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In as little as three days, Mohammed Imran and Mohammed Irfan obtained over £150,000 from cash machines. Although the motive to steal such an obscene amount of cash may be obvious, these two masterminds needed the money to fund a massive gambling spree in Vegas. The two men are passionate poker players with a dream of competing in a series of high-stake tournaments including the Annual World Series of Poker in the Vegas Rio Hotel. Imran, 33, and Irfan, 36, competed regularly in Vegas and were once rated among the top poker players in the country. The Crime Due to a glitch in the system, the accused overcame the security of ATMs by using an expired Halifax Bank of Scotland keycard. After the banks became aware of the scandal, the keycard was traced to Shahana Shad, the sister-in-law of one of the accused. Shahana admitted to being a customer of the bank, but denies any connection to the scandal. She claims to have never even received the card. The suspicion later fell on Imran and Irfan. Their homes were investigated by the police where a total of £14,480 was found in a safe belonging to Imran. Another £140,160 was discovered in Irfan's safe. The Trial The duo faces jail after admitting to stealing £154,640, although they were originally on trial for a much higher sum, namely £500,000. The court had discovered that several hundred withdrawals were from ATMs across Glasgow between the dates of May 29th and June 1st , 2005. Imran Bashir, the prosecutor, said that a member of staff at either the Riverboat Casino or Hot Shots nightclub in Glasgow had revealed the fault to the accused. Sheriff Robert Anthony QC deferred sentencing until later this month for reports. Lesson Learned There is no justification for the actions of these two felons. "You need serious cash to take on some of these guys in Las Vegas,” informs a source working closely with the police, “an opportunity to get involved in a scam like this was a godsend for Imran and Irfan. The cash could have gone a long way but, in this case, it was just one very big gamble too far and they lost out - big time."
Gambling companies are gleefully rubbing their hands together in anticipation for the forthcoming changes to the Chinese gambling law. China intends to begin regulating gaming rather than outlawing it. This may open the door to a whole new untapped market for many of the operators who were frozen out of the US market over a year ago. One such company that has begun making preparations is Bodog. It has recently begun an aggressive marketing campaign to attract Chinese gamblers. The Chinese-language advertising campaign will run in print and online media across the mainland. This is a surprising move considering China is not yet open to online gambling. Macau-based Galaxy Entertainment has also joined Bodog in jostling for readiness in their preparations. Deputy Chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group, Francis Lui, speaking at the Asian Interactive Gaming conference in Macau said: "Most forms of gaming continue to remain outlawed in the Mainland, including online betting, although the Chinese propensity for gaming could eventually see a change in position from the government." Mr. Lui admitted that there is a demand, even if latent, for online gambling in China and expected the market to open at first to only a few operators, most likely Chinese. The race for who will be on the shortlist is already on its way.
When she’s not on the west coast on one of her gambling tournament tours, Cyndy Violette, 48, spends most of her time in Atlantic City’s Trump Taj Mahal clocking in for another day’s work as a professional gambler. When It All Began At the age of 12, Violette moved from Queens to Las Vegas with her family. In Vegas, Violette learned the secrets of card playing and fantasized of the day she could begin to play cards legally. (Whatever happened to ponies and princesses?) Violette’s first poker hand was not for leisure reasons, though; she was working as a blackjack dealer. With a new baby on the way, Violette sat down for the first time as a player shortly after her employment. She had launched her professional gambling career when she won a 7-card stud tournament at the Golden Nugget earning $74,000. At the time, this was the most money ever won by a woman. In 1990, Violette made a $62,000 comeback in a tournament at Caesars Palace. Although she was living in Washington State, Violette spent her time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles pursuing the rare dream she had as a young girl in Vegas. Top of Her Class In 2004 I achieved one of my dreams. I am proud of the title as Poker champion," says Violette after winning her first World Series of Poker (WSOP) Bracelet, "Winning was a dream come true.” The WSOP bracelet was given to her in a 7-card stud hi-lo split tournament in the 2004 competition. Cindy was one of only three women to receive the bracelet that year, along with Kathy Liebert and Annie Duke. Poker Passion After her divorce in 1993, Violette became a regular WSOP participant and had moved to Atlantic City. She saw the casino capital of the East Coast City as a sanctuary where she could relax and enjoy life while pursuing her real passion - healthy vegetarian cooking. Violette’s luck did not end at the 2004 WSOP; she made it to the final 3 tables in the next year's tournament with six cashes total. Representing the minority of women in