SkillOnNet partners FortunaGaming on launch of new online casino

A new agreement between iGaming software provider, SkillOnNet, and UK-based operator FortunaGaming will see the launch of a new white-label online casino. Malta-licensed Cozino.com, features upwards of 1,200 titles from various suppliers of video slots including NetEnt, Microgaming and Yggdrasill Gaming and will reportedly operate on the software provider’s platform, joining DrueckGlueck.com and PlayOJO.com brands. […]

Mike Takayama Wins 2018 WSOP $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super Turbo Bounty

Mike Takayama became the Philippines’ first WSOP gold bracelet winner after outlasting the massive field of this year’s $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super Turbo Bounty. Aside from the gold piece, which Takayama said he had always dreamt about, the player also collected $198,568 in prize money.

The $1,000 buy-in event was played on Friday at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. There were over 1,400 players to have registered when cards were thrown in the air and by the time registration closed, the field counted 2,065 persons to improve from last year’s 1,867-strong field.

A prize pool of $1,858,500 was generated and the top 310 runners left with a share of it. It is also important to note that being a bounty, the tournament awarded $300 to players for each fellow competitor they eliminated over the course of action.

The turbo format provided for quick action and great poker thrill. It took just a few hours for the 2,000-plus-person field to be reduced to the final nine who comprised the official final table. The final table itself was not a long ordeal. And it looked as if Takayama was very comfortable playing that final stage of the event.

Final Table and Heads-Up

Of all nine players left at the table, there were just two who had previously won gold bracelets from the series, with Jack Duong and Steve Jelinek being those two. Duong was eventually eliminated in eighth place, while Jelinek busted in fourth.

As for Takayama, the eventual winner was a fierce contender, playing aggressively and putting quite some pressure on his fellow final tablists. It really looked as if the player went all in more frequently than folding hands.

On two of these occasions, odds were all against him until the very last moment possible. Yet, despite all the dangerous situations Takayama put himself into, the player was the last man standing after the final hand of the day was dealt and after surviving his last all in confrontation against his Italian heads-up opponent, Lorenc Puka.

The final table lasted 49 hands, while Takayama took just ten hands to finish off Puka in their two-handed duel, despite the latter’s efforts. Puka manged to double through the eventual champion early in the match. However, he was offered no more chances to reduce the huge gap between him and his opponent.

Hand #49 of the final table turned out to be the tournament’s final one dealt, Takayama challenged Puka by moving all in and the Italian called. Takayama tabled [Kd][Jc] to Puka’s [Ad][4d]. The board ran out [5h][4h][Kh][10c][Jd] to deny the Italian player his first-ever title from the series. Puka collected $122,627 for his efforts that brought him that deep into the tournament. As for Takayama, he was ready to pose for a victory picture, celebrating his triumph and his homeland’s first WSOP gold bracelet.

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Elliniko Casino License Bidding Process Should Be Launched by August 31, Government Says

The bidding process for a casino license at Elliniko, a multi-billion-euro project for an integrated resort at the site of the former Hellinikon airport near Athens, should be launched by the end of August, according to a list of pending privatization actions issued by the Greek government.

Local news outlet Ekathimerini reported earlier today, citing government papers, that the tender should be announced by August 31 so that the preferred bidder could become known by the end of the year when the privatization of the former airport is supposed to be concluded.

The government’s list of pending privatization actions contained 35 such actions, the local media outlet further pointed out, most of which related to the privatization of the old airport, which served the Greek capital for six decades up until March 2001.

It was confirmed last summer that the Greek government has approved a project pitched by a group of investors from Abu Dhabi and China together with local partner Lamda Development for the development of an €8-billion integrated resort at the site of the old international airport.

Apart from selecting a winning bidder for the casino license at the massive complex, another important action included in the government’s list involved the relocation of facilities currently operating in the Hellinikon area.

Most of the entities are expected to depart the area by November. However, there are several of them that will have to be relocated by the end of September, with the Civil Aviation Authority being one of these.

The Elliniko Project

The integrated resort is planned to occupy a 2-million-square-meter site where the former airport had previously operated. Construction stage is expected to create 10,000 jobs, while the complex, once complete, will employ more than 75,000 people.

Lamda Development has previously said that it would look to reduce seasonality and attract visitors all year round. As many as 1 million international tourists would be welcomed annually at the resort, according to initial estimates.

The property will feature a gaming floor with both offerings for mass-market patrons and VIP players. The initial stage of the bidding process for the casino license began earlier this year, when the Greek Gaming Commission (Επιτροπή Εποπτείας και Ελέγχου Παιγνίων) announced that it had hired consultants to draft the tender process. It is yet to be announced when exactly the actual process will kick off.

The massive development scheme is expected to draw interest from some of the major players on the global land-based casino scene. Reportedly, Las Vegas gaming and hospitality giant Caesars Entertainment Corp. has already expressed interest in the project as part of its expansion strategy.

