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Social Responsibility at biggest show on Earth; ICE 2018
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Social Responsibility at biggest show on Earth; ICE 2018
Actor, Musician, and Entrepreneur Jared Leto Warns Against Gambling-Like Bitcoin Investing
Casino News Daily
Actor, Musician, and Entrepreneur Jared Leto Warns Against Gambling-Like Bitcoin Investing
An on-and-off Academy Award winning actor, frontman of 30 Seconds to Mars, the band holding the Guinness record for the longest concert tour with 309 concerts, and a tech investor, Jared Leto also seems to have familiarized himself with the bitcoin craze as he has recently joined the growing debate over the nature of cryptocurrency investing.
In an interview with Australian radio station Nova, Leto presented his opinion on the matter, slamming bitcoin investing as gambling. The multi-faceted artist warned future investors against putting their money into bitcoin. He called cryptocurrency investing gambling and speculation, and went on to say that the activity is not something a person who could not afford to lose their money should delve into.
Leto’s comments come at a time when bitcoin and those investing in it are having a bit of a hard time. The virtual currency’s price reached an all-time high of $19,343.04 in mid-December, but growing regulatory pressure from different parts of the world and other factors resulted in its price dropping significantly overnight, spurring fears that any investor’s worst nightmare of a bubble burst could come true. At the time of writing, bitcoin’s price stands at $10,083.85, up slightly from earlier today when it tumbled to $9,748.53.
While we cannot say whether Leto’s knowledge is extensive enough, it should be noted that his opinion about the gambling-like nature of cryptocurrency investing is shared by many financial experts and analysts.
Regulators’ Stance on Cryptocurrency Investing
Due to the volatility of bitcoin and altcoins’ prices, investing in these has often been referred to as gambling. The Bank of Canada has recently become the latest financial institution to join the debate over the proper definition of cryptocurrency investing.
In an interview with business news outlet CNBC, Canada’s central bank governor said that bitcoin investing is gambling and not actual investing. The official further pointed out that the Bank of Canada will be working with regulators from different parts of the world for crafting regulations aimed to put limitations on certain aspects of cryptocurrency investing and trading.
While digital currencies and investing in those are considered a form of gambling by many, actual gambling regulators have pointed out that they have no authority over the regulation of the activity. The Netherlands Gaming Authority was one such regulatory body to comment on the matter. The regulator said in a statement that under the country’s current gambling regulations, cryptocurrency investing cannot be defined as any form of gambling and it thus does not fall under its purview.
The Actual Link between Cryptocurrencies and Gambling
The potential of digital currencies has been spotted by the global gambling industry. A number of online gambling operators have added cryptocurrency transactions to their lists of available payment options, and many more are expected to follow suit. Generally speaking, cryptocurrencies allow a relative anonymity, cutting out banks and other third-party financial institutions.
The UK Gambling Commission has been among the regulators to acknowledge the use of bitcoin and altcoins for gambling-related transactions, as long as these are conducted between UK gambling customers and UK-licensed operators. However, the regulator has warned of the risks of transactions of this type.
The post Actor, Musician, and Entrepreneur Jared Leto Warns Against Gambling-Like Bitcoin Investing appeared first on Casino News Daily.
A.J. Kelsall Ends WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Day 2 as Overnight Chip Leader
Casino News Daily
A.J. Kelsall Ends WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Day 2 as Overnight Chip Leader
The WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship completed one more day on its schedule. It can be said that for yet another year, the event proved utter success with its high attendance.
The tournament attracted a field of 1,244 entries who put the guaranteed prize pool of $3 million well in the rear. After registration closed at the end of Level 2 on Day 2, organizers announced that as many as 156 lucky players will split a prize pool of $3,967,000.
Day 2 of the tournament, played on Tuesday at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, kicked off with 548 hopefuls from the two starting flights. Two hundred and so more players joined them at the poker tables, taking advantage of the late registration option.
As it happens during WPT Main Tour Main Events, it was an action-packed day. By the time all scheduled levels were completed, the start-of-the-day field was reduced to just 159 contenders. In other words, the remaining field is just three eliminations away from bursting the money bubble.
A.J. Kelsall ended up as the overnight chip leader with a stack of 768,500 in chips. Here it is interesting to note that the player managed to build that stack from a start-of-the-day one worth around 38,000.
