Calvin Ayre – Comcast has made the news twice in the last two weeks. First it announced a planned $45.2 billion merger with Time Warner Cable, which would give it a third of all the pay TV subscribers in America. Then word leaked of the deal struck between the cable giant and Netflix to make sure the latter’s content streams maintain consistent quality. The proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner wouldn’t affect competition locally since the two companies operate in different markets, and that will be the main argument the government’s antitrust regulators will lean on when they consider…

iGaming Business – The iGaming Investor Conference, which will take place in New York on March 25, will feature investors, operators and suppliers discussing the state of the iGaming industry. The event will welcome 40 gaming and leisure international investors as well as 40 iGaming operators and suppliers. Delegates will hear from decision-makers while the conference will allow iGaming professionals to present their businesses to investors in attendance. Show features include a keynote from New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak, who will discuss the politics of iGaming, the opening of the New Jersey market and what it means for casinos in…

NPR – After losing the bet, he had to change his name to one just shy of the 100-character limit for new names in New Zealand. The incident came to light recently because his passport expired… …he’s a 22-year-old from New Zealand who lost a poker bet a few years ago. He wagered his name. And after losing, he had to change his name to one just shy of the hundred-character limit for new names in New Zealand; this came to light recently because his passport expired. His full legal name, a mouthful, wait for it: Full Metal Havok More…

Card Player – Caesars Entertainment Corp. said this week that it lost $1.756 billion in the fourth quarter of last year, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Atlantic City was largely to blame, according to the report. The massive loss was posted after the company saw more than $2 billion in revenue during the period, which ended on Dec. 31. The fourth quarter of 2012 had the company lose $435.8 million. Caesars has debt of $20.9 billion, tops in the gaming industry. It has been making moves for quite some time to reduce that figure. Progress has been made. The World…

iGaming Business – Casual games developer Big Fish Games is to join forces with international secure Bitcoin wallet Coinbase to offer online customers a new way of buying games and making in-app purchases using the Bitcoin virtual currency. The partnership will make Big Fish the first gaming company to use Coinbase’s transaction platform. All Big Fish online games can now be purchased directly from the company with Bitcoin, while a number of its free-to-play online titles will also accept the virtual currency for in-app purchases. To use Bitcoin on Big Fish, players can purchase a Coinbase wallet or any other…

Card Player – Maryland is looking at imposing penalties for those caught gambling while underage at casinos in the state. Under the proposed law change, a first offense would be a fine up to $100, a second would be $500 and a third $1,000. The third would also force those underage to participate in gambling addiction treatment. According to the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, there were 47 violations for underage gambling in state casinos during calendar 2013, resulting in fines totaling $30,000 for the casinos. A pair of bills are in the legislature at the moment. They…