Let your mouth speak archive

I really hope so. America need some tax money.

R.I.P. Jenni Rivera, sad very sad.

Unless Congress acts now, this country is about to see the largest expansion of legal gambling in its history. And it will happen in a fashion almost guaranteed to result in inadequate oversight — resulting in a future tangle of problems for law enforcement and U.S. consumers.

Last December, the Department of Justice released an opinion on the 1961 Federal Wire Act, stating that it bans only Internet sports betting and not other forms of online wagering. States across the country quickly embraced the decision as a green light to move forward with the legalization of a broad range of online gambling activities — and the millions of Americans who partake are eagerly awaiting this opportunity.

Expansion of traditional gaming is not a problem. In fact, we’ve managed to do it with brick-and-mortar venues in an orderly, well-regulated manner. The challenge here is that if states move in this direction online — as many already are at a rapid rate — it will lead to a state-by-state patchwork of regulations across the borderless Internet that puts gaming patrons, problem gamblers and minors at unnecessary risk. As states one-by-one begin licensing companies, they also could do so with some of the very foreign online gambling companies that have flouted U.S. laws for years. And if we end up with 50 different sets of rules and regulations for 50 states, it could result in a race to the bottom, where states attempt to have the least amount of oversight in order to attract business.

Luckily, there is a solution to this problem. To avoid this scenario, Congress can act now to rein in the proliferation of online gambling by restricting all forms of the activity with the exception of poker — a game of skill — and put into place necessary controls to strengthen law enforcement oversight and protect consumers.

As with everyone else, we at the American Gaming Association have seen a version of the legislation titled Internet Gambling Prohibition, Poker Consumer Protection, and Strengthening UIGEA Act of 2012. While we do not know whether this draft represents the final version of legislation to be proposed by Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), the AGA supports the general provisions outlined therein.

Read more: Opinion: Online gambling needs better checks - Frank Fahrenkopf - POLITICO-com

Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman is gearing up to ask state lawmakers for permission to create and test what he hopes will be a first wave of Internet lottery games.

Grossman said Tuesday he plans to ask lawmakers to eliminate existing barriers that prevent the Massachusetts Lottery from selling tickets and other games online or accepting credit cards as a form of payment.

Grossman said he hopes to put familiar games like Mega Millions, Powerball and instant tickets for sale online.

But he said Lottery officials are also looking at the development of so-called “social gaming” like fantasy sports leagues.

Grossman said the Lottery needs to test different games to decide which might produce the most revenue.

Grossman said the state needs to move quickly because internet gaming is going to be a fact of life.

Probability the mobile online gambling specialists are in the right place at the right time. Mobile gaming has grown in scope and availability as smart phones and tablets start to dominate the market.

Probability has made major leaps with the announcement of a gambling licence acquisition in the Italian jurisdiction. The company says it is planning to introduce a white label offering in the Italian market to complement their existing B2B service in the UK, at the earliest opportunity. The firm is also realizing good value from investments in mobile advertising, including Facebook's newly revamped mobile offering. The company is feeling confident the plan has merit in the scalability of the model.

The Chief Executive Officer for Probability, Charles Cohen, commented, “We remain determined to capitalise on our first mover advantage in mobile gambling and we believe this market is now at a tipping point. Over half the adult population in the UK now has a smartphone, up from 30% in 2011. In our prime demographic of 18-29 year olds, 75% have one. In Italy, it's 49%.” Cohen continued to explain, "The transition of mobile gambling from an early-adopter niche to mass marketability is a fact, not an aspiration. The ongoing success of our TV advertising and Facebook promotions attest to this. Our ability to grow will no longer be constrained by the size of the market or the limited scope of regulation in our main markets. We have the proven technology, the expertise, the regulatory status, the talent and the resources to take a sizable portion of what will clearly be a major part of the global gambling business over the next few years. We are rapidly building Probability to be both big and profitable, a balanced and truly international leader in regulated gambling markets."

The outlook is promising for Probability as they remain steadfast in their disciplined approach regarding marketing expenditure. This is a driven firm that expects to maintain momentum in the trend setting mobile market.


Mobile Online Gambling Specialists Probability Outlook Strong

According to a new survey, all types of gambling have seen a decline since a similar poll in 2010, but some at-risk players say their problems have deepened, while in general people - including minors - are gravitating toward online forms of gambling.

