PokerStars lost its bet on the Atlantic Club casino in New Jersey.  Judge Raymond Batten ruled that the Atlantic City casino is free to accept purchase bids from other companies in its fight to avoid bankruptcy and foreclosure.  The ruling is a significant setback for PokerStars, which hoped to use the Atlantic Club as a launch pad for the newly legalized online gambling market in New Jersey.

Paul Godfrey was let go from his position as OLG Chairman on May 16, which led to the resignation of the entire OLG Board of Governors.  The organization was in the middle of a massive modernization and gambling expansion process, but is now without leaders or direction to complete the transition.

The OLG gaming modernization strategy appeared to collapse under its own weight yesterday.  OLG Chairman Paul Godfrey was let go from his position by the Ontario government only hours after Toronto Mayor Rob Ford announced the city’s casino debate is “dead.”

The Ontario government is moving ahead with the OLG modernization strategy, but the new government leaders are revamping some pieces of the strategy, including extending support for Ontario’s beleaguered horseracing industry.  Premier Kathleen Wynne and Finance Minister Charles Sousa stated that candidates are under consideration to replace OLG Chairman Paul Godfrey.

In the Toronto-Boston NHL playoff series, redemption seems to be the word of play for the young Maple Leafs roster.  The Leafs were the undisputed underdogs going into the first round against the more experienced, and physically stronger Bruins roster.  But in a remarkable test of resilience and creativity, the Leafs forced the Bruins into a surprising Game 7 where it becomes anyone’s game.

Canada crowned a new World Poker Tour champion this week at the Playground Poker Club in Montreal.  Amir Babakhani crushed the final table to win the Canadian Spring Championship leg of the tour, capturing the top prize of $442,248, along with a $25,000 stake in the WPT World Championship at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas later this month.

Toronto is preparing to finalize the OLG casino debate as part of a scheduled vote on May 21.  Councilors are divided over the casino proposal, while Toronto residents are equally conflicted over the proposal.  The ongoing controversy is increasing calls to delay the council vote, and instead open the proposal to a city-wide referendum.

When the shortened NHL season began, the Vancouver Canucks were the one Canadian team favoured to win the Stanley Cup.  However, the team was unable to live up to the organization’s expectations despite finishing the season at the top of the Northwest Division.  Vancouver’s playoff performance has proven all but disastrous as the team hovers on the brink of elimination, which is increasing pressure to implement changes within the organization.

One of the many inconsistencies with the Toronto Maple Leafs is the team’s constant dance with the good, the bad, and the ugly line of play.  The team opened their first playoff series in nine years with a humiliating performance in Boston that left many fans and sports bettors wondering if the team was ready for primetime.  However, the Leafs seemed to settle their nerves in the second game, and gave an impressive performance to come home even in the series.

Earlier this week, a bid submitted by PokerStars to purchase the Atlantic Club casino was pulled off the table, according to spokespeople at the casino.  Despite the setback, the online poker room remains committed to its plans to purchase a casino, and enter the newly legalized New Jersey online gambling market.