Minnesota Surrenders Its Fight Against Online Gambling

The state of Minnesota Dept. of Public Safety's Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division suddenly and unexpectedly lashed out against online gambling by demanding that internet providers operating within the state block a list of over 200 gambling sites. This action came in response to a new bill introduced by state representative Pat Garofalo. Not only did a majority of the ISPs ignore the order altogether, a number of them sought legal counsel. Aided by a large contingent from the Poker Players Alliance, opponents of the act argued that the legislation used to justify the crackdown was not only archaic but totally irrelevant to online gambling, in essence making the threatened action against the ISPs unfounded and perhaps even illegal. In a total turnaround, Garofalo has offered to withdraw his bill and to instead work toward introducing legislation and regulation(s) that would control but not prohibit the online gambling industry in ...

May Flowers Slots Tournament End at Golden Casino

The May Flowers free roll slots tournament at Golden Casino has successfully come to a close, making one player $65,000 richer and many others quite content with some free cash in their pockets. One of just several big-money slots tournament held at Golden Casino over the years, May Flowers was the highlight tournament of the month, attracting several thousand registrants and paying out over $150,000. But just because it's over, don't let that deter you from entering one of their many other tournaments. Another big one is sure to be on the horizon for the month of June. Besides, you can take advantage of an exclusive $555 Slots Bonus available through Online Casino Suite, and stretch out that bankroll even more. As mentioned, the big winner - Jenny from Wisconsin - pocketed $65,000 in cash, which wasn't bad at all for an $80 investment. Since the tournament was a free roll, there ...

Land casinos need to find more variants

The younger generations may dominate Internet wagering, but when it comes to the land industry the silver foxes rule, according to a new survey by specialist US research company partnership commissioned by slot machine manufacturer WMS Industries. The study found that older people still gamble the most at land casinos, but young players and minorities are [obviously] the future of the industry, and more effort needs to be made to attract this demographic to the tables and slot machines. Active casino patrons are less patient and feel more time-pressured than ever, the vice president of marketing for WMS, Rob Bone, revealed this week. "When people have zero tolerance for anything going wrong, it raises the game," Bone said, explaining the significance of the finding. "It's important for us to think through the minutiae of what that means." 2 000 people who had visited a land casino at least once in the past year were ...

Gambling Commission do the latest in its research series

The UK Gambling Commission has the released the latest statistics in its "finger-on-the-pulse" series of research exercises, with ICM Research conducting the latest study of some 8 000 UK adult residents. The latest numbers cover the one year period ending March 2009. In the remote gambling, or Internet, sector the proportion of UK adults using remote gambling facilities has increased by .2 of a percent to 9.9 percent from 9.7 percent in the previous year. Most of this increase is due to more online wagering on the National Lottery, as was the case in previous years, with 43.5 percent of respondents exclusively using the online lottery service. Remote gaming activity has increased from 2006 (7.2 percent) 2007 (8.8 percent) and 2008 (9.7 percent). the Internet, interactive television or mobile to gamble stayed static at 5.6 percent - the same as the previous year. This statistic has shown little change since 2006 (5.1 percent) ...

Menendez defers to state official

According to reports in the Austin American-Statesman, a bill seeking to legalise Texas poker proposed by San Antonio Democrat Representative Jose Menendez may not be approved this time around - the third failure of such a proposal to make it through the legislative system. The reason appears to be doubts that Republican governor Rick Perry would be prepared to sign the measure into law even if it was approved by the Legislature. The HB222 Texas' Poker Gaming Act of 2009 was reintroduced last November by Menendez and passed out of the House committee that oversees gambling issues in April by a vote of 6-3. And there it has languished. The Austin American-Statesman reported Friday: "Rep. Jose Menendez....said at midday he won't push for action unless GOP Gov. Rick Perry signals he'd sign such a plan into law." That was followed by a spokesman for the governor advising that Perry was not in ...

Delaware’s Governor Says to Opposition

Governor Jack Markell replied to the opposition concerning his proposal to allow sports betting in the state of Delaware by saying that even the NFL promotes indirect gambling through television networks by allowing sports commentators to discuss point spreads and offer predictions about game results. However, strong opposition to Markell's idea came from the racinos (horse or greyhound race tracks that also allow some casino gambling activities like slots machines and popular table games like poker, blackjack and roulette) who appeared to be concerned about the threats that sports betting will impinge on their business viability. This is because there are also plans afoot to put up three new land-based casinos within the state that are expected to further cut into their commercial earnings. The racinos signified their antagonism by busing in local residents and letting them demonstrate and speak at a meeting held for that purpose. Most local ...

Poker Pro Accused of Do an Awful Deal

TMZ is reporting that poker player Scott Lazar is allegedly reneging on a promise to feature a gambling company's brand in his upcoming film. Gambling Times Inc. claims that Lazar's film "Deal", which stars Burt Reynolds and Shannon Elizabeth, was to include "highly visible" product placement during the film in exchange for a $50,000 investment. The best part of all from TMZ.com: According to the lawsuit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, the plug was far from highly visible... because it didn't exist at all. Now here's the ironic part: G.T. is suing Lazar for no less than $1,000,000 in damages -- but the film only made... get this... $78,000 WORLDWIDE when it hit theaters back in 2008. Lazar attributes much of his success in the live poker tournament circuit to his finish on the final table of the 2005 World Series of Poker, taking home $1.5 million.

iMEGA Challenges Minnesota Online Casinos Site Ban

Many people believe that the Minnesota Department of Public Safety went above their jurisdiction when they ordered Internet service providers to ban access to online gambling sites. The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association is now prepared to challenge the state in court. iMEGA believes that simply going to a gambling website is not illegal under Minnesota law. While online gambling is illegal, people have right, according to iMEGA, to go to the sites and look at the content if they wish. They are challenging the notices that were sent to eleven communication companies. "The notices state that the gambling opportunities available on the sites are 'illegal within Minnesota.' Regardless of whether this is an accurate statement of the law, merely visiting the sites and perusing their content is not illegal in Minnesota...," read the complaint. While Minnesota is trying to block access to Internet gambling sites, a US Representative, ...

No bluffing: State trying to pull plug on online gambling

State officials today told 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers to block access by all Minnesota-based computers to nearly 200 online gambling websites. The state is cracking down on online gambling, which the state says is illegal in Minnesota. A division of the state Department of Public Safety that enforces gambling and alcohol laws said today that it has instructed 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access by all Minnesota-based computers to nearly 200 online gambling websites. "We are putting site operators and Minnesota online gamblers on notice and in advance," says John Willems, director of the state's Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division. "State residents with online escrow accounts should be aware that access to their accounts may be jeopardized and their funds in peril." Willems said the state is acting even though he has no idea how much Internet wagering is going on in ...

Atlantic City shows gambling isn’t recession-proof

In the 20 years he's worked on the Atlantic City boardwalk, Joe Lochs has never seen business this bad. Lochs, 54, makes his living giving rides to casino patrons in a "rolling chair," a three-wheeled, wicker-sided buggy that he pushes up and down the boardwalk between casinos, shops and restaurants. In good times, he can make $1,000 a week but since the beginning of winter, business is off by around 60 percent, and some days, there is no work at all. Business at Atlantic City's 11 casinos is falling at a record pace. Aggregate revenue plunged 19.2 percent in February from a year earlier, the sharpest decline in the 30 years since gambling was legalized in the city, according to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. "Before this year, I never had a day without a single ride," Lochs said, rolling a cigarette outside the bankrupt Trump Plaza casino. "This year, I've had three ...