The company’s main operating unit emerged from bankruptcy last year and it is now looking for destinations to extend both its gaming and non-gaming footprint. It has recently been announced that Caesars would open two non-gaming resorts in Dubai by the end of the year. There have also been reports that the company was pursuing expansion opportunities in Australia, Brazil, and Japan.

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Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City opens in New Jersey

Yesterday afternoon reportedly saw stakeholders and celebrities crowd onto a stage in order to engage in a mass guitar-smashing ceremony that officially opened the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City. According to a Thursday report from local television broadcaster NJTV, the New Jersey venue opened its doors a day earlier than had originally […]

The 13 Casino sets opening date

Authorities revealed that The 13 Casino will open its doors in Macau on July 31st.

The post The 13 Casino sets opening date appeared first on Focus Gaming News.

Amax international net loss down to 6 5m

Amax International Holdings has cut its net losses down to $6

Macau police arrest 113 suspected of gaming-related usury

At a Thursday briefing, Macau’s Judiciary Police announced that earlier in the week, 113 people had been arrested for allegedly being involved in a long-running loan sharking operation that reportedly targeted customers of the former Portuguese colony’s casinos. GGRAsia reports that according to Macau police, the operation involved the unlawful loaning of an estimated minimum […]

Ocean Resort hosts new data center

The casino that is scheduled to open today has welcomed Continent 8 Technologies.

The post Ocean Resort hosts new data center appeared first on Focus Gaming News.

Valley Forge Casino Resort Slapped with $50,000 Fine for Awarding Excess Free Slot Play

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board slapped on Wednesday a $52,500 fine on Valley Forge Casino Resort for giving out excessive amounts of free slot play to high-volume customers in the period between 2015 and 2016.

The fine was the result from an investigation conducted by the state gaming regulator’s Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement. Gaming Control Board investigators found that unauthorized employees at the casino awarded free slot play in the period between 2015 and 2016. It was also found that authorized employees awarded free slot play beyond their limits of authorization, thus violating state gaming regulations.

The unauthorized and excess free slot play eventually resulted in the casino awarding amounts higher than the level approved by regulators, as noted by the Gaming Control Board in a Wednesday notice.

The regulator’s probe into the matter found that in 2015 and 2016, unauthorized staff performed 557 complimentary slot play transactions, with those being worth over $4000,000. As many as 170 customers received the comps and 80% of the money were awarded to 20 high-volume players, the Gaming Control Board revealed.

The transactions accounted to less than 10% of the total amount of $5.2 million the casino awarded in free slots play during the period reviewed by state regulators.

The casino said Wednesday that it has agreed to pay the fine. Michel D. Fabius, the lawyer who represented the gambling venue before the Gaming Control Board said that he was confident the transactions were carried out to real customers and there was a real business reason behind those.

Previous Fines

This was not the first time the gaming resort was nabbed by Pennsylvania regulators. Back in 2013, the property received a $200,000 fine after being found that it had offered Dining Club memberships through a special promotion of little or no financial consideration. However, under state gaming regulations, patrons are required to spend at least $10 at a casino complex in order to be admitted to its gaming floor.

It was announced late last year that Las Vegas-based gaming and hospitality company Boyd Gaming would acquire Valley Forge Casino Resort for the total amount of $280.5 million. Located in the King of Prussia, about 20 miles west of Philadelphia, the casino complex became Boyd’s first property in Pennsylvania. The fact that the state is home to the nation’s second largest commercial gaming industry was among the factors that encouraged the company to seek expansion of its footprint there.

The Gaming Control Board gave the nod to the transaction in April. During the hearing before the gaming regulator, the casino’s new owners said that they would look to expand its existing offering with online gambling services. Boyd is no stranger to remote gaming, as prior to selling its 50% stake in Atlantic City’s Borgata, the company had participated in the operation of its online casino.

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The hunt is on for new American Gaming Association CEO

The American Gaming Association has formed a seven-member committee to appoint a new CEO to succeed Geoff Freeman, who leaves at the end of July

Gambling Commission fines up tenfold

Fines issued by the Gambling Commission in the UK (UKGC) have risen from £1

Kentucky lawmakers to consider sportsbetting legislation in September

A proposed legislation has reportedly been filed in Kentucky that could see the southern state introduce legalized sportsbetting at horse racing venues and off-track betting facilities as early as next summer. According to reports from Casino.org and LegalSportsReport.com, the measure is known as BR29 and was introduced by Democratic Kentucky State Senator, Julian Carroll (pictured), […]

Microgaming appoints new CEO

Microgaming has announced the appointment of John Coleman as the company’s new CEO, replacing Roger Raatgever who is set to become Apricot Investments new Executive Chairman

US native operators reveal growth in 2017

The latest report released by the National Indian Gaming Commission shows a growth in revenue.

The post US native operators reveal growth in 2017 appeared first on Focus Gaming News.

