Let your mouth speak archive

“Manila, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

He may not likely be an avowed Nietzschean, but Armando Christian Perez, a.ka. Pitbull, seems to know the power of resiliency reflected in the quote of the German thinker. Currently on a world tour to promote his seventh studio album, “Global Warming,” the man who calls himself “Mr. Worldwide” addressed the crowd Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena. He stressed his reason for pushing on with his stop in Manila, despite the monsoon floods that debilitated many parts of Luzon in mid-August.

“In Miami, we’ve been hit by many hurricanes. When you fall, you got to bounce right back up,” the Cuban-American rapper said. And bounced the crowd did, as he led them along through a 60-minute set of Mexican-inflected party tunes: a mixture of dance, house, electronica, and Latino hip-hop. Frenetic beats, booming kickdrums, bzzaps, and oonce oonce – welcome to the sound of Pitbull.

The 8 p.m. concert started early by rock-show standard, which is an hour or two later. At 8:15, someone announced, “It’s time to party!” Before the Bull’s set, a Filipino-American-looking DJ regaled the audience. Armed with a laptop, console, and sound monitors, he spun house music over samples such as Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” adding layers after layers of synths and loops.

Perhaps discouraged by the lackluster reaction from the audience, who just sat munching popcorns and hotdogs as if they were watching a basketball game, the spinner went off the stage after less than an hour. A six-man crew came and whisked his instruments away. The people took pictures of the bare stage, shouting among themselves, “Ayan na si Pitbull [Here comes Pitbull]!”

One cannot simply blame them. Here, Pitbull is an anomaly. While some profess their love for his music, others see him as a “sell-out,” a charlatan, a “product” more than a talent.

“People asked me stupid questions, like ‘Pitbull, how come you don’t make music for the streets no more?’ I say, ‘I didn’t make music to stay on the streets, but to get out of the streets. I want to make music for the world,’” The 31-year-old former MC said.

Perez was referring to his past life. Like many Cubans deported by Fidel Castro at the height of his campaign to rid the country of citizens who didn’t believe in the communist ideal, his parents immigrated to the United States, in the city of Miami. The Bull broached the topic of exodus in his early records: 2001’s M.I.A.M.I, 2006’s Mariel, and 2007’s Boatlift. As a teenager, he hustled cocaine in the streets before finding rap music, his first love. The fledgling Tony Montana quit the “blow” for the beats.

He didn’t shy away from these truths, but showed them like badges, like scars from backyard brawls. “We’ll take you back to our city…Miami!” He sang “Welcome to Miami,” a true-to-form gangsta rap, an ode to his beloved city, where one can find “palm trees, blue skies, gangsta and goons/and where parties don’t stop ‘till the next afternoon.”

Listening to his song is like having a déjà vu; you know you’ve heard it before, you just don’t know where, which only means everywhere. Some tracks that rang a bell: “Don’t Stop the Party,” and “Hotel Room Service,” as well as “Rain Over Me,” his collaboration with Marc Anthony, “Dance Again” with Jennifer Lopez, “Give Me Everything” with Neyo, and “Party Ain’t Over” with Usher.

The Bull is fiercely proud of his Mexican roots, as exemplified in a smattering of his Afro-Latin rhythm-tinged hits: “Bon, Bon,” “Bojangles,” “Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera) and the immensely popular “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho). He spoke to the audience in pithy Mexican phrases. “Arriba, arriba, andale,” he said, like the cartoon character Speedy Gonzales. His percussionist, who hails from Venezuela, upped the ante by speaking in Spanish. He could be urging the audience to go wilder, to which the crowd responded with more cheers, pressing forward to the stage with their cameras.

Obviously, with all its references to blings, cash, and “b@#*#*s in the car,” hip-hop is a music genre not particularly feminist (unless it’s Mary J. Blige or Erykah Badu). Pitbull’s mass appeal contradicts this generalization. The ratio of women to men in attendance here–6:1. They cheered, danced, and threw their arms around, even those standing way up the General Admission Area. They were mildly intoxicated from the beer, wiggling in their high heels, glittery dresses, and plunging necklines. The place resembled a huge club with relentless dance music, complete with annoying bouncers who had a good time watching all the bouncing.

The coterie of musicians that propelled Pitbull’s hymns played tighter than an oil drum. The saxophonist went for a solo during their cover of — gasp — ”Eye of the Tiger.” I rooted for the bass player who played the Chinese scale riff in the song “Back in Time,” the original soundtrack for the movie Men in Black III. The portly bassist mimicked the cry of Ozzy Osbourne during the intro to “Crazy Train.” It was a cue for headbanging, but the song ended abruptly as it began, and more party music rattled off the speakers.

Thankfully, they used another sample: Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right (To Party).” Seeing the boys on screen with the late Adam Yauch, who succumbed to cancer last year was a nice treat. For a while, it was the 90’s all over again.

