Featured Articles Archive - Page 373

Nevada online poker talks draw little controversy

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Proposed gaming regulations covering the operation of Internet poker in Nevada -- should the federal government legalize the activity -- drew lots of attention Monday, but little in the way of controversy.The Gaming Control Board spent about 75 minutes taking public input into the proposed regulations, which cover all matters of regulatory oversight for a company looking to set up an Internet poker business in Nevada.Just a handful of comments were offered during the session, which filled the control board's hearing room at the Sawyer Building with gaming lawyers, gaming industry consultants and representatives of Nevada slot machine makers and casino operators."I think we have a solid foundation for regulations," control board Chairman Mark Lipparelli said.The proposed regulations were released at the end of August.Lipparelli said the planned timetable for the regulations would be for additional public hearings at the control board's and Nevada Gaming Commission's November meetings, followed by adoption votes in December.The state Legislature, through the passage of Assembly Bill 258, mandated that Internet poker regulations be established by Jan...read more

Top-10 wish-list items for U.S. online poker regulation

Two weeks ago, the American Gaming Association began a concerted lobbying effort to push for regulation of the online poker industry in the United States. Last week, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York released an amended civil complaint accusing Full Tilt Poker’s owners of paying themselves more than $440 million over the past four years and leaving players in the lurch for $390 million.It’s been a rocky time for the online poker industry...read more

Golden Gaming gets approval for sports wagering kiosks

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Nevada gaming regulators decided Thursday to allow taverns owned by Golden Gaming to use high-tech sports wagering kiosks operated by bookmaker Leroy's, but will spend the next 22 months deciding whether the devices violate current gaming law. During more than two hours of back-and-forth testimony, which included several impassioned outbursts by Leroy's Chief Executive Officer Vic Salerno, the Nevada Gaming Commission voted to allow the sports wagering kiosks to operate in the taverns after it learned that 15 of the Golden Gaming businesses had been using the machines over the past two weeks. "We probably could have saved a lot of time if we had known these were already operating," gaming commissioner Randolph Townsend said before the 3-0 vote to allow Golden Gaming and Leroy's to share in the revenues from the kiosks. The licensing agreement expires in July 2013, which gives the gaming industry and regulators time to decide whether the kiosks are actually a gaming device. Gaming Commission Chairman Pete Bernhard said that if the kiosks are considered a gaming device, they might violate regulations limiting restricted gaming locations to 15 slot machines. "This doesn't make sense to me," Bernhard said...read more

Massachusetts casinos could lead to more gaming expansion

BOSTON, Massachusetts -- It appears to be a foregone conclusion that Massachusetts is gaming's next big expansion market.The state's governor and legislative leaders are on board with a bill calling for three Las Vegas-style casinos and a slot machine parlor, all located in separate geographic regions of the state, including metropolitan Boston.Opposition has gone silent.The measure sailed through the state's House of Representatives more than a week ago by a better than 4-to-1 vote...read more

Are side or bonus bets at blackjack (or other games) as bad as the gurus say?

Some table games offer side (aka bonus) bets ancillary to the primary action. These bets typically dangle the bait of rich rewards for moderate amounts at risk – often as little as $1 when the nominal table minimum may be $5, $10, $25, or more...read more

Analysis: Full Tilt Poker not really a Ponzi scheme

I don't fault Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, for using the term "Ponzi scheme" to describe the situation at Full Tilt Poker. He was looking to generate headlines for the Department of Justice's amended civil suit against the disgraced online poker room, and his efforts paid off...read more

Frank, Berkley both took contributions from Full Tilt

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., a longtime advocate for federal legalization of Internet poker, accepted an estimated $20,000 in contributions from Full Tilt Poker, the Boston Globe reported Wednesday.Jessica Mackler, a spokeswoman for Berkley’s U.S...read more

Lederer, Ferguson suspended by Epic Poker League

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Poker professionals Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson were suspended by the Epic Poker League Wednesday, a day after federal prosecutors added them as defendants in a civil complaint involving alleged money laundering by Full Tilt Poker.In a statement, Stephen Martin, chairman of the league's standards and conduct committee, said the action was taken after Lederer and Ferguson were named as defendants in relation to their role as board members with Full Tilt...read more

Nevada Resort Association questions sports wagering kiosks

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- The Nevada Resort Association is questioning the growing use of sports wagering kiosks, which allow gamblers to place bets outside the confines of a traditional sports book. The trade group is concerned the terminals and their expanding technology blur the distinction between nonrestricted gaming, such as hotel-casinos, and restricted locations, which covers bars, taverns and restaurants with 15 or fewer slot machines. For now, the resort association's board of directors plans to "monitor and watch" how state gaming regulators view the kiosks, which are run by race and sports book operator Leroy's. The kiosks are being used inside Buffalo Wild Wings, the Inn Zone Lounges and have received tentative regulatory approval for use at PT's and other locations operated by Golden Gaming Inc. The kiosks were designed to allow customers to place wagers as long as they had money on account...read more

Full Tilt didn't violate license by commingling funds

MILAN, Italy -- Full Tilt Poker may have commingled player funds and operations money in bank accounts, but that didn't violate its license with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC).Alderney licensees are required to disclose to players whether they mix player deposits and operations money in bank accounts or keep them in separate accounts, an AGCC official familiar with the situation told Casino City today...read more