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Texas is not a gambling-friendly state at the moment. That could start to change, however, if Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke puts into action what he said on Wednesday. ORourke claims that if hes elected on Nov. 8, hes inclined to support both legal casino gambling and sports betting in the state of Texas.

As far as casinos go, hes probably talking about retail gambling for now. However, that would be a necessary first step towards eventually having an online option.

ORourke said residents are already traveling to engage in both retail and online gambling outside of the state.

During a press conference, he spoke about the obvious benefit to legalization:

We would be able to bring in billions of dollars more.

To the east and west, Texas is surrounded by legal sports betting states. Only its northern neighbor, Oklahoma, lacks legal sportsbooks. That said, New Mexico doesnt have online sports betting and isnt likely to add it any time soon, according to Online Poker Reports sister site, Legal Sports Report.

Hypothetically, if Texas does eventually legalize all forms of online gambling, it would be a big prize. Its 30 million residents would nearly equal the populations of the top three US online casino states.

Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania contain nearly 32 million people put together. Last year, each one of those states generated more than $1 billion in iGaming revenue.

Though ORourke seems to be leaning in that direction, dont count on it happening too soon.

If online sports betting becomes a reality in the second-most populous American state, it likely wont happen until next year. Retail casino construction would likely take years. Getting those forms of gambling underway would set the stage for online casinos, but that would take several more years, at least.

Here are the reasons for that.

US online casinos have a strong toehold in the eastern part of the country, with six states live:

However, legal online sportsbooks far outnumber and generally predate online casinos. Right now,19 states and the District of Columbia are home to legal online sportsbooks.

The most recent online sports betting launches were:

New York is an example of how sports betting can kickstart the conversation about online casinos. Empire State legislators made an effort to legalize iGaming this year, though those bills never reached a vote.

That lag generally happens because lawmakers tend to have more reservations about online casino gambling than sports betting. One concern they have is that they consider online casino wagering Big G gambling, which they believe requires study before legalization. They and their constituents suffer from the widespread misconception that sports betting is relatively safer.

Another big and possibly unfounded concern is that retail casinos may suffer if they legalize iGaming.

For instance in Illinois, where online sportsbooks launched in March 2020, an iGaming bill flopped during 2021.

That happened after a lawmaker voiced exactly that concern in April 2021. Rep. Bob Rita asked during the Illinois House Executive Committee if online casinos would cannibalize retail casino revenue. The committee chairman was listening to testimony about the Internet Gaming Act (IGA), which hed sponsored.

IGA didnt pass last year, to online gambling advocates chagrin. It has now been more than two years since Illinois legalized online sports betting and the state doesnt have legal online casinos.

Sports betting might get the conversation started, but so far most online casino success stories have gone the omnibus route, instead.

The most recent states to legalize and launch online casinos did so as part of package deals with online sports betting:

Along those lines, Kentucky Senators didnt bring HB 606 up for a vote on March 30. The measure wouldve legalizedonline poker and sports betting, though not casino gaming. However, the bill failed to reach the finish line on the last day of the Kentucky General Assembly session.

A common belief about online gambling is that it wont be legalized if retail gambling isnt there first.

So far, it has been true that if a state doesnt have land-based casinos, lawmakers wont even consider the online version.

There is one notable exception when it comes to sports betting: Tennessee.

Online sportsbooks launched in the Volunteer State in November 2020. However, even now, Tennesseans have to travel out of state to visit commercial or tribal casinos.

Kentucky also lacks land-based casinos, and attempted to follow in Tennessees footsteps, but failed.

Texas has no commercial casinos and only one full-size tribal casino, which is only a Class II gaming facility. That means it can offer slots-like bingo machines, but not true slots or table games.

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel is in Eagle Pass, a small town near the Mexican border. At that point, Texans may consider crossing the border, as both retail casinos and online gaming are legal there.

Meanwhile, the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribal entity of El Paso presented an argument in February to the US Supreme Court in order to start offering electronic bingo, as well.

ORourkes exact wording leaves things ambiguous. Whatever his intent, it seems unlikely that a conservative state like Texas would go from virtually no gambling to full-package online gambling in a single step.

However, just about every publication reporting on his statement ends up discussing online gambling, as well as retail casinos.

Perhaps ORourke meant both.

Its hard to know, because the gubernatorial candidate only spoke about gambling for 30 seconds out of more than 40 spent discussing Texas property taxes:

If we were to make legal casino gambling and sports betting in the state of Texas, which as you all know many Texans engage in now, its only that those revenues go to other states and to other state governments, we would be able to bring in billions of dollars more.

And from listening to Texans across the state, one, its a very popular proposal. And two, I think it would also help us to address some of the challenges that we have in reducing inflation and property taxes in the state of Texas. So I think that warrants a very close look and its something that Im inclined to support.

On his gubernatorial campaign site, the former congressman and presidential candidate blames incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott for property taxes increasing $20 billion since he took office. Abbott first entered office in 2014 and, if reelected, this will be his third term.

A poll of Texas voters in March found Abbott in the lead at 42% and ORourke narrowly behind, at 40%. The Lyceum survey has an error rate of plus or minus 2.83%, so a win may be well within reach.

In Texas, even 30 seconds of discussion about gambling gets noticed.

ORourke was already on record as advocating expanding Medicaid and legalizing marijuana in order to generate enough state tax revenue to accommodate lowering property tax rates. He mentioned gambling expansion as another possible method.

The press conference about lowering property taxes features ORourke and elected leaders standing on a lawn in Dallas County, across from what appear to be single-family homes. Amid wind and traffic noises, ORourke talked about how he would ensure Texans could remain in their homes, despite rising property tax rates.

About halfway through, he mentioned wagering.

As of yesterday, ORourkes video that was largely about what he termed the property tax crisis had 968 reactions, 509 comments and 6,800 views.

Its hard to tell if his talk about gambling within that video is whats garnering the attention.

Because an April 20 tweet by the Houston Chronicle linking to its gated article, Beto ORourke Calls For Legalizing Casino Gambling, Sports Betting In Texas, had520 retweets, 81 quote tweets and 2,318 likes as of last night.

For context, ORourkes most popular Facebook video is a San Antonio rally on Friday. The recording has 1,300 reactions, 649 comments and 10,000 views.

LSR notes that in order to legalize online gambling, Texas will also have to amend its constitution.

So just about every effort to expand gambling in Texas stops at the door of reluctant lawmakers.

The Texas Tribune explains one retail casino expansion effort in an article published on June 16, 2021:

Las Vegas Sands ended up spending as much as $6.3 million on lobbying at the Capitol, according to state records, plus what the company pegged as at least $2 million on a statewide ad campaign. It is likely that the companys total spending topped $10 million, given the number of weeks that the company stayed on the air in the states most expensive media markets.

Whats more, theLonghorn Statesefforts will be hampered by its unusually short legislative sessions.

The Texas Legislature meets for 140 days, and only during odd-numbered years. Thats an even shorter calendar than the one for the Indiana General Assembly, which saw online gambling bills die in committee onJan. 25.

That makes it the state with the 14th-shortestsessions. For comparison, the Utah State Legislature comes in dead last, meeting just 45 days a year. (See chart below).

Indiana lawmakers rank four spots higher than Texas, because lawmakers meet for four months per odd-numbered year and 2.5 months on even-numbered years, like 2022.

Meanwhile, Hoosiers have been able to bet online on sports sinceOctober 2019.

Short legislative sessions have a way of killing online gambling bills, at least the more ambitious ones. Except for West Virginia, all states with full online gambling are among the ones with longer sessions. When it comes to sports betting, the shorter a states sessions, the more likely it is to be retail-only, if it has legalized it at all.

So even if ORourkes victory comes to pass and he pushes for legalization, Texas could still be many years away from launching iGaming. However, it even being a possibility is a change from the current situation in which its not even on the radar.

Data: Legiscan / Graph: Online Poker Report

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Beto Gives Texas Online Gambling Proponents Hope - OnlinePokerReport.com

In Summary:

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The Nepal Telecommunications Authority or NTA has begun a broader crackdown on a number of websites, particularly those focusing on illegal economic activities. The company which regulates the technology and telecommunications sector has limited access to a number of websites that have to do with cryptocurrencies, online gambling, or hyper networking.

