Kalistan

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Miguel Santos takes Helm at Bookmakers' Association
Athosian Gambling Expert vows transparency and access
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
July 9, 5694


Miguel Santos, new skipper of Kalistani Bookmakers' Association says he hates cheats

The Kalistani Bookmakers' Association, whose operations were suspended following the massive money laundering scandal involving the Bank of Suldanor and which led to the eventual decapitation of the Undzer Shtik organized crime syndicate, is now under new management. Athosian-Kalistani immigrant, statistician and master odds calculator Miguel Santos-Marshall has been elected by the Association as its new Director. Santos, who has a sterling reputation and was not implicated in the money laundering scheme, has vowed to ensure that the organization goes above and beyond normal corporate best practices to provide transparency and access to Association records.

"Let's face it," Santos said as he gave reporters a tour around the Association main Offices, headquartered in the Sun Coast Resort and Casino in Sulari, "we have a lot to do to regain the trust of gamers who have left us when it became clear that some of our members were fixing bets and others were involved in money laundering and other nefarious crimes. Among those of us who escaped implication in those deeds, we are now the ones who make up a solid core of bookies in Kalistan and Ananto, and we all value the most honest game. Which is why, as we reopen our operations across the Empire, we want to do everything we possibly can to regain the trust of the people of Kalistan and the tourists who visit to make bets in our casinos and at our tracks."

Santos called the criminality that nearly brought down the gambling syndicate down "... just sheer greed. Look, the Bookmakers Association makes money just for existing and ensuring bets. Its called the vigorish- We don't have to fix anything. We get paid for taking the bet. But the responsibility part of that, which a lot of our former members failed to do, is to ensure a fair game. Some of these guys were betting on their own races, so they had a vested interest in the outcome they were supposed to be overseeing as fair for people who trusted them. And they went the extra mile and tried to cover it up through the bank. And they were in with the Yeudis in the mob and taking kickbacks from that--it was a failure of trust all around. Our guys broke that trust, and it is something we need to focus on to try to rebuild in Kalistan."

The Bookmakers' Association has now been re-authorized to begin overseeing the Pari-Mutuel at the race tracks across Kalistan and Ananto, and to reopen off track betting parlors in Free Cities. Those operations were taken away from the syndicate after the scandal, but the Interior Ministry is satisfied with their corporate restructuring, including the reorganization of the Association's bylaws, charter, and accounting practices. "We are under so much oversight right now, that the Bookmakers' Association is like one step away from being a public regulatory agency," said Santos. "We are still technically private, but we wanted to ensure that the National Government, and the public too, has as much access to our records as possible. That oversight is the only way we can create the kind of culture going forward that will help us rebuild our trust with the public."

Casino gaming regulations remain completely outside the Bookmakers' oversight and control for the time being, and rest with individual casinos themselves. "We are taking steps," said Santos. "Its kind of a probation: we do alright with the tracks, where we started, and then the Government will review our application to take the casinos back over. But currently those casinos are overseen by their own Boards, who are fiduciarily responsible to their own shareholders, and its possible that the Empire could see that more decentralized regulatory structure as something they want to maintain." Santos says he is confident that the Bookmakers will get the casinos back eventually, but he also worries, because House Ananto's investment group Miramar controls large blocks of stocks in casinos across Suldanor, Vrassa and Ananto. "To be fair, there is kind of a conflict of interest there," said Santos, "but we would like to focus on what the Association is doing to ensure gaming at the operations we ourselves oversee, and let the Government work the rest of it out among themselves."

Santos said the horse race season is in full swing, and he encourages gamers to participate in the Pari-mutuel, where the gamblers themselves set the pools based on how they move their money. Bookmakers also offer exotic bets on races, sporting events and even historical events, but these are side arrangements made between betters and punters, rather than public sanctioned and regulated regular bets made at Horse track pari-mutuel stands. "The Casinos themselves get about a half a point on each bet, the Bookmakers get four and a half points, and the winners get the rest," said Santos. "That vig is factored into payouts to the winning ticketholders, whether it be live racing or at the OTB parlors." The casinos are responsible for paying the purse for the horses and the jockeys.

"In a normal season, we'll make close to ₭700 Million just off the vig alone," said Santos. "This isn't including the private bets we cover or offer. And while we're in rebuilding, we will likely earn a lot less, but either way, this a very lucrative industry, especially when you talk about online gaming and all that. So the idea that we need to turn to crime or skimming really is just stupid and greedy, and I say good riddance to those criminals who were involved in all that. I hate cheats and at the end of the day, they were nothing but lowdown cheats who I wouldn't trust with my own money. Going forward, I want this organization to have a reputation for honesty, and for being good corporate citizens of this Empire. We're gonna be more like a real business than we ever have been, and we're going to work hard to earn the trust of every single gambler who comes to the track to put money down on their favorite horse."

Miramar issued a brief statement praising the selection of Santos to lead the Organization and Lady Allison Ananto-Westmoreland said Santos comes to the helm with a genuine desire to reform. "Miramar looks forward to cooperating with Mr. Santos to ensure that our interests in the gaming industry in Kalistan are both protected and profitable," said the House Spokeswoman.

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