Issue N3, 2012

January 19, 2012

Legal Sports Betting on the Way for New Jersey

The Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie has removed yet another hurdle in this state’s path to legalized sports betting. The governor signed the bill introduced by Senator Ray Lesniak that will allow state authorities to challenge the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA),

Under the terms of the PASPA, sports betting is banned in all but four states in the US. Under the bill signed by Governor Chris Christie, New Jersey now has the platform off which to challenge the provisions of PAPSA in a court of law.

Gambling proponents have been fighting for the right to offer legalized sports betting for years in New Jersey, arguing that this form of entertainment has the possibility to generate tax revenues for the state. In addition, so-called illegal bookies would have to pay for licenses to operate in the state. New Jersey casinos, especially in Atlantic City, would be able to offer sports betting on their premises, thus adding to their appeal and attracting more tourists.

Poker Stars Confirms Departure of CEO

Gabi Campos, who has been Chief Executive Officer of the online poker room, Poker Stars for the past 15 months, will be leaving his position from the beginning of February, according to a confirmation statement by Poker Stars. “PokerStars announced today that Gabi Campos has decided to step down from his position as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2012, to pursue other opportunities,” read the statement by the group. “The company thanks Gabi for his hard work and commitment and wishes him the best in all his future endeavors. A search for Gabi’s replacement is under way.”

In July 2010, Campos was named as the Chief Executive Officer of Poker Stars, after he served as the Managing Director of 888 Holdings’ B2B platform, Dragonfish. Campos joined 888 in 2007 and moved to Dragonfish in 2009. It is not clear where Campos will now head, with some sites speculating that he will return to his former role as MD of Dragonfish.

Campos’ departure is the latest in a trend of major players leaving the site. Last year, the director of the European Poker Tour, Thomas Kresner, announced that he was leaving, and this month, John Duthie, a member of Team PokerStars Pro also announced his departure.

New Cash Back Promo at Sky Vegas Casino

Sky Vegas Casino, the popular online casino, has rolled out a new promotion that could see players earn hundreds of pounds in cash back funds. Players are being promised a 10% refund up to £500 on their total losses from now until the end of January. In order to benefit from this promotion, players need to opt in to the promotion and play at the site on six different days.

“The online casino games offered at Sky Vegas are as close to the real-life Las Vegas experience as you can get,” said the online casino in a statement. “All from the comfort of home and its portfolio extends further still from Las Vegas standards like blackjack to the familiar in Deal Or No Deal and the sheer frivolous fun found in Leprechaun’s Luck. One game on the near horizon stirring interest for the future is Cash Cauldron.

“Blackjack is one of the more easy-to-grasp table games with a history of traditional Las Vegas flair and sophistication. A highly popular and classy choice, it encourages players to bring skill as well as luck to the table. Players are dealt a hand of cards and an objective to score as near to 21 as possible without ever going over. There is opportunity to take on the house with this game, honing skills to become a formidable poker player.”

Victor Chandler Renames UK Platform

The Gibraltar based online gambling giant, Victor Chandler, rebranded its UK platform, which will now be known as Bet Victor in order to bring it in line with its other European products. The Bet Victor name will apply to all UK operations, including sports betting, casino and poker.

“Victor Chandler International maintains a rich heritage in the UK from a small family business to one of the strongest independent sports and gaming companies in the world,” said the group in a statement. It continued that, as a company, Victor Chandler was always renovating and moving forward, as well as extending its brand across all new territories. The UK, according to the group, will continue to the “fulcrum of our international business” and therefore it makes “perfect sense” to use the same brand name in the UK as in all foreign countries. “I personally guarantee that we will continue to provide our superb range of betting opportunities across a comprehensive range of sporting events,” promised chairman, Victor Chandler.