Let your mouth speak archive

888 Holdings Plc expects 2011 earnings to be significantly ahead of current market estimates as British consumers preferred staying back home, watching TV and gambling online amid an economic slowdown.

888, whose rivals include the world's biggest listed online gaming company, Bwin.party digital, said its third-quarter sales grew 42 percent to $86 million, the highest quarterly revenue ever achieved in the company's history.

As of September 30, the company had 10.1 million casino, poker and sport real money registered customer accounts, an increase of 24 percent from last year.

Cash-strapped Britons are staying at home more, updates from consumer-facing companies showed last week, as fears grow that the UK will slip back into recession.

"Trading has continued to be strong into the fourth quarter, and we expect that clean EBITDA for the financial year ending December 31 will be significantly ahead of current market expectations," Deputy Chairman Brian Mattingley said in a statement on Tuesday.

Analysts on average are expecting a full-year EBITDA of $33.5 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

In August, 888 had said trading across all its business lines for the traditionally weaker third quarter was likely to remain robust, aided by demand from new customers.

888 shares, which have fallen 13 percent in the last six months, closed at 33 pence on Monday on the London Stock Exchange, valuing the firm at about 115 million pounds. (Reporting by Tresa Sherin Morera in Bangalore; Editing by Joyjeet Das)

The case against Michael Jackson's former doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, is wrapping up, with the defense on the verge of resting their case.

The manslaughter trial is now heading into closing arguments territory. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Thursday morning,

Murray was on-hand when Jackson died after had being administered propofol, along with two anti-anxiety benzodiazepines: lorazepam and midazolam. On February 8, 2010, Murray pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter, and was released after posting a US$75,000 bail. His trial started on September 27, 2011.

It's also worth pointing out — jurors notoriously hate coming back to court on Monday if they can help it … which means there's a 99.9999% chance they'll come up with a verdict by Friday, presuming closing arguments don't drag on.

The prosecution rested its case over a week ago. If convicted of felony involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to the maximum — 4 years in state prison — it is likely that Murray will not spend any time prison.

After a new law in California went into effect on October 1, jail overcrowding will likely give a lot of first-time, non-violent offenders a "get out of jail free card." Therefore, people convicted of non-violent felonies cannot be sent to State prison. Instead, non-violent felons serve their time in county jail and since involuntary manslaughter is a non-violent felony, if Murray is convicted he'd go to L.A. County Jail or better yet, house arrest.

Gov. Pat Quinn offered a bit of a mixed message on gambling today.

In one breath, Quinn made his annual pitch for the Veterans Cash lottery game, encouraging people to buy the scratch-off tickets. In the next breath, Quinn warned that the state cannot gamble its way to prosperity.

Quinn appeared to be trying to draw the line between lottery games that raise money for specific causes and what he calls "widespread casino gambling" proposed by lawmakers. The major gambling expansion has been on hold since lawmakers approved a bill earlier this summer, and it faces an uncertain future after Quinn warned he would veto the legislation unless lawmakers followed a "framework" he laid out. The governor's outline does not include slots at race tracks, a deal breaker for many lawmakers.

"My interest is not to promote gambling, that's not my foremost goal in Illinois. I don't think you can gamble your way to prosperity," Quinn said today. "It is an issue. I'm open-minded to dealing with it along the framework that I outlined, but my fundamental focus is getting our economy on track."

Quinn criticized lawmakers' efforts to put his framework into bill form last week, saying it was a "charade" that included things he did not support, such as time limits for vetting license applicants and too much money was set aside for horse racing subsidies.

Today, Quinn said lawmakers should send him the bill so he can make changes that they can sign off on.

"It's up to the legislature," Quinn said of gambling negotiations. "They haven't sent their original bill. If they do, I'd be happy to take it, veto out the defects and flaws and put in the good important things and send it back."

Bwin.Party digital entertainment Plc, the London and Stockholm listed online gambling giant, announced that it has entered into a lucrative joint venture deal with two US gambling groups.

As part of the Bwin.party US gambling joint venture, the online gambling group will partner with MGM Resorts International and Boyd Gaming Corp to create a new US based company, which will be poised to enter the US gambling market if and when it becomes regulated and licensed, at either state or federal level.

The new gambling joint venture will be 65% owned by Bwin.Party, 25% owned by MGM and 10% owned by Boyd.

