Monthly Archives: May 2017

MANILA/HONG KONG China and the Philippines have joined forces to tackle illegal gambling, part of Beijing's broader campaign to curb illicit capital outflows and a pledge by Manila to weed out unscrupulous operators from the country's booming gaming industry.

The coordinated crackdown comes amid warming ties between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte, who has made illegal gambling the third front in his all-out war on crime, after drugs and corruption.

In their first joint exercise, Philippine and Chinese authorities cracked a transnational cyber gambling operation in April, shutting four illegal websites run out of the Philippines, arresting 99 people and freezing more than 1,000 bank accounts, China's Public Security Bureau said.

Martini Cruz, chief of the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation's cyber-crime division, told Reuters authorities were preparing further raids in May targeting illegal betting and online fraud originating in the Philippines and targeted at Chinese gamblers.

"We have been visited by Chinese police to crack down on these illegal gambling operators. They are also targeting possible fugitives who have made our country a sanctuary," Cruz said.

So far, the crackdown has not targeted proxy betting, which is permitted in licensed casinos in the Philippines and has contributed to a boom in VIP revenues. Casinos in the country raked in nearly $3 billion in overall revenue last year.

The practice, in which a gambler outside the casino gives instructions to an agent via a live stream or online platform, allows people to bet anonymously and can allow players to escape the attention of authorities in their home countries.

Industry executives have said increased scrutiny could impact the lucrative proxy business in the Philippines particularly if it continues to ramp up ahead of the official opening of Japanese slot machine tycoon Kazuo Okadas new $2.4 billion casino in the capital Manila in July.

PROXY GAMBLING

While proxy gambling is banned in Singapore and in Macau, the world's largest gambling hub, it operates in a legal gray area in the Philippines and officials tend to tread cautiously when discussing the subject.

Andrea Domingo, the head of the Philippines gaming regulator, PAGCOR, told Reuters she was not familiar with proxy betting.

"It is allowed in the casinos. I am not very conversant about it," she said.

Chinese law forbids citizens from gambling online and at home. The Public Security Bureau has made repeated statements since March that transnational cyber gambling is harmful to the country's economic security, image and stability.

Yet proxy betting is growing at such a pace in the Philippines that Suncity, the top junket operator bringing in high rollers from China, told Reuters in April that 80 percent of its business comes from proxy gambling and 20 percent from customers traveling to casinos for live table games.

Ben Lee, managing partner of IGAMIX Management and Consulting in Macau, said the latest directives this year from China were clear warning signs.

"China warning specifically that they would crack down again on foreign casinos should be heeded by all, especially those operating in the online space," he said.

The proxy business in the Philippines is mainly facilitated by Macau junket operators who bring high rollers into the casinos' opulent VIP parlors, either in person or via proxies. The junkets take on the risk for casinos, settling all credit and debt for the players in Macau, Hong Kong and China via their own internal banking networks.

In a VIP area in a Manila casino, Chinese and Korean nationals wearing earpieces shuffle from table to table after a series of bets, carrying rectangular white plastic trays containing gaming chips and smartphones.

A Macau-based executive whose company operates proxy gambling in the Philippines said there was little concern on the ground in Manila as the practice is licensed by PAGCOR.

To play the game in China is legal online, it is not happening in China, he said, explaining that the casinos install video screening so punters can see the play.

For now, proxy gambling continues to boost the VIP coffers in the Philippines with mega casinos Solaire and City of Dreams reporting double digit VIP volume growth in the first quarter this year. The casinos do not report proxy betting figures.

However, executives in Macau familiar with the VIP boom in the Chinese territory prior to Xis crackdown on corruption and tighter junket regulation cautioned against relying too strongly on the method.

Proxy betting in the Philippines is a ripe target for China, said a senior casino executive based in Macau who was not allowed to be named due to company policy.

For a graphic on Philippine gaming revenues, click here

(Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and Jerome Morales in Manila; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

YOKOHAMA, Japan Japan and China agreed to bolster economic and financial cooperation, Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday, as U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist stance and tension over North Korea weigh on Asia's growth outlook.

