The largest online casino database which also represents a reputable authority in the iGaming world was distinguished with the Safer Gambling Initiative of the YearAward as a result of its impactful work in improving responsible gaming standards.
The important reward is only given to affiliate services that have proven a steady and unaltered track record in committing to boosting player protection standards. The distinction is also given to affiliate services working on helping the industry to better comprehend gambling-related harm.
All of Casino Guru’s sustained efforts to see the company’s vision of a safer and more transparent industry come to life were best expressed through their Gamtegrity project.
The latter is described as the “unifying home of all responsible gambling and consumer protection projects and initiatives” that were launched by Casino Guru under their brand name and banner.
Managed by Casino Guru’s sustainable safer gambling lead Šimon Vincze, the project effectively brings together some of the company’s most important initiatives and projects directed toward improving the industry standards in relation to problem gambling, gambling harm risks, and player behavior.
The same project also incorporates Casino Guru’s Global Self-Exclusion System. The latter represents a cross-border initiative meant to generate a comprehensive international mechanism that would allow players to self-exclude from regulated gambling markets and take their time to focus on their recovery.
The detailed review that Casino Guru was subject to also included a close inspection of the way the company provided education and protection to players beyond the standard statutory regulations. Casino Guru’s active operations which helped them introduce players to safer gambling experiences in several markets were also assessed, eventually leading to the prestigious award.
The Award, an Important Milestone for Casino Guru
Vincze called the IGB Affiliate Award a well-deserved achievement that represented “a reflection of work throughout the departments” including most of the projects he had personally worked on. He added that the award was a new and important milestone for the company in its ongoing endeavor to offer better guidance on the protection of consumers.
The company also runs the Casino Guru Academy aimed to educate industry professionals regarding the most suitable practices in relation to customer support services, casino promotions, safer gambling practices, and a series of other similarly important topics.
Casino Guru is also responsible for creating tools meant to support vulnerable players in finding better ways to address their issues and come across the help they need. Last October, the company announced it would organize the Casino Guru Awards, in an attempt to award the most responsible casinos with awards and distinctions in a number of categories.
Wu Hong, a 41-year-old Chinese woman who scammed people in Singapore out of over $1.57million (converted to USD), has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Prior to her sentencing, the con artist used to promise victims that their money would be invested into Chinese gamblers who come to play at Singaporean casinos.
Needless to say, the woman promised that the endeavor would be very lucrative, prompting her victims to invest large sums in the scheme. Unbeknownst to the victims, Wu Hong never planned to actually keep her word and used the money to live a life of luxury.
Unfortunately, while Wu was a running a fraud, it was a very convincing one. Not only did she convince people to invest huge sums of money but also got their friends and families on board. People went as far as taking money from their relatives because they genuinely believed that Wu scheme would work.
Wu Convinced People to Invest Millions
The Strait Times reports that Wu ran her scheme between 2016 and 2019, convincing rich locals to hand her millions of dollars. Tam Kwong Yoeng invested around $1.05 million, while Suh Choon Heong gave Wu Hong another $549,000. The con artist also managed to onboard two local celebrities, namely Tan Lee Peng and Lim Mooi Keow who collectively invested $344,000 in Wu’s scheme through Suh.
As one might imagine, the scammed people never saw their money back. According to the prosecution, Wu never invested the money as she failed to provide any information about the Chinese gamblers she claimed to have funded. Her clients were thus never provided with formal records of their transactions.
Tam eventually became suspicious and started recording his phone conversations with Wu who was increasingly evasive. He ended up filing a report in January 2018. Two years later Soh also contacted the police.
The “Heartless Con Artist” to Serve Jail Time
The prosecution described Wu as a “heartless con artist” who scammed people out of millions of Singaporean dollars. It was noted that her victims are still struggling to cope with the losses she caused them with her lies.
Wu tried to plead innocent, claiming that her victims were framing her. Still, she ended up convicted of five charges of cheating and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The manager of Lim, one of Wu’s celebrity victims, told the Strait Times that they are thankful that this issue has now been resolved. The manager added that they’d be happier to move on and do not wish to participate in any interviews.
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Each of the eight finalists locked up five-figure sums, but the tournament belonged to Spain’s Adrian Garcia, who received a bankroll-boosting €92,000 after he came out on top and became a poker champion in Spain.
