An investigation by the Bulgarian General Directorate Combating Organized Crime cybercrime unit, has led to the arrest of 4 suspects. The 4 are suspected to have come up with a sophisticated and organized scheme that allowed them remote access to casino and gaming halls machines. In so doing, they were able to control the results from slot machine games.
The crime group of 4 is said to have had a system where each one had a specific role to accomplish. While one of them pretended to play on the slot machine, another one would secure the remote access and manipulate the devices. Another one crafted electronics which remotely controlled the software of gaming equipment.
They hacked and defrauded many casinos and gaming halls making huge profits before they were finally caught. They were arrested just after they had collected their profits from another casino which they hacked. In their possession was a lot of money and devices that they used in their operations. They are set to be presented to court and charged in accordance with the Bulgarian law.
Casino scams in the recent history
The crime group was able to accomplish all that it did because it was organized and clever. However, the group is not the first one to try and rig casino games. While most people play honestly, there are those who come up with elaborate schemes to try and make profits off of gaming halls and casinos. Over the years, there have been several successful casino scams. Some even seem legendary because of the skill that is involved in execution. The following are a few such cases;
The Roselli Brothers used computer hackers to get data from the credit systems of casinos. They would then steal identities of those with good credit. Once that was done, they would deposit $50,000 into their accounts. After receiving credit lines, they would then withdraw larger amounts of money. They were able to withdraw millions of dollars and until their death, they were not discovered. This happened between 1995 and 2000. It would be a lot harder to hack casino systems presently.
In 2012, a professional poker player, Phil Ivey, Jr. was accused of cheating. He was accused of using tiny imperfections on the back of cards to determine which ones they were. This method of cheating is known as “edge sorting”. Crockfords casino believed that the player used this method to win $11 million. According to Ivey, edge sorting is simply improving your chances of winning and should not really be classified as cheating. In 2014, he won $9.6million at a different casino. The casino wouldn’t pay him.
Phuong Quoc Truong brought together a group of 30 card counters and blackjacks in 2011. The group scammed casinos in Southern California. Instead of shuffling, the con dealers simply made the cards produce a deceitful sound by tapping the edges. The order did not change. This made it possible for them to decide who was going to win. After the cards were rightly placed, one would pretend to be smoking a cigarette. He would in fact be using a microphone to give someone on the outside information on what was on the table. That person would offer the smoker tips on how to place bets. The smoker would, in turn, use his cigarette to signal the other gang members who were also players.
In 2012, a New York criminal gang of 50-70 people took on Ohio. The pretend players would get into busy roulette games and stake very low. One of them would distract the dealer while another one hid away casino chips of specific colors. They would then excuse themselves and secretly hand the chips to other players. These players would then go back, use them to buy more chips for better rates and cash out. The group would make thousands of dollars per job. Fortunately some of them were eventually caught and punished.
Les Prince Casino made loses of up to $88000 in 2011. 4 people used invisible ink marks on cards. One of them, an employee of the casino, would use special marks for different cards. The marks could only be seen using special contact lenses. The operation was easy to implement because of the casino employee working for them. The rest of them, with their special lenses, knew exactly what cards they were playing. The casino only grew suspicious after they came back days later for a second round.
In 2014, the actor Ben Affleck admitted that he was no longer allowed into certain Las Vegas casinos because of card counting. While it is not necessarily illegal, casinos frown on it and if discovered, they take action. This method was made popular in the period of 1979-2000 by the MI T Blackjack. They got millions of dollars from casinos.
Playing Online Vs. in Land-Based Casinos
At some point in life, most people who play online casino games for real money have been to a real casino. There are a few differences between playing online and in a land-based casino. For starters, playing online is more convenient and comes with many variations of casino games. You don’t have to wait until there’s an open machine for you to play.
Another huge difference between playing online and in a land casino is that it’s much more safe and secure to not have your money exposed to potential theft. Some international laws and regulations apply to online casino gaming. They make online gambling a bit safer for online gamblers. Additionally, online casino games offer numerous benefits to players that doesn’t happen easily in a land casino, like getting instant deposit bonuses and actually winning a prize.
