THE AMERICAS
New Jersey’s online gambling market had its official launch, and even if its revenue expectations have been overstated, other states are suggesting they want in on the action and analysts are mulling the ramifications for the overall US market; Amaya Gaming lost $3.5m in Q3 but insisted a turnaround was on the way; Playtech’s Euro Partners affiliate pulled out of Canada; television producer Bryan Zuriff was was spared jail time for his role in the Taiwanchik-Trincher betting ring while Jonathan Duhamel’s vengeful ex-girlfriend lost her bid to reduce her sentence; Suffolk Downs chose Mohegan Sun as its new partner in its Revere casino bid; Nevada casino revenue fell in October due to decreased slots play and Rebecca Liggero talked to handicapper Vegas Runner about how information overload impacts the sports betting industry.
EUROPE & AFRICA
The UK’s new gambling bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons; the UK was hit with its biggest football match fixing scandal in decades just as the latest UK Gambling Commission market study showed sports betting reigning supreme; the Spanish online gambling market contracted again in Q3; the World Series of Poker announced it would skip Europe in 2014; Norway succeeded in blocking YouTube videos promoting gambling; Boylesports acquired Tom Flood Bookmakers; the UK’s ad watchdog slammed 888 (again) and NetPlay over misleading claims; the Racing Post’s website was hacked; Probability helped the Sugar Hut club chain open its own mobile casino while Mike O’Donnel wondered if mobile was living up to expectations; analysts said Nigeria’s gambling market is headed for the biggest gains in Africa; Christina Thakor-Rankin wondered if the Bitcoin hype was justified; Jackie Glazier offered her female perspective on poker; Lee Davy reviewed Full Tilt Poker’s first year under PokerStars’ umbrella and pondered the role of the Tournament Directors Association while Rebecca Liggero examined the state of affiliate marketing in Europe.
ASIA
Singapore announced it was planning legislation to ban online gambling; Cantor Gaming opened its first betting venue in mainland China; new private casinos in the Philippines are biting into PAGCOR’s revenue; Macau set a new slot machine jackpot record while Dynam Japan wants to bring mobile gambling to Macau’s Fisherman’s Wharf casino; Las Vegas Sands signed an Asian-facing promo deal with David Beckham; religious police established checkpoints to prevent Muslims from entering Malaysian betting shops; a gambler stranded in Macau threatened to go on a knife-wielding rampage unless he was given a free flight home to South Korea; the Robert Gustafsson gang’s attempts to smear Calvin Ayre fell apart when presented with actual facts and CalvinAyre.com’s cameras prowled the Sports Betting Community Asia Social in the Philippines, which helped raise money for typhoon relief.
