Thursday, December 29, 2011
Bovada Casino Poker Sports accept players from USA plus
Bovada Casino Poker Sports
http://winsgame.com/bp/bo
accept players from the following Countries:
United States
American Samoa
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Dominica
France
France, Metropolitan
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guyana
Haiti
Jamaica
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mayotte
Micronesia, Federated States of
Montserrat
New Caledonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Palau
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Reunion
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
United States minor outlying islands
Virgin Islands, U.S.
Wallis and Futuna
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
I’ll support Gov. Cuomo’s casino plan, ‘whatever he decides to do’
Bloomberg: I’ll support Gov. Cuomo’s casino plan, ‘whatever he decides to do’
But the mayor says the city must get its fair share of the $$
BY Tina Moore & Reuven Blau
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, December 27 2011, 5:55 PM
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg
With Gov. Cuomo pushing a plan to legalize casino gambling in New York, Mayor Bloomberg said Tuesday that he will support the governor. As recently as September, Bloomberg was opposed to the idea.
Mayor Bloomberg said Tuesday he is game to bring a casino to the city — despite not being a big fan of gambling.
Hizzoner said he would support Gov. Cuomo’s plan to possibly bring a casino to a place like Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens — as long as the deck isn’t stacked against the city.
“The governor has the problem of trying to come up with ways to provide the services that people want and are getting harder and harder to afford — and whatever he decides to do, we’ll be supporting him,” Bloomberg said.
Cuomo wants to legalize casinos because of their potential to generate revenue for the state — and Bloomberg said the city must get its fair share of the poker chips.
“I just want to make sure that if there is gambling, some of those revenues come to New York City,” Bloomberg said. “We need the revenues as well, just like every other part of the state.”
The Daily News reported in its editions Monday that Cuomo is open to bringing a casino to a part of the city that is not densely populated. The governor is expected to call on the Legislature in his State of the State address on Jan. 4 to give the first of two needed approvals for a constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling. In order for the measure to become law, it must also be approved by the public in a referendum.
Cuomo told The News his plan is for the Legislature to initially approve a measure that would not specify where casinos would potentially be located — a strategy that will allow the governor’s office to craft the policy throughout the new year.
But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) told The News on Monday that he can’t guarantee that his Democratic conference will approve the initial measure because some lawmakers would like a plan that is more clearly defined.
As Cuomo begins to try to sell his plan to the public, Bloomberg’s support is noteworthy, given that as recently as September, the mayor was expressing reservations about casino gambling.
“I’ve never liked gambling,” Bloomberg said then. “I think it’s regressive, and history shows it really doesn't do much for the neighborhoods around it... . I also think that at some point, you’re going to saturate the market.”
On-line bettors putting money on President to win reelection. It's a good bet.
On-line bettors putting money on President to win reelection. It's a good bet.
By Leo Kapakos, NY Political Buzz Examiner
12/26/2011
Online sports books are giving odds on who is going to win next year’s presidential election. According to most books including the Bovada Sports book (one of the leading online books) President Obama is currently the heavy odds-on favorite at 5/6 (in other words you have to bet $120 to win $100).
Mitt Romney is running in second place at 2/1 (bet $100 to win $200).
It’s no real surprise that the President is the chalk favorite in this presidential horse race for the following reasons:
1. First and foremost, President Obama is the incumbent and unlike his predecessor George W Bush, he sounds and looks presidential and is very adept at using the bully pulpit to his advantage. Since the end of World War II three incumbent presidents were turned out of office–Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush. George W. Bush survived a very close call.
2. The most overriding concern for the president is the economy. That said, most Americans understand the very difficult hand he was dealt coming into office and are will be willing to give him more time to fix the economy because they see some improvement, albeit slow. Moreover, a number of factors suggest the economy will continue to trend upwards next year. Prominent economics groups say the economy is growing three to four times as quick as it was early in the year, at an annual pace of about 3.7%.(albeit, some of the current strength is seasonal but economists still expect growth in the first half of 2012 at a minimum pace of about 2% percent and even stronger if lawmakers extend the unemployment benefits and the payroll tax cut for a year). Economists at JPMorgan said growth in the current quarter was tracking close to 3% annually after expanding at 2.5% in the third quarter. Also, initial claims for jobless benefits, often an early indicator of where the labor market is headed, have dropped to their lowest level since May 2008 and the likelihood that the unemployment rate declines to something closer to 8% is pretty good. That should make the case President Obama avoided the abyss and turned things around in much the same way that Ronald Reagan did in ‘84.
3. President Obama is still well-liked by most Americans and is seen as trying hard to do the right thing.
4. The GOP field is WEAK - we’re not talking Reagan or even George W. Bush here. As a group the field is too anti-poor, anti-middle class, anti-union, and anti-immigrant. Individually they’re too corporate and not conservative enough, too old and cranky with too much baggage, or just too far to the right. If you need evidence, look at how desperately the Republican establishment is at looking for alternatives. Also, there is always the possibility of a third party candidate entering the race (Trump?) to split the vote.
5. Can’t attack President Obama on foreign policy given his success with bin Laden, Al Awlaki, Qaddafi, bringing the troops home from Iraq like he said he would, and restoring our international reputation after eight years of Bush.
6. We haven't even gotten to the debates yet between the president and the GOP nominee but the President is polling slightly favorably against Romney and is polling comfortably ahead of the rest of the GOP field. Moreover, anyone of these GOP candidates will have a very difficult time holding their own against the very intelligent, well-prepared, very well-liked and charismatic president.
7. The GOP is stuck with the Tea Party fringe whose extreme elements and policies are way out of touch with most of America. They are basically viewed as obstructionists who fight for tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires, big oil and the big corporations. It’s actually remarkable that corporate America (Koch’s. etc.) has been able to take a segment of the population that is frustrated and angry at the current economy - with some racists in the mix- and have been able to get them to root against their own self-interests. The Tea Party generated fiasco on the 60-day bill to extend the payroll tax holiday was probably the last straw sealing the fate of a Tea Party whose legacy will be nothing short of political charades and dysfunctional gridlock.
As of right now the odds-on favorite to be the next president of the U.S. is President Obama. Can circumstances change in eleven months? Yes. Will they? Unlikely and for the long-term sake of the country, hopefully not.
President Obama shows military officials the White House Christmas Tree in the Blue Room. President's reelection chances better then 50/50.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
六合彩聖誕金多寶彩金逾五千萬一注獨中
六合彩聖誕金多寶彩金逾五千萬一注獨中
商業電台
12/20/2011
六合彩聖誕金多寶今晚開彩，頭獎一注中，派五千四百八十二萬九千元，二獎無人中。今期開彩的號碼是26、29、31、37、43、49；特別號碼為2。
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Bodog Branded Entities No Longer Available to US Citizens
PRESS RELEASE
Dec. 14, 2011
Bodog Branded Entities No Longer Available to US Citizens
LONDON, December 14, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Following the Bodog Brand's decision to withdraw the brand from the US market as announced earlier this year, as of today (December 14th, 2011) the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group (MMGG) will no longer operate under the Bodog name.
Whilst MMGG's brand licensing agreement does not formally expire until 31 December, as from today, US residents will no longer be able to access bodog.eu or any other Bodog branded website.
We understand MMGG will now operate under its new brand, Bovada, at the following website: http://www.bovada.lv , such domain being given to MMGG pursuant to its rights on expiry of the licensing agreement.
The Bodog brand is confident MMGG's customer account information and funds will continue to remain safe and secure, as it has done since MMGG entered its original agreement with the Bodog Brand in 2006 and we would like to wish MMGG the greatest success in its new venture.
For Bodog media enquiries please email pr@bodogbrand.com.