UK Gambling Commission creates further commitments to protect children

Young people are on the mind of the UK Gambling Commission, as the regulatory body recently announced additional commitments to protect the younger generations from the dangers of gambling. The Commission will now be building on work that is already underway when it comes to gambling, children and young people. Expert advisors on the subject […]

Slotegrator Limited to exhibit at upcoming iGB Live

Cypriot online casino software developer, Slotegrator Limited, has announced that it will be exhibiting at the inaugural iGB Live extravaganza in Amsterdam next month in order to introduce its team and impart ‘many positive emotions.’ The Limassol-based developer premiered its Moneygrator unified iGaming payments solution a little over two months ago while last week saw it […]

Brandon Shack-Harris Leads 6 Into 2018 WSOP $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Championship Finale

The $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Championship or Event #49 on the schedule of this year’s WSOP is just a day away from crowning a victor and there are six players left in contention for the title, the gold bracelet, and the first-place prize of $1,018,336.

The event was originally scheduled as a three-day one, but with six players still playing the final table, organizers extended action into an additional fourth day. The final six are set to return today at the host venue, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, to play down to a champ.

There are five former gold bracelet winners still in the mix for the prestigious title. The six hopefuls will be led by one such former gold bracelet winner. Brandon Shack-Harris, who had previously captured two gold pieces, one of which from the same event back in 2016, bagged and tagged 7.73 million in chips last night to find himself atop the Day 3 end-of-the-day chip counts chart.

Shack-Harris already has 30 WSOP in-the-money finishes under his name. The player has collected more than $2.8 million in those. Being one of the final six in the Pot-Limit Omaha Championship means that he would cash no less than $157,097 from the tournament.

Winning the largest pot of the event so far really helped Shack-Harris rocket himself to the top. The player won a hand against Canada’s Mike Leah that secured him with a massive double in the final level played on Day 3.

The Final Pack

As mentioned above, Shack-Harris is not the only former gold bracelet winner that is vying for the Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Championship as there are four more such players still in contention. And six-handed play will be rounded out today by a WSOP Main Event finalist.

Two-time gold bracelet winner Ryan Hughes collected the second largest stack last night. The player will thus enter the final day of action with 5.14 million.

Loren Klein, yet another two-time gold bracelet winner, ranked third in chips last night with a stack of 4.24 million. Rep Porter will be seeking to win his fourth gold piece from the WSOP later today. The player will enter the final stage of the tournament with a stack of 2.68 million.

Jerry Wong, who finished 8th in the 2016 WSOP World Championship for over $1.1 million, will be aiming for his first gold bracelet with a start-of-the-day stack of 2.15 million. The final table will be rounded out by one-time gold bracelet winner Scott Bohlman with 1.855 million.

Final day action is set to resume today at 2 pm Las Vegas time at the host casino. The six finalists will play down to a champion.

Overall, the Omaha championship event attracted 476 entries who generated a prize pool of $4,474,400. The top 72 places pay, with min-cashes starting from $14,969. As mentioned above, each of the six finalists is guaranteed a minimum payout of $157,097.

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Michigan legislators adjourn without passing sports betting law

Sports betting discussions reached a stalemate in Michigan before the beginning of the NFL season, when lawmakers went on ten-week summer break with no agreement over the MI sports betting law

Adelaide Casino begins renovations

The Australian casino has started its US$210 million redevelopment as part of a move to revitalise the city.

The post Adelaide Casino begins renovations appeared first on Focus Gaming News.

SG Digital Advances Sportsbook Platform Approval in the United States

Scientific Games has announced that its SG Digital division has successfully completed pre-compliance testing of its OpenBet Sportsbook Retail Platform against the "GLI-33: Event Wagering Systems" draft standard and Mississippi Gaming Commission's proposed sports and race pool regulation

Kenyan lawmakers support updated gaming legislation

In Kenya, a parliamentary committee has reportedly approved legislation that would institute a 10% tax on winnings from lottery and sports wagers while conversely cutting operator revenue duties by over half to 15%. According to a Sunday report from the Business Daily Africa newspaper, the Finance and National Planning Committee endorsed the changes contained in […]

Timur Margolin Tops 1,248-Strong Field to Claim Gold in 2018 WSOP $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em

Timur Margolin from Israel became the latest member of the WSOP’s club of gold bracelet winners. The player bested a pack of 1,248 tournament entries in the $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em or Event #43 on the schedule of this year’s edition of the series.

Margolin collected a hefty payout of $507,274 in addition to his first shiny WSOP gold bracelet. The player emerged as the victor after roller coaster four days and after clashing against some of poker’s big names, including six-time WSOP bracelet winner Chris Ferguson who has been making quite a comeback on the live tournament scene after a five-year hiatus.

The player disappeared from the felt after being indicted for his involvement with the Full Tilt Poker and for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme that saw nearly $450 million in customer money being paid out to directors and owners of the poker room. It took seven years before Ferguson finally addressed the issue and offered an apology to those affected.

