Slot machines are coming to Hawaii‘s airports if a local politician gets her way. State Rep. Cindy Evans has introduced a bill to allow passengers flying out of Hawaii the option of spinning a few reels after their planes are delayed.
HB 91 authorizes “the implementation of amusement concessions to provide slot machines at state airports for departing passengers.” Basically, duty-free slots. To play, you have to provide evidence that you’re over 21 years of age and scheduled to fly beyond US borders within the next 12 hours.
Interested operators have to apply for an ‘amusement concession’ license for an as yet undetermined fee. The state gets an 86% chunk of net revenue – gross revenue minus taxes, winnings, salaries, airport fees and rent – or a minimal annual guarantee, whichever’s bigger. The state’s cut would go into an airport improvement fund.
The bill expressly does not authorize online gambling, electronic bingo or other forms of gambling. Slots it is and these slots will be limited to secure areas of the airport. No slots can be visible to airport passers-by and operators aren’t allowed to advertise their wares in Hawaii by any means. Presumably the designated area will be labeled as such on airport maps.
If passed (doubtful), the act would take effect on July 1. Hawaii and Utah are the last bastions of non-gambling in the United States but Evans said this was a “very unique and different” way to help the state’s aging airports, an “out of the box” proposal.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) has already said it won’t support any gambling measure. The HTA issued a statement saying gambling “would not enhance our destination brand, but rather dilute it and distract from” the state’s traditional charms.
Evans has voted against previous gambling proposals but said this plan mainly targeted departing tourists and was therefore “not about gambling in Hawaii.” Evans told HawaiiNewsNow her bill would allow visitors to Hawaii “in their last few hours, spend their money in Hawaii and leave their money in Hawaii.”
January 24, 2015
Vietnam bust bnline gambling rings linked to 12bet
Online gambling was a hot topic in Vietnam this week as Ho Chi Minh City police shut down an illegal gambling ring linked to online betting operator 12Bet. On Friday, police detained 10 people, including To Cong Hung, the owner of the Vietnamese version of gay lifestyle magazine Attitude.
Police say the ring operated a website that connected local gamblers with the Philippine-based 12Bet. Hung reportedly ran the website, while his sister and other agents controlled bank accounts through which money was collected from and distributed to gamblers. Police had monitored the site for months, during which time the operators handled over VND 1t (US $46.8m) in wagers.
Friday also saw police commence legal proceedings against 36 individuals arrested in July as part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup betting crackdown. This ring was linked to another Philippines-based site, M88.com, considered one of the predominant sites catering to Vietnamese punters. Before police swooped in, the site handled over VND 1.4t in wagers.
Also on Friday, police in Ba Ria Vung Tau province deported six South Korean nationals for operating an illegal betting site out of a rented villa in Vung Tau City. The operation catered not to locals but to gamblers in South Korea, who set up around 4k accounts with the site and wagered over KRW 20b ($18.6m) before police moved in on Wednesday.
Thanh Nien News reported that local police detected signs of illegality in the villa then took their findings to South Korean police, who confirmed the interaction with local gamblers. The arrested individuals claimed they had been dispatched to Vietnam by another Korean named Choi Hojun. Vietnam deported 33 other South Koreans for much the same activity last July.
Police say the ring operated a website that connected local gamblers with the Philippine-based 12Bet. Hung reportedly ran the website, while his sister and other agents controlled bank accounts through which money was collected from and distributed to gamblers. Police had monitored the site for months, during which time the operators handled over VND 1t (US $46.8m) in wagers.
Friday also saw police commence legal proceedings against 36 individuals arrested in July as part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup betting crackdown. This ring was linked to another Philippines-based site, M88.com, considered one of the predominant sites catering to Vietnamese punters. Before police swooped in, the site handled over VND 1.4t in wagers.