SOURCE BodogBrand
Sunday, November 27, 2011
The young Texan who can hold 'em with the best of 'em: Meet the eight-year-old poker prodigy who prefers Vegas to Disneyland
The young Texan who can hold 'em with the best of 'em: Meet the eight-year-old poker prodigy who prefers Vegas to Disneyland
Alexa Fisher started playing poker aged three and now takes on card sharks seven times her age
She can play over 50 varieties of the game, including No-Limit Texas Hold'em
Her father taught her the game to improve her maths skills
By JESSICA SATHERLEY
24th November 2011
dailymail
She can deal, she can shuffle, she even knows how to bluff, but what makes Alexa Fisher’s talent unique is that she is only eight-years-old.
Having learnt to play poker at the age of just three, she is now taking on experienced card sharks more than seven times her age and is thought to be the youngest poker player in the world.
A poker magazine has dubbed her a 'child prodigy' and she can play over 50 varieties of the game, making her a veritable threat on the poker scene in her home town in Texas.
The Texan that can hold'em: Alexa Fisher might only be eight-years-old but she can deal, shuffle and knows how to bluff
She even snubbed Disneyland last year, instead begging her parents to take her to Las Vegas to hunt autographs at the World Series of Poker tournaments.
There she got an autograph from professional Greg Raymer on her hat that reads, 'See you in 2024!', which is when she will finally be of legal age to enter the WSOP herself.
At home in Cibolo, near San Antonio, she takes on grown men at the game they have been playing for decades, frequently pummelling the competition in weekly charity contests.
And her father Justin, 35, a house husband and fellow poker enthusiast, thinks his daughter could be the next big thing in professional poker.
In the game: Alexa Fisher pictured competing in a charity tournament
He said: ‘I know Alexa could play poker with the best players in the world and definitely hold her own.
‘I also know she would be more than comfortable playing the professionals at the large buy-in events that many top name players are known for.
‘When Alexa was three, I would have ESPN and poker shows on in the background and she was attracted to the clapping and the sounds of people being happy on the television.
‘I used playing cards to help her count and to help with her maths skills when she was young and before she attended school.
‘As she began to learn which cards were higher, such as the aces, kings, queens and jacks in relation to the numbers, plus recognising what a pair, a flush, a three of a kind were, it was time to get poker chips.’
Next came plastic playing cards, chips with values on them and a dealer button.
By the age of four, she was shuffling, dealing, learning about basic tell signs and bluffing strategies.
By age five, she knew No-Limit Texas Hold'em solidly.
From there, Justin introduced her to other games, such as Limit and Pot Limit, and by the age of six, she knew all of the WSOP games, along with Badugi, Double Flop Hold'em, Crazy Pineapple, and ace-to-five and triple-draw Lowball.
Alexa has since played in several charity poker tournaments where players pay to enter or donate to local charities in order to circumvent local gambling laws.
She played her first ever live poker tournament charity event at the age of seven.
She set an age record at her first live tournament in 2009, outlasting well over half the field - including her father - and becoming an instant local celebrity.
During a tournament poker charity event last year she ended up making the final table that evening and finishing in 6th place.
She said: ‘The neat thing about poker is there are a lot of games to choose from and they are easy to learn and play.
Idols: Alexa snubbed meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disneyland, to instead meet her poker idol Greg Raymer (right) at the World Series of Poker tournament in Vegas
World series: She begged her parents to take her to Las Vegas to hunt autographs at the World Series of Poker tournaments (library image)
‘I know how to shuffle and deal the cards, raise, check, fold, and bluff. I also know how to play deuce-to-seven Lowball, H.O.R.S.E., and Badugi.
‘I can now play any poker game with the best poker players in the world.
‘With me being a girl, when I am a professional poker player I hope I can inspire other girls and women to play poker too.’
As far as her parents know, Alexa does not play poker with her schoolmates, but she is allowed to play for money - her cash allowance for doing chores around the house - because it teaches her money management.
They gave her some money to start with, and now she has a bank account. Her first win from a major cash game was $42, and her first loss was $25, while in Vegas.
Ultimately Alexa's ambition is to be a professional poker player, and her parents are more than happy to encourage the youngster to follow her dreams.
In addition, Alexa juggles poker with rock climbing, Zumba classes, football and weekly volleyball practices.
Probability expert says perfect hand is probably the first time it has happened in history of the game
Whist players astonished after each receives full suit in one hand.. at odds of 2,235,197,406,895,366,368,301,559,999-to-one
Probability expert says perfect hand is probably the first time it has happened in history of the game
Pensioner says she was 'gobsmacked' when dealt the cards
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
25th November 2011
dailymail
It is an occurrence that comes with mind-boggling odds of a thousand quadrillion – or a thousand million million million million – to one.
But a group of whist-playing pensioners say they were stunned when each player was dealt a complete suit in an opening hand.
Wenda Douthwaite, 77, and her three friends were left ‘gobsmacked’ during the game in their village hall last week.
Amazed: A group of whist players were stunned when they were each dealt a complete suit in an opening hand
Mathematicians say the odds of this happening are a jaw-dropping 2,235,197,406,895,366, 368,301,559,999 to one.
The 28-digit figure is the equivalent odds of a person finding a specific drop of water in the Pacific Ocean.
Mrs Douthwaite, from Kineton, Warkickshire, who has attended whist drives for 50 years, said: ‘We’ve never seen anything like it before. Everything was done as usual.
Incredible: The group beat mind-boggling odds of a thousand quadrillion to one when they were dealt the opening hand
A GUIDE TO THE GAME OF WHIST
Whist is a classic English card game.
It is played by four players in two teams and dates back to the 17th Century.
It derives from the 16th Century game of Trump or Ruff.
Each player is dealt 13 cards and compete to win 'tricks'.
Players try to play cards which follow suit with the highest ranking card or 'trump' winning the hand.
Although the rules are extremely simple, there is enormous scope for scientific play.
‘The cards were shuffled, cut and dealt as normal but that was the only thing that was normal. And it was the first game of the night as well. As soon as I picked up my cards I saw I had a complete set of spades.
‘Suddenly someone around the table said they’d got a complete suit too. We compared cards and were totally shocked when one of us had all the hearts, another had the diamonds, another had the clubs and I had the spades. I was shaking when we laid the cards down on the table.
‘I think the expression is gobsmacked. It’s just a pity the Guinness Book of Records wasn’t there to witness it.’
Dealer Ron Coles, 73, said yesterday: ‘I would swear on my grandchildren’s lives it was not fixed. It was one of those strange things that happen in life now and again.’
Alan Beasley, 74, added: ‘We’re all buying lottery tickets this week in case we’re on a lucky streak.’ Norman Stone, 77, who was also playing in the hand, said: ‘It was absolutely amazing and will never happen again.’
Whist, which is played by four players in two teams, dates back to the 17th century. Players try to play cards which follow suit, with the highest ranking card or ‘trump’ winning the hand.
