
***Bryan Zuriff, Ray Donovan producer***
Instead of creating a compelling drama, Showtime series Ray Donovan producer Bryan Zuriff is featuring in his own crime series, it appears, and it’s not having an extremely happy closing for the troubled Hollywood mogul. Zuriff has entered a plea that is guilty the Southern District Court of New York the Department of Justice arm that indicted Zuriff, along with 33 others, back in April of this present year for a high-profile Russian mob-spearheaded, arranged crime Internet sportsbetting and high-stakes poker syndicate ring. The plea was for Zuriff’s indictment on felony gambling charges and ended up being received by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara the other day.
Plea Deal and Forfeiture
Specifically, Zuriff’s fees include running an unlawful sports gambling business, transmission of sports wagering information across state lines, and acceptance of financial instruments for illegal Internet gambling; he has only pled guilty, as of now, towards the last charge, and could receive as much as 5 years within the joint for their role in the gambling scandal that is international. Moreover, the producer will even have to forfeit half of a million dollars to meet the terms of their plea deal with the Feds. He now awaits sentencing on Nov. 25 three times before Thanksgiving and two before the start of (very early) Hanukkah this year so it will be a really fun holiday season for Zuriff in 2010. Maybe he should eat their turkey early; we hear the stuff they provide in prison isn’t served by Martha Stewart (anymore).
Zuriff had been apparently as busy being fully a high-end bookie as he had been working on sets; Bharara’s statements concerning the plea deal said that the producer ‘spanned the coasts along with his crimes,’ as he was running illegal sportsbetting operations from both LaLa Land in Hollywood, aswell as helping run the show back in the the big apple, underneath the view of art dealer Hillel Nahmad and other Russian big-time players. Zuriff’s plea deal wraps up Bharara’s work on this situation due to the fact conviction that is final what the attorney has termed ‘this sprawling script of criminal conduct.’ Maybe Zuriff can write some new scripts to be shopped while in his cell; he must have plenty of time on their fingers.
Bestseller in the Making
With Hollywood never shy about making money off a scandal not even when unique members are involved (individual or parts of the body), word is that another high-profile person of notoriety who was part of this circle is already composing her own book about it. ‘Poker madam’ Molly Bloom also indicted by the DoJ earlier this year is said to be bandying about lots of big movie star names in her tome, possibly including Spiderman actor Tobey Maguire, whom 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 a huge selection of little bank accounts along with shell organizations produced 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 class wealth in that which was previously the Soviet Union has established a whole new underground for tapping into the worldwide and enormous -illegal sportsbetting market, with potentially billions in hidden profits (unless they have busted, as happened here, needless to say.) ‘We’re seeing businessmen that are higher-rolling in these kinds of instances,’ Galeotti noted. The rollers that are high bookies are left with the problem ‘of racking your brains on just what to complete with suitcases full of cash, and that leads to the cash laundering,’ he added.
Now why a successful Hollywood producer got involved in each of this, placing their own money, reputation and actual life on the line: that’s a good topic for a crime mystery that is future. Meanwhile, all the publicity zuriff that is surrounding hasn’t hurt their show; it was just found for another season by Showtime with only three shows having aired up to now.
Stations Casinos Jumping into the Mobile Sports Betting Fray
******Sports Connection Mobile’s new app******
The delicate party between land casinos and online wagering continues to unfold, as Nevada’s first legal and regulated internet poker site provider, Stations Casinos, is currently launching a sports betting application for mobile device users. Named Sports Connection Mobile, the app means that gamblers are now able to bet on their favorite sports from the simplicity and comfort of their mobile devices and tablets.
Going Public
Recently approved by Nevada’s gaming overseers after a rigorous field trial, Sports Connection Mobile can now go beyond its initial advertising field of just Stations’ 16 Southern Nevada casino clients, and spread its wings to the overall populace (including tourists) for the Silver State. And never 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 is fantastic for the development potential associated with the sports wagering industry,’ said Station Casinos Vice President of Sports Book Operations Art Manteris.
