What an interesting week of gambling news! First, the Coronavirus pandemic has affected the global economy, and naturally casinos have been hit hard. Also, an update on the Department of Justice Wire Act case, as New Jersey has now joined the fight!
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Hi all
It's that time of year again when I manage to lose about 10kgs just from the stress of the awards..
Yep, voting has opened 
This year the voting is a little different and you wont have to click too many buttons, but we would like to ask for your support when you go to the polls..
You can find us in the following categories:
Best Affiliate Program : Rewards Affiliates
Best Affiliate Manager : Renee Mate - Rewards Affiliates
The best aff manager category is in alphabetical order based on Rewards Affiliates, so please look hard to find me there 
Voting closes sometime in mid-December (Dec 13th) while I'll be on my much deserved holiday (first one in 3 years - just goes to show how dedicated I am), so I wont be able to remind you guys closer to the cut off, so please take the time now while you're looking at this post to vote.
You can find the voting page here:
http://www.igbaffiliateawards.com/content/vote
Rewards Affiliates and myself would like to thank ALL affiliates for their support over the last 10 years and would also like to say good luck to all the nominated parties.
Cheers
Renee
Sports betting news is making the rounds this week, as Maine is on-again, off-again when it comes to wagering on sporting events. Plus, Washington, D.C.can’t seem to get regulation working… and it’s costing them money. And sports betting news suddenly appears in Washington state!
Hello friends and welcome to This Week in Gambling! I have returned from my conference in the United Kingdom just in time to bring you this week’s big story:
Several months ago we reported the big sports betting news from Maine, where legislation had passed both the State House and Senate and advanced all the way to the governor’s desk needing only a signature to become law… but then…
Several weeks ago we reported that the governor said ‘not so fast, and vetoed the bill instead of signing it… meaning sports betting for all practical purposes was dead in the state… but then…
Several days ago we reported that the state Senate had decided to override the governor’s veto and send the legislation back to the House for approval, meaning sports betting was once again alive in Maine! Alive! BUT THEN…
The House screwed the pooch, so to speak, failing to muster enough votes to set aside the governor’s veto and pass the measure into law. Meaning, once again, sports betting was dead. This is your tax dollars at work!
Meanwhile, sports betting news on the east coast of America in Washington DC, sports wagering legislation has been passed for quite some time. But fighting over the best way to regulate the activity has kept it in limbo… although for players in DC, it feels more like the Hokey Pokey. And because of the dillying and the dallying and the delays Washington DC missed the biggest sports betting day of the year: the Superbowl! And by some estimates that could have cost the District about half a million bucks! So once again, your tax dollars at work!
And on the west coast of the US, in the other Washington, a sports betting bill has just been passed out of committee and sent to the State House for approval… but don’t get excited just yet. You see even if the bill does pass a House vote it would still have to be approved by the Senate and be signed by the governor all before March 13th… and any good sports bettor can tell you, those are some pretty long odds.
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The push for a specific date on a Las Vegas reopen has begun! Some casino operators want to open their doors in May, but Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman wants it done yesterday! But what would happen if we had a Las Vegas reopen tomorrow? We also cover news from Tribal Gaming as they deal with the Coronavirus closures, and say ‘thank you’ to an unlikely person.
Hello friends! And welcome to week six of this global lockdown, shelter-in-place, end of the world pandemic we’re calling the Coronavirus! And I must say, I’m a bit disappointed. I mean we were promised zombies for the apocalypse! Right? I mean where are all zombies? Americans are tired of being locked up like the Living Dead. Some of them are even protesting! In fact, even the mayor of Las Vegas has now said it’s time to nut up or shut up! And that is this week’s big story.
Yes the mayor wants Las Vegas reopened before it dies. She calls the closure of non-essential businesses “total insanity”. She wants tourism back. She wants the convention centers up and running. And she wants it now!
The governor of Nevada did not respond directly to the mayor’s comments. However, he said that the decision to reopen Las Vegas and the state would not be based on politics. And while I empathize with both positions here I must ask the question: What good would it do to reopen Las Vegas now?
First, there’s no guarantee that even if you did open up all of the businesses and all of the casinos that there would be some mad rush of players fighting to get in! In fact, a recent survey found that only 10% of casino players say that they’re going to go back as soon as they’re opened. The other 90% said they’re going to wait a little while and see how this pans out.
Second, whether you’re a tourist, a business traveler or a casino player very few people are actually traveling right now. What good would it do to reopen Las Vegas if no one’s willing to go there, no one’s willing to get on an airplane, and very few flights are even operating right now.
