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New Mexico doing little to fight gambling addiction

Published

7 years ago

November 27, 2017

State government is the big winner when it comes to gambling in New Mexico. It raked in more than $156 million in the last budget year from the New Mexico Lottery, horse racing and slot machines at tribal casinos, racetracks, and veterans and fraternal clubs.

But when it comes to preventing and treating problem gambling — one of the aftershocks of widespread wagering in New Mexico — the Legislature and governor have been unwilling to put much money on the table.

In the last budget year, which ended June 30, the state earmarked just $70,250 to specifically address problem gambling. All that money came from the lottery and went to the nonprofit New Mexico Council on Problem Gambling, which operates a telephone hotline and provides free counseling.

The $70,250 amounted to a fraction of 1 percent of the money the state took in last budget year in lottery profits, revenue sharing from tribal casinos and gambling taxes. By comparison, gaming tribes and racetracks were required to spend $2.3 million to combat problem gambling in the last budget year.

Meanwhile, the state Compulsive Gambling Council, created by law in 2006 and attached to the New Mexico Department of Health, hasn’t met for at least seven years despite a legal requirement that it meet regularly.

The council, made up of appointees of the governor, is responsible for implementing a state plan for preventing and treating problem gambling. The council and the Health Department also are supposed to educate seniors on problem gambling and to collect data on gambling-related suicides, bankruptcies and domestic violence.

The stakes are high when it comes to problem gambling.

The last major study of gamblers in New Mexico, in 2006, estimated as many as 29,000 men and women had gambling problems and tens of thousands of more were at risk of developing problems. Suicides and thefts of millions of dollars have been linked to problem gambling in New Mexico since the dramatic expansion of gambling in the state in the 1990s. In one of the most noted cases, Dianna Duran resigned as secretary of state in 2015 and pleaded guilty to charges that she used campaign donations to feed a gambling habit.

“Disordered gambling,” the most serious form of problem gambling, is recognized as a mental health condition and addiction by the American Psychiatric Association.

Guy Clark, chairman of Stop Predatory Gambling New Mexico, said the state government’s efforts to combat problem gambling are “pathetic and shameful” and a “major failure.”

“No one in the government seems to want to do anything about it,” Clark said. “Could it be that the government receives over a $100 million a year … doesn’t want to bite the hand that feeds it?”

Paul Rhien, a Health Department spokesman, said in an email that the Compulsive Gambling Council, which hasn’t met since Republican Gov. Susana Martinez took office in 2011, “appears to be just another legislative unfunded mandate.” He didn’t respond when asked in an email whether Martinez had ever sought funding for the council.

State Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, said Martinez could fund the council out of the budget of the Health Department.

“I don’t think she needs specific money on that,” he said.

Under state law, appointees to the Compulsive Gambling Council aren’t paid for their work on the panel and also don’t receive reimbursement for travel expenses. The Health Department secretary or the secretary’s designee is supposed to chair the council. Other members include representatives of the gaming industry, experts in compulsive gambling and behavioral health professionals.

The Health Department budget totaled more than $550 million in the last fiscal year. While the department budget didn’t include money specifically targeted for problem gambling, it included funds to fight tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, cancer, opioid overdoses, HIV/AIDS infection and more public health concerns.

The Compulsive Gambling Council last met under Martinez’s predecessor, Democrat Bill Richardson.

In a 2009 report, the council made several recommendations to Richardson, including creation and funding of a state Office of Problem Gambling, a new tax on nontribal gambling to pay for problem gambling initiatives, a new study on problem gambling, prevention programs targeted at youth and seniors, and more funding for treatment programs.

“While the large majority of citizens will never encounter a problem with gambling, those who do generate a ripple effect of disastrous consequences in their families and communities,” the council said in the report.

None of the council’s recommendations have been adopted by state government.

“However, under this administration, the state has a number of initiatives designed to combat problem gambling in New Mexico,” said Rhien, the Health Department spokesman.

