Daily Archives: April 4, 2022

A sports betting bar and restaurant opening in late spring will be the newest addition to Western Market, but some locals are wary of the introduction of gambling to Foggy Bottom.

ExPat, a two-floored restaurant undergoing construction on the lower level and ground floor of Western Market, will feature a bar on its top floor and a podcast studio, arcade, shuffleboard and karaoke stage on the floor below. ExPat will be the first business with sports betting in Foggy Bottom, which some community members worry could lead to potential risks like gambling addiction and theft in connection to cash payouts to winning gamblers.

Owner Ben Sislen said he hopes the mix of activities in the restaurant will make ExPat one of the focal gathering points for students on campus.

One of our missions is to be able to break down the walls between our bar and restaurant space and the GW community, he said. That means reaching out, bringing in GW bands and any talent that exists on campus here that wants to express itself in our space.

Sislen said an ExPat-branded app currently in development will be the primary mode of sports betting in the restaurant, and bet sizes will be limited to $500 with a maximum $200 cash payout per day to protect gamblers from losing larger sums of money. Betting can be placed through the app or through five betting kiosks that will be placed in the restaurant.

It can be fun, Sislen said. We can encourage the $5 to $10 to $20 bets, as opposed to the sportsbooks trying to get people to bet $3,000. Nobody wants to be sitting next to the person whos losing a mortgage payment on a sporting event.

ExPat will take the place of Bertuccis, which closed in 2020, he said.

The Districtlegalized sports-betting services in 2018, joining 30 states to legalize betting after the Supreme Court struck down a law banning sports betting outside of Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. The D.C. Council voted to legalize sports betting that same year.

GambetDC the sole citywide betting app in D.C., operated by the city has underperformed its initial projections by nearly $25 million, losing $4 million in 2021 because of marketing costs, according to DCist.

Sislen said he met with the Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission at least four times since late last year, including at a special meeting to address concerns about the restaurants gambling, including safety threats for people carrying out large sums of cash and gambling addiction.

The ANC unanimously passed a settlement agreement in the special meeting last month to limit the amount of cash a person can withdraw each day to $200 with a maximum of $500 in wagers per person.

Sislen, who quit his job as a lawyer in 2014 to work at his friends restaurant in D.C., has opened other bars in the District, like The Crown & Crow and Kingfisher near Logan Circle.

Margaret McDonald, a junior and ANC commissioner who represents the district containing Western Market, said they were closely involved with brokering and writing the settlement agreement between Sislen and the ANC. McDonald said commissioners unanimously voted to limit cash payouts because of concerns that people may face security risks while carrying their winnings.

There was some concern about the amount that people would have cash payouts, McDonald said. So we put a limit on that in the settlement agreement because of worries about people walking around with huge sums of cash from gambling.

Kevin Days, GWs director of community relations, said at an ANC meeting last month that the University is very comfortable with the idea of sports betting near campus.

GW understands that the students primarily are adults and should be treated as such, Days said at the meeting. We expect that we will provide the kinds of support that are needed if students run into issues.

John George, the president of the Foggy Bottom Association, said although Western Market has been a boost to Foggy Bottoms dining scene, he has concerns about noisy patrons that ExPat could attract and hopes they will not disrupt the neighborhood.

What Im hopeful is that there will be some ability to contain the amount of noise that comes out of a crowded space like that, so that the other retailers can still enjoy patronage and people sitting in that open air, he said.

George said some community opposition to the new business may stem from concerns about McFaddens, a former Pennsylvania Avenue bar near Washington Circle that Complex Magazine dubbed the douchiest bar in D.C. before it closed after a stabbing in December 2014 that left five people seriously injured.

George said he is optimistic about the arrival of the restaurant because of the experience that Sislen and other investors involved in the restaurant have gained opening bars across the city.

This is about a community, this is about people coming together, having a good time, George said. And then also being responsible and appropriate with the context of the surrounding areas.

Faith Wardwell contributed reporting.

This article appeared in the April 4, 2022 issue of the Hatchet.

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Sports betting bar to open in Western Market this spring - GW Hatchet

DUBLIN, April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The "Gambling Global Market Report 2022, By Type, Channel Type, End-User" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global gambling market is expected to grow from $287.43 billion in 2021 to $458.93 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 59.7%. The market is expected to reach $458.93 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 18.4%.

