Another story from the BBC:

BBC News, Moscow

Illegal gambling has spread rapidly across Russia since a new law came into force last July banning casinos and slots machines in towns and cities, according to a senior police officer in an exclusive interview with the BBC.

Col Oleg Bolderov of the economic crimes department of the Russian police said they had carried out thousands of raids over the past eight months.

"We have closed down 70 casinos and 4,000 slot-machine arcades… and have brought 600 criminal cases against those trying to organise this (illegal gambling)," he said.

Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 9:43 AM GMT

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Another story from the BBC:

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Another story from the BBC:

A professional poker player facing extradition to the US for the alleged murder of his wife has had his case adjourned until March.

Marcus Bebb-Jones, 46, from Kidderminster, is accused of killing his wife Sabrina in the US in 1997.

Mr Bebb-Jones’ barrister Ben Cooper said he wanted to seek expert evidence on the "proportionality" of the minimum sentence his client could face.

He also wanted assurances his client would not face the death penalty.

Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 5:43 PM GMT

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Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 9:43 PM GMT

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Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 7:43 PM GMT

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Another story from the BBC:

With just weeks to go until a controversial new law on casinos takes effect in Georgia, health workers in the capital, Tbilisi, say they have uncovered a worrying link between gambling and drug addiction. Tom Esslemont reports.

It’s the middle of the afternoon and Tbilisi’s busiest casino, the Ajara, is already packed with gamblers.

It is full of grizzled chain-smoking men. They sit hunched at tables under gaudy crystal chandeliers chatting over the din of lounge music and the constant whirl of roulette wheels.

Managers at the Ajara say they receive 1,100 clients every day.

Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 9:43 AM GMT

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Another story from the BBC:

A US court has jailed the founder of an online gambling firm for more than four years and ordered him to forfeit more than $43m (£26m) in illicit earnings.

Gary Kaplan, 50, had admitted various charges of fraud and racketeering related to his company, BetOnSports.

The London-based company encouraged American gamblers to place bets online, an illegal practice in the US.

Prosecutors say that Gary Kaplan still has millions of dollars in Swiss bank accounts.

Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 9:43 AM GMT

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Another story from the BBC:

Las Vegas Sands, the hotel and casino operator, has announced increased losses between July and September as US punters spent less during the downturn.

The company made a loss of $123m (£74m) during the period, almost four times the $32.2m loss it made a year earlier.

It also said increased income taxes contributed to the bigger loss.

Despite the loss, overall revenue rose by 3.2%, to $1.14bn, helped by strong spending by gamblers at the company’s Macau casinos in China.

Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 9:43 AM GMT

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Another story from the BBC:

A final year university student has developed a new computer system that could signal an end to card counting at casino blackjack tables.

Dundee student Kris Zutis, 22, has devised a program that not only detects card counters but also dealer errors.

The system works by using complex algorithms to analyse information captured by cameras set up in casinos.

Card counting is when gamblers try to anticipate a card by remembering which have already been played.

Posted by casino man in Gambling News at 2:41 PM BST

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