Social Responsibility at biggest show on Earth; ICE 2018

The gaming industry's most important trade show will get underway in London next week when ICE Totally Gaming opens at ExCeL London on Tuesday, 6 February 2018. ICE represents all sectors of the online and land-based gaming industry under one roof. In a nutshell, ICE is a meeting place, marketplace, provides educational and debating forums, and has become an important networking and social event for the entire industry. It is the meeting point for the world gaming industry. The show grows year by year and about 30,000 delegates, exhibitors, and visitors will converge on London from 60 different jurisdictions and 150 different countries worldwide. Over 8,500 operators are expected at this year's show. It's a busy time in London with Gambling Insider's Global Gaming Awards London happening the night before the big show kicks off and the London Affiliate Conference opening at ExCel on the 7th. Industry heavyweights like Scientific Games will be on hand as will start-ups and boutique developers. Seventeen start-ups will participate in the Pitch ICE competition including sports betting, Bitcoin, social gaming, and daily fantasy sports innovators. One of those companies is Bethereum - a blockchain-powered social betting platform that used ethereum Smart Contracts. Other up and coming concerns include Beer League; Betonbot; Bookee; BotGaming; Chalkline Sports; ChopsticksInTheApps; DFS Italia; Mutuel Play Ltd; Performance Predictions; Players Vote; Puurl; Reality Races; ScoreFair; Social Bets; Spotcoin; and, STATZUP. Operator accountability and social responsibility always play a large part in the show. One panel debate will address the use of KYC (know your customer) data to identify problem gamblers. UK-facing providers need to be on top of the Gambling Commission's three-year strategy to identify those who may not be playing for fun and to help manage the risk. GBG data intelligence specialists Head of Gaming, Peter Murray told Totally Gaming: "Responsible gambling is firmly at the top of the Commission’s agenda for the foreseeable future. It’s crucial that operators have full visibility and understanding of the tools that are available to them and how they can be combined to help support compliance with new, evolving regulations." The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) will celebrate their two-decade anniversary at this year's event. The GSA estimates that 70% of companies that supply the global gaming industry have been, or are currently involved in the organization. The company's standards are applied around the world. European and US staff will be representing the GSA. GSA President Peter DeRaedt, said: "Over the past 20 years, more than 1,600 volunteers from over 190 companies have contributed their expertise to create 15 GSA standards in nine committees. Their commitment is a testament to the power of collaboration. Our standards create the framework for innovation and reflect the combined knowledge and expertise of our members and the industry," according to a Monday press release (PDF). The All-in Diversity Project will also be taking note of progress in exhibition quality. Although most decision makers in the industry are men, there are ways to draw them to booths without objectifying any gender, as had been the practice of some companies in the past using 'showgirls' to draw in a crowd. The Gambling Commission has been clear, that although there is no statutory requirement mentioning diversity, they do look at it, especially in the roles of corporate governance. Sessions organized by Global Gaming Women focusing on diversity and inclusion will feature on Wednesday. For more about this year's event please visit ICE 2018 at https://www.icetotallygaming.com

Actor, Musician, and Entrepreneur Jared Leto Warns Against Gambling-Like Bitcoin Investing

An on-and-off Academy Award winning actor, frontman of 30 Seconds to Mars, the band holding the Guinness record for the longest concert tour with 309 concerts, and a tech investor, Jared Leto also seems to have familiarized himself with the bitcoin craze as he has recently joined the growing debate over the nature of cryptocurrency investing.

In an interview with Australian radio station Nova, Leto presented his opinion on the matter, slamming bitcoin investing as gambling. The multi-faceted artist warned future investors against putting their money into bitcoin. He called cryptocurrency investing gambling and speculation, and went on to say that the activity is not something a person who could not afford to lose their money should delve into.

Leto’s comments come at a time when bitcoin and those investing in it are having a bit of a hard time. The virtual currency’s price reached an all-time high of $19,343.04 in mid-December, but growing regulatory pressure from different parts of the world and other factors resulted in its price dropping significantly overnight, spurring fears that any investor’s worst nightmare of a bubble burst could come true. At the time of writing, bitcoin’s price stands at $10,083.85, up slightly from earlier today when it tumbled to $9,748.53.

While we cannot say whether Leto’s knowledge is extensive enough, it should be noted that his opinion about the gambling-like nature of cryptocurrency investing is shared by many financial experts and analysts.

Regulators’ Stance on Cryptocurrency Investing

Due to the volatility of bitcoin and altcoins’ prices, investing in these has often been referred to as gambling. The Bank of Canada has recently become the latest financial institution to join the debate over the proper definition of cryptocurrency investing.

In an interview with business news outlet CNBC, Canada’s central bank governor said that bitcoin investing is gambling and not actual investing. The official further pointed out that the Bank of Canada will be working with regulators from different parts of the world for crafting regulations aimed to put limitations on certain aspects of cryptocurrency investing and trading.

While digital currencies and investing in those are considered a form of gambling by many, actual gambling regulators have pointed out that they have no authority over the regulation of the activity. The Netherlands Gaming Authority was one such regulatory body to comment on the matter. The regulator said in a statement that under the country’s current gambling regulations, cryptocurrency investing cannot be defined as any form of gambling and it thus does not fall under its purview.

The Actual Link between Cryptocurrencies and Gambling

The potential of digital currencies has been spotted by the global gambling industry. A number of online gambling operators have added cryptocurrency transactions to their lists of available payment options, and many more are expected to follow suit. Generally speaking, cryptocurrencies allow a relative anonymity, cutting out banks and other third-party financial institutions.

The UK Gambling Commission has been among the regulators to acknowledge the use of bitcoin and altcoins for gambling-related transactions, as long as these are conducted between UK gambling customers and UK-licensed operators. However, the regulator has warned of the risks of transactions of this type.