the gambling industry, Violette gained much fame from her success with appearances on FOX Sports Net and the Game Show Network. Although she is a loyal participant, Violette believes there is room for improvement in the WSOP. "The real World Series champion should play all games," says Violette. "it should be a five-game tournament - you play, and every half-hour you switch games, Hold 'em, stud, every game should be played. That would be my wish, that it was more of a mixed game thing to win the world title. It would be more based on real skill." A Woman Stud Although poker is known as a "Man’s game," Violette became known as a champion in "stud". Just like she beat the odds of poker, Violette beat the odds of survival in a man’s world. As of 2007, Violette's total live tournament winnings exceed $1,100,000. Today, Violette attends as many major tournaments as she can handle and also finds time to work on her poker inspired clothing and motivational items. With a profession as unstable as card playing, Violette doesn’t seem to be leaving any time soon. Cyndy Violette is a modern day role model setting the image of a successful American woman.
Lately I feel that the world is slowly adjusting to the poker scene. Although the legality issue seems to become a factor all over the globe, women, men and even children still worship the games they view on TV (lets face it, to watch someone else play Hold 'em, you have to really love the game). The professional gambling industry realizes the limited crowd they have and handled this issue by constructing a program that won’t only appeal to those who simply enjoy watching a nice game of poker, but will attract the general audience as well. This new genre of television is known as "Celebrity Poker." Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown ran eight tournaments with celebrities such as Ben Affleck, Ricky Lake, Matthew Perry and Kevin Nealon. The winner of the recent tournaments wins the grand prize of $500,000 for his or her charity as well as a gold commemorative poker chip. One of the most glorified moments on the show has been Jason Alexander’s comeback in the eighth tournament (the winnings of the episode were to be donated to charities benefitting the victims of Hurricane Katrina). Alexander won the tournament final from having been down to $11,000 in chips, with Michael Ian Black having had nearly 80% of the chips on the table. With a variety of famous folk ranging from movie stars to TV actors to Talk Show hosts to politicians, the celebrity poker scene seems to be opening the eyes of many superstars, revealing a passion they wish to pursue. Some celebrities have left the exclusive amateur table at Bravo and have participated in glorified tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour. In 2007, Shannon Elizabeth advanced to the semifinals of the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. Elizabeth also participated in the 2005 WSOP’s $10,000 Texas Hold 'em Main Event along with Brad Garrett, Nicholas Gonzales and James Woods. The professional poker games aired on stations such as ESPN may begin to present familiar faces from Hollywood. Will Celebrity Poker and Professional Poker intertwine into a combined game? If this happens, I believe that the industry will finally reach its goal.
Throughout history, women have always been subdued to their maternal responsibilities. In the 20th century, women have gained the right to vote, enjoy participation in organized sporting and have professional responsibilities as doctors, lawyers and politicians. 2007 marks a new groundbreaking point for women in today's society. In June last year, the halls of the Amazon Room were filled by patient husbands and children of the competitors of the 2007 WSOP Ladies Event. According to Nolan Dalla, head of media relations for the World Series of Poker, the Ladies Event this year was the largest women-based poker tournament in the history of the world. W is for Woman As opposed to the original version of the WSOP, in addition to winning a prize of $262,077, Sally Anne Boyer, the winner of the event, also received a makeover at the spa at the Rio, court side seats to a WNBA Sparks game with celebrity recognition and the opportunity to date the pit boss. Another major difference between the Ladies Event and the normal WSOP edition is the reaction of those who lose. Moments like these show the true differences between men and women. Instead of the aggravated reaction filled with a pinch of anger and a sprinkle of threatening stare, those who had to leave the table would calmly rise from the table smiling, wave or bow to the audience as applause would fill the arena. A Feminine Touch But not everything is flowers and teddy-bears in the Ladies tournaments. Some of the women made quite a scene when a player would, for instance, go all in on the first hand. Although we are dealing with a new gender, the same poker ethics apply and Mary Jones Meyer doesn't appreciate this type of behavior. "Okay, let's just go all-in - on the first hand!" Meyer called out sarcastically. The professional gambling industry seems to be changing as women become less and less of a minority. The green table seems to have a completely different look with a bit more estrogen around. What was once known as a manly sport, symbolized by cigar smoking, beer drinking and male bonding, may soon adopt a new image filled with clover cigarettes, wine coolers and Tupperware sales...
