On Wednesday, March 2^nd, 2022 Nantes won a match that will send them to the French Cup final for the very 1^st – time in approximately 22 – years after they defeated Monaco on penalty – kicks following a very exciting match that concluded with a final tally of 2 to 2 at the end of regulation time.

The Nigerian – native winger, Moses Simon, scored the eventual deciding spot – kick goal in order to make it 4 – 2 in favor of Nantes throughout the shootout, and it sparked a field – invasion at the Stade de la Beaujoire Stadium as the triumphant Nantes fans proudly and loudly celebrated in a pleasant and controlled environment.

Having just remained in the 1^st – division following winning a promotion – relegation playoff the past year, and it has been quite the 180 for Nantes at the moment. Nantes’ head coach, Antoine Kombouare, led his club to their ultimate goal of playing for the FA Cup championship since they won the FA Cup way back in 2000.

Nantes will aim to win that title for the 4^th – time when it will end up playing Nice on Sunday, May 8^th, 2022 (Mother’s Day) at the legendary and historic Stade de France Stadium.

Monaco’s failed penalty – kicks came from French players such as Wissam Ben Yedder, the regular penalty – kick shooter as well as the French League’s leading scorer, and the promising midfielder in Aurelien Tchouameni.

In a fairly – played game that did not even feature a single yellow card, Monaco’s star defender, Guillermo Maripan, popped in a header propelling the visiting side in front during the 12^th – minute via Caio Henrique’s free – kick.

Nantes responded by netting an equalizer approximately half way through the 1^st – half of game action when Monaco’s right – back Djibril Sidibe scored an own – goal while he slid to cut out the forward of Randal Kolo Muani’s pass attempt.

Simon cut in from the right – side, and he had a shot that was eventually saved by the native of Germany goal – tender of Alexander Nuebel during the 71^st – minute of this exciting back – and – forth – match.

Nuebel found himself helpless just 3 – minutes after that when the midfielder Samuel Moutoussamy popped in a shot that found the back of the net following a mad – scramble in the penalty – area.

Monaco scored right from the restart as the Nantes’ goalie, Remy Descamps, was hesitant to come out from the goal to contest a cross – kick, and the substitute Myron Boadu managed to send it in off of his head.

Nantes won the FA Cup back – to – back in 1999 as well as 2000, whereas Monaco last won the FA Cup back in 1991 under their legendary head coach, Arsene Wenger, and they were the unfortunate runner – up last season.

Nice defeated the 4^th – tier Versailles with a final tally of 2 to 0 on Tuesday, March 1^st, 2022 as they beat the hell out of the serious contenders of Paris Saint – Germain as well as Marseille.

Sources:

The Associated Press News Services. “Nantes beats Monaco on penalties to reach French Cup final”. The Associated Press. March 2, 2022.

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The parent company of 888.com, 888 UK Limited has been fined £9.4m by the Gambling Commission in Great Britain for failure to fully implement customer safeguards and a lack of vigilance in guarding against the possibility of money laundering. Nearly five years ago they were fined heavily as well for failing to protect vulnerable customers.

The company paid a £7.8m penalty in 2017.

The Commission’s compliance assessment was concluded in October 2020 and 888 Holdings PLC took immediate actions to remedy any shortcomings. These actions included the following:

Implementing additional customer source of funds checks and loss limits.
Reducing the thresholds in Observer, 888’s in-house developed customer behavior monitoring technology, that trigger alerts and customer interactions.
Investing in its safer gambling and compliance team, including additional training for relevant employees.
Strengthening and developing 888’s assessment of the anti-money laundering risks facing the business.

Differing Circumstances but Similar Failures

Gambling Commission Chief Executive, Andrew Rhodes said: “The circumstances of the last enforcement action may be different but both cases involve failing consumers – and this is something that is not acceptable.

