In a brief statement, 888 Holdings Ltd., which has been publicly traded on the exchange since 2005, said:

“Harrah’s, which is registered with the Nevada Gaming Commission (’NGC’), submitted to the NGC and the Nevada State Gaming Control Board an application for a finding of suitability concerning (Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment’s) supplier relationship with Dragonfish. The application relates to state law in Nevada that covers Nevada gaming companies conducting gaming outside the state of Nevada.”

Dragonfish, a subsidiary of 888, has a long-term agreement with Harrah’s subsidiary, Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, to provide the technology and services to operate online gambling sites for the World Series of Poker and Caesars casino brands. The Web sites are only available to citizens of the United Kingdom and cannot be accessed by Americans.

The application by Harrah’s, filed under the Foreign Gaming Act, marks the first time Nevada gaming regulators have been asked to investigate the suitability of an online gaming company that took wagers from American gamblers before the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act in 2006.

The law covers a Nevada gaming company’s dealings with a foreign business. It was the law used in 2007 when gaming regulators found Hong Kong businesswoman Pansy Ho to be a suitable business partner for MGM Mirage in their shared ownership of the MGM Grand Macau.

Quoting official sources, journo Jeff Montgomery has revealed that the first week’s betting revenues have been lower than predicted, with Delaware’s casinos handling $257 870 in sports wagers on National Football League action.

And although it is still early days in the new market, Montgomery observes: “Even without deductions for payments to winners among the more than 14 500 people who placed bets, the total was only a fraction of the weekly average needed to produce the $3 million earnings share forecast for the state general fund when lawmakers approved the venture earlier this year.”

The state government headed by Governor Jack Markell had originally based its budget-deficit-closing calculations on a year-round, single- and multiple-game wagering regime on a variety of sports. But last month, a federal appeals court barred Delaware from allowing anything more than “parlay” bets on three or more NFL matches, restraining the new venture’s capacity.

“The first weekend numbers are encouraging,” said Joe Rogalsky, a spokesman for the governor. “Clearly we don’t have the flexibility that we had hoped for to make it as lucrative as possible.”

Political opponents were less sanguine, with House Minority Leader Richard C. Cathcart remarking: “If we only have the NFL betting, we’re in deep trouble. It’s obviously critical that we win at least that part of our argument in the appeal that we’re allowed to bet other sports, because that’s the only way this thing survives.”

Responding, Rogalsky said it was a “fair assessment” that a state economic forecasting agency will have to reduce revenue estimates from sports betting when they meet Monday. Court-sanctioned terms would allow betting only during about 20 weeks out of the year.

Supporters of the sports betting proposal had predicted full-year state revenues of about $17 million overall, which included $14 million in “crossover” slot machine play attributed to increased casino traffic because of sports betting opportunities.

Acting Finance Secretary Tom Cook said the state’s three casinos reported slots play did rebound last week after a 5.7 percent decline following the national economic downturn. By comparison, slots receipts were down only 0.3 percent last week compared with the previous year.

“Most of the anticipated boost in revenue was going to come from crossover slots play,” said House Majority Leader Peter C. Schwartzkopf. “If we picked up 5 percent in the middle of a recession, I think that’s a pretty good sign. We just need to continue on.”

Lawmakers agreed the state would take 50 percent of total receipts after payments to winners and after assigning 15.62 percent of the remainder to a game contractor. Casinos would receive 40 percent and the state’s horse racing industry 10 percent.

Bill Fasy, Delaware Park’s chief operating officer, said in a written statement that sports betting “brought new customers to Delaware Park and significantly increased our traffic over the weekend. As more people learn about this product the greater the potential is for this segment of our business to grow.”

Emilio Gomez joined the board late 2007, and his resignation takes immediate effect, the statement advises.

Following his departure the Board of Directors once again has a balance of independent and non-independent directors (excluding the chairman) and therefore complies with the Combined Code on Corporate Governance.

The new Bonus Poker game gives players a chance to double their winnings after any winning hand. Players can play 1, 3, 5, 10, 25 or even 50 hands at a time on the new Bonus Poker video poker game, where Jacks or Better returns the bet, two pairs pay double, and three of a kind triples it. Four of a kind payout is disappointing on many Jacks or Better games but in Bonus Poker it pays up to x40.

