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PEORIA — A lucky slot player was the second guest to take home big money this month from an East Peoria casino. A news statement from Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino said an unnamed slot player won $46,318 after placing a $9 bet Friday on the Light & Wonder's "Blazing 777 Triple Double Jackpot Wild Nudge." The statement added this guest "left feeling on top of the world" with the money. The casino also said the win is the second major jackpot in five days at Par-A-Dice, noting another guest won a $29,000 payday on Dec. 1. Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino features 26,000 square feet of casino gaming space with 500 slot and video poker machines and 18 table games at 21 Blackjack Blvd., East Peoria. For more information, go to www.paradicecasino.com . The Since U Been Gone star announced on Monday that she will perform 10 shows across July and August in support of her upcoming album Chemistry. "I am so excited for these shows and couldn't think of a better place to get back on stage than Las Vegas! The crowds in Vegas are such an amazing collection of people that simply want to have a great time and that's what we're going to do!” "So many of my musical idols have had, and still have, incredible residencies on The Strip, and I'm so excited to create my own!" In between Dave & Buster's screen-lit aisles and makeshift arenas, it's not unusual to see groups of friends competing with each other. At each of the arcade chain's more than 222 franchises throughout the country, there's just about every kind of friendly physical and virtual game—Hot Shots basketball, Skee-Ball, air hockey, billiards, virtual car racing, and shooting—to master. And that is just the beginning. ATS.io mapped how gambling is entering arcades across the United States and the implications for these two industries. In a partnership with technology company Lucra, Dave & Buster's announced in April 2024 that it plans to allow customers to bet on its arcade games through a social wagering channel on its app. The gamification software will accommodate peer-to-peer digital cash bets on "skill-based" games, otherwise defined as "recreational activities for which the outcome is largely or entirely dependent on the knowledge, ability, strength, speed, endurance, intelligence of the participants and is subject to the control of those participants," Lucra chief operating officer Michael Madding told the New York Times . In the process, loyalty members will be able to digitally wager on each other's recreational abilities, earn various rewards, and unlock exclusive perks, effectively merging sports betting and arcade fandom together. "This new partnership gives our loyalty members real-time, unrivaled gaming experiences, and reinforces our commitment to continuing to elevate our customer experience through innovative, cutting-edge technology," Simon Murray, senior vice president of entertainment and attractions at Dave & Buster's, said in the company's initial press release. The decision to enter the betting fray is the latest example of an arcade or casino investing in gamification to capitalize on the exponential growth of gambling. As of May 2024, close to 40 states have legalized sports betting, which achieved record revenues ($10.9 billion) in 2023, according to the American Gaming Association, thanks to maturation across existing and newer markets, such as Massachusetts and Ohio. In the same year, more traditional and regulated casino slots and table games at brick-and-mortar establishments grossed a record $49.4 billion in revenue. That doesn't even mention the soaring estimations for the fantasy sports market, which projects to reach $56.36 billion in 2030 , according to a report by Grand View Research. "A lot of these new skill games are riding the wave of the sports betting and fantasy sports boom," Daniel Wallach, a gaming law and sports betting attorney, told ATS.io. "If fantasy sports is a legal game of skill, and it falls outside the gambling prohibitions under state law, then that could potentially apply to myriad other skill games. That's what Dave & Buster's is banking on." Still, there are potential consequences and uphill battles. Over the last couple of years, numerous "adult arcades" attempting to circumvent state laws with gambling games have been raided by authorities—namely in Florida, where slot machines are illegal unless they're at casinos or pari-mutuels. Depending on the state and how Dave & Buster's plans to operate its social wagering, the chain may also face legal hurdles. But according to Wallach, as long as an arcade isn't acting as "the house" and setting odds, "in most jurisdictions, the peer-to-peer product is, legally, the path of least resistance." In a post-pandemic world, finding new ways to attract and retain customers has become paramount for big entertainment venues. Until about a decade ago, publications were still delivering eulogies for the arcade, which struggled to compete with home video game consoles. In a 2013 story for The Verge , author Laura June argued: "The economics aren't there anymore, the community support never was, and, of course, gaming companies make a killing in the home—almost none are even producing cabinets anymore." To reinvent themselves, many arcades have introduced more hospitality elements and