West Virginia Quietly Becomes Fourth State to Launch Sports Betting

West Virginia quietly became the fourth state to launch legal sports betting after the US Supreme Court struck down in May a federal ban on wagering on professional and collegiate sports leagues.

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town, West Virginia accepted yesterday its first bet, thus soft-opening its sportsbook. The casino’s wagering facility is operated by the US division of British bookmaker William Hill.

House Delegate Jason Barrett put the first bet on Thursday to participate in a historic moment for the state’s and the US gambling industry. Delegate Barrett placed $50 on the West Virginia Mountaineers to win the football national championship. He will win nearly $3,000 if that happens. The state lawmaker told local media that it was extremely easy to bet and that it really reminded him of betting on horse racing.

The General Managing Counsel of the West Virginia Lottery, Danielle Boyd, has confirmed the opening of the state’s first sportsbook and has pointed out that the despite the facility’s grand opening on Saturday, it is “officially open” now.

Hollywood Casino, which is owned and operated by Penn National Gaming Inc., will host a larger-scale opening ceremony for its sportsbook tomorrow at 11 am local time. A mobile app that will allow the casino’s patrons to wager while at the property via their mobile phones is expected to be rolled out in the next couple of weeks.

Commenting on the launch of their sportsbook, Hollywood Casino Head of Sports Erich Zimny told local media on Thursday that they are happy that West Virginia has jumped on the betting bandwagon quickly and has thus secured a competitive edge over neighboring Maryland.

A bill allowing sports betting at Maryland’s gambling venues was introduced last year but was voted down by legislators. It is believed that it will be reintroduced next spring. If it gains the necessary support in the state Legislature, it will then have to survive a statewide referendum in order to be enacted.

Exemplary Regulatory Framework

West Virginia was actually among the states that passed a legislative framework ahead of the US Supreme Court ruling in May that allowed individual states to legalize sports betting, if they felt inclined to do so. This facilitated the early launch of sports betting services at the state’s existing gambling facilities.

Commenting on the state’s wagering regulatory framework, Delegate Barrett said that it should be model for the rest of the nation and that he believes they have done it right.

According to preliminary estimates by the West Virginia Legislature, the state’s sports betting industry would contribute additional revenue of around $5.5 million to the coffers during the first year. However, a separate, Lottery-commissioned study presented a much more optimistic picture for additional revenue of between $9 million and $17 million.

Five of the state’s casinos have lodged interest in operating sportsbooks. They were all required to pay a $100,000 licensing fee. In addition, they will have to contribute a 10% tax on adjusted gross sports wagering receipts.

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Doyle Brunson buys Cadillac thanks to winnings at Bobby's Room

Doyle Brunson may be declared retired in his poker pro career according to his Wiki page, but he still is active in playing the game, and everyone who knows him is that one of his favorite venues to play at is inside the famous Bellagio's Bobby's poker room. The 85-year-old 10-time WSOP bracelet winner, thanks to his recent poker session victories in said Bobby's Room, has now treated himself to a brand-new Cadillac Escalade (ranging from $75k to $100k), and he's thanking the poker players he d[...]

BetConstruct at this year’s SAGSE LatAm

BetConstruct is to attend a preeminent gaming event, the SAGSE LatAm Expo in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 11 – 13. Latin America is a huge market for BetConstruct. During the SAGSE LatAm Expo , the company will aim to impress all attendees with its powerful solutions and the freedom of choice they offer. Among the company’s showcase at its ...

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RedPing.win Joins LCB Rewards Program

That's right, folks; the LCB Rewards Program is still very much on, and after a couple of restful weeks we are back on track with introducing new supreme casinos into our fold...

...This time around, let's hear it for RedPing.win Casino, who is our latest addition to Program and another place where you can deposit in order to collect LCB goodies.

Young and Promising

Before we get to refreshing your memory of what LCB Rewards is all about, let's have a few words about the latest casino to join our ranks first. The multi-language site has plenty to offer in terms of entertainment. All the leading software providers have gathered there to create a unique gaming environment.

In fact, their slot selection is pretty enormous, and so is the frequency of jackpot and tournament games. Fast cashouts and a plethora of banking options make it a place of convenience and ease of use. A Curacao license is there to provide comfort in knowing that you are in a safe place that cares about its players

The Know-How

So, apart from enjoying the place, what else is in it for you? Having added RedPing.win to our Rewards scheme, you can now go ahead and register on their site using our affiliate link, make your first deposit there and claim your $3 LCB Chip that you can redeem for an item in our Shop!

You can find all you need to know about the rules and further instructions on this page as well as the ever-growing list of casinos that are participating...

...Although, another way to see which casinos are eligible is by going to this link and then looking out for the yellow LCB chip icon next to the name of the casino.

We also have a forum topic on the matter that you can follow here, in case you want to stay regularly updated on new casinos, share concerns and report issues or just discuss how awesome the Program is.

All in all, the program is a whole new way of rediscovering your love for gambling and enjoying the little, unexpected perks life has to offer. Have fun!

Casino News Report - August 2018

We present our new and punchier domain name, explore the many ways LCB membership can put a smile on your face and get in on the latest casino action with exclusive bonuses and the hottest additions.”

This is LCB News and here’s our monthly review.

 

Hi LCB’ers! It’s great to see you for another exciting monthly recap. And this time we’re thrilled to announce that we’re now officially live with the new domain - LCB.org!

Latest Casino Bonuses has been around for some time now, more precisely since 2006. And over the years the site has become better known for its acronym - LCB, which is why we made a logical decision to change the name to a punchier yet equally familiar domain - LCB.org.

Please note that nothing will change for our members – just login with your existing account details to get the same awesome perks as before.

 

One of those perks are the tournaments, including our exclusive freerolls which you can browse and subscribe to on the members only forum. Don’t’ miss out on the action from reputable casinos most of which also accept players from the US, as we're pretty sure you'll be able to find one that’s just right for you.

