Harrah's is creating a deal to expand its casino gambling brand into Eastern Europe, making that area of the sector one of the vital fastest-growing for gaming.

Harrah's Entertainment, the world's largest casino gambling operator, is thinking about taking up casinos in Slovakia, consistent with a report by the Wall Street Journal. If the move occurs, it might only be the newest spur to gaming growth within the eastern a part of Europe.

The paper says Harrah's has a non-binding agreement in place with Hungarian development company TriGranit to function casinos, hotels, and resorts in what's projected as a $2 billion project outside Bratislava. Harrah's senior vice-president of communications Jan Jones confirmed the report.

Earlier this summer, Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment announced plans to construct the most important casino in Europe between Budapest and Vienna. And Russian casino owners, forced to desert operations of their home country when a whole gambling ban went into effect, have also relocated or considered doing so in Eastern European nations.

"Since all of Russia gambling closed down without the brand new gambling districts opening, there is a belief that there is real opportunity to construct new projects in surrounding countries,"  Jones told the Journal.

Further, Eastern Europe is seen to have several advantages. It has proximity to countries as diverse as Russia, Britain, and Italy, while enjoying a lot more lax government control.

Harrah's insiders say the care for TriGranit represents a method to continue growing the gambling operator's brand without investing major dollars in construction of latest casinos, an element for the debt-ridden company.

Published on October 14, 2009 by VirginiaMaddox

Read More... [Source: Harrahs Casino News]

There may yet be hope for ending the long stalemate between California tribes and racetracks on Internet poker. PokerNews.com has received a replica of language Assemblyman Adam Gray has floated to industry stakeholders to fill out his shell bill AB 431 from last year. The brand new bill is also introduced within the next week, previous to the Feb. 19 deadline for bills to be introduced in 2016.

The major development on this proposed language in comparison to previous bills within the state is a $57 million annual stipend to the pony racing industry in exchange for acceptance to not be operators. The draft bill states that of the primary $60 million collected each year, 95 percent will go right into a California Horse Racing Internet Poker Account, which might contribute to purses, commissions, and incentive awards to be disbursed by racing associations or fairs, and pensions for jockeys and parimutuel employees.

The draft bill also allows racetracks to function service providers to licensed operators, noting that a horse racing merchant must receive no less than 50 percent of the gross gaming revenue it generates for an operator.

Robyn Black, a lobbyist for the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, commended Gray, who chairs the Assembly Governmental Organization (GO) Committee, for seeking to end the eight-year stalemate between the racetracks and tribes, but cautioned that the tribes and tracks haven't begun to conform to the proposed language.

“We applaud the chairman for recognizing the significance of racing in California,” Black said. “I think it is a good spot to begin a dialogue. I FEEL what he’s seeking to do is get everyone back to the table to have a discussion.”

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Read More... [Source: Poker News and Features – This Week in Gambling]

Today is a busy day for Team PokerStars Pro Nacho Barbero. Not just is he playing a $1,000 No Limit Hold'em side event (and, way to winning a tremendous pot with pocket aces moments ago, he's playing it pretty darn well), but Barbero's also the coach of this year's Team Argentina within the Americas Cup.

About 20 paces behind him, the team are duking it out with other hopefuls from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru for a share of $100,000. He's desperate to hear how they're getting on, but he's definitely not worried about their chances.

"They know what they're doing," says Barbero "I DO NOT learn about the remaining but I'm pretty sure we have now the most efficient team by far."

So while the players in today's $1,000 tournament took a break to stretch their legs, Barbero and his snazzy blue and white Argentina top made their far more than to look at the team in action. We grabbed a handy guide a rough word to look how he and they're getting on.

Barbero sharing his wisdom before play started today

What's it like being a coach today?

"I'm enjoying it actually. I'm sitting out of my tournament at all times to return and forth and notice how they're getting on. I'm very pleased with course. Any time you get to symbolize Argentina you have to be proud."

Can you let us know anything about your team?

