You Bet To Win

Online gambling outlawed in the State of Washington

2006-06-07T13:33:00.000-04:00

One of the new laws taking effect today in Washington makes online gambling a Class C felony, carrying penalties of a ten-thousand dollar fine or up to five years in prison.

The director of the state Gambling Commission, Rick Day, says it is unlikely that individual gamblers will be targeted for arrest. But he says agents have gone to homes in the past year to warn gamblers that their gambling was illegal. It was a misdemeanor then. No one has been prosecuted in Washington for online gambling.

Day says his priorities are to go after operators based in Washington or national and international gambling promoters.

The bill making online gambling a felony passed unanimously in the state Senate with only five dissenting votes in the House. It was signed into law March 28th by Governor Gregoire.

The sponsor, Senator Margarita Prentice of Renton, says the new law protects gamblers from themselves and dishonest gambling operators.

The online gambling law does not apply to horse racing that is allowed on Web sites approved by the state Horse Racing Commission.

888 Accused of spamming to increase its exposure on the web

2006-05-08T09:15:00.000-04:00

888 the operators of casino on net and pacific poker have been accused of stealing webmasters content in an attempt to increase their search engine positions. The practice known as “scraping” is a spam technique and is condemned by all the major search engines. Furthermore the majority of webmasters consider this practice as underhand and disrespectful to other website operators.

Casino affiliate programs, the leading resource for online gambling affiliate programs yesterday announced that it was revoking its certification of the 888 program stating “These illegal activities are negatively impacting thousands of affiliates and online marketers worldwide. There a number of programming teams operating with the approval of 888 Casino which are flooding search engines like Google and Yahoo with thousands of spurious search results. This angers searchers and makes finding legitimate destinations on the internet difficult if not impossible. These rogues are also robbing bandwidth and corrupting web logs with millions of commercial messages all linked to 888 Casino. This abuse of the system tarnishes the image of the industry as a whole and can not be allowed to continue.”

Casino affiliate programs have an active forum within its site with some of the most powerful promoters of online gambling participating in discussions there. The power that they yield together is demonstrated by the search engine results that they can achieve. A page that was set up less than a week ago at http://www.gamesandcasino.com/888/casino one moderator now occupies the top spot in google for the term “888 rogue casino”. Other search terms such as “rogue casino” and “blacklisted casinos” will also provide detailed information on the 888 saga.

Content theft is a serious problem for webmasters. It is essentially the same as somebody duplicating a book that someone else has written and then offering it for half price. The time it takes to scrape a site is minimal.

“Content theft is on the rise from countries such as China and the developing world. I spend hours trying to come up with original content only for it to be replicated all over the web weeks later” says Mark Hirst of Bewisebets.

Another issue is blog spamming. Blog spamming is where text is written that is of no use to its audience whatsoever. The text often has links inserted into it promoting the spammers site. Examples that have been recorded with regards to 888 are quotes such as:

“One would, should he caught a look of terror in her online casino eyes, be a question of waiting for breakfast”
Night and day were 888 the same in this prison room, or daughter, for it was one of the gang. Free betting are you, with sudden glints of gold in it

The highlighted areas are links inserted randomly into blog comments in an attempt to increase the number of links pointing back to a site.

There is some dispute over who is behind this activity. Some say it is affiliates of 888, others claim that it is 888 themselves. Whichever is the case a company the size of the one in question should be taking action against any form of scraping, spamming or copyright theft.

At the time of going to press Cassava holdings have declined to enter into a dialogue with Casino affiliate programs stating that they are not interested in a resolution at this time. Casino affiliate programs have requested that 888 introduce the following measures:
“To resolve this issue CAP has been in negotiations with 888 Casino for the last six weeks, but so far they have declined to comply and have stated they are not interested in a resolution at this time.
CAP had been seeking the following action items from 888 Casino on behalf of their affiliate members:

1. Issue a public statement indicating that 888 Casino does not condone nor will they reward content theft or illegal marketing practices by their affiliates or marketing consultants. If affiliates or marketers are discovered to be engaged in these practices their accounts will be closed, they will be banned from the 888 affiliate program and their proceeds or commissions due forfeited.

2. Addition to the Affiliate Program Terms and Conditions a provision stating the above policy.

3. A good faith effort by 888 Casino to adhere to these policies now and in the future.”
Clearly this kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated and it is in the interests of all webmasters to make a stand regardless of what industry you are in. If we send a clear message that any webmaster small or large is caught doing these things will be thoroughly hounded by the international web community, then we can stamp this kind of activity out for good.

You can sign a petition that will be sent to google, yahoo and all the other major search engines here. All you need to do is enter your name and website if you have one. The petition requests that 888 and its partner sites be removed from the search engine indexes until this issue is resolved. Please feel free to sign it even if you are not involved in the industry as theft is theft and together we can make a stand.

Sign the 888 petition here.

For further information on this topic please visit the following links

Casino affiliate programs
Casinomeister
Games and casino

State lawmakers’ group to meet on Internet gambling issue

2006-04-19T10:38:00.000-04:00

The National Council of Legislators from Gaming States will gather on June 2 in Boston, Massachusetts, to discuss Internet gambling and to review the status of the international gaming industry, which is illegal in the United States.

Experts from private and public sectors are expected to debate the pro and cons of Internet gaming and the legal and regulatory concerns surrounding it.

The proposed Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, sponsored by Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia), was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on February 16. The bill, which would expand and modernize the prohibition against interstate gambling, contains an exemption for horse racing.

“[The council] believes that Internet gaming is a states’ right issue,” said Florida State Senator Steven Geller, president of the organization. “States should ultimately have final say over its existence in the U.S.”

Geller added that the council would review its current stance on Internet gaming.

“[The council] at present opposes Internet gaming on numerous grounds, among them that states cannot properly ensure a fair marketplace and protect their constituents against fraud, states have no mechanism to adequately allocate Internet gaming taxes, states should have the ability to decide what types of gambling is legal within their state and Internet gambling prevents states from doing so, and [the council] is also concerned about under age and compulsive gambling on the Internet,” Geller said.

The council will consider recent relevant activity, including the World Trade Organization findings, Department of Justice rules, state initiatives regarding the Internet, and new technology, Geller said.

The hearing, which will be held by the council’s executive committee, will commence at 3:30-5:30 p.m. EDT at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers, and in conjunction with the council’s summer meeting, June 2-4.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=63214&subsec=1

Free Cash - Free Spins - Free Time Promotion

2006-04-10T09:30:00.000-04:00

River Belle Free Spins Promotion:

100 free spins, 100 jackpot chances!

Exclusive to ReferBack Affiliates – River Belle’s Free Spins promotion offers your players 100 chances to win big!

Players can follow the sounds of distant beating drums deep inside the jungle to discover the lost treasure of Tunzamunni. Based on the classic 3-reel, 1-line Video Slot, Tunzamunni is a progressive online game with a re-set value of 10,000 credits, meaning you’re always in the money regardless of where the Jackpot is standing.

To win the Tunzamunni Progressive Jackpot, the maximum bet players need to place for each spin is 25c – so with their $25 free, they’ll get 100 chances to try their luck. The Tunzamunni jackpot is never less than $10,000, so if the jackpot’s a monster size, one of your players could be River Belle’s next millionaire winner!

Remember, this promotion is EXCLUSIVE. Players can only receive this offer by going to the following link:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Lucky Nugget Free Spins Promotion:

100 free spins, 100 jackpot chances!

Lucky Nugget’s Free Spins promotion offers your players 100 chances to strike it rich!

Follow the sounds of distant beating drums deep inside the jungle to discover the lost treasure of Tunzamunni. Based on the classic 3-reel, 1-line Video Slot, Tunzamunni is a progressive online game with a fun theme and exciting jackpots.

To win the Tunzamunni Progressive Jackpot, the maximum bet players need to place for each spin is 25c – so with their $25 free, they’ll get 100 chances to try their luck. The Tunzamunni jackpot automatically resets at $10,000, so you’re guaranteed to win even more than that if you hit the big one!

Players should go to the following link to claim this offer:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

River Belle Free Time Promotion:

It’s 20 Minute Mania!

ReferBack’s EXCLUSIVE Free Time promo offers your players free time, free credits and real winnings!

Players get 20 minutes of FREE spins on the boldly themed, fun-filled Big Kahuna Video Slot. This enticing 5-Reel Video Slot has a humorous, tropical flavor filled with colorful characters and mouthwatering fruits. Wild and Scatter symbols contribute to an exciting hit rate, while the two Bonus Features provide real entertainment.

Players receive 500 free credits to get them started. Any winnings over and above the initial 500 credits, to a maximum of 200 credits, will be credited to them once they’ve opened a Real Money Account and made an initial deposit. Remember, this promotion is EXCLUSIVE. Players can only receive this offer by going to the following link:

The “no download” casino concept began here

2006-04-06T17:07:00.000-04:00

Winward Casino is a “Golden Oldie” in the online casino world. They have been online since 1998 and they were the pioneers of the “no download” casino concept. Rather than waiting to download a casino program to your computer, Winward Casino let you start playing immediately using online Java technology. Winward quickly grew to dominate the “no download” casino category and they have paid out more than $1 Billion in casino winnings to more than 300,000 players per year. All financial statements and casino game payouts are audited by a major accounting firm. The average player payout is a very high 99.04%. Winward offers one of the most generous sign up bonuses in the online casino business: 100% Bonus of up to $500 on your first deposit. In other words, you can double your money with your first deposit. Winward has excellent customer service available by telephone or online chat 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Winward’s commitment to excellence, both in their high quality casino games and friendly customer support, has kept their customers coming back year and year, which is why they are one of the biggest and most successful casinos on the Internet today.

Now, Winward Casino is bigger and better than ever. Last year, they added a download version of their casino that features stunningly realistic 3-D graphics and sounds that make you feel like you are playing in Vegas. Winward Casino is also the FIRST casino in the world to offer a WIRELESS CASINO that can be played for real money from your cell phone or wireless Pocket PC or Palm devices. Once again, Winward Casino is the leader in online casino technology. And Winward has not turned its back on its original “no download” casino roots. If you prefer to play online without downloading a casino program to your computer, Winward offers all of its casino games in both Flash and Java online formats. You can play more than 80 casino games in ANY format: download, Flash, Java or wireless. No other online casino offers so many options.

But that’s not all. Not only does Winward Casino offer a tremendous variety of high quality casino games, they also offer more banking options than any other casino on the Internet. There is nothing more frustrating than settling down at your computer for an evening of blackjack or video poker, only to find that the online casino has rejected your credit card! Winward Casino has solved that problem by offering the most flexible banking available. Virtually all credit cards are accepted.

With all of the online gaming and banking options that Winward Casino offers, they truly live up to their slogan: “Your Best Bet on the Net Since 1998.”

p.s. They have the Best Statistics for the Affiliate Webmaster in the Industry with Referring Url Stats.

Topic Tags:Casino, Online Casino, Gambling, Betting

Related Topics:Play for Free - Win for Real, $$ 100 FREE $$, BET WITH THE BEST

After Luck With Poker, ESPN Bets on New York Dominoes

2006-04-03T07:41:00.000-04:00

The next big thing in sports programming is ... dominoes?

To the occasional domino player, it is a stretch to even call this quiet game of straight-faced strategy a sport. But anyone who has spent time in a Latino neighborhood in New York City could testify that dominoes played there — with the slammed-down tiles, the verbal sparring, the bragging and bluffing — is no parlor game.

From the opening bid, a simple sidewalk match will quickly escalate into a raucous, freewheeling spectacle: a mini-fiesta where salsa and cigars, Bacardi and brown-bagged beers have as much a role as the little colored tiles with dots.

The games almost always draw spectators, so perhaps it is no surprise that the ESPN sports network has declared dominoes the next big spectator sport and is promoting it as both a colorful cultural touchstone and a highly competitive game, complete with rankings, formal tournaments, celebrity events and sponsors.

Encouraged by the success of televised poker, the network has begun combing New York City for top players and colorful clubs for its coverage, and has been taping segments on formal tournaments and casual neighborhood games.

Hourlong domino shows now run on Tuesday nights at 10 on the network's Spanish-language sports channel ESPN Deportes. Hoping it will be popular with English-speaking viewers, network officials plan to show similar programming on ESPN2 starting in June.

"We think it will be the next cool thing," said Lino Garcia, the general manager of ESPN Deportes. "We're connecting with the best places dominoes is played, so naturally we're going to start in uptown Manhattan and the Bronx, the places where it really happens."

Mr. Garcia said he hopes to repeat the success the network has had with poker — its World Series of Poker is its highest-rated regular series. Like poker, domino games offer plenty of suspense and drama at the table, with clever decision-making and reading the strategies of other players all pivotal to winning. The network will also televise the world championships next year from the Dominican Republic.