 

Our members only section is also home to our monthly contests! As you have probably noticed we are particularly keen on sharing posts about pets and animals in general, so we decided to dedicate our August contest to our loving pets. The rules are quite simple: if you have a pet or you've seen an insanely cute picture or video of an animal, then you just have to share it with us.

Thanks to everyone for taking part in bringing the level of cuteness and humour to unprecedented levels; and if you missed this one then be sure to subscribe to the thread to receive a notification when the next contest goes live!

 

Now, we’ve got two featured casinos of the month for you to check out, including the US-friendly Lucky Creek. It’s powered by Saucify and Rival and is jam-packed with exclusive bonus offers which are available to new and existing players, including a $3 LCB reward chip that you get on your first deposit if you register through our link.

Our second pick for the month is EU and UK licensed casino and sportsbook TonyBet for which we also have an exclusive bonus up for grabs for all new 18+ players this month. Better yet, if you decide to make your first deposit now, then make sure to claim the fantastic Monster Millions Promotion which is valid until 15th October!

Should you have any questions or suggestions, you can always contact TonyBet’s Casino Rep who signed up to our Direct Casino support section in June.

 

As always, we’ve got some new casinos for you to play around with as well, and one of them is literally instant-play: Ninja Casino. So, if you’re from Finland or Sweden then you get to play without registration and enjoy instant cashouts!

Jokaroom is another new brand which has games from developers like Quickspin, iGTech and Betsoft, and is also among the few which accept players from Australia.

See our full casino reviews with top tips and related news for more info and be sure to share your own thoughts to get more of those LCB credits and so other members can benefit from your experience as well.

 

Speaking of activity, don't forget to check out our monthly LCB leaderboard contest as we continue to reward the most active members with some extra cash that you can spend in our exclusive shop.

Visit us daily, leave your feedback on casino reviews, follow the news, interviews and editorials and tell us what you think. Do that and you just might see your name among the honoured winners next month!

 

That’s the report for this month.

Hope you liked it and be sure to share your thoughts on it in the comments section so we can continue to deliver the best content possible.

You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and YouTube.

As always, play responsibly and stay tuned for more news coming soon!

Gaming in Spain Conference: new opportunities to a maturing market

The 2018 Gaming in Spain Conference, which takes place November 7-8, 2018, in Madrid, is your single stop to stay informed of the increasingly attractive opportunities offered by the booming Spanish online gaming market. Click here to register. Lower tax rates and strong growth offer fresh opportunities To an industry sector that often appears to be under regulatory siege, the ...

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Nayong Pilipino Foundation Slams Corruption Allegations over Casino Project

Nayong Pilipino Foundation officials once again denied corruption allegations and stressed on the legality of the foundation’s deal with Hong Kong casino resort developer Landing International Development that secured the latter with a land plot for the development of a $1.5-billion hotel and casino complex.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte fired earlier this month all members of the board of the state-run organization that was established back in the 1970s to run the Nayong Pilipino cultural theme park located in Pasay City in the Metro Manila area.

Earlier this year, Nayong Pilipino Foundation penned an agreement with Landing to lease the land previously occupied by the above-mentioned theme park for the development of an integrated resort with a casino floor, hotels, and multiple non-gambling entertainment options. The site is located within Entertainment City in the Manila Bay area and not far from where the Philippine capital’s three operational integrated resorts have been built.

The Hong Kong-based developer broke ground on the property earlier this month. However, President Duterte announced hours after the ground-breaking ceremony that measures will be taken to block the materialization of the mega-plan.

The Philippines’ top official said that the lease deal was flawed and “grossly disadvantageous” as the lease period was “ridiculously long” and the lease rates were too low. In addition, the members of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation were accused of corruption.

President Duterte also ordered the Department of Justice to carry out a review of the lease deal. DOJ officials announced earlier today that the probe was completed on Wednesday but refused to reveal more details about the department’s findings.

Nayong Pilipino Foundation Slams Corruption, Graft Allegations

In a written statement released across several local news outlets on Wednesday, the foundation said that it has followed “all procedural and legal requirements” before the project was launched and that its members were “falsely and maliciously accused” of corruption.

Under the terms of the deal between Nayong Pilipino Foundation and Landing, the latter agreed to lease the portion of land for a period of 25 years with an option for an extension of the deal for another 25 years. In his comments against the deal, President Duterte has pointed out that it was a ridiculously long one and granted Landing permission to use the land for a period of 70 years and operate a casino on it. And the official has repeatedly pointed out that no other casinos beyond the existing ones would be allowed in the country.

The foundation stressed that a 70-year lease period has never been discussed by the two parties and that the initial lease period could only be extended to 50 years if the Philippine Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority classifies Landing’s development as a tourism project.

As for President Duterte’s comments that the lease price was too low, the foundation said that Landing has agreed to pay PHP360 per square meter per month for the 9.57-hectare property and to contribute 10% of the net profits from the three theme parks that are planned to be developed as part of the integrated resort, which effectively raises the lease price to PHP570 per square meter per month. The foundation’s statement further read that Resorts World Manila pays PHP156.66 per square meter per month for the 5.4-hectare site it occupies, a price significantly lower than what Landing has agreed to pay.

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John McCain: Saint or Sinner

I just turned off the television set after listening to the coverage of the death of Sen. John McCain.

While McCain's political foes and friends heaped praise on the Arizona maverick who died of brain cancer just days before his 82nd birthday, they left out a significant fact about his life.

McCain the gambler

He was addicted to dice and played high-stakes craps in casinos around the world, from the Caribbean to Foxwoods in Connecticut. He played in casinos in New Orleans, Atlantic City and Las Vegas and he played big.

His maternal grandfather Arch Wright was a bootlegger and gambler who made a fortune in oil after buying land in Oklahoma that produced oil for gold coins and liquor.