"I coached the Argentinian team like two years ago and a pair of the players didn't quite know what they were doing. It is a bit hard to show a man how you can play poker in a single night. But these guys all know."

What makes you assert that?

"Ivan Raich got heads up at the last LAPT final table, and they've all been winning numerous tournaments in Argentina. Now we have a very good chance."

Team Argentina: this year's hot favorites (in step with Barbero)

Not that it feels like they want it, but did you give out any tips before play started?

"I just told that during the beginning, please, I DO NOT wish to see you guys busting. In the event that they get aces or kings I told them to not fall in love with their hand and opt for pots they shouldn't."

Has the recommendation worked?

"I went over to look at one hand and the flop came like A-4-5 and he got check-raised at the flop. He had kings and he just called. Turn was a two, his opponent checked, and he checked back. That is what you ought to see. There is not any want to put yourself in a messy spot, especially while you get more points the longer you last on this format. You wish to protect your hand at first and play small ball. But these guys do not want my help too much."

There's $32,500 up for grabs for the winning team. Are they nervous?

"They were super calm. They're all experienced live players and grinders. They looked confident."

What's more important to you: winning the $1,000 or seeing Argentina claim the highest prize?

"Seeing Argentina win, obviously."

LAPT Grand Final runner-up, Ivan Raich

To discover if that happens, stay tuned to the PokerStars Blog and do not forget to click through to live updates, features and interviews from the $10,000,000 guaranteed PCA Main Event.

Keir Mackay is a copywriter for PokerStars.

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Americas Cup]

Everi Holdings Inc. (“Everi” or the “company”) will showcase the very best of its gaming and payments products on the 2016 Southern Gaming Summit (Booth #808), to be held May 3-5, 2016 on the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center in Biloxi, MS.  As a number one provider of games and payments solutions to commercial and tribal casinos around the south, Everi is pleased to sponsor the region’s most vital gaming show and continue its long-established partnership with both the Southern Gaming Summit and the Mississippi Gaming & Hospitality Association.

“Over the years, Everi has developed an expansive games and payments presence with casino operators around the south and we understand the significance of supporting key industry events just like the Southern Gaming Summit,” said Michael D. Rumbolz, interim president and chief executive officer of Everi. “We look ahead to making our presence felt in Biloxi and plan to showcase our diverse and comprehensive product portfolio that powers the casino floor.”

As a number one payments provider, Everi has a long-term track record of delivering solutions that streamline casino operations and offer convenience to patrons. On the 2016 Southern Gaming Summit, attendees will learn more about Everi Compliance, an impressive suite of goods that together represent the industry’s top-quality for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance. With Everi Compliance, casino operators can easily meet Title 31 regulatory requirements while reducing their costs, minimizing risks, and streamlining their operational processes.

The company may also demonstrate its innovative Everi Cares Giving Module, a brand new program that makes social consciousness a concern with meaningful voucher redemption. By adding the Everi Cares Giving Module to Everi’s kiosks, casino operators can give their patrons with a convenient method to donate funds to choose charities while redeeming gaming vouchers.  

In addition to its innovative payments solutions, Everi can even have on display in Booth #808 greater than 15 exciting game titles, its award-winning Everi Bet solution, and its TournEvent system, housed for the primary time at the Company’s Core HDX gaming cabinet. 

Twin Dragon may be shown with Everi Bet, the innovative bet configuration feature that permits casino operators to optimize the casino floor for optimum returns. Using Everi Bet, casino operators can easily configure a game and preserve its hit rate by keeping the unique choice of lines, thus maintaining the game’s intended volatility. In addition, each Everi Bet title is obtainable in natural low, mid, and high denomination configurations.

Jackpot Inferno is a proven, high-performing game that was heating up gaming floors around the country with its unique bonus opportunities and crowd pleasing visuals. The sizzling 5-Reel, 50-Line online game also features Jackpot Jump, which causes the previously locked-in progressive award to leap one tier higher.

