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Las Vegas has officially welcomed the newest addition to its metropolis - CityCenter Casino resort. This labour of love is the creation of two giants in the casino entertainment industry - MGM Mirage and Dubai World. Official Opening After several years of uncertainty, this massive expansion into the brick and mortar world of gambling is finally here. CityCenter officially opened its doors on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 to thunderous applause. Prior to the public opening, there were some 5,000 VIPs invited to enjoy the lavish comforts of the immaculate CityCenter Casino at a gala event. By 11pm the inaugural fireworks had peppered the skies above the 61-story CityCenter Casino. The enthusiastic crowds began pouring in after midnight. Job Opportunities At a time when Las Vegas is trying desperately to fight off the recession, the owners of CityCenter Casino - MGM Mirage and Dubai World - are buoyed by their latest creation. With some 12,000 employees involved in the mega-resort, the operation is helping to keep tens of thousands more people employed and happy. The CityCenter Casino The $8.5 billion CityCenter Casino sports some 4,004 rooms, 21st century architecture and sheer entertainment galore in restaurants, bars, clubs, stores, fountains and the like. The news of the grand opening had no effect on the share price of MGM Mirage on the NYSE. Many folks are upbeat about the employment prospects that this mega-gambling kingdom is going to provide. And during a particularly difficult spell economically, this may well prove the tonic that the industry needs for a kick start.
Independent standards authority of the online gaming industry eCOGRA has recognized Online Casino Reports as a Reputable Portal. The site now boasts the eCOGRA "Reputable Portal" seal. Leading online casino portal, Online Casino Reports, has been awarded the Seal following an extensive audit by eCOGRA specialists. The non-profit organization, which is known for auditing actual gaming platforms, runs a list of portals, such as OCR, which share player protective ideals and objectives for honest and ethical conduct with it. Find out more about eCOGRA - eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance. What now? With the Seal, Online Casino Reports has been recognized as a professional and honest portal, as have the online casinos, bingo halls, and all gaming platforms listed on its pages. Just as the latter are subject to repeat inspections by the auditor, so is OCR to be regulated and monitored. Our players All visitors to Online Casino Reports, whether looking up industry updates and video previews of games on the site or shopping for an online casino, are safe. We watch after you, and eCOGRA watches us. Feel safe and play safe with OCR.
A massive sponsorship deal between the Greyhound Racing Association and William Hill has been confirmed. William Hill - the leader in online sports betting, has announced that it will sponsor all of South London's major races in 2010. Sponsorship Deal For racing pundits this mega-sponsorship deal is the lifeline that racing was desperately in need of. As it stands, the deal includes the Oaks, Derby, Springbok, St Leger, Grand National and Puppy Derby. William Hill will be attached to all 6 events. According to the terms of the deal, there is now an exclusive content agreement in place for Hills to show the All Trial Stakes and rounds of each competition throughout their wide-ranging retail estate and online business units. Decision makers at William Hill expressed satisfaction at the continuing sponsorship of the William Hill Greyhound Derby. The deal is set to improve the facilities and viewing at Plough Lane. At a time when the recession is biting at sports betting enterprises, the William Hill sponsorship deal is like manna from heaven. Greyhound Racing Association The recipients of the sponsorship, the GRA are equally enamoured by the deal. That a top-tier bookmaker like William Hill has agreed to sponsor the World's Greatest Greyhound race and Wimbledon's transformation to a new location is deeply appreciated. The deal will allow for this thriving multi-million pound sports racing enterprise to continue to thrill fans and pundits alike. With William Hill at the helm of this vessel, it looks like the festive season and indeed 2010 are going to be heralded in style.
Online gaming is alive and well in 2009. Of all the countries paying out massive jackpots winnings, it's the USA with over $50 million in payouts that is leading the charge. The Top 5 Countries The United States of America is firmly in pole position followed by Canada, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Over 9,000 winners have been paid out by these countries during the present year and approximately $100 million has changed hands from online casinos to their players. The Next 5 Countries Between positions 6 and 10, there are some notable online gaming heavyweights. These include: Greece, Australia, Germany, the Russian Federation and the surprise country - South Africa. As the sole big player on the African continent, South Africa's contribution to player payouts pales in comparison to the Top 5 countries, but is nonetheless significant for the region. Countries 11 thru 15 The Scandinavian countries weigh in with Sweden at 11 and Denmark at 13. But it's the Netherlands and Japan that are welcome additions at positions 12 and 14 respectively. Swedish payouts surpass that of all of the rest of Europe by over €1 million (excluding various countries already in the Top 20). The Final Four Countries The last 4 countries in the Top 20 listing have paid out €8 million. That is 5 ½ times less than the USA alone. USA Domination The table reflects that the USA still dominates the list of total jackpots winnings per country, despite the UIGEA restrictions. Microgaming held on to top spot with 14 of the 20 most popular games in online casinos, while Playtech boasted a tally of 5 of the top 20 player-favorites. The most frequently hit games include Thunderstruck and Roulette Mega Moolah is hands down the top game in terms of winnings throughout 2009.