Among many findings, the conclusion of the TNS Emor survey states: "A noteworthy share of youths have gambled even though they should actually not even have access to gambling due to age restrictions established by legislation.

"In spite of the age restrictions, youths have played (online and in environments other than the Internet) casino games, they have taken part in betting and sports predictions, played lotteries and instant lotteries. For instance; one in four people aged 15 say they have played the lottery in environments other than the Internet; and of those aged 15–20 one in 10 claims to have played casino games or poker on the Internet."

Gaming addiction and advising center's psychologist Pille-Riin Kaare told ERR radio the majority of gamblers who seek help no longer physically go to casinos, but play online.

Kaare said the gambling situation has improved since 2007 and 2008, a time period that could be called the glory days of Estonian casinos.

“Prevention work to this date has been efficient,” said Kaare and complimented the state's work on preventing casino addiction. This includes creating a casino blacklist system where people with problems can set self-prohibitions, requiring ID at the door of Estonian casinos, including their online counterparts. But online gamblers find ways to slip through the cracks, such as using ID cards of relatives or friends to keep playing, said Kaare.

Online gamblers also were more likely to say they did not notice information on gambling help resources.

One in two people in Estonia say they have gambled. Younger persons, ethnic Estonians, males and higher-educated people are more likely to have done so. Five percent of people in Estonia fall into the category of "problem gambler"; this accounts for 10 percent of gamblers. The most popular types of gambling continue to be lotteries and drawings in environments other than the Internet, followed by online lotteries, card games in environments other than the Internet, and casino slot machines.

The minimum age to access casinos in Estonia is 21. Eighteen is the minimum for betting on outcomes of sports events, and 16 for participating in lotteries.

Sitarist and composer Ravi Shankar, who helped introduce the sitar to the Western world through his collaborations with The Beatles, died near his home in Southern California on Wednesday, his family said. He was 92.

Shankar, a three-time Grammy winner with legendary appearances at the 1967 Monterey Festival and Woodstock, had been in fragile health for several years and last Thursday underwent surgery, his family said in a statement.

"Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as a part of our lives," the family said. "He will live forever in our hearts and in his music."

The statement said Shankar had suffered from upper respiratory and heart issues over the past year and underwent heart-valve replacement surgery last week.

The surgery was successful but he was unable to recover.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the surgeons and doctors taking care of him, his body was not able to withstand the strain of the surgery. We were at his side when he passed away," his wife Sukanya and daughter Anoushka said.

Shankar lived in both India and the United States. He is also survived by his daughter, Grammy-winning singer Norah Jones, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Shankar performed his last concert with his daughter Anoushka Shankar on Nov. 4 in Long Beach, California, the statement said. The night before he underwent surgery, he was nominated for a Grammy for his latest album "The Living Room Sessions, Part 1."

Shankar is credited with popularizing Indian music through his work with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and The Beatles in the late 1960s.

Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman is planning to ask the Legislature to let the state lottery operate online gambling. Currently, under state law, consumers can only buy lottery tickets in person and only with cash. But Grossman plans to ask the legislature to remove those restrictions.

Ultimately, this is about more than just selling lottery tickets online. If the legislature agrees, Grossman says the lottery could pilot a whole range of online games, like fantasy football or online poker.

"We will be testing online sale of lucky for life, of powerball, of other kinds of games, within the confines of the rules,” Grossman explains. “We will probably create a social game like a fantasy football, for example with no money attached to it. But with no pot. But at least a way to connect people who are using mobile apps with the lottery."

Grossman says he’s looking for ways to draw younger people into the lottery.

"Younger people don’t play the lottery much. The more likely player of the lottery is somewhat older,” he explains. “So in the future you want people to use the future and do it with a way that’s consistent with the way they like to derive their entertainment and it’s all going to be about handhelds and mobile devices."

Grossman says this move is needed to protect the lottery, which provides local aid for cities and towns. He says the state would start with a series of test games to determine which ones would generate the most revenue, starting as soon as next year.

Grossman says he wants to move slowly and develop online gambling in a way that doesn’t take too much money away from the state’s planned casinos, that doesn’t hurt small, neighborhood lottery ticket vendors and doesn’t lead to widespread problem gambling.