More about the Chip Leader
Kelsall boasts live poker bankroll of more than $1 million, cashed over the course of nearly 17 years and from more than 100 live tournaments. The Florida resident entered the Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship fresh from a fifth-place finish in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open WPTDeepStacks $1,100 Main Event, from which he collected $56,239.
As mentioned earlier, Kelsall entered Day 2 of the WPT Borgata event with 38,000 in chips, which he multiplied into the largest stack at the end of the day. The player told WPT staff after play concluded for the day that he managed to win several extremely important hands that brought him 50,000 or 100,000, or even more. In addition, he did not lose any big hands throughout the day, which further helped him cement his position on top of the leaderboard.
Of his poker preferences, Kelsall said that he plays a little bit of everything, but does not think to be excelling in any of the different poker games. He further noted that he has been playing No-Limit Hold’em for quite some time now and that he does not enjoy it as much as he used to before. He named triple draw and razz some of his favorite poker games and noted that he enjoy playing these at the WSOP.
Day 3 action at the Borgata is slated to resume at noon local time. Organizers will fire things up by bringing in the Action Clock. As mentioned above, the money bubble is expected to burst shortly after the beginning of play. Min-cashes start from $6,129. As for the winner, they will cash $651,928 from the event.
The post A.J. Kelsall Ends WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Day 2 as Overnight Chip Leader appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Aspire Global’s Karamba goes live with SBTech sportsbook
World Casino News
Aspire Global’s Karamba goes live with SBTech sportsbook
Casino Giants Register Interest in Cairns Global Tourism Hub Plan
Casino News Daily
Casino Giants Register Interest in Cairns Global Tourism Hub Plan
Major casino companies have registered interest in participating in a project for the construction of a A$1-billion integrated resort in the city of Cairns, the Queensland government said earlier today.
The Global Tourism Hub scheme was introduced last fall. It involves the construction of a multi-purpose complex with a casino as well as a number of accommodation, food and beverage, retail, and entertainment facilities. Under the original proposal, the resort could be built on a four-hectare state-owned site at the city’s port. However, MPs said last year that it can technically be located anywhere within a 70-kilometer radius from Cairns.
The Queensland government opened a Registration of Interest process on October 30, 2017, and interested parties had up until January 23 to submit their responses.
It became known earlier today that over 12 registrations were submitted, and some of them came from several globally renowned casino operators. The government said that it would not reveal the applicants for commercial-in-confidence reasons. However, it pointed out that registrations included a mix of state, national, and foreign casino brands.
Local media reported that officials were encouraged by the overwhelming interest in the A$1-billion project, particularly given the fact that some of the world’s biggest casino companies have submitted their registration of interest responses. MPs told media that their exceeded expectations were a good indication that their choice of Queensland’s Tropical North as the preferred home to the future development was the right one.
The proposal for the development of the Global Tourism Hub came as part of the Queensland government’s efforts to further boost the state’s tourism industry, which is believed to be worth A$25 billion and to be employing 200,000 people.
Who Might Have Registered Interest?
While the Queensland government has decided against naming the operators that were interested in building a casino as part of the Global Tourism Hub, we believe that Las Vegas giant Caesars Entertainment Corp. may be one of these. Last spring, the company revealed plans for geographical expansion. It said that it would explore opportunities to enter new markets once its main operating unit emerged from bankruptcy.
What is more, reports emerged last June that Caesars was interested in entering the Queensland casino market through a partnership with Chinese-backed group of investors ASF Consortium, which was picked by the government to develop the A$3-billion Gold Coast Integrated Resort. Several months later, the government rejected the plan, citing environmental concerns and general discontent among Gold Coast residents.
Cambodian casino operator NagaCorp may be another operator to have registered interest in the Global Tourism Hub scheme. Casino News Daily reported last August that the company, which currently operates the NagaWorld Hotel & Entertainment Complex in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, had set eyes on Cairns as a potential destination for its international expansion.
With the conclusion of the Registration of Interest process, the Queensland government is set to launch an Expression of Interest process for interested parties. It is also important to note that the government also undertook a community consultation last year. Members of the public are able to voice their opinion on the Cairns project until February 11, 2018.