The NTA has argued that such websites have no license to operate legally in Nepal and have as a result been blacklisted. Consumers are urged to step forward and tip the watchdog about any such websites that continue to operate despite a prohibition to do so. The NTA is also working with ISPs to ensure that websites are blocked and not accessible with Nepalese IPs.

Furthermore, the government has cautioned anyone who wishes to participate in illegal businesses prohibited by the NTA and warned that such people may find themselves in legal trouble. Nepal has decided to act on solid evidence that citizens are engaging in networking, cryptocurrencies, and gambling in large numbers without any oversight that exposed their data and privacy to criminals.

Nepalese citizens living abroad have chosen to invest in such options as well, slashing remittances back to the country. The NTA has clamped down on all virtual currencies and online gambling operations as they are not officially allowed by the regulator or existing laws. The regulators announced ban on such websites is just the first step in the broader regulatory framework planned by the NTA.

The watchdog will further help with enforcement action and seek to limit the pernicious effects of those activities. Nepalese citizens will come under bigger scrutiny when attempting to deal with cryptocurrencies and the NTA will work with the Central Investigation Bureau of the Nepal Police to make sure that people involved in the proliferation of such illegal services are brought to justice.

The NTA previously compiled a list of websites to be blocked and worked on optimizing its techniques to track and act against illegal operators and is now stepping up its game by taking enforcement action against them.

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Nepal Blocks Access to Illegal Crypto and Gambling Sites - GamblingNews.com

Earlier this month, New Jersey debuted its first esports betting platform: the VIE.gg esportsbook, operated by online gambling company Esports Entertainment Group. The announcement was far from being just another licensure, representing a landmark event for a number of reasons. It provides esports bettors with a legal means through which to engage with their passion; confirms the Garden State as a pioneer of online gaming and confirms EEG as a pioneer in this space, which has now become the first licensed esports gambling site in the US market.

"I think it proves to the market that were a credible, legitimate operator," CEO Grant Johnson tells Yogonet in an exclusive video interview. "Weve had many conversations and calls from other groups in other states, and well be able to create accurate financial modeling for what esports gambling looks like." The opportunities opened by the historic launch are mutliple, and Johnson discusses them at large.

Additionally, the executive talks about a second landmark event that also finds EEG at its center -the first sanctioned skill-based wagering event, a Madden tournament held in Hard Rock Atlantic City-, as well as the key features of the company's player-versus-player betting product. EEG invited 8 casino operators, and its internalobjective is to have a casino agreement in place before fall. Lastly, the CEO discusses how the esports betting industry is advancing in the country, and what to expect next from this growing segment.

The company has now launched its esports betting platform in New Jersey, a first for the state. What can you tell us about this landmark event?

Getting through the regulatory process to be the first, and currently the only, licensed esports gambling site in the American market had its own challenges. When you are first doing anything, its always a little bit more difficult.

New Jersey has always been an innovator in online gambling: they led the charge to get online sportsbooks approved, and thats changed everything in the market. Thankfully, they had that commitment to getting through this process, because there are a lot of things we learned along the way that we didnt expect.

We got through, and now were up. What does that mean for us? I think it proves to the market that were a credible, legitimate operator. We now have five tier-one licenses, but more importantly, for the American market, we have a US license.

Has that opened other opportunities? Yes. Weve had many conversations and calls from other groups in other states; weve presented and participated in the State of Ohio, where we were instrumental in getting esports added to their regulatory framework. We have excellent partners in Ohio, and there are other states were talking to.

We will now have an opportunity to market unrestricted in the state of New Jersey, and well be able to create accurate financial modeling for what esports gambling looks like, because nobody really knows. We all believe that theres a lot of gray market activity that takes place. So we know theres a demand, but we dont know how big it is. We will know that now.

Going to the specifics of the new esportsbook, what are the main features of the product and what options does it give to users?

It functions the same as a sportsbook, the software platform is the same. It has over/under, theres a handicapping system And this will allow for fans of esports betting for the first time to wager on their favorite games; their favorite players; their favorite teams in live tournaments.

Weve also had some of the publishers in direct conversation with the DGE, which is why were able to add a Call of Duty and Overwatch league to the mix. We do know that games like Madden, FIFA, and 2K are very popular in the United States, so were looking at additional titles.

Being first makes us more credible and attractive to the publishers as well. They dont have any need to take any chances if theyre going to do something in gaming. They want to make sure theyre dealing with a transparent, credible operator.

What this will also allow us to do is see which titles are the most popular with the American gambler. Were going to learn which is the biggest title in the North American market with the site.

New Jersey is unique, because it has Philadelphia in the south and New York in the north, so not only it is the 11th biggest state by population - it has the benefit of being geographically desirable because of those two big markets, which are right there. Were going to be able to open the market up to pent-up demand.

There are a lot of gray market bettors right now, and we believe that given the choice of a credible site, a substantial number of those people would rather deal with a licensed platform that is protecting them. Because theyve got the DGE, the SEC, looking up for their best interest.

Because it is a sportsbook license, we will probably, in the future, bring our sportsbook platform in as well. But well be esports-first versus what you see today. Sportsbooks have their product first, and theyll offer a couple of line extensions on some DOTA and League of Legends.Sports will be the line extension for us.

What impact do you expect this historic launch, and the growing interest in esports betting, to have in other jurisdictions? Will they take notes from this launch?

Weve already had some regulatory bodies from other states reach out to us to ask us if we could come and testify at hearings, as theyre exploring what esports look like, and if it should be added to the sports gaming regulatory framework. Our CFO and our head of strategy presented twice in Ohio.

Being now recognized by one of the leaders in the sportsbooks market - that puts us above our peers. When these regulatory bodies consider adding esports, they reach out to us. Weve had three other states reaching out to us; regulators in those states. We expect more of that going forward.

If we talk about big gaming states, we must mention Nevada. Last month, the Esports Technical Advisory Committee had its first meeting. Whats your take on this new entity, and what role do you expect it to play?

One of our staff members -our head of strategy- presented. Obviously, Las Vegas is, the biggest location - its the mecca of gaming in the North American market. It is a key market, and it factors very heavily in our future plans. Thats about as specific as I can get right now.

In regard to other markets outside the US, you have mentioned the opportunity of expanding to Ontario, which has now launched its market. Can you tell us about this market in particular, and others where the company is looking at opportunities?

Ontario is a big landmark. As far as the Canadian market is concerned, I believe it is the most important in the country. Given that we just launched in New Jersey, were just getting started there. But of course, Ontario would be, for the Canadian market, the most important jurisdiction for us to look at.

Another recent landmark achievement for the company in New Jersey was the first sanctioned skill-based wagering event, which was held in Hard Rock Atlantic City. What would you describe as the main takeaways from this event, and what was the reception of the new LANDuel platform like?

There are a lot of very encouraging takeaways. Number one, we learned that gamers want this type of product. Its easy to understand - Im gonna play Madden with you, and were gonna bet 25 on it. I dont have to understand the over/under; or whats the spread. Im not betting on somebody. Its not a gambling product but a betting one, so its regulated differently and you dont need a gambling license.

We took extra steps because we felt that this was a product that casino operators would find interesting to bring to their venues. And what we learned at the event was that the players will come, because they came. We had about 400 people sign up immediately to come out to the event.

Unfortunately, the weekend we picked was during the Final Four in March Madness, and all the hotel rooms were up. That was great for Atlantic City, but it made it difficult for some gamers, who drove in from Ohio to participate. That was a logistical challenge that was difficult to overcome - we wouldnt necessarily try to go head-to-head with the biggest college sporting event.

But the players liked it. The only complaint they had was that they didnt like being restricted to only being able to bet 25 a match. That surprised us - in a positive way, of course, because as a gaming and betting company you want to be able to allow players to bet what they want. We felt with the DGE that it was prudent to sort of cap it at 25 initially, just so that we could get a better feel of what was going on.

Players didnt have to bet themselves. Theyre playing in a tournament, and the betting was optional, all the way through. Some of the players tried to make 500 side bets, but it was a regulated event in the casino and the DGE was present, so we clearly couldnt allow that. But we were encouraged that there was an appetite.

