Category Archives: Gambling

Jessica Haworth07 September 2021 at 11:06 UTC Updated: 07 September 2021 at 15:01 UTC

Nevada-based hospitality firm confirms cyber-attack on its networks

A cyber-attack on US fast food and gambling chain Dottys has exposed the personal data of customers, the company has warned.

Dottys, a fast food chain which offers gambling services across 175 locations, is owned and operated by Nevada Restaurant Services (NRS).

NRS said that malware was discovered on certain computer systems on January 16, 2021, allowing an unauthorized individual to gain access to, and copy, data.

Potential datasets that were accessed include customer names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, drivers license or state ID numbers, passport numbers, financial account and/or routing numbers, health insurance information, treatment information, biometric data, medical records, taxpayer identification numbers, and credit card numbers and/or expiration dates.

Read more of the latest data breach news

NRS has not yet released any details on the number of people affected in the breach.

It said it has contacted potential victims via post and has urged NRS customers to be vigilant and look for any signs of fraud.

More information on steps that victims can take to protect themselves can be found in the press release.

The company said in a statement: NRS has security measures in place to protect its systems and the information in its possession and NRS has worked to add further technical safeguards to its environment.

Following this incident, NRS took immediate steps to secure its systems and to conduct a diligent investigation into the full nature and scope of the incident.

The Daily Swig has contacted NRS for more information and will update this article accordingly.

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Data breach at US restaurant and gambling chain Dottys may have leaked sensitive customer information - The Daily Swig

An Auckland pub baron could face a fresh Internal Affairs inquiry into potential breaches of the Gambling Act following an investigation by Stuff.

An Auckland charity paid over 600 per cent more rent when it shifted six doors along the street to a bigger building co-owned by publican Parminder Parry Singh Takhar.

At the same time, the charity saw its grants from a pokie machine trust triple the same trust that had machines in pubs co-owned by Takhar.

The DIA cleared the arrangement in December 2018, nine months after a company owned by Takhar and business partner Jay Bath bought the building, the Saanjh Sports and Cultural Club moving in shortly after when their lease expired. But DIA may take a second look after DIA gambling director Dave Robson called the money-go-round very concerning.

READ MORE:* Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon rejects allegations of pokie grant kickback in historical investigation* Proposed million dollar Waikato tavern without a plan* Once a homeless alcoholic, Colin Bridle now fights the proliferation of booze and pokie machines* Cash-free pokies: a great opportunity, or a huge dent in charitable funding?* Trust says story about pub turning off pokies because of gambling mum 'less than accurate'

Financial records show the Saanjh club which runs Indian dance classes, sports teams and a senior citizens drop-in centre paid just $25,000 a year at their old premises at 129 Kolmar Road.

But when the lease there expired, and they moved to Bath and Takhars bigger building at 129 Kolmar Rd, the rent rocketed to $137,885 a year, plus almost $40,000 invested in fit-out costs over two years.

Saanjhs grants from the Grassroots Trust, a pokie machine trust with machines in 62 North Island pubs, also rose steeply once they moved home.

Saanjh club secretary Teejay Basra said their grants had grown because the club was providing more activities and had a good relationship with Grassroots. There was no link between the move and the increased funding.

He said the Grassroots money had not been allocated to rent, but to building fit-out and salaries.

The increase in grants was because we moved into a new building and had to set it all up, our fit out was the majority of the cost.

He said rent was lower than recorded in their accounts and was just $80,000, but fit-out costs higher, covering carpets, electronics and dance studio mirrors. The new building was bigger: It has worked out well for us.

He said Saanjh knew both Takhar and Bath as members of the Sikh community, but neither was involved in the club.

In 2016-17, Saanjh received $51,900 in grants from Grassroots, and $129,469 in 2017-18.

But that climbed to $163,812 in 2018-19 and in the nine months from March-December 2020 they collected $109,567. So far this year, theyve received $141,223.33 from Grassroots. The Grassroots money is their biggest single source of income.

Section 113d of the Gambling Act prohibits key persons such as publicans from influencing the flow of gaming funds, and from providing services to grant recipients if the goods or services [are paid for by grants]. It provides for fines of up to $10,000.

In a December 2018 letter clearing the arrangement, DIA gaming inspector Artie McClelland said a complaint had been received, but he had received assurances from Saanjh that their grant money was not going to pay rent.

A senior gaming industry official said that was a woefully inadequate response from the DIA: Theres a clear conflict of interest. At the very least, the DIA need to go back and say again, please explain.

Any funding boost benefits the landlord as the recipient is better able to handle the increase in rental expense being incurred. If thats not a rort, I dont know what is.

Saanjhs financial records show they are completely reliant on donations, principally gaming grants, to survive. In 2018-2019, donations made up $284,000 of Saanjhs $311,000 revenue, and rent made up $137,885 (plus $20,536 on fit out) of their $273,020 outgoings. In 2019-2020, donations were $359,000 of $365,000 revenue, and rent was $132,368 plus $18,000 on fit out.