888poker LIVE Madrid Main Event Final Table Results
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
Adrian Marin
Romania
€92,000
2
Oleg Bystrenin
Russia
€60,000
3
Ricardo Mateus
Portugal
€39,600
4
Lucia Navarro Martinez
Spain
€27,000
5
Jonas Cate
Netherlands
€20,700
6
Saam Pishvaie
Spain
€16,300
7
Tom Orpaz
Israel
€13,000
8
Jaime Sanchez
Spain
€10,044
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Movies about gambling have been popular for decades. After all, the high stakes, emotion, and desperation that people associate with extreme gambling is almost tailor made for the big screen.
From the genre’s heyday in the 1960s and 70s to the modern feature films produced today, there have been many brilliant movies about gambling. Here, we have selected our absolute favorites.
Some of these movies use gambling as a backdrop for intense storylines and thrilling action. Others focus on the psychology and satisfaction that comes with dominating the tables.
But what do all these movies have in common? They will keep you on the edge of your seat until the closing credits.
1. Casino (1995)
Image: Casino via IMDB
Starring the incredible duo of Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, Casino is a classic that everyone should watch.
Like many other Martin Scorsese films, Casino is based on true events that occurred when the Mob dominated Las Vegas during the 1970s.
👉 7 Completely True Events The Movie Casino Is Based On
The film follows Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro) who manages casinos for the Chicago Mob. He works alongside made-mobster Nicky Santoro (Pesci).
Together they master the cutthroat business of casino work and earn massive profits for the crime outfit, until Ace finds his attention distracted by Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone).
As Ace’s life begins to unravel and the Mob’s grip on Las Vegas loosens, Casino takes on a frantic energy.
This thrilling excitement is what makes Casino one of the best movies about gambling ever made.
2. The Gambler (1974)
Image: The Gambler via IMDB
A brilliant James Caan stars in The Gambler as English professor, Axel Freed.
Apart from a love of literature, Freed also has a debilitating gambling addiction. Faced with $44,000 worth of debt and a rich family that is ashamed of him, Freed travels to Las Vegas in the hope of winning big.
The film was well received when it was released and has stood the test of time as a fantastic study in the damaging effects of compulsive betting. This honest, raw look at gambling has seen it become a classic.
Unfortunately, a 2014 remake starring Mark Wahlberg did not turn out so well.
3. Uncut Gems (2019)
Image: Uncut Gems via IMDB
Uncut Gems is one of the few recently made movies to feature on this list.
Despite only coming out a few years ago, Uncut Gems is already seen as one of the best movies about gambling thanks to its incredible pace and stressful soundtrack.
Adam Sandler breaks away from his typically comedic roles to play Howard Ratner, a New York City jeweler who has an atrocious gambling habit.
A set of lucky circumstances sees Ratner develop a professional relationship with NBA star Kevin Garnett. With some insider information, Ratner sets up a bet on the NBA Championship Finals.
If this bet comes in, all of Ratner’s problems will be solved. But several loan sharks risk derailing it all.
4. California Split (1974)
Image: California Split via IMDB
California Split thrills audiences while also teaching them some important life lessons.
Amateur gambler Bill (George Segal) becomes friends with a professional player called Charlie (Elliott Gould).
Their new friendship sees them both commit everything to a scintillating gambling trip to Reno.
The film also focuses on friendship, the psychology of gamblers, and that most important piece of gambling wisdom: When to quit.
This makes it an important watch for everyone, whether you fancy being a player at the poker table or not.
5. The Hustler (1961)
Image: The Hustler via IMDB
As the only movie on this list that features pool as the main source of gambling, The Hustler is definitely a film of its time.
But just because pool hustling has fallen out of fashion in recent decades doesn’t make this film any less worthy of a place on this list.
This is because The Hustler is a story about grit and determination. What’s more, it’s backed up by brilliant performances from Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, and George C. Scott.
The Hustler was a huge success upon release and opinions have not changed.
In 1997, the movie was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Six years later the Academy Film Archive preserved The Hustler to make sure future generations can enjoy it.
If that’s not an indication of quality, we don’t know what is.
6. Molly’s Game (2017)
Image: Molly’s Game via IMDB
This list has been dominated by masculine films led by male stars, which unfortunately reflects the genre as a whole.
All too often women in gambling movies are limited to love interests, or that classic cliché – a prostitute with a heart of gold.
However, this isn’t the case in Molly’s Game.
Instead, this refreshing film takes a different approach entirely, by telling the true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a lady who runs an underground poker empire for Hollywood’s rich and famous.
