A UK-based betting firm has pledged US$60 million to develop football
gambling as a legitimate industry in Viet Nam if the country makes the
practice legal.
The National Sports and Physical Culture Committee plans to submit a draft
proposal of the agreement with Ladbrokes to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
for initial approval in March, said Huynh Vinh Ai, vice chairman of the
committee. The proposal states bets would be limited to a maximum of
VND450,000 ($28) and only a certain number, as of yet undetermined, would be
permitted each month, said Nguyen Trong Hy, the committee's deputy chaiman.
Hy said the Vietnamese police force reported Viet Nam is missing out on
billions of US dollars each year by not legalising sports betting. Those
funds are being collected in places like Hong Kong and Macao instead, he
said.

Just as Louis DeNaples received the go-ahead from the state of Pennsylvania
to open a slots casino at Mount Airy Lodge in the Poconos, word comes out
that an Indian tribe has plans to open a huge casino in the Catskills - not
far away - and those plans are moving forward. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
plans a $600 million casino at the existing Monticello racetrack. This
casino would have slot machines and table games such as blackjack, craps and
poker. The plan has the support of New York's governor. It only needs
federal approval for the tribe to buy non-tribal land to become a reality.
Mount Airy will not have table games at the present time and it's a
certainty that some of its would--be customers will go to the Mohawk casino
if it opens. This also raises the questions of projections of revenue for
property tax reduction in Pennsylvania. If fewer gamblers play at Mount
Airy, will fewer dollars be generated for property tax reduction? We hope
not, but we fear so.

UK Gambling shares were market down lower in early trade, following the news
of a large seller of PartyGaming stock, alongside a statement from 888 PLC
to the effect that its non-executive director and former Chief Executive
Officer, John Anderson, has been asked to attend an interview with the
French authorities. Ladbrokes, once seen as a potential bidder for 888, was
trading down 3% at 9.30 am local time. Shares in PartyGaming and 888 PLC
were both off 5%, whilst European betting market liberalisation play BWIN
was marked down 7%. Shares in William Hill fell back by 2% to 644p

Between January and February of 2007, 17 licenses were issued for gambling
business, contributing 10.116 m GEL as a monthly fee to central budget.
According to the Finance Ministry, during the reported period, 13 licenses
were issued for refurbishment of gambling rooms out of which 104 000 m GEL
went to the central budget. In the same period, 2 licenses were issued for
setting up totalizators and total contribution to the budget amounted to 10
m GEL. Quiz games received 2 licenses. Contribution to the budget from quiz
games totaled 12 000 GEL.

The mother of a teenage girl, allegedly sold by her (late) father when she
was one-year-old after incurring heavy debt in gambling, has threatened to
immolate herself if the girl, now 16, is not saved from being handed over to
a middle-aged man. Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on
Monday, Ms Nooran, of Zeal Pak Colony, Latifabad, said her late husband
Rahib was a gambler and he had sold their one-year-old daughter Rasheeda for
Rs10,000 to one Lal Hyder after incurring heavy debt in gambling. She said
that her parents gave her Rs10,000 and she returned the money to Lal. She
said that Lal was pressuring her to marry off Rasheeda to his son. She said
her sons Peeral and Abdul Wahab were receiving threats. She threatened to
immolate herself if she and her family were not saved from harassment and
provided protection from Lal, his son Ghani and others. Taking notice of the
press conference, Hyderabad District Police Officer Ali Ahmed Junejo ordered
registration of a case and the Site police station registered an FIR under
Sections 147, 148, 149, 504 and 506(2) of the Pakistan Penal Code against 10
people. Police teams have been constituted for the arrest of the accused.
Reuters adds: Rasheeda said she had filed applications with police and a
local councillor asking them to prevent Lal Hyder from taking her to his
home. Nooran said her husband had racked up the debt of Rs10,000 to Lal
playing cards. "My husband didn't have money to pay, and instead he told Lal
that he could take Rasheeda when she grows up," she said. Despite being paid
his money, she said, Lal still insisted the girl should be given to him
because of tribal customs. Both families belong to the same tribe. The
girl's
uncle, Dur Mohammad, said Lal apparently wanted to marry the girl to his
son. Khalid Rajput, a local councillor, said the decision that Rasheeda
should be handed over had been taken last week at a tribal council. "We know
some tribal elders from Balochistan came for the meeting in which the girl's
family was told to give her as per their customs," he said. Irfan Bhutto, a
police officer, said Lal had been summoned. "We will ensure the girl does
not have to do anything against her will."

Casinos and lotteries are the two most popular types of gambling in Arizona.
About 2.3 percent of adults in Arizona are problem gamblers, lower than the
national rate of 2.7 percent. However, Arizona is considered to have more
gamblers at risk of becoming problem gamblers.Problem gamblers are most
likely to identify slot machines as their favorite type of gambling, and
they are more likely to use tobacco, alcohol and drugs regularly. Of people
who called the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling's help line -
1-800-639-8783 - from September 2002 to June 2006, 147 lost their home due
to gambling and 138 lost their car.The Arizona Office of Problem Gambling is
holding a seminar on youth and problem gambling from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday
at Black Canyon Conference Center, 9440 N. 25th Ave., Phoenix.

Although things have appeared bleak lately for Americans who enjoy online
gambling, something is about to happen next month which may swing the
pendulum back towards freedom of choice. Laws passed previously banned
non-US companies from operating in the US gaming market. However, Antigua
and Barbuda had built up a significant Internet gambling industry to replace
falling tourist revenue and took the US to the The World Trade Organization
(WTO). Antigua argued that this was an illegal trade restriction, claiming
it broke a free trade pact that the US had signed. The World Trade
Organization (WTO) has ruled against the US in an online gambling dispute
with the Caribbean island of Antigua and Barbuda. Although the ruling is
still private, it's been reported that the WTO has found the US guilty of
not complying with a 2005 order in the case. More alarming is the fact that
this information was deliberately leaked by the United States despite a
stern warning from the WTO to keep this information privileged until an
official report was to be released in March of 2007. Many uninformed
individuals don't believe this particular victory will change anything. In
fact, they are the first to point out that the United States has taken a
more drastic approach recently by citing some examples. Last October, the US
passed laws which made almost all Internet gambling illegal in the US and
several online gambling executives have been held by US authorities. The
latest blow occurred when two of the co-founders of Neteller were arrested
in January. In a time when the US has been ordered to comply, their actions
have been quite the opposite. They have acted like arrogant bullies
because they believe they can get away with it. Well, for starters, they
tried this with Iraq and look at where that got us? Don't underestimate the
WTO and in particular, Antigua's commitment to drastically change the course
of recent events. When an economy like Antigua depends so much on Internet
gambling, wouldn't you naturally expect them to fight for their lives? And
let's not forget they have the "law" on their side, too. Finally, to those
who don't believe Antigua can stop the US from ignoring the WTO's ruling, I
beg to differ. One example of how Antigua can fight back is to attack
America where it hurts most, in their wallets. It's been said that Antigua
can make movies available for basically "peanuts" so that Americans could
theoretically purchase their favorite DVD'S and other products for a dollar
a piece.

Communist China will begin "purifying" the cyber environment, taking a lead
from US legislators and law enforcement officials. They will begin cracking
down severely on internet gambling activity. "The prevalence of online
gaming has ruined the online environment and harmed young people's growth,
which runs against the policy of building a harmonious society," said a
circular jointly issued by the ministry of public security, the Ministry of
Culture, the Ministry of Information Industry and the state press and
publication administration. China's US counterpart, Republican Jon Kyl of
Arizona agrees: "A professor once appropriately likened Internet gambling to
cocaine use. Internet gambling's characteristics are unique, because: online
players can gamble 24 hours a day from the comfort of their home; leading to
possible addiction and, in turn, to bankruptcy, crime, and suicide."
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Zhejiang are key places to be targeted
during the three-month-long drive, it said, adding the government should
clamp down on online games that involve gambling and online betting. It said
local government departments should strictly supervise online game service
providers who are not allowed to exchange "virtual money" with real
currencies or properties, or use it to launder money. China's police busted
a total of 347,000 gambling cases involving 1.099 million people last year
and retrieved 3.56 billion yuan (USD 445 million), according to official
statistics. China follows the US lead. In October 2006, a handful of
politicians attached a measure to restrict online gambling to a port
security bill. This bill was later signed into law, placing the burden of
monitoring internet gambling transactions on the banks. An opinion appearing
in the American Politics Journal shows how closely China's position mimics
that of the US government's stance. "Jon Kyl (who chairs the Subcommittee on
Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security) voted to secretly monitor
MILLIONS of Americans who we KNOW must all be secretly helping Al-Queda (but
are allowing KNOWN terrorists to enter US borders due to inept leadership).
And, we sure are grateful for Jon Kyl's Family Values of banning Internet
gambling as we allow state lottery and casino gambling all over the U.S."
Kyl was also spearheading efforts to build a wall between Mexico and the
United States, much like the Great Wall of China.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown will reveal a plan in his budget
next month to encourage the online gambling industry, according to published
reports.
He will use the 21 March budget to announce that companies could obtain a
British licence and still remain based overseas in return for a tax --
possibly as low as 2 per cent or 3 per cent, the Daily Telegraph said on
Friday in an unsourced report. Named a Remote Gaming Duty, the new tax would
enable gambling firms to avoid paying VAT, the newspaper said. A comment was
not immediately available from HM Treasury. Internet gaming groups will be
able to relocate to Britain and obtain a licence in September under the
Gambling Act, the newspaper said. Such companies, however, have said they
would decline the chance if it meant paying a tax on gross wins, it added.

