
Stoke City player Matthew Etherington, who says their addiction to gambling made him socially withdrawn. a brand new study says athletes may be more prone to be issue gamblers.
Problem gamblers are far more represented among top level athletes into the UK, a fact that could be a hidden epidemic of alarming proportions. That’s according to a new research that’s based on confidential interviews with 350 Uk soccer players and cricketers.
The research, which was carried out by social research experts NatGen on behalf of the Professional Players Federation, the umbrella body for players’ unions, spoke to 170 professional footballers from the English Premier League down and 176 professional cricketers, from international level down, and discovered that the frequency of problem gamblers on the list of group ended up being slightly over three times greater than that of young in the population that is general.
Of the sample that is total, 6.1 percent were deemed to be problem gamblers, while an additional 12 % were regarded as being ‘at danger.’ In the event that sample dimensions are truly representative of all top level athletes, then, when the information is extrapolated, the research suggests that around 200 pro soccer players and cricketers have serious dilemmas, and 440 on top of that are ‘at threat of gambling problems and [have] patterns of not looking for help.’
Nurture or nature?
‘This research shows there’s a considerably higher level of gambling dilemmas among professional recreations individuals compared to the wider population,’ said analysis Director at NatCen Heather Wardle. ‘It is interesting to question why this may be. Can it be due to a betting culture? Can it be something about athletes’ personalities or maybe a combination of those two?’
It’s undoubtedly a question sports governing bodies should really be asking themselves, particularly as it’s believed that players with gambling problems are more susceptible to approaches that are match-fixing.
The English Football Association (FA) announced that through the 2014/15 season all players in English soccer is prohibited from wagering, not merely on tournaments by which their team is included, as was previously the full case, but from all football matches anywhere in the world. Last year Spurs and England winger Andros Townsend and Norwich striker Cameron Jerome were both fined by the FA for breaching its gambling regulations.
Duty of Care
‘There is an urgent need to break down the stigma attached to issue gambling in sport. Sportsmen are an obvious ‘at danger’ group while the whole of professional sport includes a responsibility of care to these men that are young’ says Brendon Batson, chairman of the Professional Players’ Federation. ‘We all have to work together to expand and improve the practice that is good exists on training and treatment for problem gambling.’
Various EPL soccer players came clean in days gone by about their betting habits, including Newcastle forward Michael Chopra, who has admitted to blowing millions on gambling and was also charged with race manipulations by the British Horseracing Authority. Stoke’s Matthew Etherington meanwhile confessed to losing £1.5 million on greyhounds, horses and poker, and said their gambling addiction made him socially withdrawn.
‘There are several issues here,’ says General Secretary for the PFF Simon Taylor. ‘There is a duty of care to the players. In addition want players playing well so you need to appear after them. You need effective education, and treatment in spot for those who want it and will require help … Sport needs to look at the tradition it’s creating around young players.’
Paul Phua Pleads Not Guilty in Las Vegas Sports Betting Case, Feds Want $13M
Paul Phua and his son Darren will plead not guilty to fees that they helped run an unlawful activities ring that is betting of a Caesars Put villa in Las vegas, nevada. (Image: AP)
Paul Phua and his son Darren want to enter not bad pleas this week, they helped operate an illegal sports betting ring out of a Caesars Palace villa in Las Vegas during this year’s World Cup event as they vow to continue fighting charges that claim.
The two men had been alone on the list of eight initial defendants in the case. Five others have decided to plead guilty and the defendant that is eighth had his case dismissed.
‘We are not responsible as we always maintained,’ said David Chesnoff, the attorney representing both Phuas. ‘It is our intention to fight the unconstitutional conduct of the government that is federal our consumers and for the public.’
Phuas Will Challenge Proof, FBI Procedure
The Phuas’ protection may rest more heavily on exactly how proof was gathered and used, instead than on claims that these people weren’t active in the sports ring that is betting se.
In July, FBI agents caused casino and A internet service provider to cut the Internet connection off to the property suspected of hosting the gambling ring. That caused the defendants to call for technology support, after which agents pretended become service personnel so as to enter the villa and simply take video clip.
That video was then used as evidence to get a warrant for a raid that is later which led to the arrest of the defendants. Defense lawyers maintain that manipulating the situation by cutting off Internet access was a violation of their customers’ Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure.