When US gambling laws change, the new bwin.party us gambling deal venture will be able to offer Bwin.Party's brands to the US online poker industry, including its PartyPoker and World Poker Tour brands. Jim Ryan and Norman Teufelberger, the co-Chief Executive Officers of Bwin.Party digital entertainment gambling group said in a statement: "Our strategy has been designed to address any and all legislative outcomes, whether federal or state to state."

"We are particularly excited to be working with MGM and Boyd," they said. "Combining their significant assets and regulatory expertise with the strength of our PartyPoker and World Poker Tour brands, all supported by our in-house technology, makes us perfectly positioned for any future opening of the US online poker market."
Bwin.Party Sign Two 15 Year Deals

Besides the new joint venture that will see Bwin.Party digital entertainment enter the US gambling market upon legislation, the group also announced that it has signed two separate business to business deals with MGM and Boyd, each one spanning fifteen years.

According to Bwin.Party these agreements would "enable them to offer real money online poker services under their own brands in the US using the bwin.party technology platform and associated services."

The President and CEO of Boyd Gaming, Keith Smith, said that the group believed that the right approach to offering legal online poker in the US was through a federal regulatory structure which ensures that "games are conducted with the greatest possible integrity and security."

He said that should Congress enact legislation to legalise online poker, the joint venture with Bwin.Party gambling group would allow them to partner with "the world's most experienced and prestigious online operator to offer a secure, fair and entertaining experience for players in the United States."

The CEO of MGM Resorts International, Jim Murren, echoed the sentiments expressed by his colleagues.

Forget federal law the AGA wants to make online gaming a decision made by individual states

Lobbying the federal government just isn’t enough for the commercial online gaming industry. The American Gaming Agency (AGA) are now lobbying the United States Congress to forget about legislation that has already been proposed and instead leave it to individual states to decide whether online gaming is okay. This system would be much like the one that currently exists for bricks and mortar casinos in the United States only in cyberspace. There are now a great many states that have legalised gaming in order to benefit from the tax revenues that this will bring in.

The Chief executive of the AGA, Frank Fahrenkopf said that "We're perhaps closer to federal legislation than we've ever been… There's a buzz in Washington about the need for action." This all seems to be stemming from the reaction of legislators to the scandal surrounding the eviction from the United States market of the top three poker sites in the world and Full Tilt Poker in particular. As Fahrenkopf says "The fact is that, despite the (indictments), millions of Americans are still betting billions of dollars a year on foreign poker websites, sites outside the reach of US law enforcement, leaving US players vulnerable," and it is that vulnerability that lawmakers are hoping to end.

The pro online gambling lobby is known to be a particularly effective lobby, as well it should be since it has millions of Americans who love to gamble online backing it. As such it has garnered the support of legislators on both a local and a national level and is probably right to be so confident of getting the legislation that it wants passed through both houses.

Richard Bronson, a former Mirage Resorts executive, has now founded US Digital Gaming. Bronson is of the firm belief that online gambling would be ultimately legalized and regulated in the United States. He foresees a market for software and advertising services to online gaming operators and this is what his company will provide. Because of the sustained interest in the legalization of online gambling, particularly poker, in the United States, Fortune magazine did an article on how the business possibilities of online gambling have captured the imaginations of billionaire US businessmen. They interviewed Bronson to find out what he had to say.

Bronson said that several rich and savvy billionaires were willing to invest in his new business. Bronson told Fortune, "Not one of them thinks this will be a sprint, they think it will be a marathon." The names revealed by Bronson included real estate guru Steven Roth, shopping mall magnate Herbert Simon and wealthy heirs Robert and William Taubman. None of these are directly linked to the gambling industry.

The Fortune magazine article pointed out that first-mover advantage is perceived as being critical. That is the reason why US billionaires are prepared to invest even though online gambling is far from signed, sealed and delivered. Fortune listed several initiatives that are already in the public domain. Among the most recent is the collaboration announced by Donald Trump and billionaire hedge fund mogul Marc Lasry of the $12 billion Avenue Capital Group.

It also mentions the Fertitta Interactive agreement signed last week with Cyberarts. Fertitta Interactive is owned by Station Casino group billionaires Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta. Fertitta had earlier aligned with Full Tilt Poker, but had called off the agreement after the Black Friday indictments. Steve Wynn had annulled a similar deal with PokerStars for the same reason. However Wynn has not revealed any replacement.

