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Ever since i started playing regularly, i've researched anonymity in places. Here is what i have for each state plus a bunch of other countries. If anything is outdated or incorrect, please comment.
United States
Alabama: No current lottery. Source: https://www.wtvy.com/content/news/Lottery-bill-other-legislation-is-likely-dead-in-Alabama-legislature-569059451.html
Alaska: No current lottery/Not Anonymous. "Unlike most other states, Alaska doesn’t have a state-sponsored lottery." Source: https://www.lotterycritic.com/lottery-results/alaska/ Alaska does permit charities to run lotteries, the largest one is Not Anonymous. Source: http://www.lottoalaska.com/
Alaska's governor has proposed a bill to create an official Alaska State Lottery. Source: https://apnews.com/78cacca5137f6b47e41be2de37600044
American Samoa: No current lottery. Source: https://simonsblogpark.com/onlinegambling/simons-guide-to-gambling-in-american-samoa/amp/
Arizona: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner for all wins of $100,000 and over. Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arizona-becomes-latest-state-shield-lottery-winners-names-n995696
Arkansas: Not Anonymous/Other entities unclear. "Winner information is subject to disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A winner who receives a prize or prize payment from the ASL grants the ASL, its agents, officers, employees, and representatives the right to use, publish (in print or by means of the Internet) and reproduce the winner’s name, physical likeness, photograph, portraits, and statements made by the winner, and use audio sound clips and video or film footage of the winner for the purpose of press releases, advertising, and promoting the ASL". Source: https://www.myarkansaslottery.com/claim-your-prize
California: Not Anonymous/Only individuals can claim. “ The name and location of the retailer who sold you the winning ticket, the date you won and the amount of your winnings are also matters of public record and are subject to disclosure. You can form a trust prior to claiming your prize, but our regulations do not allow a trust to claim a prize. Understand that your name is still public and reportable”. Source: https://static.www.calottery.com/~/media/Publications/Popular_Downloads/winners-handbook-October%202018-%20English.pdf
Colorado: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust. “As part of the Open Records Act, we are required to release to the public your name, hometown, amount you won and the game you played. This information will be posted on coloradolottery.com and will be furnished to media upon request.” Source: https://www.coloradolottery.com/en/games/lotto/claim-winnings/ Source: https://denver.cbslocal.com/2016/01/15/in-colorado-and-other-states-lottery-winners-can-keep-names-secret/
Connecticut: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via a trust or LLC, "Certain information about our winners is public information: Winner's name and place of residence, date of claim, game played, prize amount won, and the selling retailer's name and location. While most winners claim prizes using their individual names, some winners come forward using other legal entities (i.e., trusts, business partnership) to claim their prizes. In those instances, the Lottery will promote the win using that legal entity's name. For more information about such instances, please consult your personal accountant or legal advisor.” Source: https://www.ctlottery.org/Content/winner_publicity.aspx
Delaware: 100% Anonymous if requested by winner. "Many winners have chosen to remain anonymous, as allowed by state law, but their excitement is yours to share!" Source: https://www.delottery.com/Winners and https://www.delottery.com/FAQs
DC: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via a trust or LLC. Anonymous question is not directly answered on lottery website. "In the District of Columbia, specific lottery winner information is public record." However, a Powerball Jackpot win was claimed via a LLC in 2009. Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/04/AR2009050402008.html
Florida: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via LLC. "Florida Lottery winners cannot remain anonymous. Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide the winner's name, city of residence, game won, date won and amount won to any third party who requests the information; however Florida Lottery winners' home addresses and telephone numbers are confidential." Source: http://www.flalottery.com/faq
The Florida Lottery allows trusts to claim it, however winner information is still released in compliance with the law. A $15 Million jackpot was claimed by an LLC. Source: https://www.fox13news.com/amp/consumehit-the-lottery-remain-anonymous-not-in-florida Source: http://flalottery.com/pressRelease?searchID=199128
Georgia: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner for all prizes over $250,000. Source: https://www.stl.news/georgia-governor-signs-bill-allowing-lottery-winners-remain-anonymous/121962/
Guam: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: https://www.kuam.com/story/11218413/guamanian-wins-big-in-sportsbingo-but-has-yet-to-claim-2m-prize
Hawaii: No current lottery. Source: https://www.kitv.com/story/40182224/powerball-or-mega-millions-lottery-in-hawaii
Idaho: Not Anonymous."By claiming a winning lottery ticket over $600, winners become subject to Idaho’s Public Records Law. This means your “win” becomes an offcial Idaho public record. Your full name, the town where you live, the game you won, the amount you won (before and after taxes), the name of the retailer where you bought the ticket, and the amount the retailer receives for selling the ticket are all a matter of public record." Can seek anonymity if you have specific security concerns (rarely granted). Source: https://www.idaholottery.com/images/uploads/general/winnersguideweb.pdf
Illinois: Not Anonymous/Anonymous if requested by winner for all wins over $250,000 however info will be released to a FOIA request. "However, Murphy also cooperated with the Illinois Press Association in adding an amendment that ensures that Freedom of Information Act, an act designed to keep government agencies transparent by allowing the public to access any public record by request, supersedes the privacy law, according to attorney Don Craven, the press association’s legal counsel." Source: https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Hidden-riches-Big-lottery-winner-in-Beardstown-13626173.php
Indiana: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via LLC or trust. "Indiana law allows lottery jackpot winners to remain anonymous, with the money being claimed by a limited liability company or legal trust." Source: https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-indiana-mega-millions-winners-20160729-story.html
Iowa: Not Anonymous/Can use a trust to claim but information will be released. "When you win an Iowa Lottery prize of $600 or more, you have to fill out a winner claim form that includes your name, address and Social Security number before you can claim your winnings. Iowa law makes the information on that claim form public, meaning that anyone can request a copy of the form to see who has won the prize. We redact sensitive information, such as your Social Security number, from the form before we release it, but all other details are considered public information under Iowa law (Iowa Code Section 99G.34(5)." Source: https://www.ialotteryblog.com/2008/11/can-prize-winne.html.
For group play, "Prizes can be paid to players who play as a group. A check can be written to an entity such as a trust or to a single individual." Source: https://ialottery.com/pages/Games/ClaimingPrizes.aspx
Kansas: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. "Kansas is one of a handful of states that does not have this requirement. If you win a prize in Kansas, you may request that your identity not be released publicly." Source: https://www.kslottery.com/faqs#faq-8
Kentucky: Anonymity appears to be an option. Anonymity or who can claim is not addressed on lottery website. But multiple instances of winners claiming anonymously have been reported in the news. "Kentucky Lottery spokesman Chip Polson said the $1 million Powerball winner claimed the prize on May 15 and the Mega Million winner claimed the prize on May 12. He confirmed that both players wanted their identity to remain a secret." Source: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2017/05/19/two-1-million-lottery-winners-who-bought-tickets-louisville-want-privacy/101870414/
Louisiana: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust. "Under the Lottery's statute, all prize payment records are open records, meaning that the public has a right to request the information. Depending upon the amount won and public or media interest in the win, winners may NOT be able to remain anonymous. The statute also allows the Lottery to use winners' names and city of residence for publicity purposes such as news releases. The Lottery's regular practice is not to use winner information in paid advertising or product promotion without the winner's willingness to participate. Source: https://louisianalottery.com/faq/easy-5#35 Source: https://louisianalottery.com/article/1050/the-williams-trust-claims-share-of-50-million-powerball-jackpot
Maine: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust. "In the event that Maine does have a Mega Millions winner, he or she can opt to remain anonymous — but Boardman says that’s never happened. “What a winner could do in Maine is they could file their claim in the name of a trust, and the trust becomes the winner. So that’s how a winner could claim their ticket anonymously,” he says." Source: https://www.mainepublic.org/post/lottery-official-reminds-mainers-they-re-exceedingly-unlikely-win-16-billion-jackpot
Maryland*: Not Anonymous by Law, Anonymous in Practice. "However, the legal basis for this anonymity in Maryland is thin. The Maryland Lottery does not advertise that lottery winners may remain anonymous, but it posts articles on its website about winners and notes those winners who have “chosen to remain anonymous:” Source: https://www.gw-law.com/blog/anonymity-maryland-lottery-winners
*"Please note that this anonymity protection does not apply to second-chance and Points for Drawings contests run through the My Lottery Rewards program. Those contests are run as promotions for the Lottery. As such, they are operated under a different set of rules than our draw games and scratch-off games. The rules of participating in our second-chance and Points for Drawings contests state that winners' identities are published."" Source: https://www.mdlottery.com/about-us/faqs/
Massachusetts: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust "Lottery regulations state that a claimant's name, city or town, image, amount of prize, claim date and game are public record. Therefore, photographs may be taken and used to publicize winnings." Source: https://www.masslive.com/news/2018/05/lottery_sees_increase_in_winne.html
Michigan: Not Anonymous for Powerball and Mega Millions/100% Anonymous if requested by the winner for all other winners over $10,000. "Winner Anonymity. Michigan law requires written consent before disclosing the identity of the winner of $10,000 or more from the State lottery games Lotto47 and Fantasy 5. You further understand and agree that your identity may be disclosed, and that disclosure may be required, as the winner of any prize from the multi-state games Powerball and Mega Millions." Source: https://www.michiganlottery.com/games/mega-millions
Minnesota: Not Anonymous. Anonymity or who can claim is not addressed on lottery website but lottery blog states "In Minnesota, lottery winners cannot remain anonymous. A winner's name, city, prize amount won and the place that the winning ticket was sold is public data and will be released to media and posted on our website." Source: https://www.mnlottery.com/blog/you-won-now-what
Mississippi: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. "In accordance with the Alyce G. Clarke Mississippi Lottery Law, the Mississippi Lottery will not disclose the identity of the person holding a winning lottery ticket without that person's written permission." Source: https://www.mslotteryhome.com/players/faqs/
Missouri: Not Anonymous. "At the Lottery Headquarters, a member of the Lottery's communications staff will ask you questions about your win, such as how many tickets you bought, when you found out that you won and what you plan to do with your prize money. This information will be used for a news release. You will also be asked, but are not required, to participate in a news conference, most likely at the store where you purchased your winning ticket." Source: http://www.molottery.com/whenyouwin/jackpotwin.shtm
A Missouri State Legislator has submitted a bill to the State House to give lottery winners anonymity. Source: https://www.kfvs12.com/2020/02/25/mo-house-considers-legislation-protect-identity-lottery-winners/
Montana: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust. "In Montana, by law, certain information about lottery winners is considered public. That information includes: the winner's name, the amount won and the winner's community of residence. Winners may choose to claim as an individual or they may choose to form a trust and claim their prize as a trust. If a trust claims a lottery prize, the name of the trust is considered public information. A trust must have a federal tax identification number in order to claim a Montana Lottery prize." Source: https://www.montanalottery.com/en/view/about-faqs
Nebraska: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via LLC. Anonymity or who can claim is not addressed on lottery website but a winner created a legal entity to claim anonymously in 2014. "Nebraska Lottery spokesman Neil Watson said with the help of a Kearney lawyer, the winner or winners have created a legal entity called Carpe Diem LLC." Source: https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/m-nebraska-powerball-winner-to-remain-anonymous/article_a044d0f0-99a7-5302-bcb9-2ce799b3a798.html
A Nebraska State Legislator has now filed a bill to give 100% Anonymity to all winners over $300,000 who request it. Source: https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/anonymity-for-lottery-winners-bill-would-give-privacy-to-those/article_1cdba44d-c8bb-5971-b73f-2eecc8cd4625.html
Nevada: No current lottery. Source: https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/heres-why-you-cant-play-powerball-in-nevada/
New Hampshire: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via a trust. Anonymity or who can claim is not addressed on lottery website but a winner successfully sued the lottery and won the right to remain anonymous in 2018. Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/03/12/winner-of-a-560-million-powerball-jackpot-can-keep-the-money-and-her-secret-judge-rules/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.bec2db2f7d2c
New Jersey: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.nj.com/politics/2020/01/win-big-you-can-claim-those-nj-lottery-winnings-anonymously-under-new-law.html
New Mexico: Not Anonymous. “Winners of $10,000 or more will have name, city, game played, and prize amount and photo on website.” Can seek anonymity if you have specific security concerns (rarely granted). Source: https://www.nmlottery.com/uploads/FileLinks/82400d81a0ce468daab29ebe6db3ec27/Winner_Publicity_Policy_6_1_07.pdf
New York: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via a LLC. Anonymity or who can claim is not addressed on lottery website but per Gov. Cuomo: "For the past 40 years, individuals wishing to keep their name and information out of the public view have created LLCs to collect their winnings for them." Source: https://nypost.com/2018/12/09/cuomo-vetoes-bill-allowing-lotto-winners-to-remain-anonymous/
North Carolina: Not Anonymous. "North Carolina law allows lottery winners' identity to remain confidential only if they have an active protective order against someone or participate in the state's "Address Confidentiality Program" for victims of domestic violence, sexual offense, stalking or human trafficking." Source: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article54548645.html
North Dakota: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.kfyrtv.com/home/headlines/ND-Powerball-Winners-Have-Option-to-Remain-Anonymous-364918121.html
Northern Mariana Islands: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.nmsalottery.com/game-rules/
Ohio: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust. Anonymity or who can claim is not addressed on lottery website but appears to have an anonymous option. "The procedure from there was a little cumbersome. I needed to create two separate trusts. One trust was to appoint me, as the trustee on behalf of the winner, to contact the Lottery Commission and accept the Lottery winnings. The secondary trust was set up for me as trustee of the first trust, to transfer the proceeds to the second trust with the winner as the beneficiary. This enabled me to present the ticket, accept the proceeds, and transfer it to the winner with no public record or disclosure." Source: https://www.altickcorwin.com/Articles/How-To-Claim-Lottery-Winnings-Anonymously.shtml
Oklahoma: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust or LLC. In accordance with the Oklahoma Open Records Act and the Oklahoma Education Lottery Act, the name of any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, limited liability company, or other legal entity, and their city of residence will be made public. Source: https://www.lottery.ok.gov/playersclub/faq.asp Source: https://oklahoman.com/article/5596678/lottery-winners-deserve-some-anonymity
Oregon: Not Anonymous. "No. Certain information about Lottery prizes is public record, including the name of the winner, amount of the prize, date of the drawing, name of the game played and city in which the winning ticket was purchased. Oregon citizens have a right to know that Lottery prizes are indeed being awarded to real persons. " Source: https://oregonlottery.org/about/public-interaction/commission-directofrequently-asked-questions Can seek anonymity if you have specific security concerns (rarely granted). Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3353432/Man-living-Iraq-wins-6-4-million-Oregon-jackpot.html
Pennsylvania: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust. Source: https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/trust-that-won-powerball-no-relation-to-manheim-township-emerald/article_29834922-4ca2-11e8-baac-1b15a17f3e9c.html
Puerto Rico: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-powerball-winner-claims-prize-chooses-stay-anonymous-n309121
Rhode Island: Not Anonymous/Anonymous if requested but all info is subject to FOIA. "While the Lottery will do everything possible to keep a winner's information private if requested by the winner, in Rhode Island and most other states, this information falls under the Freedom of Information Act, and a winner's name and city or town of residency must be released upon request." Source: https://www.rilot.com/en-us/player-zone/faqs.html
South Carolina: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Anonymity or who can claim is not addressed on lottery website but appears to have an anonymous option based on prior winners. Source: https://myfox8.com/2019/03/15/the-anonymous-south-carolina-winner-of-the-largest-lottery-jackpot-is-donating-part-of-it-to-alabama-tornado-victims/
South Dakota: Not Anonymous for draw games and online games/100% Anonymous for Scratchoffs if requested by the winner. "You can remain anonymous on any amount won from a scratch ticket game. Jackpots for online games are required to be public knowledge. Play It Again winners are also public knowledge." Source: https://lottery.sd.gov/FAQ2018/gamefaq.aspx.
Tennessee: Not Anonymous/Can use a trust but info subject to open records act. Anonymity is explicitly noted as not being allowed on the official lottery website. Source: https://www.tnlottery.com/faq/i-won
However if it is claimed via a trust then the lottery will not give out your information unless requested to do so. "The TN lottery says: "When claiming a Lottery prize through a Trust, the TN Lottery would need identity documentation for the grantor and all ultimate beneficiaries. Once we are in possession of these documents and information, records are generated. If a formal request is made by a citizen of Tennessee, the Trust beneficiary's name, city and state must be made available under the Tennessee Open Records Act." Source: https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/in-tennessee--can-a-lottery-jackpot-be-claimed-whi-2327592.html
Texas: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner for $1 million or more IF the winner claims it as an individual AND chooses the Cash option. Not Anonymous if claimed by a trust or LLC or if the winner chooses the Annuity option. Source: https://www.txlottery.org/export/sites/lottery/Documents/retailers/FAQ_Winner_Anonymity_12112017_final.pdf
Utah: No current lottery. Source: https://www.lotterycritic.com/lottery-results/utah/
Vermont: Not Anonymous/Anonymous via trust. “The name, town and prize amount on your Claim Form is public information. If you put your name on the Claim Form, your name becomes public information. If you claim your prize in a trust, the name of the trust is placed on the Claim Form, and the name of the trust is public information.” Source: https://vtlottery.com/about/faq
Virginia: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner for prizes over $10 million. "A new law passed by the Virginia General Assembly and signed by the Governor prohibits the Virginia Lottery from disclosing information about big jackpot winners." "When the bill goes into effect this summer, the Virginia Lottery will not be allowed to release certain information about winners whose prize exceeds $10 million, unless the winner wants to be known." Source: https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/virginia/new-virginia-law-allows-certain-lottery-winners-to-keep-identity-private/291-c33ea642-e8fa-45fd-b3a4-dc693cf5b372
US Virgin Islands: Anonymity appears to be an option. A $2 Million Powerball winner was allowed to remain anonymous. Source: https://viconsortium.com/virgin-islands-2/st-croix-resident-wins-2-million-in-latest-power-ball-drawing/
Washington: Not Anonymous/Can use a trust but info subject to open records act. "As a public agency, all documents held by Washington's Lottery are subject to the Public Records Act. Lottery prizes may be claimed in the name of a legally formed entity, such as a trust. However, in the event of a public records request, the documents forming the artificial entity may be released, thereby revealing the individual names of winners." https://www.walottery.com/ClaimYourPrize/
West Virginia: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner for prizes over $1 million and 5% of winnings remittance. "Effective January 1, 2019, House Bill 2982 allows winners of State Lottery draw games to remain anonymous in regards to his or her name, personal contact information, and likeness; providing that the prize exceeds one million dollars and the individual who elects to remain anonymous remits five percent of his or her winnings to the State Lottery Fund." Source: https://wvlottery.com/customer-service/customer-resources/
Wisconsin: Not Anonymous/Cannot be claimed by other entities. "Pursuant to Wisconsin’s Open Records law (Wis. Stats. Secs. 19.31–19.39), the Lottery is required to disclose a winner’s name, likeness and place of residence. If you win and claim a prize, the Lottery may use your name, likeness and place of residence for any purpose without compensation to you.
Upon claiming your prize, you waive any claims against the Lottery and its representatives for any and all liability which may result from the disclosure or use of such information." "The original winning ticket must be signed by a single human being. For-profit and non-profit entities, trusts, and other non-human beings are not eligible to play or claim a prize." Source: https://wilottery.com/claimprize.aspx
Wyoming: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. "We will honor requests for anonymity from winners. However, we certainly hope winners will allow us to share their names and good news with other players." Source: https://wyolotto.com/lottery/faq/
Other countries
Australia: 100% Anonymous if requested by winner. "The great thing about playing lotto in Australia is that winners can choose to remain anonymous and keep their privacy, unlike in the United States where winners don't have such a choice, and are often thrown into a media circus." Source: https://www.ozlotteries.com/blog/how-to-remain-anonymous-when-you-win-lotto/
Bahamas: No current lottery. Source: https://thenassauguardian.com/2013/01/29/strong-no-vote-trend-so-far-in-gaming-referendum/
Bahrain: Not Anonymous. Source: https://bdutyfree.com/terms-conditions1#.X8ru92lOmdM
Barbados: Not Anonymous. "No. Barbados Lottery winners cannot remain anonymous. The Barbados Lottery mandates the winner’s name, address, game won, date won and amount won be provided; however Barbados Lottery winners' home addresses and telephone numbers are confidential." Source: https://www.mybarbadoslottery.com/faqs
Brazil: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.lotterycritic.com/lottery-results/brazil-lottery/
Canada: Not Anonymous. Every provincial lottery corporation in Canada requires winners to participate in a publicity photo shoot showing their face, their name and their municipality. Can seek anonymity if you have specific security concerns (rarely granted). Source: https://consumers.findlaw.ca/article/can-lottery-winners-remain-anonymous/
Carribbean Lottery Countries (Antigua/Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Maarten/Saba/St. Eustatius, and Turks/Caicos): Not Anonymous. "No. Caribbean Lottery winners cannot remain anonymous. The Caribbean Lottery mandates the winner’s name, address, game won, date won and amount won be provided; however Caribbean Lottery winners' home addresses and telephone numbers are confidential." Source: https://www.thecaribbeanlottery.com/faqs
China: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Must appear in a press conference and photo but allowed to wear disguise. Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/01/22/china-lottery-winners-mask/22108515/
Cuba: No current lottery. Source: https://oncubanews.com/en/cuba/society-cuba/cuban-traditions/lottery-the-national-game-infographics/
EuroMillions Countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and UK*): 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.euro-millions.com/publicity
*United Kingdom: Excludes
*Caymen Islands, and Falkland Islands: No current lottery. Source: https://calvinayre.com/2018/11/02/business/cayman-islands-move-illegal-gambling-doesnt-address-real-issue/ Source: https://simonsblogpark.com/onlinegambling/simons-guide-gambling-falkland-islands/amp/#lottery-falkland-islands
*Anguilla, and Turks & Caicos: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.thecaribbeanlottery.com/faqs
EuroJackpot Countries (Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands*, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden): 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.euro-jackpot.net/en/publicity
*Netherlands: Excludes
*St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.thecaribbeanlottery.com/faqs
Fiji: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://fijisun.com.fj/2012/11/08/3m-lotto-win-here/
Georgia (Kartvelia): Anonymity appears to be an option. "2.9.1. Prizes and Winners. Each Bidder shall provide details of:....how winners who waive their right to privacy will be treated;" Source: https://mof.ge/images/File/lottery/tender-documentation.pdf
Greece: Anonymity appears to be an option. "The bearer of the ticket shall keep the details of the ticket confidential and not reveal them to any third party." Source: https://www.opap.gen/identity-terms-of-use-lotto
Guyana: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/05/16/winner-says-he-was-too-busy-to-collect-78m-lotto-prize/
India*: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35771298
*: Only available in the states of Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Nagaland and Mizoram. Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/lottery-mizoram-nagaland-sikkim-kerala-975188-2017-05-04
Indonesia: No current lottery. Source: https://apnews.com/45eb94ff1b1132470a7aa5902f0bc734
Israel: Not Anonymous by Law, Anonymous in Practice. “[A]lthough we have this right, we have never exercised it because we understood the difficulties the winners could encounter in the period after their win. We provide details about the winner, but in a manner that doesn’t disclose their identity,” Dolin Melnik, then-spokesperson for Israel’s Mifal Hapayis lottery told Haaretz in 2009." Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/why-the-israeli-lottery-gives-winners-masks/
Jamaica: Not Anonymous. First initial and last name of winner was released but winner was allowed to wear a mask for photo. Source: https://news.e-servicis.com/news/trending/lottery-winner-takes-prize-in-scream-mask.1S/
Japan: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/09/08/business/japans-lottery-rakes-declining-revenues-younger-generation-gives-jackpot-chances-pass/#.XRYwVVMpCdM
Kenya: Not Anonymous. "9.1 When You claim or are paid a prize, You will automatically be deemed to grant to O8 LOTTO an irrevocable right to publish, through all types of media broadcasting, including the internet, for the purposes of promoting the win, Your full name (as well as Your nick name), hometown, photograph and video materials without any claim for broadcasting, printing or other rights" Source: https://mylottokenya.co.ke/terms-conditions
Malaysia: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://says.com/my/news/a-24-year-old-malaysian-woman-just-won-more-than-rm4-million-from-4d-lottery
Nagorno-Karabakh: Not Anonymous. Source: http://asbarez.com/120737/artsakh-lottery-winner-claims-car-prize/
New Zealand: 100% Anonymous if requested by winner. Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10383080
North Korea: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.nknews.org/2018/11/north-korean-sports-ministry-launches-online-lottery/
Northern Cyprus: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: https://www.pressreader.com/cyprus/cyprus-today/20181124/281590946615912
Oman: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: http://www.omanlottery.com/
Philippines: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.rappler.com/nation/214995-ultra-lotto-winners-claim-winnings-pcso-october-2018
Qatar: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.qatarliving.com/forum/qatar-living-lounge/posts/qatar-duty-free-announces-latest-us1-million
Romania: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: https://www.thelotter.com/win-lottery-anonymously/
Russia: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: http://siberiantimes.com/otheothers/news/siberian-scoops-a-record-184513512-roubles-on-russian-state-lottery/
Samoa: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/191796/samoa%27s-lotto-winner-still-a-mystery
Saudi Arabia: No current lottery. Source: https://www.arabnews.com/police-arrest-lottery-crooks-victimizing-expats
Singapore: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/did-you-win-here-are-results-of-136m-toto-hongbao-draw
Solomon Islands: No current lottery. Source: http://www.paclii.org/sb/legis/consol_act/gala196/
South Africa: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/powerball-results/powerball-winner-r232-million-found-lottery-details/
South Korea: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: https://elaw.klri.re.keng_mobile/viewer.do?hseq=38378&type=sogan&key=5
Sri Lanka: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/01/31/where-do-all-the-lottery-winners-go/
Taiwan: 100% Anonymous if requested by the winner. Source: http://m.focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201806250011.aspx
Trinidad and Tobago: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/student-wins-the-million-lotto/article_3f3c8550-570d-11e9-9cc3-b7550f9b4ad4.html
Tuvalu: No current lottery. Source: http://tuvalu-legislation.tv/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1964/1964-0004/GamingandLotteries_1.pdf
United Arab Emirates: Not Anonymous. Source: https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/shojith-ks-in-sharjah-uae-wins-abu-dhabi-duty-free-big-ticket-4-million-jackpot-rejects-calls-2032942
Vatican City: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2018/12/04/popes-white-lamborghini-up-for-raffle-winner-gets-trip-to-rome/
Vietnam: Anonymity appears to be an option. Source: https://ampe.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnamese-farmer-identified-as-winner-of-4-million-lottery-jackpot-3484751.html
Windward Lottery Countries (Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines): Not Anonymous. "Prize winners asked to do so by Winlot must give their name and address, and satisfactory establish their identity. All winners of the Jackpot (Match 6) prize will be photographed. Note that Winlot and CBN reserve the right to publish the names, addresses and photographs of all the winners." Source: http://www.stlucialotto.com/snl/super6_rules_regs.php