The post Casino Giants Register Interest in Cairns Global Tourism Hub Plan appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Slottracker.com being bought by Game Lounge Limited
World Casino News
Slottracker.com being bought by Game Lounge Limited
Shaun McBride Leads 548 Hopefuls into WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Day 2
Casino News Daily
Shaun McBride Leads 548 Hopefuls into WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Day 2
The WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship is by tradition one of the busiest WPT Main Tour Main Events to take place within WPT’s schedule, and this year’s edition of the tournament did not disappoint. A total of 1,023 contenders entered the event during its Days 1A and 1B, and registration will remain open during the first two levels of Day 2 which means that interested players will have one more opportunity to join the field.
Day 1B of the $3,500 buy-in tournament was played on Monday at Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino. As many as 680 entries were drawn to the poker tables at the gambling venue, but only 375 of them made it through the day. They will be joined by the 173 survivors from Day 1A for Day 2 of the major tournament. Action is set to resume today at noon local time.
Shaun McBride bagged and tagged the largest chip stack Monday night. The player had accumulated 224,200 by the time all ten levels of the day were wrapped up. McBride will actually enter Day 2 action as the overall chip leader from the two starting flights, as he is well ahead of Day 1A’s leader Luke Blindert. The latter has 191,000 and will thus resume play second in chips.
Poker Thrill at the Borgata
The Borgata Winter Poker Open is set to run through February 2, when the Main Event winner will be determined. The tournament featured a guaranteed prize pool of $3 million, which was exceeded on Monday and is poised to grow further given the fact that registration is still open. The precise amount generated and the number of payouts will be announced once registration for the tournament closes later today.
Aside from the chip leader, a number of other notables jumped in poker action at the Borgata, including two time WPT champion Jonathan Little. The player will enter Day 2 with a nice stack of 148,900. He is vying for a third title, and if he wins one, he will tie with Darren Elias, Gus Hansen, Anthony Zinno, Carlos Mortensen, and Chino Rheem and join the club of the very few players who have captured three WPT Main Tour Main Event titles. Speaking for Elias, he is making yet another attempt to win a record-breaking fourth title after several unsuccessful ones.
Zachary Smiley, John Hennigan, and Tony Sinishtaj were also among the former WPT champions to enter this year’s WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship and to have made it through the starting flights phase.
Daniel Weinman won last year’s edition of the event. He bested a massive field of 1,312 entries to collect a first-place prize of $892,433. What made his accomplishment even more special to him was the fact that he captured the title on his 29th birthday.
The post Shaun McBride Leads 548 Hopefuls into WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Day 2 appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Monday, January 29, 2018
GameAccount Network to power Ocean Resort Casino online offerings
World Casino News
GameAccount Network to power Ocean Resort Casino online offerings
Top 10 Super Bowl LII proposition bets
Casino City Times
Top 10 Super Bowl LII proposition bets
With Super Bowl LII just days away, Casino City's Gary Trask crunches the numbers and pores over the hundreds of prop bets available to come up with 10 wagers worth making this Sunday.
Philipp Gruissem Joins partypoker’s Cluster of Poker Celebrity Ambassadors
Casino News Daily
Philipp Gruissem Joins partypoker’s Cluster of Poker Celebrity Ambassadors
While PokerStars Team Pro seems to be thinning with each week passing, the case is exactly the opposite with its rival poker operator partypoker and its team of sponsored players. It was announced earlier today that German poker Philipp Gruissem has become the latter poker room’s newest brand ambassador.
The player is joining a growing team of sponsored players, which includes fellow countryman Fedor Holz, among a number of others.
With live tournament earnings of over $11 million, Gruissem is one of his homeland’s most successful poker professionals. And here it is important to note once again that over the past several years, Germany has turned into a superpower in the world of poker thanks to its players who have been dominating high roller fields for the past several years.
Gruissem, in particular, has been quite active on the high roller scene and has taken down an impressive amount of such tournaments, hence his bankroll. The player won his largest cash namely from a high roller event. Back in 2013, he topped the field of the WPT Alpha 8 London £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em, good for £862,400.
A year later, the German took down the EPT Season 10 Grand Final €25,500 High Roller 8-Max for another massive payout of €993,963. The player won the same event in 2017, this time for €485,135. Overall, he has cashed in 54 live tournaments over the course of his poker career, and as it can be seen some of his payouts have been quite impressive.
Gruissem has also been playing online for quite some time. In fact, the player has revealed that he won his first ever online tournament on partypoker under the ‘philbort’ screen name. He has also pointed out that it was this victory (which brought him $200) that encouraged him to learn more about the game and delve deeper into its particularities.
partypoker’s Expanding Team of Ambassadors
As mentioned earlier, the online poker room has expanded its Team partypoker significantly over the past two years, signing poker heavyweights such as Fedor Holz, Jason Koon, Dzmitry Urbanovich, and Kristen Bicknell, and now Gruissem.
