WSOP main event kicks off with 1,297 players on first “Day 1″

Thursday marked the first day of the World Series of Poker, as Day 1a began with 1,297 players. But by the end, just 636 remained.
Mark Garner, who finished 25th in the main event in 2006, leads all players with just under 200,000 chips.
According   …full article

McCain addresses online gambling in interview

A columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal interviewed U.S. presidential candidate John McCain for a recent story, and the Republican from Arizona was asked about online gambling.
The column, by the Review-Journal’s Erin Neff, does little to clarify McCain’s stance on the issue, other than the   …full article

Editorial by Rep. Frank: Social conservatives stopped online gaming bill

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who introduced the defeated House bill that tried to stop the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement from being implemented, wrote an editorial about why the bill was defeated in an editorial at the online news site, The Huffington Post.
The House bill, HR   …full article

Woman suing PokerStars for $1.2 in tournament winnings

A woman named Natalie Teltscher is suing PokerStars for winnings that were withheld from her account because of what the online poker site said was a breach of tournament rules.
Teltscher, who is the owner of the account “the VOid,” won the 2007 World Championship of   …full article

Online gaming interests believe EU is dragging heels on opening up markets

The European Commission has been attempting to force European Union members to end national monopolies on online gambling and open up their markets, but political pressure is slowing down or perhaps even stopping the process, according to online gaming interests.
Ten of the EU’s member nations   …full article

Bill to regulate online poker in California passes hurdle

While a key bill regarding online gambling was defeated at the United States’ national level this week, another bill, at the state level, made some progress.
AB2026, a bill that would legalize and regulate intrastate online poker passed the state Senate Governmental Organization Committee in a   …full article

Bill that would block UIGEA fails in committee

The House Financial Services Committee defeated HR 5767 on Wednesday, a bill that would have blocked implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
The committee, chaired by the main sponsor of the bill, Barney Frank (D-Mass.), took a pair of votes, according to   …full article

U.S. representative arguing against UIGEA using incorrect information?

An editorial written by Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) argues that the United States should keep the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, but uses incorrect information to back up his argument, according to a press release issued by The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
The article,   …full article

Anti-UIGEA bill progresses in Congress

HR 5767, the bill that would stop implementation of the United States’ Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, has taken a step forward in the House of Representatives.
The House Committee on Financial Services will review and possibly amend the legislation, H.R. 5767 starting on June 24.
According   …full article

New online sportsbook is legal in the U.S.

A new online gambling business based in the United States called Centsports.com is operating within the law by giving its customers money to gamble with.
The site works like this: CentSports gives members ten cents of “play money” to gamble with on just about any sporting   …full article

Panel to U.S. state legislators: Regulate online gaming

An online gaming consultant and the director of e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance told a gather of state legislators that state governments should start regulating the industry rather than banning it.
Frank Catania, who is also the former assistant attorney general and the director of   …full article

EU, Bush administration officials to meet regarding U.S. ban on online gambling

European Union officials are planning to meet with members of the Bush administration in July before a possible international challenge to the U.S. ban on online gambling based on trade agreements.
According to an article in The Hill, the Remote Gambling Association may be seeking to   …full article

Arizona doesn’t like it, but new card room to open in Phoenix

A retired judge who operates poker rooms in Arizona said he will open a new room in Phoenix this month — even though the Arizona Department of Gaming has attempted to stop his operations in the past.
Harold Lee, of Tombstone, has been referred for criminal   …full article

Poker Players Alliance grades presidential candidates

Poker Players Alliance board member Rich Muny recently handed out grades to the United States presidential candidates based on their views of online poker and gambling.
The grades only took into consideration their positions on the subject, and no other issues or qualifications.
According to onlinecasinoadvisory.com:
Muny gives   …full article

Charity poker tax gets through New Hampshire legislature

The House in New Hampshire passed a bill that levies a tax on poker games being run to benefit charities.
The 199-125 House vote follows an earlier 16-7 vote to pass the state Senate.
According to pokerpages.com:
A 3% tax would apply in tournaments where the playing   …full article

France to come up with legislation to alter online gaming monopoly

The European Commission reported that France will be introducing legislation to change its state-run monopoly on online gaming by this fall.
The commission has ruled previously that monopolies like France’s need to be opened up in the spirit of an open market in the European Union.
According   …full article

Talk of PartyGaming settlement with U.S. premature

PartyGaming Plc saw its stock fall as reports that the online gaming and poker company was nearing a settlement were called “premature.”
PartyGaming is trying to resolve the fact that it illegally facilitated gambling in the U.S. in 2006.