This is a repost: You find the story behind this incident below.
I want to know if it is an option to sue GVC in the UK since this is a company listed on the London Stock exchange. Suing them in Gibraltar, where they got the licence or in Germany, where I am from, are unfortunately no options, due to lack of prospects of success.
Is it possible to sue them in the UK? Which costs would be associated with that? What probability of success are you estimating?
I also posted this in scams (and this is a repost as my original on is still pending a few days in) as i want to let as many people know about the business practices of Partypoker / GVC:
I want to warn other gamblers about Partypoker. They basically stole more than 100k of my money, 50k of which were deposits. They can do this really easily, especially in Germany (as I will explain later).
This warning is not just about Partypoker as the parent company (GVC) holds more big brands. For example:
Bwin
Ladbrokes
Coral
.....
I played there for 2 or 3 years. I was also constantly increasing my wager over time.
At the end of october 2019, they locked my account and put it under security review. They also ask for documents which I already had sent in before. Nevertheless I sent them again.
After some emails back and forth they gave me my christmas gift. This is the original Email:
"Dear XXX,
We are contacting you regarding your partypoker account "XXX".
An investigation into your account has highlighted suspicious activity related to your account.
This activity is in breach of points 4, 6, 13 and 16 of the terms and conditions of partypoker.
The full terms and conditions are available at:
https://help.partypoker.com/en/general-information/legal-matters/general-terms-and-conditions
As a result, your partypoker account has been closed and the funds remaining in your account will be confiscated.
Please be aware that you are no longer permitted to create or use any account on the partypoker network.
Kind Regards,
Poker Operations Team"
They quoted half of their terms and stole my money. I ask for a reason and for proof, which was not given at any point.
By the way I was not playing poker but casino games, most of the time Black Jack, not even card counting, which they might deem as illegal (which it clearly isn't).
I also messaged the regulators in Gibraltar, they took a few month and also basically said they are fine with the way party handled the situation, at least they said what they are accusing me of:
This also is the original email:
"Good morning XXX,
I write with regards to your complaint against Party Poker.
Please be advised that I have been in dialogue with Party Poker on the matter, who have provided me with a detailed and technical report with regards to your account. I have also made my own enquiries. The substantial and technical material that I have seen indicates that your account is being operated by a third party who is the controller of a series of accounts for the purpose of systematically abusing promotional bonuses. Your account is de facto a proxy account.
There is strong and clear evidence that the identity used on your account and the identities used on the other accounts are all associated. The controller of all accounts knows that they are prohibited from operating any account either directly or indirectly. I will not disclose how all of the accounts have been detected as to do so would be to the detriment of Party Poker and to the advantage of those that seek to circumvent its security protocols. Nevertheless, further information on the Gambling Commissioner’s views on ‘bonus abuse’ can be found here: https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/finance-gaming-and-regulations/gambling-commissioners-advice-complainants#ancla8.
I am satisfied that Party Poker is acting appropriately and in accordance with its terms and conditions and I am unable to recommend that it pays you any monies.This is my Proposed Determination to your complaint. I am also forwarding Party Poker a copy.
I am now inviting you and Party Poker to comment on this Proposed Determination. It is also the opportunity for both parties to bring to my attention any facts or issues either party believes I have omitted or misunderstood in my assessment.
Regards,
John"
Again no evidence was given. It's also hard to defend myself without getting presented with the evidence.
This by the way is complete bullshit, I always have used my account myself and nobody other than me was using it.
I think they used fabricated evidence to not pay big players.
It was even worse than that:
They baited me to play there with a 10% cashback offer on my losses. Before End of November I lost many weeks in a row. Most of the time 50k €. They had a ponzi scheme like promo going. Letting me play until I finally win and when don't pay me anyways. No risk for the house at all, they keep the money no matter the outcome (deposits included).
The Gibraltar Gambling commission is also highly corrupt. They basically don't even want any complaint to get in at all. You can't submit a complaint online. You have to print several pages and fill out everything by hand. They will also ignore your claims until you get really annoying with all your reminders and messages you sent to them, then they will decide in favor of the casino.
I can't even sue the casino, because the legal situation in Germany regarding Online gambling and Online casinos without a licence is fucked up.
I consulted many different lawyers all telling me not to sue them, because my chances of winning are slim, not because partypoker is right, but because this is deemed illegal gambling and I basically can't get any money back. Even in case of winning it would not be clear if i can get any money back, because Gibraltar is not in the EU where i could enforce GVC to pay what they owe me.
A judge friend of mine even advised me not to sue, because Gibraltar is too corrupt and the legal fees are astronomical.
So neither in Germany I can get what's mine nor in Gibraltar (most probably).
Basically Party knew about the loophole in German law and exploited it. I think especially German Players are in danger, no way they could get away with this in Great britain for example.
CLIFFS:
-Partypoker stole almost 105k of my money (half winnings, half deposits) with a far fetched explanation, which I only got from the regulators after filling a complaint. At no point any evidence was shown.
-The regulators also decided not to hold partypoker accountable.
-Partypoker also used a ponzi like scheme to bait me in and take my money as long as i kept losing, once i had a big upswing, they kept my winnings and deposits anyways.
- Partypoker also knew about a loophole in German law about illegal Gambling and exploited it, in order to get away with "confiscating" (stealing is a better word) my entire balance.

