The Week in Gambling News - 25th April 2015

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“10 for 10: The Main Event” Trailer Released

Martin Jacobson was an unassuming young aspiring chef from London until July 14, 2014, when he took the World Series of Poker championship, the coveted bracelet, and $10 million dollars home with
him. Before his run-in with the professional poker world he admits that he only really played “online or with friends.” During the 2014 Series he captured the eye of documentary filmmakers who documented
his ascent through the 6,683 other competitors. His final game was a test of endurance, luck, and skill as he played for 49 hands and overcame a severely small stack to be crowned the champion.

Watch the gripping trailer:



NBA Commissioner Wants Sports Gambling Legalized

That headline may be no big shock to anyone who has heard NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speak about the issue. Unlike most commissioners, he is very vocal about his opinion. Last year he even penned
a New York Times piece in favor of sports betting legalization.

He addressed the issue again on WFAN’s “Boomer & Carton” saying that it “creates more engagement” between the fans and the game. “Even a gentleman’s bet,” stated Silver, can pique even the most apathetic
fan’s interest and create a definite feeling of personal investment. Ultimately, he knows it’s good for business.

He went on to say that some commissioners of other sports are apprehensive about the idea of legal gambling, but some of his peers think it’s a good idea to at least entertain. Regardless of whether or not some commissioners like it, sports betting is becoming more and more commonplace, with Silver estimating that it’s a 300 to 400 billion dollar activity that might potentially become a 300 to 400 billion dollar business.

Although many commissioners won’t say much when directly asked about the issue, a few are worried about some of the ramifications of sports betting, including fixed games or biased referees. How they make
the connection between the average Joe putting $100 on the Heat and a ref throwing the game is anyone’s guess (the players and refs are monitored and suspended or banned when betting on their own sport),
but that’s the public narrative.

Silver pointed to Europe as an example of sports gambling done right. He noted that it’s legal, but there are no real problems to speak of because it is closely monitored and policed. He then likened it to the
monitoring of the New York Stock Exchange, saying that it is policed for illegal activity such as insider trading.

Furthermore, he added that sports betting is going to happen anyway, which is absolutely true. At least the NBA doesn’t have an obscure stance on the issue. The NBA is for legalized sports betting and is openly partnered with FanDuel. On the other hand, the MLB has an unclear in-between stance on the issue but partners with DraftKings when it benefits them.


Mission, Texas Bar Owner Arrested

On Sunday, 51-year-old Mission, Texas bar owner Ricardo M. Rodriguez was arrested in his bar. Judge Jonathan Wehrmeister has stated that he is currently charging Rodriguez with gambling promotion.
Since it is a Class A misdemeanor, Rodriguez faces up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Patrons who had visited his bar, the Palms II Lounge, earlier this year called in and complained to police that they noticed gambling machines that were paying out; the payouts were then exchanged for real
money by the staff. In response, police officials conducted an undercover operation on March 17th. During their time in the bar, officers witnessed a worker paying out two women who had been at the machines.
After officers followed the employee, she confessed to police and gave more information about the bar and its illegal gambling operation.

When police entered the bar on Sunday they arrested several patrons and one employee. The employee told the officers that Rodriguez had been paying approximately $300 per day to employees who were paying
out patrons in the bar. Rodriguez has been released on a $5,000 bond.


China’s Lottery Sales Drop

In the first month since a crackdown on online lottery ticket sales it has been reported by Chinese news outlet Xinhua that lottery ticket sales have dropped by over 6% to $5.03 billion in March.
Certain types of lottery have fared better than others amid the crackdown, but overall the results have been less than stellar.

This comes with a drop on the year-to-year earnings as well. China’s welfare lottery has decreased by 5% since 2014 while the sports lottery has seen a drop of around 8%.

Under the new Chinese laws, anyone who wishes to sell lottery tickets online must be approved and seek consent from government agencies including the Ministry of Civil Affairs,
the General Administration of Sports of China, and the Ministry of Finance, making it difficult for many online lottery sales outlets to continue sales.
 

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