Video Poker Forum 

Video Poker Battle Continues

Everywhere you look in the media is evidence that poker is alive and well. Texas Hold’em is the buzz word of the year, yet another poker term is threatening to take top billing in poker related news; video poker. It seems that half the people in America are clamoring to have it, and the other have want to get rid of it as fast as possible. Once more, this time in South Carolina, the issue is brought to the courts on whether or not video poker gaming is healthy for the community. In York County a Columbia judge is hearing a request today made by the Catawba Indian Nation. The Nation is requesting that they be allowed to host video gambling machines on their reservation, also in York Count. While laws were already passed in SC that prohibits the activity, but the Catawbas feel they should have an exception.

Michigan Radio Hosts Small Town Poker Tour Spot

Mark Fracalossi is showing some hustle. In the last week no less than three press releases have come from his company regarding the newest poker tour, the wide traveling Small Town Poker Tour. This latest release talks of an upcoming radio spot that will feature STPT’s appearance at the Michigan Gaming and Casino Show. The STPT is set to hit all of the states searching for America’s number one poker player who is not making their living at the game. Amatuers only, this tour also boasts charity contributions made to local charities of the town that hosts them, and Fracalossi is very encouraging to folks who want to have their town be next on the stop. In the other announcements Fracalossi spoke of how the STPT will be kicking of their European tour early, and that they have added Australia to the list of major stops as well. Related Links Small Town Poker Tour Heads Down Under Small Town Poker Tour Heads Down Under

Holiday Themed Poker Run For Kids

For only ten bucks the generous hearted who love motorcycles can have some fun while helping out kids during an annual Toy Run. The Toy Run is being held as always by the American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, or ABATE, members. Starting at ten am at The Relief Pitcher in Seaside, the run will end up at the Astoria Moose Lodge, where participants will be fed chili and participate in a raffle for prizes. Naturally those arriving with the best poker hands will get prizes as well. The chapter hopes to raise money in order to buy gifts and toys for local children of ht North Coast, helping all the kids in the community to have a happy holiday season. If you are a rider from Clatsop, Tillamook, Columbia and Pacific counties, or if you are just feeling generous, give Bob Pruess a call at (360) 642-3857. The North Coast ABATE chapter includes riders from Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Pacific counties. For more information about ABATE or the Toy Run, call Bob Pruess at (360) 642-3857.

Xgames Delivers Sports Games Suite

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Xgames Ltd. published CTXM virtual sports games on Blue Square gaming site and its affiliates. CTXM virtual sports suit includes "Penalty Shootout" – a virtual soccer game, "Blue-Bury Park" (Multi bet virtual Horse racebook) and "Kennel-Woof Park" (Multi bet virtual Greyhounds racebook). These games enable bettors to place bets 24/7 regardless of real-life events. Bettors can place all bet types including complex bets and multi meeting bets. The games have already proved them selves on most of the top European bookmakers. The suite adds another pan to Blue square comprehensive offering of soft games. CTXM is a Subsidiary of Com-Tec-Co group (Luxembourg). CTXM is a leading developer of games for the iGaming and video games industries. CTXM develops end to end solutions including server technology, Flash and mobile client and full back-end. Blue Square is a subsidiary of Rank, one of the UK's leading leisure and entertainment companies. Blue Square was launched on 5th May 1999 and is one of the largest interactive betting services in the UK. The product suite offered by Blue Square has grown from its traditional bookmaking business to now offer all aspects of the gaming market including casino, slots, poker and games with a goal to increase the product range in the near future. The fixed odds betting services covers many channels including the Internet, Interactive TV, WAP and telephone.

Bodog.com Posts Football Odds

COSTA RICA – (PRESS RELEASE) -- With a memorable Thanksgiving football weekend behind us, the real feasting may have just begun. The upcoming week offers lots of divisional battles, each with playoff implications. Bodog.com has posted the odds. In what looks to be the game of the week, the Giants (7-4) host the Cowboys (7-4) in a battle for the NFC East lead. Returning to New York, Dallas coach Bill Parcells will aim to gain sole possession of first place against the team he led to two Super Bowl victories. The Giants are favored by 3 points. "Sunday's game between the Giants and Cowboys should be an exciting grudge match," says Calvin Ayre, Founder and CEO of Bodog.com. "This game has big playoff implications. When division rivals meet late in the season, it always makes for riveting football and, with first place on the line, this one will be especially fun to watch." In Week 6, the Cowboys defeated the Giants 16-13 in overtime and have gone 3-2 since. They're coming off a disappointing 24-21 overtime loss to Denver on Thanksgiving Day. Since Week 6, the Giants have gone 4-2 and also will be looking to bounce back from a 24-21 overtime loss. New York's setback came in Seattle on Sunday. Meanwhile, in the AFC North, the stage is set for a hard-fought game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The division-leading Bengals are 8-3 after defeating the Baltimore Ravens 42-29 last week, and will look to the duo of quarterback Carson Palmer and receiver Chad Johnson to again exhaust the scoreboard. The Steelers (7-4), on the other hand, reluctantly obliged the Indianapolis Colts their 11th victory of the year on Monday night. A win and the Steelers pull into a first-place tie for the North, a loss and their chances of either a division crown or a wild-card berth sink. Among other games, the Atlanta Falcons (7-4) meet the Carolina Panthers (8-3) in an NFC South tilt that could decide who goes to the playoffs and who goes into offseason training. Michael Vick and the Falcons need the win to tie Carolina for the division lead while the Panthers will try to re-ignite their offense, which has sputtered in the team's last two games. The Panthers are 3-point favorites. Other games to watch include the AFC West fight between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs (7-4) will need to secure a victory to stay close to the Broncos' division-leading 9-2 record and to keep in contention for a playoff spot. The Broncos opened as 1.5-point favorites.