Attracting wide New Zealand media comment over the weekend was the news that
the New Zealand Green political party wants a new online gambling site shut
down because it "threatens the viability of the racing industry." Green
Party member of parliament Sue Bradford is at the heart of the row, claiming
that an online gambling site, Race-O New Zealand, 'might' be illegal because
the Gambling Act passed three years ago outlawed online gambling within New
Zealand. It also made betting on horses illegal unless bets were laid with
the TAB, she said. "Such online activities are illegal not only for the
operators but for the participants," said Bradford. "Perhaps to circumvent
these legal restrictions, Race-O is the trading name of a company registered
in Costa Rica, while its gaming and betting license has been secured within
the Kahnawake Indian nation near Montreal, Canada. "The Government should
immediately close down the site, and pursue prosecutions vigorously if laws
have been broken." The betting site, whose original investors included
leading breeder Sir Patrick Hogan and former top trainer Dave O'Sullivan, is
being investigated by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs. Berri
Schroder, a part-owner of Melbourne Cup winner Brew, is a Race-O (NZ)
director. Race-O is registered in Costa Rica in central America and its
betting license has been secured from the autonomous Indian territory of
Kahnawake in Canada. Bradford said sites like Race-O New Zealand could
threaten the racing industry because the TAB monopoly guaranteed that
gambling profits were returned to the industry "in a reasonably accountable
manner". "Racing seems already to be in such a state of decline that it is
reduced, shamefully, to taking the proceeds of pokie money to bulk out major
stakes," she said. "It would be a pity if the advent of online gambling
sites like Race-O should even further undermine the distribution system
maintained by the TAB through the auspices of the Racing Board." It is
illegal to set up an internet betting website in New Zealand, and the
website has angered the Problem Gambling Foundation, which told the Sunday
Star-Times it was a deliberate attempt to get around the ban.

"we get all of the pain and none of the gain" - is about to be redressed,
with two major betting agencies set to sign lucrative deals with the NRL.
The NRL is on the verge of completing a long-form agreement with Tabcorp,
the merged entity of the NSW and Victorian TABs, to become a sponsor, while
Betfair, a joint venture between the booming London online exchange and PBL,
expects to make a similar arrangement. Under the surface of the deals lies
intense competition between Tabcorp and Betfair as each seeks to prove its
integrity to football codes anxious to stop players gambling on matches. A
meeting next month of NRL club chief executives will vote on a possible
three-strikes drug code but, unless similar sanctions apply to NRL players
caught gambling on matches, the code faces the same criticism directed at
the AFL when it named four players who had placed bets, but kept the
identity of drug-takers secret. A spokeswoman for Tabcorp refused to comment
on the forthcoming sponsorship, saying the giant wagering agency did not
confirm deals until contracts were signed. However, a Betfair spokesman
conceded an offer for use of intellectual property and allowing access to
gambling records had been tabled to the NRL, but the more lucrative Tabcorp
deal was expected to be announced first. League's reluctant acceptance of
the gambling dollar comes as the sport adjusts to the opposing philosophies
of its two main commercial partners: the pro-gambling Packer dynasty, which
is also the code's free-to-air telecaster, and the traditionally
anti-gambling Murdoch empire, which owns half the NRL. Tabcorp and Betfair
already have deals with the AFL, with the Melbourne-based totalisator paying
$600,000 a year and the betting exchange $450,000. Tabcorp's TAB Sportsbet
holds $140 million nationally on NRL matches, while $120m is bet across the
country on AFL matches. Although the AFL has teams in Perth, Adelaide,
Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the really heavy wagers are on rugby league.
Betfair concedes TAB Sportsbet is the market leader, with perhaps 80 per
cent of all sports gambling, but the online exchange estimates overseas
betting on NRL games will increase exponentially. "We have 500,000
registered punters in the United Kingdom and some of them already bet on the
one or two live NRL games they get per week," a spokesman said. "The first
year of our operation - to February this year - we had 50,000 overseas
customers betting on Australian events."

Betfair points out its anticipated payment to the NRL is not a sponsorship
because advertising restrictions in NSW mean it can't promote its investment
via signage, branding or hospitality. Under NSW law, only wagering operators
licensed in NSW are allowed to advertise in the state.

Tabcorp's insistence that its new deal with the NRL be called a sponsorship,
rather than a product fee, is consistent with its reluctance to concede
sports are entitled to a fee for use of intellectual property.

However, Betfair, keen to legitimise a business in which punters can back a
team to lose, seeks strong relationships with sports via the product fee,
even though it can still take bets without the sport's endorsement.

Betfair points out it has no-charge information-sharing arrangements with
the International Cricket Council, Premier League football and English rugby
league and rugby union, yet has no commercial arrangements with these
sports.

On the other hand, it has information-sharing and product-fee agreements
with Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia, the PGA Tour and AFL. Both Betfair
and Tabcorp are keen to promote their integrity, with Betfair being the
first to name AFL player Simon Goodwin in an audit last November and Tabcorp
revealing another three players three months later.

Betfair boasts that it has a staff of nine checking records to determine if
athletes are gambling on their sports, while Tabcorp says: "No organisation
takes integrity more seriously than Tabcorp. We have the right level of
resources and excellent processes in place to monitor betting patterns for
account holders."

Tabcorp concedes it has no access to information on bets laid with TABs in
Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

The forthcoming deals with Tabcorp and Betfair are independent of the NRL's
membership of the Coalition of Major Professional Sports, which has been
lobbying the states for a fixed return on betting on sporting events.

The AFL intended to join COMPS but signed with Tabcorp and Betfair. NRL
chief executive David Gallop expects the Victorian Government to introduce
legislation soon which would set a mandatory percentage return for all
sports on money gambled on their events.

British finance minister Gordon Brown will reveal a plan in his budget next
month to encourage the online gambling industry, the Daily Telegraph
reported on Friday.
He will use the March 21 budget to announce that companies could obtain a
British license and still remain based overseas in return for a tax --
possibly as low as 2 percent or 3 percent, the newspaper said in an
unsourced report. Named a Remote Gaming Duty, the new tax would enable
gambling firms to avoid paying British VAT, it said. A comment was not
immediately available from the Treasury. Internet gaming groups will be able
to relocate to Britain and obtain a license from September under the
Gambling Act, the Telegraph said. However, all have said they would decline
the chance if it meant paying a tax on gross wins, it added.

Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, is reportedly set to announce
plans in next month's budget to entice offshore gambling firms to be
regulated and licenced in the UK in return for a tax. The new tax, which
will be called the Remote Gaming Duty, would allow gambling companies to be
licenced in the UK but still be based overseas and could be as little as two
or three per cent. The nature of the tax would also allow these companies to
avoid paying British Value Added Tax (VAT), the very reason they are based
abroad in places such as Gibraltar in the first place. An exact figure for
the new Remote Gaming Duty is yet to be decided but the government are aware
that anything too high will deter companies from paying a tax they do not
necessarily need to pay, even if they do want the kudos of being a UK
licenced company. The new tax will be introduced come the implementation of
the new Gambling Bill 2005. However, it is unlikely that remote gambling
companies would relocate to the UK completely if they had to pay a tax on
gross wins, which could be as high as 40 per cent. The UK government's
stance on online gambling is a complete mirror image to that of the US,
whose tough clampdown last year on online casinos and online poker caused
panic within the industry and wiped $6.5 billion off the value of the
market. The treasury have long been eager to get their hands on the tax from
online gambling companies. With the introduction of the Remote Gaming Duty
they could receive as much as £3 million a year from each company that
decides they want to be licenced and regulated in the UK.

In the midst of bustling political developments, Police Regional Office
(PRO) 6 regional director Chief Supt. Wilfredo Dulay Sr. has launched a task
force that would undertake a more aggressive campaign against the illegal
numbers game "jueteng" and other forms of illegal gambling in Western
Visayas. The Anti-Illegal Gambling Special Operation Task Force (AIGSOTF)
will be headed by Dulay himself. The Task Force will have as operating arms
personnel from the Regional Intelligence Division and personnel from the 6th
Regional Mobile Group. Similar task forces will also be created down the
city and provincial levels all over the region. As provided in its
Implementation Plan, the AIGSOTF shall conduct general law enforcement
operations against illegal numbers game called "jueteng" and other forms of
illegal gambling in coordination with the local government units (LGUs). The
Task Force shall also collect, process and analyze information on illegal
gambling activities and submit monthly reports to the Chief, PNP; conduct
intelligence operations through the utilization of informants and other
resources; conduct counter-intelligence to identify PNP personnel and other
government officials/employees involved in illegal gambling activities and
initiate the filing of charges for the same; and, to preserve all seized and
confiscated illegal gambling paraphernalia for presentation as evidence in
court. To note, PRO 6 records show that 85 persons were arrested for
violation of Presidential Decree 1602 prescribing stiffer penalties on
illegal gambling as amended by RA 9287 in its 37 anti-illegal gambling
operations since last month. Record shows that arrested persons were
involved in Cara y Cruz, Daily Double, Tong-its, First or Last Two and
Small Town Lottery (STL). STL though legalized in Iloilo City is prohibited
in the province and other parts of the region. Negros Police Provincial
Office topped with 40 arrested persons in its 12 anti-gambling operations.
It is followed by Bacolod City Police Office with 20 arrested persons,
Iloilo Police Provincial Office with 12 arrested persons. The Guimaras
Police Provincial Office arrested 4 persons, Iloilo City Police Office and
Aklan and Antique Police Provincial Offices arrested 2 persons each; and the
Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit 6 arrested 3 persons. Meanwhile,
Senior Supt. Wesley Barayuga, chief of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO),
denied reports that there is a resurgence of illegal numbers game in the
city.

