Mr. Jones

Pala Casino Tries to Keep Up with the Joneses with $170 Million Expansion to Southern California Resort

JULY 30, 2017 BY KEVIN HORRIDGE

Excerpt:

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Gambling Sunny in California

The Pala Casino announcement is just the latest in a laundry list of resort overhauls in Southern California.

Pechanga’s current renovation is costing the tribal group $285 million. Construction is also taking place at the Barona Casino & Resort, Sycuan Casino, and Viejas Casino & Resort, all properties which are located in the San Diego area. Those tribes, however, aren’t revealing how much money they’re spending.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians says it needed to update its property to adapt to customer demand. Speaking to the pool area, which will be transformed to resemble a space typically found at major resorts in Las Vegas and to include bars, fire pits, and cabanas, Pala CEO Bill Bembenek explained that visitors are looking for a more luxurious experience.
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Slow Rollout

Pala Interactive, the tribe’s internet gaming division, has been operating in New Jersey through a partnership with Borgata since the fall of 2014. PalaCasino.com has been one of four live websites under the land-based resort, the others being BorgataCasino.com, BorgataPoker.com, and NJ.PartyPoker.com.

The New Jersey PalaPoker.com rollout was delayed for several years, while waiting for the arrival of PokerStars. But since the company’s poker site launch last month, traffic has been slow-to-nonexistent: according to PokerScout, PalaPoker is averaging just two players a week on average.
While New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement doesn’t break down internet gaming revenues by site, Borgata’s partners have generated $23.48 million in year-to-date income. Only the Golden Nugget ($33 million) has made more from iGaming.
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Read full article at link above

Online Gaming Lobbying Increases

New iGaming lobbying group launched in US

By Robert Simmons

Excerpt:

The I-Development and Economic Association (iDEA) claims that it is “an association seeking to grow jobs and expand online interactive entertainment business in the United States through advocacy and education”.

It is made up of 17 firms representing a wide spectrum of the online gambling industry including: Amaya, Inc, Golden Nugget, Paysafe, Paddy Power Betfair, GVC Holdings, Resorts Interactive, Catena Media; NetENT, Sightline Payments, Continent 8 Technologies, NYX, Tropicana Entertainment, Gamesys, Pala Interactive, Vantiv Gaming Solutions, eZugi, and Ifrah Law.
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Read full article at link above

Seems Pala's money is still circling the drain.  How's that $100 million online poker investment working out?  Everyone got per cap raises this year, right?

Pala Interactive In The News

Pala Interactive debuts New Jersey online poker site

Excerpt:

BY Peter Amsel ON June 07, 2017

TAGS: NEW JERSEY ONLINE GAMBLING, PALA INTERACTIVE, PALAPOKER

Tribal gaming operator Pala Interactive has added a poker product to its New Jersey online gambling operations.

On Tuesday, Pala Interactive announced the launch of PalaPoker.com for both desktop and mobile poker players residing in the state of New Jersey. The poker site, which is currently in open beta testing, follows the 2014 launch of Pala’s New Jersey online casino and the 2016 launch of PalaBingoUSA.com.

-- Read more at link above

Also:

New Online Poker Room Launches in New Jersey

Pala Interactive rolls out New Jersey poker product

California Online Poker Dead?

California Online Poker Efforts Shelved Indefinitely Very Little Chance Bill Will Move Forward This Year: Report

Excerpt:

by Brian Pempus  |  Published: Apr 25, 2017

It’s been 10 years since lawmakers in California began looking at regulating state-licensed online poker sites. Nothing has ever come to fruition.

It was already unlikely that 2017 would be any different, but, according to OnlinePokerReport, California Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, sponsor of the current online poker bill, has said definitively that there won’t be any action on it this year.

The debate could be restarted next year, but there’s no guarantee.

California tribes haven’t been able to come to a consensus on how to regulate the industry. Some don’t want PokerStars being allowed entry into the market.

...read more at link above...

Pala Interactive - Still No Poker?

Online Poker Report - GAN Annual Report Expects Real Money Gaming Deal With The Borgata To Begin In Summer 2016

Excerpt:

The existence of the relationship with GAN does not absolutely show that the Borgata wants to end the partnership with partypoker now that GVC has taken over. There is no reason why the Borgata can’t add extra brands to its gaming offer.

The industry rumor mill has Pala Interactive listed as a potential online poker provider if partypoker were to exit the market. PalaCasino is live in New Jersey, but despite developing proprietary software, Pala has not yet launched a poker product.