“Thank you, Manila. This is Mr. Worldwide, checking out,” Pitbull said, bowing out of the stage. He flashed his trademark grin, that neat lip-curling thing. He felt grateful to the fans. He vanished in the dark amidst raining confetti and the barrage of smoke machine. The crowd was in frenzy. While I didn’t fight for my right to party before the Beastie song, I found respect for the Bull. You have to give it to him. The man’s got cred.

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Those punters who have had some experience know the heartbreak that can come from over indulging in gambling. When the time to quit has long since gone by the online gambling experience can turn sour if responsible methods aren’t employed.
Educated gambling operators are a big part of making things right.
Being an informed punter helps the internet wagering experience become some that anyone can understand. There are pitfalls as with all ventures that can easily be avoided with the correct information. Information about online gambling is available now for the employees of the online gambling operators. Gambling Compliance has launched courses on responsible gambling that are internet oriented for the staff who are the front line personal of online casinos and gambling operators.
With the option of tailoring the courses for specific needs there are two that are available now. Gambling Compliance has launched two off the shelf courses. The first being Responsible Gambling and the other being one on Anti-Money Laundering an important addition to the knowledge base. A third course entitled Bribery and Corruption has been announced and will be available soon.
Based in the United Kingdom Gambling Compliance has proven to be leader in the world of information gathering and analysis for the international gambling industry. This organization has dealings in over forty countries. With clients that include PartyGaming, 888-com, PokerStars and Spin3 Spiral Solutions it is a premier operation.
Gambling Compliance has offices in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific among other jurisdictions worldwide. Greg Kilminster, Chief Executive Officer of Gambling Compliance, commented, "eLearning was the natural direction for new product development for Gambling Compliance as it fits in with our overall vision and commitment to helping governance, risk and compliance professionals in the industry reduce their regulatory risk exposure." He added that online gambling operators who subscribe to these courses will find it easier to demonstrate on-going compliance.

Responsible Online Gambling Courses for Operator's Staff

There are many jurisdictions in the world that haven’t legalized or regulated the online gambling industry but could benefit by doing so. There are many advantages from the taxes gained to the sports that are sponsored and community projects that can help everyone enjoy a better standard of living.

The regulation of any industry does however require control measures in order for the industry to be operated fairly. This for a country like China may prove to be a task that would be easily accomplished where the internet is already controlled by the government for the most part.

Chinese authorities don’t like online gambling, which is why licensed and regulated Chinese online casinos are not an option any time soon. Even though there is a strict regime against the practice by censorship via the blocking of ISPs many Chinese online casino consumers are still successful in gambling outside of China, with some sites offering Chinese language versions. Chinese players are known for their use of U.S. dollars and other applicable payment methods to fund their accounts.

There are only two government sanctioned forms of gambling in the People's Republic of China and both are government controlled, but highly profitable lotteries. The first is the China Welfare Lottery which was launched in 1997, and the second is the China Sports Lottery which was launched in 1994. Combined, these lotteries generated huge profits, 75 percent of which were used to fund Chinese social welfare programs and the construction of new sports centers across the country.

All other forms of gambling are strictly prohibited in China and citizens caught running or even taking part in illicit casinos or betting activities face fines and possible imprisonment and in China people can receive very stiff sentences. Even though the penalties are so extreme 'underground' gambling in China is thought to generate revenues 20 times greater than those generated by the legal lotteries.



Chinese Online Gambling Business As Usual

Gambling regulators in New Jersey are quite sure that the first online gambling sites will go live in the state by Nov 23, 2013. Currently, state regulators are processing applications submitted by various gambling companies to operate online gambling services in the state, and the process is continuing unhindered. Understandably, the quickness with which the Garden State is processing gambling license applications would be threatening to Nevada, which appears to have gotten stuck after becoming the first US state to launch a licensed and regulated online poker room in the country.

Besides, New Jersey has a huge advantage over Nevada as it has legalized not only online poker, but also other forms of online gambling, such as online casino gaming. On the other hand, Nevada has legalized only online poker.

New Jersey has been waiting for an opportunity to legalize online gambling. Recently, David Rebuck of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) revealed at an interview that the state had been toying with the idea of legalizing online gambling for the past many years. When the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced that the federal Wire Act of 1961 no longer applies to online casino and poker, the state grabbed the opportunity and legalized online gambling.

Although Nevada was the first US state to draw up a regulatory framework for online poker, its licensing procedure is long drawn out. Unlike New Jersey, which licenses and authorizes online gambling companies quickly, Nevada takes a long time to review software and approve it. Operators and consumers alike have already begun questioning Nevada about it.

November is still a few months away, and New Jersey gambling regulators might have to deal with obstacles that may crop up without a warning and delay the process further. But it still cannot be denied that New Jersey is working faster and more effectively than Nevada ever did. The chances of the state being able to keep its promise of launching online gambling sites at the end of November are quite high.

