Monthly Archives: July 2021

Section 230 Continues To Not Mean Whatever You Want It To – Above the Law

Posted: July 10, 2021 at 3:33 am

In the annals of Section 230 crackpottery, the publisher or platformcanardreigns supreme. Like the worst (or perhaps best) game of Broken Telephone ever, it has morphed into a series of increasingly bizarre theories about a law that is actually fairly short and straightforward.

Last week, this fanciful yarn took an even more absurd turn. It began on Friday, when Facebookbegan to roll out test warningsabout extremism as part of its anti-radicalization efforts and in response to theChristchurch Call for Action campaign. There appears to be two iterations of the warnings:one asks the userwhether they are concerned that someone they know is becoming an extremist,a second warns the userthat they may have been exposed to extremist content (allegedly appearing while users were viewing specific types of content). Both warnings provide a link to support resources to combat extremism.

As it is wont to do, the Internet quickly erupted into an indiscriminate furor. Talking heads and politicians raged about the Orwellian environment and snitch squads that Facebook is creating, and the conservative mediaeagerlylappeditup(ignoring, of course, that nobody is forced to use Facebook or to pay any credence to their warnings). Thats not to say there is no valid criticism to be lodgedsurely the propriety of the warnings and definition of extremist are matters on which people can reasonably disagree, and those are conversationsworth having in a reasoned fashion.

But then someonewent there. It was inevitable, really, given that Section 230 has become a proxy for things social media platforms do that I dont like. And Section 230 Truthersnevermiss an opportunity to make something wrongly about the target of their eternal ire.

Notorious COVID (and all-around) crank Alex Berenson led the charge, boosted by the usual media crowd,tweeting:

Yeah, Im becoming an extremist. An anti-@Facebook extremist. Confidential help is available? Who do they think they are?

Either theyre a publisher and a political platform legally liable for every bit of content they host, or they need to STAY OUT OF THE WAY. Zucks choice.

That is, to be diplomatic, deeply stupid.

Like decent toilet paper, the inanity of this tweet is two-ply. First (setting aside the question of what exactly political platform means) is the mundane reality, explainedad nauseum, that Facebook needs notin factmake any such choice. It bears repeating:Section 230provides that websites are not liable as the publishers of content provided by others. There are no conditions or requirements. Period. End of story. The law would make no sense otherwise; the entire point of Section 230 was to facilitate the ability for websites to engage in publisher activities (including deciding what content to carry or not carry) without the threat of innumerable lawsuits over every piece of content on their sites.

Of course, thats exactly what grinds 230 Truthers gears: they dont like that platforms can choose which content to permit or prohibit. But social media platforms would have a First Amendment right to do that even without Section 230, and thus what the anti-230 crowdreallywants is to punish platforms for exercising their own First Amendment rights.

Which leads us to the second ply, where Berenson gives up this game in spectacular fashionbecause Section 230 isnt even relevant. Facebooks warnings are its own content, which is not immunized under Section 230 in the first place. Facebook is liable as the publisher of content it creates; always has been, always will be. If Facebooks extremism warnings were somehow actionable (as rather nonspecific opinions, they arent) it would be forced to defend a lawsuit on the merits.

It simply makes no sense at all. Even if you (very wrongly) believe that Section 230 requires platforms to host all content without picking and choosing, that is entirely unrelated to a platforms right to use its own speech to criticize or distance itself from certain content. And thats all Facebook did. It didnt remove or restrict access to content; Facebook simply added its own additional speech. If theres a more explicit admission that the real goal is to curtail platforms own expression, its difficult to think of.

Punishing speakers for their expression is, of course, anathema to the First Amendment. Inhalting enforcement of Floridas new social media law, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle noted that Florida would prohibit platforms from appending their own speech to users posts, compounding the statutes constitutional infirmities. Conditioning Section 230 immunity on a platforms forfeiture of its completely separate First Amendment right to useits own voicewould fare no better.

Suppose Democrats introduced a bill that conditioned the immunity provided to the firearms industry by thePLCAAon industry members refraining from speaking out out or lobbying against gun control legislation. Inevitably, and without a hint of irony,manyof thepeopleurging fundamentally the same thing for social media platforms would find newfound outrage at the brazen attack on First Amendment rights.

At the end of the day, despite all their protestations, what people like Berenson want is not freedom of speech. Quite the opposite. They want to dragoon private websites into service as their free publishing house and silence any criticism by those websites with the threat of financial ruin. Its hard to think of anythinglessfree speech-y, or intellectually honest, than that.

