“Like it or not, Californians are playing poker online, but currently they are operating in an unregulated space that leaves them vulnerable to illegal and foreign gambling sites.”
—Steven Miller, California state director of the Poker Players Alliance, calling on lawmakers to legalize internet poker
“These are the gamblers who aren’t looking for the bells and whistles. They’re not looking for gourmet dining. They’re not going to stay overnight. They’re looking to drive 30 to 40 minutes, gamble for two or three hours, and go home.”
—Clyde Barrow, an expert on gaming in New England in a report on how satellite casinos in Connecticut could attract “convenience” gamblers
“Nothing surprises me in this business. We never know who is in or out until the last minute.”
—Stephen Crosby, chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, reacting to the withdrawal of Crossroads Massachusetts LLC from its application for a license to build a casino in the Southeastern zone
“You can convince yourself of anything when you’re having an intense conversation with yourself.”
—Barry Broad, a lobbyist for Service Employee International Union (SEIU), asserting that some gaming tribes in the debate over whether to allow racetracks to participate in online poker in California have an overinflated idea of their own influence
“Singapore is a case in point. The Southeast Asian city-state has been slapping considerable admission fees on locals entering casinos, but its gambling addiction has already emerged as a serious social problem. What matters most is that even a number of poor people have become addicted to gambling. Stories about people who gambled away all their fortunes near Kangwon Land are no longer the news.”
?Korea Times, in an editorial that criticizes a government plan to launch casino cruises for Korean nationals. Presently, South Koreans may only gamble at Kangwon Land, one of 17 casinos in the country
“The casino first promised to do so on February 8, then March 1, then March 19, then April 4 and then June 1 and now June 8. I don’t believe them anymore. … If collectively our Tinian leadership cannot force this casino to install honest and responsible management and get reliable and verifiable revenue reports to the commission, we should all go to jail.”
?Lucia Blanco-Maratita, executive director, Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission, on the failure of the Tinian Dynasty casino on the Marianas island to report its revenues
“Growth in online betting bodes well for the sector’s margins given cost savings potential. We expect online betting to grow at 14 percent on a compound annual growth rate over the next two years driven by strong underlying demand for online betting.”
?Mark Bryan, analyst, BOA Merrill Lynch, in an April report on online gaming
“The government’s ground is, we are answering the residents’ demands for a full smoking ban in casinos. For our casino employees, especially croupiers, they also don’t want smoking inside casinos.”
?Alexis Tam Chon Weng, Macau secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, on a proposed universal smoking ban for the city’s casinos
“John Whittingdale needs to come clean about his intentions toward FOBTs and betting shops.”
?Adrian Parkinson, Campaign for Fairer Gambling, in a poke at the U.K.’s newly appointed culture secretary. Whittingdale supports more fixed-odds betting terminals in venues around the country
“Brothels are hiding under massage parlors, and soccer bookies are hiding under coffee shops.”
?Resident, Sihanoukville, on a suspected underground of vice in the Southwest Cambodia province
“Macau is for the super-rich. Here, the middle-rich are treated like high rollers.”
?Junket operator, on the gambling trade in Vietnam
“There’s no real incentive to come to the table. There are a variety of agendas in play. Everyone’s self-interest is at odds.”
—Phil Stommen, executive director, Michigan Harness Horseman’s Association, frustrated at the lack of togetherness among Michigan horse tracks to work together towards a common goal
“What will the second quarter look like in Las Vegas? Weak. Did you hear me? Weak. This notion of a big recovery is a complete dream.”
—Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Resorts Ltd. not too confident regarding second quarter revenue in Las Vegas
“We want to make sure we’ve got something for everyone at all price points.”
—Jack Effel, World Series of Poker Tournament Director, talking about the new tournaments at this year’s WSOP, which start at $565
“Since the arguments on March 17, there has been little said about the New Jersey case. I think there will be a major surprise in a couple of weeks. Either the court will rule in favor of New Jersey, which at that point, casinos and racetracks could have sports betting this calendar year, or New Jersey loses, in which case the court offers some kind of a road map for the state of New Jersey and other states—including Mississippi—because there’s a likelihood the courts will offer some guidance to react to a losing decision. Even if New Jersey loses, you’re going to see more legislation to try to thread that needle.”
—Dan Wallach, gaming lawyer with Becker & Poliakoff in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at the Southern Gaming Summit in Biloxi on whether other states will follow New Jersey’s lead in seeking sports betting
“During Q1 we prioritized the introduction of the ‘Cash Out’ functionality. While it isn’t a new concept for customers we recognize it’s an important part of what we need to deliver to be competitive and it’s one of the key parts of our plans for 2015. Today’s step signals our larger intent towards a comprehensive offering across all our digital platforms over the coming months.”
—Andrew Bagguley, managing director of Ladbrokes digital on the bookmaker’s new cash out function that allows its mobile customers the chance to close their position on a bet ahead of the final result
“The weakest companies have been cut out from the industry, while only giants like Winamax and PokerStars managed to survive, as they have their hands on three-fourths of the whole market. These two foreign companies have been active in the market since long before the legalization, attracting French players well before they got their licenses from ARJEL.”
—France’s Le Monde newspaper in an editorial charging that French gambling regulators have squashed competition in the French online poker market