California takes step toward legalizing, regulating online poker

The California Gambling Control/Intrastate Online Poker Legalization Act recently passed the State Assembly and has moved to the State Senate for action.
The bill would legalize intrastate online poker, meaning online poker rooms would be licensed and regulated by the state.
According to pokerpages.com:
Poker Voters of   …full article

European Commission investigates discriminatory Internet gambling practices of U.S.

The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative released this statement to the press with information about the recent decision by the European Commission to investigate trade discrimination by the U.S.
WASHINGTON, May 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — As part of an ongoing major trade dispute over Internet gambling   …full article

Antigua, U.S. may be near resolution of online gaming dispute

A resolution of the online gaming dispute between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States may be close.
Antigua’s Minister of Finance and the Economy Dr. Errol Cort said he was optimistic about the prospects of the matter being worked out between the two countries after   …full article

Anti-UIGEA bill gains new sponsors in Congress

HR 5767, which would block implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, has picked up seven new sponsors in the United States Congress in the last two weeks.
Most recently, representatives Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Steven Rothman (D-N.J.) have agreeed to sign the bill that   …full article

Sweden to privatize online gambling to avoid EU confrontation?

Sweden may try to privatize its online gambling operation to avoid problems with the European Union, according to recent reports.
Currently, Sweden is one of several member nations that does not allow a free market for online gaming, which puts it and other similar countries at   …full article

Group files lawsuit regarding U.S.-WTO trade settlement on online gaming

A non-profit organization has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to force the U.S. government to disclose the terms of the country’s settlement with the World Trade Organization regarding the U.S. online gambling and poker ban.
The WTO has ruled that it is against trade rules   …full article

Antigua officials in U.S. to resolve online gaming dispute

Antigua officials will be meeting with the U.S. Trade Representative this week in an effort to resolve to ongoing dispute between the two countries regarding online gaming.
Friday’s meeting will attempt to end the impasse on the issue — the U.S. has blocked access to its   …full article

South Africa set to legalize gambling?

South Africa’s National Assembly seems poised to pass National Gambling Amendment Bill, which will make online gambling legal in the country.
According to a story at ITWeb:
The Bill has had a tortuous time since being introduced into Parliament last year. Many members of both the National   …full article

N.H. House to vote on poker tax bill

The New Hampshire House will be voting on a bill in the near future that would levy a tax on all poker games played in the state.
The bill, which recently passed in the state’s Senate, features a reduced proposed tax. Originally, the tax was 10%;   …full article

EU moving to deal with member states that restrict online gaming

The European Union is starting to take action against states that restrict online gambling and poker inside their own borders.
According to a story at majorwager.com, the European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, Charlie McCreevy, said his body is attempting to get member states to   …full article

Washington state court upholds ban on online poker

Poker Players Alliance Washington state director and attorney Lee Rousso attempted to challenge the law making playing online poker a felony in the state on Thursday, but the law was upheld by the judge hearing the case.
The ban there has been in effect since 2006   …full article

Danish Supreme Court to tackle poker legality

Denmark’s Supreme Court will be hearing a case regarding the legality of poker played in private clubs.
Earlier this year, the Landsretten, below the Supreme Court in Denmark’s legal landscape, ruled that poker is not legal in the country and should not be organized by private   …full article

Netherlands to crack down on online casinos

Officials in the Netherlands are planning on cracking down on online casinos that do business in the country illegally.
A Dutch Justice Ministry spokeswoman said the country will tell Dutch banks to stop transactions with online casinos, according to a Reuters story:
The spokeswoman confirmed that   …full article

U.K. blasts France for protectionist stance on gambling

Britain’s House of Lords called the French government’s actions to protect the state monopoly on gambling and poker “atrocious,” according to a story at pokerpages.com.
The European Union has been putting pressure on France and other member countries with state-run gambling ventures to fall in line   …full article

Massachusetts governor: Casino bill may make comeback

A bill that would license three casinos in Massachusetts may not be dead yet, Governor Deval Patrick said.
A story in the Boston Globe quoted Patrick as saying the bill may find life in the legislature for a variety of reasons:

Nevada PPA director blasts senator on UIGEA

The Nevada state director for the Poker Players Alliance responded to Senator Jon Kyl’s comments regarding the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in a letter to the editor in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Ken Illgen blasted the senator — who has said he is frustrated with   …full article

Barry Greenstein to join PPA rally in Washington state

Poker pro Barry Greenstein will be joining a Poker Players Alliance rally in Washington state on May 15 to protest the law that makes playing online poker a felony in the state.
PPA state director Lee Rousso is challenging the law, signed into law in 2006,   …full article

