Saudis Deny Fatwa Against Pokémon Go Has Been Reissued

Rest easy, Pokémon Go fans in the United Arab Emirates. The Saudi government has quelled the horrific rumor that you may not be able to play the game you love. All is right with all the world.
Is there or is not there? Conflicting info on the revival of an old Saudi fatwa on the favorite new app Pokémon Go may have players going in circles. Oh wait, they are doing that anyway.
The game that has grabbed the minds and figures of people everywhere, from the Las Vegas Strip to UK bookmakers lines that are offering how quickly the game would fall from favor, is A-OK for the UAE because well.
In an official statement issued late last week, the federal government assured players they were safe to walk into guy holes and cause enormous traffic pileups, just like Pokémon Go aficianados the world over have been doing since the insanely popular app hit the market simply this month.
‘ No religious fatwa came from the council for senior scholars in Saudi concerning the Pokemon Go game,’ was the word from the government, although no specific attribution was presented with to this declaration, so take that under advisement.
You may be challenged also finding the app, because technically, it isn’t yet in the market that is saudi. However you know very well what will minimize somebody determined to enter in the latest trend: nothing nada bupkes. Evidently, some clever Saudis have figured down exactly how to download the app their own way.
Exactly What’s the situation?
From whence did all this hysteria arise, anyway?
Apparently, whenever very first version of Pokémon emerged around 2001, Fatwa #21758 (that’s a whole lot of fatwas) hit the street, declaring the game unfit for Muslims because it embraced non-Muslim religious concepts, including gambling and that man is descended from apes, à la Darwin.
When the newer version hit the globe, rumors circulated that 78-year-old Saudi cleric Sheikh Saleh Al-Fozan, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, said that the fatwa that is original be revived, effectively banning the mobile app version from the conservative Wahhabi kingdom.
‘The concept of development is a main element,’ explained the initial edict that is religious. ‘One of the very things that are important makes man condemn this game is adopting the idea of evolution produced by Darwin.
‘This theory states that all species of organisms evolve and that the origin of man had been an ape. Astonishingly, the children usually use your message ‘evolution’ inside and outside the game. You can hear them saying that this creature contained in the card has evolved to another type.’
Devious Companies
The fatwa reportedly continued to complain that the game additionally included symbols ‘associated with Judaism,’ specifically a star that is six-pointed in addition to Christianity, specifically a cross, because well as ‘angles and triangles’ used by numerous ‘devious organizations.’
‘This game encourages and circulates the symbols of disbelievers as well as the forbidden images. It normally a form of consuming money unlawfully,’ stated the fatwa. The Pokémon cartoons, meanwhile, occur to ‘possess the minds’ of children, the opined that is cleric.
Al-Jazeera reported this week that the kingdom’s Communication and Ideas Technology Commission (CITC) has waded into the debate, warning that apps like Pokémon Go could expose the consumer’s location to ‘prying eyes,’ an assertion that has really been made by an abundance of non-Saudi organizations also.
There have even been reported instances of muggings when criminals were able to track specific places of Pokémon Go users.
Chess Ban Also
Pokémon Go hasn’t been the game that is only get the cold shoulder from the Saudi Ulama. Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh recently declared chess to be a ‘work of Satan,’ banning it on the grounds it was ‘a waste of time.’
Meanwhile, Pokémon Go is also ruffling feathers in Egypt, where deputy chief associated with the Al-Azhar Islamic institution Abbas Shuman has called it a ‘harmful mania.’
‘This game makes people look like drunkards in the streets and in the roads while their eyes are glued to the mobile displays leading them to the imaginary Pokémon into the hope of catching it,’ Shuman said.
Well, we can’t really argue with the man on that one.
Pennsylvania Casinos Refusing to get Into State’s New Liquor Law
The Hollywood Casino near Harrisburg says it doesn’t prepare to pay $1 million to serve liquor between 2 and 6 am, and that is a position it appears almost all of Pennsylvania casinos are taking. (Image: Dan Gleiter/The Patriot-News)
Pennsylvania gambling enterprises aren’t jumping at the chance to serve alcohol between the hours of 2 and 6 am due to law that is new exorbitant price. Last month legislators in Harrisburg passed a measure allowing the state’s 12 casinos to dispense booze for the additional four hours each night on the condition that all will pay $1 million for the expanded alcohol permit.
The revenue grab by state lawmakers defintely won’t be paying off according to a few casino representatives.
‘We’re perhaps not going to cover $1 million for the privilege of selling alcohol after 2 am and I actually don’t know every other casino that may,’ Sands Casino CEO Mark Juliano told Allentown’s Call morning. ‘ This one does not create a great deal of sense.’
The Republican-controlled state legislature is looking for untapped revenue sources to endow Governor Tom Wolf’s (D) $31 billion budget. The swelled spending plan is short about $1 billion in funding.
Sinister Plans
It’s an election year, which means that politicians facing termination in November are furiously aligning their documents to favor the constituents they represent. For the great majority of Republicans, this means touting accurate documentation that does not add increasing taxes.
But to cover Wolf’s budget, something’s got to offer. As can be the case, so-called ‘sin industries’ are increasingly being targeted.
The legislature plans to look at a gambling that is expanding in September that will authorize online gambling and allow airports and off-track wagering facilities to supply slot machines.
Tobacco cigarette rates were increased by $1 per pack, making smokers in Pennsylvania the 10th-highest consumer that is taxed the nation. Of every pack sold, $2.60 now directly would go to Harrisburg.