CEO Jim Ryan said that he would like to see the impact of PokerStars before making that decision.
Unless there is a dramatic change in the New Jersey market, such as partypoker exiting, Pala online poker looks unlikely to make an independent entry – the return on investment probably isn’t there.

Read Full Article -->Online Poker Report - GAN Annual Report Expects Real Money Gaming Deal With The Borgata To Begin In Summer 2016

New Jersey Internet Gambling Up 28%

Internet Gambling in New Jersey where Pala Interactive operates is up 28% in the first quarter of 2016.  Per Cap Increase all around for PBMI members coming soon?

Popularity of internet gambling in New Jersey growing, analysts say Read More: Internet gambling in New Jersey grows by 28 percent, analysts say

Figures from the state Division of Gaming Enforcement show an almost 28 percent increase in web gaming, versus the first quarter of last year. Web gambling revenue in the state went from $35.1 million in the first quarter of 2015 to $44.9 million in this year’s first quarter.

Publisher Roger Gros, of Global Gaming Business Magazine says “there is a bright future ahead in ‘I-gaming’ in New Jersey.”

Gros says online gaming is going to continue to grow, it is becoming more popular, people are understanding how it works, and a lot of the glitches that were there early on in terms of payment processing and geo location have been fixed.

Read More Here->Popularity of internet gambling in New Jersey growing, analysts say Read More: Internet gambling in New Jersey grows by 28 percent, analysts say 

Also:

Former 'Real Housewives' star Kathy Wakile finds new role as PalaBingoUSA brand ambassador

PalaBingoUSA.com – New Jersey's first fully dedicated real-money 90 Ball Online Bingo website – has named TV personality, entrepreneur, author and chef Kathy Wakile as its official brand ambassador. Best known for her role on Bravo TV's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," Wakile said the dynamic sense of camaraderie and community built around the excitement of bingo were among the reasons behind her decision to team with Pala Interactive on the launch of PalaBingoUSA.com.

Wakile recalls a trip to Italy she took with her family. "We traveled to Italy a few years ago and right out in the open air piazza everyone was playing a game similar to bingo, calling out numbers, laughing, having fun and simply interacting and enjoying each other's company. I remember thinking what a great sense of community that was, and PalaBingoUSA.com has created that same type of atmosphere," she said.

Read More Here->Former 'Real Housewives' star Kathy Wakile finds new role as PalaBingoUSA brand ambassador

Pala Interactive Making News

Gaming Realms Bingo Content Goes Live with Pala Interactive

Excerpt:
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Under the terms of the deal, Gaming Realms will supply its recently introduced 90-ball bingo game to Pala’s online bingo brand – PalaBingoUSA. The website is known to be the only one within the New Jersey borders to be offering that type of bingo. Pala Interactive has previously been granted the necessary transactional waiver by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for the provision of gambling services within the state.

Pala Interactive is New Jersey’s subsidiary of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, a California-based federally recognized tribe, known to be one of the major providers of gambling options in California. Under the terms of their recently signed agreement, Gaming Realms will deliver its bingo game to Pala Interactive’s online bingo website and will receive a portion of the annual revenue generated by the brand.

Read Full Article Here->Gaming Realms Bingo Content Goes Live with Pala Interactive

More news:

New Jersey Sets New Record For Online Gambling Revenue Despite Poker Decline

Excerpt:

Furthermore, Borgata is expected to switch over to a online poker client powered by Pala Interactive sometime in the next quarter. How the platform stacks up against its current client (provided by PartyPoker), may weigh heavily on the operator’s future viability in the marketplace.

INTERTAIN SAYS LOSSES INCREASE TENFOLD, CLAIMS TO BE MULLING TAKEOVER BIDS

Excerpt:

Intertain also announced that directors Stan Dunford and Mark Redmond had stepped down immediately. In their stead, current Pala Interactive CEO and former Bwin.party co-CEO Jim Ryan has been appointed an independent director, while current Intertain board member David Danziger has been appointed chairman.

Pala Interactive in New Jersey-first with bingo launch

Pala Online Poker In The News

Pala Interactive and Online Poker in California in the news.