All the cable television networks:

Fox News, CNN and MSNBC -- told about McCain's paternal grandfather who was an Admiral in the U.S. Navy. But I never heard a word about Arch who was married to his mother who is still alive at 106.

McCain was a gambler who lived to take chances. That was one reason why he picked Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, to be his running mate when he ran for President in 2008.

He upset poker players...

...around the country, including Doyle Brunson, when he voted for legislation that would have criminalized Internet gambling on poker. The bill would have provided a fine and up to three months in prison for anyone who used a computer to bet on a poker hand.

Brunson, three times winner of the World Series of Poker, said, 'God help the Internet gambler business if McCain happens to win.' He ultimately admitted voting for McCain, saying, 'If I go to hell, it won't be because I voted for John McCain.'

Now I don't know if the late Senator was a saint or sinner. But I do know that on Sept. 27, 2008, the New York Times published a story in its Sunday edition exposing McCain's addiction to dice and his legislative support for Indian casinos across the country.

His help propelled Indian casinos...

...from a fledgling industry into a nationwide business that pumps more than $30 billion a year into tribal treasuries thanks to the more than 430 Indian casinos operating across the U.S.

The Times article told of McCain and a couple of staffers winning thousands of dollars in a room reserved for high stakes gamblers at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. He was tossing black $100 chips around the table like they were dollar bills, according to observers. One of his fellow players was Scott Reed, a lobbyist who represents the casino owned by the Mashantucket Pequot, the tribe that built Foxwoods.

McCain was a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee at the time he was gambling.

No member of the U.S. Senate or Congress did more than McCain in promoting Indian gambling casinos in America. And the casinos rewarded his help by contributing millions of dollars to his election campaigns.

In May 2007 while he was running for President, he spent a weekend at a fund-raising event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. His longtime friend J. Terrence Lanni, chief executive of the casino, hosted the fund-raiser which added $400,000 to McCain's bank account.

After the event, McCain attended a boxing match and then spent the rest of the evening at the dice tables.

McCain was a close friend of Arizona Rep. Morris Udall, a Democrat who defended Indian cases. Before his death in 1998, Udall asked McCain not to forget the Indians. Both men helped write the Indian Gaming Regulation Act of 1988 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled states had no legal right to control gambling on reservations.

He favored sports betting in states where gambling is legal and he went on record as supporting talks with the American public and Congressional hearings on the matter.

I am just wondering why none of American's television journalists bothered to bring up any of this information when they marked McCain's passing.

Gamblers Who Beat The Odds

Do some gamblers beat the odds on a regular basis? The answer is of course they do.

Is it an easy process?

Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. It depends on which game you are playing, the makeup of the casino, and even the casino itself. But the good news is it can happen.

Michael Shackleford is a young man who is known as the Wizard of Odds. He was given the nickname because of his ability to overcome the odds at various casino games.

Michael is a winner.

He earns a good living analyzing casino games. A resident of Las Vegas, NV., he is employed as an adjunct professor of casino mathematics at the University of Nevada.

He admits to launching his gambling career at age 11. He has been a consistent winner at blackjack, video poker and sports betting for the past 20 years.

Shackleford avoids losing by staying away from mindless games like slot machines and keno. The more complex a game of chance is, the easier it is to overcome the odds, he says. That is why he enjoys video poker.

Blackjack or 21 can be beaten if a player uses the basic strategy to shift the odds to his favor. The strategy has been developed over the years by such blackjack experts as Edward O. Thorp.

Here is the strategy in capsule form If you have eight or under, take a hit regardless of what the dealer shows. If you have a nine and the dealer shows three, four, five or six, go down for double. If the dealer is showing two or seven, hit. If you have 10 and the dealer a card between two and nine, double down. If the dealer has a 10 or ace, hit. If you have 11 and the dealer is showing two through 10, double down. If the dealer has an ace, hit. If you have `1, hit when the dealer shows two, three or seven. Stand if the dealer shows four, five or six. If you have 13 through 16 and the dealer has seven or higher, hit. If the dealer has two through six, stand. And always stand if you have 17 through 21. Bill Zender...

....is known as the ultimate gambler insider. He is a former dealer, professional card counter and casino floor manager. He says a good card counter can gain a 1.5 percent advantage over blackjack.

To beat the odds, Zender advises players to watch for sloppy dealers who have a habit of exposing their hole card.

He also likes roulette and notes that roulette wheels can become worn and biased so that certain numbers are repeated. Quite a few years ago a player named Joseph Jagger found such a wheel at the famed Monte Carlo Casino and won more than $400,000, equivalent to $7.8 million today.

Zender recommended against playing slot machines. If you must play the slots, he says, stay away from the penny slots since they give the casino a 15 to 20 percent advantage over the players. Instead play the $5 or higher slots and play them for the maximum.

Stay away from keno. Some casinos have a built-in advantage of up to 35 percent. He points out that nobody has ever hit 20 out of 20 spots in the history of keno because the odds against it happening are one in 3.5 quintillion.

Video poker gives the House a slim 0.46 advantage to expert players. Most players are not that skillful, so study up on the odds before you play.

In the late 1940s

Two college buddies at the University of Chicago took a break from their classes and rode their motorcycles to Las Vegas to try to win at roulette. Albert 'Al' Hibbs was a math student and Roy Wolford was studying to be a physician.

They began taking notes on the winning numbers on roulette wheels and discovered biases in a couple of machines. They played those machines and won enough money to buy a boat which they used to sail around the world.

Hibbs

became famous by teaming up with one of his professors to write a textbook, 'Quantum Mechanics and Path Integrals.' After graduation, he joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he become the mission announcer -- the 'Voice of JPL.' He played a major role in the launch of Explorer 1, the first American satellite to orbit the earth six weeks after Russia launched Sputnik.

You can beat the odds. It takes work and practice, but it can happen. Good luck. Let the games begin.

