Online casino legislation seeking to legalize table games in New Hampshire passed the Senate on March 30 and is now being considered by the House. During an hour-long hearing, the legislators discussed how the bill would legalize online table games and fund higher education.

The lottery would be tasked with granting licenses to potential operators, who must go through a bidding process before they receive permission to operate in the state. The legal age to gamble in New Hampshire would be 18 years old.

Online Table Games May Soon Be Legalized in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire House held a hearing on Tuesday for Senate Bill 104, which would legalize online table games if approved. Experts see this as an important step forward for the state because it would provide New Hampshire residents with more entertainment options and raise funds for higher education. The bill, however, will not legalize slot machines.

Operators interested in entering the market must go through a bidding process. The ones that offer the highest tax rate would receive a license. A state legislative analysis projected that three to five operators will obtain licenses, and the bidding tax rate will be around 35%. The New Hampshire Lottery Commission estimated that online casino games could generate $25 million in the first three years of operations, which would go to scholarship funds.

Under the provisions of the bill, no cap will apply to wagers placed on online games. But according to state law, charitable gambling facilities must comply with a maximum bet limit of $10. However, there are some bills in the legislature seeking to increase this ceiling.

Arguments For and Against Gambling Expansion in New Hampshire

Currently, casinos are obliged to donate 35% of their profits to charities. According to recent information, casinos generated approximately $20 million for nonprofit organizations in the last fiscal year. During the hearing held on Tuesday in the New Hampshire House Ways and Means Committee, benefactors explained that online casinos would affect their revenues and the amount they earmark to such organizations.

Head of Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County, Jon Eriquezzo, used an interesting metaphor to describe the situation. He said that if you squeeze a balloon on one side, it will get smaller on the other.

Supporters of the bill argued that online casinos would not change people’s habits who are used to visiting gambling facilities but attract new players. Sen. Timothy Lang, the main sponsor of the bill, told legislators that many New Hampshire residents gamble online even though online gambling is prohibited in the state. He added that legalizing online gambling will ensure better consumer protection and boost the state’s workforce.

This Monday, the hearing into an alleged match-fixing scandal, which includes ten Chinese snooker players who are currently suspended, started. The hearing is expected to take up to two weeks, and after that, findings will be made public. Based on the findings revealed during the hearing process, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association will decide how to punish the ten players.

Results from the Hearing Not Expected to Be Published Before June

Yesterday, the hearing into snooker’s match-fixing scandal involving ten of the best Chinese snooker players began. They have been charged with match-fixing offenses and immediately suspended from the World Snooker Tour. The hearing is expected to take no more than two weeks, and the results will be published at a later date, probably somewhere around June.

Those found guilty will face lengthy bans of up to 10 years and even more. However, none of the ten players will receive a life-long ban as these are usually associated with legal issues. This is some relief as players could get their careers back on track.

The hearing will be conducted virtually and chaired by Ian Mill KC, who is specialized in resolving sports disputes. A curious fact is that he made the ruling concerning John Higgins’ match-fixing case in 2010.

Who are the Players Involved in the Match-Fixing Scandal?

Last October, Liang Wenbo became the first player to be suspended. In December, Yan Bingtao, Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning, Chang Bingyu, and Chen Zifan were also suspended. The announcement for the suspension of Zhao Xintong and Zhang Jiankang came this January.

The players have been suspended for months, and any ban resulting from the investigation will be backdated to when it was issued. This means that the players who receive a year-long suspension could return to play next season.

All players, except Zhao Xintong, who is still in England, have returned to China. Former UK champion Zhao is expected to get away with the least serious punishment. He has been charged with being concerned with fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker. The term “concerned in fixing matches” is a broad charge used to describe any involvement in match-fixing.

Speaking to the BBC podcast Snookered, Matchroom president Eddie Hearn said that both sides will have the opportunity to present their arguments during the hearing, and the case will be decided by an independent arbitrator. He added that everyone who deserves suspension will be handed one. He mentioned that Higgins was fined and suspended just for failing to report a corrupt approach back in the day.

The new gambling law prohibiting users from Tamil Nadu from playing poker and rummy online came into effect on April 21. On April 10, Governor R.N. Ravi gave assent to a bill, which seeks to prohibit online gambling and classify poker and rummy as games of chance.