We invited eight casino operators down to come to see the event, and then had a meeting to talk about the product. The operators thought for themselves that this was a product that was interesting to the under-30 crowd. Theyre not getting this crowd back, and that was what theyve been trying to figure out - how they get that younger demographic into their physical venues.

Because its not just betting - they stay in hotel rooms, they buy food, they watch a show. There are a lot of economic trickle-down elements to having this very lucrative demographic in their casinos. So I saw firsthand that of the eight casinos that came out, all eight operators want to follow up, and that was very encouraging.

What is next for the LANDuel platform in general and in regards to integrations with the Hard Rock casino in specific?

We are following up with the operators who came. They want to see some of the mathematics, what this looks like on the economic side What happens if they have a 40-station gaming room or a 100-station gaming room, and just sort of walk through how that could be installed, and how quickly could they get trained and operational.

I would say our objective is to have a casino agreement in place before fall. Thats our internal objective. Im not saying that theres a contract on the table - there isnt as of todays date, but thats our internal objective.

Do you still believe esports betting will become as big as sports in 10 or 15 years? And what role do you expect the company, having entered this space so early, to play within this landscape?

Yes, I believe it will get on the same par as sports betting, but its going to take some time. There were some fairly wild numbers being thrown around the last couple of years about how big esports betting is, but nobody really knows how big it is yet. But well have some hard numbers to work with here over the rest of this calendar year.

That said, if we look back in time five years ago, you know how many universities had esports teams? Zero. And now you have over 200 institutions of higher learning that have esports varsity teams. They have intercollegiate teams. And approximately 100 of those schools have scholarship programs.

High schools now have esports and gaming rooms. Thats the critical path; thats the ecosystem thats going to build the industry. As those gamers and their fans get older and they graduate, they get jobs, they have more disposable income. Thats when esports is going to start to get on par with sportsbooks.

Do I think its two years? Not a chance. Do I think 10 years? Maybe. 15 years start to get more realistic, possibly as long as 20, but its going to happen. The gaming industry is already bigger than music and movies, so its already got a huge footprint. There are three and a half billion people that consider themselves gamers.

Its a massive audience; they just have to get comfortable and used to following certain teams that have relevance to them. Were starting to see more leagues stationed in cities, with more structure to those leagues, and were starting to see college and university teams, with the student body that follows them

Its a whole system that has grown. You cant just magically make a boom. It has to mature as the audience matures. So itll get there; I absolutely believe it. Clearly, were committed to it. I think the faster-moving product, though, will be the skill-based product; the player-versus-player product. I think thatll get there more quickly.

But the two are key elements to what will make for a healthy industry, and we have the pole position on both. Were the first for the esports gambling license, and the first with a player-versus-player platform thats been approved by a recognized regulatory body.

Watch the full video interview with EEG CEO on our YouTube channel.

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"To be the first and only licensed esports gambling site in the American market proves that we're a credible, legitimate operator" - Yogonet...

With the current advancement in technology, online casinos have come to the limelight, hosting even better gambling services than the old-fashioned ones. However, choosing just any kind of online service can be risky, owing to the fact that users may get scammed while trying to bank. This is the sole reason why every bettor trying to make real money off online gambling must consider using a standard casino.

So, what is a standard casino? A standard casino is a licensed gambling service that offers fair and reliable services. In addition, they make online gambling better and safer for everyone to gamble and make real money effortlessly. Due to the multitude of services, finding a 10-dollar deposit online casino may be difficult. Fortunately, they are still certainly available.

These services provide bettors with the chance to make as low as a 10-dollar deposit to play their favorite games for real cash. Moreover, they are licensed and regulated by legal jurisdictions. So, why is it important to play at a licensed casino like these? This article will expose you to five reasons to always consider a licensed platform.

Using an online service requires that users pay good attention to the kind of site or platform they are entering. Online gambling is not an exception here. Only licensed casinos can offer reliable and fast banking services. More importantly, these platforms make sure to provide instant payouts from the best banking methods.

You don't want to risk your hard-earned money falling into the hands of scammers pretending to host an online casino. With licensed casinos, players also get to pick from various digital banking currencies to transact speedily. This also includes cryptocurrency transacts with Bitcoin and other alike digital assets.

Following how the deadly pandemic affected social settings, internet casinos brought about a unique style of entertaining gamblers. In fact, it ranked one of the highest searches during the lockdown. All you have to do is get any internet-accessible device and start making real-time bets. Gambling in a licensed casino makes it safer for online gambling to be fair and profitable to ready-bettors.

For a gambling operator to get licensed, it must have completed some expected tests from several gaming jurisdictions. These legal bodies make sure gambling operators guarantee the security of online customers. There is no way they will run away with your winnings or even rig the game to their advantage. Every licensed casino follows a protocol that mandates that they provide fair gambling entertainment.

The most interesting feature of any licensed online casino is the amazing collection of bonuses for customers. A legal casino makes bonus schemes compulsory to keep their esteemed customers happy at all times. You will find different promotions, including, birthday gifts, monthly rewards, and even welcome bonuses for just signing up.

For the traditional mortar-and-brick casino, their gaming entertainments only guarantee up to 85% RTP. Luckily, licensed online services do the extreme to guarantee over 95% RTP on almost all their entertainment. These games are also very easy for beginners to learn.

Online casinos are the perfect venue to find some of the best libraries of fun games and other entertainments. This way, players choose any game suitable to their playing skills and bank capabilities. Even better, gamblers have access to these games from the comfort of their houses without going out at all.

This is one of the greatest pros to playing at a licensed casino. You dont need to stay confined to a particular place to start playing. Just make sure everything at your desired service is available to your country of residence. So, there will not be any hindrance holding you from maximizing your winnings through these online casinos.

Cybercriminals are too rampant nowadays. To avoid the cases of cybercriminals, choosing licensed services is the best. This way, all your private data, and credentials are kept in safe hands. On the downside, registering at an unlicensed gambling service can risk leaking your information to hackers. At this point, they may go as far as emptying your bank accounts.

When looking for the proper online casino to start making real money, make sure it is a licensed service. Playing at a casino without a license can be very jeopardizing. Therefore, it is very important to play at a legal service that guarantees your safety without any doubt.

Unlike land-based casino venues, these online services are convenient and easy to use. With such a bright atmosphere, licensed platforms can assure punters of the best gambling experience. In short, you get the best gaming, faster banking, amazing bonuses, and even more realistic money-making opportunities. Always go for the best!

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5 Reasons Why You Should Play the Best Gambling Only in Licensed Online Casinos - Shared

A disagreement between friends over gambling winnings Friday escalated to murder, Cook County authorities said Monday.

Salvatore Scardino, 27, of the 0-100 block of North Victoria Lane in Streamwood, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the deadly shooting of his 31-year-old neighbor, Kwemi Hardwick. Scardino was ordered held without bail Monday, after his initial court appearance.

Authorities say Hardwick was shot in the middle of his back, in his right cheek and above his left ear. They say Scardino told police he acted in self-defense but also admitted firing the first shots "as the victim's back was to him and as the victim was leaving the room."

The disagreement over the gambling winnings started at a Streamwood sports bar, where, prosecutors say, employees had to intervene when Scardino "aggressively got up" and stood chest-to-chest with Hardwick. Employees asked Scardino to leave the bar, which he did, prosecutors said.

The bar's general manager later walked Hardwick outside and observed Scardino yelling and waving his hands, prosecutors said.

At the same time, a witness who was leaving a nearby restaurant saw a man yelling in the direction of the sports bar. The witness reported seeing the man pull a handgun from his waistband and wave it in the air, according to prosecutors.

The witness reported the incident to Bartlett police about 7:44 p.m. Friday, describing a man who matched Scardino's description, prosecutors said.

About 9:41 p.m. Friday, police received a 911 call about a man near Scardino and Hardwick's apartment buildings yelling "come on out," but the caller could not describe the man, prosecutors said.

Hardwick, who the general manager described as "in good spirits," later returned to the sports bar with his dog but was denied entry. Video shows Hardwick leaving the bar about 10:16 p.m. in his car. Witnesses said Hardwick did not appear to have a gun and was not behaving aggressively, prosecutors said.

About 10:34 p.m., Scardino called 911 to report his neighbor broke into his house, that he "came in acting crazy" and Scardino had "to put him down," prosecutors said.

