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Edinburgh Reporter
08-07-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Is Online Poker Legal in Mongolia? Here's What You Should Know
The popularity of online poker has spread to all the corners of the world. However, it is widely not legally accepted in different countries. This is what has changed drastically in the last several years in Mongolia. A field that was one of the most unregulated areas is now open to direct intervention of the government. But in case you are asking yourself whether or not online poker is legal in Mongolia the following is what you ought to familiarize yourself with in 2025. freepik The Legal Background: A Grey Zone No More For several decades, Mongolia has been in the grey legal area concerning online poker. Although the classical variant of gambling or rather the land-based component was prohibited in a direct manner, online gambling has not been directly discussed in the act. Due to this, Mongolian players had no problems with playing international poker games at sites like PokerStars or GGPoker and avoiding any legal persecution. The completeness of lack of enforcement along with thin online controls provided the impression that online poker was condoned, even when they were not actually legal. This enabled an underground community of successful online poker to emerge. It was common for players to use foreign platforms — a typical poker site Mongolia users would access might be based in Europe or Asia — and to handle payments through digital wallets or foreign bank accounts, all while avoiding domestic regulation. Nevertheless, to the government, this unregulated industry became both a financial and social menace as it grew. Concerns about gambling addiction, fraud, and the outflow of money intensified pressure from stakeholders to control or completely ban online gambling. Mongolia's Legal Pivot in 2025 The amendments to the Mongolian laws that had to do with gambling were far-reaching and were done by the Parliament in May 2025. The changes directly affected the face of online gambling because they criminalized all digital casino game websites, online poker sites, online slot machines, and online lotteries. Online gambling services face criminalization too, under the law. This also involved people who assist other people to open an account, provide payment services, or encourage criminal companies to gamble or advertise their websites in either way. The new law gives the state agencies the authority to block the websites that engage in illegal gambling. Owing to this, thousands of websites that deal with gambling such as poker sites, have already been blockaded or become unreachable domestically in Mongolia. Governments are also increasing surveillance of online payments especially those that can be associated with offshore casinos. Moreover, the new legislations openly forbid online gambling advertisements. Any advertising of online poker or other games that was carried out via websites, mobile apps, affiliate networks, or even social media is now discussed as a violation of Mongolian legislation. The punishment includes an administrative penalty to a criminal trial. The Sports Betting Exception Although the 2025 legislation was mainly limiting, an exception has actually been carved through it, and that is where sports betting is concerned. Both online and offline sports betting have been legalized through a state licensing system. This was done based on economic strategy. Legalizing a popular form of gambling, controlling it, and thus gaining control of tax revenues was one of the things the state intended to do in order to halt the continuous stream of money flowing to unlicensed foreign operators. This legal difference between sports betting and other gambling activities is quite important. The fact is that, although poker and other games resembling casino ones are forbidden online, sports betting operators have an opportunity to receive official licenses and operate their activities under the governmental control of Mongolia. However, this might be under stringent supervision of the government such as identification, accountable gambling measures, and making the financial affairs visible. This legal structure on sports betting will not automatically be applied to other forms of games such as poker according to the government. Until today, online poker is not availed of such an exemption. Legal Consequences for Players and Providers The new gambling laws are mostly directed at muzzling illegal activities and the worst penalties will be on the hands of persons operating, promoting, or facilitating online gambling sites. Now, speaking of individual players they cannot be left alone entirely. The players themselves may not be charged with a criminal offense; however, in case of the repeated occurrence of a prohibited gambling activity, a fine or an administrative measure may be applied on the basis of Article 4 of the law. The government has instructed financial dealings to watch flag and scrutinize any transactions that are assumed to be related to online gambling. In other instances, their user accounts can be frozen or their funds can be confiscated in cases where it is being used to perpetrate criminal activity. There is also surveillance of the applications of virtual private networks (VPNs) and digital wallets which could assist a user in circumventing local blocks. This enforcement situation is a new one that presents signs of being rather serious as the government gets down to crackdown. State-initiated media and public enlightenment have been applied as a means of cautioning the citizens on the effects of engaging in illegal gambling, such as poker. The Skill Game-Debate Another point that has emerged in