Everything is going well until her multimillion-dollar business is put at risk when the FBI comes knocking…
7. The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Image: The Cincinnati Kid via IMDB
Steve McQueen plays a cocky upstart in this classic movie about poker.
His character, “The Kid,” wants to prove himself against “The Man” – the best player around.
As the film is nearly exclusively about poker its popularity has continued to grow as the game itself goes from strength to strength.
Tension, a classic storyline, and strong acting are only slightly affected by the near impossible poker hands that pop up during the film.
However, McQueen is electric and the penultimate scene, when the final hands are revealed, is one of the best ever filmed.
8. Hard Eight (1996)
Image: Hard Eight via IMDB
An excellent cast is led by Philip Baker Hall who plays Sydney, an aging, quiet gambler that takes a young homeless man, Jack, under his wing.
After being taught the gambling ropes, Jack’s attention begins to be diverted by a cocktail waitress. A distraction that quickly transforms all the characters’ situations.
Supporting roles from Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and John C. Reilly brilliantly highlight the range of strange and interesting characters that you can find in any casino.
In other words, no other gambling movie explores and portrays people who gamble quite as well as Hard Eight.
9. Rounders (1998)
Image: Rounders via IMDB
Rounders is a story of two friends: One a well-groomed law student (Matt Damon), and the other a loud ex-con (Edward Norton).
In an effort to bail Norton out of his debt the two friends go on a poker playing tear.
Many see Rounders as a classic representation of macho high stakes poker. Add to this some surprisingly feasible poker games and you have a film that most die-hard poker players will love.
But, it is the acting, which includes a brilliant supporting cast, that transforms Rounders into a film everyone can enjoy.
10. The Card Counter (2021)
Image: The Card Counter via IMDB
Rounding out our list is The Card Counter.
The movie was written and directed by Paul Schrader, the man who wrote iconic screenplays like Taxi Driver.
Interestingly, The Card Counter is equally gruesome and also has a theme of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Starring a restrained Oscar Isaac, The Card Counter marries both gambling and action in a film that never seems to take a breath.
Gamblers will particularly enjoy The Card Counter’s detailed recreation of the World Series of Poker tournament, and the final few scenes are sure to grab everyone’s attention.
TikTok is a popular social media platform that has been growing rapidly since its release several years ago. The social media app that has been downloaded more than a billion times on Google Play and is available not only for mobile but for desktop devices as well, prohibits the promotion of gambling activities.
Yet, TikTok made headlines late last year, after confirming an exception for a popular Australian online gambling operator called Sportsbet, allowing the company to conduct a gambling ad trial. At the time of the announcement, TikTok explained that the “closed pilot for sports betting” came after the operator was given explicit approval from the platform.
Novelty Bet Markets
Now, a new report by The Guardian cites the opinion of marketing and gambling research experts, revealing that a gambling promotion ran just before the recent Super Bowl. Reportedly a video published by Sportsbet featured a young woman that reveals details regarding a special “novelty bet” market. This market presented different options for the performance during the half-time of the Super Bowl by the famous singer Rihanna.
This new ad reportedly was seeking at engaging with the young female audience and helping Sportsbet diversify its predominantly male customer base. Although in general, betting on sports is an activity favored by sports fans, men are mostly interested in it. However, offering markets on Rihanna’s half-time performance is undoubtedly a good tactic, as it can catch the attention of clients outside of the sports vertical. At the same time, such markets can prove to be appealing to the female audience, which is precisely what Sportsbet was hoping for.
The recent report included the opinion of the advertising expert Toby Ralph. According to him, by using the TikTok trial ad option, the gambling operator sought to increase its profits and engage with new audiences.
Ralph pointed out that this is achieved by capturing “new markets.” He explained that although women may not have sports knowledge, they can easily place a novelty bet on Rihanna’s performance. Finally, Ralph said “Does this lead to ethical concerns? No. From an advertising perspective, if it’s legal, they will go all in.”
Elsewhere, in the United States, an investigation in Minnesota busted an illegal gambling operation that used TikTok. An Edina man allegedly ran an operation collecting subscription fees and live-streaming his betting activities. The man allegedly charged a subscription fee and a percentage of each deposit, then live-streamed his gambling activities.
Occasional live-streamed videos from casinos on TikTok aren’t uncommon. On the other hand, there are many users that stream the scratching of lottery tickets, an activity that is quickly getting attention on the social media platform.
