Scratchy

About Scratchy

The subject of athlete harassment has become a popular topic at one of the nation’s largest conferences for state gambling legislators. In July, a panel at the National Council of Legislators From Gaming States spent a considerable portion of the session on distilling the root causes of the incidents. The panel featured Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, among other college sports leaders.

On the sidelines of the NCLGS conference, a state representative informed iGB of a spate of menacing threats directed at a football kicker from his state. The kicker, according to the legislator, endured a barrage of threats after missing a field goal in a Football Championship Subdivision game, a lower-tier division in college football.

Days later, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver appeared in Las Vegas for his annual NBA Summer League press conference. Silver took the stage in the wake of a host of betting scandals that have ensnared Pro Basketball Hall of Fame member Chauncey Billups, former Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier and several other ex-NBA players.

What is Scratchy?

Olabimpe Akingba, head of responsible gaming at pawaTech and AiA board member, said the initiative reflects the association’s push to turn cross-border collaboration within Africa’s iGaming sector into tangible action on player protection.

“At the African iGaming Alliance, we have been committed to moving beyond conversations about collaboration across African jurisdictions towards meaningful action,” she explained.

“And what better place to demonstrate that commitment than through player protection? The Africa Safer Gambling Week is our collaboration in action.”

What is Scratchy?

Grasso has also had a professional relationship with Rovito. Patch reported that the mayor, an attorney, has represented the restaurateur in civil matters. A pasta dish made of “fresh tomato sauce and basil, tossed with a touch of olive oil, and topped with fresh ricotta” at Capri Ristorante is also named “Linguini alla Mayor Grasso”

The relationship has drawn additional attention since Rovito’s arrest. 

In June, Grasso wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune criticizing what he described as media coverage that unfairly associates Italian Americans with organized crime. However, he did not directly name Rovito in the piece.