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Variety, action and the imminent reward of more World Series of Poker bracelets are keeping interest high in poker’s biggest spectacle unfolding at the Rio in Las Vegas. By late Sunday night event 34 – the $1,000 buy-in Seniors No-limit Hold’em Championship was nearing a conclusion and the award of another bracelet as Harold Angle, John Woo and Michael Minetti fought it out three handed to decide who gets the main prize and the jewellery.

They are all that was left of an original field of 3,142 that assembled three days ago.

(Read the full post about ‘Seniors, HORSE and big money games at WSOP’…)

Betfair Arcade members have a wider range of gaming options to look forward to following the launch this week of six new exclusive casino games. The result of two years of development by Openbet, the new releases include European Blackjack, Vegas Blackjack, European Roulette, Money Wheel, Pontoon and Baccarat.

Players will be able to immerse themselves into a realistic casino environment, thanks to the use of the latest CGI graphics and cutting edge no download software technology, interacting with 3D dealers in a truly innovative package of casino games.

Sam Hobcraft, Head of Games Product at Betfair, said: “We are delighted with the product which looks stunning.

(Read the full post about ‘Betfair Arcade introduces six new games’…)

As this year’s installment of the poker world’s crown jewel, the World Series of Poker 2010, enters its 3rd week, just about half of this year’s coveted bracelets have been awarded. As is usually the case this time of year, new and intriguing storylines emerge on a daily basis as established pros and green amateurs set out to capture their own piece of glory. Thus far, the bracelet winners represent some household names and other virtual unknowns.

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi essentially kicked things off by outlasting one of the toughest tournament fields ever in the $50,000 Players Championship, which included him knocking out his brother Robert in 5th place.

(Read the full post about ’2010 WSOP Winners’…)

888 Casino have launched 10 new casino games which includes slots and instant games many of which are themed around the world cup. The games are divided into three different categories: football games, branded slots and hi-lo.

Branded slots include: The price is right and monopoly slot. The FA Cup based games include the slota bonita slot, world champions, keno cup, top trumps world cup 2010 slot, Top Trumps Football Stars 2010 slot, Scratch Football and Hi-Lo Heroes 2010. In addition to this is Hi Lo silver.

Itai Pazner, C.O.O of 888.com, said: “We are really excited to be releasing these games ahead of the world’s most popular sporting event.

(Read the full post about ’888 Launch 10 New Online Casino Games’…)

The 2010 FIFA World Cup begins tomorrow afternoon with hosts South Africa facing Mexico from Johannesburg’s Soccer City and many online bookmakers are listing the visitors as slight favourites to emerge triumphant.

Mexico has been a serial World Cup qualifier ever since making its first appearance at the inaugural tournament in 1930. However, ‘El Tri’ has only made it to the quarter-finals twice and was beaten by Argentina in the last 16 at 2006’s competition.

Ladbrokes.com lists Mexico at odds of 7/5 to defeat South Africa while Bodog.com is going with the longer 29/20. (Read the full post about ‘World Cup’s first match set for tomorrow – Online Casino News’…)

Casino gambling revenue in Macau, the Chinese offshore gambling destination, almost doubled last month, according to a report from the Bloomberg business news agency. Gambling revenue for the city’s casinos in May 2010 rose to about 17 billion patacas (US$2.12 billion) from 8.8 billion patacas a year earlier, according to unidentified sources. The total for the five months through May rose to about 72 billion patacas from 43 billion patacas a year earlier.

Macau gambling revenue surged 57% in Q1/2010 to about 41 billion patacas as China’s economic growth accelerated to 11.9%, the fastest pace in almost three years.

(Read the full post about ‘Casino revenues soar as Macau shakes off global recession’…)

Joran van der Sloot, the prime suspect in the disappearance of Natalie Holloway, is being sought in the Sunday killing of 21-year-old Stephany Flores in a Lima hotel.  Van der Sloot was in Peru taking part in a poker tournament, presumably the Latin American Poker Tour (or LAPT), which was kicking off this week in Lima.

The Dutch government said Interpol has issued an international arrest warrant for Van der Sloot in the stabbing death of 21-year-old Stephany Flores.  He had reportedly fled the country to Chile.

Van der Sloot appears with the young woman in a video taken at a Lima casino early Sunday just prior to her slaying. <

(Read the full post about ‘Holloway Suspect Sought in Peru Killing: Was Set to Play in Poker Tour’…)

According to mandatory filings regarding its quarterly lobbying expenditure, the American Gaming Association, a trade group representing the interests of US land casino operators, invested a further $430,000 in government lobbying in the first quarter of 2010.

Reporting on the expenditure, the Associated Press news agency revealed that the target for the funds was once again mainly related to online gambling regulation and enforcement. Only Congress was lobbied, according to the form filed with the House on April 14.

In the same quarter last year the organisation spent $376,000, and in Q4/2009 $345,000.

The association’s members include Las Vegas Sands Corp., MGM Mirage, Boyd Gaming Corp., International Game Technology, Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., Bally Technologies Inc.

(Read the full post about ‘American Gaming Association invested $430k in Q1 lobbying’…)

Trying to bring clarity to the increasingly complicated European online gambling legislative scene this week, the Spanish EU Presidency has urged that a common definition of illegal gambling is vital to the coordinated and effective regulation of gambling throughout the trading bloc.

These conclusions were presented to the EU Competitiveness Council this week, underlining the need for collaborative action by member states if illegal gambling is to be successfully prevented from a cross-border perspective.

The proposal appears to suggest that the different national laws of the 27 EU member nations must be considered in order to adopt a common definition of illegal gambling and to respond effectively to situations created by illegal operators.

(Read the full post about ‘Spanish EU Presidency calls for common definition of illegal gambling’…)

Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics Monday, 8:35 pm Eastern – ESPN

The Boston Celtics will try and eliminate the Orlando Magic on Monday night as they play Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics have dominated the Magic in the first three games of the series and with a win on Monday; the Celtics will head to the NBA Finals betting for the second time in three years.

Boston is a 7 point favorite with a total of 188 at SBG Global.

The Magic were so poor in Game 3 against the Celtics on Saturday that most people believe they quit. It is somewhat surprising to see the Celtics beating the Magic but the way they are doing it is shocking.

(Read the full post about ‘Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics’…)