Expanded gambling permits certain politicians to sell their agendas to the people they represent without saying they directly increased taxes on the public. But that’s only when the theorized profits come to fruition.
So far, it appears the first rung on the ladder in loosening laws surrounding casinos and gambling is a breasts. The $12 million lawmakers expected to gross from the alcohol amendment is certainly no thing that is sure.
Should any of the 12 casinos decide to opt to the program and pony up $1 million, the legislation would officially occur on 8 august.
Unfortunately for lawmakers, it seems casinos don’t wish to be the spot that is go-to the after last call crowd.
‘We just do not have the necessity to serve alcohol 24/7,’ Hollywood Casino SVP of Public Affairs Eric Schippers stated. ‘We probably wouldn’t take a license when they were free.’
Business is Good
As Casino.org reported the other day, Pennsylvania casinos posted record revenues for the 12 months ending June 30. Commercial gambling ended up being legalized nine years ago, and 2015-2016 has been the industry’s strongest year to date.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced that revenues totaled $3.2 billion for the time, eclipsing the record that is previous a staggering $86 million.
Gambling is thriving in the Keystone State, and alcohol that is adding the first early morning is a cocktail the casinos are unwilling to mix.
Rank and 888 to release Shocking Bid for William Hill
William Hill moved to belittle the notion of an acquisition that is reverse 888 and Rank, though it would certainly be thinking about 888’s digital expertise. (Image: William Hill)
Gambling groups Rank Group and 888 Holdings is to introduce a shock double bid for William Hill, Britain’s biggest bookmaker.
The two companies announced on Sunday evening that they had formed a consortium and were weighing a takeover that is reverse of bookmaker that could value William Hill at around £3 billion ($4 billion).
It is unclear whether 888 and Rank, which has Grosvenor, the British’s casino chain that is biggest, will seek to merge before you make an offer. Under British takeover panel rules, they need to now submit a strong bid by 21 august.
In their joint statement, Rank and 888 said they saw ‘significant industrial logic [in the proposal] through consolidation of their complementary online and land-based operations, distribution of substantial income and cost synergies and from the anticipated advantages of economies of scale, that may accrue to all shareholders.’
If it were to happen, such an acquisition would form a gambling that is consolidated house to challenge those developed in the last year by the mergers of Paddy Power and Betfair, also Ladbrokes and Coral.
Consolidation Period
The UK gambling industry was undergoing a period that is necessary of over the past two years, as companies seek to quickly attain greater scale and cost benefits when confronted with increased taxation and regulation throughout Europe.
William Hill today acknowledged that it had received a ‘highly preliminary approach’ from the consortium, but moved, predictably, to belittle the proposal.
‘The board of William Hill would listen to and give consideration to any proposition which might be forthcoming from the consortium,’ it said. ‘However, it isn’t clear that the combination of William Hill with 888 and Rank will enhance William Hill’s strategic positioning or deliver value that is superior William pelican pete slot online Hill’s strategy which is dedicated to increasing the group’s diversification by growing its digital and worldwide businesses.’
William Hill CEO Ousted
William Hill is kept in a susceptible position since its CEO, James Henderson, was ousted by the board last week, apparently for his failure to shore up the bookmaker’s online wing. Using this perspective, 888’s digital expertise might prove to be ultimately tempting.
For 888, meanwhile, it really could be a reverse takeover, in every sense of the word. 888 survived a £750 million ($1.47 billion, at the time) takeover effort by William Hill in February 2015 whenever 888’s shareholder that is biggest refused to sell. It has additionally avoided being obtained by Ladbrokes on several occasions over the previous years that are few.
A year ago, it had been engaged in a bidding that is high-stakes with GVC Holdings for the best to obtain bwin.party, but threw in the towel in the real face of GVC’s final bid of $1.6 billion.
Caesars Interactive Entertainment in Advanced Talks Over $4.2 billion Acquisition
Caesars Interactive, which as parent of Playtika, realized its goal of dominating the social casino market on Twitter, could possibly be sold for $4.2 billion. (Image: Caesars Interactive Entertainment)
Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) could be sold up to a consortium that is chinese by Giant Interactive, owners of MMO role-playing game ZT Online, according to a report by Reuters.
Sources who spoke towards the international news agency on condition of anonymity stated that negotiations were at an advanced stage, with the cost of Caesars’ digital supply anticipated to meet or exceed $4.2 billion. Neither Caesars nor Giant Interactive had been designed for remark when contacted by Reuters.
The Wall Street Journal reported in might that the embattled casino giant had received ‘multiple offers’ for CIE, which happens to be its only profitable product. In accordance with Reuters’ sources, US games manufacturer Hasbro and Korean social gaming developer Netmarble Games had also been in the mix.
WSOP Not Part of Deal
CIE owns the social casino video gaming company Playtika, which it acquired last year for$90 million, announcing during the time that its long-term ambition was to become ‘the number 1 in casino and social games on Facebook.’
It also owns the World Series of Poker brand and operates Caesars real-money online gambling ventures in Nevada and New Jersey, although the consortium is understood to be interested only in its social gaming products. Last year, CEI’s revenue expanded 30.6 percent in contrast with 2014, to $785.5 million.
CEI’s parent, Caesars Acquisition Company CAC), is due to merge with Caesars Entertainment Corp (CEC), as an element of a reorganization plan, because the group attempts to place its operation that is distressed unit Caesars Entertainment working Corp (CEOC) through chapter 11 bankruptcy.