Is Online Gambling Legal or Illegal in The United States?
Due to the lack of any laws against it, real money US online casino gambling games are perfectly legal at the federal level in the US. Some extremely conservative states have enacted anti-gambling laws. Oklahoma, Washington, and North Dakota are good examples of such. But even in these states, prosecution resulting from online gambling is so rare, it has never happened to a user, only the owners of illegal operations are prosecuted.
Other states have gone forward to legalize online gambling of some sort. Examples of such states include New Jersey (poker and casino) in 2013, District of Columbia in 2011 (the law was repealed before it became active), and Delaware. Some Indian gaming, fantasy sites, and free online games sites are allowed throughout the country.
According to a recent report, Australia spends at least $20 billion yearly in gambling with 80% of the adult population engaging in some form of gambling. Most of this money is spent on the 200000 poker machines found locally. Although the numbers are high in Australia, the problem is considered the same but in varying levels all over the world. Unemployed and renting youngsters together with pensionable older generation are more likely to be hooked to the vice. This may be as a result of having more free time on their hands or not having many responsibilities to attend to, but stories like this prove there is a serious gambling problem in Australia.
According to the Australian Gambling Research Centre, a 2015 finding revealed that at least 6.8 million Australians gamble on a regular basis. 4% of the population play the pokies or involve in some form of gambling every week. Up to 1% of the population experience serious gambling problems including addiction, while a 1.4-2.1% which is about 250000 to about 350000 people have moderate gambling-related issues that may result to addiction if not addressed on time. Socially, the cost of problem gambling is estimated to be at around $ 4.7 billion each year.
Regular gambling is the main cause of problem gambling. At least 40% of all those who gambled regularly ended up developing problems related to the activity. Men between the age of 18 to 29 were at a higher risk of becoming problem gamblers. This was more so in men who were unemployed or had low incomes, were single and rented.
According to the Australian tax laws, earnings from gambling are not taxable. The activity is termed as a hobby and not a profession. Also, the winnings are termed as strokes of luck and not a form of income. The government rules that for one to have won the money, they might have lost a significant amount in the process. The operators are taxed instead.
In 2007-08 gambling accounted for 9.1% of total revenue collected by the government. Poker machines alone bring in at least $1billion yearly. This means that gaming is a big business in Australia. On average, each household spends about 3.1% of its annual income on gambling.
Problem Gambling
Regular gambling can lead to addiction. The condition is known as ludomania and characterized by compulsive gambling or the urge to gamble even when faced with undesirable consequences. The problem unlike alcohol or other forms of addiction can be concealed for years where the addict secretly feeds the urge, but as the years go by, the need to bet more frequently or visit casinos more often grows. The person starts to miss days from work or essential responsibilities just to feed the urge to gamble. With every win or loss, the gambler looks for the next chance to leverage the outcome.
Gamblers Lives and their Families
What starts out as an enjoyable activity grows to consume the family finances as the urge to keep on playing increases. Spouses reveal that at first, they cannot precisely tell what is going on even when they know there is a problem. Wives most of the time think that the man is concealing an affair due to the secretive lifestyle he leads. Most men do not want their spouses scrutinizing their moves or spendings. It is only when the gambler is unable to meet the household budget or pay bills on time that the problem starts to surface. Some may go to the extent of borrowing huge amounts of money which ends up running down the casino drains.
This causes strained relationships leading to fights and divorce. The quality of life is also affected as well as the ability to relate healthily with family members. Ludomania causes the victim not to be trusted with money. People start hiding money from them because they cannot be trusted to use the money as they should. Spouses find it hard to relate healthily or get involved in projects together. One person is left to take care of all the bills and other responsibilities as the other one drowns in the addiction.
Research has shown that children exposed to gambling are more willing to try the sport in their adult life. Children who watched as their parents or relatives placed bets and won or were sent to collect the winnings are in more danger. The fact that smartphones are easily accessible today to the youngsters than before exposes them to the vice even more.