The city of Wheeling would receive a projected $1 million annually from
table gambling profits after changes to legislation made by Senate Judiciary
Committee members Thursday. "Under the House version, Wheeling's share would
have been $180,000," explained state Sen. Andy McKenzie, R-Ohio, a member of
the Senate Judiciary Committee. The table gambling legislation, House Bill
2718, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by voice vote Thursday - but not
before committee members altered how tax dollars from table gambling would
be allocated. Specifically, tax money previously designated to the race
prize purse fund at the state's four racetracks has been redirected to
municipalities - to those that house tracks, as well as to all of West
Virginia's 55 counties. "We amended the bill significantly," said Senate
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall. "We adjusted the
allocation of monies. "Under the House version, the purse fund would have
got 6 percent of the gross profits. That has now been changed to 2 percent,
and we have reallocated the other 4 percent to municipalities."
The changes are as follows: 1 percent of the gross profits would be directed
to the counties where racetracks are located - Ohio, Hancock, Kanawha and
Jefferson. 2 percent would be split among racetrack municipalities -
Wheeling, Chester, Nitro, W.Va. and Charles Town, W.Va. An additional 0.5
percent would be specifically for Wheeling and Nitro for providing related
services. The remaining 0.5 percent would go to the state's general fund.
West Virginia's racetracks would continue to pay 35 percent of their gross
table gambling revenue in taxes. Of this tax amount, 76 percent would be
placed in a newly created State Debt Reduction Fund. But the remaining 24
percent would be directed as follows, under the changes made by the Senate
Judiciary Committee:

10 percent would be divided among the remaining 51 counties in the state.

10 percent would be divided among the remaining 203 municipalities in West
Virginia.

4 percent would be placed into track employee pension funds.

The Senate Judiciary Committee specified that the money received by
municipalities be used for capital improvements and municipal pensions.
Counties can use the funds to cover regional jail costs.

The West Virginia Lottery Commission has predicted that table gambling would
bring in an additional $10 million annually to racetracks.

The racetracks still would have to pay an initial $1.5 million license fee
to offer table gambling products, as well as an annual $2.5 million renewal
fee under the legislation.

"We thought it important that all municipalities in the state share in these
revenues," Kessler said. "We thought it was important that all 1.8 million
people in the state and the track employees get the money - rather than the
tracks and owners of the dogs and horses that race. Many of them live out of
the state."

State Sen. Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, termed West Virginia's purse fund "one of
the richest in the country."

"We will still have additional $3 million going in there, according to
figures provided by the lottery commissioner," John Musgrave, Bowman said.
"He told us his figures are 'conservative,'but once people come in to play
table games, slot play will increase. There will be more money from slots
going into the fund.

"The fund could realize as much as another $10 million," he added. "They
could get another $13 million, if he is correct. This is a very rich purse
fund."

The senators said they already have conversed with Senate President Earl Ray
Tomblin, D-Logan, as well as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Walt Helmick,
D-Pocohontas, regarding the legislation.

The Senate Finance Committee is slated to pick up the table gambling bill
early next week. If quickly approved in committee, a vote by the whole
Senate on the legislation could come within a week.

"They say the bill is satisfactory,'' Bowman said. ''But there are X number
of committee members. Not knowing their thoughts, it is hard to say.''

McKenzie added that Senate Judiciary Committee members knew they had to make
a decision.

"The House put a higher emphasis on the purse fund than the counties and
municipalities in West Virginia," he said. "We shifted the numbers and made
cities, counties and pensions more important."

He will use the March 21 budget to announce that companies could obtain a
British license and still remain based overseas in return for a
tax--possibly as low as 2 percent or 3 percent, the Daily Telegraph said
Friday in an unsourced report. Named a Remote Gaming Duty, the new tax would
enable gambling firms to avoid paying British VAT, the newspaper said. A
comment was not immediately available from the Treasury. Internet gaming
groups will be able to relocate to Britain and obtain a license in September
under the Gambling Act, the newspaper said. However, such companies have
said they would decline the chance if it meant paying a tax on gross wins,
it added.

The Wampanoag Indians, among others connected to the gaming industry, are
talking to Doug Rubin, one of Governor Deval Patrick's top campaign
advisers, about representing their interests. Rubin, who is in the process
of setting up his own consulting business, said he has not "finalized
anything" with any gambling client. If he signed on with one, he said, it
would be as a communications strategist, not as a lobbyist. "I'm not
lobbying. . . . That's a bright line," Rubin said. "When I talk to people, I
tell them, if they are looking to hire me for direct access, we shouldn't be
having this meeting." The pressure for new sources of state revenue comes as
the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe fulfilled its quest to win recognition as a
sovereign Native American nation. This historic designation sets the tribe
down a path that could lead to a casino -- if the state legalizes casino
gambling. Without that change, the tribe would be limited by current law,
which permits only bingo, the lottery, and table games such as poker and
blackjack within strict limits. According to published reports, the tribe is
searching for property on which to build a resort-style casino within 50
miles of land it owns in Mashpee. Meanwhile, Patrick's first state budget is
due Wednesday. One draft submitted for his consideration included
hypothetical revenue from gambling. "We put gaming revenue on the table, "
said Leslie A. Kirwan, the secretary of administration and finance. She said
Patrick took it off the table for the fiscal 2008 budget debate. But it's
not off forever. "The governor wants to hear both sides," Kirwan said. "He
has not made up his mind." According to Kirwan, Patrick told his budget
staff that "emotions are so high on both sides, we need to engage more in
that conversation. But he is not morally opposed" to gambling. Daniel
O'Connell, the secretary of housing and economic development, is leading the
administration's study group on expanded gambling. During the gubernatorial
campaign, Patrick expressed concern about the negative consequences of
gambling. But as governor, he is signaling an openness to considering it as
a revenue source. Wampanoag spokesman Scott Ferson recently said the tribe
is optimistic because "the Patrick administration has indicated they are
more willing to explore gambling." Patrick called the tribal council to
extend his congratulations moments after the tribe won federal recognition
and issued a statement that said: "For a tribe that greeted the Pilgrims
when they landed on the shores of Massachusetts, this recognition is long
overdue. I look forward to working with the tribe to move Massachusetts
forward."

Historically, expanded gaming faced opposition in the Legislature,
especially in the House where Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi opposes it.

The stakes on this are obviously high for gambling interests -- and for the
Patrick administration. With Rubin potentially in the mix as an advocate for
gambling interests, the governor could have an appearance problem bigger
than a leased Cadillac and expensive new office drapes.

Rubin is not a state employee. He has a right to make a living. But he
sounds naive when he talks about a "bright line" between lobbyist and
communications strategist. The line might be bright to him, but it's not
that bright to anyone else. His closeness to Patrick is part of his appeal
to any client.

If someone as close to Patrick as Rubin takes on a gambling client, it will
be another example of this administration not understanding perception and
its critical role in politics.

Symbolism means everything in politics. The leased Cadillac, the $10,000
damask drapes, and new office furniture were the wrong symbols for a
candidate who ran a populist campaign, and now heads an administration
grappling with a $1 billion budget deficit.

It took a while, but Patrick finally got that message. He announced he would
contribute $543 each month to the lease of the Cadillac DTS he uses for
state business, bringing the cost to the public in line with the Ford Crown
Victoria used by Governor Mitt Romney. He also said he would repay the state
for the draperies and new furniture.

Patrick promised a new order of business on Beacon Hill. Having a close
political associate such as Rubin represent a gambling client represents a
very old order of business.

A Waialua man admits he paid off the girlfriend of a Honolulu police officer
because he feared possible shutdown of his illegal gambling business that
included cockfights, card games and craps on family property in Waialua. "I
was running the Waialua cockfights, and I was paying Micha Terragna weekly,"
Charles Gilman told U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren yesterday. Gilman,
51, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to two charges stemming
from drug and gambling conspiracies uncovered by a wiretap investigation in
the rural North Shore town. Also indicted last April in connection with the
gambling conspiracy were three other relatives, police officers Kevin Brunn,
Bryson Apo and Glenn Miram, and Terragna. Gilman admitted to conspiring with
co-defendants Brunn, Apo, Miram and Waialua resident John Saguibo to
obstructing the enforcement of state laws that prohibit gambling. In a plea
agreement, Gilman admitted that he operated the illegal business on family
land across from Waialua Elementary School along with his father, Douglas
Gilman Sr., and his brothers Douglas Gilman Jr. and William Gilman. He also
admitted that Terragna was his "partner" in the Waialua cockfights that
netted in excess of $2,000 on any single day. The cockfights were in
operation from at least November 2004 to March 31, 2005, when federal agents
searched Gilman's home and the home of Brunn and Terragna. The wiretaps
caught conversations between Saguibo, Gilman and Apo about what happened at
the cockfights, including the number of fights and number of draws, said
Assistant U.S. Attorney Florence Nakakuni. There were also calls between
Gilman and Saguibo and Saguibo and Terragna regarding payments to her and
Brunn, Nakakuni said. According to the plea agreement, Gilman admitted that
he paid Brunn and Terragna about $700 to $1,000 a week during the
cockfighting season from November 2004 through March 2005. Gilman admitted
to paying Terragna, who lived with Brunn and has three children from him,
because he believed Brunn was responsible for his not being in jail on drug
charges and because Brunn threatened to "shut down" the cockfights unless he
and Terragna were paid, the plea agreement said. Gilman has state felony
convictions in 1994 and 1995 involving drugs.

In the drug conspiracy, Gilman admitted to conspiring with co-defendants
Keele Vesnefski, Ahisa Kaluhiokalani and others to distribute three pounds
of crystal methamphetamine, or "ice."

As part of the plea agreement, Gilman has agreed to cooperate with
investigators and testify if required against any co-defendants in any
criminal or civil proceedings.

Gilman was allowed to remain free on bail until his sentencing July 12
before Chief U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor. He faces a maximum life term
for the drug charges and up to five years for the gambling offenses.