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Cash Climber Prize Wheel Breakdown
Step
Prize
Step
Prize
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€1.50
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€2.50
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€5
4
€7.50
5
€10
6
€15
7
€20
8
€25
9
€35
10
€50
11
€75
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€100
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€150
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€250
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€500
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€750
17
€1,500
18
€2,500
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Tourism and table drop are returning to Macau with the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) stating on Friday that daily visitor numbers have not fallen below 50,000 since the Chinese New Year holidays. The CNY Lunar New Year fell not long after the government in Beijing relaxed its zero-Covid policy on January 8, opening up travel in the country and lifting border restrictions after years of constricted footfall and revenue flow. The casino business was in serious decline prior to that move.
The Spring Festival Golden Week holiday ran from January 21 through January 27 this year with an average visitor count of about 64,000 – tripling the number of visitors from the same period in 2022. Macau saw a total of 451,000 visitors during Chinese New Year Golden Week this year.
Visitor Numbers Remain Strong
According to a report from Inside Asian Gaming, MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong noted that visitor numbers have remained strong thanks to a shift in the way people are traveling. Also noting that international flights are returning slowly, especially regarding departures to Southeast Asia, he said that a restoration of the flights would result in a first wave of foreign visitors coming from Southeast Asia.
“The end of the Chinese New Year holidays is a low season for self-guided tourists, but the mainland has resumed group tours, so I believe we can increase the number of visitors in the future,” he added.
“The number of group tours is gradually increasing and MGTO will continue to monitor the situation of the tourism industry.”
Earlier reports indicated the MGTO was considering offering incentives to outside travelers such as reduced-price accommodations to visitors from Hong Kong as well as other concessions for people coming in from Taiwan.
However, Friday’s information seems to indicate that may no longer be the case, perhaps because numbers are relatively strong already.
“At present, the MGTO mainly handles group tours from the mainland, while the hotel concessions for Hong Kong visitors are being studied and does not have a timetable for launch,” Cheng explained.
Fewer Players Betting More
While daily visitor numbers are still averaging less than half of what they were before the pandemic, the people who are coming are betting more. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. surveyed players on the mass gaming floors and premium mass players, excluding “whales” or junket rooms from the numbers.
The Citigroup survey observed 490 players gambling at premium mass tables during CNY with an average bet of a little more than $3,000 per hand (US$3082/HKD 24,178). The average bet amount was about 45% higher than it was in the 2019 period of observation. The average minimum bet was still in line with that of 2019 at about $285 (HKD 2,235) per hand across all 15 casinos.
Wynn has reportedly recovered 95% of its table drop compared to pre-Covid levels. The recovery percentages would likely be much less for some of the operators that were still actively hosting junkets and super high roller “tours” in 2019 but have shifted more to mass gaming and other attractions now.
Sports and Tourism to Continue Growth
According to another report from the local outlet, Macau’s Social Affairs and Culture office said on Thursday that all six casino concessionaires will need to submit plans for sporting events in March. The government had required all to commit to non-gaming attractions and is developing a sports with tourism plan to coordinate major events with the operators.
Some events have already been organized and will just need to be coordinated with the government. All six operators are longtime sponsors of the Macau Grand Prix. Other events already in the works include the Galaxy Entertainment Macao International Marathon, Sands China Macao International 10k race, and the MGM MACAU International Regatta.
Source: MGTO says Macau averaging 50,000 visitors daily since CNY
The post Macau Visitor Numbers Still Exceed 50,000 per Day – Government to Direct Sports appeared first on Casino News Daily.
The company posted its results for 2022 Tuesday, reporting a 20.9% increase in revenue to $477.9 million. This marked a strong performance throughout 2022, considering that in 2021, the operator’s net revenue halted at $395.4 million. A further breakdown revealed that adjusted EBITDA in 2022 hit $167.1 million. This result, when compared to adjusted EBITDA in 2021, which was $137.3 million, marked an increase of 21.7%.
Not unexpectedly, Monarch Casino & Resort’s net income in 2022 increased as well. Back in 2021, the operator’s net income halted at $68.5 million, while in 2022, it increased by 27.7%, hitting $87.5 million. Basic earnings per share, as well as diluted earnings per share also marked an increase of 25% and 26.6%, hitting $4.60 and $4.47 respectively.