virtual/augmented reality opportunities, hoping newer social technology might lure customers back. Along with casinos installing slots that incorporate video game elements like storytelling and competition, they've also taken hints from sports betting companies like DraftKings and FanDuel, gamifying their mobile experiences by presenting various "challenges" or "missions" or "bonuses" that can incentivize players to stay active on an app and increase their chances to win prizes. Some arcades, like Galloping Ghost Arcade, based in Brookfield, Illinois, have pivoted the other direction, leaning into nostalgia to fuel their niche customer base. According to owner Doc Mack, the venue—which hosts about 80,000 customers a year—doesn't supply any food or beverage service, has close to 900 different games, and charges a $25 flat rate so customers don't pinch their quarters. "We have tried to really go with an old-school approach to it. Our games kind of speak for themselves," Mack told ATS.io. "You don't have to pitch anything else to make these games iconic or make people want to play them." Unlike Dave & Buster's, he says, which phases old games out, Galloping Ghost prides itself on classic arcade options that don't cater to online opportunities. Considering the scope and intention of his business, gamification only makes sense for a certain size operation looking to draw in more casual customers. "I think it's great to try to innovate and bring new things to it," Mack said. "If you operate that big at this point, maybe you just try to do anything you can to figure out a new revenue opportunity." Considering Dave & Buster's is one of many arcade entertainment franchises that cater to families, underage gambling has become a concern. Legislators such as Illinois state Rep. Daniel Didech have spoken out about the lack of safeguards preventing kids and teenagers from betting themselves. Lucra says its betting services are only intended for adults 18 and up, and that the average contest size is around $5 or $10. But without being regulated—a reason the American Gaming Association declined to comment for this story—the chain opens itself up to more scrutiny. "State regulation can provide an important consumer protection element that would otherwise be missing from unregulated albeit legal activity," Wallach said. "Maybe the answer is to regulate rather than prohibit." Whether or not it finds initial success, Wallach believes this venture into arcade peer-to-peer betting is likely to gain imitators. Consider venues such as Topgolf and PingPod (a fully automated table tennis space), which have already gamified some of their experiences and contain inherent head-to-head competitions. Meanwhile, on Lucra's list of clients is a pickleball ratings system and a tennis app that allows players to compete against each other for real money. According to Lucra, its app has created 1 million unique contests and collected more than $20 million of handle. It seems like just the beginning. "There's much more skill gaming out there at commercial venues than you may even realize," Wallach said. "There's no reason why this concept can't be imported to those types of recreational activities." Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. This story originally appeared on ATS.io and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Breaking News Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Saints hope to ride the Rizzi factor back to relevance after their bye week
There isn’t a Marie listed on the Gophers women’s soccer roster, but she is an important part of the team. ADVERTISEMENT Marie doesn’t play a position, but she goes everywhere with the squad, which is convenient because she is the size of a carry-on roller bag and can be safely stowed in an airplane’s overhead bin. Marie is the name given to U captain defender Elizabeth Overberg’s black JBL PartyBox speaker. Marie is in Chapel Hill, N.C., for the Gophers’ game against South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament at 1 p.m. Friday. Minnesota is making its first national tournament appearance since 2018, but Marie’s inclusion shows that the Gophers aren’t taking themselves too seriously. Near the start of the season, forward Khyah Harper choreographed a dance to Michel Jackson’s “Beat It” for a handful of teammates to perform before road matches. The ensemble includes Overberg, Sophia Boman, Avery Petty, Alex Isaacs, Aaryn Gabriel, Sophia Romine and Evelyn Calhoon. The Gophers finished the regular season at home, hosted the start of the Big Ten tournament and began the NCAA run with a 2-0 win over South Dakota State last week, so they haven’t done the dance more than a month. The routine — superstition? — is to do the performance the day before the game, which they did Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT “They were a little rusty,” Harper reported. “They got a redo because first one did not go very well. But the second one, they definitely brought the energy.” Did head coach Erin Chastain join in? She is, after all, coming off her first career NCAA tournament win. “That would be a miracle to get her to do it,” Harper shared. But the tradition has brought the players together and their on-field success is due, in part, to their chemistry, said Harper, the Big Ten forward of the year with 17 goals in 20 matches. “Our team is super close, so