On the other hand, PokerStars Team Pro, the team of sponsored players of partypoker’s rival online poker brand, has lost some of its big names. In fact, four players have parted ways with PokerStars since the beginning of the year, with those being Vanessa Selbst, Jason Mercier, Felipe Ramos, and most recently Bertrand Grospellier.
While the players have cited different reasons for their departure, it can be said that many of them have probably decided to end their contracts with the poker room, due to the wave of changes in its rewards program it has been rolling out for the past two years or so. Generally speaking, these changes are aimed at attracting recreational players while poker professionals consider them less friendly.
Isaac Haxton has been one of the most vocal critics of PokerStars’ new policies. The player was part of the poker brand’s Team Pro, but severed ties with it in early 2016, claiming that it had behaved “unethically”. It was announced last week that Haxton has too joined Team partypoker as ambassador for the poker operator.
The post Philipp Gruissem Joins partypoker’s Cluster of Poker Celebrity Ambassadors appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Republicans Urged to Return Donations from Casino Boss Steve Wynn after Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Casino News Daily
Republicans Urged to Return Donations from Casino Boss Steve Wynn after Sexual Misconduct Allegations
GOP Senators have urged Republican colleagues to return any donations they had received from casino boss Steve Wynn, after multiple sexual harassment allegations surfaced against him late last week. Mr. Wynn is a long-time GOP donor and up until this weekend he took the post of a Finance Chair of the Republican National Committee.
The Wall Street Journal published an extensive report on Friday, providing details about the casino magnate’s decades-long alleged pattern of sexual misconduct towards staff members at his company Wynn Resorts. Mr. Wynn is a founder, Chairman, and CEO of the Las Vegas-headquartered casino operator.
The major gambling company currently operates properties on the Las Vegas Strip and Macau, and is building a $2.4-billion integrated resort near Boston. The project is touted to be the largest private single-phase construction project in Massachusetts’ history.
Following the publication of Wall Street Journal’s report, Mr. Wynn stepped down from his post at the Republican National Committee, although he called the allegations against him “preposterous”.
Multiple Republican politicians have distanced themselves from the business mogul over the weekend. Sen. Lindsey Graham told the ABC on Sunday that if the allegations have merit, politicians should return the money they had been donated. Sen. Graham himself does not appear to have received money from the casino boss, according to Federal Election Commission records.
The Wall Street Journal reported that a number of Republican politicians have confirmed that they would donate the money they had been contributed to by Mr. Wynn to various charities.
During the presidential campaigns in 2016, the Las Vegas businessman provided financial backing to both Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and now US President Donald Trump. Mr. Wynn and Mr. Trump once were business rivals. They have a history of an on and off friendship. Back in 2016, Mr. Trump called Mr. Wynn a “great friend” who had provided him with important advice.
Long Pattern of Sexual Harassment
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that both former and current employees at Wynn Resorts had revealed multiple sexual harassment incidents involving their boss, Mr. Wynn. One of these incidents involved a former Wynn Las Vegas manicurist who had claimed that the businessman had forced her into performing a sex act in his office. Mr. Wynn then paid her a $7.5-million settlement to keep the occurrence away from the media radar.
The Board of Wynn Resorts opened an investigation into the matter, although it said in a statement from this weekend that no complaint has ever been made against Mr. Wynn.
It also became clear that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission will review the appropriateness of Wynn Resorts operating a casino resort in the state, following the allegations. Wynn Boston Harbor, the $2.4-billion integrated resort currently under construction on the Everett waterfront near Boston, is slated to open doors next spring. However, it seems that Wynn Resorts’ license might be at risk, particularly if the allegations against its founder and major shareholder prove true.
As mentioned above, Mr. Wynn dismissed the sexual misconduct reports, further suggesting that these could have been spread by his former spouse Elaine Wynn, whom he is engaged in a years-long legal war with. Mrs. Wynn was ousted from the Wynn Resorts Board following her divorce from Mr. Wynn in 2010. She has been seeking to regain control over her stake for several years now without much success.