When Nevada launched the country’s first licensed and regulated poker room Ultimate Poker, everybody felt that more online poker rooms will be launched within a few weeks. Consumers actually believed that Nevada had beaten New Jersey and is well ahead of the Garden State and Delaware, another US state that has already legalized online gambling. But now it is quite clear that New Jersey is ahead of Nevada.


New Jersey to Launch First Online Casinos in November

When it comes to horror, Bollywood has been more funny than fearful. From clichéd, blood thirsty paranormal creatures, to creaking doors to moaning voices to dark woods to witch doctors, nothing really has spooked up the audiences. But, this trend is changing now. Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, tells us why Horror Story, produced and written by him, will really scare us.

Vikram says the idea of HS flashed across his inward eye while he was shooting for Raaz 3. “During the shoot, I was sitting in a hotel in Mumbai and it occurred to me that a night in a haunted hotel could turn out to be quite a horror story. In fact, while thinking about it I got goose bumps and consequently started writing the film,” Bhatt says. “There are no secret ingredients to making a good horror movie. One has to be honest to the idea of horror, without unnecessarily adding entertainment value or deviating from the original focus of scaring people. If someone is buying a ticket to watch a horror film, as a filmmaker, it is my duty to ensure that every sinew aligning his bones shivers while watching the film.”

Horror Story is about seven childhood friends meeting after years.

They are meeting to give a farewell party to one of them in the group, as he is leaving for an overseas assignment. What happens to them during their last night of fun and partying is what the film is all about. Vikram adds that among this motley lot, some believe in the paranormal while others don’t till, they face their worst nightmare. “This film will be very different to what we are used to watching in Bollywood. It is realistic and unlike the usual larger than life horror films. Our youngsters are smart.

Hence, you won’t see superstitions or supernatural things happening. No reference to mythology or flying ghosts either.

Rather, it’ll feel like it could actually happen to you,” the filmmaker tell us.

The buzz is that HS has been inspired by the 1997 Hollywood flick I Know What You Did Last Summer. Bhatt denies it. “This film is pure horror while that one was more like a thriller and a lot of blood slashes,” Vikram says. While the 1920 series was directed by Bhatt himself, for Horror Story, he has put his trust into fresh new director Ayush Raina. “He has also done some good work with documentaries and short films. And, I love how the film has shaped up. Ayush has done an excellent job.”

With horror films, the Bhatt family has scripted succes for years.

Is that what drives him to do so many horror films? Vikram laughs. “The money I earn out of it is what drives me most (laughs). Off late, I have had the most success making horror/thriller films. The quality of horror films made in India still has not been upto the mark when we compare it with Hollywood flicks, so I keep attempting to move closer with every attempt.”

But now with his next directorial film Creature, Vikram is expanding his horizons beyond horror. “It’s a sci-fi adventure film which will be a creature movie, somewhat like Jurassic Park.

Once you get into Bollywood it takes some time to figure out what your space is, to figure out what you want. I think it is now that I have come to that point where I know what exactly I want,” Vikram concludes.

GAMBLING games for smartphones and tablets are the way of the future, says gaming machine maker Aristocrat Leisure.

Mobile online gambling is growing as smartphones and tablets become more popular and affordable, process more information and present higher quality images and sounds.

Juniper Research, a British mobile commerce analysis firm, said the deregulation of online gambling in the US and Europe and the development of the Chinese market would push annual wagers on mobile gambling platforms to more than $US100 billion in 2017.

The most rapid growth in mobile gambling is expected to come from casino games - roulette, blackjack, poker and virtual slot games.

Aristocrat chief executive Jamie Odell said consumers had a growing appetite for gambling games on mobile devices, and Aristocrat was developing new games and modifying its existing games for mobile platforms. "Intuitively, that's where my heart says we should be moving to: to the future," Mr Odell said.

Aristocrat is spending a lot of time on mobile strategy: assessing how the technology can be used inside and outside casinos, and in social media, and determining what information mobile platforms could deliver to help casino owners improve their business.

Last year, Aristocrat bought US-based Product Madness, one of the top operators of slot games on Facebook.

Aristocrat has also launched its offering of online casino games, called nLive, in North America, as it prepares for online gaming becoming legalised in more state jurisdictions there.

In Australia, the provision of online casino games is prohibited.

But consumers in Australia can access international online gaming sites, and gaming companies in Australia can provide online gambling services to customers in other countries.

Consumers can also access online gambling games in which they do not play with real money.

Players pay for virtual currency to play slot games, sports games and others, but earnings within the game cannot be cashed out.

The non-paying gambling games are plentiful on Facebook.

Mr Odell said people love to play gambling games like slots even if they don't win any real money because they view it as pure entertainment.

"Real money" mobile online gaming would grow as more governments allow casino games and virtual slot games on the internet, he said.

"It's already started, particularly in some of the states of northeast of America. It's been legal for a while in Europe," Mr Odell said.

"We have our content being monetised for real on European sites."

Mr Odell said mobile gaming was unlikely to cannibalise casino gaming because casinos - with their bars, dance clubs and restaurants - were viewed as social venues.

