Another Congressman gives support to repeal US Unlawful Gambling Ban

A report on compatiblepoker.com website claims that Congressman Ron Paul is giving his support to Congressman Barney Frank in the repeal of the US Unlawful Gambling Act.

It has apparently been confirmed by Congressman Paul’s Legislative Director that Dr. Paul intends to work with House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank to repeal the act.

This will come as welcome news to the Poker Players Alliance, of which there are currently 321,102 members, according to their website. The most prominent member being Senator Alfonse D’Amato, who serves as Chairman of the Board.

Senator D’Amato will be hosting a live web cast on 12th April, in which he will give an update of the federal government issues facing poker today, and what the PPA is doing to fight for player’s rights.

PPA members have the opportunity to send e-mail questions before and during the Web cast which the Senator will answer live. Further details can be found here.

Phone line operators need Lottery licence

Premium phone line operators will need lottery licences to operate under new provisions in the Gambling Act 2005, implemented in September, according to industry sources.

Regulator Icstis last month met broadcasters to discuss allegations that some shows did not give callers a chance of winning. It asked programme makers to carry out a thorough review of all current and forthcoming premium rate services.

In March, broadcaster Five suspended quiz shows using premium rate services after an audit showed winners had been faked. Concern centred on Five’s show Brainteaser, produced by Cheetah Television, a subsidiary of Big Brother creators Endemol.

Viewers were asked to solve a word puzzle within five minutes but when the audience failed to get the right answer, fictional names of winners were listed on screen.

On one occasion a member of the production crew went on air posing as a “winning contestant”.

The problem came to light when Five began a review of its premium rate telephone services.

TV watchdog Ofcom is investigating, while Five’s chief executive Jane Lighting apologised to viewers, saying she was “shocked and disappointed” that their standards had not been maintained.

Also being investigated by Icstis are six other shows: Channel 4’s Richard and Judy, the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and ITV programmes the X Factor, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Soapstar Superstar and I’m A Celebrity.

Scott Davies, director of mobile phone game company Million 2-1, which does have a lottery licence is reported to have recently said “If you look at a lot of the services they are generally operating in the realms of being games of chance, and any game of chance is technically classified as a lottery. I think if you look at a lot of the call TV shows at the moment which are blatant lotteries when you call in and get selected to go on air, you are going to have to get a real free route to enter, which obviously questions the commercialisation, or get a lottery licence and do them under the correct legislation,” he added.

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Welsh Casino offers meal to help smokers rediscover taste buds

A report today on the icWales website states that a casino is dishing up richly flavoured food to help Wales’ smokers rediscover their taste buds and curb their cravings.

As the smoking ban came into force yesterday, Grosvenor Casino Atlantic Wharf, in Cardiff, unveiled its menu of spicy Welsh lamb, pomegranate and gogi berries.

The “Light-en Up” menu has been devised to ensure customers still have a good night out, even if they cannot smoke inside.

The three-course menu, created in conjunction with nutritionist Helena Hall, is packed full of nutritious and exotic ingredients to help smokers combat cravings as well as helping the 19% of people who have already committed to quitting get to grips with any withdrawal symptoms and reinvigorate their taste buds.

The starter of avocado, roasted red pepper and baby spinach salad topped with a soft poached egg and toasted pumpkin seeds features a sweet gogi berry dressing. Gogi berries are considered to be the most nutritionally rich fruit on the planet and are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and amino acids.

The spicy main course of Kashmiri-braised Welsh lamb shank and South Indian vegetables, spiced with asafoetida, is designed to resurrect smokers’ 5,000 forgotten taste buds. Asafoetida also has a powerful neutralising effect on toxic minerals caused by cigarettes.

This may be the way to continue to attract ‘smokers’ to the casino, but with the starter and dessert costing £4 each, and the main costing £10.99, one would wonder how many people could afford to pay these extra costs on a regular basis.

Recent smoking bans in UK bingo halls have seen many lovers of the game turning to online bingo games, which are as much fun, have great payouts, and for those who like to play more for the social aspect of the game, most online bingo games such as those provided by Bingo Entertainment, have chat capability with friendly chat masters there to welcome and guide new-comers. And of course you will never see a ‘no smoking’ sign.

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Dutch problem gambling expert praises new system

A report on the ATE online website claims that a Dutch problem gambling expert has praised the nation’s responsible gaming policies, saying that the procedures could no longer be manipulated.

Under the scheme, all casino visitors will have to show either their national ID card or a passport to enter, and are automatically logged into a nationwide networked computer system that tracks visiting frequency.

Customers visiting the nationwide casinos more than 15 times a month on average are subject to an annual interview with trained casino staff, while customers aged between 18 and 23 would be interviewed if they go to casinos more than eight times a month.

Bush ignores Jon Kyl's add-on provision to ban online poker

President Bush lashed out at Democrats this week for including non-war items to an Iraqi spending bill this weekend. But whilst signing the bill into law, he never even mentioned the internet gambling provision.

“I like peanuts as much as the next guy, but I believe the security of our troops should come before the security of our peanut crop,” Bush said in his weekly radio address, referring to a provision in the war funding legislation that earmarks $74 million for secure peanut storage.

Bush did not make any address to the add-on to a port security measure, deemed equally as important, which included an unrelated add-on provision banning online poker while allowing online horse racing. That unrelated item was attached by Republican Senators Jon Kyl of Arizona and then Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

Perhaps Kyl and Frist need reminding of the recent WTO ruling which stated ‘the US could only continue to block overseas websites offering online poker, and other forms of online gambling, if its laws were equally applied to US firms that offer off-track betting on horse racing’.

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