The post Republicans Urged to Return Donations from Casino Boss Steve Wynn after Sexual Misconduct Allegations appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Partypoker Powerfest in full swing
World Casino News
Partypoker Powerfest in full swing
Ben Lamb Wins Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge
Casino News Daily
Ben Lamb Wins Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge
Ben Lamb, a two-time WSOP Main Event finalist, triumphed in the Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge in the first hours of Sunday to scoop a payout of A$647,114 and an ANTON Jewellery ring after dominating action on the event’s second day.
Lamb locked the victory after he agreed on a deal with Jan-Eric Schwippert before the beginning of heads-up. The two players shook hands on splitting what had remained of the prize pool based on their chip counts and flipping blind for the ring and the title. Schwippert, one of the members of Germany’s group of high roller elites, collected A$597,765 for his runner-up finish.
The event attracted a field of 114 entries, who created a prize pool of A$2,736,000. The second and final day of the A$25,000 buy-in tournament began with 19 players returning at the tables of Crown Casino in Melbourne. They were led by Taiwanese poker star Kitty Kuo. The female poker pro has performed quite well in Asian-Pacific tournaments over the past several years and was looking for a first major title from the Aussie Millions. The player actually came really close to winning one last night, but eventually finished fourth for one of her career’s best cashes of A$246,240.
As the day progressed, the Day 2 field of 19 players was reduced to the final seven who gathered around an unofficial final table. Schwippert was the chip leader at that point, followed by Lamb. It can be said that action during the final day of the event was marked by these two’s attempts to outrun each other.
Lamb’s Final Move to Victory
As mentioned above, Lamb and his German opponent were the last men standing in the field. Instead of engaging in what could have been a rather long heads-up duel, the two players agreed to split the remaining money and to flip blind for the title.
On the final hand in play, Lamb’s [Qc][Jc] faced Schwipper’s [10s][4h]. The board ran out [2c][9s][3c][3d][7h] to secure Lamb with the title and the champion’s ring.
In his post-victory interview, Lamb said that the six-handed format was his favorite, and he really enjoyed playing the A$25,000 Challenge. At this time of the year, the player usually participates actively in the PCA and skips the Aussie Millions. However, it was a bit different this year. Lamb decided to play in the PCA for just a week, and then he traveled to sunny Australia for Crown Melbourne’s big annual festival.
Including his latest live poker accomplishment, Lamb now has more than $8.8 million in tournament earnings. As mentioned earlier, the player played at the final table of the WSOP Main Event two times. In 2011, he finished third in the massive event, good for $4,021,138. Last summer, Lamb collected $1 million after took ninth place in the $10,000 Championship.
The post Ben Lamb Wins Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Senior management reshuffle at Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited
World Casino News
Senior management reshuffle at Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited
Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier Leaves PokerStars Team Pro
Casino News Daily
Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier Leaves PokerStars Team Pro
French poker pro Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier has reportedly left PokerStars Team Pro, poker news outlet PokerFuse reported citing unnamed industry sources. The Frenchman thus became the fourth sponsored professional to leave the poker operator’s cluster of stars, who are promoting its brand globally, since the beginning of the year, with Vanessa Selbst, Jason Mercier, and Felipe Ramos being the other three.
While PokerStars is yet to confirm Grospellier’s departure, PokerFuse has pointed out that his picture and bio had been removed from the online card room’s official website. It is also still unknown why ElkY has decided to leave PokerStars’ team of sponsored players, but many would suggest that this might have to do with the multiple tweaks the poker operator has introduced in its rewards program over the past several years.
Many players, who have been playing poker for years, have complained about PokerStars depriving them of privileges they have earned through countless hours of playing. Indeed, the poker room’s focus has recently shifted towards attracting more recreational players to its online poker premises.
Who Is ElkY?
Prior to rising to fame in the poker world, Grospellier had made a name for himself as one of the world’s top eSports players. He then focused his attention to building a poker career. With live tournament earnings of more than $13.5 million, ElkY is his home’s country’s most profitable player of all time.
What is more, the Frenchman is one of the very few players to have accomplished the Triple Crown in poker. To be more specific, he has a WPT, a WSOP, and an EPT title in his massive portfolio of poker accomplishments. In 2008, Grospellier won the $8,000 PCA Main Event for $2 million in prize money. It was also in 2008 when the player won his WPT title. He bested the $15,000 buy-in Festa al Lago for $1,411,015. He has a gold bracelet from a WSOP Seven Card Stud Championship event he won back in 2011.