Third, imagine the impact if Vegas did open and became the epicenter for round two of this damn virus! With an incubation period of up to 14 days, and people traveling to and from Las Vegas all over the country, things could go from bad to total shit storm!
My friends, I know this sucks. I want Vegas to reopen! I have conventions coming up and filming I need to take care of! It’d be nice if we could circle a date on the calendar and point to it and say There! That’s it! But that’s not the case yet… Until that time comes be patient. Stay in your homes… watch a movie… subscribe to my YouTube channel… have some cocoa… spend time with family…
You know my friends I come out here every week and I try to make this show fun because that’s what I always believed gaming was supposed to be! It’s entertainment… it’s enjoyable. And if I make you laugh, great! If not, at least I make myself laugh… and that’s something, right?! Of course, not every story I cover on this program is happy. Last week we talked about the financial toll that the Coronavirus has taken on the gaming industry. And now this week, more sobering news.
It is estimated that tribal gaming across America has lost about $4.4 billion dollars since this Coronavirus closure. That’s money that would have gone into local taxes and salaries. That translates to roughly about 300,000 people that work for tribal gaming casinos that are now out of work.
Finally this week, and speaking of the undead, we’ve taken some shots at Sheldon Adelson on this show over the years. The multi billionaire owner of the Sands Corporation who, in all honesty, has done everything within his power to destroy online gambling in America. But now this.
We must give credit where credit is due, and during this crisis Mr. Adelson has actually decided to suspend the dividend payments for company shareholders while continuing to pay his company employees more than just about any other gambling company in Las Vegas. Additionally he volunteered his private jet to deliver two million surgical masks to front-line workers. So as difficult as this is to say… good job, Sheldon. I feel so dirty now… like I need to go wash my mouth out… with turpentine!
And so, my friends, the push to reopen Vegas has already begun… even if it is just a bit premature. Things will get better. Las Vegas will reopen… eventually. We just don’t know when yet! So until next time, remember cardio, seatbelts, and a little sunscreen never hurt anybody!
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Many of us are waiting for Sin City to reopen, but when they do what Las Vegas Coronavirus changes can we expect? Some things will certainly change, like the way people check-in to hotels, rooms are sanitized and games are cleaned. But what about restaurants and nightclubs? What about big ticket shows? Those Coronavirus casino changes could hit everything from Uber to the hotel swimming pool!
Whether you’re a mother or whether you’re a brother, welcome to This Week in Gambling! And if you’re anything like me this whole shelter and place thing is getting pretty frustrating… even though I know we have to do it.
Last week we discussed WHEN casinos would reopen because eventually these restrictions will end and eventually people will want to travel again. If you’d like to see that video just follow this link. This week’s big story is about WHAT we can expect when the casinos do eventually reopen.
Undoubtedly one of the biggest Las Vegas Coronavirus changes will be that not every casino is going to make it through this down time… and I’m not just talking about Las Vegas. Casinos all across America are losing millions and millions of dollars every day. It’s estimated that Caesars corporation can survive this shutdown for about 8 months… MGM only about 9… Boyd Gaming about 10. The Sands corporation and Wynn can survive about 15 to 20 months…. but what about the peripheral industries affected by the Coronavirus?
Everyone who depends on the gaming industry from taxi drivers to airline workers is basically shut down right now. Think about the Uber drivers… the restaurant workers… and the people who put on all those extravagant shows! Oh, the Vegas show!s Yes, another big change could be an end to big venue attractions. Take for example Cirque de Soleil… just gone! And it’s not just the shows that are in danger. Other amenities at hotels where crowds gather, like nightclubs, buffets and pools.
I realize we’ve spoken almost exclusively about Las Vegas in this video because, after all, they are the biggest gaming destination in the country. But other casinos all across America are hurting as well. Penn National estimates they can survive only about 5 months of casino closures, While Red Rock says about a year.
Two of the biggest tribal casinos in America, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun ,both shut down last month and furloughed their employees… some of which have not been paid. But what about the hundreds and hundreds of other tribal gaming sites that might not be able to withstand a closure of several months? Hopefully there will be some federal aid money for that. Also El Dorado resorts… although the only thing I hear about them is that they’re still moving forward with their plans to merge with Caesars… and if that’s what they’re trying to do then well I guess that’s some good news!
But you know it’s alright… it’s okay… we’ll live to see another day! Because not all of the potential Las Vegas Coronavirus changes are necessarily bad! In fact, when we come back from the break we’ll discuss some of the tremendous opportunities that may exist for visitors that are brave enough to venture out!