In the $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em tournament, Ferguson finished fourth for $161,371. The player was denied a seventh WSOP gold piece namely by the event’s eventual winner. Margolin won a massive pot against Ferguson during four-handed play. It took the Israeli poker pro just a few more hands to send Ferguson to the rail.

Final Day of Play

Margolin’s road to victory was quite bumpy, particularly on the final day of play. Action was supposed to take place over three days, but was extended into an additional fourth one. That last day of play started with six remaining hopefuls. They were led by Ferguson who held 5.68 million in chips when cards were thrown in the air. Margolin was second in chips at the time with 3.52 million.

Ismael Bojang with 2.61 million, Michael Marder with 1.765 million, Dylan Linde with 1.33 million, and Ryan Laplante with 700,000 were the other four players still in contention.

Day 4 action saw the chip lead exchange hands on multiple occasions. The start-of-the-day field ultimately got whittled down to just two survivors, Margolin and Bojang. The duel began with the former holding a massive chip advantage over the latter. Margolin had accumulated a stack of nearly 12 million by that point to his last opponent’s 3.68 million.

Bojang did not waste time once the match began and quickly doubled up to reduce his disadvantage. He then emerged as the chip leader just as quickly and extended his lead methodically.

However, Margolin regained his momentum and retook the lead within the span of just a couple of hands. The player’s hardships were far from over, though, as Bojang scooped the lead once again a few hands later. It seemed that the mad race would never end.

The chip lead was swinging back and forth and then again, until Margolin reclaimed it one final time to never look back. Hand #158 was the final one to be played at the final table and the 23rd to be played within the heads-up match between Margolin and Bojang.

It saw Bojang shove for 4.41 million pre-flop with [Ac][2c] and Margolin snap-call with [Kc][Qs]. The board ran out [Ks][5s][4s][Qh][8d] to help Margolin claim the title and send his final opponent to the rail for a consolation prize of $313,444.

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Australian Betting Giants Sportsbet and CrownBet Clash over Trademarks

Paddy Power’s Australian betting business Sportsbet is suing its rival bookmaker CrownBet over the latter’s plan to trademark the Sportingbet name, arguing that the move would harm its own business as the two brands sound very similar, Australian legal news outlet Lawyerly reports.

CrownBet was selected in March as the preferred bidder for William Hill’s Australian business in a deal valued at A$300 million. It is also important to note that CrownBet and Sportsbet were actually the two finalists in the highly competitive bidding process for William Hill Australia.

The British bookmaker made its foray into the Australian sports betting market in 2013 when it purchased the local operations of the Sportingbet brand as well as the Centrebet and Tom Waterhouse brands in a £460-million deal. The company later on brought all three under the William Hill Australia brand. Despite its global recognition, William Hill never managed to gain footing in the highly competitive Australian space and announced early in 2018 that it was looking to sell its local business.

CrownBet’s CEO Matt Tripp and his family had once owned the Sportingbet brand. In a recent interview the gambling executive said that his father was particularly happy about having the brand back in the family.

Reports emerged last month that CrownBet was considering to rebrand as Sportingbet following the William Hill Australia acquisition. It was understood that the operator filed a trademark application last month. It also submitted an application with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to reserve the Sportingbet Pty Ltd name earlier in June.

CrownBet’s Rebranding Could Harm Sportsbet’s Business

In a June 21 statement of claims, Sportsbet said that Crownbet’s rebranding could violate its own trademark as the Sportsbet and Sporting brands sound very similar. The operator went on that the move was a “flagrant disregard” of its rights as the Sportsbet trademark owner.

It was also understood that Sportsbet, through its legal representatives, has sent a letter to CrownBet, urging the latter to withdraw its trademark application. CrownBet, in return, denied the request, pointing out that it intended to operate under the Sportingbet brand.

Sportsbet is concerned that the Sportingbet mark would mislead customers as many might think it is related to the Paddy Power-owned Australian operator. The company also believes that CrownBet is violating the Australian Consumer Law with its application to use a trademark so similar to the Sportsbet one.

A case management hearing is set to take place on July 25 before Justice Barry Beach, Lawyerly reports.

News about CrownBet being sued by its rival came as the company is in the middle of another acquisition deal, although it is the entity that is being purchased in this one. Canadian gambling giant The Stars Group announced in March that it would acquire 80% in the Australian operator thus securing its entry into Australia’s highly lucrative sports betting market.

The post Australian Betting Giants Sportsbet and CrownBet Clash over Trademarks appeared first on Casino News Daily.

Nicholas Seiken Claims Gold in 2018 WSOP $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship

Three days ago, Nicholas Seiken, a real estate broker from Texas, entered his first-ever standalone 2-7 Triple Draw event to eventually take it down, battling and outlasting a pack of seasoned pros. Late last night, the player joined the club of WSOP gold bracelet winners as he remained the last man standing in this year’s $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship.

Seiken also collected $287,987 for outstanding performance in a game he did not have that much experience.

