Police have arrested 19 Chinese nationals for being allegedly involved in online gambling activities. Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2Police have arrested 19 Chinese nationals including a woman for being allegedly involved in online gambling activitiesduring separate raids at two luxury premises in Jalan Raja Chulan, here,onTuesday.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said all the suspects,aged between 20 and 45 years, were detained by a team from the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7).

Police also seized laptops and mobile phones of various brands worth RM200,000.

Mazlan said investigations revealed that the syndicate was promotingcrypto-currency stock gambling activitiestargeting victims in China using the WeChat application.

The syndicate canrake inup to RM150,000 a day, reaching RM4.5 million in a month, he said.

They had beencarrying out their operation from the rentedluxury premisesfor almost two months, he said in a statement here today.

Mazlan said all suspects had entered Malaysia as tourists using social visit passes and wereremanded for 14 days under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. Bernama

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Police nab 19 Chinese nationals involved in online gambling - Malay Mail

Increased interest in bingo activities in Denmark and the Netherlands has prompted regulators to issue a warning to parties hosting such activities.

Amid Denmarks lockdown, enforced as a measure against COVID-19, Spillemyndigheden, the Danish Gambling regulator, detected an increase in unlicensed bingo games.

Similar to Denmark, the Netherlands has observed increased traffic for online bingo games. The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), which is the countrys gambling regulator, announced on Friday, May 1, that it had received many more reports about online bingos than before the corona crisis.

The Spillemyndigheden director Morten Niels Jakobsen commented on the subject cited by iGamingBusiness:

We certainly understand that at this particular time, there is a great desire to unite people through enjoyable entertainment such as bingo games, which is a game that can easily be adapted to the current requirements to keep distance.

Although the regulator was aware that private games between friends were happening, the regulator discussed cases where people play for money or run bingo rooms for personal gain.

Jakobsen explained that if a game involved profit or a financial prize, and a deposit was required to participate, the host of the game must have a license from the regulator to run the activity.

This is not a restrictive measure, Jakobsen explained, but rather a matter of compliance with the Danish Act on Gambling.

When gambling was legalized in Denmark in 2012, the countrys regulator began hunting for unapproved gambling websites. In light of the lockdown, Spillemyndigheden has stepped its efforts in clamping down on unregulated operators targeting Danish players. In March, the regulator sought to block 17 illegal gambling websites, 16 of which were suspended last week.The 17th operated had opted out of the country voluntarily.

This is not the first time the Danish Gaming Authority has won a case against illegal gambling operators. Back in 2018, Danish telecoms were ordered to block 24 gaming websites following a court case won by Spillemyndigheden. Among the banned sites were seven skin betting sites, two online sportsbooks and seven online casinos.

With the latest move, the number of gambling websites that have been suspended in Denmark has reached 90.

Given recent events and increased interest in online bingo, the Danish Gambling Authority has issued a warning to avoid running games where a prize or deposit involved. For such games to take place, each organizer will have to go through the process of obtaining a license from the regulator.

Linda Lomborg, Head of Responsible Gambling and Charity Lotteries at the Danish Gambling Authority commented, cited by iGamingBusiness: If organizers are in any doubt about whether a bingo event is legal, they are always welcome to contact us.

She continued that the regulators employees can guide bingo event organizers in order to make sure that they comply with the rules and regulations.

Meanwhile in the Netherlands, KSA acknowledged an increase in bingo activities. The regulator noted that many games were organized by people with good hearts, granting those parties temporary leniency with regards to obtaining a license. However, any activities organized with the specific purpose of personal gain or scamming people would prompt KSA to act swiftly, the regulator concluded.

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Denmark and the Netherland Rattle Regulatory Sabers - GamblingNews.com

The Problem Gambling Foundation is concerned by a rise in people using online lotto and gambling sites during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Lotto app. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

Physical premises have been shut to customers, but gamblers can still access services from computers, mobile phones and tablets.

Lotto sales have been reduced to about 60 percent of normal sales, because of the store closures, Lotto New Zealand said.

"We expected to see a significant drop in sales during the lockdown, as we would normally see around 75 percent of our sales come from retail stores, and 25 percent online," it said.

However, about 125,000 customers had registered with MyLotto online, which had resulted in a more than twice the normal online sales.

Casino operator SkyCity said its online offering has been trading strongly over the past two months. It now has more than 15,000 registered users on the site.

Problem Gambling Foundation chairman Richard Northey said online gambling was dangerously accessible.

"If they're at home they can access [it] straight away, particularly among younger people, who in the lockdown are looking for other recreational opportunities."

Northey said international gambling sites were particularly bad as they did not show any responsibility.

The foundation has had to close all clinics during the lockdown, but counselling was still being offered by phone and video calls.

New Zealanders spent about $2402 million on gambling carried out within the country in the 2018/19 financial year, including $530m on Lotto and $616m at casinos, Department of Internal Affairs data shows.

Data from the Health Promotion Agency showed most people are gambling less, or about the same.

The report revealed:

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Punters move online as Lotto, SkyCity report increased activity in lockdown - RNZ

The lockdown has become a rehab of sorts for some of the countrys worst gambling addicts and is giving many a real chance to kick the habit for good.

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With pokies venues closed, gambling addicts have been forced to take a break. Source: 1 NEWS

Experts say the prolonged closure of all gambling venues has broken the usual pattern of addiction for hundreds of people, who would usually spend hours every week at the pokies.

One recovering gambling addict, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told 1 NEWS the sudden closure had changed her life by removing the temptation.

It sort of gave me a wake up call that I don't want to be this person anymore, I don't want to have to rely on something that is so draining, she says.

The woman had battled with gambling for 20 years, and had at times gone without food to feed her habit, but is now engaging with support services and proud to say she was two months clean.

It's almost like, as if, like you've gone into your own rehab really, the only difference is you've got your home comforts, you've got people who love you, who support you.

The Problem Gambling Foundation says the lockdown has helped around half of its clients and believes the break is a real chance for many to beat their habit.

Communications director Andree Froude says many had experienced an enormous sense of relief.

People who normally gamble on pokies at a physical venue, they don't find the same experience online gambling, and what we've heard from some of our clients is there's just not that attraction there to gamble online, she says.

So with pokie venues closed, they've got more money in their pockets, they're not gambling at all.

The Salvation Army had also seen a similar pattern at its Oasis support programme, saying the break was helping many of its clients to realise they could live without gambling.

But their national director of services, Lynette Hutson, was concerned it could create a false sense of security as restrictions lift and venues reopen.