40. Go Down Gamblin’ - Blood Sweat and Tears

Released in 1971, Go Down Gamblin’ by Blood Sweat and Tears is a song describing a gambler who is “born a natural loser.” He never wins, no matter what game he plays, but, he doesn’t feel like a loser. As the song goes – “Cause I've been called a natural lover by that lady over there, Honey, I'm just a natural gambler but I try to do my share.”

39. Gambler - Madonna

Gambler is a song written and played by Madonna, made for the film Vision Quest. Although the song reached the top 10 in the charts of the UK, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, and Norway, Madonna performed it only once on her 1985 The Virgin Tour. It’s a catchy song, we suggest you play it as you spin the reels of some of your favourite retro online slots.

38. The House of the Rising Sun - The Animals

Our list wouldn’t be complete without the 1964 hit song - The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals. Everybody knows the famous lines ”My mother, she was a tailor, sewed these new blue jeans, my father was a gamblin' man way down in New Orleans.” This single had a major success and made it to the top 10 songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the USA. Likewise, the hit was featured in the video game Guitar Hero Live.

37. The Winner Takes It All - ABBA

Whether we admit it or not, we all love at least some songs played by the very well-known Swedish pop group, ABBA. According to some sources, Bjorn Ulvaeus wrote the 1980 hit song The Winner Takes It All which was inspired by his divorce to his fellow band member, Agnetha Fältskog. The winner takes it all is a sort of a comparison to a divorce (especially the part ”I've played all my cards and that's what you've done too, nothing more to say, no more ace to play”), where one of them is the winner and the other one is left with nothing. And things are just the same when it comes to gambling, so we’ve decided to put the song on our list.

36. Shape of my Heart - Sting

We’re all aware of the fact that our gambling behaviour can be influenced by certain types of music and that's because online gambling and music go hand in hand. So, we suggest you start playing your preferred games with one of everyone’s favourite songs by Sting called The Shape of my Heart. It was released in 1993 and used for the end credits of the film Léon. In one of his interviews, Sting explained that the lyrics of the song tell the story of a card player who places bets not in order to win but to figure out something that’s been bothering him - “some kind of scientific, almost religious law.”

35. All I Wanna Do Is Play Cards - Corb Lund

“Well, I guess I really oughta be makin up songs but all I wanna do is play cards. I know it's dumb and sick and wrong but all I wanna do is play cards. Got the studio booked in Tennessee, and my record producer's callin me, the tape will roll in just three weeks and all I wanna do is play cards.” Does it sound familiar? It’s a 2005 hit by Corb Lund called All I Wanna Do Is Play Cards, once you hear it you’ll be playing it on repeat.

34. Gambling Man - The Overtones

When you’re falling in love, it’s perfectly normal to feel like you want to gamble everything just to attract that person’s attention to notice you and love you back. Well, Gambling Man is a lively 2010 song that tells a story of a guy fascinated with his love, so he places all his bets on her, as the song goes - “I played my hand, I rolled the dice, now I'm paying for my sins, I got some bad addiction.” This time, he feels that this love affair is different from any other – “Baby, it's you, yeah, yeah, that's right.” The song was released in 2010 and has been popular ever since.

33. Poker Face - Lady Gaga

Although the Poker Face song is more about the game of romance rather than the game of poker, the catchy refrain that starts with “Can't read my, no he can't read my poker face” kinda reminds us of winning at the tables, so we couldn’t skip it this time. Released in 2008, the song achieved worldwide success, topping the charts in the USA, the UK, Australia, Canada and several European countries.

32. Little Queen of Spades - Robert Johnson

Moving on to the Little Queen of Spades, a song title by the American blues musician Robert Johnson who recorded the song in 1937 and first released it in 1938. The first version of this gambling-themed song has a playing time of 2:11, whereas the second one lasts 4s longer (2:15), and is considered an alternate take and first appeared on Johnson's album The Complete Recordings, in 1990.

31. Train of Consequences - Megadeth

Another great song Train of Consequences is the title created by Megadeth, released as the first single from their sixth studio album Youthanasia in 1994. The song was later included on their compilation albums and its music video was the 26th most played video on MTV. There’s this part of the song “No horse ever ran as fast as the money that you bet, I'm blowing on my cards and I play them to my chest” – which is about a person’s gambling problem, who realises something’s wrong with this lifestyle, but it still hunts him down. Could be just the thrill, but he just can’t stop playing.
​

30. Gambler - Whitesnake

Released on the album Slide It In (1984) and appearing on the compilation album Gold (2006), Gambler is the song by the British hard rock band Whitesnake. These words may sound familiar - “No fame or fortune, no luck of the draw, when I dance with the Queen of Hearts, a jack of all trades, a loser in love, it's tearing my soul apart”. And in case you’ve never heard it, we think you should give it a shot, the chances are you’re going to love it!

29. Gambling Man - Woody Guthrie

Now here’s one single from 1957 - Gamblin' Man. The song was taped live at the London Palladium and published as a double A side, with Puttin' On the Style. Reaching #1 in the UK Singles Chart in the summer 1957, it was “the last UK number 1 to be released on 78 rpm format only, as 7' vinyl had become the norm by this time.” Written by Woody Guthrie and Donegan, this gambling themed song was produced by Alan Freeman and Michael Barclay.

28. Roll of the Dice - Bruce Springsteen

According to Songfacts, Roll of the Dice was the first Springsteen’s song he didn’t write by himself. In fact, E Street Band’s pianist Roy Bittan helped with the music, while Springsteen was in charge of the lyrics, starting with – “Well I've been a losin' gambler, just throwin' snake eyes, Love ain't got me downhearted. I know up around the corner lies, My fool's paradise in just another roll of the dice.” After he broke up the E Street Band in October 1989, Springsteen wrote lyrics for the Roll of the Dice (with two other songs) and liked them to the point where he began writing and recording more songs.

27. Queen of Diamonds - Tom Odell

Here’s one song about a gambling fanatic who’s trying to satisfy his own addiction but also someone else, hoping it’s going to save him. Released in 2018, Queen of Diamonds is Tom Odell’s song from the album Jubilee Road, based on the local characters that inspired this British songwriter to include the whisky-soaked gamblers who regularly visited one betting shop.

26. The Angel and the Gambler - Iron Maiden

Now, this song may divide Iron Maiden fans and it’s most probably because of its repetitive lyrics that can be a bit annoying. The release we’re talking about is The Angel and the Gambler. Truth be told, the melody in general is very catchy and, even a bit similar to The Who in some moments. As the song was released in 1998 while Blaze Bayley was its frontmen, it’s missing the well-known high-pitch vocals from Bruce Dickinson.

25. Ramblin' Gamblin Man - Bob Seger

We’re moving on to a rock single from 1978 - Ramblin' Gamblin Man by Bob Seger. The author meets an old acquaintance, a professional gambler who happens to be a swagger. As such, he attracts people’s attention whenever he bets. Putting so much of his faith in the cards (rather than in people), he walks away every time, just before avoiding loss. Along the way, the narrator realises that, if you scratch beneath the surface, you’ll find he’s a very cynical man, who will never change.
Another gambling-themed song worth mentioning by Bob Seger is Still The Same.

24. Blow Up The Pokies - The Whitlams

Blow up the Pokies is the next song on our list, played by The Whitlams. It is the second single by the group from their 4th studio album, Love This City. Released in the year 2000, the song became a hit and made it to number 21 on the ARIA Singles Chart. According to several resources, the lyrics written by singer Tim Freedman were inspired by the destruction he saw in original Whitlams bassist Andy Lewis's life, due to his gambling addiction.

23. A Good Run of Bad Luck - Clint Black

Now here’s one 1994-song packed with gambling-related terms. As you listen to A Good Run of Bad Luck, recorded by American music artist Clint Black, you'll have a bit of fun as you try identifying what all these gambling terms mean. The song is a bit fast and is about falling in love by using gambling metaphors. The main character is willing to spend a lot of money to win his special lady over and, although he has had a period of bad luck, he is not giving up – “I've been to the table, and I've lost it all before, I'm willin' and able, always comin' back for more.”

22. When You’re Hot, You’re Hot - Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed won a Grammy for the song When You’re Hot, You’re Hot which was released in 1971. Most people remember it as it was a major hit, ranked as number 1 in the country charts, also making its way up the Pop Top 40. It’s an enjoyable novelty song about the ups and downs of the gambling life, about one’s winning streak caught in an illegal game of Crap.
Country star Jerry Reed also came up with a version The Uptown Poker Club in 1973.

21. Lawyers, Guns and Money - Warren Zevon

Next one up - Lawyers, Guns and Money is a song by Warren Zevon, the closing track on his album Excitable Boy, released in 1978. An edited version of this song was distributed as a single and found itself on the A Quiet Normal Life best of compilation on the CD and LP. The song goes like this - “I went home with a waitress the way I always do, how was I to know she was with the russians, too? I was gambling in Havana, I took a little risk Send lawyers, guns, and money Dad, get me out of this, hiyah!”
​

20. The Lottery Song - Harry Nilsson

According to the man in the 1972 pop-rock song The Lottery Song by Harry Nilsson, there's more than one way to get to Vegas. Addressing his lover, the narrator mentions a few different options for buying a ticket and going to Sin City – “We could win the lottery we could go to Vegas,” and “We could wait till summer, we could save our money” as well as “We could make a record, sell a lot of copies, we could play Las Vegas.”

19. Casino Queen - Wilco

Now here’s one black-humoured gambling-themed song, released in 1995 and titled after a casino. Featuring a dirty electric guitar, Casino Queen was composed by an American songwriter, Jeff Tweedy, who wrote this song after playing a game in a riverboat casino accompanied by his dad. Inspired by the event, the author wrote: “Casino Queen my lord you're mean, I've been gambling like a fiend on your tables so green.”

18. Have a Lucky Day - Morphine

Another song on our list that you simply must check out starts like this: “I feel lucky, I just feel that way, I'm on a bus to Atlantic City later on today. Now I'm sitting at a blackjack table and swear to God the dealer has a tag says, "Mabel." Hit me, hit me! I smile at Mabel, soon they're bringing complimentary drinks to the table.” Check it out yourself - it’s called Have a Lucky Day by Morphine.

17. Kentucky Gambler - Merle Haggard

Written by Dolly Parton and released in 1974, Merle Haggard’s Kentucky Gambler is another song on our ultimate gambling playlist that you should pay attention to. It’s about a miner from Kentucky who leaves his family to gamble, under the bright lights of Reno. Unsurprisingly, his winning streak comes to an end, and he loses all his winnings. All broke, he decided to return back home only when he arrived, he found out his wife was involved with someone else.

16. The Jack - AC/DC

The next song on our list will give you some adrenaline boost, for sure. It goes like this - “She gave me the queen, she gave me the king, she was wheelin' and dealin', just doin' her thing, she was holdin' a pair, but I had to try…” Sounds familiar? This song from the 1975s is called The Jack and is played by AC/DC and there’s no way you can skip it.

15. Blackjack - Ray Charles

Moving on to something a bit different - a melody that blackjack lovers can listen to as they play is Ray Charles’ Blackjack. Apart from being a good quality song from 1955, it carries an important message with an emphasis on how brutal the game of blackjack can be. Some sources say that Ray Charles wrote it after beating T-Bone Walker at a blackjack game session.
Yet another Ray Charles’ famous song about gambling is called a Losing Hand.

14. Ooh Las Vegas - Gram Parson

“Ooh, Las Vegas, ain't no place for a poor boy like me”... is a song-into for Ooh Las Vegas which was written by Gram Parsons and Ric Grech. It was first released by Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris in 1974. Playing this song would be perfect for the beginning of the road trip (i.e. to Las Vegas), especially if you have the energy to sing along.

13. The Stranger - Leonard Cohen

Published in 1968 and performed by Leonard Cohen, The Stranger appears in the The Ernie Game movie about a man released from a mental asylum. More appropriately, it is the perfect opening song in the 1971 Western McCabe & Mrs Miller, in which Warren Beatty plays a gambler. As you listen to this song (without watching the movie), it makes you see fascinating images of card games, smoky dreams, and concepts of risk versus safety.

12. Desperado - Eagles

Written by Glen Frey and Don Henley, Desperado song is one of The Eagles’ greatest hits from their 1973 album of the same name. The song features a classic tune while the ballad tells the story of a lone wolf imprisoned by his loneliness. As for the lyrics, they have loads of card references mentioning the queen of diamonds, the queen of hearts, and so on.

11. Huck's Tune - Bob Dylan

The next song on our list is about the risks of poker, money, and relationships, which are precisely what the movie Lucky You is all about. Does it ring a bell? That’s right, this 2007 song is called Huck’s Tune and is performed by Bob Dylan. Each of us can all relate to lines "You push it all in, and you've no chance to win, you play 'em on down to the end." Play the song and you’ll enjoy more than 4 amazing minutes of Bob Dylan.
Likewise, Bob Dylan recorded Rambling, Gambling Willie and Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts, both excellent and both inspired by gambling.
​

10. Four Little Diamonds - Electric Light Orchestra

A song by the British rock band Electric Light Orchestra Four Little Diamonds was released in 1983 and found itself on the album Secret Messages. The single wasn’t so popular in the US, being only 2 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, at number 86, and number 84 in the UK. This song refers to the singer’s cheating lover who tricked him out of a ring which had 'four little diamonds' on it.

9. You Can't Beat The House - Mark Knopfler

Moving on to our next choice for the day, You Can’t Beat the House. It’s the third song on the Get Lucky studio album released in 2009 by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler. The album and the songs received favorable reviews with the album reaching the top three positions on album charts in Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland. The singer’s divine voice combined with beautiful music and lyrics goes like this – “You can't bear the house, you can't bear the house, tell the man somebody, you can't beat the house.”

8. Deck of Cards - Don Williams

Deck of Cards is a recitation song that tells the story of a soldier who gets caught while playing cards in church and then faces a sentence from a superior officer. The soldier defends his case, explaining he wasn't about to deal a hand of poker, but was rather confirming his faith with the cards. Performed by T. Texas Tyler, the song managed to become a major hit in the 1940s and 1950s. Also, Wink Martindale had an even bigger hit with his 1959 cover, with a successful version by Don Williams featuring Tex Ritter and Buddy Cole.