Gambling does not just affect the financial wellbeing of the addicts and their families, but it causes anxiety, emotional pain to the addict, shame, inability to socialize and legal problems. This can also lead to depression, health issues and other forms of addiction such as alcoholism. There is help for Ludomania for the addicts and their families, but governments need to come up with more stringent rules that ensure gambling does not get out of hand and destroy more families.
Many people are afraid of gambling because they are not willing to lose their hard earned money. Interestingly, there are a small percentage of punters out there who enjoy risking their money with the aim of expecting a higher return. If we are being honest, every gambler will like to win big money someday, including the ones that are afraid to risk.
The first rule of becoming a great gambler is finding a game that you are good at. Once you a game that you are good at, the next step is to develop essential skills to become an expert in casinos. The most ideal way to learn these skills is by investing in the most appropriate tools.
Here are five gambling tools that can help you to take your gambling experience to the next level:
Card counting trainer
There are casino games that one can master easily and become an expert; blackjack is one of these games. Movies such as the Rain Man, 21 and The Hangover showcase the power of learning card counting skills. Usually, these movies try to reveal these skills in one of the following ways:
First, as an activity that’s only meant for math gurus or geniuses
Secondly, as something that one can learn just by looking at some few flashcards and wearing bizarre masks
If we are being honest, you don’t have to be a math genius to be expert in casino, but you definitely have to do something about your skills. You have to keep on learning, master new skills, work hard and be patient. Fortunately, tools such as card counting trainers & app can help you to achieve your goals.
Poker training videos
7 card stud, Omaha and Texas hold’em are the three poke training videos that you can try as a beginner. The main difference between these games and popular casino games is that you are playing with other players and the casino only receives a small amount of each tournament.
This makes things interesting because you are actually playing with real people. You also have a greater opportunity of earning some good amount of money. In order to become a professional and stand a good chance of making lots of cash, you have to learn the necessary skills.
Poker features several strategy resources, like training videos, Twitch streams, books, articles and coaching. Poker training videos are essential because they are available for free online. They are very easy to access and definitely useful. Training videos gives you a rare chance to examine how expert players think and execute their strategies.
Video poker trainer
This is the only game that favors the most talented player. In order for you to gain enough experience to play this game, you need to do the following:
• Locate a casino with easy to play games
• Develop enough skills to play and win these games
The main advantage of this tool is that it allows user to play the games normally. The interesting thing about it is that it gives you a chance to know whether the strategies and decisions that you made are wrong or correct while playing.
Sports betting software
This tool offers you another great opportunity to cash in great amount of money for a very long time only if you master it correctly. Essentially, you are wagering against the other party, but sportsbooks receives 10 percent from the losing party.
The problem with many punters is that they believe betting on the games that they know and love is the best way to earn money. The truth is, betting is not easy as it seems and there are many poker experts than sports betting experts.
Nonetheless, you must have the right knowledge and the right tools for you to learn how to become a sports betting expert. Sports betting software is one of the best tools that you can invest in.
The problem with sports betting industry is that there are many tools that guarantee you “sure” bets. In this regard, it’s highly recommended that you be very careful about the products that you choose. To be honest, there’s no software on earth that can guarantee you 100 percent profits. What they is predict the line movements to see if there is a certain trend. They also make use of past statistics data to try to come up with better prediction.
Daily sports fantasy tools
What makes Daily Fantasy Sports competitive is that it’s a combination of both sports betting and poker. The idea of competing for money in tournaments is what brings out the poker side of DFS. Wagering on professional athletes is what makes DFS a sports betting tool. Like any other poker game or sporting event, you need to have enough skills to beat other players and make money.
When this tool was introduced back in 2010, it was easier for gamblers to make money because there weren’t many skilled players like today. Nowadays, you have to develop enough skills in order to stand a chance to win a game.
Poker twitch streams
Poker twitch stream is a tool that is increasing in popularity every day. In fact, many poker experts are now using this tool to improve their skills. This tells you that it’s a great tool that’s worth investing in.
