Business/Financial
CoinDesk Removes Mt.Gox From Bitcoin Price Index
The world leader in news, prices and information on bitcoin and other digital currencies, CoinDesk.com, has taken the unprecedented step of removing exchange Mt.Gox from its bitcoin price index on Monday.
Russia Bans Bitcoin: Price Still Hovering Around $700
Russia banned the bitcoin this weekend, concluding a highly tumultuous week for the anonymous digital currency.
Miami Beach Police Make What Could be First Ever Bitcoin Vendor Arrests
Police in Miami Beach in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service’s Miami Electronic Crimes Task have arrested two men moving a large amounts of cash in and out of the Bitcoin virtual currency. Experts believe this could be the first case that bitcoin vendors have been charged with a crime.
Bitcoin Price Down Nearly 7 Percent Friday: Volatility Declining, BitBet.com Debuts
The price of bitcoin had dropped approximately 7 percent Friday, quite likely on news that one of the biggest exchanges, Mt.Gox, had stopped processing withdrawals temporarily.
The price of bitcoin had fallen to $686 but rebounded later in the evening to $703, matching the day’s opening price.
Bitcoin Community May Give Up on Mt. Gox Exchange
Following yet another currency withdrawal halt at bitcoin’s most famous exchange, Mt. Gox, traders in the anonymous digital currency may finally be willing to give up on the mysterious Japanese-based operation.
Apple Removes Blockchain Bitcoin Wallet Service App
(Reuters) - Bitcoin wallet service Blockchain was removed from Apple devices.
Apple has removed popular bitcoin wallet app Blockchain from its app stores in a major setback for the popular digital currency.
As a result, iPhone and iPad users do not have any bitcoin wallet options for their devices at present.
Rumors Abound: Zynga and BWin.Party to Join Forces in New Jersey
With Bwin.party’s social sports betting product nearing an initial beta-launch ahead of a full launch planned before the end of Q1, some stock forecasting sites are suggesting a possible partnership between both these big name firms in the state of New Jersey.
Bwin.Party is already the market leader in real time online gambling in the state of New Jersey since its launch in late November. The company enjoyed a head start over much of its competition.
Companies That Accept Bitcoin – Including Online Gambling
This week, NASDAQ.com released a listing of companies that accept bitcoin and these mainstream (some not-so-mainstream like Virgin Galactic perhaps) are listed below. But we also list online gambling companies that currently accept the anonymous digital currency as of February 1, 2014.
More Major Retailers Poised to Start Accepting Bitcoin in Wake of Overstock Success
On the heels of Overstock.com, the Sacramento Kings, two Las Vegas casino establishments and the popular online poker room Americas Cardroom each now embracing the anonymous digital currency bitcoin, other major retailers are about to follow suit.
Wynn Resorts Scheduled to Report Quarterly Results
Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) will announce its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th.
Shares of Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN) opened at 197.15 on Wednesday. Wynn Resorts has a 52 week low of $113.39 and a 52 week high of $216.99. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $195.5 and its 200-day moving average is $163.. The company has a market cap of $19.850 billion and a P/E ratio of 31.05.
Hearing on Bitcoin Turns Into Discussion Regarding Shortcomings of Banks
A Tuesday hearing about the anonymous digital currency bitcoin turned into a forum on the shortcomings of the traditional banking system.
Bitcoin Exec Charged With $1 Mil in Money Laundering Out on $1 Mil Bail
Charlie Shrem, CEO of one of the largest bitcoin exchanges BitInstant, was released on $1 million bond Tuesday for his alleged role in money laundering tied to the notorious Silk Road website.
Satoshi Square Becomes Gathering Spot for Bitcoin Traders on Wall Street (Video)
Every Monday night, Bitcoin traders holds a meet up called Satoshi Square, named in honor of Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, in which participants exchange virtual currencies for U.S.dollars. Previously, these meetings took place in a Whole Foods market on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Bitcoin Price Crosses $1000 Threshold Again: Leading Exchange Exec Arrested
Bitcoin prices rose above the $1,000 (€731, £606)-mark once again Monday, peaking at $1,038 on Tokyo-based MT Gox bitcoin exchange. This essentially countered the negative effects of a sell-off in emerging markets.
New Bitcoin Sportsbook CoinBet Debuts in Times Square: Hot or Dangerous Trend in 2014
A new bitcoin-only sportsbook made its debut smack in the middle of Times Square this past week, advertising on the Reuters interactive billboard.
Coinbet.cc is one of the newest online gambling sites to enter the lucrative bitcoin Web gaming market. This appears as if it will become a pretty significant trend as we move forward into 2014.
But it could prove to be a dangerous one as well.
Bitcoin Now Accepted at Two Vegas Casinos: The D Las Vegas and Golden Gate
The D Las Vegas and Golden Gate Hotel & Casino become the first properties in Sin City to begin accepting the alternative digital currency bitcoin.
