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Florida Gambling Expansion Heavily Opposed by Sunshine State Voters, New Poll Finds

Florida gambling expansion efforts are greatly compared by likely voters in the sun’s rays State, a poll that is new.

Governor Rick Scott desires A florida that is new gambling using the Seminole Tribe on his desk soon.

According to a research performed by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, an independent firm that is surveying offices in Washington, DC, and Jacksonville, Florida, just eight percent of Florida voters say they support expanded gambling. That compares to 84 percent whom said they want gaming left as is, or paid off.

No Casinos, the leading lobbyist in Tallahassee working against casino growth, championed the findings.

‘It’s time to fully stop listening to gambling lobbyists and listen to the social people,’ No Casinos President John Sowinski stated. ‘A vast majority of Floridians do not wish their elected officials to expand gambling, for them and their families. since they understand that more gambling hurts the standard of life’

Point Taken

Florida lawmakers and Governor Rick Scott (R) have been trying to find a resolution to the Seminole Tribe’s video gaming compact that legally expired in 2015. The state House and Senate differ on what path is better, as the powerful Native American group isn’t budging on its blackjack monopoly.

The bill that is latest to gain ground comes from State Rep. Mike La Rosa (R-District 42). House Bill 7037 seeks to execute a compact that is new the Seminoles and state, and grant the tribal community utilizing the exclusive rights to banked games (blackjack) in exchange for a minimum payment of $3 billion over seven years.

Today Pari-mutuel facilities wouldn’t gain access to blackjack, and gaming throughout the state would essentially remain the same as it is. La Rosa’s bill is anticipated to be heard this week in the chamber’s Ways & Means Committee.

The Senate gaming bill, authored by Sen. Bill Galvano (R-District 21), would grant the Seminoles with the right to offer craps and roulette in addition to blackjack. But the catch is that pari-mutuel venues would receive the state’s blessing to house tables that are blackjack.

The Seminoles prefer to negotiate away from the general public attention, but it’s presumed the tribe’s leaders oppose Galvano’s measure and can probably support La Rosa’s.

Expanding Elsewhere

The Seminoles continue to operate their five video gaming facilities in Florida free of a gaming compact that is valid. Since the contract expired, the tribe has continued to send tax revenue re payments to Tallahassee and mainly kept business as usual.

In legal terms, the tribe is operating in violation of state law. Underneath the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, native groups that are american operate Class I and II video gaming on sovereign lands. But for the Class that is coveted III, which include slots and myfreepokies.com table games, an arrangement needs to be reached with the state.

The resolution utilizing the strongest odds appears to be a new multibillion-dollar agreement that is blackjack the Seminoles in the coming months. As for gambling expansion, the Seminoles are searching north.

Earlier this the tribe, which owns the Hard Rock brand, purchased the shuttered Trump Taj Mahal from Carl Icahn month. The Atlantic City casino shall end up being the organization’s 11th casino, and first in New Jersey.

David Baazov Forms New Global Investment Company

David Baazov includes a career that is new. The Amaya founder and former CEO and president, who resigned from the board a year ago as accusations of insider trading threatened to bury him, has formed a fresh business, installing himself as chairman of the board.

David Baazov seems to have sold $100 million of Amaya stock to buy under-vehicle bomb detection equipment, via his brand new company Ahaka Capital. (Image: Erik Verduzco/Review-Journal)

Ahaka Capital is a ‘global multi-sector equity that is private’ that has been incorporated final summer, based on Canada’s La Presse. Baazov has been listed as chairman since January.

Ahaka, according to its website, ‘invests in exemplary businesses and business owners at all phases of development.’

‘We support all of our portfolio organizations in company development, financing, M&A, and strategy,’ it checks out. ‘ Our founders ran and started companies being now collectively well worth over $5 billion.’

Onwards and Upwards

Baazov presided over the highly-leveraged $4.9 billion takeover of PokerStars by Amaya, transforming the relatively unknown Canadian software provider into one of the greatest remote gambling organizations on the planet.

At the start of 2016, he announced their intention to get the company that is enlarged take it personal.

But soon after, he was charged, by the Quebec securities regulator, AMF, with five counts of insider trading. These included accusations which he had attempted to control Amaya stock and had shared information that is privileged a close circle of friends and family, allowing the group to profit from unlawful stock market trades.

Baazov squeezed forward regardless together with bid for the Amaya but ultimately threw into the towel in December, saying the shareholders’ selling price was too high.

Last month, Amaya announced it had refinanced its debt to free up cash that is spare. Certainly one of the conditions with this, imposed by ‘certain lenders,’ was that the ongoing business wouldn’t normally be sold to Baazov in the future.

Sells Amaya Inventory, Invests in Bomb Detection Technology

Previously this month, Baazov announced with a press release that he was cashing in almost $100 million-worth of Amaya stock ‘for investment purposes,’ likely pertaining to his new venture. Post-sale, he remains Amaya’s largest shareholder that is individual.

Baazov’s partner in the new company, Jake Malczewski, previously an attorney specializing in international income tax and M&A at KPMG, announced on his LinkedIn page round the time Baazov sold the Amaya shares he had invested in New York-based UVEye.

UVEye’s primary product can be an inspection unit for detecting vehicle alterations or anomalies which could pose a protection hazard, for use in the military and the combat terrorism.

Ex-UFC Fighter Jon ‘War Machine’ Koppenhaver Facing Lifestyle Sentence After Las Vegas Jury Finds Him Guilty

Jon War Machine Koppenhaver is dealing with life behind bars after A las vegas jury found him guilty on 29 of the 34 charges he ended up being facing for the beating of his girlfriend and her male friend in 2014.

