Gamblor’s World

problem gambling info. in Chinese at www.problem-gambling. org (need to install Chinese language program to read characters)

The following blog also have relevant info for family: http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/edkwanwk/

The Problem Gambling Community Program purpose is to strengthen the
capacity of communities to respond to the negative impacts of
gambling. The program works in collaboration with Saskatchewan Health
to assist in the delivery of the public education and community
development components of Saskatchewan’ s problem gambling program.

121st Edition: U.S., Europe and Antigua Tangle, Professional Gamblers
and NCRG Conference

1) Ohio Ban

Ohio state’s democratic governor, Ted Strickland, has asked the GOP
controlled legislature to ban cash payouts from gaming machines, which
are increasingly popping up around the state.

http://tinyurl. com/248nmf

The twists and turns of state legislatures and their dance with
lobbyists come to mind as we read the op.ed. piece on the
bucyrustelegraphfor um.com site.

http://tinyurl. com/2erv4s

2) A Touch of History from a Professional. . . Gambler not Historian

Ted Sevransky began betting on sports regularly when he held a job
managing a sports bar in 1992. He moved to Las Vegas to bet on sports
as a full time professional in 1998.

The allure of the life of a professional gambler is often glamorized.
Yes, there are those who can succeed in the `profession. ‘ However it
is important to recognize the difference between fact and fiction.
The costs of the lifestyle can be high and losses must also be cited
hand in hand with wins.

He provides his caustic perspective on the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet
Gambling Enforcement Act).

http://tinyurl. com/yuuwtg

3) 8th Annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction
Paris Las Vegas Resort Las Vegas
November 11-13, 2007

The NCRG Conference will test conventional wisdom about how to best
protect those most vulnerable from developing gambling disorders and
how to provide those who do develop problems with effective means of
recovery.

http://tinyurl. com/2fo6rw

4) EU Takes on the U.S.

The European Union told the U.S. June 19 that it wanted compensation
for a U.S. foreign online gambling sites ban that doesn’t comply with
global trade rules.

The E.U. - the world’s largest consumer market - joins the tiny
Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda in seeking compensation. The
twin-island nation argued that online gambling had provided income for
hundreds of its citizens and was helping to end its reliance on
tourism, which was hurt by a series of hurricanes in the late 1990s.

http://tinyurl. com/yp8kd7

) Antigua Tenacity Continues: Challenges U.S.

Antigua and Barbuda said June 20 that it was entitled to $3.44 billion
in compensation from the United States in a World Trade Organization
dispute over a U.S. ban on Internet gambling. The compensation demand
would be enforced as Antigua withdrew intellectual property protection
for U.S. trademarks, patents and industrial designs, the government said.
“We feel we have no other choice in the matter, we have fought long
and hard for fair access to the U.S. market and have won at every
stage of the WTO process,” Errol Cort, Antigua’s finance minister, said.
After losing the case at the WTO, Washington announced that it would
take the unprecedented legal step of changing the international
commitments it made as part of a 1994 treaty regulating trade in
services among the 150 members of the WTO. As a result, Washington
declined to challenge the WTO ruling, because it says that its legal
maneuver effectively ends the case.
Ed. Note: How convenient it is to change the rules of the game midstream.
http://tinyurl. com/yq2oj2

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10447025

5:00AM Thursday June 21, 2007
The New Zealand Herald
By Stuart Dye
Loan sharks are luring gamblers by approaching them as they ponder their losses inside the casino, Parliament was told yesterday.

Green MP Sue Bradford said gamblers at the SkyCity casino in Auckland were borrowing as much as $10,000 a time to continue playing.

In some cases, she said, gamblers were introduced to the loan shark by a casino dealer.

The Government has ordered an investigation into allegations of loan sharking and financial irregularities at Christchurch Casino.

But the Green Party wants a wider public inquiry. Speaking under parliamentary privilege, Ms Bradford told MPs there were believed to be 10 loan shark groups working at SkyCity in Auckland, both on the ground floor and in the VIP lounges.

