Monthly Archives: April 2017

Spin the wheel and roll the bones: Craps and roulette could be headed to casinos in Florida.

A deal under negotiation in the state Legislature would allow those games at Seminole Tribe casinos for the first time.

The plan also would:

The plan emerged Wednesday as the House and Senate tried to reconcile their differing versions of gambling bills.

The changes had been at the heart of a gambling proposal passed by the Senate, but not in a more-restrictive version passed by the House.

As negotiations continued, House negotiators announced they had come around to the Senate positions. That gives the plan a pretty good shot at becoming law, since it dealt with many of the objections from all sides.

Allowing pari-mutuels to stop races but continue to operate casinos has long been a goal of both pari-mutuel owners and animal rights activists.

With the exception of thoroughbred racing, animal racing has dropped in popularity and is no longer a moneymaker for most operators.

There are 16 greyhound tracks in the country, according to the National Greyhound Association, and nine of them are in Florida.

Of those, two Magic City in Miami-Dade and Mardi Gras in Broward have large casinos with slot machines. The others operate card rooms.

Allowing them to keep operating lucrative card rooms while halting races could potentially mean the end of greyhound racing in Florida.

State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, called the gambling deal substantial and said it addressed many of the big ideas that had been the cause of impasse between the House gambling bill and the Senate one.

The deal does contain a couple of catches. County referendums would be required to end greyhound, harness, quarter horse and some thoroughbred races and begin designated player games.

The Senate plan called for two new casinos in either Broward or Miami-Dade county. The House plan calls for one casino in Miami-Dade.

The Seminole Tribe, which owns casinos near Hollywood and in Coconut Creek, wanted to discourage more competition in Broward.

A lot of work still remains for gambling negotiators. The House and Senate are still far apart on blackjack and slot machines.

The Senate wants to allow blackjack at pari-mutuels in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, with slots in any county where voters approve them. Eight counties outside Broward and Miami-Dade, including Palm Beach County, have already done so.

The original House bill allows none of that, and the Houses counteroffer Wednesday keeps those positions.

Its quite a contrast to where the House was just a few days ago, said state Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, the Senates chief negotiator. One of the big issues that remains is the authorization of slots in the referendum counties.

dsweeney@SunSentinel.com, 954-356-4605 or Twitter @Daniel_Sweeney

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Craps and roulette could be coming to Seminole casino near you - Sun Sentinel (blog)

As top sports officials and the American public soften their decades-long opposition to legal sports betting, the American Gaming Association, one of the leading advocates for a regulated marketplace for wagers, says that an end to the federal ban on the popular pastime is near.

Both the NHL and the NFL voted to place permanent franchises in the U.S. gambling capital this year, even as they remain opposed to legal betting on their events. The commissioners of the Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer have each called for a reexamination of what a legal regulated market would look like in 2017, while NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has openly advocated for federal legalization. President Donald Trump is a former casino magnate that has expressed support for legalization in the past.

The AGA, which lobbies on behalf of the casino industry, will be one of the groups eventually tasked with presenting the case to repeal the federal ban on sports betting to legislators on Capitol Hill a development that is still likely years away. But Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the Washington D.C.-based advocacy group, says his organization has a clear strategy to take advantage of what he calls a perfect storm of events that show progress toward legalization.

This is really happening. There is tremendous demand and tremendous need for a regulated sports betting market, Freeman told FOX Business. I think were closer than at any point in the past several decades to making that a reality. With that said, theres a process here. Were committed to that process, which means working with the leagues and other interested parties to ensure alignment on all the key issues.

Sports wagering has been illegal in the United States in all but four states since 1992, when federal legislators signed off on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or PASPA. At the time, officials from top leagues like the NFL and NCAA argued the measure was essential to protect sporting events and athletes from corruption.

For critics of the push to legalize sports betting, that argument hasnt changed. The NFL, the preeminent holdout on the subject among sports leagues, remains adamantly opposed to an end to the federal ban. Commissioner Roger Goodell called the potential for a legalized marketplace a major risk for the league mere days after its owners overwhelmingly voted to approve the Raiders move to Vegas.

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"That is a major risk for us," Goodell said at a press conference earlier this month. "I think we have to make sure that we continue to stay focused on making sure that everyone has full confidence that what you see on the field is not influenced by any outside factors. That's our No. 1 concern. That goes to what I consider the integrity of the game, and we will not relent on that."

Silver and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, on the other hand, have said they are ready to reexamine the issue.