Mass. Lottery to Operate Online Gambling? | WGBH News

WMS Gaming Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of WMS Industries Inc. (NYSE:WMS), today announced that the Company has entered into a multi-year online content licensing agreement with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (“BCLC”). Under the terms of the agreement, BCLC will have access to WMS’ online library of authentic slot games on their gambling website, PlayNow-com.

BCLC’s PlayNow-com players will have the chance to play many of WMS’ hugely popular slot games, such as THE WIZARD OF OZ™, Zeus™, Reel ‘Em In® and Jackpot Party® games. The games will be accessible for play through WMS’ remote game server integration capability, obtained when Williams Interactive purchased Jadestone Group in May 2012.

PlayNow-com has offered online gaming to players in British Columbia since 2004, and in 2010 became the first regulated Canadian jurisdiction to offer online casino games. In addition to an online casino PlayNow-com offers players access to Canada’s biggest lottery games LottoMax and Lotto 6/49 as well as multi-player bingo, player-to-player poker and a new Sportsbook platform that launched this past summer.

Orrin J. Edidin, President of WMS Industries and President and CEO of Williams Interactive, said, “Players at BCLC’s casinos have loved WMS’ great gaming content for many years and we are delighted to expand our relationship to bring this same level of excitement and entertainment to BCLC’s online players. The key to building player loyalty on the casino floor or online at home is to consistently offer great gaming entertainment experiences; and our proven content is an ideal solution to extend our customers’ gaming entertainment beyond the casino’s four walls. The continued expansion of our interactive relationships and activities is a great endorsement of our content and approach to services and solutions and terrific news for the rapidly growing universe of online players.”

Rhonda Garvey, BCLC Vice President, eGaming said, “BCLC has worked with WMS for more than 14 years. During this time, many WMS slot games have become player favorites in our land-based casinos. As another first in North America for PlayNow-com, we are delighted to now offer our online players the opportunity to play the virtual version of WMS’ popular slot games.”

About WMS

WMS serves the gaming industry worldwide by designing, manufacturing and marketing games, video and mechanical reel-spinning gaming machines, video lottery terminals and in gaming operations, which places leased participation gaming machines in legal gaming venues. The Company also develops and markets digital content, products, services and end-to-end solutions that address global online wagering and interactive social, casual and mobile gaming opportunities. WMS is proactively addressing the next stage of casino gaming floor evolution with its WAGE-NET® networked gaming solution, a suite of systems technologies and applications designed to increase customers’ revenue generating capabilities and operational efficiency. More information on WMS can be found at Home - WMS.COM or visit the Company on Facebook®, Twitter® or YouTube®.

About BCLC

BCLC has been offering socially responsible gambling entertainment for nearly 30 years. As a Crown corporation, BCLC is accountable to the Province and citizens of British Columbia. In 2011, more than $1 billion was generated by BCLC gambling activities that went back into health care, education and community groups across British Columbia.

THE WIZARD OF OZ and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Turner Entertainment Co.
(s12)

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning our future business performance, strategy, outlook, plans, products and liquidity. Forward-looking statements may be typically identified by such words as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” and “intend,” among others. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, any or all of our forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Consequently, no forward-looking statements may be guaranteed. We undertake no obligation to update such forward looking statements, all of which are made only as of this date, December 12, 2012. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ from expectations include (1) delay or refusal by regulators to approve our new gaming platforms, cabinet designs, game themes and related hardware and software; (2) changes in regulations or regulatory interpretations that may adversely affect existing product placements or future placements; (3) an inability to introduce in a timely manner new games and gaming machines that achieve and maintain market acceptance; (4) a decrease in the desire of casino customers to upgrade gaming machines or allot floor space to leased or participation games, resulting in reduced demand for our products; (5) a reduction in capital spending or interruption in payments by casino customers associated with business weakness or economic uncertainty that adversely affects our customers' ability to make purchases or pay; (6) a greater-than-expected demand for operating leases by customers over outright product sales or sales financing leases that shift revenue recognition from a single period to the term of such operating leases; (7) future costs to restructure our business and other charges that may be higher than currently estimated, including additional charges related to actions at a later time not presently contemplated; (8) ability to realize in full, or part, the anticipated savings and expense reductions from restructuring and lower staffing; (9) adverse affects on

SHFL entertainment, Inc. formerly known as Shuffle Master is a gaming supplier based in Nevada USA announced recently it has obtained an unlimited Category 2 electronic Gambling license from the Alderney Gambling Control Commission. Among other gaming supplies such state-of-the-art, value-added products now includes the interactive sector of the firm which features online versions of SHFL entertainment’s table games, social gaming, and mobile applications.