The source said in previous similar cases, the DIA had banned grant recipients from receiving grants from a specific trust to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.

A former gambling inspector said this type of thing goes on all the time but it can often be hard to prove if well disguised.

One problem in proving such an offence is the grant may be given for something else, but padded out to include and hide the rental.

In a statement, Robson said: The Department take allegations involving the misuse of community grant funding seriously, and if what you have outlined is true, it is very concerning.

Like all allegations we become aware of, the Department first assess the information provided, and investigates where appropriate.

Takhar, whose extensive pub interests have included the Red Fox Tavern in Maramarua (with Bath), the Village Hotel in Patumahoe, and Rewa Bar in Manurewa, all of which had Grassroots machines, refused to answer questions, directing them to Bath, saying: I dont know much about any of it.

DAVID WHITE/STUFF

The Rewa Bar in Manurewa is among Parminder Singh Takhars pub interests.

Bath said his only current bar interest was the Red Fox, where he had changed his machines last year from Grassroots to another trust, BlueSky.

He said he now had no connection with Grassroots, that it was wrong for publicans to attempt to influence the flow of gaming money, and hed never tried to do so. He said Saanjh was paying a fair market-appraised rent (two commercial property experts agreed, telling Stuff the rental rate was probably reasonable). Theres no breach if there is any breach, bring it to my knowledge.

Asked if he was saying any questions were for Takhar, he said: Thats right anything related to Mr Takhar, I cannot answer, I do not have knowledge of it.

Asked about the grants, Martin Bradley, executive chairman of Grassroots, initially said: I dont know mate, we make hundreds of grants a month.

Responding later to written questions, Bradley said: This potential issue was raised in 2018 and the situation was investigated by DIA, who found that no issue existed.

Bradley said Grassroots were aware Takhar and Bath owned the building, and had advised Saanjh in 2018 they wouldnt fund rent, and hadnt, and had always been aware of the law governing such relationships. They had never had conversations with either landlord about where grant money should be directed.

In summary, we were aware that Mr Takhar and Mr Bath controlled the company that is the landlord and no grants were made for rent, fit out or other building related costs.

Explaining the grants, he said Grassroots had a director with intimate knowledge of the South Auckland community and a complete understanding of that communitys needs and the many organisations that do a fantastic job there.

Original post:

'There's a clear conflict of interest': Internal Affairs 'concerned' over potential gambling breaches by Auckland pub baron - Stuff.co.nz

Ever since sports gambling has become widely legal, and more teams and leagues sign their own deals with online sports betting companies, theres been a fear from some corners of the sporting press about the effect it will have.

Will games be thrown? Points shaved? How will people watch sports when more and more of them have money on different outcomes that arent even the final score. We saw some of this with both Shelby Rogers and Sloane Stevens at the U.S. Open, both lamenting the deluge of ugliness and hate they would see on social media after losses, at least some of which, one would imagine, is a result of people losing money.

Not that social media harassment and abuse would go away without gambling. And Europe has had legal sports betting for a long time now, and theres rarely, if ever, been some sort of scandal in team sports, though tennis has had some issues.

But if people wanted to see the effects of gambling on sports, its been right in front of them for a long time. It was on display in the offensive pass interference that wasnt called against Tampa when Chris Godwin shoved Jourdan Lewis out into the parking lot before his critical catch to set up the Bucs winning field goal.

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The NFL has been handcuffing defenses for over a decade now, and making defensive pass interference a common play. Is there much pushback? Not really, because most fans want the yards for their quarterbacks and wide receivers they will lead to, and the likelier touchdowns for the QBs, WRs, and running backs on their fantasy team. To think that the NFLs bending of the rules to the offense and the passing game over years has nothing to do with fantasy football is purely naive. Its how most fans watch the game now, at least when their team isnt playing (and maybe not even then). Give the people what they want.

So yeah, Cowboys fans are probably livid this morning (what else is new?). There are far more people happy to have the extra tenths of a point from Tom Brady or Godwin. And the NFL knows this. Think of it this way: How many friends sent you the results of their draft to get your opinion? How many did you send yours to? The prosecution rests.

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The call that wasnt last night, and the impact sports gambling and fantasy are having - Deadspin

PHOENIX The question of whether Arizonans can start laying down bets beginning Thursday for or against the Cardinals -- or any other professional or collegiate team -- turns on whether a judge decides that legislation approving off-reservation gambling was legally enacted.

And the judge made it clear Monday he is skeptical of the key legal objections to the plan being raised by the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe.

During the hearing, Nicole Simmons, representing the tribe, acknowledged that the state is free to allow wagering on professional and collegiate events to occur at off-reservation venues and mobile devices, something not now permitted.

But it has to be lawful, she told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge James Smith.

What that means, Simmons argued, is sending the question to voters for their ratification.