(This version of the story corrects the name of subsidiary in 10th paragraph)

President Donald Trump sent no tweets, set no deadlines and issued no public ultimatums to strong arm Republican support for a bill to repeal Obamacare. They said they felt he spoke to them, not at them. (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-trump-idUSKBN1802T6) And with that, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved the bill, handing Trump a victory that could prove short-lived. The legislation heads into what is likely to be a tough battle in the Senate (http://www.reut

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As Philippines joins China to fight illegal gambling, more scrutiny of casinos likely - Reuters

Football stars are blowing millions of pounds on gambling after being wooed by bookies promising a host of freebies and glamour invites, an insider has claimed.

And the whistleblower alleged bosses allowed them to carry on betting even after they had lost fortunes and were showing signs of addicition.

Account managers offer players from across the Premier League VIP incentives such as invites to horse racing, Formula One and top football matches as well as offers of free booze, parties and entertainment packages.

Lifting the lid on the gambling craze sweeping the game, the insider told how one England star bet 500 on his own transfer to a top flight club in a bid to win 5,000.

And a Premier League defender lost 500,000 on mobile phone casino games in a year, leaving him with just pennies in an account that once had 1.2million in it. One Scotland star begged bookies to close his account after blowing 25,000 on slot machines and roulette, telling them: My gambling is out of control.

And another player lost half of the 500,000 he deposited in his bets fund.

The insider, from a major UK bookie, said: Top players get invites to big sports events. They give them goodies so they get them to spend money, and free food and booze when they get there.

One PL defender at a struggling club lost 500,000 on his mobile phone.

Gambling on casino games is just too easy. You lose in seconds, on a spin.

The England player who bet on his own transfer was sussed and the bet was voided. He had one account closed. Anyone else would have been banned. He set up another 40,000 account for roulette. They let him play. They do pick up big names.

If it was Joe Average, not a footballer , they would not be allowed to continue playing.

The Association of British Bookmakers said a host of new responsible gambling measures had been introduced in a bid to stop wagers getting out of hand. They include giving players the ability to set a limit on money they spend or time gaming. And there is a self-exclusion scheme and 50 stake limits.

But our source claimed the player who lost 500,000 on mobile casino games was allowed to continue betting.

The insider added: He had 39 pence left. At one stage, he had 1.2million.

The claims came after Burnley star Joey Barton was banned from football for 18 months on a FA betting rap .

He admitted to being addicted to gambling after placing 1,260 bets on matches last year.

But the whistleblower said: Barton is typical. There is one Premier League outfit with a lot of players who deposited money together. I dont know if they were betting together.

Former Stoke winger Matthew Etherington said bookies should refuse to take wagers from players if their gambling is getting out of control.

The 35-year-old, who lost 1.5million due to his addiction, added: They need to recognise those that are vulnerable and dont take bets from them.

I was targeted. We had gambling companies come into the club and say, You can bet with us.

They knew we were young, a bit vulnerable and had lots of money. Looking back, it was very irresponsible of them.

There are an estimated 250,000 problem gamblers in the UK, with about half a million people deemed to be at risk of addiction, according to GambleAware

Chief executive Marc Etches said: Young men are among the most vulnerable. Professional sport is dominated by them. It is about having time and liking risky behaviour. A lot of work needs to be done to help them.

But our source alleged problem gamblers could still walk into a branch and open an account even after they had self-excluded.

FA chairman Greg Clarke has ordered a report into whether it is appropriate for clubs to have official partnerships with gambling and betting.

The body, which has a deal with Ladbrokes, is expected to make a decision this summer.

A worldwide ban on betting on football came into force at the start of the 2014-15 season for all those involved in the game from Premier League though all the leagues to the lower levels.

That means stars cannot wager, either directly or indirectly, on any match or competition.

It also made it illegal to gamble on any other football-related matter including, the transfer of players, hiring of managers or team selection.

The world of football has been littered with players suffering huge gambling problems.

Paul Merson was one of the stars with the biggest addiction.

He admitted blowing a staggering 7m on betting.

At his worst, when playing for Aston Villa, he even contemplated breaking his own fingers to stop himself dialling the bookies.

Former Manchester United, Newcastle and Blackburn star Keith Gillespie blew 7.2m.

He said: Without a doubt I was a stupid gambler. But then theres not too many clever gamblers. I had a good education, I was brought up well, but once you get caught up in it, it takes the wits out of you.

