This Week in Gambling

Card Player – There are currently two bills on the table that could bring online poker to California and obviously, PokerStars wants in. California has a population of 38 million, roughly 14 times that of Nevada. With a state by state patchwork of online poker legislation in the works, the Golden State is one of the most sought after markets in the country. The site has reportedly entered negotiations with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, who operate the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon. While the Morongos may be the best way to get PokerStars’ foot in the…

Washington Times – South Florida has frequent flights from around the country, Latin America and Europe visitors by the millions each year and Indian casinos that perform better than those in most other states. On top of that, the weather is terrific. So it’s not surprising that two of the world’s largest gambling companies are lobbying in Tallahassee for the fourth straight year, hoping to persuade political leaders to pass laws to allow Las Vegas-style casinos in Broward and Miami-Dade counties – or at least let voters decide on whether they should be allowed. Such casinos would go beyond the…

Poker News – There are rumors going around Washington, D.C., that Sen. Lindsey Graham may finally introduce the Sheldon Adelson-backed bill looking to strengthen The Wire Act to ban all forms of Internet gambling next week, according to Poker Players Alliance executive director John Pappas. Politico.com also reported sources working on the issue saying Graham could introduce his bill as soon as next week. It has been more than three weeks since news leaked that Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, had found a taker for his hypocritical pet project in Graham, a Republican from South Carolina. So…

iGaming Business – Regulators in New Jersey have moved a step closer to opening the US state’s online gambling service to an international audience after a new bill was approved by the state Senate Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee. According to the Associated Press news agency, the bill would allow casino regulators to oversee foreign online gambling companies if they were to move their operations to Atlantic City. Senator Reymond Lesniak sponsored the bill and said many overseas gambling companies are keen to gain approval from New Jersey’s casino regulators. “This could help make New Jersey the leader…

The Guardian – If there is one sensation that every punter hates, it is the nagging suspicion of having missed something. It is the one you get when the horse you backed at 6-4 steadily drifts to 5-2 before finishing third. Did it simply run as well as it could or did the market know something you did not? I had that feeling twice in a couple of hours after the chancellor’s budget on Wednesday. It happened first when George Osborne announced an increase in the duty paid on profits from fixed-odds betting terminals in betting shops, from 20% to…

iGaming Business – Irish independent bookmaker Boylesports has been announced as the title sponsor of the 2014 Irish Grand National annual horseracing event. Under the deal, the 2014 steeplechase race will be known as the Boylesports Irish Grand National. The 2014 event will take place at Ireland’s Fairyhouse Racecourse on April 21. “It’s fantastic for us to welcome such a prestigious brand as Boylesports, who already have a great relationship with Irish racing, as the new sponsor of the Irish Grand National,” Fairyhouse Racecourse general manager Peter Roe said. John Boyle, founder, owner and chief executive officer of Boylesports, added:…