“Today’s fine is one of our largest to date, and all should be clear that if there is a repeat of the failures at 888 then we have to seriously consider the suitability of the operator to uphold the licensing objectives and keep gambling safe and crime-free.

“Consumers in Britain deserve to know that when they gamble, they are participating in a leisure activity where operators play their part in keeping them safe and are carrying out checks to ensure money is crime-free.”

One of the social responsibility violations involved a player who lost £37,000 in 6 weeks during the Covid-19 shutdowns and another who did not experience an intervention or financial checks as the policy was to carry out that sort of investigation or intervention only after deposits of £40,000.

The firm also allowed customers who they should have known were not high-earners due to their careers, unreasonably high monthly deposit caps.

One customer had multiple accounts closed or restricted due to source of funds concerns and was allowed to open new accounts at three of the company’s other 75 or so skins and return to gambling on those accounts.

888 Accepts the Commission’s Statement

On Tuesday, 888 issued a response saying that it accepts the statement published by the Gambling Commission about “former safer gambling and anti-money laundering policies and procedures in the UK.”

Itai Pazner, CEO of the Group, commented: “We recognize our responsibility to make gambling safer and regret that previous implementation of our processes failed to meet required standards in the UK. We accept the findings of the UKGC’s investigation of some of 888’s former policies and procedures and have taken immediate appropriate action to improve and address the failings”.

He also noted that they have more than doubled the size of the company’s compliance team since 2019 and that the group would continue to invest in technology for safer gambling. He concluded, “…giving customers transparency about their activity and using sophisticated AI to detect and block harmful play. We know that our work in this area must be ongoing and we remain committed to continuing investment in meeting our safer gambling objectives.”

Source:

”888 fined £9.4m for social responsibility failings”, G3 Newswire, March 1, 2022

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Evolution promised 88 new games across all its brands in 2022 and NetEnt is doing its part with branded content as well as homegrown stuff. The first branded NetEnt title was announced at the beginning of the last weekend in February in collaboration with Digital Platforms and Universal Games – Knight Rider Video Slot.

Knight Rider was a popular TV series that developed a sort of cult following when it ran from 1982-1986 and has continued to pick up new fans year after year in syndication and through its status as a bigger-than-life meme of sorts. The series starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a bent-on-justice crime-fighter with intriguing cohorts.

NetEnt has always had a strong presence of branded games in its portfolio and its newest release hopes to introduce a new generation to the iconic Knight Rider. The game is true to form and brings the atmosphere and world scape of Knight Rider to life with familiar characters like the star and his sidekick and trusted wingman K.I.T.T. the ‘car’.

Brand-themed Feature Mechanics

The mechanics expand on elements of the show like Free Spins with Laser Wilds, and Turbo Boosts, along with a rapid response Buy Feature for the times you want to cut right to the chase on this high-octane 5-reel, 4-row slot.

As would be expected, the game is highly volatile and features original sound effects and clips from the show, made real for the player by a 7,000x max win. Buckle in and hold onto your seats for this game.

Walking Multiplier Wilds are a recurring feature in both the base game and the free spins feature, and each time they are triggered the player is in for a wild ride, some wilder than others. The Walking Wilds can appear anywhere on the reels and they are sticky. With each new spin, they move one reel to the right and pick up a multiplier power each time so the icons on the fifth reel increase any win they are part of by 5x. The farther to the right they move, the less likely they will form part of a win, but the more they are able to pay.

Jump Right into Free Spins

The buy feature component of this game might reveal something about the volatility and win potential of the free spins. Rather than a rote 100x stake, it will cost 140x your basic stake to trigger the feature at any time. The game cuts right to the chase without the obligatory main game spin showing the feature trigger – jump right in and go!

Todd Haushalter, Chief Product Officer NetEnt’s parent company, Evolution said: “This game brings back the ‘80s with style. Knight Rider is a beloved classic and the team has done a great job at incorporating this world into the video slot. Knight Rider fans, both existing and new, are going to love being immersed in this iconic show, and we can’t wait for players to take to the streets of LA and sink their teeth into all the fun the game has to offer.”