The tournament drew 109 entries, including a number of Triple Draw experts. Farzad Bonyadi, a three-time gold bracelet winner, was among the notables to enter the tournament. It is interesting to note that Bonyadi’s mother, Farhintaj, became the first female winner of this year’s edition of the series just a couple of days ago. She bested the field of the $1,000 Super Seniors.

Despite his effort, Bonyadi could not claim the Triple Draw Championship title last night and add another gold bracelet to his already impressive collection.

Aside from Seiken and Bonyadi, the final day of the tournament kicked off with 11 more survivors. Quite some of the remaining players struggled quite a bit throughout the day. But it looked as if Seiken, a player with significantly less experience than some of his remaining opponents, navigated through that final stage of the game very successfully.

Final Table and Heads-Up Play

By the time the official six-handed final table was set, Seiken had already built quite a stack. The player entered that final stage of the game as the chip leader with a significant lead over the next in line, who happened to be Bonyadi.

The eventual winner had 1.661 million in chips at that point to Bonyadi’s 943,000. Seiken seemingly had an easy run at the final table. In his post-victory interview, the player said that being the chip leader helped him a lot against the plethora of experienced players he was facing and he did not take much risk that would have cost him that advantage.

The only time the player lost the lead for a very short while was during three-handed play, when Randy Ohel replaced him at the top of the chip counts chart. Seiken himself admitted that he got a bit worried by Ohel’s short momentum.

Eventually, the player regained the lead, eliminated Kristijonas Andrulis in third place to cement his leading position and headed into heads-up against Ohel with a 3-2 advantage. The structure of the tournament allowed for a longer heads-up, but Seiken finished off his final opponent relatively quickly over the span of a 45-minute duel, which concluded with Ohel heading to the payout desk for a second-place prize of $177,992.

The 109-strong field of the championship tournament generated a prize pool of $1,024,600. The money was split into portions for the top 17 finishers, min-cashes starting from $14,864.

Following his latest triumph, Seiken told WSOP staff that while he is completely done with No-Limit Hold’em, we will be seeing more of him at the tables of mixed-game tournaments.

The post Nicholas Seiken Claims Gold in 2018 WSOP $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship appeared first on Casino News Daily.

Grand Hyatt at City of Dreams Macau appoints new GM

In a recent statement to the press, the Grand Hyatt Macau hotel situated in the City of Dreams Macau announced that Timothy Bruce (pictured) has been appointed its new general manager. According to the hotel at the casino resort, the placement is effective immediately. GGRAsia reports that the hotel, located in the heart of the […]

Casino Industry Forum coming to Monaco from Thursday

The European Casino Association has announced that it will be holding the latest edition of its annual Casino Industry Forum on Thursday and Friday from inside Monaco’s iconic Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo and Casino de Monte-Carlo. According to an official Wednesday press release published by GiocoNews.com, the European Casino Association stated that the two-day extravaganza will […]

Scout Gaming scores top Fantasy Sports award

Among fierce competition, Stockholm-based B2B fantasy sports and pool betting provider, Scout Gaming Group (SCOUT:FN Stockholm), has been named “Fantasy Sports Supplier of the Year” at this year’s EGR B2B Awards. Having recently had a string of commercial success with a number of top operator agreements on various markets and a robust product roadmap, on […]

Robert Nehorayan Takes Down 2018 WSOP $1,500 Limit Hold’em

Robert Nehorayan is known by many as Rec Rob, his nickname derived from him identifying himself as a recreational player. However, he outlasted last night a field that included seasoned poker pros like Daniel Negreanu, Chris Ferguson, and Ari Engel to win his first gold bracelet from the WSOP and his largest cash of $173,568.

The player topped the 596-strong field of Event #41: $1,500 Limit Hold’em. As mentioned above, some of poker’s top players entered the tournament to pursue another great accomplishment in the game. Of all fellow participants, Nehorayan had special praise for Terricita Gutierrez, a Limit Hold’em specialist whom the eventual champ considered his toughest opponent.

Terri, as Nehorayan called her, has been playing Limit Hold’em cash games every single day for years now to accumulate knowledge and experience that many other fellow players at the table lacked. She was ultimately eliminated in fourth place, good for $51,733.

The $1,500 event was played over three days through June 22. It saw 596 entries generate a prize pool of a little over $800,000. The top 90 places paid.

Day 3 Action Highlights

Day 3 of the tournament kicked off with 19 survivors in contention but seven of them quickly headed to the payout desk within the first 90 minutes of play. Action slowed up a bit afterward, as finalists became more aware of the event’s approaching end.

Chips swung back and forth throughout the day and the chip lead went from one player to another. Many of the remaining hopefuls had many ups and downs, but it can be said that Nehorayan managed to maintain a good stack and momentum throughout that final stage of the event. The brand new WSOP champion admitted that he had really good cards running his way, as well.

David Gee was the last player to be eliminated before the heads-up duel. That final duel took place between Nehorayan and one-time gold bracelet winner Kevin Song. Song won his piece 21 years ago for topping the field of a Limit Hold’em event. A second piece eluded him last night, unfortunately, although he fought really fiercely for it.

