LAS VEGAS—Casino companies are largely backing Republican John McCain in the presidential election, though Democrat Barack Obama has some support within the gambling industry.

Individuals with ties to casinos have donated more than $260,000 to McCain’s campaign through September, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks presidential fundraising. The group says Obama’s campaign has received about $133,000 from similar individuals.

But top executives in the industry have each brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars for the campaign through fundraising, the group says.

MGM Mirage Inc. chief executive Terry Lanni has collected at least $500,000 for McCain. Wynn Resorts Ltd. chief executive Steve Wynn has raised between $250,000 and $500,000 for the Arizona senator. Las Vegas Sands Corp. chief executive Sheldon Adelson and President Bill Weidner have each raised between $100,000 and 250,000 for McCain.

“This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise,” said Erik Herzik, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. “Individual casino operators provide money based on their own ideological and political interest. Big business tends to lean Republican.”

Herzik said the contributions are not based on an industry decision, but are based on personal preference.

Political observers and casino industry analysts say gambling will likely remain untouched no matter who wins the presidential election Nov. 4.

“Both of them, throughout the campaign, have been very articulate about state’s rights on a number of issues, including gaming,” said Frank Fahrenkopf Jr., president of the American Gaming Association and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee.

“Obviously, as the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, I support John McCain. But I don’t think Obama will be bad for the industry,” Fahrenkopf said.

Fahrenkopf donated the maximum individual contribution, $2,300, to the McCain campaign in July.

ShareThis

CasinoChoice.co.uk features regular casino news, unbiased reviews and detailed analysis of all the UK’s top online casino providers including InterCasino, 32Red, Littlewoods, Betfair, William Hill, Coral and recently Ladbrokes too. Online Poker and Bingo providers are also featured. The site lists all the current offers from these top providers as well as listing their current jackpots and payout percentages.

The website also boasts a unique rundown of a multitude of casino games available to play online including Baccarat, Blackjack, all Poker games, Roulette, Sic Bo, Slots, Craps and Keno. You can find game rules, strategy guides as well as hints & tips to help you make the most of your online casino experience.

“We are delighted with the feedback we have received from our visitors regarding our website over the past five years” said Jake Fox from CasinoChoice.co.uk. “Our users have found the website to be extremely useful for identifying the best online casinos to play at and as a result we regularly receive emails thanking us for our contribution. We look forward to providing useful casino information to gamers for many years to come.”

Casino Choice only lists casinos which are reputable and have proven to be a safe and secure place to enjoy casino gaming responsibly. Head over to CasinoChoice.co.uk today, we are a great first step into online casino gaming for beginners as well as a superb resource for experienced players.

CasinoChoice.co.uk is the UK’s longest running guide to online casinos, poker rooms, and now bingo rooms. CasinoChoice.co.uk only recommends casinos that are safe, trustworthy, and established sites available to qualified UK residents. All casinos listed on CasinoChoice.co.uk are legal and are sanctioned under European law and hold valid licenses to operate. CasinoChoice.co.uk is your one stop shop for casino reviews, gaming strategy and helpful casino hints, and most recently bingo reviews of the top UK bingo sites.

ShareThis

Aug. 29 (Bloomberg) — PartyGaming Plc, the owner of the PartyPoker.com Web site, slid in London trading after the company said online poker and casino sales fell in the last four weeks.

The poker unit had average gross daily revenue of $815,400 in the four weeks ended Aug. 25, down from $855,300 in the prior four weeks, the Gibraltar-based company said today. Average daily casino revenue fell 12 percent in August, from July.

PartyGaming declined as much as 8.1 percent in London, the steepest percentage drop since July 16. The company said it is still facing competition from rivals that accept wagers from the U.S., where online betting was outlawed in 2006. PartyGaming also reported a first-half profit as gamblers staked money on new games, and costs linked to employee share option payments fell.

“The sharp fall in August casino revenues raises concerns about the business,” Evolution Securities analyst Ivor Jones said in a note. Evolution has a “buy” rating on the stock.

PartyGaming slid as much as 17.25 pence to 196.25 pence. The stock traded at 208 pence as of 10:15 a.m. local time and has fallen 28 percent this year, compared with a gain of 4.6 percent by rival 888 Holdings Plc, owner of the Pacific Poker brand.

“Trading since June 30 has been in line with management’s expectations, except for poker which continues to be slightly softer than expected,” PartyGaming said in the statement.

PartyPoker Changes

Chief Executive Officer Jim Ryan said the company is still “confident” about its prospects and plans to make changes to the PartyPoker Web site, declining to give any details.

First-half net income was $22.7 million, or 5.3 cents a share, compared with a loss of $50.6 million, or 12.3 cents, a year earlier, the company said. Revenue from continuing operations advanced 17 percent to $254.8 million.