Nevada has experienced its first earnings drop since 2001, data reveals. The mighty casino industry of Las Vegas and the state's casino industry at large have seen a nearly 5 percent decrease in their revenue in January, compared with the same month last year. Their take, however, was still exceptionally high, at $1.06 billion. Nevada's Gaming Control Board, which stands behind the data and its publication, reported also that the Las Vegas Strip itself has fallen 1.3 percent, to a "mere" total of $597.3 million in January. The decrease elsewhere around Nevada, in places such as Reno and North Lake Tahoe, was even more punctuated, at down 9.4 percent. More Numbers Nevada is not buried, far from it. Tourism to the city of Las Vegas and statewide, even if not gambling as heavily, was near the 40 million people mark for 2007. Representing a rise of 2.2 percent from the previous year, they have also spent $11 billion in their visits, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported. February too has seen somewhat of a slump, compared to last year. Tax revenues have fallen from $93 million in February 2007 to $82 million last month. Keeping the Faith Although such drops - or dips of any kind - are practically foreign to Nevada, having not occurred since 2001, they are no end game. Not according to Steve Wynn, owner of Wynn Resorts. Wynn claimed in December that Las Vegas is no island, and that the nation's economic woes will and do affect it. Not the Wynn, but another Vegas establishment, MGM Mirage, which operates Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and the Bellagio, saw its income rise considerably. Yet other casinos, such as those operated by Las Vegas Sands Corp., Harrah's Entertainment Inc., Boyd Gaming Corp and Station Casinos Inc. have not fared that well. The X Factor China and Chinese tourist play a major factor in the Nevada industry numbers. International tourists from all over the world flock to Vegas especially when the dollar is weak, as it is now. The Chinese tourists in particular visit on and around the Chinese New Year, though this year they have not. Perhaps Macau is posing some competition that hurts Vegas? Or maybe Americans account for much of the decrease? Online Casino Reports will follow the data and see which way the wind blows.
The Weekly Edition, an OCR Live! production in which Kate brings you the headlines for the past week, including legal developments from Denmark, positive reviews of gambling related ads in the UK, some behind the scenes news from the Fantasy World and a tribute to poker players harmed by poker-related violence. Denmark Rules Poker is about Skill Poker tournaments are about skill, not chance, thus legal under Danish gaming laws. UK Gambling Adverts Score High Thumbs up to the online casino industry for according with advertising codes and standards as it joins the UK media advertising world. Fantasy Games Face Legal Reality Fantasy games are not all utopia. These two companies are quarreling over the rights for games one accuses the other of stealing. Poker Shootings a Troubling Trend Online Casino Reports pays tribute to poker players injured in two recent poker-related shootings.