It is also important to note that ElkY is one of the world’s most accomplished online poker players, playing both in cash games and tournament events. In fact, he was the first online player to reach PokerStars’ Supernova and Supernova Elite statuses.
As mentioned earlier, three other Team PokerStars Pros parted ways with the online poker room since the beginning of the year. In a comprehensive post on Facebook, Vanessa Selbst, the world’s most profitable female poker pro, announced that she was retiring from professional poker to pursue other career opportunities. She thus ended her contract with the card room.
Jason Mercier followed suit, announcing that he had not renewed his contract with PokerStars. The player explained that he plans to spend more time with his wife, Natasha Mercier, who is also a professional poker player, and their newborn son. Judging by his statement, Mercier had parted ways with the poker room quite amicably, pointing out that he had spend wonderful eight and a half years as a sponsored player.
However, Felipe Ramos did not seem to have ended his contract with PokerStars in friendly terms. In a series of tweets, the Brazilian player joined the wave of discontent towards the poker brand’s new priorities.
The post Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier Leaves PokerStars Team Pro appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Friday, January 26, 2018
See Grand Funk Railroad at Apache Casino Hotel
Casino City Times
See Grand Funk Railroad at Apache Casino Hotel
Guests can enjoy the five-member band's collection of hits on 23 March.
Biggest Aussie Millions Winners over the Years
Casino News Daily
Biggest Aussie Millions Winners over the Years
The Aussie Millions Poker Championship is probably the biggest live festival to be taking place in the Southern Hemisphere on an annual basis. Over the years, the event has gained global popularity with the number and diversity of poker events it features and has attracted some of the world’s most popular and highly selective poker players.
This year the major poker series celebrates its 20th anniversary which will certainly elevate the spirits of both organizers and players who are planning to take part in the poker festivities at the host venue Crown Casino in Melbourne. To celebrate the recent start of the 2018 Aussie Millions, Casino News Daily has prepared a short list of some of the largest payouts awarded to players over the past two decades.
Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey previously made history at the Aussie Millions. He became the only player to ever win three A$250,000 Challenges, an event that dropped from the 2018 schedule of the festival due to lack of interest last year.
Ivey won the tournament in 2012, 2014, and 2015, scooping a total of $8.205 million for his three triumphs. The 2012 edition of the event drew 16 entries, who created a prize pool of A$4 million. Ivey collected half of that amount.
In 2014, the popular poker pro took down the largest ever A$250,000 Challenge for A$4 million. The event had 30 entries and 16 re-entries. The massive interest generated a prize pool of A$11.27 million, which made the event the largest one to have taken place over the festival’s twenty years of running.
Erik Seidel
Seidel, yet another of poker’s heavyweights, is too part of the biggest Aussie Millions winners club. The player won the inaugural A$250,000 Challenge in 2011. He collected a nice payout of A$2.5 million for his efforts. It is also important to note that he beat a field of 20 entries.
The poker professional with live tournament earnings of more than $33.5 million also almost won an Aussie Millions Championship. The player finished second in the 2008 edition of the event. He was one of 780 entries to join the event’s field, and eventually made it to heads-up against Russia’s Alexander Kostritsyn. The Russian took down the Main Event, while Seidel scooped A$1 million for his deep run.
Sam Trickett
England’s most profitable poker player has too performed beautifully in several Aussie Millions tournaments over the years. He boasts a A$250,000 Challenge title as well as a A$100,000 Challenge one. Trickett captured his title from the A$100,000 event first.
He took down the high roller tournament back in 2011. The player collected the amount of A$1.525 million. That year’s edition of the A$100,000 Challenge attracted 38 entries for a prize pool of A$3.8 million. The Englishman was also the winner of the 2013 A$250,000 Challenge. The player emerged victorious from a field of 18 participants. His share of the prize pool totaled A$2 million.
Trickett’s current live poker bankroll exceeds $20.8 million. The player had his best cash ever back in 2012, when he finished runner-up to Antonio Esfandiari in the $1,000,000 buy-in Big One for ONE DROP.
Biggest Aussie Millions Main Event Winners
Australian players Stewart Scott, Tyron Krost, and David Gorr (pictured) were the ones to collect the largest payouts for winning the Championship event. They took it in that order in three consecutive years, and all three received A$2 million for their accomplishments.
Scoot took down the A$10,000 buy-in tournament in 2010. The player was the last man standing from a field of 746 entries. Krost beat a field of 721 fellow participants the next year. Finally, Gorr took down the event in 2012, emerging the victor from 659 entries.