Ari Cohn is Free Speech Counsel at TechFreedom

Section 230 Continues To Not Mean Whatever You Want It To

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Does Trump have a legitimate First Amendment case? – The Fulcrum

Posted: at 3:33 am

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday filed class-action lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter and YouTube arguing his suspension from those platforms violates the First Amendment.

However, legal experts say that argument has little chance of succeeding in court since the First Amendment constrains only the government, and not private entities.

The First Amendment specifically says "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press," and the Supreme Court has extended that protection against all government agencies and officials executive, legislative and judicial, as well as federal, state and local, per the National Constitution Center.

This protection does not include private individuals or organizations, such as Facebook, Twitter and Google, which owns YouTube. But Trump is arguing that certain private businesses have become "state actors" and therefore are required to abide by the First Amendment. Trump claims:

Defendant Facebook has increasingly engaged in impermissible censorship resulting from threatened legislative action, a misguided reliance upon Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act ... and willful participation in joint activity with federal actors. Defendant Facebook's status thus rises beyond that of a private company to that of a state actor, and as such, Defendant is constrained by the First Amendment right to free speech in the censorship decisions it makes regarding its Users.

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But the Supreme Court, in an opinion authored by Trump-appointed Justice Brett Kavanaugh, declared in 2019 that media platforms are not state actors.

Trump and his supporters have long lambasted social media companies for so-called "cancel culture" and their disparate treatment of conservative voices. The former president's removal from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol fueled this outcry.

"We're demanding an end to the shadowbanning, a stop to the silencing, and a stop to the blacklisting, banishing and canceling that you know so well," Trump said at a press conference Wednesday.

In addition to arguing a First Amendment violation, Trump's lawsuits are also seeking a ruling that declares unconstitutional the so-called Section 230, a decades-old federal law that protects online platforms from lawsuits regarding content moderation decisions.

Evan Greer, director of Fight For the Future, whose organization advocates for Internet freedom and privacy, said that from a legal perspective this lawsuit is likely to go nowhere.

"While it's silly to pretend that the moderation decisions of Big Tech don't have a significant impact on free expression, the First Amendment enables private platforms to make exactly the kind of moderation decisions they wish to make as non-government entities," she said.

Greer and other critics of the lawsuits also pointed out the legal action was likely a fundraising tactic for Trump, who is considering another presidential run in 2024.

Shortly after announcing the lawsuits, Trump's joint fundraising committee sent a text saying, "Pres Trump: I am SUING Facebook & Twitter for UNCONSTITUTIONAL CENSORSHIP. For a short time, 5x-IMPACT on all gifts! Donate NOW."

At the press conference, Trump also encouraged his supporters to go to a website where they could join the class-action lawsuits. However, that site redirects users to one for the America First Policy Institution that only includes a promotional video and links to donate.

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Behavioural cloning will push the limits of reinforcement learning – The Times of India Blog

Posted: at 3:32 am

Behavioural cloning (Imitation learning) has been there in human race since ages. For learning various skills, we try to imitate the actions of the experts in that field. To become better sportsperson in a particular game, new entrants watch the videos of Olympic winners and try to imitate their actions. Similarly, children follow the actions of their parents while watching them throughout the early stages of their life.

Reinforcement learning is based on the philosophy of evaluating all the state space possibilities in context of agent and reward paradigm. While it has shown tremendous potential in solving many problems, but it has its own limitations in complex environments. Many times, it is not possible to define the state and reward due to the fluidity of the situation and you are not able to divide the activity into discrete steps or states.

Recent experiments by researchers have shown that if we can combine behavioural cloning with reinforcement learning mechanism, then it gives more promising outcomes. Behavioural cloning is kind of a supervised learning technique where you are pre-labelling some of the action sequence as best practices. In this the system will have a faster learning curve.

There are tremendous applications which will be suitable for imitation learning algorithms.

Improving our work force: We can train our AI system on the videos of best employees in your work force and can then benchmark others based on that. For example, in armed forces, if soldiers are supposed to respond in a certain way in specific situations, then the system will be trained on the best soldiers responding to those situations. These videos frames for best soldiers actions can be labelled for different activities. Rewards and penalties can be described based on these actions. Now the videos of any other soldier can be taken responding to those situations and AI can be applied to determine the final performance score. This kind of evaluation is applicable in any domain where some physical activity/skill is involved in completing the task. It will help you to improve your work force and eventually increase your productivity. Even if you want to automate your workplace then Robots can be trained using imitation learning. Instead of making the Robots to learn from zero knowledge base, they can learn from the best practitioners of the field using behavioural cloning.