Net Entertainment has been creating its own bullish market since inception in January 2009. The group of popular Net Entertainment online casinos are leading operators in the gaming industry. Strong gains posted in 2009 In spite of only one year passing since Net Entertainment's listing on the Nasdaq OMX Stockholm's Small Cap list, the company will soon list as a Mid Cap operator. And it's all thanks to a doubling of the share price during 2009. Come January 4, 2010, NET B will effectively be capped at between €150 million and €1 billion. Player favourite Net Entertainment is a market leader in online gaming software. Today there are a wide variety of 60 online operators using the Net Entertainment CasinoModule. The company provides quality internet gaming with innovative online gaming technology. News of the Mid Cap listing means greater investment in NET B games and offerings. It's a win-win situation for online players and Net Entertainment's many online casino operators.
Facebook has held a long-standing policy that it will not display adverts for products that it considers objectionable. However, it has now included online gambling amongst the list of things that are banned, along with guns, prescription painkillers, tobacco and milk. This latest move by Facebook doesn't come as a surprise to internet gaming operators who have become accustom to social boycotts. Plus, the confusion over the legality of online gambling continues in the United States. There are currently numerous online gambling adverts and profiles on the social networking site and Facebook has begun taking steps to remove them. The online gambling industry, in response to this latest move by Facebook, referred to objective research that refutes widely held beliefs about the social harm caused by internet gambling. However it looks as if the gaming industry will just have to live with this latest policy as Facebook is entitled to accept and decline ads for whatever products it chooses. That having been said, Online Casino Reports and many other online gambling portals are all active on Facebook.
The seedier side of gambling was showcased on CNBC last week, with a one hour investigation into illegal gambling in the US. In ‘The Big Business of Gambling' Melissa Francis followed the money trail to discover the main players in the multi-billion dollar industry. The program highlighted the popularity of gambling in America today, with millions placing illegal bets, particularly on sporting events via illegal bookmakers. Online casinos are also gaining widespread popularity. The show interviewed people involved in different aspects of the industry. We heard from; The founder of PreGame.com, R.J Bell, who stated that as just 1% of US sports betting originates in Vegas, that the remaining 99% must be illegal. That's a gigantic figure and effectively highlighted the scale of gambling activity in the States today. It told the personal stories of illegal bookmakers, both the lucrative gains the can make as well as the risks they run in taking wagers. The CNBC show didn't shy away from the darker side of the industry and highlighted how the Mob's main income comes from illegal gambling operations. Francis caught up with Jay Cohen, who has the dubious honor of being the first American prosecuted under the 1961 Wire Act for his World Sports Exchange operation which took $200 million in bets at its peak. Cohen argued in court that the Wire Act did not apply to the internet but his argument fell on deaf ears and in 1988 he spent 21 months behind bars. The investigation went on to look at some infamous online cheating incidents, in particular the Ultimate Bet poker scandal. Having highlighted some personal stories and famous incidents the show culminated with a review of the current legal situation. Democrat Congressman Jim McDermott, a pro regulation campaigner, described his reading of public opinion, "Usually, when we talk about putting a tax on people, we get all kinds of pushback. They're saying, ‘Legalize it, please, and tax it.'" Republican Congressman, Bob Goodlatte had an opposing view and explained the effect of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. "It certainly hasn't eliminated all internet gambling by any means, but surveys that I've seen indicate that fewer than half as many online gambling operators are offering their services in the U.S. than before this law was passed." The show was well received and comes at a time when the legality of gambling in the US is receiving more media attention and gaining wider public discussion.