Mongolia as it did in several other countries is the fact whether poker is a game of chance or skill. Pro-poker parties state that poker is a game of complexity and strategy quite unlike slots lottery or other pure games of chance in which luck alone takes the upper hand. In this regard, they assert that poker should be considered as a sport/competitive activity and not gambling as is the case with other types of gambling. Companies such as the Mongolian Sport Poker United Association have gone out of their way to ensure that poker is taken as a skill rather than a game of chance. This group is certified by the International Federation of Match Poker and it popularizes poker as a sport, rather than a gambling game. Nevertheless, the law of 2025 fails to distinguish between poker and other games of chance notwithstanding the attempts to do it. At the time being, the Mongolian legal system regards poker as similar to Internet casinos and virtual slots. freepik How Mongolia Compares to Other Countries This of Mongolia is more prohibitive as compared to a number of other countries that have either legalized or regulated poker. As an example, there is a detailed system of gambling control in the United Kingdom, where licensed online poker sites are present. In the state of the United States, such as New Jersey or Pennsylvania, online poker is governed by state law in certain parts as well. On the other hand, Mongolia has lumped prohibition that best fits those found in places such as China where most gambling is prohibited on the web and its sites are actively blocked. This rift represents two approaches to online gambling at a world level. Other nations are convinced that the better options to use are regulation, oversight, and taxation rather than prohibition. Others such as Mongolia call tough prohibition the only avenue available to curb the negative social and economic effects of gambling. Like this: Like Related
Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Two poker players who engaged in £730k 'chip dumping' scandal given bans
Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll were both involved in a cheating scandal at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, which has resulted in them both being banned Poker players Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll have been banned for chip dumping following their involvement in a collusion scandal. Yaginuma triumphed over Carroll at the final table of the World Series of Poker 's $1,500 Millionaire Maker in Las Vegas last month. A statement from WSOP released on Monday declared that there would be no winner and no bracelet awarded, with the first and second place prize money being divided equally. That resulted in both players pocketing £828,000, but the controversy arises from the £730,000 bonus that Yaginuma earned on top. Rumours of a potential ban began to swirl online shortly afterwards, with PokerOrg confirming a lifetime ban from Caesars properties and, with that, the WSOP in Las Vegas. It remains unclear whether the duo will also face bans from other non-Caesars WSOP events such as WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas in December. Yaginuma seemed set for celebrations, having at one point held less than 10% of the total chips in play before staging an extraordinary comeback to clinch his victory. He appeared to have scooped the main prize of just over £915,000, along with an extra £730,000 thanks to a ClubWPT Gold promotion. Of the two heads-up players, only Yaginuma was eligible for the ClubWPT Gold promotion, having secured a Gold Rush ticket from the sweeps coin poker site. That meant he was entitled to the bonus if he won the tournament. But swathes of online fans noticed some dubious hands in the heads-up match that raised eyebrows. Carroll, who pocketed a runner-up prize of around £750,000, was accused of making several puzzling decisions as the finale reached its climax. His behaviour was deemed particularly odd given that he had previously built up such a substantial lead. Chip dumping in poker is when a player intentionally loses hands to favour their opponent. It's done to transfer funds to one's opponent, either through deliberate folding or irrational betting. One of the most contentious hands saw Yaginuma take the lead for the first time after winning a pot with 174m chips at stake. With the blinds set at 1.5m and 3m, Yaginuma called the big blind pre-flop with a Jack (clubs) and an eight (spades), prompting Carroll to raise to 13m with a six (clubs) and a three (diamonds), which his opponent called. The flop produced a 10 (clubs), five (clubs) and Jack (spades), leading Carroll to bet another 17m, which was called again. Both players checked when a seven of clubs came out on the turn, then raised the stakes once more when Yaginuma called Carroll's 57m bet after the river produced a Queen (spades). GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu discussed the bans on his vlog, stating the decision was made by Nevada Gaming and Caesars and had nothing to do with the WSOP. The WSOP in Vegas is set to run at Caesars properties for another 19 years, however, with Negreanu adding: "They're not going to be able to play the World Series for I don't know how long.' So far, neither player embroiled in the controversy has released a public statement addressing the bans. Yaginuma was interviewed by ClubWPT Gold about the bonus payout, where he said: 'It's been amazing; it's been a wild ride. When I actually realised I had a chance, it was surreal. It was exciting, of course, and it felt like an out-of-body experience.' The ClubWPT Gold's social media confirmed they would honour the £730,000 prize despite there being no official winner, increasing the number of Gold Rush tickets it gave out.
