
***Bryan Zuriff, Ray Donovan producer***
In the place of developing a drama that is compelling Showtime series Ray Donovan producer Bryan Zuriff is starring in his own crime series, it appears, plus it’s not having an extremely pleased ending for the difficult Hollywood mogul. Zuriff has entered a plea that is guilty the Southern District Court of ny the Department of Justice arm that indicted Zuriff, along side 33 others, back in April of in 2010 for a high-profile Russian mob-spearheaded, orderly crime Internet sportsbetting and high-stakes poker syndicate ring. The plea had been for Zuriff’s indictment on felony gambling charges and was received by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara a week ago.
Plea Deal and Forfeiture
Specifically, Zuriff’s costs include running an unlawful sports gambling business, transmission of sports wagering information across state lines, and acceptance of monetary instruments for illegal Internet gambling; he has just pled guilty, as of now, towards the last charge, and could receive as much as 5 years within the joint for their role within the gambling scandal that is international. Moreover, the producer may also have to forfeit half a million dollars to fulfill the royal vegas instant play terms of his plea deal aided by the Feds. He now awaits sentencing on Nov. 25 three times before Thanksgiving and two prior to the start of (very early) Hanukkah this year so it will be a holiday that is really fun for Zuriff this year. Maybe he should eat his turkey early; we hear the stuff they serve in prison is not made by Martha Stewart (anymore).
Zuriff ended up being apparently as busy being fully a high-end bookie as he had been taking care of sets; Bharara’s statements about the plea deal said that the producer ‘spanned the coasts together with his crimes,’ as he was running illegal sportsbetting operations from both LaLa Land in Hollywood, also as helping run the show right back in the ny, underneath the view of art dealer Hillel Nahmad along with other Russian big-time players. Zuriff’s plea deal wraps up Bharara’s work on this situation as the conviction that is final what the attorney has termed ‘this sprawling script of unlawful conduct.’ Maybe Zuriff can write some scripts that are new be shopped while in his cell; he needs plenty of time on his arms.
Bestseller in the Making
With Hollywood never shy about making money off a scandal not even though a unique members are included (peoples or parts of the body), word is that another person that is high-profile of who was part of this circle has already been writing her own book about this. ‘Poker madam’ Molly Bloom also indicted by the DoJ earlier this year is said to be bandying about lots of big film star names in her tome, possibly including Spiderman actor Tobey Maguire, who apparently had been a poker game regular in these A-list home that is tinseltown.
The operation that is entire some $100 million in unlawful gambling profits, according to federal prosecutors, using hundreds of little bank accounts along with shell organizations created in the U.S. and Cypress. Mark Galeotti, a russian crime that is organized at brand New York University, says a razor-sharp uptake in top course wide range in the thing that was previously the Soviet Union has generated a whole new underground for tapping into the worldwide and enormous -illegal sportsbetting market, with potentially billions in hidden earnings (unless they have busted, as happened here, of course.) ‘We’re seeing businessmen that are higher-rolling in this type of cases,’ Galeotti noted. The rollers that are high bookies are kept with the problem ‘of trying to figure out what to complete with suitcases full of money, and that leads to the cash laundering,’ he added.
Now why an effective Hollywood producer got involved in all of this, putting their own money, reputation and actual life on the line: that’s a good topic for a crime mystery that is future. Meanwhile, all of the publicity surrounding Zuriff apparently hasn’t hurt their show; it was just found for another period by Showtime with only three shows having aired thus far.
Stations Casinos Jumping into the Mobile Sports Betting Fray
******Sports Connection Mobile’s new app******
The dance that is delicate land casinos and online wagering continues to unfold, as Nevada’s first legal and regulated on-line poker site provider, Stations Casinos, is currently launching a sports betting application for smart phone users. Named Sports Connection mobile phone, the app means that gamblers are now able to bet on their sports that are favorite the ease and comfort of their mobile devices and tablets.
Going Public
Recently approved by Nevada’s gaming overseers after a field that is rigorous, Sports Connection Mobile can now go beyond its initial advertising field of just Stations’ 16 Southern Nevada casino customers, and spread its wings to the general populace (including tourists) regarding the Silver State. And not a brief moment too soon, with football season just around the corner. Needless to say, the potential that is financial predicted to be profound once this right-in-your-hand legal bookie system catches on.
‘I think this might be fantastic for the development potential for the sports wagering industry,’ stated Station Casinos Vice President of Sports Book Operations Art Manteris.
Stations just isn’t 1st to go mobile, though; well-known sportsbook operators William Hill and Cantor Gaming beat them to the punch. As with internet poker, in order to put a wager, players will have to be physically located and traceable via mobile GPS within the borders of Nevada.
