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Law360, New York (January 22, 2014, 9:06 PM ET) -- As more state legislatures contemplate online gambling on the heels of New Jersey’s recent launch, experts predict lawmakers will also begin negotiating compacts to share players and revenue across state lines. But any such deal will require careful crafting to avoid running afoul of federal tax and gambling laws, attorneys say.
With New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware now hosting online gambling, several other states are hot on their heels with proposals of their own. And they may soon begin opening their doors to other states’ players,...
Multistate Online Gambling Pacts Come With Legal Risks - Law360
With New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware now hosting online gambling, several other states are hot on their heels with proposals of their own. And they may soon begin opening their doors to other states’ players,...
Multistate Online Gambling Pacts Come With Legal Risks - Law360
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2006/12/07
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Hi, everyone,i'm new here. greetings to you all.
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2014/01/15
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THE year was 1997. Baduizm, the debut album by American neo-soul artiste Erykah Badu was hot off the press, and the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival (then known as the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival) was in its infancy.
Badu, with her hits On and On, Other Side of the Game, Apple Tree and Next Lifetime, captured the hearts of young and old with her jazz sound and Afro-centric persona.
She was one of the 1997 festival's headliners. The line-up also featured George Benson, Regina Belle, The Isley Brothers, Black Uhuru and Maxi Priest.
The Rose Hall Great House in St James — with its mystery and intrigue — was the ideal spot for Texan-born Badu to deliver her first live performance in Jamaica.
Badu, who was pregnant, made Jamaica her final stop before taking a break to give birth to her son.
The excitement about the Badu performance was also driven by the release of her latest single Tyrone, a hit with the ladies.
She performed on a stage adorned with lit candles and air pungent with incense. She was positioned on a stool and with a trio of musicians on piano, bass and drums, she captivated her audience who lounged on the sloping front lawns of the majestic venue.
Badu returned to the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in 2010, at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, also the venue for this year's event which takes place January 31-February 2.
Badu, with her hits On and On, Other Side of the Game, Apple Tree and Next Lifetime, captured the hearts of young and old with her jazz sound and Afro-centric persona.
She was one of the 1997 festival's headliners. The line-up also featured George Benson, Regina Belle, The Isley Brothers, Black Uhuru and Maxi Priest.
The Rose Hall Great House in St James — with its mystery and intrigue — was the ideal spot for Texan-born Badu to deliver her first live performance in Jamaica.
Badu, who was pregnant, made Jamaica her final stop before taking a break to give birth to her son.
The excitement about the Badu performance was also driven by the release of her latest single Tyrone, a hit with the ladies.
She performed on a stage adorned with lit candles and air pungent with incense. She was positioned on a stool and with a trio of musicians on piano, bass and drums, she captivated her audience who lounged on the sloping front lawns of the majestic venue.
Badu returned to the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in 2010, at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, also the venue for this year's event which takes place January 31-February 2.
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2006/12/07
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29893
Manne wrote:
Michael Schumacher's exasperated wife pleaded Tuesday with journalists to leave her family and doctors alone, as her world famous husband remains in a coma after a ski accident in the French Alps.
Scores of reporters, television crews and photographers have descended on the hospital in the French city of Grenoble where the Formula One legend is in stable but critical condition following his December 29 accident.
Last week, Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm deplored tactics used by some journalists to try and catch a glimpse of the seven-time world champion in his room, reporting that one had even dressed up as a priest to try and get in.
"Please support our shared fight with Michael. It is important to me that you take the pressure off the doctors and the hospital so they can do their work," Corinna Schumacher said in a statement addressed "to the media".
"Please have faith in their statements and leave the hospital. Please also leave our family in peace," she said.
News that Schumacher was in a coma after falling and slamming his head on a rock while skiing sent shockwaves round the sporting world, with journalists waiting anxiously to relay any update on his condition.
Following a flurry of speculation about his health, doctors looking after the 45-year-old said they would give no details of the treatment he is receiving in order to protect his right to privacy.
The German Federation of Journalists on Tuesday urged reporters to use restraint while covering the German former racer's plight.
Federation chairman Michael Konken noted that the German journalists' code of conduct requires "respect for the suffering of victims and the feelings of loved ones".
"That also applies when the victim is famous," he said.
The focus has now diverted to the circumstances of Schumacher's fall on an off-piste section in between two slopes at the Meribel resort, which French investigators are probing to try and determine responsibility for the accident.
They are looking at the speed at which he was going at the time of the accident and early Wednesday are to brief the media on their findings so far.
Schumacher was wearing a camera strapped to his ski helmet when he fell, and a source close to the probe said Tuesday that footage from the device could be intact and valuable to the inquiry.
It had been unclear until now whether the camera was working at the time of the accident, or whether the footage would be clear enough to use. It could be vital in helping investigators determine the speed.
"It's an important document," said the source, who wished to remain anonymous.
Prosecutors are also looking at whether the limits of the ski runs next to the accident site were correctly marked and whether the rock in question was lying close enough to the piste to require some kind of protection or signage.
They are also examining whether the safety releases on Schumacher's skis operated properly.
A German flight steward had also told Germany's Der Spiegel magazine that he had inadvertently filmed Schumacher at the time of the accident and that the racing champion had been going at a maximum speed of about 20 kilometres (12 miles) per hour.
He had told the magazine he would hand over the footage to French police, which he has not done so far, the source said.
Schumacher dominated Formula One before retiring in 2012, winning more titles than any other driver and enjoying 91 Grand Prix victories between 1994 and 2004.
Leave my family alone, Schumacher's wife entreats media | Entertainment , Celebrities | THE DAILY STAR
Just respect their own opinion.
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2014/01/15
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Two New Jersey lawmakers have introduced a bill that would drastically expand Internet gambling in the state, allowing it to take bets from other states and countries.
The bill introduced last week by Sens. Ray Lesniak and Jim Whelan would allow New Jersey to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states or countries where Internet gambling is legal. That would allow people in those places to access the 15 gambling websites run by the Atlantic City casinos. Only Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey have legalized Internet gambling in the U.S., but it is well-established in many European countries.
Current law requires that anyone gambling online in New Jersey be physically located in the state.
The legislation's main goal is to give Atlantic City casinos access to the global Internet gambling market, something supporters of online gambling have long wanted.
"This opens up the worldwide market to us, the $30 billion Big Kahuna," said Lesniak, D-Union.
The bill also would require payment processors to get a casino industry service license, requiring background and other checks, to persuade financial institutions to allow credit cards to be used more easily in online gambling.
Internet gambling got off to a relatively slow start in New Jersey. It started Nov. 21 with a five-day trial period, followed by a full statewide launch. Through the end of 2013, Internet gambling took in about $8.4 million.
Many casino executives and industry analysts expect that figure to grow this year as more players join, more advertising takes place and mobile applications are expanded.
But many banks and financial institutions have thus far been reluctant to allow credit cards to be used to fund online gambling accounts, recalling the not-too-distant days when the federal government prosecuted Internet gambling operations.
Lesniak said the added scrutiny and regulation of payment processors should help make credit card issuers more willing to allow their use in Internet gambling.
If approved, the bill would be a boon for online poker, potentially bringing millions of new players to New Jersey poker sites. As of Jan. 12, users had created 155,374 accounts with New Jersey gambling sites, though officials say many users have accounts on more than one site.