With the Governor implementing the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, online rummy and poker platforms, such as A23, Classic Rummy, and PokerBaazi, have started blocking users from Tamil Nadu.

Why Poker and Rummy Platforms Ban Tamil Nadu Residents?

Only four days ago, the law banning online gambling, including rummy and poker, became effective. As a result, platforms that offer online poker and rummy have started blocking customers from Tamil Nadu. Some of the sites that have already restricted Tamil Nadu residents from playing poker and rummy online are A23, Classic Rummy, and PokerBaazi.

According to Tamil Nadu’s law, anyone caught playing games of chance online will have to pay a fine of up to INR5,000 or serve a prison sentence of up to three months. Those encouraging people to gamble online will face a fine of up to INR500,000 and a jail sentence of up to one year. The punishments for operators who accept players from Tamil Nadu include a fine of up to INR100,000 and three years prison sentence.

The ban on online poker and rummy has revived the debate about whether individual states are allowed to adopt such prohibitions. Tamil Nadu’s strict stance on the matter clashes with the central government’s soft approach toward gambling. Besides, the ban raises another question regarding the difference between luck-based and skill-based games.

Tamil Nadu’s Anti-Online Gambling Act

Several people committed suicides after incurring massive debts because of gambling, and hence why Tamil Nadu’s government decided to ban online gambling. On October 1, 2022, Governor Ravi promulgated the ordinance under which online gambling is illegal in Tamil Nadu. Almost three weeks later, a bill replacing the ordinance was adopted by the Assembly and sent to the Governor’s desk for approval.

On March 6, 2023, the bill was returned by the Governor to the Assembly, explaining that the state government lacks legislative competence to create such a bill. On April 10, Tamil Nadu’s Governor R.N. Ravi finally signed the bill seeking to prohibit online gambling. Under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, poker and rummy are games of chance, and Tamil Nadu’s residents are not allowed to play them.

But Tamil Nadu is not the only state banning online poker and rummy. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Karnataka are also seeking to prohibit skill-based games, classifying them as games of chance. However, some of these bans were overturned after industry associations challenged them in state high courts.

Last Friday, Alberta’s top court upheld a lower court decision, according to which Alberta’s gambling regulator has the statutory authority to launch a dedicated gambling platform. The decision may finally put an end to the legal battle between Tsuu T’ina Gaming and the regulator.

In 2020, the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed Tsuu T’ina Gaming’s claim that the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLCC) is not allowed to operate a gambling site, and that is how PlayAlberta was created in 2020.

Tsuu T’ina Gaming Claims That the Regulator Exceeds Its Authority

Under the latest decision taken by Alberta’s top court last Friday, the provincial regulator Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission can operate an online gambling site, which means that PlayAlberta is a legal online gambling platform.

Back in 2020, the gambling watchdog decided to launch its own gambling website. As a result, the Tsuut’ina Nation and Stoney Nakoda First Nation took the gambling regulator to court, claiming that it overstepped its authority by trying to enter Alberta’s gambling market. But Justice Robert Armstrong ruled in favor of the provincial regulator.

The tribes did not give up and decided to challenge the regulator once again in the Court of Appeal in April 2021. They said that Justice Armstrong erred in his decision because the regulator does not have the statutory authority to operate an online casino under the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act. A three-member Alberta Court of Appeal panel upheld Justice Armstrong’s decision and dismissed the tribes’ challenge, giving the AGLCC the nod to operate the gambling site.

Motivation Behind the Court’s Ruling

The AGLCC established an advisory committee in 2019, in which representatives from Alberta’s gaming market worked with the regulator to ensure that the gambling platform would complement the operations of the existing land-based casinos. The gambling site was estimated to generate $3.74 million for the province in the 2021 fiscal year. But gambling establishments in the province were forced to close during the coronavirus outbreak. And this gave the start of the legal battle between the tribes and the regulator.

Brent Dodginghorse, a councilor for Tsuut’ina Nation and CEO of Tsuut’ina Nation Gaming, said that the province tries to ensure that it is the only provider that can operate during the lockdown. He added that the tribes took the risk of operating brick-and-mortar casinos and agreed to share the revenue with the province, so the government should allocate revenue from online gambling operations to casinos.

