full Legislature as soon as the 30-day session started.

“It’s a short session, and the sooner the better, in my opinion. If we wait any longer … then we’re competing with time,” Madalena said.

By law, the Legislature can’t rewrite anything in the compact; it can just vote yes or no. But the Committee on Compacts can ask that the Governor’s Office and the tribe renegotiate provisions it finds problematic – and it’s entirely possible such requests will be made.

Bates says that’s the point at which the tribe could consider whether any changes would be acceptable. Until now, there have been only “informal discussions” about possible alterations to the compact, Bates said, declining to be more specific.

The Navajos’ current compact, and those of four other tribes – the pueblos of Acoma and Pojoaque, and the Mescalero Apaches and Jicarilla Apaches – expire on June 30, 2015.

The nine remaining tribes with casinos fall under compacts renegotiated in 2007 that run through 2037.

The Navajo Nation says allowing it five casinos is reasonable, considering that it has 100,000 enrolled members in New Mexico and a land base in the state of 6,500 square miles.

But neighboring tribes with casinos along Interstate 40 are worried that the Navajos would put a new casino in that area, perhaps reviving a plan for one at the Navajo chapter at To’hajiilee, just over a mile west of Laguna Pueblo’s Route 66 casino.

“They’re all targeting the same set of tires going down the road,” said Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup.

Muñoz, who chaired the compacts committee during the 2013 session, expects “a battle” over the Navajo compact in the upcoming session.

Echoing the concerns of some tribes, Muñoz questions whether a provision in the compact that relates to a long-standing dispute between the tribes and the state over “free play” amounts to illegal taxation of the tribe. He asked Attorney General Gary King for an opinion on the issue in March, but he hasn’t yet received it.

New Mexico’s Gaming Control Board contends that gambling tribes have underpaid the state by tens of millions of dollars because they deduct the jackpots won by customers who play for free – as part of casino promotions – from their “net win,” the bottom line that determines how much revenue is shared with the state.

The Navajo compact says the tribe could deduct 65 percent of their “free play” jackpots; 35 percent would be subject to revenue sharing.

Under the compact, the tribe’s revenue sharing would increase from the current 8 percent of “net win” to 9.75 percent through 2015, topping out at 10 percent through 2030 and 10.75 percent through 2037.

Some tribes have objected to a provision of the compact that says the Navajos would stop making revenue sharing payments to the state if Internet gambling were authorized in New Mexico, unless the Navajos also conducted Internet gambling.

Tribes that don’t like those and other provisions – or that want terms in their own compacts that aren’t in the Navajo pact, such as allowing alcohol on the gambling floor – worry that the Navajo agreement will become a template as Martinez’s office continues to negotiate with other tribes.

A spokesman for Martinez says that’s not the case. The governor’s negotiators would not try to hold any other tribe to the same terms, Enrique Knell told the Journal .

“Those terms were negotiated directly with the Navajo Nation and they are based on the unique interests and characteristics of the nation,” Knell said in a statement.

But even within the nation, there is some disagreement about the compact.

Rep. Sandra Jeff, D-Crownpoint, says she supports the provision for five casinos, but she doesn’t like the free play arrangement and other revenue sharing aspects of the proposal – and neither do some of her constituents.

“My concern is, we’re just giving away too much revenue to the state, when we have high unemployment within the Navajo Nation,” Jeff said.

Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, who was a member of the compacts committee during the 2013 session, says he senses even more disagreement among legislators now about the compact than there was when it was first introduced.

“I think they’re reflecting the feedba

WASHINGTON — About the only sure bet when it comes to gambling in Florida is this: Sooner or later, the issue will start an argument.

For decades, legislators, activists and kitchen-table kingpins have debated whether more casinos should come to the state.

But with gambling growing more popular nationwide, there's a chance Congress eventually could clear the way for card sharks — and vulnerable minnows — to skip the casinos and wager from their computers. At least three bills to allow Internet betting were introduced in Congress this year, and the issue gained enough traction that House lawmakers held a hearing in early December to debate the idea.

Though passage of any bill remains a long shot, supporters say time is on their side and that they ultimately can win over — or just outmaneuver — gambling critics, who say Internet betting will fuel addictions and increase the likelihood of online crime.

"I'm confident that one way or another, online gaming will be legal in the United States — for no other reason than you can't change the desire of consumers," said Geoff Freeman, head of the American Gaming Association, an industry booster group.

In 2012, American gamblers sidestepped broad prohibitions on Internet betting, he said, and wagered about $3 billion with offshore companies.