This year, the A$10,600 Main Event is slated to kick off on Sunday, January 28, with the first of three starting flights. The tournament will be completed on February 4, when the official final table will take place.
The post Biggest Aussie Millions Winners over the Years appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Arsenal F.C. agrees cryptocurrency sponsorship deal
World Casino News
Arsenal F.C. agrees cryptocurrency sponsorship deal
London Affiliate Conference networking schedule announced
World Casino News
London Affiliate Conference networking schedule announced
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Brazil Needs Casino Resorts to Boost International Tourism, Lawmaker Says
Casino News Daily
Brazil Needs Casino Resorts to Boost International Tourism, Lawmaker Says
The government of Brazil needs to authorize the construction of a certain number of casino resorts across the country in order to boost its tourism, Federal Deputy Paulo Azi said on Wednesday. Mr. Azi presides the Tourism Committee at Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies.
The lawmaker spoke with local media during a Wednesday event celebrating the official launch of electronic visas for Americans. As from today, January 25, American residents will be able to apply for visas to Brazil electronically. In addition, the visa price has dropped to $40 from $160. The government of the South American country has undertaken the move in a bid to attract greater tourist flow from the United States.
The number of US tourists heading to Brazil decreased to 570,000 in 2016, when Brazil hosted the summer Olympics from 657,000 in 2014. The country’s government hopes that the lower visa price and the simplified application process would attract more visitors from the States.
Overall, Brazil welcomed a little over 6.5 million tourists in 2017, or nearly half the number of people who visited Singapore last year. Here it is important to note that the city-state legalized casino gambling in the mid-2000s. It had two operational integrated resorts with casino floors by the turn of the current decade.
Brazil’s Minister of Tourism Marx Beltrão said during yesterday’s event that if they find the right formula for developing Brazil into an attractive tourism destination, this could result in R$170 million being poured into the local economy every year.
Legal Status of Gambling in Brazil
With very few exceptions, gambling is generally illegal in South America’s largest country. For several years now, lawmakers have been considering a sweeping reform that would change Brazil’s gambling regulatory regime drastically and would expand the list of legal gaming and betting activities significantly. However, no gambling expansion proposal has been signed into law so far, despite the efforts.
Two separate gambling bills were introduced in Brazil’s National Congress several years ago, on in the Chamber of Deputies and the other in the Senate. The Senate piece – PLS 186/2014 – has gained more media attention, as it is the one to be calling for massive gambling expansion across Brazil and across all gambling sectors. Generally speaking, the bill provides for the legalization of casino gambling and of online gaming and betting, among other things.
Late last year, the bill stalled in the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Commission and it is yet to be announced when exactly commissioners will be able to finally cast their votes.
The potential legalization of casino gambling in Brazil has drawn the attention of some of the world’s casino powerhouses, including Las Vegas giants Las Vegas Sands and Caesars Entertainment. Reports emerged last spring that Las Vegas Sands CEO and Chairman Sheldon Adelson, in a meeting with Brazilian President Michel Temer, has revealed plans to build an $8-billion casino resort in Rio de Janeiro. Emerging from bankruptcy, fellow casino giant Caesars Entertainment has also said that Brazil has been one of the destinations it would gladly expand its presence to.
The post Brazil Needs Casino Resorts to Boost International Tourism, Lawmaker Says appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood announces LHPO winner
Casino City Times
Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood announces LHPO winner
Darryll Fish won the Florida casino's Lucky Hearts Poker Open, taking home over $500,000.
MGM Cotai allocated 125 tables, 77 more may be transferred
World Casino News
MGM Cotai allocated 125 tables, 77 more may be transferred
New York Online Poker Bill Springs to Life, Passes First Committee Vote
Casino News Daily
New York Online Poker Bill Springs to Life, Passes First Committee Vote
The legalization of online poker in the state of New York seems to be back on the agenda, as members of the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee passed overwhelmingly a bill on the matter earlier this week.
The piece of legislation was the now well-known S3898, which was originally introduced in the New York State Legislature last January by Sen. John Bonacic. During the 2017 portion of the legislative session, the bill passed the Senate and was referred to the Assembly, where it died. This means that the piece will now have to receive an approval from the Senate before being sent to the lower chamber of the state Legislature for a vote.