4人玩13張 奇蹟齊獲同花龍 機會微如在太平洋找某一滴水
4人玩13張 奇蹟齊獲同花龍 機會微如在太平洋找某一滴水
明報
2011年11月26日星期六
【明報專訊】英國4名長者最近玩啤牌，派完整副牌後各人拿來一看，竟發現各自派得一副13張牌同花龍。數學家指出，這個罕有的「完美組合」出現機會率是2,235,197,406,895,366, 368,301,559,999分之一，機會之微就等如在太平洋找到特定的一滴水一樣。
這個天文數字般的機會率，究竟是什麼？這個分數的分母，共有28個位，在數學上稱為「Octillion」，也就是1000的9次方；相比下，數字單位「兆」或「萬億」（Trillion），則是1000的4次方。上述的天文數字，用中文可粗略喚作2235兆兆。六合彩中頭獎的機會率是13,983,816分之一（即約「1000的2次方」再乘14）。經計算可知，4人同持13張牌同花順的機會率，是中六合彩頭獎的1.6億萬兆倍（即160乘以百萬兆）。
年過古稀的杜思韋特（Wenda Douthwaite）、比斯利（Arthur Beasley）、斯通（Norman Stone）與科爾斯（Ron Coles）日前在沃里克郡（Warwickshire）一條村的會所玩啤牌，意想不到一開局，彼此的第一手13張牌全是同花一條龍。73歲科爾斯說﹕「我一如往常反覆洗了好多次牌，然後由比斯利切牌，接着他交給我發牌。」
77歲的杜思韋特說﹕「我一拿起手上的牌看，赫見一整副黑桃。我們在桌面亮牌，比斯利全是紅心，斯通全是階磚，科爾斯是梅花。儘管並非順序，卻全部同花。我們全都嚇了一跳。」
欠人見證 否則可寫世界紀錄
他們認為這是神來之筆，只欠沒有人見證使之可寫入健力士世界紀錄。其中一人更以兒孫的性命發誓，他們沒作假。
每日鏡報
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
新加坡有老闆為過賭癮 搵外籍員工入賭場代賭
搵外籍員工入賭場代賭
2011年11月09日(三)
The Sun
新加坡有老闆為過賭癮，竟找外籍員工進賭場代賭，贏錢有獎金，輸錢則扣薪。
外籍員工帶着老闆給予的賭本進場，一般是四百至八百新加坡元（約二千五百至四千九百港元），每兩小時向老闆匯報情況，往往賭至深夜才能走。
做法備受外勞組織批評，礙於贏錢有獎金，又不用辛苦工作，不少外籍員工均表示樂意當替身。
保良局顏寶鈴書院 爛賭體育姓黃教師返學校做賊
爛賭教師返學校做賊
2011年11月09日(三)
年輕男教師變成病態賭徒，輸爆煲淪為校園盜賊！曾培育不少學界體育精英的教師沉淪賭海，一度僥倖贏得百萬元彩金後，迅即又輸光，欠下銀行及財務公司巨債，三年前破產後仍賭性不改。
雖月入五萬，卻不夠填百萬元賭債，借遍親友和同事，月前借錢不遂玩自殘，近日有人疑走投無路，竟在校內涉嫌連環爆格，盜取約六萬元現金，疑用來搏殺，警方調查後將他拘捕。
涉案被捕體育教師今年八月在上水向家人討錢不遂，竟然斬手指自殘。
「拍卡」開門成罪證
涉嫌盜竊的男教師姓黃（三十二歲），畢業於浸會大學體育系，於土瓜灣保良局顏寶鈴書院任教體育科。
據消息透露，該宗校園失竊案於上周四被揭發，因之前兩天是學校陸運會，周四是補假日，只有教職員需回校。當日中午，約有十名教師發現櫃桶被撬開，其中三名教師報稱失去財物。
發生失竊案的保良局顏寶鈴書院。（文健雄攝）
校方報警後，探員到學校蒐證，在教員室內辦公桌套取指紋，並在現場檢走一批證物。
消息稱，由於師生進入學校需「拍卡」開門，故警方在根據紀錄很快鎖定目標，懷疑一名男教師在學校陸運會期間犯案，調查後於前日將他拘捕，晚上押解他返上水住所搜查。警方證實，在土瓜灣拘捕一名姓黃的三十二歲男子，涉嫌與崇安街一宗盜竊案有關，涉及六萬元現金，該男子獲准保釋候查，下月中向警方報到。
黃姓體育教師曾帶領學生奪得多個獎項。
警方透過學校拍卡紀錄拘捕涉案體育老師。
常帶隊比賽獲獎
據了解，黃在校內教授體育科表現出色，經常帶校隊出外比賽獲獎，○八年時更在新界區校際教練計劃中獲選為最佳教練，該校近年曾奪得學界田徑及游泳的團體冠軍。
但不幸的是，有人早年染上嗜賭惡習，沉迷賽馬、賭波，放假的時候更會過到澳門豪賭，曾贏過一百萬元，但是其後又輸光，有人因教師身份方便借錢，先後向多間銀行及財務公司貸款，結果欠下賭債纍纍，三年前，黃因無力還債申請破產。
借錢不遂斬手指
惟他破產後仍難戒病態，繼續沉迷賭博，輸錢後除向弟弟及家人索錢外，更變本加厲向同事借錢，累積金額高達數十萬元。
今年八月，黃到上水彩蒲苑家人住所討錢，家人已對他失望表示無法援助，黃大感不滿，大吵大鬧指家人見死不救，更衝入廚房取菜刀斬向左手手指，傷口見骨需送院治理。
消息透露，有人為還債，懷疑曾向學生預收暑期興趣班學費，被及時制止及勒令退款。
據悉，家人和校方為挽救他，多次給他自新機會，曾私下借出數十萬元代他還款給同事，並勸他戒賭，可惜有人泥足深陷，難以自拔。
位於土瓜灣的保良局顏寶鈴書院姓李副校長昨日證實，該校上周四曾發生失竊事件，有一批教師需向警方落口供，但指案件已交警方處理，現階段不便透露詳情。
突發組
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Pakistan cricketers guilty of betting scam
Pakistan cricketers guilty of betting scam
1 November 2011
BBC
Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif have been found guilty of their part in a "spot-fixing" scam.
Former captain Butt, 27, and fast bowler Asif, 28, were both found guilty of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.
They plotted to deliberately bowl no-balls during a Lord's Test match against England last summer.
A jury at London's Southwark Crown Court took longer to deliberate over Asif's conspiring to cheat charge.
Spot-betting involves gamblers staking money on the minutiae of sporting encounters such as the exact timing of the first throw-in during a football match or, as in this case, when a no-ball will be bowled.
After deliberating for nearly 17 hours, the jury unanimously convicted Butt and Asif of conspiracy to cheat.
The jurors also found Butt guilty of conspiracy to accept corrupt payments by a majority of 10 to two.
Our correspondent said Butt's wife, Gul Hassan, had given birth to a baby boy one hour before he was found guilty.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Lahore, said the story was leading the national news in Pakistan and the four-week trial had been closely followed in the country.
The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, extended bail for Butt and Asif until sentencing later this week.
'Rampant corruption'
They were charged after a tabloid newspaper alleged they took bribes to bowl deliberate no-balls.
The court heard the players, along with fast bowler Mohammad Amir, conspired with UK-based sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, to fix parts of the Lord's Test last August.
Three intentional no-balls were delivered during the match between Pakistan and England from August 26 to 29 last year.
Prosecutors said Butt and Asif had been motivated by greed to "contaminate" a match watched by millions of people and "betray" their team, the Pakistan Cricket Board and the sport itself.
Aftab Jafferjee QC, for the prosecution, said the case "revealed a depressing tale of rampant corruption at the heart of international cricket".
Following the verdict, BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce said the case "raises serious questions about the integrity of Test cricket".
He also said the sport's governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC), "will have to be asked, and will have to answer, what they are going to do in the future to make sure that they can actually uncover this and not rely on journalists".
Former Pakistan cricket captain Asif Iqbal told BBC 5Live it was a "sad day for cricket" and said the case would send out a "huge message".
Angus Fraser, a former England fast bowler, said it could be a "watershed" for cricket.
"It shows young cricketers that there is a consequence to their behaviour. In the past players have been banned and then they have come back," he told BBC 5Live.
"The International Cricket Council has got to support the players, see these signs and help them out of predicaments, but also see (that) if players do commit these offences they are punished severely."
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The greatest gamble ever: Developers in Miami punt $3.8bn on building world's biggest casino resort
The greatest gamble ever: Developers in Miami punt $3.8bn on building world's biggest casino resort
Hopes to raise $600 million in tax revenue for Florida
Will have more floor space than Las Vegas' six biggest casinos
Subject to approval of Bill that would take away tribe state's monopoly
By LEE MORAN
28th October 2011
dailymail
The stakes are high in Miami where the world's biggest casino - to eclipse the gaming floors of Las Vegas' top six gambling dens combined - could soon be built.
Malaysian firm Getting is preparing to spend $3.8 billion constructing Resorts World Miami - an 800,000 sq ft paradise containing a staggering 8,500 slot machines.
It will have more gambling space than Sin City's Mirage, Venetian, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Wynn and Caesars Palace put together.