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All Japan Poker Championship to expand operations to other Asian countries

As part of this year’s Asian circuit series, the All Japan Poker Championship (AJPC) recently announced that it plans to hold tournaments in Taiwan and Macau. Since 2007 the Osaka-based AJPC has been organizing poker tournaments, with most of them held in Japan, including the annual AJPC Championship, which, according to the organization is the “largest poker tournament” in Japan. However, the recent announcement by the AJPC that this year it will begin to host tournaments in places such as Macau, South Korea, Taiwan and Incheon, as part of the ongoing Asian Circuit Series, will likely heighten the AJPC’s status among Asian tours. To commemorate what was its first international event, the AJPC organized poker event in December in Incheon, Korea at Paradise City near South Korea’s Incheon International Airport. The five-day event reportedly attracted 784 players for tournaments held from Dec. 14 through Dec. 18. According to the announcement, the AJPC plans to return to Incheon this year. During the press release, CEO of the AJPC, Yasuhiro Sasaki reportedly said, “2018 will see the AJPC look to grow our circuits outside of Japan. This is in response to our player’s desire to enjoy tournaments overseas, with a focus on Incheon, Taiwan, Macau, and potentially other destinations in Southeast Asia. We look forward to working closely with local partners to bring a premium overseas experience to Japanese players, while welcoming local players from each location as well.” GGRAsia reports that no further details were included in the press release nor did it include potential partners for the poker events to be held in Macau, Taiwan and Incheon.

A.J. Kelsall Ends WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Day 2 as Overnight Chip Leader

The WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship completed one more day on its schedule. It can be said that for yet another year, the event proved utter success with its high attendance.

The tournament attracted a field of 1,244 entries who put the guaranteed prize pool of $3 million well in the rear. After registration closed at the end of Level 2 on Day 2, organizers announced that as many as 156 lucky players will split a prize pool of $3,967,000.

Day 2 of the tournament, played on Tuesday at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, kicked off with 548 hopefuls from the two starting flights. Two hundred and so more players joined them at the poker tables, taking advantage of the late registration option.

As it happens during WPT Main Tour Main Events, it was an action-packed day. By the time all scheduled levels were completed, the start-of-the-day field was reduced to just 159 contenders. In other words, the remaining field is just three eliminations away from bursting the money bubble.

A.J. Kelsall ended up as the overnight chip leader with a stack of 768,500 in chips. Here it is interesting to note that the player managed to build that stack from a start-of-the-day one worth around 38,000.

More about the Chip Leader

Kelsall boasts live poker bankroll of more than $1 million, cashed over the course of nearly 17 years and from more than 100 live tournaments. The Florida resident entered the Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship fresh from a fifth-place finish in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open WPTDeepStacks $1,100 Main Event, from which he collected $56,239.

As mentioned earlier, Kelsall entered Day 2 of the WPT Borgata event with 38,000 in chips, which he multiplied into the largest stack at the end of the day. The player told WPT staff after play concluded for the day that he managed to win several extremely important hands that brought him 50,000 or 100,000, or even more. In addition, he did not lose any big hands throughout the day, which further helped him cement his position on top of the leaderboard.

Of his poker preferences, Kelsall said that he plays a little bit of everything, but does not think to be excelling in any of the different poker games. He further noted that he has been playing No-Limit Hold’em for quite some time now and that he does not enjoy it as much as he used to before. He named triple draw and razz some of his favorite poker games and noted that he enjoy playing these at the WSOP.

Day 3 action at the Borgata is slated to resume at noon local time. Organizers will fire things up by bringing in the Action Clock. As mentioned above, the money bubble is expected to burst shortly after the beginning of play. Min-cashes start from $6,129. As for the winner, they will cash $651,928 from the event.

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Casino Giants Register Interest in Cairns Global Tourism Hub Plan

Major casino companies have registered interest in participating in a project for the construction of a A$1-billion integrated resort in the city of Cairns, the Queensland government said earlier today.

The Global Tourism Hub scheme was introduced last fall. It involves the construction of a multi-purpose complex with a casino as well as a number of accommodation, food and beverage, retail, and entertainment facilities. Under the original proposal, the resort could be built on a four-hectare state-owned site at the city’s port. However, MPs said last year that it can technically be located anywhere within a 70-kilometer radius from Cairns.

The Queensland government opened a Registration of Interest process on October 30, 2017, and interested parties had up until January 23 to submit their responses.

It became known earlier today that over 12 registrations were submitted, and some of them came from several globally renowned casino operators. The government said that it would not reveal the applicants for commercial-in-confidence reasons. However, it pointed out that registrations included a mix of state, national, and foreign casino brands.

Local media reported that officials were encouraged by the overwhelming interest in the A$1-billion project, particularly given the fact that some of the world’s biggest casino companies have submitted their registration of interest responses. MPs told media that their exceeded expectations were a good indication that their choice of Queensland’s Tropical North as the preferred home to the future development was the right one.

The proposal for the development of the Global Tourism Hub came as part of the Queensland government’s efforts to further boost the state’s tourism industry, which is believed to be worth A$25 billion and to be employing 200,000 people.

Who Might Have Registered Interest?

While the Queensland government has decided against naming the operators that were interested in building a casino as part of the Global Tourism Hub, we believe that Las Vegas giant Caesars Entertainment Corp. may be one of these. Last spring, the company revealed plans for geographical expansion. It said that it would explore opportunities to enter new markets once its main operating unit emerged from bankruptcy.

What is more, reports emerged last June that Caesars was interested in entering the Queensland casino market through a partnership with Chinese-backed group of investors ASF Consortium, which was picked by the government to develop the A$3-billion Gold Coast Integrated Resort. Several months later, the government rejected the plan, citing environmental concerns and general discontent among Gold Coast residents.

Cambodian casino operator NagaCorp may be another operator to have registered interest in the Global Tourism Hub scheme. Casino News Daily reported last August that the company, which currently operates the NagaWorld Hotel & Entertainment Complex in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, had set eyes on Cairns as a potential destination for its international expansion.

With the conclusion of the Registration of Interest process, the Queensland government is set to launch an Expression of Interest process for interested parties. It is also important to note that the government also undertook a community consultation last year. Members of the public are able to voice their opinion on the Cairns project until February 11, 2018.