LeoVegas launches BetUK

The LeoVegas Group improves its offering in the UK market with the launch of BetUK as a new sports betting brand. BetUK will be LeoVegas Group’s first brand with sports betting as the primary focus. The launch will include sponsorship of the football club Swansea City AFC, for which BetUK is the official jersey sponsor. Gustaf Hagman, LeoVegas Group CEO, ...

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NFL Club Owners Retain Stakes in DraftKings Despite Sports Betting Launch

The owners of two NFL clubs have not disposed of their stakes in daily fantasy operator turned bookmaker DraftKings as the new season is weeks away from kicking off and sports betting legalization efforts are gaining pace in multiple states.

Major US sports media outlet ESPN reported on Tuesday citing unnamed sources that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones have not sold yet their stakes in the daily fantasy company, which recently launched a mobile sports betting app in New Jersey.

Both businessmen have small stakes in DraftKings, less than 5% each, sources have confirmed. Asked to comment on the matter, a Cowboys spokesperson has told ESPN that Mr. Jones indeed owned a stake in DraftKings but his ownership was through sports hospitality company Legends and not through the football team.

However, it turns out that both Mr. Kraft and Mr. Jones are not in a conflict of interest, or at least not yet. Brian McCarthy, a spokesman for NFL, has told ESPN that under existing policies of the league, members are allowed to own equity interest in a given business that does not generate more than a third of its overall revenue from gambling services.

Where Does DraftKings’ Betting Product Stands At?

At present, fantasy sports is DraftKings’ primary product. However, in a recent interview with Yahoo Finance, CEO Jason Robins said that it will not be long before the company begins deriving the majority of its revenue from sports betting. He added that they expect that to happen in the next two to three years, depending on “how fast the states roll out”.

DraftKings joined the US sports betting scene, which is gradually expanding with every day passing, at the beginning of August. The company launched a mobile wagering product in New Jersey, a result from its partnership with Resorts Casino Hotel. DraftKings Sportsbook actually became the state’s first mobile betting app. The product offers different types of betting, including in-game bets and pre-season betting, and makes it possible for bettors to exit a wager through a ‘cash out’ feature.

Gambling consultancy Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimated that DraftKings’ revenue from daily fantasy sports stood at around $218 million in 2017. It is to be seen how much the company will generate from sports betting during the first month and throughout the rest of the year.

ESPN points out that should DraftKings’ betting revenue eventually lines up and eclipses its proceeds from daily fantasy sports, it will be a costly move for Mr. Kraft and Mr. Jones to dispose of their stakes in the company. Still, they will be forced to divest, under NFL’s current policies.

NFL has long been one of the biggest opponents of sports betting, arguing that it threatens the integrity of sports The football league is one of the four major US leagues that are seeking a share of the revenue generated by the nation’s sports betting industry in the form of an integrity fee, with NBA, NHL, and MLB being the other three.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the day’s top casino news stories.

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Almost 40 Japanese municipalities may bid for an integrated resort

According to the Japanese media outlet Nihon Keizai Shinbun, there are now almost 40 municipalities in the country that are interested in joining the bidding process for Japan’s recently approved integrated resort (IR) market. It’s going to be a tough competition, however, as only three IRs are expected to be authorized in the initial round. Any additional IR approvals won’t come for another five to seven years following the launch of the first three.

Earlier this month, Japan’s Cabinet held an “IR Explanation Meeting” with local governments and tourism officials. The turnout was better than expected and the licensing process is going to be more arduous than originally anticipated.

The Cabinet stressed in the meeting that the government wants to move quickly on selecting the finalists for the first three IR locations. If a municipality wants to be considered, it is going to have to start making preparations immediately to ensure that its bid is accepted properly.

Many anticipate that some of the municipalities will back off and decide not to try for an IR during round one. However, as indicated by the media outlet, there was little indication that so many municipalities were interested in being considered.

There are several municipalities that are considered to be a definite location for one of the first IRs. Osaka is consistently mentioned as being at the top of the list and the region’s governor, Ichiro Matsui has been pushing the country to speed up the IR location process. Other locations include Tokyo and Yokohama.

Even after the country’s Diet makes its decision on where the IRs will be located, it will still be a number of years before gambling is seen in Japan. Following the choosing of the locations, the casino operators will bid for a license and many, such as MGM, Sands and Melco, have wasted no time schmoozing the municipalities, especially Osaka. According to reports, 11 casinos have held a combined 199 meetings with Osaka’s governor since May 2017.

Once the operators are chosen, the casino designs have to be approved, which could take several months. Then, construction begins and could take four or five years—longer if Imperial Pacific is allowed to build.

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Suncity completes purchase of Vietnam casino stake

After several delays, Hong Kong-based Suncity Group has finally completed its acquisition of a 34% stake in a Vietnam casino and resort.

In its filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Suncity said the purchase was completed on Aug. 28, noting that, “Upon completion, the target has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company.”

The ‘target’ in this case is Star Admiral Ltd., which Suncity bought a 100% stake in and which will be sold to Suncity Chairman Alvin Chau Cheok Wa’s Goal Summit. The casino and resort will be built in Hoiana in Central Vietnam.

In a separate filing, the company reported a RMB1.65-billion ($242 million) loss for the first half of 2018, after last year’s RMB633-million ($93-million) loss for the corresponding period.

The company’s revenue from January to June 2018 amounted to RMB456 million ($67 million), 25.9% higher than last year for the same period. “The increase was mainly attributable to the continuous growth in sales of travel related products and services and the new source of income from provision of hotel and integrated resort management and consultancy services since the second half of 2017,” the statement read.

The purchase agreement to acquire the 34% stake for $76.8 million was initially entered into in July 2017, with the closing of the deal being pushed back to March, then to July, then finally to end of August. The delay, Suncity has said, involved waiting for approval from the bank that had lent the money to developer Hoi An South Development Ltd. Other partners in the Hoiana project are VinaCapital Group from Vietnam, as well as a subsidiary of Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Ltd. from Hong Kong.