This year’s introduction of Web slot machines under the “Mission: Impossible” and “Saturday Night Fever” brands helped to spur spending on casino games in the first half. Casino revenue jumped 38 percent in the six months, while sales from poker, the main contributor, advanced 6.4 percent. Revenue at the sports-betting unit rose 36 percent.

888 said yesterday that first-half profit rose 40 percent, boosted by new games, while net gaming revenue gained 36 percent.

European online-wagering companies exited the U.S., their main market, in 2006 after industry executives were arrested in a crackdown by the U.S. government on offshore Internet betting.

Acquisition Plans

PartyGaming jumped on May 30 on speculation the company may have reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding past U.S. activities. Talks with the department started in June 2007 as industry concern spread about possible legal action against companies that took bets from Americans before the 2006 law barred foreign betting Web sites.

“We continue to believe removing this uncertainty will give more growth opportunities,” Ryan, who took over the position on June 30, told journalists on a conference call. The company is looking at “a couple” of acquisition opportunities in Europe, though nothing is at an advanced stage, he said.

Courtesy Bloomberg

ShareThis

2500 Welcome to PDC Poker Freeroll

Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th August at 14:00 EST

Find the tournament in the lobby:
PDC Poker–>Tournaments–>Scheduled–>Special

PDC poker also offers 12 $50 freerolls every day for all players

PDC Poker accepts players from the USA!

Visit PDC Poker today!

ShareThis

August 4, 2008

UNCASVILLE - Tebucky S. Jones, a former safety for the New England Patriots and a Farmington resident, was arrested at Mohegan Sun early Friday after an altercation in the casino’s hotel lobby.

The fight started about 1 a.m. when Jones, 33, of 77 Ely Road, made inappropriate contact with a woman in the lobby, police said. The woman’s boyfriend, Nikolaos Papathanasiou, 24, of the Quaker Hill section of Waterford, had an argument with Jones over the contact, which escalated into a physical fight, according to the police report.

Police said Jones knocked over the female victim, who was not identified, and punched Papathanasiou in the face. A third man, Mark Chichester, 36, of New London, then punched Jones, according to police.

Jones, who is a New Britain native and played for the Patriots from 1998 to 2002, was charged with breach of peace, third-degree assault, and fourth-degree sexual assault and was released on $5,000 bail. He is due in court Aug. 21.

Chichester and Papathanasiou were each charged with breach of peace and released on $250 bail, with the same court date. Papathanasiou was treated for his injuries at William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.

Jones played football for New Britain High School and then Syracuse University before being drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft. Jones played in 72 games with 36 starts for the Patriots.

Jones also played for the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins, returning to the Patriots in 2006. For the entire 2006 regular season and playoffs, Jones was on the injured list with a leg injury, according to a news release from the Patriots website. He was released from the team in 2007.

During his nine-year career, he recorded 420 career tackles (299 solo), 4.5 sacks, six interceptions for 73 yards, 41 passes defended, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 72 special teams tackles.

Jones also made headlines during 2006 and 2007 for trying to evict his mother, Maryann Jones, from the Plainville condominium he owns. Jones filed, and then withdrew, two legal complaints against Maryann Jones, accusing her of not paying the common charges for the condominium unit. In January 2007, Maryann Jones and Jones’ attorney signed an agreement that said Maryann Jones would leave the condominium by the end of February

ShareThis

Ivobank is believed to be the first independent bank to launch since the dotcom boom in 2001 and the first to be authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

Backed by the Sampoerna family, Ivobank plans to have one million customers within the next five years. Ivobank’s Managing Director, Timothy Sawyer, said while the bank is open to anyone, it had been specifically designed with online gamers in mind.

”The online gaming industry has developed rapidly in recent years, but the financial services supporting it have not kept pace,” Mr Sawyer said.

”Many online businesses and customers have been ill-served to date, resulting in relatively high costs and relatively low levels of service.

”Ivobank aims to plug the gap by offering instant and highly secure online payment services, combined with competitive interest rates,’’ Mr Sawyer continued.

On top of this, Ivobank allows customers to move money instantly from their account to friends and family overseas, making it very attractive for international money transfer.

”Ivobank is perfect for anyone who wants to shop online, but doesn’t want to use a credit card,’’ Mr Sawyer concluded.

Customers have access to a virtual debit card - The Ivobank Virtual Card - which can be used to make purchases online wherever MasterCard is accepted.

Headquartered in London, Ivobank has been set up by a number of industry veterans that have held senior positions within the banking and gaming industries. Mr Sawyer was previously Chief Executive Officer of cahoot and was instrumental in the launch of the bank.

Customers can apply for an Ivobank account online at www.ivobank.com and begin taking advantage of the service today. It’s free to sign up and requires no minimum deposit.

