Rick Tocchet, a former NHL player and assistant coach, will serve two years probation for running an illegal sports gambling ring. He could have served 5 years in jail, but those having pleaded guilty to third- or fourth-degree crimes are unlikely to serve any time for their crimes. And Tocchet was sorry for being involved in a sports betting venture that had been run for five years.

His “partners” in the venture were James Harney, a New Jersey state trooper, who was sentenced to five years in prison, and James Ulmer, to be sentenced on the 24th of August. Being charged, Rick Tocchet was placed on indefinite leave from his job, while, James Harney had to give up his badge.

The case became a big story in 2006. Some of the bettors are said to be connected to hockey.  But there is no evidence of betting on hockey. At the same time, the betting was heavy on other sports. Thus, 40 days before the charges the ring handled $1.7 million.

As the officials claim, bettors won’t be charged.

Intertops.com, industry famous bookmaker operating since 1996, makes betting safe for US bettors. It is one of the few gaming websites still accepting US customers. Moreover, it has become the primary choice for lots of gambling fans.

Intertops Sportsbook places lines for pre-season NFL games on Thursdays. A 20% reload deposit bonus is given (to a max of $250) on all deposit methods by the site from the 17th of August up to the 19th of August.

To see current regular season odds, go to Intertops.com. Thus, Intertops.com/Sportsbook odds currently favour the Giants or the New England Patriots (+4000). So, gambling fans can win it big.

There are lots of things done to attract tourists. To become a gambling and entertainment center, Detroit’s casinos, the MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown and MotorCity are spending $1.5 billion on building new hotels.

A new $765 million resort belonging to MGM Grand will offer spas and a 17-story hotel with electronic concierges in every room. Such celebrity chefs as Wolfgang Pack and Michael Mina will operate their restaurants.

Detroit’s new hotels will be able to serve new, up-scale clientele. Before that casinos relied mostly on day-trippers, coach tours from Canada and neighboring states.

A 20-story hotel to be opened next year belongs to Greektown Casino and will cost it $475 million.

A 17-story hotel to be opened this fall belongs to MotorCity Casino. Its cost is as high as $275 million.

The inaugural World Series of Poker Europe will take place in London on September 6. It will consist of three events – a $5,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament, a $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha tournament and a $20,000 Main Event that is capped at 750 players. Some seats there are still available.

Offering satellites to the event for only $3.15, Betfair Poker is sending players to the WSOPE. A player can participate in guaranteed $23,000 WSOPE package tournaments that are held every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at Betfair. Competing in various step-tournaments, players can qualify for the weekly tournaments. Besides, there are a lot of sit-n-go tournaments with $23,000 prizes offered by Betfair.

Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, Roland de Wolfe, John Juanda, Allen Cunningham, Todd Brunson, Eli Elezra, Howard Lederer, Humberto Brenes and Jennifer Harman are those professionals who have already been pre-registered for the tournaments.

It does not matter who will become winners, all of them will get customary WSOP gold bracelets.

Being frozen for almost 8 months, NETeller’s customers have eventually received access to their accounts. NETeller managed to reach an agreement with the US Attorney’s Office last month, so the customers’ withdrawal is said to make a total of $70 million.

Despite of the US investigation into the company on charges ranging from money laundering to racketeering, NETeller successfully operates in 160 countries.

It has become known that company will make one more attempt to enter the US market, but this time into non-gambling sectors.

A partnership-to-be between Ladbrokes, the Sun and the News of the World has been recently announced.

According to the agreement, the popular tabloids will provide their readers with exclusive sports betting and online poker services, as for Ladbrokes it expected to become the official gaming partner of TheSun.co.uk and the Newsoftheworld.co.uk.

The Sun’s Page3.com site has also become a part of the agreement, and according to which it is to promote the new gaming services.

The partnership means that all the customers can “access a suite of betting and gaming services using the same account…”. On the other hand, the companies will be able to cross-promote the products effectively.

Starting on the first of September the gambling industry may advertise on TV, radio and in print media in the UK in accordance with UK advertising rules, but after 9 p.m. in its turn, the gambling industry promised not to include the logos on children’s replica football shirts.

The regulation doesn’t concern the sites operating from outside of the UK, the sites which are on the “white” list like the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, Alderney.

European companies who cannot afford to stay afloat are promised to be bought out by Playtech, UK listed online gambling software provider. The goal of the campaign is to dominate the industry, to be the only alternative for players.

Having left the US market, like many other firms did when the UIGEA was passed, Playtech had nothing to do but to expand their business in Europe. In case the US market opens, Playtech would like to dominate there too.

The first company to be purchased is still unknown. But it must be the one having declining stocks around the world.

Besides, Playtech regards the opportunity of moving into offering sports betting to their software. This, for sure, should help monopolize the industry.

Cryptologic and Microgaming are considered to be rivals of Playtech. But the three software providers are thought to be the most advanced and secure ones in the industry.

An agreement between UltimateBet and Absolute Poker has been recently announced. It will make possible for the customers having accounts on both sites to transfer money from one site to the other one. In other words, the agreement enables customers to transfer money cross-site, player-to-player. The primary goal of the agreement is to increase visibility and access to either of the site’s tournaments or other special promotions.

In any case, the new payment option will increase access to special events and the sites said that they have taken measures to make sure transfers for that purpose receive priority attention.

Regulation of interactive gambling in South Africa is widely discussed there. The question has been tabled in the National Assembly.

The interactive gambling is unregulated in South Africa what leads to a huge loss of revenue and compromise of the country’s reputation. Besides, being “plagued by crime, criminal elements, little or no protection for players, uncontrolled exposure of children and others vulnerable people to gambling and a host of other negative factors” the interactive gambling may lose its reputation and reputation of the industry in general.

The National Gambling Amendment Bill “excludes interactive gambling activities between two or more people facilitated by a third party”. On the other hand, interactive gambling means “all forms of remote gambling via the internet or other forms of telecommunications”. The Bill will regulate such questions as advertising, licensing, compliance and enforcement, problem gambling, and money laundering. At the same time, the Bill is to help minors and vulnerable people from harm and exploitation.

Sound policy objectives in line with government’s broad policy are expected to bring to an effective and efficient regulation.