Also on Friday, police in Ba Ria Vung Tau province deported six South Korean nationals for operating an illegal betting site out of a rented villa in Vung Tau City. The operation catered not to locals but to gamblers in South Korea, who set up around 4k accounts with the site and wagered over KRW 20b ($18.6m) before police moved in on Wednesday.
Thanh Nien News reported that local police detected signs of illegality in the villa then took their findings to South Korean police, who confirmed the interaction with local gamblers. The arrested individuals claimed they had been dispatched to Vietnam by another Korean named Choi Hojun. Vietnam deported 33 other South Koreans for much the same activity last July.
January 23, 2015
Stanleybet loses EU suit over Italian licenses appeal
Stanley International online betting subsidiary Stanleybet Italia has lost its European Union (EU) lawsuit against Italian authorities regarding the assigned length of gambling licenses.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in favour of Italian gambling regulators, dismissing that betting licenses for new market entrants lasting 40 months were not unfair in comparison to established Italian gambling firms that had gained 12 year licenses in the jurisdiction.
Stanleybet had registered its legal actions against Italian gambling authorities on the grounds of unfair business practices and the regulator creating uneven market conditions.
However the ECJ deemed that Italy’s regulator could issue different license expiry dates in order to create a coherent national gambling policy and reduce gambling opportunities.
Stanley International said in a statement that while the court ruled in Italy’s favour on the length of licenses, the judges ignored other parts of the lawsuit, including Italy’s obligation to adjust to previous rulings from the court.
The case has been filed under C-463/13 Stanley International Betting Ltd vs Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze and Agenzia delle Dogane e Die Monopoli di stato.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in favour of Italian gambling regulators, dismissing that betting licenses for new market entrants lasting 40 months were not unfair in comparison to established Italian gambling firms that had gained 12 year licenses in the jurisdiction.
Stanleybet had registered its legal actions against Italian gambling authorities on the grounds of unfair business practices and the regulator creating uneven market conditions.
However the ECJ deemed that Italy’s regulator could issue different license expiry dates in order to create a coherent national gambling policy and reduce gambling opportunities.
Stanley International said in a statement that while the court ruled in Italy’s favour on the length of licenses, the judges ignored other parts of the lawsuit, including Italy’s obligation to adjust to previous rulings from the court.
The case has been filed under C-463/13 Stanley International Betting Ltd vs Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze and Agenzia delle Dogane e Die Monopoli di stato.
January 21, 2015
Numerous buyers interested in failed Alpari
KPMG has been appointed administrator of failed online spread betting firm Alpari, sponsors of East London football club West Ham United.
The spread betting firm closed its operations this week, after it was severely hit by the Swiss Central Bank scrapping its franc’s peg to the euro currency. The decision by the Swiss Central Bank created volatile trading conditions, which left Alpari exposed to huge loses.
KPMG stated that Alpari client funds which were in the region of £66 million would be returned to customers.
The accounting and financial advisory firm further stated that it had received offers from interested parties with regards to acquiring parts of the Alpari business.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Monday that Australian foreign exchange firm, Pepperstone were interested in acquiring Alpari business services. The company’s interest was confirmed by Co-Founder Owen Kerr who told WSJ “Alpari is something we are looking very strongly at”.
IG Index and ETX Capital are also reportedly interested in Alpari, although there has been no confirmation.
The spread betting firm closed its operations this week, after it was severely hit by the Swiss Central Bank scrapping its franc’s peg to the euro currency. The decision by the Swiss Central Bank created volatile trading conditions, which left Alpari exposed to huge loses.
KPMG stated that Alpari client funds which were in the region of £66 million would be returned to customers.
The accounting and financial advisory firm further stated that it had received offers from interested parties with regards to acquiring parts of the Alpari business.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Monday that Australian foreign exchange firm, Pepperstone were interested in acquiring Alpari business services. The company’s interest was confirmed by Co-Founder Owen Kerr who told WSJ “Alpari is something we are looking very strongly at”.
IG Index and ETX Capital are also reportedly interested in Alpari, although there has been no confirmation.
