Counter-Strike Should be Classed as Gambling, claims Aussie Pol

Counter-Strike could have a minimum age requirement in Australia under a bill proposed by Senator Nick Xenophon?
Australian Senator Nick Xenophon is just a longtime antagonist of the gambling industry and now he’s got Counter-Strike skin-betting firmly in their sights.
Xenophon announced this week that he intends to introduce a bill to parliament whenever it resumes next month that would classify games like Counter-Strike as gambling, pure and simple.
He told the Sydney Morning Herald that their legislation would prohibit game makers from charging you money that is real items of varying value whose purchase relies on a degree of chance. It would additionally establish minimum age needs if you need to pay to play, while games would be necessary to display clear warnings of feasible gambling content.
Games like Counter-Strike: worldwide Offensive (CS: GO), around which a gambling that is billion-dollar has grown up through the trading of designer weapons known as ‘skins,’ had been ‘insidious’ in their targeting of minors, and the ‘crazy West’ of online gambling, Xenophon stated.
‘Instead of shooting avatars, parents soon find out that [their children] have shot huge holes through their bank accounts,’ he added, neatly.
Too Late, Mate?
But despite their good motives, it could be that the senator is a couple of years too late. Had Xenophon proposed their legislation in 2013, for instance, he may have nipped the nascent skins industry that is gambling the bud. Instead, he thought we would just launch it weeks after Valve, creators of CS: GO, announced that it was shutting the industry down.
Valve’s skins are colorful and collectible in-game tools that your company permitted to be exchanged between players over its Steam platform as a method of creating an in-game economy. But their capability to be used in third-party sites enabled them to be used as digital potato chips in online gambling games. Valve was indeed accused of motivating and also profiting from skin gambling.
Valve’s Ultimatum
Eventually, in mid-July, as legal actions began to travel, the company officially denied it had ever profited from epidermis gambling, and emphasized that people who had were in violation of its terms and conditions.
It then delivered cease-and-desist notices to at least 23 skin betting sites, guaranteeing them that their Steam accounts would be terminated as it began to dismantle the industry it had inadvertently created if they continued to operate. The betting websites require Steam accounts in purchase to transfer skins and the deletion of the accounts would mean curtains for the industry.
Valve gave the sites a window that is 10-day comply, a deadline that expired on July 29. Many web sites have appeared to comply with the demand, shutting down ‘temporarily,’ but others still appear to be operating, two days after their ultimatum, presumably waiting for Valve’s next move.
Atlantic City’s Borgata Now Fully Owned by MGM Resorts with Boyd Gaming Buyout Complete
The Borgata Hotel Casino is currently formally an MGM Resorts home. The Atlantic City marina casino had been a joint venture between MGM and Boyd Gaming since its opening in 2003, but Boyd recently decided to bow out and offer its 50 % stake to pay down debt as well as for ‘general corporate purposes.’
The offer, that has been first announced in early June, was completed on August 1.
MGM Resorts has become the proprietor that is sole the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, after completing a buyout from partner Boyd Gaming. (Image: Star-Ledger file)
Boyd Gaming leaves Atlantic City with $589 million, and still appears to receive payments that are additional property income tax refunds. The operator received roughly $900 million total in the transaction, but was also responsible for its share of the Borgata’s $575 million in liabilities.
MGM Offensive
Paying a huge selection of millions of bucks for any such thing in Atlantic City at this time may seem ill-advised, but the Borgata is one for the venues that are few turning out strong revenues in the brand New Jersey resort.
Through June, the Borgata has grossed $337.4 million in casino wins this year. Associated with other seven properties still in operation, the Borgata’s nearest competitor is also its closest neighbor: that is Harrah’s, with $172 million.
The climate that is economic Atlantic City is dismal. The city is broke, four casinos closed in 2014, and town leaders are in war with those within the state’s money in Trenton who want to end the town’s gaming monopoly.
‘ Buy low offer high’ is the oldest piece of investing advice in the guide, and it appears MGM thinks now could be the time to buy. The business has 10 casinos in Las Vegas, and it has properties in Mississippi, Illinois, Michigan, and China.
It will enhance its US portfolio when the MGM nationwide Harbor in Maryland starts later this year, and the MGM Springfield in Massachusetts starts in 2018.
Dangerous Company
When nj-new Jersey passed a myfreepokies.com referendum in 1976 to legalize gambling in Atlantic City, few would have most likely theorized that 40 years later on, the town’s hotspot would not be on the iconic Boardwalk. The glamour and glitz that once accompanied the coastline is currently located some 10 blocks inland at the Borgata.
When Steve Wynn first conceived the project back 2001, gambling was strong in Atlantic City. The city was in its fourth straight year grossing over $4 billion in casino victories, and while Harrah’s and Trump Marina (now the Golden Nugget) were already located in the marina district, building a $1.3 billion venue had been still a significant risk.
Wynn eventually abandoned the task and MGM and Boyd played the hand. It’s repaid.
‘While the market continues to see challenges, Borgata has outperformed and differentiated itself because the undisputed frontrunner in the city,’ MGM CEO Jim Murren concluded final month.
