How games of chance reflect and influence the world around us.
I’m hardly one to make light of problem gambling, but this story is ridiculous. From Ananova: Russian actors are being paid to pretend to be destitute beggars in a government scheme to discourage people from gambling. They will tell passers-by how they were once rich executives who lost everything after becoming addicted to gambling. Vladimir […]
This was in Friday’s RJ, but I didn’t get to post it until today. It’s pretty big news (for the gambling book crowd, anyway), from John L. Smith‘s column: Gamblers Book Shop owner Howard Schwartz, a legend in the traditional gaming information business, says he’s ready to sell his amazing store after 27 years. Schwartz,
‘Gambler’s Book’ for sale Read More »
gambling & culture, life in vegasYou Internet users are keeping yourselves busy. When you’re not playing video games, you’re scrounging for new friends on myspace and facebook or listening to podcasts. You’re also gambling and uploading videos. Don’t take my word for it–read the report from Parks Associates: Viewing and creating video have become significant activities for U.S. Internet users,
Gambling and uploading videos Read More »
gambling & cultureAre you wondering which of the six casino buffets in Shreveport is for you? Well, a Gannett reporter has gone through considerable personal hardship to help you out. From The Times: Sometimes an important story requires sacrifice. Political reporters bypass “The Colbert Report” for C-SPAN. Sports reporters skip “American Idol” to write the latest Terrell
Buffetmania in Shreveport Read More »
gambling & cultureSome members of Congress think that the solution to the Internet gambling “problem”is to pass enforcement of a ban onto banks. The banks, understandably, have a different take. From the WSJ: A group representing 5,000 small banks is opposing a tool lawmakers hope to use to stop illegal online gambling, posing a challenge to what
A Japanese bank is incorporating a virtual roulette wheel into its ATM machines. I don’t this is a joke, and you can read the article from Reuters: Japanese banks have long had a reputation for poor service but at least one is trying something new — wooing customers with an opportunity to try their hand
ATM + roulette = fun? Read More »
gambling & culture, haphazard worldState gaming police recently busted up a Nevada slot cheating team. From the LVRJ: In 1979, Michael Joseph Balsamo was arrested on charges of cheating at gambling. Since then, he has racked up 25 investigations and six convictions and has been listed in Nevada’s Black Book of Excluded Persons. Add another charge to the list.
Slot cheats and telepathy Read More »
gambling & culturePeople like to bet on strange stuff, and people like it bet online. From the Desert Sun: When it comes to online gambling, anything is fair game. If they’re not playing the odds on the next American Idol or another Britney Spears’ divorce, Internet gamblers may wager on the chances of bird flu reaching the
Pop culture betting Read More »
gambling & cultureWynn Las Vegas is changing the management structure of its casino games in a way that may prove revolutionary. From the LV SUN: Wynn Las Vegas dealers – the highest paid in the city at a shade more than $100,000 per year, mostly from tips – will soon lose some of their tip income. Resort
A new deal for casino supes Read More »
gambling & culture, life in vegasThere is an interesting piece in Forbes about the prospects for legalization of online gaming here in the USA: For several rapturous years, hundreds of companies have been exploiting the fact that U.S. laws on online gambling are as hazy as your classic, smoke-filled casino. Even while the U.S. Department of Justice insists all forms
Betting on Online Gambling Read More »
gambling & cultureThe 2006 edition of the World Series of Poker is nearing its climax. The final table will start playing in about a half an hour down at the Rio. Read Card Player’s recap of Day 7, via video, for all the details of the tournament’s penultimate day. I’m going to head down to the Rio
What do extreme sports, golf, and poker have in common? A great deal, if my thoughts on the topic are to be believed. I develop this theory in this week’s column in the LVBP: The emergence of poker as a lifestyle means that the game has become more than a game — it is a
The poker lifestyle Read More »
gambling & cultureI was down at the WSOP at the Rio yesterday, checking out the Gaming Life Expo and hanging around the media room. The Expo is huge. I remember at the 2002 WSOP (the first I went to), there was one guy with a card table outside selling jewelry and stuff, and another guy selling books.
The US Department of Justice has dropped the gloves in its fight against online gambling by arresting Bet on Sports CEO David Carruthers. Direct from their press release: A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri has returned a 22-count indictment charging 11 individuals and four corporations on various charges of racketeering, conspiracy
Throughout history, many nations and cultures have used a random draw to select political positions. But an Arizona proposal could go one step further, merging voting with the lottery. From the NY Times: To anyone who ever said, “I wouldn’t vote for that bum for a million bucks,†Arizona may be calling your bluff. A
An election lottery? Read More »
gambling & cultureThe big news is about how the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to “ban” Internet gambling by making it impossible to use banks and credit cards to pay for it. From the Reno Gazette-Journal: On Tuesday, U.S. House members took a step toward banning online poker and other forms of Internet gambling. Lawmakers voted
House votes against online gambling Read More »
gambling & cultureDo you want to plan your next casino outing around your favorite slot machine? If you’re going to a Harrah’s property, you’re in luck, thanks to Harrah’s Slot Finder. The Slot Finder lets you search by casino, denomination, slot name, or slot type. So if you are dead set on playing a 1-cent Milk Money
The 2006 World Series of Poker has begun. You can follow the whole thing at PokerPages if you like. I went down to the Rio today and got the grand tour. If you haven’t been there, the tournament takes place in a wing of Rio ballrooms. There are 208 tables, with tournament, satellite, and live
Harrah’s Entertainment just released its big survey of casino entertainment. Once, this was just a neat thing that a smallish company into progressive marketing did. Now, it’s the voice of the world’s largest casino operator. From biz.yahoo: A new national survey demonstrates Americans’ enthusiasm for casino gambling and their desire to experience a broad array
Harrah’s survey: no surprises Read More »
gambling & cultureAccording to a new study, casino revenues are expected to rise over the next few years. From the AP via Washington Post: Global revenue from gambling is expected to climb 8.8 percent annually from $82.2 billion last year to $125 billion by 2010, according to a new estimate by consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Fueled by new
Casino revenues up Read More »
gambling & culture