The plan, Mr. Garcia said, is not only to present dominoes in world-class tournaments and flashy celebrity domino events the way the network showcases poker, but also to capture the excitement and charm of "the highly energetic games on street corners and small clubs in basements where guys go every day."

New York's neighborhoods are filled with characters who come together to play on Spanish Harlem sidewalks, Bronx parks and in basement and backroom clubs in Washington Heights. Older men in caps and young men in muscle-T's and gold chains go at it, slapping dominoes onto flimsy tables, speaking in Spanish in games lubricated by Presidente beer and salsa music.

This was the scene recently at a dominoes club in the Bronx called Hijos y Amigos de Altamira, which means children and friends of Altamira, a town in the Dominican Republic. Housed in rented space above a bar on Westchester Avenue, the club, which is one of those being scouted by ESPN, is a band of countrymen — almost every member is from Altamira, a small town that prides itself on its crop of baseball and domino players.

"I've been playing dominoes all my life, but I never thought I'd see it on TV," said Augusto Montan, 55, one of the club's members. "We always thought of it as a game to pass the time, but it does have all the elements people love: the competition, the trash-talking, the color, and it's old school."

The club embodies exactly what ESPN is looking for in a neighborhood domino setting. Young and old men alike sat at domino tables and shuffled a mess of face-down tiles and then picked their domino hands. Members have nicknames like el Natural. Their wives, girlfriends and daughters play bingo and tend to the homemade Dominican food and serve $2 beers from a small bar. The children race around, practicing traditional Latin dance steps and gathering at tables to watch, learn and root.

"Dominoes is the national pastime of Dominican Republic: it's as simple as that," said one club member, Louis Keyser, 72. "Over there, a little kid gets a bat and ball put in his hand as soon as he can walk, and from the moment he's tall enough to see the table, he learns how to play dominoes."

The club's origins go back to 1983, when a handful of men began a regular domino game in the basement of a Bronx apartment building where one of them, Juan Martinez, was the superintendent.

There are now 42 members, mostly from the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. Dues are $10 a month, and through fund-raising events and contributions the club collects enough money to help members with needs ranging from rent or funeral costs for family members.

Dominoes, which some experts date to ancient Egypt, is played worldwide, and in New York it is popular in African-American, Chinese and Caribbean neighborhoods. But Hispanic players like to stake a claim that the game is truly theirs. Styles of dominoes vary by country — Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, for example, generally use seven tiles per player, while Cubans tend to and use nine pieces. Instead of players taking turns making moves in the usual clockwise rotation, some Latin players take turns counter-clockwise.

While the game's basic objective is simple enough — to get rid of one's tiles first by placing them next to tiles of matching dots on the table — the best players are expert at using memory counting to calculate what tiles an opponent is likely to be holding.

Luis Guzman, the well-known Puerto Rican actor, said in an interview that the domino table was an arena where the very dramas of life play out: love, hatred, revenge. Tempers can flare and lifelong relationships can begin and end around a domino game.

Mr. Guzman recalled that when he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, it seemed that every male Latino played dominoes.

"My pops would play for hours on end; all the men did," he said. " I know best friends who stopped talking to each other for years because of one game. After 10 years, one would still be saying, 'Man, why'd he play that one when he knew the other guy was holding the 6-3?' I know a guy who jumped out a second-story window and broke both legs after losing a domino game.' "

At the Altamira Club, the players had varying opinions about how old-school domino players accustomed to casual, free-flowing action would react to being analyzed and scrutinized by ESPN, which plans on installing a dozen table-level cameras, along with others overhead and around the club.

"I think being on TV would make some of our players nervous," said Mr. Montan, "but then again, I could name at least few guys right now who would eat it up."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/nyregion/02domino.html?ei=5090&en=90def15f0205f990&ex=1301634000&partner=
rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

Odds favor Internet gambling

2006-03-22T06:35:00.000-05:00

However, advocates argue governments would reap big financial gains by making online gambling legal, regulating it and taxing it heavily.
"I could pump $1 billion into the U.S. economy right away," said Peter Carruthers, chief executive officer of BetonSports.com, which also operates out of Costa Rica and earns most of its revenue from U.S. bettors.
Furthermore, companies say, regulation would protect against many of the problems gambling opponents fear would occur if online betting is legalized in the United States.
In the United Kingdom, for instance, online gambling is legal and heavily regulated. Companies are required to use special age-verification software. All bets are recorded, and there are strict caps on the amount one person can bet at once. The operations of all Internet gambling companies are routinely audited for fraud or money laundering.
Similar regulations have been put in place in more than 80 other countries worldwide.
"[The U.S.] should regulate this, and enforce the use of software that works," said Nigel Payne, chief executive officer of London-based Sportingbet PLC, which spends time in Washington lobbying for regulation. "Do we honestly think that Americans are not going to gamble? If they honestly think they can stop people, it's an extraordinarily naive position."
The legal landscape
The Department of Justice says that online gambling is illegal and has collected millions of dollars in settlements from online payment firms, including PayPal, that have helped process bets placed on the Internet.
But shutting down gambling operations or stopping people from betting has proven tricky. U.S. laws can't stop operators working outside the country, and building a case against individual gamblers is time-consuming and not a priority.
As a result, much of the department's efforts center on pressuring credit card companies to refuse online-gambling transactions.
Legal scholars, gambling advocates and even some lawmakers said that because current laws were crafted before the Internet age and most operators are based overseas, the law is only helpful to a point.
"You've got 2,000 offshore sites," said Joseph Kelly, a professor of business law at the State University of New York in Buffalo and a specialist on gambling laws. "You have to be able to crack down on offshore operations. In my opinion, it's an exercise in futility."
Indeed, Mr. Ayre operates on the same principle: His company has no physical presence in the United States.
"We are running an Internet business, and we follow all the laws of the countries we operate in," he said. "In all these jurisdictions, what we're doing is legal. We feel we are a legal organization."
The debate over Internet gambling and U.S. law centers largely on the 45-year-old Wire Act, which was designed to crack down on sports betting by organized crime and explicitly outlaws betting on "sports or other contests" using a phone line from state to state.
However, the law says nothing about the playing of poker, blackjack or other casino-type games and was written long before the Internet was conceived.
"We're satisfied that what we're doing in the U.S. is not illegal," said John Sheperd, a spokesman for Gibraltar-based PartyGaming PLC, which pulled in $977 million in revenue last year from its Partypoker.com and Partycasino.com Web sites. "We recognize that the law was not written with the Internet in mind."
Federal legislation introduced last month by Mr. Goodlatte seeks to clarify the law to ensure that online bets are banned and to include poker and other common gambling practices.
"There needs to be a clear statement by the Congress that this is what the law is and this is what should be enforced," said Mr. Goodlatte, who claims to have more than 100 co-sponsors for his Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.
Some proposed laws target credit card companies and banks in the United States, but companies already say they can work around these measures by using foreign banks and direct-payment services, such as FirePay.
In addition, operators of online-gambling companies said Mr. Goodlatte and other lawmakers are sending mixed messages, because their legislation outlaws some activities but not others.
Mr. Goodlatte's bill, for instance, allows for online betting on horse racing and fantasy sports, exemptions that baffle online-gambling companies.
"Mr. Average is being told this is bad, Mr. Average is being told you can't do this, but Mr. Average is being told that if you bet on a horse race, it's fine," Mr. Payne said. "If you do it on a fantasy league, it's fine. If you do it on a lotto, that's fine. These are the exemptions the politician needs in order to push the bill through."
Supporters of online gambling said the new efforts from Congress are a reaction to critics who say measures against Internet gambling were killed as a result of illegal lobbying efforts.
Mr. Goodlatte blamed Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist who recently pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy, for working to block his Internet anti-gambling legislation in 2000. Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican, nearly inserted a similar bill into lobbying-reform legislation earlier this month, and Mr. Goodlatte makes a point of referring to Mr. Abramoff when discussing his bill.
"Internet gambling has quadrupled since Jack Abramoff blocked the legislation back in 2000," Mr. Goodlatte said. "As several members of Congress were misled by him, we felt it was a great time to bring [the legislation] back."
The future
Online-gambling companies said they expect a 25 percent drop in revenues if the Goodlatte bill is passed. That figure, they said, represents the number of Americans who gamble online because they believe it is legal. The remaining gamblers will continue on, they said.
"You can't ban something Americans like doing and don't think is wrong," Mr. Ayre said.
Nevertheless, companies are expanding their company offerings to include less controversial games, such as bingo, backgammon and checkers.
Either way, it appears companies have no plans to stop collecting from U.S. bettors, regardless of what happens.
"These guys boast publicly at conferences about online sports wagers coming from the United States," Mr. Kelly, the business professor, said with a laugh. "And nobody bothers them."

http://washingtontimes.com/specialreport/20060319-010156-2817r_page2.htm

March Madness 2006 is Here !!!

2006-03-15T06:53:00.000-05:00

It’s that time a year again folks where company head’s dread, as they realize several hours will be lost in productively as their employees are glued to their bracket sheet holding the names of 64 schools.

Tomorrow in Dayton, Ohio Monmouth and Hampton will square off in what is called a Play-in-game to see who gets the right to board a plane to Philadelphia and a date with the Villanova Wildcats on Thursday.

The four top seeds are Duke in Greensboro, North Carolina, Memphis in Dallas, Connecticut in Philadelphia and Villanova in the “City of Brotherly Love” this weekend.

Syracuse did the unthinkable and beat Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown and Pittsburgh in succession in New York at the Big East Championship this past weekend and now heads to the tournament in the role of hunted not hunter. They could run into a buzz saw on Thursday in Jacksonville, Florida when Billy Gillespie and his Aggies of Texas A&M come calling. The Aggies put the clamps on Texas recently and the Longhorns had far better talent then the Orangemen. Incidentally the line has opened at Syracuse –1.5 and they are begging the public to hammer SYRACUSE, but A&M is the play.

My upset special on Friday will be in Dallas where the struggling Wolfpack of North Carolina State get a new lease on life when they face the Golden Bears of California. NC State gave teams fits early in the year with their 4-guard set and awesome three point shooting. They were stone cold down the stretch but a lot of this had to do with their rival ACC teams so familiar with their system. California must travel through time zones to play a game that will tip off in the morning on their clocks. Cal has rugged Leon Powe who is a handful, but NC State can neutralize him with Cedric Simmons. Look for State to send Cal packing!

It will be 40 minutes of hell in Philadelphia on Friday as UAB tackles former tournament giant Kentucky. UAB is a relentless defender and the Wildcats have underachieved this year. If Kentucky can beat the trap they have better talent, but I’m not sure they are in good enough physical shape to handle Mike Anderson’s Blazers. The line sits at Kentucky –2.5 today, but if you are patient the public will drive that line to 3- 3 ½. Take the dog here!

Not Pushing Your Luck - Poker

2006-03-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

You know as well that there were plenty of times you wished you had left a game before you did. This whole article is about "not" pushing your luck when it’s starting to run dry.

Most poker players have a little voice that tells them when they’re headed for a bad night. That little voice tells you: "Get out of this game; it has no future for you." There was a time I rarely listened to this voice. Over the years I learned to listen very carefully to that little voice. It has saved me a great deal of money, but I still don't listen to it 100% of the time. When I start to hear that warning, I start to evaluate the game I am in to see what is wrong with it. The important part is that I usually know before I evaluate the game, what's wrong with it and why I should move to another game, or leave altogether. The problem is that I get too comfortable, complacent, and too lazy to move. Here are some different ways to evaluate a question regarding games we should quit.

QUESTION

I just completed a 15-hour losing session playing 10/20 hold'em, losing 3 big bets per hour. I was exactly even after playing about 3 hours. I got back to even after taking a beating at the beginning of the game, and clawing my way back up. My gut feeling told me, or I should say it pretty much screamed at me in its subtle way to quit, go home, and get them another day. Of course I decided differently, and paid for it.

Once you've become the main course for everyone at the table, you must tighten up considerably for a variety of reasons. The tendency to win back quickly what you have lost affects your starting hand requirements, and you start playing more hands than you normally would. You may also be on an emotional tilt as well, thereby affecting your decisions as the game continues on. This is a bad sign, and one of the first steps toward going on tilt.

Here's something important to think about. By playing tighter than normal, you give someone else the chance to become fodder for the other piranhas. Get up and take a break that lasts at least until the button comes around a couple of times. There are times when even your attempt at trying to play tighter can also work against you. By taking a break and maybe taking a little walk, you will get a chance to simmer down. If you are really mentally on tilt, get up from the table, grab your chips, cash out and leave. Do something else for the day, something you enjoy as much or more than poker.