Several U.S. reps co-sign bill to block UIGEA

Ten U.S. representatives have co-signed HR 5767, a bill introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) in the House of Representatives last month that would prevent the Unlawful Internet Ganbling Enforcement Act from being implemented.
According to pokerpages.com:
The following congressmen have signed onto the new bill thus   …full article

New Hampshire considers tax on poker tournaments

New Hampshire’s legislature will be considering a bill that would add a 10% tax on poker tournaments held in the state.
Opponents say the law would only hurt the charities that benefited from the poker tournaments.
According to pokerpages.com:
Sen. Robert Odell (R-Lempster) proposed the 10 percent tax,   …full article

Washington gubernatorial candidate opposes state’s online poker ban

One of the candidates for governor in the state of Washington has gone on record as saying he opposes the law that makes playing online poker a felony in the state.
According to pokernews.com:
Washington State Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi expressed his strong opposition to that   …full article

Pro-UIGEA senator losing patience with U.S. Treasury, Fed

One of the U.S. senators responsible for pushing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act through Congress has said he is losing patience with the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, neither of which has begun to enforce the law.
Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said rules for   …full article

Trump: A.C. casinos should sue over smoking ban

Donald Trump said Thursday that casinos in Atlantic City should sue over a smoking ban recently approved by the city council.
Trump says the ban creates a competitive disadvantage for Atlantic City gambling establishments.
According to an Associated Press story at majorwager.com:
The real estate magnate, chairman of   …full article

South Carolina won’t legalize home poker games this year

A bill that would allow home poker games in South Carolina will not be passed, at least this year.
The bill was sent back to a legislative committee, which means no vote is likely to occur this year.
According to pokerpages.com:
Rep. Wallace Scarborough (R-Charleston) says he introduced   …full article

Poker Players Alliance reaches 1 million members

Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a poker advocacy group in the United States, said in a press release today that it has surpassed 1 million members.
The PPA also announced that it has launched a political action committee in advance of this November’s elections.

U.S. Representatives send letter to Treasury Dept. regarding UIGEA

U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and others sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Treasury regarding the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act on Monday.
The letter comes soon after Frank introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would stop the UIGEA from   …full article

Finland wants to turn online poker into state monopoly

Finland, which runs most of its gambling operations under government agencies, may attempt to add online poker to its roster.
Everything in Finland, from slots to horse racing, comes under the purview of the state, currently.
According to pokerpages.com:
Following a report in Finnish newspaper Keski-Uusimaa that   …full article

WPT settles lawsuit with several top pros

The World Poker Tour announced today that they were settling a lawsuit with five of the top poker professionals in the world.
The suit — which was brought by pros Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon and Howard Lederer — focused on the player   …full article

Online poker bill in California clears hurdle

A California bill designed to fund a study on online poker within the state got through a key committee on its way to a potential vote by the legislature.
California Bill AB 2026 received unanimous approval by the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee (AGOC), according to a   …full article

Poland moves toward regulation of online gambling

Published reports have noted that Poland will be attempting to regulate online gambling and poker as soon as this year.
The effort to regulate goes back to last year for the European country, which apparently is getting closer to totally legalizing online wagering.
According to pokerpages.com:
Marek Kapica,   …full article

PPA lawyer gets online poker case on docket in Washington state

A Washington court is scheduled to hear a case challenging the criminalization of online poker in the state.
On May 15, a case brought by Poker Players Alliance regional director Lee Rousso will bring into question the constitutionality of a 2006 law that made playing online   …full article

ePassporte officially out of online poker in U.S.

After a weekend of uncertainty and speculation, the online money transfer service ePassporte has officially said it will no longer provide transactions for Americans using the service for online poker.
The news is bad for United States citizens, who lose another option to easily get money   …full article

Lawyer: “Poker tournaments aren’t gambling” in PA case

A lawyer who has been charged with operating illegal poker games is saying they aren’t illegal at all.
Larry Burns, 63, of Westmoreland County near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was charged last year with misdemeanors for running poker tournaments and earning a profit from them.
He wants gambling charges   …full article

Trump: No A.C. smoking ban

Earlier this week Donald Trump came out vehemently against the proposed smoking ban in Atlantic City that is being considered by the city’s council.
Trump, who obviously has a vested interest as a casino owner in the city, has threatened legal action if the ban is   …full article

Epassporte reportedly pulling the plug on US poker players - updated

What started off as a rumor yesterday now appears to be fact, at least for the time being - e-wallet provider Epassporte has closed its doors to US players.
The story broke yesterday in a thread over at 2+2. Original post excerpt:

