Stamford Daily Voice – A 45-year-old Stamford man was sentenced Wednesday to a year in federal prison for operating an illegal sports gambling business, the U.S. attorney’s office in Connecticut announced. Stephen Joyce led a lucrative illegal sports bookmaking operation in Stamford that involved at least five other bookmakers, according to court documents. Authorities conducted a search of Joyce’s residence on July 27, 2011, and recovered extensive gambling records, a laptop computer and other items. As part of his sentence, Joyce was also forced to forfeit $175,000 and a pay a $3,000 fine. Joyce pleaded guilty to one count of operating an illegal…

From Los Angeles Times An appointee of Gov. Jerry Brown to the California Gambling Control Commission says the state could reap hundreds of millions of dollars annually if betting on sports were legalized. “There is the opportunity to raise money for the state,” Richard J. Schuetz told the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday. “More importantly, it would remove a criminal element.” Although legislation has been introduced creating a format for legalized sports betting in California, Schuetz noted that Congress would first have to change federal law to legalize that form of gambling in California. A legislative analysis of the bill…