Category: gambling

Hundreds of Taiwanese Citizens Held Captive in Cambodia by Telecom Scam Human Traffickers

News Analysis Hundreds of Taiwanese citizens are being held captive in Cambodia and forced to work in telecom scam networks run by human trafficking organizations, according to Taiwan authorities. Furthermore, the rise in crime in Sihanoukville, a coastal city in Cambodia, has reportedly been linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Human Trafficking Taiwan’s National…


Star Casino Allegedly Hid $55M in Prohibited Chinese Gambling Transactions

Star Entertainment admits it wasn’t fully upfront with Queensland regulators when it changed a policy in order to conceal $55 million in prohibited gambling transactions from a Chinese bank. The casino operator allowed China UnionPay cardholders to withdraw cash to bet at its Brisbane and Gold Coast casinos but recorded those transactions as “hotel purchases”…


Feds Charge Genovese and Bonanno Crime Family Associates in New York with Gambling, Racketeering

Nine people linked to the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families—including a detective with the Nassau County Police Department—were indicted in a Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday and charged with illegal gambling, racketeering, money laundering conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and other related offenses. Eight of the defendants are members or associates of the two crime families, which…


Former Louisiana State Senator Charged With Wire Fraud

Former Louisiana state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, a Democrat, was charged with one count of wire fraud by federal prosecutors on July 14 for her alleged role in a scheme involving using campaign funds to fund her gambling addiction. Peterson served as Louisiana state Senator for the 5th District from 2010 until 2022 and as the Chair…


Supreme Court Rules Against Texas in Its Crackdown on Indian Gaming Operations

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Texas lacks authority to prevent an Indian tribe from offering bingo games. The June 15 decision is a win for the Biden administration, which argued against the position taken by Texas. The case is Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo v. State of Texas, court file 20-493. Oral arguments were heard…


Twice as Many British Online Gambling Game Accounts Are From Most Deprived Areas, Study Shows

People in the most deprived areas of Great Britain are more than twice likely to participate in gambling games online than those from the least deprived areas, a study suggests. The Patterns of Play report (pdf) published on Thursday found that 29.2 percent of gaming accounts came from Britain’s 20 percent most deprived areas while only…


9 Charged in Gambling Crackdown in Orange County

SANTA ANA, Calif.—Nine people have been charged in connection with a crackdown on illegal gambling, extortion, and drug trafficking in Santa Ana, according to federal indictments unsealed Wednesday. Five defendants were arrested Wednesday morning. Two others were arrested Tuesday afternoon. Two others are at-large. Four defendants charged with conspiracy and operating an illegal gambling business…


Powerball Jackpot Hits $454 Million Ahead of April 27 Drawing

The Powerball jackpot has reached $454 million for the April 27 draw after nobody claimed a winning ticket on April 25. According to the Powerball website, the $454 million jackpot has a cash value of $271.9 million. The winning numbers in the April 25 drawing were white balls 12, 18, 20, 39, and 61. The Powerball…


Former Baseball Player from OC Pleads Guilty in Illegal Betting Case

LOS ANGELES—A former minor league pitcher from Orange County and his business partner pleaded guilty Monday to helping run an illegal major league sports betting operation. Ex-baseball player Wayne Nix, 45, of Newport Coast, and Edon Kagasoff, 44, of Lake Forest, both entered their pleas to a federal charge of conspiring to run an illegal…


Falcons’ Calvin Ridley Suspended by NFL for Gambling

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended indefinitely through the end of the 2022 season for betting on games in the 2021 season, and has lost his base salary of $11.1 million for 2022, the NFL announced on Monday. “I bet $1,500 total. I don’t have a gambling problem,” the 27-year old Ridley wrote…