Pala Band of Mission Indians Continues to Support Assemblyman Gray's AB 2863 Internet Poker Legislation


pokernews.com - Nevada, New Jersey Welcome Former Ultimate Bet Brass

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Borgata, which uses bwin.party as its online poker operator in New Jersey, is making the switch to Pala Interactive, Martyn Hannah of eGR North America reported — note the linked article is behind a paywall. Pala's Chief Executive Officer is Jim Ryan, who also served as CEO of UB's parent company, Exscapa. The switch will reportedly be made "by the end of the second quarter."

Borgata operates the leading online poker room in New Jersey, totaling more than $31 million in revenue since launch and leading second-place Caesar's in each calendar month of 2015.

As such, bwin.party reps are apparently not conceding the lucrative Borgata contract. Hannah quoted one rep as saying there has been "no change" in the company's relationship with Borgata as parent company GVC Holdings awaits licensing in the state. The popular casino has used bwin.party as its online poker provider since launching.

Ryan claims to have left his role as CEO in 2006, before the infamous superuser scandal at UB broke, at which point he said he was acting as merely a court-appointed inspector.
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Read Full Article Here -->Nevada, New Jersey Welcome Former Ultimate Bet Brass


PokerFuse - GAN Deal Raises Doubts over Borgata/Partypoker Partnership

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The Borgata and its free-play online casino partner GAN have extended their deal to cover real-money online gaming. The deal has led to suggestions that the Borgata/Partypoker partnership in New Jersey may be coming to an end.

GAN will power the online casino platform with Pala Interactive providing online poker, according to a report in eGaming Review.

Read Full Article Here-->PokerFuse - GAN Deal Raises Doubts over Borgata/Partypoker Partnership


parttimepoker.com - New Jersey DGE January 2016 Gaming Results

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The Borgata and Party Poker including Pala Entertainment combination continued as the leading revenue producing I-Gaming site(s) in New Jersey with a 31.2% share (First in poker and casino games). Caesar’s Interactive (CIE) held second place with 22.0% (Second in poker, fourth in casino games).
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Read Full Article Here-->parttimepoker.com - New Jersey DGE January 2016 Gaming Results

Bill Making Its Way Through House to Ban New Jersey Online Gambling

I wonder how much lobbying dollars it will cost to kill this bill...

Proposed ban on N.J. online gambling still brewing in D.C.

WASHINGTON — Proposed federal legislation that would outlaw online gambling in New Jersey and the two other states that allow it got a second hearing Wednesday.

The bill's chief sponsor, U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) expressed concern that residents of states that outlaw gambling, either in casinos or online, would be able to play anyway.

"It's naive at best to think you can put a wall on the Internet," said Chaffetz, chairman of the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which conducted the hearing. Chaffetz also presided over a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the bill in March.

Read Full Article Here-->Proposed ban on N.J. online gambling still brewing in D.C.

Pala Interactive Ramping Up Business

Pala Interactive in the news:

Pala Interactive adds new content and payment method to NJ site


Pala Interactive, the iGaming arm of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, is adding 65 online and mobile games to its New Jersey licensed iGaming offering, alongside a new payment method to ease player deposits.


read full article here-->Pala Interactive adds new content and payment method to NJ site

Also:

New Jersey iPoker Down 2.8% to $1.91m in October

Continuing to lead the Garden State’s iPoker market is the Borgata (PartyPoker/Pala Interactive) with $1,079,478 in revenues last month, while Caesars Interactive (888/WSOP) was a little further behind on $833,925.

Read Full Article Here-->New Jersey iPoker Down 2.8% to $1.91m in October

Winner winner chicken dinner - per caps raise all around next year for PBMI members!

If you want to read the $100 Million MOU setting up Pala Interactive go here.

Here are some excerpts:

NGS3 pursuant to the Development Agreement and for the period of time in between the
Development Agreemcnt and the Operating Agreement and all License Fees and License
application and processing fees for the initial License, in exchange for a 62.5% Percentage
Interest:

(b) NGS3 will contribute the Technology and associated IP. business plan and
expertise in exchange for a 28.5% Percentage Interest.
3.3 "Additional Membership Interests" will be issued as follows:

(a) 5% to the CEO of Pala Interactive: and

(b) 4% to PBMI designated Management.