“It has been reported to me that the minimum loan in the VIP area is $10,000,” Ms Bradford said.

Those who fell behind in repayments faced threats and some women had even been forced into prostitution to work off their debt, she said.

continued ….

http://www.ncrg.org/public_education/conference.cfm

“Throughout its seven-year history, the NCRG Conference has served as a forum for the discussion and introduction of several cutting-edge scientific theories and approaches. The conference is sponsored by the NCRG and the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. It is held in conjunction with Global Gaming Expo, the gaming industry’s largest international trade show and conference event, taking place Nov. 13–15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.”

ED - The National Centre for Responsible Gaming is the “American Gaming Association’s (AGA) affiliated charity” - go to www.ncrg.org for more information.

By Ron Jenkins Associated Press Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)

“We’re seeing a tremendous increase in the number of embezzlements and
95 percent of it has to do with gambling casinos,” said Burns,
appointed as district attorney last year by Gov. Brad Henry. “Our
position is if you are taking public money from taxpayers, then be
prepared to go to jail.”

http://www.examiner -enterprise.com/ articles/2007/06/21/news/state/news349.txt

at

License conditions and codes of practice
Gambling Commission. (2007).
This document sets out the Gambling Commission’s general licence conditions and associated codes of practice under the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act). These conditions and codes will come into force for gambling operating and personal licensees on 1 September 2007. The document sets out: the suite of general conditions to be attached to operating licences; the suite of general conditions to be attached to personal licences; the principal code of practice, distinguishing between ‘social responsibility’ provisions and ‘ordinary’ provisions (the social responsibility provisions are highlighted by shading within the text); and the code of practice to be attached to casino premises licences concerning access for children and young persons.

go to this website if you require more information: http://www.responsiblegambling.org/staffsearch/latest_news_articles.cfm

1. First empirical study of online gaming behaviour

Author:
Source: Union Network International
Published Date: Jun 22, 2007

Description:
To date, only speculations have been available to guide our understanding of the scale of gaming and problematic gaming behaviour among online sports betting. Now the initial results of a unique, broad-based study investigating the gaming behaviour of online players are available, which begins to shed light on the potential for gaming related problems.

2. Lottery agency plans retailer training, testing. Program to launch by end of year

Author: Bailey, Ian
Source: Globe and Mail
Published Date: Jun 22, 2007

Description:
By the end of 2007, a passing grade in an online course will be necessary for selling a lottery ticket in B.C. The B.C. Lottery Corp., under fire since a provincial Ombudsman’s report last month said too little was being done to police retailer fraud, disclosed the plan yesterday. The training will focus on retailer policies, how lottery terminals work, responsibilities to consumers and a rundown of corporation products. The effort is a response to a call from Ombudsman Kim Carter for more retailer training, said spokesman Peter Smith, director of public affairs and corporate responsibility for the corporation.

3. Gateway adds gambling problem treatment

Author:
Source: Tecumseh Countywide News
Published Date: Jun 21, 2007

Description:
Gateway to Prevention and Recovery of Shawnee, Okla. has added treatment for compulsive and addicted gamblers to its programs. “Although legalized gambling has increased the number of addicted gamblers, we are not against the casinos. We have their (casinos) support in helping the addicted gambler,” Cindy Satterfield, Gateway’s compulsive gambling program coordinator said. The program is funded through money from casinos and the state lottery set aside by the Oklahoma Legislature and distributed through the state Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services.

4. Gambler sues casino in Australia after losing his money

Author: Jones, Tom
Source: Casino Gambling Web
Published Date: Jun 21, 2007

Description:
Many people around the world would love to have the casinos in which they gamble give their money back at the end of the night if they lose. A man in Sydney is taking that thought to the next step by suing the Star City casino for allowing him to lose his money. The sticking point to the case, is, the man, Behrouz Foroughi, voluntarily went on an exclusion list of problem gamblers, which, in turn, barred him from the casino. He claims that not only did the casino let him back in, but they gave him access to the high rollers room.