Imitation Learning: As the Robots will become the norm in day-to-day life, it will be essential to localize them as per the cultural, ethical, and social requirements of the community. In such cases, imitation learning will be very useful. These machines can be augmented using the videos of local representatives on various customs, salutations, routine conversations, gestures etc and the robots will learn to respond accordingly in addition to their core task for which they have been built.

Physically Challenged People can operate devices: Equipment like TV, Washing Machine, Kitchen Equipment, Gardening equipment and others can be easily trained to be used by physically challenged people based on specific actions through voice, hand gestures, eye gestures etc depending upon the abilities of that person.

Autonomous cars: Similarly Autonomous cars can be trained using behavioural cloning of expert drivers. Many companies are already at advance stages of research on this to be used for their vehicles in specific terrains.

Eventually, the punchline is that if we have an example of some best action practices being done by animals, birds, humans, machines or other mechanisms, these actions can be recorded and labelled.

Then the AI models can be trained using the combination of Imitation learning and Reinforcement learning for the AI systems to improve their performance/accuracy.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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XR Casino Aims to Disrupt Online Gambling and Sports Betting Industries Through Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR)…

Posted: at 3:31 am

(image: XR Casino, Inc.)

Global Extended Reality Market size expected to grow from 33 billion USD in 2021 to over 125 billion USD in 2026, at CAGR of 30%

US online sports betting market size expected to grow at 50% CAGR to reach 15 billion by 2025

Online gambling market size expected to grow at 11.5% CAGR to reach 127 billion USD by 2027

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, July 9 (Korea Bizwire) via InvestorWire XR Casino, Inc(XR Casino or The Company), the first-ever cross-technology, multiplayer, blockchain technology-based online gambling platform for Extended Reality (XR) technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR), today announces its MVP release date.

The Company is developing the first-ever extended reality platform that will allow users of different devices to play XR casino games with each other. The initial games include blackjack, roulette and slots and will be featured in its MVP version launching on August 21, 2021. Sports betting, baccarat, bingo, craps, poker and keno are in the development pipeline.

The list of supported devices includes Microsofts Hololens 1 and 2, Magic Leaps Magic Leap 1, HTC Vive, Oculus Quest 2, Samsungs Gear VR and AR-enabled smartphonesas well as devices such as the Apple iPhone, iPad and over 39 Android smartphones and devices.

Game features include:

XR technologies are changing the way we interact with each other andeliminating the need for expensive equipment, said XR Casino CEO Dan Martinez. Tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft have invested heavily into AR, VR and MR to speed up mass adoption through both hardware and software solutions. XR Casino has first movers advantage in providing XR SaaS solutions to online, traditional casinos and sports betting companies. Our solutions create value for the gambling industry and offer competitive differentiation to attract new Generation X, Y and Z players worldwide.

About XR Casino, Inc.

XR Casino, Inc. is the first-ever cross-technology, multiplayer, blockchain technology-based online gambling platform for Extended Reality (XR) technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR). For more information visitwww.xr.casino.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as may be disclosed in the Companys filings. In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors, including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, and governmental and public policy changes. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Companys views as of the date of this press release, and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Companys views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release. Such forward-looking statements are risks that are detailed in the Companys website and filings.

Contact:info@xr.casinoinvestors@xr.casino

Wire ServiceInvestorWireLos Angeles, Californiawww.InvestorWire.com212.418.1217Editor@InvestorWire.com

Photos available athttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed5cfbf3-755a-4c5f-a832-9d14cafd7e7fhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cfda210a-f73a-4a23-909d-d1a5967ecda4https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a3c72329-0755-4e6e-a3ef-fa58045a6e2e

Source: XR Casino, Inc. via GLOBE NEWSWIRE

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Five things to check prior to choosing an online casino – Santa Clarita Valley Signal

Posted: at 3:31 am

Online casinos are among the most popular betting websites in the world. People who have been a part of the iGaming industry for several years probably remember that the sportsbooks were a lot more advanced than the casinos, which means that there werent that many people who were keen on playing online casino games.