Casinos could also offer the newest giant gaming machines with multiple screens, graphics, lighting, speakers blasting out sound, and interactive seats, creating a much more "physical" experience.

Processors driving the new gaming machines are four to five times more powerful than they were five years ago.

This means the games can include high definition animation or clips from movies and TV shows to accompany the gambling element.

Mr Odell said gambling games were becoming more expensive to produce as gaming companies sought licences from the makers of popular TV shows and movies.

Aristocrat spends more than $120 million a year on talent, technology and licences behind its games.



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The European Gaming and Betting Association represents many of the leading internet gaming and betting operators who are, regulated and licensed within the European Union. As the body that speaks for the regulated operators the association promotes the implementation of a fair and competitive gambling market all in line with the European Union’s code of law. Some EGBA members include the Gibraltar licensed BetClic, bwin.party Digital Entertainment, Expekt-com and Unibet which is located in Malta.
Last week the Association put the Gibraltar online gambling jurisdiction on its list as its first national member, just in time to discuss changes by the United Kingdom’s government to its online gambling tax regime. The changes are set to affect Gibraltar's online gambling industry, prompting the remote gambling trade body, the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association to join with EGBA in dealing with the issues.

Maarten Haijer, the secretary general of the European Gaming and Betting Association, commented on the new partnership, "We are very pleased to be working with the GBGA. Not only does the GBGA represent a significant portion of the EU's online gaming offering, but both organizations share the vision of a strictly regulated, cross border industry with high standards and consumer protection as priorities. We are therefore thrilled to welcome the GBGA to the fold."

Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association, Peter Howitt, said that the partnership represented an important milestone for his organization and the Gibraltar operators its represents. Howitt commented on the arrangement, "Partnership with the EGBA will allow us to work in tandem with the EGBA to better represent Gibraltar gaming operators in the EU on key issues relating to consumer protection, anti-money laundering and effective regulation within the context of an increasingly competitive environment,"
This sort of partnership adds a great deal of strength to the industry when it comes time to further the cause for fairness in E.U. e-commerce and internet betting services.



U.K. Online Gambling Tax Compels Gibraltar to Join EGBA

Isle of Man is a well-known jurisdiction in the global online gaming space. A survey of leading e-Gaming companies was conducted by the Manx e-Gaming Association (MeGA), which showed that online gambling was registering continuous growth.

The summary results were publicised by the Department of Economic Development of the government. Online gaming grew by almost 15% in 2012 and is expected to grow by 10% in 2013.
Isle Of Man Online Gambling Results Survey

The survey benchmarked some important parameters within the Isle of Man online gambling industry taking the year 2006 as base. The employment figures rose from 230 in 2006 to 775 in 2012. The 2013 forecast for employment was 854. The total expenditure, excluding capital expenditure and expenditure on salaries, rose from £60 million in 2006 to £175 million in 2012. The forecast for 2013 was £198 million. The taxes paid by the online gambling industry rose from £3 million in 2006 to £16.4 million in 2012.

This rise was greater than that shown in the other parameters. The survey demonstrated beyond doubt that the online gambling industry was one of the "major success stories within the Isle of Man's dynamic and growing economy".

The survey also pointed out that over the last 18 months the number of online gaming licensees in the jurisdiction has increased from 39 to 55. The number of applicants waiting for licenses has also increased.
Peter Greenhill On Online Gambling Growth

Peter Greenhill, Head of e-Gaming Development in the Department of Economic Development released his statement along with the results of the survey.

He pointed out that the growth in the online gambling sector was all the more remarkable given the difficult overall economic situation. He said that the online gambling sector has acted as a catalyst for complementary sectors, such as ICT and e-businesses, moving into the Isle of Man.

Greenhill said, "I am delighted with the close liaison and working relationship we enjoy with MeGA which is indicative of the excellent public/private sector cooperation that exists in the Isle of Man."

The Department stated that there were a number of reasons for this growth. The Isle of Man has a proactive approach to online gambling, particularly in meeting international standards.

It is a world leader in technological and telecoms infrastructure and offers a comprehensive support network of data hosting providers, IT, digital media and professional services firms. The jurisdiction also offers 100% player protection to gamers who wager at Isle of Man licensed operators.



Isle Of Man Online Gambling Success Story - GamblingKingz-com

There is no one in Hollywood who can compare to Steven Spielberg. Yes, George Lucas recently took home $4 billion selling LucasFilm to Disney, but it’s been ages since the director created a hit. At 66, Spielberg is still a vital force in Hollywood. Last year’s Lincoln was a critical and financial success, earning 12 Oscar nominations and $275 million at the global box office. Two new TV shows from his Amblin Television, Under the Dome and The Americans, are hits, and he’s an executive producer on the upcoming fourth film in the lucrative Transformers franchise.

