How games of chance reflect and influence the world around us.
Bob Goodlatte is at it again–he’s proposing an Internet gaming prohibition. And now he’s claiming that the only reason his bill didn’t pass in 2000 was opposition from disgraced lobbyist du jour Jack Abramoff. From Reuters: Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte will reintroduce a bill this week that would prohibit Internet gambling, a fast-growing industry valued […]
Blame Abramoff for Net ban failure? Read More »
gambling & cultureI know they say that “what happens here, stays here,’ but there’s been a disturbing tendency for “insiders” to leak information about the gambling habits of high-profile guests in Las Vegas over the past few years. The Rick Tocchet sports betting scandal hasn’t directly ensnared Wayne Gretzky, but reports of the hockey great’s gambling are
The Great Gambler? Read More »
gambling & culture, life in vegasLooking for numbers on Superbowl betting volume, I found this story from Australia about people betting on the State of the Union address. From the Daily Telegraph: ENGLISH speaking people use the word “bet” very often, even if they aren’t betting. Yesterday, I heard someone on the train say “you bet” when asked whether they
Betting on everything! Read More »
gambling & cultureYesterday, a piece I wrote on a “modest proposal” for legalizing sports betting ran in the LV Business Press. But today, sports betting is, of course, still illegal in most states. Former Flyers forward (and current Coyotes assistant coach) Rick Tocchet learned that the hard way: he’s been accused of promoting gambling, money laundering and
Penalty box looming for Tocchet? Read More »
gambling & cultureThe Super Bowl has come and gone, bringing jubilationt to the city of Pittsburgh, disappointment to the Pacific Northwest, and uneaten guacamole in refrigerators around the country. I suspect, but can’t confirm, that there is some sadness at sports books todays, as the favorite beat the spread. Prop bets are always an interesting part of
Gambling is Russia is growing, but that doesn’t mean that Orthodox churches should be turned into casinos. At least that’s what I think this Interfax story is about: Russian President Putin criticized the gambling industry representatives who seek to use facilities belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church for their own purposes. ‘There is nothing good
According to the Detroit News, betting on the Super Bowl will be big business: An estimated 60 million people will bet $6 billion on the Super Bowl this year. But not a single wager will be made at a casino in Detroit or Windsor. Sports betting is illegal in Michigan, while Casino Windsor isn’t licensed
Betting on the Big Game Read More »
gambling & cultureThe LA Times’s John Glionna has a very good piece on Asian problem gambling. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of this phenomenon, and it looks like UCLA is doing some serious research into it. Here’s a bit of the story from the LA Times (register to read the whole article): Bill Lee’s father
Asian problem gambling Read More »
gambling & cultureRunning a clandestine casino requires a lot of stealth–you need to get the word out, but not tip off the cops. You need to account for large amounts of people coming and going. You also, apparently, need to lock your door. From the AP: Sheriff’s deputies found what appeared to be a small casino when
According to Star Trek, gambling will be a big part of the future. I’m a casual Star Trek fan at best, but I seem to remember that the senior officers in The Next Generation played poker together, and that the Ferengi guy on Deep Space Nine had a casino. It looks like Trekkies will be
Away team gambling? Read More »
gambling & cultureThere were a few stories about the teen gambling “epidemic” around the wires this morning. Here’s one of the better ones, from the Asbury Park Press: It takes more than luck to win at Texas Hold ‘Em, Eric Rothman says, which is why the 18-year-old high school senior enjoys putting his poker-playing skills to the
Kids playing poker Read More »
gambling & cultureA days ago, Richard Velota of the LV Sun wrote an article about the future of the casino floor. It got picked up in a few other periodicals, and presents a really good view of the state of the art of server-based slots, which is where the industry is heading. From the LV Sun: Some
Server-based games Read More »
gambling & cultureAustralian billionaire Kerry Packer died in his sleep yesterday. Here’s an article from the Courier-Mail: ONE of the best gambling legends about Kerry Packer is of him facing off against a Texas oilman in Las Vegas. The Texan, apparently angered by the noise Packer’s entourage was making at baccarat, boasted he was worth $US100 million
Doing research for Roll the Bones, I’m increasingly coming to believe that gambling truly is everywhere in history. This excerpt from a Tarzan story, for example, references lots, card sharps, and a specific cheating technique, all in a few melodramatic paragraphs. “It is the will of the majority,” announced Monsieur Thuran, “and now let us
The lottery of death!?! Read More »
gambling & culture, writingI can say this without hesitation: if you want to present an academic paper on the gaming industry, the best conference for you is the International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking. It’s held every three years, and in May 2006 it will be in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Here’s some pertinent information: Call for Papers Calling
World’s best gaming conference Read More »
gambling & culture, what's newThe “Sin City” label is a pretty new (and, all things considered, pretty lame) tag for Las Vegas. In the 1940s and 1950s, several cities held claim to the title, including Phenix City, Alabama. Really. From the Shelbyville (TN) Times-Gazette: Jack Culpepper’s first run-in with the steamier side of Phenix City life occurred in the
Sin City, circa 1940 Read More »
gambling & cultureWith poker sets, poker video games, and every other conceivable sort of poker paraphernalia available at toys stores across the world, I thought that poker had gone as mainstream as it could. But I was wrong. Thanks to Harrah’s Entertainment, you can go “all in” to the exciting world of consumer debt with the official
Not just Visa…WSOP Visa Read More »
gambling & cultureNot to make light of the current geopolitical-religious-cultural situation, but if bin Laden had his way, it’s safe to assume that Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, Tunica, and other communities whose economies depend on gaming-related tourism would be out of business. Oh yeah, all women working in the hospitality business would have to quit, and
No gambling under bin Laden Read More »
gambling & cultureTexas Hold ‘Em is on its way to becoming America’s game. It’s all over the Internet, on television 24/7, and seemingly everywhere. Despite the fact that THE tournaments may violate the letter (and spirit) of the law, they are becoming increasingly popular. From NBC-4: hurches, school boosters and other nonprofit groups are calling the government’s
Non-profit no limit? Read More »
gambling & cultureI’ve gotten enough emails from people asking me to appraise yellowing prints of Coolidge’s “A Friend in Need” to make me regret putting that image in the UNLV online Gaming Art Gallery, but sometimes I get a neat email that makes it all worthwhile. Today, I got such an email from artist Roxanne Chinook: Coolidge’s,
Rez dogs playing poker Read More »
gambling & culture