Alderney’s Director of eCommerce Development, Robin Le Prevost commented on the license, “Alderney regulators have worked extremely hard over a number of years to create a center of excellence for the regulation of online gambling,” Le Prevost continued, “That hard work is amply rewarded when companies of SHFL’s caliber elect to be licensed and regulated by Alderney as a key location for their online activities. SHFL joins an ever-growing community of the world’s leading online operators and service providers, which has established Alderney as the leading jurisdiction for online gambling. We welcome SHFL and wish them great success with this new venture.”

This granted license from Alderney’s gambling Control Commission will let SHFL directly offer the proprietary table games it is well known for including Let It Ride, Casino War, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em as well as its business too business applications in regulated European jurisdictions. SHFL’s Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Isaacs, commented on the growth potential that the license will afford the company, “We are excited to expand the reach and exposure of our growing online content portfolio, which includes some of the most compelling table game brands in the world,” Isaacs, continued, “By enabling us to house our recently acquired equipment at a data center in Alderney, this license allows us to be physically closer to the data centers of many of the world’s leading online gaming operators, resulting in better performance and closer content integration.”


Nevada's SHFL Granted Online Gambling License From Alderney

Estonian gaming policy does not favour the operations of online gambling in Estonia, but Estonians are well known internationally as developers of online gambling, partly thanks to their work in Malta, the paradise of online gambling, writes Äripäev.

Malta has at present about 250 online casinos and Estonians are actively involved in developing the software sector in online gambling.

“I can say that Estonia is one of the largest beneficiaries of the Maltese online gaming sector,” said Reuben Portanier, head of the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta.

The Hobbit has set an opening day New Zealand box-office earnings record.

The film made $782,695 in the 24 hours after its release at midnight on Wednesday.

That gives it the biggest non-holiday Wendesday opening in New Zealand history.

Its takings compare well against The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which grossed $757,887 on opening day and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring which earned $720,993.

Roadshow Film Distributors managing director Joel Pearlman said he was happy with the film's reception.

"We are thrilled that the film has already resonated so positively with so many New Zealanders.

"It is a spectacular and immersive visual experience."

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was shown on 203 screens in 98 locations from Kaitaia to Invercargill - the widest release ever in New Zealand.

That included 39 screens showing the film in the new 48 frames per second format.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set to roll out in 4045 cinemas across the US on Friday.

Projections from advance ticket sales have it headed for an $83 million opening weekend in the US alone, The Hollywood Reporter said.

That puts it on pace to match The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which made $72.6 million in North America on its opening weekend.

It would eclipse both The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which took $65 million and $55 million respectively.

The film will also open in 55 other markets over the weekend - though its Australian release is delayed until December 26.

Marvel's recent blockbuster The Avengers holds the record for the biggest ever opening weekend after making nearly $250 million.

A bill that could make New Jersey the first state in the country to offer online casino gambling has been placed on the state Assembly’s voting agenda for Monday — and supporters hope to have the measure placed on Governor Christie’s desk by the end of next week.

But Christie vetoed a similar bill almost two years ago, saying it was a “legal fiction” that allowing residents to gamble from their living-room couches would not violate the state Constitution’s ban on such wagering outside of Atlantic City.

State Sen. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, the bill’s chief booster in Trenton, conceded Thursday that he has “no idea” whether Christie’s mind could be changed on the issue. A Christie spokesman declined to comment.

But Lesniak and Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Gloucester, cited a number of reasons for a potential change of heart by the governor:

Atlantic City’s 12 casinos have experienced declining revenues for the past six years, and further declines in customer visits in the weeks after superstorm Sandy has fueled speculation that one or more could close its doors this year;
Christie initially did not support Lesniak’s push for the state to pass a sports betting law in the face of a federal ban, either, before changing his mind;
The new gambling bill also addresses previous Christie objections. It removes language that could have provided the state’s racetracks with up to $30 million in purse subsidies, and adds language that would prevent “internet cafes” from advertising to attract online gamers.

