Showing results for: ""
Despite pressure from the US to penalize Caribbean countries like Antigua for allowing online casino operators to run their sites from these countries, operations are set to expand in the near future. These Caribbean nations will continue putting resources in the online gambling industry and 10 new sites are slated to open in Antigua alone this year. Currently there are already 14 sites operating in Antigua according to Finance Minister Errol Cort and in addition to this, there will be another 10 online gambling operators to open soon. This is estimated to bring in over $2 million in fees as well as creating about 500 new jobs for the people of Antigua. The US has taken its appeal to shut down gambling operations in the Caribbean to the World Trade Association which will ultimately pass a verdict on the ruling. The Finance Minister of Antigua has promised that those who set up in Antigua will be exposed to the most stringent international practices once they are operating fully. Despite this the US will press on with it's anti online gambling campaign in hopes of shutting down all existing operators in the Caribbean and Antigua in particular.
When you think of underwater sports, scuba diving is one of the first things that come to mind. Recently, Inter Poker has introduced us to a new kind of underwater sports called Aqua Poker. The site held its Extreme Poker championship game 30 feet underwater in the exotic Caribbean. Given the complexity in holding such as event, it took it three months to make all the proper arrangements. In order to hold a poker tournament so deep underwater, the online casino arranged for a poker table to be submerged using weighted anchors to keep it steady in place. Since you can't really play poker without poker chips or playing cards, it arranged for the players to have special chips and water proof cards. To hold a poker tournament 30 feet underwater, you still need someone to deal the cards. The online casino approached Andy Goetsch who is CryptoLogic's Vice President of Poker Software Development to act as the tournament director and dealer. The online casino left nothing to chance, making sure that all players participating in the tournament receive diving training prior to the event. At the end of the unusual tournament Juha Helppi took top honors, wining first place prize.
This is an already multi-billion dollar industry that has generated in excess of $10 billion in revenues this year alone. How will land based casinos compensate for continually losing a portion of their profits to the hand of online casinos? Up until ten years ago, land based casinos had dominated the gambling market. The face of the gambling industry was forever changed upon the creation of the online casino. Suddenly, land based casinos were not alone and the industry was divided into two parts consisting of offline and online gambling. Over the years, the online casino has managed to measure up to land based casinos in almost all aspects. Today, land based casinos operators have come to the realization that the online gambling is a force to be reckoned with. Land based casinos are the ones that introduced the concept of leisure gambling. On the other hand, the trademark of online casinos can be summarized in two words which are comfort gambling. These days, people all over the world can play casinos games from the comfort of their own home wherever and whenever they choose to. In this respect, land based casinos are at a disadvantage since not all people live in the vicinity of a casino. On the contrary, everyone with an internet connection is able to gamble at the online casino.
This pot grows as more online casino players try their luck and play the game, hence the name progressive. Each time you lose, the money you wagered with becomes a part of the pot. The jackpot progressively grows until one lucky winner takes it all. Since progressive games are connected to a network of online casinos, the jackpot can reach millions of dollars. One of Cryptologic's progressive jackpot games called Millionaires Club is now offering a staggering payout of $1.6 million and growing! This is a 9-line slot game that was designed and developed by Cryptologic and licensed exclusively by its subsidiary WagerLogic. The last time somebody was paid out by the machine it was to the tune of $1,067,836 at the Inter Casino, one of the most recognizable online casino sites powered by WagerLogic software. Keep in mind, this jackpot is growing by the minute just waiting for somebody to become an instant millionaire. Could it be you? A.J. Slivinski, Managing Director of WagerLogic stated, The cash is all there - just waiting to be collected and with a little help from Lady Luck, one of our licensees' online casino players will find themselves in the enviable position of becoming an instant millionaire. Justin Thouin of CryptoLogic said, This is, without a doubt, one of the most popular online casino games we have developed. Absolutely anyone, from the novice to the seasoned online casino player, can join in to win payouts that are truly staggering.