Apparently, epassporte has pulled the   …full article

Bill to suspend internet gambling ban introduced in U.S. Congress

House of Representatives bill 5767, which would serve to lift the ban on online gambling and poker in the United States, was introduced in the United States Congress yesterday by Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Ron Paul (R-Texas).
The new bill would basically prevent the   …full article

Wall Street Journal Europe: U.S. should regulate online gambling

The Wall Street Journal Europe published an opinion piece yesterday stating that the U.S. should legalize online gambling and poker.
The publication addresses many of the negative impacts of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
According to the WSJE piece, reprinted at pokerpages.com:
We have our differences with   …full article

Online gambling regulation hits bump in South Africa

The country of South Africa is headed toward lifting a ban on online gambling and poker, but proposed changes to the law have hit a bit of a bump in the road.
A group has added a prohibition on advertising online gambling to amendments to   …full article

Indictments handed out in Borgata sports book case

Indictments have been issued against 24 participants in a sports book that was allegedly run out of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa poker room.
The Atlantic City operation was halted last November by law enforcement officials. It is believed more than $60 in illegal sports   …full article

Antigua to reject U.S. proposal on online gambling dispute

In the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and Antigua regarding online gambling, the Caribbean nation is set to reject the Americans’ latest proposal to settle the issue.
Antigua and the United States are at odds because the U.S. will not allow foreign online gambling   …full article

Massachusetts gambling ring cracked

A Massachusetts gambling ring that made more than a million dollars a year was effectively shut down by law enforcement officials on Tuesday.
Two dozen search warrants were executed through the state to seize evidence in the case.
According to a story at WCVB Channel 5 out   …full article

Atlantic City to ban smoking in casinos?

Atlantic City’s city council will try to ban smoking on casino floors today.
This is the second time in two years that the issue will come before city council.
According to majorwager.com:
An ordinance scheduled to be introduced Wednesday night would still let smokers light up, but only   …full article

Man accused in Atlantic City stabbing makes court appearance

Vicente Perez made his first appearance in court today on charges of aggravated manslaughter after the stabbing death of Arthur Prince outside of a poker room at Trump Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City.
Perez, 57, of Macon, Ga., could serve 10 to 30 years if   …full article

South Carolinian will fight charges related to home poker game

South Carolina resident Martin Reyes said Sunday that he will fight the gambling charges that have been brought against him after police raided his home poker game this past weekend.
A total of 27 people have been charged in connection with the weekly game, which authorities   …full article

Online gambling ban appears in new Massachusetts bill

A bill that would have allowed casinos in Massachusetts is dead, but a possible online gambling ban in the commonwealth is not.
Just a few weeks after Governor Deval Patrick’s casino bill was stopped in the legislature, a new bill has surfaced that would allow slot   …full article

Mississippi considers bill that will try to retain Florida gamblers

The state of Mississippi is considering measures and tax breaks that would help keep Florida gamblers coming back to the state.
Mississippi is reacting to casino expansion by the Seminole Tribe and new Florida laws that will expand poker and greyhound racing in the state.
According to   …full article

Netherlands strikes down bill that would have given Holland Casino online monopoly

The Netherlands will not give its own online gambling operator a monopoly on the Dutch market.
The Dutch parliament voted down on a bill that would give Holland Casino a license to provide all online gambling services in the country. The bill failed by just two   …full article

Deadline passes for U.S. to settle online gambling dispute with Antigua

The United States is apparently not interested in settling its dispute with Antigua regarding online gambling — at least not right now.
The U.S. had a deadline of April 1 to offer a proposal that would rectify its dispute with the Caribbean nation via the World   …full article

iMEGA to challenge dismissal of lawsuit against UIGEA

The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association filed notice that it plans to challenge the dismissal of its lawsuit against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the United States.
iMEGA has said that the UIGEA infringes upon basic constitutional rights and that criminalization of   …full article

UIGEA tough to enforce, officials say at Congressional hearing

Federal officials at a Congressional hearing on Wednesday said the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) will be very difficult to attempt to enforce because of its vague wording.
Representatives from the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve were among some of the officials who testified   …full article

Opponent of Washington’s online gambling ban drops out of governor’s race

Lee Rousso, a Washington attorney who has been waging a legal battle against the state’s law that prohibits online gambling, has dropped out of the governor’s race.
Rousso is also a state director for the Poker Players Alliance, and had been planning to run as a   …full article