Forget all that fairytale BS about wanting to play against good players, and the honor of the glorious professional poker player. Most of the successful players are predators out to exploit every weakness they can find. They want their opponents as live and as dumb as possible, up to a certain point of course. They want the proper mix of tight players and live ones. The bottom line is that poker is a game of control. If you have to have the skill to control the other players in the game better than they can control you, that's great.

The problem is how can you control the game when everyone else is feasting off your plays no matter what you do? You are losing and not only do you know it, but so does the rest of the table. I don't care if you are the best player in the game, if you are running bad, even the poor players will start taking shots at you. Poker is one of the few games where the best player does not always win.

The old saying, "Let your conscience be your guide," has a lot of merit. If everyone listened to and obeyed their conscience they most likely would not drink, smoke, overeat, do drugs, or stay in bad poker games. There are a lot of things we can have a problem controlling, but one of the easiest we can learn to control is getting our butts out of the chair in a game we can't seem to beat, and move to a better one. It's easy, just go to the floor and say, “I would like a transfer to another game." Is that simple? Yes it is, but do we do it all the time? No we don't. It might just boost your profit. It sure as heck can't hurt.

Betting on the Sopranos

2006-03-04T16:06:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon this great article about Betting Odds and the Sopranos - and it’s a great read since the Sopranos return on March 12th finally.

Yup - season #5………..and it took long enough.

“I know that everyone was not always very happy with us, with our long hiatuses,” says Lorraine Bracco, who plays Dr. Jennifer Melfi, the psychiatrist to mobster Tony Soprano. “I also think it’s been extremely healthy for everyone.”

It is possible that online sportsbooks may begin taking future wagers on the final outcome of the Sopranos, how the season will end (various scenarios) or even if the show ends after next year. After all, Chase has said on two occasions the series would not be renewed for another season, and that was during Season 4.

Chase has been sole judge of what happens. Others say they have no idea how he’ll end the series. “I would never want to know,” says Edie Falco, who plays Carmela Soprano, Tony’s wife.

“It’s mostly keyed off of the fact that Johnny Sack has been arrested and is facing a large RICO (racketeering and corruption) trial for murder,” he says. “People have the chance to see a possible potential future for themselves in that. And it has a ripple
effect.”

That creates an overall mood of apprehension, says Michael Imperioli, who plays Christopher Moltisanti, Tony’s distant nephew. “I picked up a little of that tone … people dissatisfied.”

Perhaps, Chase says. “I think kind of disquieted, sort of rattled, not feeling like things are going well.”

The prime focus, he says, will stick to Tony (James Gandolfini) and Carmela, their son Anthony Jr. (Robert Iler) and Christopher. There also will be a lot of business for Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico) and Vito Spatafore (Joe Gannascoli).

Guest stars pop in, Chase says. Julianna Margulies plays a real-estate agent, Ben Kingsley plays himself, Hal Holbrook plays “a scientist who used to work for Bell Labs in New Jersey and he’s ill and he becomes involved in the mob.”

Still, “Sopranos” isn’t really about outsiders or plot twists. Ultimately, it’s Chase’s layered view of a troubled, extended family.

http://www.gambling911.com/022706Dentertainment.html

Fast Payout Casinos and Instant Payments

2006-02-24T12:17:00.000-05:00

Many Players search the Net for Bonuses - Free Cash - No Deposits Required and Free Play Promotions. And in the end - we all want to know - how fast we get paid for our winnings.

Here is a list of the Top Instant Payment Casino Websites and Fast Payout Sites.

When online you may choose to press the 'WITHDRAWAL' button at any time, and your payout will be processed by our E-Cash Service within 24 hours.

English Harbour works hard to bring you the fastest payouts in the industry!

March Madness - Play The 10 Million Perfect Bracket Contest

2006-02-23T13:40:00.000-05:00

March Madness is almost here and our 10 Million Perfect Bracket Contest is Back! Pick a perfect bracket and walk away with a cool $10,000,000!

As well, we've got a guaranteed prize pool of thousands of dollars and great prizes.

Here is our guaranteed prize pool:

First: $5,000
Second: $2,000
Third: $1,000
Fourth: $500
Fifth: A Broadcast and cable TV shower Companion
Sixth: A Broadcast and cable TV shower Companion
Seventh: Bose Quiet Comfort 2 Headphone
Eight: A Sportsbook.com poker chip set
Ninth: A Sportsbook.com poker chip set
Tenth: A Sportsbook.com poker chip set

We're running the 10 Million Perfect Bracket Contest and the Sweet 16 contest again this year.

Virgin no more at Bingo

2006-02-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

Got my feet wet yesterday and today.

I've never played Bingo online and since I advertise for some of the top Bingo programs - I wanted to try my luck as well as to see how they do - for the players.

I did two yesterday. Bingo Hall and Kiwi.

Kiwi is down as I write this - this a.m. I wanted to report on them and their reports - since I won - but will get to that later.

BingoHall was my first....Online Bingo experience.

I could write a whole chapter on the fun that I had there. I won at Slots too.

Yesterday - I won $52.28 Bingo
This a.m. $115.50

I had deposited $50.

They are very honest and fair. I see my bonuses right away as I joined and then I added $$

I didn't realize that they give such good comprehensive Reports. Don't know if all Bingo places do this.

The Chat and CM's are nice and welcoming and the Players are nice.

It was just such - an easy site to navigate for a newbie.

All questions were answered easily and friendly by the CMs.

Slots were very nice. It's a new interface - seperate from the Bingo goings on. 5 cents or a quarter.

It was fun, fun and more fun - for two days now.

Can't say enough about a good experience like this for a first time player.

I player many cards my first time around - say 12

Dropped it down to 4 on the 25 cent card games. Won more that way. You know. You just never know :-) These morning games are fun. Less players. I tried for the bigger games last night. Didn't win. Won more in the a.m.

Hope this helps some newbies like me.

Indian gaming is trying to move into the cities

2006-02-19T07:25:00.000-05:00

Not too many years ago, Indian gaming in California consisted of high-stakes bingo parlors and low-priced buffets. It was enough to encourage people to drive to rural communities like Friant, Lemoore, Jackson and Jamestown for their gambling fix. Still, the Nevada casinos barely acknowledged the existence of these tribal operations.

Now casinos operators in Las Vegas and Reno see Indian gaming as a huge threat _ so much so that they are now partnering with tribes to build mega-casinos across the Golden State. The Nevada casinos certainly weren't going to see gambling flourish in California and not have a big piece of it.

To Californians, this gambling transition came in a flash _ from bingo in what were essentially warehouses to full-blown gambling in glitzy casinos.

California voters opened the door by passing initiatives in 1998 and 2000 that expanded Indian gaming. Legal rulings favoring gambling tribes also helped.

Once the legal climate changed, the casino rush came quickly. This is a gambling state and there were few critics as long as the tribal casinos were in rural areas. But only the naive could think gambling would be contained to out-of-the-way places. There's just too much money in it.

Now we are on the verge of the next big political battle over Indian gaming, and the results could determine the future of the enterprise in California. The question is fundamental: Why not build Indian casinos in urban areas closer to the gamblers that frequent them?

A tribe tried to push a casino into a heavily populated part of the San Francisco area. Another casino is being considered in Orange County not far from Disneyland.

The San Joaquin Valley is facing this issue, too. There's a casino and hotel proposed for Highway 99 in Madera County. If approved, that area would quickly become urban and congested because it would sit on the Valley's main highway.

With all the money at stake, the old rules about Indian gaming don't seem to apply. Build them anywhere, and let the cash roll in.

Read the complete story here

Indians Fault McCain Panel

2006-02-15T13:41:00.000-05:00

When Senate Indian Affairs Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) opens today’s hearing on President Bush’s fiscal 2007 budget, it will mark the first time since July that his committee has focused on issues of broad significance other than gambling or the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

That seven-month stretch has irked much of the tribal community, which feels that serious issues affecting American Indians are being ignored by the panel and its chairman, a likely presidential candidate in 2008.

Tribal leaders and lobbyists argue that while ethics reform, off-reservation gambling operations and campaign finance reform are valid issues for the committee to ponder, they add that they’re concerned by McCain’s seeming preoccupation with them and lack of focus on issues such as education, housing and health care that have a wider impact in Indian country.

Jacqueline Johnson, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians said that while the nation’s 500-plus tribes “understand the backdrop” of ethical abuses related to Abramoff’s representation of Indian tribes, many Indians “feel that there’s not, let us say, ‘fair play’ in the hearing process.”

A committee spokeswoman defended McCain’s handling of his chairmanship, arguing that the committee has considered some 30 pieces of legislation while also working with committees of jurisdiction on transportation, energy and domestic violence bills since McCain became chairman.

McCain has also addressed his critics’ concerns directly, saying during a February hearing on campaign finance rules governing Indian country, “I understand that there is a widespread fear in Indian Country of losing a seat at the political table. Tribes fear that just as they are beginning to more fully participate in the political process through campaign contributions, opposing interests have proposed reforms that could effectively exclude them. I understand these concerns, but feel it is appropriate to examine how and why tribes, which truly are unique entities, are treated the way they are ... and whether the law should be changed.”

Read the complete story here

No Download Casino Games With A Mystery Blackjack Bonus

2006-02-09T10:33:00.000-05:00

NO DOWNLOAD - BLACK JACK

BLACKJACK MYSTERY BONUS

NO DOWNLOAD - SLOTS

NO DOWNLOAD - CRAPS

NO DOWNLOAD - VIDEO POKER

NO DOWNLOAD - ROULETTE

WINWARD CASINO WIRELESS

Superbowl 2006 Won By Pittsburgh Steelers

2006-02-06T11:45:00.000-05:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers' fifth title, and Coach Bill Cowher's first, is what their fans called the "one for the thumb."

http://jade.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/feed/feed2js.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fservices%2Fxml%2Frss%2Fuserland%2FSports.xml&chan=y&date=y&tz=-5&targ=y&html=a

2006 Online Super Bowl Gambling Tips

2006-02-01T07:54:00.000-05:00

There is no easy answer when asked how to win at Super Bowl gambling, however there are many things you can do to improve your odds of winning. Let's take a look at a few...

1. Check weather reports. Rain may mean a sloppy field which can and will affect the way the game is played. This may force a passing team to go to the run or a team with weak special teams to be even worse. There are endless possibilities both good and bad with regard to snow or rain in the forecast. Always check your weather reports!

2. Don't bet on favorites on nationally televised games. We're not saying favorites won't win, our reasoning comes from the FACT that online Superbowl gambling oddsmakers know the general gambling public loves to bet the favorite. With that being said, they know the general gambling public will be gambling heavily on the nationally televised game and knowing this they may inflate the line sucking ALL the value out of the bet actually making the underdog the valuable play. We're not saying this will happen every time, but if you bet TV faves your going to get smoked over the long run!

3. Don't bet on "overs" on nationally televised games. Same reasoning as above in point #2.

4. Check injury reports! Nothing is more disheartening than gambling on a team and finding out their starting quarterback or running back is out with an injury or illness. This happens, so ALWAYS make sure your on top of the current lineup situation!

5. Check line movement on the game. What this means is check the opening line on the game. If the current line greatly differs from the opening line than you best do your homework and find out why the line has moved. Often times it's just public money or wiseguy money, but this could be a huge red flag regarding an injury or wiseguys hammering a play.

6. Check out stats. Find what a team's strength is and what their weaknesses may be. If you have a strong passing team going up against the leagues worst passing defense, this is something you want to use as a starting ground to start handicapping a Superbowl game. Chances are, this is already factored into the point spread, but it always helps to have some substance and reasoning for making your bet.

7. Don't be afraid to bet totals instead of sides. Totals have lower limits for a reason. Their easy to beat! Totals are actually more fun as well as you can root for both damn teams!

8. This is one of our pet peeves and probably the most overlooked thing when handicapping Superbowl games. TURNOVERS!!!! You can't predict them but some teams have way more turnovers than others. Yes, there are teams that are disciplined and teams that are not. Hell, some teams are even good at creating turnovers! Know these teams and know them well! How many times have you been watching a game that is decided by a freaking turnover? About half! Don't be sitting in your lazy boy on Sunday all pumped up about your bet and have to sit through a half-time report listening to how your team has thrown 3 int's and lost 2 fumbles. Your Sunday afternoon beers are mighty tastier when your the recipient of a turnover, not the one doling them out!

9. Don't bet with your heart. Your favorite team is the Minnesota Vikings? Great, wear them on your jersey, not in your pocketbook. Gambling on your favorite team will get you in deep shit, real fast! Bet where the value is, even if it means going against your boys!

http://www.mvpsportsbook.com/
sportsbook_gambling_online_superbowl_gambling_tips_.html

First It Was Poker; Now It’s Darts

2006-01-28T14:49:00.000-05:00

By Michael Malone — Broadcasting & Cable
1/30/2006

Owing to the tremendous—and, for many, largely unforeseen—popularity of poker programs like ESPN’s World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour on Travel Channel, several shows focused on niche pastimes have found their way onto the dial.

