
‘Congress should leave us alone!’- was the response of Senator Lesniak as he denounced an Adelson-backed anti-gambling bill last week.
‘ The main point here: Congress should keep us alone!’ this is the verdict from New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Elizabeth) along with other Garden State legislators, who used the state’s yearly Chamber of Commerce trip to Washington DC last week being a platform to denounce the Restoration of America’s Wire Act.
Lesniak, along with Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, Senate Majority Leader Lou Greenwald and Senate President Steve Sweeney, called on Congress to reject the bill, that is supported by vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson, and would effectively outlaw all types of online gambling nationwide (aside from horse race), perhaps the online sale of lottery tickets.
Leave it to the States
‘New Jersey policymakers took the initiative to modernize our video gaming industry through online gaming,’ said Greenwald.’Yet Congressional action threatens to destroy this innovative and effort that is fledgling it has to be able to succeed on its own merits. This matter should be kept to the states, whom are best positioned to decide if and how gaming that is online work in their communities, not by Washington.’
The bill ended up being introduced month that is last Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), and disputes the Department of Justice’s clarification that the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 relates simply to sportsbetting. This assertion should be overruled, claim Graham and Chaffetz, as it was a made without input from the public.
Nevertheless, Lesniak branded the proposed ban ‘irresponsible’, incorporating that the government has ‘no spot states that are telling New Jersey which have already implemented successful programs to shut them down.’
The legislators warned that the ban would drive customers towards illegal gambling internet sites, which could not have the cutting-edge safeguards that are technological New Jersey has been during the forefront of developing. These safeguards benefit consumers, providing ‘common sense protections,’ including stringent measures to prevent children from gambling online.
Warnings of Dangerous Black Market Sites
‘Instead of a dangerous, international black market, consumers in the State of New Jersey have a safe place to go a system that do not only includes essential consumer protections, but additionally generates 1000s of dollars in revenue,’ said Lesniak.
A ban would spell catastrophe for New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware the states that have already regulated online gambling as well as numerous lotteries across the nation, and would be ‘trampling on these states’ rights and individuals that are threatening rights,’ said the legislators. Sweeney argued, meanwhile, that the Restoration of America’s Wire Act would curtail progress and growth that is economic.
‘It is disappointing that certain elements are working to dismantle New Jersey’s landmark internet gambling law,’ he stated. ‘New Jersey’s law was produced over many years, having a concentrate on security and safety. We have ver quickly become a national frontrunner in the world of online gambling, and now we simply cannot afford to have all our effort and effort undone by the whims of the few down in Washington.’
Prieto summarized the mood of indignation when he said: ‘New Jersey has taken aggressive and innovative steps to bring its casino industry into the century that is 21st and it is building in the success of those efforts. Much like gaming at casinos throughout the national nation, that is clearly an issue most useful left for the states to decide and regulate. New Jersey’s program should be left to succeed on its own.’
22 Groups Submit An Application for New York Casino Licenses
22 applications now await a ultimate decision in brand New York State as to that will be granted a casino license. (Image: Joe Raedle/Getty)
Following last Wednesday’s deadline, the brand new York State Gaming Commission has announced that, in all, 22 teams have requested upstate casino licenses, more than ended up being initially expected. Each company paid $1 million for the privilege to compete for starters of four licenses in three regions that are separate Albany-Saratoga region, the Catskills, and the Southern Tier.
The Catskills area, which includes Orange County towards the south, is the closest to New York City and thus naturally was the most used with bidders. A clash is included by it of the titans, too, with casino giants Caesars and Genting both going for a license in Orange County.
Others pursuing developments in the Empire State are the Saratoga Casino and Raceway; Baltimore-based Cordish Companies, and Alabama gambling hall owners Greenetrack. The interest in Orange County is certain to please state governor Andrew M. Cuomo, who has encouraged casino companies to think about the area as it is in need of a boost that is economic and that means these bidders may have better chance of success.
Borscht Belt
Deeper into the Catskills, Foxwoods is collaborating with Muss Development on a resort in the city of Liberty in Sullivan County; while the Mohegan tribe and Empire Resorts (Monticello Casino and Raceway) are both proposing projects, also in Sullivan County, as are Trading Cove New York, a partnership involving the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans and casino developer Len Wolman. Nevele Investors, meanwhile, is trying to redevelop a defunct ‘Borscht Belt’ resort.