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Aspire Global’s Karamba goes live with SBTech sportsbook

In a move that will see the expansion of its range of igaming products, online casino and white label solutions provider Aspire Global recently penned a deal with SBTech that will see the 2017 SBC Awards winner of the "Sportsbook Supplier of the Year" initially go live with its flagship Karamba brand. The Malta-based group is now live with its UK-facing online casino Karamba, and as complement to its existing offering of live casino, slots, table games, scratch and instant games, will now offer SBTech’s acclaimed sportsbook. Chief Executive Officer for Aspire Global Tsachi Maimon, commented: “We are thrilled to add this new and engaging vertical to our solution, and are confident that the collaboration with SBTech will be a successful venture for both parties. The decision to choose SBTech as our sportsbook provider was based on its ability to adjust its product offering to our unique solution and the needs of our operators. This partnership will enhance the diversity of our offering to our partners and will continue the positive trend of growth experienced over the past few years,” according to the press release. Also commenting on the collaboration, Chief Executive Officer for SBTech Richard Carter, added: “This launch confirms SBTech’s position as the leading supplier of sports betting solutions for the sector’s top operators. We’re anticipating significant growth for all of Aspire Global’s partners, thanks to our expertise in deploying flexible trading and content solutions, with unique focus on cross-selling from casino to sports.” Up to now, Aspire Global’s focus has been on offering a full online casino solution to white label clients and operators. The addition of the market-leading sportsbook from SBTech will allow it to increase revenues for its operators and widen its product offering. Just recently, SBTech entered into a strategic partnership with GameAccount Network in anticipation of a positive outcome to the Christie v NCAA case currently being considered by the United States Supreme Court.

Nisqually Red Wing Casino announces plans for expansion

Located in Olympia, Washington, the Nisqually Red Wing Casino is a gaming property that originally opened in 1997. By early 2015, the property had expanded to provide almost double the original gaming floor. Now, the property is set to expand yet again, this time with the casino, a new hotel and convention space, increasing the overall size of the property. According to The Olympian, the casino announced its plans on Saturday via a published legal notice. The Nisqually Indian Tribe has a long-term plan to expand several areas of their property. Within the legal notice, it stated that the casino is seeking professional planning and architectural firms to provide proposals with designs for long-range planning of the casino property. Plans should include a 5 year, 10 year and 20 year option. The Nisqually Tribe is interested in expanding its gaming operations as well as developing a hotel with a convention center as well as offering more parking. Prospective architectural firms and developers have until February 7th at 1 p.m. to contact the administration office of the Nisqually Red Wind Casino to send in proposals. Currently, the casino is home to 975 gaming machines and 22 table games. The casino is 85,000 square feet in size and has four restaurants on site for dining.

Macau Casino Regulator “Concerned” over Sexual Misconduct Allegations against Steve Wynn

Macau’s gambling regulator met with representatives of Wynn Macau Ltd. to discuss the recently emerged allegations of sexual misconduct against Las Vegas casino boss Steve Wynn. Mr. Wynn is founder, CEO, and Chairman of Wynn Macau’s parent company Wynn Resorts.

The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, DICJ, said in a Monday statement that it was “concerned” over the reports involving the casino mogul. The regulatory body also voiced concerns that casino gaming concessionaires’ main shareholders, executives, and principal employees might lack the necessary qualifications to operate in the gambling hub. DICJ revealed that it plans to introduce relevant regulations.

Wynn Macau, subsidiary of Wynn Resorts, is one of the six casino operators authorized to run casinos in Macau, the only Chinese territory where casino gambling is legal. The company is due to have its license renewed in 2022. However, analysts believe that the sexual harassment allegations against Mr. Wynn could affect Macau regulators’ inclination to reissue Wynn Macau the necessary authorization to operate in the China-controlled region.

A scenario in which Wynn Resorts loses its Macau license could unleash a disaster upon the company, as the special administrative region has become a main driving force for its growth. Earnings from Macau accounted for 78% of the company’s overall earnings in the fourth quarter of 2017. Wynn Resorts currently operates two properties in the city, including the $4-plus-billion Wynn Palace on the Cotai Strip.

Macau-based gambling consultant Ben Lee told the Financial Times that DICJ’s statement may not bode well for Wynn Macau, as the regulator is traditionally more reserved in expressing its thoughts about matters related to any of the six concessionaires.

In a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Wynn Macau said that it would cooperate fully upon any requests from the DICJ in relation to the recent allegations against Mr. Wynn.

The Macau gambling regulator’s comments came shortly after another regulatory body confirmed that it would probe the matter. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission said that it would review the appropriateness of Wynn Resorts building an integrated resort near Boston.

The Las Vegas gambling giant was selected as a preferred developer of a casino complex in the state following the introduction of certain changes in its Constitution that allowed the provision of commercial Las Vegas-style casino games.

Analysts expect that the Nevada Gaming Control Board will too open an investigation into the allegations. According to analysts, the issue could even cost Mr. Wynn’s seat at his company’s Board. And many believe that this could be detrimental to Wynn Resorts, as the businessman has been deeply involved in its day-to-day operations since it was founded.

Women-Hostile Work Environment?

The sexual misconduct allegations against Mr. Wynn first appeared in a Friday report by the Wall Street Journal. The media outlet wrote that multiple former and current employees at Wynn Resorts have accused the casino mogul of varying degrees of sexual misconduct.

In one of the instances detailed by the Wall Street Journal, a former manicurist at the gambling company said she had been paid $7.5 million by Mr. Wynn to keep quiet about being forced by him to perform a sex act in his office.

The casino mogul denied the allegations, calling them “preposterous”. He also said in a statement that the whole situation was engineered by his former spouse Elaine Wynn, who has been trying to regain control over her stake in Wynn Resorts after her ouster from the company in 2010.

Mr. Wynn is also a long-time Republican Party donor. He was a Finance Chairman at the Republican National Committee, but stepped down from his post over the weekend. A number of Republican lawmakers, who have previously accepted donations from the businessman, have said that they would donate the money to various charities in a bid to distance themselves from the issue and Mr. Wynn’s financial assistance.

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Philipp Gruissem Joins partypoker’s Cluster of Poker Celebrity Ambassadors

While PokerStars Team Pro seems to be thinning with each week passing, the case is exactly the opposite with its rival poker operator partypoker and its team of sponsored players. It was announced earlier today that German poker Philipp Gruissem has become the latter poker room’s newest brand ambassador.