Manfred told FOX Business in March that MLB is past the stigmaassociated with Las Vegas, adding that Nevadas legal gambling market would not be a major factor in determining whether to place a baseball team in the city.

The fact of the matter is, people can gamble even on sports wherever they want to, we know that. Its a fact that we all live with, Manfred said at the time.

There are also signs that the American public is warming up to the idea of a legal market. In November 2016, a poll of more than 1,000 adults by researchers at Fairleigh Dickinson University found 48% supported a change to federal law that would allow states to legalize sports betting, compared to just 39% who opposed the notion.

Proponents of legalization especially the AGA say the federal ban has only served to empower illegal operators and offshore sportsbooks. The organization estimates that Americans place $150 billion in illegal wagers on sporting events every year.

While legislators on Capitol Hill will ultimately decide whether to repeal PASPA, Freeman said that conversation is the final step in the AGAs strategy. At present, the organization is focused on building a coalition of key figures in sports leagues, the gaming industry and the political world that would ultimately strengthen the argument in favor of legalization.

Our goal here is to make sure the gaming industry, the regulatory community, the leagues all those that need to be on the same page are on the same page before we go to Capitol Hill. I think thats the straightest path to victory here, and were well down that road, Freeman said. In any industry, when you bring an idea to Washington thats not fully baked, you make it very easy for legislators to do nothing.

Freeman argues that a regulated marketplace would utilize high-end data analytics to track wagers for any unusual or suspicious activity, which would allow sports leagues to monitor the integrity of their events even more closely. A close study of regulated gaming markets in Las Vegas and overseas in Europe provide a blueprint for how the system could eventually look throughout the United States, he said.

While lawmakers in several states, including New Jersey, are actively challenging the sports betting ban, Freeman says their efforts would only serve to [empower] an unregulated market. Instead, the AGA is calling on Congress to repeal PASPA and, potentially, to replace the measure with a framework of minimum standards for regulation. With a federal law in place, states could individually determine whether they want to opt-in to the legal marketplace.

In terms of how quickly can we get PASPA repealed, I think were looking at getting that done during the first term of this Trump administration, Freeman said. Everything Im seeing, everything were doing and that our allies are doing, leads me to be confident that we can get this done.

Originally posted here:

Sports Gambling Ban Repeal Could Happen in Trump's First Term ... - Fox Business

April 25, 2017 3:21 PM By Kristina Dougherty

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) With several casinos in Atlantic City and its proximity to casinos in both Pennsylvania and New York, it may come as no surprise that a study finds New Jersey is among the most gambling-addicted states.

WalletHubs analysts compared the 50 states to determine where excessive gambling is most prevalent.

This Exercise Could Give You More Energy Than Coffee, Study Shows

According to the report, Nevada, South Dakota and Montana are the top three most gambling-addicted states. New Jersey ranked number six on the list.

While New Jersey didnt makethe top five most casinos per capita, or most gaming machines per capita, it did come in at number four for highest percentage of adults with gambling disorders, and number three for most gambling-related arrests.

According to WalletHub, experts say, While the estimated $240 billion gaming industry is no doubt a major contributor to the U.S. economy, its critics argue that gambling leads to social and economic problems, including gambling disorder and regressive taxes on residents of local economies where gambling facilities are present.

Girl, 8, Whose Father Died In Line Of Duty Secretly Pays For NJ Officers Meal

To determine their rankings, WalletHubs researchers compared the states across two dimensions, Gambling-Friendliness and Gambling Problem & Treatment.

To see the report, click here.

Kristina Dougherty joined CBS 3 in 2012 as a newsroom assistant and became a member of the CBS Philly digital content production team in 2013. Kristina produces daily breaking new articles, feature and lifestyle content as well as maintai...

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Report: NJ Ranks Among Top 10 Gambling-Addicted States - CBS Philly

JUNO BEACH

The former owner and co-manager of a Juno Beach internet cafe have been arrested on gambling and other charges, two years after police raided the business and the operation shut down.

Cafe 777 on Donald Ross Road was advertised as an all-in-one computer store, providing copy, print and fax services to its customers. Its owner, Edmund John Salata, reportedly compared the business to Kinkos, the now-closed chain of photocopying centers. However, police investigators observed computer desktops that were set up as gaming terminals, according to the arrest report.

The business also had postings advertising cash payouts to customers, the report said.

Town police took Salata, 57, and Joel Lynn Matthews, 44, into custody Monday on charges of unlawfully keeping a gambling house, promoting a lottery and possessing a slot machine. Matthews was Salatas co-manager, according to court records.