Taking over the town: Resorts World Miami will become the centre-piece of the city's shoreline
Ambitious: Malaysian firm Getting is preparing to spend $3.8 billion constructing Resorts World Miami - an 800,000 sq ft gambling paradise containing a staggering 8,500 slot machines
Project: The resort will have more gambling space than Sin City's Mirage, Venetian, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Wynn and Caesars Palace put together
It will also be two-and-half times larger than the biggest casino in the U.S. - the Foxwoods Resort in Ledyard, Connecticut.
Getting, which has already spent $500 million buying the land around Biscayne Bay, says the project will create around 100,000 jobs - for an area where unemployment currently stands at 10.6 per cent.
It will also give a 5.4 million tourist visitor boost to the city and generate $600 million in much-needed tax revenue for the cash-strapped state.
Florida currently has a $1.5 billion budget deficit.
Profitable: The resort will give a 5.4 million tourist visitor boost to the city and generate $600 million in much-needed tax revenue for the cash-strapped state
Stunning: The site will have four hotels offering 5,200 rooms, 1,000 residential apartments, a water lagoon the size of 12 Olympic swimming pools and more than 50 restaurants and bars
10 LARGEST CASINOS IN THE WORLD
1. Venetian Macao, Macao, China - 546,000
2. City of Dreams, Macao, China - 420,000
3. Foxwoods Resort, U.S. - 340,000
4. Casino Ponte 16, Macao, China - 270,000
5. Tusk Rio Casino, South Africa - 266,330
6. MGM Grand Macao, China - 221,952
7. Sands Macao, China - 229,000
8. MGM Grand Las Vegas, 170,000
9. Casino Lisboa, Portugal - 165,000
10. Borgata Hotel, Atlantic City - 161,000
Located on the city's waterfront, the site will have four hotels offering 5,200 rooms, 1,000 residential apartments, a water lagoon the size of 12 Olympic swimming pools and more than 50 restaurants and bars.
A convention centre, shopping mall and two casinos will also be built.
However, before construction on the ambitious development begins, a Bill to open up gambling laws in Miami has to be approved.
This is because in gambling in Florida is banned, apart from in Native American tribal lands.
It means the Seminole Indian tribe, which owns seven casinos in the state, has a monopoly - and are rumoured to have already spent $140,000 on keeping the company out.
Boost: The project will create around 100,000 jobs - for an area where unemployment currently stands at 10.6 per cent
Development: A convention centre, shopping mall and two casinos will also be built on the site
RESORTS WORLD MIAMI (NUMBERS)
Cost: $3 billion
Site: 13.9 acres
Square feet: 10 million
Construction jobs: 15,000 direct and indirect
Permanent jobs: 30,000
Convention space: 700,000 sq ft
Ballroom: 200,000 sq ft
Hotels: 4
Hotel rooms: 5,200
Residential units: 1,000
Swimming lagoon: 3.6 acres
Retail: 250,000 sq ft
Restaurants and bars: More than 50
Slot machines: 8,500
Leaders pored over the proposed bill on Wednesday, which if given the go-ahead would bring three large casino resorts to the Sunshine State.
Phil Goldfarb, president of Fontainebleau Miami Beach, told Miami-Dade commissioners at a hearing that: 'We’re most concerned about existing businesses.
'When you look at the enormous size and scope of some of these projects, it just doesn’t make sense.'
Other critics see the urban resort scrambling downtown Miami’s ongoing revival and stealing customers from hotels and restaurants from nearby neighborhoods and Miami Beach.
But supporters say it will create jobs and see tens of millions in tourist dollars pour in once it was open.
Esteban Garcia, owner of Garcia’s Seafood Grille and Fish Market on the Miami River, which Genting says may open a second location at the planned resort, told the Miami Herald: 'The Genting resort will be a magnet for the city.
'This kind of resort would bring a lot of new jobs to our community.'
The legislation introduced this week would allow three casino resorts, as long as developers spent at least $2 billion to build them.
馬來西亞雲頂集團計畫在美國佛羅里達州興建全球最大的賭場度假村
雲頂在美擬建全球最大賭場
星島日報 – 2011年10月30日星期日
(綜合報道)(星島日報報道)英國《每日郵報》
馬來西亞賭業巨擘雲頂集團計畫斥資三十八億美元（約二百九十五億港元），在美國佛羅里達州興建全球最大的賭場度假村，賭場的樓面面積較拉斯維加斯的六大賭場加起來還要寬敞。
料為佛州創約十萬職
該個賭場度假村將命名為「邁阿密渡假村世界」(Resorts World Miami)，面積達八十萬方呎，足足為美國最大賭場康州快活豪華大賭場的兩倍半，可容納八千五百部角子老虎機。
雲頂集團已斥資五億美元購下比斯坎灣一塊臨海地皮，計畫興建四間酒店，共提供五千二百間房，以及一千個住宅單位。
此外，度假村的娛樂設備十分整全，包括面積相等於十二個奧運標準泳池的水上樂園、超過五十間餐廳和酒吧、一個會議中心、一個購物廣場，以及兩間賭場。
佛州目前經濟陷入困境，當地失業率達百分之十點六，財政赤字為十五億美元。預計這項賭場計畫可為佛州創造約十萬個職位，每年吸引五百四十萬名遊客，為州政府帶來六億美元稅收。