Fortunately, things have changed for the better, which is why some clients have the chance to use numerous casino games websites. Thats why we want to point out a few essential aspects you have to put to the test prior to choosing your new online casino.

Most people want to play in an online casino because they want to try out as many slots as possible. Thats why this well-researched review about Melbet and its casino sections will provide you with more information about the entire slots section found on one of the best gambling websites in the industry.

Depending on the operator, users may find thousands of different titles. In addition to the classic slots, you will probably come across many unique titles that have special surprises, such as a big jackpot.

One of the things that should be noted is that almost every online casino uses the services of third-party software developers. This is especially true for games with live dealers because companies like Evolution Gaming have been dominating this industry for many years.

Even though the games developed by EG are amazing, there are several other top-rated providers that you should check out, such as Ezugi. Unfortunately, most online casinos only work with the most popular brand, so you may not have the chance to test other providers products.

Even though people who bet on sports usually need to contact the support department more often, if you read the full Melbet review, you will see that even one of the leading online casinos has a dedicated support team.

If you want to put it to the test, use one of the available contact options and try to ask different casino-related questions. Check whether you will receive timely answers and pay special attention to how the support agents handle your query. This can be indicative as to whether the given online casino is worth it.

When choosing a new online casino, people often forget to check whether there are any tournaments. Even though most users probably wont participate in them, it is always recommended to look for a platform that will let you test your luck against other players.

Depending on the online casino, there might be different types of events. Most of them will focus on slots, but you could also have the chance to compete in various poker competitions.

Lastly, do not open an account on a given betting platform without checking the payment limits. Apart from the minimum deposit requirement, you have to check your maximum withdrawal, the processing time, and so on.

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Ranking The 5 Most Popular Online Casino Games to Play in 2021 – GISuser.com

Posted: at 3:31 am

One of the biggest advantages of playing in an online casino is enjoying a wide range of engaging and entertaining games that suit the needs of every player. Whether you enjoy games that are purely based on luck and entertainment or more competitive games that require skill and strategy, there are hundreds of titles you can sample. These top five online casino games have grown in popularity over the years, with thousands of players choosing them for different reasons.

A popular card game that involves comparing the bankers hand with the players hand, Bacarrat is the fifth most popular online casino game. The game is accessible through any legal online casino Canada and its variation, Punto Banco, is also trending among players in Macau, the US, UK and Australia. However, winning the game depends on luck, so you wont need to learn any strategies to remain successful.

You can choose between three types of experiences with poker games, including video poker, live poker, and electronic poker. Studies on the popularity of online casino games show that poker games account for over 20% of all table games. This research also shows the popularity of the games is rising steadily in the current online casino market.

Popular variations of poker include three card poker, Pai-Gow Poker and Let Em-Ride. Fortunately, the game comes with unmatched rewards, and the player can also bet on progressive jackpots, making it quite popular among amateurs and professional players alike.

According to reports, Roulette is among the top three most popular online casino games. Experts estimate that around 24% of online casino players choose Roulette over other games. Its huge payouts have made it a favorite for many players, with a wide range of variations to choose from and enjoy a superb gaming experience.

Roulettes availability on live casinos has helped to increase its popularity, as players can choose to play with the house or a live dealer. Nonetheless, youll need to use the best strategy to outperform the machine, although most casinos offer multiple betting options for the game, including corner bet, split bet and street bet.

Statistics show that about 30% of modern casino players prefer online blackjack, and the popularity is rising progressively. The wide array of blackjack variations is among the main reasons why most online players choose the game, although it requires some skills and offers huge payouts. Above everything else, the game is very entertaining and most online casinos make it rewarding by offering appealing offers and bonuses.

Slots are the most popular casino games in both brick-and-mortar and online casinos. The games are easily accessible through PC and mobile devices, with many titles to choose from at any casino. Most players choose slots because theyre quite simple to play, and they can also be very rewarding to a player. Some also feature progressive jackpots with rewards reaching hundreds of thousands. Even better, you can enjoy slots for free using play money until youre confident enough to use real cash.

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PlayCroco Online Casino Brings the Miami Heat – Business Wire

Posted: at 3:31 am

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Welcome to Miami its your time to shine! Things are getting hot up in PlayCroco with the brand new addition of Miami Jackpots, the quick hit jackpot game fresh to Australias best online casino.

Take a road trip up the iconic Ocean Drive where if youre lucky to catch anywhere between three and nine Neon Suns on the reels, youll witness something very special in the Magic City the Jackpot Feature!