Meanwhile, three states — Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey — legalized online gambling within their borders after the U.S. Department of Justice decided in 2011 to reverse a long-standing prohibition.

Although what's legal differs in the three states — Nevada allows only online poker, for example — there's been a push in statehouses nationwide to allow Internet gambling. At least eight states considered the prospect in 2013, though no serious effort was made in Tallahassee.

Two Florida bills to allow the sale of lottery tickets online went nowhere, and the Legislature banned so-called sweepstakes parlors, which functioned as "strip-mall casinos" with online games similar to slot machines.

With such a wide range of gambling laws, some lawmakers are calling on Congress to set national standards.

"While unfettered online gaming here in the U.S. is surely not the ideal, absent a clear mandate from Congress, we risk exposing our constituents to an environment of a race to the bottom," said U.S. Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., who led the recent House hearing.

Of the bills Congress is considering, two would broadly allow online gambling. A third, introduced by Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, would allow only online poker.

"Just about the only thing you can't do anymore on the Internet is play poker," Barton said.

The efforts in 2013 follow an unsuccessful play last year by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to legalize Internet poker. The powerful lawmaker remains a strong supporter of online gambling, and his backing is a big reason the legalization effort has a shot in Congress, even though objections remain.

"Gambling undermines the American work ethic," said U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden. "The future of Florida's citizens should not be spun on a roulette wheel of fortune."

Other Florida lawmakers, including the late U.S. Rep. Bill Young, have raised concerns that Internet betting could be used by criminals for money laundering.

But states increasingly are considering Internet betting because the business has the potential to generate new revenue and tax dollars — though estimates vary widely. Annual revenue expectations from online gambling in New Jersey, for example, range from $300 million to $1 billion, with the state getting anywhere from $45 million to $150 million.

One study done this year for the Florida Legislature noted that online gambling could net nearly $800 million in revenue within five years, though it's unclear how much of that would come back to the state.

For now, both critics and opponents say the Florida Legislature is a long way from approving online gambling and that Congress is the more likely path to legalization.

Rather, the big gambling fight in Florida in 2014 will be over the possibility of more resort-style casinos. Statehouse leaders said recently that they would be open to putting this question on the ballot.

But getting voter support could be tricky. More gambling long has been opposed by family-oriented tourism destinations such as the Walt Disney Co., as well as the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Some of the same opponents also have lined up against Internet betting at the federal level.

"There's the argument that the other side uses called the 'inevitability argument,'" said John Sowinski, president of the Florida anti-gambling group No Casinos.

"Basically, [it says] you don't have a decision. More gambling is coming," he said. "That's sort of an arrogant argument."



Online gambling supporters hope Congress will clear way - Orlando Sentinel

WORST SONG

Chinese Food: In the post-Twitter era, the worst song of the year has to satisfy two very special criteria: First, it has to have attained the status of a successful failure, i.e. millions of people had to choose to watch the thing on YouTube while refusing to fork over a single penny to own a copy; and second, it has to be a song that’s not only been widely heard and talked about, but whose popularity actually diminishes its worth.

Enter the alternately annoying and reprehensible “Chinese Food.” For those fortunate few who haven’t had the pleasure, here’s all you need to know:

1. It’s written and produced by one Patrice Wilson, the same shameless opportunist who foisted Rebecca Black’s “Friday” on an unsuspecting world a couple of years ago. (The singer here, a tween named Alison Gold, seems like little more than an innocent bystander.)

2. It boasts what is possibly the most infantile chorus of the year: “I love fried rice/I love noodle/I love chow mein/Chow muh-muh-muh-muh-mein.”

3. The video features said Mr. Wilson repeatedly squinting, which is probably not the most admirable behaviour to engage in during a song about Asian cuisine.

Why a video about the joys of Chinese food also includes a group of Japanese geisha is another matter entirely.

WORST MOVIE

It’s a tie between two supposed comedies that revel in political incorrectness while committing the fateful error of being entirely unfunny.

InAPPropriate Comedy: ShamWow! TV pitchman Vince Offer’s vapid sketch comedy fiasco earned zero stars from me while burying Adrien Brody’s career by casting him as Flirty Harry, a flinty-eyed cop dressed in capri pants who sneers, “Go ahead, make me gay.”



Movie 43: When this gross-o-rama slithered unheralded into movie theatres last January, I described it my review as the worst movie ever made. My opinion hasn’t changed. Produced and co-directed by Peter Farrelly, Movie 43 is discharge from an overloaded sewer, a series of sketches attempting to one-up one another for bad taste. It’s also the biggest waste of talent in cinema history, with such stars as Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Liev Schreiber, Kate Bosworth and many more punching a time clock for Farrelly’s creatively bankrupt laugh factory. My only regret is that I couldn’t give it a rating lower than zero stars out of four.