That return to normality, so to speak, does become a trigger for people to engage more in gambling and those who might be on the cusp of having a problem, being drawn into it, she says.

We're worried that we're going to see people almost binging on going to the pokies, going to venues and gambling way more than they intended to, and falling into behaviours.

Theyre now urging all gambling providers to take extreme care to monitor harmful gambling when premises to reopen, saying that responsibility is part of their obligation under New Zealand law.

It is reasonably obvious to spot, so we would want staff at venues and sites to think about how they could intervene.

Reopening is a terrifying prospect for the recovering gambler who spoke to 1 NEWS anonymously.

It's actually really scary, just you saying that makes my lips dry, it makes me think, am I strong enough to not do it? So then your mind will think, just do it once, just do it once, you can do it once, what's once going to do.

However, she praised the help of the support services, and encouraged others facing the same problem to get help.

In six months time, where am I going to be? Am I going to be the same person? If I keep doing what I did before the lockdown, then sure, I'm going to be the same person.

Now may just be the best chance many get to beat the addiction once and for all.

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Lockdown could be the enforced rehab gambling addicts need, say experts - 1News

Sir, We are writing to ask that the chief executives of Paddy Power/Betfair, Boyle Sports, Ladbrokes and other gambling operators immediately implement mandatory deposit and spending limits on their online gambling platforms in Ireland for the duration of the Covid-19 lockdown. A system of mandatory deposit limits already exists for the National Lotterys online platform.

Several European countries, including Latvia, Lithuania, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Finland and Portugal, have already implemented restrictions on online gambling and advertising on the basis that people are more vulnerable to gambling problematically during the lockdown. On April 21st, the UKs culture minister wrote to the chief executives of the five largest gambling operators to ask them to take extra steps to protect players at this time of heightened risk.

Live sport is extremely limited at the moment, so vulnerable people are turning to virtual sports, online slots and casino gambling. According to the Gambling Commission, 9.2 per cent who bet on casino games online had an addiction, in contrast with 2.5 per cent of online sports gamblers.

The UKs gambling self-exclusion service, Gamstop, has experienced a large increase in people seeking to break their self-exclusion, since the lockdown began. In Australia, consumer spending on online gambling has increased by 67 per cent in recent weeks.

The last thing the gambling industry would want to be accused of is taking advantage during a time of unprecedented crisis. Yours, etc,

Prof COLIN OGARA,

Consultant Psychiatrist,

St John of God Hospital,

Stillorgan, Co Dublin;

OISN McCONVILLE,

Addiction Counsellor,

Newry, Co Down;

BARRY GRANT,

Addiction Counsellor,

Problem Gambling Ireland,

Waterford.

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Online gambling in a time of crisis - The Irish Times

With brick-and-mortar casinos across the United States shut down to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, public health advocates are concerned that a shift to online wagering may lead to an increase in problematic behaviors.

Gov. Phil Murphy ordered the indefinite closing of Atlantic Citys nine casinos March 16 but permitted online gaming to continue. Industry experts expect an escalation in online gaming activity because of the retail casino closings, and the anticipated growth in internet play has gambling addiction professionals worried.

We believe every risk factor for gambling problems is increasing right now, said Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.

ATLANTIC CITY More than $700,000 a day in casino-related taxes and fees has been lost sinc

The social distancing measures recommended by government health officials exacerbate conditions such as loneliness, isolation and depression that lead to problem behaviors, Whyte said.

Its kind of a perfect storm, he said. (Casino) closures and quarantine can increase risk factors, theres a shift to online gambling which may have some higher risk factors and then the impact on state budgets (for gambling addiction resources and programs) may disproportionately impact available behavioral health services.

Academic studies show a majority of people who gamble are able to do so responsibly. The NCPG estimates 2% to 3% of Americans display some form of problem gambling behavior.

But, according to a report published by the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University, the rate of problem gambling disorders and behaviors increases for online players.

Some gamblers, such as Devy Goodrich, of North Philadelphia, are aware of the potential pitfalls of online gaming. Goodrich, a member of the Everything AC Casinos Facebook group, said he would rather wait for Atlantic Citys casinos to reopen than try his luck online.

I believe that online gambling is more addicting than in-house due to the fact that there is more leeway to pull out of your account than when you can exercise better caution when you are in possession of your ATM card, he said.

ATLANTIC CITY A two-month shutdown of the states casino industry will lead to $1.1 billio

Internet gaming in New Jersey has been steadily growing since it was legalized and regulated more than six years ago. In 2014, the first full year of online gaming, revenue from internet wagering was less than 5% of the industrys annual total. In 2019, revenue from online gaming (not including online sports wagering) accounted for nearly 15% of the industrys total. The $482.7 million in internet gaming revenue last year was nearly 62% higher than the total in 2018.

Neva Pryor, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, said she was very concerned about problem gamblers during the pandemic. She said that, as is common with other addictive behaviors, some might use gambling as an escape.

A lot of people are going to reach out to gambling, theyre going to reach out to substances and other activities that might prove to be harmful, and then come out of it with a problem, Pryor said.

Online gaming provides users with tools to mitigate those problems, Pryor said. New Jersey regulations include provisions for self-exclusion lists, and most internet sites that operate in the state allow players to limit how much and how often they gamble.

The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey has also found new ways to connect with those who are vulnerable to problem gambling behaviors, including tele-therapy, webinars, social media and hosting Gamblers Anonymous meetings over the phone.

We have to reinvent ourselves, Pryor said. I would suggest that theres probably more help out there now than before, because were constantly putting the message out there.

The COVID-19 outbreak will not entirely change player behavior, even if the retail casinos are closed. Some gamblers are confident they can continue playing online, and it may even benefit their bankroll in the long run.

ATLANTIC CITY Gov. Phil Murphy ordered the closure of the citys nine casinos, effective M

I gamble online almost every weekend if I dont go to Atlantic City, said Andrea Marano Mercer, of Brick Township, Ocean County. I find I spend less actually. If Im there, Im more tempted to take out more money. At home, I can just shut the computer off and walk away.

Lone cyclist on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

The casino floor is closed at Caesars Atlantic City, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Pleasant weather brought out a few strollers on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

The beach was quite with the exception of a few lone strollers off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Pleasant weather brought out a few strollers on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Sign announces the closing of Caesars Atlantic City as a result of the Covid-19 virus off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Wet Willies sits idle, closed as a result of the Covid-19 virus, inside Resorts, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Margaritaville sits empty, closed a result of the Covid-19 virus, inside Resorts off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Resorts Casino Hotel is closed a result of the Covid-19 virus, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Council Oak Fish sits empty, closed a result of the Covid-19 virus, inside Hard Rock, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is closed, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is closed, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

The buds on trees were out, but shoppers were not along Michigan Avenue at Tangers Outlet the Walk in Atlantic City on Thursday.