Then there’s the money he earns from his incredible history in Hollywood. E.T., Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark are likely showing on TV somewhere in the world right now and helping to line Spielberg’s pockets. Every time a happy tourist pays for a ticket to Universal Studios in Florida, Spielberg gets a cut. Not only does he collect as a producer on Transformers, last year’s successful Men in Black 3 also added to Spielberg’s bottom line. We estimate that between June 2012 and June 2013, Spielberg earned $100 million. (Lucas doesn’t make our list because he was not an active producer during our time frame.) That puts Spielberg on top of our list of the Top-Paid Men In Entertainment. Madonna is the only person in the world of entertainment (which we’re defining broadly as including, film, TV, music, publishing and sports) who earned more than Spielberg during our time frame: $125 million, thanks to a very lucrative world tour. But for this list, we’re just looking at the men.

When it come to celebrity men, producers and directors do very well. Four out of the 10 of the men on our list earned their money working behind the scenes on movies and TV shows. Michael Bay, who directs and co-produces the Transformers films, ranks sixth with an estimated $82 million in earnings between June 2012 and June 2013. Bay not only earns big from his movies, he made a smart deal when he took on the Transformers franchise: He gets a cut of any related toys. That deal has helped Bay stay one of the top-earning men in Hollywood.

His friend Jerry Bruckheimer ranks just behind Bay in seventh place with $80 million. Bay and Bruckheimer partnered on such ’80s hits as Bad Boys and The Rock. Now Bruckheimer focuses most of his time on Pirates of the Caribbean and TV work. The Pirates franchise has been a cash cow for Disney, bringing in $3.7 billion over four movies. A fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, is slated for 2015. Bruckheimer’s TV empire includes The Amazing Race and perennial money-maker CSI. The police procedural franchise is a huge hit in syndication, which is where TV shows earn most of their money. Bruckheimer’s newest show, Hostages, debuts this fall.

Our earnings numbers are based on estimates researched for our annual Celebrity 100 list. We talk to agents, producers, managers and other in-the-know folks to come up with estimates for entertainment-related earnings. We do not deduct for taxes, agent fees or the other expenses of being a celebrity.

The final producer on our list is Tyler Perry. Best known for movies like Why Did I Get Married? and Madea’s Witness Protection, Perry also has a budding TV empire. He had hits with House of Payne and Meet the Browns, and now he’s helping to turn things around at Oprah Winfrey’s struggle OWN network. His two scripted shows, Love Thy Neighbor and The Haves and Have Nots, have both been renewed for second seasons.

This editorial was inspired by an article published by the Daily Mail citing rumors reported by UK traders that Google may be interested in acquiring bwin.party. There is no evidence that such an acquisition may take place, or that the two companies have entered into any negotiations. In fact, industry sources have widely dismissed these rumors. This editorial is only meant to give an opinion about how important a company like Google could be to the US regulated online gambling industry.

Struggles of bwin.party

The recent struggles of bwin.party are well documented. The company anticipated that its latest online poker product would reverse declining revenue. The new poker platform has been plagued with issues, which were described as a “minor disaster” by Pokernewsdaily.com.

Bwin.party applied for a license in New Jersey to provide online gambling software to Borgata. Should bwin.party receive approval from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to offer these services, it could go live as soon as November 23, 2013. Bwin.party’s approval and performance in New Jersey could define the company’s future. If approved for an interactive gaming license, it would be partnered with the highest grossing casino in Atlantic City.

Why Google is Important to US Online Gambling

Google is more than just a search engine. It is the world’s second largest tech company in terms of market capitalization. Apple is the only tech company in the world worth more money based on stock price.

Google owns the Android mobile platform, which is used by over 750 million devices worldwide. Android is the most popular mobile platform in the world, according to the same report. Google acquiring an online gambling company would give a substantial number of these users easy access to apps to play their favorite casino games, including online poker, depending on the local regulatory environment.

Not only does Google control the search engine industry, it also owns YouTube. This gives Google a media avenue that is certain to take off in the coming years. Smart TVs are currently manufactured with a YouTube app. While the videos available through this app are minimal today, this may all change as media moves away from traditional television.

While it is less relevant to online gambling, Google also maintains sophisticated technology products that are used in everyday life. Google Maps is an app used one billion times each month. Google also offers Gmail, Chrome, high speed internet, music services and Google Glass. These products are just a sample of what Google offers now and what will become mainstream in the future. All of these products could become heavily advertised venues for Google in the future. Adding online poker to this mix could be a positive for the industry’s reputation.

Google Lobbying Efforts

Google funded over $18 million in lobbying efforts during 2012, the most spent in the company’s entire history. According to DailyTech, that placed the company in eighth place in terms of lobbying money invested by US companies. Google spent more in 1Q 2012 than Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft combined, according to the same report.

A massive online gambling lobby led by Google could prove to be more successful than the entire effort currently taking place among poker lobbyists and individual players.

Should Google acquire an online gambling company, it would be the largest company to ever own such a business. Its current market cap is 32 times that of MGM Resorts, and 560 times the current market value of Caesars Entertainment, based on stock prices at the time of this editorial.