January 19, 2015
Poker Cheat Darren Woods Sentenced to 15-Months Behind Bars
A former World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner has been sentenced to 15-months behind bars, and ordered to pay back £1 million to the organizations, and players, that he duped during his crimes, after being found guilty of fraud by representation, in connection to online poker scams, at Sheffield Crown Court last week.
Darren Woods, 29, pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud by false representation, after originally being charged, and maintaining his innocence, on 13 separate charges, and although 15-months is nowhere near the maximum sentence of 10-years, it’s still a victory for online poker.
The investigation into Woods behavior started in late 2011, when the Humberside Police’s Economic Crime Unit slapped a restraint order on him, and froze all of his assets. Woods, a one time 888Poker sponsored player, and Limit Hold’em coach on PokerStrategy, was in hot water after allegedly multi-accounting and creating bogus accounts to profit from affiliate payments.
Judge Paul Watson QC also ordered Woods to pay back £1m to those he had wronged, or else expect his jail sentence to be extended by a further six-years. Reports in the Grimsby Telegraph state £911,217 had been restrained, and Woods was ordered to pay £287,673 in compensation to an unnamed Gibraltar based gaming company, which would be used to pay back players that Woods had defrauded on their site. Police believe Woods made far more than the one million he is being asked to return.
Prosecutor Andrew West told the court: “At the moment, he has assets well in excess of £1.4 million.”
There is nothing, in either court reports of the Grimsby Telegraph reports that show any remorse coming from Woods, and the latter even ran with the headline: “Jailed Healing Poker Millionaire Darren Woods Insists: I’m Not the Criminal, I’m the Victim.”
Judge Watson told Woods: “You are an intelligent, able and even gifted young man but you turned your talents towards defrauding online gambling companies and cheating other players of online poker.”
He proceeded to chastise him and suggested that cheats like Woods affected the online gambling industry with people being ‘deterred if the system is unfairly balanced in favor of other players.”
The online poker players who were robbed by Woods may well be thinking: “When are we going to get our money back?”
Gordon Stables, who was representing Woods, had some good news for them: “All of those who feel they have lost out will be compensated, every last one,” said Stables before continuing to describe how his client’s name had been ‘effectively destroyed within the poker world’, and how, ‘he will not, in future, receive the sponsorship he once benefited from,’ and lastly, how his means of earning a living had been denied to him.
Woods father, Morteza Gharoon, was also sentenced. The 56-year old admitted possessing cannabis that was found at his home during the initial search, and admitted money-laundering charges. He was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, with no conditions, and had £18,910 confiscated from his accounts.
Darren Woods, 29, pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud by false representation, after originally being charged, and maintaining his innocence, on 13 separate charges, and although 15-months is nowhere near the maximum sentence of 10-years, it’s still a victory for online poker.
The investigation into Woods behavior started in late 2011, when the Humberside Police’s Economic Crime Unit slapped a restraint order on him, and froze all of his assets. Woods, a one time 888Poker sponsored player, and Limit Hold’em coach on PokerStrategy, was in hot water after allegedly multi-accounting and creating bogus accounts to profit from affiliate payments.
Judge Paul Watson QC also ordered Woods to pay back £1m to those he had wronged, or else expect his jail sentence to be extended by a further six-years. Reports in the Grimsby Telegraph state £911,217 had been restrained, and Woods was ordered to pay £287,673 in compensation to an unnamed Gibraltar based gaming company, which would be used to pay back players that Woods had defrauded on their site. Police believe Woods made far more than the one million he is being asked to return.
Prosecutor Andrew West told the court: “At the moment, he has assets well in excess of £1.4 million.”
There is nothing, in either court reports of the Grimsby Telegraph reports that show any remorse coming from Woods, and the latter even ran with the headline: “Jailed Healing Poker Millionaire Darren Woods Insists: I’m Not the Criminal, I’m the Victim.”