The Fortune magazine article also refers to Caesars Entertainment. In 2008 Caesars Entertainment, then known as Harrah's, was acquired by private equity firm Apollo Global Management and TPG in a $30 billion leveraged buyout. Apollo is run by billionaires Leon Black, Joshua Harris and Marc Rowan and TPG is owned by billionaire David Bonderman. Caesars Entertainment has been investing heavily in its online operations and backing a new Washington D.C. lobbying effort that includes former FBI Director Louis Freeh. The article concludes, "If online gambling in the USA opens for business, it would certainly help Black and Bonderman, two investing legends, get out of a tough spot."

With so much money being pumped into online gambling, surely it is a case of when and not if for legalization of online gambling in the United States.

A recent ruling which was ‘snuck’ onto a budget bill at the end of 2010; actually allows online gaming in the US capital! This effectively made Washington DC, the first State in the US to legalize online gambling, but what a paradox this is? It is known as the ‘iGaming measure’, and true to form – the US Government can’t agree on anything – how are they ever going to be in agreement with regards to internet gambling?

Two local Washington DC politicians now want the law repealed. They are Democrat Council Members Tommy Wells and Phil Mendelson. The bill has generated complaints left, right and centre, and admittedly when the bill was passed there had not been sufficient public debate. However, when we look back at 2006, exactly the same can be said of UIGEA. Is the pot calling the kettle black once again?!

Democrat Michael Brown is the Council Member who initiated the iGaming measure; he has taken a huge amount of heat for his involvement in this act. His credibility has been constantly in question since the ruling and he has been required to defend his stance. In a recent written letter to his peers, Brown maintains that the legislation was introduced in a normal way, and that as it is envisaged, would pose no threat to people at risk. These people ‘at risk’ have been determined as underprivileged residents. Are they not underprivileged because they are unable to partake of online gambling?

At the end of the day – Brown’s defense of iGaming is actually based on sound principles. This industry is able to provide in his words ~ a “viable revenue enhancing vehicle to secure our social safety net and balance our budget during a time of fiscal crisis.” When will people like Council Members Tommy Wells and Phil Mendelson actually see the bigger picture, such as it is? The online gambling industry is worth billions, not ‘millions’ of dollars to the USA!

A House subcommittee signaled Tuesday that it will move forward with legislation to legalize some forms of online gambling.

Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Manufacturing subpanel, said the committee would deliberate before acting on any legislation. But lawmakers and industry players at a Tuesday hearing on Internet gambling seemed to be in broad agreement that the time has come to let the nation’s casinos, cardrooms and racetracks operate online as a regulated industry.

Bono Mack noted that some form of gambling is already legal in every state except Hawaii and Utah.

“I learned to play poker, believe it or not, in the Boy Scouts,” said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), who introduced legislation this summer that would legalize and regulate online poker. “If you learned something in the Boy Scouts, it has to be a good thing,”

Lawmakers at the hearing pointed to statistics that show millions of Americans gamble online, sending as much as $6 billion to illegal offshore gambling sites each year.

Several members said regulating and taxing the industry could provide a steady stream of revenue to help close the federal deficit.

Ranking committee member G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) said games like poker and bingo “are as ubiquitous in the U.S. as baseball and football” and said Congress’s inaction on the issue has driven millions of Americans to offshore sites where they can easily be scammed.

Several lawmakers and witnesses argued the 2006 law that banned U.S. financial institutions from processing payments for online gambling sites has failed. Barton called it “unenforceable.”

Barton reiterated his longstanding argument that poker is a game of skill, adding that President Nixon financed his first congressional campaign partially through his poker winnings. He also noted that President Obama is known to be an excellent card player.

Barton said the broad support in the House for his poker bill — libertarian Ron Paul (R-Texas) and liberal Barney Frank (D-Mass.) are co-sponsors — shows the idea has merit.

“If you’ve got a bill they are all for, who can be against it?” Barton asked.

Poker Players Alliance chairman and former Sen. Alfonso D’Amato (R-N.Y.) said the Obama administration’s crackdown on the industry earlier this year has only served to drive the game underground, where players have no assurances that games are fair or that they will be paid if they win.

“The status quo is badly broken and benefits no one,” D’Amato said. “Internet poker has not gone away and it’s hard to envision a scenario where it will.”

D’Amato also noted that the Wire Act, which banned interstate financial transactions related to gambling, was intended to prevent sports betting, and it remains unclear whether online poker is illegal.

Opposition to online gambling has emerged from the organizers of state lotteries, which argue that legalization would drain dollars from state coffers that are often earmarked for education.

