BJ21.com Newsletter
July 30, 2010       100730

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Compiled by Al Rogers
 Al@bj21.com


Place your bets: Online gambling clears obstacle

WASHINGTON -- Congress took a step on Wednesday to allow for legalized gambling over the Internet when a House panel approved a bill that would license companies to offer online poker and other casino games.

PokerStars Applauds the Passage of the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act


LONDON, July 29, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- PokerStars, the world's largest poker site, welcomes news of the successful mark up of H.R. 2267: The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act in the House Financial Services Committee by an overwhelming, bipartisan margin of 41-22.

The UIGEA aka The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act


In the final moments of the last Republican dominated session, Rep. Bill Frist attached a bill to the Safe Port Act without anyone in the Senate having any knowledge of it until fifteen minutes before the Act hit the floor for debate. The Safe Port Act was/is an important act that protects the security of the US borders and it passed almost unanimously in both the Senate and House. And so the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (aka the UIGEA), the bill that former senator Frist scandalously attached to the Safe Port Act, passed and the Internet gambling world was left with their collective mouths agape.


Station Casinos, bondholders settle dispute

RENO - A development in the Station Casinos Inc. bankruptcy case Wednesday may clear the way for the Las Vegas company to avoid continued litigation as it emerges from bankruptcy with the founding Fertitta family still in control.

Boyd won't bid on Station properties 

Boyd Gaming Corp. said today it was no longer interested in acquiring several resorts owned by rival Station Casinos and will not participate in next week's planned bankruptcy court auction of those properties.

Pinnacle posts loss, sells jets, closes offices

ST. LOUIS - Pinnacle Entertainment  lost $49.3 million in the second quarter, compared with a profit of $4.7 million a year earlier, despite an 8 percent increase in revenue driven by the opening of River City Casino in south St. Louis County.

MGM Resorts sells land under Atlantic City's Borgata casino

ATLANTIC CITY — MGM Resorts International is selling the land underneath Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa for $73 million as part of its exit strategy from Atlantic City, the gaming giant announced Tuesday.

Atlantic City officials reject word 'takeover,' any comparison of city with Camden

As Gov. Chris Christie's aggressive plan for state involvement in Atlantic City leaked out Tuesday, observers started to use a dreaded, polarizing term: "state takeover."

Bad Bet: Pinnacle Cuts Its Losses on Atlantic City

After its losing bet on Atlantic City, Pinnacle Entertainment is giving up its plan to build a Las Vegas style resort on the city’s storied boardwalk.

9 indicted in theft of $168,000 from Potawatomi

MILWAUKEE - An employee of Potawatomi Bingo and Casino and eight of his friends were indicted Tuesday on charges that they stole $168,000 from the casino by cheating on the Pick 8 bingo game.

Obama signs ‘historic’ Tribal Law and Order Act

Many tribal police have no access to criminal history records. As a result, when pulling over a suspect, the officer has no background on the person who is detained. The bill will provide tribal police greater access to criminal history databases such as the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).

Buffalo Thunder will miss another bond payment

SANTA FE, NM - Pojoaque Pueblo will miss an upcoming bond payment on its Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino, Gov. George Rivera said.

Thanks to Green Chip member Pig Barber for posting the above link.

Gaming Companies Steer Clear of Las Vegas

Remember when the name Las Vegas Sands  meant something? There was a Sands Hotel, sand dunes were practically out the front door, and all of the company's revenue was in Las Vegas. Boy, times have changed.

Wynn Resorts reports booming profits

Wynn Resorts more than doubled its profits during the second quarter of 2010 as business continued to boom in the Macau region of China.

Privacy commissioner orders shutdown of BCLC online gambling site until glitches can be fixed

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Provincial privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham has ordered the government’s online gambling website to remain shut down until the B.C. Lottery Corp. can find out what caused a computer glitch that allowed some gamblers to play other people’s money.

Out of luck: B.C. gambler suing over denied jackpot


A British Columbia  man who asked to be banned from a local casino to control his gambling says he was still allowed to return whenever he wanted – that is, until he finally won a $42,000 jackpot.

Thanks to Green Chip member TJ for providing the above link.

Arrest of MDOT Executive Director being called a mistake

BILOXI - Brown says he was playing a slot machine when a security guard told him he had dozed off. The MDOT director says he told the security guard he would get his money and go to his room, but the guard said he would have to leave the property.

Economic reality hits Las Vegas locals casino industry -- Indicators suggest slower recovery

The future of the Las Vegas locals casino industry is being decided in a Reno courtroom for the second time in a year. Station Casinos is in the midst of an auction process that could have some of the dominant locals company's casinos sold off to new players, old players wishing to expand (Boyd Gaming Corp.), or a small player looking to get bigger (Silver State Financial Advisors).

Prostitution advertising ban upheld

CARSON CITY – In a 2-1 decision, a federal court has refused to reconsider its decision that upholds the Nevada law banning advertisement on prostitution.

U.S. SENATE RACE: Poll: Reid, Angle neck and neck -- Sixty percent of Nevadans see nation on wrong track

Sen. Harry Reid and Sharron Angle are locked in a dead heat, says a new poll for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KLAS-TV, Channel 8 that shows the GOP challenger regaining ground after going on the offensive with a TV ad blaming Reid for Nevada's deep economic troubles.