it’s really easy to play well together when we’re on the field,” Harper said. “And I think that we just all have the same end goal ... just winning.” ADVERTISEMENT The sixth-seeded Gophers (13-4-3) will be tested by No. 3 seed South Carolina (11-3-7) on Friday. While Minnesota is in the tournament for the first time in six years, the Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference are making their 12th straight appearance. “They seem like they’re a really good team, but we know that we are, too,” Harper said. “So we kind of just focus on ourselves and know that we can bring a lot to the table, and we’re a really good team. We’re in the round of 32 for a reason. We can match up against any competition, but we also know that anyone can win on any given day, so I think just bringing our best effort versus them and we can get a result that we want.” If the U wins again and reaches the Sweet Sixteen, there will be another dance recital in the Gophers’ near future. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Alisha Brooks, shot to death Sunday night at a house near Jones and Danforth, was a devoted mother who was building a career helping others. “I want everyone to remember the good in her and to remember that she was on an upward trajectory, and this is not the way her life was supposed to end,” said her cousin and friend, Tanecia Clarke-Rodriguez. Brooks’s boyfriend, Aaron Shea, 33, who was arrested by Toronto police at the scene on Sunday, has been charged with first-degree murder. Brooks, 34, was a housing worker at Delta Family, a non-profit agency serving marginalized communities in Northwest Toronto. Her current focus was helping refugees. “Alisha loved life! We cannot believe that we will no longer hear her infectious laughter and be awed by her constant and consistent commitment to showing up for community and for Delta Family,” said executive director Kemi Jacobs. Brooks, when she was seven, was committed to helping children in care, Jacobs said. She was devoted to her daughter, a teenager, said Clarke-Rodriguez, and she supported those she loved with enthusiasm. “She showed up for everything, and every single accomplishment I ever had, she made a big deal. She would share it all over her social media. She would message me — always talking about how proud she was,” said Clarke-Rodriguez, an Indigenous outreach co-ordinator for a post-secondary institution. Brooks, who emerged from foster care angry and troubled, struggled to make the transition from care into adulthood. Clarke-Rodriguez said she was drawn to troubled men. “She did tend to go for these types of partners ... I always wanted better for her,” said Clarke-Rodriguez. “It’s hard because I feel like she kept wanting to go forward and parts of her upbringing and childhood trauma and all of that stuff — that other part of her — would also pull her backwards. So, it was a constant struggle, I feel.” The incident on Sunday took place outside a house owned by the John Howard Society of Toronto, an organization that provides programs and services to people in the criminal justice system. It can house up to 16 males on conditional release from prison, who as part of a Crossroads program can receive counselling, community involvement, employment and education programs. Shea, who stands accused of killing Brooks, was a convicted criminal on a statutory release program, according to the Parole Board of Canada and Corrections Canada. Statutory release is mandated for the final third of a prisoner’s sentence. The parole board has limited control, but can impose specific conditions. “The Parole Board of Canada is limited in Statutory Release decisions to imposing special conditions on the release such as to reside at a specific place such as a halfway house,” said spokesperson Wendy Smith, Corrections Service Canada (CSC) confirmed that Shea was on a statutory release program in the community, and provided the following statement. “Our thoughts are with the victim and their family during this difficult time. We are aware of the charges that have been laid against Aaron Shea and that he is in custody ... While it is not common for such an incident to occur at a Community Residential Facility, it is a serious and tragic incident and it is important that it be thoroughly reviewed to fully examine the circumstances around what happened.” The CSC has launched an investigation into the incident, and said if it determines further changes are needed to improve public safety, “it will not hesitate to implement (them).” Brooks was a mentor in the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada’s (CAFDN) CHEERS program (Creating Hope and Ensuring Excellent Roads to Success), helping Black youth transition from government care to independent living. “Alisha demonstrated remarkable passion and commitment to advocating for children and youth in care,” according to a message the organization posted on its website. Clarke-Rodriguez urged those who knew and cared for Brooks to show up for her daughter. “If anyone that does love her wants to give, they should be pouring into her daughter, whether that’s with words, affirmations, gifts, money, whatever. Everyone should be pouring into her daughter because she is going to need that love so much.” Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at .
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