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Poker Stories is a long-form audio podcast series that features casual interviews with some of the game’s best players and personalities. Each episode highlights a well-known member of the poker …

In September of last year, 20 different Attorneys General from states across the union filed briefs in favor of New Jersey in the state’s Supreme Court sports betting case. Despite being the only state with fully regulated sports betting, Nevada was not one of them.

That is fine, maybe the state wanted to preserve its status as the only place where casino sports wagering takes place. It has other gambling-related advantages over other states too. For example, Nevada is one of three states with regulated online gambling.

But when it came to protecting that industry, the very same AG opted not to do so. Instead, in 2016, he was one of 10 state AGs who sent a letter to President Donald Trump’s transition team urging the new administration to revisit the Department of Justice’s opinion on the Federal Wire Act.

That Attorney General is Nevada’s Adam Laxalt. And now he is the frontrunner to be the Republican candidate for Nevada Governor.

Laxalt a rare anti-gambling Nevada lawmaker

The state’s current leader, Gov. Brian Sandoval, is term-limited and cannot run for re-election. Like Laxalt, Sandoval is a member of the Republican party. Unlike Laxalt, expanding online gambling was one of Sandoval’s top priorities during his time in office.

When Laxalt signed that 2016 letter encouraging the DOJ to reconsider its narrow opinion of the Wire Act, he allegedly drew Sandoval’s ire. By encouraging a wider interpretation of the Wire Act, Laxalt is effectively urging the federal government to deem the online poker and sports betting happening in Nevada illegal.

Such an interpretation would shut down the existing online gambling industries in Delaware and New Jersey. It would affect the forthcoming Pennsylvania iGaming industry as well.

Look no further than Adelson to explain Laxalt’s stance

Laxalt is not the only leader in Nevada who stands in stark contrast to most others in the gaming industry. Sands Corp CEO Sheldon Adelson is also ardently against online gambling. He is also one of the top political donors to both Trump and Laxalt.

Dan Schwartz, another GOP contender for Governor, frequently points to Laxalt’s position in Adelson’s pocket when campaigning. Schwartz is currently the State Treasurer. He is considered a bit of a maverick compared to other GOP lawmakers, with views on both sides of the political spectrum.

While it is clear where Laxalt stands on the subject of online casinos, it is not clear where the rest of the field stands. Given that neither Schwartz nor Democratic frontrunner Steve Sisolak ever mention the subject, it seems they are okay with the online poker status quo.

The deadline to file as a candidate was Friday. Now the race is about to get serious. There are numerous contenders in both primaries, but with the heft of Adelson behind him, online players in Nevada should probably start worrying about Laxalt.

Photo by David Calvert / Stringer

The post Adam Laxalt Is Running For NV Governor And Hates Online Gambling appeared first on Play Nevada.

Poker tournament structures have advanced to the stage where aside from a select few players, minimal complaints are heard. The tournament has to end at some point, and last weekend at Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA, the structure of the Big Stax 500 event was too good to allow for that to happen. Dan DaConti and Ryan Eriquizzo battled until close to 10 a.m. for a first-place prize totaling less than $100,000.

Where does the balance end between offering late-stage play and keeping players for an ungodly hour to finish out a tournament? The answer lies in the middle.

Bang for the buck

The nature of poker is for players to never be in full agreement over what makes for a quality poker tournament structure. Longer levels? More starting chips? The distance between the two points is bridged by an agreement over shorter days and a better hourly rate.

The majority of “main events” are three days, with Day 3 wrapping up sometime before midnight. World Poker Tour tournaments last up to six days but with prizes of over $1 million up for grabs at times, the added days make sense.

The Big Stax 500 has no reason to include 90-minute levels other than for vanity. Most WPT events have 90-minute levels in the late stages of the tournament, a time that befits a $3,500 buy-in.

No Need to Give the Pros an Edge

The Parx Big Stax structure is famous for 90-minute levels on Day 3 which sound great in theory but carry a severe downside. Recreational players think they have a chance in a “better structure” but are at a severe downside against the pros who benefit from more hands in a longer sample.