The spokesman cited a requirement that gaming tribes spend one-quarter of 1 percent of their slot machine winnings on problem gambling programs. The requirement is in compacts signed by Martinez and gaming tribes, but the requirement also was part of the previous state-tribal gaming compacts.

Rhien also cited a provision in the compacts that requires tribes to create programs that allow gamblers to voluntarily exclude themselves from casinos. Prior to the current compacts, only racetracks were required to have self-exclusion programs for gamblers.

Clark, of Stop Predatory Gambling New Mexico, said Martinez should re-establish the Compulsive Gambling Council to help in the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.

“We know that we have thousands of people afflicted,” he said.

Smith, who as a senator played a pivotal role in the expansion of gambling in New Mexico, said efforts to combat problem gambling have slid over the years to the back burner of state government and that the efforts today don’t reflect the seriousness of the issue.

“The problem is much larger than anybody wants to talk about,” Smith said, adding he needs to start asking more questions and hold hearings on government’s response to problem gambling.

Source

George Miller

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Online Casino in Canada

Published

4 years ago

October 27, 2020

George Miller

Online Casino in Canada

The online casino market in Canada is saturated with thousands of online casinos. When looking for an online casino in Canada to use, you can find Canadian online casinos on Casinobernie.

This website carefully vets the thousands of available casinos in Canada to come up with a sizable list of only the best casinos. You can save yourself money and time by following their simple recommendation.

Here is a list of top online casinos in Canada.

1. Dunder

The Dunder Casino is great for gamers who love playing different casino games and do not have a certain favorite. It is a unique platform with a classy user-friendly interface that whets the appetite of gamers. There are over hundreds of games available on the site from top gaming software providers. The loading time speed of the website is fast and it offers progressive jackpots.

The welcome bonus is equally attractive. After successfully opening an account with Dunder Casino, you get 20 free spins. You also get a deposit bonus of 180 free spins and 100% up to $600. The wagering requirement is 25X.

2. Lucky Days

Lucky Days Casino is one of the best online casinos in Canada. There are excellent games selection available for players, different games to suit all player’s playstyles. The website has a cool design that is markedly different from other online casinos.

It is easy to navigate the site. It uses a filter to make the game search easy and quick. Some of the gams include table games, live casino games, and slot machines with huge jackpots. It also offers some big bonuses.

Lucky Days does not have any bonus without a deposit. It does however have a cool deposit bonus. On your deposits, you can get bonuses such as 100% up to $1500 and 100 free spins. The wagering requirement is 30X.

3. Live Casino

Live Casino offers top-quality casino gaming options. It is the number one feature that separates it from other online casinos. There is virtually no game you want to play that Live casino doesn’t have in a satisfactory format. If you want to play table games, classic or modern slots, or live dealer games, this casino will satisfy your craving instantly.

Live Casino from its name boasts of having one of the largest gaming collections of live casino games in Canada. It makes use of popular payment options to make it easy for customers to process payments (withdrawals and deposits).

It has a casino license that helps remove all doubts about its legitimacy. The customer support is top-notch, reliable, and responsive to customer complaints. Want to use your mobile phones? It is compatible with mobile devices.

Although it does not have any bonus, you can trust the quality and fairness of its services. It is a great pick for punters.

4. Casino Days

If you want to enjoy an amazing casino experience, Casino Days is an excellent choice. It has a great number of games selections from top gaming software providers available on its site. The interface is aesthetic and pleasant to use.

The customer support system is excellent and responsive. It is easy to navigate and offers excellent payment options.

It does not offer any bonus without a deposit. However, it offers up to 100% up to $500 bonus with no free spin. The wagering requirement is 35X.

The gaming providers for Casino Days include Booming Games, Elk Studios, NetEnt, Playson, Thunderkick, Push Gaming, Quickspin, Habanero, Pragmatic Play, and Red Tiger.