From blackjack to darts to Rock Paper Scissors (yes, Rock Paper Scissors), a variety of exceedingly esoteric indoor activities are grabbing viewers’ attention—or at least hope to in the near future.

Michael Davies, founder of production company Embassy Row, believes that, as sports fans increasingly feel disconnected to big-salary/big-ego athletes like Barry Bonds and Terrell Owens, it’s the Everyman endomorphs at the poker table or dart board that they connect with.

“The public’s view of professional athletes has changed, and people can relate to these guys,” says Davies, whose eight-episode World Series of Darts will hit ESPN in July. On that show, an American will have a chance at a $1 million jackpot.

Davies, who brought Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and Wife Swap to the U.S., grew up on televised darts in his native London. He says another TV-friendly aspect of darts is that, while the viewer may never know what it’s like to post up against Shaquille O’Neal, he can easily find a dartboard and see how his skills compare with the folks’ on television. “Measuring yourself is easy as going down to the local bar or even down the hall,” says Davies.

GSN has its own World Series going on: It airs the third installment of World Series of Blackjack in June. That show helps brand GSN, formerly the Game Show Network, as “The Network for Games” and gives it more male viewers, as well as casino and merchandising tie-ins.

The niche shows are attractive to the right advertisers. Bud Light is sponsoring a nationwide Rock Paper Scissors tournament and may be on board when A&E airs the finals later this year. After all, as RPS requires only one hand, a beer sponsor is something of a no-brainer.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6302853.html?verticalid=311&industry=Special+Report&industryid=1025

Instant Win Games - Big Cash Jackpots - Win Prizes For Free !!!

2006-01-24T15:59:00.000-05:00

Instant Win Games - Big Cash Jackpots - Win Prizes For Free !!!

$ Millions Won Every Month - Chat, Play and Win for Free !!!

The Jackpotjoy Games Suite is as entertaining as it is diverse.

Traditional progressive slots and multi-reels are combined with casino classics, as well as more interesting and
amusing ways to make a fortune. Plus, with more than $20m given away each month, an ever expanding membership, fantastic weekly prize draws and a lively and varied chat room circuit, it’s no wonder that it’s the most popular instant win games site available anywhere online.

Sports Headlines - Super Bowl Is Coming

2006-01-20T09:46:00.000-05:00

View RSS feed

$100 Free Casino

2006-01-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

As a new player at our casino, we'll give you $100 completely free. You can claim your free $100 by taking advantage of our welcome bonus. Please note bonus amounts are the same in US Dollars, Euros, British Pounds, and Canadian Dollars.

$50 Monthly Match Bonus for existing players.

Claim our 100% Slots Only Bonus, up to $100 FREE!
Qualifying Games Include:
All slot and fruit machines (except progressive slots). Keno and Scratchcards also qualify.

Make sure to put the 26th January 2006 in your planner diaries, as we launch four fantastic new games!

Harveys Video Slot: An entertaining 25 Line, multiple coin game with a humorous foodie theme that includes a great Free Spins feature. Champagne corks, after mints and Harvey himself all appear as wilds and scatters. If you enjoy the finer things in life, this could be the slot game for you!

Multi-Hand Bonus Blackjack: Another addition to the great portfolio of Blackjack games, Multi-Hand Bonus Blackjack is the multi-hand version of 32Red’s current favourite Bonus Blackjack. You can now sit down at the table and play up to 5 hands of Blackjack at a time, whilst placing those side bets for the Bonus!

Deuces Wild 100 Play Power Poker: 32Red’s Video Poker games are some of the most popular available on the net, and this latest addition to the clan only helps to make the portfolio even better. Every hand is dealt from a separate and independent pack of 52 cards, with all deuces being wild.

Mardi Gras Reel Slot: This carnival themed reel slot brings all the excitement of Mardi Gras to your computer screen. A straightforward, easy-to-play slot game, this will appeal to hardened fans and newcomers alike!

SuperSlots Bingo For You

2006-01-16T15:44:00.000-05:00

Playing SuperSlots Bingoonline is convenient, fun, and exciting! Whether someone chooses to play bingo for real money, or just for fun, they can always chat with other players online while the games are being played. It's a great way to make friends and try your luck at some extra money.

Welcome Bonus:

105% Match Bonus

Features:

- Free Download- No member fees- Monthly Promos and Tournaments- 24/7 Customer Support- Meet new friends- Auto Dauber- Fast Payouts- Progressive Jackpots

Benefits

- Free $5 with no deposit ? just register!- Guaranteed winner every game- Buy 5? cards and up to 50 cards!- Fits easily into your browser. Secure and multiple purchasing methods with real time reporting!- Free and Reliable customer service- Live Support- Refer a friend and receive 15% from their initial deposit

Daily Bonuses:

Coverall Marathon: An hour of non stop coverall games at discounted card price of $0.35. Players may win $1000 Blackout or $2000 or $1001 coverall prizes.

Crazy Hours: We offer dynamic crazy patterns that are changing continuously in the USA hall for players' enjoyment.

Hi Roller Special: The hi roller games start at $1000 and gradually roll off to a guaranteed prize of $50.oo ¦ And dozens more!

Methods of Payment: Accepted payment methods include Visa and MasterCard, PrePaidATM, NETeller, FirePay, and Citadel.

Review:

SuperSlots Bingois the premier online bingo hall for any enthusiast.

SuperSlots Bingofeatures state-of-art online graphics, the most secure bingo games ever played on the internet, and real time chat while playing with other friends around the world! With GAURANTEED winners every game, bingo lovers would be hard pressed to find a true online bingo experience.

Players get more at River Belle Online Poker!

2006-01-13T13:57:00.000-05:00

River Bellewill be on TV in the US this weekend.

Monte Carlo Millions 2005 – brought to you by Riverbelle and Fox Sports Network

The World’s Most Exclusive Poker Tournament will be aired by Fox Sports Network (FSN) and sponsored by Riverbelle from January 14, culminating in the final table on March 18. The show will chronicle the action of 120 of the world’s top professional, celebrity and online players, competing for the largest prize pool in European history: $3,000,000, with a first prize of $1,000,000!

About Fox Sports Network

FSN reaches more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. FSN, based in Los Angeles, serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces over 4,500 live events each year. In addition to home team games, FSN telecasts a wide variety of national sports events and programming, including Best Damn Sports Show Period and Beyond the Glory.

Get an unbeatable poker experience at River Belle with:

Private tables: players can take their poker nights online by inviting their friends to a private table where they name the game and the limits!

Seat selector: pre-select your seat

Player locator: find your friends (or enemies) online

Mini View: advanced players can play up to ten tables at once by viewing each game via "Mini View"

World’s top games: choose from Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Low, 5-Card Stud and 7-Card Stud and a wide range of table limits

Poker school: brush up on poker skills or learn the game from scratch

With Multi-Table, Single-Table, Satellite and ”Sit-and-Go” tournament options, players can earn nearly $3,000,000 in prize money from guaranteed and free tournaments every month.

River Belle also offers casino games such as Blackjack and Roulette within the actual poker software.

You don't need to be a pro to enjoy the good company and all-round good poker with River Belle Online Poker. Open a new Poker Account today and get $10 FREE, no deposit required! Simply download our software, register a new Poker Account and start playing with ease!

Biggest New Player Slots Bonuses On The Net!!!

2006-01-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

SlotsVillage.com offers one of the biggest New Player bonuses on the net!

100% Bonus on your 1st Deposit - Up to $300 free
50% Bonus on your 2nd Deposit - Up to $500 free
25% Bonus on your 3rd Deposit - Up to $1,000 free
25% Bonus on ALL OTHER DEPOSITS (limited time special) - Unlimited free bonus cash!!!

Does SlotsVillage have a BIRTHDAY BONUS?

Happy Birthday to you from SlotsVillage! If it's your Birthday, we want to know about it and help celebrate this special day by giving you a FREE $25 BIRTHDAY BONUS!

Get $10 Free at SlotsVillage.com today !!!

Play for Free - Win for Real. Your First Hour Is On The House !!!

2006-01-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

Play at Casino Classic with NO RISK to your personal funds! That's right, play any game and bet any amount all for free for your first hour at the casino and whatever you win is yours to keep!

What if you don't win? No problem, 'cause all you have lost is our money and you can still claim the sign up bonus of $20 free when you purchase your first $20.

So, you have exactly 1 hour to make as much money at the casino as you can - GOOD LUCK !!!

Worlds Safest Craps System

2006-01-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

by WiseBettor.com

Or is it? I came across, from a friend, a craps gambling system that touted itself as the worlds safest system. Imagine my surprise when I saw the system was basically one I developed many years ago while in dealer’s school for dice. Yes, they actually had a “school” to learn how to deal. I happen to think it was just a way to rake in government grants, but that’s beside the point. Anyway, this system, had you purchased it would get in you hot water right off the hop—no pun intended.

This conservative way of playing is not the safest system and could end up costing you money. Let me point out that what they are selling is the equivalent to my first craps system ever—I improved from there.

The basis is this: You bet money on the don’t pass line. When a point is established, you place the point. You can’t lose now. You will either win the bet (the odds) or push. However, getting to a point being established is the trick. There is a 22.2% chance that you will lose your money on the come out roll. Well, that’s “safe” for ya. Ok, I am hiding part of the truth—you caught me. You have a chance to win if a two or three shows its ugly head—yes, I am not a don’t bettor. The probability of this happening is 8.3%. So your true probability of losing the opening bet is really 13.9%—still happy? Let’s run with these numbers to see how this “safe” system will play out.

It will be a little hard to project since we don’t know how many points will be made. For all we know, there could be six consecutive crap outs, two points made and five more consecutive crap outs. Therefore, I will show a few possible scenarios to see what’s needed to make this system work. To keep it average, we will assume our point is a five or nine (middle of the road) each time and our bet will be $10. Therefore, a win will net $4 profit. Finally, we will play 21 points. Since our open bet loss probability is 13.9%, this means we will lose 3 units during our test.

Read The Complete Article - Worlds Safest Craps System - Click Here

New Gambling Casino Games on Horizon

2005-12-28T04:16:00.000-05:00

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Some day gamblers will be able to stride up to a slot machine, insert their slot club cards and be offered a list of their favorite games at the exact denominations they like to play.
And if it's the player's birthday, the machine may automatically print out a voucher for a free meal at one of the casino's restaurants.

Welcome to the world of server-based casino games. Experts say they have the potential of being the next big advancement in industry technology, an innovation that could increase the appeal of slot machines the way ticket in, ticket out technology has.

Industry professionals got their first look at the technology at this year's Global Gaming Expo in September. Regulators are slowly advancing the rules and technical standards to equipment manufacturers and casino operators so that field trials can begin next year.

The top Nevada players in server-based games -- Reno-based slot machine behemoth International Game Technology and Las Vegas rival Alliance Gaming Inc. -- are excited to bring the technology to the market, but aren't talking much about how it will change a slot player's experience. They don't want to tip their competitive hands.

In the early stages, the focus will be on how the technology can make a slot floor more profitable for operators.

"Today, if I have a slot floor with 2,000 machines and I want to make changes, I'd have to go to each and every one of them, open them up and change out the components," IGT spokesman Ed Rogich said. "Not only does that take a lot of time, but the machines are down for that period of time."

Read the rest of the story here

Philadelphia: Is a downtown casino in the cards?

2005-12-22T08:32:00.000-05:00

It is a steamy Saturday night in New Orleans, in those easy days before Hurricane Katrina came in and rearranged the city's geography. Downtown on Canal Street, pedestrians saunter up to a dignified brick building modeled on a Greek temple. The women wear flouncy dresses. The men sport dress shirts, despite the wet cake of humidity rising from the Mississippi River. Several people stop to chat in a palm-fringed plaza before ascending the broad steps to a columned portico.

Have they come to attend a concert? A wedding reception? Perhaps there is some civic celebration being staged inside? No, this is New Orleans' downtown casino and they are here to gamble.

Cast aside your notions of what an American casino is supposed to look like. The New Orleans Harrah's, the only casino located in the heart of a major American downtown, has more in common architecturally with Philadelphia's Kimmel Center than with the frothy confections that dominate Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

Similar in size to the Kimmel, Harrah's commands a city block on Canal Street, which holds the same niche in the urban ecosystem as Market Street in Philadelphia. The casino, which suffered little hurricane damage but remains closed, is a short stroll to the French Quarter and the city's gallery district.