Some people prefer this tool over video training because they are free, you just need to have access to proper internet connection to watch twitch streams.
So, how does power twitch streams works? This is how:
Users stream their sessions online and wait for some time before they make a move in order to avoid other players from reading their cards or have access to their hole cards.
It’s only during hands when the players are allowed to talk about their strategies and thoughts.
There is an online chat box where viewers are given access to comment and even interact with the players.
One may say that poker twitch streams works like video training. However, there are some few differences between these two tools. The main difference is you have to pay for one and the other is free.
Seven Things to Keep in Mind When Searching for the Best
…online casinos are so trendy in 2016. Maybe because its a lot like PokemonGo but with real cash! Actually, there are more and more people who would rather play at an online casino on a computer or phone than a land-based casino. It is more convenient to use the internet, obviously, because you can bet when and where you want, but what is it that really sets gambling on the internet apart from a night spent at Vegas?
Some people so not realize that playing for real money online is not always safe, but it can be. Some casinos have a history of not paying their users. Others are full of terrible games from 20 years ago no one wants to play. Even worse, there are real money online casinos that do not encrypt their servers properly, risking their users’ personal information. To be able to choose the appropriate site that is based in the US and will pay cash, consider following the 5 tips shown below.
Sign up bonuses and promotions
Numerous online casinos have unique ways to attract users. So, if you come across a site that is too stingy to offer welcome bonuses, move to the next one. Bonuses are a must and everybody expects to receive them. They could range from free games to deposit bonuses to cash rewards. Sign up where you can get freebies.
Safety of your account and personal information
Always aim to join a website that is known to protect users’ privacy. It should use renowned encrypted software, therefore, and protect users’ deposits from hackers. Use the voucher redemption for an extra layer of protection between your credit card and the casino.
A mobile gaming version
Everyone is on a mobile device these days. Hence, a real money casino that offers a mobile app, or at least one that is mobile friendly, is the best to join for future use.
Fast payouts and different payment methods
Who wants to bet for a whole month without getting paid? A suitable casino is one that sends payments in a few days, at least. As well, it must offer you different payment methods to deposit or withdraw money with. Whether it is a credit card, e-wallet or PayPal, you should be assured of safety.
Multiple real gambling game choices
To increase your odds of winning a jackpot, the best real money internet casinos offer a wide assortment of games that have one or two large sums of money waiting to be won. The most popular ones include the following.
1. Slots – These are very common and rather different. A three-reel slot is the classic slot machine that uses three turning reels. It offers one to three paylines and happens to be the cheapest to play. Although jackpots are low, three-reel slots are good for beginners. The next is the five-reel slots and is much harder to play and win. It is costly, clearly, and has more paylines and bigger jackpots. A Seven-reel slot is a relatively new type that offers up to fifty paylines. A single payout can even reach a five-figure amount. It is less popular, although it is still played. A nine-reel slot is even more rare, but there are a few. Its uniqueness is the fact that wins are paid in either horizontal or diagonal combinations. Bonus slots are very popularly played as they offer a free bonus round with the increased possibility of winning more money. Progressive slots are the last type. Every bet made puts a little into the bigger progressive jackpot and when it is won, it can be over a million dollars!
2. Bingo – In this game, players attempt to match random numbers to the numbers featured on their cards. The player who forms a straight line pattern shouts “Bingo” first wins. It is an amusing game that most people love from the time they are kids, and again when they are older adults, but no so much in between.
3. Baccarat – A game that provides three things, Tie, Banker and Player, Baccarat is so dominant. You need to join a site that offers it so that you can bet with the house. Its the only game where the casino wins, so do you!
4. Roulette – The gambler has to choose where they want to wager on the table and place their chips there. A table has 0 to 36 and then 00. Still, the player needs extra betting for low, middle and high columns, low 18 and high 18 and so on. Get yourself familiar with roulette and you will love it more than betting on red and black alone!
5. Blackjack – It is a card game played between the player and the dealer where the latter starts with one card face up and the other down. Players must then attempt to come close to 21 as much as possible without going beyond. The winner is the one who has a hand that defeats the dealer at 21 or below. Blackjack is an interesting game as its odds are almost a 50/50 split with the house.