D’Amato argued that online poker sites serve a different customer and would have minimal impact on lotteries if the game were legalized.

“We believe that people who buy lottery tickets are generally not the same people and we don’t believe they really compete,” D’Amato said.

Several witnesses at the hearing pushed for enhanced age verification to prevent children from gambling online. Others called for funding to help address the social costs of gambling addiction.

National Council on Problem Gambling executive director Keith Whyte said at least $50 million should be set aside to deal with gambling addiction. He noted that minorities, young men and veterans are particularly prone to addiction, which can lead to bankruptcy and criminal acts.

Whyte said his organization is neutral on legalizing gambling but noted that the online form may exacerbate addiction problems due to the speed of the games, the relative anonymity and the reliance on credit instead of cash.

D’Amato argued it would be possible to include safeguards that would prevent problem gamblers from being able to log onto the websites. A House subcommittee signaled Tuesday that it will move forward with legislation to legalize some forms of online gambling.

Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Manufacturing subpanel, said the committee would deliberate before acting on any legislation. But lawmakers and industry players at a Tuesday hearing on Internet gambling seemed to be in broad agreement that the time has come to let the nation’s casinos, cardrooms and racetracks operate online as a regulated industry.

Bono Mack noted that some form of gambling is already legal in every state except Hawaii and Utah.

“I learned to play poker, believe it or not, in the Boy Scouts,” said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), who introduced legislation this summer that would legalize and regulate online poker. “If you learned something in the Boy Scouts, it has to be a good thing,”

Lawmakers at the hearing pointed to statistics that show millions of Americans gamble online, sending as much as $6 billion to illegal offshore gambling sites each year.

Several members said regulating and taxing the industry could provide a steady stream of revenue to help close the federal deficit.

Ranking committee member G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) said games like poker and bingo “are as ubiquitous in the U.S. as baseball and football” and said Congress’s inaction on the issue has driven millions of Americans to offshore sites where they can easily be scammed.

Several lawmakers and witnesses argued the 2006 law that banned U.S. financial institutions from processing payments for online gambling sites has failed. Barton called it “unenforceable.”

Barton reiterated his longstanding argument that poker is a game of skill, adding that President Nixon financed his first congressional campaign partial

Last week the Minister Presidents of the German Lander urged the adoption of the draft State Treaty on online gambling. This proposal has been rejected by the European Commission (EC) and has been criticized by the online gambling industry. Therefore the repeat call to enact this proposal drew a sharp response from the Remote Gambling Association (RGA).

RGA is the largest trade association for online gambling operators in the world. Its Chief Executive Clive Hawkswood expressed deep disappointment at the continuing ostrich like attitude of the German states. The proposal that the German states want to implement by July 2012 limits the number of licenses issued to operators to 20, imposes an uncompetitive and unviable 5% turnover tax regime, severely limits betting amounts and prohibits online casinos and poker rooms and live betting. Hawkswood pointed out that this is completely out of line with the more rational approach taken by European Union Member States such as Denmark and Spain. These countries will shortly introduce regulated regimes that will allow nearly all forms of online gambling and which are based on the much more viable gross profits taxation model.

Hawkswood said, "There appears to be no connection between the desire to provide German citizens with a regulated market and the actual text of the State Treaty." He added that the Minister Presidents say on one hand that they want to encourage sports betting with regulated German operators, but at the same time deny this to citizens who wish to participate in online casinos and poker games. Hawkswood made it clear that the proposed online gambling model in Germany will have no effect in curbing the large number of German citizens gambling at online casinos licensed in other jurisdictions. Policies to restrict players from accessing such online casinos have proven ineffective in the past.

Hawkswood emphasized that the EC has made it clear that the draft State Treaty violates EU law and the statement from the Minister Presidents will do little to allay the EC concerns. "In fact, such an approach simply makes the Schleswig-Holstein proposal more attractive and creates a fragmented, confusing and undesirable situation for German consumers," stated Mr. Hawkswood. The German state of Schleswig-Holstein was the only state that passed its own online gambling law earlier this year after it could not reach an agreement on several issues with the other German states. Its proposal regulates all gambling products on a gross profits basis and has already been approved by the EU through the normal notification process.

Lindsay Lohan was in court again today for violating her probation – again.

And once again, celebrity justice reared its ugly head. Although the judge handed down a sentence of 30 days, according to officials from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, Lohan will almost certainly get out of jail in a matter of minutes.