A state Assembly committee in March heard testimony from Seton Hall Law School Professor John B. Wefing, who concluded that no referendum to amend the constitution would be needed for the state to offer online wagering. Wefing said that the only requirement would be that the electronic servers that process the bets are located in Atlantic City.

Lesniak has said that the casinos could take in at least $100 million annually from online gaming, with the state collecting 10 percent of the gross revenues in taxes.

Burzichelli said that if New Jersey can win a race with other states such as Nevada and California to be the first to offer online gambling, the state can then become a “regulatory hub.” That would lead to the addition of hundreds of high-paying technical jobs, Lesniak said, as well as to the opportunity to run online games for other states as they came aboard.

The previous online gaming bill passed 32-4 in the state Senate and 63-11 in the Assembly, and Lesniak said he hopes for similar margins next week as well.



N.J. Assembly expected to vote on online gambling bill Monday - NorthJersey-com

A 40-year-old businessman by the name of Mr Han lost US$400k on the turn of a single card while playing baccarat at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. After losing the huge sum, Mr Han’s reaction was typical of a lot of high-rollers as he simply commented: “It’s no big deal.”

Fair enough, as it was just a night out for one of Asia’s super-rich and Mr Han, who started his night’s entertainment with $300k, was up by $200k to $500k when he made the $400k baccarat bet. He then decided to call his two hours of casino gambling to a halt and accept a $200,000 loss on the night.

These high-rollers are known in the gambling industry as “whales” and in order to become a member of the Marina Bay Sands’ (MBS) elite VIP club Mr Han simply deposited $1 million into his casino account. Still, wealth is relative and as Mr Han explains:

“There are bigger fishes out there. My bets appear small compared to these guys. “My heart occasionally skips a beat when I see the stakes they place on the table. It’s crazy.”

An incident which Mr Han refers to is one night at the casino when he describes an Indonesian man in his 50s casually wearing T-shirt and jeans but playing for $1 million a hand. As Mr Han explains: “I wouldn’t have noticed him from far because he looked like a construction worker. But he had $40 million worth of chips on the table. I’m not sure if they were his winnings or capital. Every round, he threw 10 chips worth $100,000 each like they were 50-cent coins. I have never seen anybody bet the $1 million table limit.”

Needless to say these high-rollers are prized by the casinos and for the first three months of 2012, the casino’s parent company Las Vegas Sands posted a strong first-quarter revenue of $701.3 million, 60% of which was accounted by the company’s VIP players.

2012 has been a pretty good year for Brit DJ-producer Mark Ronson. The suave, well-connected and well-bred music-lover (most of his siblings are writers, DJs and fashion designers, and his stepdad is Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones) did a few bits and pieces like collaborating with the Royal Ballet, and was given the task of creating the London Olympics theme song for Coca-Cola. He also produced Rufus Wainwright's acclaimed album Out of the Game, and Bruno Mars' latest Unorthodox Jukebox - which was released this week, with lead single Locked Out of Heaven already selling more than a million copies worldwide and climbing charts everywhere.

Yet Ronson is modest about his achievements.

"It's been a good year, but it's weird that it's nearly over. I feel like I've got to the end and I don't have much to show for myself, it's gone by so quickly. But I am happy with the things I've been involved with, definitely. The Olympics was great, just being in London and getting to run with the Olympic torch, that was kind of a crazy thing to grapple with.

"I also really enjoyed working with Bruno Mars and his crew, Jeff Basker and Emile Haynie.

I'm really proud of the end result and I think it's some of the most exciting, progressive music that I've been involved with."

Froms Wainwright to Mars is quite a leap but Ronson has always been a man of varied tastes and talents, who can see the common threads and ways to bring fresh elements to each artist he works with.

"I guess everybody from [US hip-hop duo] MOP, to Rufus, to Ghostface [Killah], to Bruno, the people that I've worked with are always from completely different backgrounds, and I grew up having a huge affinity for so many different genres of music - from Duran Duran to Public Enemy to Guns N' Roses to Wu Tang - that's why I end up working with the people I do. And Rufus, he's a master craftsman and songwriter, cult of personality, and working with him, it was definitely challenging. But it was really gratifying to be able work on songs that are that rich and complex."

But when Ronson phones from West London to have a chat about his upcoming international tour and performance at Rhythm and Vines, he's not producing or writing, he's simply sitting in a basement, trying to construct his DJ set - something which he still spends a great amount of time on, because even though DJing is his bread and butter, he's still very passionate about it.