Major companies in the gambling market include China Sports Lottery, China Welfare Lottery, Sociedad Estatal Loterias y Apuestas del Estado S.A., Flutter Entertainment plc., Maruhan, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Tabcorp Holdings Ltd., Penn National Gaming, Inc., Caesars Entertainment Corporation and LAS VEGAS SANDS CORP.

The gambling market consists of sales of gambling services and related goods by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that operate gambling facilities, such as casinos, bingo halls, video gaming terminals, lotteries, and off-track sports betting.

Gambling is the act of wagering money or something of value on an event with an uncertain outcome that is not under gambler control, with an intent of winning money. Bingo parlors, coin-operated gambling device concession operators, bookmakers, lottery ticket sales agents, and card rooms are also included in this market. The gambling market also includes sales of gambling services and related goods by entities that operate casino hotels.

Asia Pacific was the largest region in the gambling market in 2021. Eastern Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the gambling market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

Changing Consumer Gambling Habits: The demand for gambling is expected to be driven by the changing gambling habits of consumers. The increasing popularity of gambling apps and social gambling will propel the growth of the market going forward. The global social casino market is reached $4.64 billion in 2020, grew at a CAGR of 5%. The increasing adoption of mobile devices and increasing internet penetration will drive the demand for online gambling, driving market growth.

Coronavirus Pandemic: The outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has acted as a massive restraint on the gambling market in 2020 as governments globally imposed lockdowns and restricted domestic and international travel limiting the need for services offered by these establishments.

However, it is expected that the gambling market will recover from the shock across the forecast period as it is a 'black swan' event and not related to ongoing or fundamental weaknesses in the market or the global economy.

Branded slots are increasingly becoming popular in the gambling industry. Branded slots are licensed online casino games built around universally popular subjects such as movies, TV shows, music or books. Brand loyalty draws the customers towards trying slot games revolving around their favorite characters.

Branded online slot games attract casual bettors, even the ones with little experience and interest in slot machines, as they create a connection with the players due to their familiarity with characters on the slots, increasing the traffic on the slot machines. Branded slots based on Game of Thrones, Westworld, Batman, and Jurassic Park are some of the most popular branded slot games.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Report Structure

3. Gambling Market Characteristics 3.1. Market Definition3.2. Key Segmentations

4. Gambling Market Product Analysis 4.1. Leading Products/ Services4.2. Key Features and Differentiators4.3. Development Products

5. Gambling Market Supply Chain 5.1. Supply Chain5.2. Distribution5.3. End Customers

6. Gambling Market Customer Information 6.1. Customer Preferences6.2. End Use Market Size and Growth

7. Gambling Market Trends And Strategies

8. Impact Of COVID-19 On Gambling

9. Gambling Market Size And Growth 9.1. Market Size9.2. Historic Market Growth, Value ($ Billion)9.2.1. Drivers Of The Market9.2.2. Restraints On The Market9.3. Forecast Market Growth, Value ($ Billion)9.3.1. Drivers Of The Market9.3.2. Restraints On The Market

10. Gambling Market Regional Analysis 10.1. Global Gambling Market, 2021, By Region, Value ($ Billion)10.2. Global Gambling Market, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, Historic And Forecast, By Region10.3. Global Gambling Market, Growth And Market Share Comparison, By Region

11. Gambling Market Segmentation 11.1. Global Gambling Market, Segmentation By Type, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

11.2. Global Gambling Market, Segmentation By Channel Type, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

11.3. Global Gambling Market, Segmentation By End User, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion

12. Gambling Market Metrics 12.1. Gambling Market Size, Percentage Of GDP, 2016-2026, Global12.2. Per Capita Average Gambling Market Expenditure, 2016-2026, Global

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6sdind

Media Contact:

Research and MarketsLaura Wood, Senior Manager[emailprotected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

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Global Gambling Markets Report 2022-2026 & 2030: Increasing Popularity of Gambling Apps and Social Gambling will Propel the Growth of the Market...

The political process is rarely easy. Even the most common-sense bills can die for a litany of reasons and at different stages of the process.