After every winning hand, players can collect their winnings or choose to play a Bonus Game where they can double the winnings on that hand if they can predict which of 4 hidden cards is greater than the one that’s dealt face up.

In a clear reference to recent launches of brand themed online slots by major software providers, WinADay.com manager Ondrej Tuma remarked: “We don’t do comic book characters or super heroes – we let our in-house designers come up with original ideas and sometimes their imaginations really run wild!

“When they first showed me what they’d come up for Bonus Poker I almost wanted to take a bite of it – I thought it looked almost like candy. Anyway, it feels FUN which is what a game is supposed to be!”

To appeal to a wide variety of different nationalities, Casino 1.9 is available in eleven languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Swedish, Hungarian, Latvian and Portuguese.

The trio of new slot games includes Cats And Cash, which is a five-reel 15-payline title featuring feline characters that are more interested in catching cash, jewelry and gold bars than mice. A wild cat helps players comprise winning combinations worth double the prize while competitors can earn the chance to participate in two gameshow-style bonus rounds.

The second new title, Fortune Teller, is a five-reel 20-payline slot where players can win free spins by gazing into a crystal ball that has gone wild. There is also a bonus round offering tarot cards that are read to determine the prize.

The final new title is Photo Safari, which is a five-reel 20-payline slot that allows players to frolic among friendly and photogenic animals. When the drums beat, players can win free spins before using a bonus symbol to comprise winning combinations for extra cash.

“For the sake of our clients, we aim to keep online casino players entertained with a steady supply of colourful new games thanks to our creative development team,” said Johan Tornqvist, Chief Executive Officer for Play’n Go.

The four new instant-play mini games released as part of Casino 1.9 can be enjoyed within other applications and comprise Bell Of Fortune, Gift Shop, Golden Goal and Speed Cash. These three-reel slots offer players the chance to win a portion of a shared progressive jackpot and are available in standard casino versions as well as mini 160 by 120 and 160 by 224 formats.

Do you think your poker game is up to scratch? If you do, and you fancy pitting your skills against WSOP world champions Jamie Gold (2006 World Champion) and Peter Eastgate (2008 World Champion), register your interest at http://www.pokerinthepark.com/jamie-gold-charity-tournament.html and put your money where your mouth is. The tournament is being held at the Casino at the Empire on Thursday 13th of August at 7:30, alongside Europe’s biggest poker festival, Poker in the Park.

This unique opportunity to play against two world champion poker players is being held to benefit the Jamie Gold Foundation, a charity set up by Gold following his record-breaking $12,000,000 World Series of Poker victory. The tournament buy-in is a £500 charitable donation to the Jamie Gold Foundation, and gets you into the fray with not just Gold and Eastgate, but with football legend Teddy Sherringham, TV actor Michael Greco, musician Mark Chadwick of the Levellers and poker pro JJ Hazan. (Players may also play for their seat at £50 sit’n go satellite tournament held all Thursday at the Casino at the Empire).

£20,000 of prizes for winners have been generously donated and include a seat to the London EPT donated by Poker Stars, a package to the Unibet Open, a tailor-made Gresham Blake Suit, a week’s poker training in Las Vegas, a pop star experience, a safari park expedition, a custom poker table, a custom chip set and several items of jewellery.

The Jamie Gold Foundation supports a number of charities including The Muscular Dystrophy Association/ALS Division, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, The Montel Williams MS Foundation, Sunflower Children, Covenant House, The Fallen Heroes Fund, The Fulfillment Fund and The Abolish Slavery Coalition.

The Jamie Gold Foundation Charity Tournament is held alongside Poker in the Park, Europe’s largest Poker Festival. Poker in the Park takes place in Leicester Square, London on Thursday the 13th of August (5pm - 9:30pm) and Friday, August 14th (12:00 pm - 9:30pm). It is free to enter and has everything for the poker enthusiast, including free live poker tournaments every hour, free lectures from the biggest names in poker, free personal poker tuition, heads up play, poker books and gear and much, much more.

The banks, which are being sued by Fontainebleau Las Vegas for backing out of a loan agreement, also believe the Strip resort’s debt levels would far exceed its market value if it opens next year.

The developer told its lenders in April that it would cost nearly $1.5 billion to complete the project, according to a court declaration filed in bankruptcy court by Henry Yu, senior vice president of Bank of America.

