As part of Greece’s revamp of its gaming laws, the country announced Tuesday that it plans to award up to 50 online betting licenses, as well as permit as many as 30k video gaming machines. According to a draft bill submitted to cabinet by Greek finance minister Giorgos Papaconstantinou, 15-50 online licenses will be up for grabs, good for five-year terms. Papaconstantinou expects a vote on the bill within the quarter and to tender the licenses “by the end of the year.” With recent research showing one in three Greeks enjoyed a little (currently illegal) online gambling, we’re betting that number of licenses is closer to 50 than 15. Especially if those stroppy Spartans have anything to say about it.
Fresh off Aussie bookmakers Centrebet becoming the first gaming company to strike a stadium naming rights deal with an National Rugby League team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs have inked a five-year jersey-front sponsorship deal with Star City, a casino in the Sydney suburb of Pyrmont. The team, which is partly owned by actor Russell Crowe, has also inked a deal to have bookies Luxbet take over the running of Bunnybet.com.au, the betting site that began as a joint venture between the team and Betezy. To allay concerns that anti-gambling types like Sen. Nick Xenophon like to stir up over these types of deals, NRL CEO David Gallop declared that “Gambling on sport is as old as sport itself. We have to accept that being able to bet on a game adds a very enjoyable aspect to viewing.” Did you hear that, Xenophon? You have to accept that.
Finally, you’ve all likely heard that the Earl of Sandwich invented the bread & meat combo that bears his name because he was hungry but didn’t want to interrupt his poker game. Now comes word that the Sloppy Joe was invented at a casino of the same name in Cuba, only this Sloppy Joe probably bears no resemblance to the ground beef & tomato sauce combo your mom used to make. According to North Jersey’s Hill City Deli owner Anthony Racioppi, the original Sloppy Joe consisted of ham, tongue, coleslaw, Russian dressing and rye bread. “American gamblers would return home and talk about this delicious sandwich.” Tongue? Delicious? Frankly, we’ll stick with Mom’s version. But regardless… Gambling: is there anything it can’t do?