Philadelphia is now struggling with the same question that New Orleans faced in the early '90s: Should it locate one of its two, state-mandated slots parlors downtown, just blocks from thriving residential neighborhoods where people still live in 200-year-old homes? A Center City casino would be built on Market Street somewhere between Ninth and 12th Streets, a short walk from Chinatown, Washington Square and Society Hill.

New Orleans' experience suggests that a downtown casino similar to Harrah's could energize Philadelphia's East Market Street retail corridor and give a boost to the historic sites around Independence Mall. Yet Philadelphia and state officials have remained on the fence about a Center City parlor. Time is now running out.

Gaming operators must submit applications on Dec. 28 for the city's two slots licenses. Out of the original field of a dozen gaming companies, just four or five operators remain in competition for the licenses, which the state expects to issue late in 2006.

Downtown or not?

Read The Full Article Here

Texas Hold ’em craze has filtered to suburban homes where money is won, lost

2005-12-20T16:39:00.000-05:00

Standing from his chair, Shelby Johnson throws his cards into the middle of the muck. His normally persistent smile is wiped off of his face. He stalks around the table toward the coat rack to grab his jacket which now reeks of cigarette smoke. His night is done as he walks out the door.

“Did you see that suck out,” Johnson mutters to himself. Most people would utter similar thoughts, if not worse, after losing $3,000 in a matter of 45 minutes.

“What a horrible call,” Johnson said, as he describes his final hand. “We were four-handed, I’m in the big blind and have only one caller. I look down at kings. Short stacked, I move all-in, six times the blind. Small blind calls with a king-six. I had no business losing that hand. Damn sixes. God, what a suck out,” Johnson trails off, perplexed that he just lost two-weeks of pay, and scared of what his fiancee will say when he gets back to his Prior Lake home.

The ugly side of the poker phenomenon is rarely seen. Television has anointed the game of Texas Hold ‘em as the new glamour sport. For those with means, it is a fun hobby. For those without, it can become a dangerous addiction.

The National Council on Problem Gambling has reported an increase in poker related gambling problems since the poker boom a few years ago.

The state of Minnesota is doing it’s part to make the game more accessible to players, having passed a law last year making the game of Texas Hold ‘em legal in commercial establishments.

Since then, there has been an explosion of bars and restaurants offering free poker nights. And that is the caveat - free. A bar can host a game of poker, but it must be free to play for patrons, and the prize pool cannot exceed $200 in a given night.

Doug Forsman, a special agent with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division said that lawmakers were trying to help commercial establishments with the passage of the law allowing poker.

“At the same time though, it was limited,” Forsman said. “It was limited because they didn’t want the social problems that can come with it.”

The poker craze in the state of Minnesota began in 2000 when the state legalized commercial poker. It is organized through the Minnesota Racing Commission and Canterbury Park is the only non-tribal establishment to have commercial poker.

Forsman said that, according to the law, in order to have a card room, you need to have a class A race track and a class B license with the racing commission.

“There was a lot of lobbying on the gaming side,” Forsman said. “Research was also done, looking at what other states offer. The combination of those ultimately put authority under the racing commission.”

Canterbury Park, and other casinos make money in poker with something called the “rake.” Basically, Canterbury Park gets a small portion of each pot that is played. You don’t bet against the house like you do in blackjack, but rather you’re playing the other players at the table with you.

According to Forsman, others are trying to get in on the success that Canterbury Park has had. Forsman said that there is a push underway in Anoka County to get a class A race track with the intention to get a card room.

“It is no secret that Canterbury Park has had an increase in revenue,” Forsman said. “The additional customer support has led to more business.”

The problem for Johnson though, isn’t Canterbury Park, or even tribal casinos. He gambles for higher stakes with folks he has met on line, and heard about through acquaintances.

“I doubt that what we do is legal,” Johnson said. “We get 20 guys sometimes with $2-3,000. I’ve lost all my money, but I’ve also gone home with $15,000 before.”

Johnson suggests that there are a lot of underground games that are more than just friendly basement games with $5 entry fees.

“You can go on the internet and find groups who play for a lot of money,” Johnson said. “I play two or three times a week, and I play for bigger pots than you could ever find at Canterbury or one of the other casinos.”

Johnson isn’t sure though if poker has caused a new kind of gambling problem or not.

“I’m no expert, but I’d say it probably has,” Johnson said. “I just got into poker in the last few years after watching it on TV,” Johnson said. “I imagine there are others in my situation. I shouldn’t play for the money I do, but I can’t help it. It is fun, and there is always a chance I will make money.”

Becky Sechrist, the associate director of the Minnesota Problem Gambling Helpline, said she doesn’t have any evidence that there has been an increase in poker-related gambling problems.

“There is certainly a casino problem,” Sechrist said. “But we have not seen an increase directly from poker.”

Sechrist said that anytime a person calls the help line to seek assistance with their gambling, the operator will ask them what kind of gambling problem they have.

“We don’t have hard facts, or statistics,” Sechrist said. “It is a little surprising, but our speculation is that there hasn’t been a big increase.”

There hasn’t been a big problem either with bars and restaurants breaking the law in terms of the kind of poker games they are running, according to Forsman.

If Forsman does find out a bar is running an illegal game, he’ll contact them either by phone or with a letter, explaining to them that they are breaking the law.

“Most don’t do it intentionally,” Forsman said. “Depending on the circumstances, we’ll take action though.”

Johnson acknowledged that it isn’t bars where he plays his games.

“We met a couple guys at the bar, but we don’t play there,” Johnson said. “We play at a buddy’s house.”

Private, social gambling is exempt from the law, according to Forsman, when it is just a few neighbors or friends and nobody is advertising it or making money by taking a cut of the pot for hosting the poker game.

“When someone starts to advertise it, or if they are taking a cut to make money, then it becomes a commercial endeavor,” Forsman said.

The car ride back to Johnson’s house was solemn. He was in no mood to talk. Admittedly, he was running through what he was going to tell his fiancee in his head.

“Maybe she’ll understand,” Johnson pondered. “I am getting good. Someday I will make it to Vegas to play in tournaments. I love this game.” Johnson said a smile back on his face.

http://www.thisweek-online.com/2005/December/16pokerface.html

Sports News

2005-12-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

Three Biloxi Casinos Ready To Reopen

2005-12-19T08:11:00.000-05:00

It’s another first for the Isle of Capri. Mississippi's first dockside casino is about to be its first on shore casino. Katrina's devastation forced the Isle to transform its hotel's brand new meeting rooms into a glitzy new, land-based casino.

Sandy Holmes just got a tour of her new work environment. "It's going to give everybody an uplift," she said with a smile. Construction dust in the Point Cadet property was reminiscent of 1992, when the Isle first turned a dusty parking lot into a dockside casino.”

Rich Westfall has been with the casino since day one. He said the Isle was most excited about "getting open and providing jobs to kind of spark the rebuilding aspect of Biloxi."

The Isle already has enough dealers to run its new casino floor. But it still needs 185 other employees to work around the rest of the resort. So over at Mercy Cross High School, the Isle hosted a job fair. Before the hurricane, Gary Mullin was training to become a casino dealer. He never finished the course. So, he applied for a security position.

If Mullin is one of the 900 people who help reopen the Isle on December 26, he'll be part of the new, post Katrina, on shore era of Mississippi's casino industry.

The Isle is actually the second casino scheduled to reopen this month. The Imperial Palace reopens first. The back bay resort unlocks its slot machines next Thursday. Its casino survived Katrina, so the gambling action will remain on its barge.

The Isle and the Palace Casino will both take advantage of new on shore gaming rules. The Isle opens the day after Christmas. And the Palace invites gamblers back on December 30th.

Related Topics: Gambling, News Reviews
Topic Tags: Free Gambling, Gaming

N.J. indoor smoking ban advances...Cigar bars, tobacco retailers and casino floors would be exempt

2005-12-16T13:46:00.000-05:00

TRENTON, N.J. -- Lighting up would become illegal in restaurants, bars, malls, bowling alleys and other indoor public accommodations throughout the state, under a proposal approved Thursday by the state Senate. The Smoke Free Air Act was approved, 29-7. The bill still must pass in the Assembly before the current legislative session ends on Jan. 9 and be signed by the governor to become law.

The measure remains in the Assembly's Health and Human Services Committee, where it could be considered when that body reconvenes after the New Year. Cigar bars, tobacco retailers and casino floors would be exempt from the ban. Violators would face fines of $250 to $1,000. "This is an unqualified success," said Tom Duffy, executive vice president of the American Cancer Society's Eastern Division. Advocates say the bill was prompted by a desire to protect workers and patrons from the dangerous effects of secondhand smoke, which has been shown to contribute to a host of ills from cancer and heart disease to respiratory ailments.

"With all the facts we know today, we need to do whatever we can to protect our workers and patrons from being exposed to the dangers of secondhand smoke," said acting Gov. Richard J. Codey, who was among those who pushed for the bill as a senator and is expected to sign it if it reaches the governor's desk.

Read the rest of the story here

Gaming Topics: Slots, Gambling, Tips & Tricks
Topic Tag: Gambling, Casinos, Smoking

Louisiana gaming revenues stay nearly level in November

2005-12-15T10:30:00.000-05:00

The Shreveport-Bossier City gaming market stayed nearly level in November while south Louisiana hubs boomed with business from construction crews. Compared to the pre-Katrina and Rita world of November 2004, revenues in Lake Charles were up 41 percent, in New Orleans were up 63 percent and in Baton Rouge were up 69 percent last month. Overall, Louisiana saw a 32 percent increase even though three casinos still are closed as a result of the storms.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board heard reports on the status of casinos Tuesday in Baton Rouge. Locally, the five riverboats and one racino won $62.4 million from gamblers, 0.34 of 1 percent less than they did in November 2004. Both Novembers had four full weekends. October was the first time in a year the local market reported gains in revenues compared to the prior year.

That's likely because of the displaced businesses and people in town, said John Bohannon, general manager of Isle of Capri Casino in Bossier City. Managers of the local casinos have said that increased competition from Indian casinos in Oklahoma have made it more difficult to attract Dallas players.

It's a problem Mike Whitemaine, general manager of Eldorado Casino in Shreveport, has seen before in Reno, Nev. "I think people always like to get away and stay where they gamble."I've experienced this with the California market. They'll try it because it's in close proximity. We will give them the service and quality they deserve. "Eldorado's revenues are down 1 percent for November when compared to November 2004.

Renovations are ongoing and some 400 slot machines have been out of service. Pat Dennehy, general manager of Harrah's Louisiana Downs and Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, said Tuesday he expects the competition from Indian casinos in Oklahoma to remain fierce. "I think they are going to continue to improve their facilities and add some space at some other casinos. It's going to be a continuing struggle.

"Monthly revenue reports sometimes can be deceiving -- they don't distinguish between slow months at the casinos and months in which more players are more lucky, Dennehy said. Thursday, Louisiana Downs plans to announce an "exciting development," he said, adding that he wouldn't disclose what before then.

Online Casino Legalization Desired By Most Americans

2005-12-14T09:39:00.000-05:00

Readers of Scooop.net, a next-generation media site, have voted in favour of US-based casinos being granted the right to operate online casino gaming web sites, with a two-thirds majority believing that online casinos should be legalized.

Scooop.net conducted this study as to gauge the level of support of Americans for the radical changing of current federal and state laws concerning online casino gaming laws.

Voters noted also that they would feel safer using a US-based casino. Nearly two thirds of those Americans surveyed said that they would feel more comfortable playing with a US-based online casino due to it being regulated by US authorities.

If the US government was to heed these calls to legalize online gambling, they could expect a substantial financial windfall. That is, with the online gaming industry recently surpassing $10bn in worldwide revenues, it is estimated that the US government could have collected as much as $1.8bn in tax revenues from online gaming by Americans alone.

Online Gambling Casinos: World Cup Fever

2005-12-12T20:02:00.000-05:00

England has been gripped by early World Cup fever after fans learned where the national team will play its group games in next summer's tournament in Germany.

Up to 100,000 England supporters are expected to visit Germany at some point during the tournament - with more than 50,000 likely to turn up for the most exciting matches. British Airways and the Eurostar service through the Channel Tunnel reported a surge of interest in making travel reservations following Friday night's draw.

World Cup organisers are putting around 300,000 match tickets on sale on Monday.

It is expected that applications will exceed the number of tickets available, leading to a ballot being carried out at the end of January.

The Home Office said everything possible was being done to make sure the event would be a festival of football free of disorder, which has marred some tournaments in the past.

The Football Association confirmed it will mount a high-profile campaign involving senior players to encourage fans to repeat their good behaviour at the last two major tournaments - and to respect the host nation.

As second seeds, England play Paraguay on June 10 in Frankfurt, Trinidad & Tobago in Nuremberg five days later, then Sweden in Cologne on June 20 for Group B's showcase match.