7. Gambler’s Blues - B.B. King

First recording of the song Gambler’s Blues by B.B. King was in 1966, and it was released in 1967. The song appears on the album Back in the Alley (1970). Some say gambling and blues go hand in hand, so if you (gambling fans) haven’t heard it, listen and see for yourself.

6. Tumbling Dice - Rolling Stones

One of our favourite songs on the list is Tumbling Dice, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It tells the story of a gambler who can’t remain faithful to any woman. Being released in the 1970s and featuring a blues boogie-woogie rhythm, the song was and still is one of the greatest singles of all time.
Rolling Stones also recorded Casino Boogie, and it’s from their 1972 album, Exile on Main St.

5. Luck Be A Lady - Frank Sinatra

The next song on our list is about a gambler who hopes that he will win a bet, the outcome of which will decide whether he is able to save his relationship with the girl of his dreams. You probably know what song we’re talking about; it’s called Luck be a Lady released in 1965 and performed by one of the most popular musical artists - Frank Sinatra.

4. Deal - Grateful Dead

Next one up is the song Deal. It was first performed by the Grateful Dead in 1971, as a regular part of the repertoire through their 1970's tour. Although being less common to the fans during the 1990s, the band continued to perform it. The singer opens with the message: “Since it cost a lot to win and even more to lose you and me bound to spend some time wondering what to choose,” that later kicks off with a chorus: “Don't let your deal go down...”
Loser is another song first performed by the Grateful Dead in 1971 as well, heavily played during 1971 and 1972.

3. Ace of Spades - Motörhead

Ok, the next song is loaded with some great gambling verses like "The pleasure is to play, makes no difference what you say, I don't share your greed, the only card I need is the Ace of Spades" will definitely set you in the right mood for hitting some winning combinations. Released in 1980, the song was inspired by slot machines that the lead singer Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister played in London pubs.

2. Viva Las Vegas - Elvis

As soon as you start playing the second song from our playlist “Viva Las Vegas,” you’ll probably picture a huge casino and a great gaming atmosphere. Performed by the legendary Elvis Presley, the 1964-released song brings the glamour of the city, and its beat will get you in the mood for some serious gameplay. This song was written for the movie of the same name starring Elvis Presley, in which he plays a race car driver waiting tables at a hotel to pay off a debt. There’s this famous scene when he performs this song at the talent competition alongside many showgirls.

1. The Gambler - Kenny Rogers

Performed by the legendary country singer Kenny Rogers, The Gambler song is our number 1 - it's full of some betting advice that are relevant today, even though it was released more than 40 years ago, in 1978. Here’s how it goes… “If you're gonna play the game, boy you gotta learn to play it right, you've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” These classic chorus lines were told from the first-person perspective inspired by a conversation the author had with an experienced poker player on a train. Written in the form of poker metaphors, Schlitz wrote the tune in honor of his late father.
Johnny Cash is also among other musicians who recorded The Gambler in 1978, on Gone Girl.

What do you think? Which one is your favourite?

This is a repost: You find the story behind this incident below.
I want to know if it is an option to sue GVC in the UK since this is a company listed on the London Stock exchange. Suing them in Gibraltar, where they got the licence or in Germany, where I am from, are unfortunately no options, due to lack of prospects of success.
Is it possible to sue them in the UK? Which costs would be associated with that? What probability of success are you estimating?
I also posted this in scams (and this is a repost as my original on is still pending a few days in) as i want to let as many people know about the business practices of Partypoker / GVC:
I want to warn other gamblers about Partypoker. They basically stole more than 100k of my money, 50k of which were deposits. They can do this really easily, especially in Germany (as I will explain later).
This warning is not just about Partypoker as the parent company (GVC) holds more big brands. For example:
Bwin
Ladbrokes
Coral
.....
I played there for 2 or 3 years. I was also constantly increasing my wager over time.
At the end of october 2019, they locked my account and put it under security review. They also ask for documents which I already had sent in before. Nevertheless I sent them again.
After some emails back and forth they gave me my christmas gift. This is the original Email:
"Dear XXX,
We are contacting you regarding your partypoker account "XXX".
An investigation into your account has highlighted suspicious activity related to your account.
This activity is in breach of points 4, 6, 13 and 16 of the terms and conditions of partypoker.
The full terms and conditions are available at:
https://help.partypoker.com/en/general-information/legal-matters/general-terms-and-conditions
As a result, your partypoker account has been closed and the funds remaining in your account will be confiscated.
Please be aware that you are no longer permitted to create or use any account on the partypoker network.
Kind Regards,
Poker Operations Team"
They quoted half of their terms and stole my money. I ask for a reason and for proof, which was not given at any point.
By the way I was not playing poker but casino games, most of the time Black Jack, not even card counting, which they might deem as illegal (which it clearly isn't).
I also messaged the regulators in Gibraltar, they took a few month and also basically said they are fine with the way party handled the situation, at least they said what they are accusing me of:
This also is the original email:
"Good morning XXX,
I write with regards to your complaint against Party Poker.
Please be advised that I have been in dialogue with Party Poker on the matter, who have provided me with a detailed and technical report with regards to your account. I have also made my own enquiries. The substantial and technical material that I have seen indicates that your account is being operated by a third party who is the controller of a series of accounts for the purpose of systematically abusing promotional bonuses. Your account is de facto a proxy account.
There is strong and clear evidence that the identity used on your account and the identities used on the other accounts are all associated. The controller of all accounts knows that they are prohibited from operating any account either directly or indirectly. I will not disclose how all of the accounts have been detected as to do so would be to the detriment of Party Poker and to the advantage of those that seek to circumvent its security protocols. Nevertheless, further information on the Gambling Commissioner’s views on ‘bonus abuse’ can be found here: https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/finance-gaming-and-regulations/gambling-commissioners-advice-complainants#ancla8.
I am satisfied that Party Poker is acting appropriately and in accordance with its terms and conditions and I am unable to recommend that it pays you any monies.This is my Proposed Determination to your complaint. I am also forwarding Party Poker a copy.
I am now inviting you and Party Poker to comment on this Proposed Determination. It is also the opportunity for both parties to bring to my attention any facts or issues either party believes I have omitted or misunderstood in my assessment.
Regards,
John"
Again no evidence was given. It's also hard to defend myself without getting presented with the evidence.
This by the way is complete bullshit, I always have used my account myself and nobody other than me was using it.
I think they used fabricated evidence to not pay big players.
It was even worse than that:
They baited me to play there with a 10% cashback offer on my losses. Before End of November I lost many weeks in a row. Most of the time 50k €. They had a ponzi scheme like promo going. Letting me play until I finally win and when don't pay me anyways. No risk for the house at all, they keep the money no matter the outcome (deposits included).
The Gibraltar Gambling commission is also highly corrupt. They basically don't even want any complaint to get in at all. You can't submit a complaint online. You have to print several pages and fill out everything by hand. They will also ignore your claims until you get really annoying with all your reminders and messages you sent to them, then they will decide in favor of the casino.
I can't even sue the casino, because the legal situation in Germany regarding Online gambling and Online casinos without a licence is fucked up.
I consulted many different lawyers all telling me not to sue them, because my chances of winning are slim, not because partypoker is right, but because this is deemed illegal gambling and I basically can't get any money back. Even in case of winning it would not be clear if i can get any money back, because Gibraltar is not in the EU where i could enforce GVC to pay what they owe me.
A judge friend of mine even advised me not to sue, because Gibraltar is too corrupt and the legal fees are astronomical.
So neither in Germany I can get what's mine nor in Gibraltar (most probably).
Basically Party knew about the loophole in German law and exploited it. I think especially German Players are in danger, no way they could get away with this in Great britain for example.
CLIFFS:
-Partypoker stole almost 105k of my money (half winnings, half deposits) with a far fetched explanation, which I only got from the regulators after filling a complaint. At no point any evidence was shown.
-The regulators also decided not to hold partypoker accountable.
-Partypoker also used a ponzi like scheme to bait me in and take my money as long as i kept losing, once i had a big upswing, they kept my winnings and deposits anyways.
- Partypoker also knew about a loophole in German law about illegal Gambling and exploited it, in order to get away with "confiscating" (stealing is a better word) my entire balance.

This is a repost: You find the story behind this incident below.
I want to know if it is an option to sue GVC in the UK since this is a company listed on the London Stock exchange. Suing them in Gibraltar, where they got the licence or in Germany, where I am from, are unfortunately no options, due to lack of prospects of success.
​
Is it possible to sue them in the UK? Which costs would be associated with that? What probability of success are you estimating?
I also posted this in scams (and this is a repost as my original on is still pending a few days in) as i want to let as many people know about the business practices of Partypoker / GVC:
I want to warn other gamblers about Partypoker. They basically stole more than 100k of my money, 50k of which were deposits. They can do this really easily, especially in Germany (as I will explain later).
This warning is not just about Partypoker as the parent company (GVC) holds more big brands. For example:
Bwin
Ladbrokes
Coral
.....
I played there for 2 or 3 years. I was also constantly increasing my wager over time.
At the end of october 2019, they locked my account and put it under security review. They also ask for documents which I already had sent in before. Nevertheless I sent them again.
After some emails back and forth they gave me my christmas gift. This is the original Email:
"Dear XXX,
We are contacting you regarding your partypoker account "XXX".
An investigation into your account has highlighted suspicious activity related to your account.
This activity is in breach of points 4, 6, 13 and 16 of the terms and conditions of partypoker.
The full terms and conditions are available at:
https://help.partypoker.com/en/general-information/legal-matters/general-terms-and-conditions
As a result, your partypoker account has been closed and the funds remaining in your account will be confiscated.
Please be aware that you are no longer permitted to create or use any account on the partypoker network.
Kind Regards,
Poker Operations Team"
They quoted half of their terms and stole my money. I ask for a reason and for proof, which was not given at any point.
By the way I was not playing poker but casino games, most of the time Black Jack, not even card counting, which they might deem as illegal (which it clearly isn't).
I also messaged the regulators in Gibraltar, they took a few month and also basically said they are fine with the way party handled the situation, at least they said what they are accusing me of:
This also is the original email:
"Good morning XXX,
I write with regards to your complaint against Party Poker.
Please be advised that I have been in dialogue with Party Poker on the matter, who have provided me with a detailed and technical report with regards to your account. I have also made my own enquiries. The substantial and technical material that I have seen indicates that your account is being operated by a third party who is the controller of a series of accounts for the purpose of systematically abusing promotional bonuses. Your account is de facto a proxy account.
There is strong and clear evidence that the identity used on your account and the identities used on the other accounts are all associated. The controller of all accounts knows that they are prohibited from operating any account either directly or indirectly. I will not disclose how all of the accounts have been detected as to do so would be to the detriment of Party Poker and to the advantage of those that seek to circumvent its security protocols. Nevertheless, further information on the Gambling Commissioner’s views on ‘bonus abuse’ can be found here: https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/finance-gaming-and-regulations/gambling-commissioners-advice-complainants#ancla8.
I am satisfied that Party Poker is acting appropriately and in accordance with its terms and conditions and I am unable to recommend that it pays you any monies.This is my Proposed Determination to your complaint. I am also forwarding Party Poker a copy.
I am now inviting you and Party Poker to comment on this Proposed Determination. It is also the opportunity for both parties to bring to my attention any facts or issues either party believes I have omitted or misunderstood in my assessment.
Regards,
John"
Again no evidence was given. It's also hard to defend myself without getting presented with the evidence.
This by the way is complete bullshit, I always have used my account myself and nobody other than me was using it.
I think they used fabricated evidence to not pay big players.
It was even worse than that:
They baited me to play there with a 10% cashback offer on my losses. Before End of November I lost many weeks in a row. Most of the time 50k €. They had a ponzi scheme like promo going. Letting me play until I finally win and when don't pay me anyways. No risk for the house at all, they keep the money no matter the outcome (deposits included).
The Gibraltar Gambling commission is also highly corrupt. They basically don't even want any complaint to get in at all. You can't submit a complaint online. You have to print several pages and fill out everything by hand. They will also ignore your claims until you get really annoying with all your reminders and messages you sent to them, then they will decide in favor of the casino.
I can't even sue the casino, because the legal situation in Germany regarding Online gambling and Online casinos without a licence is fucked up.
I consulted many different lawyers all telling me not to sue them, because my chances of winning are slim, not because partypoker is right, but because this is deemed illegal gambling and I basically can't get any money back. Even in case of winning it would not be clear if i can get any money back, because Gibraltar is not in the EU where i could enforce GVC to pay what they owe me.
A judge friend of mine even advised me not to sue, because Gibraltar is too corrupt and the legal fees are astronomical.
So neither in Germany I can get what's mine nor in Gibraltar (most probably).
Basically Party knew about the loophole in German law and exploited it. I think especially German Players are in danger, no way they could get away with this in Great britain for example.
CLIFFS:
-Partypoker stole almost 105k of my money (half winnings, half deposits) with a far fetched explanation, which I only got from the regulators after filling a complaint. At no point any evidence was shown.
-The regulators also decided not to hold partypoker accountable.
-Partypoker also used a ponzi like scheme to bait me in and take my money as long as i kept losing, once i had a big upswing, they kept my winnings and deposits anyways.
- Partypoker also knew about a loophole in German law about illegal Gambling and exploited it, in order to get away with "confiscating" (stealing is a better word) my entire balance.