The player is joining a growing team of sponsored players, which includes fellow countryman Fedor Holz, among a number of others.

With live tournament earnings of over $11 million, Gruissem is one of his homeland’s most successful poker professionals. And here it is important to note once again that over the past several years, Germany has turned into a superpower in the world of poker thanks to its players who have been dominating high roller fields for the past several years.

Gruissem, in particular, has been quite active on the high roller scene and has taken down an impressive amount of such tournaments, hence his bankroll. The player won his largest cash namely from a high roller event. Back in 2013, he topped the field of the WPT Alpha 8 London £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em, good for £862,400.

A year later, the German took down the EPT Season 10 Grand Final €25,500 High Roller 8-Max for another massive payout of €993,963. The player won the same event in 2017, this time for €485,135. Overall, he has cashed in 54 live tournaments over the course of his poker career, and as it can be seen some of his payouts have been quite impressive.

Gruissem has also been playing online for quite some time. In fact, the player has revealed that he won his first ever online tournament on partypoker under the ‘philbort’ screen name. He has also pointed out that it was this victory (which brought him $200) that encouraged him to learn more about the game and delve deeper into its particularities.

partypoker’s Expanding Team of Ambassadors

As mentioned earlier, the online poker room has expanded its Team partypoker significantly over the past two years, signing poker heavyweights such as Fedor Holz, Jason Koon, Dzmitry Urbanovich, and Kristen Bicknell, and now Gruissem.

On the other hand, PokerStars Team Pro, the team of sponsored players of partypoker’s rival online poker brand, has lost some of its big names. In fact, four players have parted ways with PokerStars since the beginning of the year, with those being Vanessa Selbst, Jason Mercier, Felipe Ramos, and most recently Bertrand Grospellier.

While the players have cited different reasons for their departure, it can be said that many of them have probably decided to end their contracts with the poker room, due to the wave of changes in its rewards program it has been rolling out for the past two years or so. Generally speaking, these changes are aimed at attracting recreational players while poker professionals consider them less friendly.

Isaac Haxton has been one of the most vocal critics of PokerStars’ new policies. The player was part of the poker brand’s Team Pro, but severed ties with it in early 2016, claiming that it had behaved “unethically”. It was announced last week that Haxton has too joined Team partypoker as ambassador for the poker operator.

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GameAccount Network to power Ocean Resort Casino online offerings

After last week inking a strategic partnership for the United States with sportsbetting solutions innovator SBTech, British online gaming software supplier GameAccount Network has now revealed the signing of a multi-year deal with the new owner of the coming Ocean Resort Casino. Previously known as TEN Atlantic City until it was sold for $200 million earlier this month to an entity known as AC Ocean Walk LLC and renamed, the 1,399-room Ocean Resort Casino expects to re-open for business in the summer complete with a casino featuring some 2,000 slots as well as approximately 100 gaming tables. To complement this casino, the Atlantic City property additionally intends to offer real-money online gaming and sportsbetting utilizing the New Jersey-licensed platform from GameAccount Network while moreover integrating these propositions with its on-site rewards program via the London-based firm’s Patent3 innovation. “This new Internet gaming destination is currently expected to launch in [the first half of] 2018 and will contribute materially to GameAccount Network’s revenues and earnings in [the second half of] 2018,” read a Tuesday statement from GameAccount Network. “Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is the substantial casino property formerly known as TEN Atlantic City/Revel Casino Hotel Atlantic City.” GameAccount Network also stated that it intends to release its financial results for the twelve months to the end of December on March 29 and expects these to have benefitted from the signing of four more clients for its United States-facing Simulated Gaming offering. It declared that this innovation is now utilized by twelve casinos across the country and accounts for over $8 billion in annual land-based gaming revenues. “GameAccount Network’s United States-facing Simulated Gaming business continued to benefit from the launch of several new United States casino operator clients in 2017 including Ocean Resort Casino, Chickasaw Nation’s WinStar World Casino, MGM’s The Borgata, Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone and Station Casinos,” read the statement from GameAccount Network.

Solaire Resort and Casino customers to be rewarded with shares

In the Philippines, the Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Incorporated subsidiary of casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corporation has reportedly spent approximately $82,468 in order to purchase shares in its parent that it subsequently intends to award to ‘loyal patrons’ of its Solaire Resort and Casino. According to a report from the Manila Bulletin newspaper, the subordinate acquired some 382,900 shares in Manila-listed Bloomberry Resorts Corporation, which also holds a majority stake in the firm behind South Korea’s Jeju Sun Hotel and Casino, after receiving consent from its parent’s board of directors. “These shares shall be given as a reward to Solaire [Resort and Casino’s] loyal patrons and as part of Solaire [Resorts and Casino’s] marketing program,” reportedly read a statement from Bloomberry Resorts Corporation. The newspaper additionally reported that the first nine months of 2017 saw Bloomberry Resorts Corporation realize an over 275% increase year-on-year in its unaudited consolidated profit to just over $116.1 million. The firm purportedly attributed this success to the record performance of its Solaire Resort and Casino and the first positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization from its Jeju Sun Hotel and Casino since the venue was acquired in 2015. “We continue to grow across all sectors and hope to see this uptrend continue until the end of the year,” reportedly read a statement from Enrique Razon, Chairman and majority shareholder for Bloomberry Resorts Corporation. “Our top line and bottom lines are positive and, despite some minor hiccups, I am confident that 2017 will be a banner year.”

Republicans Urged to Return Donations from Casino Boss Steve Wynn after Sexual Misconduct Allegations

GOP Senators have urged Republican colleagues to return any donations they had received from casino boss Steve Wynn, after multiple sexual harassment allegations surfaced against him late last week. Mr. Wynn is a long-time GOP donor and up until this weekend he took the post of a Finance Chair of the Republican National Committee.

The Wall Street Journal published an extensive report on Friday, providing details about the casino magnate’s decades-long alleged pattern of sexual misconduct towards staff members at his company Wynn Resorts. Mr. Wynn is a founder, Chairman, and CEO of the Las Vegas-headquartered casino operator.

The major gambling company currently operates properties on the Las Vegas Strip and Macau, and is building a $2.4-billion integrated resort near Boston. The project is touted to be the largest private single-phase construction project in Massachusetts’ history.

