• Who Bet $110,000 On Bush?

He's rich, he's Canadian, and he's turned the world's biggest wagering house into a den of devoted Democrats. He'd also prefer you didn't know his name. "I tried hard to make him go public," said Warren Lush, chief oddsmaker at Ladbrokes, the famous London-based gambling broker. "I'm going to work on him over the next couple of weeks." But with less than three weeks before the U.S. presidential elections, the Canadian high-roller who back in June tossed a cool $110,000 into the pot — the biggest bet Ladbrokes has ever booked on a political race — still wishes to be anonymous. "He doesn't want to speak to the press," Lush said yesterday, after contacting the gentleman in question to pass along an interview request from the Toronto Star, which was duly turned down. Lush declined to identify the man. "I'd love to be able to, but I just can't." In June, when the man wagered that Republican President George W. Bush will renew his lease on the Oval Office for a second term when votes are cast Nov. 2, Ladbrokes was quoting odds of 8/11 on a Bush victory. That means the Canadian will collect $80,000, plus his original wager, if Bush manages to beat Democratic challenger John Kerry next month. [...]

> Read the full story here Source : TheStar.com

• Rules Committee Pulls Anti-Gambling Language From Sept. 11 Bill

Congress moved a step closer on Wednesday to passing a bill enacting recommendations from the Sept. 11 commission, and it appears that the interactive gaming industry will remain untouched. Both the Senate and House have companion bills aimed at passing legislation based on recommendations from the commission's report. On Wednesday the Senate voted 96-2 in favor of its bill, which would create a national intelligence director who would coordinate most of the nation's nonmilitary intelligence agencies and a national counter terrorism center to help fight terrorist plots. The Senate bill now moves to the House, where both Republican and Democratic leaders have been trying to hammer out the House's version of the Sept. 11 bill (H.R. 10). Two weeks ago, during a committee markup of the bill, the House Financial Services Committee tacked on I-gaming prohibition language to the bill. Rep. Michael Oxley, chairman of the Financial Services Committee, added H.R. 2143 (the Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act) which sought to ban credit cards, wire transfers and other instruments of banking in online gaming transactions. [...]

> Read the full story here Source : IGamingNews.com

• Student Online Player Scoops $111,652 Progressive Slot Jackpot

October 13, 2004 - A very lucky student, and one of the youngest online winners to date, has won a progressive jackpot, worth $111,652 at Slotland.com. Miss “Kannonbell” (her username), a 20-year-old student from North America, has managed an out of this world experience when her planets lined up (literally). The machine she was playing on at the time was called Magic, which is a five-line slot, and one of nine machines that participate in the Slotland.com progressive jackpot. When contacted and asked for comment Miss “Kannonbell” replied, “My 20th birthday was early in September, and this happening so soon after is unbelievable. I play for fun not expecting to win big. You can’t imagine what it feels like to be rich all of a sudden! I stared at the screen and my account balance had over $112,000. All I can remember doing is screaming for joy!” When asked what she was going to do with the money she replied,” I will pay off my student loan and fund my college education.” A spokesperson from Slotland.com, Hannah Morante commented, “We are truly excited about the Progressive being won. At Slotland we have a history of fulfilling dreams and believe that with this win, one more has come true.”

> Read the full story here Source : Slotland.com

• TV, Web Driving Poker Fever

While the popularity of televised poker tournaments has helped drive business to casino poker rooms, online poker sites may be equally, if not more responsible, for the surge in casino traffic. "There are people who would not be in a poker room (in a casino) if not for the Internet," said Jennifer Harman, a professional poker player who participated in one of several panel discussions about poker at last week's Global Gaming Expo. Online poker exists in a legal gray area. Certain states such as Nevada explicitly prohibit Internet betting or some forms of gambling while others don't. Some legal experts say poker is exempted from state gambling laws because it's a game of skill while others disagree. The Justice Department maintains that all Internet wagers are illegal because they involve transactions that cross state lines. Meanwhile federal prosecutors have threatened legal action against several major media companies, claiming the companies are "aiding and abetting" illegal gambling sites by hosting advertising for the sites and providing other services. Americans, meanwhile, are paying little attention to such legal maneuvering and are joining Internet poker games in record numbers for a shot at winning a seat in televised poker tournaments in casinos worldwide. Others have less lofty goals of playing poker in a Las Vegas casino and are practicing in the privacy of their own homes to avoid making rookie mistakes. "Everyone wants to be on TV," said Anthony Curtis, publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor gambler newsletter. [...]

> Read the full story here Source : LasVegasSun.com

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