
The MGM Grand Sanya has hosted the WPT National Asia poker competition for the last three years.
The planet Poker Tour is using steps to increase its existence in Asia by signing a licensing and promotional agreement with Ourgame International.
Ourgame and the WPT have worked together in the past, including having partnered generate the WPT National China poker tournament.
Ourgame is an online card and board game company with a strong presence in several Asian areas.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ourgame could have the exclusive right to make use of the WPT logo and trademarks in over a dozen Asian nations, including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The offer also includes a deal that is non-exclusive Japan. The certification agreement shall be in effect for seven years.
WPT Hopes to Expand Footprint in Asia
‘The World Poker Tour has worked difficult to expand its footprint throughout Asian territories over the past several years with much success,’ said WPT President Adam Pliska. ‘A big part of this success was based on our strong working partnership with Ourgame, who established WPT National China at MGM Grand Sanya.’
‘By working together with Ourgame to grow the WPT brand in Asia, we are assuring that the recent strong growth of the WPT in your community will carry on for numerous years into the future,’ he added.
The ability to use one of the world’s most powerful poker brands as they work to expand their reach through the region for Ourgame, the move gives the company.
‘As China’s leading card and game platform, we are extremely pleased to have found a great worldwide partner in the World Poker Tour, as we start to expand from China to Asia,’ said Ourgame CEO Frank Ng. ‘Over the previous three years, we have worked together to maybe not just establish WPT National China as certainly one of the biggest and many influential poker events in Asia, but also introduced world-class poker tournaments to the fast-expanding Chinese poker community.’
The WPT’s brand and international experience is a significant asset to us that we will together achieve much more success in Asia. once we expand overseas, and we have every self-confidence’
China Could Be Major Development Marketplace for Poker
Asia, and Asia in particular, are expected to be big growth markets for poker in the coming years.
Which could come being a surprise for some, considering the gambling that is restrictive in spot in mainland China that normally send Chinese gamblers to Macau or other destinations when they would like to spot their bets.
Nevertheless the WPT has managed to launch one or more poker that is major on the mainland, one which has quite an interesting tale behind it. For a long time, Asia didn’t have much of a poker scene, at minimum not just one that played the kinds of games you would find at the planet number of Poker.
Rather, Chinese gamblers played a game known as tractor poker, a two deck game with jokers by which players tried to win tricks, as in connection or spades.
Wanting access to China, the WPT effectively won a license to televise the nationwide Tractor Poker Tournament in the country starting in 2007. Round the time that is same Macau casinos started offering Texas Hold’em and other conventional kinds of poker, raising interest in those games throughout the region.
In 2012, the WPT was given permission by the China Leisure Sports Administration to change their tournament to a no-limit hold’em format: a change that has now remained in destination for days gone by three years.
Vegas Soccer Stadium Approved by City Council
An artist’s rendition of how the completed Las Vegas soccer arena may look. The record handle foe the Las Vegas sports books during the World Cup suggests there might be a huge appetite for soccer in Las Vegas. (Image: ftw.usatoday.com)
Major League Soccer in Las Vegas moved one step closer to your objective line this week, as the Las Vegas City Council voted 4-3 to approve subsidies for a controversial $200 million arena project that hopes to entice the sport to the city.
The City Council has agreed to contribute $25 million towards the construction associated with the venue that is 24,000-seat Symphony Park, plus a further $31.5 million on improving infrastructure at the site.
Meanwhile, the developers will contribute $133.5 million toward construction costs and will cover the price of acquiring the franchise, which is anticipated to top $100 million.
According to, Justin Findlay, managing partner of co-developers Findlay Sports and Entertainment, the stadium would take 18 to two years to build.
Should Las vegas, nevada not be chosen by MLS as an expansion team in advance, the stadium would not be built.
Mixed Feelings
Despite a real wish to have a major league team in Las vegas, nevada, reactions to the idea of a soccer team have been mixed, primarily due to issues about the fee to the taxpayer, and maybe partly because Us americans aren’t completely sure whether they love soccer enough yet, a factor that could impact the profitability associated with venture.
However, the Las Vegas recreations books are often a better indicator of the public mood in the matters than any survey ever could possibly be, and the record handle taken during the World Cup in June would suggest a Las Vegas appetite for soccer, and betting casino ladbrokes com on it, is huge.