The bill gained quite some momentum last year, so it is believed that a successful passage in the Senate would not be such a difficult task to accomplish. In other words, it seems that the success of S38989 and the future of regulated online poker in the state is highly dependent on the Assembly.
The lower chamber of the New York Legislature presented its own online poker bill last year. However, it did not progress as much as its Senate counterpart. Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, Chairman of the Assembly’s Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, led the Assembly’s poker push last year. In fact, the lawmaker told media late in 2018 that he planned to renew his online poker legalization effort in February 2018.
Following its positive vote earlier this week, the Senate’s online poker bill was reported to the Finance Committee, which it will have to pass in order to be referred to the full Senate floor for a vote.
”Bad Actor” and Other Key ProvisionsGenerally speaking, S3898 designates online poker as a game of skill, and not one whose outcome is based on chance. This classification is particularly important, as the New York State Constitution prohibits any form of gambling expansion within the state’s borders, and any gambling expansion requires an amendment to the current laws.
If online poker is legalized, interested operators will be able to apply for licenses and provide Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hold’em games to New York players. There will be a total of eleven licenses for online poker operators to be issued by regulators.
Each and every successful license applicant will have to pay a one-off licensing fee of $10 million. The money will go to the state coffers. Online poker proponents in the Legislature also believe that the legalization and regulation of online poker will generate significant additional tax revenue. Under S3898A, licenses operators will be taxed at 15% on their revenue.
Last year, the Senate sneaked a “bad actor” provision to its bill in hopes to help it navigate through the Assembly successfully. The provision bans operators that had continued operating in the US in the post-UIGEA era from applying for licenses in New York. In other words, PokerStars would not be welcome in the state, if the bill gains the necessary support in the Legislature.
The Stars Group, parent company of the popular poker brand, has been a staunch supporter of New York’s legalization effort. However, the “bad actor” provision may thus cost the state a mighty player in the online poker field.
The post New York Online Poker Bill Springs to Life, Passes First Committee Vote appeared first on Casino News Daily.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
IP Casino reveals December jackpot winners
Casino City Times
IP Casino reveals December jackpot winners
The casino awarded several mega jackpots in December, including a $50,000 win.
Aleksandr Shevelev Leads WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship Final Table
Casino News Daily
Aleksandr Shevelev Leads WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship Final Table
The official six-handed final table of this year’s WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship was set last night, and it will be Russian player Aleksandr Shevelev who will lead the pack of six into today’s final day of action.
The player emerged the chip leader for a second consecutive day, although he had his ups and downs throughout Tuesday action at the host casino, Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida.
Ness Reilly took the lead at some point on Day 4 of the $3,500 buy-in tournament and gained quite some pace to increase her advantage. Reilly came fresh from an eight-place finish in the WPTDeppStacks Hollywood Main Event, which took place last week at the same host venue and as part of the larger Lucky Hearts Poker Open festival.
Winning a massive pot, Shevelev managed to narrow the gap that his female fellow player had created, and eventually took the lead to never let go of it throughout the rest of the day. The Russian player bagged and tagged 6.96 million in chips last night, good for 116 big blinds.
Shevelev currently has a little over $22,500 in live tournament earnings. The player has cashed in four live tournaments so far, all of which have taken place at Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In other words, a victory in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship could become the young Russian’s debut among poker’s heavyweights.
The player made two in-the-money finishes in this year’s Lucky Hearts Poker Open festival. Being among the final six, the player has locked a six-figure payout from the Championship tournament. Each of the six finalists is guaranteed a minimum cash of $104,784.
The Final Pack of Six
Aside from Shevelev, the official final table also includes former WPT Main Tour Main Event champion Andy Frankenberger, who will enter the final day of play as the short stack with 2.17 million, Alan Krockey (2.81 million), Brett Bader (3.16 million), Darryll Fish (5.92 million), and Ness Reilly (6.295 million).
The six players will return to the host casino at noon Florida time to play down to a champion. And the winner will collect a nice payout of $511,604, which includes an entry fee into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions. The WPT announced on Tuesday that the event will take place over May 24-26 at Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, with the final table being slated to be played at the newly opened eSports Arena Las Vegas at Luxor Hotel and Casino.
As mentioned above, Andy Frankenberger is the sole surviving WPT Champions Club member in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship. The player won his title back in 2010, when he topped the field of the Legends of Poker $5,000 Championship Event. Apart from his performance in the WPT, the player has also won two WSOP gold bracelets over the course of his career.
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