You know, like I was saying before the break, not all of these potential changes coming to Las Vegas are necessarily a bad thing for visitors. In fact, even now we’re already seeing some huge discounts and great deals on hotel rooms and airfare… just remember that buying anything right now could be risky because we don’t know when all this pandemic, lock-down stuff is going to actually come to an end.
However, when things do get back to normal some analysts believe that we may see an end to those stupid hotel “Resort Fees”… You know those fees they use to advertise a lower rate that you’re really not getting, and then they add them on at the end when you go to checkout and jack up the price! Yeah… those! And we may see an end to hotel parking fees as well.
Another change that was taking place before the Coronavirus struck was hotel automation. I’ve actually gone to Las Vegas, checked into a hotel at a kiosk, stayed a week, checked out at the kiosk and never even spoken to anyone at the property! Moving forward I would expect to see even more kiosks and automation.
Also the way they clean your room, the elevators and all the gaming equipment will have to change… and I can say that with some confidence because I know if they don’t change it, ain’t nobody going back to their hotels or their casinos! Not you! Not me! Nobody! I would expect much stricter state regulations, probably in line with the CDC!
At the end of the day, my friends, just remember we’re all in this together. And even if things don’t get back to exactly the way they were, they will eventually get better. And if you’re in Las Vegas and you Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’ we’re just stayin’ alive!
The Best Online Casinos and Poker Rooms
Nearly a decade after the U.S. Department of Justice seized popular poker website domains on Black Friday, the founder of PokerStars has plead guilty to gambling charges. What lies ahead for him, plus sports betting news from Washington State, are also discussed.
Gambling news this week finds a new online gambling threat to the regulated industry in the United States for the third year in a row. Senator Tom Cotton says he is trying to use the enforcement of the UIGEA to push consumer protections in gambling advertising. However, the darker side to his legislation finds ways to block online gambling payments.
Hello friends, and welcome once again to This Week in Gambling! Seems like we just did this a week ago… and yet here we are again! No matter! Let’s get started with this week’s big story! And hold on to your butts, it’s a little complicated.
Every year it seems someone gets a bug up their rear end and tries to make a name for themselves by picking up the gauntlet against online gambling and pandering to special interests. Why should this year be any different?
There’s a new anti-online gambling bill up on Capitol Hill and this year’s poster boy for decency and morality is Senator Tom Cotton from the state of Arkansas! And before you ask, yes… Yes! Those are his real ears! He’s pushing legislation that’s earmarked with ignorance.Pun intended!
The Prevention of Deception and Child Targeted Advertising in Violation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act… is the short name for the shit Mr. Cotton is shoveling. And it is fundamentally flawed right from the beginning. Let me explain… and I’ll use small words in case anyone from Congress is watching.
Now Mr. Cotton says he’s pushing this bill forward in order to protect the children and consumers… which sounds great on the surface. But dig a little deeper, and in reality this bill is commissioning a study on how internet gaming sites conduct their financial transaction so that in the future they can block them!
You see, the UIGEA permits states to regulate online gambling if they want to do so! And that’s exactly what Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and others have done! So you see, the UIGEA can only be enforced in states where internet gambling is unlawful. You know, NOT regulated!
This legislation is based wholly on the enforcement aspect of the UIGEA, and in states where online gambling is regulated there is no enforcement of the UIGEA! In states where online gambling is NOT regulated there’s no advertising! There’s no financial transactions! There’s nothing to study! Like many things in politics this bill seems to be more about garnering votes and grabbing special interest cash than it is and actually accomplishing anything.
Look, I’m a father of four beautiful girls. I’m 100% behind child protection when it comes to gambling, but that’s not what this bill is about! In reality this is just a thinly veiled backdoor attempt by the Sheldon Adelson party to perpetuate their anti online gambling agenda. And as for Mr. Cotton? Well don’t worry too much about him. I mean, one good gust of wind and he could be drifting over Canada!
Now I realize that advantage players don't have an advantage in online gambling, because the casino can detect them and treat them as cheaters.
Even when you think you're being righteous with Black Jack skills, the casino sees card counting as cheating. It is a gray area that needs to be debated between gamblers and online casinos.
On the other hand, you could seek those online casinos that don't see your betting system as cheating. After you master a betting system, like Fibonacci, D'Alembert, Labouchere, or Martingale, just Google "how to cheat online casinos." You could do well after registering at a casino that doesn't see your system as cheating. If you do take this route, I would do the research online first, any preparation work is wise. You never know what kind of tips you'll get. Try to keep your profitable betting system to yourself, because you really should be mastering more honorable career skills.
Read the full article: FFC Tells Online Casino Secrets.