In more recent filings, lawyers have said that the government claimed that Paul Phua and other defendant Richard Yong had been casino-online-australia.net members of the 14K Triad, one worldwide’s largest criminal businesses, without much actual proof to straight back that claim up. But just what ‘flimsy’ evidence they did have was used to help convince a judge that is federal let the raid that resulted in their arrest.
Officials also allege that the Macau casino junket that ended up being used to help settle bets with some customers is connected with Cheung Chi-Tai, a person who’s reportedly a leader of the Wo Hop To Triad situated in Hong Kong.
Five Consent to Plea Deals, One Has Charges Dropped
As the Phuas have outlined their defense, five other defendants have decided to end their cases after negotiating plea agreements. Richard Yong, Yan Zhang, Yung Keung Fan, and Herman Chun Sang Yeung struck deals that may allow them to plead bad to misdemeanors before US District Judge Andrew Gordon later on this week.
Hui Tang will also plead guilty to a felony gambling charge.
All five are required become sentenced this week, with probation being the most likely phrase. That would make it possible in order for them to come back to their homes, most of which have been in Southeast Asia. The final defendant, Wai Kin Yong (son of Richard Yong) has had all charges against him dismissed.
It’s likely that the resolution of this case will also involve the forfeiture of significant assets by the defendants. Federal prosecutors say they hope to recover as much as $13 million from the seven defendants that are remaining. That could include more than $650,000 in casino and cash chips along with cellular phones, iPads and computers, all of that has been seized throughout the raid on the villas.
December Trump Taj Mahal Delays Closing Date to Late
The Trump Taj Mahal may still shut, but the date for that turn off was pressed right back until at least 20 december. (Image: Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger)
The Trump Taj Mahal still plans to close in December, nevertheless the final day’s operations has been pushed back by eight days to December 20. That delay comes as moms and dad company Trump Entertainment Resorts continues to negotiate on several fronts, including aided by the continuing state of the latest Jersey, the city of Atlantic City, and the union that represents lots of its workers.
As has been the full instance for a few weeks now, both Trump Entertainment Resorts and investor Carl Icahn, whom could possibly turn the financial obligation he owns into control of the casino, say that they would be willing to keep the Trump Taj Mahal open, but only on their terms.
That would consist of having neighborhood 54 of the UNITE HERE union drop its appeal of a bankruptcy court ruling that would permit the casino to break their contract with employees. They would also require significant tax relief from the town and state.
‘The Trump Taj Mahal is currently involved in a last ditch effort to obtain extra financial the assistance of Atlantic City and/or the State of New Jersey,’ said Senior Vice President for Marketing Operations Kathleen McSweeney in a statement. ‘We remain hopeful that the contract can be reached allowing the Trump Taj Mahal to remain open.’
Operations Winding Down Despite Delay
Nevertheless, there are signs that the Taj Mahal still expects to power down on the new date, at least for the minute. Early week that is last the resort closed one of its resort towers and stopped issuing credit to gamblers who have been nevertheless playing into the casino. McSweeney also said that some workers are now working fewer hours being a consequence of operations winding straight down throughout the Taj Mahal.
On the other side, bankruptcy filings from Trump Entertainment Resorts included information that suggested the closing date could yet be revised once again to keep to go out of room for all parties to negotiate.
‘The debtors continue steadily to make progress with respect to different efforts that are critical to your success of these chapter 11 instances and their ability to keep the Taj open, and so it stays possible that the present proposed closing date for the Taj…will be further extended,’ the business penned.
Tax Stabilization Bill Could Meet Demands
Possibly the most likely way to obtain help could be a tax stabilization plan that is increasingly being evaluated within the state legislature. That plan was approved by the State Senate budget committee after Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian testified in favor of the bill monday.
‘ we do believe this legislation is planning to save the Taj from closing,’ said Guardian. ‘It’s precisely what the proposed new owner has been asking for.’
Each of the next two years, and then $120 million for each of the next 13 years, with possible adjustments should gambling revenues change dramatically under the proposed plan, Atlantic City casinos would pay a total of $150 million in lieu of taxes.
This would allow both the casinos to be certain in their income tax expenses, while the populous city may have more certainty in budgeting for the future. The bill would also redirect some funds to help pay the city off’s debts, and would guarantee at least the absolute minimum level of health advantages for Atlantic City casino workers.