Albany has five interested parties: Saratoga Casino and Raceway is taking a look at East Greenbush, while Capital area Gaming is arranging a venture just south of Albany. Howe Caverns, in Schoharie County, has announced it is trying to partner by having a casino operator in order to offer video gaming during the tourist that is popular, and Pinnacle Entertainment is interested in a Rensselaer County web site. Cordish has also said it’s interested in the certain area, but hasn’t announced a site as yet.
Competing for the Southern Tier the narrow strip in the west of the state that runs from Binghamton towards the Canadian border will likely be Rochester-based development firm Wilmorite Inc., the Tioga Downs Racetrack and Traditions during the Glen Resort and Conference Center.
Four other businesses have not yet stated which region they intend to bid for: Rolling Hills Entertainment, NYS Funding LLC by Och-Ziff Real Estate, Hudson Valley Gaming, LLC, and firm that is canadian.
Sticking it to the Cynics
Governor Cuomo was delighted by the quantity of interest in the application process.
‘ The cynics said, ‘You’re not going to get the applications, people are not going to apply, the right time is done, gaming is over the curve,’ ‘ he said. ‘ I think you’ve actually had more interest and it’s gone better than people suspected it may early on.’
The deadline to submit proposals that are full June 30 and a panel of the latest York State Gaming Commission will determine in the fall which operators will receive one of the four licenses. If applicants don’t submit their proposals by the deadline they will receive their $1 million application fees back. All candidates are required to demonstrate the economic benefits of their proposals, and that they will be ready to open their resorts in 2016 within their applications. They need to have sufficient support that is local their projects. Winners will have to pay licensing costs of $20 million to $70 million, depending on their chosen area.
‘Bad Actor’ PokerStars Eyes California Online Market
PokerStars has designs on the California online market, but will the existing ‘bad actor’ clause block its plans? (Image: igamingplayer.com)
PokerStars’ designs on the possibly huge California online market took one step closer last week, following the announcement that the earth’s biggest on the web poker site has officially sealed a deal with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, along with the state’s card rooms that are biggest: the Commerce Club, the Hawaiian Gardens Casino and the Bicycle Casino.
Rumors associated with agreement, that may theoretically enable PokerStars to deliver its new partners with internet poker software and infrastructure should regulation come right into force, surfaced in March, but were made formal in a news release just recently. It’s understood that PokerStars is seeking to be a brand that is front-facing the agreement.
Bad Acting
‘We’re pleased to announce these established and proven organizations to our agreement that represent millions of Ca poker players,’ Morongo Chairman Robert Martin was quoted as saying in the production.
‘we are confident that, together, we could give you a safe, secure, high-quality internet poker experience that brings financial benefits to California while providing the best degree of accountability, choice, service, and security for consumers,’ he included.
The production was timed to coincide with California’s Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization hearing a week ago, at which the hot topic of debate was the ‘bad star clause’ and whether it ought to be included in a California bill, because it has been around Nevada and New Jersey, in legislative proposals so far. The clause would ban companies that proceeded to accept US bets after the passage of the illegal Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006, thus precluding PokerStars from running in the state.
Tribal Warfare
Nearly all of the Ca tribes are all for the clause, of course, fearful that it is impractical to compete in a market that is regulated included a well-known brand name such as PokerStars. The California Tribal Business Alliance recently announced that it would block any legislation that might enable PokerStars to be the main Golden State’s online gambling market.
Nevertheless, Martin testified as of this week’s hearing, arguing that a bad actor clause would limit the scope of and potential of the market.
‘Efforts by a choose few passions to rewrite longstanding and policy that is effective order to achieve a competitive market advantage or even to lock away specific companies isn’t in the best interests of consumers or the state and will be vigorously opposed by our coalition, online poker players and many more,’ he said.
PokerStars responded swiftly.'[We have] a great history with California poker players, who want us in the market. Our company is the leader that is worldwide regulated online poker and hold more national licenses than just about any operator. We enjoy bringing our best techniques in responsible gaming, online security, e-commerce, protection of players’ funds and game integrity to your California market,’ said man Templer, Group Director of Strategy and Business Development for the Rational Group, PokerStars’ parent company, into the press release.
With a population of over 38 million, California has the potential not just to the biggest online gambling market in America, but also among the biggest in the world. Its probable that California will be the next state to regulate online internet gambling, but it’s unlikely to occur this year.