Everi can even debut its award-winning TournEvent system at the innovative Core HDX standard video cabinet. Now with a brand new USB camera, customized TournEvent lighting, and a library of high-performing, Core HDX-exclusive games from which to choose, casino operators may be in a position to increase the joy level in their slot tournaments and maximize the performance of games once they are in revenue mode.

On May 4, Everi will host the Mississippi Gaming & Hospitality Association’s 3rd Annual Casino Operators Charity Slot Tournament at the show floor on the Company’s booth (#808). Play might begin at approximately 3 p.m. local time and all proceeds will be donated to the slot tournament winner’s charity of choice. Conference attendees are encouraged to prevent by Everi’s booth and cheer at the players as they compete on behalf in their favorite charities.

Read More... [Source: Gaming Industry News]

High-stakes poker player Brian Rast has joined the quick list of gamblers who've completed the Las Vegas-to-Los Angeles bike ride in under 48 hours.

Rast, who followed Dan Bilzerian’s nearly $1 million ride, successfully completed the roughly 300-mile ride on Thursday, with only one hour to spare. Rast received $600,000 in total from Bilzerian and fellow high-stakes gambler Bill Perkins for winning the bet. The latter two gave Rast 6:1 odds because Rast had lower than per week to train.

“If that was any further difficult, I don’t think I'LL have completed the task,” Rast said on social media. “I pushed myself to absolutely the limit.” He added a thanks to “all the folks that supported me during my ride.”

“I will probably post more about my experience over again. Now I ATTEMPT TO return to sleep,” he wrote early Thursday.

His feat after all caught the eye of many within the poker community. “What he accomplished trumps what every other player has done physically,” said Antonio Esfandiari. Rast is “a legend in my eyes and this accomplishment will go down in history as some of the greatest.”

Unlike Bilzerian, Rast was explicitly prohibited from drafting behind a vehicle.

Card Player had the danger to talk to Rast on Monday just hours before he hit the road.

Brian Pempus: How did you make a decision to try this bet?

Brian Rast: Dan came visiting to my house simply to hang around and feature some BBQ. Dan was really looking to push this bet. There’s a bit of more to the back-story than that, but basically I WISHED a big gamble where I'LL choose the route…[a previous] bet was going to be down the Pacific Coast Highway in California with the wind at my back. I USED TO BE going so as to use recumbent bikes and everything. I BELIEVE Dan’s motivation was that this bet was going to vindicate him somehow [from the former bet he bought out of], that this was going to be tougher. I MAY have maybe done a greater job with one of the vital stipulations. I wish I MAY use a recumbent bike. It’s hard when where you might be getting 6:1 to argue an excessive amount of for stipulations. As of right now, there's a lot of wind in a foul direction for me.

BP: Did the truth that Dan was capable of complete his Las Vegas-to-LA ride in about 33 hours come up with confidence which you could do that inside the 48?

BR: I definitely think that it’s possible. It’s going to be really tough. I'M GOING a rather longer route than Dan because I WOULD LIKE to spend as little time at the highway as possible for safety reasons. I CAN have rather less of a climb than him, but it’s going to be about 30 more miles. I CAN actually have a leaner crew than him. IT'S NOT THAT I AM going to have a health care provider and a masseuse. I WILL have some friends and family and one bike person. I also didn’t get to coach for 5 weeks [laughs]. I'VE basically trained for 3 days. That is going to be really tough. I BELIEVE in Dan’s bet it was pretty clear he was going to win it unless he got in an accident. Dan was a large favorite, but I don’t think any folks really have an idea if I WILL BE ABLE TO do what I'M about to do. I'M optimist, but Dan’s [bike] coach said that he didn’t think I MAY do it, for the reason that I'M probably going to be facing a headwind and i've no training. But that may be one man’s opinion. This isn’t an even-money bet, though, so it’s not presupposed to be easy.

BP: Is that this essentially the most challenging prop bet you’ve ever agreed to do?