Sign on the Reebok store was similar to many along Michigan Avenue at Tangers Outlet Atlantic City, announcing that they are closed as a result of the Covid-19 virus, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

With stores closed as a result of Covid-19 precautions, it was a ghost town along Michigan Avenue at Tangers Outlet Atlantic City,, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some ventured to the beach for a walk, at Albany Avenue, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some ventured to the beach for a walk, at Albany Avenue, off the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Even though the weather was pleasant Thursday, there were few people on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Noontime traffic was light along Pacific Avenue, in Atlantic City, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Noontime traffic was light along Pacific Avenue, in Atlantic City, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Even though the weather was pleasant, there were few people on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Joanne Imperatore, of Egg Harbor City, was wearing her mask but was still happy to be on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. She said there would have been many more people on the Boardwalk on a pleasant day like today. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Joanne Imperatore, of Egg Harbor City, was wearing her mask but was still happy to be on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. She said there would have been many more people on the Boardwalk on a pleasant day like today. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Kylie Kertz, of Egg Harbor City, was still feeding the cats that live under the Atlantic City Boardwalk Thursday for Alley Cat Allies, an organization that tends to the wild cats. The Bethesda, Maryland-based organization will continue to feed and care of community cats, according to founder and president Becky Robinson. We have read nothing in any of the orders issued by various jurisdictions that prohibit on-going care and feeding of community cats, Robinson said. To discontinue care and feeding to which the cats have grown accustomed would be to put them in grave danger. Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

The porte cochere at Resorts was empty with the casino hotel closed as a Covid-19 precaution, off North Carolina Avenue, off Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Even though the weather was pleasant, there were few people on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Even though the weather was pleasant, there were few people on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

A group of men walk on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Some people wore masks as a Covid-19 precaution strolling along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Stores are closed as a result of the coronavirus and there are no strollers along Michigan Avenue at Tangers Outlet Atlantic City, Thursday,March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Stores are closed as a result of the coronavirus and there are no strollers along Michigan Avenue at Tangers Outlet Atlantic City, Thursday,March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Stores are closed as a result of the coronavirus and there are no strollers along Michigan Avenue at Tangers Outlet Atlantic City, Thursday,March 26, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

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Pandemic isolation, shift to online gambling set up 'perfect storm,' experts say - Press of Atlantic City

MIAMI, April 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Miami residents, neighborhood and homeowners' associations, and businessesincluding some founded by Norman Bramanhave brought a legal action to stop a back door deal between City officials and a local development group paving the way for casino gambling throughout the City of Miami. According to Norman Braman, "The latest filing is a motion to intervene in the federal case in which a bogus lawsuit was 'settled' through a sweetheart deal and as an end around the zoning code. The City and West Flagler were on the same side," Mr. Braman said, "leaving Miami citizens on the outside whose interests were otherwise trampled on by City officials."

The motion filed by Mr. Braman and other Miami residents property owners seeking to make certain that the federal court does not enforce any "settlement" while the residents' state court lawsuit proceeds to invalidate the underlying interpretation of City code on which the federal "settlement" explicitly relies.

"We regret to be forced to file this motion to protect the right of all Miami residents to have a say as to whether Miami should allow gambling," said Norman Braman, who has opposed gambling and championed voter participation in Miami for over 30 years. "But we have an obligation to preserve our rights," he continued. "West Flagler's claimed right to have a jai alai fronton in Edgewater is a 2012 letter issued in secret and obtained without any notice or process. If the City of Miami is going to allow gamblingand I've long said it should notthen notice must be given to Miami's residents so that they can have a meaningful say and hold elected officials responsible."

"It's unfortunate that the City Attorney and West Flagler entered into this settlement approving a gambling facility in the midst of the ongoing health crisis. But the pandemic will not prevent Miami's citizens from protecting their quality of life or from ensuring the City's long-term prosperity. We will take those actions necessary to protect our rights, and we hope the City Attorney and West Flagler refrain from further action towards advancing a gambling facility while the public is focused on more important issues."

The proposed Intervenors, including businesses founded by Mr. Braman, are represented by Stearns Weaver Miller.

Contact: Gene Stearns(305) 789-3400estearns@stearnsweaver.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/miami-businesses-and-residents-oppose-measure-by-city-attorney-allowing-gambling-in-edgewater-as-residents-and-mayor-struggle-with-covid-19-301033836.html

SOURCE Stearns Weaver Miller

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Miami Businesses and Residents Oppose Measure by City Attorney Allowing Gambling in Edgewater as Residents and Mayor Struggle with COVID-19 - Yahoo...

The cancellation of the NCAA mens basketball tournaments opening weekend (March 19-22)typically one of the biggest betting events of the yearhas left what some bookies estimate is a $140-million wound in the betting industry. All that disposable income hasnt gone unwagered, however. Some savvy gamblers are finding that they can chase shifting odds on the 2020 U.S. presidential election or turn a quick buck wagering on incidental proposition bets like how many times President Donald Trump tweets Chinese Virus from March 21 to 22 (if you guessed more than once, you lost) and whether Joe Biden will pick Elizabeth Warren as his running mate (bettors think shes fading; shes gone from 8-1 on March 5 to 12-1 as of Thursday), not to mention a host of politics-adjacent bets on the price of oil, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the value of Netflix stock.

Interestingly, the surge in political betting has exposed an uncomfortable gray area in the law.

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a federal ban on sports gambling in every state except Oregon, Montana, Delaware and, of course, Nevada. Since then, 40 states have at least introduced legislation to legalize sports betting, with 16 states already in some phase of implementation. But while some Vegas bookmakers post odds on an election or, say, the Academy Awards, its solely for entertainment purposes. They dont take actual bets. As of now, no state does, though a couple, such as Indiana and New Jersey, approved wagering on the most recent Oscars, possibly leaving the door open for politics in the future.

PredictIt, a political-betting website, operates openly out of Washington, D.C., taking prop bets on everything from whether Trump will be reelected to how many times hell tweet in a week, under the exemption that the site is a nonprofit collecting data for academic research. The site pays out more like the stock marketyou buy a share in, say, Kamala Harris for $0.50. If she wins, you get $1. If she loses, you get nothing. The even foggier realm of online and offshore betting sites, unleashed by the Supreme Court decision, has opened the virtual cages for betting by anyone on just about anything.

