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Net revenue from provincial government-run lotteries, video lottery terminals, casinos and slot machines not in casinos totalled Cdn$13.75-billion in 2009, essentially unchanged from the year before, Statistics Canada reported this week.

Note: all dollar figures in this article are CDN.

The monitoring agency revealed that revenue from gambling plateaued at roughly $13.7 billion in 2007, and has remained at a consistent level ever since.

In 2009, casino gambling accounted for 34% of the net revenue, with lotteries making up a further 26%; slot machines outside casinos, mainly at racetracks 21%, and VLTs 19%.

Profits from gambling totalled just over $6.7 billion in 2008, or 4.7% of all provincial revenue.

Using 2008 numbers, Stats Canada reports that gambling participation and average expenditures increased with household income. For example, 51% of households with incomes of less than $20,000 gambled, spending an average of $395.

Among households with incomes of $80,000 or more 78% gambled, spending an average of $555 in 2008.

Provincially, average household spending on gambling in 2008 was highest in Saskatchewan at $720, followed by Alberta at $645. It was lowest in Quebec at $390.

Despite opposition from the Green Party, a Tasmanian government proposal to give online betting giant Betfair a A$6 million tax break has been passed in the Lower House, thanks to support from the official Opposition Liberal Party.

ABC reports that the government’s bill will reduce Betfair’s state tax contribution from nearly A$8 million to about A$2 million a year.

Liberal spokesman Peter Gutwein told the Tasmanian parliament that while the deal represents a big drop in tax revenue, it is better than no revenue at all.

“We ran the very real risk that this betting exchange would vacate the state,” he said.

The five Green Party MPs voted against the legislation, with spokesman Kim Booth voicing his party’s contempt for the tax breaks.

“How low does a government go to simply just retain a business here on the basis it will create a few jobs?” he said.

Greens leader Nick McKim and Greens Cabinet secretary Cassy O’Connor abstained from Monday’s cabinet deliberations on the legislation.

The prolonged national issue of whether the South African government is to regulate and licence online gambling or not, took an unexpected turn this week when the provincial Gauteng Gambling Board made a point of warning the media that the pastime is currently illegal.

Despite many years of investigatory commissions and parliamentary debate, the national government continues to procrastinate on the regulatory issue, with no immediate changes to the law yet promulgated.

The Gauteng provincial gambling authorities appear to have seized the initiative at provincial level following a North Gauteng High Court judgement on the jurisdiction of online gambling transactions in the country which was handed down on August 20th by Judge N.B. Tuchten.

The effect of the decision means both domestic Internet operators who offer online gambling to South African residents for gain, and a player who takes part in online betting, are guilty of breaking the law.

The Business Times newspaper reports that the ruling also makes internet service providers accountable for the services and targets banned, and forbids financial institutions to process payments in respect of betting transactions.

The Gauteng Gambling Board says it will pursue any person or organisation which contravenes the gambling legislation.

Persons who are prosecuted and found guilty of offences under the Act could receive a fine of Rands 10 million or ten years in jail or both.

According to Gauteng Gambling Board head of legal services, Lucky Lukhwareni, online casinos are now up for prosecution.

“That’s why we approached the media to alert them of the judgment which makes online casino operations illegal, and if they continue we will have them arrested and fight for conviction,” he told Business Day.

He added that those entities that advertise or facilitate the advertisement of online gambling – including radio and television stations, print media and outdoor advertising agencies – will also face the prosecution.

Judge Tuchten’s decision is believed to be the result of a long-running case in which the operators of the Swaziland-based online casino Piggs Peak Online challenged the jurisdictional authority of South Africa, claiming its presence and physical facilities were in a neighbouring country. Local media have yet to contact the company for its reaction to the ruling.

Thus far the national government has remained silent on the provincial action, although legalisation and regulation are still apparently on the legislative table.

Craig Stammen came into relieve Strasburg after his injury. Doug Staten picked up the win for Washington after pitching 1 2/3 shutout innings.

Strasburg has been as good as expected when he is not injured. He is 5-3 on the year with a 2.91 ERA. His staus for the remainder of the season will not be known until the MRI results come back.

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The World Poker Tour Legend of Poker series includes many more events than the no-limit main event championship. In total, there have been 22 preliminary events with a variety of buy-ins for as little as $225 to $545.

This event goes on as the 2010 World Series of Poker begins to air on ESPN for the next several weeks in the series, including various championship headlined by the Main Event.The Main Event gives poker a boost in the ratings, in both tournaments and online poker.

Currently, a bill in Congress is challenging to make online poker in the United States legal and U.S financial institutions able to accept funds from American citizens.  The bill has cleared on hurdle, but will need to clear several more before it will ever see the floor and come into law.