Source:

NetEnt launches brand-new Knight Rider Video Slot, NetEnt, February 24, 2022

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The heavily favored Russians are back in the gold medal ice hockey game at this year’s Winter Olympics, just like they were expected to be. This highly anticipated hockey game will be played on Saturday, February 19th, 2022 at 10:10 p. m. central time.

This run for Russia has not been very dominant compared to four years ago, but they are ultimately just 1 – victory away from winning back – to – back consecutive men’s ice hockey tournaments at the Olympic Winter Games without NHL players participating. It would be a gold none the less, and the Russians are hoping to finish it all off versus Finland on Sunday, February 20th, 2022 in Beijing, China.

The team representing the Russian Olympic Committee scored just 8 – goals over their 4 – victories during these 2022 Winter Olympics, and they have heavily relied upon their 25 – year – old goaltender Ivan Fedotov, who has been an intricate part of the reason that the Russians have got to the men’s ice hockey finals as he made 6 – saves in the semifinal shootout versus Sweden.

Fedotov has acquired a 1.53 goals – against average as well as .944 save percentage throughout this hockey tournament. Fedotov looks very much like the Steely veteran Vasily Koshechkin, who was the starter back in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

This is not that squad of hockey players, which loaded up with now – Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov and long – time NHL superstars such as Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk. Only 7 – guys are back from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games which includes 6 that played in the finals versus Germany.

This present opportunity comes against a very strong opponent in Finland, who has yet to lose a game as of now. The Finns erased a 3 – goal deficit to defeat the stout Sweden team in the preliminary round, and they cruised to the finals with their trademark characteristics of quality structure and sound goal – tending.

The Russians are looking for their 5th – title at the last 6 – Winter Olympic Games with 4 – different names due to doping sanctions and as well as the break – up of the Soviet Union when the National Hockey League has not participated. Finland is going for the first Olympic ice hockey medal in the history of their nation.

Finland seamlessly arose as one of the top teams at the Winter Olympics Games, and they can match the Russians no matter what style of play develop out on the ice. There’s former NHL talent such their captain Valtteri Filppula, Leo Komarov, and Sami Vatanen on their team roster, and Jukka Jalonen is an excellent fit as their head coach. They are a group of hockey players mostly from European ice hockey pro leagues which is quite impressive.

Over a dozen of the Finnish players have come from the Russia – based KHL, so there is a plethora of familiarity on both sides of this highly – competitive match up. Few people out there expect a back and forth and high – scoring final. It should be a very tight game this weekend with a gold medal on the line!

Sateri who just so happened to play for the Florida Panthers during the 2018 – 2019 NHL season, leads these Olympics with an incredible save percentage of .965. Finland can also get the fucking puck to the back net of the net, with Sakari Makkinen being amongst the men’s ice hockey tournament leaders in goals scored.

Finland is back in the men’s ice hockey finals at the Winter Olympic Games for the 1st – time since 2006 in which they lost to Sweden by only 1 – goal. Finland’s general manager, Jere Lehtinen, played in that particular game, and he has put together one hell of a team that is on the verge of making history for Finland.

The Russian players seem not to be terribly worried regarding the fact that they are playing Finland in the finals as they are confident, they can win gold if they play up to their full – potential.

Media Statements

“We were building up through the tournament,” the Russian forward Damir Sharipzyanov explained. “Slow start, not a lot of goals, but we are building, and I like where we’re going and we got to the finals and now it’s the game of our lives for everyone.”

“It’s a different team,” the Russian defenseman Nikita Nesterov stated, “A lot of younger guys, and (now) we got an opportunity. Game after game we play better, and I think it’s (our) best game in the final.”