5. Average casino punter loses $68 a visit. The Christchurch Casino wins on average nearly $68 from every punter, leaked documents show

Author: Steeman, Martha
Source: Timaru Herald
Published Date: Jun 21, 2007

Description:
The Press obtained a revenue report for the Christchurch Casino for the month ending May 13 during its investigation into loan sharks at the casino. The monthly report reveals punters gambled $25.8 million in the Christchurch Casino that month. Of that, the casino’s winnings were $2.27m, or 8.8c of every dollar bet. The $2.27m winnings is an average of $67.80 from the 33,586 casino customers in the month. The gaming machines appear to be where the casino won most money. But it won the greatest cut or percentage of what punters spent on the gaming tables.

6. Loan sharks cruise casino to lure gamblers: MP

Author: Dye, Stuart
Source: New Zealand Herald
Published Date: Jun 21, 2007

Description:
Loan sharks are luring gamblers by approaching them as they ponder their losses inside the casino, Parliament was told yesterday. Green MP Sue Bradford said gamblers at the SkyCity casino in Auckland were borrowing as much as $10,000 a time to continue playing. In some cases, she said, gamblers were introduced to the loan shark by a casino dealer. The Government has ordered an investigation into allegations of loan sharking and financial irregularities at Christchurch Casino. But the Green Party wants a wider public inquiry.

7. Government to ban aggressive gambling ads

Author:
Source: Local Sweden News
Published Date: Jun 20, 2007

Description:
The Swedish government is to commission a new report regarding the rules that govern the Swedish betting market. But state-owned Svenska Spel is to retain the sole right to organize gambling activities regarded as particularly problematic from a social perspective. Finance Minister Anders Borg and Public Health Minister Maria Larsson explain that the government’s main priority is to institute a ban on aggressive marketing in the gaming industry.

8. Macau’s gaming and gambling over US$12.5 billion in 2010

Author:
Source: Macauhub
Published Date: Jun 20, 2007

Description:
Revenue from gaming and gambling activities in Macau could be over 100 billion patacas (US$12.5 billion) at the end of 2010, the director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (GICB) told Macau magazine Revista Macau. Manuel Neves also said that at the end of 2007 gaming revenue in Macau was expected to rise by 40 percent to 77 billion patacas. The director of the GICB also said there was a “limit to the rise that is being seen,” as “it all depends on the economic growth of China, as the vast majority of gamblers are from the interior of the country.”

9. Online gambling ban may cost U.S. billions in sanctions

Author: Associated Press
Source: Delaware Online
Published Date: Jun 20, 2007

Description:
The United States should face commercial sanctions worth more than $3.4 billion each year for its failure to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling that its Internet gambling restrictions are illegal, the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda said today. Antigua, which won a WTO ruling last year against the U.S. restrictions, is asking the trade body for authorization to target American trademarks and copyrights if the U.S. refuses to alter its legislation. It said the sanctions would come into effect “shortly,” unless the United States requests a WTO arbitration panel on the level and scope of the sanctions.

10. Bluff Europe names London ‘number one poker city in Europe’

Author:
Source: iGamingbusiness
Published Date: Jun 20, 2007

Description:
London has been named the hottest poker destination in Europe by poker magazine Bluff Europe. The top poker publication praised London for the diversity of games available, from home games to high profile tournaments, as well as for the enthusiasm with which the capital has embraced the game.

11. Gambling Commission publishes new approach to licensing, compliance and enforcement of gambling laws

Author:
Source: ATE Online
Published Date: Jun 20, 2007

Description:
The Gambling Commission has set out how it will monitor and regulate the activities of British gambling operators, and the action it will take against those who fail to comply with its rules or who run illegal gambling operations. From September next year the Commission will have substantial new powers under the Gambling Act 2005, and its new consultation document, Licensing, Compliance and Enforcement, gives the gambling industry its first indication as to how it intends to use them. The Commission will ensure that, once licensed, operators comply with a range of new rules it has introduced designed to keep crime out and make sure gambling is socially responsible.

