Bilzerian, Bitcoin, Betting Problems and Stopping Trump Blow-ups

The new year is well underway and its Donald Trump, Dan Bilzerian, Bitcoin and gambling reforms that are making the headlines this week!

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Blowing up Trump Plaza auction cancelled

First up, news that plans to auction off the big button push that would demolish ex-President Donald J Trump’s former Atlantic City casino have been shelved.

The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City went bankrupt and finally shut its doors in 2014, with the city eventually deciding on a charity auction that would give one lucky winner the chance to dynamite the place.

The auction had hoped to raise $1million for charity, but new owner Carl Icahn has pulled the plug on the planned public demolition, citing safety concerns.

A cease and desist letter had been lodged with Bodnar’s Auctioneer’s, with a spokesman for Icahn stating: “From the beginning, we thought the auction and any other related spectacle presented a safety risk, and we were always clear that we would not participate in any way.”

Icahn, a long-time friend and political supporter of the former POTUS, has reportedly promised a $175,000 donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City, in lieu of the hoped-for charity auction.

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Dan Bilzerian helps set Indian poker record

Self-styled Instagram King and $multi-millionaire poker amateur Dan Blitz Bilzerian has been credited with contributing to record-breaking Indian Online Poker Championship (IOPC) numbers.

Bilzerian launched BlitzPoker in India last autumn, on the Spartan Poker network, which is playing host to the currently-running $4million GTD IOPC festival.

The Main Event prizepool of more than $490,000 easily surpasses the largest MTT in India to-date, which is 2019s’ “Game Changer” on PokerBaazi’s according to CardsChat.

Bilzerian recently became an ambassador for GGPoker, which may help explain why his name is no longer being used to promote the Indian-facing network.

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Madrid footballer becomes first full Bitcoin transfer

If proof were ever needed that cryptocurrency has joined the mainstream, then news from Spain that a former Real Madrid player has been signed up exclusively through Bitcoin is perhaps it.

The poker world has seen virtual currencies being used for several years now, but it is still regarded somewhat skeptical by many. Now that the football world has started to embrace crypto, however, that may well change.

David Barral’s move to Inter Madrid, a Spanish third division side with the full name ‘DUX Internacional de Madrid’, was funded solely by cryptocurrency.

The official club statement read: 'He becomes the first signing in history in cryptocurrencies. Thanks to Criptan, our new sponsor, for making it possible.'

Club sponsors Criptan, are a local platform for buying and selling cryptocurrencies.

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UK Media pushing anti-gambling agenda

Concerns have been raised about the media’s role in pushing for tougher anti-gambling measures in the UK. The worries come after The Times newspaper published a scathing article focused on the industry.

Entitled, “We gambled away £11.8 million: it’s time to make the betting industry pay,” the articles sub-heading states: ‘A group of 30 people, from all walks of life, want tougher regulation to save others from the same fate.’

The article begins by describing how a taxi driver, and a journalist were all ‘bound by shared experience’ of becoming “addicted to online gambling.”

However, there are fears within the industry that the media focus on negative stories is ill-timed, with the UK government currently reviewing the UK Gambling Act.

Peter Ling, blogging on the Smart Betting Club, wrote: “…we are in battle with politicians and campaigners who have little knowledge of the betting and gaming industry and are adopting a hard-line stance towards it.”