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New York Post article predicts NJ Gov. Chris Christie vetoes online gambling bill

Governor Chris Christie

Online gamblers have waited patiently in New Jersey for Governor Chris Christie to sign a bill for internet gaming legislation that was passed by the New Jersey Senate in November 2010.  Now, an article in the New York Post entitled All bets off(line) is predicting that Gov. Christie will veto the bill, rather than sign the bill into law or do nothing and let the bill automatically become law in March.

Online gambling, if passed, even at the state level, could be a boom for the domain industry with respects to gambling domains.  Although, gambling domains didn’t need much help in 2010, with two domains in the Top 10 Domain Sales of 2010 totalling nearly $7 million; Slots.com and Poker.org.

So, what’s happening in New Jersey’s Office of The Governor?

“The first-term Republican has six days, until Feb. 24, to veto the bill or it becomes law.”, writes the New York Post.

“Christie is being pushed in both directions,” a source close to the situation said. “My gut tells me he is not going to sign.”

Lawmakers passed the bill on Jan. 10, hoping to breathe new life into the state’s 11 casinos — which, because of stepped-up competition from Delaware and Pennsylvania, saw monthly revenues fall by $100 million over the last two years.

Internet gaming would bring in roughly $10 million in added revenue a month, one lawmaker estimated. The cash-strapped state, which will tax online gaming revenue at a 23 percent clip, expects to pocket roughly $28 million in added revenue a year.

Critics have not been happy and speculation on what’s driven the Governor to possibly change is all over the spectrum.  An article on Calvin Ayre’s Tablog shows a photo of Gov. Christie with a gun pointing to his head.

Read more of the story in the New York Post.

Image Credit: (Governor Photos)

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Time to double down on gambling domains? NJ passes legislation to license, regulate online gambling

Online Poker

It might be time to start looking over those gambling domains in your portfolio. 

Today, New Jersey approved online gambling legislation in what PokerNews calls, “…an historic day for online poker”.

New Jersey became the first state to pass legislation to license and regulate online poker Monday as the State Assembly voted 63-11 to approve a bill that would permit Internet wagering for New Jersey residents through hubs based at Atlantic City casinos. The State Senate had passed the bill 29-5 in November.

The legislation now will go to the desk of Gov. Chris Christie. He has 45 days to sign it into law, conditionally veto it (returning it to the legislature for changes) or veto it absolutely. If no action is taken during the 45 days, the bill automatically becomes law. Gov. Christie hasn’t taken a public stance on this bill but he has made it a priority to improve the revenue stream for Atlantic City, so it is not believed he would veto it.

If 2010 was any indication of the demand for gambling domains with Slots.com selling for $5.5 million, 2011 might be even better.

Gambling.com is up for sale, and positive news like this can only help its chances of selling for a record-breaking price of $20 million or more.

And it’s not just online Poker that was approved, as PokerNews points out, “The bill allows not only for poker to be offered online but also casino games and other forms of gambling.”

It looks as if one of Calvin Ayre’s 2011 predictions has already happened, but what it means for instituting online gambling at the federal level, won’t be known anytime soon.

Over at Calvin Ayre, a large “Victory” image is gracing the home page of the website.  Peter Amsel writes, “How ironic is it that New Jersey, the butt of so many jokes as a backwater bastion of big hair and unrefined tastes, especially when compared to their supposedly cutting edge neighbors in New York City, would prove to be the trendsetters here?”.  In the comments section, Calvin Ayre left a note saying, “…so far my predictions from last year and this are all unfolding as outlined”

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Slots.com buyer Calvin Ayre: Not for nothing do people say ‘content is king’

Bodog Girl

On CalvinAyre.com today Billionaire Calvin Ayre wrote an article about the Adweek Media and Harris Interactive survey that indicates: “almost two-thirds (63%) of Americans claim to ignore internet advertising”.   Calvin Ayre’s article centers around the same survey that Robin Wauters discussed over at TechCrunch earlier this month.

While Robin discussed the results of the survey, little insight into how companies trying to build their brand should go about it online was offered.

However, Calvin Ayre did.

The data in this survey highlights the folly of any company attempting to build brand value predominantly via online advertising. Seriously, the only people getting rich off this arrangement are the companies who get paid to host the ads. Not for nothing do people say ‘content is king’. The branded content I’ve created over the years for the Bodog Brand and its associated entertainment properties – BodogFight, BodogMusic, Calvin Ayre WildCard Poker — not only made a significantly greater impression on viewers than a plain old banner or pop-up ad, it continues to resonate years after its initial release, and will continue to do so for however long digital media exists.

Calvin Ayre knows a thing or two about building an online brand.  As the public face of Bodog, he launched the company with little more than  $10,000 in 1994.  He is now a billionaire.