不過，這項賭場計畫仍可能出現阻滯。佛州目前的法例對賭博設下限制，只限當地的塞米諾族印第安人在自己的土地經營賭場。
佛州州議會星期三將就開放賭業的動議進行投票，假如動議獲通過，當地將發出三個賭場牌照，據報塞米諾族印第安人已作出阻撓。
Thursday, October 27, 2011
溫州民間高利貸風波 內地民企豪賭老闆客急跌 澳門賭場劏房搶客
大錢題
豪客急跌 澳門賭場劏房搶客
2011年10月27日
Next Mag
早前溫州爆發民間高利貸風波，資金斷鏈，老闆走佬，震驚全國。過去一個月，信貸危機已迅速蔓延至河南鄭州、浙江台州及內蒙古鄂爾多斯等城市。民企老闆富貴夢碎，澳門賭場生意亦應聲下跌，皆因佔澳門賭場七至八成收入來源的貴賓廳生意，全靠一眾內地民企豪賭老闆撐起。
最近永利澳門（ 1128）公布第三季業績，便因貴賓廳生意下跌而遭券商唱淡。與此同時，中央收緊政策亦在各省市靜靜出台，嚴限高官、國企高層及公安等前往澳門。
豪客大減，本刊踩入多間賭場，發現不少貴賓廳都拍烏蠅，部分更要「 劏房」搶客。民企老闆走佬，拖欠大筆賭債，亦令賭場壞賬陸續浮面，有疊碼仔爆料要出動泰仔北上追數。
上週四，永利澳門公布第三季業績，佔其博彩收入達七成七的貴賓廳生意，按季下跌，立即遭投行高盛唱淡，股價應聲急挫百分之四，連同之前兩個交易日，累跌超過一成四。同日，濠賭股被借勢洗倉，澳博（ 880）､銀河娛樂（ 27）及新濠（ 200）均跌超過百分之五至六。
事實上，貴賓廳生意一直是澳門賭場的命脈，牽一髮動全身。所謂貴賓廳業務，是賭場靠俗稱「疊碼仔」的中介人，透過提供娛樂或借貸等拉攏豪賭客到設有賭注下限的私家房下注，中介人從中賺取佣金，貴賓廳使用的籌碼俗稱「泥碼」。今年的上市民企爆煲潮及近日的溫州企業走佬潮，對澳門賭場打擊甚大，流失不少民企老闆豪客。
今年，中央更在各省市嚴厲執行高官赴澳簽證。有廣東省公安廳出入境管理局官員透露，基本上所有公務員､國企官員出國，均須上級批示。「中紀委更有特派員駐守澳門，不時巡查賭場，發現有豪賭客，就起佢底。」該官員表示。有疊碼仔亦表示﹕「而家有少少職級嘅公安都落唔到嚟。」
新葡京貴賓廳一名賭客也沒有，場面冷清。
銀娛上半年博彩收入超過八成來自貴賓廳業務，集團副主席呂耀東出席完旗下星際酒店五周年員工聚餐時表示，未來會增加中場業務。
貴賓廳拍烏蠅
本月中，記者去到新葡京的貴賓賭廳「海王會」，六張賭枱，只有兩張坐着三數名賭客，賭枱最大投注額一注三十萬，有內地客落注數萬，已是場內的貴賓。新葡京內其他貴賓廳，場面冷清，每間六至十四張賭枱的貴賓廳，平均只有一張枱有賭客。
一街之隔的老大哥葡京，境況淒冷。澳博有七成生意來自貴賓廳，但葡京四樓的東方鑽石貴賓廳，已關門大吉。
同層的帝國廳，一名賭客也沒有，荷官坐在椅上呼呼大睡，站於門口的保安員無奈地冷嘲：「舊時嘅客有錢，而家嘅客無錢，無客咪好囉，我哋舒服啲！」
失去溫州大水喉，成為不少賭場的致命傷。近兩年，喜歡豪賭的溫州廠家已成為澳門賭場貴賓廳的重要客源之一。於銀河及威尼斯人承包賭廳經營的博彩中介公司負責人陳先生說，自從內地收緊銀根，溫州民企爆煲，近兩個月溫州客赴澳門人數已縮減三分一，賭注由每次豪賭千萬，減縮至二、三百萬元「小賭」怡情，「呢期溫州客係『窄窄哋』，賭客無咁多現金，我哋收數難咗，上去收都係有拖無欠。」陳先生說溫州人豪賭成性，近日缺水，中介公司寧願繼續以每十萬元每日二百元息的高利貸借錢予客，都不願流失賭客，「知道個客本性賭得大，餵貨（借錢）俾佢，養住佢，必要時搵多兩間中介公司一齊餵貨，分散風險。」陳先生說。
溫州客向來是澳門賭場的大客仔，澳門銀河貴賓廳—沙龍會的廳名後更特別加上「溫州」二字，但溫州爆煲後，已悄悄除去。
壞賬急增
不但賭客大跌，拖數壞賬亦急增。於賭船做疊碼仔阿強亦爆料，拖數的不單是溫州老闆，他所屬的博彩中介公司，今年初有個某大城市的文化廳高官賭輸三百萬元，他們一眾疊碼回內地追數，但對方至今仍賴債拖數，而另一個賭場年初被一名北京企業老闆客拖欠賭債千萬，轟動業界。
根據澳門博彩監察局的數字，今年九月整體博彩收入達二百一十多億元，較去年上升逾四成，但其實表面數字信不過，皆因大部分賭客都是兩手空空來賭「白頭片」。
原來，內地賭客赴澳門賭博，因受制於中、澳兩地人民幣匯款限制，賭客非全數真金白銀落注，內地賭客赴澳門賭錢的泥碼，先由承包經營賭廳的博彩中介公司，墊支簽泥碼給賭客，賭客贏錢，向賭場兌現金，中介公司再以分賬形式找數給賭場；若賭客輸錢，中介公司向賭客追回輸掉的現金。由疊碼仔拉攏的內地賭客，中介公司已預早向賭客「起底」，清楚賭客的經濟狀況、公司、工廠及家人資料，中介公司亦每每在內地省市開設夜場，廣建人脈，方便拉攏賭客赴澳之餘，亦可依仗當地勢力人士，向賭客追數。
「我哋搵泰國拳手上去追數，追唔掂，搵當地軍方背景人士幫手收，行規係將收番嚟嘅賭債拆賬三至五成作為對方酬金，我哋當打個和。」疊碼仔阿強說。
遙控落注破阻截
為了方便不能親身落場的大客，不少疊碼仔即變招，用電話遙控幫賭客落注，在賭場及賭船十分常見。月中，記者登上上市公司實德環球（ 487）旗下的實德郵輪。四百多元一張的船票，包吃包住，買夠五千元泥碼則免費。出公海前，船上的入境處職員為乘客辦理出境手續，乘客不少是拿着藍色封面的「往來港澳通行證」，講廣東話的廣東省居民。賭船載客量約三百多人，當天是週五，但只是半滿。
晚上約十時，郵輪駛到公海，賭廳正式開放。六樓的賭廳有近百名賭客在「搏殺」。十四張賭 枱絕大部分是玩百家樂﹐最低注碼一百元。凌晨兩時許，賭客大多集中在注碼較細的賭 枱，右側半開放的高注碼區，整晚都十分冷清，玩家不足十名。其中四張賭 枱，注碼由一千至二十萬元，賭 枱對上天花裝有垂直的閉路電視鏡頭。其中五名「玩家」，戴着免提聽筒，賭 枱前放有計數機及紙筆，一邊對着聽筒細說開牌過程，一邊記錄着輸贏結果，「一萬元買庄，是不是？……閒六點，庄四點，閒贏。老闆，這一盤輸一萬元。」一名戴着耳筒的白衫中年婦人，時而普通話時而上海話，密密為老闆下注。她手上的記錄紙顯示已有過百盤下注，暫時輸了三萬七千多元。突然，婦人聲音肉緊起來︰「買什麼？吓，十五萬的閒！……唉，庄贏。」前後兩盤，已輸掉逾十八萬元。不過，記者見她 枱面依然「彈藥」充足，有二十萬泥碼及約十萬元現金碼。翌日早上七點多，賭 枱「收檔」。白衫婦人收線後，轉身向友人說︰「今次疊碼仔賺到笑啦，一晚換 咗四十幾萬泥碼。好累呀，我要 瞓覺，今晚先同佢對數。」
除了賭船，澳門新葡京的貴賓賭廳「海王會」，亦見有駐場疊碼仔，用耳筒接駁 iPad，在私隱度較高的貴賓房內，幫賭客遙控落注。
澳門的體育會不時舉行泰拳比賽，博彩中介公司會派人觀賽揀蟀，招攬參賽的泰籍拳手，北上向內地賭客追債。
疊碼仔變陣為客遙控落注，相中白衫婦人便利用免提聽筒（黃圈）在實德郵輪上幫上海賭客落注玩百家樂，一晚上落數十萬元。
加佣劏房搶客
表面上，澳門賭場大廳賭枱仍人丁旺盛，但疊碼仔阿強表示，去年十月一至二號的黃金周，賭船上的各博彩中介公司收取的籌碼佣金高達二百多萬，今年跌至一百萬元。「表面係好旺，賭船及大場（威尼斯人、永利）仲多咗客，但好多係鴨仔團或師奶客，旺丁唔旺財。」阿強說。
十一黃金周後，大型外資賭場更提高疊碼仔佣金，鼓勵中介公司拉客。澳門政府法定碼佣上限百分之 1.25%，現時行內碼佣公價一般 1.15%，即每十萬元轉碼數（現金兌換籌碼），疊碼仔獲得一千一百五十元。
星際、銀河、永利等大場，提高碼佣到 1.2%至 1.6%，「超出每月指定數額，賭場會再俾高啲碼佣，例如定每月要交三億數，若個場做到五億數，每十萬碼佣升至一千八百元一份。海王會以前喺葡京包賭廳做，今年俾銀河挖咗過檔。」銀河營業額八成八依靠貴賓廳，陳先生透露，銀河為籠絡實力中介公司駐場，最近出新招，免息借籌碼給中介公司，變相開出免租條件，但限定中介公司每張賭枱每月交足約三億元轉碼數，穩定生意額。
一些中、小型賭場，亦轉陣吸客。其中，希臘神話二樓全層貴賓廳，已劃出一半地方，改成一間間約二百五十呎貴賓房間， VIP房內置賭枱、電視、梳化、按摩椅，以富貴廳房模式提高賭客的私隱度，「之前玩千萬泥碼先至可以包房玩，而家換五十萬，一百萬泥碼就可以開貴賓房，將貴賓客普及化。」疊碼仔阿強說。
疊碼仔替賭客兌換泥碼，從每十萬泥碼額中獲賭場分得千二至千八元佣金。
四太梁安琪（左）於爭產鬧劇後正式接替賭王何鴻燊（右）成為澳博揸弗人，隨即遇上民企爆煲潮，更被行內疊碼仔批評反應慢，一哥地位進一步受威脅。
澳門賭場每月疊碼數
澳博反應慢
今年十月，里昂發布的一項「敏感度」測試指，如果一二年貴賓廳生意大跌一成，六隻濠賭股現金經營溢利將減少一成至三成，其中銀河娛樂及永利分別下跌二成七和二成一。本月中，銀娛旗下的星際酒店慶祝五周年，「車輪轉」搞了十二場自助餐，慰勞員工。副主席呂耀東於席上承認，集團會增強中場賭廳業務，「中場客潛力好大，我哋未來會開澳門首間 3D戲院。」呂耀東說。
大細賭場積極變陣，管理守舊的澳博，卻沒有變革搶客。目前葡京，新葡京的貴賓賭 枱每張 枱每月轉碼數約三億，有中介公司埋怨澳博管理層寧願關場都不肯降低轉碼數額，「人哋鬼佬場借埋錢俾我哋去做，葡京場好多年前定落 嘅轉碼數唔肯改，係你都走，最差係 啲客贏了錢，將泥碼兌現金時，仲有 啲嘍囉要『 揼心口』，攞茶錢，呢啲情況只會喺十年八年前澳門賭場會發生。」
賭場各師各法，亦積極開拓北方不同省市客源，「舊年十二月聖誕開始搵多啲北方客，蘇杭、雲南、貴州都有，而家寧波客豪賭作風唔遜色過溫州客。」疊碼仔阿強說。另外，於中細型賭場及賭船，增加多元化賭法，容許中介公司與賭場同時做庄家，與賭客玩 枱底「對賭」，賭「底面」等，讓賭客減少被賭場抽佣，疊碼仔賺取碼佣之外，有機會贏賭客賭本。
在威尼斯人賭場內遊覽的國內旅行團川流不息，遊客主要觀光，甚少豪賭搏殺。
內地豪客大減，不但賭廳生意受影響，的名店亦變得冷清。
大小通殺拓財路
今年五月開幕的澳門銀河渡假村，年底將增設澳門首間 3D戲院，積極招攬中場客，抗衡內地豪客流失的影響。
澳門大學博彩研究所馮家超教授表示，雖然澳門博彩業在剛過去十一黃金周博彩收入旺場，但其實暗湧處處，他指出今年九月，博彩收入較八月下跌幅度超出市場預期，跌幅達雙位數字一成四，相反過去的傳統九月淡季跌幅不足一成。他又指黃金周的增長數字可能累積九月份的賭客購買力，故未能實質反映賭業。馮教授認為澳門貴賓廳賭客來自國內新生的中產階級，即是中小企老闆及高級管理層，當內地經濟發展放緩，銀根收縮，民間借貸爆煲，股市、樓市下跌等各方外圍因素收緊賭客的資金鏈，最終會影響澳門博彩收益，「經濟唔好，中小企老闆去澳門搏一搏，催谷博彩業收入同客量嘅數字，但實際收益要睇年尾個數，尤其係當追數壞賬率開始升高，濠賭業就響起警號。」
貴賓廳主宰賭場命脈
黃金周後，澳門賭場賭客明顯減少，澳門銀河賭場大廳內有荷官悶至打呵欠，但相比之下，貴賓廳更加冷清。
撰文：李雅雯、黃捷
Sunday, October 16, 2011
France arrests over 'casino scam'