“Every tournament, teams could look good on the paper, but we know that you still need to deliver on the ice,” says the Finnish forward Harri Pesonen. “We’ve managed to control the situation where we are not the underdogs. That shows that we are mentally strong, which is a good thing.”

“It’s huge for everybody individually, as a team and as a hockey country,” the goalie for Finland, Harri Sateri, expressed. “It is a big thing.”

“We think it’s going to be a really tight game — a lot of battles and really tight neutral zone,” the Russian forward Mikhail Grigorenko, one of the seven returnees from 2018, disclosed. “Both teams have great goaltending, so it’s going to be a really, really tough game.”

“Going to an Olympic final is like a dream,” the Finnish forward, Sakari Makkinen, expressed. “You dream of those kinds of moments, but at the same time (I try to) focus on the right things, not think about it too much and prepare for the next game.”

Sources:

Whyno, Stephen. “Favored Russians back in final at Olympics, now face Finland”. The Associated Press. February 18, 2022.

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A third tribal nation in Wisconsin is on the verge of offering sports betting at its casinos. On Friday, Gov. Tony Evers announced the state signed a gaming compact amendment with the Forest County Potawatomi.

The Potawatomi have the potential to be the biggest sportsbook in the state as they operate a namesake casino in Milwaukee, the state’s largest city.

The compact amendment is the result of extensive and productive negotiations with the Forest County Potawatomi Community,” said Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld in a statement. “We are grateful for our continued partnership, and this successful negotiation will be a win-win for the state and the Tribe.”

According to the announcement from Evers, the compact would allow the tribe to offer event wagering on both sports and non-sports events. The release does not detail what is included in non-sports events. Besides the Potawatomi Casino and Hotel in Milwaukee, the tribe also operates the Potawatomi Carter Casino Hotel in Wabeno, which is about 65 miles northwest of Green Bay.

The amended compact also allows for the tribe to conduct sports betting on lands adjacent to its casinos in Menominee Valley and Forest County. Provided, of course, federal officials approve it.

“We appreciate Governor Evers and his Administration working with us in a government-to-government manner to provide our Tribe the tools needed to compete in the marketplace and giving us the business certainty to continue our investments in Milwaukee and throughout the state,” Daniels said in a statement.

Now Up to Interior Department to Approve

In his statement, Evers said he was happy to get a deal done with the Potawatomi because it will spur economic growth for the tribal nation and the state.

“I look forward to continuing our partnership together to find new opportunities that support and bolster the Tribe’s success and our state’s success for years to come,” the governor said.

Per the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), the federal law overseeing tribal gaming, the US Department of Interior will have 45 days upon receipt to review the compact amendment signed by Evers and Potawatomi Chairman Ned Daniels Jr.

Should federal officials not make a decision within that 45-day window, the amendment to the compact will be considered approved to the extent it complies with IGRA.

Besides being able to offer sports betting, the amendment also extends the term of the existing gaming compact to 2061.

More Opportunities for Wisconsin Sports Betting

Prior to reaching an agreement with the Potawatomi, the Evers Administration amended compacts with the Oneida Nation and the St. Croix Chippewa Indians and granted them rights to offer sports betting.

The Oneida launched sports betting at its Green Bay casino in late November. After that, Evers announced an amended compact with the St. Croix Chippewa, which operates three casinos in northwest Wisconsin. Those three casinos happen to be within 80 miles of the Twin Cities metropolitan area in neighboring Minnesota.

That amended compact also must get federal approval.

According to the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 11 tribes operate 24 Class III casinos in the state. Legislative researchers found that the tribal casinos reported more than $1.3 billion in net revenue in 2019. In return, the state received nearly $34.6 million in the 2019-20 fiscal year.

Sports betting may also be limited to only tribal operators, the researchers said. That’s because if the state amended the constitution to allow sports betting, it could be viewed as a violation of the exclusivity clause within the tribal compacts. That could potentially lead to the state losing out on payments from tribal operators or even having to refund prior allocations.

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