Meanwhile in the U.K., where gambling on politics has been legal for decades, elections are big business for bookies.

According to Matthew Shaddick, head of politics betting at Ladbrokes Coral Group, a betting group based in London, the past 10 years have seen steady growth on wagering on the outcomes of votes like the Scottish independence referendum and Brexit. But he says when it comes to action, nothing really compares with American politics, with its direct elections and outsize personalities.

The Trump election was huge, he says. In general, presidential elections are a nice binary optionin European elections, youve got complicated parliamentary processes. But Trump is such a well-known and controversial figure. The 2020 U.S. general election will no doubt be the next big thing. Its clear to me from all the money were taking in that it will break all the records.

Trumps surprise win in 2016 brought U.K. bookmakers around 100 million pounds of action ($123 million), Shaddick estimates, equivalent to a huge soccer match and much bigger than the Wimbledon final or any major golf tournament. He believes that Trumps bid for reelection this November could be two or three times as big. As of late this week, Ladbrokes listed Trump as even money to win over Biden, the odds-on favorite to emerge from the Democratic primaries as the partys nominee. Until recently, most oddsmakers had Trump as a heavy favorite to win reelection, but that has changed since the outbreak of Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and the stock markets tumble.

Its going to continue growing, Shaddick says. The fact that sports are shut down, the fact that theyre not going to have the Olympics, theres no doubt the U.S. election will be the biggest market we trade here.

Whether Americans are actually betting their bankrolls on the political horse racewhether legally, illegally or somewhere in betweenits clear that there is growing public interest in following the odds.

During the last Democratic debate, FanDuel, an online fantasy sports website, posted a free-to-enter $10,000 online contest where contestants had to provide the most correct answers to a series of proplike questions: Which candidate is first to mention washing your hands? And whether Joe Biden would utter his trademark term malarkey.

More akin to fantasy league football than straight-up betting, the FanDuel event was a way for sports fans to scratch their itch in the absence of a televised game. And USA Today reported that there were 60,000 unique entries.

American gambling media is also starting to follow the odds more closely. Action Network, the new one-stop site for all things sports gambling, launched by Chad Millman, a former ESPN editor who started that companys gambling news page called Chalk, has made politics a full-time beat. Other outlets, from the New York Daily News to the Baltimore Sun to Forbes have published recent updates on the presidential odds.

We serve hardcore bettors with day-to-day coverage, but this definitely matters to more than our typical base, says Katie Richcreek, a senior editor who writes about politics at Action Network. Most of our traffic on this coverage is coming through organic Google searches.

The line between bookmaking and good old political analysis is hard to detect at timesat least up to the point where money changes hands.

Being on top of your market and your assessment and being well informed is the most important thing in betting, says Angus Ham, political betting analyst and head political trader with BookMaker, who has been setting odds and betting politics since before the 1992 Clinton/Bush/Perot presidential election. You read the press wires, Real Clear Politics for a collection of articles. You watch CNN and listen to the news quite a lot. In the U.S., you look at the polls that are relevant. The three most important things are research, research and research.

Richcreek says interest started spiking before Covid-19 set in, back in the weeks leading up to Super Tuesday, but that she believes as long as sports remain on hiatus, she expects readers to follow the presidential oddswhether theyre actually putting money on the race or not.

I dont know if its because theyre interested in betting on it or if theyre looking for ways to gauge the race, Richcreek says.

There is debate about whether betting odds more accurately predict political outcomes than many models and polls, though not much evidence that one is better than the other. But Richcreek says odds might be simpler for people to understand.

As long as there are races, there will be interest in how sports books are portraying them in their odds, she says. We try to translate odds in terms that readers will understand. I think thats easier for people to understand than models.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misstated the dollar equivalent of British pounds sterling wagered on the 2016 presidential election. The correct figure is about $123 million.

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Frustrated Gamblers Turn to Politics as the Only Game in Town - Politico

Editor:

Kudos to the Reading Eagle for its March 16 editorial (Watch out for downside of gambling), which provided a direct and concise overview of the expansion of legal gambling in Pennsylvania. It is important to note that this expansion has included internet gaming, which will connect more Pennsylvanians with online gambling opportunities.

The editorial accurately noted that the state realizes profits from gambling revenues, but there is a downside. While many individuals may gamble without negative consequences, there are others who may develop a gambling disorder.

Similar to other addictions, a gambling disorder can have devastating consequences to the individual and the family. Online gaming provides the problem gambler with easier access to gambling within the privacy of his or her home. This is especially concerning during these times of social isolation, when many of us are turning to online activities. For the online problem gambler, this isolation can be devastating.

Fortunately, help is just a telephone call away. The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs supports 1-800-GAMBLER, a helpline for anyone concerned about a gambling problem. In Berks County, the Council on Chemical Abuse provides a range of prevention education services to youth, parents, and older adults. The agency website (cocaberks.org/about-addiction/problem-gambling/) has easily accessible resources.

Problem gambling can be prevented if we all take the time to better understand the nature of this addiction and how it impacts our entire community.

Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz

Reading

Editors note: Goodman-Hinnershitz is director of planning and resource development at the Council on Chemical Abuse and a city councilwoman.

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Letter: Problem gambling is a hidden addiction | Letters to the Editor - Reading Eagle

The Belarusian Premier League is huge right now. No doubt its time was coming anyway, but the coronavirus pandemic has made it the most-watched competition in European football. As the only top-tier league still playing through the crisis, however, that isnt hard. Happiest of all that Belarus is reporting virtually no infections are sports bettors, and by extension the wagering companies who accommodate them.

Internet pages are now awash with blogs, tips and previews on Slutsk v Dynamo Brest. Experts are coming out of the woodwork to steer you into the correct score/first goalscorer double in the Isloch v Smolevichi-STI blockbuster. Sports such as Taiwanese basketball, Belarusian Premier League and Tajikistan mens basketball are up approximately 2,000%, a Tabcorp spokesman told Guardian Australia. It seems any port in a storm will do for Australias legion of sports punters who contribute a not-insignificant proportion towards a gambling industry worth almost $25bn annually.

While turnover increases in the thousands might look good on paper, nobody is suggesting the Belarusian Premier League is a panacea for companies who make money out of other peoples opinions. But in a time when almost all professional sport has ground to a halt, betting on a league many might not have heard of six weeks ago shows how committed some are to getting set.