The construction of the resort will consist of seven phases, the first of which will include a casino with 1,000 slot machines and 140 gaming tables, a hotel and a golf course.

Suncity has stated interest in acquiring more casinos, and has been looking in South Korea, the Philippines, Russia and Myanmar, as part of a shift from being top gaming promoter to also a gaming operator.

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First 50 tickets to Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Malta for 99 EUR each!

Say goodbye to summer with discounts! First 50 tickets to Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Malta for 99 EUR each! From August 28 to August 31, you can buy tickets to the conference at the hottest price — 99 EUR! Hurry up, the amount of tickets is limited! Only first 50 lucky ones will be able to obtain tickets at the ...

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Michael Copeland Takes Down WPT500 Los Angeles for $181,950

The 2018 edition of the WPT500 Los Angeles is now in the books. The tournament drew 2,509 entries who challenged their luck and tested their skills against each other at one of California’s hottest poker destinations – The Bicycle Casino. In the end, it was Michael Copeland who posed for a celebratory picture and then pocketed the first-place prize of $181,950 for outlasting his many opponents.

The final day of the tournament was played on Monday at the host casino. Nine players returned to play the final table and determine the champion. And Copeland led them into that final stage of the game with a massive chip lead.

It was a relatively short day at The Bike. The final table took less than four hours for the start-of-the-day field of nine to be whittled down to the champion. The first elimination occurred half an hour into action when Alexander Beleson’s [Ac][Qs] ran into Jorge Pineda’s pocket aces. An ace on the flopped pretty much sealed it for Pineda, while Beleson hit the rail for $17,790.

Players walked out one after another until there were just two players left at the table. More about the heads-up duel shortly. It is first important to note that Copeland entered the final day of the WPT500 as the chip leader with a massive advantage over the rest in contention with his stack of 19 million. And he never really lost momentum throughout the day.

The eventual champion was the first and only one to pass the 30 million chip mark yesterday. That happened during three-handed play. At that point, he was in possession of half of all chips in play.

Heads-Up

Copeland faced Pineda heads-up. The eventual winner had nearly three times more chips than his final opponent at the time cards were thrown in the air for the two-handed match. And it was not a long battle. It actually took around ten minutes for Copeland to finish off his last opponent.

On what turned out to be the final hand of the tournament, Pineda shoved pre-flop for 10.125 million and Copeland called. The eventual winner flipped over [Ac][Jc] to Pineda’s [10c][9h]. The board ran out [Ad][10s][8c][8s][4s] to bring the tournament to an end. Pineda hit the rail in second place, good for a cash prize of $120,610.

The WPT500 Los Angeles was the second event of the WPT500 series to take place this year, which means that it closed the popular WPT brand’s fifth season. The event featured a record number of starting flights – 16 overall. As mentioned earlier, it attracted a little over 2,509 entries who paid a buy-in fee of $570 to generate a prize pool of $1,254,500. Each of the nine players who played the final table was guaranteed a minimum cash of $17,790. And the winner scooped a first-place prize of $181,950, the WPT500 champion’s trophy and another trophy from the host casino.

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partypoker Caribbean Poker Party to Challenge PokerStars' Caribbean Adventure in Bahamas with $22M in Guarantees

Who wouldn't want to spend a vacation on a warm sunny beach and play poker this November? Hundreds of players are vying to get a spot for the upcoming partypoker Caribbean Poker Party located in Bahamas, where the poker operator is hoping to make a good impression with a live series in a place that for almost 15 years has been the home of PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. This new segment added to partypoker's LIVE MILLIONS series is scheduled from November 9 to 18, 2018. The setting is the brand[...]

Belarusian online gambling launch date confirmed

The Belarusian tax ministry has confirmed the country will regulate online gambling from the start of April 2019. Vladimir Mukvich, the Deputy Tax and Duties Minister, informs that there would be a transitional period lasting for two years, through the 1st of April 2019, when online operators would be able to apply for an online gaming licence. Mukvich added that ...

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South Korea’s K International considers Russian casino

A casino operator out of South Korea is looking to open operations in Russia. Asia Gaming Brief (AGB) reported that K International Incorporated has been discussing the possibility of opening a project with the state-owned Primorsky Krai Development Corporation (PKDC), the entity managing the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Resort (PIER) zone near Vladivostok.

K International reportedly wants to build a $263.6-million hotel and entertainment complex in the PIER. The complex would include the hotel, a casino, a shopping center and a duty-free zone to the area and would be built on a 49-acre parcel of land.

The PIER is a casino-friendly project established by the Russian government. It already has seen the completion of the Tigre De Cristal resort, built at a cost of $144 million, and NagaCorp Limited’s Naga Vladivostok resort is in the works. Additionally, the $900-million Selena World Resort and Casino, a project planned by Russia’s Diamond Fortune Holdings company, will soon open its first phase.

Of the land that was allocated for the PIER zone, 118 acres are still available. K International’s resort would consume a large chunk of this land and the company has been considering launching a project in the area for some time.

PKDC interim General Director Igor Trofimov confirmed that the group had been negotiating a possible venue with K International. He told AGB, “We have been engaged in negotiations since the beginning of this year. The company accepts the terms of cooperation and is ready to sign the contract. For the implementation of the project, it considers a 20-hectare site with a fairly flat landscape.”

K International Vice President Lee Dong Tek expects the final designs for the project to be completed by November. Once complete, they will be submitted to a working group led by Andrei Larin, deputy governor for the PKDC. He further indicated that the company will also request participation in a scheduled auction for rights to sub-lease a portion of the PIER space.

According to AGB, the project will be funded through a partnership between K International and “subsidiaries of the largest Korean corporations.” That partnership will result in the formation of a holding company that will subsequently fund and manage the project.

The post South Korea’s K International considers Russian casino appeared first on CalvinAyre.com.