About the same time, another neighbor reported gunshots. She said a bullet came through her wall and landed on the kitchen floor, according to prosecutors.

Police arrived to find Hardwick's vehicle parked and running in the driveway, with the dog in the back seat, prosecutors said.

Authorities say Scardino later told police Hardwick entered his house and that he defended himself, adding, "I shot him."

Officers found Hardwick face down and unresponsive. They recovered a 9 mm Smith and Wesson handgun, a magazine and four spent cartridge casings, prosecutors said.

According to authorities, "there were no indications or signs of a struggle within the apartment" and "no other weapons were recovered."

Prosecutors say that after Scardino was read his Miranda rights, he "acknowledged that after the victim was shot and incapacitated on the ground, instead of rendering aid or calling for assistance," he shot Hardwick again "to end his suffering." Scardino next appears in court on May 20.

A GoFundMe campaign for Hardwick's funeral expenses was created by his wife and family Sunday. By Monday afternoon, it had raised $5,157 of its $30,000 goal.

"As some of you may know, on Friday, April 22, 2022, we lost our beloved son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend," Hardwick's family wrote. "Kwemi was funny, outgoing, open-hearted, and a fantastic soul. He was exceptional; he touched the lives of every single person he crossed paths with.

"We are devastated by Kwemi's passing; this was an unexpected incident," the post continues.

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Prosecutors: Argument over gambling winnings led to deadly Streamwood shooting - Daily Herald

One of the phrases used by the Haslam Sports Group is "fan obsession."

"It's all about the fans and giving them the best possible experiences," said Ted Tywang, vice president, general counsel at Haslam Sports Group. "We're always looking to deepen our engagement and our connection with the fans."

That philosophy, Tywang said, drove the Cleveland Browns to choose Bally's Interactive as their official sports betting partner. The announcement comes roughly seven months before legal sports gambling arrives in Ohio.

The long-term partnership will include a branded lounge at FirstEnergy Stadium, a mobile Bally Bet Sportsbook app in Ohio and free-to-play gaming opportunities, pending appropriate licensing and regulatory approvals.

The Browns still are working on plans for the stadium lounge, and the details will be finalized in the coming months. The lounge will allow fans age 21 and up to watch and bet on games from across the league.

"We'll keep you in suspense because the details are still being developed," said Tywang, noting the organization is working with Bally's on the sportsbook. "We do know that we'll have a first-class lounge on game day and it will have a really interactive environment.

"We've done some initial work to identify the possibilities and we feel really great about what we're looking at."

Bally's Interactive, which is a division of Bally's corporation (NYSE: BALY), provides several sports betting products, including iGaming, free-to-play and daily fantasy sports options. Its brands include the online sportsbook Bally Bet, the online Bally Casino, the daily fantasy sports app Monkey Knight Fight, the free-to-play game provider SportsCaller and the fan engagement provider Telescope.

Ohio will be the 18th state where Bally's does business, Tywang said.

The Browns-Bally's partnership will include "fan engagement activations," as well as digital content and a free-to-play predictor game that will give registered users the chance to earn Browns-themed non-cash prizes.

"We are excited to partner with such a historic pro football franchise to secure sports betting market access in Ohio, and bring to its fan base more ways to engage through our online gaming platforms," said Adi Dhandhania, chief operating officer of North America for Bally's Interactive. "The Browns' stadium and game day atmosphere provide a great opportunity for us to showcase our Bally Bet Sportsbook app and Bally Play products in Ohio."

In February, the Cavs announced they reached a multiyear partnership with Caesars Entertainment Inc., making Caesars an official sports betting partner and the official casino partner of the team.

That partnership includes plans to open a 10,355-square-foot retail sportsbook on the street level inside the northwest atrium area of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Also, the Cavaliers signed a long-term partnership with Fubo Gaming in October and made Fubo Sportsbook an official sports betting partner of the team in February.

The Cleveland Guardians have not yet announced any plans for sports gambling.

The Browns, Cavaliers and Guardians are among the five Cuyahoga County entities eligible for a Type A license, joining the downtown JACK casino and the Jack Thistledown racino. Type A licenses include online and mobile sports betting. The Ohio Casino Control Commission can issue up to 25 Type A licenses statewide.

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Cleveland Browns partner with Bally's Interactive on sports gambling - Crain's Cleveland Business

As casino capabilities evolve, so too does the need for the latest technological advancements to make the market bigger, better and more attractive to players. One of the fastest-growing areas is artificial intelligence, a process in which software is programmed to perform human tasks. By Marese O'Hagan

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has influenced how the gambling industry operates in multiple ways. It has widened the industrys horizons, creating an environment where machine-operated capabilities are almost limitless.

Practically every area of the industry takes advantage of the applications of AI, from developers creating games to operators monitoring customer play.

AI is also changing how the world develops outside the industry, becoming a key component of self-driving cars and medical advancements.

Last year, Grand View Research estimated the global AI market was valued at $62.35bn in 2020, and predicted that this would rise to more than $930bn by 2028.

Reflecting on recent years, Paolo Personeni, managing director of managed betting services at Sportradar, sees AI as indicative of how the industry has matured and essential to its ongoingdevelopment.

Our industry has undergone significant digital transformation in the past five years and artificial intelligence has been critical in its evolution, he says. [It] is an essential component of product development.

It could be argued that the gambling industry is an ideal testing ground for AI. AI functions through harvesting data, which allows it to analyse statistics and occurrences to continually improve upon its accuracy.

And data is at the heart of how AI operates in the gambling industry, as Lloyd Danzig, founder and managing partner at Sharp Alpha Advisors, points out. The gambling industry relies heavily on the leveraging of historical data to anticipate future outcomes and behaviours, says Danzig.

This is a core competency required for game design, oddsmaking, risk management, customer profiling, rewards programme optimisation and fraud detection.

AIs use in sports betting is particularly key, says Personeni, as an asset to ensure Sportradars products and solutions are as accurate as possible. For Sportradar, one of our core focus areas is on utilising machine and deep learning to develop exceptional computer vision capabilities, which is a form of artificial intelligence that teaches models to interpret and understand videos and images, he explains.

While we, as individuals, are very good at understanding what is happening in front of us at sporting events, we have limited capacity in the amount of data we can manually interpret, record digitally and upload.

This can lead to AI picking up on specific aspects of gameplay, whichPersoneni sees as a bonus for customers.

Computer vision provides a hundred-fold increase in the level of statistics and data that we can produce and then feed into our products and services that we offer to our clients, he says.

For example, by calculating velocities and trajectories of players we can predict when players will go offside or predict when an attack is mounting.

AI that goes further than data crunching, focusing on to-the-minute information, is already being used in sports betting and esports betting.

Real-time AI is the top choice for these areas, wherein data providers must provide the most up-to-date information on gameplay. Pandascore CEO Flavien Guillocheau revealed last year that the operator creates 300 data points every half-second for League of Legends with its AI, with an accuracy of over 99%.

Not only can AI facilitate betting by making the process much smoother, but it can also act as a safeguard and create areas of engagement.

AI can be designed to pick up on any and every aspect of a game, which lends to its boundlessness. In 2019, hardware intelligence company MicroTeam launched a pair of AI football boots which allow gameplay data to be captured within a millimeter of accuracy at high speed, including attack routes and distance travelled without the ball. This is then analysed and used for player and match assessments and sports betting platforms.

Similarly, AI is used to analyse and predict gameplay in esports to provide the best experience for bettors. Esports Technologies is one of the latest companies to implement AI in this way, filing a patent application last October to cover AI that can create odds models for esports betting tournaments.

And just as AI facilitates new permutations of gambling products, so it can act as a safeguard for the adverse effects of the industry. Leigh Nissim, CEO of Future Anthem, sees AI as a road to reducing problem gambling. However, he adds that the extensive types of technology make data collection challenging, which could stifle the full effectiveness of AI.

In responsible gambling, there are quite traditional practices of how to prevent player risk, says Nissim. Youre modelling on other players who have cancelled and self-excluded. As consumers move to other tools, such as open banking and other ways of depositing, its increasingly hard to see how they are depositing. That data set is quite challenging.

AI features heavily in customer interaction, particularly in maximising the player experience in areas such as customer service. Danzig emphasises that it is also of great use in detecting and preventing problem gambling.

Nissim questions whether operators are making the most out of AI in terms of customer service.