Part 1/3 - Robinhood:
Let's start with Robinhood.
And no, not the legendary outlaw who robbed the rich to give to the poor.
Robinhood made around $100 million from selling its customer order flow in the first quarter of this year.
This means that Robinhood is selling retail order flow to hedge funds, who can then use high frequency trading algorithms to front run the trades.
Citadel, a hedge fund which manages a cool $32 billion, paid Robinhood almost $50 million in Q1 2020 just for its order flow.
Billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya described the practice as "shady AF".
So basically, Citadel takes free money via the New York Fed's overnight Repos, places huge leverage bets (which may or may not blow up - who cares anyway!), but gets to buy order flow from Robinhood to front run retail, then the US Treasury issues checks to retail, who buy stocks via Robinhood, and the circle of 'capitalism' is complete.
This is why Ken Griffin can buy $238 million condos. Citadel know who is leveraged, they know where all the stops are and they trade against everybody. And of course the SEC is bought and paid for.
​
Part 2/3 - Shoeshine Time:
After making good money owning stocks in the roaring bull market of the 1920s, Joseph Kennedy Sr. found himself needing to get his shoes polished.
While sitting in the chair, Kennedy Sr. was shocked to have the shoeshine boy gift him with several tips on which stocks he should own.
Kennedy Sr. quickly went back to his office and started unloading his stock portfolio.
In fact, he didn't just get out of the market - he aggressively shorted it - and got filthy rich during the epic crash that followed.
Fast forward to today, and we have the Buy High Sell Low Kings, CNBC's Fast Money, talking about the Rise of the Day Trader.
We have a record number of Wall Street professionals saying the S&P is overvalued.
We have Jerome trying his best to keep the market propped up.
We have Hertz pumping nearly 1000% after filing for bankruptcy.
We are clearly at the death throes of the market cycle.
​
Part 3/3 - Hedge Funds:
Let me tell you the fascinating story of Ke Xu, a Chinese quant.
Xu studied maths at Cambridge, by the way one of the most competitive courses in the world, and graduated third in a class of 250.
He then worked at Goldman Sachs, got bored and in 2012 joined the relatively secretive quant hedge fund G-Research.
He spent his days writing code in G-Research's "secure zone", which could be entered only through a special pod with a biometric finger scanner and a weight sensor designed to detect unauthorised equipment entering or leaving the area.
Xu's first bonus at G Research, awarded only a few months after joining, shattered any illusions that he had joined the hedge fund elite.
He wrote in an online message to his girlfriend, who was working as a corporate lawyer in Hong Kong:
"Bonus only 3k, Fuck me, why? Only December, but it is still crap, crap crap, crap. It should be more."
So Xu stepped his game up - he came up with 20 trading strategies - "signals" in quantspeak - and tested each in numerous simulations.
Seven proved profitable enough to adopted by fund and put to work in real markets.
So at the start of 2014, Xu was feeling confident about his second-year bonus.
"If I get 1.1 million this year, next year should be 3.3 million. Next year it will be 16 million, then 100 million."
Instead, he was awarded a bonus of £400K and, although this was a huge amount for a young man from provincial China, it was far less than he was expecting - so he began planning his exit.
It was around this time that Xu began covertly accessing his colleagues' signals.
After all, he would have a better chance of getting a good job elsewhere if he had ready-to-use signals to offer potential employers.
He landed two offers in Asia, but told his managers at G-Research nothing about his plans.
One evening, Xu cleared out his desk and placed a resignation letter on his manager's desk, and boarded a flight to Hong Kong.
The abruptness of Xu's departure raised immediate suspicions.
The next morning security personnel at G-Research reviewed video footage of his activities the night before, leading the company's attorneys to get an emergency court order.
To cut a long story short, G-Research then got the prestigious law firm Allen & Overy on the case, got a travel ban against Xu, who was reported to police in London, then arrested in Hong Kong in August 2014, extradited to the UK in December 2014, then sentenced in July 2015 to four years in prison.
But that's not all: G-Research then used an ancient quirk of the British legal system called a private prosecution to find out who's seen the 55 stolen signals.
This allows the purported victim of a crime, if they are rich of course, to prosecute the perpetrator if the state fails to do so.
Although G-Research were paying their bills, the lawyers spoke to the jury per the norms of private prosecutions, as representatives of the Crown - the British Government.
In January 2017, jurors founds Xu guilty of two of the five charged in the private prosecution, and the judge sentenced him to an additional 18 months.
​
So the top hedge funds secure their IP like a military facility, have an informational advantage, have the world's best lawyers at their beck and call, have the Fed on their side if things go wrong, and normies think they can match this and be day traders?!
Yes, of course people like this dude regularly beat the hedge funds and make a profit every day!
The vast majority of online courses are scams.
Don't buy them.
Every dollar you save and invest is a soldier working for you.
Don't supply these scammers with ammunition to increase their ad spend and fleece more people.
​
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, DON'T DAY TRADE!
These hedge funds have intellectual capital and infrastructure you can only dream of.
Invest, don't gamble.
These dopamine-inducing roulette tables scramble our brains' natural rhythm,
Don't take on more risk than you can handle, and don't amble,
Hit that like button for the algorithm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9JcFAadCVo

Part 1/3 - Robinhood:
Let's start with Robinhood.
And no, not the legendary outlaw who robbed the rich to give to the poor.
Robinhood made around $100 million from selling its customer order flow in the first quarter of this year.
This means that Robinhood is selling retail order flow to hedge funds, who can then use high frequency trading algorithms to front run the trades.
Citadel, a hedge fund which manages a cool $32 billion, paid Robinhood almost $50 million in Q1 2020 just for its order flow.
Billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya described the practice as "shady AF".
So basically, Citadel takes free money via the New York Fed's overnight Repos, places huge leverage bets (which may or may not blow up - who cares anyway!), but gets to buy order flow from Robinhood to front run retail, then the US Treasury issues checks to retail, who buy stocks via Robinhood, and the circle of 'capitalism' is complete.
This is why Ken Griffin can buy $238 million condos. Citadel know who is leveraged, they know where all the stops are and they trade against everybody. And of course the SEC is bought and paid for.
​
Part 2/3 - Shoeshine Time:
After making good money owning stocks in the roaring bull market of the 1920s, Joseph Kennedy Sr. found himself needing to get his shoes polished.
While sitting in the chair, Kennedy Sr. was shocked to have the shoeshine boy gift him with several tips on which stocks he should own.
Kennedy Sr. quickly went back to his office and started unloading his stock portfolio.
In fact, he didn't just get out of the market - he aggressively shorted it - and got filthy rich during the epic crash that followed.
Fast forward to today, and we have the Buy High Sell Low Kings, CNBC's Fast Money, talking about the Rise of the Day Trader.
We have a record number of Wall Street professionals saying the S&P is overvalued.
We have Jerome trying his best to keep the market propped up.
We have Hertz pumping nearly 1000% after filing for bankruptcy.
We are clearly at the death throes of the market cycle.
​
Part 3/3 - Hedge Funds:
Let me tell you the fascinating story of Ke Xu, a Chinese quant.
Xu studied maths at Cambridge, by the way one of the most competitive courses in the world, and graduated third in a class of 250.
He then worked at Goldman Sachs, got bored and in 2012 joined the relatively secretive quant hedge fund G-Research.
He spent his days writing code in G-Research's "secure zone", which could be entered only through a special pod with a biometric finger scanner and a weight sensor designed to detect unauthorised equipment entering or leaving the area.
Xu's first bonus at G Research, awarded only a few months after joining, shattered any illusions that he had joined the hedge fund elite.
He wrote in an online message to his girlfriend, who was working as a corporate lawyer in Hong Kong:
"Bonus only 3k, Fuck me, why? Only December, but it is still crap, crap crap, crap. It should be more."
So Xu stepped his game up - he came up with 20 trading strategies - "signals" in quantspeak - and tested each in numerous simulations.
Seven proved profitable enough to adopted by fund and put to work in real markets.
So at the start of 2014, Xu was feeling confident about his second-year bonus.
"If I get 1.1 million this year, next year should be 3.3 million. Next year it will be 16 million, then 100 million."
Instead, he was awarded a bonus of £400K and, although this was a huge amount for a young man from provincial China, it was far less than he was expecting - so he began planning his exit.
It was around this time that Xu began covertly accessing his colleagues' signals.
After all, he would have a better chance of getting a good job elsewhere if he had ready-to-use signals to offer potential employers.
He landed two offers in Asia, but told his managers at G-Research nothing about his plans.
One evening, Xu cleared out his desk and placed a resignation letter on his manager's desk, and boarded a flight to Hong Kong.
The abruptness of Xu's departure raised immediate suspicions.
The next morning security personnel at G-Research reviewed video footage of his activities the night before, leading the company's attorneys to get an emergency court order.
To cut a long story short, G-Research then got the prestigious law firm Allen & Overy on the case, got a travel ban against Xu, who was reported to police in London, then arrested in Hong Kong in August 2014, extradited to the UK in December 2014, then sentenced in July 2015 to four years in prison.
But that's not all: G-Research then used an ancient quirk of the British legal system called a private prosecution to find out who's seen the 55 stolen signals.
This allows the purported victim of a crime, if they are rich of course, to prosecute the perpetrator if the state fails to do so.
Although G-Research were paying their bills, the lawyers spoke to the jury per the norms of private prosecutions, as representatives of the Crown - the British Government.
In January 2017, jurors founds Xu guilty of two of the five charged in the private prosecution, and the judge sentenced him to an additional 18 months.
​
So the top hedge funds secure their IP like a military facility, have an informational advantage, have the world's best lawyers at their beck and call, have the Fed on their side if things go wrong, and normies think they can match this and be day traders?!
Yes, of course people like this dude regularly beat the hedge funds and make a profit every day!
The vast majority of online courses are scams.
Don't buy them.
Every dollar you save and invest is a soldier working for you.
Don't supply these scammers with ammunition to increase their ad spend and fleece more people.
​
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, DON'T DAY TRADE!
These hedge funds have intellectual capital and infrastructure you can only dream of.
Invest, don't gamble.
These dopamine-inducing roulette tables scramble our brains' natural rhythm,
Don't take on more risk than you can handle, and don't amble,
Hit that like button for the algorithm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9JcFAadCVo

Where do I even begin?
First of all, I understand the ‘tough’ love concept and sacrifices they have made for us. Yes, they left their Asian country to a new one, so we can have better lives. They brought their entire country’s cultures and customs with them though.
I was born in the West. My family was uneducated, very poor, but very hard-working. They worked in a factory making handbags working as long as 14 hours 6 days a week and half a day on Sunday. That was completely normal. When times were busy, they worked longer hours. They employed other Chinese workers, but they worked just as hard.
I moved schools quite a lot as a young child because they moved factories quite often. They were making fake handbags at one point. Gucci, Fendi, D&G. They received a warning from the police, yet they continued doing it. Yes, I was young. But I remember how the police taking away all the goods and machineries when we got busted. I was around 8-9.
Now, my father went to prison for this. I had to start working in the factory with my older siblings with my mum. My uncle was doing the heavy machinery stuff. The 5 of us were working together to make ends meet. Well, my uncle was just getting a pay check. My mum needed to pay for lawyer’s fees, rent, food, everything. There was so much on her shoulders. The extended family all turned blind when we most needed help. The uncle who was working for us was just getting paid, so why not right?! So, yeah, at the age of 10, I was working in a new factory and I was going to a new school once again. After elementary school, I’d take the bus to the factory and work until 9pm. As I got to middle school at age 11, I was working till late 10-11pm. Sometimes as late as midnight when there was more demand for handbags.
The ironic thing was in the 1st year, we were still making fake handbags when my father went to prison. This is because it was good money. My mum needed to make ends meet somehow. There were too many Chinese families making normal handbags for as little as €3 wholesale price back in the early 2000s. But fake goods were good sellers. It was risky, but we were lucky.
Now, yes my mum had a lot on her shoulders. This meant, she took her anger out on us (me and siblings). She vented out at us. I now I cannot remember what it was about, but there was a lot of emotional and physical abuse. I do remember one time when my brother and I were allowed to go and play football outside in the park one fine summer evening with some neighbourhood kids and then came back home, we got a beating. I don’t know why. But my mum gave us a beating.
Anyway, we eventually moved to normal handbags thanks to an auntie who had a wholesaler of handbags in London. We were purely supplying her with goods. So, we made enough money to pay for the lawyer’s fees. I would go to school during the day, finish at around 1pm. Middle school in that country was like that. Then work until late in the evening. Weekends consisted of visiting my father. Every week, there was some sort of abuse. But at the time, I didn’t see it as abuse. I thought it was normal.
When my father got out, I was about 12. My auntie in London didn’t need those handbags anymore, so guess what? Yes, back to fake goods. For fuck’s sake. Well, at least this time, they had a plan. My uncle left to work elsewhere. Anyway, we made them for a few months and sold all the heavy machineries. Now what where we doing? My parents went to work for another auntie in a nearby city who was making real goods. The biggest difference between real goods and fake goods is that you have a contractor that gives you the materials to create the handbags and official papers to officialise them. The end product is pretty much the same with minor, minor details. All made by Chinese people. So, yeah, they were working for my auntie, my older siblings went to work for my auntie as well. It was summer. So, they didn’t have school. As the youngest, I didn’t have to, in that regards, I was lucky. My grandparents moved in to look after me.
What was the plan? It was to work for 2 good months to make enough money to apply for visas, flights, etc. to enter the UK to begin yet again a new life. So, one day my father had the responsibility to take the around €700 to pay for visa applications at the embassy. Guess what? He went gambling instead and lost all the money. He had a heavy gambling addiction in the past as well as he was the bread winner before he went to prison. This addiction continued. My mum was furious. As she should be. My grandfather was ashamed and yelled at him. It was embarrassing. I was standing in the corner outside the door witnessing the entire thing. Luckily, they found a way to pay the for applications.
Growing up, I turned out to be quite impulsive and aggressive as a person. I ruined many good relationships because I didn’t have much emotional capacity in the sense that I wasn’t healthily expressing myself. Some kids express themselves in arts, hobbies, sports. As a result, they can communicate their thoughts, feelings and let out whatever they’re going through. I used to play football for a small club, but I had to stop that because I was working so much. I was either getting abused, working or in school. Yeah, middle school also sucked because I was getting bullied for being Chinese by a few classmates and amongst the Chinese group, I wasn’t so popular as I was from a lower ‘class’. My clothes were tattered and I never had money to buy a sandwich. So, during the break when everybody would take their fresh sandwich. I was starving and pretend I wasn’t hungry. Quite often I would ask for a piece. I was a beggar. It’s paradoxical because in elementary school at one of the other institutions I went to, I was giving out my sweet snacks to my classmates who didn’t have one. That was the time I was 8-9. In middle school, I didn’t have breakfast, didn’t have snack. The bus was ‘free’ because we never paid for it. You have to prepay and scan the ticket. If you don’t get caught, you’re good. So, yeah. I was very poor. I had €0.
For obvious reasons, my grades sucked. I rarely did homework and there was never a focus on education. Some other Chinese kids would skip school to go to Internet cafes to play MMOGs. Although, middle school was dull, I still went every day. Occasionally, I skipped to join other Chinese kids but to watch not play because I didn’t have any money. It was form of escapism to join a fantasy world. Other Chinese kids were going through hardships as well.
In short, I burst out in anger because because I inherited the impulsiveness from my parents, particularly, my father. He gets angry easily. I now have a mental condition. I think it’s because of my past, accumulated traumas. I’ve also been told that I’m useless constantly and it was better that I was not born by my mother. That was once again another moment of impulsiveness from my mother and said words she shouldn’t have said, at least not in my presence. I meditate to calm down. One time, my mother saw meditating and ordered me not to meditate because she thought was it was Falun Gong (it’s banned in China). I still meditate though. I have to or else I get very agitated.
Anyway, my parents first went to the UK. A year later my siblings and I joined them. New beginnings. I couldn’t wait to start a new life. I couldn’t speak a word of English. Let alone understand it. So, a day later upon arriving in the UK, guess what? I began working at the warehouse. Well, at least this time it wasn’t a factory. It was a wholesaler like my auntie in London. So, my job was to sell normal handbags. But you cannot speak English? How can you sell? Chinese can sell anything. They can sell your own house back to you haha. So, yeah. I didn’t mind. It wasn’t strenuous. It was only strenuous when the container arrived and we had to move those big boxes inside. They were heavy as shit. I did develop some strong biceps and triceps though. I turned 14 that summer. I started school almost a month later because we couldn’t find a public one that had space. So, I went to a private school. The money from the wholesaler was good. We could afford the fees. For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel lower class. I didn’t have tattered clothes. I had money to buy all the snacks I wanted. I didn’t need to beg my classmates for a bite. It felt nice.
Well, I went to a private school. There were a number of snobs there. The only thing I was made fun of was the area I was living in, not my ethnicity. I live in a rough area. It’s literally considered a shithole, full of criminals and immigrants from the Middle East. It’s close to the warehouse, so it’s convenient to live here. Anyway, my week consisted of going to school, warehouse, home on weekdays. Saturday spent at the mall with parents and siblings. Sunday at the warehouse. I wasn’t allowed hobbies. My mother is a control freak. She wants to choose the clothes I wear to the woman I marry. Even today. I rebelled because it was fucking stupid. I wear what I want to wear. It’s not like I was going out buttnaked. The thing that hurt most was that she made a remark how I didn’t have any friends as a teenager. That sting so much. I felt really lonely. How could you expect me to have friends when I wasn’t allowed to do anything? School-friends don’t count as you don’t hang out outside of school and I lived in a dodgy area. Anyway, I played lots of sports in school, so I could spend less time at the warehouse.
Every birthday in summer was lonely. I never had friends. It was just me and my family. I wasn’t even joyous celebrating my birthday. I just liked the food haha. In reality, I just wanted some friends to hang out and do teenage stuff.
At the warehouse and at home, there were constant verbal fights. One cannot stand the yelling for more than 2 minutes, but I got used to it. It was like a background noise. Remember, how my father had a gambling addiction? Yeah, he continued gambling at casinos. This time, with higher stakes from €€€ to ££££. So, when my mum would go to China for business, he was in charge of the warehouse. So, he would cash in all the revenue from the day. At the end of the day, he would go to the casino to gamble his life away. He didn’t even care about us. He would just drop us off at home and told us to make some food because he had to go out. It was like that for 10-14 days until my mum came back. She would get furious. It was the same story every time she went to China. Every night, I prayed for a divorce, so my mother, siblings and I could actually have a normal, fucking life. My father was physically abusive too. As my brother and so got bigger and stronger, we were going to protect my mother. I told my myself that if my father touched my mother again, I would fucking kill him. It’s dishonourable to beat your parents. I know that. That would be an exception. So, yeah, my father really didn’t give a flying shit about us. He would go out and gamble and live the so-called fast life. But the reality was that this fast life was destroying everything we have built. In total, he lost around £300,000. But it could be more. That was the revenue made from the business - cash. We had to make it up. The guy would drink and drive, gamble and leaves his 3 teenage kids at home. Yes, we weren’t little anymore, but at least take us out for some food or something. We were surviving on cheap, frozen pizzas like uni students.
So, I don’t have a relationship with my father. He’s selfish and just an alcoholic now. He was ‘able’ to cut his gambling addiction. First of all, my father didn’t have any money to gamble, that’s why. When my brother got older, he was in charge of the money, so he would take the cash, that’s why. Some people grow up without a father a wish they had one. Whereas, I grew up with one and I wish I didn’t have one. Because I don’t see him as a father figure. Obviously, I cannot tell what life would have been like without him. But he put us under so much stress. Weird analogy. But think of Mao Zedong, considered as a ‘hero’ in Mainland China by many people, yet they don’t realise the guy killed hundreds millions of people with his stupid fucking policies. Yet he’s idolised. Wouldn’t it be easier to say, it was better Mao never existed. Obviously I wouldn’t exist without my father, but remember how I prayed for a divorce. Yes, I wished my parents would have split up. So, I wouldn’t have to deal with his presence.
In Chinese culture, at least in my family, your age really matters, you can be super wise at 18 but because you’re 18, you’re stupid. But you can be 50 and be as dumb as a rock and considered super wise. Whenever, I suggested something to improve the business, it was immediately discarded. A few months later, my mother would say we should do that. For example, at 15 I suggested we should create a website, so our customers can buy from us online as well. The internet was becoming more widely accessible to everybody. The answer was ‘no’ again and again. Then, I was told I should create it. There was a shitty laptop at work, and I was told to create a website. Well, I actually tried. I had no idea what I was doing. It was paradoxical because I was told I was going to take over the business some day, and yet I found it very hard to work along my mother. She was the definition of a controlling, strict boss. Change was unwelcome. That’s why as the years passed by, competition for stiffer and we lost a lot of customers. Other businesses set up websites and had better services in general. I suggested these changes well in advance but they were discarded immediately. Once again, at 15, what do I know? Fair enough, but at least, listen to me. Make me feel listened.
This went on until I went to I went to uni. 1st year was great. Although, I was living at home, I still had a great time. I don’t know why I was being so considerate though. I could’ve gone anywhere in the UK. I had decent grades. Ever since coming to the UK, I focused on my studies. But I decided to study in the same city, so I could be ‘home’. I borrowed money from Student Finance to go to university. Yet, my mother tells everybody that she paid £9,000 a year to put me through university. A complete lie to make herself look good. It’s like a popularity contest on whose kids went to uni, where and how much they paid. Utterly stupid. I also borrowed living expenses money from Student Finance. Because I grew up very poor, I was very frugal with money, I saved up every penny. Going to uni meant I didn’t have to go to work, and I was enjoying the uni experience so much. So, in the 2nd year, I moved out. I saved up enough money to move out. I found out that many decisions are based financially. I asked my mother initially for permission which she said ‘no’ of course. But that didn’t matter because I had the money to move out. 2nd year was even better. Living alone with housemates, partying, hanging out with friends. Man, I had a blast. I rarely saw my parents and that was okay because I was happy not seeing them. Mostly happy about not hearing all the yelling and being surrounded by that toxicity.
My mother paid for my master’s degree though, I decided to go to an another EU country because it was 10x cheaper. She would brag to me about other Chinese kids going to top schools in London, and I was thinking “yes, I have a decent chance of getting in certain programmes as I have the experience and grades required, but you would be so hesitant to pay £20,000” + living expenses in London. It amounts to £35,000 per annum. Easy. She just pays lip service. I never told her this directly though. I just said, “it’s just too expensive in London, there are many good programmes in other EU countries too for more affordable prices”.
Anyway,
Where am I currently standing now? I don’t respect my father. I inherited a lot of negative traits from him, so I want to distance as much as possible from him. He yells and screams. I prefer peace and quiet. Today, I suffer from a mental condition and my father screamed at me because I had it. Wtf? Fuck off. I’m tired from all this toxicity. I don’t fucking need it. My mother is a control freak. She wants to get me married with somebody she knows. My past romantic relationships have all been ruined because of her. I haven’t had a girlfriend for years because I wanted to truly focus on myself find out the root causes of my character.
So, yeah, here’s the ‘short’ version. I just want to get a stable income, so I can get my own place and move out. I want to be far away from my father. I can still somewhat stand my mother. She can be very controlling. But I forgive her. She had so much on her shoulders, but she always had good intentions. We all have faults right. But my father, he can fuck off. The guy would go back to his old way if he had a chance to.
Don’t fall into the tough love non-sense. Toxicity is toxicity. Develop your own tough skin and look after your own mental well being.
Loving families have toxic moments here and there. Toxic families have loving moments here and there.
This is super important. It took me a while to figure it out. I’ve always been told that it’s tough love. But I realised it’s the latter. I live in a toxic family that have loving moments here and there.