The province's lottery corporation wants more British Columbians to take up
gaming, as the government that once vowed as party policy to halt the growth
of gambling in B.C. reaps ever increasing revenue from it. "They are
becoming gaming crackheads," NDP Crown corporations critic Guy Gentner
charged yesterday, noting that government income from gambling in the
province for the coming fiscal year is projected to soar to more than
$1-billion for the first time. By 2009-2010, the B.C. Lottery Corp. (BCLC)
plans to swell government coffers by $1.142-billion from gambling proceeds,
a three-year increase of 15 per cent and more than double what the province
earned from gaming when the Liberals came to power with their anti-gambling
rhetoric in 2001. The government-owned Lottery Corp. is also out to increase
public participation in legal gambling, including lottery ticket purchases,
to 68 per cent of the adult population from 65 per cent over the next three
years. The lottery corporation's recently released, three-year service plan
unveils an ambitious agenda to turn existing casinos into lavish,
multipurpose facilities such as the River Rock casino in Richmond, increase
the number of slot machines in once-dowdy bingo emporiums, and dramatically
expand online access to lottery tickets and simple games of chance. In the
legislature, Mr. Gentner accused the government of seeking to go down the
route of more serious Internet gaming, which currently produces about
$12-billion (U.S.) in revenue worldwide from such activities as online poker
and baccarat. "The [gambling] addiction rate is way, way up. It's coming to
a crisis proportion. . . . How far are you taking us into the field of
Internet gaming?" he asked Solicitor-General John Les, the minister in
charge of gaming in B.C. Mr. Les said there are no plans afoot to market
online gambling. "There will be no Internet gaming conducted by the B.C.
Lottery Corporation. Period. We are absolutely committed to responsible
gaming," Mr. Les declared. The push to boost gambling comes at a time when
public acceptance of the activity is declining. The percentage of those with
a favourable impression of how gaming is conducted in B.C. has dropped to 52
per cent from 58 per cent during the past three years. The lottery
corporation is also faced with what it terms an anticipated "significant
[downward] impact" on revenue when smoking is banned at casinos and bingo
halls next year. There are currently 16 casinos in B.C., one so-called
racino (a race track with slot machines), and 29 bingo sites, five of which
currently contain slots. One of the ways to keep revenue rising, said Mr.
Gass, is not to build more casinos, but to make them bigger, with more
facilities.
However, Richmond's River Rock Casino, the province's largest gambling
resort, with a hotel, theatre, and 1,000 slot machines plus gaming tables,
has been plagued with allegations of criminal activity.

Three kidnappings last year were said by police to have been related to
gambling activities there, several women were assaulted and robbed earlier
this year after leaving the casino with large winnings, and Rong Lilly Li,
last seen in the casino's parking lot, was killed.

"There is zero tolerance for unlawful activity in casinos," Mr. Gass said.
"We co-operate fully with police."

The just concluded NBA All-Star game yet again rehashed the sports league
hypocrisy when it comes to gambling. David Stern can rant all he wants
about how betting on sports sullies the image of his league worse than its
millionaire players being unable to avoid getting arrested. The fact is the
leagues conveniently overlook some of the real harm they cause and do
nothing to stop. How can anyone legitimately argue advertising casinos rife
with slot machines is acceptable when sports betting is supposedly so
shameful? Maybe the commissioners need to be informed that slot machines
have created countless times more addicted gamblers than sports betting ever
could. Sports bettors occasionally get in trouble chasing losses, but the
stories of the ruin from machine addictions are many times worse both in
financial harm done and numbers of lives affected. Yet try and find a
professional team which doesn't benefit from gambling advertising in
stadiums or in game broadcasts. You might think the Utah Jazz might be an
exception, but you would be wrong. If you ever catch a televised Jazz
broadcast, you would see as many or more casino advertisements than you
would watching the New York Knicks. New York is about as far from Atlantic
City as Salt Lake City is to the Nevada border, but the Knicks seem to have
a few more interested parties wanting to advertise with them. Maybe the
Mormon church just wants nothing to do with the hypocrisy of the NBA either.
What about fantasy sports? Fantasy sports can be more addicting on average
than sports betting. Studies have shown a large percentage of fantasy
participants spend an hour or more a day in season either researching or
just thinking about strategies to use. How many average gamblers do you
know of who spend an hour a day coming up with strategies regarding who to
bet on? Experts claim a common sign of risk for problem gambling comes from
spending idle time thinking about gambling. How are they missing this
budding addiction from fantasy sports that is fed by the sports leagues? The
leagues love fantasy sports fans. They are the much desired "sticky"
visitor to their web sites, generating advertising revenues sports bettors
don't. Sports bettors apparently have this nasty habit of just checking the
scores while fantasy bettors spend hours searching for crucial numbers like
kicking stats. Many would say fantasy sports isn't financially draining like
sports betting, but studies suggest otherwise. Fantasy sports participants
often spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on their teams, often
exceeding amounts they could win in prize money just to look smarter than
the competition. Some sports gamblers might be dumb, but none I have ever
heard of have bet $500 to get back a total of $350.

Whenever these commissioners tell you sports betting is evil and ruins the
carefully crafted image of their sport, just think of the unspoken harm they
cause. Their hands are dirty from the addictions they promote and push to
their benefit. Betting on sports is a sin, but buying a baseball themed
instant lottery ticket is a virtue?

The sports leagues spend money to warn of the dangers of betting on sports,
but when are they going to take responsibility for the addictions they
support with fantasy sports. Maybe it's time to produce some public service
warning messages for fantasy participants?

In the meantime thinking about the hypocrisy just might be a sign of being
addicted to anxiety. To kick such a habit make sure when the NCAA website
in a few weeks posts brackets for office pools, you fill them out and put
your money into the prize pool with great joy. Celebrate the fact you won't
get fired like you are some $2 million a year football coach who didn't get
the right memo.

When it comes to betting on sports, it seems the gambling industry has left
no stone unturned. There are government-sanctioned Sport Select kiosks in
virtually every corner store, casinos in every corner of the city and
chances to bet on just about any horse race in the world at Edmonton
Northlands. There are illegal book-makers more than willing to cater to the
sports-betting junkie's whims. And then, of course, there's the Internet,
where bettors can wager on any sport at any time. So with this kind of
saturation, what more -- or less -- can the future bring? The opinions of
gambling researchers, industry insiders and government officials vary,
although most believe that sorting out issues related to Internet wagering
holds the key to determining which direction sports gambling ultimately
heads. Fuelled by the online-poker craze and betting on sports events,
Internet gambling sites have seen revenues explode to an estimated $15
billion in the past year alone. Operating such a site in Canada (and the
United States) is illegal, but online proprietors get around that by setting
up shop off North American soil in places like Antigua and Costa Rica. Even
though it's unclear whether it's also illegal for Canadians to bet on those
sites, thousands do -- so far without any repercussions. With all that money
heading to off-shore operators, some analysts are beginning to wonder if
Canadian governments should consider legalizing Internet gambling and get a
piece of the billions in profits. "(Internet gambling) has reached the point
where it wants to be regulated," says Michael Lipton, a Montreal lawyer and
founding member of the International Masters of Gaming Law. "I don't have a
problem with government running it if it means they can get a huge amount of
revenue. But if they are going to do it, let's do it and not pussyfoot
around." The United Kingdom, for one, has decided to do just that. Starting
on Sept. 1, online gambling will be regulated and taxed by governments
there. The United States has taken the opposite approach, trying to stamp
out online betting. Last October, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement
Act made it illegal for banks and credit card companies to settle payments
with Internet gaming sites. While not necessarily criminalizing gaming, U.S.
legislators are effectively trying to abolish Internet gambling by stopping
the flow of money.

Canada has another unique quandary. Although operating online gambling sites
here is supposed to be illegal, the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve in Quebec has
been hosting dozens of betting sites for a decade, claiming that Canadian
laws don't apply to them. They insist that they maintain sovereign authority
over Internet gambling on their territory, arguing gambling is part of their
ancient rites and traditions.

Now the Alexander First Nation near Morinville plans to start a similar
online-hosting scheme, forcing the Alberta government to make a decision
about the future of online gambling in this province. As such, the Alberta
Gaming and Liquor Commission has commissioned a poll to determine what
Albertans think of the issue.

A majority of Kentuckians favor allowing casino gambling at the state's
racetracks, according to a Bluegrass Poll released Wednesday. The poll
conducted by The Courier-Journal of Louisville found that 52 percent of
Kentuckians favor casinos at the tracks, while 38 percent oppose them and
another 10 percent were undecided. The poll was encouraging for members of
the thoroughbred racing industry who support putting the gambling questions
to a statewide vote as a constitutional amendment. The phone survey has a
margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. "To me it just
reaffirms the people's support that they'd like to vote on gaming," said
Steve Sexton, a Churchill Downs Inc. executive vice president. The poll was
conducted between Feb. 8 and 14, and surveyed 801 adults in Kentucky. In the
General Assembly this year, bills to allow casinos at racetracks and other
sites are pending, but they aren't expected to advance during the 30-day
session. On Tuesday, House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark filed bills to allow
up to nine casinos at tracks and other locations. But Clark said he offered
them as a starting point for discussions in 2008, when the legislature meets
for 60 days. The Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper, executive director of the Kentucky
Council of Churches, said she believes gubernatorial candidates would be
foolish to embrace an issue opposed by 38 percent of Kentuckians. She said
she believes the opposition would grow if a campaign showed gambling hurt
the quality of life in communities that have casinos. "It's no way to fund
government," Kemper said. Kentucky tracks have complained for years that
their business is hurt by competition from states that have expanded
gambling. Indiana is considering expanded gambling at its racetracks, and
West Virginia, which has slots at tracks, is considering adding table games.