The match between the final two men standing began with Nehorayan holding a 3-1 advantage to Song. However, the latter quickly caught up and took the lead for a little while, putting great pressure on his opponent.

Nehorayan eventually regained his momentum and retook the chip lead to never look back. On Hand #286 of the final table, the player won a key pot that secured him with 3.9 million, while leaving Song with just 475,000.

The final hand of the tournament was dealt shortly after. On Hand #289, Nehorayan called from the button and Song raised. Nehorayan asked his opponent how much he had left and put him all in. Song tabled [8s][6s] to clash into Nehorayan’s [10s][7d]. The board landed [2c][Qh][9h][4h][Jh] to end Song’s participation in the tournament and seal the victory for Nehorayan.

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New York lawmakers fail to pass updated sportsbetting legislation

Hopes that New York would soon become the next American jurisdiction to legalize state-wide sportsbetting were reportedly crushed on Wednesday after its lawmakers failed to pass an updated sports wagering legislation. According to a Thursday report from The Post-Standard newspaper, the letdown means that the New York State Gaming Commission will now be forced to […]

Bulgarian Oddity: Private Company Operates as the National Lottery, But No One Seems to Care

Bulgaria is one of the poorest countries in the European Union, but recent figures show that its gambling industry has been thriving, particularly over the past several years. And while that industry has been hopping from strength to strength, it is also understood that it has been contributing relatively small amounts of money in annual tax contributions and even smaller amounts of money for socially responsible causes.

According to multiple recent reports from local media outlets, citing official data, Bulgaria’s regulated gambling market was worth BGN3 billion (€1.5 billion) in terms of revenue generated in 2017. Scratchcards, known to be extremely popular among residents of the tiny Balkan nation, accounted for the greater portion of the revenue bulk last year.

In fact, saying that these products are extremely popular in Bulgaria is a mild representation of the nearly maniacal obsession with which hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians, mostly elderly people, are buying scratchcards, lured by the promise for a quick and easy win and a better life.

Several companies owned by Bulgarian businessman Vasil Bozhkov are known to be leaders of the local scratchcards sector. Mr. Bozhkov is one of Bulgaria’s richest people. His business interests spread across various industries and his alleged ties to the criminal underworld have long been part of media coverage focused on his curious persona.

The National Lottery and New Games are actually two of the leaders in the nation’s scratchcards sector and they are both owned by entities that are related to Mr. Bozhkov. Special attention needs to be paid to the choice of name of what has turned into the most popular seller of scratchcards in Bulgaria – the National Lottery.

In the most general case, National Lottery usually refers to a state-run entity that provides different lottery products and services and uses a portion of the money generated by the sales of those for good causes. In the case of Bulgaria’s National Lottery, we are speaking about a privately-run entity. And despite our team’s efforts, we could not find any information about how much of what it generates it has contributed to good causes.

Should a private company run an operation under the National Lottery brand? We believe that the answer to this question is quite clear and it is a bit too disturbing that this company has been allowed to conduct its activities for years, even though it has nothing to do with the state.

The National Lottery in Bulgaria vs. the National Lottery in UK/Ireland

Gambling services in the UK, including ones provided under the National Lottery brand, are regulated by the country’s Gambling Act 2005 and a companion piece from 2014. Bulgaria’s market was, too, regulated several years ago. And while Ireland’s gambling regulations are in a state of an extreme mess at the moment, there still is clarity over how the country’s National Lottery should function.

UK’s National Lottery was established in 1994 as a state-franchized entity operated by the Camelot Group. According to information from the lottery operator’s official website, it has contributed over £38 billion for good causes since it was founded more than two decades ago.

In Ireland, the National Lottery operates as a state-run entity that has been functioning since 1987. It has raised and donated more than €5 billion to good causes since established over three decades ago.

In Bulgaria, the National Lottery, as already mentioned, is a privately-run company, owned by a businessman who many would say has a rather questionable reputation, and it is quite unclear what contributions it has made to good causes, even though its official website states that it contributes funds to various education-related causes.

In other words, the National Lottery brand usually carries a connotation of an entity run by the state that offers lottery/gambling services but also considers it an important task to benefit communities by raising and distributing funds for good causes, unless you are in Bulgaria where the National Lottery does not really belong to the nation.

More Facts and Figures about Bulgaria’s Scratchcards/Gambling Industry

An economically struggling nation with a blossoming gambling industry is not something unheard of. However, when a considerable portion of an extremely poor nation resorts to buying scratchcards to the point of maniacal absurdity in hopes for a quick win, that means that there is something fundamentally wrong in the way that nation’s gambling industry functions, or rather in the way it is allowed to function by those who have control and responsibilities over those matters.