Imagine being stranded on an island without eating for days, brushing your teeth with the disposable wipes you carry in your bag. Distracted by the cards in your hand, the idea of sleep is long forgotten and the sounds of the slot machines surrounding you are a mere high pitch ring you learn to ignore. This was exactly what former lawyer and TV commentator, Arelia Margarita Taveras, had experienced in a few casinos in Atlantic City she is suing for the not-too-shabby amount of $20 million. Taveras claims that the casinos, six in Atlantic City and one in Las Vegas, failed to stop her compulsive gambling that led to a miserable chain of events. Actions Speak Loud One of these events included the end of her professional career. Taveras was found taking $99,000 from escrow accounts for real estate and divorce clients in order to fund her addiction. Due to this act of impulse, Taveras now works as a call-centre operator in Minnesota. A Casino-Style Welcome According to Taveras, the seven casinos treated her as a high roller - fulfilling her desire to gamble. With limousine rides, special privileges and free drinks, would you want to leave the game you love and makes all this possible? Although the casinos were pretentiously and materialistically paying Traveras to stay put, they did notice her lack of eating and did something about it. The waitresses would occasionally bring glasses of orange juice and Snickers bars when they would see Taveras at the point of exhaustion, which surely explains her poor performance at the card tables. "They knew I was going for days without eating or sleeping," Taveras told Associated Press. "They had a duty of care to me." When to Draw the Line Such cases clearly must be resolved. Just as a bartender shares responsibility with the client to stop serving drinks at a certain point, the casinos may have to set similar guidelines. Will the Taveras case help draw attention to this issue?
Graham Calvert, 28, of North England, hoped to recover 2 million pounds he had lost while gambling at William Hill Casino, accusing the bookmaker of accepting his bets against their policy to reject problem gamblers. A court ruling Wednesday rejected his lawsuit, and added an additional sum of 336,000 pounds that Mr. Calvert will have to pay in legal costs. Gambling Stands Trial The online gambling community, casino operators, bookmakers and Online Casino Reports have all been following the lawsuit in recent weeks. Its implications were clearly such of tremendous gravity - Should a bookmaker be held responsible when the gambler himself is not? Gambling, the fate of gamblers, and the fate of gambling operations and the extent of their responsibility was on the line. Indeed, all eyes were directed at the Justice Briggs, ever since the story was first reported. The Ruling Justice has had its say. Calvert's case was turned down. Justice Briggs ruled that the gambling company was not liable for the losses. Calvert paid for the trial with money he borrowed, digging a hole even deeper than the one he found himself after such bets as the 347,000 pounds he bet on a single wager on the US team who he thought would win the 2006 Ryder Cup. Justice Briggs had ruled that William Hill failed to take "reasonable steps" to stop Calvert, but that his "pathological gambling" would have led him to financial ruin nevertheless; it would have only taken longer to get there, he said. What's Next Calvert, we hope, will not gamble ever again. Certainly not now that the court itself has ruled he is pathological. His latest gamble - the lawsuit - has also failed. He is still able, however, to take his case directly to the Court of Appeal, as his lawyer, Anneliese Day, may very well opt to do. The final word will be given to David Hood, spokesman for William Hill, who said: "We stated from the outset that there was no case to answer to Mr. Calvert. The judge found that no general duty of care is owed to problem gamblers and that Hills handling of Mr. Calvert's calls did not cause his loss."
Kansas may not be remembered by its biggest ball of yarn; Washington State by its giant frying pan, 9.6 feet in diameter; nor would New Jersey be written in history books as the largest exporter of Eggplants in the U.S., which it is. But here's a story about New Mexico, which will not be quickly forgotten. As the 2008 local elections approached, Josie Richards and Michelle Dunlap of Estancia, New Mexico, have prepared their campaigns carefully. After the votes were counted and the draw declared, the town decided to obey state law and follow the agreed-upon regulations in case of a tie - a game of chance. You guessed right - it was five-card stud. Richards arrived at the game destined to get a pair of nines. "I was very nervous," said Richards. "I'm a big competitor and I wanted this position." As the cards unveiled on the table, a wave of relief fell over Richards as she read “Victory” from the faces of the cards. This isn’t the first time New Mexico had to solve an election with a game of chance. In 2001, a single hand of poker reelected the mayor of Estancia, James Farrington, won with an ace-high flush against his opponent's 10-high flush. The mayor in the 2006 elections was chosen by a card draw and in some elections in the state, a leader of an entire city was decided by a coin toss. With the amount of ties Estancia had experienced, becoming a part of the local government has a prerequisite of being a good poker player.
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