That's because they were the ones who adopted Proposition 202 a 2002 law that spelled out that most forms of gambling were limited to reservations. The only exceptions were for gaming already allowed like horse racing and the lottery.

And the Arizona Constitution says the only way lawmakers can alter what voters have adopted is if it furthers the purpose of the original law.

Only thing is, the legislature earlier this year approved -- and Gov. Doug Ducey signed -- HB 2772 that, as of this coming Thursday, is designed to permit Arizonans to lay down bets not just on the outcome of events but even make specific prop bets on things like yardage per game or even the number of times a specific player will strike out.

And with the aid of technology, that can occur live, even as the event is unfolding.

Simmons contends that taking away the exclusive right of tribes to conduct certain kinds of gaming cannot possibly further the original intent of Proposition 202. And what that means, she told the judge, is that none of this is legal until lawmakers get voter OK to change the original 2002 law.

But Smith said there's a problem with that.

He pointed out there is what has become known as a poison pill in that original agreement.

It says that if the state violates the gaming exclusivity of any tribe, it is free to operate as many gaming devices as it wants. Now the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe has a current limit of 936.

That verbiage also would allow the tribe to can operate as many types of table games as it wants.

And it would sharply reduce the amount of revenue the tribe is required to share with the state.

With that language, how can I conclude that Prop 202 meant to be some sort of perpetual limit on in Arizona? Smith asked.

Simmons remained adamant.

Smith promised a ruling no later than Tuesday. That will give the side that loses a chance to file an immediate appeal.

Under HB 2772, beginning Thursday both tribes that sign new gaming compacts with the state as well as various sports franchises can accept sports bets. Most tribes have agreed to the deal which also includes their ability to offer new forms of gambling not now allowed like roulette and craps, beyond the slot machines, blackjack and poker.

It is that off-reservation wagering provision that Simmons and her client hope to void. Legal issues aside, Simmons said the deal offered to the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe would actually cause it financial harm, not only because of expanded off-reservation gaming but her contention that better deals were offered to other tribes.

But Patrick Irvine, who represents state Gaming Director Ted Vogt told Smith there's an even greater financial harm to the state which stands to share in all that sports wagering.

More to the point, he said the lawsuit comes months after the measure was approved, after the licenses were granted and the companies that have paired with the sports franchises to operate the gaming have invested a lot of money.

If you listen to the radio when you drive, you've probably heard advertisements for them, Irvine said. Any delay, he said, will cost the state in the millions per month, really starting from this week.

That is a crucial legal point: In deciding whether to enjoin the new gambling operations, Smith has to decide the balance of hardships and who is likely to suffer irreparable harm.

Still, the judge had questions about exactly what Ducey negotiated and what lawmakers approved.

Of particular note is that there are 20 licenses to take sports wagers, half to tribes that were selected by the Gaming Department and half to sports franchises, of which there are fewer than 10. So the Cardinals automatically got one, as did the Diamonbacks, the Coyotes, the Phoenix Mercury and even the Professional Golfers Association tour and NASCAR racing.

Smith wondered why wagering had to be tied to those particular events.

You couldn't be tied to a different type of professional sporting event as a venue? he asked.

Anni Foster, the governor's chief legal counsel, conceded that's the way it is now. For example, she said that Turf Paradise, which operates horse racing in Arizona, has been denied the ability to take wagers on other professional sports because it wasn't necessarily delineated specifically in the statute as an option.

But Foster insisted that the statute does anticipate other kinds of sports teams being able to apply and potentially get wagering rights.

We don't know what that would necessarily be in the future, she said.

Is that professional fighters, like MMA? Foster said, referring to mixed martial arts. Or is that other drag-racing types of things?

That decision, she said, rests with the Department of Gaming.

Smith, however, isn't the only one who has raised the question of whether Ducey crafted a special favor for certain team owners.

During debate on the measure, Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, complained the only people eligible to get a license to take off-reservation wagers on sporting events are the owners of the existing sports franchises.

We are going to reward people with monopolies with more monopolies, she complained. She asked that the process be opened up so anyone can bid to operate one of the 10 off-reservation gaming operations.

But her colleagues agreed to accept the deal as Ducey negotiated it with the teams and the tribes and then presented it to lawmakers as a take-it-or-leave it package.

Foster also argued that the new gaming laws do further the purpose of the original 2002 law because it still limits the amount and kind of gambling that can occur and keeps in place state regulation. And she said the arguments by the tribe amount to little more than smoke and mirrors to support their allegations that the bill is unconstitutional.

Mr. Fischer, a longtime award-winning Arizona journalist, is founder and operator of Capitol Media Services.

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Tribe argues against off-reservation gambling | Your Valley - Your Valley

LAS VEGAS Van Smith often bet on sports, and he lost often. Hed chase losses, lose more. Hed sometimes have to borrow money from his brother or mother to square accounts with unsavory Chicago figures.

He estimates to have dropped about $250,000 over several decades wagering on games. Always gainfully employed, with a sterling reputation as a matre d, he diligently paid his creditors.