The Bear Growls


Long-time Las Vegas-based advantage player, casino critic, and frequent BJ21.com contributor LVBear offers his opinions on things that sometimes go wrong in the world of casinos.  Current and past growls can be read and comments posted at LVBear's website, TheBearGrowls.com



PLAYERS' RIGHTS SPECIAL:  Order Beat the Players and receive the original blackjack players' rights book,  Blackjack and the Law, for only $2.00.   In the Special Instructions section of the order form, specify Players' Rights Special.  Along with the book you ordered, you will receive the other  book in the same shipment. It's that simple!  Green Chip members receive an additional 10% discount.   Order Beat the Players.

Blackjack and the Law
by  I. Nelson Rose and Robert A. Loeb

I. Nelson Rose and Robert A. Loeb are lawyers. They have combined forces to bring us this book. Its 245 pages cover, among other things, what you should do if you are told to accompany security to the back room of a casino, the legality of the preferential shuffle, the legality of various forms of hole-card play, the use of computers and other "devices," ID and false ID, Griffin Investigations, cash-transaction reports, suspicious-activity reports, seizures of cash, taxes, Internet gambling, and Indian casinos.

Beat the Players - Casinos, Cops and the Game Inside the Game  by Bob Nersesian

This book should be read by everyone who sets foot in a casino: average casino patrons, skilled players, casino employees, and anyone else. It should be required reading for police officers, regulators, other public officials, and attorneys who may represent any of the aforementioned. Beat the Players was the subject of a feature in USA Today.

Bob Nersesian is an attorney who represents victims of casino wrongdoing against patrons. In an enjoyable writing style, he takes a look at the often too-cozy relationship between casinos, police, and regulators. He discusses specific cases and dispenses sound, practical advice that patrons, casinos and public officials would be wise to heed. Cases discussed are from Nevada and other jurisdictions.

Chapters include: Your Money or Your Liberty; Scary Cop Statements; They'll Take Your Liberty Anyway; Gaming Agents Speak; The Take of the State; Rules for Casino Patrons; Gambling at the Legal Limits; Cops Hate Card Counters; Griffin Investigations; Casinos Cheat With Impunity; A Judicial and Government Overlay; Finding a Nickel Brings Trouble; Names and Aliases; The Security Office and Surveillance Functions, and Casinos and Cops.

Appendices include Nevada Cheating and Detention Laws with Commentary; Other Nevada Gaming Laws of Interest; Gaming Cases of Interest, and Nevada Gaming Regulations with Commentary. The 320-page book includes a bibliography and an index. The price is $19.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada address). Green Chip members get their normal 10% discount.  Order Beat the Players.


Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting by King Yao

Sports betting can be attacked intelligently. Smart sports bettors do not gamble the same way as tourists play roulette or retirees play the slot machines. Instead, smart sports bettors are making bets that they have thought through carefully with supporting logic and/or research. The purpose of this book is to give you tools to succeed at sports betting, to show you how to evaluate, compare and view sports betting from an analytical perspective, not from a gambling perspective.

The price is $19.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada address).    Order Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting.

Sharp Sports Betting, the book, by Stanford Wong       

Millions of dollars are wagered on sports events each year. Most people give up a part of their bet to the house, while some "sharp" bettors actually turn a profit for themselves. Sharp Sports Betting by Stanford Wong is a revolutionary text on getting the edge over bookmakers. Much of this information has never before been seen in print.

Some important topics covered in this book are:

Money management - Proper money management lets you win more than if you simply make flat bets. Sharp Sports Betting explains when to bet more, and how much to bet.

Internet sports betting - The Internet has opened up the opportunity for people to bet on sports without visiting Nevada. Along with making bets on the Internet, there are many important things to know. How do you open an account? How do you get bonuses? What do you do if they are slow to pay you?

Parlays - Parlays are risky; you can lose faster or you can win faster than with straight bets. Sharp Sports Betting explains the mathematics behind parlays. It explains how to make parlays that give you an edge over bookmakers. It will help you answer questions like, "Should I parlay these two bets?" "Should I bet off-the-board or with a parlay card?" "A casino is offering 7:1 on a 3-team parlay. Is that good?"

Props - Do you ever bet on how many of something is going to occur, such as how many games your favorite team is going to win during the coming season, or how many field goals will be kicked during the Super Bowl? Sharp Sports Betting explains how to evaluate such prop bets to find the nuggets.

Historical NFL data - Have you ever wondered how frequently certain spreads are achieved? When you should buy a half point for a dime? How big a deviation you need from the posted spread to get an edge? When should you bet the money line instead of the spread? Sharp Sports Betting has the answers to all these and more.

NFL teasers - Since football points often come three or seven at a time, some final scores are more common than others. The sharp sports bettor can take advantage by making teaser bets. Sharp Sports Betting explains which teams to tease to get an edge over bookmakers.

And lots more… If you are brand new to sports betting and want the basics on how to place bets and what the different information in a sports book means, Sharp Sports Betting gives the answers. If you're a seasoned pro and want explanations of how to analyze the various betting options available in sportsbooks, Sharp Sports Betting has much essential but never-before-published information.

The price is $19.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada address).  Order Sharp Sports Betting.


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Current Blackjack News

On the 1st and 2nd of every month, a couple dozen Pi Yee Press reporters visit casinos around the United States to check on the blackjack rules and playing conditions. Five of those reporters split up Las Vegas and visit every casino in town. Any changes in rules and playing conditions that they find, they email to the CBJN editor, who compiles them into a newsletter that is published late in the afternoon on the 3rd. That report is available as a single issue, your choice of e-mail or regular mail. The price of a single issue is $13 for electronic or $16 for regular mail.  Sample issue of  Current Blackjack News.

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