England head coach Sven Goran Eriksson admitted the draw in Leipzig "could have been worse" after his team avoided the most dangerous sides in the group stage.

With the first venues now known, fans have started to think about their travel plans and how to get match tickets.

Supporters know tickets will be scarce but many will travel just to watch the match in the city where it is being played.

The FA confirmed that fans - some of whom are fond of making anti-German chants - will be asked to respect the host nation.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/10122005/140/world-cup-fever-grips-football-fans.html

Topic Tag: World Cup

All Poker Casino is a rare breed of online casino

2005-12-10T15:17:00.000-05:00

All Poker Casino

All Poker Casino is a rare breed of online casino that not only provides a superior online gaming venue to a general audience but also specializes in video poker. The top of the line graphics and amazing sound at this property deliver an incredibly realistic, and immersive gaming experience with special attention paid to the needs of poker aficionados.

On top of our specially designed poker games All Poker Casino also offers a wide range of other casino games including, video poker & multi-hand video poker, traditional slots, progressive games, specialty games, and flash games.

Not only is All Poker Casino one of the most secure and trusted gaming venues online, but they also offer a 24/7 live customer support system, ensuring your time at the casino is as fun filled and trouble free as possible.

All Poker Players are eligible to join their reward program as soon as they've registered for real play. For every $1 you bet, you'll be awarded 1 point. When you collect 1,000 points, you can cash them in for a $1.00 chip.

All Poker Casino is a place for quality gaming that everyone can enjoy, even the hard nosed Poker players out there.

Free Cash and Double Up Casino Bonuses

2005-12-08T16:12:00.000-05:00

CLAIM YOUR FREE MONEY !!!
PLAY THE BEST GAMES IN THE BUSINESS !!!
PLAY AT A CASINO YOU CAN TRUST !!!
GREAT SIGN UP BONUSES !!!
LOYALTY REWARDS !!!

Blackjack Ballroom Casino
Blackjack Ballroom is now offering new players a 40% matching sign up bonus on their first purchase of between $20 and $1000. So if you purchase $100, we’ll give you $40 absolutely free. Purchase $600 and we’ll give you $240 absolutely free, and if you purchase $1000, we’ll give you $400 – absolutely free. Weekly Promotions.

Casino Classic
Casino Classic not only boasts a massive collection of over 80 of the latest flash and download Microgaming games, including Major Millions and Video Poker but also offers a matching bonus of $20 for $20 free for new real cash players.

Captain Cooks Casino
Quite possibly the luckiest casino on the web, internet gaming history was made when Captain Cooks announced the first ever online million dollar jackpot win of US$1,594,649.21 on the casino’s progressive slot, Major Millions. Captain Cooks Casino also offers a great matching bonus of $50 for $50 for all new players when they sign up.

Casino Kingdom
Casino Kingdom offers players a high quality site with an impressive medieval theme, an easy download and a great matching sign up bonus where you can get $77 FREE. The casino’s extreme ease of use adds to it’s appeal. This great bonus will give you the chance to experience all the fun and excitement at Casino Kingdom!

Strike It Lucky Casino
Get your first $20 FREE at Strike It Lucky Casino. For all of our Real Account holders, upon your first purchase of $40, you receive a free $20 gift, just for coming on board with us. Every two hours we are depositing the $20 to new "real" players’ accounts who have made a purchase using a credit card or some other form of purchase e.g. bank wire, bank check. Weekly Promotions.

Lucky Emperor Casino
This ancient world belongs to the Lucky Emperor, who invites you to challenge him in over 50 exhilarating games of skill and chance, including Table Games, Slots, Video Pokers and huge treasures of large progressive jackpots!! If you accept this challenge and download right now and get $10 free and better yet the Emperor will match your initial purchase up to $100! Weekly Promotions.

Virtual City Casino
We are so confident that you will enjoy the friendly atmosphere and exciting games that we are giving you $10 to try out Virtual City Casino. All you have to do is download the software, register as a real player and register a credit card or FirePay account and we’ll credit your account with $10. If you then go on and deposit another $100 then we’ll give you another $40 free. If you then go on and deposit another $100 over any weekend and, yes you guessed it, we’ll give you another $20. If you don’t have a credit card or FirePay account then when you make your first deposit by PayPal or any other way then we’ll credit your account.

Golden Tiger Casino
Get $250 FREE* We are so confident that you will enjoy the friendly atmosphere and exciting games that we will give you a 50% matching bonus (up to $250 FREE) to try out Golden Tiger Casino. All you have to do is download the software, register as a real player, make a deposit of up to $500 and we’ll credit your account with a 50% bonus of your deposit up to $250 FREE.

Zodiac Casino
We know that luck and fortune are active energies that feed off themselves, that for these energies to flow your way you need a helping hand. That’s why Zodiac Casino is offering these amazing introductory offers and promotions. Zodiac Casino will start your luck by giving you $10 FREE just for downloading our software and registering with us. If that’s not enough we’ll give you another $40 when you make your first purchase of $100 and to keep the positive forces flowing if you make another deposit of $200 on any weekend and we’ll give you another $20 ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!

Check Out The Full List Here - No Deposit Required Free Cash and Double Up Casino Bonuses!!!

$25 Cash Free - Jackpot City Online Casino

2005-12-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

The BIGGEST online Jackpot EVER!

The "Home Of The Biggest Jackpots", Jackpot City Online Casino, is offering you the chance to win big on one of their progressives slots! Olivier C. from Switzerland recently won the BIGGEST Internet progressive payout EVER with a whopping $389,843.85 on Treasure Nile, the Egyptian-themed progressive jackpot slot! YOU too could be the next big winner!

PLUS, if you join the "Home of The Biggest Jackpots" today, we'll GIVE you $50 FREE when you buy casino chips worth $50! That's an awesome 100% matched purchase bonus to start you on your winning ways!

Click here now to WIN BIG! http://www.jackpotcity.com

Robbery at Nelspruit casino

2005-12-06T14:54:00.000-05:00

A casino in Nelspruit has been robbed of close to R1 million.

The incident happened in the early hours of this morning. It is reported that 20 armed men were involved at the robbery at the Emnotweni Sun Casino.According to Dawie Pretorius, the Lowveld police spokesperson, the robbers were travelling in a 30-seater bus, a bakkie and a German made sedan.

On arrival, they manhandled the security and moved into the gambling area where they ordered everyone to lie down.Patrons were then robbed of their valuables. According to Pretorius the robbers were armed with AK47s, R5 rifles and shot guns. They then ordered the staff to empty all the tills and demanded the cash.No shots were fired and no one was injured.

A large police manhunt is under way for the robbers.

Gambling Casinos becoming smoke-free: not really

2005-12-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

Two great legislative lobbies -- and they deserve each other, cynics might say -- have clashed in New Jersey.

One is the anti-smoking lobby. The other, that champion of personal freedom, the "gaming" industry. It's all about prohibiting smoking in workplaces.

The cigarette is a marvel. Still strangely profitable, it has been in retreat on all public battlefields for decades now. But the enemy keeps closing in.

Soon in New Jersey -- as already in California, New York and a half-dozen other states -- the burning of tobacco indoors seems doomed in factories, stores, offices, warehouses, hospitals and wherever people gather to earn a living.

But gambling casinos are indoor workplaces, too. Immense places. Just 12 of them employ a total 50,000 workers -- all in one New Jersey location, Atlantic City.

And what taxpayers! This year they will collect $4.8 billion in gambling revenues and pay $350 million of this over to the state in taxes -- some 2 percent of New Jersey's spending.

Members of NJGASP -- the New Jersey Group Against Smoke Pollution -- and allied activists contribute to government, too, but the squeeze on them is diffuse. It is not so sharp a line in the budget.

Therefore, to take all the suspense out of this, smoking is about to be forbidden in all indoor workplaces of New Jersey -- except 12.

This is alleged to be a compromise.

The banning brigade originally wanted total prohibition. But Atlantic City legislators argued that for customers to have to refrain during the tense recreations of losing their money would hurt "the industry." Customers would stay away or reduce their play if they had to keep going out on the Boardwalk for a drag.

And the real killer -- tax revenues would fall.

The state Treasury in Trenton would lose $93 million in tax take, and 3,400 jobs would dry up. These alarming projections came from a PricewaterhouseCoopers report commissioned by the State Casino Association.

Now, acting Gov. Richard Codey wants a smoking ban in place before his term ends in January, and if letting the casinos off the hook is the price to get it, he'll go along. It's still a plus, as one legislator put it to Bloomberg News: "99 percent of people won't be able to smoke in working places."

Less happy about that is one Vincent Rennich, of Somers Point. He's a veteran casino worker and non-smoker, recently diagnosed with lung cancer.

"It's a modern-day coal mine in there," he told an interviewer.

Differently disenchanted was Jim Hill, president of a state tavern owners group that estimates its members will lose as much as 50 percent of bar sales. Exempting the gambling giants, he said, is "an outrage to the small, independent bars and taverns who don't have the political clout of the casino industry."

And just think, thanks to legalization of slot-machine casinos, this same aggravation will come inevitably one of these days to a state near you.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/newssummary/s_400270.html

Gaming Topics: Slots, Gambling
Topic Tag: Gambling

Casino gunfire leaves man dead in Lake Tahoe

2005-12-04T14:58:00.000-05:00

One man died and two Douglas County deputies were injured Saturday afternoon in an exchange of gunfire inside Harrah's Tahoe.

The Stateline casino stayed open during and after the shootout, which occurred at 2:07 p.m. and lasted only seconds, Sheriff Ron Pierini said. Pierini said the man who died was in his 50s, and authorities are investigating whether he shot himself or was killed by one of the deputies.

Harrah's spokesman John Packer said no bystanders were injured in the incident, which took place in an otherwise empty lounge next to a high-limit gambling area off the east side of the main casino. The area was blocked off afterward, but most of the gambling was not interrupted.

"Most of the people didn't even know anything happened," Packer said.

Pierini said the deputies' injuries were not life-threatening. Although one shot hit Deputy Erik Eissinger in the chest, he was wearing a bulletproof vest. He was treated at a local hospital and released.

Deputy Dan Nelson was shot in the hip and left forearm, Pierini said. He was flown to Washoe Medical Center in Reno.

Topic Tags: Casinos, Crime

Gambling: Lonliness and isolation for many boomers and seniors

2005-12-03T14:08:00.000-05:00

The July edition of 50plus Online Magazine (www.50plusMag.com) reveals that according to a recent study made by McNeilly and Burke, people 50+ (women in particular), are the fastest growing segment of the gambling population.

For some, it’s just fun, plain and simple. But sometimes, the report states, gambling seems to be a way to ease feelings of isolation, loneliness or boredom.

“Apparently, that must include a lot of people,” says Gary Geyer, editor of 50plus Online Magazine.“

“Older adults make up the largest age group of annual visitors to Las Vegas and have become a significant segment of the population who frequent riverboats and Indian reservations to gamble, as well,” adds Geyer.

50plus Online Magazine says this information is readily available to the powers that be in the gaming industry and they use it to their advantage. It’s a well known fact — Older adults have two characteristics that make them attractive — time, and for many, accumulated wealth.

Geyer continues: “To lure older adults, casinos often provide big band music, champagne fountains and free shrimp cocktails. The casino’s staff is trained to be friendly and especially accommodating to older citizens. And those buffets are hard to resist.”

For those gambling, that’s all well and good when things are going well. However problems can occur when losses are more than anticipated. More time and attention are needed as the gambler attempts to win back what he or she has lost. This can lead to selling possessions or property or risky high interest loans to cover expenses.

50plus Online Magazine reports that according to a Forbes magazine article, Americans lose more money gambling each year than they spend on movie tickets, theme parks, spectator sports and video games combined. “Incredible!,” says Geyer.

$25 FREE

2005-12-02T10:19:00.000-05:00

Not only do you get to play with $25 FREE once you register, we’ll also give you a further $100 FREE with your first deposit of $50 or more.

That’s three times the chance to win HUGE JACKPOTS!

Over 190 winning casino games.

Real-time Slots, Video Slots, Video Poker and Blackjack action!

FREE Cash Back Points with every wager, 96.7% payouts.

24/7 telephonic and online support!

Bet from $0.01 to $100 upwards - it’s your game!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

POKER

With $10 FREE to make yourself at home, start playing without having to make a deposit - No deposit required.

Thousands of dollars in monthly giveaways.

Access to our online Poker School.

Up to $2,800,000 in monthly tournaments.

Start playing in under 10 minutes!

Texas Hold’em, Omaha Poker, 7-Card Stud, 5-Card Stud or One-On-One.

Topic Tags: Online Casinos, Online Poker, Poker

TV, Internet adding fuel to America's poker craze

2005-12-01T15:19:00.000-05:00

Jeff Coda was bit by the poker bug two years ago while watching the World Series of Poker on ESPN.