5. 24Bettle

24Bettle is another great casino that has a professionally designed platform. It is more than a typical online casino website; it also offers a sports’ bet section. The arrangement of the site with its color themes and neatly layered tabs and buttons allow for easy navigation. You can easily switch between different gaming options thanks to the simple layout. It has a wide range of games available on the site.

24Bettle is the best casinos in terms of the organization in Canada. The excellent work put in to make their website convenient and user-friendly also reflects in the quality of its games.

You enjoy a 100% bonus on deposit up to $480 with no free spins. The wagering requirement is 30X.

Some of the game providers for 24Bettle include 2 by 2 Gaming, Booming Games. Elk Studios, iSoftBet, Hacksaw Gaming, 1x2Games, Microgaming, Gameburger, NetEnt, Thunderkick, Play n’ Go, Quickspin, and Triple Edge Studios.

Conclusion

There are hundreds of online casinos in Canada available for players. However, not all are quality and offer excellent gaming experiences. Some of the best online casinos in Canada are Dunder, Lucky Days. Live Casino, Casino Days, and 24Bettle.

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OneTouch unveils new Russian Poker release

Published

7 years ago

February 5, 2018

George Miller

Single-touch ergonomics make it perfect for on-the-go betting

Monday, 5th February 2018 – Premium games developer OneTouch will arrive at ICE 2018 armed with Russian Poker – it’s latest industry-leading online table game.

Russian Poker offers a unique version of player vs house poker, where the player is dealt five cards and is offered the chance to exchange cards or buy an additional card to make two five-card hands.

Players can also take insurance and buy the dealer a card if they don’t qualify with their opening five cards. This exciting version of casino poker is sure to be an online hit in Eastern European markets where the game had a large and loyal following in land-based casinos.

Matthew Rochman, Head of OneTouch, added: “We’re always looking to add a modern flair to traditional table games and that’s exactly what we have done with Russian Poker.

“The game is hugely popular in Eastern Europe and we are confident players will love our crystal-clear graphics and mobile-first approach as we bid to make it a modern-day classic.

“We believe we are the first company to deliver a state-of-the-art mobile version of Russian Poker and operators who have received been given a sneak preview of this games are excited and keen to add it to their portfolio in 2018.”

OneTouch prides itself on providing an intuitive user experience across all of its titles via a single touch on all modern handheld devices thanks to its cutting-edge JavaScript framework and mobile-first approach to layout design.

The decks are also shuffled using a Provably Fair RNG, allowing players to verify the integrity of the shuffling and cards dealt to them, creating a gaming experience which is both exciting, enjoyable and fair.

OneTouch’s full portfolio of titles, which also includes roulette, blackjack and baccarat, will all be available to demo on Stand S9-112 at ICE 2018.

About OneTouch

Isle of Man-based OneTouch Technology Ltd develops premium table games for online casinos worldwide by combining innovative mobile-first designs with sharp single-touch interactivity to deliver a superior online gambling experience on both desktop and hand-held devices.

For more information, please visit www.onetouch.io

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Greek Casinos Could Start Giving Loans

Published

7 years ago

January 18, 2018

George Miller

A new bill tabled in the Greek parliament on Monday could allow casinos to lend money to reliable customers to gamble.

In an omnibus bill being voted on Monday amid strikes and protests, there is a provision which will enable casinos to lend over 50,000 euros to select customers to continue playing if they need to, a Greek finance ministry source said.

This new law is aimed at foreign customers, to facilitate more spending in Greek casinos. The idea behind the bill is that studies show many gamblers decide on the place where they will spend their holidays on the presence of casinos where lines of credit are available.

These loans will not involve cash but special chips to be used exclusively inside a particular casino. To convert these special chips into money, any casino loan must have been repaid in full.

Chips will be counted as casino revenue, meaning gambling loans will be taxed, the finance ministry source added.

Plans to expand the availability of gambling in Greece have met opposition, with the local authorities in the Greek islands of Santorini and Crete recently hitting out at government plans to allow casinos to open on the popular tourist destinations.

Media reports from Crete say that local councils in the island are also preparing to launch a campaign against the casinos.