Due to California's overcrowded jails, misdemeanor inmates only serve 20% of the actual sentence because of overcrowding. And TMZ reports that now it seems inmates are immediately released after being booked.

One official told the gossip site, "She'll be out without even having to change her clothes."

Want to bet entertainment? Bodog's got the best Dancing with the Stars odds in the business. If you need an account, Join Bodog today.

Judge Stephanie Sautner put Lindsay a tight schedule to complete the rest of her probation.

By December 14, Lindsay must have completed 12 days at the morgue and 4 psychotherapy sessions. By January 17, another 12 days at morgue and 4 psychotherapy sessions. If the terms of her probation are not completed by March 29, Lohan will go to jail for 270 days.

Lohan knows she got off easy, walking out of court muttering, "Thank God."

An NDP MP's private member's bill to allow betting on single sports events in Canada could parlay into Internet gambling being introduced in Manitoba.

The provincial NDP has said for about two years they're studying how well online gaming works in other provinces before making a decision to bring it here.

But online-gaming advocates say Ontario MP Joe Comartin's private member's bill to change the Criminal Code and allow betting on single games could speed up Manitoba's decision. Comartin's bill passed its second reading in Parliament Tuesday, without opposition, and is headed to a justice committee. It must go through a third reading before a final vote.

Comartin's proposed bill, aimed at increasing casino jobs in Windsor and Niagara Falls, would legalize sports betting on football, baseball or basketball games at casinos and racetracks.

People can only legally bet on a series or group of games such as in Sports Select or similar games offered either in lotteries or at casinos.

Single-game betting, like on the Super Bowl, is still hugely popular in Canada, but often it's run by bookies and organized crime. Police have said for every dollar bookmakers earn, 92 cents flows though the hands of organized crime.

Paul Burns, vice-president at the Canadian Gaming Association, said single-game betting is also big business on the Internet, and plenty of Canadians already play.

"This really isn't new," Burns said of Internet gaming. "The customers are doing it now, but the (provinces) aren't getting the money."

British Columbia and Quebec have made the greatest leap of the provinces into online gaming -- gamblers in either province can play online poker against one another -- with the Atlantic provinces offering a handful of online games. Ontario has said it will offer online gambling in 2012.

Like Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta are watching the experience in other provinces.

"Manitoba Lotteries is continuing to monitor what's happening with online gaming in other jurisdictions in the country," a provincial spokeswoman said in an email. "At this time, Manitoba has not made any decision to enter into the online gaming business. We're going to keep an eye on what other jurisdictions are doing and will use those observations to influence our decision."

Burns said for Manitoba it's not a matter of if, but when.

He said Canadians wager an estimated $1 billion a year at offshore gaming websites -- money that could be wagered here with provincially regulated websites.

"What's to be afraid of strong regulation?" Burns said.

With single-game sports betting added to the mix, bettors can also wager on action other than the game's outcome, such as the number of shots on goal in a single period or which player scores the first goal.

In North America, only Nevada allows betting on single sporting events.

A spokesman for Comartin's office said Canada's restriction on single-game betting was put in place decades ago as a way to protect the integrity of sport, and Comartin's bill simply seeks to modernize the law.

Geoff Hall said if it passes, it will be up to each province to regulate it, adding Ontario and B.C. support it. "There has been no official response from Manitoba," he said.

A Canadian Gaming Association study released last month found legalized gaming has nearly tripled since 1995 -- $15.1 billion in gaming wins in 2010 compared with 6.4 billion in 2010.

[email][email protected][/email]

Wager on growth

IN 2010, the Manitoba gaming industry consisted of four casinos, one horse racetrack, more than 500 VLT sites, about 800 lottery outlets (retailers) and a number of bingo halls.

These facilities and outlets generated more than $751 million in gaming revenue.

VLTs accounted for the largest share of revenue followed by casinos and lotteries.

The provincial gaming industry has grown annually since 2006 with casinos accounting for the majority of overall growth.

In total, the industry's win increased from about $617 million in 2006 to more than $723 million in 2010.

Opponents of online gaming say they are offended by the very term but they are ignoring the obvious

The debate rages over whether the use of the term online gaming is a fair description of the activities going on at online casinos or a cynical attempt at hiding the fact that what casinos provide for their customers is, in fact, online gambling. Opponents of the internationally popular online casinos and poker rooms that have brought so much fun into the lives of so many people are sure that the term online gaming is an utterly incorrect description of what online casinos offer. Advances in the realm of online gaming software have advanced to the point where top notch graphics and animation are a part of the games that players love to gamble on.

