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Ben Affleck’s Career in Gambling
Ben Affleck is a two times Oscar-winning filmmaker and actor who has 71 other winnings and 110 nominations. He is well known for his affection for card games, especially blackjack and Texas Hold’em poker. Affleck has been playing in cash poker tournaments for over a decade and has tried his luck several times in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Read more if you wish to deep dive into his gambler’s career.
Card Counting
Ben Affleck was backed off for card counting at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas in April 2014. He was simply asked not to play blackjack by casino staff. The reason – just because he got really good at it. He used a method of so-called advantage play that has been an industry obsession for over 50 years – card counting.
Counting cards is probably the best-known advantage technique in the casino—it’s certainly the well-known advantage gambling technique in blackjack. But how does it work? The reality is that it’s a lot easier to count cards than most people think. That’s because you don’t have to track exactly which cards have been played and which ones are still in the deck. You only have to track the approximate ratio of high cards to low cards.
History with Blackjack and Poker
Allegedly, the movie star has “a habit of going missing in Vegas for days at a time”. Before being booted out for counting cards at the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel, he made nearly $1 million in two trips, as reported by the New York Times. According to The Post, in 2000 The Oscar winner won about 125 000€ in a single sitting while playing with friend Matt Damon. A year later, he won over 710 000€ while playing three simultaneous hands at 17 785 euros each.
He hasn’t had the same luck with poker. Affleck ran into trouble when he hosted a regular Hollywood poker game for A-listers in a posh cigar bar in Beverly Hills. “Ben’s Game” was high stakes and drew celebrities such as Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Tobey Maguire to the Grand Havana Hotel.
The star had luck in 2004 when he won the California State Poker Championship. He took home 316 585€, which qualified him for the 2004 World Poker Tour final tournament. He has since competed several times but has never won any cash, despite top-notch training from poker superstars such as Iranian-born poker whiz, Amir Vahedi, and his personal coach, Annie Duke.
Does He Still Gamble?
After the divorce from actress Jennifer Garner and turning down a role in “Batman” due to drinking problems, he has been trying to get his life back on track. So far there is no information if he still gambles. His recent highlight in his acting career was starring in “The Way Back” (2020). He received praise for his performance as a recovering alcoholic – a topic that has felt “close to home” for him. Affleck relapsed during pre-production in 2018 and the movie was shot in the days after he left rehab. David Sims of The Atlantic praised the “subtlety”, “vulnerability” and “lumbering physicality” of his performance, describing it as “the rawest and most natural” work of his career.
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ECA and AGEM applaud creation of Association Assembly at ICE Barcelona
The news that January’s ICE Barcelona will include a major new feature dedicated to global gaming’s most influential trade associations has been welcomed by organisations in Europe and abroad.
Making full use of the additional space at the Gran Via Fira de Barcelona, the first ICE Association Assembly has been created to enable trade bodies to promote their values and create new opportunities for the gaming community across every sector and geography, including both the Brussels-based European Casino Association (ECA) and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), the global trade association for gaming equipment suppliers with its primary headquarters in Las Vegas.
Erwin Van Lambaart, Chair of the ECA confirmed: “Our members are already planning their week in Barcelona and they will be at this historic edition of ICE in great numbers. ICE is a pivotal event for the global gaming community and having a show floor feature which will enable us to engage directly with all sectors is a unique opportunity.
“Traditionally, our association’s involvement at ICE and its Conference program has primarily centred around networking and product development orientation—connecting with our members, regulators, suppliers, and fellow trade bodies. However, ICE 2025 marks a significant milestone. For the first time, the ECA will have the chance to fully interface with the global industry supply chain in its entirety. We are looking forward to this unique opportunity to articulate our vision for the future to a diverse and comprehensive audience, where innovation, responsibility and significant partnerships for guest and customer centricity will have centre stage.”
Daron Dorsey, CEO of AGEM added: “We represent the interests of our gaming suppliers whose well-known brands are global in reach, so to be given the opportunity to explain our agenda and engage with what is a truly international audience of association colleagues on the ICE show floor is invaluable.”
January’s editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate will occupy 120,000sqm of space compared to the 100,00sqm at ICE 2024. In a major endorsement of the opportunities offered by the relocation to Barcelona 72% of the 25 biggest exhibitors will have an increased stand presence at ICE 2025.
The post ECA and AGEM applaud creation of Association Assembly at ICE Barcelona appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Blask Wins Prestigious “Startup of the Year” at 2024 Starlet Awards
Blask, the pioneering AI-powered analytics ecosystem for iGaming, has been named “Startup of the Year” at the prestigious 2024 Starlet Awards. The company earned this recognition for developing a groundbreaking market intelligence platform that has redefined how gaming operators leverage data and market insights.
Award Recognition
The award confirms Blask’s revolutionary approach to market analytics and its significant impact on how iGaming companies access and utilise market intelligence. Powered by AI models including Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, Blask analyses billions of data points across 2000+ active brands to provide unprecedented market insights.
The Starlet Awards recognition follows Blask’s recent SiGMA Asia Startup Pitch 2024 Award victory. “Winning these awards affirms our belief that innovation and bold ideas can reshape the iGaming landscape. The recognition underscores the impact of our cutting-edge AI technology and our relentless pursuit to transform data into actionable insights”, reflects Max Tesla, CEO and Co-founder of Blask
Blask provides operators with a strategic edge across multiple critical areas. Its real-time market analysis capabilities deliver instant access to crucial market metrics, while the high-granularity data available at one-hour intervals enables swift, informed decision-making. The sophisticated AI modelling system estimates GGR and FTD by analysing a comprehensive range of inputs, including historical data, third-party OSINT data, market performance, competitor metrics, historical brand performance, market reports, and public company disclosures.
Beyond analytics, Blask offers robust brand monitoring and competitor analysis tools, alongside strategic and tactical planning capabilities particularly valuable for market entry decisions and maximising performance during major events. The recently introduced customer profile feature harnesses AI to generate detailed, country-specific user profiles, adding another layer of strategic insight for operators.
The post Blask Wins Prestigious “Startup of the Year” at 2024 Starlet Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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CONCEPT: VERSATILITY AND EFFICIENCY IN SPACES
The CONCEPT cabinet line has been designed to maximize space in casinos, adapting to any configuration. Its efficient design allows for different bank arrangements, making the most of the available area. This gives operators greater flexibility in organizing their gaming floor.
Additionally, the integrated LED strips in CONCEPT eliminate the need for extra signs or wedges, creating a sleek and attractive visual at all times.
The post CONCEPT: VERSATILITY AND EFFICIENCY IN SPACES appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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