Jon Koppenhaver, aka War Machine, is fighting for his freedom after a Las Vegas jury found him bad on 29 of 34 counts concerning their assault of porn star Christy Mack. (Image: John Locher/Associated Press)

Koppenhaver, who lawfully changed his name to War Machine in 2008, is a previous mixed artist that is martialMMA). He competed on the Ultimate Fighting Championship between 2007 and 2008, and finished their career with a 14-5 record.

But War Machine is most infamous for his criminal convictions.

In of 2014, Koppenhaver entered the Las Vegas home of porn star Christy Mack to find her in bed with a man named Corey Thomas august. Koppenhaver proceeded to pummel Thomas before turning their violence on Mack.

Whenever roughly two-hour assault was over, Mack was kept missing teeth, possessed a ruptured liver, broken ribs, and an eye socket that is broken.

During her testimony of the attack, Mack stated, ‘He looks at me and says ‘now I have to kill you. We’ve gone too far.” Mack been able to escape and ran to next-door neighbors for help.

War Machine will be sentenced on 5 june. The 29 costs include the chance for life in prison.

Death Sentence Avoided

While advocates for domestic violence victims celebrated the verdict, the jury could not arrived at terms on the most serious fee of attempted murder. That may keep War Machine off death row no matter what the judge’s sentencing.

Life in jail is fine with Mack.

‘Today had been a great victory for myself, also victims of DV everywhere,’ Mack tweeted. ‘Please continue steadily to speak out, and remain strong! Thank you all for the support through the full years.’

War Machine’s attorney Jay Leiderman says he will appeal the verdict and seek a brand new trial for their client. ‘He’s a guy that is tough. He stood up there, and he took the verdicts, but he’s got a time that is long to have this sink in,’ Leiderman stated.

Leiderman is known for being truly a ‘hacktivist advocate,’ a lawyer who represents hackers and people charged with computer crimes. He allegedly keeps an encrypted talk app open for people associated with Anonymous to obtain free advice that is legal.

Suicide Watch

The prosecution’s failure to persuade the jury that War Machine ended up being guilty of attempted murder may be the best-case scenario for those that want him to be punished in the manner that is harshest possible.

Two months after their arrest in 2014, War Machine was found unresponsive in his High Desert State Prison cellular in Nevada. A suicide note had been additionally discovered, but staff that is medical in a position to stabilize Koppenhaver within 15 minutes.

Athletes and Violence

The UFC and MMA definitely isn’t the sport that is only its fair share of domestic violence cases. One of the more incidents that are serious sports additionally came in 2014 with former Baltimore Ravens star running back Ray Rice.

Three years ago, Rice and their then-fiancé (now wife) Janay Palmer were in Atlantic City at the Revel Casino. After partying the night away and becoming highly intoxicated, Rice punched Palmer and knocked her down cold in a elevator. He had been later found guilty of third-degree aggravated assault.

Detroit Cockfighting Gambling Ring Uncovered, Ex-Baltimore Principal Gambled With Class Money

An cockfighting that is underground ring has been uncovered by federal immigration authorities in Detroit, while the bust can lead to the deportation of dozens.

Immigration and law that is federal agencies infiltrated an illegal cockfighting gambling ring in Detroit, with some 50 illegal immigrants reportedly involved within the blood sport. (Image: dhs.gov)

The usa Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided an abandoned building in southwest Detroit weekend that is last turned up gambling evidence and around 100 gamecock birds. Around 50 individuals were detained and now face deportation, and another person that is additional been arrested on criminal fees.

The US Border Patrol, US Department of Agriculture, and local and state authorities carried out the seizure along with the US Department of Homeland Security.

‘This operation was taken down that it was a nuisance in the community,’ ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls explained because we had information.

Cockfighting Law

The blood sport of cockfighting dates straight back thousands of years. Only a few fights are to your death, but the birds involved almost always suffer extreme pain that is physical trauma.

While cockfighting continues to be common in Southeast Asia, it’s illegal in all 50 US states plus the District of Columbia.

ICE has not released information on the immigrants that are detained. Nevertheless, in Mexico, cockfighting is additionally illegal, though it is allowed in the populous town of Ixmiquilpan. The training is also nevertheless legal in many US territories Puerto that is including Rico Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

It’s hard to assume a far more despicable kind of gambling than betting on the outcome of an animal battle. That is why if the perpetrators who organize and attend such events are caught by law enforcement, they often receive little support that is public.

Quarterback Michael Vick can attest to that certainly reality, though the NFL player did have the ability to stage a comeback years after being caught participating in dog fighting.

Gambling With Lunch Money

The Detroit sting ended up beingn’t the just headline-making gambling bust this week. In Maryland, a former school that is high in Baltimore has been accused of stealing cash from her employer to gamble with at the Maryland Live Casino.

June Leslie Owens served as the principal of Baltimore Community High School for three years before leaving her position last. It was later revealed that she had allegedly stolen $13,409 from a banking account that was funded through college fundraisers.

Nearly 50 withdrawals that are ATM made at the Maryland Live Casino with the school banking card.

The cash was likely to get towards school uniforms, and graduation expenses. Lewis can also be accused of stealing electronic devices including four flat-screen televisions.

Maryland State Prosecutor Emmet Davitt said in a statement, ‘There is no one more trusted and relied upon in the educational school system when compared to a college principal. The betrayal of that trust by Ms. Lewis is monumentally offensive and cannot be tolerated.’

Owens was charged with six counts including theft and misappropriation by a fiduciary.

Albert Fluker, a colleague of Owens who was hired as being a employee that is temporary was additionally named in the investigation. Fluker is charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft in aiding Owens obtain the equipment that is electronic.