(c) The Additional Membership Interests will be subject to customary vesting
and other provisions in order to avoid adverse tax consequences to additional Members. the
Additional Membership Interests will be structured as profits interests which will entitle the
Additional members to participate in operating profits and any increase in the equity of Pala
Interactive beyond the initial $100M Capital Contributions through ongoing "Distributions
from Operations" and "Distributions from Capital Transactions'" as defined below.

d) The Board of Directors will have authority to issue additional Membership
Interests in the future, for such consideration and upon such tenns and conditions as they shall
deem prudent, subject to the consent and approval of a Super Majority of the Board andlor the
Members, as further described below. To the extent additional Membership Interests are Issued
in the future, beyond the CEO and PBMI Management contemplated above. all Membership
Interests will be proportionally diluted; provided NGS3's 28.5% interest shall not be subject to
dilution. unless and until PBMI( has contributed its full $70M Capital Contribution.

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(d) Profit Sharing Interests. It is anticipated that Pala Interactive will
establish a phantom stock or other profit sharing plan (the "'Phantom Plan") for key employees
and/or Independent Contractors, pursuant to which those employees will also share in
Distributions of Distributable Cash from Operations and Capital Transactions in accordance
with their respective interests in the Phantom Plan.

3.5 Management. The day to day business and affairs of Pala Interactive will be
managed and conducted by the Managers/Directors. who will function as a Board of Directors.

(a) There will be 5 Directors, 3 to be appointed by PBMI (one of whom will
be the Chairman of PBMI) and 2 to be appointed by NGS3. Generally. decisions of the Board
will require the consent or approval of a majority of the Directors. However, certain "Key
Decisions" will require the consent or approval of "Super Majority" (4 of 5) Directors.
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(b) The Operating Officers of Pala Interactive are set forth below. Each
Officer will receive a salary and may be eligible to participate in the Phantom Plan~ in
accordance with policies and guidelines to be adopted by the Board. The specific responsibilities
and authority of each Officer will be determined by the Board as well.

ChiefExecutive Officer - Jim Ryan (pending)
ChiefOperating Officer - Reeve Collins
Chief Marketing Officer - TBD
ChiefFinancial Officer - Shauna Anton
ChiefCommunication Officer - Kasey Thompson
ChiefTechnology Officer - Dean Abramson
ChiefStrategic Officer - Bill Bembenek

Pala Interactive In The News

New Jersey’s decision on Pala Interactive sends a mixed message

By: Hartley Henderson - Exclusive to OSGA.com
Published: Dec 1, 2014

Last month the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) gave the Pala Band of Mission Indians a license to offer online poker in New Jersey in partnership with Borgata and with the license they had to determine whether Jim Ryan, the CEO of Pala Interactive was a "bad actor". They stated that New Jersey had no concern about Jim Ryan and his history with Excapsa Gaming claiming that Ryan never violated the UIGEA and he was in no way connected to the cheating scandal at UltimateBet. The decision has many, including myself, scratching our heads because it is inconsistent with other decisions the DGE has made. To understand the whole situation it's important to look at Ryan's history in the industry.

Read Full Article Here-->New Jersey’s decision on Pala Interactive sends a mixed message

Also:

Real-Money Gaming Operator, Pala Interactive, Retains KCSA Strategic Communications as PR Agency of Record

Pala becomes first tribe to launch Internet gaming site in N.J.

Pala Interactive live in New Jersey with Palacasino.com

Ten-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey took to Twitter to congratulate Pala Interactive on its successful New Jersey launch.

Pala Interactive

NJ: No proof that Pala CEO knew of cheating

Wayne Parry, Associated Press · November 20, 2014

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – New Jersey’s chief gambling regulator says a preliminary investigation has found no proof that the CEO of a tribal Internet gambling company was involved in or knew of an online cheating scandal at a previous job.

David Rebuck, director of the state Division of Gaming Enforcement, said Jim Ryan, chief executive of Pala Interactive, was CEO of a company whose software was used to cheat online card players in 2006. Pala started offering Internet gambling in New Jersey this week, the first Indian tribe to do so.

In a letter posted on the division’s website Thursday afternoon, Rebuck said an investigation of the UltimateBet scandal determined that it occurred while Ryan was head of Excapsa Software. That firm’s software was used to cheat players by revealing their hidden cards to other users, resulting in losses of nearly $20 million to players. The money was ultimately refunded. But the software was actually developed by a different company that pre-dated Ryan’s employment at Excapsa, according to the report.

“I had no knowledge of it, was not involved,” Ryan told The Associated Press. “It was incredibly regrettable. It was a pretty sophisticated scheme.”

His current company, Pala Interactive, began a test of its new software this week in New Jersey. The company is owned by the California-based Pala Tribe of Mission Indians. The company expects final approval over the weekend to launch its full palacasino.com site on Monday. Ryan said the software Pala is using in New Jersey now is different and has been tested by the state.