BR: Yeah, that is. It’s going to be very interesting. We're going to be leaving later today. It’s a type of things where it's a must to put your head down and trust for your team. I HAVE TO stay consistent and switch out miles, eat regularly and hydrate. There are going to be times when I’m in a large number of pain. I never used a road bike until like per week ago.

BP: What must happen so that you can call it quits throughout the ride?

BR: I ASSUME I MIGHT must get to some degree where it’s mathematically impossible to complete. Like if I had 100 miles to move and that i had four hours left. Probably the most last part has a good amount of downhill though. If I got some more or less injury from a crash where there has been an excessive amount of biking left to continue. There might be an overuse or strain injury. I realize that that is going to be painful, so I DO KNOW I WILL suffer for 48 hours. That is a kind of moments where you will find what you're product of. It'd be possible that physically I can’t do this.

BP: Did your commitment to fitness years ago provde the needed confidence to conform to this though?

BR: Yeah, if I had a lower level of fitness I don’t think I'D have even entertained this. So, it helps that I THINK like I'M fit. This bet isn’t just aerobically taxing, like my heart rate goes to be 140 the entire time. You’d should be a world-class athlete to try this. If I'M GOING 10 mph, which isn’t that fast, I MAY do that in 32 hours. Then I'D have 16 hours for breaks. When you consider averaging 10 mph is doable. MANY OF THE ride I WILL BE ABLE TO be keeping my heart rate at like 115. I’ve never done anything with reference to this though, so I FEEL that’s why the fee is what it is.

BP: Did you consider this bet, given its proximity to the beginning of the arena Series of Poker, so that you could basically freeroll the summer?

BR: I definitely am not desirous about it in relation to future poker play, more like $600,000 is lots of cash (laughs). I'D be more than pleased if I won $600,000. I REALLY haven’t had an excellent year to this point in cash games, so if I win this bet I just about get even for the year. That’s something a good way to be refreshing going into the sector Series, but IT'S NOT THAT I AM enthusiastic about it on the subject of future buy-ins. I don’t really recall to mind it in that sense.

BP: With regards to pushing the envelope on sleep, do you're thinking that your history playing marathon cash game sessions may be useful at the ride if you're forced to ride in the course of the night?

BR: Yeah, that may be something I'VE considered. I’ve done multiple 40+ hour sessions in my life. Then again, poker may be very sedentary. There are things which can be different, but I'M HOPING my experience with sleep depravation will help, especially focusing while sleep deprived. Last summer I played over 100 hours of poker each week in the course of the WSOP. One of the most big things isn't falling off the bike when tired. Falling off the bike is the worst thing that may happen.

Read More... [Source: CardPlayer Poker News]

In yesterday's Day 1B recap, Jack Stanton mentioned Oscar-nominated film The Revenant, by which Leonardo DiCaprio's character is left for dead after which comes back from the dead to get revenge. We do not wish to completely piggy backpedal of that post but getting back from the dead was a recurring theme throughout today's Day 2 session.

24 hours ago it was players that busted out of the primary starting flight and located the bag within the second. But tonight, it was players that hardly bagged over a starting stack that then went directly to lead this LAPT9 Chile Main Event into it's penultimate day.

Ricardo Andrew Matamala leads into Day 3

Chip leader Ricardo Andres Matamala was kind of overshadowed by bigger names over the past few levels. The Chilean will overshadow everyone overnight though; he won a big pot on the death, flopping a suite and getting three streets of value, to shoot to the highest of the leaderboard. He'll return with 811,000, an almost ten-times improvement from his Day 2 starting stack.

There isn't much of a separation on the top of the leaderboard though, as Matamala could have two players hot on his tail tomorrow. Alex Vega put 719,000 within the bag and Jorge Luis Teodoulou will return with just over 740,000. They round out the highest three and can all return trying to make the most important tournament scores in their career.

The biggest of these dead gainers was Richard Dubini, because the Argentine came back for today's restart with just over 27,000. After his starting table broke, he was moved to 1 of the tougher tables within the room and while his stack yo-yo'd in the course of the first few levels, after dinner it stayed in a gentle upward trend.