And the bookies are obliging. Been following the Russian Fiba 3x3 recently? No? Youre missing out. Tabcorp is reporting the competition as the most popular with sports punters. There was already some interest in this as it will be an Olympic sport in the next Games, but overall in the last week it is up 50%.

And it doesnt stop there. With a hit or kicked ball nowhere to be seen, Australian gamblers are being offered products once considered somewhere between esoteric and non-existent. On top of the standard suite of markets on reality TV shows in 2019, Tabcorp held $1.3m on Masterchef alone customers can invest their wagering dollar on the US election, the Nobel Peace Prize and the Time Person of the Year. For the Nobel, the eventual inventors of the vaccine for Covid-19 are the $2 favourites and the World Health Organisation are the $2 favourites to be named Time Person/People of the Year, the Tabcorp spokesman said.

If weather watching is your thing and with many of lifes pleasures on hold, it might well become a thing for many youre in luck. We have also this week opened markets on the weather punters can bet whether the temperature in each major city will go above or below a certain temperature.

It would seem a market on two flies climbing up a wall is next but horse racing and greyhound racing in Australia are still in operation. Paused in several states last week when it was reported a jockey had been tested for Covid-19, thoroughbred racing resumed in time for the weekends autumn carnival action after Mark Zahra returned a negative. The duty-of-care concerns attached to an industry that depends on animals aside, the continuation of racing is a godsend for the hundreds of thousands of people who either work in the industry or invest in it. And for those who follow it.

The situation is far grimmer in the UK. With all sport and racing now halted, industries have been decimated and multitudes left out of work.

The Racing Post, the daily bible of British horse racing and sports betting, has ceased production of its newspaper during the outbreak and is only publishing its digital edition. There isnt much to write about. In its popular What to watch on Saturday column, readers were pointed to Australian horse racing, the Belarusian Premier League (of course) and a re-run of Minder, with the connection being that the actor playing the leading role was a fan of horse racing.

These are indeed challenging times, with no end in immediate view. When approached for comment, a senior content editor at the UK betting exchange, Betconnect, duly obliged in one of his final tasks before redundancy left him jobless. It is a very hard time for many sectors and many businesses, he said. BetConnect would normally expect to trade several million pounds of bets in a regular month and spring is a particularly good time of year. Virtually none of the usual revenue will be coming our way.

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From basketball in Tajikistan to the weather: how gambling companies are riding out Covid-19 - The Guardian

The "Global Online Gambling Market 2020-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report on the global online gambling market provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the rising popularity of the freemium model. In addition, the introduction of bitcoin gambling is anticipated to boost the growth of the global online gambling market from 2020-2024.

The global online gambling market 2020-2024 is segmented as below:

Type:

Device:

Geographic Segmentation:

APAC

Europe

MEA

North America

South America

Key Trends for the global online gambling market 2020-2024 growth

This study identifies introduction of bitcoin gambling as the prime reasons driving the global online gambling market growth during the next few years.

Prominent vendors in global online gambling market 2020-2024

The report provides a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the global online gambling market, including some vendors such as 888 Holdings Plc, bet365 Group, Betsson Ab, Camelot UK Lotteries Ltd., Flutter Entertainment Plc, Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd., GVC Holdings Plc, INTRALOT SA, MGM Resorts International and William Hill Plc .

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type placement

Lottery - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Betting - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Casino - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Type

Market Segmentation by Device

Story continues

Market segments

Comparison by Device placement

Desktop - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Mobile - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Device

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

Market drivers

Volume driver - Demand led growth

Volume driver - Supply led growth

Volume driver - External factors

Volume driver - Demand shift in adjacent markets

Price driver - Inflation

Price driver - Shift from lower to higher-priced units

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Companies Mentioned

888 Holdings Plc

bet365 Group

Betsson Ab

Camelot UK Lotteries Ltd.

Flutter Entertainment Plc

Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.

GVC Holdings Plc

INTRALOT SA

MGM Resorts International

William Hill Plc

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vsch7z

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200331005348/en/

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Global Online Gambling Market 2020-2024 - Bitcoin Poised to Boost Market Growth - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo Finance

Eric Pruess at the recent IRGC meeting.

The man who oversees Iowa Gambling Treatment program says March is National Problem Gambling Month but the message has quickly changed as the coronavirus hit Iowa.

The state-licensed casinos shut down to prevent the spread of the virus but Eric Preuss says that didnt shut off all avenues to gamble. He says lottery tickets are still available, and hes heard from counterparts in other states that people are turning to the stock market to get their gambling thrill.

Trying to guess whats going to happen with the market and trying to gamble that way. So, its just very interesting, Preuss says. The one thing were doing here at the department in the midst of this thats COVID-19 related is still trying to assure that Iowans have access to care whether it be related to problem gambling or substance abuse disorder treatment.

He says thats the big message right now during this pandemic. If theyre looking for help for themselves or theyve got concerns for someone else give 1-800-BETTSOFF a call. Call Your Life Iowa, or go to the website, were still here to help, he says. Preuss says some people may turn to gambling to deal with the anxiety of the current times. But he says it is not a given how anyone will react.

Its all so individual. I think for all of us and everyone who may be listening, I think we all have our own kind of anxiety dial and how bad is this for and how bad is it for us and ourselves, Preuss says. What I keep trying to tell myself and others that I work with is just stay in the moment, take care of the things that you need to take care of for today. You cant worry about whats going to happen two weeks from now or a week from now or even tomorrow per se.

Preuss says there are some signs of possible gambling you might see in your family and friends. Are they trying to hide the gambling that might be going on. Are they lying to someone else about what might be gambling? Are they wagering or betting more than they planned to wager?, Preuss says. Preuss says you should know if you are experiencing concerns about gambling it is not something you have to handle by yourself and you are not the only one who may be dealing with it.

Youre not alone if you are having those feelings. Theres 30,000 Iowans who have a gambling disorder in any given year. And theres 314,000 adult Iowans at any given time that are experiencing some sign or symptom related to problem gambling, Preuss says. So if you are having that you are not alone. Help is just a phone call away if you want to talk to someone about it.

Preuss says there are no judgments made, and the help is available 24/7 365 days a year.

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Problem Gambling Month took on new focus with coronavirus outbreak - Radio Iowa

Spanish government limits advertising and online gaming marketing while the COVID-19 outbreak continues to grow.

Following the gambling marketing regulations implemented by the Spanish government in February 2020, a new article was published in Spains Official Gazette this Tuesday (Mar 31).

