The famous poker legend, Poker Hall of Famer and entrepreneur, Crandell Addington, passed away late last week. The legendary poker pro, known as one of the people who played an important role in the founding of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), as well as a number of successful businesses, died at 85 on Sunday. Back in the late 1960s, Addington helped one of his friends organize a competition that gathered some of the best poker players and high rollers from across the country. This competition became famous as the Texas Gamblers Convention in 1969 and turned into the WSOP the next year. Besid ..read more

The 100% government-owned and controlled corporation under the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), has announced the appointment of a new president. Attorney Wilma Eisma has received the prestigious position, along with the title of chief operating officer (COO) after taking the oath of office.  The First Woman President & COO in PAGCOR’s History  As a result of her appointment, Eisma has become the first woman in the agency’s history to assume both positions. Similarly, Eisma was also the Subic Bay ..read more

Amid the ongoing second inquiry into the license suitability for the Star Sydney, an expert in cultural transformation spoke about the challenges encountered during the attempted transformation of the casino’s parent company, Star Entertainment Group. The company faced legal scrutiny after investigations uncovered alleged deficiencies and breaches of the gambling regulations. Similarly, Crown Resorts, a rival of the Star, was also subject to scrutiny due to alleged insufficient due diligence checks and collaborations with junket operators with potential ties to criminal organizations. But whil ..read more

Global gaming powerhouse 888 has published its trading update for the first quarter of the year (the three-month period ended March 31), reporting a slight increase in overall revenue. The company’s report highlighted group revenue of £431 million ($535.8 million), a figure that exceeds the £420-430 million guidance outlined in the company’s previous report. The revenue figure also represents an increase of 2% quarter-on-quarter, reflecting a positive trend. The company expects revenues to return to YOY growth from Q2 2024 onwards and projects an FY revenue increase of 5-9%. In terms of the UK ..read more

A recent acquisition, encompassing the sale of the spread betting operator, Sports Index, to Spreadex captured the attention of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the United Kingdom. The deal dates back to November when La Française des jeux (FDJ), agreed to sell Sports Index to Spreadex, a competitor in the same industry. Financial details about the acquisition were not disclosed. Earlier this year, the CMA confirmed the launch of an inquiry into the merger. Then, in April, the Authority said that the merger between Spreadex and Sports Index may have created a monopoly. At the tim ..read more

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that all licensed sports betting operators in the Canadian province should stop offering and accepting wagers on World Boxing Association (WBA) games, effective immediately. The measure comes amid integrity concerns following a comprehensive review of WBA-related wagering activity. The regulator explained that it has been conducting this review since December 2023 and discovered multiple suspicious betting patterns during the title fight between Yoenis Tellez and Livan Navarro. The match, which was held in Orlando, Florida, lasted 1 ..read more

The Jefferson County Circuit Court has rejected thoroughbred owner Amr Zedan’s plea to allow his horse Muth to run in the upcoming Kentucky Derby. To contextualize, Muth is a horse trained by the controversial trainer Bob Baffert who was suspended in 2021. Baffert was suspended after one of the horses he trained, Medina Spirit, tested positive for a banned substance. The trainer’s ban was originally set to expire before this year’s Kentucky Derby game but was extended after he insisted on his innocence. In the last few years, Baffert agreed to transfer his horses to other trainers’ barns in or ..read more

Amid the expansion of sports betting across the United States, prop bets, wagers that allow gamblers to place bets on different parts of a football game or the performance of specific athletes for example, rather than the outcome of the whole game, have been gaining popularity. Besides popularity among bettors, prop bets have gained notoriety, considering the many cases of college athletes who reported online abuse and received threatening messages from disgruntled gamblers. The negative impact of prop bets has been identified which is why last month, Charlie Baker, NCAA’s president, confirmed ..read more

The National Football League has decided to reinstate several players who had violated its strict rules on gambling. After skipping an entire season, the players will now be able to return to competing professionally. All five players in question were suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy in 2023. For context, the league’s strict stance on gambling prohibits players and insider persons from engaging in any form of gambling in any club or league facility of property, including teams’ practice facilities. The five players who violated the policy in 2023 include the Washington Command ..read more

New York State previously announced its plans to introduce three new downstate casino licenses. One of those licenses is expected to be awarded for New York City and there are plenty of leading gaming operators and developers who have already shown interest. Overall, there are nine bids for a casino license for the Big Apple. Earlier this week, city lawmakers approved important changes to the regulations, paving the way for the development of one casino. On Thursday, the New York City Council voted and approved a text amendment that would “allow applicants, with a proposed gaming site in the c ..read more