
Day might the Zombie Apocalypse arrive on Xmas? It is possible to bet on it! (Image: zombieapocalypse.com)
Every year punters place bets on whether or not they will get up up to a blanket that is snowy their streets on Christmas morning. Oahu is the old romantic in each of us that dreams about this scenic backdrop to a joyous day, surrounded by our loved ones and overeating with the Christmas trimmings, cannibalizing and distributing our infectious zombie disease. Wait. What?
Betting on Zombies
Though some are betting on a Christmas that is white bookmaking giant Ladbrokes is offering odds of 2000/1 on this xmas being the commencement of the Zombie Apocalypse. That is clearly a good, festive idea to possess, and beats the odds they offer for football team Crystal Palace winning the Premier League this season at 5000/1. Speak about harmful gambling.
‘we are quite confident that the odds of a Zombie Apocalypse at 2000/1 are correct, and although the public should exert caution over the Christmas period, they ought not to be unduly concerned about the undead rising up to attack and consume the living,’ announced Alex Donohue, a spokesman for the Ladbrokes bookmaker.
Chances for a white xmas currently stand at 5/1, which really is a much better chance compared to those offered on the doomsday coming associated with undead, and you’re more likely in order to claim your winnings after a little bit of snow in the place of needing to fight your way through the zombie hordes to gather your prize. Although you will be pretty smug with yourself if you have that bet right, that’s for sure.
While the possibility to bet on the Zombie Apocalypse is a lot more than probably a nice bit of promotion for Ladbrokes, Sean Page zombie specialist and founder for the Ministry of Zombies has urged the public to prepare for the worst.
‘The public is always interested in the chances of a white Christmas, nevertheless they should be more concerned by the increasing likelihood of a Zombie Apocalypse,’ stated Page, suggesting, possibly, that he’s nipping during the whiskey with a bit alacrity that is too much.
‘The most time that is likely an outbreak is throughout the busy yuletide season as people spend more amount of time in large groups, making it easier for the zombie virus to distribute, triggering the Apocalypse,’ Page added. Apparently, he’s seen it happen before.
Wagers That Are Dead On
2000/1 seems a bit too low for the probability of a zombie epidemic really, but this is not the time that is first has offered the opportunity to place wagers on the Apocalypse, because they also offered the same chances in the outbreak of an undead siege on December 21st 2012, owing to all of the hype around the end of the Mayan calendar to which doomsday ‘enthusiasts’ were clinging hopefully in expectation of their impending doom.
Strangely enough, Ladbrokes are also offering more likely chances of 500/1 on the chance of Prince Harry getting hitched to Miley Cyrus, however the smart money in this situation would most likely be in the zombies, even though that you would be unlikely to recoup any bet due to the, you understand, end of the entire world and all that. So less ‘nothing was stirring’ and more ‘watch out for the bloodthirsty, flesh-eating undead outside the hinged door.’
MGM Clears Hurdles in Massachusetts; Gaming Commission Still Must Okay
MGM Resorts is almost through the gauntlet that is regulatory Massachusetts for their Springfield casino project (Image: Artist’s rendering of casino)
Just once you thought no one would ever be good sufficient for Massachusetts’ insanely fastidious gaming payment, the MGM actually earned their approbation this week. The commission’s investigative arm which may have its own TV series called ‘MGC P.I.’ suggested that MGM Resorts be located suitable to move forward with their Springfield casino task, with the caveat that MGM executives have the ability to talk their way away from a few lingering issues associated with the commission, concerns that came to light as soon as the commission conducted its regulatory background check in the casino company.
Cleared for Remove
We aren’t whistling Dixie; the Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement spent the past 10 months looking through every speck of dust that anyone associated with MGM ever came across, and amazingly noted that they found nothing that would automatically disqualify the group from setting up house in the pristine state of Massachusetts when we say ‘lengthy.
But it’s not a done deal yet; the five Massachusetts Gaming Commissioners still get to have the word that is last whether or not MGM is able to do business inside their neck associated with woods. But if they give their papal blessing to the company, MGM will then manage to submit their last application as the best western Massachusetts casino license that will likely be given out; and since they’re the sole remaining applicant, that would seem to be always a pretty complete deal.
The sole tiny ding that the Bureau could dig up after almost a year of searching all documented in a 500-page report on the subject was MGM’s means of dealing previous executive board member Terry Christensen, whom in 2008 was convicted on fees concerning the wiretapping of company mogul Kirk Kerkorian’s ex-wife when Kerkorian ended up being included in a gruesome child support fight.
‘Despite his indictment, resignation from the Board and ultimate conviction, Christensen was permitted to interact, on a repeated and prolonged basis, in certain sensitive and non-public business things of MGM Resorts … including his attendance at Board meetings,’ scolded the report.