The Royal Decree article 37,11/2020 limits the communication of the gambling suppliers with the audience. The game providers will be allowed to broadcast advertisements between 1 am and 5 am. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, this is one of the governments new measures aiming to keep the economic and social order in the country.

In Februarys updated gambling regulations there was an exception for advertising which was available during live sports in the hours between 8 pm and 5 am. However, with yesterdays article, advertising will be removed entirely from Spanish broadcasts since there are no sports being played for the moment.

Spain is the second European country that was severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, the total number of infected people is more than 102,000 of which some 22,000 recovered and more than 9,000 died.

This forced the Spanish government to apply a strict lockdown and social distancing measures. While the outbreak continues to spread across Europe and Spain, the government is aiming to protect society and the economic order. Similar advertising regulations were applied in other European countries as well. In March the Dutch gaming regulator KSA noted that any advertising content related or using the virus outbreak will result in fines for the supplier who promotes it, fines to start from 50,000.

A similar move was made by MGA the Malta Gaming Authority that warned the gaming suppliers last week. The operators were notified not to use the virus outbreak for marketing purposes, but also no form of marketing can suggest that gaming can be an alternative way of employment or investment.

In the United Kingdom, MPs have expressed concern that self-isolated individuals might turn to gambling. Lawmakers have urged gambling firms to impose a gambling limit of 50 a day while the lockdown lasts.

One of the main concerns has been the shift of efforts in online advertising. With sports suspended, companies have been advertising their casinos more intensely and frequently, and casino gaming is generally considered more addictive of the two gambling activities.

The Spanish government implemented the updated regulations yesterday after the country regulator DGOJ (La Direccin General de Ordenacin del Juego) announced that in the recent weeks an increase was noticed in the gambling enterprise.

The gaming industry communication will be closely monitored by the government. All marketing content will be monitored, no personal or social media advertising will be allowed. Operators are not allowed to advertise their products as stress reliefs from the COVID-19 pandemic but also no bonuses or rewards can be offered in that relation.

Prior to the announcement of the regulations, the gaming industry noted: full collaboration with those initiatives and voiced their support in these difficult times.

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Gambling Advertising Limited in Spain Due to COVID-19 - GamblingNews.com

Casino stocks fell in a rising Monday market as the coronavirus has forced them to close their facilities, destroying revenue.

Eldorado Resorts (ERI) - Get Reportand Caesars Entertainment (CZR) - Get Reportparticularly took it on the chin.

Thats because last years announced deal under which Eldorado would take over Caesars for $8.5 billion in cash and stock has failed to gain the attention of regulators, who must approve it. The regulators are preoccupied with the coronavirus.

Other gambling stocks that are down Monday include MGM Resorts (MGM) - Get Report, Boyd Gaming (BYD) - Get Reportand Penn National Gaming (PENN) - Get Report. Las Vegas Sands (LVS) - Get Reportbucked the trend, rising 1.9%.

Eldorado has tumbled the most, down 24% to $11.46 at last check. It closed its gambling facilities two weeks ago.

The news was better for the company before the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. It said Feb. 20 that the Mississippi Gaming Commission cleared the Caesars deal. At that point, Eldorado expected to close the transaction in the first half.

Caesars shares fell 6.2% to $6.43 at last check. Two weeks ago it said it was shutting down its North American properties.

It has become clear that we must take this extreme action to help contain the virus and protect the safety and well-being of our team members and guests, Caesars CEO Tony Rodio said then in a statement .

Eldorado shares have given up 76% in the past month, and Caesars shares have dropped 48%. The S&P 500 index has declined 12% during the same period.

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Eldorado, Caesars and Other Gambling Stocks Hit as Coronavirus Shuts Casino Doors - TheStreet

The demand for oil is falling. The supply of oil is increasing. The result as even those with only the scantiest understanding of economics knows is that the price of oil must be falling.

And some. The cost of Brent crude one of the market benchmarks fell to below $23 a barrel in early trading, the lowest it has been since the US and the UK were making preparations for the invasion of Iraq in November 2002.

The fall in demand is easy enough to explain. Planes have been grounded and factories mothballed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. People are working from home and so using their cars less. Developed economies have become more service-sector dominated than they were 40 years ago but they still consume a lot of crude. And if an economy shrinks by 15% or 20% in a single quarter which looks eminently plausible for the US and Western Europe then it is going to need a lot less oil. It is as simple as that.

Whats happening to supply requires a bit more of an explanation, because with demand collapsing the normal response of the big producers would be to limit output in the hope that would stabilise the price.

This time it is different. Saudi Arabia has responded by turning the taps full on even though its own government finances will suffer from a lower oil price. Why? Because the Saudis are in a power struggle with the worlds other two major producers the US and Russia and is convinced it can endure the pain of a low oil price for longer than they can.

In this global game of chicken, Riyadh is gambling that it can eliminate competition from the US shale oil sector much of which is unviable at $20 barrel and force Moscow into accepting the need to get serious about production curbs. The Saudis ramped up the pressure at the weekend by making it clear that they were not close to a deal with the Russians.

That announcement was the trigger for the latest price fall, and all the signs are that the cost of crude will go still lower. With Donald Trump accepting the need to keep tough Covid-19 restrictions in place until the end of April, it is clear that the crisis is going to last for longer than originally expected. It wont be long before storage capacity runs out.

The current weakness of oil prices will not last for ever. Supply will go down as a result of US shale producers going out of business and an eventual deal between Riyadh and Moscow. Demand will go up, in part stimulated by falling oil prices, which lower business costs and boost consumer spending power.

But for the tide to turn one of two things need to happen. The Saudis need to stop flooding the market and consumers need to be able to spend their windfalls. Neither looks imminent.

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Saudis gambling on game of oil-price chicken - The Guardian

G

VC Holdings showed its support to a statement released Friday by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), setting out the industrys coordinated approach with 10 pledges to providing a safer betting and gaming environment during the current Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

GVC also announced further enhancements to its responsible gambling safeguards. It said collectively they will help to ensure the Groups products can continue to be enjoyed as a safe form of casual entertainment and do not lead to customers playing beyond their financial means.

With up to a quarter of the global population in some form of lock-down, there is a clear risk that house-bound individuals may become isolated, depressed or be in financial distress, the company said in a release. GVC recognises the additional risk this presents and is deeply aware of its own responsibility to protect vulnerable customers from seeking to solve financial problems through gambling, or from developing other problem gambling behaviours.