The year in online gambling in Germany, and a look ahead at the year to come. For more on the latest on German online gambling, visit Online Casino Reports Germany. Big Winners During 2009, German players raked in nearly €4 million and ranked eighth in the world according to the total wins by players. In November, one lucky player was announced the enviable winner of the Grand Slam of Slots Tournament. It was the biggest online slot tournament ever. He won the €1 million jackpot after an incredible 10 days of playing the cult-favorite Tomb Raider slot game with over 8,000 players! The Grand Slam of Slots was staged by several Microgaming online casinos, such as JackpotCity Casino, between October 23 and November 2. Earlier in the year, a German lottery player saw his fortunes all but disappear and then soar to dizzying, unimaginable heights. The 40 year old man, whose name was not released, first lost his job as a result of the global economic downturn only to very shortly win $35 million in the Toto-Lotto Lower Saxony lottery. When asked how the win will affect this life the man replied, "Now I can take my time looking for a new position and don't have to just take any odd job that presents itself." There was another lucky winner in December with a German player hitting the $5 million Gold Mega progressive jackpot - the largest ever awarded by Party Casino. The player goes by the handle ‘Gamago' and is apparently a member of the online casino's VIP club, the Palladium Lounge. Lottery News In November, German lottery company JAXX AG released a positive set of year to date results. In fact, it experienced a 62.8% year-on-year rise in revenues to €53.7. Business had been better than expected although the good results were mainly due to non-German markets. Mobile Gaming Business has also been good by the looks of things for Casino Las Vegas, Swiss Casino and Casino King who all launched new sites for cell phone players that are compatible for both iPhone and android applications. There are three games currently available - Blackjack, Jacks or Better video poker, and progressive jackpot slots game called Gold Rally - with additional games are expected to be coming soon. German Gambling Legality Also in November, the Schleswieg-Holstein state, one of the 16 states in Germany announced their opposition to the German Interstate Treaty on Gambling which banned all forms of online gambling except for horse racing. The Treaty was first brought into force on 1 January 2008 and has been highly controversial and criticized as being inequitable and protectionist. As all 16 German states must support the law, the future of the Treaty is now in doubt. If the German states fail to agree on a new regulation to replace the Treaty which expires at the end of 2012, an intrastate licensing system would be introduced.
JackpotCity Casino is home to many of the world's most-loved online casino games. For over 11 years JackpotCity has been bringing online players more jackpots, more often with a dazzling variety of quality Microgaming games to enjoy. New Video Slots take centre stage Kicking off proceedings is a hot, new video slot game - Kung Fu Monkey Video Slot. This is a power-packed, ninja-kicking martial arts game with monkeys that can certainly pack a punch. The game is the latest 5-reel, 15 payline video slot from Microgaming for JackpotCity Casino. Players can enjoy an exciting, action-packed game with a Wild symbol, 2 Scatters, Multipliers, Free Spins and a great 3-level 2nd screen bonus feature. If you like to win big while practicing your Kung Fu on a mean Gorilla henchman, then this is an awesome game to play. Pure Platinum Video Slot is another stellar game. Players will enjoy this fabulous 5-reel, 40 payline slot game. There is platinum magic in this game - with Wild symbols, Scatters, Free Spins and of course Multipliers playing their part. But watch out for the Gamble feature where you can double or quadruple your winnings. Everything about this game spells wealth, from the glitz and glamour of the jewels to the dazzling graphics you will enjoy. Wooly World Video Slot takes players back to the Ice Age where wooly mammoths reigned supreme. It's chilly times but the jackpots are red-hot! This 5-reel, 20 payline video slot is something special. Spot the Wild Caveman and quadruple your winnings. Plus there are Free Spins and lots of lucky symbols to light your way to jackpot heaven. Keep a careful eye out for the Gamble Feature - it could just be your lucky ticket! Poker magic Poker fans will delight in the new Texas Hold'em Bonus Poker Gold game. This is an expertly designed poker game with innovative technology. The action unfolds smoothly, it's fast and furious and the audio/visual effects are simply stunning. Here players can enjoy rewards as high as 52,000 coins. Play with poker's finest and win big.
In a surprising about-face, the National Football League has gone ahead and approved the airing of advertisements for gambling destinations during the Super Bowl telecast. The NFL, which has long been known as a staunch opponent of sports betting, will permit ads for gambling destinations such as Las Vegas, although it will maintain the ban on advertising specifically for casinos or on making references to anything related directly to gambling. The new policy comes into effect for the entire NFL postseason, which will begin Saturday January 9 with Wild Card Weekend, and end on Saturday February 7 with Super Bowl XLIV at Miami's Dolphin Stadium. The announcement will come as a surprise to many observers, given the NFL's public campaign against betting on its matches, which reached a peak earlier in 2009 when it began threatening a lawsuit against the state of Delaware after its Supreme Court allowed the state to open the only legal sports books in the United States outside of Nevada. On the betting front, the AFC's Indianapolis Colts - who are 14-0 just a couple of weeks out from the playoffs - and the NFC's New Orleans Saints, 13-1, appear to be on a collision course for a classic Super Bowl. The Colts are 5/2 to win the Super Bowl and the Saints are 3/1, with the next best option being the San Diego Chargers, who are listed at odds of 5/1. Place your bets for the coming super Bowl at William Hill Sports and claim your £25 free bet bonus.
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