More Congressmen call for details on U.S. gambling settlements

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) have requested more information from the United States Trade Representative on U.S. concessions regarding foreign online gambling and poker operators.
The two high-ranking Congressmen want to learn more about   …full article

Norwegian Poker Championships moved to England

Norwegians won’t be able to play their country’s poker championship in their own country.
Because poker’s legal status is uncertain in the Scandinavian country, officials for the Norwegian Poker Championships have decided to move the event, scheduled for April 28 to May 5, to Nottingham, England
According   …full article

D.C. think tank slams UIGEA

With a Congressional hearing on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act scheduled for this week, a conservative think tank released a paper that says the law is bad for the United States.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s white paper on the UIGEA highlights problems with the law   …full article

UIGEA hearing to be held in U.S. on Wednesday

The United States House of Representatives will hold a hearing on Wednesday about how the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act should be enforced.
The House Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology subcommittee will hold the hearing regarding the rules of the UIGEA that have   …full article

Unibet appeal of Netherlands gaming act violation is denied

Unibet lost an appeal in a Netherlands court this week, in which the online sportsbook and gaming site was deemed to be infringing on the market of the Dutch state lottery, De Lotto.
According to pokernews.com:
Unibet had been judged guilty of violating the Dutch Gaming Act   …full article

Massachusetts to go ahead with gambling study

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has said a $189,000 study on the possible impact of casinos in the commonwealth will still be conducted — even though the state legislature has tabled a bill that would have licensed three casinos in Massachusetts.
The bill, which would have also   …full article

U.S.-Antigua online gambling impasse near end?

The United States is planning to propose a settlement that would end a bitter trade dispute regarding online gambling between the U.S. and Antigua and Barbuda.
The settlement, which should be offered by the end of the month, could end five years of acrimony and legal   …full article

Poker Players Alliance launches litigation support network

The Poker Players Alliance announced today that it would be launching its Litigation Support Network, which will provide legal advice and refer members to attorneys who have expressed interest in helping with poker-related issues, according to a press release on the PPA’s Web site.
The resource   …full article

Massachusetts casino bill dead for now

Massachusetts won’t have any casinos — or an online gambling and poker ban — any time soon.
Governor Deval Patrick’s bill that would have licenses three casinos in the commonwealth and would have made online wagering illegal has been sent to a study committee by a   …full article

Charity poker event at UNC canceled because of legal issues

A charity poker tournament that was supposed to be played at the University of North Carolina was canceled because of worries that the event might be illegal.
The event, called Hold’em for Hunger 2008, was supposed to take place on April 20 on the campus at   …full article

Massachusetts casino/online gambling bill seems doomed as House debates

The Massachusetts House of Representatives debated a bill today that would allow casino gambling in the commonwealth and ban online gambling. But the bill seems headed to defeat after actions in committee yesterday and after members made their opinions known on the House floor today.
The   …full article

U.S. dispute with Antigua over internet gambling may lead to piracy

What started as a trade dispute over internet gambling between Antigua and the United States may turn into a much bigger issue.
Antigua, which previously won a trade ruling against the U.S. over internet gambling issues, is threatening to ignore intellectual property treaties with America. That   …full article

Swedish ban on online poker and gambling advertising may be over

Apparently, the ban on online poker and gambling advertising in Sweden is over.
Prosecutors in the Scandinavian country were told to stop prosecuting cases against media outlets that were publishing or airing ads related to online poker and gambling from foreign sources.
According to pokerpages.com:
The order came   …full article

Small turnout for rally against Massachusetts gambling bill

Just a few dozen poker players turned out for a rally at Boston Commons to protest a proposed Massachusetts bill that would make gambling and playing online poker in the state illegal.
The rally, held near the State House in Boston, was held by the Poker   …full article

EU may take action against US over gambling prosecutions

IGaming Business is reporting today that the European Union is apparently considering action against the United States over the issue of the US engaging in discriminatory prosecutions of foreign online gambling interests. Excerpt:
European online gambling companies such as PartyGaming and Bwin Interactive Entertainment have   …full article

Boston Herald: Gambling opponents math doesn’t add up

The Boston Herald ran a story today on questions arising regarding the validity of anti-gambling claims made by State Rep. Daniel Bosley, who serves on the economic development committee that will help determine the fate of Gov. Deval’s casino expansion bill. Excerpt:
State Rep. Daniel   …full article

Rally against Massachusetts anti-online gaming bill set for March 18th

The Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society (GPSTS) is co-organizing a rally to be held on Tuesday, March 18th across from the MA statehouse.
GPSTS is an organization headed up by Harvard professor Charles Nesson that seeks to promote the use of poker as an   …full article