Take the Parx 300, for example. Justin Liberto, Kevin Grabel, and Vinny Pahuja played three-handed for over eight hours until they decided to chop past 8:00 am. All three of those players owned at least one Parx Big Stax chop participation or outright win to their name prior to the event and managed to outlast a field of 2,267 entrants.

DaConti is a more accomplished non-professional than most with multiple final tables to his name.

The average recreational player doesn’t have a prayer of outplaying any of those three for that extended period of time. Shorten the levels, increase the variance, and watch more recs win moving forward.

Chris Moneymaker convinced an entire nation they too could win at poker. A small buy-in doesn’t always equal parity and Parx has proven that. Joe Palma won back-to-back Parx 300s in 2017. Grabel won the 300 and 500 in the same series in 2016.

The World Poker Tour is famous for 60-minute levels at their final tables, a cutback from the 75 or 90 that are in play leading up to six-handed play. Season XVI is an empirical testament to shorter levels benefitting the recreationals and less experienced as time after time, a final table full of pros have been brought down. Look no further than Paul Petraglia winning in Jacksonville. The more money that is in circulation among recs, the better off the long-term future of poker is.

What is the right answer?

Parx has the right to run their tournaments however they would like and it is clear that the market isn’t ready to give up the 21-hour Day 3s just yet. The question for Parx becomes: do they protect the recs from themselves and shorten Day 3 or do they predict that they will have thousands upon thousands turn out for years come?

It’s not an easy answer from a business perspective. Turnouts out in Parx events don’t appear to be in danger but this is new ground. Marathons are part of poker tournaments but playing until 10 am should not be.

The quickest way to keep money moving is to get players in and out the door at a reasonable hour. That’s the logical first step.

The post When Is a Poker Tournament Structure Too Good? appeared first on .

The US casino industry’s premier national trade group has added six new companies as Board-level members. Including an online gaming giant that was once a bitter rival.

The American Gaming Association (AGA) announced this week announced the following six companies are all joining its Board of Directors:

• BMM Testlabs
• Choctaw Casinos and Resorts
• Golden Entertainment
• GVC Holdings PLC
• Paddy Power Betfair
• The Stars Group

The Stars Group is the owner of PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site. According to the AGA, The Stars Group is a leading provider of technology-based products and services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment industries. It also owns the PokerStars Casino, BetStars, and Full Tilt brands through its Stars Interactive Group gaming division.

The Canadian-based company is formerly known as Amaya Inc., Amaya Gaming Group Inc., and Rational Group.

The Stars Group’s addition to the AGA Board of Directors is notable because the AGA once tried to block its entry into the Atlantic City casino market. In fact, the AGA did so arguing that PokerStars operated as a criminal enterprise when it remained open to US players following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.

PokerStars and The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel

PokerStars entered into an agreement to purchase The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel for $15 million in December 2012. It is suspected the move was an effort to get a foot in the door of the about-to-open New Jersey online gambling industry.

Legislation passed by the New Jersey Assembly and Senate during the same month included regulations that would require online gambling site operators to have a connection to a brick and mortar Atlantic City casino. In February 2013, a revised bill including these regulations passed and was signed into law by then-Governor Chris Christie.

In the interim, PokerStars made an application for an Interim Casino Authorization with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. The AGA tried to block the issuance of the license filing a brief with the Division of Gaming Enforcement and Casino Control Commission.

The integrity of the gaming industry

The brief claimed issuing PokerStars a casino license of any kind would compromise the integrity of the gaming industry. It claimed PokerStars is a business built on deceit, chicanery and “the systematic flouting of U.S. law.”

The brief also stated PokerStars operated as a criminal enterprise:

“Any action allowing PokerStars to be licensed would send a damaging message to the world of gaming, and to the world beyond gaming, that companies that engage in chronic lawbreaking are welcome in the licensed gaming business. That message would dramatically undermine public confidence in gaming regulation and could cripple the industry’s public image.”