“Monarch ended a strong 2022 with record fourth quarter and fiscal year financial results.“
John Farahi, co-chairman and CEO of Monarch
Monarch Casino & Resort’s CEO and co-chairman, John Farahi, acknowledged that the company enjoyed a successful end of 2022 with record performance during the fourth quarter. Moreover, he explained that the company also posted strong results for the financial fiscal year. Farahi explained that the growth of net revenue and adjusted EBITDA in 2022 “drove free cash flow to a record high, positioning Monarch to return capital to stockholders in the form of the one-time cash dividend and the recurring annual cash dividend to be paid quarterly, which we announced last week.”
Additionally, he said that currently, the company has some $30 million cash. According to Farahi, Monarch anticipates paying a one-time dividend with the existing cash. He pointed out that the company currently has a “strong balance sheet and free cash flow,” which enable it to continue pursuing mergers and acquisitions as well as other growth opportunities.
The Company Reported Strong Fourth Quarter Performance
The latest trading update released by Monarch revealed that the company’s net revenue in Q4 hit $120.5 million, marking an increase of 8.5% when compared to the corresponding period in 2021. Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2022 increased as well, hitting $41.6 million, up by 6.6%.
Besides net revenue growth, the company reported an increase in net income for Q4 2022. In total, its net income for the period hit $22.4 million, up by 12.9% when compared to the $19.9 million result from the same period the prior year. Basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share in Q4 2022 jumped by 10.4% and 11.8% to $1.17 and $1.14 respectively.
A former MLB All-Star facing criminal charges relating to illegal betting believes that he has fallen victim to racial bias. Yasiel Puig is facing two criminal charges for allegedly placing sports bets through an illegal gambling operation in 2019.
Puig originally pled guilty to making false statements to federal law enforcement in November last year. He changed this to a not-guilty plea in December. Among the reasons given for the change of heart were Puig’s mental health issues at the time of the interview and the fact that none of his legal counsel were present during.
Puig’s legal team has now asked the judge to order federal authorities to hand over records relating to the prosecution team’s investigative patterns. They allege that there was clear racial bias in this case and that the requested documents could help show “selective prosecution” and lead to a dismissal.
charged, reprimanded, and made an example of more than the non-Black men”
Crump explained how Puig “was just a witness, and he was charged, reprimanded, and made an example of more than the non-Black men who were the actual targets of investigation.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, a member of Puig’s team, highlighted that his client was hit with criminal charges after just a single interview. He compared this to how the authorities treated others who were actually part of the illegal gambling operation, claiming they got away with destroying evidence and lying.
The post Former MLB All-Star Yasiel Puig Claims Racial Bias Over Illegal Gambling Charges appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.
La Française des Jeux, one of the biggest gambling and lottery companies in France, has published its results for FY 2022. The company’s metrics continued to improve across the board, leading to an enhanced FY 2023 guidance.
FDJ reported that its revenue rose by 9% in 2022 to $2.64 billion. The company successfully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and capitalized on major sporting events, such as the World Cup.
The operator experienced a growth of 11% in its lottery segment and a modest 1% growth across its sports betting and online gaming verticals. It now has around 5 million lottery players, which is twice as many as it did in 2019. Many of them also enjoy the company’s retail products, FDJ noted.
The company also reported a recurring EBITDA of $632 million, representing a 13% year-on-year increase and a margin of 24%. FDJ’s net profits for the period sat at $330 million.
In 2022, the French operator managed to sustain or create a total of 55,300 new jobs. It paid over a billion dollars to distributors and recorded $733 million of purchases in France. Its total economic and social contribution was estimated to be almost $7 billion to GDP.
In the wake of these thrilling results, the company updated its 2023 targets. FDJ now expects revenue growth of between 4 and 5 percent for the year.
2022 Was a Year of Great Significance for the Company
Stéphane Pallez, FDJ Group’s chair and chief executive officer addressed the strong results, praising the company’s business successes. She noted that the growth was felt across the company’s 30,000 points of sale in France, as well as across its digital segments.
Pallez said that the impressive performance will benefit both the company’s staff and its stakeholders. Furthermore, it will allow FDJ to strengthen its social commitments and continue its war on problem and underage gambling.
Pallez concluded that FDJ is confident in its strategy and ability to create balanced value in the medium term.
2022 was a year of important strategic significance for FDJ. In November, the company reached an agreement for the acquisition of ZEturf Group, a key racing business. A few months earlier, the company unveiled Nirio, a novel payments brand that will provide its clients with more flexibility. The company also managed to secure a notable three-year deal with the elite soccer team Paris Saint-Germain.
2022 was also the year FDJ secured an A1+ rating from Moody’s ESG Solutions for the fourth consecutive year.