Michael Copeland Holds Massive Chip Lead Into Final Day of WPT500 Los Angeles

The WPT500 Los Angeles in entering its closing stage after nine days of quality poker action at The Bicycle Casino in the Los Angeles area. The $570 buy-in tournament drew a field of 2,509 warriors, all eyeing the first-place prize and the accolades that accompany a champion. However, there are just nine of them left in contention and it is a matter of hours before it becomes clear who will be the one to claim the title.

The massive field of the event was generated through sixteen starting flights, played over eight days. This was the largest WPT500 tournament in terms of flights featured. The event offered a guaranteed prize pool of $1 million, but the guarantee was eventually crushed to reach $1,254,500. Each of the nine remaining contenders is guaranteed a minimum payout of $17,790. And the winner will take home a nice cash prize of $181,950 and the tournament trophy.

The nine hopefuls are set to resume action at the Live At The Bike studio located inside the host casino. Nine-handed play will commence at 1 pm local time and the remaining contenders will play down to a winner. It is also important to note that action will resume from Level 33 with blinds at 100,000-200,000.

Michael Copeland Leads the Pack of Nine

Day 2 of the event was played Sunday at The Bike. Play commenced with 124 players and lasted until WPT regular Minh Nguyen was eliminated in 10th place for $17,790 in prize money. The player hit the rail after failing to hold up against Michael Copeland. As for Copeland, the chips he collected from Nguyen helped him cement his lead.

The player bagged and tagged a massive stack at the end of the day and will thus lead the nine finalists into the final Day 3 with 19 million in chips. Copeland secured a big chip advantage over everyone else left in contention. The player was the only one of all nine to have passed the ten million mark. It is also important to note that Copeland’s stack is good for 95 big blinds.

Jorge Pineda collected the second largest stack last night worth 7.2 million in chips or 36 big blinds. Erik Nason with 5.375 million/27 big blinds rounded out the chip counts podium at the end of Day 2 play.

Aaron Messmer with 4.725 million (24 big blinds), Jose Torres with 3.25 million (16 big blinds), Luke Nguyen with 2.755 million (14 big blinds), Travis Tachibana with 2.5 million (13 big blinds), Alexander Beleson with 2.25 million (11 big blinds), and Sanjay Mayekar with 1.875 million (9 big blinds) were the other players to make it through Day 2 of the tournament and secure a coveted seat into the nine-handed finale. As mentioned above, each and everyone of them has locked a minimum payout of $17,790, but the first-place prize will be what all of them will be vying for.

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WPT Announcer to Star in Upcoming Film �Walk to Vegas'

Vince Van Patten, an announcer for the World Poker Tour, who co-wrote and starred in an upcoming poker film. After the movie Molly's Game that was released last year, poker fans have a new movie coming their way very soon and its main cast is the World Poker Tour's Vince Van Patten. According to IMDb.com, "Walk to Vegas" is based on a true story about Hollywood big shots who will bet on anything. The film was written by Van Patten himself and Steve Alper. It was directed by Eric Balfour who ha[...]

South Korea’s K International considering Russian casino

A casino operator out of South Korea is possibly looking to open operations in Russia. Asia Gaming Brief (AG Brief) reports that K International Incorporated has been discussing the possibility of opening a project with the state-owned Primorsky Krai Development Corporation (PKDC), the entity managing the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Resort (PIER) zone near Vladivostok.

K International reportedly wants to build a $263.6-million hotel and entertainment complex in the PIER. The complex would include the hotel, a casino, a shopping center and a duty-free zone to the area and would be built on a 49-acre parcel of land.

The PIER is a casino-friendly project established by the Russian government. It already has seen the completion of the Tigre De Cristal resort, built at a cost of $144 million, and NagaCorp Limited’s Naga Vladivostok resort is in the works. Additionally, the $900-million Selena World Resort and Casino, a project planned by Russia’s Diamond Fortune Holdings company, will soon see the opening of its first phase.

Of the land that was allocated for the PIER zone, 118 acres are still available. K International’s resort would consume a large chunk of this land and the company has been considering launching a project in the area for some time.

PKDC interim General Director Igor Trofimov confirmed that the group had been negotiating a possible venue with K International. He told AG Brief, “We have been engaged in negotiations since the beginning of this year. The company accepts the terms of cooperation and is ready to sign the contract. For the implementation of the project, it considers a 20-hectare site with a fairly flat landscape.”

K International Vice President Lee Dong Tek anticipates having the final designs for the project completed by this November. Once complete, they will be submitted to a working group led by Andrei Larin, deputy governor for the PKDC. He further indicated that the company will also request participation in a scheduled auction for rights to sub-lease a portion of the PIER space.

According to AG Brief, the project will be funded through a partnership between K International and “subsidiaries of the largest Korean corporations.” That partnership will result in the formation of a holding company that will subsequently fund and manage the project.

The post South Korea’s K International considering Russian casino appeared first on CalvinAyre.com.

Jackpot.de To Integrate Content From Bgaming

SoftSwiss and Bgaming, two respectable companies that have combined their brands to offer both catalogs of white-label software and cryptocurrency products, are entering a new phase of unity by signing a partnership with Jackpot.de.

The rapidly growing brand decided to include its games on Germany’s popular social casino platform after a successful showcasing at this year’s iGB Live! In Amsterdam.

A Multiple Contract

Apart from signing a supply deal with Jackpot.de whose platform is centered around gameplay for virtual chips, Bgaming has also pinned multiple agreements with other websites relative to the brand, includng MyJackpot.com, VeraVegas.com and Merkur24.com.

An important component of each site is its internal credit system that can be augmented via social activities and real money acquisitions. More importantly, the website’s social status has even launched a promotional campaign on public television, becoming a major source of success in Germany. In addition, other countries where the Jackpot brand is among top-performing domains, have also initiated a similar project.

iGaming Sphere Expansion

Since the merging, Bgaming has invested a lot of energy into making integrations with potential industry partners. The team is on constant lookout, finding new and innovative ways to incorporate its catalog of vibrant casino games and widen the iGaming sphere.