12. Polls eventually will embrace gambling

Author:
Source: Decatur Daily
Published Date: Jun 20, 2007

Description:
“No” means “No,” even to gambling magnate Milton McGregor who lost big-time in the U.S. Supreme Court this week. But “No” doesn’t mean “Never.” The court this week upheld an Alabama Supreme Court decision that shut down his virtual casino at his Birmingham dog track. Mr. McGregor invested heavily in taking advantage of high technology to bring electronic sweepstakes to the track, and draw far more patrons. So don’t count him out. He’ll not take this rebuff lightly. His fertile mind and campaign contributions will surely make another run at expanding gambling in Alabama.

13. House GOP seeks to ban gaming devices

Author:
Source: Akron Beacon Journal
Published Date: Jun 20, 2007

Description:
House Republicans are pursuing a statewide ban on electronic gaming devices regardless of the size of their jackpots. GOP House Speaker Jon Husted said simply outlawing all games of chance - which have been cropping up virtually unchecked around Ohio - is better than just restricting payouts, as Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Attorney General Marc Dann recently proposed. “I don’t want to begin that process,” Husted said. “This back-door approach to opening up gambling is unacceptable to me. It opens up the corrupt underbelly of gambling, and I’m not for that.”

14. More teens trying hand at gambling

Author:
Source: KOIN.com
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
Oregon Health officials say they are starting to see a rise in the number of teens who gamble. For most, it’s just a way to hang out with friends. But studies also show one in every 25 teens is a problem gambler. The Oregon Department of Human Services has developed a new video to make teens aware of gambling risks.

15. ADAPT hopes program stems gambling habit

Author: Gray, Chris
Source: Oregon News
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
ADAPT is taking a new approach to tackling the problem of gambling addiction. Starting in July, the treatment center will recruit for a program that works with the loved ones of gamblers rather than the gamblers themselves. Brian Serna, the program director for ADAPT “Teaching Effective Caring,” said gamblers are notoriously bad for dropping out of treatment as soon as they get on a lucky streak, only to return unchanged when they lose it all again.

16. Japan poised for law to allow casinos. A new programme, which would legalise gambling, aims to increase falling tax revenues

Author: Nakamoto, Von Michiyo
Source: Financial Times
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic party plans to legalise casino gambling next year. Seiko Noda, who heads an LDP study group that is drafting the legislation, said the target was to pass a bill by the end of the next ordinary Diet session in June 2008. The ruling party hopes casinos will spur tourism, help revitalise local economies and increase tax revenues. Opening up Japan to casinos is also likely to provide big opportunities for foreign operators, as few Japanese companies have the expertise necessary to develop the large-scale operations being envisioned.

17. The stakes are high for problem gamblers

Author:
Source: ABC TV
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
It can start so innocently…so you had a little bet on the Melbourne Cup and lost, or you overspent a little on the pokies. You tell yourself, “So what, I won’t do it next time”. But the fact is that for some people what starts out as a harmless dabble in gambling can grow into an obsession. Mick, Sarah and Ian know what it’s like to lose control. They’re all reached the point when gambling began to ruin their lives. They know what it’s like to lose everything, their family and friends, money and possessions, dignity and self-esteem. But in the hope they may be able to help others, they want to encourage others to take the road to recovery.

18. Casino let me in despite ban, gambler tells court

Author: Brown, Malcolm
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
A man claiming to be a compulsive gambler visited Star City casino 65 times between May 18, 2004, and January 28 last year and lost more than $600,000 despite being on a list of banned persons, the Federal Court heard yesterday. Behroub Foroughi had approached Star City management in 2004 after sustaining heavy losses at roulette and volunteered to be banned. Three weeks later, unable to resist his urge, he had returned, undetected, and kept gambling. In October 2005 he started proceedings against Star City Casino, alleging it had engaged in unconscionable conduct in allowing him to gamble and even inviting him to go to the high rollers’ room. An issue of the casino’s duty of care had arisen. The casino had either known who he was, had not known, or had been “oblivious of the exclusion order”.