But HB 1108 in Virginia was one of those rare occasions. The bill, which would add school instruction on gambling addiction to existing curriculum on drug and alcohol abuse, coasted through a subcommittee on a unanimous vote, made its way through the Committee on Education by a margin of 20-2, and passed in the states House of Delegates with a 97-3 vote, all in a weeks time in February.

In the Virginia Senate, it did not receive a single no vote. It moved through the Committee on Education and Health by a 15-0 margin March 3 and on March 8 passed in the Senate with a 39-0 vote. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has until April 11 to sign the bill into law.

This process was relatively straightforward, said Virginia Delegate Sam Rasoul, a Democrat, who sponsored the bill. It was met with no opposition, and by that I mean no entity no one testified against it. It was just presented in a common-sense way. We already teach about addiction, so why dont we integrate gambling into that, too?

It stands to reason, and problem gaming advocates will explain to anyone who will listen, that as gambling (specifically online sports betting) expands and is at the fingertips of more people across the country each year, educating the most vulnerable should come with it. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), high schoolers have twice the rate of gambling problems as adults. The hope from advocates is that Virginia, as the first state to pass such legislation, is just the start.

The normalization of gambling in our culture has to come with normalization of prevention and education programs, said Keith Whyte, executive director of the NCPG. For something like alcohol, we talk to kids about it, we talk in church about it, we talk in school about it. We know youth are exposed to a ton of gambling and alcohol ads, and theyve seen their parents having a drink at home, but now theyre seeing them make a bet at home.

If were going to a public-health model, this sort of educational initiative is a good first step.

This is about to start a wave, added consultant Brianne Doura-Schawohl, who is involved in problem gaming efforts across the country. A unanimous vote [in the Virginia Senate] really speaks volumes to the problems policy makers are having with this market.

But as smoothly as the legislative process went in Virginia, similar efforts have stalled in other states.

In Maryland, Republican Sen. Bryan Simonaire has filed a similar bill in three consecutive sessions, and it has yet to get through both branches of the legislature.

Simonaires bill for 2022, SB 363, has been sent to committee but has yet to make any progress there. In 2021, the bill stalled in committee, and in 2020, the bill passed through the Senate with a 44-2 vote but did not advance out of committee in the House.

So why has a bill that passed through the Senate overwhelmingly in 2020 hit these roadblocks?

I simply cannot get a vote by the committee chair. If we had the vote, we could pass it, Simonaire said. The main thrust of opposition is about a mandated curriculum. If you mandate one thing, you might mandate others.

The bill calls for the Maryland Department of Education to develop a program on the dangers of gambling and gambling addiction in high schools, which is slightly different from Virginias, where instruction on gambling addiction would be folded into its current curriculum on addiction.

It is a concern that comes up, about what we should mandate, Rasoul said. In this case [in Virginia], we already say there must be addiction programming, and this bill would further expand it, as opposed to trying to introduce something completely new and make space for that.

Simonaire views it as an obligation for Maryland, as a gaming state, to add preventative measures, especially for an industry that is generating so much revenue.

The tax revenue we receive from the gaming industry is more than all our other business taxes combined, said Simonaire, whose father died penniless after struggling with gambling addiction late in life. The education system has a moral obligation to address the other side. Unfortunately, with government, we often are reacting to problems after they occur, and this is preventative.

Whyte made the same point, but with a more dire analogy.

In many states its a triage approach, he explained. People are falling off a cliff, and its like driving an ambulance to the bottom of the cliff instead of building a fence at the top.

Despite the challenges, Simonaire is still hopeful.

We have two weeks left [in the legislative session], and weve passed two bills in the last month or so where we got them through in three days, he said. If theres a will, we can do it.

In West Virginia, a bill to address educating youth on gambling addiction was tied to a statute that requires state educators to provide students a basic understanding of personal finance.

HB 4812 was sponsored by Democratic Delegate Sean Hornbuckle and Republican Delegate Larry Pack and called for a personal finance literacy pilot program to be implemented in at least five public high schools for the 2022-2023 school year, with information concerning the nature of gambling and problem gambling part of the curriculum.

The bill was not addressed by the House Education Committee, and the West Virginia legislative session ended March 12.

For whatever reason, weve been stonewalled. For what reason? I cant tell you, honestly, explained Hornbuckle, who said he also tried to get gambling addiction education tacked on to another bill but was denied. My bill did not leave committee. They didnt even discuss it.