A lot of highly rated gaming platforms such as 7Bit Casino, Oshi, BetChan and mBit now feature supplier’s fantastic releases, including Aztec Magic Deluxe, Platinum Lightning Deluxe and Fire Lightning. The library is perhaps small in size, but the provider has promised a new product line until the end of 2018.

In summary, the brand’s offerings will launch alongside other top-ranking software releases from BetSoft and Pragmatic Play, guaranteeing countless hours of entertainment on Jackpot.de.

Source:

“Games from Bgaming go social on Jackpot.de”, softswiss.com, August 24, 2018.

Dustin Gottstein Emerges as WPT500 Los Angeles Overall Chip Leader

Saturday was an eventful day at The Bicycle Casino in the Los Angeles area as the ongoing WPT500 Los Angeles finally concluded its starting flights stage. Over the course of the past eight days, as many as 2,509 entrants paid the $570 buy-in fee to try their luck and challenge their skills in one of WPT’s most exclusive series.

Of the original field, only 124 will progress into Day 2 action which starts today at 1 pm local time. Action will kick off from Level 19, the earliest finish of all 16 starting flights, with blinds standing at 4,000/8,000.

Day 1O of the tournament was played yesterday at The Bike. It was the largest one of all starting flights, drawing 460 players. There were only 23 finalists left at the end of the day. They will advance into Day 2 led by Dustin Gottstein who bagged the largest stack last night. The player collected 1.334 million in chips.

It is important to note that this was not only Day 1O’s biggest chip stack, but also the biggest one bagged throughout all sixteen starting flights. In other words, Gottstein has finally replaced Day 1A chip leader Peter Hengsakul at the top of the overall chip counts chart.

Day 1P Recap

Day 1P (Turbo) was the event’s final starting flight. It was, too, played yesterday at The Bike. The flight attracted 189 entries who were eventually whittled down to just nine players. Paul Lee bagged the largest stack of that closing starting flight. The player will enter Day 2 with 830,000 worth of chips.

As mentioned above, Gottstein will begin Day 2 as the overall chip leader with 1.334 million, followed by Day 1A’s Hengsakul with 1.151 million. It is interesting to note that Hengsakul is looking to improve his third-place finish in the previous edition of the WPT500 Los Angeles. The tournament was played at The Gardens Casino last May. Hengsakul made it to the podium, but could only claim the bronze and a third-place prize of $100,000.

Alexander Beleson, the Day 1G chip leader, will enter Day 2 action with the third largest chip stack of all 124 remaining hopefuls with 1.114 million. And Thomas Zanot is the last player to have passed the one million mark. Zanot was the Day 1I chip leader and bagged 1.1 million at the end of that starting flight.

The 2,509-strong field of the WPT500 Los Angeles created a prize pool of $1,254,500, easily crushing the $1-million guarantee. It is yet to be announced how much the winner will be awarded.

Day 2 of the tournament is set for a 1 pm start at The Bike, known to be one of California’s hottest poker destinations. The remaining hopefuls will be contending for a spot among the final nine. The nine finalists will then return to the host casino on Monday to play down to a champion.

The post Dustin Gottstein Emerges as WPT500 Los Angeles Overall Chip Leader appeared first on Casino News Daily.

BtoBet Appoints Cerna As Head of Gaming

An important aspect of growing a successful business in the gambling industry is achieved through strengthening the company’s leadership. On that account, BtoBet has made the next step towards bolstering the group’s structure by appoiting Jean-Baptiste Cerna as its Head of Gaming.

After entering the Peruvian market, the major sportsbook and iGaming provider is using all the necessary opportunities to keep up with the fast-paced and ever-changing industry. By appointing a huge expert such as Cerna, who possesses enormous knowledge of various gaming scenarios, the company will ensure a leading position in the industry, and, according to Jean-Baptiste, his new role will be based on a threefold principle:

“My first responsibility is to bring a direct business point of view in different aspects of our Gaming Platform. Having a clear vision of the needs from both the operator’s side and ultimately the players themselves, I have to translate those requirements in evolutions and functionalities to make our platform a ‘must to play on’.”

Guidelines For Best Player Experience

The expert added that his new mission as head of gaming at BtoBet also includes the improvement of clients’ operations, as well as to establish strategy that would ensure maximum player experience on all gaming platforms. In addition to his statement, the group’s chairman, Alessandro Fried, said that adding Cerna to the team will help transforming the company’s strategic growth, which is crucial for further evolution on the market and the overall improvement of products.

Perhaps the greatest asset of BtoBet is its talented and well-trained development team, who manages to completely personalize sports betting opportunities and iGaming offerings, both for mobile and retail. The company’s technical branches are located all over Europe, but its main teams are stationed in Macedonia, Serbia, Italy and so on.

Source:

“BtoBet Bolsters Its Structure With New Head Of Gaming”, George Miller, europeangaming.eu, August 22, 2018.

Best-Performing Slots from Yggdrasil Available On BetVictor

Providers of astonishing casino software and gaming products, Yggdrasil Gaming, pinned a deal with BetVictor on August 21st. The supply agreement will see aggregator’s top-performing and groundbreaking titles such as Vikings Go To Hell, Tut’s Twister and Easter Island go live on the operator’s platform, whose portfolio already boasts an extensive list of development companies.

More importantly, the partnership will cover a wide range of regulated markets, giving Yggdrasil’s award-winning releases a chance to reach new audience.

Maximum Cross-Sell Opportunities

The companies have also agreed on implementing proprietary in-game promotional tools, BOOST and BRAG. Regularly updated and enhanced, these features offer huge potential to operators, mainly in terms of running promotions from within the game client, as well as maximum cross-selling contingency.

Likewise, a more personalized user experience is included, giving players additional possibilities to partake in tournaments, leader boards and cash races. Yggdrasil’s promotional tools also guarantee increased revenues and user engagement.