By his own admission former Spurs star Matthew Etherington estimated he has lost about 1.5million on greyhounds, horses and poker.

He said: I was gambling in all forms, playing poker on the internet or in schools, but it was basically the dogs and horses, going into betting shops, betting online.

Not football, because there are a lot of rules and it was becoming known that I had a problem and I didnt want to go down that road.

Back in 2009, it emerged former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen had a 6million gambling debt.

The Icelandic international became addicted whilst recovering from a serious knee injury at Barcelona, having spent two summers visiting Las Vegas.

Excerpt from:

England footballer bet on his own TRANSFER in stark example of gambling epidemic gripping the game - Mirror.co.uk

Placing a bet on boxing has been around for almost as long as the sport itself. If you think of an early boxing ring then youll probably be thinking of the touts and bookies that take the bets around it. Being able to gamble on boxing comes with positive and negative effects though, not all of which we are really aware of.

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The positive effects of gambling include sponsorship, without this valuable money its likely that boxing wouldnt be as popular. Sponsorship money allows for new players to be found, equipment to be provided and even maintenance and booking of large scale arenas. This money comes in exchange for pure screen time, so its a symbiotic relationship between organisers and advertisers.

The relationship between these bookmakers and the teams they work with can be positive or negative. They can provide them with additional support or be seen to be meddling in the games or arena selection. Its a double edged sword in this regard but overall, most fans see sponsorship as a positive aspect.

This casino relationship has been around for so long that Las Vegas has become a spiritual home for the sport. Many high profile matches take places in casino homes in Las Vegas, a tradition that goes back to the 1960s.

With all of these positive aspects, you may wonder if there are actually any negative ones at all. The big, glaring, ugly negative that exists as a direct result of sports betting is match fixing. This insidious way to turn a quick buck exists in many sports, even football players have been banned for betting on games.

However, boxing managers can place bets by proxy and give tips for the outcome of a match, which fetch a high price. Corruption, bribery and fixing exists on a massive, global scale. It is possible to support the sponsor, i.e. visiting their site, to play on other categories.

Betting operators can also have bingo sites, where players can play the best games in the category without actually betting on the outcome of the match. These bingo sites wont be to the tastes of every spectator but it is a solution to the match fixing problem without stripping gambling from the mix entirely.

This type of extortion and match results fixing is illegal, but that doesnt seem to stop those that are involved in it. Its worth billions of dollars every year and there seems to be no way to effectively stamp it out, short of banning bets on boxing altogether. The structure of boxing, management and competitors makes this an easier game to fix than team games like football.

In general, betting has brought a lot to this games and there has to be a degree of appreciation for that. That doesnt mean that we cant strive to improve and reduce the negative effects however, which should be more than possible to do. Wed like to see the positive effects of this to become more prominent and the negative ones take a back seat in future.

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Gambling and Boxing: Beneficial or Negative? - WBN - World Boxing News

Mr Francis Tay believes that to avoid addiction, gamblers can and should exercise personal responsibility and self-discipline (Self-responsibility the answer, not govt action; May 5).

Having counselled hundreds of gamblers (including those addicted to jackpot machines), I can testify that compulsive gamblers are unable to stop gambling, even if they want to.

Research has shown that gambling, like addictive drugs, rewires one's brain, changing its structure, functioning and chemistry.

It damages the pre-frontal cortex, which enables rational decisions and helps override impulsive urges.

In layman terms, it is like a brain driving a car with no brakes.

Such a gambler cannot make rational decisions nor refrain from gambling, even if he wants to.

This explains why gambling addiction is difficult to treat.

There is no way of knowing before you start gambling whether you will become an addict.

Self-responsibility cannot be the answer. Neither is it wise to lay the onus of not falling into addiction solely on the individual, especially when the source and supply of such addictive activity is brought to his doorstep.

Former jackpot machine addict Madam Loh was quoted as saying: "The jackpot rooms are so easy to get into... The Government should slowly close them down." (Jackpot addict: I lost $10k in a day; April 30)

We should pay attention when former jackpot addicts are calling for the Government to disallow clubs offering easy unlimited access to jackpot machines in heartland estates.

When the authorities are in a position to protect the vulnerable, they should do so.

Billy Lee Han Tiong

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Gambling addicts may not be able to stop, even if they want to - The Straits Times