The assumption that opponents of online gambling or online gaming are making is that people aren’t smart enough to know when they are playing an online slot or having the cards dealt to them when playing live Blackjack. Whether it’s called online gambling or online gaming people are always going to know that they are risking some of their money in order to try to make a whole lot more. There’s loads of fun to be had playing these great games and yes they still cost money, which is, in fact, why they are so much fun.

The truth is that a trip to any of the high quality online casinos will show even the harshest critic that the graphics combined with the outstanding gameplay on any number of games on offer at the online casino feel exactly like video gaming. There are virtual lobbies and avatars for players who move through an entirely real, virtual casino. So enjoy a spot of online gaming, or is it gambling?

However you call it, there's no denying the natural fun and excitement found at the online casino!

With online gambling in the USA currently lying in shambles, the government is under fierce pressure on the issue of legalizing online gaming. Several businesses and lawmakers are pushing the government to legalize online gambling in the country so that many of the well known poker pros can continue to play poker online for real money. As a result, FairPlay USA, an organization that aims to aid the ongoing struggle to legalize online gaming in the US, has been formed, PlayPokerOnline.com reports.

With its base in Washington DC, FairPlay USA involves members from across the country seeking to push the government to legalize online gaming as well as to sensitize lawmakers about the flaws in the current legislation. Current members include people from varied fields like consumer protection experts and law enforcement officials along with commercial gaming companies and poker players in the country. Eminent members in the organization include Parry Aftab, Executive Director of WiredSafety.org, the world's biggest online safety organization and Tom Ridge, the former Pennsylvania Governor.

The organization has launched its own online website, Fairplayusa.com and also has a petition where supporters can make their thoughts known to the Congress. FairPlay USA's executive director, Marisa McNee, explains that the website will serve as a focal point to recruit and organize supporters, and that the online petition will enable their voices to be heard in the Congress. She also stated that the website is directed towards the lawmakers, supporters of online consumer safety and the vast number of Americans who play poker online for money. Protecting consumer interests and ensuring child safety are other legislatory aspects that FairPlay USA is focusing on.

The organization has also published on the site a list of ten principles which it considers imperative to online gaming in the US. Among them are suggestions to introduce a regulatory framework for the enforcement and licensing of online poker. The organization has also suggested that license operators should provide real money poker sites with problem gambling controls that will effectively control playing time, deposit amounts, wagers etc. FairPlay USA has already won the support of other poker organizations like Poker Players Alliance.

Thanks for all the update

The Pakistani quartet of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Mazhar Majeed have all been jailed for their part in a spot fixing scam.

Former Pakistan Cricket Captain, Salman Butt, today received 30 months incarceration for his orchestrating role in the scheme whereby no balls were deliberately bowled in a test match against England last summer.

Mohammad Asif, 28, formerly the worlds second best Test bowler, will serve one year behind bars, whilst 19 year old Mohammed Amir has been sentenced to six months imprisonment. Cricketing agent Mazhar Majeed received two years and eight months for his part in the deal whereby no balls were arranged and performed to prove to gamblers that cricket games could be rigged.

The players were caught following a News Of The World sting whereby Majeed was recorded boasting how he could get Pakistani cricketers to fix cricket games for money. Majeed accepted £150 000 from the undercover journalist for details of three pre determined no-balls which the players had been persuaded to bowl in return for cash.

Majeed is believed to have paid Asif £65,000, Butt £10,000 and Amir £2,500 for their part in the scam.

According to Salman Butt’s soliciter, the former captain is believed to be lodging an appeal against the severity of his sentence within the next 24 hours. In passing his sentence on the quartet, Mr Justice Cook slammed their actions stating: “It is the insidious effect of your actions on professional cricket and the followers of it that make the offences so serious.”

As well as their prison sentences the three players have been ordered to pay compensation towards the prosecution costs. On top of that the three players have also been banned from all forms of cricket for five years by the International Cricket Council, a decision that all three are appealing.

It appears that progress is finally being made with regards the legislation and regulation of online gambling in the US. This topic has found some support with Rep. Mary Bono Mack – the chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Manufacturing sub-committee. After the Tuesday hearing last week when supporters and witnesses for online gambling were heard, Mack also said that the committee would have to deliberate before acting on any regulation or legislation. They are supposedly committed however, to moving forward with legislation, and this is what the online gambling industry has been anxiously looking forward to.