19. Casino must monitor big spenders: judge

Author:
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
Crown Casino should either ensure money from big spenders is legitimate or be forced to compensate victims of crime for ill-gotten gains gambled by criminals, a Victorian judge says. County Court Judge Frank Dyett made the remarks as he sentenced Heather MacNeil-Brown, 63, to six years’ jail - with a minimum non-parole period of four years - for embezzling almost $1 million from the Australian branch of global consulting and accountancy firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Judge Dyett said MacNeil-Brown initially spent the proceeds of crime at small pokies venues in Melbourne but from 2002, most of the money was lost at Crown Casino.

20. EU to U.S.: pay up for online gambling ban

Author: Associated Press
Source: AZ Central
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
The European Union told the United States that it wanted compensation for a U.S. ban on foreign online gambling sites, which doesn’t comply with global trade rules. The decision closed off the most lucrative region in a market worth $15.5 billion (11.6 billion euros) last year. About half of the world’s online gamblers are based in the United States. But an EU official said the concessions Europe was looking for would likely be “commitments” to open up other trade sectors.

21. Province won’t budge on VLTs

Author: Fletcher, Robson
Source: Brandon Sun
Published Date: Jun 19, 2007

Description:
Manitoba’s newly elected NDP government will apply the same old rules when it comes to the number of VLTs allowed at the proposed Wheat City Horse Park, discouraging those who want to build the facility - but not killing the deal altogether. Former Brandon West MLA Scott Smith, who had been responsible for lotteries in Manitoba before being defeated in last month’s election, repeatedly said the province would not allow a major VLT expansion at the horse park. The province re-iterated that position yesterday, saying that the park, if built, would be restricted to a maximum of 30 machines.

22. Morality vs. money: Online gambling. Nations say they attack Internet betting for sake of the children. But they also run gambling operations

Author: Spring, Sylvia
Source: Newsweek International
Published Date: Jun 18, 2007

Description:
When the French police arrested two Austrian on-line-gambling executives on September 15, they did it in the name of protecting France from “the explosion of money games in a heedless manner.” Indeed every recent state move to crack down on online gambling, from the United States to Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden, has followed the same moral argument: it’s all about saving our people from the sins of gambling. The problem is that all of these countries allow licensed gambling at home, and in some cases are promoting its expansion very aggressively. So what’s it really about? In recent months the EU has launched proceedings against all these nations (except of course the United States) for protecting national monopolies in violation of EU laws guaranteeing free movement for goods and services. Opponents of online gambling are exploiting a loophole in the EU laws protecting free trade, which allows member states to take measures to protect the social and moral fabric of their societies.

23. Gambling takes a toll

Author: Hughes, Kristina
Source: Petoskey News-Review
Published Date: Jun 18, 2007

Description:
As gambling becomes an accepted pastime, Paula Musilek — the counselor at Harbor Hall in Petoskey — helps combat the glamorized gaming by bringing awareness to the addiction. Musilek currently has 42 patients and has met with more than 100 clients since the programs were established in 2000. Musilek coordinates a gambling therapy group and individualized therapy. The programs use national assessments and screenings. A Gamblers Anonymous group meets in Petoskey, but help is limited. “There are no inpatient programs for gambling in the state,” Musilek said. Michigan began providing the statewide gambling program and helpline in 1999, paid by casino revenues. Virginia Pieroni, the program manager, said the helpline counselors make between 1,700 to 2,100 referrals a year.

24. Gambling problems can lead to legal issues

Author: Zucker, Steve; Hughes, Kristina
Source: Petoskey News-Review
Published Date: Jun 18, 2007

Description:
Emmet County (Mich.) Sheriff’s Office Det./Sgt. JL Sumpter said the vast majority of the financial crimes that come across his desk have an element of gambling addiction, drug abuse or a combination of the two at their roots. In fact, Sumpter said, in most embezzlement or fraud-type cases, the suspect’s gambling habits are the first thing he often investigates. After investigating numerous cases tied to gambling over the past several years, Sumpter said one defendant’s comment about his addiction has always stuck with him. “He told me, ‘When I go to bed at night, I just lie there and can hear the ringing of the slot machines in my head.’”

