Hong Bao

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Prosecutors alleged that Pietras was stealing the funeral money to fund his gambling addiction. Law enforcement found that Pietras made more than 800 casino trips over a 14-year period.

Casino records for his player’s card suggested he lost over $1.2 million at Mohegan Sun. He’s also reported to have gambled extensively at Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Springfield in Massachusetts.

Pietras was charged with dozens of unfair trade practices, larceny, and embezzlement counts. Prosecutors also accused him of violating health and zoning laws by living at his funeral home in Coventry.

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The committee also suggested a ban on inducements (free bets, sign-up bonuses) as these promotions stimulate betting activity and recruit new or lapsed customers.

Another point of contention was content marketing and influencer promotions. The Lords committee advised treating this as advertising and, if a full ban were not immediately feasible, prioritising its prohibition.

Sponsorships and advertising with sports teams was also flagged as according to the report, voluntary efforts had failed to reduce the industry’s exposure. 

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“A jackpot of this magnitude is an extraordinary event, and we’re excited to see the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois officially claimed,” said Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “It’s exciting to see such a significant Powerball win come to an Illinois player, and we’re pleased to celebrate this milestone with them.”

For selling the winning ticket, the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience store, located at 310 N. 36th St. in Quincy, collected a $500,000 retailer bonus.

Powerball will next be drawn this Saturday (Sept. 19) with an estimated jackpot of $298 million up for grabs. The cash option is at $126.6 million.