Records show that Salata and Matthews both have homes in the Abacoa section of Jupiter. Salata also has a home in Treasure Island, a beachfront city in Pinellas County. Both were released on their own recognizance Monday.

Their arrests stem from an investigation that began in 2013. Authorities raided the business in April 2015, hauling away more than 60 computers.

Investigators examined a bank account belonging to Salata and Matthews. The account showed a total of nearly $300,000 in deposits from March 2014 to April 2015. All of the deposits for less than $10,000, appearing to evade the banks reporting requirements to federal regulators, authorities said.

The propertys owner filed an eviction against the business shortly after it was raided.

Staff researcher Melanie Mena contributed to this report.

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NEW: Two face gambling charges after 2015 raid on Juno 'computer' store - Palm Beach Post

Picture the scene: popular footballer Paul Merson sits alone in a dark hotel room in Bolton, the only light being the flicker of an early 2000s television set. Hes set to play for Villa the next day, but he cant get one thing out of his mind - money. He needs to make a bet and he needs to make it now - will it be a couple of grand on the bowls or 20,000 on the outcome of the Miami Dolphins game? This time he might settle for ten grand on the first batter out at Lords. He shakes his head and starts to realise that this cant go on. He thinks about putting his fingers in the hinges of the hotel door and slamming repeatedly, breaking the joints to bits so he cant pick up the phone. If that doesnt work, hell order a hammer and finish off the job himself. Paul didnt want to bet that bad, but he couldnt help it. Despite the extremity of this incident it didnt change much. By 35, his 800,000 pension had already been cashed in - and Merson would blow millions on gambling. A problem he still suffers from to this very day.

Gambling addiction, my friends - is no joke. While gambling is a fun past time for many, it has become a crutch for others and has ruined many a life. Relationships dont tend to work out if they are weighted in one direction and gambling - all too often - has the power in its relationship with the punters.

The argument over gamblings influence in football restarted today after Burnleys Joey Barton was handed an 18 month ban from the game for betting on football matches. With the visibility of bookmakers, gambling and betting in the modern game - the argument has emerged that this is hypocritical of the FA. Of course, it has to be argued that the FA are not jumping into moral waters in regards to their suspension of Joey Barton - they have set the rules and they are acting on them. Joey was in the wrong here and was in the wrong on over one thousand occasions when he bet on the result or events of a football match. Joeys bets include betting on his own team to lose and betting on himself being the first scorer.

It is only when we look at the type of person that Joey Barton is and where he is from that we can see patterns emerge. The below is taken from Bartons statement in response to his ban and the charge from the FA:

I grew up in an environment where betting was and still is part of the culture. From as early as I can remember my family let me have my own pools coupon, and older members of the family would place bets for me on big races like the Grand National. To this day, I rarely compete at anything without there being something at stake. Whether thats a round of golf with friends for a few pounds, or a game of darts in the training ground for who makes the tea, I love competing. I love winning. I am also addicted to that. It is also the case that professional football has long had a betting culture, and I have been in the sport all my adult life.

Barton is a working class lad - that much is obvious from his own writing and memoir in which he describes his upbringing. Bartons career has mirrored the actions of a lot of the people I grew up around. Especially some of the violence. The Sunday League goalkeeper who was twice as big of me got jailed before a big match for glassing someone in a bar. You might remember Barton burning someone, or lashing out during a match. What is sorry to see is a number of outlets and journalists demonise Barton for actions which hinge on his background. It seems that addiction has become a stick for well-paid and well reputed members of society to batter the working class with. Barton messed up - he broke the rules. When we see his bets, they mirror a lot of the slips youll see around Villa Park before a game - 3 on this, 1 on that. The difference is, Barton was involved in what he was betting on and could afford to lose. Some people cant. And they cant stop.

We human beings have a severe problem with over indulgence. We arent temperate things, at all (and that attitude is almost never rewarded, but always mocked). We overindulge in love, community, alcohol. In fact, when we do something, we always go way too far. Its not enough to game for thirty minutes - you need all night. One glass of prosecco isnt gonna cut it tonight, you need four and more. Chicken wings? Forget having one. Its all or nothing and if youre going at full tilt, you are respected for living life. If youre not, youre a bore - arent you? Theres no middle ground where everything is fine, the house is either devoid or it is burning right the fuck down. We are creatures of habit and those habits can manifest into addictions.