"I want to keep a mix of giving the best of what I do, but also staying new and fresh. It's really different when you're travelling and touring because you only have one chance to make a great impression. I've wanted to come down and play New Zealand for such a long time too - it was one of the first places that my last single, Bang Bang Bang, really jumped up, and my mother grew up in Auckland. So there are a lot of reasons I want to play there, and I'm just trying to make sure that it'll be really, really, really good."

He won't be drawn on any particular tracks that are currently on high-rotate in his set but you can be sure if you've heard any of his own albums, or those that he's worked on before, you'll find something to like.

"I'm going to play a good deal of my own productions and things, and then a mix of other tracks I love, maybe even a bit of polka."

He may sound deadpan, but DJing at festivals is something Ronson loves dearly - he sees it as the ultimate outlet for his music fandom.

"I guess I'm still a music obsessive at heart, and I'm probably as much of a fan as I am a creator, probably even more so a fan to be honest. I'm mostly just trying to put something together as unique and interesting as I can."

In fact, he loves it so much there's only been one New Year's Eve in the past 20 years when he hasn't been behind the decks in front of some sort of crowd.

"I'm not quite sure what else I'd be doing. I'd probably have an iPod in my hand anyway, I'm not sure if I know how to be a normal person on New Year's Eve, actually."

He's hoping to have enough time to check out a few of the other acts on the bill - Tame Impala and Hudson Mohawke in particular - and also spend a bit of time in Napier if he gets half a chance.

"I worked with this amazing trumpet player, Michael Leonheart, on the Rufus Wainwright record, and he had this one amazing, art deco-looking cornet or trumpet that he'd got in Napier. And he explained the whole story, how it was levelled by an earthquake in the 30s, and rebuilt as an art deco city, and I've been completely fascinated with it ever since, so hopefully I'll get there."

Who: Mark Ronson
What: Performing at Rhythm and Vines festival
When: December 30, Rhythm Stage, 10pm-11.30pm
Previous work: solo albums Here Comes the Fuzz (2003), Version (2007), Record Collection (2010), plus he's produced albums by everyone from Amy Winehouse and Adele to Duran Duran, Ghostface Killah and Black Lips.

Online games company Zynga said it has asked Nevada gambling regulators for a decision that could pave the way for it to enter the U.S. gambling market.

This follows Zynga’s October disclosure that it has signed a deal to offer online poker and casino games, played with real money, in the United Kingdom. It plans to launch those games in the first half of 2013.

Zynga Inc. said in an email last week that it is seeking an “application for a preliminary finding of suitability” from the Nevada Gaming Control Board. This, the company says, is part of its plan to enter regulated “real-money gaming,” that is, gambling markets.

Zynga has not said what it plans to do with a gaming license. But the company, whose games are played primarily on Facebook, has faltered in recent months and is looking for additional revenue sources beyond online games such as “FarmVille 2” and “Words With Friends.”

The San Francisco-based company says the process with Nevada regulators should take 12 to 18 months. If Zynga passes the first regulatory hurdle, it can then apply for a gaming license in the state. That, the company said, takes two to three months.

Zynga’s stock rose 17 cents, or 7.1 percent, to close at $2.49 on Dec. 6. The company went public about a year ago, when its stock was priced at $10 per share.

A triumphant North Korea staged a mass rally of soldiers and civilians Friday to glorify the country's young ruler, who took a big gamble this week in sending a satellite into orbit in defiance of international warnings.

Wednesday's rocket launch came just eight months after a similar attempt ended in an embarrassing public failure, and just under a year after Kim Jong Un inherited power following the death of his father.

The surprising success of the launch may have earned Kim global condemnation, but at home, the gamble paid off, at least in the short term, projecting the 20-something Kim to his people as powerful, capable and determined.

Pyongyang says the rocket put a crop and weather monitoring satellite into orbit. The rest of the world, however, sees it as a thinly-disguised test of banned long-range missile technology. And the fresh round of U.N. sanctions it could bring would increase his country's international isolation and potentially strengthen the hand of the only entity that poses a threat to his rule: the military.

To his people, the launch's success, 14 years after North Korea's first attempt, shows more than a little of the gambling spirit in the third Kim to rule North Korea since it became a country in 1948.