By John McNeillJohn McNeill is a professor of history at Georgetown University.August 21, 2020 at 12:07 p.m. EDTAdd to list
In October 2016, I asked how fascist Donald Trump was as a presidential candidate, comparing his campaign with the movements in Italy and Germany using a four-point scale. I awarded Trump "Benitos" for how closely his campaign resembled those movements. A few weeks before his election, Trump earned 59 percent of possible Benitos, which made him "the most dangerous threat to pluralist democracy in this country in more than a century" — but not a genuine fascist. As a candidate, Trump was an amateurish imitation of the real thing.
Four years later, we can assess how fascist Trump has been in power. I have expanded the scale to include new criteria that were not relevant before he took office: governance, consolidation of power and various policy arenas. Instead of a possible 44 Benitos, as in 2016, the maximum is now 76. Does Trump earn more than 59 percent on his record in the White House?
In 2020, as in 2016, many observers declare Trump fascist, especially after his call for "total domination" of American cities, his glee over federal police actions against Black Lives Matter protesters and his efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the upcoming election should he lose.
But are we there yet? No. In a federal, decentralized state with constitutional checks and balances, it's harder to govern as a fascist than to run as one. Trump's political outlook and behavior bear many similarities to those of fascist leaders, but he has not ruled like an authentic fascist. We can thank "the swamp": The courts, the military, the media, voters and his own appointed officials (now mostly fired) have kept him in check.
Hyper-nationalism. Trump's nationalistic rhetoric in office is little changed from his first campaign. He promotes a view of America as unfairly victimized by foreigners and in need of renewal and purification from treasonous enemies within. He has occasionally indulged in saber-rattling toward North Korea and Iran. 2016: 2; 2020: 2
Militarism. Despite the occasional saber-rattling, Trump's foreign policy is far from militaristic: He does not advocate war and conquest as a way to rejuvenate the nation. His intermittent habit of castigating China appears intended for domestic consumption, lately to distract attention from his pandemic response. But Trump has ramped up the militarization of homeland security agencies, using them first against immigrants and then against protesters. 2016: 2; 2020: 3
Glorification of violence and readiness to use it in politics. Trump cheered on as Immigration and Customs Enforcement took at least 1,700 children from their parents and put them behind fences. His use of armed force against protesters earns him a new Benito, although on this crucial component of fascism, he falls well behind Benito Mussolini and especially Adolf Hitler, who unleashed illegal and deadly violence against their citizens on a far greater scale. 2016: 1; 2020: 2
How fascist was Trump as a candidate?
Fetishization of youth. This has never been a feature of Trump's politics. Mussolini and Hitler were in early middle age when they came to power, making it easier for them to try to embody youthful vigor. Mussolini liked to be seen jogging with his entourage at the outset of public appearances. Trump, in his golden years, wisely does not try to play this card. 2016: 0; 2020: 0
Fetishization of masculinity. Trump still tries to swagger and boast of his vigor and continues to mock his opponents as lacking stamina. But he is not urging men to exert authority over women and family anywhere close to the way authentic fascists did. Nor is he trying to confine women to the home and raise the birthrate. 2016: 4; 2020: 3
Leader cult. Trump never tires of posing as the decisive man of action, a genius and savior of the nation. He extols his instincts above mere rationality. He would have the world believe he is strong, hard-working and devoted to the interests of the ordinary citizen. He takes credit for every favorable development and denies responsibility for everything else. He expects his appointees to lavish public praise upon him. 2016: 4; 2020: 4
Lost-golden-age syndrome. Fascism was predicated on notions of victimization and lost national greatness that Il Duce or Der Führer alone could restore. Trump played this tune en route to the White House and has continued in office. Since the pandemic took hold, he has seemed more restrained about restoring greatness, perhaps aware that most people would happily settle for making America normal again. But much of his policy aims at turning back the clock to a time when White Americans were 85 percent of the population, when America was feared and respected abroad, and when coal and oil companies could make money without the hassles of federal regulations. Obsessed with a politics of nostalgia, he even signals sympathy for those whose mourned-for golden age is the Confederacy. 2016: 4; 2020: 4
Self-definition by opposition. Fascists had no difficulty explaining what they were against: socialism, labor unions, democracy, traditional elites, foreigners — particularly those judged racial inferiors. Trump's peeves are central to his politics, just as rousing resentments is central to his popularity. His political essence is opposition — to immigration, the media, the swamp — even if in office he has (so far) persecuted his targets far less brutally than did authentic fascists. 2016: 3; 2020: 4
Mass mobilization and mass party. Mussolini and Hitler built their own parties that enjoyed considerable popularity, and once in power, they enrolled millions of new members. Trump has with remarkable success suborned the Republican Party, making it his own. But he has shrunk it in the process, losing seats in Congress. 2016: 2; 2020: 1
Don’t compare Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. It belittles Hitler.
Hierarchical party structure and tendency to purge the disloyal. Fascists in power tried to marginalize the party rank and file that carried them into office and purged anyone suspected of insufficient devotion to the leader. Trump, as president, has done little for the White working class that voted him into power. He has done his best to eliminate from positions of authority anyone but fawning supporters. His purges obviously lack the murderous violence of Hitler's Night of the Long Knives, but they may prove no less effective in quashing dissent in the GOP. 2016: 1; 2020: 3
Theatricality. Fascists in power retained their fondness for rallies, parades, and dramatic claims of the biggest this and greatest that in history. Trump has, too. He hasn't been able to get all the parades and flyovers he's wanted, but he works hard for dramatic moments, even risking coronavirus infections among his supporters to stage events in Tulsa and at Mount Rushmore. 2016: 3; 2020: 3
How does Trump stack up against fictional dictators? Pretty well, actually.
Those 11 attributes characterized fascist movements on the rise. Fascism in power demonstrated several additional features. They are not unique to fascism, but they are important characteristics of fascist rule.
Chaotic administration. Mussolini and Hitler pretended to run tight ships, but their governance was shambolic and improvisational. They surrounded themselves with sycophants and encouraged squabbling among underlings.
Trump's administration shares this feature. Its consistent policy goals (fewer immigrants, less environmental regulation) are few. Major policy positions (let's work with China) are reversed (China is the root of all evil) in hopes of retaining power. By all accounts except the official one, Trump's White House has been a team of vipers, with officials often working at cross-purposes to try to give shape to the president's pronouncements. Its handling of the coronavirus pandemic is a showpiece of inconsistency, mixed messages and internal conflict that is responsible for the needless deaths of tens of thousands of Americans — despite Trump's effort to appear the resolute leader. Four Benitos.
Information and media policy. Fascists lied constantly, seeking political advantage. They were privately contemptuous of the intelligence of the public. They undermined independent sources of information — and later banned them. Mussolini spent as much time reading newspapers as Trump does watching cable TV, and he liked to telephone editors to tell them what to print. He tried to convince Italians that fascism was the envy of the world. Both Mussolini and Hitler became self-delusional when confronted with real crises, choosing to believe their own hype and the flattery of lickspittles.
Trump has set records for presidential dishonesty and seems to regard information as true only when it helps him politically. He has threatened to revoke broadcast licenses, tried to prevent the publication of books and dubbed the media "the enemy of the people." But unlike Mussolini and Hitler, he has not closed down newspapers, TV channels or media platforms. He has not jailed journalists or arranged their murder. His strategy has been to discredit — not destroy — uncooperative media. Two Benitos.
Consolidation of power. This is central to fascist rule. Inherited constitutional powers were not enough for Mussolini and Hitler: Hitler destroyed the rule of law, suborned the judiciary and leading cultural institutions, banned rival political parties, arranged the imprisonment or murder of thousands of opponents, seized a monopoly over media, and won the grudging allegiance of the military within 19 months of becoming chancellor in 1933. Mussolini, in contrast, led coalition governments for three years and almost fell from power after fascists murdered a leading anti-fascist parliamentarian. It took him nearly four years to secure a dictatorship in which no one dared defy him.
Trump started slowly and met considerable resistance. He still has not tamed the media, the military or the intelligence services, despite lavishing money on the Pentagon and appointing loyalists of dubious qualifications to high posts. Attorney General William Barr has assisted mightily in Trump's attempts to consolidate power. In recent months, the president has redoubled those efforts, and with increasing success. But after 43 months, he has done far, far less than Hitler and a good deal less than Mussolini. Two Benitos — but if he is still in office next year, he'll probably earn a third in a hurry.
Pecuniary and institutional corruption. Mussolini and Hitler tolerated gluttonous corruption among loyalists while restraining their own venality. But they wantonly corrupted institutions as part of their efforts to consolidate power. They required loyalty over competence among lawyers, judges, professors, police captains and, to an extent, military officers.
Trump and his family use the power of the presidency to advance their business interests. He has ousted five inspectors general, including one looking into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's alleged peccadillos. He's converted Barr's Justice Department into a political branch that protects his allies, investigates his opponents and supports voter suppression. He calls into question the legitimacy of elections unless he likes the results, and he seeks to undermine public faith in the electoral process, for example by claiming that voting by mail invites fraud. He has less leeway than Mussolini or Hitler in corrupting many institutions because U.S. society is less centralized than theirs were: Trump doesn't have much say over who is a police captain or a professor. But he's doing his utmost, with consequences that will surely outlive him. Three Benitos.
Economic policy. Fascists had no particular economic doctrine aside from preparing for war. They wanted to build autarkic economies that could withstand blockade and did not rely on foreign trade except for bilateral deals with weaker countries. They built up military industries through debt that they intended to repay by looting conquered lands. They quickly reached deals with big business, heavy industry especially, without which they could not build their arsenals.
Trump, too, likes protectionism and has sacrificed the common interest to serve his business supporters. But, crucially, he has not geared the economy for war. One Benito.
Foreign policy. Fascists in power distrusted international agreements, disdained alliances (except with one another) and sought to revise the international order that, they felt, unfairly held them down. Fundamentally, they intended to use aggressive warfare to achieve their goals. Foreign affairs were important to both Mussolini and Hitler, and they eagerly sought successes they could tout.
Trump doesn't care (or understand) much about foreign policy aside from his eagerness to sign trade deals. He uses foreign affairs mainly for theatrical purposes, hoping for something to trumpet, as with his early efforts to intimidate, then court, North Korea. Like fascists, he hates international agreements and eagerly disrupts the status quo, but he does not seek war. Two Benitos.
Cultural policy. Mussolini and Hitler took pains to install fascism in the broader culture and to ally with religious authorities. Once in power, Mussolini, who had been anticlerical, pushed laws that suited the Catholic Church and was eventually rewarded with a papal pronouncement that he was a "man sent by Providence." Hitler, no more of a believer than Mussolini, won the acquiescence of the Vatican, the cooperation of many Protestant leaders and the support of the largest youth organization in Germany, the evangelical youth clubs. Both installed reliable fascists as rectors of universities, who systematically replaced anti-fascist professors. They appointed lap dogs to academies of sciences. They decided what was acceptable and authentic — and what was decadent and deserving of destruction — in art, architecture, music and literature. They pretended to have cultural expertise: Hitler in art and architecture, and Mussolini in almost everything from Platonic philosophy to Shakespearean drama.
Trump invokes culture, heritage and history frequently, but he has no coherent cultural policy. He wants Confederate monuments to stay on their pedestals. He encourages, usually in dog-whistle fashion, racism as a cultural attitude. Aside from claiming an innate talent for science, though, he makes no claims to expertise in realms of learning or culture, and reveals no interest in them, either. Trump showed no inclination to faith or observance before seeking office. In power, he cultivates evangelical leaders, who mostly agree to ignore his irreligious past and his crudely un-Christian conduct in exchange for anti-Muslim, anti-gay and anti-feminist policies, as well as judicial appointments. Two Benitos.
Racial policy. Hitler believed in the superiority of a (fictional) Aryan race and considered Jews and Slavs inferior. In power, he enacted the anti-Jewish Nuremburg Laws of 1935. Racism motivated the Holocaust. Mussolini at first didn't care about race. But after more than a decade in power, with the war against Ethiopia and his tightening bond with Hitler, he showed increasingly militant racism against Arabs, Africans and Jews.
Trump has not enshrined racism in law. Nor has he enacted wide-ranging discriminatory policies. But he has tried to make immigration policy more racist, stoked White grievance as a political tactic and courted white supremacists. He refers to majority-Black cities as slums and calls some immigrants "animals, not people." Racism is more central to Trump's governance than it was to Mussolini's early years, but much less so than it was to Hitler's. Two Benitos.
So where does Trump's administration stand as he is nominated for a second term? He earned 47 of a possible 76 Benitos, or 62 percent. He remains the greatest threat to American democracy since the Civil War, but his exercise of power only partly resembles that of real fascists. He still faces checks and balances in Washington. He hasn't shut down rival parties or uncompliant media.
He has not directed the armed might of the state against citizens on anything like the scale used by Mussolini, let alone Hitler. He does not have his own obedient "squadristi" eager to beat up foes, even if plenty of his followers advocate (and sometimes indulge in) violence against minorities and Trump's opponents. He has not arranged the murder of prominent political opponents. The cult of violence is integral to fascism but far less central to Trump. He is not ruling like a genuine fascist.
But he has shown pronounced fascistic leanings. In the right circumstances — a crisis he could manage triumphantly, a more sympathetic military — perhaps he would try to extend his rule beyond whatever the voters allow him and convert the United States into a repressive, racist dictatorship. Or perhaps stage phony elections that hand the reins to Ivanka and Jared. At least a few members of Congress would probably support him, just as many parliamentarians voted to give Mussolini and Hitler emergency powers. Those lawmakers did not know at the time just where fascism might lead. We have a clearer idea.