Richard Dubini came back from the dead during Day 2

He finished the night with 634,000 and while that provides him a top-five stack for tomorrow's Day 3 session, the headlining act of today was Fabian Ortiz. The two-time LAPT champion, who won his first title here in Vina del Mar in 2009, came back for Day 2 with just over two starting stacks. After the dinner break, Ortiz could have been outdone by his countryman at the end of day scoreboard but he'll attempt to have Chilean lightning strike twice tomorrow. Ortiz will return in a good position to make his fifth career LAPT final table and, perhaps, even claim a record breaking third title. It won't be easy for him though, because the remaining field is filled with some very experienced and competent players, working a variety of chip stacks.

Bruno Politano leads the Brazilian charge

Bruno Politano is a type of players, with final table experience on poker's biggest stage. The 2014 'November Niner' wasn't exactly a dead man walking entering Day 2, as he returned with a workable 70,000 and after an overly steady session, he'll return for Day 3 with 646,000. That leads a powerful Brazilian contingent, one who includes Rodrigo Strong, pun intended, and Roberly Fericio. Each of these players controlled the chip lead sooner or later today and can certainly contend tomorrow.

Alejandro Rodriguez fits either one of the above criteria. He's another player that would has been considered dead after a lower than newsworthy Day 1B flight left him with just below 30,000. But he has the past experience to contend regardless of where he's at the leaderboard. He worked that short stack for a couple of levels today but then played one of the vital more odd hands we saw, doing a majority of his damage bluffing with complete air in some sizable pre-dinner pots. Eliminated player Felipe Baraky might get up seeing a few of those five-high, 0% equity holdings in his sleep but Rodriguez perceived to click the suitable buttons all day long, ending the night with 426,000.

Alex Vega finished with a top-three stack

Some big-name players made the money but weren't in a position to finish, as Andrius Bielskis and Eder Murata bowed out in 53rd and 54th, respectively, in addition to Bruno Kuwaiti in 71st. They were capable of lock up LAPT cashes but one of the crucial bigger names couldn't. Mario Lopez, our other two-time winner, hit the rail midway through Level 14. Russia's Irina Petrova did not last that long and Chile's own Daniela Horno also didn't make the money. Within the end, 79 players cashed and 32 of them bagged up for tomorrow's Day 3 restart, where they'll all be looking towards the highest of the payout structure as they're still alive for a major score and an LAPT victory.

Tomorrow's Day 3 session will play all the way down to a last table of eight and the PokerStars blog could be here to follow the entire action, starting at 12pm. Until then, make amends for the entire Day 2 action you might have missed here and reference the exceptional LAPT9 Chile Main Event payouts at the right hand side of the page. For a whole list of surviving players, the links at the right will lead you within the right direction.

It need to be noted that because we didn't get to 32 players until Level 20 was finished, tomorrow's restart will open with 60 minutes at the clock in Level 21.

Photos by Carlos Monti.

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Latin American Poker Tour]

More than 300 qualifiers registered for Main Event so as to be streamed live from Day 2

The PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino European Poker Tour Grand Final, which starts in lower than two weeks, has witnessed a record collection of online qualifiers, PokerStars announced today. 

The Season 12 finale, which joins forces with the regional France Poker Series (FPS), will feature 80 events over 11 days on the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. Some of the Team PokerStars players set to compete at this season's Grand Final are Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario, who's trying to better his 26th-place finish at PCA 2015 and Daniel Negreanu, who's the highest-earning live tournament player of all time with greater than $32 million in winnings.

MASSIVE NUMBERS IN MONACO

The €5,300 EPT Main Event field will feature 302 qualifiers, including 121 players who managed to show just €10 right into a €9,000 prize package via the EPT Spin & Go tournaments. The selection of online qualifiers this season has already beaten the Season 10 record of 210. Greater than 155 players have also qualified for this season's €1,100 FPS Monaco Main Event. 