But I overdid it, he says, because of the foolish way I went about betting.

Today, 62-year-old Dennis Van Rhinevault reveals his real name because he no longer feels ashamed about partaking in an industry that has become so mainstream.

His fortunes turned around, too, upon retiring to Vegas in 2016, thanks to a transformed discipline and rigid parameters that are critical to prospering in the ruthless business.

Friends call him Van, his middle name. I met him in the summer of 2017. Unlike so many professional sports bettors in this gambling haven, he only casually mentioned his profession. He was unassuming, soft-spoken.

A year later, I contacted him after securing a publishing contract for a sports-betting book. I inquired about his methods and tactics, his past. He opened more than 100 hand-written notebooks and detailed his involvement for six hours.

For personal reasons, he requested an alias. In my Sports Betting for Winners, published in 2019, and a Sun-Times profile that ran on May 2, 2020, we used a combination of his middle name and a nondescript surname.

Van Smith.

(Is that you? a few people texted him after seeing his silhouette photo in the Sun-Times.)

RIP, Van Smith. Forevermore, its Dennis Van Rhinevault, the real person who strives to impart the very real sports-betting lessons he has learned to interested parties.

I believe I can help people maybe make some money based on the mistakes that I have made, he says. I began employing a bankroll and cant emphasize how important that is. Changed everything. I either sink or swim with it.

Slow and steady is the way to be. Otherwise, youre going to flame out.

A POLISHED APPROACH

Rhinevault was born and raised in Indian Head Park. Out of Lyons Township High, stints at Oklahoma State and Wisconsin-Stout didnt quench his high-end-restaurant business interests.

Through his father, he met restaurateur Arnold J. Arnie Morton and Klaus Fritsch, now vice chairman of the Mortons steakhouse chain. Van apprenticed in several Mortons kitchens, graduating to front-of-the-house duties.

At 24, he was matre d of the elegant Toledo Room at The Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, and he flourished in the same role at Jack Binions steakhouses in Indiana and Mississippi.

He kept betting sports, kept losing.

At a nadir, a friend related his betting success using power ratings. That led Rhinevault to tinkering with ESPN ratings for professional sports, Associated Press rankings for colleges.

He overhauled his operations, objectives and thought processes. He built models, conducted extensive research, discarded rubbish. He aimed to construct a revenue stream that would provide living expenses in retirement.

Actions within each sport end when they hit certain units of profit, diminishing-return thresholds that he calibrates regularly.

For instance, one NBA angle halts when it hits four units of profit, often ending two or three weeks into a season. He quits betting baseball on Labor Day, due to September roster-call-up uncertainties.

He constantly massages and refines his formulas, the foundation being hardcore discipline based on the aforementioned bankroll and a typical wager-unit of one percent.

Sometimes, he will risk up to two units to gain a unit of profit. That basic unit would only increase with bankroll expansion, which hed adjust annually.

A $100,000 bankroll has become $400,000. Thats his cap, because it can be difficult placing bets of $2,000, the maximum allowance at many sportsbooks, at two different shops.

Irresponsible blowhard touts who bellow about five-unit plays can irritate him, but he tries to tend to his own affairs.

I learned years ago not to worry about what others do. Find out what makes you happy and try to achieve your goals. Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for failure and disappointment.

STERLING RESULTS

Rhinevaults plays and records can be followed, gratis, at VSLasVegas.com, which he started last year. The VS stands for Van Sports, a simpler marque than involving his last name.

In five complete seasons of NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB and college football, 25 individual seasons of data and documentation, only his 2020-21 NHL campaign wasnt profitable.

Twelve of those returned at least 20 units of profit, topped by 2017-18 NHL (32.6 units), 2018 MLB (30.1), 2016-17 NBA (29.7) and 2019-20 NBA (26.8). The 2018-19 NHL season began horribly before turning around magnificently, going 18-0 at one stretch; it hit its threshold by New Years Eve.

Rhinevault might be low-key, but he is proud of his creation. After some coaxing during an hourlong chat Monday, he admits, Im confident Im going to win.

He plans to produce YouTube video tutorials. Newcomers will benefit, but punters of every degree might learn something. Hes content helping others avoid the many pitfalls he encountered.

If somebody has been following me and what Ive been doing, theyve certainly been well-rewarded. I never want anybody to lose money because of something I said, but I do hope theyre up money.

Excerpt from:

Sports gambling: Bettor steps out of the shadows to help other gamblers - Chicago Sun-Times

While playing with a single online casino will give you time to focus, the benefits of playing at multiple sites cannot be underestimated. Research shows that most successful players have multiple betting accounts. There are various reasons for that. Here are e few reasons why you should consider engaging in multiple betting sites in your betting journey:

Huge Welcome Bonuses And Other Benefits

Multiple online casino sites offer a welcome bonus to new members. When you sign up for more than one online casino, you significantly increase your chances of earning a lot of free money. Some casino sites such as situs judi slot online offer promotional bonuses on top of welcome bonuses to their clients. However, the most welcome bonus is the most lucrative offer online. That alone can earn you thousands of free dollars.