25. Casinos cooperating in efforts to help gaming addicts. Compulsive gamblers hard to spot

Author: Rotstein, Gary
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Published Date: Jun 18, 2007

Description:
Of at least 50,000 slots players who entered the doors of The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in its first week, a few thousand could have been compulsive gamblers. If so, they breezed by brochures at the front desk for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania. They bypassed the literature at security podiums suggesting they could seek voluntary exclusion from the casino. They ignored the signs around ATM machines posting the council’s toll-free phone number for counseling. All 450 employees of The Meadows have received training on identifying and assisting people who can’t control their gambling, but such intervention will be infrequent.

26. Increase in gambling addiction likely. With four new casinos set to open, gambling counselors are preparing

Author: Eckenrode, Vicky
Source: Morris News Service
Published Date: Jun 18, 2007

Description:
State officials and treatment counselors are gearing up for a potential increase of Kansans addicted to the roll of the dice or turn of the cards should four new casinos open in the state. Lawmakers who supported legislation this year opening the door to four, new state-owned casinos approved boosting the amount of money set aside for preventing and treating gambling problems. The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, which oversees the money, has been getting $100,000 a year for the addiction program, largely to fund a 24-hour telephone help line for problem gamblers and their families. That fund could jump to $17 million or $18 million annually.

27. States do gambling programs differently

Author: Breen, Tom
Source: Huntington Herald Dispatch
Published Date: Jun 18, 2007

Description:
When West Virginia’s state Lottery decided it wanted more say in how its money is spent, it probably didn’t anticipate setting off tremors throughout the country. But on July 1, when the widely emulated Problem Gamblers Help Network goes from being administered by the state Department of Health and Human Resources to being overseen by the state Lottery, the eyes of problem gambling programs in dozens of states will be fixed on West Virginia. The change has prompted concerns about the integrity of the help network, and at the Lottery’s request, state auditors have launched a review of the Lottery’s past involvement with the program.

28. Stakes are high in underage gambling. Getting caught can lead to a lifetime ban

Author: Schneider, Grace
Source: Gannett News Service
Published Date: Jun 18, 2007

Description:
“In many ways, it’s more appealing to sneak into a casino now than getting served in a bar,” said David Giancopassi, a University of Memphis researcher who has studied underage casino gambling. In the last decade, Indiana’s 10 riverboats have paid about $296,000 in fines for avoidable lapses in allowing 90 underage patrons inside in the last decade. Mike Smith, executive director of the Indiana Casino Association, said the riverboats put a lot of effort into stopping underage people before they can get onto the boat. But no system of checks is completely fail-safe, security experts say, and some older teens and 20-year-olds get their hands on expertly counterfeited ID cards. “If a person is really determined to get in they can find a way. Some fake IDs are pretty convincing,” said Larry Buck, regional general manager with Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment, which owns Belterra Casino Resort & Spa in Switzerland County, Ind.

29. School scheme aims to warn young gamblers

Author: Blythman, Joanna
Source: Sunday Herald
Published Date: Jun 17, 2007

Description:
Betting among Scottish schoolchildren has reached such desperate levels that Gamblers Anonymous is stepping up a major new project aimed at curbing the problem. Reformed adult addicts are being dispatched to schools across the central belt to tell children how gambling ruined their lives. The massive increase in broadband internet access and the proliferation of scratchcards has taken gambling to a new, vulnerable generation. Already 50 schools have been visited, but Crawford Moodie, a psychologist at Glasgow Caledonian University, who has conducted numerous studies on gambling, believes more government funding is needed if new legislation is to be effective.

30. Time to stop gambling with young lives

Author:
Source: AdelaideNow
Published Date: Jun 17, 2007

Description:
The insidious culture of gambling enveloping our society is now reaching into schoolyards, setting some children on the path to becoming adult problem gamblers. The culture has developed so gradually that few people have understood the true extent of its impact. The Education Department’s Dicey Dealings program, showing children the risks and harm of gambling, is a start, but remains a piecemeal approach to a statewide issue. The biggest winner from South Australia’s addiction to gambling is the State Government, with a lucrative revenue stream coming straight from the pockets of losers. Some of this river of gold could well be directed to an upgraded and statewide program to show our schoolchildren the cold facts of gambling.

and more …..

