ShareCaesars Entertainment is to close the poker rooms at their Bally’s and Flamingo properties during the World Series of Poker. From September 26 to November 26 all of the staff usually dedicated to these rooms are expected to be on duty at the Rio.
It has been well-publicised that Las Vegas is still undergoing somewhat of a labour shortage, with Caesars being forced to allow WSOP dealers to avoid the unpopular vaccine mandate else face the running of the events breaking down at some point.
In the middle of all these changes, Bally’s also clearly posted that they would be opening their poker room every day from November 26, but speculation persists that the Flamingo might be mothballing their poker gear and possibly shutting down for good.
It has long been thought of as a poker room from a different era with many complaining that the less than generous chairs and excessive cigarette smoke make it a poor option today. Could this be a sign of things to come as poker launches back to what it was pre-Covid?
Netherlands Clamps Down on Online Poker
The Dutch government has ordered all unlicensed online poker rooms to cease operations in the country by November 1. Any company still offering these services after that date will be subject to fines as high as €600,000 and also possible penalties when it comes to applying for a license.Sander Dekker, Minister for Legal Protection, said:
“I consider it important and obvious that providers who do not yet have a license terminate all their offers for Dutch players in the short term.”
The Netherlands passed a law legalising online gambling in April of this year but inserted a clause that would force any company still operating into a cooling off period of six months.
This creates an interesting dynamic for the market. PokerStars, along with a few other companies, has continued to service Dutch customers right up until the last minute, while GGPoker, on the other hand, exited the market a couple of years ago.
GGPoker has been taking the fight to PokerStars for domination of the online industry for some time. Could the Dutch market turn out to be a pivotal battleground?
Another key player in this fight is partypoker. Although not really competing in terms of traffic right now, they left the Dutch market in December 2020 and will no doubt be one of the main players when the licensing process is kicking out permission for sites to get going legally
PokerStars Settles Kentucky Lawsuit
Flutter Entertainment has paid out $200 million to the state of Kentucky, ending a decade long legal battle during which online poker’s biggest site changed ownership multiple times.Earlier this year they handed over $100 million, which was then only the first payment of a $1.3 billion fine, but now the matter is said to be over.
This lawsuit dates back to the years of when the UIGEA 2006 took effect but before Black Friday. The Bluegrass State accused PokerStars of operating illegally in the region where 34,000 customers lost a total of $300 million. After a series of hearings the fine rose up to $870 million with interest payments bumping it up to the final $1.3 billion figure.
Eventually, while Flutter was preparing to take the case to the US Supreme Court, the two sides came together and agreed that the original $300 million claim would be sufficient to end the matter for good.
Now, Flutter will probably have a smoother ride when it comes to acquiring licenses for states that legalise online poker in the future.
WPT Borgata Poker Open Online Misses Guarantee
The prestigious Borgata Poker Open Online failed to meet the $1 million guarantee last week, missing out by only $24,000. Hosted on partypoker NJ, 305 players registered into the $3,500 buy-in event which was an official World Poker Tour tournament.Orson 'Borgatcha' Young was the last man standing, collecting a cool $195,748 for his trouble and also having his name etched on the Mike Sexton trophy for what looks like his first ever live event victory.
This result brings his live tournament record up to an impressive $784,988 in cashes after more than doubling his previous best score of $64,641 and a run of four runner-up spots.
UK Government Updates Gambling Act - Bans Sponsorship
The British government is moving full steam ahead with bringing its already modern Gambling Act into the digital age. After a cabinet reshuffle, Nadine Dorries is to take over the position of Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and will be responsible for the update.We know little of her views on gambling but can rest assured that her working class background will give her at least some insight into how the average person can enjoy the occasional flutter without going off the rails.
One change that we have already heard about is the banning of gambling companies from sponsoring British football teams in front-of-shirt deals. This will obviously have a dramatic effect, with no less than nine of the current Premier League sides having such an agreement in place.
This is a move that most fans would never have expected to happen. Betting on football in the UK is almost an ingrained component in the sport. But we must add that it’s not all confirmed yet, only spoken of publicly as a likely change.
MGM Resorts Buys the Cosmopolitan
MGM Resorts has bought the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas from Blackstone for $1.625 billion. The New York-based group had been trying to offload the property for a couple of years and could only agree to a rental deal rather than the full $5 billion asking price. The agreement is a 30-year contract that can be renewed every 10 years.MGM Resorts CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle
“We are proud to add The Cosmopolitan, a luxury resort and casino on the Las Vegas Stirp, to our portfolio. The Cosmopolitan brand is recognized around the world for its unique customer base and high-quality product and experiences, making it an ideal fit with our portfolio and furthering our vision to be the world’s premier gaming entertainment company. We look forward to welcoming The Cosmopolitan’s guests and employees to the MGM Resorts family.”