France arrests over 'casino scam'
14 October 2011
BBC
The players pocketed tens of thousands of euros after playing poker against the croupier
French police say they have arrested three Italians and a Frenchman over a sophisticated casino scam in Cannes.
The Frenchman is accused of marking a deck of cards with invisible ink and ensuring the three Italians played from that deck, reports say.
The Italians, meanwhile, wore special lenses to enable them to see the markings, according to police.
The gang are accused of swindling one casino out of up to 64,000 euros ($88,000; £56,000).
But detectives believe they may have used the technique elsewhere in Europe before coming to their attention in France.
Suspicions were raised at the Princes Casino in the resort city when the Italians won 44,000 euros playing a form of stud poker against the croupier, then returned earlier this week to win another 20,000 euros.
On investigation, the cards were found to have been marked with invisible symbols, including a line for an ace and a cross for a king.
"At first we thought they were using cameras, but we didn't find anything," a police spokesman reportedly said.
"Finally, we realised that their strategy involved using contact lenses."
Other reports suggested the players were using infra-red glasses, not contact lenses.
The suspects are expected to face charges of fraud and theft, and could face up to 10 years in jail.
But a lawyer for one of the unnamed Italian players was quoted as saying his client denied wrongdoing.
His client had "come to the Cote [d'Azur] with a friend to have a good time and only brought a pair of sandals, a towel and a pack of cards, but that doesn't make him a cheat", the lawyer said.
Gang 'cheated casino out of £55,000 by using special contact lenses to see invisible ink marked on cards'
Gang 'cheated casino out of £55,000 by using special contact lenses to see invisible ink marked on cards'
By Daily Mail Reporter
14th October 2011
In two successive trips to the casino's poker table, the gang walked away with a cool £55,000.
And even suspicious staff, who have seen all the tricks in the book, were unable to work out how the group of Italians had beaten the house again.
But eventually their luck ran out when police caught onto their sophisticated scam.
By wearing special contact lenses to see invisible ink on marked cards, a gang is said to have conned the cash out of casinos across Europe.
Poker face: Jodie Foster (left) and Mel Gibson (right) starred as card tricksters in the 1994 hit film Maverick
But the alleged ruse was rumbled this summer in the French city of Cannes when casino staff reported their antics, after becoming suspicious of their £38,000 and £17,500 wins on two separate days.
A police spokesman said: 'We have never seen anything like this in the region. At first we thought that they were using cameras.
'But we didn't find anything. Finally we realised that their strategy involved using contact lenses.'
Detectives now believe the gang may have used the technique in casinos across the Continent before their arrest in Cannes.
The alert was raised when three Italian players won almost £38,000 in an evening playing a form of stud poker against the croupier in the Princes Casino on the French Riviera.
Claims: The Princes Casino, in Cannes, was allegedly targeted by the contact lens gang
A week later they made a further £17,500 within a few hours. But staff recognised them and called police.
Further investigation revealed invisible marks on the back of the cards being used. A cross indicated a king, a line meant an ace - information that gave the three an unbeatable edge.
Grasse state prosecutor Jean-Michel Cailleau said the men were all wearing treated contact lenses so they could read the invisible ink.
The three Italians, and two alleged French accomplices, are being held on suspicion of 'committing fraud in an organised gang' and face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison if found guilty.
One of the Frenchmen arrested is believed to work for the casino and police believe he may have slipped the marked cards into the venue.
Police are now going to send mugshots of the suspects to casinos across the continent.
Maitre Jean-Louis Paganelli, a lawyer for one of the Italian players, who have not been named, said that his client denied any wrongdoing.
He told the Times: 'He doesn't understand why he has been arrested.
'He came to the Cote with a friend to have a good time and only brought a pair of sandals, a towel and a pack of cards, but that doesn't make him a cheat.'