Fascinated by the intricacies of the game and the high stakes involved, he bought a deck of cards and started teaching himself. Soon he and a group of friends started a regular Thursday night game of no-limit Texas Hold 'Em.

In an attempt to perfect his play, the 27-year-old Redlands man began playing poker online about a year ago. He made the rounds on the free sites for six months before upping the ante and playing for money."I'm not going to risk money that I can't afford to lose," the restaurant manager said, talking about his regular poker nights and online playing. "You should not be playing the game (for money) if you can't afford to lose some money, but I'm also trying to win and be successful at the game.

"It's the convergence of Internet gambling, high-stake games on TV, and allure of the risk-taking competition that has caused the proliferation of poker playing whether it be the ultrapopular Texas Hold 'Em or the standard five-card stud. Gambling critics say it's all starting to have a negative influence on younger players, but proponents view it as wiping away the perception that poker is a seedy game.

Justin Marchand, managing editor of Card Player, an international poker magazine, said playing online gives people a chance to learn the rules for free and then enter low-stakes games before trying their hand at high-stakes contests."Online poker is proving to be safe and affordable, and learning in the comfort of one's home helps playing in the real games," he said. "This past World Series of Poker, the field doubled and many are learning from online poker."

Read the rest of the story - click here

Mobile Gambling

2005-11-30T14:30:00.000-05:00

"MGM's big push now is CityCenter," says Cantor's Rushin, "and they're looking to build a lot of technology into that. So this would be a natural fit."CB Richard Ellis analyst Jacob Oberman's position is closer to the skepticism MGM's Feldman expressed in June.

"It's unclear how big that market is going to be," he says of mobile gambling. "Our group believes that the handheld devices and server-based gambling go hand-in-hand. Most of the work should be done at the server level. That way nobody can manipulate these wireless devices.

"Server-based gambling, whereby slot machines would be programmed and operated off centrally located computers, appeared to be coming on strong at the time of the Global Gaming Expo. More recently, Gaming Today reported that casino executives were cool to the concept, given the lack of one standardized system.

"There's no reason for casino properties not to support it," Asher says, referring to the public diffidence displayed by MGM Mirage, Station Casinos and others when AB471 was being passed in Carson City. "This is intended to allow them to generate revenue during what might otherwise be downtime, but all within their properties."Asher was in Nevada last week to attend the second workshop held by the Gaming Control Board to iron out draft regulations for mobile gambling.

According to Cantor lobbyist Bob Faiss of Lionel Sawyer & Collins, the proposed rules are largely the work of the Nevada Attorney General's office and are read to interested parties, who then offer their input.Faiss isn't sure how many slot machine manufacturers are monitoring the proceedings, although "the room was reasonably full, which was 75 people. I just saw the usual suspects.

It was a good turnout" for the first workshop, reportedly including a large contingent from Northern Nevada.Traditional slot giants have so far allowed Cantor, which drafted AB471, to take the lead in pressing for mobile gambling. But Asher acknowledges that, should companies like IGT and WMS choose to vie with Cantor, it could become a Godzilla vs. Bambi mismatch."We're new to Nevada," Asher allows, "but not new to the gambling space.

If IGT wants to make a go of it in this (mobile) market, they could be a formidable competitor. How could you say otherwise? But companies like WMS appear to be gaining market share vis-a-vis IGT, so there is room for us in the space. There will be competition, but we're used to dealing with competition."

http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2005/11/28/news/news01.txt

Tag: Gambling

Demand Grows for the eCOGRA Online Casino and Poker Room "Play It Safe" Seal of Approval

2005-11-29T11:28:00.000-05:00

Growing Numbers of Online Casinos and Poker Rooms Will Soon Have Top PlayerProtection Seal.

The online gaming independent standards authority eCommerce and Online GamingRegulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) announced today that a significant number of online casinos and poker rooms are currently nearing the end of theorganisation's inspection process and will soon be authorised to display theeCOGRA "Play It Safe" seal.

CEO Andrew Beveridge said it was likely that the eCOGRA Board would award the new seals before the end of the year following the extensive probity, game fairness and systems reviews carried out by third party professional audit and inspection groups.

"Over the past few months we have experienced unprecedented interest in eCOGRAfrom several important online casinos and poker rooms," Beveridge said. "Judging by the level of firm applications now under review I anticipate verysignificant increases in the number of seal holders within the next six months. "eCOGRA sets player-sensitive, best practice standards covering every aspect of online casino and poker room operations which are enforced through continuousmonitoring and inspections.

The non-profit authority offers a fast disputeresolution service to players through its Fair Gaming Advocate and commissionsprofessional surveys and business studies to empower seal venues to improvetheir efficiency and business practice. Active responsible gaming programs area feature of eCOGRA sites. Online gaming venues that commit to and comply with the eCOGRA standards areawarded the now widely recognised "Play It Safe" revocable seal, which assuresplayers of safe, honest and efficient online gaming where it is displayed.

The eCOGRA fair gaming system was recently accepted as effective and credible by the Kahnawake regulatory jurisdiction, and extensive discussions are currently taking place with several other leading national regulators and trade associations. "I believe the gratifying rise in 'Play It Safe' seal applications, and thegeneral interest in eCOGRA three years on from our launch is indicative of a more responsible and professional approach to this business, especially by the leading companies in the industry," Beveridge said.

"That interest is also reflected in the large number of industry portals nowapproaching us and asking to be associated with the player protectiveprinciples that the seal represents."eCOGRA is open to any software provider or associated operator that shares our principles of fair gaming and efficient service to the player and is preparedto be tested and monitored."About eCOGRAeCOGRA, the independent standards authority of the online gaming industry, is committed to protecting online casino and poker players around the world.

The non-profit organization addresses the most important issues to players: fastpayouts, fair gaming, responsive and efficient service and responsible operatorconduct. eCOGRA provides an international framework of best operational andplayer practice requirements enforced through inspections, reviews, and continuous monitoring by independent global audit companies. To date, 56 sites comply with these requirements and have been awarded the coveted "Play it Safe" Seal that identifies to players the safest online gaming sites on the Web. For more information on how eCOGRA is constantly improving standards in onlinegaming for players everywhere, go to www.ecogra.org

SuperSlots Bingo Review

2005-11-28T09:44:00.000-05:00

Playing SuperSlots Bingo online is convenient, fun, and exciting! Whether someone chooses to play bingo for real money, or just for fun, they can always chat with other players online while the games are being played. It’s a great way to make friends and try your luck at some extra money.

Welcome Bonus:

105% Match Bonus

Features:

- Free Download- No member fees- Monthly Promos and Tournaments- 24/7 Customer Support- Meet new friends- Auto Dauber- Fast Payouts- Progressive Jackpots
Benefits

- Free $5 with no deposit ? just register!- Guaranteed winner every game- Buy 5? cards and up to 50 cards!- Fits easily into your browser.- Secure and multiple purchasing methods with real time reporting!- Free and Reliable customer service- Live Support- Refer a friend and receive 15% from their initial deposit

Daily Bonuses:

Coverall Marathon: An hour of non stop coverall games at discounted card price of $0.35. Players may win $1000 Blackout or $2000 or $1001 coverall prizes.

Crazy Hours: We offer dynamic crazy patterns that are changing continuously in the USA hall for players’ enjoyment.

Hi Roller Special: The hi roller games start at $1000 and gradually roll off to a guaranteed prize of $50.…And dozens more!

Methods of Payment:Accepted payment methods include Visa and MasterCard, PrePaidATM, NETeller, FirePay, and Citadel.

Review:

SuperSlots Bingo is the premier online bingo hall for any enthusiast.

SuperSlots Bingo features state-of-art online graphics, the most secure bingo games ever played on the internet, and real time chat while playing with other friends around the world! With GAURANTEED winners every game, bingo lovers would be hard pressed to find a true online bingo experience.

http://www.youbettowin.com/gaming/superslots-bingo-review/

Technorati: Bingo, Gambling, Poker, Sports Betting, Online gambling, Online casinos, World Series of Poker, Sportsbook Poker, Sportsbook

You love Hold'em?

2005-11-23T15:36:00.000-05:00

You've come to the right place for valuable, and free, lessons on when to bet, raise, hold'em, fold'em, and even go all in! English Harbour Poker test players' skills from around the world using play money or COLD HARD CASH!

English Harbour Poker has everything players could want in a great multi-player card room - ring games, tournaments and... FREE ROLLS! Players can either stick with what they know or experience something different by playing Pan, Chinese Poker or Big 2 Poker ? only available at English Harbour Poker.

http://www.englishharbourpoker.com

Slots take in $12M in 11 days

2005-11-19T08:57:00.000-05:00

As of Sunday, 22,000 patrons had visited new Bangor facility

In the first 11 days Hollywood Slots operated in Bangor, patrons pumped more than $12.5 million into the gambling facility's 475 slot machines, according to a financial report presented Tuesday to the Maine Gambling Control Board.

All of the machines were on line in time for the Main Street racino's debut in a Tinsel Town-style premiere Nov. 4, Executive Director Robert Welch told board members, who received a briefing on the facility's startup."They are up and operating very smooth," Welch said.

The only community issue has been parking on side streets near the racino, but city police have been working on that.But the financial report generated the most interest. The report prepared by Scott Woods, the gambling control unit's auditor, shows that the racino has taken in a total of $12,529,720, according to data collected by Scientific Games International, the contractor the state chose to monitor the slot machines and which also monitors the state lottery system.

Though Hollywood Slots has an internal tracking system of its own, the totals tracked by Scientific Games are the "official" figures the state will use to calculate the amount due in taxes, Woods said. "Woods is probably the man of the hour today," gambling board Chairman George McHale quipped, referring to the intense media interest in how the state's only slots facility is faring financially.

Though the portion paid out to winners is not yet available, the 1 percent tax on the total played generated $125,297 for the state's General Fund. Of the remaining 99 percent, 39 percent - or $278,150, based on the first 11 days - goes to the state for distribution among 10 beneficiaries set by state law. Those beneficiaries include the Maine harness racing community, Maine's public universities and colleges for scholarships, and the city of Bangor.

McHale, however, cautioned after the meeting that the $12.5 million-plus that the racino has racked up does not translate into individual new dollars because some patrons put their winnings back into the slots."So it could be the same dollars over and over," he said. Despite that, Hollywood Slots' tax rate is based on the total played.In a separate report, Hollywood Slots General Manager Jon Johnson said that as of Sunday, some 22,000 patrons had visited the Bangor racino.

Eighty people under 21 who tried to enter were headed off at the door, he said.All in all, he said, "The guests have been very pleased." It is not unusual to have 50 to 100 people waiting to get in each morning and to have more than 100 people inside at closing time, he added.In response to a question about jobs, Johnson said Hollywood Slots has hired about 130 people, all but 10 of them full-time and with benefits. With the exception of managers, who needed gaming industry experience, the workers have been drawn from the area."The quality of the employees we hired is exceptional," he said.

"The work ethic of Maine [residents] is wonderful."Although Tuesday's report was not one of the legally required ones, McHale asked Woods to provide weekly and monthly financial reports so that members can track racino-related earnings."I want to see them every week - my neck is on the line," joked McHale, who also is chairman of the Maine Harness Racing Commission.In his report, Woods said he will be keeping a close eye on the distribution to slots' beneficiaries.

"We've got contact with those certain agencies, especially in the beginning, to make sure the money is going into the right places and is being used in the right way," he said.Board member Peter Danton of Saco wanted more details about how the 2 percent to stabilize the state's OTBs, including one operated by Hollywood's parent company, Penn National, will be used.

The percentage was a legislative concession to the OTB operators, who were worried that the slots would cut into their profits."What if they are making money? Do they still get the [subsidy]?" Danton asked. He asked whether the OTB operators have done anything to "stabilize themselves ... or is it just a gift that we're giving to the off-track betting parlors?""I'd like to know exactly what the money is being used for," he said.Welch will provide the information at a future meeting.

Woods' financial report had a breakdown of daily totals, the highest so far at $1,758,179 on Friday, Nov. 4, the day Hollywood Slots opened its doors to patrons who showed up four hours before the 10 a.m. opening time.Less than two weeks into its operations, the emerging trend appears to be that Thursday through Sunday see the heaviest play, with most daily totals exceeding $1 million. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday appear to be generating less action, with totals in the $800,000 and $900,000 range.

The exception was Nov. 2, when Hollywood Slots held a private party featuring charity play. On that day, guests played to the tune of $87,158, some of which was paid out in jackpots.Johnson said after the meeting that it was difficult to measure the Bangor racino's startup success compared to other facilities of its type.

"Every [facility] is different, so there really is no typical [performance standard for new racinos]," Johnson said Tuesday. "All I can really tell you is that the gaming facility is performing as we had anticipated it would. We're pleased and the customers are very positive."