Pink Villa
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Who is Nikita Luther? Meet The Traitors contestant who was ousted in the first episode but returned as wild card
Nikita Luther is currently a contestant on The Traitors, competing alongside 19 other celebrity participants. Her journey on the show has been intriguing so far, as she was eliminated by a fellow contestant, Elnaaz Norouzi, in the very first episode, even before the game officially started. This shocking twist left the contestants reeling. While the other contestants began forming strategies, alliances, and attempting to identify the traitor, Nikita returned to the show in the third episode as a wild card contestant. But who is Nikita Luther? Who is Nikita Luther? Born in Delhi, Nikita Luther holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Delhi, where she studied finance and marketing. This academic background helped her develop a strong analytical mindset, which has proven beneficial in her poker career. Professionally, Nikita is a prominent poker player based in Delhi. Her journey into poker began as a simple curiosity when she started playing on Zynga, a U.S.-based online poker platform. Her interest took a significant turn during a friend's birthday party in 2015, when she played poker with real stakes for the first time. Nikita participated in the first season of GGPoker's Game of Gold, a poker reality competition. In February 2017, she and another poker player, Raghav Bansal, won the Macau Poker Cup team event, making her the first Indian woman to win a poker tournament on the global stage—an important milestone in her career. To date, Nikita Luther has reportedly won over $440,000 in live tournament cashes. Following her early successes, she continued to win several international tournaments, earning substantial cash prizes along the way. Nikita was also the first professional female poker player in India to be invited to deliver a TEDx talk. She has achieved significant success in poker competitions both in India and abroad. On Instagram, Nikita Luther boasts more than 34.5k followers and maintains an active social media presence. Her participation in The Traitors is more than just a spotlight for poker enthusiasts; it represents a pivotal moment of visibility that could influence how Indian audiences, particularly women, view the game of poker. The Traitors premiered on June 12, with the first three episodes released on Prime Video at 8 PM. New episodes are scheduled to release every Thursday at 8 PM.
Edinburgh Reporter
24-04-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
A Scot's Journey to Winning at Texas Hold ‘Em
Ever thought about mastering Texas Hold 'Em? This guide will help you get the hang of the game's hands and strategies, improving your skills and chances of winning at the tables. By the time you finish this article, you'll understand the basics of poker hands, the art of bluffing, and practical winning strategies for Texas Hold 'Em. Getting to Know Poker Hands This skill is the bedrock of all your strategic decisions in the game. To understand the game better, it's essential to familiarise yourself with the different poker hands, which range from a high card to a royal flush, as detailed on GGPoker's guide. Let's break down the hierarchy, from lowest to highest: High Card One Pair Two Pair Three of a Kind Straight Flush Full House Four of a Kind Straight Flush Royal Flush The Hierarchy of Poker Hands [Detailed explanation of each hand ranking and probability percentages] Common Misconceptions about Poker Hands [Addressing typical misconceptions about hand strength and probability] Perfecting Your Poker Face: The Art of Bluffing Mind you, bluffing can be a tricky business. It's the act of betting with a weak hand to deceive opponents into folding stronger hands. When executed skillfully, bluffing wins pots you had no business winning. But done poorly, it leads to losses. Bluffing is vital to poker success, but it's important to remember that it can also lead to controversies, such as the infamous cheating scandal that rocked the poker world. The Psychology Behind Bluffing [Exploring the mental aspects of effective bluffing tactics] Practical Tips for Effective Bluffing [Step-by-step bluffing strategies and real-life examples] Winning Strategies for Texas Hold 'Em Developing a winning strategy requires skill, patience, and adaptability. As online poker continues to grow, with forecasts predicting a significant increase in market share, it's crucial to adapt your strategies for the digital arena. Position is Power Start Selective Manage Your Bankroll Study Your Opponents Understand Pot Odds Mix Up Your Play Practice, Practice, Practice [Detailed explanation of each strategy with real examples] Winning Online [Specific tips for succeeding at online poker tournaments and cash games] Wrapping Up Our Poker Journey Don't forget, understanding the rankings and odds of poker hands is the cornerstone of your game. Getting the hang of bluffing and developing winning strategies will give you the best chance at long-term Texas Hold 'Em success. Each game provides an opportunity to learn and adapt. Once you've mastered these strategies, why not put your skills to the test at Casino Jesus? Ready to Play? Your Next Steps Ready to play? Test your new Texas Hold 'Em strategies at GG Poker. With a range of stakes and games, it's the perfect platform to keep practicing and refining your skills. Like this: Like Related
Associated Press
25-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Exclusive Advance Registration for World Series of Poker Circuit Event at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto Opens for Great Canadian Rewards Members