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 23-Jun-07, The Brunei Times.

BEWARE of any form of activity that causes financial loss and contains elements of luck or chance, for it is considered to be gambling and therefore haram, according to Islam.

The imams in their Friday sermons yesterday warned Muslims congregating in mosques and prayer halls throughout Brunei against taking part in such sort of activities.

Gambling is considered a crime in Islam, and any financial gain obtained from it is haram and cannot be used. This is especially so in terms of purchasing food or drinks for one’s family.

Items that are purchased using haram money or gains are also considered haram, and those who consume it will be punished with the flames of Hell. The imams also noted that it is now much easier to indulge in gambling, even without realising, through the Internet and handphones.

Some activities that contain elements of gambling include Short Message Service (SMS) quiz competitions, riddles, auction and surveys.

These are considered to be gambling because participants are charged a fee for every inclusion or entry they make. In SMS quiz competitions, as an example, participants who answer the questions are charged a fee that is higher than the normal rate for sending SMS.

For instance, the normal rate is five cents, but for the quiz competition they are charged 50 cents.

This set up is similar to lottery, where every entry is charged through the purchase of a ticket. Whether the entrant wins the lottery or quiz is based on chance, which is another characteristic of gambling.

SMS surveys are similar in which every answer or response to a survey is charged a fee which is substantially higher than the normal rate, the imams emphasised.

SMS auctions too contain elements of gambling. In contrast to normal auctions that are considered harus or not haram in terms of Syariah, where participants can make a bid until the highest offer is made without any fee imposed, SMS auction organisers charge bidders for every offer they make.

In this way, SMS auctions cause the participants to suffer a loss, as they have to pay for every bid they make, although they may not win.

The imams reminded Muslims in the country to refrain from such sinful activities. Recognising that as humans who are not exempt from making mistakes, they exhorted the congregation through the Friday sermon to repent for their sins and refrain from conducting more wrongdoings.

The Brunei Times

Jean-Francois Bertrand, The Ottawa Citizen, Saturday, June 23, 2007

“It was not a royale year at the Casino du Lac-Leamy.

For 2006-2007, revenues at the casino dropped by 3.9 per cent over the previous year, to $201.9 million. These figures exclude gamblers’ expenditures at the restaurants and the Hilton Lac-Leamy.

Loto-Quebec’s annual report, published earlier this week, attributes this decrease to the casino’s unique situation, a “particularly strong competition in its immediate market.”

Catherine Schellenberg, the casino’s spokeswoman explained that the Gatineau gambling institution is near the Thousand Islands Charity Casino in Gananoque, another across the border in Akwesasne, New York, and even Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ont. The latter is aggressively courting the group market, those travelling by the busload to gamble, said Ms. Schellenberg.

“Las Vegas, Atlantic City, that’s not our competition. But Fallsview, we feel its impact.”

Moreover, due to provincial regulations, the Casino du Lac-Leamy is not able to ride the wave of popularity of Texas hold ‘em poker. For that, local card players go to Akwesasne, a stone’s throw from Cornwall, online or play among friends in their basement.

Quebec’s casinos are also at a disadvantage to Ontario when it comes to new games.

Ms. Schellenberg said that because of different regulations, Ontario is able to certify new slot games quicker than Quebec, which allows the neighbouring province to put more new games on the market each year. Demographics is also a factor in lower revenues.

“Young adults, brought up on XBoxes, are searching for something more interactive, they want the feeling of being in control,” said Ms. Schellenberg, adding this could explain the popularity of poker for that clientele.

Early in the last fiscal year, which ended on March 31, Quebec enacted new anti-smoking legislation. While the gaming floor had been non-smoking for years, there were ventilated smoking lounges in the aisles. They were closed on May 1, 2006, and smokers at Casino du Lac-Leamy had to step outside to light up, as they have been doing at Rideau-Carleton Raceway Slots since 2002.