電影賭神法國坎城真實版 隱形墨水透視眼鏡出老千
賭神真實版 透視眼鏡出老千
3騙徒勾結發牌員 詐266萬元
2011年 10月16日
法國
【莊蕙嘉╱綜合報導】電影《賭神》的透視招數在法國坎城上演真實版。3名義大利老千和2名賭場職員內神通外鬼，職員用隱形墨水在撲克牌上做記號，再安排戴上特製隱形眼鏡的老千到特定賭桌，透視牌上記號，在同家賭場2度詐得約266萬元台幣，5嫌已被警方逮捕。
被捕的王子賭場職員和發牌員，用職務之便在牌塗隱形墨水記號。
2度行騙被逮
其中一條線代表Ace，十字則是老K；嫌犯並安排3名老千到有記號牌賭桌。
老千戴上可透視墨水的隱形眼鏡作弊。另有報導指，3人戴的是紅外線眼鏡。
電影《賭神》中，周潤發飾演的賭神高進，利用「西德生產的高科技顯微透視隱形眼鏡」，看穿對手在牌上做記號的老千伎倆。
3名老千2周前首度行騙，大贏約182.7萬元台幣。當時員工雖覺有異，但無證據。上周3人再度到王子賭場，贏得約83萬元台幣，被眼尖的職員認出報警。
滲透全歐賭場
警方相信此犯罪集團已在歐洲多間賭場內用相同手法出老千，並研判得手金額和組織規模不只於此，已發布嫌犯照片給全歐賭場。5人最重可能各判10年。
Thursday, October 6, 2011
澳門賭枱注碼 黃金周加至千元 博彩業發展繼續旺盛
濠賭枱注碼 黃金周加至千元
經濟日報
10/07/2011
瑞信對濠賭審慎樂觀
昨日港股大升，一眾濠賭股亦借勢反彈，其中金沙升近26%。
【經濟日報專訊】「基本因素仍然理想，股價本來就不應該跌，反彈亦屬正常。」對於濠賭股股價昨天出現報復式反彈，剛從澳門考察回港的瑞信分師陳偉邦這樣斷言。
趁港股昨天大升近千點，假期前連日急挫的濠賭股強勢反彈，6家持有澳門賭牌的上市公司股價全綫造好，其中4家更打入20隻升幅榜，金沙（01928）位列榜首，升近26%。
瑞信走訪新葡京 見證生意火爆
陳偉邦認為，澳門博彩業發展繼續旺盛，強勁的基本因素未變，近一星期黃金周生意更火爆得很，故對行業維持審慎樂觀看法。
「一進入新葡京，便看到1樓中場賭枱的最低注碼已加至最少1,000元，有數張賭枱更加至3,000元。」陳偉邦指，過往一般中場賭枱的最低注碼不過300元，現已不復見。在黃金周假期加價，反映賭場生意旺得不可開交，此招有意疏導小額賭客前往細場。
暫未見資金壓力 「無拖數迹象」
至於市場憂慮內地高利貸爆煲，將影響賭場中介人的資金鏈，據瑞信消息渠道指，未見明顯受影響，「收數期仍然短至兩周，暫無被拖數迹象……溫州並非主要客源及資金來源。」
「有一名中介人指，黃金周首4天的轉碼數，已相當於往常3個星期的生意……另一名更指，由於沒有酒店客房招呼，惟有將非豪賭客拒於門外。」
黃金周生意暢旺，惟市場對剛公布的9月博彩收入放緩仍見憂慮。陳偉邦解釋，有關數字只統計到9月29日（周四），當天港、澳均有颱風，加上未有計入周五（9月30日）開始湧入的黃金周內地客，故數據雖略遜，但仍屬理想。
另外，德銀剛發表報告，亦憂慮澳門博彩業收入未來放緩。該行指，黃金周生意雖好，但預期11月及12月將見放緩。
德銀指，近日市場憂慮內地高利貸爆煲，將影響澳門博彩中介人的資金拆借。過去一周濠賭股已累跌30%至40%，股價或已反映市場下調整個行業的估值。該行認為濠賭股短綫雖仍存風險，惟對長綫投資者而言，個別股份已見價值，該行較看好金沙。
Monday, October 3, 2011
買彩票防癡呆 四川成都患糖尿病的九旬翁中七星彩 體育彩票頭獎867萬
買彩票防癡呆 九旬翁中867萬
明報 – 2011年10月3日星期一
【明報專訊】四川成都一名患糖尿病的9旬老翁，怕自己老年癡呆，期期買彩票背數字訓練頭腦，日前竟買中七星彩(體育彩票)頭獎，獲867萬元人民幣獎金，成為四川體彩大獎年齡最大的「幸運兒」。
《成都商報》報道，獲頭獎的王老伯說，「我不打麻將，但要找個事情來訓練腦殼，要防止老年癡呆。買彩票錢也不多，天天看數字背數字，就正好訓練腦殼」。
9月30日上午，王老伯拄着拐杖在兒子陪同下領取了867萬元獎金。對於這筆巨款，王老伯說，「要修老家的房子，小孩還要上學，還要買房子。我得病後麻煩，還得保養。好多點錢嘛。」
Friday, September 23, 2011
Full Tilt Poker Site Defends Business, Not a Ponzi Scheme
Poker Site Defends Business, Not a Ponzi Scheme
By SUSANNA KIM
Sept. 22, 2011
abcnews
The operators of online gambling site Full Tilt
Poker, charged with running a $440 million
Ponzi scheme by federal authorities, say what
happened to them was simply
mismanagement, not a scam.
"Banks fail for not having sufficient revenue to
cover customer deposits all the time. No one
refers to such failures as Ponzi schemes. And
there was no Ponzi scheme here," said Jeff
Ifrah, an attorney for Full Tilt Poker.
"Players were not investing in any company-
run investment vehicle. Players were never
promised any type of high rate return. Players
just wanted to play poker and the company
offered that service," he said. Ifrah explained
that in late 2010, the company suddenly
found itself unable to meet the player
withdrawal demand.
Full Tilt was shut down in April by federal
authorities. "Full Tilt was not a legitimate
poker company, but a global Ponzi scheme,"
Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, said in a
statement Wednesday.
The site told players their gambling accounts
were secure and available for withdrawal at
any time when in fact, "Full Tilt Poker did not
maintain funds sufficient to repay all players,"
Bharara said. The operation allegedly used
player funds to pay board members and other
owners more than $440 million since April
2007.
The complaint named board members
Raymond Bitar, Howard Lederer, Christopher
Ferguson and Rafael Furst as defendants.
"Full Tilt insiders lined their own pockets with
funds picked from the pockets of their most
loyal customers while blithely lying to both
players and the public alike about the safety
and security of the money deposited with the
company," according to the DOJ statement.
Ifrah said the individuals added to the civil
complaint will "certainly have comments on
the allegations against them." If they received
distributions at a time when the company was
underwater, the individuals will need to
defend whether the distributions are subject
to seizure as the amended complaint alleges.
On April 15, 2011, the Justice Department
Poker Site Defends Business, Not a Ponzi Scheme
filed a complaint for money laundering, fraud,
and violating the 2006 Unlawful Internet
Gambling Enforcement Act against 11
individuals who ran PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker
and Absolute Poker.
"But even if the government can prove that
case and forfeit such distributions, such a
case simply does not amount to a 'global
Ponzi scheme' as the US Attorney stated in his
press release," Ifrah told ABC News. "The
inflammatory description by NY's lead federal
prosecutor has nothing to do with the
allegations in the amended complaint and the
timing of these comments is most
unfortunate."
Ifrah conceded that Full Tilt may have been
mismanaged, and the company "may have
made poor decisions."
The Justice Department's shutdown of online
poker sites has affected millions of poker
players and the poker industry.
In June, Phil Ivey, one of the world's best poker
players, announced he was suing his sponsor,
Full Tilt, in June for $150 million and
boycotted this year's World Series of Poker
(WSOP).