The project already carries nearly $1.7 billion in debt, which would push the project’s debt to $3.2 billion upon opening, Yu said.

“It is clear that the project at completion will have liabilities far exceeding its assets” unless the $1.7 billion in existing debt is “compromised,” Yu said in the filing.

The banks’ arguments will be at issue Monday when Bankruptcy Judge A. Jay Cristol considers Fontainebleau Las Vegas developer’s request for a summary judgment against the banks.

The developer sued a group of banks and is asking the court to order them to release the $656 million so work on the project can be restarted.

Construction on the Strip resort was stopped after the developers’ filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy because of the banks’ decision to withhold the money.

The banks have said the money was withheld because of concerns the project was in default and having cost overruns.

Fontainebleau Las Vegas’ developer has insisted there was no default, and even if there was, that the banks were obligated to provide the committed financing.

“The banks improperly terminated their contractual obligation to lend the money for this project,” Fontainebleau said in a statement Thursday. “Nothing they say — all of which is distorted and wrong — relieves them of that obligation.”

Fontainebleau, which is owned by Miami-based developer Jeffrey Soffer, has said a third party is ready to finance the rest of the project if the banks release the money.

Although that party has not been named, sources say private equity firm Apollo Management could be Fontainebleau’s white knight.

Apollo, which co-owns Harrah’s Entertainment, completed raising $14.8 billion for its latest investment fund, Apollo Investment Fund VII, in January.

An attorney for the fund has attended some of the Miami court hearings, and the firm has been buying up some of the project’s debt at a discount, two sources have said.

The Review-Journal reported June 20 that representatives from Harrah’s and Apollo toured the project, which is 70 percent complete.

People familiar with the situation said that if Apollo were to acquire the project, it would be owned separately from Harrah’s, although the casino giant would manage and operate the property.

The banks are arguing the developers knew they wouldn’t be able to meet their financial commitments months before they requested the $656 million.

Fontainebleau officials told the lenders in April, Yu said, the maximum debt that the project could manage with projected cash flow is $1.4 billion.

The company tried to persuade the holders of a $675 million mortgage note to “extinguish” it and convert a portion of the credit facilities to equity.

“This again confirms the project had been insolvent well before Fontainebleau filed for bankruptcy protection on June 9,” Yu said.

Williams, who died May 13, was the first woman to hold the positions of a major executive of a casino, chairman of a Nevada bank and president of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Williams was chairwoman of Harrah’s Entertainment from 1983 to 2006 and in 1992 became the first woman inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame.

Persons who want to attend the scheduled 90-minute memorial are asked to RSVP by calling 369-5217.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the person’s favorite charity.

PokerNews: Hi, Salvatore. Please introduce yourself to our readers:

Salvatore “Sasa80” Tomaciello: Hi. I’m Salvatore (“Sasa80” for online friends) and I’m from Benevento, Italy.

I started playing online poker four years ago, just for fun, in order to discover the secrets of Texas Hold’em. At first I wasn’t so brave, playing only lower-stakes tourneys. But in these last months, consistent winnings on several rooms allowed me to get in bigger tournaments and sit-’n'-goes, such as the Sunday Million. I dedicate most part of my time to this game, when I don’t work or follow others’ progress. I play most nights!
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PN: How long have you been a member of the Pokernews.it family?

Sasa80: I know PokerNews very well, and I registered my account several years ago. I immediately found myself comfortable, thanks to the helpfulness and professionalism of the whole staff and the guys in the forum. I’ll never stop thanking them for all the compliments they’ve been giving to me.

PN: It was a very long night in your Sunday Million triumph. You made it to second place by seven a.m. 7.00 a.m. and then, finally, you took it down. The Sunday Million is historically among the most important events an online player can win. Please tell us about the vital hands.

Sasa80: As the tournament went on, I can tell you that my adrenalin was very high. I was the chip leader for at least three hours, and I could not afford to have any fall in energy. Furthermore, a great dose of coffee and cigarettes helped me to stay wide awake!

To me, the definitive hand was the one where, short-stacked and holding , I called a maxi-raise from the other four players. The flop came with two clubs and I called all in. I was rewarded on the river when a club gave me the flush. Then I knew that it could be my night! In another crucial hand, with 20 players left, my A-A faced the actual chip leader, who held 88. The board held for me and almost guaranteed me to make the final table. Once I arrived there, I obviously played to win.