Attendance at the Casino, which was a 3.3 million in its first 12 moths, 11 years ago, has shown modest increases over the last few years, from 3.3 million yearly visitors by March 2005 to 3.4 million in 2006 to 3.5 million by the end of last March. The novelty factor is wearing off, said Ms. Schellenberg. In order to increase its revenues, a new position was created last year at Lac-Leamy to lure high rollers by offering them junkets.

“Before, we were only welcoming them. Now, we’re making an extra effort to get them here,” she said. The target are players who travel the world to gamble. The casino can attract these spenders by offering complementary hotel rooms at the Hilton next door, something Montreal cannot do, given the location of its casino on the former Expo site.

“Upon request, we can give them tickets to events such as the Bluesfest, or seats for a Sens game. It’s a bit like a concierge,” she said.”

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

Westminster eForum Keynote Seminar: The future of gambling – regulation, reorganisation and new media opportunities

Timing: Morning, 26th June 2007

Venue: Local Government House, Smith Square , London SW1P 3HZ

www.westminstereforum.co.uk

Westminster eForum Keynote Seminar: The future of gambling – regulation, reorganisation and new media opportunities

Timing: Morning, 26th June 2007

Venue: Local Government House, Smith Square , London SW1P 3HZ

8.45 – 9.00 Registration

9.00 – 9.05 Chairman’s opening remarks

Lord Roberts of Llandudno, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development and for Wales

9.05 – 9.35 The view from Government

Theme: The view from DCMS on the future of the UK gambling industry.

Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Questions and comments from the floor

9.35 – 10.25 Gambling in the UK : Where are we now?

Theme: How has the situation in the UK gambling industry changed in the past 10 years, and how will it develop in future? What opportunities do new media present, and how can we take advantage of them?

Professor Peter Collins, Director, Centre for the Study of Gambling, University of Salford

Professor Mark Griffiths, Professor of Gambling Studies, Nottingham Trent University

Scott Davies, Director and Co-Founder, Million 2-1

Kevin Farrell-Roberts, Chief Executive, Gordon House Association

Questions and comments from the floor

10.25 – 11.15 Social and economic consequences: What impact will super-casinos and internet gambling have?

Theme: What consequences will follow the possible opening of the UK ’s first super-casino? Will full implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 lead to greater accessibility of remote gambling? Will development lead to regeneration of deprived areas? Will problem gamblers face increasing temptation and reduced supervision, or will improved regulation provide increased security and protection?

Steven Bate, Campaign Organiser, Campaign Against Super-Casino Expansion (CASE)

Jez San, Founder and President, PKR.COM

Revd Christopher Jones, Policy Advisor to the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England

Bob Harris, Chairman, TourEast London
Questions and comments from the floor

11.15 – 11.20 Chairman’s closing remarks

Lord Roberts of Llandudno, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development and for Wales

11.20 – 11.40 Coffee

11.40 – 11.45 Chairman’s opening remarks
Laurence Robertson MP, Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland

11.45 – 12.10 Regulation under the Gambling Act 2005

Theme: What’s changed? How can regulation promote industry while protecting the vulnerable? How are local councils preparing for September and what will the changes mean for them, and for industry?

Mark Du Val, Director of Policy, LACORS

Questions and comments from the floor

12.10 –
12.55 Self-regulation vs. external regulation

Theme: How can regulation of new media applications/ platforms promote industry while protecting vulnerable groups? Is external regulation the best option, or should there be more self-regulation?

Bill Galston, Independent Director, eCogra

Geoffrey Godbold, Chief Executive Officer, GamCare

Richard Flint, Managing Director, Sky Bet

Jenine Hulsmann, Partner, Clifford Chance

Martin Cruddace, Head of Legal, Betfair

Questions and comments from the floor

12.55 – 13.00 Chairman’s and WeF closing remarks

Laurence Robertson MP, Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland
Peter van Gelder , Director, Westminster eForum

Draft agenda subject to change