6. Craps – This is a dice game played around the table and offers multiple spots to bet. The winning line is seven or eleven. Losing lines are two, three and twelve.
7. Poker – It is a card game too, and it has many different versions. You will realize it when you join the best online casino.
Conclusion
Now that you know some of the most important factors to consider when selecting from the hundreds of USA online casinos, do the right thing. Pick a casino that can support your gambling needs fully by finding one with the games you want to play. Do leave it up to randomness, use the reviews and gain endless chances to have fun, and win more money everyday.
Mobile Gambling is approaching a staggering $100 billion US dollars in worldwide revenue. The US population of online gamers and gamblers is increasing from 80 million in 2011 to 191 million in 2017, that’s almost 60% population penetration. The demographics of online gaming are seeing a steady march of democratization, leaving the nascent stages of mobile to a mature market.
Mobile game spend per consumer is around $22.85. Children aged two to seventeen are now spending an average of over 7 hours per week on mobile games, an increase of almost 50% compared to two years prior (*1). Overall mobile is expected to capture about 40% of the global gambling market by 2018.
Competition between brick and mortar gambling venues and online platforms is heating up . Asia-Pacific markets have fairly strict regulations for online gambling. The largest of which Macao where gaming is down 37% over the past 12 months (*3). 2015 is expected to register at around $30 billion to $35 billion for Macau. 2013 was actually enjoyed substantially higher revenues at $45 billion in Macau (Vegas did about $8 billion).
Europe is currently the biggest online gambling marketplace. Russia and Germany are lagging and slow to adopt while in Italy online gaming is also very common. In the USA only 3 states allow online gambling but the federal oversight has been growing less restrictive. 8 states currently have bills in the works that will allow internet gambling.
New Jersey is the first state to fully legalize it and it generated almost half a billion dollars in gross revenue. Thomas Winter, vice president for Golden Nugget casino was quoted at the East Coast Gaming Conference and said that New Jersey had not seen a cannibalization of their physical casinos from their online customers. (*4)
E-sports is another fast growing trend capitalizing on smartphone adoption and online payment familiarity. A new generation of gaming celebrities are cropping up with fans every bit as devoted as American football fans. The audience for e-sports is rapidly expanding and expected to increase from 89 million last year, to over 145 million in 2017. Betting on e-sports alone has almost become a $100 billion dollar industry in itself.
Virtual Reality is just around the corner. Facebook’s Oculus Rift should be available the first quarter of 2016 for $200. Online casino gambling could be the perfect way to test out this new virtual reality environment. Online casino games are expected to already be in place.
People have big expectations with VR in the hopes of duplicating the romance and debauchery of Vegas from the comfort of the bedroom. For that matter, time periods and giant worldwide poker tournaments could easily be foreseeable. Players looking across the table at each other could read tells and facial expressions. Making VR much more interesting then a desktop screen. Horse race gambling could see profound changes with virtual reality. VR opens up potential to actually participate in the race, a camera on the horse’s head could provide betters with a first person point of view. The possibilities are growing not shrinking.
Not all agree that a rise in online gambling is a good thing. Many universities are studying the effects of online gambling on the population at large. Southern Cross University clinical psychologist Dr. Sally Gainsbury is calling for more education on the potentially dangerous effect of online gambling.
Dr. Gainsbury said that a massive migration away from brick and mortar gambling shops toward online gambling has not yet been seen however, the potential is great in the future especially as younger generations of people are feeling more comfortable with online payments. Social gambling and e-currencies like Bitcoin are also contributing to online gaming’s growth.