Broad agreement has been reached that the time is nigh for certain online casino or card-room offerings to be operated as a regulated US industry.

At the hearing it was made blatantly obvious that millions of Americans continue to gamble online, and that something like $6 billion annually leaves the country in this way. Members agree that legalizing the industry will not only create an additional steady stream of tax revenue – which the budget deficit really needs, but also help safeguard players against unscrupulous operators. It was also pointed out that UIGEA has failed as a means of stopping or controlling this industry.

Rep. Joe Barton who introduced a proposed legislation this summer said that he learned to play poker in the Boy Scouts, and that anything learned in the Boy Scouts could not be a bad thing. It was also interesting to learn from Barton, that Richard Nixon funded his first congressional campaign with his own poker winnings, and we already know that current President is not averse to a game of cards, in fact Pres. Obama is considered to be an excellent card game player. Poker in particular, is as an American game as is baseball and football, and fans of this game consider it to be a game of skill as apposed to gambling.

An NDP MP's private member's bill to allow betting on single sports events in Canada could parlay into Internet gambling being introduced in Manitoba.

The provincial NDP has said for about two years they're studying how well online gaming works in other provinces before making a decision to bring it here.

But online-gaming advocates say Ontario MP Joe Comartin's private member's bill to change the Criminal Code and allow betting on single games could speed up Manitoba's decision. Comartin's bill passed its second reading in Parliament Tuesday, without opposition, and is headed to a justice committee. It must go through a third reading before a final vote.

Comartin's proposed bill, aimed at increasing casino jobs in Windsor and Niagara Falls, would legalize sports betting on football, baseball or basketball games at casinos and racetracks.

People can only legally bet on a series or group of games such as in Sports Select or similar games offered either in lotteries or at casinos.

Single-game betting, like on the Super Bowl, is still hugely popular in Canada, but often it's run by bookies and organized crime. Police have said for every dollar bookmakers earn, 92 cents flows though the hands of organized crime.

Paul Burns, vice-president at the Canadian Gaming Association, said single-game betting is also big business on the Internet, and plenty of Canadians already play.

"This really isn't new," Burns said of Internet gaming. "The customers are doing it now, but the (provinces) aren't getting the money."

British Columbia and Quebec have made the greatest leap of the provinces into online gaming -- gamblers in either province can play online poker against one another -- with the Atlantic provinces offering a handful of online games. Ontario has said it will offer online gambling in 2012.

Like Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta are watching the experience in other provinces.

"Manitoba Lotteries is continuing to monitor what's happening with online gaming in other jurisdictions in the country," a provincial spokeswoman said in an email. "At this time, Manitoba has not made any decision to enter into the online gaming business. We're going to keep an eye on what other jurisdictions are doing and will use those observations to influence our decision."

Burns said for Manitoba it's not a matter of if, but when.

He said Canadians wager an estimated $1 billion a year at offshore gaming websites -- money that could be wagered here with provincially regulated websites.

"What's to be afraid of strong regulation?" Burns said.

With single-game sports betting added to the mix, bettors can also wager on action other than the game's outcome, such as the number of shots on goal in a single period or which player scores the first goal.

In North America, only Nevada allows betting on single sporting events.

A spokesman for Comartin's office said Canada's restriction on single-game betting was put in place decades ago as a way to protect the integrity of sport, and Comartin's bill simply seeks to modernize the law.

Geoff Hall said if it passes, it will be up to each province to regulate it, adding Ontario and B.C. support it. "There has been no official response from Manitoba," he said.

A Canadian Gaming Association study released last month found legalized gaming has nearly tripled since 1995 -- $15.1 billion in gaming wins in 2010 compared with 6.4 billion in 2010.

[email][email protected][/email]

Wager on growth

IN 2010, the Manitoba gaming industry consisted of four casinos, one horse racetrack, more than 500 VLT sites, about 800 lottery outlets (retailers) and a number of bingo halls.

These facilities and outlets generated more than $751 million in gaming revenue.

VLTs accounted for the largest share of revenue followed by casinos and lotteries.

The provincial gaming industry has grown annually since 2006 with casinos accounting for the majority of overall growth.

In total, the industry's win increased from about $617 million in 2006 to more than $723 million in 2010.