WORST CELEBRITY

Justin Bieber: Through bucket-pissing, brothel-visiting, unlawful graffiti, excessive partying, balcony spitting and misogynist song lyrics, our tiny national terror’s greatest crime is still his refusal to pull his damn pants up.


WORST GAME

Star Trek: With the arrival of the next generation of game consoles, it was a good year for gaming, as many stellar titles sent the old gen out with a bang. But that didn’t stop plenty of dreck from filling store shelves and hard drives.

Sure, everything is a matter of taste, but one game that easily sank to the bottom of the barrel was Seduce Me, a PC-only game that was supposed to be an erotic adventure, but instead is a silly card matching game that’s even more laughable than its premise.

But that’s not our worst, particularly if we take into account the unfortunate feeling of dashed expectations. Star Trek: The Game gave false hope to this life-long Star Trek fan for a decent action game featuring the young Kirk and Spock. A third-person co-op shooter with little personality, poor graphics and full of glitches, this was a bad game that went where too many games have gone before, and quickly ended up in the discount bins where it belongs.



WORST STAGE SHOW

Fortune and Men’s Eyes: Birdland Theatre’s production of Fortune and Men’s Eyes has to stand out as the worst stage show of 2013, despite some stiff competition from the Stratford Festival’s Romeo and Juliet.

Why was it so bad? For a variety of reasons. It made John Herbert’s classic piece of Canadian drama seem tedious and pointless, which it isn’t. It made a quartet of young actors look appalling, except for the brilliant David Coomber, who triumphed in this theatrical disaster. But, worst of all, it continued to destroy the once-promising reputation of Birdland Theatre, which used to do great shows like Assassins and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Stefan Dzeparoski — who also helmed 2010’s worst show SoulSeek — directs in the kind of self-indulgent style I would call Eurotrash if I didn’t feel so fondly about Europe. Stop this man before he kills again.

WORST ARTWORK

The Miraculous Journey: Got to hand it to Damien Hirst. He makes it easy. In 2013, though, he outdid himself in sheer crass over-the-top extravagance. In fall of this year, Hirst unveiled “The Miraculous Journey,” 14 enormous bronze sculptures tracing human in-utero development, from conception to birth, ending with a newborn baby boy, all parts intact. To give an idea of the scale of things, the baby is 46 feet long.

That this happened on the behest of the royal family in Doha, Qatar, one of a handful of terrifyingly flush Middle Eastern republics bent on using its infinite purchasing power to buy artistic credibility overnight, should come as no surprise.

“The Miraculous Journey” is either the apex of self-absorbed hubris or an extension of the monumental in-joke Hirst has been plying with increasing transparency his whole career. I’ve always felt his more recent work, especially, has been an elaborate critical performance about the stratospheric excess of the international art market, and a dare to the public at large to call him on it.

Oddly, no one ever did. And so we have “The Miraculous Journey,” which I can imagine to be a miracle, in Hirst’s mind, in that someone was willing to fund such a monumental simpleton’s fantasy, to the tune of $20 million no less. Damien Hirst does things because he can; and so long as there are deep pocketed sources who believe he should, the joke will ever be on us.

WORST INTERNET MEME

Harlem Shake: The back

The online gambling market in the US is slowly growing with options now available in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey. Many other states are watching the trio closely to see if a move should be made. It is believed that with the New Year, legislation will begin to be introduced in several states across the US. According to a recent study by Eilers Research, the industry should continue to grow and produce almost $2 billion annually by the year 2020.

The study shows that the net worth would be around $1.95 billion, which is a relatively large number. However, this is much lower than what companies in the industry expected. With the study, Eilers was able to list why the amount was estimated at lower than expected.

The report stated that one flaw that is found in market forecasts is that the creators assume that each state will get in on the online poker or online casino gaming action. The amount of revenues produced in the market would of course be determined by how many states begin to offer either online poker, casino gaming or both. The report also mentions how the current laws on a federal level prevent states from being able to offer sports betting options online and this would also affect the market.

PocketFives came across the study which was published by eGaming Review. The study showed that Eilers Research used their findings to break down what each individual state would be able to bring in with approved online gaming. California was bringing in the top revenues at $1 billion annualyl if the state creates regulations like the state of New Jersey. Florida was set at $500 million while New York could bring in $400 million.