*1: http://www.oyetimes.com/technology/81621-latest-trends-in-online-gaming
*2: http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/macau-gaming-revenue-dips-37-percent-12th-straight-monthly-drop
*3: http://www.statista.com/topics/1906/mobile-gaming/
*4:http://www.northjersey.com/news/online-gambling-s-luck-turning-as-revenues-outpace-year-ago-1.1350119
Ms. Elaine Wynn, co-founder of Las Vegas’s three revitalizing veteran resorts and casinos, the Mirage, Bellagio, and Wynn Resorts, and ex-wife of the resort’s fellow founder and current chief executive, Steve Wynn, has been, for various spoken reasons, recently denied the self-nominated revocation as a director on the resort’s Board of Directors. The beginning of this not-so-surprising outcome started through the majority-vote decision to disassemble Ms. Wynn’s seat during a meeting this past March, held by the $13 billion resort company’s corporate governance team.
The reason given by the ultimate power holders, namely the governance itself, as well as the, now, Caucasian-male-only, Board of Directors of Wynn Resorts and the company shareholder majority, is said to be the negative effect that the ex-power couple’s three year legal dispute has, so far, had on the overall economic health of the three resort/casinos that are widely credited to have rejuvenated, if not launched, Las Vegas’s casino and resort construction and financial boom just decades earlier.
This decision has been finalized even after it has continuously been well known by mutual friends and the public alike, that Elaine and Steve Wynn’s 2010 divorce had been one of the most mutually low-key, pleasant experiences of any high-society break-up to this day. Although, the two still seem to have much respect for the other, whether it be professionally or personally, their divorce was the most legally expensive decoupling endeavors to date, with an equal break between their shared estate, allegedly awarding each party a sum of $741 million.
The question should then be, what caused the Board of Directors to start undermining Elaine Wynn’s ability to help make and maintain the pertinent and relevant decisions it takes to manage a successful company such as Wynn Resorts in the first place? Her cause probably was not helped by the fact that her powerful ex-husband, along with his 25 years-his-junior and current wife, Andrea Hissom, has been serving as directors by her side before the fiasco had initially erupted.
Elaine Wynn is designated by The Forbes 400 as one of only 19 self-made, female billionaires; her net-worth is estimated to be $1.87 billion due to the ever improving worldwide economy. Even so, the native New Yorker and former Miss Miami beauty queen has stayed true to herself, valuing the time spent with her two daughters, also partners in the family hotel and casino business, as well as her and her former husband’s seven grandchildren. During the last segment of her Fall of 2012 interview with Sun Valley Home and Design’s journalist and freelance writer, Steve Friess, Ms. Wynn provided an eloquent hint as to who she is inside and what truly matters to her:
“I didn’t know when I married Steve Wynn that I would wind up in Las Vegas and that I would be in the casino business. I have always said that I put one foot in front of the other and what motivates me… are good, sound things to keep me productive and fulfilled… I am a serious-minded person, and I think now I was always on this path.”
Her “serious-minded” approach to matters of importance may have also been a factor in the decision to not re-appoint her to her seat. It is a matter of strategy. Shareholders may very well be shaken by what could happen if Elaine Wynn is awarded in favor of the federal court’s ruling on the matter of repealing an agreement made between her, her husband and Mr. Kazvo Okada, who was, at the time, the one with the most shares of the company; Elaine and Okada would have to consult Steve Wynn and receive his permission to trade stock if the total monetary movement were to be greater than $10 million.
Okada, who has been Steve Wynn’s long time :Asian connection, namely to the recently Chinese government regulated Macau, was previously a pursuant for and recipient of company legal suits because of the same reason, but has recently been given a redemption of his holdings by Wynn Resorts. After the decision was finalized during a meeting between approximately 200 shareholders on Friday, April 24th, Elaine responded through her sympathetic representatives by issuing this poignant, yet still hopeful statement
“While I am certainly disappointed by the result of today’s vote, I am hopeful that I have once again served as an agent for change and improvement for this company, which I love so deeply.” She added: “It remains to be seen if the directors of this company will deliver on the commitments they have made to greater independence, diversity and oversight of management. I, however, as the third-largest stockholder, remain committed to holding all accountable”.
