Weekly News In Brief -- Alex Rodriguez, Tobey Maguire, French Poker and FairPlayUSAA Look at the Major Poker Headlines From the Week |
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Not everyone has the time to stay on top of all of the news that breaks daily in the poker world, but that doesn’t mean you have to be out of the loop entirely. Every week, Card Player will bring you everything you need to know to stay informed about your favorite events, players and industry happenings.
Here’s a look at this week’s poker news.
MLB Investigates Alex Rodriguez For Illegal Poker Games
According to RadarOnline, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez engaged “in an underground, illegal poker game where cocaine was openly used, and even organized his own high-stakes game, which ended with thugs threatening players.”
In July, ESPN reported that Major League Baseball began a probe into the allegations against Rodriguez. The beleaguered star refused to comment on his alleged poker playing or the ongoing investigation when questioned last month. The investigation comes six years after Rodriguez said he would quit visiting illegal poker clubs in New York. Consequently, he could face a suspension if his participation in the games is confirmed, according to a Wednesday article on ESPN.com.
Trial Date Set In Tobey Maguire Lawsuit
Late last week RadarOnline reported that the trial date for a lawsuit stemming from Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire’s participation in a high-stakes celebrity poker game has been set for the week of Jan. 30, 2012.
In June, allegations came forth that Brad Ruderman, a man currently serving time in a Texas jail after being convicted of two counts of wire fraud and two counts of investment adviser fraud, lost about $25 million of investor money in the high-stakes poker games that also featured Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, Nick Cassavetes, Gabe Kaplan, and Rick Salomon.
French Court Rules Poker Is A Game Of Skill
A Toulouse court has ruled that poker is a game of skill after hearing a case against defendant Jean-Pierre Gleizes. The Frenchman was accused of organizing and running private poker events in public without proper licensing.
The court’s decision that poker should not be considered a game of chance is paramount to the case and would exempt Gleizes from France’s illegal gambling laws.
FairPlayUSA Gains Support From New York Congressman
FairPlayUSA, a non-profit campaign based in Washington D.C., joined the fight for online poker last week, and on Monday received support from a member of Congress.
“I applaud the efforts of FairPlayUSA for launching its coalition to combat illegal gambling," Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) said in a press release. “As a former FBI agent, I fully support the efforts to create a strong regulatory framework for legal online poker and to crack down on illegal sites, many of whom have ties to organized crime. With many adult online poker players in my District of Staten Island and Brooklyn, I support their right to continue playing; however, I agree that it must be in a law-abiding forum that provides protections for America’s consumers and children. Together we must fight for the return of quality, good paying jobs to the United States and a strong regulatory framework for legal online poker will contribute to that goal.”
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