Overall the study is very interesting and shows how the market could be with the regulation of additional states. We shall see in 2014 how many other states decide to enter the new online gambling market in the United States.


Study Shows US Online Gambling Market May Hit $2 Billion in under a Decade

For years, Bulgaria has been the boogeyman of online gambling. Their blacklist of foreign operators has been legendary, and the high taxes on operators who were allowed to participate in the Bulgarian online gambling market meant that few wished to navigate the licensing process. But that all may be about to change, as the Bulgarian Parliament has passed amendments to the Gambling Act that should bring the country more in line with the standards and practices of other nations that regulate Internet gaming.
Taxes and Fees

One of the biggest changes made to online gambling policy in Bulgaria is the abolishment of the 15 percent take on gambling revenues that the nation had previously levied on operators. Now, those companies that receive licenses will have to pay a one-time licensing fee of 100,000 leva (about $70,000) along with a 20 percent tax on gambling profits – defined as “the difference between the bets made and the winnings paid out.” In the case of poker tournaments or other games that rely on fees and commissions to make a profit, 20 percent of all such revenue will also be collected as tax.

According to reports, the amendments will also get rid of Bulgaria’s notorious blacklist – a list of operators who are not allowed to operate in the country. Operators and websites that appeared on this list were required to be blocked by Internet service providers, per Bulgarian law. Initially, the blacklist targeted online bookmakers, but it eventually expanded to include more than 50 different websites that offered gambling of all kinds.

The amendments follow a move last month to allow gambling operators to apply for licenses online. This was designed to make it easier for foreign operators to apply and receive licenses to operating online gambling sites.

No Advertising, No Manufacturing

But not all of the changes to Bulgarian law will benefit operators. For instance, Parliament voted down a proposed amendment that would have allowed operators more freedom to advertise their services in the country. It appeared that MPs were swayed by arguments from an opposition party (GER😎 that believed the law would have allowed operators more opportunities to target youngsters as a part of their advertising campaigns.

Another amendment that did pass served to ban operators from manufacturing, importing or servicing slot machines in Bulgaria. That might seem like a move that would ultimately make it impossible for companies to run gambling businesses there, but there is a major exception: companies are allowed to import machines that they intend to use themselves.

More gambling legislation could be coming from the Bulgarian Parliament soon. According to media reports, some Socialist Party members want to institute a tax on gambling winnings that’s similar to the way in which gambling income is taxed in the United States, and some other nations. Socialist Party MP Rumen Getchev proposed a bill that would tax gambling winnings at 10 percent for amounts over BGN 3,000 ($2,100), with smaller amounts remaining untaxed. Getchev calculates that such a tax could bring in as much as BGN 30 million ($21 million) each year, which would go to programs that promote social activities for children.

The bill is expected to be submitted to the National assembly after their Christmas vacation.

Read more: Bulgaria Loosens Restrictions, Lowers Taxes on Online Gambling

The end of the year 2013 approaches quickly and the year 2014 looks like it will usher in new technology and trends that have never been seen before. First the advent of mobile and smart phones will change the world of online gambling by making it more accessible and faster.
Mobile is definitely the big thing and as flash based technology is taken over by the new HTML5 platform the games on mobile will be more exciting and varied.
Next for 2014 we will see the continued effort in the USA to provide an online gambling industry regulated and working like a fine watch. Many observers are predicting that more states in America will come on board and start to legalize online betting.
The Sheldon Adelson fear factor will fizzle out as people realize the man has issues related to controlling his bottom line which by all accounts seems to be expanding without any pause.

The Atlantic City decline will continue and operators will be disappointed in the returns generated by the introduction of online gambling. The fight to offer online sports betting in New Jersey will undoubtedly drag on forever with the legal eagles taking full advantage of the spoils. On the northern front in Canada will stay stuck with the provincial online gambling offering that is doing less business than expected driving the punter to offshore sites.

The market in Asia is growing in leaps and bounds as the culture there continues to become more affluent and connected. Latin America has great potential with the young demographic in Brazil leading the charge with their passion for everything tech and with the FIFA World Cup of Soccer on home turf there is nowhere to go but up for operators of sports betting web sites.

Europe will continue to bump along with regulatory compliance as more countries find that they need to pool their resources to be viable. For the most part the global online gambling industry will continue to blossom in 2014.


Technology Will Change Online Gambling in 2014

Entertainment electronics are hotly searched items every year, and 2013 has been no different. Since the release of the PlayStation 3 in 2006, gamers have been anxiously awaiting new consoles, and 2013 delivered both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 into eager hands. As technology continues to develop rapidly, it's important for consumers to stay up-to-date with the best products so they can make informed purchasing decisions.

