
It’s good news for Massachusetts, as New Hampshire rejects its latest casino bill.
It will be impossible for New Hampshire to come closer to legalizing casino gambling without actually doing it following a two-hour debate, the state’s two-casino bill had been killed down in the House last week by one vote, just one single month after its one-casino bill was rejected by 29 votes, and 12 months after the one before that. Deputy Speaker Naida Kaen, who was simply presiding within the session, cast the deciding vote following a tie that is 172-172.
The bill would have paved the way for two video gaming licenses for which operators would compete in a bidding process. With regulations drawn up by the Gaming Regulatory Oversight Authority, it hoped to generate $25 million in revenue-sharing for towns and metropolitan areas, and a recent poll by the University of New Hampshire suggested that almost all of residents were in support of casino gambling.
Two gambling enterprises in full procedure would generate $168 million for the state, it is approximated, and the Granite State needs the money as part of your, now that its controversial ‘hospital tax’ was ruled unconstitutional, leaving a $185 million hole in the state budget.
A Brand New Hope
It’s understood that 17 representatives whom voted against last month’s bill changed their minds this time around, mostly since it ended up being tagged onto a bill to decriminalize cannabis, that they supported. Likewise, 42 representatives were marked as absent, presumably because they were not so keen on the marijuana bit. Additionally it is believed that some representatives motioned to kill the bill so amendments could be debated and a renewed bill drawn up.
For the prime sponsor for the bill, Manchester Democrat Lou D’Allesandro, this is enough to inspire hope. A motion has already been filed to reopen debate on the bill, and D’Allesandro thinks it has a good possibility of being passed the next time.
‘While I am disappointed in the rejection of the bill today, which will have permitted for personal investment that would stimulate financial growth and job creation, we remain hopeful that a various outcome might still be possible,’ D’Allesandro said in a statement.
Not every person was so delighted by the basic concept of a reconsideration of the bill, nonetheless.
‘I feel such as this is deja vu yet again,’ groaned Hopkinton Democrat Rep Gary Richardson, tautologically. ‘We had this debate a month ago, but the issues have actually not gone away.’
Good News for Massachusetts
One thing’s for sure: the winner that is big now is Massachusetts, whose own burgeoning casino industry could be damaged by legalization in neighboring New Hampshire. Last year, Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said he was concerned about the effect New Hampshire gambling enterprises might have on the Boston market, adding it was ‘inevitable’ that a casino would open in Salem that he believed.
‘It’s a victory, because it appears like that continuing state isn’t quite ready to create the plunge,’ said the Rev. Richard McGowan, a Boston university gaming expert. ‘It would help Boston … people in New Hampshire are more likely to come calmly to the Boston area instead of heading all of the real way down to Connecticut.’
Along with the New Hampshire bill plunged into uncertainty, it will now give Wynn Resorts and the Mohegan Sun less to worry about as they fight for the remaining Massachusetts casino license.
‘It definitely makes both of those happy that there is one less competitor,’ agrees McGowan. ‘It will not really help the center in Western Massachusetts, but it shall be described as a boost in Boston.’
Nyc Art Dealer Helly Nahmad Sentenced for Role in Gambling Ring
High-profile New York art dealer Hillel ‘Helly’ Nahmad will spend over a 12 months in prison for his role in a huge high-stakes ring that is gambling. (Image: Elitedaily.com)
Once upon a time, well-known nyc City art dealer Hillel ‘Helly’ Nahmad offered gambling services to celebrities and other ultra-rich consumers around the world. Now, he’ll be spending a little over a 12 months in prison for his leading role in just one of the largest gambling that is illegal across the globe.
Nahmad was sentenced to 1 12 months and one day in federal jail on final week for operating a unlawful gambling ring that worked with athletes, Wall Street executives and Hollywood a-listers. Nahmad pleaded guilty to the charges included in a deal in which he admitted to running and funding the operation, along with getting a large share of the ring’s earnings.
But despite that deal, Nahmad will have to face still jail time. He had hoped that his proposition to spend $100,000 each year right into a system to show art to children that are underprivileged be accepted, but that was soundly rejected by U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman.
‘There is one method for Mr. Nahmad to comprehend his actions have actually consequences,’ Furman said, ‘and that is to send him to prison.’
Judge Issues Nahmad’s Remorse
Judge Furman remarked that Nahmad’s request could have been taken more really had he shown some intent to reform himself over the year that is past.
‘Doing good works before sentencing is as low-hanging fresh fruit because it comes, in which he did not pick it,’ Furman stated. ‘It kind of baffles me, become completely honest.’