I have a friend who is a criminal lawyer and I posited the scenario below to him. He didn't have a solid answer and I dont blame him, he's a junior lawyer in his first year of practice and largely deals with run of the mill stuff, domestic abuse, drug possession, traffic violations, sexual assault, assault, battery, etc.
Gaming (gambling, betting, lotteries, etc.) laws are strict in Canada and provincial governments tightly control all gambling activities including the operation of online casinos.
My question is, what's to stop someone from starting an online casino in Canada but operating abroad, let's say only offering it to UK customers? I understand that this individual would need a gambling license to operate in countries that have legalized online gambling, but beyond that, if an online business is registered in Canada but operating outside of its jurisdiction, would it still be a legal issue (illegal, gray area, etc)?
Canadian mining companies don't necessarily follow provincial rules & regulations when mining abroad because it is not the same jurisdiction, would it be the same with online gambling? The answer may be simple and I'm just not seeing it!

Hello,
I have been subjected to an illegal LSD-experiment, in a hospital, in Europe . . The drug in question is called Abilify, I got 45 mg, without being informed it was above maximum approved dosage, nor was I told it only had effect, on psychosis, which I was mis-diagnosed with, instead of OCD, anxiety, and mania, up to 10 mg Abilify, and therefore there was no scientific reason, for giving that dosage, based on my ( mis-diagnosed ) symptoms . .
On 45 mg, I experienced a horrific, terrifying ' trip ', made worse by the fact Abilify, as an anti-psychotic, lowers dopamine, causing, depression, angst, self-hatred, etc . . It began 45 minutes, to 1 ½ hour after getting that dosage, a girl had a similar experience, on 5 mg, also Abilify, not injection . . . Hallucinations is a documented side-effect, on Abilify Maintena, but not yet on the pill-form, simply called Abilify . .
Abilify is similar to LSD, psilocin, ketamine, and DMT, in that it inhibits the serotonin 5-HT2a receptor, also 5-HT2c, the receptors considered responsible for LSD-trips, ' acid-trips ' . . Note that mushrooms also stimulate dopamine transmission, which is why ' psilocin ), and will TEND to give happy, pleasurable experiences, when dopamine is lowered, by Abilify, also Rexulti, it will give more ' bad ' trips, which lead to suicide, homicide, madness and, psychosis . .
Abilify has a Ki ( constant of inhibition ) for the serotonin ( 5-HT ) 2a receptor, which means it inhibits this receptor, and the brain messages, it sends into the brain . . LSD, psilocin, ketamine, and DMT also have a value, inhibiting this receptor, it's signals, into the brain . . .
Abilify has a Ki, defined as ' the amount of drug, or compound necessary to inhibit the enzyme, here a neuro-signal, further into the brain, by 50 % ' . . This is stated, by University College London, on this page, made public . . .
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucbcdab/enzass/inhibition.htm
Quote : " Ki, the inhibitor constant The inhibitor constant, Ki, is an indication of how potent an inhibitor is; it is the concentration required to produce half maximum inhibition. "
That has been measured, and quantified in experiments, some of them by Otsuka, that manufactures Abilify, also Rexulti . .
LSD has a Ki ( amount needed to inhibit serotonin 2a - receptor signals ) of 2.9 nM, Abilify has a Ki of 3.4 nm - 35 nm ( two studies disagree on it being 3.4 nM, or 35 nM ), because LSD weighs less, the molecules, there is more available per gram, but it also has a lower bio-availability, 71 %, Abilify has 87 %, according to wikipedia, that list scientific research, as behind the information . . .
That means, 1 mg LSD = 1 mg Abilify, or close, or 1 mg LSD = 10 mg Abilify . . It doesn't matter in the end, because 1 mg LSD elicits a HARD ' trip ', or hallucinations, and Abilify is typically given, in 10 - 15 mg, to psychiatric patients, they can go as high as 30 mg, with special suspensation, in Denmark, don't know global health security rules, don't live there, you need to find this out, if you can . . . . Also, Rexulti has a Ki ( inhibition constant ) of 0.47 nM, and therefore . .
1 mg Rexulti = 6 mg LSD, no question, it has a lower molecular weight ( LSD ), but also has a lower bio-availability, meaning more is removed in the digestion, and liver, before it ' hits ' the blood, in human beings . . . Bio-availability for Rexulti is 95 % . .
Note as well, LSD has a half-life of 3.6 hours, leading to 8 - 12 hour long trips, Abilify has a half-life ( for the active substance ) of 94 hours, Rexulti has a biological half-life, of 86 hours . . That's almost 30 times higher, actually 24 for Rexulti, and 26 times greater, for Abilify . . Multiply that by 8 - 12 hours, and you get a ' trip ', theoretically, that lasts . .
208 - 312 hours, for Abilify, and 192 - 288 hours, for Rexulti, at a high enough dose, no one seems to know what this is, it isn't documented anywhere, in the drug information, I have found . . .
That's 8.6 - 13 days, for Abilify, and 8 - 12 days, for Rexulti . . Also, consider that this is probably of interest to the narcotics-community, as this stuff will give the wildest, THEORETICAL psychotic trip, of any known substance recorded, scientifically, and if the production, and chemical recipe for this isn't made illegal, it will certainly be made into a street-drug, and sold, leading to crime, assault, and murder, known from LSD, but worse . . .
On 45 mg Abilify, I saw hovering, ' floating ' tv-screens, of babies, and new-borns, and had very excacerbated sexual urges, this is scientifically accounted for by the fact, that when a drug lowers dopamine, it increases prolactin, a maternity hormone, released by the anterior pituitary, in human brains . . . Prolactin, among preparing the body for the physical changes, of an ordinary pregnancy, also stimulates maternal behavior, explaining the baby pictures, images of new-borns . . . Because mushrooms at least STIMULATE dopamine, people that take this narcotic won't see this, but MANY patients will see this, on Abilify, note also Abilify blocks the D2 dopamine receptor by 40-45 %, for Rexulti it is 60 %, because dopamine is a tonic, of physiological active inhibitor of prolactin, people will ALWAYS experience increased prolactin, on these drugs, and it's the expected experience, baby, or maternity related psychosis, unlike mushrooms, per science . . .
Because LSD causes social dis-inhibition, documented as a side-effect on Abilify as increased sex-drive ( hypersexuality ), gambling, eating, and shopping, reward or, pleasure seeking behavior, I wanted to masturbate, and ' touch ' myself, sexually, during the ' bad ' trip, that led to me attempting suicide, after 3 weeks, and 2 - 3 days, by jumping from the seventh floor, of a psychiatric hospital, in Aalborg, Denmark, Europe . .
I was NOT warned, not informed, or explained what to do, or who to talk to, IF this happened, and nearly died . . .
Please, help . .
Here's a video, with the math, I think there's a little error, in one place, or so, but the over-all math is solid, and Abilify is, gram for gram, 0.1 - 1 gram LSD, and Rexulti is, per gram, 6 gram LSD . . Note that the more mild hallucinogens DMT, and Ketamine have a much higher Ki, this means they're more mild, as Ki is ' the amount needed to block the receptor-signa 50 % ', so a lower number means, a more toxic narcotic, or pharmaceutical . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8orjcXlWGkI
Note, there are answers from the Danish FDA, where they concluded it was side-effects, after describing what's in the video, to them, along with easily readable screen-shots, of those documents . . . This explains all the side-effects of Abilify, referring to dis-inhibition towards eating, gambling, shopping, and sex, LSD does the same, look at a rave, no inhibitions, poor self-control . . .
Here's a video, with the math, there might be a small error, or two, but the math OVERALL, is sound, and the above numbers are accurate, I'm also a former engineer, specializing in chemistry, and bio-technology, trained to develop, improve, and sell drugs, in a company, or pharmaceutical enterprise . . .
The LSD-experiments of the 1960's have been deemed illegal, but the companies Otsuka ( sells Abilify ) and Lundbeck ( sells Rexulti, in a combined venture, for profit, with Otsuka ) have repeated them on un-suspecting mental patients, and in my case, was sent home, where I got homicidal urges at a friends house, due to LSD - dis-inhibition . . That led to my hospitalization, where the doctors mistakingly diagnosed me as ' psychotic ', and gave me first 30 mg, where I didn't hallucinated, then 45 mg, where it happened, in a hospital . .
A girl, I met online, hallucinated for 12 hours, on 5 mg Abilify, so I was maybe especially resistant, I had also never done drugs . .
Giving an LSD trip, while also lowering dopamine is VERY dangerous, in mental patients, of all people . . People with mania will become violent, more ' un-restrained ', possibly causing crimes, people with anxiety will become paranoid, known from LSD, people with LSD will become suicidal, and people with schizophrenia will become more crazy . . Note also, Abilify is known to be indicated for irritability, in autists, and giving an LSD-trip to an autist, is basically murder, at least hard torture . . . Autists can't take stimulate, need a very quiet, sedate environment, any environmental stimuli, a sound, or seeing something ' unusual ' can send them into fits, or rages . . . Some patients, with autism, that get an LSD-experience, that is also negative, because of lower dopamine, could take years to recover, and for some, it becomes permanent, people with mental, or biological vulnerabilities NEVER come out of the trip, basically killing them, torturing them, with an ENDLESS stream of images, and sounds, that get shot directly into their brain, it even continues when their eyes, are shot, known effect of LSD, one sees geometry, and moving patterns, on the inside of ones eye-lids . . .
Here's the video with the math, again, I think there's a small error, it might be 10 - 15 %, but it doesn't change the overall conclusion, Abilify and Rexulti are pharmaceutical grade LSD, or psilocin, that cannot be changed, after double-checking the results I get about the same result, in an independent calculation . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yREM29scQck
I nearly died, and have near-permanent psychological, and emotional damage from the experience, please advice, I need a lawyer . . .
Is it legal to give LSD, to mental patients, without informing them, anywhere in the world . . .
Is LSD an illegal substance, in most of the world, including Denmark . . .
Do I have the right a. to be protected from such treatment and, b. is it a crime, for doctors, to give it to me, in Europe . . .
Thx <3