Full Article: NJ: No proof that Pala CEO knew of cheating

Pala Interactive In The News

Borgata, Pala Indians OK'd for online gambling

By WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press Wednesday, November 5, 2014

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have approved a California Indian tribe's request to offer Internet gambling in conjunction with Atlantic City's top casino.

The state's Gaming Enforcement Division has authorized Pala Interactive to team with the Borgata to offer online gambling in New Jersey.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians will be the first Indian tribe to engage in online gambling in New Jersey. The enforcement division signed an order approving the arrangement last Friday.

"Hopefully we're going to surprise and delight and build some meaningful market share in New Jersey," said Jim Ryan, the company's CEO. He formerly ran the bwin.party online gambling company with which the Borgata already is partnered for online gambling in New Jersey.

The tribe runs the land-based Pala Casino and Spa in San Diego County, California, and wanted to expand its brand onto the Internet, Ryan said.

Read Full Article Here-->Borgata, Pala Indians OK'd for online gambling

More News Links:

Pala Interactive Partners with Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa to Offer New Jersey Internet Gaming - Pala Granted Transactional Waiver by Division of Gaming Enforcement

New Jersey DGE Gives Conditional Approval to Borgata, Pala Interactive Partnership

PokerStars Makes Progress In New Jersey

www.casino.org - PokerStars Could Return to New Jersey Market by Fall

JUNE 27, 2014 BY DAVID SHELDON

PokerStars’ carefully orchestrated sale to Amaya Gaming for $4.9 billion looks like it might well pay off for the world’s biggest poker site. The ink was still running down the page on that $4.9 billion contract when New Jersey gaming officials announced that they had met with representatives from Amaya, and this week they told the Associated Press that they were optimistic that PokerStars may be able to join the New Jersey market as early as this fall.

Read More Here --> www.casino.org - PokerStars Could Return to New Jersey Market by Fall 

Also see:

osga.com - Does Amaya Gaming’s purchase of PokerStars and Full Tilt open the way to the U.S. market?

By: Hartley Henderson - Exclusive to OSGA.com

Published: Jun 26, 2014 

The poker world was provided quite the shock recently when it was announced that Amaya Gaming will be purchasing PokerStars and Full Tilt poker for $4.9 billion. While there had been some speculation about the sale for a few months prior, most in the industry believed the sale would never be consummated due to the cost.

For those unfamiliar with the Quebec based company, Amaya entered the online gaming market in 2004 supplying software for electronic poker tables. In 2006 they hired David Baazov a 26 year-old entrepreneur as CEO and he made it quite clear at the time that his goal was to make Amaya a major player in all realms of legal government regulated online gambling through acquisitions. The company did have a few small acquisitions at first but really made a splash in 2011 and 2012 when they made several major purchases. First in early 2011 they purchased gaming software company Chartwell Technologies for $22.8 million; later that year they purchased Cryptologic for $36 million; late in the year they purchased Cadillac Jack for $167 million; and finally in 2012 they bought bwin.party's surplus Ongame poker Network for $15 million. As well, Amaya inked a partnership agreement with Australian based Aristocrat gaming and not surprisingly revenues at Amaya soared by over 200%.

But as successful as those deals had been the purchase of PokerStars and Full Tilt from the Oldford Group (parent company of the Rational Group) puts Amaya in a position to be the biggest online gambling company in the world.

Read More Here --> osga.com - Does Amaya Gaming’s purchase of PokerStars and Full Tilt open the way to the U.S. market?

***WARNING*** 

Chairman Robert Smith, Chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, Pala Band of Luiseno Indians, Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation, is monitoring your comments.  He is going to track your IP address and "take action" against any tribal member posting comments he does not like.

Rough Start For New Jersey Online Gambling

New Jersey's online gambling flop threatens the rest of the state's spending

Staff
New York Business Journal

Last May, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie estimated the state would bring in about $180 million this fiscal year from online gambling taxes. That’s looking like a wild overestimate, as the state currently projects to draw in about $12 million.

Read More Here - New Jersey's online gambling flop threatens the rest of the state's spending



More Online Gambling News:

American Gaming Association Pulls Support For Online Gambling

N.J. Online Casinos Reassess Marketing After Slow Start

PokerStars Steals the Show at California iGaming Conference

Equity Poker Network withdraws from US markets

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson leads charge against online gambling