To address the additional risk, and building on its Changing for the Bettor safer gambling strategy, GVC is taking a number of decisive actions:

Commenting on the introduction of the new measures, GVC CEO Kenneth Alexander said: At this time of unprecedented uncertainty, we are more committed than ever to keeping our customers safe while they enjoy our products. We are hugely sensitive to the potential for increased risk for some who are isolated at home or may have financial difficulties with reduced access to work. Our enhanced tools give customers the power to manage their spending and time in an effective way, and we are backing this up by carefully monitoring play through our markers of harm.

As an industry, we have a clear responsibility to protect the vulnerable and we warmly welcome the coordinated approach announced today by the BGC which provides a template for strengthening player protections, Alexander concluded.

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GVC adds new gambling safeguards and backs coordinated industry action led by BGC - Yogonet International

In the past two weeks, life as we know it has changed immeasurably. Our new reality wont be easy to endure. Most of us will get bored and crave our old freedoms shopping, going to the pub, lounging in the park with friends as the weather warms up. While trapped inside, many of us will rely on technology to pass the time. Online learning resources will provide frazzled parents with teaching aides for their children; video calls to family and friends will assuage the loneliness for many older people.

But theres another, less inviting, aspect of technology. The effects of self-isolation countless hours with often no more company than a computer screen are also the perfect conditions for online gambling. Gambling companies have realised this and already appear to be using our newfound isolation to their own advantage. Where quarantine has meant a downturn for many businesses, gambling companies may see this period as a huge opportunity to increase their profit margins.

My inbox has been inundated with messages about targeted advertising, and offers aimed at people who usually place sports bets to trial other much more addictive casino-style games instead.

For some people, online gambling may be a welcome, fleeting distraction from the real world a momentary interruption to an otherwise monotonous day. But weve seen time and again how unscrupulous this industry can be, where money seems to matter more than customers safety and wellbeing.

The industry long resisted a stake reduction for fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). Earlier this year it emerged that some companies only allowed customers to watch live matches if they opened betting accounts. Just two weeks ago, the gambling firm Betway was given a record fine for accepting stolen money from high-spending VIP customers, some displaying clear signs of addiction.

I am deeply concerned that as we move further into this crisis, greater numbers of people will turn to online gambling as a distraction. In the absence of legislation, the industry itself must act responsibly. This week I wrote to the industry and called on them to impose daily spending limits. The companies havent been receptive.

More than ever, we need online gambling companies to introduce a 2 stake for slot games, and greater controls on casino content. Such limits introduce friction slowing down the speed of play, and preventing problematic gambling. Indeed, introducing a 2 limit has dramatically reduced the harm associated with FOBTs.

Online gambling isnt regulated by the same rules that exist for machine-betting shops or arcades, where there are stake or spend limits. Sitting at home on your computer, you can spend thousands of pounds in minutes, with little, if any, restrictions.

If the industry were to impose reduced stake limits, it would demonstrate that they are willing to both protect their customers safety and exercise some moral judgment. We are all facing a period of great uncertainty. I hope the gambling industry will take the necessary steps to protect the vulnerable at a time when its needed most.

Carolyn Harris is the Labour MP for Swansea East

Continued here:

Isolation will fuel gambling addiction. We must protect those at risk - The Guardian

Niall Ferguson is the Milbank Family senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford

FDNY Emergency Medical Technicians secure a patient who was identified to have COVID-19 in an ambulance while wearing protective gear in New York City in this file photo from March 24, 2020.

Stefan Jeremiah/Reuters

We who only bet occasionally on a horse race are fascinated by true gamblers: those who frequent not only casinos and stock markets, but also the pages of history. We normal folk tend to think of two types of gambler. There is Fyodor Dostoevskys compulsive gambler, who cannot resist the lure of the roulette wheel who ruins himself by betting and betting.

Then there is the gambler as master speculator: Charles Dickenss Merdle, Anthony Trollopes Augustus Melmotte both loosely based on Nathan Rothschild or our own ages George Soros. This kind of gambler calculates the odds of each bet carefully.

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Yet there is a third kind of gambler, who lies between these extremes. He wins some; he loses some. He does not gamble to become a billionaire. He gambles for the sheer love of gambling. The risk-lover bets every day on the basis of his intuition his gut. To him, the bet is an act of will, intended as much to dominate the counterparty as to make money. The bravado is the point.

Donald Trump, as you will have guessed, is a type three gambler. He did not blow the money he inherited from his father; nor did he turn it into a mega-fortune. He has made many a disastrous business bet, as his creditors have learnt the hard way. Yet Mr. Trump has gambled his way from real estate to reality television to real power. And now he is making the biggest bet of his entire life.

He is betting that the number of Americans who die of COVID-19 will be about 40,000 in other words, approximately the number who die of influenza each winter.

Obviously, Mr. Trumps chances of re-election now hinge on how severely the pandemic hits America.

The United States is now in a pandemic-induced recession. The stock market, despite last weeks remarkable rally, is still more than 20 per cent below its February high, effacing most of the gains investors have made since Mr. Trumps election. The combination of public panic, rational social distancing and state-level orders to rest in place has thrown the U.S. economy off a cliff. Initial jobless claims soared last week to nearly 3.3 million, the biggest jump by a factor of almost five since records began.

The Presidents bet is not as crazy as you might think. It is, as I said last week, unlikely that the United States as a whole will have as disastrous an encounter with COVID-19 as Italy. Americans are less crowded together, use less public transport and kiss one another less than Italians.

It is also possible that the virus will claim many more victims in the big Democratic-voting states of the American coasts New York and California than in the smaller Republican-voting states of the heartland. Thus far, only 19 per cent of COVID-19 deaths are in counties Mr. Trump won in 2016.

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Those writing the obituaries of this presidency have written them many times before and been wrong. They must have read with incredulity the results of last weeks Gallup poll, which showed that a majority of voters, and in particular a majority (60 per cent) of registered independents, approve of Mr. Trumps handling of the pandemic.

The problem is that, this time Mr. Trump is gambling with peoples lives on the basis not of calculated risk but of complete uncertainty. We simply do not know enough about the virus to have any conviction about how many Americans it will kill. COVID-19 could kill 40,000 Americans. But if the virus spreads as far as H1N1 swine flu did in 2009, so that 20 per cent of us get it, and we have the (very low) German case fatality rate of 0.6 per cent, we could have 400,000 dead.

All we can say with any certainty is that most of east Asia and most of Europe have taken much more drastic steps to contain COVID-19 than America has yet taken. And the President wants to see even those restrictions lifted in a mere two weeks time.