In this dance of mea culpa, MGM CEO James Murren took the position of penitent profligate with all the Commission as of this week’s hearing, noting that it had been a mistake for the organization to allow boy that is bad to carry on in just about any capability with the company.
‘I exercised poor judgment,’ stated Murren, who had previously been the outfit’s CFO when all this went down. ‘It was an idea that is bad the very beginning. None of us should have had any contact with (Christensen).’
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
More Executive Contrition
Murren ended up beingn’t the only person to throw himself in the mercy regarding the court, as present MGM board member (and mind of its audit committee) Roland Hernandez made a point to tell commissioners that protocols are now set up within the company to ensure here will likely be no repeats of this poor process that is decision-making.
All that was then left for the commish to deal with were a few questions they had about some MGM dealings in Macau; mostly, these centered around a partnership that is former Chinese company mogul (and child of casino mega-mogul Stanley Ho) Pansy Ho. Ho had been deemed unsuitable as someone during a 2010 New Jersey hearing that is regulatory the matter, and also as such, MGM had to unload a 50 per cent stake in an Atlantic City casino there, simply to keep their nose clean. The allegations had been that Ho’s daddy Stanley had had dealings with some Chinese gangs, a definite ‘no-no’ in today’s regulatory gaming world.
Hernandez had to the Massachusetts commissioners that Ms. Ho had been included with MGM completely split from her father, and that she was mainly involved in non-gaming business activities regarding their MGM Macau property. Hernandez also noted that other, less finicky, states had been ok with the Ho interaction; namely, Nevada and Maryland, both of which had no nagging problem with it. He also noted that New Jersey has now softened their stance that is own may enable MGM back to the fold in Atlantic City.
The panel should rule later this the commission’s chair Stephen Crosby won’t say which way the wind is blowing, but noted he appreciated the MGM execs’ openness in dealing with these issues week.
But even being truly the only applicant and even if cleared by the commission this it’s still not a 100 percent slam-dunk for MGM Resorts week.
‘One applicant or 10, we shall hold their winner casino mobile app feet to the fire to ensure we have a application that is really good’ Crosby encouraged reporters during a hearing break.
Setback for PokerStars as New Jersey Bars Licensing for Two Years
PokerStars got a smack from New Jersey regulators this week once they put them in licensing limbo for the next couple of years
If there’s one name that has dominated the American on line poker market over the last decade, this has become PokerStars. But if you’re residing in nj, you mustn’t expect to be playing on a site operated by the poker giant any right time quickly.
Two Years in Limbo
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement made a decision this to suspend the review of PokerStars’ application for an online gambling license for two years, effectively locking the company out of the state’s online poker marketplace for that time period week.
‘The Division of Gaming Enforcement has determined that the effective use of Rational Services Limited (PokerStars) casino service industry licensure (CSIE) will undoubtedly be held in a suspended status for a period of two years,’ the Division stated in a statement.
However, the door just isn’t entirely closed on PokerStars.
‘The Division, within that duration, may look at a request for relief to reactivate the application if significantly changed circumstances are demonstrated, at which time the Division’s investigation of PokerStars and its entities that are affiliated associated individuals will likely be resumed to assess suitability.’
Bad Company, Bad Actor
Although PokerStars has long settled its case with the government and admitted no wrongdoing as a part of that settlement New Jersey regulators still have some issues with the company. Chief those types of appears to be their association with founder Isai Scheinberg, who has been under federal indictment since Black Friday. Scheinberg is not a U.S. citizen, and hasn’t come to the U.S. to face those charges, to nobody’s surprise.
While this is a loss that is huge PokerStars, it also marks a giant win for the competitors in the New Jersey market. As we reported recently, the site run by PartyPoker jointly with the Borgata Casino currently includes a 50 percent share of the state’s poker marketplace, with all the Caesars/888 World Series of Poker site not far behind. Those two companies could easily have been overshadowed by the PokerStars site which would have been operated in conjunction with Resorts Casino and had been hoping that their head start would give them a benefit that would allow them to stay competitive. Now, they’ll have at least two years to build up brand name loyalty, something that PokerStars may have a hard time conquering, if when they’ve been finally certified for New Jersey’s online marketplace.
PokerStars was predictably not thrilled by the news, though they noted that hawaii’s decision could change in the future.
‘We are disappointed that the N.J. Division of Gaming Enforcement has suspended the review of our application at this right time,’ stated PokerStars spokesman Eric Hollreiser in a statement. ‘We note that the DGE will resume the summary of our application if our circumstances change. We will stay static in open discussion with the DGE and can update them on alterations in our situation because they occur.’
This had not been the very first disappointing result for PokerStars in nj-new jersey. Previously, the company had tried purchasing the Atlantic Club Casino, just to have that deal fall apart over questions about whether regulators would approve the purchase. That decision was also expensive, as PokerStars lost about $11 million they had spent on casino expenses a total that was supposed to be used to your eventual $15 million cost.
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