Massachusetts online poker ban may lack votes

The chairman of the state house of Massachussetts’ Economic Development Committee says few members have changed their minds about a proposed casino bill that would ban online poker and gambling in the state.
Rep. Daniel Bosley will preside over a hearing on March 18 about the   …full article

Congressman calls for details of WTO internet gambling settlement

In a move that could affect internet gambling, Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) asked the U.S. Trade Representative to disclose trade concessions made to foreign trading partners without Congressional approval, according to a press release issued by the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
The move means   …full article

PPA adds policy expert to build grassroots efforts

The Poker Players Alliance announced on Monday that Drew Lesofski, the former senior federal policy advisory for Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons, joined the organization as director of Grassroots and External Affairs. Lesofski will work with and attempt to grow the PPA’s grassroots operations.
During his time   …full article

EU may file complaint against U.S. concerning Internet gambling

The European Union launched an investigation Monday into U.S. laws on Internet gambling, according to a story by The Associated Press.
European betting companies are complaining that the United States’ actions against them are infringing world trade rules.
As a result, the EU may file a complaint   …full article

Anti-online gambling crusader linked to prostitution ring

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, one of the most well-known crusaders against online gambling in the United States, allegedly has been linked to the Emperor’s Club V.I.P. prostitution ring busted by federal authorities last week, according to a story in the New York Times.
According to   …full article

Canadian racetrack owners speak on online gambling

Racetrack owners have gotten into the recent conversation on online gambling in poker. Earlier this week, the Canadian Minister of Justice suggested steps may be taken to stop online poker and gambling sites licensed by the Kahnawake nation, along the lines of a U.S.-type UIGEA   …full article

Court releases decision in iMEGA vs Department of Justice

Judge Mary L. Cooper, of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, released her decision today regarding the lawsuit brought by gaming lobbying group Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) that aimed to prevent implementation of the UIGEA.
The official   …full article

Politico: Momentum shifting to online gambling regulation

An article published today on political news site Politico.com took a positive view on the potential for a near-term legislative solution to the issue of online gambling regulation. Politico cited the increasing support for Barney Frank’s legislation, the re-introduction of Jim McDermott’s bill to   …full article

Washington Post: Internet gambling regulations flawed

The Washington Post ran a story today that summarized public comments on the regulations proposed by Treasury and the Fed in connection with the UIGEA. The story concludes what many industry observers have been saying since the law passed in October 2006 - regulation   …full article

Poker Player’s Alliance spent $900,000 on lobbying in 2007

Online poker lobbying group the Poker Player’s Alliance spent over $900,000 on lobbying activities in 2007, according to disclosure forms released earlier this month by the US Senate. The PPA counts nearly 800,000 poker players among its member ranks.

Lee Russo vs Washington’s online gambling ban: Court date set

Lee Russo, the Washington State lawyer who challenged the constitutionality of the Washington law that effectively criminalized the act of placing a wager online, will have his day in court sooner than later.

Casino interests funneled at least $8 million into political activities over the last year

Two reports published recently highlighted the significant financial influence the gambling industry seeks to exert over both federal legislation related to gambling and the outcome of political campaigns in the US via campaign donations.
First, a report from the Associated Press asserts that The American Gaming   …full article

Bill to examine intra-state online poker in California introduced

An article published today in Capitol Weekly highlighted an interesting bill, introduced to the California Legislature by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, that aims to study the possibility of creating online poker rooms that would operate exclusively within California.
The bill would represent a fairly new   …full article

Bay Area card room looks to expand

According to a story published today by local newspaper The Argus, Bay Area card room The Palace Card Club is seeking to expand, with plans to double the club’s current capacity of eight tables.
The proposal is apparently meeting with resistance from local officials and community   …full article

South Carolina Senate approves charity poker games

A bill that would grant legal status to charitable poker games in South Carolina moved one step closer to becoming law when a State Senate panel gave its approval on Friday.
The bill aims to exempt charitable poker from South Carolina laws that ban dice and   …full article

Kentucky governor lays out plans for up to a dozen casinos

Recently elected Kentucky governor Steve Beshear unveiled his plans for bringing casino gambling to the state this week, presenting a proposal to the Kentucky General Assembly on Thursday.
If Beshear’s plan is accepted by the Assembly, casino construction would still hinge on approval by voters in   …full article

Gambler sues William Hill over excessive losses

Graham Calvert has filed a 2 million pound lawsuit against bookmaker William Hill, claiming that the site didn’t follow through on its promise of excluding Calvert from placing wagers with the company after Calvert requested a ban.
William Hill, like most sites, offers players some form   …full article