Judge Watson told Woods: “You are an intelligent, able and even gifted young man but you turned your talents towards defrauding online gambling companies and cheating other players of online poker.”
He proceeded to chastise him and suggested that cheats like Woods affected the online gambling industry with people being ‘deterred if the system is unfairly balanced in favor of other players.”
The online poker players who were robbed by Woods may well be thinking: “When are we going to get our money back?”
Gordon Stables, who was representing Woods, had some good news for them: “All of those who feel they have lost out will be compensated, every last one,” said Stables before continuing to describe how his client’s name had been ‘effectively destroyed within the poker world’, and how, ‘he will not, in future, receive the sponsorship he once benefited from,’ and lastly, how his means of earning a living had been denied to him.
Woods father, Morteza Gharoon, was also sentenced. The 56-year old admitted possessing cannabis that was found at his home during the initial search, and admitted money-laundering charges. He was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, with no conditions, and had £18,910 confiscated from his accounts.
January 17, 2015
Dutch football association investigates alleged match-fixing
The Dutch football association is opening an investigation and calling for a criminal probe into detailed allegations published Saturday of the alleged fixing of two matches in the top-tier Eredivisie.
Respected daily De Volkskrant reported that two matches involving Tilburg team Willem II — against Ajax and Feyenoord — were fixed during the 2009-2010 season by players allegedly paid by a Singaporean syndicate.
The Volkskrant identified former Willem II and Sierra Leone midfielder Ibrahim Kargbo as ringleader, an allegation Kargbo denied in an interview with the newspaper. Kargbo was suspended last year from international duty by his country's football authorities, along with three other players, over alleged attempts to fix a June 2008 qualifier against South Africa.
The Dutch football association called the detailed Volkskrant investigation "the most concrete case yet in the Netherlands" of alleged fixing.
"We will do everything in our power to get to the bottom of this," the association said on its website.
As well as handing the case to criminal investigators, the association says it will carry out its own probe by interviewing players, referees and club officials and analyzing video images.
In a written reaction, Willem II said it was shocked by the reports and pledged to cooperate fully with investigations.
Respected daily De Volkskrant reported that two matches involving Tilburg team Willem II — against Ajax and Feyenoord — were fixed during the 2009-2010 season by players allegedly paid by a Singaporean syndicate.
The Volkskrant identified former Willem II and Sierra Leone midfielder Ibrahim Kargbo as ringleader, an allegation Kargbo denied in an interview with the newspaper. Kargbo was suspended last year from international duty by his country's football authorities, along with three other players, over alleged attempts to fix a June 2008 qualifier against South Africa.
The Dutch football association called the detailed Volkskrant investigation "the most concrete case yet in the Netherlands" of alleged fixing.
"We will do everything in our power to get to the bottom of this," the association said on its website.
As well as handing the case to criminal investigators, the association says it will carry out its own probe by interviewing players, referees and club officials and analyzing video images.
In a written reaction, Willem II said it was shocked by the reports and pledged to cooperate fully with investigations.
West Ham United to play with sponsorless kit as shirt sponsor goes bust
West Ham United will likely sport a kit without a shirt sponsor in the next Premier League match against Hull City on Sunday.
Alpari, West Ham United's shirt sponsor since 2013, have entered insolvency on Friday after Swiss National Bank's surprise decision to decouple the Swiss Franc against the Euro yesterday. Originally, West Ham United and Alpari UK signed a 3-year shirt sponsorship deal in February 2013 worth £3m / season.
West Ham United will likely debut the sponsorless shirt against Hull City.
In 2008, West Ham United was already forced to remove the sponsor logo from their shirt after their shirt sponsor XL, a Britain holiday group, collapsed. At that time, the club had to suspend all sales of the West Ham United replica kits and lost approximately £4m.
West Ham later released an official club statement saying that they are saddened by the news about Alpari, but also state that the sponsor situation does not danger West Ham United's financial stability. English Premier League team West Ham United are already in talks to sign a new main shirt sponsor deal:
The Board would like to reassure supporters that Alpari (UK) Limited's situation will have no impact on West Ham United. The Club has received huge interest and is already in advanced discussions with potential new shirt sponsors for next year.