Hornbuckle said he plans to file the bill again next legislative session.

I think its definitely a worthy cause, he said. Its one of those things that there can be no harm from it. So the question is, whats the hesitation?

While problem gaming advocates are happy to see an education bill addressing gambling addiction make its way through a state legislature, they acknowledge the Virginia bill is not ideal.

There is no specific funding for the bill, and the impact statement associated with it says, Any cost to develop instruction concerning gambling can be absorbed by the Department of Education. Any fiscal impact to local school divisions is indeterminate.

Thats not a welcome sign for advocates who have struggled to squeeze funds out of states for problem gaming programs across the country.

Its a little bit of an unfunded mandate, which probably means in a couple years well have to pass it again with funding, Whyte said. And that means it could get sidelined, but gambling addiction gets sidelined, anyway.

It sets a precedent, though. If were able to show impact or a lack of impact, that just creates a better argument. Virginia is making millions and millions. We can find the money.

Doura-Schawohl said a better tactic would be to have educational programs embedded into expanded gambling legislation, but that is still a work in progress. Language similar to the West Virginia legislation on a financial literacy program in high schools was part of the discussion in the Missouri House but didnt make the final versions of the sports betting bills that have moved over to the Senate. Doura-Schawohl and other advocates are hoping the language will be added to a Senate bill.

More here:

Virginia Passed A Gambling Education Bill, Why Have Others Struggled? - Sports Handle

Cyber Crime Investigation commissioner Pol Lt-General Korchai Klayklueng signed an order on Saturday removing Apisit and Kom from police service, pending the outcome of the cases against them.

Apisit hid his face in his shirt and declined to make any remarks while being taken to the court. He said he reserved his right to testify only in court.

Bang Na police commander Pol Colonel Monsek Trakulphanit said police would seek arrest warrants from the Phra Khanong court on Monday for the arrest of four more suspects, who are all civilians.

He said police investigators are still gathering evidence and if more people are implicated by new evidence, police would seek arrest warrants against them.

Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Pol Maj-General Trairong Phiewphan said on Monday that Bang Na police investigators have asked the sister of Kanchanaporn to contact her and her husband and meet police to help with the investigation.

Police have not yet received any commitment whether the alleged victims would meet the investigators.

Trairong said other alleged accomplices in the kidnapping case also have not yet contacted investigators to turn themselves in.

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Police seek custody of corporal suspected of kidnapping online gambling couple - Nation Thailand

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The impact of technology on several industries is such that if technology were a person, wed be singing its praises to the high heavens. It is a field that has positively impacted all of the industries in the economy. The gambling industry is no different.

With technology, bettors can perform several functions easier, like making picks against the spread, parlay betting on mobiles, and setting moneyline bets with their smartphones. Gambling has become convenient with the introduction of apps.

This article will explore numerous ways tech has affected gambling.

Here are some ways in which technology has revolutionized the gambling sector:

The ever-changing nature of technology was seen in the gambling industry when mobile casinos switched from being accessed by PCs to smartphones. This development in the gambling industry allowed people to use terms like gambling on the go. Presently, smartphones can be utilized to place sports bets and play online casino games even while on a trip.

The key to this development was the shift in the market from ordinary mobile phones to smartphones. Applications on online smartphone stores were getting downloaded en masse. It was evident that the gambling industry would introduce its own apps.

Virtual reality in the gambling industry is not yet fully developed. Nevertheless, it has already started significantly impacting user time spent on websites, budgets spent, and overall user experience. The use of VR goggles in betting is considered the future of the industry.

Theres a demand for a better experience than the usual online gambling, and VR tech satisfies those needs. Virtual reality games come with high-quality graphics and possess this draw that attracts players back after a single experience.

The introduction of online casinos brought about a new worry. Potential users asked questions about the security of their payment methods. Land-based casinos had never had that problem since players came with cash.

The solution came in the form of top-notch encryption that protected user information. This encryption makes it severely difficult for a cybercriminal to steal the details of online casino players.

The adoption of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has also made payment methods more secure.

Gambling is one of the sectors in which technology has changed for the better. An industry that required players to be physically present can now be accessed from any location in the world.