Massachusetts pro-casino, anti-gambling bill gains union support

Governor Patrick Deval’s proposed legislation to bring state-sponsored casinos to Massachusetts in a bid to create jobs and increase tax revenue, has garnered unprecedented support from the AFL-CIO.
The Massachusetts arm of the powerful federation of unions, comprising both construction unions which would be involved   …full article

US Government: WTO settlement information classified

Ed Brayton is reporting over in his blog today that the United States Government has apparently decided to classify information regarding recent WTO settlements with the EU, Canada and Japan over the issue of online gambling, claiming that the settlement text needs to be   …full article

Charles Nesson appears on Colbert Report, promotes poker as educational tool

Harvard professor and online poker supporter Charles Nesson was interviewed on the Colbert Report recently, and he managed to get in most of his talking points around Colbert’s shtick.
Nesson wrapped up the interview by asking Colbert of he plays poker (he does) and   …full article

Antigua expects whitelisting following meeting with UK Minister Sutcliffe

Less than two weeks after being notified that it had not met the mark for Gambling Commission white list requirements, Antigua and Barbados is optimistic about approval. Following a meeting yesterday with UK Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe, Antigua’s Minister of Finance Dr. Errol Cort   …full article

World Poker Tour launches Club WPT, real money online poker room open to US players

The World Poker Tour, a business at the center of the live poker revival in the US, announced plans today to further extend its influence into the online poker arena with the introduction of ClubWPT, a subscription-based poker room that will allow members to compete   …full article

Hillary Clinton: Online poker supporter?

The Las Vegas Sun published an article last week that provided a brief summary on the major Democratic presidential candidate’s positions on online gambling. Of the three front-runners, the state position of Hillary Clinton seems to be the most favorable for the online poker   …full article

The Arizona Republic: Retired judge may face charges on his poker room

The 64-year-old retired judge and Tombstone resident Harold S. Lee has been profiled in The Arizona Republic for his public poker league and claims that it is entirely legal. Criminal charges against Lee are currently being considered by the state’s attorney general. Reporter Dennis Wagner   …full article

Complaint lodged against Germany’s Internet gaming ban

An official complaint has been lodged with the European Commission against Germany’s recent online gaming ban. Sigrid Ligné, Secretary General of the European Gaming and Betting Association, a not-for-profit group composed of Europe’s leading online gaming operators, said, “The German Interstate Treaty is incompatible with   …full article

Kahnawake Grand Chief “extremely disappointed” with UK white list rejection

Grand Chief Michael Ahríhrhon Delisle, Jr. responded yesterday to news of the Kahnawake exclusion from the United Kingdom’s list of approved Internet gaming advertisers. Antigua and Barbados were also excluded for the present, while Tasmania joined the list on its second attempt. Excerpt from   …full article

Antigua misses out on UK “white list” license

The United Kingdom declined this week to add either Antigua and Barbuda or the Canadian Kahnawake Mohawk Territory to its gambling advertisement white list.
The UK Gambling Commission did approve the previously rejected Tasmania for advertising in the UK, which Antigua Director of Gaming Kaye   …full article

Absolute Poker: Kahnawake Gaming Investigation report complete

The Kahnawake investigation into the Absolute Poker debacle has concluded. A summary of its report follows.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission made the following findings:
1. For an approximately 6-week period beginning Aug. 14, nine user names compromised Absolute Poker and used software to view the “hole cards”   …full article

Las Vegas Review-Journal: poker player calls in bomb threat during break from table

Antonio Planas of the Review-Journal reported today on the strange case of a man who threatened to blow up the Bellagio while he was playing poker at Mandalay Bay.
A Las Vegas man who was playing poker at the Mandalay Bay late Jan. 1 did what   …full article

Proposed casinos too far from tribal lands, says Dept. of Interior

The federal government said it knows what’s best for Native Americans last week when it denied petitions for new casinos.
“The remote location of the proposed gaming facility may encourage reservation residents to leave the reservation for an extended period to take advantage of the job   …full article

Malta and Cyprus going Euro

European online gaming whitelist island states Malta and Cyprus have adopted the strong Euro as their official currency, effective last week.
The recently official currencies of the Maltese lira and the Cypriot pound will be able to be used as currency through the end   …full article

Poker Player’s Alliance to turn focus to local level in 2008

Recent comments from leadership at lobbying group Poker Player’s Alliance strongly suggest that the PPA is looking to beef up its local, grass-roots organizational apparatus in 2008.
PPA Executive Director John Pappas stressed the need for local organization in an article over at Pocket   …full article