State Legislative Efforts

It may be too late for online gambling to be legislated at a federal level. If that is the case, Google could be the perfect company to handle a state-by-state lobbying effort.

Google’s headquarters are based in California, which is considered to be a key state for online gambling regulation. Online poker bills have failed to reach the legislature’s floor in the state for years. Some sources have stated that the reason for this is a lack of common ground among the state’s gaming interests. This may change if one the state’s most influential companies had a reason to lobby lawmakers on behalf of the industry. This might encourage California gaming interests that have yet to agree on terms to reach a compromise.

Considering the poker is a skill game argument appears to be a losing effort, a company with a history of supporting internet freedom might be what the industry needs to turn the corner.

Rumor is Unsubstantiated

It is important to note that there is no evidence that Google has seriously considered acquiring any online gaming company at this time. This editorial was not written to predict any potential takeover target by Google and is not meant to be construed in any way to be investment advice.

Filipino filmmaker Raya Martin’s “How to Disappear Completely” will be shown at the Hamburg Film Festival in Germany from Sept. 26 to Oct. 5. The fest’s website describes Martin’s film as a “fragmentary horror (movie that) … weaves (together) elements of Southeast Asian mythology with references to classic Hollywood films. A confusing cinematic event, full of foreboding and allusion.”

British filmmaker Sean Ellis’ “Metro Manila” will also be screened in Hamburg. Called a “thriller about the hopelessness of people in need,” “Metro Manila” stars Filipinos John Arcilla, Althea Vega and Jake Macapagal.

Meanwhile, Filipino reporter Julianito “Boy” Villasanta’s “Ang Tagapagligtas” was shown at the recent 13th Gwangju International Film Festival in South Korea.

The documentary follows 74-year-old Lauro Gonzales, also known as “Kristong Hari,” a megalomaniac impersonator of Christ the King. According to the docu, “Gonzales left his comfort zone after being possessed by the Black Nazarene of Quiapo who instructed him to save the world from damnation and destruction.”

Read more: PH films in Germany, Korea | Inquirer Entertainment
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A 19-year-old who was netting $50,000 a month by hacking into online gambling sites and intercepting money transfers of players was arrested in Argentina.

A number of news outlets have reported that the Buenos Aires hacker, whose father is an information technology engineer, was the leader of a gang that used malware viruses to interrupt payment processing transactions between punters and gaming sites. The miscreants used a multitude of "zombie" computers that rendered the victims helpless in attempting to access their accounts while the thefts were taking place.

Before taking the teen into custody, police cut off electrical power in his entire neighborhood to keep the hacker from deleting any data that the authorities plan to use as evidence of his alleged crimes. An investigation of the hacker's activities had been ongoing for roughly a year, which law enforcement officials said were being done from the teenager's bedroom.

Although not related but equally disturbing are the reports about ten days ago from a number of high-stakes poker players that computer hackers had apparently broken into their rooms at the Arts Hotel in Barcelona and attached viruses to their computers. The pros were in Spain competing in the European Poker Tour.

Criminals tend to go where the money is and the Internet allows a wealth of opportunities for those who choose to use their talents in unlawful ways. No details have been released on whether the handful of cohorts associated with the Argentine hacker will also be taken into custody.



Online Gambling Site Hacker Arrested in Argentina | PokerUpdate

The demand for new and improved technology to serve the newly established online gambling industry in the USA has grown exponentially.
One firm that keeps ahead of the pack is LaserLock Technologies Inc. which was established in 1999 by founder and inventor Norman Gardner. LaserLock pursues innovation through the development of patented products, proprietary technologies, and the creation of strategic alliances.

LaserLock’s first technologies were particularly well suited to the gaming industry which was transformed from an applied research laboratory to a comprehensive solutions company in 2012. LaserLock Technologies which is now involved in authenticating products and persons, announced recently that it has filed a provisional patent application entitled "System For Correlation of Independent Authentication Mechanisms". The system authenticates human subjects using three independent factors simultaneously, creating a simple user experience and a higher degree of security than currently available on the market. This technology is especially useful for securing player identity on internet gaming platforms.
Neil Alpert, Chief Executive Officer of the company commented, "As authentication technology moves away from passwords and PINs, LaserLock is staying ahead of the curve with this state-of-the-art authentications system," Alpert continued to explain, "This technology takes advantage of our existing biometric capabilities, including state-of-the-art facial recognition, and can easily incorporate additional capabilities such as fingerprint and retinal scans."
Michael R. Sonnenreich, Chairman of the Board for LaserLock said, "We believe this is game-changing technology for existing and future internet gaming platforms," Sonnenreich, explained further, "We are continuing to roll out products that are safer and easier than the outdated system of passwords and PINs, and that is good news for consumers and companies providing other online services."
Laser Lock expects this new technology to have an appeal for the financial services industry, online gambling platforms and any login system that is susceptible to the hacking of passwords.



LaserLock Technology Game Changer for Online Gambling

The new Miss America will start the first day of her reign the same way most of her predecessors did - with a frolic in the Atlantic City surf.