Numerous players won their seat for only a few euros, with British poker professional Ben Dobson heading to Monaco after investing just €4.22. He'll be joined in Monaco by 12 other players who've qualified for €55 or less. An extra two players won full packages after victory within the Team Pro Online Week freeroll. EPT satellites are running daily on PokerStars until April 26, with the overall FPS Monaco satellite happening on April 24.

Edgar Stuchly, PokerStars' Director of Live Events, said: "We're very interested by this season's finale. We reduced the principle Event buy-in to offer additional players an opportunity to sign up for us and that is the reason exactly what has transpired with a record choice of online qualifiers set to compete on this prestigious event. For all our regulars, in addition to all those coming to an EPT for the first actual time, we extend an overly warm welcome to Monaco."

DAILY CARDS-UP BROADCAST

EPTLive will broadcast seven days of cards-up* action, starting with the Super High Roller and FPS Monaco Main Event final tables. Viewers can then follow the EPT Main Event from Day 2 through to the overall table. This may be the primary time an EPT tournament has featured daily 'as-live' cards-up coverage before the overall table and is a part of PokerStars' drive to continuously evolve its live event experience. Greater than 300 qualifiers registered for Main Event to be able to be streamed live from Day 2

Neil Johnson, PokerStars' Head of Live Poker Operations Europe, joined James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton at the latest episode of the EPT Not Live podcast to speak about the change: http://www.soundcloud.com/eptnotlive

*Cards-Up: 30-minute delayed broadcast with players' hole cards displayed on screen

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

The first major tournament of this season's festival is the brand new €10,000 High Roller, starting on April 26. The €1,000 FPS Monaco Main Event, the debut event of FPS Season 6, starts the next day. Last season, the development attracted 993 entries and was won by German player Sebastian Supper for €177,000. The EPT Main Event was won by Adrian Mateos for €1,082,000, giving Spain its first ever EPT champion after the 20-year-old defeated a 564-strong field.

One of the schedule's highlights, the €150 buy-in charity event on April 30, will raise funds for the EPT's official charity partner Right To Play, with a bunch of Team PokerStars Pros are expected to participate including Fatima de Melo, George Danzer, Vanessa Selbst, Celina Lin, Johnny Lodden, and Theo Jorgenson and amazing prizes up for grabs. 

This year's festival also includes several events making their Grand Final debut, including Monaco's first live Spin & Go tournaments with buy-ins starting from €50 to €500. Players could have an opportunity to win the most important prize yet, with the wheel awarding as much as €10,000 per €500 spin within the three-handed game. 

#STARSFUN

#StarsFun activities going down on the festival include a Multi-Sports Simulator contest with the full winner snagging an Estrellas Barcelona Main Event package and. The EPT Grand Final Player Party may be happening on the exclusive Jimmy'z nightclub - located within the same building because the event.

EUROPEAN POKER AWARDS

Other highlights include the 2016 European Poker Awards on May 3 on the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel. This year's nominees include EPT photographer Neil Stoddart, PokerStars' Director of Live Events Edgar Stuchly and PokerStars Tournament Director Thomas Lamatsch, in addition to last season's EPT Barcelona, EPT Prague and EPT Grand Final Main Events and Estrellas Poker Tour Barcelona. Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree can even attend to assemble her award for winning the GPI Women's European Player of the Year category. 

KEY TOURNAMENT DATES

April 26-28, 2016 Single Re-Entry High Roller €10,000 + €300April 27-May 1, 2016 FPS Main Event €1,000 + €100April 28-30, 2016 Super High Roller €98,000 + €2,000April 29-30, 2016 FPS High Roller €2,000 + €200April 30-May 6, 2016 EPT Main Event €5,000 + €300May 1, 2016 Single Day Super High Roller €49,000 + €1,000May 4-6, 2016 EPT High Roller €25,000 + €750

For full details for the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT 12 schedule, please see: europeanpokertour.com

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: PokerStars news]