Enriched Gaming Sector

Commenting on the newly signed deal, Yggdrasil CEO, Fredrik Elmqvist, expressed much delight for partnering with BetVictor, as it represents a reputable online hub in the gaming sector.

With this in mind, inking a content deal with one of the biggest names in the industry isn’t an unknown term for the group, since many leading operators have stepped forward to demand its innovative and record-breaking content. Elmqvist and his team are really looking forward to working with their new partner, emphasizing an interesting period that lies ahead of both companies.

Two More WPT500 Los Angeles Flights Now in the Books, Only Two More Left

Poker excitement is building up at The Bicycle Casino where the latest installment of the WPT500 is taking place. The ongoing WPT500 Los Angeles is a special one. The $570 buy-in tournament features a record number of starting flights, which means a record number of opportunities for player to join the field.

Two more starting flights were completed on Friday at the host casino and there are just two more left before the remaining survivors head to The Bike for Day 2 of the major tournament.

A massive field was built on Day 1M of the event. There were 301 players to enter through that starting flight. However, only 15 of them were lucky and persistent enough to make it through the very end and bag and tag for the night. They will have one day for a much-deserved rest and to craft their strategies of how to approach the Day 2 field. Day 2 of the tournament will be played Sunday at the casino.

Jose Gallardo finished the Day 1M starting flight as the chip leader among the 15 remaining hopefuls. The player had a total of 975,000 in chips at the end of the day. Jose Torres finished second in chips with 677,000 and Derek Lacock collected the third largest stack of 636,000 in chips.

About Day 1N

The Turbo-structure Day 1N also took place on Friday at the host casino. It drew 100 warriors seeking a shot at the title and the first-place prize. After 22 levels of play, there were only five players left to whom the original field had been whittled down.

Adin Gardenswartz was the one to put the largest stack in his end-of-the-day bag. The player had a total of 616,000 at that point. He was followed by David Marshall with 492,000 and Martin Zamani with 348,000. Kai Yang and Robert Rubano were the other two players to have survived through the end of the day. They bagged 287,000 and 244,000, respectively.

The final starting flights of the event are set to be played later today. They might turn out to be the biggest ones so far as they will be interested players’ last opportunity to join the event. The tournament features unlimited re-entries until registration for each of the two starting flights played over a day closes at the beginning of Level 9.

As mentioned earlier, Day 2 is slated for commencement at 1 pm local time at the host casino. It will see the survivors from all the starting flights brought together for the first time. The remaining hopefuls will play down to the final nine who will come back at The Bike on Monday to clash it out until a single player remains on the field. It is yet to be announced how much exactly that one final player will be awarded for their deed.

The WPT500 Los Angeles has drawn 1,860 entries so far and there are 93 to have made it through their respective starting flights.

The post Two More WPT500 Los Angeles Flights Now in the Books, Only Two More Left appeared first on Casino News Daily.

The Star claims it’s Australia’s biggest VIP gambling operator

Australian casino operator The Star Entertainment Group is celebrating its fiscal year results despite taking a beating from VIP gamblers on a hot streak.

On Thursday, The Star delivered its preliminary final report on its performance in the 12 months ending June 30, which saw revenue rise 6% year-on-year to a record AU$2.6b (US$1.9b), while earnings slipped 19.2% to AU$484.4m and net profit after tax (NPAT) tumbled 44% to AU$148.1m.

In addition to their statutory figures, Aussie gaming firms utilize a metric known as ‘normalized’ results, which assumes a constant VIP gambling win rate, on the assertion that this provides a more accurate picture of the situation. Applying this filter, The Star’s revenue was up 15.3%, earnings gained 14.3% and NPAT rose 20.3%.

The Star also noted that its statutory NPAT suffered from AU$37m in significant items, including debt restructuring and expenses related to the launch of its refurbished Gold Coast property.

As previewed in May, The Star’s Asian VIP gamblers – bundled under the heading of ‘international VIP rebate’ business – went on a prolonged hot streak in fiscal 2018. The year’s VIP win rate came in at 1.16%, well below the 1.59% in the previous fiscal year and the 1.35% average assumed under the ‘normalized’ heading.

On the plus side, VIP turnover was up 54.3% to AU$61.2b and statutory revenue rose 11.2% to AU$711.5m. The Star threw shade at its Aussie rival Crown Resorts by claiming that its VIP business was now the largest in Australia/New Zealand.

The company credited the VIP gains to “sales-driven diversification strategy” and “market normalization,” the latter referring to Chinese VIPs getting over their fears that Beijing wanted to mount their heads on pikes outside the Imperial Palace. Bad debts also hit a record low as a percentage of revenue.

The Star’s flagship property in Sydney claimed the bulk (AU$52.5b) of this VIP turnover. The property’s statutory revenue rose 3% to AU$1.74b but earnings dipped 28.7% to AU$410m due to higher operating costs and VIP win rate slipping nearly half a point to 1.07%. Domestic visitation was up 11.4% and non-gaming revenue spiked 15%.

Queensland operations reported revenue up nearly 13% to AU$843m while earnings were flat at AU$199m. The revamped Gold Coast property opened in fiscal Q3 with an expanded gaming floor and the new 57 all-suite hotel The Darling.

As for Queen’s Wharf, The Star’s AU$2.4b major integrated resort joint venture in Brisbane, the company says the project remains on schedule and on budget, with demolition works completed and foundation excavation work commenced.

Looking forward, The Star claims that FY19 has so far enjoyed “broad-based revenue growth” across all segments, while VIP turnover was said to be “pleasing.”

The post The Star claims it’s Australia’s biggest VIP gambling operator appeared first on CalvinAyre.com.

GameArt introduces jackpot games

GameArt is one of the young and quickly developing companies in the modern gambling market. From 2013 onwards, the provider succeeds in creating quality software for clients from different regions, e.g., Serbia, Slovenia, the UK, Malta, and many others. GameArt is pleased to announce a new stage of its development – the release of games with jackpots. The first batch ...

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