Bill would expand N.J. Web betting market - pressofAtlanticCity-com: Business
The bill introduced last week by Sens. Ray Lesniak and Jim Whelan would allow New Jersey to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states or countries where Internet gambling is legal. That would allow people in those places to access the 15 gambling websites run by the Atlantic City casinos. Only Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey have legalized Internet gambling in the U.S., but it is well-established in many European countries.
Current law requires that anyone gambling online in New Jersey be physically located in the state.
The legislation's main goal is to give Atlantic City casinos access to the global Internet gambling market, something supporters of online gambling have long wanted.
"This opens up the worldwide market to us, the $30 billion Big Kahuna," said Lesniak, D-Union.
The bill also would require payment processors to get a casino industry service license, requiring background and other checks, to persuade financial institutions to allow credit cards to be used more easily in online gambling.
Internet gambling got off to a relatively slow start in New Jersey. It started Nov. 21 with a five-day trial period, followed by a full statewide launch. Through the end of 2013, Internet gambling took in about $8.4 million.
Many casino executives and industry analysts expect that figure to grow this year as more players join, more advertising takes place and mobile applications are expanded.
But many banks and financial institutions have thus far been reluctant to allow credit cards to be used to fund online gambling accounts, recalling the not-too-distant days when the federal government prosecuted Internet gambling operations.
Lesniak said the added scrutiny and regulation of payment processors should help make credit card issuers more willing to allow their use in Internet gambling.
If approved, the bill would be a boon for online poker, potentially bringing millions of new players to New Jersey poker sites. As of Jan. 12, users had created 155,374 accounts with New Jersey gambling sites, though officials say many users have accounts on more than one site.
Bill would expand N.J. Web betting market - pressofAtlanticCity-com: Business
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linda731 wrote:
Hi, everyone,i'm new here. greetings to you all.
Hello and welcome China 😡
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2006/12/07
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29893
A New Zealand photographer has recreated the last meals of death row prisoners for a controversial series which has featured at a major international art exhibition.
Henry Hargreaves, a former model and face of Prada, is no stranger to creating a stir in the art world - he has previously produced a series of 3D photos of women's breasts and deep-fried iPads and laptops.
Hargreaves, who went to school at Christ's College in Christchurch, has produced a series of photos depicting the last meals that some of the United States' most infamous killers enjoyed before they were executed.
They include the last requests of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who had two pints of chocolate chip and mint icecream, serial rapist and killer Ted Bundy, who had steak, egg and hash browns, and John Wayne Gacy jnr, a KFC manager who murdered at least 33 teenage boys, who ordered a bucket of original recipe chicken from his former employer.
"I wanted people to, just for a moment, be able to identify with them as people, rather than just statistics," Hargreaves said.
The New York-based photographer took photos related to 12 executions.
Subjects include people pardoned after their deaths and a woman, Teresa Lewis, who was executed in 2010 for arranging the murders of her husband and stepson.
"There's only ever been 12 women executed in the States out of around 3,000 executions," said Hargreaves, 34.
His inspiration came from reading that Texas was abolishing final meal requests.
Although information about last meals is a matter of public record, there have been no official photos, so Mr Hargreaves was free to come up with his own interpretations, shot in a stark, matter-of-fact manner.
"I didn't want any moody lighting or anything. I wanted it to show the second they pulled up their chair and were about to pick up their utensils."
The work has been picked up by the organisers of the Venice Biennale, a major contemporary art exhibition.
"Some people have accused me of glorifying it, but most people are fascinated and have had the same reaction as I had - who were these people going in and standing in front of a firing squad, sitting in a chair, or getting an injection, and what were they thinking?"
Henry Hargreaves, a former model and face of Prada, is no stranger to creating a stir in the art world - he has previously produced a series of 3D photos of women's breasts and deep-fried iPads and laptops.
Hargreaves, who went to school at Christ's College in Christchurch, has produced a series of photos depicting the last meals that some of the United States' most infamous killers enjoyed before they were executed.
They include the last requests of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who had two pints of chocolate chip and mint icecream, serial rapist and killer Ted Bundy, who had steak, egg and hash browns, and John Wayne Gacy jnr, a KFC manager who murdered at least 33 teenage boys, who ordered a bucket of original recipe chicken from his former employer.
"I wanted people to, just for a moment, be able to identify with them as people, rather than just statistics," Hargreaves said.
The New York-based photographer took photos related to 12 executions.
Subjects include people pardoned after their deaths and a woman, Teresa Lewis, who was executed in 2010 for arranging the murders of her husband and stepson.
"There's only ever been 12 women executed in the States out of around 3,000 executions," said Hargreaves, 34.
His inspiration came from reading that Texas was abolishing final meal requests.
Although information about last meals is a matter of public record, there have been no official photos, so Mr Hargreaves was free to come up with his own interpretations, shot in a stark, matter-of-fact manner.
"I didn't want any moody lighting or anything. I wanted it to show the second they pulled up their chair and were about to pick up their utensils."
The work has been picked up by the organisers of the Venice Biennale, a major contemporary art exhibition.
"Some people have accused me of glorifying it, but most people are fascinated and have had the same reaction as I had - who were these people going in and standing in front of a firing squad, sitting in a chair, or getting an injection, and what were they thinking?"
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2006/12/07
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29893
Manne wrote:
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that there is another internet game that has something to do with the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. This time its FairProof-com a provably fair Bitcoin gambling platform which is donating 10% of all profits to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Besides the generous donation of profits to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, FairProof is provably fair, has a low 1.9% house fee, is fully anonymous and features instant deposits and withdrawals.
There are many dreaming of making millions with the Bitcoin and its trending to new highs. The Bitcoin reached almost $400.00 US recently, something no one thought possible a few months ago. Creating an intuitive gaming experience for Bitcoin users has been the priority for the FairProof developers.
Players simply choose the range where they think the winning number will fall from 0 to 99. If a player wins they get the profit credited in Bitcoin to their account, the amount is specified under the input field before users start a game. A slider at the bottom of the screen can be moved left and right to review a user’s previous bets, the bets of all the other players, and review account balance history.
If you hit the bull's eye you win and lose the bet if you miss it.
The fair-play lottery is related to each drawing which is associated with encrypted data which you can use to find out whether this or that figure was really chosen before you made your bet.
The site also utilizes the most advanced provably fair technology to be found in the online Bitcoin gambling arena. The Sha256 algorithm which is integral to Bitcoin itself is used. The server seed hash and client seed are publicly visible on the The simplest provably fair bitcoin lottery website. Furthermore, players can generate, use, and check the fairness of new client seeds as often as they want. There is a test available on the site worth checking into if you play with Bitcoins.
Online Gambling With The Bitcoin Lottery
In fact, most of online games, particularly casino sites such as Betcoin™, are now incorporating bitcoin in their system. This is simply because it provides the smoothest payment transaction worldwide at a discreet and safe manner.
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seanwilliam1988 wrote:
In fact, most of online games, particularly casino sites such as Betcoin™, are now incorporating bitcoin in their system. This is simply because it provides the smoothest payment transaction worldwide at a discreet and safe manner.
Some of the best things I like in bitcoin online casino is their fast and simple immediate deposit and cash out service. By just merely sending your private keys, you can win as much as 12,500 BTC in a single spin instantly. Yes, they also offer high gaming and transaction security and provably fair system, and provide such notable advantages such as instant payouts, high accepted bets and low house interest.