Form Of Risk Management

Gambling at multiple online casino sites is a form of diversification. Should one site face financial challenges, you can still benefit from other sites. Problems may arise due to unfavorable new legislation or poor business management, which might jeopardize your bankroll. Therefore spreading your bankroll at different sites means not keeping all your eggs in one basket. That way, you can minimize the risk of losing all your money should the unthinkable happen. Moreover, diversification is essential to players with large bankrolls due to deposit limits.

Easy To Place Maximum Stakes

Several online casino sites to how much you can stake at a time. For example, you could be working with leagues and markets for which a site is unwilling to accept large sums of money. In such a situation, playing with only a single site can constrain you from a bigger deal since the limit has been set, and you do not control them. On the other hand, having multiple accounts sites might give you other options for placing your bets even when you get limited at one site.

Easy To Make Last-Minute Line Changes

Odds constantly update their lines and bring new money in to spread the risk by getting money on every wager. The amount of money earned varies depending on different sites. Depending on the side you choose to take, line changes can be good or bad. A line change in the right direction might turn your betting to profit, while a change in the wrong direction will bring losses. However, youre under no obligation to take that wager. It is easier to take advantage of lines that move in the right direction with multiple bookmakers accounts. Besides, different sites always host different wagers for events.

Bottom-Line

Having multiple online casino betting accounts may increase your success chances than opting for a single account. You can choose to take advantage of the new technologies and open multiple accounts with bookmakers, such as situs judi slot online. That way, you will significantly increase your chances to achieve sport betting profits. In addition, by using multiple betting accounts, you stand a chance to benefit from different special offers and bonuses, ranging from the availability of many sport and betting markets and high odds while having the freedom to place a bet in different countries.

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Benefits Of Signing Up And Gambling With Multiple Online Casino Sites - MWWire

Viva Las Vegas: The opening of Resorts World Las Vegas contributed to Sin City recording the highest all-time win total for the state in July.

It was a very good July for Las Vegas. Nevada collected $794 million in gambling revenue from casinos on The Strip last month, the highest all-time win total for the state, according to revenue numbers published by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. July posted a 46% increase compared to pre-pandemic revenue in July 2019.

Statewide, gaming revenue hit $1.36 billion for the month, making July thefifthconsecutivebillion-dollar monthand a 33% increase over July 2019.

In a note published on Thursday, Macquarie Research referred to the outlook for Las Vegas as upbeat with the expectation that Sin City will recover to pre-pandemic levels by mid-2022.

It was a perfect storm, says Michael Lawton, a senior research analyst for the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Thanks to a calendar anomaly, July had five weekends, which helped juice the numbers. There were also a lot of events that drew visitors to Sin City, including the Cirque Du Soleil show O returning to the Bellagio, Bruno Mars residency started at the Park MGM as did Ushers residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and the UFCs matchup between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. It was also the first full month that the brand new Resorts World Las Vegas casino was open.

Resorts World generated between $30 million to $40 million in gross gaming revenue alone, Macquarie estimates, while the Nevada regional casinos continue to shine, the research firm writes. The states regional casinos outperformed other U.S. regional markets with July revenue up 17% compared to July 2019. Downtown Las Vegas was up 35% versus the same time in 2019.

The number of people who visited Las Vegas in July was up 130% compared to July 2020, according to a report by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Visitor volume is down 10.4% compared with July 2019, which is a big improvement since last summer when it was down more than 60% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Yet, so far, August isnt on pace with July, says Lawton. Other factors like the Delta variant and schools opening back up for the year could result in softer revenue numbers. But Ive been wrong every month, he says.

Nearly half a year of record-breaking gaming revenue does not signal that the recovery has quickened its pace. Colin Mansfield, an analyst from Fitch Ratings, says the July revenue numbers were impressive, but the recovery timeline has changed. Mansfield says Fitch is still predicting Las Vegas to fully recover in 2023.

[The last five months] really just exemplifies the pent up demand of domestic leisure tourism in the United States, says Mansfield.

Its difficult to predict what the next couple of months have in store for Sin City as the Delta variant continues to spread and vaccination rates stall, he says. International travel, group and convention business is still missing, all factors that are needed for a full recovery.

The trend is going in the wrong direction from a case perspective and that's not good for group business, says Mansfield. There's still not enough evidence on the convention recovery and international recovery to sway us one way or the other yet on bringing that recovery forward.

Mansfield says hes not predicting property closures like during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, but if capacity limits go back into effect on casino floors, or if vaccine mandates for certain events become more pervasive throughout the city, it will act as friction and slow down the recovery.

The only bad thing about July, he says, is that it didnt last longer. July was a was a very strong month, across the entire country for a lot of different industries. But it lasted too shortit felt like we were out [of the pandemic] and then delta came , he says.