As mentioned above, Bulgaria’s gambling industry was worth around BGN3 billion last year. However, it is understood that licensed gambling operators, including those providing various lottery products, contributed just BGN177 million in tax revenue to the nation’s coffers. In comparison, Bulgaria’s tobacco industry was worth around BGN3.5 billion in 2017 and contributed BGN3 billion in excise duties and VAT.

As for Mr. Bozhkov’s lottery businesses – New Games and National Lottery – these were reported to have generated turnover of €88.5 million and €15.3 million, respectively, in 2017. The businessman’s overall gambling businesses reported turnover of nearly €300 million and profits of €76 million. Local media outlets also report that National Lottery was actually Bulgaria’s largest advertiser in 2017 with ad spending of over €23 million.

Ads promoting the operator’s scratchcard products can be spotted practically everywhere in the country and across different media outlets. In addition, scratchcards can be purchased across post offices, supermarkets, special points-of-sale, and a number of other facilities.

Meanwhile, according to the most recent information released, Bulgaria’s gambling industry contributed just around BGN2.2 million in 2016 and just around BGN2.4 million during the first three quarters of 2017 to responsible gambling causes. Licensed gambling companies are required to make such contributions under a provision in the nation’s gambling law.

Proposed Restrictions

Bulgaria clearly has a gambling problem as well as a problem with the protection of its gamblers. The country’s Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov and his party, the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria, has recently introduced a bill calling for certain restrictions within the country’s gambling industry. Most of the provisions in the legislative piece are concerned namely with the operations of the National Lottery and its likes.

If the bill succeeds in Bulgaria’s National Assembly, it would roll out curbs to the promotion and sale of scratchcards and related lottery products. For instance, lottery operators would not be able to show winners on television, a popular marketing approach to which the success of these products could be greatly attributed. In addition, scratchcards would only be sold at special points of sale. As mentioned above, products of this type are currently available practically everywhere.

While Minister Simeonov’s recently proposed curbs seem as if they might be a step in the right direction, Bulgaria still needs to do much more. The country does not have a dedicated organization that works with problem gamblers. And as it can be seen, nobody really finds it odd that a private company has named itself the National Lottery, while it does not really work for the nation, unlike state-run National Lotteries around the world.

The post Bulgarian Oddity: Private Company Operates as the National Lottery, But No One Seems to Care appeared first on Casino News Daily.

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Eric Baldwin Captures Second Gold Bracelet in 2018 WSOP $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em

Eric Baldwin took down last night Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em for his second gold bracelet from the WSOP and a first-place prize of $319,580. It has been nine years since the player from Henderson, Nevada captured his first gold piece from the series.

Baldwin made it through a field of 1,330 entries and a long and action-packed heads-up match against Ian Steinman, a player who was vying for his first WSOP gold bracelet but had previously won a gold ring from the WSOP Circuit.

Originally scheduled as a three-day tournament, action extended into a fourth day during which Baldwin and Steinman battled it out for a while before determining the champion.

As many as 20 players returned for Day 3 and that starting field was reduced quite quickly to just nine finalists who were seated at the official final table. From that point on, chips were swinging back and forth as players were not keen to give up on the title without a good fight.

During six-handed play, Baldwin won a massive pot against Aaron Massey. The former was propelled to the chip lead while the latter’s stack was weakened to a point that made it too challenging for him to recover. Massey, a two-time WSOP Circuit gold ring winner, eventually went out in fourth place.

A Two-Day Heads-Up

Heads-up kicked off after Steinman eliminated Germany’s Enrico Rudelitz in third place. It was Baldwin who entered the two-handed match as the chip leader. The two finalists played a level and a half on Day 3 of the tournament. The eventual champion built quite a momentum and stack during that time.

The players had the opportunity to choose between playing one more level Wednesday night or call it a day and resume action on Thursday. Baldwin, holding the lead, was keen to keep playing as he wanted to go back home on Thursday and celebrate his wife’s birthday. However, Steinman asked for an additional day of play and it was decided that the two players would have to return at the host casino, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, on Thursday.

The next day saw Steinman put some pressure on his final opponent. The player managed to catch up a bit, but never took the lead. Chips went back and forth and short-handed play lasted for hours, which Baldwin said sucked his mental energy. Yet, the winner pointed out that he had great fun playing against Steinman.

Hand #270 of the final table was the last one dealt within the tournament. It saw Baldwin raise to 300,000 pre-flop and Steinman re-raise to 950,000. Baldwin then looked at his opponent’s chips and announced all in, which Steinman snap-called, tabling [Kh][Ks] to Baldwin’s [As][Jh]. The board ran out [2c][8h][10h][Js][Ac] to deliver a winning to two pair to Baldwin. The two finalists shook hands and Steinman headed to the payout desk to collect his consolation prize of $197,461.

In his post-victory interview, Baldwin said that he was actually happy that things turned up the way they did and that they had to play a fourth day because his mother was thus able to join his rail on that additional day to support her son. Baldwin said that he dedicated his second WSOP gold piece to his late father who had always attended tournaments he had played in.