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Legalized gambling is surging. Credit and debit card use has reached an all-time high. But trying to use your cards to gamble? Odds are, you'll have a tough time.
In an era when you can use the plastic in your wallet to pay for just about anything, banks are staying cautious about allowing their customers to rack up charges at online and brick-and-mortar casinos. They worry about the liability associated with fueling gambling addiction and running afoul of government regulations, and many of their practices are holdovers from when "online gambling" was a synonym for "shady offshore casino."
Today, though, legalized online gambling is on the upswing. Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey regulators allowed online casinos to open in 2013, and other states -- California, Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois among them -- have discussed the idea and could consider it in 2014. Some members of Congress have even introduced bills to legalize online poker nationally.
Americans are also spending more at traditional casinos: an estimated $37 billion in 2012, up 5 percent over the prior year and second only to the pre-recession year of 2007.
Yet casino operators worry that the continued reluctance of banks to process gambling transactions could inhibit the industry's potential.
"Of course it could impact the growth of this business -- there's no doubt about it," says Tom Pohlman, executive vice president and general manager of Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
Without credit cards, Jersey gambling stalls
The take from online tables in New Jersey, which opened in November 2013, has been badly impacted by the lack of credit card cooperation. In the first five weeks of Internet gambling in New Jersey, online casinos took in just $8.4 million, far below state estimates, according to the state's Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Pohlman and others in the industry are optimistic that as legalized online gambling spreads, banks will re-examine their policies and allow the transactions, which would give players the ability to easily fund accounts at online casinos. For now, most of the alternatives to fund gaming accounts are more cumbersome: sending in personal checks, bank transfers and ACH withdrawals.
Since his casino began offering online gambling in November 2013, about one-third of all credit and debit card transactions have been declined by the banks, he says. He adds he has heard that industrywide, about 70 percent of Visa transactions and 25 percent of MasterCard transactions are declined. Although those numbers might sound high, because most customers own multiple cards, only about 15 percent to 20 percent of customers are unable to use cards at Golden Nugget.
Shifting legal landscape
The growth of legal online gambling is coming about because of a new interpretation of federal law. For years, the Justice Department held that processing financial transactions for online betting sites violated the Wire Act of 1961 and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). Although some of the wording is open to interpretation, the feds relied on those laws to prosecute online poker operators.
But then, in 2011, the Justice Department reversed course, ruling that federal law does not prohibit online gambling within states. That cleared the way for Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware to start offering online gambling.
In each state, the online gambling is limited to people in that state. In some cases, gamblers must fill our forms that show an address in the state; others rely on technology that shows where players are physically located.
But because the law, the technologies and the regulations are still relatively new, some banks are reluctant to assume a leading role in processing gambling transactions.
A Bank of America spokeswoman told CreditCards.com: "Credit and debit cards can be used for in-person gaming purchases, but not currently for Internet gaming purchases." A Wells Fargo spokeswoman said that to comply with the UIGEA, "we prohibit the use of consumer credit cards for Internet gambling. The networks (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) monitor the merchant category codes and block charges that don't comply with federal regulations. We also have controls in place as an issuer to monitor for regulatory compliance."
Merchant code blocks transactions
At least some of the issue, it seems, stems from the Merchant Category Codes that banks assign to each merchant. For instance, MasterCard has traditionally assigned online gaming operators the code 7995, which also covers lottery tickets, casino chips and racetrack wagers -- categories for which banks routinely block transactions. But it also has a newer code -- 9754 -- that can be used for cash advances for legal gambling.
Gambling industry officials hope that as banks and transaction processors become more comfortable with legal online gambling, they can iron out some of these problems.
"Now that you have legal, regulated online gaming in these three jurisdictions, it's just working out the details between the credit card companies and the banks and their compliance departments to make sure the proper coding is being used," says Whitaker Askew, vice president of government affairs with the American Gaming Association.
But others say it's more than just an issue of proper coding. Chris Grove, editor of the industry publication Online Poker Report, says some banks fear becoming complicit in bets that violate the regulations on, say, daily betting-account deposit limits or the requirement that bettors be located in the state where they are betting.
"If you're a bank, you're worried that someone uses your card to fund a transaction they shouldn't fund or place wagers they shouldn't place," Grove says. "The fear on the part of banks is, what happens if their cards are used to fund a wager that's in violation of the rules?"
Still, Grove says he thinks most banks will eventually remove the
In an era when you can use the plastic in your wallet to pay for just about anything, banks are staying cautious about allowing their customers to rack up charges at online and brick-and-mortar casinos. They worry about the liability associated with fueling gambling addiction and running afoul of government regulations, and many of their practices are holdovers from when "online gambling" was a synonym for "shady offshore casino."
Today, though, legalized online gambling is on the upswing. Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey regulators allowed online casinos to open in 2013, and other states -- California, Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois among them -- have discussed the idea and could consider it in 2014. Some members of Congress have even introduced bills to legalize online poker nationally.
Americans are also spending more at traditional casinos: an estimated $37 billion in 2012, up 5 percent over the prior year and second only to the pre-recession year of 2007.
Yet casino operators worry that the continued reluctance of banks to process gambling transactions could inhibit the industry's potential.
"Of course it could impact the growth of this business -- there's no doubt about it," says Tom Pohlman, executive vice president and general manager of Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
Without credit cards, Jersey gambling stalls
The take from online tables in New Jersey, which opened in November 2013, has been badly impacted by the lack of credit card cooperation. In the first five weeks of Internet gambling in New Jersey, online casinos took in just $8.4 million, far below state estimates, according to the state's Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Pohlman and others in the industry are optimistic that as legalized online gambling spreads, banks will re-examine their policies and allow the transactions, which would give players the ability to easily fund accounts at online casinos. For now, most of the alternatives to fund gaming accounts are more cumbersome: sending in personal checks, bank transfers and ACH withdrawals.
Since his casino began offering online gambling in November 2013, about one-third of all credit and debit card transactions have been declined by the banks, he says. He adds he has heard that industrywide, about 70 percent of Visa transactions and 25 percent of MasterCard transactions are declined. Although those numbers might sound high, because most customers own multiple cards, only about 15 percent to 20 percent of customers are unable to use cards at Golden Nugget.
Shifting legal landscape
The growth of legal online gambling is coming about because of a new interpretation of federal law. For years, the Justice Department held that processing financial transactions for online betting sites violated the Wire Act of 1961 and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). Although some of the wording is open to interpretation, the feds relied on those laws to prosecute online poker operators.
But then, in 2011, the Justice Department reversed course, ruling that federal law does not prohibit online gambling within states. That cleared the way for Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware to start offering online gambling.
In each state, the online gambling is limited to people in that state. In some cases, gamblers must fill our forms that show an address in the state; others rely on technology that shows where players are physically located.
But because the law, the technologies and the regulations are still relatively new, some banks are reluctant to assume a leading role in processing gambling transactions.
A Bank of America spokeswoman told CreditCards.com: "Credit and debit cards can be used for in-person gaming purchases, but not currently for Internet gaming purchases." A Wells Fargo spokeswoman said that to comply with the UIGEA, "we prohibit the use of consumer credit cards for Internet gambling. The networks (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) monitor the merchant category codes and block charges that don't comply with federal regulations. We also have controls in place as an issuer to monitor for regulatory compliance."
