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If it
wasn't for money you wouldn't be able to tell what people were up to. Take for
instance Labour MP Phil Woolas, the chairman of the all party House of Commons
betting and gaming review group. His argument for allowing bookmaker outlets in
Sports Bars and Pubs (yes you read that correctly) is that it's the same thing
as drinking at home and having a bet on your mobile phone. This man is
obviously not paid enough.
But away from sarcasm a real issue is how a
review body can leak changes to the law to interested parties before they've
been presented in any paper or passed as law. Take for example the Hard Rock
Casino construction in Manchester's Printworks development. How is it possible
for a company like Rank, known for not spending much money, to spend half a
mil' on a gaming floor just for slot machines when its illegal to have more
than a dozen or so? The answer of course is that they know the law is going to
be changed without so much as a consultation with anyone in the real world.
Money makes these things possible.
And then there's Poker. For a time
back in April it looked bad for the sport. Gala said that it "wasn't part of
their strategic core plan", whatever that means it meant no PokerMillion. The
World Series was wrapped up in rumours about high level cheating at the nearby
Bellagio. To cap those rumours the 1989 World Champion, Phil Hellmuth, decided
to tell everybody that he was to blame for their spread. Not that they weren't
true, just he had spread them. Well thank heavens for money because as soon as
the cabbage was laid out on the table at the first World Series Event in
Downtown Las Vegas, no one took a bit of notice to anything other than cards
and money.
This year's World Series will break all records and the
rumours have died without foundation. Melbourne's Crown Casino announces a $1
million tournament in January 2003 and all looks well for the sport that has a
long way to go.
Other than poker its been quiet on the gambling front,
all save bookmaking. Changes taking place all over the world mean Britain and
its protected islands, like Gibralter and those in the Carribean, are fast
attracting the "wired money". Tax changes here mean more confidence in the
market and law changes in Australia mean that some of their biggest bookmakers
are moving their operations to the U.K or Gibralter so that their own citizens
can still bet with them. Confused? You should be, the Aussie government
certainly is.
> Even the Americans are coming, with
PlayboySportsBook.com being run by Ladbrokes outfit in Gibralter and opening to
the public this week. One of their promotions is; the person who makes the
largest bet in the first week gets to have a party with Hugh Hefner, or is it
go to a part with him. In any case, I might be betting small this week.
Lastly, for those who bet with big money the long awaited Betdaq.com
has gone Beta live. There's no bookmaker margin or tax and only a 2% commission
on your winnings. There is however a minimum bet of $100. The jury is out on
whether the market can take a new entry after two recent failures. If they've
got money behind them to see them through the storm, then I think they will do
well. |
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