THE AMERICAS
A bad week for US-facing online sportsbooks as WSEX finally admitted it was broke and Legends Sports transferred its accounts to WagerWeb after Panamian authorities revoked Legends’ gambling license; the Department of Justice indicted a New York art dealer and some Russian mobsters for operating an illegal gambling ring; two years to the day after Black Friday, former Full Tilt Poker CEO Ray Bitar pled guilty and was fined $40m; PokerStars finished its New Jersey gaming license paperwork; New Jersey’s sports betting appeal got fast-tracked in the US Third Circuit Court; the American Gaming Association announced its new CEO; Ohio cracked down on internet cafés; Colombia cracked down on illegal slots operators; NYX Gaming acquired Zen Entertainment; online poker movie Rounder, Rounder got a September release date; Rebecca Liggero interviewed Ultimate Gaming’s Joe Versaci and Vince Martin rated gambling companies’ social gaming efforts.
EUROPE
Spain announced it would allow online slots and betting exchanges; French sports betting numbers improved but poker continued to decline; Bwin.party announced it would no longer accept new customers from 18 countries; William Hill got a boost from its online and mobile operations; Paddy Power had its best year ever; Ladbrokes lowered its full-year revenue projections; Probability posted its first ever profitable quarter; PMU aimed for its 16th straight year of growth; the Greek government’s sale of its OPAP stake attracted just two bidders and Mike O’Donnell made a pro/con list on Betfair returning to life as a private company.
ASIA
Macau’s first quarter gaming revenue was dominated (surprise!) by VIP gamblers playing lots of baccarat; analysts dismissed China’s veiled threat against Macau casino package tour organizers; Vietnam announced plans for a new casino in a UNESCO-recognized park; Australia considered banning live odds promotion on the radio; James Packer bought property in Colombo for a Sri Lankan casino; Taiwanese politicians rejected a tax on casino winnings; Philippine politicians criticized PAGCOR’s slot machine deal; Daniel Negreanu won the World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific main event; Angelia Ong prowled the APT Manila where Joseph Cheong won the Manila Millions and Bodog Poker invited a player dressed in a Zorro outfit.