Merchant code blocks transactions
At least some of the issue, it seems, stems from the Merchant Category Codes that banks assign to each merchant. For instance, MasterCard has traditionally assigned online gaming operators the code 7995, which also covers lottery tickets, casino chips and racetrack wagers -- categories for which banks routinely block transactions. But it also has a newer code -- 9754 -- that can be used for cash advances for legal gambling.
Gambling industry officials hope that as banks and transaction processors become more comfortable with legal online gambling, they can iron out some of these problems.
"Now that you have legal, regulated online gaming in these three jurisdictions, it's just working out the details between the credit card companies and the banks and their compliance departments to make sure the proper coding is being used," says Whitaker Askew, vice president of government affairs with the American Gaming Association.
But others say it's more than just an issue of proper coding. Chris Grove, editor of the industry publication Online Poker Report, says some banks fear becoming complicit in bets that violate the regulations on, say, daily betting-account deposit limits or the requirement that bettors be located in the state where they are betting.
"If you're a bank, you're worried that someone uses your card to fund a transaction they shouldn't fund or place wagers they shouldn't place," Grove says. "The fear on the part of banks is, what happens if their cards are used to fund a wager that's in violation of the rules?"
Still, Grove says he thinks most banks will eventually remove the
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Two New Jersey lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would expand online gambling in the US state by allowing it to take bets from other states and countries.
According to the Pressofatlanticcity-com website, Senators Ray Lesniak and Jim Whelan introduced the new bill last week in an effort to open up New Jersey internet gambling to other regulated markets.
Current law requires anyone who wants to access internet gambling services in New Jersey to be physically located in the state.
The new bill would enable New Jersey to enter into agreements with other states and countries where online gambling is legalised, enabling punters in those markets to access the 15 gambling websites run by Atlantic City casinos.
Nevada and Delaware are the only other regulated states in the US.
In order to move forward, the bill would also require payment processors to obtain a casino industry service licence to persuade financial institutions to allow credits cards to be used more freely in regards to online gambling.
Many banks and financial institutions remain hesitant on allowing credit cards to be used to fund online gambling accounts, but Senator Lesniak said that the added scrutiny and regulation of payment processors would help make credit card issuers more willing to allow their use in online betting.
New bill could expand NJ online gambling market | iGaming Business
According to the Pressofatlanticcity-com website, Senators Ray Lesniak and Jim Whelan introduced the new bill last week in an effort to open up New Jersey internet gambling to other regulated markets.
Current law requires anyone who wants to access internet gambling services in New Jersey to be physically located in the state.
The new bill would enable New Jersey to enter into agreements with other states and countries where online gambling is legalised, enabling punters in those markets to access the 15 gambling websites run by Atlantic City casinos.
Nevada and Delaware are the only other regulated states in the US.
In order to move forward, the bill would also require payment processors to obtain a casino industry service licence to persuade financial institutions to allow credits cards to be used more freely in regards to online gambling.
Many banks and financial institutions remain hesitant on allowing credit cards to be used to fund online gambling accounts, but Senator Lesniak said that the added scrutiny and regulation of payment processors would help make credit card issuers more willing to allow their use in online betting.
New bill could expand NJ online gambling market | iGaming Business
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2006/12/07
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29893
A new bill that aims to repeal the 2008 National Gambling Act and legalize online gambling will be introduced to South Africa's parliament.
Up until now, the only regulated online wagering allowed in the country has been that of sporting contests. But a new bill proposed by South African MP Geordin Hill-Lewis seeks to include Internet casino gambling, eGR reported.
South African lawmakers have been under pressure recently from commercial interests who are against the proliferation of unregulated gaming sites. Similar to the voices of online gambling proponents in the U.S., consumer protection and taxation have also been cited as reasons to consider approving the regulation of Internet wagering.
“This is eight years overdue now and we’ve fallen behind international standards,” said Wayne Lurie, director of a South African law firm that specializes in gaming.
The bill is similar to those found in Australia and Europe that allow licensing to be overseen by national and provincial governments. Online gaming license applicants would apply through one of South Africa's ten provinces much the same way that Australia has parceled its regulatory procedures.
Existing gaming license holders in the country, such as Krugerbets and Sportingbet, would be required to re-apply for permission to operate online via a remote gaming license. Categories of license holders would be established, such as those of operators, as well as manufacturers and suppliers.
The proposal calls for taxation to be determined by each individual province. However, standards and levels would be established to eliminate provincial competition.
“With this regulation, we can look to satisfy consumer demand and offer our customers a full suite of gambling products in a safe and secure online environment that abides to local regulatory controls and consumer protections,” said Sportingbet SA managing director Tyrone Dubbin.
Following its introduction in parliament in coming months, establishing standards will likely take another six months. It is estimated that licenses may not be issued for about 18 months if applicants must wait to apply during that initial six-month period.
South Africa to Consider Online Gambling Legislation | PokerUpdate
Up until now, the only regulated online wagering allowed in the country has been that of sporting contests. But a new bill proposed by South African MP Geordin Hill-Lewis seeks to include Internet casino gambling, eGR reported.
South African lawmakers have been under pressure recently from commercial interests who are against the proliferation of unregulated gaming sites. Similar to the voices of online gambling proponents in the U.S., consumer protection and taxation have also been cited as reasons to consider approving the regulation of Internet wagering.
“This is eight years overdue now and we’ve fallen behind international standards,” said Wayne Lurie, director of a South African law firm that specializes in gaming.
The bill is similar to those found in Australia and Europe that allow licensing to be overseen by national and provincial governments. Online gaming license applicants would apply through one of South Africa's ten provinces much the same way that Australia has parceled its regulatory procedures.
Existing gaming license holders in the country, such as Krugerbets and Sportingbet, would be required to re-apply for permission to operate online via a remote gaming license. Categories of license holders would be established, such as those of operators, as well as manufacturers and suppliers.
The proposal calls for taxation to be determined by each individual province. However, standards and levels would be established to eliminate provincial competition.
“With this regulation, we can look to satisfy consumer demand and offer our customers a full suite of gambling products in a safe and secure online environment that abides to local regulatory controls and consumer protections,” said Sportingbet SA managing director Tyrone Dubbin.
Following its introduction in parliament in coming months, establishing standards will likely take another six months. It is estimated that licenses may not be issued for about 18 months if applicants must wait to apply during that initial six-month period.
South Africa to Consider Online Gambling Legislation | PokerUpdate
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2006/12/07
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29893
The top news article in online gambling world news is the recent revelation that New Jersey is looking at expanding its new online gambling offering to include other American jurisdictions and international punters.
This in many ways comes as no surprise when considering the possible benefits for New Jersey of such a move. According to the Pressofatlanticcity-com website two New Jersey Senators Ray Lesniak and Jim Whelan have introduced a new bill last week that would open the doors for online gambling in other regulated gambling markets.
The move to make New Jersey and Atlantic City an online gambling destination would put more money into State coffers something the Garden State desperately needs.
Regulations at this point allow only gamblers living in New Jersey to participate in the offerings provided. The only other US jurisdictions that allow for internet betting are Nevada which only allows for online poker and Delaware which includes casino games. "This opens up the worldwide market to us, the $30 billion Big Kahuna," commented Senator Lesniak.
The proposed legislation will require close scrutiny to receive a casino industry service license with background and history checks in place. Credit card companies and payment processors have been slow to accept transactions from internet gambling customers, putting a cautious foot forward and holding back internet betting growth.