Following the publication of Wall Street Journal’s report, Mr. Wynn stepped down from his post at the Republican National Committee, although he called the allegations against him “preposterous”.

Multiple Republican politicians have distanced themselves from the business mogul over the weekend. Sen. Lindsey Graham told the ABC on Sunday that if the allegations have merit, politicians should return the money they had been donated. Sen. Graham himself does not appear to have received money from the casino boss, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a number of Republican politicians have confirmed that they would donate the money they had been contributed to by Mr. Wynn to various charities.

During the presidential campaigns in 2016, the Las Vegas businessman provided financial backing to both Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and now US President Donald Trump. Mr. Wynn and Mr. Trump once were business rivals. They have a history of an on and off friendship. Back in 2016, Mr. Trump called Mr. Wynn a “great friend” who had provided him with important advice.

Long Pattern of Sexual Harassment

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that both former and current employees at Wynn Resorts had revealed multiple sexual harassment incidents involving their boss, Mr. Wynn. One of these incidents involved a former Wynn Las Vegas manicurist who had claimed that the businessman had forced her into performing a sex act in his office. Mr. Wynn then paid her a $7.5-million settlement to keep the occurrence away from the media radar.

The Board of Wynn Resorts opened an investigation into the matter, although it said in a statement from this weekend that no complaint has ever been made against Mr. Wynn.

It also became clear that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission will review the appropriateness of Wynn Resorts operating a casino resort in the state, following the allegations. Wynn Boston Harbor, the $2.4-billion integrated resort currently under construction on the Everett waterfront near Boston, is slated to open doors next spring. However, it seems that Wynn Resorts’ license might be at risk, particularly if the allegations against its founder and major shareholder prove true.

As mentioned above, Mr. Wynn dismissed the sexual misconduct reports, further suggesting that these could have been spread by his former spouse Elaine Wynn, whom he is engaged in a years-long legal war with. Mrs. Wynn was ousted from the Wynn Resorts Board following her divorce from Mr. Wynn in 2010. She has been seeking to regain control over her stake for several years now without much success.

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Partypoker Powerfest in full swing

Since January 21st, online poker players have been logging on at partypoker to take part in the 7th edition of Powerfest. The poker festival is one of the most popular on offer by partypoker, this time around offering 147 tournament events with $15 million in guaranteed prize money up for grabs. The action continues through February 4th, providing players with plenty of events to enjoy. Powerfest fits players of every bankroll as there are Low, Medium and High tier tournaments provided. The events in the Medium category will have buy-ins 10x the amount of the Low events. The events in the High category will have buy-ins 10x the Medium events. Players can choose to compete for the lesser buy-in, go for mid-range or on the high end, even a mix of them all! Players will find something on the schedule each day in each category. February 4th marks the final day of Powerfest with three events set to offer a $1 million in guaranteed prize money. Players can take part in the Main Event, scheduled for the 4th, offering a buy-in of just $215. This is the Medium option. Players can opt to compete in the Low Main Event for $22 or the High Main Event for $2,100. During Powerfest, party has been providing leaderboard competitions. As players compete in Powerfest events, they earn points based on finishes. The better the tournament finish, the more points earned. Leaderboards are on offer for the Low, Medium and High events. Partypoker will be providing $170,000 in prizes to the top 150 players on each leaderboard. Today, players will find a host of events on the schedule, in Low, Medium and High categories. Take part in Event # 24, a $25K guaranteed No-Limit Hold’em event with a $22 buy-in or go for the higher event, the $200k guaranteed event with a $215 buy-in. Additional tournament types on offer today include the Title Fight Special Edition, PKO and Turbo Pot Limit Omaha events, and more. Powerfest continues through February 4th, so there is still plenty of time for players to get in on the online poker action!

Ben Lamb Wins Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge

Ben Lamb, a two-time WSOP Main Event finalist, triumphed in the Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge in the first hours of Sunday to scoop a payout of A$647,114 and an ANTON Jewellery ring after dominating action on the event’s second day.

Lamb locked the victory after he agreed on a deal with Jan-Eric Schwippert before the beginning of heads-up. The two players shook hands on splitting what had remained of the prize pool based on their chip counts and flipping blind for the ring and the title. Schwippert, one of the members of Germany’s group of high roller elites, collected A$597,765 for his runner-up finish.

The event attracted a field of 114 entries, who created a prize pool of A$2,736,000. The second and final day of the A$25,000 buy-in tournament began with 19 players returning at the tables of Crown Casino in Melbourne. They were led by Taiwanese poker star Kitty Kuo. The female poker pro has performed quite well in Asian-Pacific tournaments over the past several years and was looking for a first major title from the Aussie Millions. The player actually came really close to winning one last night, but eventually finished fourth for one of her career’s best cashes of A$246,240.

As the day progressed, the Day 2 field of 19 players was reduced to the final seven who gathered around an unofficial final table. Schwippert was the chip leader at that point, followed by Lamb. It can be said that action during the final day of the event was marked by these two’s attempts to outrun each other.

Lamb’s Final Move to Victory

As mentioned above, Lamb and his German opponent were the last men standing in the field. Instead of engaging in what could have been a rather long heads-up duel, the two players agreed to split the remaining money and to flip blind for the title.

On the final hand in play, Lamb’s [Qc][Jc] faced Schwipper’s [10s][4h]. The board ran out [2c][9s][3c][3d][7h] to secure Lamb with the title and the champion’s ring.

In his post-victory interview, Lamb said that the six-handed format was his favorite, and he really enjoyed playing the A$25,000 Challenge. At this time of the year, the player usually participates actively in the PCA and skips the Aussie Millions. However, it was a bit different this year. Lamb decided to play in the PCA for just a week, and then he traveled to sunny Australia for Crown Melbourne’s big annual festival.

Including his latest live poker accomplishment, Lamb now has more than $8.8 million in tournament earnings. As mentioned earlier, the player played at the final table of the WSOP Main Event two times. In 2011, he finished third in the massive event, good for $4,021,138. Last summer, Lamb collected $1 million after took ninth place in the $10,000 Championship.