Both establishments will start offering bitcoin transactions on Wednesday (January 22, 2014) for reservations, dining and gift purchases. Bitcoin will not immediately be offered in the casino itself for gambling purposes at either hotel.
The Golden Gate was recently upgraded. It is the oldest hotel in Las Vegas, having opened in 1906. The D Las Vegas is a much newer property.
Nordic Venture Capitalist Creates Biggest Bitcoin Exchange Database
A Nordic venture capitalists Creandum says it has build the world’s largest database of businesses dealing in the anonymous digital currency bitcoin.
From the Business Recorder:
Sacramento Kings, Overstock.com Begin Accepting Bitcoin
Americas Cardroom, the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise and Overstock.com all have begun to accept the anonymous digital currency bitcoin.
32Red.com Seeing Black With Record Profits Up 21 Percent in 2013
32Red.com, which has become one of the biggest online casino brands in the world, has reported an increase in revenues of 21 percent during the last 12 months (£38.8m in 2013 compared to £32.1m in 2012).
Ukrainian Network Nearly Took Control of Bitcoin Last Week
As Bitcoin, the alternative anonymous digital currency, becomes more widely accepted within the online gambling community (Americas Cardroom became the first major poker network to implement the option last week), operators remain skeptical….and perhaps with good reason.
Nevada Casinos Lose $1.3 Billion in 2013
CARSON CITY, Nev. (Associated Press) — Nevada’s largest casinos suffered a combined net loss of $1.35 billion in 2013, marking the fifth year of losses since the onset of the Great Recession.
The annual “Gaming Abstract” released Friday by the state Gaming Control Board looks at the total revenues of casinos that gross more than $1 million in gambling revenue.
While total revenues of $23 billion were up slightly from 2012, so were the losses.
Total revenue is the money spent by patrons on gambling, rooms, food, beverage and entertainment.
Shares in William Hill, Ladbrokes Plunge Over Fixed-Odds Machine Vitriol
Shares in the UK’s two biggest betting firms, William Hill and Ladbrokes, dropped 7 percent and 9 percent, respectively, Thursday following Prime Minister David Cameron’s assertion that fixed-odds machines need to be curbed.
The machines have been dubbed the “crack cocaine of gambling” by campaigners.
Cameron said he "absolutely shares the concerns" raised over the “epidemic” of fixed-odds terminals.
Maryland Live Casino Enjoys Huge Success in 2013
Maryland Live, the Old Line State’s largest casino, generated a whopping, according to the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.
The casino began offering the table games last April.
Zynga Incorporates Digital Currency Bitcoin: Tops $1000
In recent days, social gaming company Zynga announced the adaptation of anonymous digital currency Bitcoin for some of its social games.
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. Declares a Special Dividend of $11.85 Per Share
$1.05 Billion Represents Accumulated Earnings and Profits Allocated to GLPI In Connection With Spin-Off From Penn National Gaming, Inc.
Doggone Shame: Millions of Bitcoin Alternative Dogecoin Stolen in Christmas Hack
The founders of Dogewallet, a storage system for the Bitcoin alternative Dogecoin, have confirmed a hack that may have cost owners of the currency over $12,000. Reports of the hack first began gathering pace at the Dogecoin forum, where users reported their funds were being sent to a wallet without their authorization. In separate posts on Reddit’s Dogecoin page and the dogewallet.com front page, the founders explained the issue.
Bankruptcy Bids Resume for Troubled Atlantic Club Casino
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – (Associated Press) - A bankruptcy auction of a struggling Atlantic City casino has resumed.
The second day of bidding for the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel got underway at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Eleven hours of bidding Tuesday failed to produce a purchaser for the casino, which filed for Chapter 11 protection last month.
The casino was formerly known as the Atlantic City Hilton. It has struggled to compete with newer, larger casinos and with gambling halls popping up in neighboring states.
Genting to Spend $3-$4 Billion in Vegas
KUALA LUMPUR - (Reuters) - Genting Bhd, Southeast Asia's biggest gaming group, will spend an initial $3 billion to $4 billion to develop an unfinished resort on the Las Vegas strip, as it seeks to build a U.S. empire of casino and leisure assets.
The Malaysian company is seeking to expand in the United States as the world's largest economy starts to recover, and as various states relax restrictions ranging from casino licenses to online gambling.
Bitcoin Endorsed by Wall Street, Dissed by China
The anonymous virtual currency Bitcoin has received an endorsement from Wall Street powerhouse bank, that being Bank of America.
Paddy Power Profits Hit by Soccer, Horseracing Results
(Reuters) - Bookmaker Paddy Power expects full year operating profit to be about 11 million euros ($15 million) lower than it forecast three months ago after unfavorable soccer and horse racing results.
The Dublin-based group, which has posted stellar top-line profit growth in recent years, said results had gone against it since July, particularly at the Australian Spring Horse Racing Carnival and Champions League soccer.