In addition to his jail time, Nahmad will have to pay a $30,000 fine, complete 300 hours of community service, and live under supervised release for three years. That’s besides the $6.4 million he’d already agreed to forfeit as a part of his plea deal one that also saw him give up all legal rights to ‘Carnaval a fantastic, 1937,’ a Raoul Dufy painting worth hundreds of thousands.
Nahmad’s lawyers had argued which he grew up ‘in a culture where gambling ended up being appropriate and gambling with a high stakes was perhaps not just done but…was normal.’ They pointed out which he have been gambling since a young age, placing bets on Knicks games since he ended up being 14 and achieving been dumped of the Monaco casino at 15.
Nahmad, now 35, is the son of billionaire art dealer David Nahmad. The Nahmad family is apparently worth approximately $3 billion.
‘My family is a family that is private I brought dishonor to it,’ Nahmad told Judge Furman. ‘I will never forgive myself for just what I have done.’
Ring Had Ties to Russian Crime Syndicates
Nahmad was one of 34 individual arrested last April when authorities finally broke up the ring. Others charged included several people who were reportedly connected to Russian arranged crime, including Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, who was simply believed to lead the operation that is entire overseas. Tokhtakhounov is also stated to own tried to fix figure events that are skating the 2002 Olympics.
An overall total of 28 users of this ring have pleaded guilty. That group includes Anatoly Golubchik and Vadim Trincher, whom were each sentenced to five years in prison this week.
Pennsylvania Holds Online Gambling Hearing
On line gambling issues were wrestled with a Pennsylvania House Committee. (Image: SimonsFund.org/thecapitol.com)
Of many states that have taken up casino gambling over the decade that is last none are more successful than Pennsylvania. In only a few short years, hawaii overtook neighboring New Jersey (house of Atlantic City) due to the fact leading state for video gaming revenue in the northeast, a move that eventually sparked a casino arms race through the region. Now, Pennsylvania appears to be considering a move into the last frontier associated with the American video gaming industry: online gambling.
The Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing that is public week to discuss the impact that regulating online gambling might have on the state. The technology involved and consumer protection were discussed over the course of the hearing, issues ranging from the potential social impact of Internet gaming to policy issues.
A Start to Discussion, Perhaps Not a conclusion
The hearing ended up being co-chaired by State Representatives Rosita Youngblood (D-Philadelphia) and Tina Davis (D-Bucks). According to Youngblood, the hearing had been designed to be considered a look that is first the possibility of bringing online gambling to Pennsylvania, rather than the time to make any decisions.
‘ The main purpose behind this hearing was to jumpstart the debate and offer a venue for our members to obtain valuable information so we are prepared to deal with this problem in the near future,’ Youngblood said.
The hearing began with opening remarks, after which four panels had been held on various problems surrounding the online gambling debate.
Kevin O’Toole, executive director for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), talked to the agency’s part in the ongoing conversation regarding the problem.
‘The Gaming Control Board, since the agency that is regulatory does not advocate for or against Web gambling,’ O’Toole stated. ‘If Internet gambling is authorized in Pennsylvania by the Legislature and the Governor, we do advocate that the existing certified casino operators be the authorized providers of that activity.’
While O’Toole expressed confidence that the PGCB could oversee on line gambling in the state if called upon doing so, he did say that age verification could be one area of concern.
‘At enough time that a person registered for a gaming that is online, his/her information can be verified to ensure proper identification and age,’ he said. ‘However, it becomes more hard to determine with confidence that no an added than the registered player utilizes that account. This issue requires to be further researched to identify a better process for age verification.’
Regulation Would Protect Customers
Throughout the hearing, other major players in the neighborhood and gaming that is national were able to share their perspectives as well.
Poker Players Alliance Executive Director John Pappas had been the speaker that is final and framed the regulation of internet poker as being a step to protect customers.
‘Our discussion today just isn’t about expansion of gaming, it is about corralling the current marketplace that is unregulated turning it into a method that is safe for consumers and accountable to regulators and our government,’ Pappas said.
The hearing uses a Pennsylvania Senate committee commissioned a research on gaming in the state last year. That report was anticipated to be released by royal casino las vegas might 1, though it has not yet been made public.
Not all of Pennsylvania’s efforts to expand gambling have gone efficiently. a present effort to allow taverns to host small games of chance attracted almost no interest despite hopes that a huge number of venues might use for licenses, aided by the cost of licensing and also the required history checks having dampened passion from bar owners.
‘Hopefully we are going to learn our lesson through the debacle we are seeing aided by the expansion into tavern gaming, and will provide a thorough debate and discussion on this issue before allocating away the revenue it will generate,’ Youngblood said.