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 25, 2025-- Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto ('Great Canadian Toronto') and GGPoker, the World's Biggest Poker Room, are excited to announce the exclusive advance online registration for the highly anticipated World Series of Poker ('WSOP') Circuit Event, available only to Great Canadian Rewards members from March 25 to March 31. General in-person registration opens April 1 at Great Canadian Toronto. Great Canadian Rewards members can skip the line and register online at Not a member? Sign up for free at today to unlock early access, a special new member sign-up bonus, exclusive hotel rates, and incredible partner benefits. The tournament will take place from April 10 – 22, 2025, featuring 11 WSOP Circuit Ring Events and an estimated prize pool exceeding last year's record-breaking CDN$5.5 million. Following the overwhelming success of Toronto's inaugural WSOP Circuit Event in 2024, the 2025 edition offers an expanded schedule and increased prize pools. The 2025 tournament will feature a broad array of events, including the much anticipated $2,000 Main Event and the $3,500 High Roller event, along with new Ladies, Seniors and Pot Limit Omaha tournament events. Last year's inaugural WSOP Circuit Event in Toronto saw over 6,000 entries, including 324 Main Event online qualifiers from GGPoker, competing for a record-breaking CDN$5.5 million prize pool - far exceeding the initial $3.9 million estimate. The $2,000 Main Event alone generated a $2.8 million prize pool, while the $3,500 High Roller Event saw a $1 million prize pool. Earlier this year, Great Canadian Toronto announced an exclusive partnership with GGPoker, making it the only venue in Ontario to host WSOP Bracelet and Ring events. Under this agreement, The Poker Room at Great Canadian Toronto is now officially sponsored by GGPoker, reinforcing the resort's status as a premier destination for poker enthusiasts. About Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada's newest and largest casino resort, opened in June 2023. The $1 billion landmark entertainment destination features 328,000 sq. ft. of gaming space, including High Limit Table and Slot rooms, a 400-room hotel, multiple dining options, private event and flexible meeting spaces, and The Theatre, a 5,000-person live entertainment venue in association with Live Nation. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada's newest and largest casino resort, opened in June 2023. The $1 billion landmark entertainment destination features 328,000 sq. ft. of gaming space, including High Limit Table and Slot rooms, a 400-room hotel, multiple dining options, private event and flexible meeting spaces, and The Theatre, a 5,000-person live entertainment venue in association with Live Nation. Consistent with Great Canadian Toronto's commitment to responsible gambling, the resort features two PlaySmart Centres on the gaming floor, offering interactive tools and responsible gambling resources, including participation in OLG's voluntary My PlayBreak program. For more information please visit or follow us on Instagram, X, and Facebook. About Great Canadian Entertainment Founded in 1982, Great Canadian Entertainment is Canada's leading gaming and hospitality company, operating 23 properties across Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. With over 19,000 slot machines, 650 live table games, and 60 restaurants, the company delivers premier entertainment experiences to over 20 million gaming visitors annually. Founded in 1982, Great Canadian Entertainment is Canada's leading gaming and hospitality company, operating 23 properties across Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. With over 19,000 slot machines, 650 live table games, and 60 restaurants, the company delivers premier entertainment experiences to over 20 million gaming visitors annually. Great Canadian Entertainment is committed to supporting communities through its PROUD program, benefiting healthcare, education, and social services across Canada. To learn more, visit or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. About GGPoker GGPoker is the World's Biggest Poker Room, offering cutting-edge poker innovations like Rush & Cash, All-In or Fold, Flip & Go, Spin & Gold, and Mystery Battle Royale. The platform hosts exclusive WSOP Online events and has broken multiple records, including hosting the largest WSOP Online Main Event in history. GGPoker is the World's Biggest Poker Room, offering cutting-edge poker innovations like Rush & Cash, All-In or Fold, Flip & Go, Spin & Gold, and Mystery Battle Royale. The platform hosts exclusive WSOP Online events and has broken multiple records, including hosting the largest WSOP Online Main Event in history. In 2024, over 1,100 GGPoker players participated in the WSOP Main Event, setting new attendance records for the second year in a row. GGPoker was named Poker Operator of the Year at the EGR Operator Awards 2024. Find out more about GGPoker at and on Facebook, X and Reddit. About the World Series of Poker The World Series of Poker® (WSOP) is the most prestigious poker tournament series, having awarded over $4 billion in prize money since its inception in 1970. The 2024 WSOP flagship event in Las Vegas attracted 229,553 entrants, awarding a record-breaking $438 million in prize money. The WSOP hosts 40 Circuit Events annually across five continents, including WSOP Europe, WSOP Paradise, and WSOP Online. The World Series of Poker® (WSOP) is the most prestigious poker tournament series, having awarded over $4 billion in prize money since its inception in 1970. The 2024 WSOP flagship event in Las Vegas attracted 229,553 entrants, awarding a record-breaking $438 million in prize money. The WSOP hosts 40 Circuit Events annually across five continents, including WSOP Europe, WSOP Paradise, and WSOP Online. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto SOURCE: Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/25/2025 11:59 AM/DISC: 03/25/2025 11:59 AM