Stations isn’t the first to go mobile, though; well-known sportsbook operators William Hill and Cantor Gaming beat them to the punch. As with online poker, in purchase to put a bet, players will physically need to be located and traceable via mobile GPS within the borders of Nevada.
Much like their online poker site, there will be considered 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, offering gamblers more customer power more quickly. Any wins and player rewards can be redeemed from then any Stations Casinos home in Nevada.
‘That’s a big difference because it ties our application to the gambling enterprises,’ said Manteris of the brand new channels’ mobile app.
Still Live Appeal
Will the ability to bet from home mean fewer casino that is actual show up to bet reside? Manteris says no. ‘There is still nothing can beat watching the occasion in one of our books. But we know that sometimes life gets in the way. The application keeps a consumer within the game.’
Channels is making yes as many customers stay static in the overall game as possible; they’ve developed pc software for iPhones, iPads, Androids and now have a Sports Connection Intranet product that presumably will take care of anyone else. Anyone of legal age (21+) can signal up for the app at any Stations Casino sports book, or at the downtown El Cortez; Stations has become managing that property’s sports guide. A $50 wagering deposit is needed upon signup. Bet minimums will likely be $5 and bets may be placed on all major events that are sporting. Players will have a way to reload with either cash, credit cards or debit cards, nonetheless it must be done in individual. Wagers include parlay cards, straight bets, teasers, prop bets, circular robins and wagering that is in-game.
William Hill and Cantor Gaming were recently forced to convert all their sports gambling kiosks to mobile sports betting adjuncts just in just about any of the Nevada smaller pubs 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 casinos stated the action that is miniscule cutting too heavily into their casino customers’ business.
Now as William Hill and Cantor Gaming curently 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 known as the Strip’s red-headed stepchild: mocked and minimized as the poorer, less exciting, less part that is glamorous of City. But a slow but renovation that is steady started in regards to a decade ago, one which includes the addition of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Zappos headquarters, and a museum devoted to Las Vegas’ Mafia heritage by having an actual Mob Museum. Little by little respectability was returning to a place when littered with drug addicts and hookers that are low-budget.
Fremont Street Moves Up
The Fremont Street Experience, of course built in the mid 1990s transformed exactly what had for years been called ‘Glitter Gulch’ for its plethora of rather tacky neon casino indications right into a genuine, if notably middle class, tourist destination, and pushed the downtown area towards what its becoming today: a spot where things happen and big names desire to be seen. Now the entire world of Muay Thai will likely be adding some pizzazz to that growing elan, with a planned September fight night that is 20th.
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 which makes up most of downtown’s tourist trade. And the impending match dubbed ‘Lion Fight 11’ will be televised live and sanctioned and supervised, the same as boxing is at its uptown relative’s venues. The game of Muay Thai works perfectly for Fremont Street, since it’s all more chilli slot machine play free online done standing up, as opposed to mixed martial arts. And there must be more kicks and punches exchanged than in worthwhile New that is drunken year Eve melee.
Naturally, this being Vegas, there is 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 just take destination in a ring on Third Street, conveniently located appropriate outside the D, where without doubt they’ll get tons of TV time. Maybe interestingly, the battle would be the first sports event ever nationally televised live from Fremont Street.
Huge TV Viewership Expected
Cable network AXS has got the televising liberties, and expect big viewership numbers, particularly for a bout featuring Japanese champ Tetsuya Yamato duking it out with American pugilist Kevin Ross. The network claims a potential viewing audience around the world of 42 million.
‘It’s an iconic location, so we’re likely to have the lights and the glitz and the views on camera that night,’ said AXS CEO Andrew Simon. ‘Our viewers are going to say, ‘Man, that’s the Fremont Street Experience.’ It’s a national tourism destination. This is a great way to show the downtown off to a national audience.’
The battle is expecting lots of real time audience appeal, too. Promoters Lion Fight Promotions say they have 1,700 seats, with 1,200 of those being for ‘reserved seating.’
Fremont Street Experience bigwigs are looking towards the function being a huge marketing blast 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 television aspect was compelling for the Fremont Street Experience.’