Read more: http://www.sbcnews.co.uk/retail/2015/04/27/elaine-wynn-ousted-from-wynn-resorts-board-of-directors/#ixzz3YXDNYB9X
According to William Thompson, an expert in the study of the economically fluctuating gambling industry and professor emeritus of the University of Nevada, Ms. Elaine Wynn has currently established herself as the sole “swing shareholder” that can, in the end, take everything away from her ex-husband, including the resorts, the money that comes with running them, and the lifestyle that he has gotten so used to over the past four decades after being widely dubbed, along with his ex-wife, “The First Couple of Las Vegas.”
Because of the overwhelming debt of their jointly shared company, if the lawsuit concludes in favor of Elaine Wynn, then Steve Wynn and Wynn Resorts will have to buy back approximately $3 billion worth of company shares, possibly even ending their process on building themselves into the boom and ever increasing profit of the Asian gambling industry. Only if this scenario were to come into play would the next largest company investor, T. Rowe Price, rule the scene with their current, yet uncapped, 16.8 percent of total Wynn Resorts stock shares, the most shares held by an individual shareholder.
Friday April 3rd 2015, Governor Baker refused to issue a permit this week to the developers of the new Wynn casino to move forward with their expansion in Massachusetts. This new addition to Wynn’s line-up will be a 1.7 billion dollar hotel and casino that overlooks the Mystic River located in Everett, if allowed to move forward. The MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) recently sold 1.75 acres to Wynn for $6 million less than a month ago wanting the land for access to the main site.
Matthew Beaton secretary of energy and environmental affairs for the governor says that the land transfer violates the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act. It was sold before the agency had a chance to review the casino project.
Beaton wants the Wynn group to update their policies on how they will deal with environmental issues like traffic, noise, safety and safety. The group must discuss the recent sale of land with the Governor’s staff and come to an agreement on these issues before too much time and money is lost.
Beaton suggested two possible solutions to the problem with the land sale. One is a reversal of the land transfer or putting the land in escrow until the agency reviews it. Beaton said he does not plan to derail the project just wants to postpone it until more information is provided. The governor’s administration was frustrated by the sale of the land without their knowledge.
Wynn officials said with this decision made the casino will not open until 2018. They think the delay is just another step closer to getting the project off the ground. President, Robert DeSalvio said that they were disappointed that the jobs created by the casino and tax benefits will be delayed.
Beaton wants the MBTA and Department of Transportation to improve the way they flag land transfers in future projects. This is costing the more than it may be worth, something that he does not want to happen again if so.
The Wynn Everett group will now have to work with Massachusetts Department of Transportation to address these issues and finalize a solution. Beaton expects their update in include a transportation update and financial information about Orange Line subsidy.
The gambling complex will include a 629 room hotel on 34 acre site located off Rt. 99. Wynn wants the 1.75 acres for an access road to the casino. This would insure it was within the Boston city limits. This would also give Boston officials less control over the operation.
The city of Boston, amung others, have sued the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for awarding the contract. Mayor Dan Rizzo called on the State Inspector General and Attorney Generals Office to investigate the recent land sale. The biggest problem the Wynn staff faces is dealing with the increased transportation problems the casino will bring to Sullivan Square.
The Stratosphere Hotel and Casino was rocked when a Ford pickup slammed into the front entrance and went through the glass doors, causing significant damage to the hotels entrance. Ryan Brown, the driver of the truck, was high on a cocktail of drugs when he deliberately ran his truck into the casino doors. Witnesses say that the F150 looked as if it was going to park with the valet service when it suddenly turned sharply to the right and speed up toward the casino.
Patrons and staff were confused and startled by the earthquake-like crash. One witness told local news it was “like the ceiling was falling down.” The crash took out the large glass entrance doors and severely damaged the marble floor. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
After the accident occurred witnesses say that Ryan Brown jumped out of the truck as if nothing had happened. He seemed to be “out of it,” swinging back and forth looking very unsteady on his feet. He proceeded to get into a fight with some patrons of the casino who quickly overpowered him and handed him over to casino security. He was arrested shortly thereafter. General Manager of The Stratosphere, Paul Hobson, assured guests that this is the first accident of any kind that has occurred on the hotel and casino property. He worked swiftly to have the truck hauled away from the entrance, promising patrons and Las Vegas locals that repairs to the property would not take long.