I think people are making strides in trying to prevent player exits or departure, or trying to optimise their marketing funnel, he says.

Theres increasing sophistication in the use of complex models that predict those characteristics. But are they using AI in real time to improve consumer experiences?

Commercial AI tools are extremely capable in cases that rely on pattern recognition across large data sets, he adds. These capabilities allow for the efficient analysis of historical user behaviour and engagement to determine how to maximise the experience for a particular user or when to flag behaviour as being potentially harmful.

As the gambling industry advances, there are ongoing conversations on how to optimise, enhance and expand the sector further.

While much of these conversations focus on digital applications, AI could play an equally important role in the land-based sector. According to AI cloud service DataRobot, AI can be implemented on casino floors. The service can be used to predict the level of play that could occur on the casino floor and adjust staffing levels to match.

The rest of the industry is quickly following suit. However, AI should not be seen as a remedy for all sector shortcomings. Danzig explains how the initial implementation of AI can come as a shock to businesses, particularly if they have a cavalier attitude.

When businesses first embark on the journey to integrate AI solutions, they often find that the process will be much more costly and resource-intensive than originally expected, he says. In part, this is due to a misconception that AI is a one-size-fits-all panacea that immediately improves efficiency and profitability.

According to Danzig this is not a problem-free solution and relies on a certain standard of data to work efficiently.

Once implemented, a primary downside to relying on AI solutions is that they can often exhibit unexpected behaviours that result in quickly compounding issues given the speed and scale with which they are deployed, he continues. AI solutions are only as good as the quality of the data being used as inputs, hence the phrase garbage in, garbage out.

A longstanding concern with AI, which has been documented thoroughly in popular media, is its potential to dominate society. However, this is not an industry concern.

Nissim believes that while AI could lead to reduced employment demand for certain manual tasks, many roles will be needed in the data side ofAI.

I dont think [AI] should threaten jobs, says Nissim. I think what it should threaten are manual processes And actually, thats where you find mistakes arise.

This, he says, will lead to agrowth in opportunities and employment.

Maybe manual processes will reduce, but what youll see is technical upweighting. Therewill be more data scientists, more data engineers, more technicians and more analysis.

Its not about job threats at all. The focus should be betterment and improvement delivering innovation to provide an improved experience for the player and to help protect operators.

Danzig agrees with this, emphasising the need for human labour in keeping AI running smoothly.

While it is possible that some jobs in the gambling industry will be lost to automation, AI solutions today rely heavily on human input and maintenance, he says.

In the next five years, the implementation of AI and machine learning tools across the gambling industry will create a significant number of new jobs and also enable stakeholders to refocus efforts toward more productive, and ultimately job-producing, functions.

According to Personeni, Sportradars AI-based capabilities already require a workforce to maintain, with the company employing more than 700 engineers and 40+ AI and machine learning experts to create 20 billion data files ingested from inception, 30 million odds per minute and near 100% total accuracy.

While AI has been revolutionary for the industry, there is natural curiosity towards where it could go next.

Its difficult to say, due to a combination of how boundless AI is proving itself to be and how fast the gambling industry is evolving. As Nissim adds, In some instances, [AI] can only develop as fast as the technology around it.

If the last few years of technological development are indicative of the future,AI will able to keep up with and, at times, exceed what the gambling industry can offer.

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Future intelligence: AI and the gambling industry - Tech & innovation - iGaming Business

Posted on: April 26, 2022, 06:03h.

Last updated on: April 26, 2022, 03:13h.

Illegal hare hunts have become an issue in the UK. They are live-streamed for gambling purposes, but MPs hope to bring the practice to an end through new legislation.

The practice known as hare coursing is finding new life in the UK. There has been a surge recently in the livestreaming of the hunts to feed gambling habits out of China.

In hare coursing, the animals find themselves in the typical role of prey being chased by hounds. The practice may still be legal in some areas, including parts of Spain and Ireland, but not in the UK. The country banned it in 2004.

Criminal gangs are reportedly behind the activity, but British MPs hope to bring the market to an end. New legislation is now making its rounds in Parliament. However, its ultimate effectiveness is not very clear.

Despite the ban in the UK, there has always been an underground market for the hunts in the UK. However, there has been an increase in activity thanks to the Internet. Now, the hunts are livestreamed and picked up by black market bookmakers around the world. In particular, the Chinese gambling market seems to be the most lucrative.

To conduct the courses, criminal gangs need land. So, they break into private properties, trespass on public land, and do whatever they have to do to conduct their business. If anyone stands in their way, they threaten them and their families with violence and intimidation.

Illegal hare coursing has blighted rural communities for too long, resulting in criminal damage, threatening violence and intimidation against farmers and landowners, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel told MPs earlier this year.

Pending legislation hopes to increase the penalties for operating or participating in the courses.

If MPs approve the legislation, hare course organizers can face fines of any amount theres no ceiling. A first offense also leads to six months in jail. In addition, violators will have to pay kennel costs after police seize any dogs connected to the activity.

After a conviction, the individual will receive a lifetime ban against owning or keeping a dog.

Brown hares and mountain hares are the most common targets used in the courses. Due to the hunts, both species are witnessing dramatic decreases in their numbers. Once there were more than four million brown hares, estimates now put their numbers around 700,000. A recent study conducted by Manchester Metropolitan University and Queens University Belfast indicated that there could be as few as 3,500 mountain hares.

However, there are improvements underway. Police across the UK are now cracking down more heavily on illegal hare courses. A week ago, the Cambridge Independent reportedthat the number of hunts is 31% lower, thanks to continued police intervention across the country.

This successful collaboration, together with new legislation hopefully being introduced by the government to tackle hare coursing, will hopefully reduce further incidents of this nature and allow our rural crime teams to concentrate on other issues that affect our rural communities, states Cambridgeshire Chief Constable Nick Dean.

Operation Galileo is a nationwide initiative that hopes to eradicate hare coursing. The hunts typically begin in September after farmers harvest their fields, so police know when and where to start looking. The new national penalties should help their efforts, even though criminals will always be criminals.

Original post:

Gambling on Hares Is a Thing in the UK and It's Feeding an Illegal Market in... - Casino.Org News

By: Karen Kasler | Statehouse News BureauPosted on: Thursday, December 9, 2021

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) A bill thats on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine would legalize sports gambling in Ohio starting before January 1, 2023. State lawmakers have been working on the issue since the US Supreme Court allowed states to set up sports betting in 2018.

The bill, which adds gambling language to aHouse bill on veterans ID cards, puts oversight over sports betting with the Ohio Casino Control Commission. Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) has been at the front of the negotiations.

We all know that sports gaming is going on right now as we speak, illegally, Schuring said on the Senate floor. As were going to put the necessary regulatory guardrails around it to make sure it is done correctly here in Ohio.

The bill would set up 25 Class A licenses for mobile betting with the first sports book contract costing $3 million and the second going for $10 million. 40 Class B licenses will be allowed for brick and mortar betting at casinos and racinos and for professional sports teams, and thousands of Class C licenses for liquor permit holders to have betting kiosks. It would also impose a 10% tax on gaming receipts, with the money going to education. If its signed, sports betting could start before January 1, 2023.

For years lawmakers have discussed sports gambling and which entity would have oversight. Before adding their language to this bill, the Senatepassed a bill earlier this yearputting sports gambling under the Casino Control Commission. The House passed a bill last year to putthe authority over sports betting with the Ohio Lottery.

Continued here:

Sports gambling passes Ohio legislature after years of debate and now heads to the governor - WOUB

State regulators are alleging five violations of gambling laws during the first three months of sports betting in Deadwood.

The allegations involve a total of 12 casinos, betting operators and workers.

The new gambling option began Sept. 9 and is limited to the city of Deadwood. The accusations are made by the Commission on Gaming, which meets Wednesday.

Most of the allegations relate to accepting sports bets of more than $1,000 the state limit. The commission can punish the violations by revoking or suspending gaming licenses. It can also impose fines up to $100,000 per violation.

Some of the casinos, operators and workers have come to agreements with the commission that say they admit or don't deny the conduct alleged in the complaint.

Allegations

Internet Sports International is accused of accepting a $1,550 bet Sept. 18 at the Gold Dust casino on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons game.