And if you find three Scatter Symbols, you can ride into the night with free games and active jackpots. Enjoy the palm trees, the soothing sound of the waves and most importantly the big wins! You can play Miami Jackpots on PlayCroco from today!

Once youre done living the American dream, come back to the land Down Under for our freeroll pokie tournaments now available on mobile.

If this hot slot wasnt enough, theres also a warm welcome offer waiting for anyone not yet registered.

New players can sign up and grab a 200% bonus up to $5,000 using the code PLAYCROCO plus $50 extra following the deposit using the code PLAYCOOL. So sign up today, claim your welcome offer and share the fun with the thousands of happy snappers already loving life at PlayCroco.

From the moment you log in and deposit, youre eligible for the PlayCroco loyalty scheme. Players can rise through the ranks from BabyCroco to RoyalCroco level, via JuniorCroco and SuperCroco, picking up additional perks along the way.

Benefits include cashback rising from 25% to 40%, increasing weekly withdrawal limits, daily bonuses and free spins, along with a dedicated VIP Host when you reach the PlayCroco peak.

And if you wanted more, theres a whole other world of PlayCroco promotions to get stuck into, including Daily Free Spins, the Lucky Loco Draw, a weekly CrocoBoost, and Pokie of the Month where we partner one specially selected pokie with an incredible offer.

Not only that, but we have just added the PlayCroco Pinball Machine that springs into life when you first arrive at the casino. Hit Play, launch the ball and watch as it bounces around the board before unlocking one of three special bonuses.

Theres also a whole host of banking options; players can deposit and withdraw using a variety of methods with Visa, Mastercard, Neosurf, POLi, PayID, Bitcoin eZeeWallet and Bitcoin all available along with the most recent addition, CashtoCode.

And if you need a hand with anything, the PlayCroco customer support team are on hand 24/7 to provide you with expert assistance.

Bruce Fern, Casino Manager at PlayCroco, said: At PlayCroco, were always looking to add a little sunshine into the lives of our players what better way than bringing the Miami coast to them.

This will give you all the Florida feels and hopefully make a splash as the latest game in our ever-growing pokie collection.

ENDS

Editors notes:About PlayCroco:PlayCroco is an online casino for Australian pokie lovers. With hundreds of pokies, generous offers and promos and a wide range of payment methods, PlayCroco is all about having fun and winning big. A level-up loyalty schemes also see players unlock incredible perks with each level they clear.

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Online gambling, sports betting to arrive in Connecticut when FanDuel and DraftKings come to the casinos. How will it work? – The Bakersfield…

Posted: at 3:31 am

HARTFORD, Conn. By September, bettors in Connecticut can go online to gamble on sports teams at the states two casinos or through the state lottery.

Each Connecticut casino will also operate a sportsbook, where gamblers can go to play and enjoy other entertainment.

Expanded gambling was authorized by legislation enacted this spring after years of unsuccessful negotiations between the state and owners of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino. This is 10 years in the making, said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Tribal Nation, which owns and operates Foxwoods.

Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, the parent company of the Mohegan Sun, recently established a business unit, Mohegan Digital, to oversee the expanded gambling business.

Getting this launched is an important piece, not just for Mohegan Sun, but for the state, said Rich Roberts, president of Mohegan Digital.

FanDuel Group will partner with Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment to bring retail and online sports betting, gambling and daily fantasy sports to the Uncasville casino. Foxwoods Resort Casino will partner with sports betting company DraftKings.

The Department of the Interior must approve changes in Connecticuts compact with the tribes that expand gambling and the state Department of Consumer Protection will have to draft regulations.

How will someone place a bet on a game?

A sportsbook, or physical presence where people can go to place bets, will be available in the casinos. For online gambling, the casinos and the Connecticut Lottery will have apps for gamblers to download and place bets.

The apps also will also make available casino and table games for gambling.

Will there be a different app than the existing FanDuel and DraftKings apps?

Yes. The online digital casinos will be in a partnership with FanDuel and DraftKings. Roberts said bettors will be redirected from the Mohegan Sun app if they want to download the digital gaming app.

He described two different and distinct areas: what he called a real gambling app with FanDuel and the existing Mohegan marketing app thats free now to play casino games.

How will this compare to what the Lottery is doing?

Assuming it wins federal approval, the Connecticut Lottery Corp. will have an app that will allow users to place sports bets online from anywhere in the state, outside of tribal land, as detailed in the legislation and Department of Consumer regulations, said Lottery spokeswoman Tara Chozet.

