Few random stories of note: Kentucky continues to shakedown PokerStars/Amaya… DFS illegal in Illinois… PokerStars to launch sportsbetting site with unique name: Bet Stars… Sheldon Adelson semi-secretly bought Las Vegas Review Journal… Phil Ivey ending the year on a redonk downswing?
Tis Christmas week in America, but it has been a somewhat heavy news cycle considering we've reached the end of year holidays.
1. Kentucky vs. PokerStars
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has been trying to use a 200+ year old law in order to shakedown PokerStars for $800 million. Amaya's savvy attorneys claimed that KY's ambulance chasing lawyers are jacking up the settlement figures to pad their own pockets. Lawyers calling out lawyers!
Only in Kentucky.
For more thorough coverage on the Kentucky vs. PokerStars case, you should read everything Haley Hintze reported about it by starting here.
2. Legal Scoreboard: Illinois 1, DFS 0
Daily Fantasy Sports has been a huge hot-button issue for states in the last couple of months. The state of Illinois recently joined the list of states (like New York) that deemed DFS as “illegal gambling.” The Illinois attorney general made the annoucement just 2 days before Christmas, but near the end of the lucrative NFL season. Funny because Illinois and specifically Chicago has been historically one of the most corrupt states in the country dating back to before the time Al Capone was the most feared gangster in all of North America.
3. BetStars!
PokerStars tried to get into the DFS arena earlier this year with StarsDraft, but has since bowed out until the environment is much more favorable for DFS. In the meantime, PokerStars will be launching BetStars – their newest venture into sports gambling. Of course, Americans will NOT be able to gamble on BetStars because of our countries hypocritical and arcane gambling laws.
4. Phil Ivey Down $3.7 Million?
Phil Ivey ending the year on a $3.7 million downswing?
The Phil Ivey of Poker, Phil Ivey, had a rough time on the virtual tables in 2015.
Ivey reportedly dropped $2.5 million on PokerStars and another $1.2 million on Full Tilt.
Perhaps Ivey is distracted by his mounting legal troubles trying to chase down millions in owed baccarat winnings from a London casino?
No word on what Ivey's mysterious Chinese companion did at the tables this year...
5. Adelson's Not-So-Secret Purchase of Las Vegas Newspaper
Online poker biggest enemy, billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson, recently purchased the biggest newspaper in Las Vegas for a whopping sales price of $140 million. Newspapers have been struggling over the last two decades, so the high price tag for the Review Journal was extraordinary. However, what made everyone suspicious was that the new owner was actually a mystery until reporters followed the money trail back to Adelson. Even though Adelson tried to remain anonymous...it backfired. Best way to manipulate the mass media…is to own it. I expect a series of anti-online poker editorials to commence on the LVRJ in T-minus 3…2…1….
6. Lilou Agostini and Sabina Hiatullah Interview
Lastly, do you speak and read French? Head over to the original Club Poker site and read an excellent interview (en francais) by Gaëlle Jaudon. She sat down and talked with both Lilou Agostini and Sabina Hiatullah. They will be the European representatives on a new reality American TV show about 8 female poker players. Read the 'Girl Got Game' interview here.