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TOW
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   Posted 4/23/2005 3:22 PM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
 

Gangsters feel at home in Costa Rica

 

by Roberto Castiglioni

 

Similar to any other human activity, the offshore industry has its thugs and undesirables.

 

With the exceptions of thieves, or owners of sports books that tanked in past years, the largest concentration of non-recommendable individuals in operation can be found in Costa Rica.

 

We are obviously not talking about the handful of bookmakers who incurred into Uncle Sam’s quest for “human blood” by indicting illegal bookmakers. These look like nuns compared to the examples we will later mention.

 

Like a well known and respected bookmaker told us months ago, Costa Rica is the ideal country for people who prefer anarchy over an organized society. The government is so disorganized that it simply forgets to renew the sports book tax for 2004.

 

“It’s the best place in the world,” this bookmaker told us. “The government merely knows we are here, but they don’t know who we are and where we are located.”

 

In this grotesque, but very realistic scenario, undesirables enjoy an easy life.

 

A few years ago a well known book hired a deadbeat to place calls from the area code where one of their hottest players lived. Needless to say, the bets places by the hired deadbeat were all losers.

 

This doesn’t seem to be an isolated case. Recently, the checkered past of a colorful thug (and sole owner of a well established brand now operating out of Costa Rica) returned under the spotlights as he decided to “convince” one watchdog owner to shut his mouth by having him bullied by his private army of so called bodyguards.

 

A few years ago a lawyer representing an owed customer showed up at the office of the owner of a large sports book. He decided to leave the office empty handed when the thug showed him a gun. He thought he was safe out of the building. Four blocks away from the book, his car was stopped by a group of unfriendly Colombians who nearly beat the lawyer to death.

 

Another story concerns the criminal who nearly beat one of his clerks to death to set an example to his other employees. The same individual distinguished himself by helping a known scammer embezzle several million dollars.

 

Needless to say, thanks to the Costa Rican anarchy regime, all these crimes went unpunished.

 

These thugs and criminals, apart from being the true embarrassment of the industry, all share the same common denominator - they are the worst enemies of the gaming world.

 

Their modus operandi fuel most of the anti-gambling campaigns. Their actions are constantly brought as example by anti-gaming legislators that the industry as a whole is a nest of rotten apples.

 

This is obviously not the case. Thugs represent the minority of all operators, yet their criminal actions taint the entire gaming community.

 

Something needs to be done. Given the Costa Rica authorities proverbial lack of attention to the problem, serious and well-respected operators need to come together and lobby against these undesirables before it’s too late.

 

However, the true factor which can indeed make the difference is the real fuel of the industry - players. Punters are a crucial element in the elimination process of criminals from this industry. The days of turning their head the other way and not see these warning signs are over.

 

Bettors must stop sending their money and giving their action to operations run by thugs. This is the most effective way to purge this scum from the gaming industry.

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bigboydan
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   Posted 4/23/2005 5:53 PM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
yet another reason i don't like playing in that country. it's like the wild west in that country.


a good capper is only as good as his info.

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BAUS
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   Posted 4/23/2005 10:30 PM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
TOW:

You said this:

Bettors must stop sending their money and giving their action to operations run by thugs. This is the most effective way to purge this scum from the gaming industry.

But you don't name any of the books who are operated by such thugs. Now, I can understand why you may not want to name the books....but how the heck am I (sitting in my living room) supposed to know which books are run by thugs and which ones aren't.

The only way would be for you, or someone in the know like you, to publicize the names of these books.

I think a lot of players would be willing to boycott a particular book if it was well known that the owners beat their clerks....

BAUS
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bigboydan
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   Posted 4/24/2005 12:26 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
i can think of a few off the top of my head baus. but, i don't like to talk about this sort of stuff on the net.


a good capper is only as good as his info.

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BAUS
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   Posted 4/24/2005 1:29 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Understood, but it's sort of tough not to play at "thug" books when you don't know which ones they are...

BAUS
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bigboydan
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   Posted 4/24/2005 1:34 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
thats why you just don't play at any books in CR.


a good capper is only as good as his info.

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TOW
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   Posted 4/24/2005 1:34 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
BAUS,

The Offshore Wire will list all these books on July 1st. The information needs to be out there before next Football season, which represents 75% of books' yearly turn over.

The editorial is meant to send a strong message to both players and books. Punters as well as honest operators can make a difference. TOW will do its part in due course.
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BAUS
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   Posted 4/24/2005 1:41 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Fair enough TOW.

But a part of me wonders if someone who is savage enough to beat their employees, would read an article on TOW, then suddenly decide to change their savage ways after being swayed by your editorial persuasion...

Not taking anything away from your article, it makes sense to me......but what matters most is will it make enough sense to some "thug" who reads it?

BAUS
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bigboydan
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   Posted 4/24/2005 1:46 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
BAUS said...
Fair enough TOW.

But a part of me wonders if someone who is savage enough to beat their employees, would read an article on TOW, then suddenly decide to change their savage ways after being swayed by your editorial persuasion...

Not taking anything away from your article, it makes sense to me......but what matters most is will it make enough sense to some "thug" who reads it?

BAUS
i doubt it would change things. and, probly will just put more savage type tactics in those peoples minds.


a good capper is only as good as his info.

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TOW
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   Posted 4/24/2005 1:47 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Let me put it this way.....TOW's traffic is growing by the week. More and more readers and players are becoming regulars of The Offshore Wire. People talk to each other and concepts spread around.

If this article will change at least one of these thugs, than it will be a great success.

Exposure is a crucial element in any business. Negative exposure can have fatal consequences for businesses......

I consider the editorial a fair warning to these thugs. They have time to change before its too late.....
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bigboydan
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   Posted 4/24/2005 1:50 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
TOW said...
 They have time to change before its too late.....
i think you have a better chance of nailing jello to the wall than this happening.


a good capper is only as good as his info.

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drunkguy
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   Posted 4/24/2005 4:57 PM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.

Getting rid of the questionable operations would be nice in bringing this industry into respectability.  And although disclosing book names may not discourage the sharps players from a particular shop, I believe a lot of the "recreational" players could be affected by this sort of news, and this is who a lot of these books are really going after.

 

TOW said...
 
A few years ago a well known book hired a deadbeat to place calls from the area code where one of their hottest players lived. Needless to say, the bets places by the hired deadbeat were all losers.

 

I'm not sure I follow this example though confused

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bigboydan
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   Posted 4/24/2005 7:54 PM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
basicly threw off them off the trail DG i think is what roberto is trying to say.


a good capper is only as good as his info.

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TOW
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   Posted 8/6/2005 1:24 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
This article was also inspired by BoS's crazy "g"....
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RPM
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   Posted 8/6/2005 1:25 AM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
and therx just took them as an advertiser. how sad is that????
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merlyn
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   Posted 8/6/2005 8:34 PM (GMT -4)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.

Wonder what the views level at the Rx has been trnding towards?  TOW has to be making a dent in that. 

Those who rest on their laurels and believe they can thrive on legacy alone, one day find themselves swimming in their own self delusions.

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