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Senior management reshuffle at Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited

In Macau, casino operator Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited has reportedly announced a number of planned changes to its senior leadership team including the imminent departure of industry veteran Gabriel Hunterton as President for its City of Dreams Macau property. According to a report from GGRAsia, industry veteran Hunterton was appointed to oversee the Cotai Strip venue a year ago with this role now set to be filled by David Sisk, who currently serves as President for Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited’s nearby Studio City Macau enterprise. In addition, Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited reportedly explained that Geoffry Philip Andres, President for its City of Dreams Manila venue, will take over from Sisk at Studio City Macau while Kevin Benning is to be promoted to the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice-President in the Philippines. “The redeployment of our senior operating management across our integrated resorts is aimed at optimizing our operating excellence,” reportedly read a statement from Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited. “We are leveraging on key individuals who all have demonstrated their expertise in managing and delivering strong growth.” GGRAsia moreover reported that November saw Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited record net third-quarter revenues of around $1.38 billion, which represented a year-on-year rise of almost 19.5%, with the firm declaring that this swell had been ‘primarily attributable to higher rolling chip revenues at City of Dreams [Macau] and the commencement of rolling chip operations at Studio City [Macau] in November of 2016’.

Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier Leaves PokerStars Team Pro

French poker pro Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier has reportedly left PokerStars Team Pro, poker news outlet PokerFuse reported citing unnamed industry sources. The Frenchman thus became the fourth sponsored professional to leave the poker operator’s cluster of stars, who are promoting its brand globally, since the beginning of the year, with Vanessa Selbst, Jason Mercier, and Felipe Ramos being the other three.

While PokerStars is yet to confirm Grospellier’s departure, PokerFuse has pointed out that his picture and bio had been removed from the online card room’s official website. It is also still unknown why ElkY has decided to leave PokerStars’ team of sponsored players, but many would suggest that this might have to do with the multiple tweaks the poker operator has introduced in its rewards program over the past several years.

Many players, who have been playing poker for years, have complained about PokerStars depriving them of privileges they have earned through countless hours of playing. Indeed, the poker room’s focus has recently shifted towards attracting more recreational players to its online poker premises.

Who Is ElkY?

Prior to rising to fame in the poker world, Grospellier had made a name for himself as one of the world’s top eSports players. He then focused his attention to building a poker career. With live tournament earnings of more than $13.5 million, ElkY is his home’s country’s most profitable player of all time.

What is more, the Frenchman is one of the very few players to have accomplished the Triple Crown in poker. To be more specific, he has a WPT, a WSOP, and an EPT title in his massive portfolio of poker accomplishments. In 2008, Grospellier won the $8,000 PCA Main Event for $2 million in prize money. It was also in 2008 when the player won his WPT title. He bested the $15,000 buy-in Festa al Lago for $1,411,015. He has a gold bracelet from a WSOP Seven Card Stud Championship event he won back in 2011.

It is also important to note that ElkY is one of the world’s most accomplished online poker players, playing both in cash games and tournament events. In fact, he was the first online player to reach PokerStars’ Supernova and Supernova Elite statuses.

As mentioned earlier, three other Team PokerStars Pros parted ways with the online poker room since the beginning of the year. In a comprehensive post on Facebook, Vanessa Selbst, the world’s most profitable female poker pro, announced that she was retiring from professional poker to pursue other career opportunities. She thus ended her contract with the card room.

Jason Mercier followed suit, announcing that he had not renewed his contract with PokerStars. The player explained that he plans to spend more time with his wife, Natasha Mercier, who is also a professional poker player, and their newborn son. Judging by his statement, Mercier had parted ways with the poker room quite amicably, pointing out that he had spend wonderful eight and a half years as a sponsored player.

However, Felipe Ramos did not seem to have ended his contract with PokerStars in friendly terms. In a series of tweets, the Brazilian player joined the wave of discontent towards the poker brand’s new priorities.

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Arsenal F.C. agrees cryptocurrency sponsorship deal

One of the English Premier League’s biggest teams, Arsenal F.C., has reportedly inked a partnership deal with US-based CashBet, a cryptocurrency designed for sports betting, online casino and eSports. Via the deal, which was announced on January 24, the same day as CashBet Coin was due to be launched, the professional football club based in Highbury, London reportedly becomes world football’s first team to partner with a cryptocurrency. The iGaming cryptocurrency, which can be used on apps powered by CashBet and iGaming sites, hopes to benefit from Arsenal’s extensive reach as a football club which receives global support. Per the agreement, the California-based CashBet Coin will be advertised during Premier League home games inside the Emirates Stadium. The value of the deal was reportedly undisclosed. Commenting on the new partnership, CCO for Arsenal, Vinai Venkatesham, said: “We are pleased to welcome Cashbet Coin as our partner. We are looking forward to working with CashBet Coin as they launch their new cryptocurrency,” according to the Evening Standard. Also commenting on the deal, Founder and CEO for CashBet, Dr. Mike Reaves, said: “With our ICO for CashBet Coin, we are actively targeting a global, multi-billion dollar marketplace of iGaming content providers, operators and players. “We are delighted to do so in partnership with one of world football’s true giants in Arsenal, enabling us to build our brand and engage this audience in a meaningful way.” The deal comes as a growing number of business leaders and regulators express concern regarding the potential dangers to consumers who risk their savings in unregulated virtual currencies. According to British daily newspaper The Guardian, the Financial Conduct Authority, a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, warned consumers in 2017 that if they invested in Bitcoin, they should be prepared to lose their money. The Guardian reports that the FCA waved comment on the decision by Arsenal to promote a cryptocurrency, but that it was pointed out by a spokesman that the regulator was planning to “conduct a deeper examination of the fast-paced developments” of initial coin offerings (ICOs) and if necessary, would take “further regulatory action.” For its part, CashBet reportedly said that it was pleased to have secured a deal with Arsenal as the company is “actively targeting a global, multibillion-dollar marketplace of i-gaming content providers, operators and players,” as reported by The Guardian.

Biggest Aussie Millions Winners over the Years

The Aussie Millions Poker Championship is probably the biggest live festival to be taking place in the Southern Hemisphere on an annual basis. Over the years, the event has gained global popularity with the number and diversity of poker events it features and has attracted some of the world’s most popular and highly selective poker players.

