Main Headlines
Regulators, State and Tribal Operators to Discuss Potential for Online Gaming in California
Inaugural event comes in wake of renewed push for regulated online poker in CA.
- State legislators, gaming regulators, and tribal and commercial operators will meet in Sacramento, California tomorrow to discuss the potential for regulated online gaming in the state.
- Assemblymember Isadore Hal III of the California State Assembly, and Richard Schuetz, Commissioner of the California Gambling Control Commission, will present the keynote speeches in this one day event, formerly titled the iGaming Legislative Symposium.
Italian Regulated Poker Keeps on Falling
Local competition keeps PokerStars share of the market lower than usual.
- The latest market statistics released by Italian regulator AAMS highlight the decline of poker in the regulated and segregated national market.
- January 2014 gross wagers in poker cash games were €12.2bn, 20% lower than January 2013 and 50% lower than January 2012.
- Tournament revenues declined 26% compared with last year.
Governor Chris Christie Revises Down Estimates of New Jersey Gambling Revenues
The latest budget unveiled for New Jersey by Governor Chris Christie has reduced expected state gaming revenues—online and casino—by $126m. The new figure implies online gaming revenue receipts of around $34m.
- The new figure implies online gaming revenue receipts of around $34m.
- The new figure reflects “the fact that despite a very promising start, and with almost 200,000 new patron accounts established through January, the introduction of online gaming was somewhat delayed.”
- Despite the best marketing efforts of the New New Jersey online operators, the restated revenue figure may still be tough to hit.
Neil Channing’s Black Belt Poker Closes
iPoker skin to shut this Friday.
- UK professional cash game player and co-founder of Black Belt Poker has announced that the online poker room will shut by the end of the week.
- Channing assures player funds are safe, held by parent skin Boyle Poker “in a ring-fenced bank account.”
- Players are recommended to log-in to their accounts by Friday and request a withdrawal.
Head of French Observatory of Games is Appointed President of ARJEL
The President of France has appointed Charles Coppolani to the post vacated by Jean-François Vilotte.
- Charles Coppolani has been named the new President of French regulator ARJEL, filling the vacancy created when Jean-François Vilotte left for the private sector.
- In a statement released by ARJEL, the new President says he plans to balance the two objectives of preventing gambling addiction and creating an optimal economic environment for licensed operators.
Picks from F5 Poker:
GPI’s Alex Dreyfus Encourages Debate While Hellmuth Backs Off
After yesterday’s dust up over comments by Phil Hellmuth “not respecting” the Global Poker Index, Alex Dreyfus, purchaser and head honcho of the player ranking formula, took to his blog to set the record straight.
Maryland Live! Casino Uncovers Counterfeit Chip Passing Scheme
Authorities fished out $100,000 in fake chips from a lake. On the heels of the Borgata “chipgate” snafu, here’s another story of a casino dealing with counterfeit chips in the mix. According to D.C. Crime Stories, a married couple is accused of passing thousands of dollars in fake chips at the Maryland Live! Casino in Hanover.
Poker Podcasts and Training Vids:
Podcast: PokerNews Podcast Episode #204: Full Tilt Poker Repayments feat. Blair Hinkle PokerNews Podcast
The crew is back to discuss the pending Full Tilt Poker repayments, an interstate pact between Delaware and Nevada, and more. They are then joined by Blair Hinkle, who won an FTOPS Main Event right before Black Friday, to find out whether or not he received his email from the Garden City Group Inc., talk about his sick home game, and quiz him on one of his favorite shows on television; Survivor.
Exclusive Articles on pokerfuse PRO:
Regulation in Review: Europe and Beyond
A weekly review of the latest developments in gaming regulation outside the US. This week: France, Italy, Portugal, UK, Bulgaria, Sweden and the Isle of Man. France
Playtech Cooperates with Italian Regulator: Tells Skins Get a License or Get Out
A short section of Playtech’s annual report exposed the network’s new compliance strategy. A piece in Playtech’s 2013 Annual Report highlights the direction the world’s largest online poker network is taking to manage compliance issues—the company is working in cooperation with Italian regulator AAMS to tackle the problem of the “gray” market.
PKR Carves Out a Niche in France
The smallest online poker room in the French regulated market is also the best performing. PKR France is the smallest ARJEL-regulated online poker room in France but, rather than following the declining trend in French online poker, it has managed to improve its position.