There is no way to put it other than this: a gambling addiction is a serious mental health issue that requires treatment, not your judgement, nor punishment. Society desperately attempts to position itself as something that cares for and respects mental health - but it doesnt. People in the year 2017 still very much have an attitude of if it didnt happen to me, it doesnt happen. We see that attitude in everything, in every dark corner of our world. Just because you can gamble responsibly doesnt mean that everyone else can. Especially when commercialism and betting companies breed to spawn their own demonic offspring. As an Aston Villa fan following the team in the English Football League Championship, sorry, the Sky BetTM English Football League Championship, Ive been exposed to gambling more than ever before. Of course, my team isnt on TV much at all - but if yours is, youll see betting adverts around the ground. Your team will be sponsored by a betting agency, as will the opposition. It might even be on their shirt.It could sponsor a stadium, or even the television broadcast. During breaks in the programming, youll see an actor sell a betting company, while your favourite manager appears during another commercial for a betting company. In many instances, there will be no break between commercials, youll be told to do. How can this not have an effect? We know that adverts have a real effect on people, so we cannot dare say that these adverts and sponsorships are not making people bet. Ray Winstone reading out some odds live on air will affect some and not affect others. The fact that it will have an effect is worrying. In some cases, gambling is so ingrained into culture that betting will happen regardless - this can be safer as it might involve a wager with mates, but whos to say? Betting isnt just odds anymore, it has become a real tangible character in our lives, especially if you follow sport on television. In most cases it parades itself as some sort of end-of-level boss out of an Only Fools And Horses fantasy world, with a mockney accent, cigar, clutching a bunch of fivers in its fat paw. In other cases, it tries to present itself as a more sophisticated animal - using stats, suits and slicked hair to appear as your intelligent friend that has always done a bit better than you.

Has anyone reading this ever been to a betting shop? They are not happy places. That is because the people that it the industry preys on are stuck in there, hoping for a break. The others - who for whatever reason are free from the chains of betting can slip in and slip out, knowing that everything doesnt hang on the accy they just placed. My bus stop was on Bull Street in Birmingham opposite Coral bookmakers and you dont ever see someone leave with a huge smile on their face, more a look of what am I doing?. This is all thought out though, right down to their placement. In my city centre there are a chain of two betting shops placed in walking distance of two payday loan companies. That is for a reason. Right?

Football isnt the realm of the working class anymore. What started out as an aristocratic past-time that was taken over by the many has known morphed into something in-between. It costs just enough to keep people out, but it can still have a huge effect. Can betting have a healthy relationship with football? Of course it can! There are plenty of vices in the world that we can enjoy with a temperate attitude. Betting simply goes overboard when it is presented to us on each and every occasion without fail, taking advantage of us and turning us into rather needful things. Betting companies have sponsored some amazing events without becoming the event, betting companies have given platforms for amazing football writers and their content. It is when betting companies use their wealth and scope to assist football and help it grow without an ulterior motive that this relationship succeeds.

There are plenty of questions to be asked here. How can we help gambling become a positive influence in the sport? What regulations need to be bought in to safeguard gamblers on low incomes? Do laws need to be changed? We certainly need to question if the constant presence of betting firms in live sport is necessary. On the other side of the coin, football needs money. If football isnt in bed with gambling, it certainly is in bed with money. Tax evasion, golden handshakes, secret deals, bungs and dodgy transfers rule the day behind the scenes - it is only gambling that pokes its head above the parapet for people to take aim at. It isnt just football that needs money - content providers, journalists, podcasters and bloggers need money and wed all be massive hypocrites if wed say know to the dollars or pounds of a betting company that wants to give us cash to fulfil our dreams. ESPN today laid off a number of staff, someone out there needs to be pumping money into content and if not gambling firms, then who?

Will gambling become a parasite that leeches off of our sport and its fans? Or can it become something else entirely, something that is a lot more positive? At this point, I just do not know. What does football want from gambling? What does gambling want from football? We all know the answer and that wont change. What we can change is the stigma we have that surrounds gambling and encourage it to become a fun once-in-a-while pastime, not something that lives hinge on. That can be done with a few simple actions and some even simpler words. The world cannot champion mental health yet beat up on someone clearly struggling with addiction.

*If youre struggling with any gambling issues - Ive got a few links for you here and here. Gambling addiction is of course, a serious addiction and a mental health issue. Speak up.

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What type of relationship does football want with gambling? - 7500 To Holte (blog)