Illinois House Republicans have proposed a $5 Billion budget for roads,
schools and mass transportation. The money to cover the budget will come
from an expansion of Illinois' casinos. Expanding gambling in the State has
not been a popular option in the past. But when compared to other options,
such as increased sales tax or an increase on State income tax, offering
more gambling in the State may be viewed as the most favorable option
available. House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) remains hopeful
about the proposal's odds of approval. The State has been in desperate need
for a Capital Construction Plan for years, to repair aging roads and
bridges. Adding to his hopes are that both parties have already mentioned
using more gambling to cover the costs of these projects.
"We haven't done an infrastructure bill in seven years," Cross said. "When
you look at roads, schools and higher education issues, it's time to quit
talking about it."
Cross continued on to explain that while not everyone has embraced the idea,
nearly everyone is in agreement on the need for a capital plan, and that the
money for this plan has to come from somewhere. The last Capital Budget was
the "Illinois FIRST" plan, which was passed in 1999 during the early days of
Gov. George Ryan's term. More recently, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has proposed
multiple Capital Plans; all of which have failed to gain the approval of
State Lawmakers.
A spokesperson for Governor Blagojevich, Abby Ottenhoff, stated that the
Governor is open to considering any proposal put forth by the State
Legislation.
"But it's ironic that these are the very legislators who stopped the
governor from passing any capital plans for the last four years," Ottenhoff
continued.
Throughout his first term, Governor Blagojevich has pushed several plans to
fund school construction and various public works projects. None of these
plans received proper support to be passed. House Republicans held up his
most recent proposal, stating that there was not adequate funding to
complete it. The Governor suggested that the State could add a keno lottery
game to pay for the plan, but was ultimately forced to drop the idea. The
new plan proposed by the GOP would provide a budget of $3 Billion for
purposes of road construction and mass transit projects. An additional $1.5
Billion would be applied to construction costs for schools in the State, and
another $500 Million would go to various Universities and Community
Colleges. The money required to pay for this plan would be derived purely
from an expansion of available gambling at the casinos in Illinois. "I
understand that this does not expand gambling locations, but it would expand
the positions," said Rep. Jil Tracy (R-Mount Sterling). Tracy said that the
plan is both vital and long overdue, even if an expansion of gambling is not
her favorite source of funding.

New laws come into effect later this year which mean that anyone who wants
to run a gambling business in the North East area, including local betting
shops, amusement arcades, bingo halls and casinos, must apply for a licence.
The Gambling Commission will be responsible for licensing and regulating
gambling in Britain under the Gambling Act 2005 which comes into force on 1
September 2007. For the first time, the betting and internet gambling
industries will come under the regulator's power. "If you provide commercial
facilities for gambling in Britain you will have to be licensed by the
Commission, it is as simple as that," said Hazel Canter, the Commission's
Director of Licensing and Compliance. "Local bookmakers and other smaller
operators may find the new system difficult to manage at first but the
application forms and guidance notes are comprehensive. Further information
is on our website and we will help and support operators in the early stages
to get it right, particularly those in sectors new to being regulated by
us." There are three categories of licence - operating, personal and
premises - and businesses may need all three. The Commission will issue
operating and personal licences, while local licensing authorities will be
responsible for issuing premises licences. Examples of operators requiring a
licence include: anyone operating a casino; providing facilities for bingo,
betting, and pool betting; acting as a betting intermediary; making gaming
machines available for use in adult gaming centres or family entertainment
centres; manufacturing, supplying, installing, adapting, maintaining or
repairing a gaming machine, part of a gaming machine, and producing gambling
software; and promoting a lottery. In considering an application for an
operating licence, the Commission will look at how the operator will meet
the three licensing objectives of keeping crime out of gambling, ensuring
that gambling is fair and open, and protecting children and other vulnerable
people from being harmed or exploited by gambling. Hazel Canter added: "New
operators can make their applications now. Existing operators can continue
working beyond 1 September 2007 as long as their operating licence
applications are with the Commission before 27 April 2007. Similarly any
premises licence applications need to be made by 31 July to guarantee
continued operation by existing operators. Applications may be made for
premises licences to the local licensing authority from 21 May 2007."
Applicants, both operators and individuals will be assessed on five issues -
identity, suitability, including competence, criminality, finances and their
compliance with the licensing objectives. Once licensed all operators will
need to conduct their business in line with the Commission's licence
conditions and codes of practice.

One of the final bills filed by house lawmakers could authorize up to nine
casinos at racetracks and other locations in Kentucky. This could happen
only if voters give their approval to a constitutional amendment in the
November 2008 election. But first, the general assembly has to give its
approval. Expanded gambling could provide jobs for Kentucky residents and
generate more revenue for the state.

With the NBA All-Star Game taking place in Las Vegas this past Sunday night,
the issue of moving a NBA team to Las Vegas has come to the forefront of NBA
conversation. Commissioner David Stern is just now opening discussion about
fielding a Sin City franchise. What was his reason for neglecting mention of
moving a team to one of the fastest growing cities in the country for so
long? Stern did not want the NBA to be associated with sports betting
because he knows that it is an addictive problem that has been growing in
popularity just as quickly as the city of Las Vegas. Sports betting is not
only a problem for the image of the NBA front office, but also is a problem
for the most casual of sports fans. One of the most popular places to find
sports betting is right here on a college campus. Thirty to 45 percent of
college students gamble on a weekly basis. It is an addiction as popular as
drugs or alcohol and is just as serious. Gambling has grown drastically
because of the Internet, making online poker and sports betting
multi-billion dollar industries. The accessibility and ease of online
gambling is especially attractive to college students. With extra free time
and illusion of instant fortune, many students turn to betting for fast
money. The NCAA reports that more than one out of every three male college
students bets on sports. Today we are at the height of casual gambling. The
Super Bowl, which took place a few weeks ago, is a betting feast day. Those
who are not even football fans place bets on various game-related events:
obviously the winner, the over-under of the score, individual performances,
and even such trivial matters such as the number of times commentator Phil
Simms uses the telestrator.

Following the gambling scandal, where AFL players were found gambling on
other AFL matches, government regulated territory corporations (TAB) were
instructed to hand over access to gambling accounts to investigators. TAB in
Victoria and New South Wales did release information to assist the the
investigation of the football gambling of Goodwin, Melbourne defender Daniel
Ward, Kangaroos ruckman David Hale and Sydney rookie Kieren Jack. However,
the SA TAB will not hand access to its accounts to the AFL investigators. SA
TAB general manager Grant Harrison said his agency, in contrast to the TAB
in Victoria and New South Wales, did not have an agreement with the AFL
sanctioning an audit of its account holders. Its privacy policy would not be
compromised for the AFL, Mr Harrison said. "Our policy, at this moment, is
not to disclose details of our accounts unless we are served a court order
or a legal notice to produce," he said. "We will disclose to the police and
to the Australian Tax Office, but not to the AFL." With the SA TAB blocking
the AFL audit of Crows and Power players, case investigators may have a
greater curiosity on whether Goodwin's football bets with Betfair last year
were his alone or part of a syndicate involving current and former Crows
teammates. Rugby league legend Garry Jack says his son Keiren (AFL Syndey)
is shattered after being linked to an investigation into illegal gambling
after making two bets totalling $10 on the internet. The league has made it
clear that wants to broaden its audit into other states.

The gambling business is a greater threat to Russia than drugs and should be
cut short, Ramzan Kadyrov, Acting President of the Chechen Republic,
believes.
'I am firmly convinced that the gambling business is more dangerous to the
people in Russia, to its national security, than drugs which are universally
believed to be a terrible evil', the Interfax news agency quoted Kadyrov as
saying on Tuesday. He said drugs was something one can still get over
through great efforts, while 'a person dependent on gambling is capable of
anything, even killing his parents and innocent people to get money'.
Kadyrov said with confidence that 'the gambling business should have been
banned throughout Russia at once, just as we did in Chechnya'. 'Some make
easy money on it and probably share it with some officials and thus the
problem remains insoluble', he believes. 'I don't understand them. I don't
understand why it happens so. It is impossible to understand why they don't
realize what this business will lead to ultimately. It should be closed
immediately and at once rather then building cities for it. Where do we go
again?' he added.
He also said that 80% of the population in Russia would certainly vote
against the gambling business. 'When I closed the gambling business in
Chechnya, the mass media began to accuse me of introducing underhand the
sharia law. But you will find not a single person in Chechnya who would
regret that there are no gambling machines here. One day I gathered
everybody who were involved in it and said their houses should be closed and
promised them to help open new businesses and I kept by word', the acting
president of Chechnya said.

Hoosiers have cleared the first hurdle for a new expansion of gambling by
the action taken in the Indiana House Public Policy Committee chaired by
Rep. Trent Van Haaften of Mount Vernon. The shell bill (HB 1835) was hidden
from public view as a "vehicle bill" and did not appear as a slot machine or
gambling bill on the in.gov Web site, probably to offset opposition from
citizens in a quiet hearing on Valentine's Day. Van Haaften and eight other
of his committee members are heading down another slippery slope by
proposing an expansion of gambling at the state's two horse racetracks,
including the addition of 2,500 slot machines at each track. I applaud Reps.
Turner, Stutsman and Walorski for opposing the bill. Both Hoosier Park and
Indiana Downs are recording multimillion-dollar losses and want to introduce
this gambling addiction to help their bottom lines. If this slot machine
bill gets to the House floor, I trust the wisdom of representatives who want
what's best for Indiana not to be tempted by the promised revenue flow to
state coffers. Legalized gambling is poor public policy.

Ireland based market research resource centre, Research and Markets has
predicted that the Spanish interactive gambling market will see a staggering
240 percent growth by 2010, reaching ?4.2 billion. The gambling market in
general is also set to see an extensive boost to revenues, growing to ?39
billion by 2010. Following the introduction of restrictive online gambling
laws in other countries the Spanish trend towards liberalising the gambling
industry makes it an ideal nestling ground for investors. Spain's lottery
market is also one of the largest in the world, which provides a market
already primed for all aspects of the gambling industry. Bookmakers
Ladbrokes have already begun expansion into the Spanish gaming market in an
alliance with Spanish slot machine firm Cirsa Slot, who also operates 36
electronic casinos. William Hill has also launched Spanish poker site
es.williamhillpoker.com with the help of CryptoLogic's software.