In a written ruling, the Court of Appeal explained that the regulator can operate provincial lotteries in the name of the Government of Alberta.

The House and Governor Maura Healey once again expressed their support for the bill seeking to legalize the sales of online lottery tickets, pushing the Senate to approve the legislation. According to Democrats, the state would generate $200 million in revenue if the measure passes, and the funds would be used for early education and child care stabilization grants. Speaking in front of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure last Thursday, Senator John Cronin said that the matter is being discussed actively in his chamber.

Massachusetts Lottery Should Be Allowed to Sell Its Products Online to Compete Sports Betting Apps

Last year, a bill seeking to expand state lottery operations died on the Senate floor, but the House and Governor Maura Healey joined forces to convince the House to approve the bill this session. Last week, the House Ways and Means fiscal year 2024 budget announced that the launch of an online lottery in Massachusetts would generate millions of dollars in revenue.

On Thursday, Mark Bracken, Interim Executive Director of the Massachusetts Lottery, told the Consumer Protection Committee that the state should authorize the Massachusetts Lottery to sell its products online and compete with sports betting apps. He added that while casinos and sportsbooks are for-profit businesses, any profits generated by the Lottery support communities throughout the state.

Chelsea Turner, chief operations officer of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, said that the number of people calling her office to sign up for the state’s self-exclusion program has doubled since the launch of sports betting in March this year. She explained that Massachusetts residents spend $800 per year on lottery tickets and raised concerns that the sales of lottery tickets online may lead to increased preoccupation with gambling.

Online Lottery Operations Not Expected to Affect In-Person Purchases

Bracken said that people would not be allowed to use credit cards to buy lottery tickets online and would be provided with the opportunity to impose limits and self-exclude. He added that self-imposed limits cannot be changed for 30 days. Bracken explained that people would be able to keep track of their gambling history, too.

According to Bracken, the push to legalize the sale of lottery tickets online aims to attract a new generation of players. He explained that if the state allows the Lottery to sell its products online, people will be provided with a more convenient way to purchase lottery tickets, and this will not affect in-person sales. Members of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association and New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, however, were concerned that the authorization of an online Lottery would lead to a loss of sales.

Representatives from the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) suggested that any revenue generated from online lottery sales should go to cities and towns. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg has been urging lawmakers to allow the Lottery to sell its products online for years.

On Thursday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police detained a 33-year-old man accused of six counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, 11 counts of burglary with a deadly weapon, and five counts of grand larceny of a vehicle. According to the police, the man has a lengthy criminal record in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Police Finally Apprehend a Wanted Felon For String of Casino Robberies

The suspect, identified as Dshante Styles, was arrested yesterday by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. The 33-year-old felon will face charges of six casino robberies and two armed carjackings. The string of robberies occurred on November 16 in Henderson and Las Vegas.

On April 18, police explained that they found a stolen vehicle parked in front of the 2300 block of Silverado Ranch Boulevard. Police suspect that the man used that vehicle during one of the casino robberies. Officers said that when they approached Styles, he ran away, but later the suspect was spotted and identified. Upon arresting Styles, the officers found he owns a gun.

Styles was jailed at the Clark County Detention Center and brought to trial later on Thursday. On Friday, the man is expected to appear in court again on a charge of domestic abuse. Officers said that Styles has a lengthy criminal record and even served a prison sentence for robbery. Police refused to provide information about the casinos that the man robbed.

The Man is Responsible for a Series of Casino Robberies

On January 18 this year, Las Vegas police asked the public for assistance in finding a man suspected of several casino robberies. Since November 2022, the cashiers of several off-Strip Las Vegas casinos have been robbed without anyone being arrested. The police provided a detailed description of the man and explained that he had been observed wearing a black mask, a hooded sweatshirt, and black gloves.

The man allegedly robbed the Gold Coast Casino on November 16, the Green Valley Ranch on December 12, the Silverton on December 20, and the Rampart on December 24. In a press conference on Thursday, Nick Farese, the deputy chief of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said that the members of his department were working day and night to arrest Styles for the casino robberies. Farese pointed out that the officers quickly realized that the 33-year-old man is dangerous.

Two other robbers, including Zubaid Al Jarmi and James Booth, were recently detained for stealing money from the cages of Resorts World Casino and Caesars Palace. Cases against the two felons are currently pending in court.