Online betting has been showing less potential than expected in New Jersey which garnered only $8.4 million in the first month following the launch on November 21 2013. As advertizing and awareness expands so will participation in the offerings industry analysts predict.
Much of the slowness in the growth of online betting in New Jersey is blamed on the reluctance of credit card firms to accept transactions from what are now legal online gambling web sites. The companies fear the issues surrounding internet wagering cause them trouble and expense.
New Jersey Wants International Online Gambling
This in many ways comes as no surprise when considering the possible benefits for New Jersey of such a move. According to the Pressofatlanticcity-com website two New Jersey Senators Ray Lesniak and Jim Whelan have introduced a new bill last week that would open the doors for online gambling in other regulated gambling markets.
The move to make New Jersey and Atlantic City an online gambling destination would put more money into State coffers something the Garden State desperately needs.
Regulations at this point allow only gamblers living in New Jersey to participate in the offerings provided. The only other US jurisdictions that allow for internet betting are Nevada which only allows for online poker and Delaware which includes casino games. "This opens up the worldwide market to us, the $30 billion Big Kahuna," commented Senator Lesniak.
The proposed legislation will require close scrutiny to receive a casino industry service license with background and history checks in place. Credit card companies and payment processors have been slow to accept transactions from internet gambling customers, putting a cautious foot forward and holding back internet betting growth.
Online betting has been showing less potential than expected in New Jersey which garnered only $8.4 million in the first month following the launch on November 21 2013. As advertizing and awareness expands so will participation in the offerings industry analysts predict.
Much of the slowness in the growth of online betting in New Jersey is blamed on the reluctance of credit card firms to accept transactions from what are now legal online gambling web sites. The companies fear the issues surrounding internet wagering cause them trouble and expense.
New Jersey Wants International Online Gambling
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2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
The Grammy Awards, dubbed "music's biggest night" by organizers, are set for a massive celebration of the past year's best in North American music on Sunday.
Heading into the 56th annual celebration, rap heavyweight Jay-Z leads the field of contenders with nominations in nine categories. That said, a host of relative newcomers who made a major splash last year — including American rappers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, New Zealand teen singer Lorde, rising U.S. hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar and emerging country artist Kacey Musgraves — aren't too far behind.
Others in the running for multiple trophies include singers Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift and singer-producer Pharrell Williams.
Canadians vying for Grammy glory on Sunday include Toronto rapper Drake, rocker Neil Young, crooner Michael Bublé and singer Robin Thicke (a dual citizen as son of Canadian actor Alan Thicke).
Some Canadians to watch on Grammy weekend:
Toronto hip-hop artist Drake has five nominations: best rap album for Nothing Was the Same, best rap performance for Started from the Bottom and two nods for best rap song — his own Started from the Bottom and as a guest appearance on ASAP Rocky's F--kin' Problems. He's also included as a featured performer on Kendrick Lamar's album of the year nominated Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City.
Dual-citizen crooner Robin Thicke has three nominations: record of the year, best pop duo and group performance as well as best pop vocal album, all for Blurred Lines.
Canadian rock legend Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse have one nomination: best rock album for Psychedelic Pill.
B.C.-bred singer Michael Bublé has one nomination: best traditional pop album for Remember You.
Toronto composer Mychael Danna has one nomination: best score soundtrack for visual media for Life of Pi.
Toronto singer The Weeknd has one nomination: best rap song collaboration as a featured artist on Wiz Khalifa's Remember You.
Halifax-raised songwriter and producer Henry (Cirkut) Walter has one nomination: song of the year as co-writer of Katy Perry's Roar.
Ontario singer-songwriter Deric Ruttan has one nomination: best country song for co-writing Blake Shelton's Mine Would Be You.
Vancouver-born, Montreal singer-songwriter Jennifer Gasoi has one nomination: best children's album for Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well.
Other Canadians in the mix include:
Toronto's James LaBrie, frontman of best metal performance contender Dream Theater.
Darcy James Argue, Vancouver-born bandleader of Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, a best large jazz ensemble album nominee for Brooklyn Babylon.
Cologne-based Canadian performer and composer Chilly Gonzales, named on Daft Punk's album of the year nomination for Random Access Memories and also a contributor to Drake's best rap album contender Nothing Was the Same.
Nominees in central categories include:
Album of the year: The Blessed Unrest, Sara Bareilles; Random Access Memories, Daft Punk; Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, Kendrick Lamar; The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; Red, Taylor Swift.
Record of the year (for performance): Get Lucky, Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams; Radioactive, Imagine Dragons; Royals, Lorde; Locked Out of Heaven, Bruno Mars; Blurred Lines, Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell Williams.
Song of the year (for songwriting): Just Give Me a Reason, Jeff Bhasker, Pink & Nate Ruess; Locked Out of Heaven, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine & Bruno Mars; Roar, Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry & Henry Walter; Royals, Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor; Same Love, Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert & Ryan Lewis.
Best New Artist: James Blake; Kendrick Lamar; Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; Kacey Musgraves; Ed Sheeran.
Over the past week, the U.S. Recording Academy, which administers the Grammys, has held a series of events honouring nominees and special award winners. Celebrations included a producers and engineers ceremony saluting Canadian rocker Neil Young on Tuesday and a Friday gala celebrating the 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year: influential singer-songwriter Carole King.
Memorable match-ups
In recent years, the Grammys broadcast has become known for unconventional or unlikely musical pairings, which have the potential to become memorable match-ups (for better or worse).
In keeping with tradition, this year's tag-team performers include metal icons Metallica performing with classical pianist Lang Lang, rapper Kendrick Lamar with alt-rockers Imagine Dragons, R&B singer Robin Thicke with power balladeers Chicago and soul legend Stevie Wonder with dance hitmakers Daft Punk.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Lorde, Pink and surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will also take the stage during the televised gala.
rammys officially get underway Sunday at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 4 p.m. ET with a pre-telecast ceremony — hosted by singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper — where awards in approximately 70 categories will be presented. This portion will be streamed live at Grammy-com/live-
The festivities continue Sunday evening at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with the televised Grammy gala — hosted by performer LL Cool J — beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The broadcast will air on CBS and Citytv.
Grammys ready to award year's best music - Arts & Entertainment - CBC News
Heading into the 56th annual celebration, rap heavyweight Jay-Z leads the field of contenders with nominations in nine categories. That said, a host of relative newcomers who made a major splash last year — including American rappers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, New Zealand teen singer Lorde, rising U.S. hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar and emerging country artist Kacey Musgraves — aren't too far behind.
Others in the running for multiple trophies include singers Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift and singer-producer Pharrell Williams.
Canadians vying for Grammy glory on Sunday include Toronto rapper Drake, rocker Neil Young, crooner Michael Bublé and singer Robin Thicke (a dual citizen as son of Canadian actor Alan Thicke).
Some Canadians to watch on Grammy weekend:
Toronto hip-hop artist Drake has five nominations: best rap album for Nothing Was the Same, best rap performance for Started from the Bottom and two nods for best rap song — his own Started from the Bottom and as a guest appearance on ASAP Rocky's F--kin' Problems. He's also included as a featured performer on Kendrick Lamar's album of the year nominated Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City.
Dual-citizen crooner Robin Thicke has three nominations: record of the year, best pop duo and group performance as well as best pop vocal album, all for Blurred Lines.