FanDuel Adopts Complete Branding Overhaul
FanDuel’s New Look: The DFS giant has gone for the rebrand that is risky but the timing is perfect. (Image: FanDuel.com)
FanDuel surprised its customers with a major rebrand this week. The daily dream activities giant has kicked the sloping white-on-black cursive into touch.
In its spot is a contemporary, clean, all-caps logo design, and a company that is new scheme; blues and whites, completely unrecognizable from its predecessor.
The brand now employs a new motif, too, a shield, which represents ‘an age-old athletic emblem, to spend homage to history’s strongest leagues, groups, and competitors,’ explained the business this week.
‘As we move into this next era of fantasy recreations, the FanDuel Shield will lead the way,’ FanDuel assured us at the unveiling of its new-look site Monday.
UK Launch
Rebranding is definitely risky, especially an utterly comprehensive revamp like this one, nevertheless the timing is practical. The NFL that is new season not far away. The English Premier League period is about to start.
Meanwhile, FanDuel is born to launch in britain this month and certainly will without doubt be looking to form some partnerships that are strategic sponsorship deals.
Better, then, to get the branding sorted now ahead of the players of the soccer that is eventual of preference go running out with the old logo design plastered across their jerseys.
Meanwhile, into the US fantasy that is daily stands at a crossroads, with a number of states already opting to license and regulate the industry, while hugely valuable key markets like California and New York mulling a similar move, New York in specific. What better option to represent the bright, new era of regulated, licensed and consumer-protected DFS than with a bright, new identity?
FanDuel Bill of Rights
The company has also unveiled ‘the FanDuel Bill of Rights,’ a commitment to consumer protection clearly designed to restore faith in the industry after the damage caused by DraftKings’ so-called ‘insider trading’ scandal of late last year in this spirit.
In late September DraftKings employee Ethan Haskell inadvertently posted player data online before the beginning of the week’s NFL games, information that the common player has use of only after the weekly line-ups are locked in. Into the same week, Haskell had won $350,000 playing on
FanDuel, and suddenly security bells had been ringing.
DraftKings and Haskell were eventually exonerated by a third-party investigation, but the debacle prompted increasingly strident calls for more transparency within the industry, especially with regard to the workings of the two web sites’ business models and just that has access to privileged information, and when.
The FanDuel Bill of Rights includes the separation of player funds from operating costs, a ban on third-party scripting tools so that you can prevent sharks from feeding off new players in heads-up contests, because well as the prohibition of FanDuel staff from taking part in DFS competitions.
Summer Olympics Unlikely to Visit Developing World Again Following Rio’s Shortcomings
Officials say it’s all systems go in Rio de Janeiro, but the difficulties in bringing this present year’s Summer Olympics together could reduce Africa’s drastically chances of ever hosting an Olympics. (Image: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro get underway with the Opening Ceremonies this Friday, August 5, although not everyone is able to commemorate. After months and even years of preparation failures on the section of local organizers, the Global Olympic Committee (IOC) is understandably frustrated.
The promised metro system to ease the heavily city that is congestedn’t arrived at fruition as planned, the city opted to not clean its severely contaminated Guanabara Bay, athlete accommodations are inadequate, and did we mention the Zika virus?
Rio’s inability to properly prepare for the Olympics has been well documented around the world, and it’s been downright embarrassing for the IOC. The anticipated result is that the Olympics is going to be awarded to more stable cities into the coming years.
‘The concept is that a lot of things can transform in seven years,’ IOC member Dick Pound told the Wall Street Journal.
Odds Against Africa
Tokyo was already verified for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The 2024 host will be announced on 13, 2017 september.
The IOC can check South America off its list after Rio officially welcomes the Summer Olympics. That leaves Africa as the only continent that is remaining never host an Olympics (excluding Antarctica).
South Africa was once considered a well liked for the 2024 games, but the country rescinded its bid a year ago due to financial factors. If Rio could have gone down without any glitches, many think the IOC would have been inclined to use Africa.
However with South Africa out, viable choices are slim to none. No other city in Africa currently has the infrastructure or capability to aid the Olympics.
Sportsbook.ag has Paris as the favorite that is heavy the 2024 games at 9/10. La and Rome are both at 3/1, and Budapest is 4th at 10/1.
It is expected that Rome’s chances can be longer while the scrutiny that is public over Rio’s mishandling of the 2016 event and IOC officials look for easy sailing waters.
Rio Promises Excitement
Just three days away from the Opening Ceremonies, more press has been given to Rio’s insufficient preparation than the real competitions that are upcoming.
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian into the history of the games, is going back for his fifth and final Olympics. But his name is rarely mentioned compared to the buzzwords ‘Zika,’ ‘contamination,’ ‘inadequate,’ and even ‘body parts.’
While the news is notorious for hyping up stories and debate, in relation to Rio it’s warranted.
Just a week ago, the Brazil Ministry of Justice fired the personal security firm hired for the Olympics. More than 3,400 protection workers had been supposed to work the games, but the ongoing business was let it go after Brazil officials said only 500 officers had been hired.
It’s the latest scandal, but one of the most consequential as crime and terrorism is of utmost concern.
No matter what the excess of controversy, Brazil continues to be painting a picture that is rosy.
‘Rio de Janeiro has two primary assets, that are its natural beauty and also the strength of its people,’ Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said last week.