Star Wars Universe:
The Death of Kylo Ren (and the rest of the Crossroads series) by nymja
Rey travels with Luke and a defected Knight of Ren to learn about the deeper mysteries of the Force. As she struggles to hide a potentially fatal Force bond, more about her past relationship with Kylo Ren is revealed.
Force Destiny by EdenWoodsParker
Immediately following the events of The Last Jedi, the battle for the galaxy continues between the First Order and the last of the Resistance. As the new Supreme Leader takes the throne, the First Order is focused on finding and destroying all who oppose them. The Resistance had disappeared into hiding and desperation has forced them to explore the gray areas of war. Meanwhile, on opposite sides of the war, Rey and Kylo Ren are forced to face the realities of their bond, their complicated relationship, their loyalty to their causes, and their understanding of the Force. Could their star-crossed connection be tied to the fate of the galaxy?
Tactical Surrender by destinies
“It was foolish of you to come here,” he says. “You won’t escape this time.”
Rey looks at him, at the Stormtroopers, at the combat walkers. She gives the illusion of thinking it over, and then says, “You’re right."
She presents her wrists to him. “I surrender myself to the authority of the First Order.”
--
Three years after the Battle of Crait, Rey, Resistance hero and teacher to a budding new Jedi Order, once again delivers herself into the hands of the enemy. To provide cover for a maneuver that could deal a serious blow to the First Order, she must gamble with the thing she knows its Supreme Leader wants most: herself.
Sealed To Me by glitter_ature
Rey turns around again, starting to descend the steps, leaving him alone in the temple. ‘You can’t be here. Go back to your sycophants.’
He stands up abruptly and she flinches, shying away. ‘Have we really regressed back to being enemies now? After all this time?’ He motions between them, to the ephemeral, unbreakable bond.
Rey faces him, her hazel eyes so full of sorrow; it pierces straight to the core of him, an arrow to the heart. ‘You made your choices. You chose the Dark, Ben. You chose to kill the rebels rather than help them. There’s nothing I can do to help you anymore. So yes, you’re my enemy. And you need to leave.’ She turns away again, starting down the flight of steps that lead away from the cliff. The water in the pool undulates as her footsteps peter out, and Kylo stares into the pool, at his reflection, the scarred, damaged face that doesn’t even come close to portraying the conflict within. The face of the First Order. He hates it more than he ever has.
You're no Vader.
You're just a child.
In a mask.
landscape with a blur of conquerors by diasterisms
"While I share your contempt for this situation in which we find ourselves, do not mistake it as apathy," he hissed through gritted teeth, dark eyes burning. "I hardly expect your disposition to sweeten, but I will be damned if I allow my future Empress to behave in a manner that reflects poorly on me and on the First Order!"
"If you allow?" She wrenched her arm out of his viselike grasp, batting his hand away for good measure. "I don't belong to you. I don't belong to anyone."
"That might have been the case back when you were a scavenger on that pitiful scrap heap of a planet, but now?" His sardonic gaze flickered over her silk robes and the jewels woven through her elaborate braids. "Now you are the Chume'da, and the Chume'da belongs to her people. Their fate is entirely in your hands. Should you cross the line, it is they who will suffer for it. Am I making myself clear?"
"I hate you," she said bitterly.
He sneered at her. "See? Already you are acclimatizing so well to married life."
In My Bloodstream by EllieCarina
Rey knows Kylo by now. And she knows Ben and almost everything in between. But when Poe Dameron kisses her, she learns something she hadn't known before. They are bound by the Force and this alone would be difficult enough - with love of all things added to the mix, the universe could as well come apart under the weight of their minds.
made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter by diasterisms
The First Order does not exist, what is dead stays dead, and they grow up together at Luke's Jedi Academy.
Or: The one where everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.
(Then again, it's Ben and Rey, so maybe things hurt a little.)
Mirrorbright by diasterisms
"Where are we?" she demanded, glowering at him with such ferocity that he was mildly surprised that the skin didn't shrivel off his bones.
"Varykino," he replied. "My grandmother's estate in the Lake Country."
"Naboo?" she snarled. "You knocked me out and dragged me to Naboo?"
"You left me no choice." And, because he apparently had zero self-preservation instinct, "Although it is gratifying to know that you are in possession of a temper, after all, Madame Jedi."
Her arm lashed out and he braced himself for more pain but, instead, she merely summoned her lightsaber from his belt and into her palm. "This is abduction, Senator."
AU:
Conscience and Unconsciousness by pontmercy44
“Who are you?” The man carrying the newspaper asked her, scrunching up his brow. He looked her up and down, completely befuddled. One by one, the other man, the doctor, and the stormy woman turned to look at her. They wore almost identical expressions of confusion. Rey blinked, speechlessly. The appropriate answer was "a waitress", or "a stranger," or even "a crazy, perpetually single woman who’s been hopelessly, inexplicably in love with your comatose son for weeks."
Behind her, the nurse huffed, cocking her hip. As if it was obvious, she said, “She’s his fiancée.”
Doing the Unstuck by slipgoingunder
In 2010, Rey and Ben share a contentious car ride from Chicago to New York, during which they argue about everything. Including sex.
Four years and another chance meeting later, both their lives have taken unexpected twists. And they're still arguing about sex.
In 2018, Rey and Ben meet for a third time, each at a crossroads in their lives. They continue to argue, but in a nice way. So nice, in fact, that they become good friends. Complicated friends. Complicated friends who definitely do not want to have sex.
Of Penmanship and Discourse by INTPSlytherin_reylove97
When Rey Kenobi's professor and advisor, Luke Skywalker, refuses to give constructive criticism or facilitate workshops for his students, she decides to seek help else where. Ben Solo (or if you read his published work, Kylo Ren) is on the brink of insanity. The literary magazine he is editor for is racing off in a new direction-- and is leaving him questioning both its morals and his love for writing. To find his intellectual and creative needs met, he decides to turn to the internet.
Disconnect by Weatherbug02
Rey was an unpopular YouTuber for years before her channel skyrocketed. Kylo was a YouTuber with millions of subscribers who couldn't keep his mouth shut. After a misunderstanding, both parties became part of a famous rivalry known throughout the internet. Neither had seemed too keen on resolving it, but after five years, people start to notice a change between the two.
Stranger Than Fiction by daxcat79
“I am trying to create an intricate storyline about a complex, deeply disturbed anti-hero struggling to make up for killing his own father and you’re telling me they won’t publish my manuscript because Kylo Ren doesn’t have a fucking girlfriend?!”
Hux quirked a single eyebrow, sipping his tea just slowly enough to be a certified dick, and finally explained himself. “Look Ben, this company has been publishing your books for years now, and it’s been a wonderful partnership. There’s no denying that. However… this series is getting stale! You’re ignoring an entire demographic of people who enjoy a little romance in a story! We’ve had producers calling with interest on making your books into movies, but let’s face it… sex sells! Frankly, it’s no wonder Kylo Ren has anger issues considering the dry spell he’s enduring.”
“What the hell do I know about romance, Hux?! You’re asking me to re-write an entire manuscript!”
Armitage Hux only shrugged in response, leaning back in his black, leather chair. It was the perfect body language for ‘that’s not my problem, asshole.’ “You’re a writer, Ben. Do some research.”
A Proposal by Any Other Name by Lucidlucy
Rey and Finn have been A Thing for a long time now. Since she was eighteen, to be exact. When Finn leaves on a trip to Europe for six months for work, Rey finally chases after him to Dublin to do what he seems to be putting off: propose.
She wants a family, after all.
The universe has different ideas. Her flights are delayed, storms hit, she loses her tickets and everything seems to be going horribly. To top it off, she ends up stranded around a rather irritating man by the name of Kylo Ren. It goes about as well as you'd expect.
we could plant a house, we could build a tree by Like_A_Dove
Ben takes a deep breath. “It’s—it’s a project. Conceptual art. You wouldn’t get it.”
Rey presses her lips together to keep from laughing. She plans her next words quickly and carefully, determining what will get her the best reaction. “Really? Looks like you ruined a bedsheet to me.”
His reaction does not disappoint. “Get out.”
**
Seven-year-old Rey decides it's her duty to annoy the crap out of Ben Solo every single day she's alive.
be still, my indelible friend by becksolo
“Beg all you want,” the man spoke, “this isn’t going to work.”
The man reached his hand out towards Beebee again as if he was going to pet him, and when his hand should have met with cat belly, it instead seemed to keep going. His hand went through Beebee entirely. It was then that Rey noticed the man didn’t appear to be entirely there; if she focused, she could see through him, to what was behind him.
She found her feet moving towards him almost of their own volition, simultaneously excited and terrified to actually be able to make direct contact with the ghost. “You.”
Left Handed Kisses by Ever-so-reylo
“You’re everything,” she thinks he tells her the moment before her brain snaps black from exhaustion.
Or maybe she’s just imagining it.
A modern AU in which Rey is an Assistant District Attorney working for Leia and Ben is an evil (?) criminal defense lawyer.
your love could be too much by Like_A_Dove
Rey, the successful host of the award-winning confessional podcast The Best Policy, sits down with a new guest, world famous actor Ben Solo.
Except these two are already well acquainted. He broke her heart seven years ago.
The Great Big No by dietplainlite
Kylo Ren is third generation rock royalty, a reigning brat prince starting to feel the burn of the fame he reached for with both hands. Rey is an aspiring singer on the verge of a big break, provided her A&R guy still has a job by the time she reaches LA. Their paths have crossed briefly, disappointingly, before. What happens when they collide?
The Food of Love by LoveBitca8
Rey picked up her first violin at eleven, finding a mentor in conductor and former-violinist Luke Skywalker. With the First Chair up for grabs, Rey is thrust into the spotlight as the youngest violinist to take First Chair in the NY Pops.
But Kylo Ren - former violinist, former NY Pops cellist, formerly Ben Solo child prodigy - may take issue with Rey Nobody sitting in his grandfather's chair.
In other words, Orchestra AU. The Force is music, but like, really good music. Ben and Rey are both child prodigies.
Mitan, Midi by animal
After a French notary contacts Rey to inform her she's inherited a house in the Drôme (France), she decides from one day to the next to quit her job and move there.
The house is pretty secluded, there's no service, no internet, no way to reach other people aside from the landline in the living-room.
Ideal conditions, by her standards, as those theoretically should allow her to be perfectly alone.
Theoretically.
Mountain Springs High School by animal
Two weeks into Ben Solo's senior year, he already knows he hates Rey Jones.
A few days later, Rey Jones hates Ben Solo back.
go I know not whither and fetch I know not what by voicedimplosives
The year is 1994. The Iron Curtain has come down, the oligarchs have begun their rise to power, and Kyril Ren, a powerful member of the infamous crime syndicate Solntsevskaya Bratva, has been given a job: hunt down an estranged uncle who has been snitching to the FBI.
Irena, nicknamed Rey by her adoptive father Luke, is a Krav Maga instructor in New York who has finally been able to obtain her original birth certificate from Russia. Turns out she was born in a little village named Vershinino, but if she wants to know more than that… she’s going to have to go there herself.
TL;DR: What up here's a Russian Mafia AU.
Galactic Law by Erulisse17
Rey's first day of law school isn't going quite the way she thought. Her professor has purple hair, her hand is cramping from writing so fast, and she's been paired up with the most sullen, overdramatic jerk of a person that she's ever met. He's rude, insulting, pretentious, and she may or may not have slapped him by the end of the day. Either way, Kylo Ren is the worst person in the galaxy, and she cannot stand him. How on earth is she supposed to work with him for an entire year?
A Few Small Repairs by TourmalineGreen
“I don’t want to sell,” Rey said. “That doesn’t seem like a complicated concept for you to grasp, and the fact that you can’t get started ruining another block isn’t really my problem.”
“Ruining?” The furrow in his brow deepened; so did his voice.
“I saw what you did across the street. That ridiculous monolith? You’ll forgive me if I’m not exactly enthused at seeing another block wiped out to match it.”
He blinked at her. Anger was evident on his face, blossoming up swiftly, then contained again, neutral. But Rey could already see that he had a tell: the way his full lips pursed slightly, then relaxed, like he was chewing on his own hasty reply and swallowing it back down in favor of something more thoughtful. That, and the faint tic under his eye.
-
OR: Ben Solo is a ruthless property developer, and Rey Johnson is the lone holdout on the block. She does not intend to give up what's hers, not for anything. (Not even for a pair of pretty eyes.)
And Just Like That by resplendently
“I don’t care if you know all of my family members. You are to call me Kylo Ren, not Ben.”
Rey nods, face set in a solemn expression and he absolutely resents how she can seem so calm and yet daringly cheeky at the same time.
He decides that it is her eyes.
“Okay, Ben, how do you like your coffee?” A glimmer of a smirk appears on her lips.
He barely resists throwing everything on his desk to the ground. Again.
If Rey Kenobi wasn’t a fantastic PA and had a spectacular arse in those skirts she wears that he highly suspects are meant to torment him with sexual frustration, he would’ve fired her a long time ago.
* * *
Modern AU where Ben is at the top of the corporate ladder and Rey is his latest PA because of Matchmaker! Leia.
Into the Great Laugh of Mankind by diasterisms
There is something about watching Rey put her mind to task. Ben can't put a name to this something, exactly— all he knows is that it fascinates him like nothing else has in a long, long time.
"Dr. Solo?" She glances over at him. "What do you think?"
I think I'm doomed, he wants to say but doesn't. I think the curse of the pharaohs has nothing on you. I think you are my Egypt.
One/two-shots:
Black Gloves, Orange Soup by Solia
While the dwindling Rebellion starves, awaiting their chance to attack a First Order supply vessel, Rey is trying to keep busy repairing the lightsaber. As luck would have it, her Force-bonded rival Kylo Ren is knowledgeable on the subject and keen to help, but he is also very... distracting.
miles from where you are by Mooncactus
After an argument over Star Wars fandom with a "gatekeeping, entitled monster" with the cryptic username of KyloRen, Rey finds herself stuck in a series of unavoidable video calls.
weddings and wingwomen by becksolo
After hiring Ben Solo as her wedding photographer, Rose discovers her true calling as part-time matchmaker.
Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire by on_my_toes
Of course a fire would break out in Rey's apartment building the night of her biochem final — and of course she would end up running out into the sidewalk keyless in her pajamas, right next to the most obnoxious frat party in the world. At least it can't get any more embarrassing than this ... that is, until her TA Ben Solo shows up.
Unfinished:
The office life by animal
Rey Jones’ goal in life is to collect her paycheck while not doing more than the strict minimum at work. She doesn’t mind occasionally going out with her coworkers in the process; it doesn’t happen too often, and most of them are pretty okay people.
Ben Solo, however, is a colleague she’ll never get to know even remotely, as he always declines his coworkers’ invitations.
Susmita Warsi, meanwhile, thinks that if Rey Jones were to ask him out personally, Ben Solo would make an exception.
the heartbreak prince by diasterisms
Rey notices him the moment she walks into the Great Hall with the rest of the seventh years.
In her defense, he's hard to miss.
Of Particular Salience by Dalzo
Salience: the quality of being particularly noticeable or important; prominence.
Rey Niima has always flown under the radar.
“What sort of demon possessed you to pose nude for some broke-ass artist?”
Until now, that is.
A Programmer’s Guide to Love (and a Work Visa) by orichan
“…so, no, Ben Solo, unless you want to marry me, there’s nothing—NOTHING—you can do to help my situation!” Rey screamed from the top of her lungs.
She turned roughly away when she felt a stray tear roll down her cheek. God damn it. It was so mortifying. Of all the people in San Francisco she could break down in front of, it had to be Ben-fucking-Solo. She took a few steps backwards, intending to spin around and run away before she could embarrass herself any further, but a large hand wrapped around her wrist before she could.
“Wait.” He didn’t say any more for a second. He only looked at her, his eyebrows drawing minutely together, as if he was puzzling through a stubborn bug, an impossible problem.
Then, just as Rey was about to shake his hand loose, she heard him ask, “Do you want to?”
UK borne Rey Unkar thought she finally found a home in Silicon Valley: she has close friends that love her, a great career at Resistance Labs, a vacation to Puerto Rico in the plans, and even an online friend who she can nerd out with on all things C++. Then, her H-1B extension gets denied and she has 10 days before she is required to leave the U.S.
i kill giants by diasterisms
In the end, she has to hand it to him— he'd always been an expert in taking her by surprise, and it would appear that he's chosen not to shake the habit even in death.
"Rey Skywalker?" There's a vaguely sardonic twist to the corner of his mouth. "Does that make you my cousin now?"
"It seemed like a fitting tribute," she says in wooden tones. Be it dream or vision, she might as well play along— draw this out until reality comes crashing back. Who knows when he'll come to her again as solid and as vibrant as this?
"I see." Suddenly he's leaning into her, their faces so close together. "Tell me," he murmurs, his lips almost brushing against hers, "have you ever heard of the term kissing cousins?"
She registers the smell of alcohol on his breath at the same time that his eyes flutter shut and he slumps face-down into her lap, snoring softly. You're alive, is all she can think at first, staring down at his head of lush black hair.
Ben Solo is alive.
Alive and very, very drunk.
-------
I know there's probably a lot on this list that you guys have already read, but hopefully, there are some new ones on here. The search for good fics can be so exhausting— and I've read a lot more, but these ones are the absolute best!