"North Korean officials will long be touting Kim Jong Un as a gutsy leader" who commanded the rocket launch despite being new to the job and young, said Kim Byung-ro, a North Korea specialist at Seoul National University in South Korea.

The propaganda machinery churned into action early Friday, with state media detailing how Kim Jong Un issued the order to fire off the rocket just days after scientists fretted over technical issues, ignoring the chorus of warnings from Washington to Moscow against a move likely to invite more sanctions.

Top officials followed Kim's suit in defiantly shrugging off the international condemnation of the launch.

Workers' Party Secretary Kim Ki Nam told the crowd Friday that "hostile forces" had dubbed the launch a missile test. He rejected the claim, and rallied North Koreans to stand their ground against the "cunning" critics.

North Korea called the satellite a gift to Kim Jong Un's late father, Kim Jong Il, who is said to have set the lofty goal of getting a satellite into space and then tapped his son to see it into fruition. The satellite, which North Korean scientists say is designed to send back data about crops and weather, was named Kwangmyongsong, or "Lode Star" — the nickname legendarily given to the elder Kim at birth.

Kim Jong Il died on Dec. 17, 2011, making the successful launch a fitting mourning tribute. State TV have been replaying video of the launch to "Song of Gen. Kim Jong Il."

But it is the son who will bask in the glory of the accomplishment, as well as face the international censure that may follow.

Even while he was being groomed to succeed his father, Kim Jong Un had been portrayed as championing science and technology as a way to lift North Korea out of decades of economic hardship.

"It makes me happy that our satellite is flying in space," Pyongyang citizen Jong Sun Hui said as Friday's ceremony came to a close and tens of thousands rushed into the streets, many linking arms as they went.

"The satellite launch demonstrated our strong power and the might of our science and technology once again," she told The Associated Press. "And it also clearly testifies that a thriving nation in our near future."

Aside from winning him support from the people, the success of the launch helps his image as he works to consolidate power over a government crammed with elderly, old-school lieutenants of his father and grandfather, foreign analysts said.

Experts say that what is unclear, however, is whether Kim will continue to smoothly solidify power, steering clear of friction with the powerful military while dealing with the strong possibility of more crushing sanctions against a country with what the United Nations calls a serious hunger problem.

"Certainly in the short run, this is an enormous boost to his prestige," according to Marcus Noland, a North Korea analyst at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. Noland, however, also mentioned the "Machiavellian argument" that this could cause future problems for Kim by significantly boosting the power of the military — "the only real threat to his rule."

Successfully firing a rocket was so politically crucial for Kim at the onset of his rule that he allowed an April launch to go through even though it resulted in the collapse of a nascent food-aid-for-nuclear-freeze deal with the United States, said North Korea analyst Kim Yeon-su of Korea National Defense University in Seoul.

The launch success consolidates his image as inheritor of his father's legacy. But it could end up deepening North Korea's political and economic isolation, he said.

On Friday, the section at the rally reserved for foreign diplomats was noticeably sparse as U.N. officials and some European envoys stayed away from the celebration, as they did in April after the last launch.

Despite the success, experts say North Korea is years from even having a shot at developing reliable missiles that could bombard the American mainland and other distant targets.

North Korea will need larger and more dependable missiles, and more advanced nuclear weapons, to threaten U.S. shores, though it already poses a shorter-range missile threat to its neighbors.

The next big question is how the outside world will punish Pyongyang — and try to steer North Korea from what could come next: a nuclear test. In 2009, a rocket launch was followed up just weeks later by an atomic explosion.

North Korea's nuclear ambitions should inspire the U.S. , China, South Korea and Japan to put aside their issues and focus on dealing with Pyongyang, Scott Snyder, a Korea specialist for the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote recently.

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Hi,

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Hopefully you find some investor!

Justin Timberlake was snapped on the Princeton University campus while filming scenes for his upcoming film Runner Runner, which also stars JT's bestie for life, Ben Affleck!

In the film Justin plays the protégé to Affleck's character, who is a businessman dealing in offshore gambling… we assume the sexy singer/actor is also a Princeton attendee!

Looking VERY cute in an academic atmosphere, we must say!

We wonder if Jess and JT ever play naughty student and horny teacher, with Justin being the misbehaving college kid? LOLz!

Oof that nighttime fantasy is far too hot… our minds are melting out of our earholes!