Officials say that Brown had been high on a mixture of drugs for nearly 6 days straight when the accident occurred. The 40 year old was let go after only a few days time when the prosecution refused to press criminal charges against him. Although no one was hurt in the crash it appeared to be deliberate, making this an easy won case. However, the prosecution’s refusal to press charges ended up having consequences.
But There’s More…
According to officials Brown underwent a mandatory psychological screening when he entered the Las Vegas prison. Brown had allegedly told police that he had wanted to jump off the Stratosphere roof and was “excited” to be on the news. This and the withheld psychological results all point to mental illness being the reason charges were not brought against the 40 year old Indiana native.
No amount of good news, however, could save Ryan Brown from himself. Only about a week after the crash and days after being released from prison without restriction, the man killed himself. He was found in a hotel room, hung from his neck. It appears to investigators that he asphyxiated. He was staying at the Rio Hotel and Casino.
Brown was an electrician native to the state of Indiana. He allegedly struggled with drug problems. In fact, 1 gram of cocaine was found in the ashtray of his silver Ford the very night of the Stratosphere crash. Prior to the Las Vegas arrest he had only been in trouble for one domestic dispute with his wife. It was resolved without charges being made.
The District Attorney office admits that there may have been several mistakes made in Brown’s case. However, under Nevada law mental illness is not grounds for keeping someone detained. They had no choice but to let him go once the prosecution refused to file criminal charges or request for more time.
One of the primary reasons for governments introducing USA casino gambling is the purported economic growth from gaming development. Among these benefits is economic growth. Over the last half-century, policies that promote economic growth have become an integral part of public sector economic activity.
In the U.S., state government attempts to attract industry via tax breaks and financial incentives have been the object of considerable research attention. But the apparent inability of either of these sets of policies to sustain successful outcomes over time has led state policy makers to explore alternative avenues.
Writing in the 1930s Joseph Schumpeter noted that one method of spurring economic growth is to provide a new good to the consuming public. Since legalization of previously illegal activity is tantamount to introducing a “new good” to the public menu of consumption possibilities, there should be no surprise that a growth policy that has seen increasing popularity is legalized gambling.
The past two decades have witnessed an explosion of U.S. state legalization of betting on horse racing, dog racing, lotteries, casino games, and so on. Even now, states consider legalizing additional types of gambling. Since the electoral majority sometimes considers gambling a “bad”, some offsetting benefit to its provision must be offered to justify legalization. That benefit, politicians argue, is economic growth resulting from increased spending, tax revenues, and employment.
Because the availability of casino gambling, in particular, has been strictly limited, regions that were early to legalize casinos could expect highly profitable industries and increased tax earnings and employment. Most of the literature deals with the U.S. experience, and that is the focus here.
There are numerous success stories of legalized casino gambling in the U.S. Las Vegas is certainly the most famous. Tunica County, Mississippi provides another interesting example. It had been known as the “poorest county in the nation” and the focus of many poverty studies. Webster Franklin, director of the Chamber of Commerce of Tunica, testified to the effects of the casinos at a 1994 congressional hearing. He explained how most of the studies on his county suggested government aid did not help lower the 26% unemployment rate.
There are also states and cities that have had less successful experiences with casino. Many researchers believe the casinos in Atlantic City, for example, have largely failed to revitalize that economy. In some countries, the casinos are also so small and few that they could hardly have an effect on local economies.
An example of this would be casino gambling in Belgium. While casino gambling has just recently been legalized in some countries, in the U.S. the expansion seems to have slowed, with 11 states currently hosting legal non-Indian casino industries and 28 states with Indian casinos. Perhaps this slow-down is because of uncertainty of the real economic effects of legalization.
References:
Councils, L., & Anderson, G. (2014). London borough leaders back Newham’s call to curb casino-style gambling in high streets.
Lalive, R., Manai, M., & Stutzer, A. (2014). Gender Differences in Well-Being and Equal Rights. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research, 2420-2424.