PokerStars and a number of state lawmakers claimed AGA member Caesars Entertainment was behind the brief in an effort to protect its interests in the Atlantic City casino and New Jersey online gambling markets.

A decision on the license was expected by the end of April 2013, but it was delayed. In the interim, Atlantic Club Casino Hotel sent PokerStars a termination letter, claiming PokerStars had missed a deadline to purchase the property.

PokerStars filed a lawsuit. However, in May 2013 a Superior Court judge ruled PokerStars’ deal to purchase the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel was dead.

The hotel and casino closed in January 2014 and remains shuttered. Caesars Entertainment eventually bought it. However, Caesars sold the property to current owners TJM Properties in May 2014 for $13.5 million.

PokerStars launches in NJ

PokerStars launched the PokerStars NJ poker and casino site in May 2016. It operates under the Resorts Casino Hotel‘s internet gaming license.

Two other new AGA board members, GVC Holdings PLC and Paddy Power Betfair, also operate New Jersey online gambling sites.

AGA president and CEO Geoff Freeman said the addition of all six new board members speaks to the organization’s diversity:

“More than ever before, AGA’s diverse membership reflects the broad interests of the casino gaming industry. Adding these six industry leaders will help our ability to serve as an effective advocate for the industry as a whole, and we’re excited to add their expertise to our Board.”

The post After Labeling Company A “Criminal Element”, AGA Adds PokerStars To Board appeared first on Play USA.

For those eagerly awaiting a decision in the New Jersey sports betting case, it’s time to be prepared once again.

The post New Jersey Sports Betting Watch Is Back On In Supreme Court Next Week appeared first on Play NJ.

A rock star, a film producer, and a casino and hospitality giant are getting together to build a $100 million Southeast Asian-themed attraction at The Linq hotel, casino and shopping center on the Las Vegas Strip.

Kind Heaven is a joint venture by:

• Caesars Entertainment
• Former Walden Media and Miramax Films executive Cary Granat‘s Immersive Artistry entertainment company
• Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros frontman, and Lollapalooza music festival creator, Perry Farrell

The group hopes to launch the new venture by August 2019.

The Singapore and Bangkok street market-styled attraction will include 100,000 square feet of food, retail, and live entertainment. It’s going up across the street from Caesars Palace, and will sit between Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino and Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.

Additionally, it will be part of the $500 million The Linq Promenade shopping, dining, and entertainment district. This area already includes the world’s tallest observation wheel, The High Roller.

Virtual monkey wrestling and more

In addition to a variety of restaurant, retail, and live entertainment offerings, Kind Heaven will include virtual monkey wrestling patrons can bet on for prizes, artist holograms, and an indoor forest.

Immersive Artistry is the company behind the Game for Life exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame that includes Joe Namath and Vince Lombardi holograms. Additionally, plans are in the works to build similar Kind Heaven attractions in Russia and China.

There are no band bookings yet. However, Farrell will take on the role of curator for all bands and musicians at Kind Heaven.

The price of tickets for Kind Heaven is up in the air as well. However, a plan is in place to keep the attraction cashless.

Patrons will wear a payment tracking device while inside. Additionally, Kind Heaven will be among the only places on the Las Vegas Strip to accept digital currencies, including Bitcoin.

Kind Heaven will be open to people of all ages from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. However, it will close for three hours at that time and reopen for people 21 and over at 8 p.m.

Ultimately, the project will employ as many as 670 people.

A Linq to the past

Of course, the Asian theme of the new attraction will be a link back to The Linq’s past.

Caesars Entertainment’s The Linq hotel, casino and shopping promenade originally opened in 1959. At the time its name was the Flamingo Capri. The property added a casino in 1972. Plus, construction of the Imperial Palace Tower hotel finished in 1977.

The entire resort became the Asian-themed Imperial Palace in 1979.

Four more hotel towers sprung up in the 1980s. In 2012, Caesars renamed the property The Quad, dropping the Asian theme. In 2014, after a $223 million renovation, it became The Linq.

The post Rocker’s Kind Heaven Attraction To Feature Virtual Monkey Wrestling appeared first on Play Nevada.