Here are the rankings of the most-searched entertainment electronics of 2013 according to Bing, with some details about why each term was particularly relevant this year.

1. Xbox — The highly anticipated Xbox One went on sale November 22 in 13 countries, and sold over two million units in the first 18 days. Gamers around the globe are buzzing about all of its games and entertainment, now easily accessible and controlled by voice, not controller. The gaming console sells for $499 in the U.S.

2. iPhone — 2013 was another big year for the iPhone, with the 5S and 5C — as well as iOS7 — released in September. The 5S boasts major camera improvements, a fingerprint identity sensor, the ability to run 64-bit apps (thanks to the new A7 processor) and color options including silver, space gray and gold, among other improvements. The 5C is a lower-cost iPhone model and comes in brighter colors; however, due to disappointing sales, Apple began limiting iPhone 5C production in October.

3. Android — This year, Android announced its new operating system, KitKat. This is the first time Android has chosen a branded candy for its operating system — the Google-owned company cleared everything with The Hershey Company beforehand to avoid violating trademark restrictions. 2013 also brought about a slew of new Android devices, including the popular Samsung Galaxy S4, among others.

4. iPad — Apple released two new versions of the iPad this year: the iPad Mini Retina and the iPad Air. Both tablets boast 10 hours of battery life and include upgraded cameras and processors.

5. Windows Phone — The Windows Phone claimed the third ranking in popularity among smartphone-platform searches this year, and could be one of the major players in the phablet space. With Microsoft's recent acquisition of Nokia for $7.2 billion, we can likely expect to see continued innovation and announcements in 2014.

6. Surface — Two updated models of Microsoft's tablet, Surface, were released in October this year: Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. Both tablets feature improved kickstands, new backlit keyboards and performance and battery life improvements.

7. PlayStation — PlayStation's big move this year was the release of the PS4 on November 15th. The release was a success: Sony sold 1 million units in the first 24 hours.

8. Nintendo — Although Nintendo's release of the Wii U in November 2012 isn't selling particularly well, the gaming brand continues to maintain customer loyalty with new offerings every year. Nintendo announced versions of both the popular games Mario Party and Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013.

9. BlackBerry — Although there has been a lot of talk about BlackBerry in 2013, it hasn't amounted to much good news for the company. BlackBerry launched the Z10 and Q10 models with fanfare — however, the phones ultimately failed to wow users. Throughout the year, BlackBerry announced Alicia Keys as the company's new creative director, it replaced CEO Thorsten Heins with John S. Chen and announced a $1 billion loss in Q2. Though the company continues to make headlines and generate speculation, its future is still uncertain.

10. Kindle Fire — A popular competitor to tablets, it's no surprise that the Kindle Fire finishes off the list of the most-searched entertainment electronics of 2013. The highly rated, new generation Amazon Kindle Fire HDX comes in both 7 and 8.9-inch models, and boasts a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. Will the popular tablet ever be available for delivery via drone? Only time will tell.

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Online Gambling Promos for the New Year

Pleasure centers in the brain are different for men and women but who would think that gambling and sex share the same location in both genders. A recent “neuroeconomics” study has revealed that there are links between sex and gambling. It was exposed that taking risks with money and sexual arousal affect the same parts of the brain. Men who were aroused or shown erotic pictures gambled and played more daringly than those shown frightening pictures of animals such as snakes, and scorpions or even neutral pictures.

The pleasure centre in the brain is stimulated by both money and sex both with a similar intensity the research maintains. Gambling online or in an actual casino was also compared to the stimulation from trading on the stock market.

Individuals of both genders were surveyed in the case study with the results confirming that both men and women experienced higher levels of arousal and were more bold with their betting habits after looking at provocative images. Women in particular had more desire for intimate relations after winning at some form of gambling. Better sexual experiences were had while in casinos.
Age was a factor also considered in the case studies showing that the younger demographic was more prone to stimulating imagery and tended to gamble more boldly than those older participants who were not as influenced by the images provided by researchers.
In an alternative case study conducted in Netherlands revealed that men who were regular gamblers tended to prefer to gamble over being in the company of women. The regular gamblers became accustomed to winning easy money which was more pleasurable than chasing women. The study involved 18 pathological gamblers and 20 healthy individuals scanned by an MRI while their brain activity was monitored while performing one of the two tasks.


Online Gambling and Arousal the Same in Men and Women