I’ll tell you the truth: the final heads-up game didn’t make me particularly tense, since I started playing it with a three-to-one edge on my opponent, and I could quite safely dominate the game with it.

PN: What is the most important mistake to avoid during these tournaments?

Sasa80: In my opinion, the one mistake people often make is to overact, in order to get their chips in all at once. On the contrary, you need to be patient and wait for the right time to strike. I personally adopt, especially online, a particularly aggressive style, but I’m always aware of when I have to fold. This is, I think, one of the most important things in this game. You know, everybody has a certain playing style, and I don’t think it’s correct to criticize or praise some of these other styles. Let the play on the felt decide it!

PN: Do you think that this win will make you a poker pro? Did you think about this chance?

Sasa80: It’s fascinating to me, thinking of enjoying the world of professionals players. But a simple tourney win, even if for an important and respected one like the Sunday Million, cannot make the difference between being a pro and an amateur. It could be a first step, if you really want go through this way. Actually I’d like to enjoy a sponsorship deal to play in live events, too, but now I want only to enjoy my win and complete a couple of projects I had in mind, such as buying a new car and enjoying a great trip to Las Vegas with my lover and my friends.

PN: Has your life changed? What do your parents and friends say about your win?

Sasa80: Yes, sure my life changed; this win has opened doors that I couldn’t even imagine, not only in the poker world but beyond. I want to mention that I’m particularly proud to be the first of what I hope will be a long list of Italian citizens who won the best online poker tournament of all!

PN: We have heard that you want to host an online tournament. Why?

Sasa80: I’m going to host a freeroll that will allow the top finalists to enter in a future Sunday Million or similar tournament. I hope that they can feel the same emotions I felt Sunday night.

PN: Can you leave us a greeting and a tip for your peers in the Pokernews.it forum?

Sasa80: A great hail to the PokerNews staff and to the guys of the “great forum family”. I want to say: Perseverance always pays! And a particular embrace to my local poker peers (on Wednesdays) in Benevento, specially to “Bambulella”!

Full Tilt Announces $25,000 Heads-Up Championship — Here’s something new under the online sun. On Saturday, May 24th, and continuing into Sunday, May 25th, Full Tilt Poker will hold a high-stakes, heads-up championship. Think of it as the online version of NBC’s popular National Heads-Up Poker Championship; after all, with a $25,000 buy-in and several of Full Tilt’s biggest names already on board, it’ll feature many of the same players. The event will have a maximum of 64 players, but will go off only when each level is completely full; if 64 players don’t register, then the field will be rolled back down to 32, or to 16, or to whatever level constitutes a complete, no-byes bracket. It’s a safe bet that 64 players will give this one a try, regardless. It’s also the largest ever buy-in for an online, heads-up freezeout event.

Land-Based Casinos Suffer Rough First Quarter –- Who says the housing-market and credit crunches aren’t being felt in the gambling industry? Nationwide, America’s major gambling entertainment corporations posted either reduced profits or outright losses for the first quarter of 2008. A number of online firms fared poorly as well, although online software provider Playtech was one of the few exceptions after signing several new licensees of late.

May 15 Hearing, PPA Rally in Rousso Case — Lee Rousso’s day in court occurs (or will have occurred, depending on when you read this), on Thursday, May 15th. Rousso, the Poker Players Alliance representative for the state of Washington, is also a practicing attorney who has mounted a legal challenge to that state’s controversial law making playing online poker a felony, a law Rousso and many others believe is unconstitutional. Rousso’s hearing will be supported by a PPA rally and press conference, with Andy Bloch and Barry Greenstein among those making the trip to Washington to attend.

Kayleigh Bounced as WPT Hostess — Brit-born poker hostess Layla Kayleigh looked as if she might finally be the one to permanently fill the shoes of long-departed original World Poker Tour hostess Shana Hiatt when the WPT’s sixth season began, but alas, it was not to be. Kayleigh, like Courtney Friel and Sabina Gadecki before her, was released after just one season in the role. Auditions for the hostess spot have begun again, with current online video reporter Kimberly Lansing reportedly among the favorites.