Celebrities as Spokesmen for Internet Gambling

2005-11-18T19:11:00.000-05:00

Jesse Ventura is no longer governor of Minnesota. But he is still pushing an agenda - in this case, sports betting over the Internet.

Ventura is the new spokesman for BetUS.com, a Web site operated from Costa Rica that lets people wager on sports contests from their home computers. "This is a step toward bringing something above board that clearly many people want to partake in," Ventura said.

In a sign of an increased acceptance of Internet gambling, online casinos in recent months have signed endorsement deals with a group of celebrities, including Tom Arnold, the actor; Brooke Burke, a model turned television host; and Jim Kelly, a former National Football League quarterback for the Buffalo Bills.

But there is a big potential catch: these stars and others who profit by promoting offshore casinos could be putting themselves in legal jeopardy. The government considers these Internet sports betting sites to be violating American law by providing unlicensed gambling on domestic shores.

The government has said in the past that it could prosecute Americans who promote and assist such foreign operations.

"There's a good chance they are criminally liable for the crime itself," said I. Nelson Rose, a law professor at Whittier Law School in California and the author of a book called "The Law of Internet Gaming." For celebrities who draw attention from law enforcement officials, he said, "the downside danger is enormous."

The Justice Department declined to comment for this article.

For his part, Ventura said he was not aware that federal law prohibited Internet gambling operations; his management company, he said, told him that the deal would not be a problem.

But Ventura also counters with a populist message that says, in essence, that millions of Americans who gamble online cannot be wrong.

And in that regard, the relationship between casinos and celebrities - who can easily earn six-figure deals for one-year endorsement contracts - underscores the steep challenge that Washington faces in policing this growing offshore industry.

The overseas casinos, which allow people to play poker against other gamblers, engage in table games like blackjack and bet on sports, are legal and licensed in dozens of jurisdictions around the world. In Britain, a handful of casinos are listed on public stock exchanges.

Revenue from Internet gambling is projected to reach almost $12 billion this year, up from $8.3 billion in 2004, according to Sebastian Sinclair, a gambling industry analyst with Christiansen Capital Advisors. Americans account for more than half of the amount wagered, Internet casino executives and industry analysts say.

The popularity has soared in recent years with the boom in poker, particularly Texas Hold 'Em, and its increasing prominence on cable television.

Still, the industry insists that online gambling would be much larger were it not for efforts by federal prosecutors and some financial institutions.

Over the past five years, many American banks that issue credit cards have apparently slowed the industry's growth by refusing to accept transactions processed by Internet casinos. Americans participating in the betting have turned to online payment services that allow them to place bets with money put into escrow accounts.

Last year, faced with an investigation by a federal prosecutor in St. Louis, Missouri, several big-name media companies, including Clear Channel and Infinity Broadcasting radio, stopped accepting advertisements for offshore casinos. The Internet search sites Yahoo and Google later made the same decision.

But ads for online gambling sites are still widely available in magazines and on radio and cable television channels, including the ESPN sports TV network. And some ads have returned to Clear Channel stations.

In 2004, the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Missouri vowed to pursue sports gambling sites, "as well as the promoters, aiders, and abettors of such criminal enterprises." Lawyers representing Internet gambling operations, however, said it appeared that the investigation had stopped, or at least slowed considerably.

Jaclyn Lesch, a spokesman for the Justice Department, declined to comment, saying the investigation was continuing.

In any event, the marketing of online casinos and sports betting sites is regaining momentum, said Will Griffiths, the director of marketing for Betonsports.com, a casino based in Costa Rica and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Griffiths said that in some cases the broadcasts have been carefully worded to avoid provoking the Justice Department.

For instance, a radio campaign that began in October on some Clear Channel stations repeatedly mentions "Bet on Sports" as a great source for betting information and includes a telephone number where people can get information rather than the address for an Internet site.

Another tactic used by media companies to circumvent the threat of prosecution is to allow advertising of Web sites operated by offshore casinos that let people play various table and poker games with no money. The free sites then direct people to their gambling operations.

Legal specialists said any celebrities targeted by prosecutors could defend themselves by arguing that they were not aware that the enterprises they were promoting were illegal. The sites continue to seek new celebrities to market their products. This month, Robert Iler, a young actor who plays Tony Soprano's son on the HBO television series "The Sopranos," started appearing on betcris.com, a Costa Rica-based sports betting site and casino.

The company sought out Iler, according to its chief executive, Mickey Richardson, after he was caught in a police raid on an illegal card game in New York.

"When we heard the news, we decided to get into contact," Richardson said, as a way of drawing attention to the company's claim that playing poker online "is the safe thing to do."

Richardson said that the interest in online gambling among Americans has picked up again in recent months as the marketing has been stepped up.

The federal government "probably has got its hands full with other things right now," he said. Besides, he added, online gambling "is probably a train that can't be stopped."

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/11/16/business/bet.php

THE BIG TICKET

2005-11-18T04:59:00.000-05:00

What is it?

The Largest Prize in sporting history from the Largest Sportsbook and Casino on the Planet! Take 10 once in a lifetime experiences...

The winner of the Big Ticket wins 10 VIP Tickets to 10 of the biggest sporting events in North America. From the Best Football and Baseball games, to NBA finals or the World Series of Poker, you and a guest can be at all of them, courtesy of Sportsbook.com

How do you win?

First, you need to be a Sportsbook.com member, if you dont have an account with Sportsbook.com Click here to join now

Then all you have to do is fill in the form below to enter the giveaway, and between now and December 31st, for every $10 you wager on the sportsbook, you will get one entry. On January 1st 2006, we will randomly select one lucky winner who will get to go on the Big Ticket experience along with a guest.

On top of that, we have 10 second place prizes where the runner ups and a guest each will get to go to one of the events of the Big Ticket. Every month, starting in September, we will give one of these prizes away.

Its the biggest give away in Sportsbook history. Enter now!

Grand Prize: The Big Ticket

VIP tickets for two to all listed events plus $10,000 betting cash
The Best Football Games
World Series of Poker Seat - Prize winner only
The Best Baseball Games
US Masters Golf
The Best Hockey Games
Final Four NCAAB
NBA Finals
Petit Lemans at Atlanta
US Open, Tennis
Ringside seats to a Sportbook.com sponsored Boxing fight of your choice

The total prize package is worth over $100,000!

10 RUNNER UP PRIZES

VIP tickets for two to one of the above listed events plus $1,000 betting cash

Its the biggest give away in Sportsbook history. Click Here

Casino gambling would corrupt NH’s healthy image

2005-11-17T20:38:00.000-05:00

IF MULTIPLE casinos were legalized in New Hampshire, we would suffer thousands of new pathological gambling addicts, destruction of thousands of families, a pox on New Hampshire’s healthy image, and a negative economic impact equal to an additional recession every 10 years. Those are the facts.

Casino advocates always say that the facts are wrong. Last month at a legislative hearing on casino impacts, the gambling industry revealed its version of the facts. First, the industry is not willing to accept the 50 percent-plus tax rate proposed by legislative casino advocates, threatening to put up honky-tonk slots parlors unless rates are dropped. On casino-related crime, the industry presented an unpublished, industry-funded study that uses data from only four cities selected to bake in the desired conclusions.

Casino opponents rebutted with a crime study published in a top-six, peer-reviewed economics journal and written by a distinguished professor whose research is free from funding conflicts of interest. This study looked at crime data in every U.S. county. Casino counties experience an average eight percent higher rate of the most serious crimes. Legalizing casinos at New Hampshire’s four horse and dog racing tracks would mean 6,000 more crimes, such as physical assault and armed robbery, every year.

Across the other debate sub-topics — cannibalism of the hospitality industry, addiction, bankruptcy, family violence, youth gambling, the tribal gambling loophole, lost workplace productivity — the pattern is the same. Casino advocates openly mock Ph.D. researchers and law enforcement testimony. The gambling industry does not much care that it has lost the debate over the facts.

Continue with the rest of the story at this link:
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showfast.html?article=63142

Casinos outline plans for rebuilding to gaming commission

2005-11-17T20:19:00.000-05:00

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) - Representatives for most of the state's battered Gulf Coast casinos outlined their plans for rebuilding before the Mississippi Gaming Commission at its meeting on Thursday. Hurricane Katrina, which struck Aug. 29, damaged or destroyed most of the 12 coast casinos and a 13th that was about to open.

Like many of the casino representatives in attendance, Bernie Burkholder, the chief executive and president of Treasure Bay Casino, credited the new onshore gaming law for giving the industry a better chance of bouncing back after the storm. The law allows Gulf Coast casinos to move off the water and build a short distance inland.

"I, for one, was getting really tired of chasing my boat down after every storm, dragging it back to its moorings and gluing it back in place," he said, prompting laughter from the crowd of about 200 that gathered for the meeting at the Imperial Palace, the least damaged of the Gulf casinos. Treasure Bay plans to build a two-story, 70,000-square foot structure on the south portion of its existing hotel tower, Burkholder said. Renovations will likely begin in February or March, and will take around six months, he said.

Continue with the rest of the story at this link
http://www.wpmi.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=B02D5341-0FAC-4A9F-8CA7-7A3F8A4787E8

Online Gaming's explosive US growth should be regulated says Sportingbet PLC CEO Nigel Payne on CBS 60 Minutes

2005-11-17T18:40:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ - Online gaming is licenced and taxed in 63 countries worldwide and the United States should be taking advantage of this $10 Billion market, said Nigel Payne, Chief Executive of Sportingbet PLC, in an interview to be broadcast Sunday November 20th on CBS 60 Minutes.

Sportingbet operates a number of brands, the largest of which are Sportsbook.com and ParadisePoker.com. The CBS 60 Minutes show looks at the size, scale and explosive growth of the internet gaming industry, particularly in the context of the unclear US legal and regulatory environment.

Payne, who heads one of the world's most successful publicly tradedonline gaming companies, makes the case that regulating online gaming is the safest way to ensure responsible gaming. "Gambling has existed since the dawn of time," Payne has said during briefings with decision makers in Washington. "America is one of the largest gambling markets in the world with developed gaming in lotteries, casinos,horse racing, dog racing and sports. Gambling exists in every country in the world.

The right thing to do, the responsible thing to do, is to regulate itand embrace proper social parameters through regulatory control." In its results for the 12 months ending July 31, 2005, Sportingbet reported an operating profit before good will and exceptional items of $US105 million, up from $US 36 million the previous year.

The number of customers worldwide using Sportingbet's facilities increased by 123 per centto 2.7 million and the number of sports and gaming bets was up 51 per cent toalmost 400 million from 265.5 million in 2004. The 60 Minutes show on i-gaming airs on CBS channels across the United States Sunday Nov. 20 at 7pm, following NFL Football on CBS.

About Sportingbet PLC (http://www.sportingbetplc.com) Sportingbet PLC (LSE: SBT), headquartered in London, England, is the world's leading publicly traded online betting, gambling and gaming company. It has been voted number one in the industry for two years in a row by the authoritative eGaming Review Power 50 Survey. Sportingbet also won the 2005 eGaming Award for best US-Focused company with its flagship brandsportsbook.com. Sportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, offering numerous products including sports betting, horse racing, poker, casino and virtual games.

Happy Anniversary - Hollywood Poker!

2005-11-17T18:29:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday November 9th 2005, HollywoodPoker.com celebrated it’s 1st year anniversary. Celebrity Players, James Woods and Vince Van Patten were joined by other Hollywood Poker Celebrities and the Hollywood Poker Girls to commemorate a year of unprecedented success at the net’s hottest online poker site. This celebration was the pinnacle of what Hollywood Poker has come to represent: Fun, star-appeal, poker and community. All of the Celebrities reported having a fabulous time and many commented that it was great to see friends they hadn’t seen in awhile other than on Hollywood Poker. You’d have to be at the Oscars to see more Celebrities!

The night included a silent auction and the launch of the 2006 Hollywood Poker Calendar. Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of checks to The American Red Cross and Dennis Quaid’s charity of choice, The International Hospital for Children for funds raised during Hollywood Poker’s incredible Hurricane Relief tournaments. There will be more exciting Celebrity backed charity events in the future, so stay tuned to Hollywood Poker to keep informed.

Thanks to all of our fabulous players for making this a great year at Hollywood Poker!

Welcome to - "YOU BET TO WIN"

2005-11-17T18:22:00.000-05:00

Welcome to - YOU BET TO WIN - and that's why you are here. And we all want to find out about the most profitable gaming experiences. So sit back and relax and come back often because this site will be updated daily with all of the winning ways on the Internet.

Internet Gambling is fun - so check out the links and read the informative articles, bulletins, news events, gaming guides and reviews - tips and tricks of the trade.