Earlier this week, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation confirmed that they had submitted an application for putting the tribe-owned property in Pasco into trust with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Portland. This is the first step of a 16-step federal process for the transfer of off-reservation tribal fee property to trust status. The BIA and the Department of the Interior may require the tribes to go through more processes because the land will be used for building a gambling venue.

Transferring the Property for the Project into Trust Status Might Take Up to Five Years

This week the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation took a major step toward opening a casino and travel center by submitting a fee-to-trust transfer application for the tribe-owned property in Pasco. The application was developed over the past year by the Colville Tribes’ attorneys and staff and handed to the Regional Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Portland, Bryan Mercier.

Colville Business Council Chairman Jarred Michael Erickson said that the fee-to-trust transfer of tribal property might take two to five years. He added that the gambling venue in Pasco will create more job opportunities, attract tourists to the region, and provide the tribal government with additional resources to serve the tribal membership. Mr. Erickson explained that the project will benefit the Colville Tribes and the Tri-Cities area.

Cody Desautel, executive director of the Colville, said that the process of moving parcels into trust also includes an environmental review, which is subject to public comment. Besides, the federal review process must also consider any objections to the casino project.

More About the Casino Project in Pasco

In 2019, Colville Confederated Tribes signed an Agreement in Principle with the Pasco City Council to work together on the casino project. Under the agreement, the city will provide municipal services such as police and fire coverage, while the tribes will reimburse the city for the costs of these services.

In a letter sent to Erickson on April 14, Mayor Blanche Barajas once again expressed his support for the casino project. Pasco’s city manager Adam Lincoln explained that the city is still learning to cooperate with the Colville Tribes.

The Colville Tribes operate other gambling venues at Lake Chelan, Omak, and Coulee Dam. In 2019, the Colville purchased 184 acres of land to the east of Highway 395 used by the tribes back in the day for $2.9 million. Although it will take a few more years before the casino in Pasco opens its doors, experts believe that the gambling venue will boost the city’s economy and decrease unemployment.

On Wednesday, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) announced that it paid the City of Niagara Falls the staggering amount of $3.93 million for the three-month period, starting from January 1, for hosting Casino Niagara and the Fallsview Casino Resort. However, the total is down compared to the payment of $4.4 million, which the city received in January last year.

OLG Has Handed Over $194 Million to the City of Niagara Falls Since 1996

In the last fiscal year, which ended on March 31, the City of Niagara Falls received $19.9 million from the OLG for hosting the two casinos, namely Casino Niagara and the Fallsview Casino Resort. OLG said the city received $194.9 million in payments since 1996 when Casino Niagara opened its doors. OLG reported that it paid nearly $2 billion in non-tax gaming revenue to host municipalities since 1994.

The payments OLG makes to communities that host gambling establishments are based on a formula that takes into account the gaming revenue generated by the hosted casino. The higher the casino revenue is, the higher the payment to the host municipality is. The City of Niagara Falls receives its casino-hosting payment on a quarterly basis.

In a news release, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said that the Municipality Contribution Agreements are an important source of funds for the municipalities. He explained that gaming host municipalities use the money to fund local programs and infrastructure. Mr. Bethlenfalvy added that the revenues help gaming host municipalities to create better job opportunities and a higher standard of living.

OLG announced that it is proud of being able to share proceeds with communities that host gambling establishments and boost their economies.

The City of Niagara Falls Renegotiated Its Casino-Hosting Revenue Agreement in 2013

Before signing a new agreement with the OLG in 2013, the City of Niagara Falls received a fixed annual rate of $3 million for hosting the two gambling establishments. Between 2014 and 2019, the City of Niagara Falls raked in over $20 million a year (or $5 to $7 million every three months).

In 2017, the OLG paid the City of Niagara Falls over $26 million. But the city’s hosting fees significantly declined due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures, which forced most gambling establishments to cease operations temporarily.

But what bothers city officials now is the $1-billion Vegas-style resort and casino expected to open this summer in Toronto. According to experts, it will hit the revenue of the two casinos in Niagara Falls as well as the payment that the municipality receives from the OLG. Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati explained that the new casino in Toronto will cost his city $4 to $5 million a year.