A university study about people who want to overcome gambling problems is
seeking volunteers from rural Nevada. The study is being conducted by the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, International Gaming Institute along with
Harvard Medical School. Professor Bo Bernhard said he is seeking volunteers
willing to participate in three 15-minute phone interviews about their
gambling. Bernhard is the director of gambling research and the chief
investigator for the study.
He is seeking 60 volunteers from areas of the state that are typically
overlooked in studies. "We want to hit as many corners of the state as
possible," he said. "But it is much more difficult than in Las Vegas or Reno
where we could just put a flier up and have plenty of volunteers. We are
figuring out ways to reach out to populations that often slip through the
cracks." The gamblers the study is seeking are those who realize their
behavior may be causing problems, but not necessarily those who are out of
control. "We're not necessarily looking for people who are pathological," he
said. "We're looking for people who want to overcome their own problems, but
who aren't necessarily going into treatment for it. In a lot of
jurisdictions, self-help or interventions help people overcome gambling
problems. A good percentage of the rural population lives in places where
there aren't large-scale treatment centers to help people out." Bernhard
said the study is designed so people can participate from home at their
convenience. "All the information we gather is completely confidential," he
said. "Volunteers can refuse to participate or answer any questions." With
good participation, Bernhard thinks the study can say something about life
in rural Nevada. Study participants who qualify will earn $100 for their
participation. A law passed by the Nevada Legislature in 2005 raises money
to study problem gambling. The bill is up for renewal in the 2007 session.
"These funds have already provided a strong foundation in our efforts to
help the state's problem gamblers," Bernhard said. "We look forward to
continuing research that will help us understand the complexities of this
disorder."

A recently recognized Indian tribe in Massachusetts, USA who has expressed
the desire to build a full scale casino in the state has stirred up the
casino gambling debate yet again on Beacon Hill. Last Thursday U.S.
Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs designated the Mashpee
Wampanoag tribe as a sovereign American Indian nation. The tribe has stated
their desire to build a full casino, complete with slot machines and table
games like poker and blackjack. "The preference of the tribe would be to
agree in a compact with the state on a destination casino much like Mohegan
Sun," said tribe spokesman Scott Ferson, referring to the nearby Connecticut
casino and resort. "We would hope it wouldn't be viewed as pressure and more
of an opportunity." Though they can now build 'bingo parlors' (having
lottery and bingo games) without any additional state approval, the tribe is
aiming higher having seen the success of tribal-run Foxwoods and Mohegan
Sun. But they cannot move forward unless Massachusetts state lawmakers
decide to legalize casino gambling. Pressure to legalize casino-style
gambling has previously come from the state's four horse and dog track
owners. But last year the Massachusetts House turned down a bill to permit a
maximum of 2,000 slot machines at each track. At a minimum, recognition of
the tribe will bring more lobbyists to Beacon Hill, putting more pressure on
lawmakers to allow the tribe to build a full casino , according to Rep.
Daniel Bosley, D-North Adams, a vocal casino opponent. Bosley says that
could open gambling floodgates that the state would be hard pressed to
close. Referring to how the state lottery began as a single daily ticket,
but has since expanded to dozens of scratch tickets and Keno games, Bosley
told The Norwalk Advocate paper, "We'll have the tracks coming in saying if
you allow the Native Americans, then we want slots too. Once you open the
door, you open yourself to continuing pressure to expand. Just look at the
Lottery." The tribe owns about 200 acres on Cape Cod, but has agreed not to
build a casino there. So it first needs to acquire land in another part of
the state to build a casino, and then win recognition from the federal
government for it as a separate reservation.

"People are forgetting it's a complicated process," said Sen. Michael
Morrissey, D-Quincy, who said he supports casinos only because Massachusetts
is losing money to neighboring states with casinos like Connecticut and New
York.

Morrissey said Massachusetts could agree to license a casino, put that
license out to bid, and allow the tribe to compete with other commercial
casino operators - perhaps giving the tribe the exclusive right to bid last.

"What's to say that we couldn't force them to act like a commercial
operator," Morrissey told the Advocate. "Just because they're recognized,
doesn't mean they have the right to casinos, and if they want to, they
should be prepared to pay full freight."

Govenor Deval Patrick has publicly said he hasn't made up his mind whether
he would support casino gambling, and continues to listen to both sides. He
has said he may put together a study group to examine the issue and report
back to him.

Patrick has a $1 billion shortfall in the state budget, but has said the
budget plan he'll release at the end of the month will not include any new
gambling revenues.

In the end, Bosley said, the decision whether to give the Mashpee Wampanoag
tribe the right to build a casino comes down to a larger decision about the
wisdom of gambling, and specifically highly lucrative slot machines.

"The issue still becomes do we allow slot machines or don't we allow slot
machines," Bosley said. "As you put more gambling in your society, you're
putting less money into more profitable enterprises."

The Mashpee Wampanoag are the second Massachusetts tribe to receive federal
recognition. The first are the Wampanoag of Gay Head-Aquinnah on Martha's
Vineyard. There are more than 560 recognized tribes across the United
States.

Gambling income includes, but is not limited to, winnings from lotteries,
raffles, horse and dog races and casinos, as well as the fair market value
of prizes such as cars, houses, trips or other noncash prizes. Depending on
the type and amount of your winnings, the payer might provide you with a
Form W-2G and may have withheld federal income taxes from the payment. Here
are some general guidelines on gambling income and losses: Reporting
winnings: The full amount of your gambling winnings for the year must be
reported on line 21, Form 1040. You may not use Form 1040A or 1040EZ.
Deducting losses: If you itemize deductions, you can deduct your gambling
losses for the year on line 27, Schedule A (Form 1040). You cannot deduct
gambling losses that are more than your winnings. It is important to keep an
accurate diary or similar record of your gambling winnings and losses. To
deduct your losses, you must be able to provide receipts, tickets,
statements or other records that show the amount of both your winnings and
losses.

As is true of any form of technology, the Internet can be - and is - used
for constructive purposes and in harmful ways. Some Web site operators seek
to defraud unsuspecting visitors to their home pages, while others wish to
appeal to the weaknesses of those addicted to pornography or gambling. Two
significant challenges in drafting new laws to protect people from the
hazards of the Internet have been to ensure that these laws can be enforced
and that the rights of the individual are preserved. The effect of the
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act signed into law by President Bush
in October demonstrates that these challenges can be overcome with
sufficient thought and cooperation by those seeking to protect the public
from harm. This legislation was supported by a broad range of organizations,
including many national sports groups (such as the NFL, Major League
Baseball, NBA, NHL and NCAA), electronic commerce and financial institutions
(PayPal, MasterCard, eBay and the American Bankers Association) and law
enforcement alliances (including the National Association of Attorneys
General and the Fraternal Order of Police). The act essentially forbids the
use of the Internet as an instrument to violate federal and state gambling
laws. Internet gambling, estimated to be a $12 billion per year industry,
has been used for money laundering by criminal organizations and to defraud
bettors who have no way to verify or investigate whether the virtual games
of chance that they play on some sites are managed honestly. Also, some
gambling operations abruptly close their sites if there are too many
winners, opening new ventures under different domain names. In addition,
various sites have provided free games for children, in essence encouraging
youngsters to gamble. And as with online pornography, the ubiquitous yet
private nature of these sites may lead some people to fall victim to
addictive behavior through which they spend excessive amounts of time and
money to satisfy a gambling compulsion. Moreover, online gambling can siphon
revenues from state treasuries that depend upon government-run lotteries and
the taxes that are collected on legal wagers. Nevada, apparently recognizing
the potential threats associated with Internet gambling operations, was the
first state to prohibit its residents from participating in illegal Internet
betting. Most gambling sites are operated overseas, beyond the jurisdiction
of the United States, which some have argued makes enforcement of laws
against Internet betting difficult if not impossible to enforce. One
solution to this problem is embedded in the act, with its focus on the
transfer of money between financial institutions and the online gambling
operations. This legislation compels the Department of the Treasury and the
Federal Reserve Board to issue regulations that require financial
institutions to block payments to those engaged in illegal gambling. Rather
than trying to shut down the offshore gambling operations directly, the
legislation impedes the transfer of money that are the lifeblood of these
businesses.

Further, the act refers only to gambling that violates existing federal or
state laws, thereby recognizing each state's right to develop and enforce
its own regulations on gaming.

After the passage of this legislation, publicly traded gambling operations
lost 50 percent of their market value. Cyber ventures listed on the London
Stock Exchange announced that they would no longer be accepting wagers from
players in the United States. And many Internet gambling sites chose to deny
wagering by residents of the United States, where these bets would be in
violation of existing laws.

Rather than supplying an Internet retailer with financial and personal
information directly, many consumers use digital wallets (e-wallets) such as
PayPal to more securely transfer these data and complete their transactions.
FirePay, an offshore e-wallet, has announced in response to the act that it
will not transfer funds to online gambling operations.

Last month, the two founders of a British e-wallet known as NETeller were
arrested on charges of transferring funds with the intent to promote illegal
gambling. After these arrests, the company decided to eliminate the transfer
of funds by United States bettors to Internet gambling sites, instantly
eradicating about 65 percent of its activities in this industry.