Alpari had been the West Ham sponsor since Summer 2013, while Adidas makes the West Ham 14-15 Kits.
Alpari, West Ham United's shirt sponsor since 2013, have entered insolvency on Friday after Swiss National Bank's surprise decision to decouple the Swiss Franc against the Euro yesterday. Originally, West Ham United and Alpari UK signed a 3-year shirt sponsorship deal in February 2013 worth £3m / season.
West Ham United will likely debut the sponsorless shirt against Hull City.
In 2008, West Ham United was already forced to remove the sponsor logo from their shirt after their shirt sponsor XL, a Britain holiday group, collapsed. At that time, the club had to suspend all sales of the West Ham United replica kits and lost approximately £4m.
West Ham later released an official club statement saying that they are saddened by the news about Alpari, but also state that the sponsor situation does not danger West Ham United's financial stability. English Premier League team West Ham United are already in talks to sign a new main shirt sponsor deal:
The Board would like to reassure supporters that Alpari (UK) Limited's situation will have no impact on West Ham United. The Club has received huge interest and is already in advanced discussions with potential new shirt sponsors for next year.
Alpari had been the West Ham sponsor since Summer 2013, while Adidas makes the West Ham 14-15 Kits.
South Africa governmentt says online gambling “must remain a banned activity”
South Africa‘s government has poured a great big bucket of ice water on a member of the opposition’s plan to promote the legalization of online gambling.
Earlier this week, Democratic Alliance shadow minister for trade and industry Geordin Hill-Lewis announced plans to reintroduce the Remote Gambling Bill he debuted last year. Hill-Lewis said he hoped the bill – which would expand the scope of legal online gambling beyond sports betting – would force the government “to engage properly around this argument.”
Well, sod that nonsense, says the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). On Friday, the DTI issued a statement saying it wanted to make it “publicly clear that there is no intention on the part of the government to propose the legislation of online gambling.”
The DTI insists that online gambling was “not desirable” due to “a number of social ills associated with gambling, especially online gambling.” The DTI believes “no amount of control will adequately curb the harm that may be caused” by online casino and poker games and thus “it must remain a banned activity.”
The DTI underscored its position by reminding everyone that offering anything online other than sports betting was against the law and “law enforcement agencies will act on this illegal activity with immediate effect.” The penalties for any operator offering illegal services or anyone “participating as individuals” include fines of up to R10m (US $865k) and prison sentences of up to 10 years. The DTI even offered a hotline number for finking on suspected illegal gambling.
South Africa has been flirting with the idea of an expanded online gambling market for years now but analysts at PricewaterhouseCoopers sounded an extremely pessimistic note in November on the prospects of the government acting anytime soon. Seems about right.
Earlier this week, Democratic Alliance shadow minister for trade and industry Geordin Hill-Lewis announced plans to reintroduce the Remote Gambling Bill he debuted last year. Hill-Lewis said he hoped the bill – which would expand the scope of legal online gambling beyond sports betting – would force the government “to engage properly around this argument.”
Well, sod that nonsense, says the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). On Friday, the DTI issued a statement saying it wanted to make it “publicly clear that there is no intention on the part of the government to propose the legislation of online gambling.”
The DTI insists that online gambling was “not desirable” due to “a number of social ills associated with gambling, especially online gambling.” The DTI believes “no amount of control will adequately curb the harm that may be caused” by online casino and poker games and thus “it must remain a banned activity.”
The DTI underscored its position by reminding everyone that offering anything online other than sports betting was against the law and “law enforcement agencies will act on this illegal activity with immediate effect.” The penalties for any operator offering illegal services or anyone “participating as individuals” include fines of up to R10m (US $865k) and prison sentences of up to 10 years. The DTI even offered a hotline number for finking on suspected illegal gambling.