Canadian rock legend Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse have one nomination: best rock album for Psychedelic Pill.
B.C.-bred singer Michael Bublé has one nomination: best traditional pop album for Remember You.
Toronto composer Mychael Danna has one nomination: best score soundtrack for visual media for Life of Pi.
Toronto singer The Weeknd has one nomination: best rap song collaboration as a featured artist on Wiz Khalifa's Remember You.
Halifax-raised songwriter and producer Henry (Cirkut) Walter has one nomination: song of the year as co-writer of Katy Perry's Roar.
Ontario singer-songwriter Deric Ruttan has one nomination: best country song for co-writing Blake Shelton's Mine Would Be You.
Vancouver-born, Montreal singer-songwriter Jennifer Gasoi has one nomination: best children's album for Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well.
Other Canadians in the mix include:
Toronto's James LaBrie, frontman of best metal performance contender Dream Theater.
Darcy James Argue, Vancouver-born bandleader of Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, a best large jazz ensemble album nominee for Brooklyn Babylon.
Cologne-based Canadian performer and composer Chilly Gonzales, named on Daft Punk's album of the year nomination for Random Access Memories and also a contributor to Drake's best rap album contender Nothing Was the Same.
Nominees in central categories include:
Album of the year: The Blessed Unrest, Sara Bareilles; Random Access Memories, Daft Punk; Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, Kendrick Lamar; The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; Red, Taylor Swift.
Record of the year (for performance): Get Lucky, Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams; Radioactive, Imagine Dragons; Royals, Lorde; Locked Out of Heaven, Bruno Mars; Blurred Lines, Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell Williams.
Song of the year (for songwriting): Just Give Me a Reason, Jeff Bhasker, Pink & Nate Ruess; Locked Out of Heaven, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine & Bruno Mars; Roar, Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry & Henry Walter; Royals, Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor; Same Love, Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert & Ryan Lewis.
Best New Artist: James Blake; Kendrick Lamar; Macklemore & Ryan Lewis; Kacey Musgraves; Ed Sheeran.
Over the past week, the U.S. Recording Academy, which administers the Grammys, has held a series of events honouring nominees and special award winners. Celebrations included a producers and engineers ceremony saluting Canadian rocker Neil Young on Tuesday and a Friday gala celebrating the 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year: influential singer-songwriter Carole King.
Memorable match-ups
In recent years, the Grammys broadcast has become known for unconventional or unlikely musical pairings, which have the potential to become memorable match-ups (for better or worse).
In keeping with tradition, this year's tag-team performers include metal icons Metallica performing with classical pianist Lang Lang, rapper Kendrick Lamar with alt-rockers Imagine Dragons, R&B singer Robin Thicke with power balladeers Chicago and soul legend Stevie Wonder with dance hitmakers Daft Punk.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Lorde, Pink and surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will also take the stage during the televised gala.
rammys officially get underway Sunday at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 4 p.m. ET with a pre-telecast ceremony — hosted by singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper — where awards in approximately 70 categories will be presented. This portion will be streamed live at Grammy-com/live-
The festivities continue Sunday evening at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with the televised Grammy gala — hosted by performer LL Cool J — beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The broadcast will air on CBS and Citytv.
Grammys ready to award year's best music - Arts & Entertainment - CBC News
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2006/12/07
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29893
As out-of-state competition battered the finances of Delaware’s three casinos, policymakers hoped the arrival of online gambling late last year would provide a much-needed lifeline.
The gambling industry, however, was skeptical.
“We’re not sure how much revenue this is going to produce,” Dover Downs Hotel & Casino CEO Ed Sutor said last year.
For at least the first two months of Delaware’s online gaming, the answer is now clear: very little.
Internet gambling in Delaware brought in a mere $253,000 during November and December. If that trend continues, it will put the state well short of its goal to generate $5 million in revenue during the first year.
The state collects 100 percent of the first $3.75 million of online revenue in a given year, meaning casinos have not yet received a dime of the proceeds from online gaming.
As of Thursday, Delaware was averaging only 18 players online at any given time over the past seven days. Successful sites in Nevada and New Jersey average several hundred players.
Delaware’s small size and population, along with a variety of technical issues, have hindered the launch of Internet gambling. Nevada and New Jersey, the other two states to have authorized the practice, also have reported revenue that fell far below expectations.
It's still early
Still, Delaware officials believe online gambling has not reached its full potential. Investments in marketing and promotion over the coming months will drive more players to gaming sites and boost revenue, said Vernon Kirk, director of the Delaware Lottery, which oversees gaming in the state.
“In and of itself, it’s not going to be the thing that solves everybody’s financial issues,” Kirk said. “It’s a piece of the puzzle, and it’s got a lot of potential.”
Right now, the state offers online slots, blackjack, roulette and poker. The state will look to add craps and other games this year, Kirk said. The slow start for Internet gambling comes at a crucial time for the state’s three casinos – Dover Downs, Delaware Park and Harrington Raceway and Casino.
Read More: www-delawareonline-com/article/20140126/BUSINESS09/301260029/Online-gaming-far-from-an-instant-hit-Delaware-s-casinos
The gambling industry, however, was skeptical.
“We’re not sure how much revenue this is going to produce,” Dover Downs Hotel & Casino CEO Ed Sutor said last year.
For at least the first two months of Delaware’s online gaming, the answer is now clear: very little.
Internet gambling in Delaware brought in a mere $253,000 during November and December. If that trend continues, it will put the state well short of its goal to generate $5 million in revenue during the first year.
The state collects 100 percent of the first $3.75 million of online revenue in a given year, meaning casinos have not yet received a dime of the proceeds from online gaming.
As of Thursday, Delaware was averaging only 18 players online at any given time over the past seven days. Successful sites in Nevada and New Jersey average several hundred players.
Delaware’s small size and population, along with a variety of technical issues, have hindered the launch of Internet gambling. Nevada and New Jersey, the other two states to have authorized the practice, also have reported revenue that fell far below expectations.
It's still early
Still, Delaware officials believe online gambling has not reached its full potential. Investments in marketing and promotion over the coming months will drive more players to gaming sites and boost revenue, said Vernon Kirk, director of the Delaware Lottery, which oversees gaming in the state.
“In and of itself, it’s not going to be the thing that solves everybody’s financial issues,” Kirk said. “It’s a piece of the puzzle, and it’s got a lot of potential.”
Right now, the state offers online slots, blackjack, roulette and poker. The state will look to add craps and other games this year, Kirk said. The slow start for Internet gambling comes at a crucial time for the state’s three casinos – Dover Downs, Delaware Park and Harrington Raceway and Casino.
Read More: www-delawareonline-com/article/20140126/BUSINESS09/301260029/Online-gaming-far-from-an-instant-hit-Delaware-s-casinos
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2006/12/07
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29893
Justin Bieber’s run-ins with the law can potentially get him kicked out of the United States, the nation where the Canadian-born teen idol struck it rich, immigration lawyers said on Friday.
Bieber, 19, kept a low profile a day after he was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) after police caught him drag racing in Miami Beach, Florida, allegedly after drinking and smoking marijuana.
On Twitter, the voice behind hits “Baby” and “Boyfriend” kept an uncharacteristic silence, leaving his 49 million followers to rally behind him with the trending hashtag #WeWillAlwaysSupportYouJustin.