Existing technologies used by credit card companies and banks to block
illegal transactions by verifying the identities (and, if appropriate, the
ages) of the parties involved also can be helpful in enforcing the act. Most
important, this legislation illustrates one method for effectively
controlling some of the harmful effects of cyberspace.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of The Spanish Gambling
Market - a Key Region for Future Growth to their offering. William Hill has
already started its expansion into Spain, more and more Spanish soccer teams
are sponsored by online gambling companies - these are just a few of many
clear signs that the gambling industry is starting to focus on Spain for
future growth. After the recent legal conflicts in traditional gambling
markets, a key strategic option is the expansion into less restrictive
jurisdictions or into regions where an increased liberalization might be
possible in the short term. Many operators surveyed mentioned Spain as a
particularly attractive jurisdiction for such an expansion. The following
are some reasons why Spain is perceived as so attractive: Increasing
liberalization - Many autonomous regions in Spain are working toward a
liberalization of the market, and particularly the betting sector as well as
interactive gambling could benefit from that. William Hill and other big
players are already poised for expansion into Spain - Many international
companies, such as William Hill or Betbull/BWin, already have joint venture
agreements in place and are poised to take advantage of the market in Spain.
Growth potential, especially for retail betting and interactive gambling -
Overall Spain's gambling market is expected to grow to Euro 39 billion by
2010. By 2010 the retail betting market is expected to grow to ca. Euro 4.5
billion, which is more than 750% larger than its current size (CAGR of 71%).
The other growth driver will be interactive gambling, which is expected to
reach ca. Euro 4.2 billion by 2010, a growth of ca. 240% (CAGR of 36%) over
the current level. Lotto craziness - Spain's lottery market is one of the
largest in the world and can boast impressive per-capita sales.

Adelaide's Simon Goodwin, Melbourne defender Daniel Ward, Sydney rookie
Kieran Jack, and Kangaroo David Hale are all under investigation for
gambling on ALF games. While none of the players actually bet on or against
their respective teams, it is believed they did place wagers on other
football games. Ts is in direct contravention to the very strict AFL rules
against betting on games or other football related events. If found guilty
of gambling on the AFL, those players could faces a fine of up to $100000
and a lengthy suspension. It is believed the gambling was discovered after
the players had placed bets with TAB Sportsbet. Although the betting outfit
keeps customer information confidential, it signed an agreement with the AFL
last year which would allow the release of information to league officials
when suspicious betting took place. It was under this agreement by which the
AFL discovered the rule breach. The league hopes to complete its inquiry
within two weeks. Some fans have chimed in with their opinions: I can
remember hearing that some one who isn't in the public eye put $40,000 on
Federa to win the Aust. Open, a pretty sure bet really. To me it is a storm
in a tea cup and if the AFL are going to pursue and penalize these players
let's go back to last year and open up the hornet's nest and name the
players who had POSITIVE drug tests. To me a much more important issue than
betting.

The AFL and the Australian media are caught up in a story about 4 players
accused of betting on AFL matches or some aspect thereof. All of the
players, to the extent public comment has been made, deny betting on their
own club and claim that the bets were small potatoes stuff, as little as
A$10. Perhaps that will prove to be the case. But no one, not the AFL,
the AFLPA, the Aussie media, or sports fans should be surprised. For the
record, I am not an anti-gambling crusader and while I think most gambling,
particularly by non-professionals, is money wasted and you would be better
off putting it in a bank, I don't believe that we should completely outlaw
it. However, past incidences in other leagues and professional sports
should have long ago told the AFL that it's open embrace of organized
betting in Australia and it's endorsement of gambling on it's matches was at
odds with it's warning to young, wealthy footy players not to be bet on
their own sport. If mother AFL can reap the rewards why shouldn't some 19
year old sitting on an AFL bench with cash in his pocket? It is blatantly
hypocritical of the AFL to endorse organized gambling on its matches, pocket
reams of cash therefrom, but then tell everyone else "naughty, naughty".
The mixed message here undermines the need to prevent it from infiltrating
the game itself. As has happened in many other major sports around the
world including soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. it was only a matter of
time until player betting occurred. It is likely only a matter of time
until a much more serious scandal occurs under the current rules.

So much concern is placed on the individual who has a gambling addiction. Of
course, treating an individual with a gambling addiction is very important.
What about the families of those with gambling addictions? Often times as a
society we forget about the loved ones of those with addictions. Like
alcoholism, concern must be shown for the family members of those with
gambling addictions. I have heard so many anecdotal stories, fact and
fiction about how gamblers attend places like casinos and Bingos and leave
their children in the car while they go and engage in their habit or
addiction. I have also heard stories of how some gamblers blow their weekly
savings or social security cheques on gambling. Instead of buying food and
clothing for their children, many spend it on gambling, as well as alcohol
and cigarettes, the other two vices which often times trigger and co-exist
with gambling addictions. There is no doubt that gambling is a mental
illness. No matter how hard people try to avoid gambling, they seem to find
their way back to their specific gambling niche. Gambling is a very unique
addiction in that anything can become a potential wager! Think about it.a
gambler is tying to kick the addiction and is doing well. Whenever someone
is striving for total abstinence, they are to avoid any and all triggers and
stimulus which are associated with gambling. So, you have this individual
who does not buy lottery tickets, avoids raffles and most of all, avoids
casinos. They are doing really well. One day, a friend or co-worker
challenges them to something saying." I'll bet you a cup of coffee I can get
my work done faster than you.." or something like that. As harmless as this
sounds, this has the potential for the gambler to throw themselves right
back into their addiction. Remember, it is usually not the winning or losing
which produces the high, rather the anticipation and adrenaline rush which
satiates and drives the gambler. In reality, they are always one wager away
from falling back into the vice.

Gamblers have to be aware at all times what there addiction means to the
loved ones around them. Often times, addicts neglect their loved ones either
emotionally and/or physically. Children are affected the most. Children are
not able to think logically and abstractly and often times perceive
themselves as a contributing factor toward their parent's miserable moods.
Addictions have a powerful influence on a child's self-esteem and
self-confidence. The attitudes and beliefs children develop being around an
individual with a chronic addiction often times leads to problematic
behaviors in the child.

The West Virginia House of Delegates was expected to vote today on
legislation that could lead to table gambling at the state's racetracks.
House Bill 2718 was set to have its third and final reading, then a vote for
passage before lawmakers leave for the weekend. If passed today, the measure
moves on to the State Senate.
The bill would allow officials at the state's four racetracks - located in
Ohio, Hancock, Kanawha and Jefferson counties - to petition to put a table
gambling referendum before their county's voters. On Thursday, delegates
debated 33 amendments that were added to the bill on the floor after its
second reading. Among these was one that would have raised state's tax rate
on gross revenues from table gambling from 35 to 42 percent. The additional
monies would have gone into three new funds-the Community Based Service
Fund, the County Regional Jail Inmate Expense Fund and a State Debt
Reduction Fund. The amendment was rejected. As presently written in the
legislation, the 35 percent state tax from table gambling would be directed
as follows: 6 percent for race prize purses at the tracks. Up to 12 percent
of revenues for State Lottery Commission to administer and enforce table
gambling regulations. 2 percent to be shared by horse and dog breeding
funds. Up to $500,000 for compulsive gambling programs. The remaining
dollars would go into the state's general fund. Of this money, 79 percent
would be placed into a newly created State Debt Reduction Fund. In addition,
racetrack counties and racetrack municipalities each would get 5 percent of
the state's take, while other West Virginia counties would divide 5 percent
and other municipalities would share another percent. The remaining 1
percent would go to track employee pensions. The legislation would charge
each track $1.5 million for an initial gaming license, and $2.5 million
annually to renew one. The revenue would fund in-home senior care. During
four and half hours of debate, the House also voted down a series of
amendments from gambling foes. With the Democrats holding 72 of 100 seats,
these amendments failed largely along party lines. As a possible prelude to
today's vote, none received more than 39 votes. Proposals rejected Thursday
included one that sought a constitutional amendment on the issue. As the
bill would add the games to the state lottery system, Delegate Corey Palumbo
and others argued the Supreme Court could reject it if there is not a
constitutional amendment allowing the games. ''Will the state own and
operate these table games? That's the most significant point,'' the Kanawha
County Democrat said. ''We will not be making day-to-day operational
decisions at these racetracks.''

Problem gambling is a serious issue in Louisiana facing as many as 200,000
of our state's residents. To help raise awareness about Louisiana's services
for those who experience problems with gambling, Gov. Kathleen Babineaux
Blanco has declared the week of March 5 as National Problem Gambling
Awareness Week.
"Problem gambling is a serious health issue in our state," said Department
of Health and Hospitals Secretary Dr. Fred Cerise. "In fact, between three
and five percent of Louisiana's adult citizens find themselves having some
problems with gambling. Our agency's Office for Addictive Disorders helps
people who have a gambling problem recover." "We know that there are many
problem and pathological gamblers in Louisiana who could benefit from
services aimed at curbing their addiction," said Office for Addictive
Disorders Assistant Secretary Michael Duffy. "Unfortunately, stigma and
denial are a big part of this disease. Too many people wait longer than
necessary to get help."

Gambling is on the rise among young people between the ages of 18 and 24,
according to a survey commissioned by the Responsible Gambling Council.
The survey, which examined the gambling behaviours and attitudes of 3,604
young adults in Ontario, said poker games and online gambling have grown in
popularity since 2001. Anik Bay, a project co-ordinator with the Responsible
Gambling Council, was at Cambrian College this week to talk to students
about the risks of gambling. "Teens had a higher risk (compared to other age
groups) in our previous study, but what we've found is that the incidents of
Internet gambling, especially poker, has risen in that age group." The
survey goes on to show that 6.9 percent of young people have a severe
gambling problem, more than double the provincial average. A large number of
young people said they gambled for entertainment but more than 20 percent
said they wanted to win money. About 15 percent said they wanted to win back
money they'd lost. A problem gambler is someone who thinks about the game
all the time, skips school or work to gamble or spends more money than they
intended, Bay said. With the help of a couple of student volunteers, Bay
manned a display in the college's main lobby asking students to fill out a
quiz on gambling. The quiz helps students learn about common myths, ways to
limit gambling, how to recognize the signs of a problem gambler and where to
find help in Greater Sudbury. "If they choose to gamble, we want them to
know what risks they can be exposed to and what are ways to limit those
risks," she said. Kevin Leroux, 24, agrees Internet poker is becoming
increasingly popular among young people. He thinks it is because they're
being exposed to it now more than in years' past.