Flamingo Las Vegas management pushing against possible unionization

Dealers at Wynn Las Vegas decided to unionize after management started taking their tips, and now dealers at the Flamingo say that management there is threatening to take their tips if they unionize.
A dealer at the Wynn said that Flamingo Las Vegas President Don Marrandino   …full article

Kentucky casinos to be argued in 2008

The Kentucky legislature convenes tomorrow, and high on the list is budget-balancing. New Governor Steve Beshear, who handily defeated his “No Casinos” rival, former incumbent governor Ernie Fletcher, and vowed to expand gaming in his state as part of his plan to claim economic benefits,   …full article

Australia’s “clean feed” to be gambling-free, slow Internet

Australia’s recently elected prime minister, Kevin Rudd, who ran on a Labor Party platform promising to bring high-speed Internet to the country, is now pushing for a plan which experts say will actually slow down the Internet.
“Australia has fallen badly behind our competitors,” said Rudd   …full article

Judge rules that gambling pact between Florida and Seminole Tribe can move forward

Forbes.com reported today, via the Associated Press, that a US Federal Judge has ruled against Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and his attempt to block a recently signed gambling agreement between the Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida.
The root of McCollum’s complaint is that   …full article

Colorado considering poker and gambling expansion

Colorado state representative Rep. Al White reportedly plans to introduce a measure that would alter Colorado gaming laws. White’s measure would seek to, among other things, remove the standing $5 bet limit currently in place at Colorado casinos and to allow casinos to operate   …full article

Petition drive for Ohio’s “single site” casino begins today

A casino petition drive spearheaded by MyOhioNow kicked off today in The Buckeye State.
An article on the official website states that the plan “guarantees a $600,000,000 destination casino/resort that would employ nearly 5,000 Ohioans and generate approximately $200,000,000 in tax revenues that would be   …full article

Nevada teachers’ union casino tax petition challenged by casinos

As previously reported, the Nevada State Education Association is pushing for a casino tax increase to help fund Nevada’s struggling schools. Nevada casinos are pushing back, and the Nevada Resorts Association has filed a lawsuit challenging the union petition.
A hearing on the challenge has been   …full article

Online gaming ban takes effect today in Germany

The first day of the new year brought with it a ban on online gambling run by private companies in Germany. The ban is intended to protect Germany’s gambling monopolies, and lets the 16 German states prohibit financial institutions from dealings with companies offering online   …full article

Responsible Gaming code introduced to deflect “Norway UIGEA”

With the “Norway UIGEA” threatening, Expekt, Ladbrokes, Betsson and Unibet have come together to form a code of Responsible Gaming in Norway.
The code is expected to be used to keep online gaming safe, responsible, and legal in Norway. A recent study there concluded that   …full article

Colorado casinos joining ’smoke-free’ state next year

Beginning January 1, 2008, casinos in Colorado will no longer be exempt from the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006.
25-14-205 j of Section 1 of the Act, which listed the exemption of “the retail floor plan, as defined in section 12-47.1-509, C.R.S.,   …full article

NY Sun: Antigua and US intellectual property rights

The New York Sun ran an article today touching on the various factors involved in the recent WTO Antigua decision.
“The United States is concerned … that the arbitrator agreed with Antigua’s request to suspend WTO concessions not just with respect to services, but also   …full article

WTO reaches compensation decision in online gambling dispute between US and Antigua

The World Trade Organization released their arbitration report regarding the conflict between Antigua and the US today. The report detailed the compensation that Antigua is entitled to as a result of its successful complaint against the US. As a result of its successful   …full article

Remote Gambling Association files complaint with EU against the US over gambling restrictions

The battle between international online gambling companies and the United States Federal Government entered a new venue today when industry lobbying group Remote Gambling Association (RGA) filed a formal complaint against the US Government with the EU.
According to its website, the RGA “represents most of   …full article

LV Review Journal: States Attorneys General opposed to Frank bill

The Las Vegas Review Journal published an article today that detailed the efforts of over 40 State Attorneys General to derail Barney Frank’s (D-Mass) legislation that aims to repeal many provisions of the UIGEA.
According to the LVRJ article, 43 State Attorneys General signed a letter   …full article

Google, Microsoft and Yahoo agree to pay millions in fines for online gambling ads

The United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri, announced today that they had reached a settlement with major Internet search players Google, Microsoft and Yahoo over DOJ claims that the companies had promoted illegal gambling.
The settlements, which total over $30 million, do   …full article

Financial Times: Banks warn that UIGEA compliance will be impossible