The Lottery is negotiating terms with a potential sports betting vendor, she said. More information will be available when an agreement is completed.

Will there be gambling in Hartford?

Yes. The Connecticut Lottery Corp. is zeroing in on downtown Hartfords XL Center as the spot for a major sports betting venue. But the lottery, which will control the location of 15 sports betting venues in Connecticut under the new sports and online gambling law, said it expects to first look to smaller locations in the Hartford area to offer sports gambling sooner to the betting public. The first betting could begin as early as the start of the NFL season on Sept. 9.

How does all of this affect fantasy sports betting? Will that be a part of this new setup?

FanDuel and DraftKings can now legally operate their fantasy games in Connecticut.

The state has made fantasy sports, which is a game requiring skill, a licensed category separate from casino games and sports betting, Roberts said. Mohegan Sun partners with FanDuel for fantasy sports. It was kind of a gray area. Now its legal, he said.

FanDuel and DraftKings offer various types of fantasy games, allowing fans to select a slate of players and win prizes if those players perform well.

Will apps take customers away from the casinos?

Roberts said research on bettor behavior in other states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania shows the market will grow with the addition of digital and sports betting.

Butler said gambling that uses apps falls in the same ecosystem. Visitors to casinos will still come once a week or twice a month, he said.

You can fill the gaps by playing online. You can still earn points, still be connected, Butler said.

Are gamblers who use apps different from those who visit the casinos?

Generally, digital gambling will attract younger players than will the casinos, which are known for emptying senior citizen centers of residents looking for a few hours entertainment.

The digital casinos and sportsbooks have initially been consumed by younger casino goers, Roberts said.

Though digital gambling has grown significantly over the past decade or so, people will always go to the casino, he said.

Thats an experience that cant be replicated in the digital experience, Roberts said.

2021 Hartford Courant. Visit courant.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Online Gambling Allowed in Philippines to Boost Covid Response Funds – European Gaming Industry News

Posted: at 3:31 am

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The multi-game tournament returns for 2021 with PUBG MOBILE and League of Legends: Wild Rift as feature games for the competition, alongside additional titles, such as the hugely popular World Cricket Championship, to be included on a regional basis.

Open to all, won by one. Red Bull M.E.O. gives gamers from across the world the chance to load up their favourite mobile game and compete.

Running from July to December, the fourth iteration will feature both National and Regional competitions across 30 countries.

The tournament follows the success of Red Bull M.E.O. Season 3, which saw over 60,000 registrations and a twelve-day final that took place in a virtual Istanbul.

Red Bull Mobile Esports Open, the multi-game global mobile gaming competition, is officially returning for Season 4. In its fourth year, the tournament includes PUBG MOBILE and League of Legends: Wild Rift as feature games, with other additions made on a regional basis, including World Cricket Championship in India and Sri Lanka. 30 countries are taking part in the competition which will run from July to December, featuring both National and Regional Qualifiers and Finals. Open to all, won by one, Red Bull M.E.O. gives competitive mobile players across the world the chance to compete, win, and build their reputation as the best mobile gamer in their country.

Red Bull M.E.O. is a fully open and free to enter competition, featuring the most popular competitive mobile games in the world. The tournament allows players the opportunity to battle it out with the best competitors in their country, as well as in additional Regional events. Mobile gaming is now enjoyed by millions around the world, and this tournament is designed to bring friends, countries and gamers together in a competitive, worldwide celebration of the best handheld competition.

Every country will feature a dedicated PUBG MOBILE competition, the ultimate test of being the last player standing. Some European and Asian countries will also include the newly released League of Legends: Wild Rift, with the Wild Rift map as the proving ground for strategy and tactics. National competitions will be split into Qualifiers and Finals, with events taking place from July to December.

Alongside national events, Red Bull M.E.O. Season 4 will also feature International Online Qualifiers and Regional Finals, taking place in Europe and the South East Asia and the Middle East region. European competitors will choose their champion and face their foes in League of Legends: Wild Rift. Players in South East Asia and the Middle East will drop into PUBG MOBILE in order to beat the global competition. The International Online Qualifiers and Regional Finals will take place from October to December.