As with their online poker site, there will be described as a flow that is back-and-forth Stations’ brick-and-mortar customers and their mobile ones, as player benefits will be accrued for either and both, giving gamblers more customer power more quickly. Any wins and player rewards can then be redeemed from any Stations Casinos home in Nevada.
‘That’s a difference because it ties our application to the gambling enterprises,’ said Manteris of the newest channels’ mobile app.
Still Live Appeal
Will the ability to bet from home mean fewer actual casino customers show up to bet live? Manteris says no. ‘There is still nothing beats watching the event in one of our books. But we know that sometimes life gets in the way. The application keeps a customer into the game.’
Stations is making sure as many customers remain in the overall game as possible; they’ve developed computer software for iPhones, iPads, Androids and have now a Sports Connection Intranet product that presumably will cover anyone else. Anyone of legal age (21+) can sign up for the app at any Stations Casino sports book, or at the downtown El Cortez; Stations happens to be managing that home’s sports guide. A $50 wagering deposit is needed upon signup. Bet minimums are going to be $5 and bets may be placed on all major events that are sporting. Players will be able to reload with either cash, credit cards or debit cards, nonetheless it must be done in person. Wagers include parlay cards, straight bets, teasers, prop bets, circular robins and in-game wagering.
William Hill and Cantor Gaming were recently forced to convert all their sports gambling kiosks to mobile sports betting adjuncts just in every of the Nevada smaller bars and taverns that had limited gaming licenses (15 slot machines or less); the lobbying organization, United states Gaming Association, that represents the interests of numerous land gambling enterprises claimed the miniscule action was cutting too heavily into their casino customers’ company.
Now as William Hill and Cantor Gaming have mobile sports apps that are betting the market let the wagering wars begin.
Fremont Street Experience Bringing Live Muay Thai Fight to Downtown
For several years, downtown Las Vegas was referred to as Strip’s red-headed stepchild: mocked and minimized as the poorer, less exciting, less part that is glamorous of City. But a slow but steady renovation process started in regards to a decade ago, one that includes the addition regarding the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Zappos headquarters, and a museum committed to Las Vegas’ Mafia heritage by having an actual Mob Museum. Little by little respectability has been returning to a place as soon as littered with drug addicts and low-budget hookers.
Fremont Street Moves Up
The Fremont Street Enjoy, of course built in the mid 1990s transformed what had for years been called ‘Glitter Gulch’ for its plethora of rather tacky neon casino signs in to a genuine, if somewhat middle class, tourist destination, and pushed the downtown area towards what its becoming today: a spot where things happen and big names wish to be seen. Now the entire world of Muay Thai will likely be adding some pizzazz to that growing elan, with a planned September 20th fight evening.
Possibly the Strip gets the world-class that is fancy matches, but Muay Thai is a perfect match for the greater rough-and-tumble audience that makes up nearly all of downtown’s tourist trade. And the impending match dubbed ‘Lion Fight 11’ will be televised live and sanctioned and supervised, just like boxing is at its uptown relative’s venues. The game of Muay Thai works perfectly for Fremont Street, because it’s all done standing up, as compared to mixed martial arts. And there should really be more kicks and punches exchanged than in a bit of good New that is drunken year Eve melee.
Naturally, this being Vegas, there’s a casino as the hippest, coolest place you can stay and play north of the Stratosphere behind it all; in this case, the relatively newly minted D (formerly Fitzpatricks) Casino, which is positioning itself. The Sept. 20th event will simply take destination in a ring on Third Street, conveniently located right outside the D, where without doubt they’ll get tons of TV time. Perhaps interestingly, the battle will be the first activities event ever nationally televised live from Fremont Street.
Huge TV Viewership Expected
Cable network AXS gets the televising rights, and expect big viewership numbers, particularly for a bout featuring Japanese champion Tetsuya Yamato duking it out with United states pugilist Kevin Ross. The network claims a viewing that is potential internationally of 42 million.
‘It’s an iconic location, so we’re planning to have the lights plus the glitz as well as the views on camera that night,’ said AXS CEO Andrew Simon. ‘Our viewers are likely to say, ‘Man, that is the Fremont Street Experience.’ It’s a tourism destination that is national. It is a smart way to show off the downtown to a national market.’
The battle is expecting lots of live audience appeal, too. Promoters Lion Fight Promotions say they’ve 1,700 seats, with 1,200 of those being for ‘reserved seating.’
Fremont Street Experience bigwigs are looking towards the event being fully a marketing that is huge for the area. ‘Muay Thai is a very exciting action show,’ stated Tom Bruny, Fremont Street Experience marketing director. ‘It’s something new for people to do. The TV aspect was compelling for the Fremont Street Experience.’
