Alex Weldon
Latest Articles By Alex Weldon (118)
Archbishop Nestor Sirotenko: How Poker Became a Flashpoint in the Internal Political Struggles of the Eastern Orthodox Church
On Saturday, the Russian Orthodox Church defrocked the head of its Western European branch, Archbishop Nestor Sirotenko, who had for at least the past year been entering poker tournaments under his legal name, Yevgeny Sirotenko. The head of the church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, has initiated ecclesiastical judicial proceedings against him and appointed Bishop Mark Arndt of Germany as an...
Solitaire Cash Controversy Gets Dragged Into Stephen A. Smith’s Personal Feuds
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith's sponsorship deal with Solitaire Cash by Papaya Gaming has found its way into the mainstream discussion. PokerScout was first to draw attention to the potential for controversy around the deal, given Papaya's admission...
‘Social Plus Games’ — Sweepstakes Trade Group Adopts New Verbiage Following Minnesota Crackdown, Google Policy Change
Minnesota's Attorney General has issued cease-and-desist letters to a number of sweepstakes casino operators, alongside a group of unregulated offshore casinos. The Social Gaming Leadership Association (SGLA) took offense to the public announcement of the...
Stephen A. Smith Signs Ambassadorship With Controversial Skill-Gaming Company Papaya, as False Advertising Lawsuit Moves to Trial
Renowned sports commentator Stephen A. Smith has signed a deal with Papaya Gaming to host its upcoming Solitaire World Championship in Miami, even as the company heads to trial over accusations of false advertising stemming...
Massachusetts Puts Kalshi on Its Back Foot — And States on a Collision Course With the Federal Government
This week, Massachusetts handed Kalshi its second significant legal setback, as a federal judge remanded the case to state court, thwarting Kalshi's attempt to force a favorable change of venue. Central to Kalshi's battle...
Hard Rock Bet Florida Adds Slots-Like Games Powered by ‘Past Motor Races’
In a surprise move, Hard Rock Bet has rolled out what appear at first glance to be slots in its Florida sports betting app. Technically, they're not slots, of course, because online...
Opinion: NBA Scandal Shows Poker Players Have Their Own ‘Whisper Network’
Last week's indictments tying several NBA figures to a Mafia gambling conspiracy came as a shock to most of the world, but not to U.S. poker players who frequent the...
BREAKING: NBA Coach Chauncey Billups and Player Terry Rozier Arrested on Charges Involving Rigged Poker and Sports Bets
NBA player Terry Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups have reportedly been arrested by the FBI at a hotel in Orlando as part of a gambling investigation, according to ESPN. The US Attorney...
U.S. Online Poker Continues to Benefit From the ‘Pennsylvania Boom’ Even During Slow Fall Season
Revenue for regulated U.S. poker sites didn't change much from August to September by PokerScout estimates, but the annual growth rate remains elevated thanks to the inclusion of Pennsylvania players...
BREAKING: Ossi ‘Monarch’ Ketola and His Businesses Banned From X
The ever-controversial Ossi 'Monarch' Ketola has had his X account suspended, along with those for his two gambling businesses, CSGOEmpire and Duel. Monarch announced the bans this morning on his Discord server, framing them as an...