This year the major poker series celebrates its 20th anniversary which will certainly elevate the spirits of both organizers and players who are planning to take part in the poker festivities at the host venue Crown Casino in Melbourne. To celebrate the recent start of the 2018 Aussie Millions, Casino News Daily has prepared a short list of some of the largest payouts awarded to players over the past two decades.

Phil Ivey

Phil Ivey previously made history at the Aussie Millions. He became the only player to ever win three A$250,000 Challenges, an event that dropped from the 2018 schedule of the festival due to lack of interest last year.

Ivey won the tournament in 2012, 2014, and 2015, scooping a total of $8.205 million for his three triumphs. The 2012 edition of the event drew 16 entries, who created a prize pool of A$4 million. Ivey collected half of that amount.

In 2014, the popular poker pro took down the largest ever A$250,000 Challenge for A$4 million. The event had 30 entries and 16 re-entries. The massive interest generated a prize pool of A$11.27 million, which made the event the largest one to have taken place over the festival’s twenty years of running.

Erik Seidel

Seidel, yet another of poker’s heavyweights, is too part of the biggest Aussie Millions winners club. The player won the inaugural A$250,000 Challenge in 2011. He collected a nice payout of A$2.5 million for his efforts. It is also important to note that he beat a field of 20 entries.

The poker professional with live tournament earnings of more than $33.5 million also almost won an Aussie Millions Championship. The player finished second in the 2008 edition of the event. He was one of 780 entries to join the event’s field, and eventually made it to heads-up against Russia’s Alexander Kostritsyn. The Russian took down the Main Event, while Seidel scooped A$1 million for his deep run.

Sam Trickett

England’s most profitable poker player has too performed beautifully in several Aussie Millions tournaments over the years. He boasts a A$250,000 Challenge title as well as a A$100,000 Challenge one. Trickett captured his title from the A$100,000 event first.

He took down the high roller tournament back in 2011. The player collected the amount of A$1.525 million. That year’s edition of the A$100,000 Challenge attracted 38 entries for a prize pool of A$3.8 million. The Englishman was also the winner of the 2013 A$250,000 Challenge. The player emerged victorious from a field of 18 participants. His share of the prize pool totaled A$2 million.

Trickett’s current live poker bankroll exceeds $20.8 million. The player had his best cash ever back in 2012, when he finished runner-up to Antonio Esfandiari in the $1,000,000 buy-in Big One for ONE DROP.

Biggest Aussie Millions Main Event Winners

Australian players Stewart Scott, Tyron Krost, and David Gorr (pictured) were the ones to collect the largest payouts for winning the Championship event. They took it in that order in three consecutive years, and all three received A$2 million for their accomplishments.

Scoot took down the A$10,000 buy-in tournament in 2010. The player was the last man standing from a field of 746 entries. Krost beat a field of 721 fellow participants the next year. Finally, Gorr took down the event in 2012, emerging the victor from 659 entries.

This year, the A$10,600 Main Event is slated to kick off on Sunday, January 28, with the first of three starting flights. The tournament will be completed on February 4, when the official final table will take place.

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Greek Taxman Slaps €200-Million Tax Bill on Gambling Operator GVC

One of GVC Holdings’ online sports betting brands has received an unexpectedly high tax bill, following an audit by Greece’s taxman. The €186.77-million tax bill was addressed to Sportingbet, which GVC acquired back in 2013.

The Isle of Man-based gambling giant may thus be forced into paying nearly a quarter of its group revenue for 2016 (€843 million), based on the review by the Greek Audit Center for Large Enterprises, the company itself revealed in a Thursday statement.

As mentioned above, GVC purchased Sportingbet, excluding the latter’s Australian and Spanish operations which were acquired by rival William Hill, back in 2013. The gambling company pointed out in its statement from yesterday that the tax bill from the Greek audit authority encompassed a period between 2010 and 2011, or two years before GVC took over the online sports betting brand.

It is understood that other gambling companies have too been affected by surprisingly high tax bills from the Greek tax authority.

GVC explained in its Thursday statement that the tax assessment was “substantially higher by multiplies” of what Sportingbet had generated in revenue during the covered period. The company further pointed out that its Board disputes strongly the Greek taxman’s basis for assessment calculation as the “assessed quantum” was “widely exaggerated”.

GVC’s Action Plan

The gambling company has sought legal and tax advice from its Greek advisers and is contemplating on disputing the tax assessment in court. It clarified that if it brings the matter to court, the appeal process will actually be conducted in Greek courts.

However, it has entered into agreement with the Greek Audit Center for Large Enterprises to make monthly payments of €7.8 million over the course of the next two years. As GVC is preparing to appeal the tax bill, the money will be held in an account, as per its agreement with the Greek tax authority. GVC has also made a €200-million provision in its financial accounts for 2017 to cover the tax bill.

GVC’s planned takeover of rival gambling company Ladbrokes Coral is not expected to be affected by the recent tax developments in Greece. Last month, GVC renewed its talks to acquire its fellow gambling operator, with discussions resulting in a preliminary agreement for a £4-billion deal.

GVC and Ladbrokes have a long history of courtship. The two companies originally discussed a potential merger deal in 2016 amid growing concerns over the results from the UK government’s review into the nation’s gambling industry. The review was focused on the highly controversial fixed-odds betting terminals and its findings were published last fall.

Ladbrokes is the largest operator of such machines in the UK, and it feared that a potential FOBTs crackdown would hit its profitability significantly. Last fall, the UK Government confirmed that there would indeed be a crackdown on the controversial machines and MPs are set to announce what this crackdown would involve anytime now.

Ladbrokes Coral hopes that joining forces with a strong digital partner could help it offset losses caused by the pending reduction of FOBTs’ maximum stake.