Two years ago when Mirage Resorts executive – Richard Bronson founded the U.S. Digital Gaming co, he had already come to the conclusion that online gambling would be the next massive wave of growth for the casino industry. We would say he was a bit behind the times; this fact was already a sure-thing in the UK and for offshore European licensing jurisdictions. The only thing that the US was lacking was legislation and regulation, and they are way behind the times, having been shackled with UIGEA.

Nevertheless this software and advertising service, ostensibly for gaming operators as well as Government agencies; was founded in the belief that a regulated industry would eventually come to pass. It is no secret that cash-strapped US states have been looking at the online gambling industry as a means to ending their ‘cash-strapped-ness’. However, experts are of the opinion that online gambling, and in particular poker, will only be effective as a nationwide cash-cow if it is regulated on a Federal level.

That having been said, when Bronson was looking to raise funds for his venture, he found that some very big US billionaires were keen to bet on this business. He went on to sign up billionaires such as Steven Roth, Herbert Simon, Robert and William Taubman, and we have also seen recent keen-interest shown by none other than Donald Trump. The US race for online gambling is on, and it appears that more than a few billionaires believe this will not be a sprint, it will be a marathon, and they are not alone in their thinking.

The US online gambling marketplace is believed to possibly be one of the richest mother-lodes in the world. This could be the reason why the US Government has been guarding it so jealously, but the time is now ripe to give it free-reign if they are to see at least a share in some of its revenue generating potential.

Since the 60s, Miami has created an infamous reputation that has attracted jetsetters from across the globe. Washington and Collins avenues on South Beach, in addition to the recent bars that have been popping up inWynwood, become packed during holiday weekends with snow birds who trade frigid weather for Miami’s sultry beaches. The combination of the beaches, climate, cuisine, clubs, lounges, and culture in Miami have turned our beloved city into one of the most desirable destinations in the world.

The buzz around Miami these days’ surrounds a potential monumental shift in the way the city of Miami operates. If (and some say when) a bill is passed to approve gambling in Miami, Genting will be introducing Resorts World Miami, a mega-resort that would house a proposed 800,000 square foot casino, making it the largest casino venue in the United States. With this massive build out comes much more than just slot machines. Both citizens and local businesses have had a lot to say about the potential shift. Many are worried about the traffic issues that could arise and are convinced that a casino in the middle of Downtown Miami would likely create major congestion. Between the Adrienne Arsht Center, American Airlines Arena, the two museums under construction in Bicentennial Park, and what could be a massive casino, it is understandable why people are worried that the area will be flooded with too many people, and insufficient parking.

Many businesses in Miami are welcoming the change, but the Seminole Tribe of Florida (who currently has the largest gaming presence in Florida) will have nothing of the sort. The tribe has begun to lobby Tallahassee in an effort to prevent the bill from passing, and in turn, protecting their gambling “monopoly” in Florida.

The flip side of the argument comes from people who feel that the financial benefit that would be created far outweighs the negatives. Genting has said that the project will create approximately 100,000 permanent jobs and somewhere between $400-$600 million of annual tax revenues. Regardless of which side of the fence you may be on, it certainly sounds like Genting is “all in.”

It was always difficult to tell what was legal and what was not in the US online poker industry post-UIGEA, 2006. We had massive brands such as Party Poker leaving the country and some very big business behind; while Poker Stars, Full Tilt, Ultimate Bet and others were only too happy to step up to the mark and fill the gap that Party Poker had left. Since then Black Friday has happened, and the DoJ has closed down the biggest poker sites to US traffic. There are some serious indictments outstanding against these companies and there is massive drama regarding whether members of these sites will ever get their money back, and there have always been questionable elements regarding UIGEA, apparent ‘grey areas’, and what is legal, and what is not.

After Black Friday in April this year, when these domain names were seized, the Merge Poker Network stopped accepting US players. However, it has come to light that some of the sites on this network are again accepting US players. Whether or not this is in opposition to their licensing agreement with Merge, is not as yet known; no official statement has been released. According to reports, online poker sites such as Carbon Poker has started bringing in new US players.

When Black Friday shook the US online poker industry; Merge Poker sites saw a massive surge in new sign ups from US player. However, fearing the same action being taken against them, some sites stopped accepting any more new US players, while still allowing existing members access to their sites. That having been said, a 79% increase in player traffic is not easy to ignore. When Merge decided to no longer accept US players, this did cause problems for payment processors, but at the time, the measure was believed to be temporary, although just how temporary was unclear.

Rumours are now rife, that they removing the ban on accepting new US players. The Merge network is currently ranked as the 12th most popular in this industry. :thumbsup