On Wednesday morning, Kenya’s parliament discussed a bill that would replace the existing Betting and Lotteries Act and regulate gambling and sports betting in the country if approved. Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge moved the motion regarding the regulation of the industry and explained that the country will be able to protect youths from problem gambling if the practice is controlled.

Kenyan Lawmakers’ Views on Regulating Gambling

In September last year, Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge asked the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya to regulate betting companies so they also pay taxes. Speaking on the house floor this Wednesday, Mathenge said that the government must modernize its gambling laws and regulate the industry.

He cited a 2017 GeoPoll survey carried out among youth between the ages of 17-35 in Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, according to which Kenya has the highest number of betting youth. He explained that what drives Kenyans to gamble is poverty, unemployment, and media advertising.

The head of the state said that gambling activities often lead to significant losses and debts and should be listed on the Credit Reference Bureau’s list of social ills together with corruption, drug abuse, and alcoholism, among others. Moreover, the Media Council of Kenya must be held liable for allowing media agencies to promote gambling and fuelling the growth of the industry.

Mwea MP Mary Maingi said that gambling must be tightly regulated because it negatively affects the education and development of youths.

The Draft Gambling Control Bill Aims to Create Savings Culture among Kenyans

Last month, the government announced plans to carve out a percentage of the amount punters wager every year. The money will go to a compulsory Hustler Fund-style savings kitty proposed by President William Ruto’s administration. This way, punters will be forced to save with every bet they place.

According to the draft Gambling Control Bill, bettors are not allowed to stake less than Sh20 through online gambling platforms. Operators who violate the rules may face a fine of up to Sh5 million and imprisonment of six years. Under the proposal, gambling companies will pay a gambling fee of no more than 1% of the monthly gross gambling revenue to the Gambling Regulatory Authority.

Earlier this year, Mathenge, who is a fervent sports fan, announced that he will join forces with relevant stakeholders in promoting volleyball in his constituency. He explained that Nyeri was famous for this game back in the day and that most players in the national team were from this region. He shared that his goal is to revive the game’s popularity in the region.

On Tuesday, Hofstra University filed a lawsuit against the Nassau County Planning Commission in State Supreme Court in Mineola, claiming that the commission violated state open meeting laws.

According to Hofstra University’s allegations, the planning commission failed to properly notify the public of the lease transfer of the Nassau Coliseum to Las Vegas Sands before the meeting, conducted the meeting before lease negotiations were over, voted to close public comment too soon, and met secretly with Sands representatives.

A Meeting to Discuss the Transfer of the Lease for the Nassau Hub to Las Vegas Sands Was Kept Out of the Public Eye, Hofstra University Claims

On March 2, a meeting that included a public hearing to consider the future of Las Vegas Sands’ casino proposal at Nassau Hub was held. But according to Hofstra University, the commission violated the state’s open meeting laws. In a lawsuit filed against the commission on Tuesday, Hofstra University asks the court to void the meeting and mandate the commission to make materials related to the lease negotiations public at least a week before the hearing. A judge is yet to be assigned to the case.

Adam Schuman, an attorney for the university, said that the transfer of the lease at the Nassau Hub to Las Vegas Sands should receive a full public airing. The lawsuit comes just before the commission’s meeting, which is to take place this Thursday at 10 am. The planning commission has not voted on the lease negotiations yet.

Nassau County spokesman Christopher Boyle refrained from commenting on Hofstra University’s allegations but said that the school should spend their students’ tuition on education. Las Vegas Sands officials also did not comment on the university’s legal actions against them.

Why Las Vegas Sands’ Casino Project on Long Island Raises Controversy?

In January this year, Las Vegas Sands announced plans to build a multi-billion-dollar entertainment venue in the undeveloped area around Nassau Coliseum. The company signed an agreement with the site’s developer to lease the land and applied for a downstate New York gaming license. The new complex is projected to generate millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state and attract crowds of tourists to the area.

However, the casino project was opposed by many people, who voiced their concerns that the casino would bring traffic congestion and crime to the area. Besides, the proximity of a gambling establishment means that young people are more likely to develop gambling problems.

Hofstra University also opposed Las Vegas Sands Corporation’s plans to build a casino near its campus on Long Island. On the other hand, Long Island University and Nassau Community College backed the casino proposal, explaining that the complex would create sustainable job opportunities and develop academic programs in hospitality and culinary arts.