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Farhintaj Bonyadi Wins 2018 WSOP $1,000 Super Seniors for First Gold Bracelet

Farhintaj Bonyadi, mother of three-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Farzad Bonyadi, outlasted a behemoth field of 2,191 to win the 2018 WSOP $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold’em for a gold piece of her own. The player also scooped a hefty payout of $311,451 for her efforts.

It is also interesting to note that Bonyadi actually became the first female winner of this year’s edition of the popular poker series.

The player survived through a massive field and a prolonged heads-up against Robert Beach to win her first title from the WSOP. Shortly after her victory, she said that she felt really great to have a bracelet of her own. Her son, Farzad, was on the rail to support and guide his mother. The mother and son duo told WSOP staff shortly after her victory that it was actually Farzad who taught his mother how to play poker. However, the three-time gold bracelet winner admitted that although he tried to help throughout the tournament, Bonyadi pretty much sealed the victory herself.

The tournament was expected to take place over three days but was extended into a fourth one during which Bonyadi and her heads-up opponent battled it out for the better part of three hours.

Day 3 kicked off with 43 players, but that field was eventually reduced to Bonyadi and Beach. The two players played the final level scheduled for the day and agreed to return for an additional fourth day of play.

Final Day Action

It is important to note that Bonyadi was going really strong throughout Day 3. Yet, she entered the two-handed duel at a considerable chip disadvantage, but apparently, that did not discourage her from pursuing the title. She remained calm and composed, just as her son had taught her.

Day 4 saw Bonyadi drop to 1.85 million at some point to Beach’s 9.105 million. However, her patience paid well as the player managed to double, even the stacks, and take the lead. She never looked back from that point on. After an epic marathon of chips going back and forth for 175 hands, Bonyadi eventually eliminated her final opponent.

The final hand in play saw Bonyadi raise to 425,000 pre-flop and Beach call. The [6d][4d][7c] landed on the flop. Bonyadi checked and Beach bet 600,000. Bonyadi check-raised to 1.2 million, which her opponent called. The [3s] arrived on the turn to see Bonyadi bet 600,000 and Beach call. The [5h] rolled out on the river. Bonyadi moved all in with [8s][8d] and Beach called with [9s][7s]. The latter hit the rail for $192,397, as WSOP’s brand new champion raised her hands in the air in celebration.

As mentioned above, the Super Seniors tournament attracted 2,191 entries who created a prize pool of $1,971,900. The top 329 places paid with cashes starting from $1,500.

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Daily fantasy sports contest provider, DraftKings, has entered into a multi-year sportsbook agreement with iGaming innovator, Kambi Group plc (KAMBI:FN Stockholm). The B2B provider of sports betting services to licensed B2C gaming operators was selected by the Boston-based company to support the expansion of its product portfolio. The agreement will see the Kambi technology leveraged by […]

Valve Disables Item Trading for Dutch CS:GO and Dota 2 Players as Loot Box Crackdown Looms

Video game developer Valve Corporation announced yesterday that it has decided to disable item trading for Dutch players of its Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 games.

The announcement came shortly after the Netherlands Gaming Authority, Kansspelautoriteit, released a statement saying that it would begin conducting previously announced checks whether certain game developers have adjusted their games in a manner that does not break the country’s gambling laws.

The adjustments required were mainly related to the so-called loot boxes that have been making the headlines since last fall’s release of EA’s Star Wars Battlefront II video game. Generally speaking, loot boxes are in-game purchasable items which, in turn, contain different goods that can either be of great use to a player or of little value. The random selection of items in a loot boxes and the fact that these can be purchased and transferred have unleashed a massive debate, with opponents arguing that the boxes constituted a form of gambling.

Kansspelautoriteit carried out a probe into the matter from November 2017 through April 2018 and released a report to present its findings. The regulator reviewed ten games that were available to Dutch players and featured loot boxes, and stated that four of these were violating Dutch gambling regulations.

Publishers of the four games were not specifically named, but as it can be seen, Valve was one of them. The gambling regulator informed developers that they should make certain adjustments to their games to bring them in line with local regulations until today, June 20, or face punitive measures.

Valve’s Response

In a Tuesday message to its customers, Valve said that it has been sent two letters by Kansspelautoriteit in May in relation to its Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 games. Both letters stated that the loot boxes featured in those violated the Dutch Betting and Gaming Act.

The letters went on that if Valve did not make the necessary adjustments by June 20, it would face prosecution in the Netherlands. The game developer argued that it did not receive any additional information in relation to the adjustments that needed to be made and that the explanation provided in Kansspelautoriteit’s report on loot boxes that these breach the law if the goods in them were transferable and did not violate that same law if the goods were not transferable was a “rather simplistic statement”. It also pointed out that it disagreed with Kansspelautoriteit’s findings.

The game developer said in its message from yesterday that the only practical solution for now was to disable trading and transfers of items for Dutch players of its Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 games. Valve further noted that it would engage with the gambling regulator to gain more clarity on the matter and hopefully find a less inconvenient solution.

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