Nina Davuluri will speak at a press conference earlier in the day at Boardwalk Hall, where she became the first contestant of Indian heritage to win the crown Sunday night.

The 24-year-old Syracuse N.Y., native wants to become a doctor.

A planned visit later in the day to the scene of last week's devastating boardwalk fire in the New Jersey communities of Seaside Park and Seaside Heights was canceled when pageant officials realized it would interfere with a rebuilding meeting set for the same time.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) has instructed some of the state's casinos to submit additional information pertaining to the applications on file for online gaming licenses.

Though none of the offending casinos were named, a letter from the DGE was sent to all 12 of the Eastern seaboard gaming establishments. Those who failed to submit all the info requested have until Friday, September 20 to do so, NorthJersey-com reported.

At issue are partnership contracts with various vendors and software providers which must be exhaustively investigated by gaming officials prior to the projected launch date of November 23. Whether the launch that is now a mere two months away is in jeopardy due to the lack of completeness of applications on file remains to be seen.

Keep in mind that PokerStars' application for interim casino authorization was also found lacking earlier this year when parent company the Rational Group had a contract in place to acquire the Atlantic Club. When PokerStars' information was eventually deemed complete by gaming officials, it did not permit enough time for regulators to fully investigate the company pursuant to a contractual stipulation. The result saw the Atlantic Club owners invoke a clause that allowed the deal to be nullified, causing PokerStars to lose $11 million.

The Atlantic Club has since been reportedly entertaining other offers which are likely much higher than the bargain-basement $15 million purchase price that PokerStars had agreed to. The Atlantic Club, incidentally, is one of two casinos that have yet to name their Internet gaming partners.

Most will agree that the late November launch date by New Jersey officials is a bit on the optimistic side. Nevada has experienced significant delays in launching online poker sites, with Ultimate Poker still the only choice available to Silver State tourists and residents. Delaware will also fail to meet its original online gambling debut in late September, with a late October rollout now being anticipated. Don't be surprised if that date gets pushed back as well.


Atlantic City Online Gambling Applications Found Lacking | PokerUpdate

When you read stories like this one you kind of have to shake your head and wonder if it’s true. A recent article on the net about Dennis Rodman the basketball player and his travels to North Korea to meet with what some people may think of as a dictator.The headline also included the icon Irish gambling firm Paddy Power which according to the article sponsors Dennis on his quest for a friendly game of one on one.

It's the second time that Rodman has found his way through the razor wire surrounding the country of North Korea, being warmly greeted by leader Kim Jong-un's because it is supposed his fondness for the game of basketball. Rodman first surprised the American government when he met Kim during a visit in February to promote basketball and to film a documentary.

The reclusive Korean leader has been softening through what Rodman calls "basketball diplomacy" that he asserts could lead to better relations with the sometimes combative North Korean leader.

It was a touching scene when Rodman got to hold the precious daughter of Kim Jong-un something no westerner had ever done before. The reality of a stronger understanding and a thawing of the ice between North Korea and the States is there in an honest way.
Paddy Power is smart and bold to take the world that much closer to peace but Rodman's trip may off with other dividends as well, as Paddy Power announced it would be sponsoring the "Paddy Power Dennis Rodman Invitational." The goodwill tournament will pit a North Korean team, trained by Rodman against a team of players from the USA, with games tentatively scheduled in both North Korea and Europe.
Rodman, the unlikely diplomat said, "It was a dream...It's not about the money. It's about trying to open Obama's and everybody's mind,"



Online Betting Firm Paddy Power Backs Dennis Rodman

Bob Newhart is the proud owner of an Emmy Award that took five decades to come his way.

The 84-year-old actor-comedian shed tears as he accepted the Emmy, his first ever, at Sunday’s creative arts Emmy awards in Los Angeles. The ceremony honors technical and other achievements in television.

Newhart was honored as best guest actor in a comedy series for his role on “The Big Bang Theory” as science teacher Professor Proton.

Newhart’s long TV history includes the 1970s “The Bob Newhart Show,” ”Newhart” in the 1980s and “Bob” in the ’90s. His first TV series was a variety show that aired in 1961.

The creative arts Emmys traditionally are held the week before the main Emmy ceremony. Neil Patrick Harris will host next Sunday’s ceremony on CBS.

Read more: Bob Newhart finally gets his Emmy Awards | Inquirer Entertainment
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Caesars Entertainment Corp., the largest owner of U.S. casinos, will offer real-money online poker in Nevada starting Sept. 19, becoming the second operator to do so since the state legalized Web gambling in February.

The game will be marketed under Caesars’ World Series of Poker brand, the Las Vegas-based company said in an e-mailed statement today. The announcement coincides with plans to raise as much as $1.18 billion by selling stock in Caesars Acquisition Co., an entity that will own a stake in the online gambling business, as well as casinos in Las Vegas and Baltimore.