This tournament builds on the success of Red Bull M.E.O. Season 3, which saw more players than ever before competing in national events in 28 countries. Season 3 began in May 2020 and saw more than 60,000 players around the world register to compete. The Finals took place with a twelve-day festival in a virtual Istanbul, featuring tours, interactive mini-games and was attended by the worlds top mobile gamers.

International Online Qualifiers will kick off in October. Keep an eye out for further details on how to register on FACEIT.

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Torstar to offer sports betting in online casino, launch news operation AFK aimed at Generation Z – The Globe and Mail

Posted: at 3:31 am

Torstar said Tuesday it will offer single-game sports betting from its new online casino, which is slated to launch at the end of this year.

Fred Lum/the Globe and Mail

Newspaper publisher Torstar, which publishes the Toronto Star, is pushing into sports betting while also building an online news platform aimed at Generation Z.

The company said Tuesday it will offer single-game sports betting as one of the options from its new online casino, which is slated to launch at the end of this year, pending approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

The casinos working name is GameCo, according to a source with knowledge of the venture. The Globe is not identifying the source because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

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The announcement comes two weeks after Ottawa passed Bill C-218, allowing Canadians to place wagers on individual sporting events. Before the bill passed, sports bets in Canada had to include at least two events in a single wager, commonly known as parlay betting.

Last November, the Ontario government announced plans to create an online gambling market, which would allow private operators to participate and be regulated by the AGCO.

The source said Torstar will register in September for a licence with iGaming Ontario, an AGCO subsidiary that will regulate private gambling operators. GameCo is expected to launch in December, concurrent with the Ontario governments plans to launch the online gambling market, according to the source.

The online casino is part of Torstars broader plan to fund journalism with new revenue sources. When the casino was announced in March, Torstar chair and co-owner Paul Rivett said the venture would help support the growth and expansion of quality community-based journalism. A Torstar spokesman said the gambling initiative would also create call centre and IT jobs in Ontario.

Also on Wednesday, Torstar said it is launching a video-driven news operation aimed at Generation Z viewers people in their teens and early 20s by partnering with Toronto-based Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. on a project called AFK.

Enthusiasts CEO Adrian Montgomery told the Globe that he has a close relationship with Torstars owners, Jordan Bitove and Mr. Rivett.

From the moment they bought Torstar, I was talking to them and I was saying, Guys, old media and new media need to come together. Gen Z, theyre not consuming traditional media, they dont watch television, they dont read the newspapers.

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The joint venture will leverage Enthusiasts 300 million active users worldwide, most of whom are teenage boys and men in their early 20s. Enthusiast owns more than 100 websites and more than 1,000 YouTube channels about esports.

When AFK a popular acronym that stands for away from keyboard launches this fall, it will primarily engage with its audience on YouTube. While Enthusiast will leverage its gamer audience, the content wont solely focus on video games.

The issues that are important to Gen Z and millennials are very different than your average Washington Post readers. They place more emphasis on issues such as climate, on mental health, on social justice, said Thamba Tharmalingam, Enthusiasts chief operating officer. This will be a platform where you can actually talk about news in a very different way.

Enthusiast has been listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange since January, 2020, and cross-listed its shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange in April.

The two ventures continue Torstars investments outside of traditional media. The company was taken private last August by NordStar Capital, an investment firm owned by Mr. Rivett and Mr. Bitove, who is now the Toronto Stars publisher.

NordStar paid $60-million to acquire TorStar, a fraction of the $200-million Torstar paid for a majority stake in VerticalScope, its major non-journalism asset, in 2015.

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VerticalScope operates online message boards for various enthusiast groups. In June, VerticalScope shares went public on the Toronto Stock Exchange in an initial public offering that was upsized from $100-million to $125-million to meet strong investor demand. An overallotment option was exercised in full, and the IPO raised $143.8-million in gross proceeds. In June, Mr. Rivett told the Star that proceeds from the IPO would be used to fund acquisitions to accelerate the companys growth.

All Torstar employees were allotted 46 Verticalscope shares at the time of the IPO. They will be able to sell them on June 14, 2024, even if they leave the company or retire. Those shares were worth approximately $1,000 at VerticalScopes opening share price.

Last November, Torstar also launched Metroland Parcel Services to capitalize on the e-commerce boom spurred by the pandemic.

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Torstar to offer sports betting in online casino, launch news operation AFK aimed at Generation Z - The Globe and Mail

Posted in Online Casino | Comments Off on Torstar to offer sports betting in online casino, launch news operation AFK aimed at Generation Z – The Globe and Mail