The key ways tech revolutionized the gambling industry include online casinos and mobile phones, increased payment security, and the emergence of virtual reality.

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The Impact of Technology on the Gambling Industry - Programming Insider

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The cryptocurrency market has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. As blockchain technology advances, there are more and more options for its application and iGaming is at the top of the list.

Compared to fiat currencies, cryptocurrency turnover is still low. However, if we analyze the Google trends data for the query bitcoin casino, a steady growing interest in the topic can be seen. There are a few factors that contribute to the popularization of the iGaming trend.

The iGaming industry is always on the cutting edge of innovation. But what impact have cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies had on the evolution of the industry, are these changes positive, and how will the industry develop in the near future?

Representatives from Slotegrator, which has been developing software for the gambling business for more than 10 years, have addressed some of these issues.

How do blockchain casinos work?Blockchain technology provides a high level of encryption. Every transaction is added to the ledger, which is an immutable block of data, and verified by a decentralized blockchain network. Transactions take place directly between crypto-wallets, prohibiting the involvement of a third party, so it minimizes the possibility of fraud and eliminates the need to pay a commission for the transfer.

While national currencies are backed by a state, cryptocurrencies are supported by a decentralized ledger that records every transaction. The ledger is distributed over a large database with a million copies. This has a few consequences: firstly, anyone who has access to the network can verify the transaction; secondly, the history of a bitcoin cannot be faked. Any attempt to falsify a single block will affect every block in the network. The transparency and security of decentralized public records are a huge selling point for many players.In crypto casinos, blockchain technology is used at the development stage, allowing automated payments using smart contracts. But opening a purely blockchain casino could restrict operators to those games that are also developed on the basis of blockchain technologies. On the other hand, more and more gambling sites are accepting payments in cryptocurrencies alongside existing fiat currencies. This gives them the opportunity to reach a wider audience.

Slotegrators Bitcoin Casino is an innovative type of gambling platform with integrated cryptocurrencies that guarantee high transaction speed and secure payments.

Why do players and operators like crypto casinos?There are plenty of reasons why operators are opening crypto casinos and why players are flocking to them.

Operators see the value in crypto casinos because cryptocurrencies are secure, transparent, and popular with their target audience. Players are drawn to crypto casinos by the security and transparency as well, but they also value the speed, anonymity, and decentralization.

Furthermore, crypto casinos often feature smart contracts, which automate payments, and provable fairness, which automatically verifies the results of a game. For many players, this definitely creates a heightened sense of trust.

Withdrawal speed is also important for players. Most payment methods involve a third party, like a bank or a payment service provider. This means that when players request a withdrawal, it can take hours or even days. Cryptocurrency withdrawals, however, occur wallet-to-wallet, and sometimes take just minutes to register.

Are there any disadvantages to crypto casinos?Crypto casinos are still a relatively new phenomenon, so as of yet, there is very little legislation in any market that explicitly applies to them.

Gambling regulations usually focus on the following areas:

Operator transparency Anti-money laundering (AML) Combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) Fraud deterrence Responsible gambling

However, due to the increased anonymity that cryptocurrencies promise (the address of the wallet is stored in the blockchain, but not the name or email address of the holder) governments could potentially see cryptocurrency gambling as an avenue for illicit funding and move to introduce more legislation in the future. For now, however, that doesnt seem likely to happen anytime soon.

Another potential downside is the volatility of the currency. The spikes and dives in the price of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others have kept investors hearts in their throats in recent years. Fluctuations in price could add an element of unpredictability to operators balance sheets.

Overall, however, the advantages of a bitcoin casinos far outweigh any potential disadvantages.

What are the projections for the future?Considering the prevalence of cryptocurrencies, we can expect the number of new blockchain casinos to keep rising. Gambling platforms, as a rule, follow the preferences of their users in all respects: the diversity of gambling content and its providers, the quality of service, compatibility with mobile devices, the bonus system, and so on. Due to the regulation of gambling activities in different countries, payment methods are a key factor in attracting and retention of players.

The future of iGaming clearly includes the trend towards the adoption of bitcoin as a means of payment and deposit. So, the demand for blockchain casino development will be relevant in the long term.

Related

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Blockchain casino: the future of online gambling or a short-term trend? - European Gaming Industry News