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London Affiliate Conference networking schedule announced

The London Affiliate Conference (LAC) is fast approaching and iGB Affiliate has released a networking schedule for the event that will be held over the course of four days at the ExCeL London beginning February 7, 2018. While the guide is very handy, networking never really stops at LAC. But the schedule points out the main events inside and out of the main conference room where delegates have a chance to meet and mingle with 5,000 others and get to know some of the brightest minds in the industry. Whether you attend the dedicated parties, mingle on the floor, or wind it all up with a drink in the hotel bar, you can always meet someone new or reestablish loose connections with peers on the east side of London. The official opening party will be held at Trade Union. Payment processor for the industry, UPAYCARD will host a networking party at Tropicana Beach Club. The Draft House will be the location to meet up and wind down. Shona ODonnell, head of operations at iGaming Business said: "This is traditionally the busiest time of the year for our industry, but we can’t wait for the London Affiliate Conference to get underway next month. "We have laid on a series of events that will allow delegates to network and unwind at some of London’s most exciting venues," according to press released by iGB Affiliate this week. She added, "It’s an ideal opportunity to spend a week in London with the industry’s most influential individuals." Following is the full networking schedule for LAC 2018. Kick things off with welcoming drinks from 16:00 – 18:00 on Wednesday the 7th. Meet up at Tower Hotel on St. Katharine's Way to exercise your elbow shaking hands and lifting merrymakers. Hugs are allowed. Then from 21:00 until the last call, join in the official LAC opening party at Trade Union, 3 Thomas More Street, St Katharine's & Wapping. On Thursday night from 21:00 until late UPayCard will be holding another official networking party at Tropicana Beach Club. For those unfamiliar with the trendy outpost, take your choice between two themed bars and enjoy the palm trees along with exotics flora. Admission is free to the iGB Affiliate Awards which begin at 21:00 on Friday night, the 9th. Head over to The Brewery at 52 Chiswell Street to accept your award or cheer on your colleagues as delegates celebrate an eventful year in the iGaming business together. Once again, Intertops is sponsoring the Unwind Session from 13:00 – 16:00 on Saturday 10th February 2018. The Draft House will be your venue to finish off the week. Say your goodbyes and exchange any contact info you may have missed or misplaced earlier before catching a plane, train, or driving your auto home. For more information about LAC, please visit: http://www.igbaffiliate.com/events/london-affiliate-conference#networking

Brazil Needs Casino Resorts to Boost International Tourism, Lawmaker Says

The government of Brazil needs to authorize the construction of a certain number of casino resorts across the country in order to boost its tourism, Federal Deputy Paulo Azi said on Wednesday. Mr. Azi presides the Tourism Committee at Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies.

The lawmaker spoke with local media during a Wednesday event celebrating the official launch of electronic visas for Americans. As from today, January 25, American residents will be able to apply for visas to Brazil electronically. In addition, the visa price has dropped to $40 from $160. The government of the South American country has undertaken the move in a bid to attract greater tourist flow from the United States.

The number of US tourists heading to Brazil decreased to 570,000 in 2016, when Brazil hosted the summer Olympics from 657,000 in 2014. The country’s government hopes that the lower visa price and the simplified application process would attract more visitors from the States.

Overall, Brazil welcomed a little over 6.5 million tourists in 2017, or nearly half the number of people who visited Singapore last year. Here it is important to note that the city-state legalized casino gambling in the mid-2000s. It had two operational integrated resorts with casino floors by the turn of the current decade.

Brazil’s Minister of Tourism Marx Beltrão said during yesterday’s event that if they find the right formula for developing Brazil into an attractive tourism destination, this could result in R$170 million being poured into the local economy every year.

Legal Status of Gambling in Brazil

With very few exceptions, gambling is generally illegal in South America’s largest country. For several years now, lawmakers have been considering a sweeping reform that would change Brazil’s gambling regulatory regime drastically and would expand the list of legal gaming and betting activities significantly. However, no gambling expansion proposal has been signed into law so far, despite the efforts.

Two separate gambling bills were introduced in Brazil’s National Congress several years ago, on in the Chamber of Deputies and the other in the Senate. The Senate piece – PLS 186/2014 – has gained more media attention, as it is the one to be calling for massive gambling expansion across Brazil and across all gambling sectors. Generally speaking, the bill provides for the legalization of casino gambling and of online gaming and betting, among other things.

Late last year, the bill stalled in the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Commission and it is yet to be announced when exactly commissioners will be able to finally cast their votes.

The potential legalization of casino gambling in Brazil has drawn the attention of some of the world’s casino powerhouses, including Las Vegas giants Las Vegas Sands and Caesars Entertainment. Reports emerged last spring that Las Vegas Sands CEO and Chairman Sheldon Adelson, in a meeting with Brazilian President Michel Temer, has revealed plans to build an $8-billion casino resort in Rio de Janeiro. Emerging from bankruptcy, fellow casino giant Caesars Entertainment has also said that Brazil has been one of the destinations it would gladly expand its presence to.

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MGM Cotai allocated 125 tables, 77 more may be transferred

The DICJ, Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, has allocated MGM China Holdings Ltd 125 new to market tables for their MGM Cotai property which is expected to open in February. The tables will be allocated in parts with 100 available upon opening and the remainder to be allowed on January 1, 2019. Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac made the announcement to reporters yesterday according to a report on GGRAsia. The company was also authorized to place up to 900 slot machines at the property. Mr. Leong also said that MGM could move up to 77 tables from MGM Macau which opened ‎18 December 2007. It was later reported that all 100 new tables are destined for the mass market floor. No specific numbers were given for the transferred tables in terms of Junket and VIP room operations. Macau has been operating under a market cap for new tables since 2013. While analysts have been able to predict allocations to some degree, based on a maximum 3% per annum allotment, the awards are entirely at the discretion of the DICJ. Some analysts were expecting a larger allocation for MGM Cotai. Galaxy Macau Phase II and Studio City each received 250 new tables when they opened in 2015, while Parisian Macau and Wynn Palace each received 150 total new tables when they opened in 2016. According to another report, Morgan Stanley said in a note today: "We believe consensus were expecting 150 tables over the next two years and may be disappointed to get total of 125 tables. "One of the key reasons could be the licence expiry for SJM/MGM in March 2020. We believe once the licence extension is sorted, it is possible to see MGM China receiving more tables for this project," the banking group added. The licenses of all six concessionaires are set to expire on various dates between 2020 and 2022. The government has not announced a clear policy on how licenses will be renewed or if they will be up for bid on the open market.