The activities publications reported the handle that is biggest ever recorded throughout the month of June, often the slowest time of the 12 months. Some large sports books regarding the Strip also reported ‘NFL Football-like’ crowds Team USA that is watching matches.
The City Council has been negotiating the stadium deal with development partners Cordish Cos. and Findlay Sports and Entertainment since final might, however the concept of a downtown stadium has been around the pipeline for decades, and Mayor Carolyn Goodman, one of its most vocal proponents, stated it’s going to produce jobs and boost development that is economic.
Forward Thinking
‘ Our charge is to help the downtown sustain a viability as a accepted destination to come to,’ she said. ‘We’re ahead thinking and none of us like the status quo. You can’t go backwards.’
MLS was quick to issue a statement praising the council’s decision. ‘We applaud Mayor Goodman plus the Las Vegas City Council for approving the measure to support a public-private partnership to build a brand new soccer stadium in downtown Las Vegas,’ it said. ‘We look forward to continuing our conversations with all the Cordish Company and Findlay Sports & Entertainment regarding a potential expansion group for Las Vegas.’
Plus it is probably not the actual only real major recreations team winging its method to Las Vegas soon.
MGM Resorts Global is thought as in initial talks having a team that would like to bring A national Hockey League Team to Las Vegas to play at its $350 million sports that are new.
The 20,000-seater MGM-AEG Arena is currently under construction behind New York New York and is expected to be completed in early 2006.
Sam Nazarian Granted Gaming License Despite Checkered History
Sam Nazarian, who was awarded a gaming license by skin of his teeth; but he must have nothing to accomplish with all the day-to-day running of this casino. (Image: jewishbusiness.com)
Sam Nazarian, the man who redeveloped the Sahara to the boutique casino hotel SLS Las Vegas, had been awarded a small gaming license on Thursday after a grilling that is three-hour the Nevada Gaming Control Board about their private life and company deals.
The LA nightclub mogul was indeed likely to be refused a permit following disclosures during a recent routine hearing that he had lied about cocaine usage and had made around $3 million in payments to a man called Derrick Armstrong, a shadowy figure with a criminal history.
A few of this money had found its option to convicted racketeering criminal Suge Knight, the founder of Death Row records, investigators discovered.
In one especially surreal minute during Thursday’s hearing, Armstrong actually turned up demanding to handle the Gaming Commission himself, but had been arrested away from building on suspicion of grand theft and moving bad checks.
Substance Abuse
As owner of a ten percent stake in SLS, Nazarian is required by law to possess a license that is gaming as does anybody who owns more than 5 % of the casino in Nevada.
Three of the four-member Control Board panel said they had initially prepared to deny a license but softened their stance during the hearing, awarding a one-year gaming that is limited with a raft of conditions, certainly one of which stipulated that Nazarian must keep from involving himself in the day-to-day management for the casino.
He must also go through regular drug-testing.
Nazarian apologized to the Control Board for his dishonesty about his drug-taking and admitted previous use of ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis in which he is looking for help from a substance abuse expert in LA.
‘It’s not been easy looking into the mirror,’ Nazarian told the hearing. ‘I apologize to the gaming agents for not being candid. I also apologize to the board users. ‘My moms and dads are disappointed, but they are extremely supportive,’ he added.
The Nazarian family, which left its native Iran for the usa in the wake regarding the Iranian revolution, is among the richest Mizrahi Jewish families in the entire world, with an estimated fortune of $2 billion.
Extortion Claim
Nazarian said in a previous hearing that his relationship with Armstrong, who was convicted of drug offenses and money laundering, was based on extortion.
Nazarian said he met Armstrong in 1999 when he employed him to customize his number of exotic automobiles.
Armstrong then borrowed money from Nazarian to start a motor car shop, before demanding $1 million more while threatening to harm or embarrass him.
Nazarian reported the threats to your police in 2005 but continued making payments up until 2013.
‘All I require is really a possiblity to regain your trust,’ Nazarian said. ‘You’ve got my dedication, and i am sorry for the mistakes we made.’
‘I want the board with this investigation to drive you crazy,’ responded Tony Alamo, chairman of Gaming Commission, whom admitted this he had ‘never been this close’ to a vote for denial in six years in the task. ‘I think during this period that is limited’ve given you enough rope to hang yourself.’
Gaming Commissioner John Moran Jr said: ‘I’ve listened to you today and you swayed me a little. I wish to put sufficient conditions on you so that you do not mess up.’