South Africa has been flirting with the idea of an expanded online gambling market for years now but analysts at PricewaterhouseCoopers sounded an extremely pessimistic note in November on the prospects of the government acting anytime soon. Seems about right.
January 16, 2015
Paddy Power supported David Ginola to stand against Blatter in FIFA election
David Ginola wants to challenge Sepp Blatter for the Fifa presidency in a campaign backed by a bookmaker. A spokesperson confirmed the former Newcastle, Tottenham and France midfielder was ready to oppose Blatter’s attempt to win a fifth term at the age of 79 and that he “will be looking for the full support of Uefa and five football associations”.
M&C Saatchi PR, acting on behalf of the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, told the Associated Press that Ginola will launch his campaign in London on Friday, but it is not yet certain he will be able to stand for election.
Ginola, who also played for Aston Villa and Everton before retiring in 2002 and has since moved into winemaking, has until 29 January to prove to Fifa he has played an “active role” in football for two of the last five years, while showing he has the support of five national associations. The election will be held in Zurich on 29 May.
Three other people have declared an interest in the job: The Fifa vice president Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan, the former Fifa official Jérôme Champagne and the former Chilean football federation president Harold Mayne-Nicholls.
M&C Saatchi PR, acting on behalf of the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, told the Associated Press that Ginola will launch his campaign in London on Friday, but it is not yet certain he will be able to stand for election.
Ginola, who also played for Aston Villa and Everton before retiring in 2002 and has since moved into winemaking, has until 29 January to prove to Fifa he has played an “active role” in football for two of the last five years, while showing he has the support of five national associations. The election will be held in Zurich on 29 May.
Three other people have declared an interest in the job: The Fifa vice president Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan, the former Fifa official Jérôme Champagne and the former Chilean football federation president Harold Mayne-Nicholls.
Amaya ahead of schedule for PokerStars sportsbook launch
In its consumer business update Amaya Gaming, parent company of PokerStars stated that it was ahead of schedule in the upcoming launch of its sports betting product. The operator expects to launch the product by Q1 2014
The sports betting product will initially launch within the PokerStars poker client within certain markets. PokerStars will gradually add more markets as well as web and mobile versions throughout the year.
The operator has chosen to build its sports betting product in-house, in November 2014 Amaya revealed that it had begun to construct its sports betting trading team.
Its planned expansion into the sports betting market, comes just months after the operator launched its casino product.
In December 2014 PokerStars completed the rollout of casino table games to players in eligible markets on PokerStars.com and certain domains sharing liquidity on the global network. The table games are available through the new PokerStars 7 platform, which is currently an optional download to players but which will become the sole poker client in the future.
PokerStars will also launch web and mobile versions of its casino in 2015, supported by an aggressive consumer marketing campaign. PokerStars announced the planned rollout of table games on its .com network in November, following a successful launch on PokerStars.es, the brand’s website in Spain.
The operator claims that it has witnessed a 30% cross sell for its casino table games to its its active player base in Spain.
The sports betting product will initially launch within the PokerStars poker client within certain markets. PokerStars will gradually add more markets as well as web and mobile versions throughout the year.
The operator has chosen to build its sports betting product in-house, in November 2014 Amaya revealed that it had begun to construct its sports betting trading team.
Its planned expansion into the sports betting market, comes just months after the operator launched its casino product.
In December 2014 PokerStars completed the rollout of casino table games to players in eligible markets on PokerStars.com and certain domains sharing liquidity on the global network. The table games are available through the new PokerStars 7 platform, which is currently an optional download to players but which will become the sole poker client in the future.
PokerStars will also launch web and mobile versions of its casino in 2015, supported by an aggressive consumer marketing campaign. PokerStars announced the planned rollout of table games on its .com network in November, following a successful launch on PokerStars.es, the brand’s website in Spain.
The operator claims that it has witnessed a 30% cross sell for its casino table games to its its active player base in Spain.
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