“This is really the beginning of a domino effect,” Mitch Garber, chief executive officer of Caesars Interactive Entertainment, said on a conference call with reporters. “The same way that the state of Nevada started land-based casino gaming and you’ve seen the proliferation of casino gaming across the U.S. We believe that the digital age will repeat that very same pattern.”

Online gambling is projected to be a $7.4 billion business in the U.S. by 2017, according to researcher H2 Gaming Capital. Nevada will represent about $400 million of that. Caesars Chairman and CEO Gary Loveman has said he hopes to begin taking online bets in New Jersey later this year. New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware are the only states that have legalized online betting and are vetting would-be operators.

Prospective Players

Ultimate Poker, a unit of Las Vegas-based Station Casinos LLC, was first to offer legal online betting in the U.S. In August, the company said it had dealt more than 10 million hands since the April debut in Nevada.

Caesars collected 12,000 names of prospective players at a recent World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas and plans to market the online service on television, billboards and on room keys at its Nevada hotels, company executives said on the call.

While states and online operators may pool bets to allow customers access to more players, profitability in Nevada doesn’t hinge on that, Garber said.

“Nevada will have a very healthy business on its own,” he said.

Caesars rose 1.7 percent to $24.98 at the close in New York. The stock has more than tripled this year.



Online Gaming Poised to Become $7.4 Billion Industry in the U.S. by 2017 - Skift

There is a great deal of positive energy around the online gambling industry because it is a clean compact economic solution. For places such as Malta, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man among other jurisdictions that employs thousands of people to support the business and pay taxes to their governments.
For 13 years, Gibraltar has become one of the most concentrated online gambling territories in the world, employing 2,400 people in the U.K. protectorate with a population of 29,000.
The recent spat over fishing rights with Spain also put the online gambling industry in some jeopardy. People were concerned their jobs would be in trouble should the problem escalate.

The online casino industry feeds a lot of people all over the world. The point is that many countries actively encourage gambling. 'I set up Malta as an internet gambling jurisdiction and asked them: "Why do you want to do this?"' said Warwick Bartlett, CEO of Isle of Man-based gambling consultants GBGC and a seasoned industry observer. 'They said: "Jobs. We don't want our children to leave Malta." They expected 500. Within two years there were 1,000 jobs, then later, 5,000. All high-paid, white collar.'

In the early 2000s, lured by advantageous tax regimes of under 1% per bet, as opposed to the UK's 15% many jurisdictions such as the Isle of Man and Alderney companies created new footholds offshore and created economies for those areas. These betting services firms were still able to offer their products because these jurisdictions were British territories but now the U.K. government wants its slice of the pie.
This new tax regime may affect the bottom line for offshore online gambling firms but as mobile gambling continues to grow it is a sure thing the industry will still thrive. The way people play has changed with big TV’s, high speed connections, the entertainment value just increased in spades.


Mobile Online Gambling Growth Means Jobs

Credit cards, e-wallets, bitcoins: the first of these caused a revolution in the way we make payments, and the second has revolutionized the online payments sphere. The third is yet to completely take off, but it certainly has the potential to change the way we pay for online gambling and other Internet goods and services.

Bitcoins: What Are They?

Bitcoins, for those who are not familiar, are built from a consensus network and open-source software platform that enables completely digitalized money. From a user perspective, Bitcoins are basically like cash for the Internet. They have no central authority or middlemen, and fluctuating exchange rates.

There are two different ways to earn Bitcoins on the net. The first is to mine for them, by participating in the process of verifying Bitcoin transactions in exchange for a small dividend. The other, easier way, is to purchase them from ewallet sites according to the latest exchange rate (which depends which currency you are buying from).

When using Bitcoins, be aware that they are not yet accepted at major online gambling operators: for example, you won't find them under the payment options at the online sportsbooks, poker rooms and casinos that are owned and operated by big names like William Hill, bet365 and Winner.

Bitcoin's Future in Online Gaming

The rise of Bitcoins might be just around the corner. They are already the main payment method at a growing number of Internet gaming operators. For example, Bitoomba is an online casino offering roulette, blackjack, lottery and sports betting that only accepts Bitcoins and their close equivalent Litecoins. Their main goal is to create a fair, fun and anonymous way to enjoy online casino games, thus providing the ultimate player experience.

As this internet payment method is still in very much its infant stages, it is worth doing some research on the online gambling sites that accept them. After all, when we use credit cards, e-wallets or wire transfers we always look to make sure that our operator offers 100% secure and private deposit and withdrawal transfer methods. So why should it be any different for Bitcoin? The name of the game should always be safety and security.

In summary, if you are adventurous and looking to try out a new payment method that doesn't require any of the hassle of sharing your personal financial details or filling out complicated forms, then bitcoin may be one alternative for you to consider. Just make sure to follow all the conventional wisdom of online or mobile gambling, and to pick an operator and system that suits you and guarantees security.


Special Report: Bitcoins and Online Gambling - Commentary - Onlinecasinoreports-com