美「全速撲克」賭網騙34億 世界級職業高手開設 層壓式欺詐玩家
美「全速撲克」賭網騙34億 世界級職業高手開設 層壓式欺詐玩家
明報 – 2011年9月22日
【明報專訊】美國一個由世界級職業撲克牌高手開設的撲克賭博網站，利用龐茲式詐騙手段，在4年內騙取了數以萬計各國玩家近4.4億美元（34億港元）自肥。事發後網站高層均下落不明，當局正追查他們下落。
新玩家賭本支付舊玩家
南曼哈頓檢察官辦公室周二說，網站「全速撲克」（Full Tilt Poker）雖為世界一大撲克網站，但卻是非法公司。該網以玩「得州話事啤」為主，經營者要求玩家先設帳戶，以電子轉帳或信用卡存入款項作賭本，並聲稱會在玩家贏錢時，把彩金直接存入該賭網帳戶，用家可隨時以支票、電子轉帳或信用卡方式提取餘額。到了後期，公司利用新加入玩家的賭本去支付舊玩家的提款。這種層壓式集資，虛構業務的手法，正是典型的龐茲騙局（Ponzi scheme）。
賭金以股息名義私分
當局稱，「全速撲克」一直誤導玩家，指存放在該網站帳號的賭本都是安全、有保障和隨時可提取的，讓玩家老以為仍有錢存在帳號內，但事實上該網自2007年4月起至今年4月，挪用了玩家存入的4.438億美元（34.6億港元）賭金，以股息名義攤分給撲克賽冠軍人馬萊德勒（Howard Lederer）和5屆世界冠軍弗格森（Christopher Ferguson）等23名網站董事和持有人，根本沒保留充足資金準備還給玩家。
萊德勒在4年間獨享4200萬美元，公司行政總裁比塔爾（Raymond Bitar）獲發4100萬美元，弗格森最少得到2500萬美元，另外1170萬美元歸另一撲克好手董事弗斯特（Rafael Furst）。今年3月底，該網站全球客戶的結餘為3.9億美元（其中1.5億美元屬於美國客戶），但公司銀行存款只有6000萬美元，到今年6月初更只剩600萬美元。
170萬常客 年注額千億
弗格森在撲克界的地位相當於搖滾樂巨星，是5屆世界賽冠軍，綽號「耶穌」。他擁有軟件工程博士學位，與比塔爾組建該「全速撲克」，藉分發股份招攬撲克界明星提供對賽機會和玩啤牌秘訣，從而吸引玩家。有研究公司估計，當局查封前，該網站有170萬名常客，投注額1年達140億美元（約1092億港元）。《華爾街日報》報道，該網辦的一次網上錦標賽，曾吸引5.4萬人圍賭。
美國自2006年起嚴禁網上賭博，賭博網站大多透過法律罅繼續經營，以「全速撲克」為例，它設於愛爾蘭，屬離岸經營。
Friday, August 26, 2011
墨西哥槍手火燒賭場53死 疑與當地販毒集團有關
墨西哥槍手火燒賭場53死
明報
8/27/2011
【明報專訊】墨西哥北部城巿蒙特雷（Monterrey）一家賭場發生縱火案，造成最少53人死亡，多人受傷，疑與當地販毒集團有關。
疑拒付毒梟保護費惹禍
事發於當地時間周四下午4時左右。目擊者稱，有6名持槍男子分乘兩輛汽車到達「皇家賭場」（Casino Royale）後，大叫所有人伏在地上，然後便傳出猛烈爆炸聲。當地官員稱，歹徒以類似汽油的易燃液體縱火，許多人聽到爆炸聲後躲進洗手間和辦公室暫避，更有人爬上屋頂待救，結果被大火圍困，多人吸入濃煙窒息致死，當局事後在廁所發現多具屍體。消防員灌救4小時後控制火勢，其間更要鑿開賭場外牆進入2樓救人。
蒙特雷曾獲譽為墨西哥最安全的城巿之一，但近年毒梟爭奪地盤，治案日差。當地傳媒報道，近日多家賭場因拒絕向販毒集團交保護費，屢成襲擊目標。
Death toll rises to 53 in attack on Mexico casino
Death toll rises to 53 in attack on Mexico casino
By KATHERINE CORCORAN - Associated Press,
PORFIRIO IBARRA RAMIREZ - Associated Press | AP
PORFIRIO IBARRA RAMIREZ - Associated Press | AP
8/26/2011
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — The death toll climbed as workers continued to pull bodies out of a burned casino in northern Mexico, where gunmen spread gasoline and ignited a fire that trapped and killed at least 53 gamblers and employees.
Family members gathered at the caution tape outside the Casino Royale after the Thursday afternoon fire in the northern industrial city of Monterrey, some crying and others yelling at police for providing no information. Later they were allowed to view bodies in the morgue to help identify the victims.
Francisco Tamayo, 28, of Monterrey, said he and family members looked at some 40 bodies in search of his mother, Sonia de la Pena, 47, who loved to gamble at the casino and was there on average four days a week. They had yet to find her.
When Tamayo learned of the fire from television, he first went to the scene.
"She's probably here," said Tamayo, who repeatedly called her cell phone, only to hear that it was out of the area of service.
Gov. Rodrigo Medina told the Televisa network late Thursday that the death toll had reached 53. The fire in a city that has seen a surge in drug cartel-related violence represented one of the deadliest attacks on an entertainment center in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon launched an offensive against drug cartels in late 2006.
Calderon tweeted that the attack was "an abhorrent act of terror and barbarism" that requires "all of us to persevere in the fight against these unscrupulous criminal bands."
Attorney General Leon Adrian de la Garza said a drug cartel was apparently responsible for the attack, though he didn't name which one. Cartels often extort casinos and other businesses, threatening to attack them or burn them to the ground if they refuse to pay.
It was the second time in three months that the Casino Royale was targeted. Gunmen struck it and three other casinos on May 25, spraying the building with bullets, but no was reported injured in that attack.
The fire in the two-story casino, which advertised sports book and bingo, was reported just before 4 p.m. local time, a slow time of day when normally about 80 people played the tables and slots, said former security guard Alberto Martinez Alvarado, 30. Martinez, who on his way home from work Thursday when he saw the fire, said the casino could hold hundreds, perhaps 1,000 people.
"We're lucky we weren't there," he said. "Why couldn't the people who did this do some honest work instead?"
State police officials quoted survivors as saying armed men burst into the casino, apparently to rob it, and began dousing the premises with fuel from tanks they brought with them. The officials were not authorized to be quoted by name for security reasons. De la Garza said the liquid appeared to be gasoline.
With shouts and profanities, the attackers told the customers and employees to get out. But many terrified customers and employees fled further inside the building, where they died trapped amid the flames and thick smoke that soon billowed out of the building.
Monterrey Mayor Fernando Larrazabal said many of the bodies were found inside the casino's bathrooms, where employees and customers had locked themselves to escape the gunmen.
Authorities commandeered backhoes from a nearby construction site and made a brief attempt to break into the casino's walls as smoke billowed from the main entrance, hindering firefighters.
Maria Tomas Navarro, 42, stood weeping at the edge of the police tape stretched in front of the smoke-stained casino building. She was hoping for word of her brother, 25-year-old Genaro Navarro Vega, who had worked in the casino's bingo area.
Navarro said she tried calling her brother's cell phone. "But he doesn't answer. I don't know what is happening," she said. "There is nobody to ask."
Monterrey has seen bloody turf battles between the Zetas and Gulf cartels in recent months. Once Mexico's symbol of development and prosperity, the city is seeing this year's drug-related murders on a pace to double last year's and triple those of the year before.
Last month, gunmen killed 20 people at a bar in Monterrey. The attackers sprayed the bar with rounds from assault rifles, and police later found bags of drugs at the bar.
State police officials initially said witnesses reported hearing three explosions before Thursday's fire started, but later said a flammable material was used. The officials were not authorized to be quoted by name for security reasons.
The reports of explosions may have been the sound of the ignition of the liquid.
Norma Reyes, 45, was one of the people who received good news Thursday. Her son called her before she even heard about the fire to say he was all right. Jonathan Reyes, 25, who worked as an area supervisor, told his mother he was at the hospital trying to find out what happened to his co-workers.
"God took care of us today," she said.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Great Blue Slots pays out again to two slots players at Windows Casino
Great Blue Slots pays out again at Windows Casino
8/05/2011
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