As for Lawton, hes not optimistic that the five months of record-breaking revenue can go on for too much longer.

No one predicted this and if you did, you wouldve been laughed at, Lawton says. But the billion-dollar trend wont continue forever.

View post:

Las Vegas Breaks Record In July With $794 Million In Gambling Revenue - Forbes

LOS ANGELES What a mess. What an awful, ugly mess. And what a stain on baseball and one of its most venerable teams.

As he sidled next to his lawyer at a downtown Los Angeles courtroom last week, Trevor Bauer, the polarizing pitching star for the hometown Dodgers, wore the focused look of a man who knew his future was on the line.

Roughly 40 feet away, seated at a narrow table in front of a judge, sat the 27-year-old woman who has accused Bauer of sexual assault, a charge he vehemently denies.

It was Aug. 19, the last day of a nearly weeklong hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court to decide the womans request that a temporary restraining order placed on Bauer be made more long term.

When the Dodgers signed Bauer to a three-year, $102-million contract in February, they willfully looked past his bristling personality, his reputation as a me-first clubhouse cancer, his penchant for bullying online behavior, his objectification of women, and even his own assessment that he is good at two things: throwing baseballs, and pissing people off.

Bringing on Bauer was an odd and greedy gamble for a team that had just won the World Series. Already loaded with talent, Los Angeles wanted extra ammunition for its quest to repeat as champion. Bauer, who won the 2020 National League Cy Young Award with Cincinnati before becoming a free agent, of course, seemed to provide just that.

But as the team continued to jell during the back half of this grinding season, Los Angeless star pitcher found himself sitting before a judge at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

This was not a criminal trial meant to decide innocence or guilt. With a police investigation still underway, such a proceeding may come later or it may not. Instead, the hearing would decide whether to extend the restraining order placed on Bauer in June.

Bauer pleaded the fifth so as not to incriminate himself. But his accusers testimony was so disturbing that I will give only the shorthand.

She described being punched, bruised and bloodied. She claimed that during sex Bauer strangled her to the point that she passed out, and that she was assaulted while unconscious.

Bauers lawyer denied few of her claims but described the encounter as rough sex that the woman had consented to. Not assault. The judge, taking the view that Bauer will not pose a threat to his accuser in the future, canceled the restraining order altogether.

Bauer, though, continues to face serious consequences. Police in Pasadena, Calif., where the assault is said to have occurred, are still investigating. The Los Angeles County District Attorney could still press criminal charges.

Major League Baseball placed Bauer on paid administrative leave shortly after the accusations became public. Even if no criminal charges are brought, it can hand down a lengthy suspension based on its domestic violence prevention policy, perhaps as long as a season or more.

Commissioner Rob Manfreds response will tell us all we need to know about baseballs priorities. Does it condone Bauers actions that night, consensual or not?

Does it take seriously women who say they have been sexually assaulted?

Does it have the guts to take a stand?

The night after the hearing, a mere three miles and a world away from the tense downtown courthouse, fans streamed into the gilded baseball temple known as Dodger Stadium.

When the season began, the game against the Mets had been slated as Trevor Bauer Bobblehead night. Then came the accusations of brutality. The Dodgers backpedaled. They stopped selling their new pitchers apparel in their team shops. The Bauer Bobblehead promotion was replaced by a Clayton Kershaw T-shirt giveaway.

What timing. Kershaw has been the teams ace for years. He is regarded as one of baseballs most outstanding citizens, with an image of humility and rectitude. His foundation helps the poor and vulnerable. For fans of the Dodgers, he can do no wrong. In other words, he is the anti-Trevor Bauer.

He represents what the Dodgers are supposed to be about, said one of the teams longtime fans, Kevin Fernandez, as he waited for the game to begin. Bauer? He should never play for this team again. He should not have been here.

In July, when the Dodgers visited the White House to celebrate their 2020 World Series win, President Biden spoke of the teams deep meaning. The Dodgers are a lot more than a baseball club, he said to an assemblage of the team that did not include Bauer, absent because he was not on the championship team. They are a pillar of American culture and American progress.

The president went to hail a small but significant slice of Dodgers greats: play-by-play announcer Vin Scully. Sandy Koufax. Fernando Valenzuela.

Above all else, he said, the heart of Jackie Robinson.

The Dodgers are not just any club. In the last century, they stood at the vanguard of civil rights in sports. Mythology developed around them, passed down through decades of consistency: The Dodger Way, which means not just winning, but winning with class.

Bauer, 30, has always been an immense talent, but class has hardly been his calling card. One example of many: The time he responded to online criticism from a college student by repeatedly baiting and tagging her on social media. He is savvy enough to know what would happen next: The student faced days of brutal online attacks from his social media followers.

Another instance: A Washington Post investigation recently found that an Ohio court granted a temporary restraining order against Bauer to a woman who says she was threatened by him in 2020 when he played for the Cincinnati Reds. The woman filed a motion to dismiss the order six weeks after it was put in place.