Online gaming merchants and businesses will benefit from:
· Competitive rates of interest on deposits held with Ivobank (up to 4.25% AER)
· All funds transferred by customers are indemnified and settled immediately 24/7
· Multi currency settlement with localised payment options
· Low transaction fees
· Trouble free enhanced customer experience for online gaming payments

Online customers will benefit from:
· Secure and fast online payments
· Competitive rates of interest on deposits held with Ivobank (up to 4.5% AER)
· Fast and free online payments to friends and family
· The Ivobank Virtual Card that can be used securely online wherever MasterCard is accepted
· 24/7 customer support via telephone, online Live Chat and secure email

ShareThis

The current Republican administration brought into effect the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) which prevents American players from gambling at several major online casinos.

Now however, the Poker Players’ Alliance, a non-profit organization that aims to fight the UIGEA and has over one million members, has chosen to put its faith and trust in the Barack Obama campaign.

Another surprising bit of information, which no doubt adds to his support from the online gaming world is that Obama is a skilled poker player. He began playing poker in highs school, often with his grandfather and school mates. In 2004, Obama took part in several low-stakes, for fun games of poker during the Illinois state legislature that was designed to break up the tedious and extremely long legislative sessions!

Former players would characterize his style of play as cautious and attentive and is said to have a good poker face. Of course, Obama does not play any poker on the campaign trail.

Obama also has the support of some pretty heavy hitters in the poker world including Doyle ‘Texas Dolly’ Brunson. Brunson is a 10-tine WSOP bracelet winner, who was a republican for 74 years before switching support. Also supporting Obama is Andy Bloch, another world renowned player and part of the MIT blackjack team. Bloch also revealed Obama had support from most other poker players as well.

ShareThis

ShareThis

As it did with SugarHouse on Dec. 3, the court awarded zoning, deemed the Foxwoods development plan approved, and authorized all revisions to the city map in Foxwoods’ plan. It also agreed with the plaintiff that Council had been “obstructionist.”

It directed the city “to take all actions necessary to implement the relief granted.”

“Obviously we’re thrilled with the Supreme Court’s decision,” said Foxwoods spokeswoman Maureen Garrity. “The court ruled not just in favor of our project, but the jobs and tax benefits that will come from it.”

Foxwoods attorney Jeffrey Rotwitt called the decision “a cure-all” for any city opposition.

The decision means that City Council, which had raised alarms about Foxwoods’ plans to control traffic around the site, has lost its leverage to influence those plans - and that no elected body will regulate the combined $1.3 billion in construction slated for the two projects.

“It’s very troubling,” said Terry Gillen, a senior advisor who heads up Mayor Nutter’s casino policy. “That’s why I think we’re concerned about what this means about the city’s ability to control two significant parcels on the waterfront.”

It was exactly the fate that former City Solicitor Romulo L. Diaz Jr. had warned would play out if City Council, led by the district’s councilman, Frank DiCicco, insisted on opposing the two casinos, which were first awarded licenses by the state Gaming Control Board in December 2006.

Both sites are located in DiCicco’s First District, which includes Center City and a swath of the waterfront from South Philadelphia through Fishtown.

The court ruled that Council had blocked the casinos by failing to act on Foxwoods’ plan, which was recommended by the Planning Commission last April and submitted to Council by Mayor Street on May 30. No council member would sponsor it.

Even DiCicco had warned of such an outcome, but bowed to political pressure from neighborhood groups, who worried about traffic and other impacts, and anti-casino groups who argued that casinos create problems such as gambling addictions that cost more than jobs and tax revenue.

“I said from Day One that the last thing I wanted to do was have the courts make these decisions,” DiCicco said yesterday. “My constituents were of the decision that we needed to take the fight to the casinos, and that’s what we did.”

DiCicco said he was exploring possible options to continue the fight.

Foxwoods and SugarHouse made use of DiCicco quotes about blocking and delaying the casinos to argue that he was obstructing them. All 16 other Council members deferred to DiCicco on the issue, holding to the tradition of “councilmanic prerogative,” in which council members are loathe to vote against a colleague on an issue that falls within their district.

But even the Supreme Court ruling doesn’t guarantee a quick start to construction. SugarHouse, after winning its court battle in December, predicted that construction would begin in matter of weeks.

Four months later, SugarHouse hasn’t put a shovel in the ground as it awaits an Army Corps of Engineers permit to build along the riverbank. Opposition to the site now centers on Revolutionary War and American Indian artifacts on the site. SugarHouse also is tied up in litigation, also before the Supreme Court, over its right to build over state-owned riverbed land. The Supreme Court will hear that case in April.

“This going to be a major tug of war over a number of months, or years,” said Daniel Hunter, a coordinator for Casino Free Philadelphia, the leading anti-casino group in the city.

Rotwitt, the Foxwoods attorney, said: “I never want to underestimate the resources of our foes.”

“But,” he said, “this should make it a completely unfettered way to go forward at this point.”

ShareThis