Cadillac Jack's and its operator BetMGM are accused of accepting a $3,000 bet for the same game on the same day.

Cadillac Jack's and BetMGM are also accused of accepting a $1,300 bet Sept. 20 on the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers game.

BetMGM has a third accusation for accepting a $1,500 bet Sept. 19 at Tin Lizzie on the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins game.

Deadwood Mountain Grand and operator IGT are accused of a different kind of violation. They allegedly allowed seven futures bets for the World Series on Oct. 26, even though futures aren't allowed under state law.

Resolved cases

Tin Lizzie was accused of failing to notify the commission when it learned on Sept. 19 that its sports betting system was capable of accepting bets over $1,000. The casino has agreed to pay a $1,000 fine. It will be fined $1,500 more if it has another violation in the next 12 months.

A casino worker has agreed to a $350 fine after being accused of failing to notify the commission after issuing a $1,500 wager on Sept. 19. The wager was on the Eagles v. Dolphins game.

Two workers have admitted to issuing the $3,000 bet Oct. 18 on the Buccaneers v. Falcons game. One will be fined $350 and the other will be fined $150.

Another worker will pay a $150 fine after admitting to issuing the $1,300 wager Sept. 20 on the Lions v. Packers game.

Two workers will be fined $150 each after admitting to accepting the futures bets on Oct. 26.

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Gambling-law violations alleged during first three months of Deadwood sports betting - SDPB Radio

There's an NFT on the Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) blockchain that is hoping to upend the online gambling market. On Tuesday the Slotie NFT from Elia Software hit the market, and it could be the first NFT to generate real money from gambling.

As NFTs become more popular and cryptocurrencies and the blockchain grow, NFT projects are becoming more and more innovative. We aren't just talking about a cool piece of art here -- this project is intended to be a long-term investment.

Image source: Getty Images.

Slotie is the name for a set of 10,000 unique NFTs minted on Tuesday. Sloties cost 0.08 Ethereum for the first 2,500 pre-sale mints, and 0.16 Ethereum for 7,000 public sale mints, or about $5.7 million.

These NFTs are said to provide real-world benefits at 150 casinos around the world and "Exclusive Holders Rewards".The first reward is a Slotie-themed game for crypto casinos, which will pay out a 12% commission to each partner. 80% of that payment goes to Slotie holders. Slotie NFT holders will also get a 20% rakeback at participating casinos, which means they'll get 20% of the casino's take back as a benefit.

The key to the economics of this system is a token that can be transferred to NFT owners on the blockchain.

Slotie is using a token called WATT, which is kind of like a gem you earn in a game depending on how you play and what you own. In this case, WATTs are earned on a daily basis depending on the qualities of a Slotie. Here's how the token is described by Slotie:

WATTs is a token which acts like the energy in the Sloties' world. WATTs are generated on a daily basis. Every Slotie owner gets 10 WATTs tokens daily. You will have enough WATTs to breed your Sloties in 3 months. For those who can't wait to get their Junior Sloties, there's the opportunity to buy tokens from other owners on the secondary market.

What Slotie's developers would like to do is make WATTs valuable by creating uses for them. Breeding, slot events, and potentially other benefits will be available. But the real hope is that WATTs have a monetary value.

WATTs will be paid to Slotie holders, but they will need to then be exchanged into Ethereum or another coin. This will allow Slotie owners to cash out benefits, but a market needs to be created for the token -- and it appears right now that WATT tokens won't be generated by Slotie NFT holders until the first or second quarter of 2022.

One secret of NFTs is that the development team is often paid with an allocation of tokens. Slotie didn't disclose how many WATTs the team will get, but this is often a sizable amount.

The main use for WATTs is what's known as breeding. Breeding takes 1,800 WATTs and 2 Sloties and creates a Junior Slotie. However, there doesn't seem to be any real utility for the Junior Slotie until at least the third quarter of 2022.

Future games and partnerships could be beneficial to Slotie holders, but that's a ways down the roadmap.

This is one of the first real-world projects I've seen with the backing of a legitimate company with locations around the world. But the Slotie NFT still relies on these developers staying engaged and building value long-term. If casinos don't sign up or WATT doesn't hold value, there will be no value for this NFT outside of the art.

Slotie also ran into huge problems during its mint, with scammers overwhelming the developers and many people missing the mint altogether. It's still unclear on secondary markets which Sloties are the real ones and which are scams, a huge problem with NFTs in their infancy.

As utility NFTs like Slotie hit the market, it will be interesting to watch how they play out. This could be a great way to generate indirect, passive income from an industry like online gambling. But it could end in disaster if buyers lose confidence in the project. And this is an NFT from a company, so it may be difficult to build a passionate following organically.

Time will tell where this NFT goes, but if you're looking for innovation in NFTs, this is one to watch.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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Could NFTs Disrupt the Gambling Business? - Motley Fool

Gambling is a topic that always sparks interest. It can be exciting, thrilling, and addicting all at the same time. For some people, gambling is their life-blood, and for others, its just an occasional hobby. When do you think about gambling? What comes to mind?

There are many great movies about gambling out there, but we have narrowed them down to the top nine favorites:

This is the first James Bond movie that Daniel Craig plays in. Its set during his early years as a spy and doesnt include gadgets, sexy women, or high-stakes action. However, it shows how he was recruited into MI-26 and what he had to do to prove himself worthy of being 00 status. If you love poker, this would be great for you because you can find your casino bonus in multiple scenes where they play Texas Holdem Poker!

Based on true events, this movie shows what happened when MIT students got together and created their card counting system to beat casinos out of millions of dollars. Kevin Spacey stars in this drama that also has some comedic elements mixed in there too. Its one for all audiences but especially those with an interest in math or gambling.

This movie is more about the emotional side of gambling and what happens when things go wrong. Its also a great drama with Bill Campbell playing an older man who works as a cooler at casinos because he brings everyone bad luck. When they lose everything, Bernie Mac shows up to help him out, but even though it doesnt look like their relationship will work, there are some surprising twists in this one.

Daniel Day-Lewis gives another wonderful performance in this Oscar-winning film by Paul Thomas Anderson, where his character becomes obsessed with oil, power, and greed. Hell do anything to get ahead, including using someone elses money without telling them, which leads to dire consequences for all involved, especially since most people dont know how much hes worth.

This is the first time Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster appeared together on screen. They play a father/daughter duo who runs a traveling poker game throughout Texas. Still, things heat up when they meet James Garners character Bret Maverick, their biggest competition. If you love Westerns, especially ones with lots of comedy mixed in, then definitely check this one out and all the other great movies above.

Eric Bana stars as Huck Cheever, a young professional gambler from Los Angeles that makes his living off playing short-term poker games. He gets into hot water after he bets against his hand at an important high-stakes match forcing him to go on vacation with his estranged father, L.C. Cheever (Robert Duvall), who hasnt spoken to him in years. This movie shows their journey together as they try and rebuild their bond while Huck tries his best not to lose everything at the poker table this time around too.

Miles and Worm go headtohead against Teddy KGB in an all-out war over 15,000 dollars, leading them down a dangerous path towards revenge and betrayal. Not only with each other but also from the Russian mobster.

This movie is a remake of the 1974 film starring James Caan. It takes place in Las Vegas and follows Jim Bennett, an English professor with a severe gambling addiction who owes money to dangerous people. Hes forced to look for more high-risk opportunities if he wants his problems fixedfast! When things go south on him again, though, will it be too much for him to handle?

This movie takes place in New Orleans and follows Jack, an aspiring novelist looking to pay off his debts by working as a dealer at one of the best casinos around. He quickly becomes obsessed with gambling, but things take a turn for him when he gets involved in illegal games behind-the-scenes that end up getting him into some hot water.

These are nine of the best movies about gambling out there. Whether youre interested in learning more, need a little inspiration to get your game on again, or just want something great to watch this weekend, we hope that you find one (or all) of these films entertaining and enjoyable.

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The 9 Best Movies About Gambling - Film Threat

Britains Betting and Gaming Council has unveiled a new cross-industry Ad Tech Forum. The forums work will be to provide operators with crucial tips on how to better protect the youth from gambling harm.