Instead, Bieber let a picture tell 1,000 words, with an Instagram photo of himself in a dark hoodie, waving outside jail, alongside an image of Michael Jackson a decade ago when the King of Pop was fighting child molestation charges.
“What more can they say,” read the caption.
Besides the DUI charge, Bieber, released on a $2,500 bond, also faces charges of resisting arrest and driving with an expired Georgia state license behind the wheel of a yellow Lamborghini sports car.
He was already under investigation for allegedly hurling eggs at a neighbor’s house in Los Angeles, an incident that led police to search his mansion where they seized illicit drugs and arrested one of his associates.
Online petition
By late afternoon on Friday, nearly 8,000 people had signed an online petition on the official White House website calling for Bieber’s deportation.
“He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nation’s youth,” said the petition, which needs 100,000 signatures by Feb. 22 to elicit a White House response.
Like many non-American entertainers, Bieber, who, says Forbes magazine, made $58 million in 2013, lives and works in the United States under a so-called O-1 visa, according to the Hollywood Reporter, a show biz trade journal.
“To qualify for an O-1 visa, the beneficiary must demonstrate extraordinary ability by sustained national or international acclaim, and must be coming temporarily to the United States to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability,” says the US Citizenship and Immigration Services on its website.
Rich and famous
Diana Scholl of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington suggested that Bieber could dodge deportation on account of his fame and fortune.
“If convicted, another immigrant in his situation would very likely languish in immigration detention before being deported,” she said on the Aclu.org website.
“That person, like 84 percent of people in immigration detention, would also likely not have an immigration attorney, let alone a high-priced one,” she added.
In their incident report posted on gossip website TMZ-com, the Miami Beach police department gave Bieber’s citizenship as “USA” apparently a mistake.
It also named Toronto as his birthplace, rather than the smaller Ontario city of London, and listed his occupation as “other.” Immigration lawyer Stacy Tolchin, quoted in the Los Angeles Times newspaper, said Bieber’s alleged offenses in Miami Beach, while “not good,” were unlikely to add up to a violation of his O-1B status.
But Tolchin added: “Let’s say if it’s assault, a felony assault, and he’s convicted, that’s a big problem … He really needs to get excellent criminal defense and an excellent immigration attorney.” A drug conviction would equally pose “a big problem,” she said.
Under the US Immigration and Nationality Act, violation of any US or foreign drug law apart from the possession of a small personal amount of marijuana is grounds for deportation.
‘Moral turpitude’
So, too, is “moral turpitude,” a catchall term that can include anything from homicide, robbery and kidnapping, to gross indecency, lewdness and adultery, a rarely prosecuted crime in 23 states.
“If ICE wanted to go after him, they could make a case,” New York immigration lawyer Michael Wildes told ABCNews-com, referring to the US Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit.
“That and the eggs are opening files in multiple government agencies and states, and could make it more likely,” he said.
In the event that Uncle Sam gives him the boot, Bieber won’t be alone.
One in 10 deportees are legal permanent residents, or “green card” holders, a majority of whom had merely committed “minor, nonviolent crimes,” said the Immigration Policy Center in Washington in a 2010 report.
Bad boy Justin Bieber risks ouster from US | Inquirer Entertainment
Bieber, 19, kept a low profile a day after he was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) after police caught him drag racing in Miami Beach, Florida, allegedly after drinking and smoking marijuana.
On Twitter, the voice behind hits “Baby” and “Boyfriend” kept an uncharacteristic silence, leaving his 49 million followers to rally behind him with the trending hashtag #WeWillAlwaysSupportYouJustin.
Instead, Bieber let a picture tell 1,000 words, with an Instagram photo of himself in a dark hoodie, waving outside jail, alongside an image of Michael Jackson a decade ago when the King of Pop was fighting child molestation charges.
“What more can they say,” read the caption.
Besides the DUI charge, Bieber, released on a $2,500 bond, also faces charges of resisting arrest and driving with an expired Georgia state license behind the wheel of a yellow Lamborghini sports car.
He was already under investigation for allegedly hurling eggs at a neighbor’s house in Los Angeles, an incident that led police to search his mansion where they seized illicit drugs and arrested one of his associates.
Online petition
By late afternoon on Friday, nearly 8,000 people had signed an online petition on the official White House website calling for Bieber’s deportation.
“He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nation’s youth,” said the petition, which needs 100,000 signatures by Feb. 22 to elicit a White House response.
Like many non-American entertainers, Bieber, who, says Forbes magazine, made $58 million in 2013, lives and works in the United States under a so-called O-1 visa, according to the Hollywood Reporter, a show biz trade journal.
“To qualify for an O-1 visa, the beneficiary must demonstrate extraordinary ability by sustained national or international acclaim, and must be coming temporarily to the United States to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability,” says the US Citizenship and Immigration Services on its website.
Rich and famous
Diana Scholl of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington suggested that Bieber could dodge deportation on account of his fame and fortune.
“If convicted, another immigrant in his situation would very likely languish in immigration detention before being deported,” she said on the Aclu.org website.
“That person, like 84 percent of people in immigration detention, would also likely not have an immigration attorney, let alone a high-priced one,” she added.
In their incident report posted on gossip website TMZ-com, the Miami Beach police department gave Bieber’s citizenship as “USA” apparently a mistake.
It also named Toronto as his birthplace, rather than the smaller Ontario city of London, and listed his occupation as “other.” Immigration lawyer Stacy Tolchin, quoted in the Los Angeles Times newspaper, said Bieber’s alleged offenses in Miami Beach, while “not good,” were unlikely to add up to a violation of his O-1B status.
But Tolchin added: “Let’s say if it’s assault, a felony assault, and he’s convicted, that’s a big problem … He really needs to get excellent criminal defense and an excellent immigration attorney.” A drug conviction would equally pose “a big problem,” she said.
Under the US Immigration and Nationality Act, violation of any US or foreign drug law apart from the possession of a small personal amount of marijuana is grounds for deportation.
‘Moral turpitude’
So, too, is “moral turpitude,” a catchall term that can include anything from homicide, robbery and kidnapping, to gross indecency, lewdness and adultery, a rarely prosecuted crime in 23 states.
“If ICE wanted to go after him, they could make a case,” New York immigration lawyer Michael Wildes told ABCNews-com, referring to the US Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit.
“That and the eggs are opening files in multiple government agencies and states, and could make it more likely,” he said.
In the event that Uncle Sam gives him the boot, Bieber won’t be alone.
One in 10 deportees are legal permanent residents, or “green card” holders, a majority of whom had merely committed “minor, nonviolent crimes,” said the Immigration Policy Center in Washington in a 2010 report.
Bad boy Justin Bieber risks ouster from US | Inquirer Entertainment
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
With top Pennsylvania state lawmakers and Gov. Tom Corbett seeking ways to plug a projected budget deficit, they are considering expanding lottery gambling and, possibly, legalizing online gambling.
The Senate Finance Committee will hear testimony Wednesday that focuses partly on adding keno to the Pennsylvania Lottery's game lineup.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, of Delaware County, said there hasn't been much controversy about introducing keno, but that debate is more likely to center on where the game's proceeds should go.
In the meantime, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee is studying the potential effect of online gambling on Pennsylvania's casinos and state tax collections. A report is due back May 1.