Her lawyer, Joseph Darwal, said in a statement that his client chose to end the order and a potential lawsuit against Bauer because she feared the ramifications of coming forward.

Bauer and his agents have denied the womans allegation, which is being investigated by M.L.B., according to a league official who was not authorized to comment publicly.

His Los Angeles teammates have kept tellingly quiet about his absence. They do not appear to miss him, or need him.

Not after last month when the Dodgers brass, as if contrite, traded for Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, a workhorse star more than capable of filling Bauers shoes.

The team has been on a tear ever since. They entered the game against the Mets nipping at the heels of the San Francisco Giants for the top record in the N.L. West. They jumped on the Mets early and coasted to a seventh consecutive win.

Sitting in the cheap seats, I took note of the extra measure of Kershaw jerseys and how the stands were dappled as well by Dodgers T-shirts and replica blue-and-white jerseys featuring the teams greats of the past and present.

Steve Garveys No. 6. Justin Turners 10. Valenzuelas 34.

Of course, Jackie Robinsons 42.

I did not see any fans wearing Bauers 27.

He has, for now, been excised from the temple.

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Gambling on Trevor Bauer Is Not the Dodger Way - The New York Times

New Labour liberalised gambling in Britain with the 2005 Gambling Act, which introduced one of the most permissive regulatory frameworks in the world. The idea was that more betting would deliver economic benefits, and in one sense it did. The gross take from gambling has nearly doubled, with punters losing 10.2bn a year. The industrys marketing spend has boomed. And HM Revenue and Customs has gained too: Denise Coates, who runs the Stoke-based gambling giant Bet365, paid 573m in taxes in 2019-20 over 100m more than anyone else.

But along with the increase in gambling came rises in the harms associated with it. When the legislation was passed, concerns were focused on supercasinos. But what happened, instead of the creation of giant hubs, is that gambling (like so much else) moved online and to smartphones, where in-play betting during the course of a football match or other event became one of the most popular ways to bet. The other big change was the spread of fixed-odds betting terminals, from which gambling companies earned huge amounts: 1.8bn in profits each year until the maximum stake was slashed from 100 to 2 in 2020, following a public outcry and the high-profile resignation of a Conservative minister, Tracey Crouch.

A government white paper is expected soon, with MPs and lords both pushing for new controls. These could include restrictions on advertising, with some campaigners worried about the extent to which children as well as adults are being exposed to what Labours Carolyn Harris has described as indoctrination. A recent survey found that a majority of the public supports a total ban on gambling adverts.

There is also backing for affordability checks, where gamblers who bet regularly above a certain threshold are required to prove that they have sufficient resources to cope with losses. Since gambling firms make most of their money from the 5% of accounts with the biggest losses, the idea is to protect the minority of people who are unable to control the habit and may otherwise incur large debts (recent academic research showed that 47,000 people lost 5,000 or more over the course of a single year).

With a new report pointing once again to the extent to which poorer people and communities are disproportionately targeted by the industry the most deprived decile of areas have 10 times as many gambling venues as the richest neighbourhoods there is no doubt that change is needed. The industry, whose chief lobbyist is the former Labour MP Michael Dugher, will no doubt continue its cynical tactic of declaring that opposition to its activities comes from prohibitionists.

Such nonsense should be ignored. It is nearly 70 years since the stage musical My Fair Lady, based on Bernard Shaws play Pygmalion, revelled in Eliza Doolittles excitement at the races (Come on Dover! Move your bloomin arse!). Nobody in 2021 wants to remove from adults the pleasure of placing a bet (or buying a scratchcard). What reformers seek, and a socially responsible gambling industry would support, is a better balance between the freedom to gamble and protection from the social and financial risks that gambling entails.

This article was amended on 24 August 2021. The Eliza Doolittle scene at the races featured in My Fair Lady, which was based on Pygmalion, but not in Pygmalion itself as stated in an earlier version.

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The Guardian view on the future of gambling: harms must be faced - The Guardian

The Kanye West Donda Album Experiencewas unlike anything Ive been a part of in terms of live performance. It was absurd performance art to the extreme. There was some weird for the sake of weird. At times, the atmosphere felt like I was witnessing an initiation to some sort of cult. And then there were other moments where it felt like I was watching guys hanging on a porch just listening to jams.

Mr. West remains a flawed individual. Someone who creates unnecessary controversy for the sake of self promotion. But somehow, while doing so, West loops in superb and inspired musical production. In a way, the title of his upcoming album (assuming it actually drops and that the album isnt a series of bizarro live-show experiences) beingDondafits because it cuts two ways for me. Because Donda West, Kanyes mother, is ultimately*THE* inspiration for *gestures at whatever the heck that was last night* and is the one person who couldve saved her son from the slide he has experienced in recent years.