The Ad Tech Forums work will heavily trust data collection technologies. It will have operators, such as Bet365, Flutter, and William Hill, collaborate with Google, Meta, Snap, and Twitter to better understand problem gambling and work to inhibit it through strategic usage of data. By using cutting-edge solutions, the forum and the bookmakers will aim to improve gambling ads targeting and avoid exposing minors to betting commercials.

The new Ad Tech Forum has received the support of the Advertising Association. The latters chief executive officer, Stephen Woodford, spoke on the matter. He said that he and the association welcome the gambling industrys proactive work alongside big tech platforms and advertising bodies.

It is essential that gambling ads online and in social media meet the highest standards of social responsibility, Woodford reminded.

The forum will fully comply with the mandatory measures and commitments from the Sixth Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising, described by the Betting and Gaming Council. This means that all operators who are a part of the BGC must make sure that their adverts target only people who are aged 25 or older. Furthermore, the ads have to adopt safer messages, instead of tripping people into gambling away large sums of money.

Michael Dugher, the chief executive officer of the Betting and Gaming Council, known as an ardent fighter for a healthier gambling industry, also spoke on the Ad Tech Forum. He revealed that he is delighted that the BGC has been able to coordinate the Ad Tech Forum. Dugher is convinced that the forums tech and data-based approach will help to crush gambling harm among the youth and vulnerable groups.

Dugher emphasized that ever since the BGCs establishment two years ago, it has tirelessly worked to drive up standards and promote safer gambling. For him, the Ad Tech Forum attests to the councils continued commitment to a safer gambling ecosystem.

Several days ago, Dugher once again spoke about how crucial it is to avoid exposing young people to gambling content. He appealed to the British government, asking it to place child protection at the front and center of the next gambling white paper. Several weeks ago, the council praised Facebook for allowing users to turn off gambling-related ads.

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BGC Unveils Ad Tech Forum to Protect the Youth from Gambling Ads - GamblingNews.com

Commissioner Virgil Watkins is proposing tighter restrictions on stores with coin-operated gambling machines.

MACON, Ga. Bibb County Commissioner Virgil Watkins is proposing tighter restrictions on stores with coin-operated gambling machines.

Watkins' proposed ordinance says businesses can't have these machines within 1,500 feet of any liquor store, or 2,500 feet of small convenience stores that don't have fuel or fresh food.

Kay Reynolds has lived in east Macon for close to 20 years now.

"People are throwing away their money that they need to work and pay bills, care for their families and their children, but they're spending it on them stupid machines," said Reynolds.

For Reynolds, safety is paramount, "People take children into these stores and that's not an environment for children, and they're open 24 hours. It's not good, it's not safe, I don't trust them."

Donshay Caldwell says he's ready for a change.

"I see people every day on the machines gambling, every single day. Everybody has a goal to live a comfortable life, so when people have that type of desire, I feel like the machines are there to create a false sense of euphoria," said Caldwell.

Caldwell says people need other opportunities like better jobs.

"It preys on mental health also because you become pretty much addicted to them. When people excessively spend money, money, money that they don't necessarily have to make ends meet, I feel like that causes a problem," said Caldwell.

Both agree they want what's best for the community.

"It's really tearing neighborhoods apart. It's getting in more bad people that don't need to be in the neighborhoods. I don't feel comfortable going into the stores with all of the people in there gambling. If they want to gamble, go to the casinos -- that's what they're for, to gamble," said Reynolds.

"It's a product and people are consuming it. I just feel like it's bad for the community," said Caldwell.

According to the proposal, if a business is found operating gambling machines within the restricted areas, they could get fined at least $500 per day.

Watkins' proposal also says, under his plan, coin-operated machines could not be located near churches, public libraries, rec centers, alcohol treatment centers, public housing, or schools or colleges.

Originally posted here:

'It's really tearing neighborhoods apart': Bibb looks to restrict gambling machines in businesses - 13WMAZ.com

Whether you roll the dice, bet on the ponies, play cards or enjoy the slot machines, you should know that as a casual gambler, your winnings are fully taxable and must be reported on your income-tax return. You can also deduct your gambling losses, but only up to the extent of your winnings.

Here are five important tips about gambling and taxes:

For example, this occurs if you win:

On the Form W-2G, Federal taxes are withheld at a flat rate of 24 percent.

Before you celebrate the "big win," put some money aside for Uncle Sam, because if you win, he wins! Refer to IRS Publication 529, "Miscellaneous Deductions," for more details and information.

Barry Lisak is an IRS Enrolled Agent, meaning that he has passed special U.S. Treasury Department exams that qualify him to represent clients dealing with audits or tax-resolution cases. Any questions can be directed to him at (516) TAX-SAVE, or mrbarrytax@aol.com.

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Tax Tips on Gambling Winnings and Losses | Professionals' Columns | thechiefleader.com - The Chief-Leader

This year weve seen the world of DeFi impact industries around the world. Its impacted the way we complete transactions, the way we game, and even the way we collect art. Now an innovative new project is using the same blockchain technology to change the way we bet. Chipz is an exciting crypto-based gambling platform that allows users to make a bet on literally anything they want. If theres a betting market for the topic, it can be found on the platform. With a range of exciting new features and a roadmap planned out for Q2 of 2022, its no surprise that Chipz has got the world of DeFi excited.

Chipz is a new crypto-based gambling platform looking to take crypto betting to a whole new level. The platform allows users to make bets on any topic they can imagine, from sports such as MMA, the NBA, and the NFL, to politics, gaming, and even the future price of the cryptocurrency. The project itself was created in Costa Rica and plans to go live this December after much anticipation from its audience.

The developers have used blockchain technology to take the world of betting a step further than before. In the past, players would have to move between platforms based on what they wanted to bet on. With Chipz, they can find everything in one place, using USDC to place their bets.

As well as using blockchain technology to innovate what players bet on, its also been used to create several exciting new features for players to enjoy. Here are some that already have the industry talking.

For every transaction made, 3% will be taken and placed into a revenue share pool. Investors within this shared pool can stake their own tokens, allowing them to earn from the tokens theyve staked.

Throughout the year, Chipz will hold a range of DeFi betting events based on major world events happening during that time period. This could include political elections, the outcome of market fluctuations, and championship sports matches to name a few.

In the past, bookmaking could be an expensive option for players. They would often have to pay around $5 a week before theyd even made a bet. Chipz is looking to change that, providing a more affordable option for players. They offer deals as low as $60 for a year, without limits. They also plan to provide giveaways to early buyers who want to get in before the end of the year.

Chipz is an ERC 20 utility token thats used to power the Chipz network. Its currently traded on Binance Smart Chain (BSC) Uniswap and Pancake Swap, with the team planning to make it more widely available by the end of 2021.

An exciting feature of CHIPZ is that players can speculate on its value whilst playing a game. This means that players can profit during their bets when the CHIPZ token is increasing in value. To make things more exciting, the platform also has an option of a 15% APY staking reward whilst a bet is in play. For example, two friends can bet on the result of the Champions League final. Once the bet is placed, players can earn a yield of up to 15% during the game, taking excitement to a whole new level.

One of the most exciting aspects of Chipz is the team behind the project. Not only is the team itself full of experienced industry veterans, but these experts have a team of knowledgeable advisors supporting them. Team members include Joab Garza, who developed the hit NFT game, Tezatopia and Justin Lally, who is a member of the Bitcoin Foundation. Together, the two have formed a team of blockchain experts who are ready to take the gambling world by storm. Theyre backed by an advisory board consisting of several famous names, including Jacob Busch from the Anheuser Busch family, the owner of Golden Knights, Gavin Maloof, and NFL Star Todd Duckett.

With many promising features and a motivated team behind the project, its fair to say that Chipz is a project we will see in the spotlight in the future. Launching later this month, its community is extremely excited to see what Chipz brings to the world of gambling and how its new technology revolutionizes the way players choose to place their bets.

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Chipz The Biggest DeFi Project To Hit The Gambling Industry - Block Telegraph

Focus Youth Gambling Prevention is a prevention program of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health. I want to raise awareness of an issue rapidly growing in Illinois youth gambling. On average, youth are exposed to gambling at age 10, which is earlier than alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. The earlier youth are exposed, the more likely they are to have a gambling problem later in life. Adolescent prevalence rates of problem gambling are 2-4 times that of adults. Youth who gamble are more likely to have mental health challenges, more likely to partake in drinking, smoking, and drugs, and more likely to be involved in criminal behaviors.

