Issue N38, 2009
October 7, 2009
Bet on Sports CEO Makes Last Minute Plea Change
Online gambling industry experts were sure that we would finally be seeing the end of one of the longest running legal battles, after the former Chief Executive Officer of Bet on Sports, David Carruthers, agreed to plead guilty in a case dating back several years. Carruthers, a UK resident, was arrested in the United States while he was in transit between Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, on charges of racketeering. At its height, Bet on Sports was the primary sports betting site for players from the United States.
Since 2006, Carruthers has been held in what has been described as house arrest, including electronic surveillance, at a hotel in Missouri on a $1 million bond. When he finally agreed to a guilty plea deal, authorities believed that the case was behind them and legal experts believed that Carruthers’ lawyers would be able to convince the judge that the years that their client spent until house arrest could constitute the 33 months that were negotiated as a sentence under the plea bargain.
However, in a last minute change of heart, for reasons as yet unknown, Carruthers put in an appeal for a ‘change of plea’, for which a hearing has been set for the middle of this month. Neither Carruthers’ lawyers nor the US Attorney’s Office would comment on the case, but we are sure to be hearing more about the reasons when the hearing takes place on the 14th.
Microgaming Launches Four New Games
Top software provider, Microgaming, has stunned the industry yet again with its new release of games for the month of October. Microgaming showcased Kung Fu Monkey Goes to China, Pure Platinum and Wooly World as its new video slot titles, while also providing players with a poker game choice in the form of Texas Hold ‘em Bonus Poker Gold.
The game that is definitely earning the most attention is Kung Fu Monkey which combines some of the most brilliant graphics and animations to come out of the house of Microgaming, with a fun and amusing theme. Watch primates battle it out in a fast paced action game that rewards particularly well with wild symbols, free spins, and three bonus rounds as well.
Wooly World is an Ice Age themed game with plenty of winning potential, lots of bonus features to reward and entertain and delightful graphics. Pure Platinum is a simple to play video slot game with low wagering option and the opportunity to win up to 50 spins.
The new slot games, together with Texas Hold ‘em Bonus Poker that has the potential to reward up to one thousand times the player’s wager, can be found at a wide number of Microgaming casinos across the internet.
$100 Turns to $400K at Online Slots Winning Extravaganza
Imagine investing $100 and turning it into $410,000 only three days later?! This is exactly what happened to a slots fan at Royal Ace Casino last month when she made a normal deposit into her online casino account. The player soon realized she was on a roll when she played Paris Beauty slot offering and turned her initial $100 into $8,000. “She had worked her way up to an over $8,000 balance within the first four hours of play,” recalled the Customer Service Manager at Royal Ace Casino, Paul Mancini.
The player continued on her winning spree, clocking in more hours of slots gaming. At 3 am, she hit the massive $64,000 jackpot on Paris Beauty and there was no stopping the ball rolling now. “That changed everything,” said Mancini, “Her balance was bouncing around quite a bit, and when she made her next hit for $15,000 in Paris Beauty, her balance had fallen from $73,000 to less than $68,000.”
However, not one to give up, the player decided to continue on her playing spree and after three days, she had hit the jackpot an incredible three times on the Triple Toucan slot game, winning herself first $45K, then $27K, before ending with the piece de resistance, $270,000!!
Mancini concluded: “This is one of the biggest slots wins we have seen to date and all of us here are very excited for her. It's not every day we get to congratulate someone on winning almost half a million dollars.”
Judge Declares Poker is a Game of Skill
A judge in South Carolina ruled in favor of five individuals who were convicted of gambling illegally, declaring that poker is a game of skill under state law. The judge used the ‘predominance test’ to show that the outcome of poker is determined by elements of skill and less by chance.
The ruling was welcomed by poker proponents, such as the one million strong Poker Players Alliance, which congratulated the judge. “Poker is not a crime in South Carolina or anywhere else, and we are grateful to the court for compiling the overwhelming evidence that proves this case and protects the rights of players,” said John Pappas, the Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance. “This ruling is fully consistent with the declarations of other judges and juries across the country that Texas Hold 'em is clearly a game of predominant skill and adults who play should not be criminalized.”
The South Carolina State Director of the Poker Players Alliance, John Ridgeway added his comments and said: “All poker players are well aware that the game is based on making the correct, informed decisions, not just mere chance, and games of predominant skill should not be classified in the same league as slot machines or lotteries.”
“We're very pleased that the judge considered the overwhelming evidence and came to the same conclusion,” he added. “This is a well deserved legal victory for the players, the American game of poker, and for common sense under the law.”