Such is Mr. Trumps gamble with American lives. The one thing to be said in his defense is that, like his British counterpart U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson who very nearly gambled on a strategy of herd immunity and has now tested positive he has skin in the game. The President too will be at risk if this gamble goes wrong.

Niall Ferguson/The Sunday Times, London.

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Donald Trump, the risk-taker, is gambling with lives - The Globe and Mail

Jeju Island, South Korea is a unique international travel hotspot that offers diverse activities for tourists. This is part of the reason it has been chosen as an ideal location for casinos and integrated resorts (IR), with eight of the countrys gambling venues located there. At least two more IRs have been planned, including Landing Internationals Jeju Shinhwa World and New Silkroad Culturaltainments Glorious Hill, but development isnt occurring as quickly as anticipated. Both of these properties are way behind schedule and developers are in the process of trying to secure more funding to keep their South Korean island dreams alive.

Landing has had a difficult couple of years, and last years final numbers werent impressive. In 2018, the company reported a loss of around $90.4 million, and 2019 was worse with a reported loss of $274.7 million. The bulk of that negative impact came from Landing Casino, which saw its revenue drop by 85.7%.

In order to try to put the casino back on track, it is going to start to regularly organize regional and global poker and baccarat gaming tournaments as part of its ongoing efforts to promote and position Jeju Shinhwa World as a desirable destination resort. In addition, it will host marketing promotions, events, reward scheme, competitive mass and VIP gaming programs will launch continuously to energize the business in the future.

Jeju Shinhwa World now remains completely in doubt. Despite having asserted three years ago that it had all the financing needed to cover the development, Landing has acknowledged several delays already. $17.7 million against over $1 billion wont go very far.

Just over a year ago, New Silkroad announced that it had been authorized to proceed with Glorious Hills expansion. Jeju Islands governor, Won Hee-ryong, gave his approval for the project, which was to be developed in conjunction with Melco International Development. That was a huge milestone for the project, as it had been on the table since 2016 and was being billed as one of the largest integrated resort complexes in South Korea. Now, its future is entirely up in the air.

Last year, the company said that it had turned a profit in 2018 and was expecting to continue that momentum through 2019. However, it has run into some difficulty and development has stalled. New Silkroad explains, Although the relevant hotel development approval has been obtained, the land development of Glorious Hill in South Korea has not commenced due to a delay in project financing.

Jeju suffered a drop in visitation last year that hurt all casino operations on the island. Add to that the impact from the coronavirus pandemic, and liquidity quickly becomes a scarce commodity. As with virtually everyone else in the gaming industry, Landing and New Silkroad are in a holding pattern, hoping that the global economy can rebound soon.

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Jeju Island gambling expansion not coming together as expected - CalvinAyre.com

Online gambling has come a long way since InterCasino, the worlds first internet casino, opened its virtual doors in 1996. Not only have the aesthetics changed in meaningful ways, but players can now choose from a dizzying array of games, from virtual slots and live poker to lotteries, puzzles and crosswords. Thanks to smartphone technology, meanwhile, players can get their gaming fix whenever and wherever they like.

In light of the technological advancements of the past two decades, its reasonable to wonder what is next. How can slick, provably fair online gambling portals ensure continued success in the years ahead, and what role will technology play in shaping the industry?

There are many reasons to suppose that however the industry evolves, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology will play their part. In fact, they are already doing so. Users have gravitated to blockchain-based gambling apps (dApps) en masse, with permissionless platforms representing more than twice the market share of any other gaming sector in terms of active users, transactions and volume. The censorship-resistant nature of such dApps makes them manna for players who want to have a flutter with their hard-won crypto.

Its not just dApps, though; an increasing number of online casinos are starting to permit the use of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin for deposits and withdrawals, while also integrating blockchain tech to assure transparency and inspire greater trust between player and house.

Betting on Crypto

Gambling with crypto offers myriad benefits to both players and platforms. For starters, it is much cheaper than wagering using traditional banking methods, which can involve high international transfer fees if the casinos are based overseas (and they almost always are). Deposits can also be made much more quickly since you dont have to wait for a bank to release your funds.

Thanks to the borderless, peer-to-peer nature of cryptocurrencies, players who might otherwise struggle to top up their account residents of restricted countries for example can also grab a piece of the action, with all transactions fairly managed and settled on-chain.

Its fair to say that most players appreciate the anonymity granted by cryptocurrencies particularly privacy-oriented coins such as Monero and Zcash since gambling activity doesnt show up on bank statements, and in the case of the latter pair is also invisible on-chain. Whats more, many online portals allow users to participate without completing a lengthy registration process, meaning they are granted complete privacy at the outset.

The Best Crypto Gambling Portals

Maybe youve got a bunch of satoshis burning a hole in your wallet. Or perhaps the idea of giving a crypto-centric gambling site a spin is too tempting to ignore. Whatever the case, there is no shortage of options to satisfy your curiosity. The following portals are well worth a shot.

FortuneJack FortuneJack is a fine option, its wide range of supported cryptocurrencies matched by the number of software developers with a presence on the platform. Known for its five-star customer service (including 24/7 live chat), SSL encryption, innovative gaming experience and cutting-edge titles, FortuneJack comprises sports-betting and casino options, with plenty of bonuses to be won.

Cloudbet Established in 2013, Cloudbet is a bitcoin-centric portal something thats abundantly clear from its logo, which contains the classic bitcoin symbol. Recently the site was responsible for making a massive 11.5 BTC payout from a single spin on its Viking Runecraft title (81,000 at the time). Players can wager on live sports, classic casino games or choose from a selection of fun and colorful arcade-style titles.

EarnBet EarnBet (formerly EOSBet) is the first fully decentralized casino, allowing users to make wagers with BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC and EOS. Signing up takes a matter of seconds, deposits and withdrawals are instant, and players can earn a portion of the house profit as a reward by holding onto native BET tokens. If theres a criticism, it concerns the limited number of games: at present, you only have Dice, Hi-lo, Baccarat, Crash, Jackpot and Blackjack to choose from.

Conclusion

Given that crypto casinos have managed to carve out a niche in the industry within a few short years, its hardly outlandish to suggest that both blockchain tech and digital assets will play a prominent role in the online gambling space for years to come. With the industry expected to be valued at over $94 billion by 2024, expect blockchain developers and crypto enthusiasts to be well represented.

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Why Crypto Is the Future of Online Gambling

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Why Crypto Is the Future of Online Gambling

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Why Crypto Is the Future of Online Gambling - Coingape