Here at Focus, we are trying to prevent youth from participating in gambling activities. Focus Youth Gambling Prevention is a statewide youth prevention program that provides students with many programming opportunities to build skills in advocacy, leadership, public speaking, and youth gambling prevention education. Our mission is to prevent underage gambling and create positive change in communities through student advocacy, youth leadership development, and gambling prevention campaigns.

But why would schools and communities want to implement Focus? This program is for youth leaders who want a seat at the table, to share their own perspectives, and to use their voices. Youth groups can be at the forefront of this rising issue and participate in prevention efforts to create healthier and safer communities statewide.

We are reaching out in the hopes of this being highlighted because of the need to raise awareness and to involve youth groups to participate in Focus in their communities. Focus Youth Gambling Prevention is a program of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health and is funded in whole by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Focus Youth Gambling Prevention

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Voice of the People: Shining a light on the youth gambling problem - Kankakee Daily Journal

The voters of St. Tammany will make a decision on a casino complex in Saturday's election. The decision is theirs and I'm sure they will make the best decision for themselves relative to gambling in their neighborhood.

However, I observe with great interest the amount of advertising relative to gambling related both to this issue and sports betting in Louisiana. I am especially disappointed in how Drew Brees and the entire Manning family appear to have sold their souls to the gaming interests.

Brees is pushing the Slidell casino due to his interest in the restaurant to be housed there. The Manning family seem just to be interested in the money to be made from sports betting.

I would think that Brees and the Mannings had enough money already. It appears that some folks never have enough. So sad.

RICHARD WEGMANN

retired lawyer

New Orleans

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Letters: Drew Brees and the Mannings push gambling. Don't they have enough money already? - The Advocate

The board of the Jekyll Island Authority approved Tuesday a resolution opposing any effort to bring casino gambling to the island.

There is no plan to open casinos on Jekyll Island. The resolution is in opposition to House Resolution 30 now under consideration by the state legislature.

The resolution calls for a statewide referendum authorizing a limited number of casino resorts

The legislation does not call specifically for casino gambling on Jekyll. Instead, it seeks to require a vote from local jurisdictions that would be interested in creating casino gambling opportunities.

I understand that there are three jurisdictions in Georgia that are interested, said Jones Hooks, JIA executive director. Nevertheless, there was just recently an editorial in The Brunswick News which expressed concern about casino gambling as it related to Jekyll Island, and as a result of that editorial there was social media discussion about expressing concerns, that is this something thats being considered for Jekyll Island?

In response to those concerns, Hooks and board members felt compelled to propose their own resolution making their opposition clear.

We are proposing a resolution today that would confirm that Jekyll Islands interest continues to be in quiet, open spaces, limited traffic, limited congestion, where people will experience healthy recreation, Hooks said.

JIA has in past years expressed its opposition to bringing casino gambling to the island. As Jekyll has undergone significant revitalization efforts in recent years, the focus has been on the islands family-friendly activities and natural attractions.

It would be of concern from a management standpoint if in fact there were to be an effort to look at casino gambling on Jekyll, Hooks said.

A state legislator from Savannah expressed an interest in Jekyll Island as a potential destination for a casino if the General Assembly approved legalized gambling in Georgia. Jekyll Island is owned by the state.

The JIA resolution reads, in part, that the Jekyll Island State Park Authority Board of Directors expresses its strong opposition to any thought, discussion or action that would include Jekyll Island as a location for casino gambling; and in light of Georgia House of Representatives Resolution 30 calling for a statewide referendum authorizing a limited number of casino resorts, that the Jekyll Island Authority Board has not, does not and will not support casino gambling on Jekyll Island.

Board members also voted during the meeting to amend the language of the resolution to include clarification that the JIA does not oppose gambling in the state.

In other business, the board voted to revise and amend the 2021 fiscal year budget to allow for $130,000 for employee compensation/merit increases and $242,000 to include $150,000 for the new Public Safety Complex design, $65,000 for a Jekyll Island Master Plan update and $27,000 for replacement bicycles at the Bike Barn.

The budget, approved by the board in July, was revised from the originally discussed spending plan and took out $3 million worth of expenses. These cuts were made in response to the pandemics financial toll on the island.

We did talk about the fact that since the future was so uncertain and unknown that we would like to bring forward the idea that, if in fact after six months or so we were making good progress, that there may be some items that we would like you to realign in the budget, Hooks said. Today thats what were looking at.

In early 2020, as the pandemic began affecting island operations, JIA made significant adjustments to decrease expenditures, including at one point the furloughing of 43 percent of its workforce. One of the changes proposed and approved Tuesday was a 2 percent merit pay increase for all full-time and part-time Jekyll staff based on the normal qualifications for merit increases.

The cost for the remainder of this fiscal year will be approximately $130,000, said Marjorie Johnson, JIAs chief accounting officer.

Were not asking for any additional funds to be put into the budget at this point because our human resources expenses are $539,000 less than budget at this point she said. So well be able to absorb the increase without asking for additional funds.

Noel Jensen, chief operations officer on Jekyll, asked for consideration of a request for proposals for architectural and engineering services for the public safety complex, which is envisioned to be a 12,000- to 15,000-square-foot structure that will house Georgia State Patrol, Jekyll Island Fire Department and emergency service workers in one location. Hooks and board members recently met with Gov. Brian Kemp in Atlanta to discuss plans for the project, which will require funding from the state legislature.

The board approved the RFP to seek architectural and engineering services at a cost of up to $150,000.

A resolution endorsing the Glynn County 2021 SPLOST, through which Jekyll is set to receive $2.5 million of the $68.5 million collected if voters approve the three-year SPLOST during a referendum election March 16.

Consideration of a University of Georgia proposal for a 2021 master plan update.

A letter in support of the Brunswick Area Transportation Study (BATS) committees opposition to a proposal from the Federal MSA Standards Review Committee to raise the minimum metropolitan population from 50,000 to 100,000.

An amendment to the fire alarm ordinance.

Consideration of a contract renewal for Summer Waves management.

Consideration of a lease agreement for Tribuzios Grille, LLC, to operate the restaurant currently known as McCormicks Grill at the Jekyll Island Golf Club.

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Jekyll board voices opposition to casino gambling on island - Brunswick News

A key Senate committee postponed decision-making until Thursday on whether to allow a controversial gambling bill that would allow the possibility for generating revenue for the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands through some form of legalized gaming and break Hawaiis prohibition on any form of legal gambling.

The original version of Senate Bill 1321, which would allow DHHL to develop Hawaiis first casino resort, was amended to give the Hawaiian Homes Commission five years to figure out whether it wanted to permit any form of gambling whether in the form of a casino, lottery, bingo or even horse racing in order to help clear the backlog of more than 28,000 beneficiaries who have been waiting sometimes decades for homes and land.

The House Committee on Economic Development earlier deferred the original House version, effectively killing the DHHL casino resort concept in the House.

In the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee on Tuesday, the Senates amended version of SB 1321 faced deep opposition from at least two of its five members and possibly three, prompting Chairwoman Maile Shimabukuro to defer it until 1 p.m. Thursday.

Committee member and state Sen. Laura Acasio (D, Hilo) said, This measure is egregiously divisive. Settler culture seems to love to watch Hawaiians fight against Hawaiians, and this measure, in my experience with constituents and those writing in, is exactly that adding to more deep historical trauma, generational cultural trauma.

Fellow Hawaiian Affairs Committee member and state Sen. Kurt Fevella, Senate Republican minority leader and minority floor leader, helped generate a petition opposed to SB 1321 that was signed by 15,600 people.

Fevella said Tuesday that he plans to vote against the bill, which he said is causing division.

Fevella, who represents Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point, said the Hawaiian Affairs Committee is kicking the can down the road while opponents have spoken loudly.

Its only getting louder, the voice, Fevella said.

The question of whether to allow the Home Lands Commission to have five years to consider approving any form of gambling on DHHL land by a so-called supermajority vote of six of nine members comes during the states worst financial crisis, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the current level of state funding for DHHL is estimated to take another century to clear DHHLs backlog of more than 28,000 beneficiaries.

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Home Lands gambling bill debate pushed to Thursday - Honolulu Star-Advertiser