Genting Releases IPO Details

SINGAPORE – As reported by Channel News Asia: "Casino operator Genting International has announced details of its IPO in Singapore. "The share sale is part of a move to switch its primary listing to the city-state from Luxembourg. "Genting announced that it had attracted 4 strategic investors, 3 of whom are linked to hotelier Ong Beng Seng. "With Genting in the running for an integrated resort licence in Singapore, that is leading to speculation that they could be joining hands for the project. "Genting International is offering 800 million shares to investors at 35 Singapore cents each in its IPO here. "All 750 million placement shares were taken up, with an oversubscription rate of about 7.5 times…"

Casino Investors Reveal Estimates

PENNSYLVANIA – As reported by the Evening Sun: "Casino investors estimate a slots casino in Straban Township will attract 3.2 million visits a year and generate 3,052 new, full-time jobs in Adams County. "Chance Enterprises - following a private meeting with county officials and business leaders - gave a glimpse to reporters Thursday afternoon of what it has to offer the community. "A closed-door meeting was also scheduled with Straban Township officials for Thursday, but the board, said Supervisor Michael Spangler, agreed at the last minute to open the meeting to the public but then decided to hold the meeting at a later date after advertising it. "Chance hired Stephen Fuller, an expert in economics and regional planning, who teaches at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.,to conduct a study, which has not been finalized. "Construction alone would generate $217.8 million and 1,448 jobs locally, according to Fuller. That includes a 120,000-square-foot facility with 3,000 slot machines, a 30,000-square-foot spa, a 224-room hotel, restaurants and a 1,500-space parking garage. "…The casino, he said, would contribute $224 million annually to the county's gross domestic product of about $2.9 billion - an increase of 7.7 percent…"

Macau Casino Lending Pushed to $3.8 Billion

MACAU – As reported by Bloomberg: "Las Vegas Sands Corp., owner of the Venetian casino in Las Vegas, led this week's borrowers in Asia as its loan to expand in Macau boosts the Chinese city's gaming industry financing to $3.8 billion. "Las Vegas Sands is seeking $2.5 billion to help pay for a hotel and casino resort in the territory, the company said. MGM Mirage, another Las Vegas casino company, has said it's borrowing $600 million and Wynn Resorts Ltd. earlier this year signed $764 million of loans to build in Macau. "The amount of Macau gaming financing is almost a quarter of this year's total syndicated loan volume for Hong Kong companies, the region's fourth-largest loan market after Japan, Australia and South Korea. Las Vegas casino operators are expanding in Macau to tap gaming revenue that grew to $5.1 billion last year, just below the $5.33 billion generated by the Las Vegas Strip…"

UK Casino Applications Rushed

LONDON – As reported by Reuters: "Casino owners are rushing through applications to open new venues ahead of tight new government restrictions from April 2006. "After April, only an initial 17 licences are available for a new wave of casino and leisure venues, one of which will be a Las Vegas-style supercasino. "But until then, owners of Britain's 140 casinos are still free to apply for new licences under the archaic 1968 laws, which the government overhauled this year with a new gaming act. "'There's a bit of a land grab at the moment,' Stanley Leisure's MD of gaming, Michael Riddy, told Reuters at the group's prestigious Crockfords casino in Mayfair. "…The Gambling Commission says that it has 38 licenses under consideration, 15 have also been granted but still await approval by local authorities, while 21 more have been approved at both levels but are not yet operating…"

Nova Scotia VLT Report Released

NOVA SCOTIA – As reported by the CBC News: "The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation says turning off VLTs at midnight has led to a decline in problem gambling. The time restrictions for video-lottery terminals at bars and restaurants went into effect on July 1, part of the province's plan to reduce the availability and accessibility of the machines. "A survey commissioned by the corporation shows 18 per cent of those most addicted to video-lottery terminals are spending less money because of the new time rules. "In comparison, only five per cent of all the VLT players surveyed said they cut back on spending…"