"There's more advertisement for it. Everywhere you look," he said.

Chris Chamberland, 24, said he regularly gambles with his money "because I
can."

Chamberland said he can afford his gambling and he knows where his limit is.

"It's like drinking, if you're going to drink you better know your limit,"
he said.

Neither Chamberland nor Leroux had seen the Responsible Gambling Council
display.

"There's gambling every day and it's got nothing to do with money,"
Chamberland said. "You're gambling every day when you cross the street, when
you drive on the highway. Now there's a little bit of money and they're
calling it evil."

Bay said students are "extremely receptive" to her organization's message.

"We find that a lot of students have been touched either personally or
they've
known people who have been touched with gambling problems," she said.

Legislators want the state to have a say in selecting presidential nominees.
That might happen if legislation that would move up the date of the primary
by a month next year, to Feb. 5, 2008, is passed. It is supported by members
of both parties. Republicans and Democrats alike are pushing to move the
primary election from the first Tuesday in March to the first Tuesday in
February. They contend it would give Texas voters a real say in each party's
nomination for president. Currently, the state's primary falls after several
others, sometimes after party nominations have been sealed. Several other
big states, including California and Florida, are also considering moving
their primaries to Feb. 5 in 2008. The effect could be replacing the old
Super Tuesday in March with a new slate of impact primaries a month sooner.
Dueling gambling bills A proposal in the Legislature to allow video slot
machines at Texas race tracks wouldn't boost the state's economy as much as
full-fledged resort casinos, advocates for casino gambling said Wednesday.
Legislation by Rep. Ismael "Kino" Flores, a Palmview Democrat, would allow
video slots at race tracks and American Indian reservations. Flores said his
measure would keep gambling dollars in Texas, help the financially
struggling Texas horse-racing industry and bring in $1.2 billion in new
annual revenue. On Wednesday, a day after the bill was filed, lobbyists and
other representatives of the Texas Gaming Association made rounds at the
Capitol to press their case for going much further in legalizing casino
wagering. The association wants destination resort casinos that it says will
attract tourist and convention dollars to Texas. "The state shouldn't fool
with it at all if they don't do it right," said Jack Pratt of Dallas, a
former hotel and casino developer who chairs the association. "Our bill does
it all, and it's the only sound way to do it."

The Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling and the Problem Gamblers Help
Network of West Virginia are conducting a free workshop March 9 at Marshall
University titled "Missed or Dismissed? Problem Gambling Overlooked
Diagnosis." Scheduled from 9 a.m. until noon with three hours of continuing
education credits available, the symposium will be conducted by a panel of
professionals whose work has helped thousands of addicted gamblers. Several
recovering compulsive gamblers will also be present to share their
experience and answer questions, including a doctor's wife from Milton who
lost over $300,000 gambling before she was appropriately diagnosed and
treated. This local event is conducted as part of a larger public awareness
campaign for National Problem Gambling Awareness Week held March 5 through
March 11. It is also sponsored in part by Marshall University Counseling
Program and the Marshall University Psychology Clinic, as well as the
Kentucky Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. "Our research shows
that 2%-3% of the US population will have a gambling problem in any given
year," said Keith Whyte, executive director for the National Council on
Problem Gambling in Washington, D.C., "and many of these gamblers see their
primary care providers complaining of stress-related problems such as
migraines, insomnia, stomach ailments and even cardiac distress." In fact,
one study found that about 10% of all patients entering the primary health
care setting met the criteria for problem gambling. And the missed diagnoses
don't only happen in primary health care. Whyte notes that numerous studies
have placed gamblers at higher risk for depression and personality
disorders, as well as alcohol and drug abuse. So, the problem gamblers may
be more prevalent in the mental health care system. But few counselors,
social workers or therapists are trained to screen their clients. "Many
medical personnel miss the gambling diagnosis because they don't ask," said
Sheila Moran, co-director of the Problem Gamblers Help Network of West
Virginia, "That's why we developed free educational information and resource
materials to make screening and referral easy for all healthcare providers."

There is an old adage that one of the worst things that can happen to a
fellow is to win a bet on a horse at a young age. Buttressing that homespun
horse sense with statistics and psychological evidence, Rep. Deborah Fellela
of Johnston pitched her bill to raise the minimum age to gamble in Rhode
Island from 18 to 21 before the House Finance Committee Wednesday. "Gambling
is such a vice, as is smoking or drug addiction," Fellela told her
colleagues. "I just think this would give them more time to mature. There
are many young adults who go to Lincoln (Park) and Newport (Grand)," Fellela
said and she wants them to "be more mature in life and get through their
college years without a debt issue." Casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City,
as well as Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in nearby Connecticut all maintain a
minimum age of 21, Fellela told the House Finance Committee. She said when
Harrah's and the Narragansett Indians wanted to build a casino in West
Warwick, they told officials that the gambling age should be 21. "You will
say that me can go off and fight for their country at 18," Fellela said,
anticipating an argument that was indeed made later by Rep. Thomas Slater.
But, she added, "they can't come home and have a beer." Testifying with
Fellella were John Cipolla of the RI Council on Problem Gambling and Dr.
George Ladd, a psychologist from Rhode Island College who specializes in
gambling risk and pathology, particularly in young people. Both agreed that
the younger a person starts gambling, and especially scoring a big win at a
young age, predicts problem gambling in the future.
Youth gambling, Ladd told the lawmakers, "is progressively being recognized
as an important public health issue for states and communities. There is
little doubt that despite legal and financial restrictions on underage
gambling, American youth are gambling at alarming rates and high levels of
risk." Ladd said 15.3 million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 are
engaged in gambling activity and 2.2 million of those "may have a serious
problem." By the time children have reached the age of 12, he said, the
majority have gambled for money at least once. Slater said it would be naïve
to think legislation could stop youngsters from gambling. "This bill is not
going to solve that problem," Slater told Ladd, "but it will cause
catastrophic problems for us" in the state budget. "This isn't the solution
that is going to save us." Under questioning from Rep. John Patrick Shanley,
Ladd acknowledged that "very few" young people, perhaps 5 percent gmable at
the VLTs at Lincoln Park and Newport Grand and only 3 percent bet on dog and
horse races at those facilites, which feature simulcast events from tracks
across the country. By contrast, Ladd said, 33 percent play lottery scratch
tickets, 30 play card games, 20 percent play lottery numbers games like Wild
Money or PowerBall and 18 percent bet on sporting events. "If we had sports
gambling in Rhode Island, we wouldn't have the budget problem we do right
now," Shanley said.
And the state's projected $360 million budget deficit is where Fellela's
proposal might hit the rocks. "I'm concerned that it would negatively impact
our fiscal situation," said House Finance Committee Chairman Steven
Costantino, who hastened to say no decision has been made on whether the
committee will pass the legislation. Asked how much it might cost the state
in revenues if those between the ages of 18 and 21 were forbidden to engage
in legal gambling, Costantino said the House fiscal staff "is still working
that up." Costantino said laws forbidding alcohol use by those under 21 have
not stopped underage drinking.

Jay Melancon hunkered down in an auditorium chair for his morning psychology
class at the University of Minnesota, flipped open his laptop and logged on.
The instructor yammered on at the front of the room, but Melancon wasn't
listening. He was exhausted from staying up all night playing online poker.
Now, sitting in the back of the class, he was playing again. On his screen,
tiny decks of cards flipped and twisted in cyberspace, and Melancon placed
bets with the click of his mouse. The profits just kept getting bigger.
$1,000. $2,000. $3,000. Dude, check this out, he told his buddy. As class
ended and the other students got up to leave, he checked his total one more
time. In the space of an hour, he'd won just about $4,000. Melancon closed
his laptop and walked out into the cold December air. What am I doing in
school? he wondered. Why don't I just do this all the time? Poker is red hot
on college campuses these days. Today's college students are among the first
to grow up with gambling so accessible. Credit is easily available. Casinos,
once relegated to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, are now scattered across 37
states. Poker is a regular feature on cable TV. Going to the casino has
become a rite of passage for students as they turn 18. Freshmen play poker
in dorm rooms, fraternities and bars host Texas Hold 'Em tournaments, and
students hold sports betting pools and use wireless Internet connections to
play anytime, anywhere. "I make a joke that ... the second-best gambling
environment in America is the college dorm," said Ken Winters, a professor
at the University of Minnesota who has studied youth addictions, including
gambling. "You've got your privacy, you've got your high-speed Internet, you
have independence from a parent, you probably now have some credit card
money. ... It's like a little mini casino right in your laptop. ... It's
almost too easy." College-age men, especially, have embraced the poker
phenomenon. Card-playing and Internet gambling have increased among
college-age males over the past five years, the Annenberg Public Policy
Center of the University of Pennsylvania found. About 16 percent of them
played cards weekly in 2006, up from nearly 13 percent in 2005, and nearly 6
percent of them gambled online weekly, up from 2.3 percent in 2005.

At Canterbury Card Club in Shakopee, Minn., crowds are getting younger, said
Kevin Gorg, media relations manager. "Because of the popularity of poker on
TV, it's become, you know, kind of the cool, in-vogue thing to do."

On that cold December morning in 2005, Melancon, now 21, decided to quit
college. He and a group of friends have since bet their livelihood on cards.
They spend hours at card tables and computers, winning and losing thousands
of dollars at a time. They make fast money from less experienced players who
don't know what they're doing.

They don't want to do this forever, they say, but they're going to ride the
poker train as long as it keeps paying.

By 7:30 p.m. one October Thursday, Melancon's friend Mike Pickett had
already been playing cards for nearly seven hours.

He and more than 400 others had traded an autumn day for the green felt
tables and fluorescent lights of the poker room, hoping to win the $117,000
championship-event prize at the Fall Poker Classic at Canterbury Card Clu