Faithful Defense -- Kim Faithful, the bank manager sentenced to five years in prison for stealing nearly $19 million from the bank to feed an online gambling addiction, successfully defended against an appeal by Western Australia's top prosecutor. Director of Public Prosecutions Robert Cock argued to have Faithful's sentence doubled, but the Western Australia Supreme Court of Criminal Appeal ruled today that the punishment was appropriate.
World Series of Blackjack -- The GameShow Network changed its name to GSN yesterday, and last night it aired the first of seven episodes of the World Series of Blackjack. The show features a format similar to the World Poker Tour's, with broadcast commentators and statistics. GSN is also introducing five new games on its website that correspond directly to the channel's broadcasts. Players can participate in a free blackjack tournament that takes place while the World Series of Blackjack airs. The winner is the player with the most money at the end of the program.
Carruthers Speaks -- In a recent press release, BetonSports.com's CEO David Carruthers argued that legislation in the United States should be based on three main principals. The first principal is that the states, not the federal government, should develop online gaming regulations; after all, the states draft legislation for horse racing, lotteries, and casinos. Second, he says, the same consumer protections that exist in land-based betting should extend to online gaming. Third, prohibition--the route the government seems to be taking by preventing media companies from running advertisements for the industry--is the wrong course of action.
Quoteworthy -- "I think it’s fair to say that not only have we been overtaken, we’re eating dust"-- Roger Smeed, IASBet, speaking at the Pacific Conference on I-Gaming last week regarding Australia's no longer being the world leader in online gambling.