As for my next trip to Soldier Field, that wont come until Justin Fields starts a game. Or in Week 11, when I am set to join my friend Ryan for the Bears game against the Baltimore Ravens. Whichever happens first.

With just one day until the preseason finale, here are some training camp highlights to hold us over:

Every completion by Andy Dalton and Justin Fields is equal parts fulfilling (because you obviously want to see QBs thrive) and disheartening (because DBs getting charred shouldnt be on the menu). And as Dante Green (Bear Report) points out, the Bears secondary seems to be a primary concern heading into the preseason finale. Desmond Trufant has been out while dealing with personal issues. And on an alternate timeline, someone steps up and makes a positive splash. Someone like Thomas Graham Jr., Artie Burns, Tre Roberson, or Duke Shelley shouldve taken serious steps in their game. Unfortunately, no one has really done that to this point. Short of an injection of new talent that unexpectedly becomes available, Im not sure how this group improves ahead of a Week 1 showdown against Matthew Stafford, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp.

On the other side of the ball, Fields gets his first opportunity to start a professional game. And while some have been vocal about Fields starting regular season contests sooner, rather than later, football talking head Mike Golic has thoughts to the contrary. Golic believes the Bears are doing the right thing by turning to Dalton over Fields to kick things off:

I know Justin Fields has played well. I get it. But hes also going to make rookie mistakes, Golic said, via Audacy/670 The Score. You know which people will just bury their head if all of a sudden youre starting a rookie quarterback? The other 52 guys in the locker room. Because thats another year going by for all of them as well. Name me the last rookie quarterback that won more than they lost.

Golics commentary about the other players in the locker room burying their heads if Fields starts cuts two ways. And Golic doesnt even acknowledge the possibility of a rookie quarterback lifting his teammates. Or are we just going to pretend that Lamar Jackson going 6-1 down the stretch for the Ravens in 2018 after taking over for Joe Flacco, who went 4-5 in his starts? I realize the 2018 Ravens and 2021 Bears arent two peas in a pod. But I got a good, hearty chuckle thinking about thatname me he last rookie quarterback that won more than they lostcomment knowing that a relevant example happened just three years ago.

The Tribune has one-stop shopping for following roster cuts before the 3 p.m. deadline on August 31. Meanwhile, Jacob Infante (Windy City Gridiron) and Alyssa Barbieri (BearsWire) have 53-man roster predictions. As one might expect, Justin Fields is a safe lock to make the roster.

Cameron DaSilva (RamsWire) notes that defensive lineman AShawn Robinson is having a little minor procedure on his knee and will be out for a few weeks, per Head Coach Sean McVay. Easy for McVay to say, since it isnt his knee. Its unclear if Robinson will be available for Week 1 of the regular season. But because the Bears are providing the opposition for the Rams in Week 1, itll be worth keeping tabs on this situation.

For your listening pleasure: Brad Biggs of the Tribune joinsThe No Name Football Podcast, which features Olin Kreutz and Jason McKie. If you enjoy offensive line talk, pull up a chair and make sure your speaker/headphones are working.

ESPNs Adam Schefter reports Jameis Winston will start the season as the Saints QB1. There was a time when Chicago was viewed as a possible landing spot for Winston in free agency. And while I struggled to buy in on the fit, reports later surfaced the team was indeed a suitor in the Winston sweepstakes. It didnt happen, and the Bears ended up landing on Justin Fields. So all is well that ends well right? I suppose because Winston is opening against the Packers, I suppose well have to root for New Orleans to out-score its counterparts from Green Bay.

The Washington Postreports the NFL is expected to rake in $270 million this year (!) due to its gambling partnerships. That is wild to think about, especially when youre old enough to remember the NFL shunning any and all gambling connections. In case youre curious, the Bears are among the many teams who will see profits from this with an exclusive partnership.

Charles Barkley doesnt think the Bulls have had aturribleoffseason, which I imagine pleases some fans in search of validation for what has been an active (and proactive) player acquisition period for Chicagos basketball team.

Over at BN Blackhawks, Mario writes about the team making changes to its broadcast crew. Analysts Steve Konroyd and Jamal Mayers wont be back. And, if youll recall, this is the last season for legendary broadcaster Pat Foley. In other words, we better get used to changes because theyre coming in waves.

A Crosstown Series preview, for those of you who arent on a baseball hiatus like yours truly.

Also, if youre on the side of wanting a Bears move to Arlington Heights, prepare yourself for more concerts. A hypothetical stadium out in the burbs will essentially be a concert facility that also happens to occasionally host football games. Look no further than AT&T Stadium as an example of what a future Bears stadium will play host to (should it come to fruition). There have been at least 80 concerts since its opening. It has also hosted college football, basketball, soccer, boxing, and WrestleMania. I fully expect the new home of the Bears no matter where it is to do the same.

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A Flawed Argument Against Fields, NFL's Gambling Gains, Soldier Field Weirdness, and Other Bears Bullets - bleachernation.com