Pa. eyeing keno and possibly online gambling | GoErie-com/Erie Times-News
The Senate Finance Committee will hear testimony Wednesday that focuses partly on adding keno to the Pennsylvania Lottery's game lineup.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, of Delaware County, said there hasn't been much controversy about introducing keno, but that debate is more likely to center on where the game's proceeds should go.
In the meantime, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee is studying the potential effect of online gambling on Pennsylvania's casinos and state tax collections. A report is due back May 1.
Pa. eyeing keno and possibly online gambling | GoErie-com/Erie Times-News
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Online gaming industry in India is fast maturing as this is a very lucrative field. Till now we have no dedicated online gaming and gambling laws in India. This has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear among the online gaming entrepreneurs in India. This is also the reason why very few players have entered into the online gaming arena of India.
For instance, legality of online poker in India is still a grey area. It is neither legal nor illegal. Just like Bitcoins exchanges operating in India, online poker websites operating in India can be either legal or illegal. It all depends how an online poker website is managed in India. If it is complying with all the applicable laws and regulations, it is legal to play online poker otherwise it is illegal.
Governments around the world are trying to regulate online gaming and gambling activities. Recently, the United Kingdom asked the Internet service providers (ISPs) to insert warning pages for unlicensed gambling websites. However, the ISPs refused to comply with this demand. Similarly, Singapore is planning to ban online gaming and enact laws in this regard. India is also planning an anti match fixing law that may cover online betting as well.
On the other hand, governments are also trying to liberalise the online gaming segment. The U.K. Gaming (Licensing and Advertising) Bill has passed the third reading in the House of Commons. Similarly, a good start for Internet and online gambling in New Jersey has already taken place and there are very good signs that online poker would be allowed in United States very soon.
Back in India the regulatory environment for online gaming is fast changing. Games like poker and rummy are finding support of both community and legal and judicial fraternity. According to Praveen Dalal, managing partner of New Delhi based IT law firm Perry4Law, the High Courts in India are protecting “Games of Skills” from the Criminal actions. Recently, the Bangalore High Court in Kirana S v. State of Karnataka Criminal Petition No. 76482013 (Pdf) held that playing Rummy is not a Criminal Offence as it involved “Application of Skills”, inform Dalal. In fact, another related matter is pending before the Supreme Court of India and the Judgment of Supreme Court would decide the fate of Online Gaming Industry of India, opines Dalal.
It seems this is a good time to start online gaming businesses in India However, before doing so it would be a prudent exercise to consult a good techno legal law firm in this regard as any deviance may create troubles for the entrepreneurs.
Online Gaming Industry In India Is Maturing | Business, Enterpeneurs | GroundReport-com – Latest World News & Opinions
For instance, legality of online poker in India is still a grey area. It is neither legal nor illegal. Just like Bitcoins exchanges operating in India, online poker websites operating in India can be either legal or illegal. It all depends how an online poker website is managed in India. If it is complying with all the applicable laws and regulations, it is legal to play online poker otherwise it is illegal.
Governments around the world are trying to regulate online gaming and gambling activities. Recently, the United Kingdom asked the Internet service providers (ISPs) to insert warning pages for unlicensed gambling websites. However, the ISPs refused to comply with this demand. Similarly, Singapore is planning to ban online gaming and enact laws in this regard. India is also planning an anti match fixing law that may cover online betting as well.
On the other hand, governments are also trying to liberalise the online gaming segment. The U.K. Gaming (Licensing and Advertising) Bill has passed the third reading in the House of Commons. Similarly, a good start for Internet and online gambling in New Jersey has already taken place and there are very good signs that online poker would be allowed in United States very soon.
Back in India the regulatory environment for online gaming is fast changing. Games like poker and rummy are finding support of both community and legal and judicial fraternity. According to Praveen Dalal, managing partner of New Delhi based IT law firm Perry4Law, the High Courts in India are protecting “Games of Skills” from the Criminal actions. Recently, the Bangalore High Court in Kirana S v. State of Karnataka Criminal Petition No. 76482013 (Pdf) held that playing Rummy is not a Criminal Offence as it involved “Application of Skills”, inform Dalal. In fact, another related matter is pending before the Supreme Court of India and the Judgment of Supreme Court would decide the fate of Online Gaming Industry of India, opines Dalal.
It seems this is a good time to start online gaming businesses in India However, before doing so it would be a prudent exercise to consult a good techno legal law firm in this regard as any deviance may create troubles for the entrepreneurs.
Online Gaming Industry In India Is Maturing | Business, Enterpeneurs | GroundReport-com – Latest World News & Opinions
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
South Africa has been beating around the bush for some time when it comes to legislating online gambling regulations in that country. The passage of the 2008 National Gambling Act allows for sports betting over the internet but now one of the country’s parliamentarians is preparing to introduce a bill that may change that.
MP Geordin Hill-Lewis is one of the youngest people to gain a seat in the South African parliament and is the shadow minister of trade and industry for the opposition Democratic Alliance party. Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies who is part of the ruling African National Congress party announced plans to set up a national gaming regulator to oversee issues including online gambling just last August but as yet nothing has happened.
The bill being proposed by MP Hill-Lewis will require online operators to apply for separate licenses in each of South Africa’s 10 provinces. Certain aspects of the bill coincide with the regulations in Australia where each territory and its authorities will be responsible for licensing and regulatory platform while there will still be a national authority that keeps the regulations all on the same regulatory page. Rules that would apply across all territories would include no gambling on credit as an example.
Punters are hoping the bill gets through the legislative process which is by no means a sure thing. If by chance the legislation actually becomes law, the government will require at least six months in which to create regulatory standards. The time line for the possible launch of online gambling other than sports betting in South Africa could be anywhere from less than 12 months to 18 months.
However the way changes to the legislation on online gambling have progressed thus far in South Africa it may be a lot longer than predicted.
Online Gambling Changes Possible in South Africa
MP Geordin Hill-Lewis is one of the youngest people to gain a seat in the South African parliament and is the shadow minister of trade and industry for the opposition Democratic Alliance party. Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies who is part of the ruling African National Congress party announced plans to set up a national gaming regulator to oversee issues including online gambling just last August but as yet nothing has happened.
The bill being proposed by MP Hill-Lewis will require online operators to apply for separate licenses in each of South Africa’s 10 provinces. Certain aspects of the bill coincide with the regulations in Australia where each territory and its authorities will be responsible for licensing and regulatory platform while there will still be a national authority that keeps the regulations all on the same regulatory page. Rules that would apply across all territories would include no gambling on credit as an example.
Punters are hoping the bill gets through the legislative process which is by no means a sure thing. If by chance the legislation actually becomes law, the government will require at least six months in which to create regulatory standards. The time line for the possible launch of online gambling other than sports betting in South Africa could be anywhere from less than 12 months to 18 months.
However the way changes to the legislation on online gambling have progressed thus far in South Africa it may be a lot longer than predicted.
Online Gambling Changes Possible in South Africa
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Citing unnamed sources, the report asserts that:
In essence, provided those being prosecuted aren’t US citizens and the companies with which they are associated maintained no physical infrastructure within US borders, the DOJ will accept corporate pleas and fines to resolve all outstanding charges.
I’m inclined the treat the report as more than pure rumor, simply because: 1) the site is in a reasonable position to have such a source, given Calvin Ayre’s indictment; and 2) I think the stalemate of the status quo is untenable for all parties involved, including the DoJ.
Reports of DoJ Position Shift on Online Gambling Indictments Met With Skepticism » Online Poker Report