There has been a recent push to censor adverts for online casinos that appear on taxis and the main subway system in London. According to the Financial Times, advertising remains illegal in the UK yet there is a lot of it around and until recently it went largely uncensored. It is estimated that the sites spend millions annually in advertising campaigns but this may soon be drastically curbed due to a new push to enforce online gambling regulation. Whether they can be advertised in the UK is somewhat of a grey area. For the most part the industry has been advertising without any limitation in public places in the UK for some time. Public transportation features lots of advertisements but there has been some dispute whether it is legal. The argument put forth by supporters of the online casinos is that because they are located outside of the UK it is ok to advertise for them. But the anti online gambling argument is that the bonus promotions which entice new players are tantamount to solicitation for an activity that is deemed illegal in the UK. Tessa Jowell, the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has threatened to pursue legal action against the sites that advertise in the UK. John Shepard, of the well known PartyGaming, said: "As far as advertising for online casinos goes we are breaking no laws because everything we put out goes through our compliance team and is fully approved before it appears. I cannot comment on what other casino perators may be doing."
Online casino tips can certainly help the player improve their chances at winning but not all gambling tips are created equally. Gambling tips for the online casino can essentially be divided into 2 categories: general playing tips and specific gambling tips for specific games such as poker. When it comes to general tips to help you succeed at the online casino there are many tips that revolve around setting a budget and setting a specific limit to how much you play. But when it comes to gambling tips for games you play at the online casino, there are some that are useful and some that are not. Some casino games require more skill, practice and strategy than others and these are the ones that require tips from pro players. Games like roulette, slots, and baccarat for instance are simply based on luck and therefore no playing strategy can help the player improve his or her odds of winning at the online casino. The other casino games like poker and blackjack and even craps to some degree, require much more practice and strategy not to mention playing skills. A new or amateur player can really learn a lot from some key playing tips and will be able to improve their skills and build a gambling strategy based on casino tips from players with more experience and knowledge of the game. Use the online casino software to play in free mode and you can improve your playing skills dramatically.
If your objective is to maximize your winnings at the online casino than there are other things you need to take under advisement. As luck would have it, not all online casinos were created equal. Some offer the player a more optimal environment for making a profit. How do you recognize such an online casino? Bonuses are one element that should be factored in when deciding at which online casino to play. As a player you should always look for ways of increasing your bankroll. Taking advantage of sign up bonuses, deposit bonuses and referral bonuses are a risk-free way of accomplishing just that. This is free betting money that you can use to wager with at the online casino. Remember that the larger your bankroll is, the longer you'll be able to play. Another important element that should receive proper consideration is payouts. Many online casino players are a bit confused as to the true meaning of the payout report. This report is not reflective of your odds of winning at a particular game. It indicates what is the percentage of money coming into the online casino was paid out to winning players in a particular month. For instance, an overall payout average of 98% means that out of 100% money deposited by the players with the online, 98% of it made its way back to the players.
The worry for the white label skin sites is that others will follow in this trend which could spell certain doom. The affiliate programs are dependent on the major gambling sites which act as the lifeline for their business. For several years now the industry has been operating in a structure way that works like a pyramid. The affiliates essentially act as traffic generators that send plenty of traffic to the actual online casinos themselves. This formula seems to have worked well in the early and growing stages of the business but now some operators are questioning this system and have already started to break away from affiliate programs and white label skins. When it comes to the online casino business there are two types of players: the new players and the existing ones. If an online casino operator feels that it is necessary to focus on the core clients and to turn away from building a new client base then in fact they are less dependent on the affiliates. It is yet to be determined if this is just an experimental strategy or a permanent chance in how the industry is structured.
An online casino that receives the "Play It Safe" seal has to conform to these standards and offer the safest environment possible for practicing online gambling. Online casino sites applying for the coveted seal are evaluated among others for responsible gaming and player protection. The ten online casinos that have recently been added to eCOGRA's watch list include the Vegas Slot Casino, Vegas Joker, Colosseum Casino, Royal Plaza Casino, Vegas 7 Casino, Floridita Club Casino, Vegas Country Casino, Grand Casino Venice, Old Samurai Casino, and the Grand Hotel Casino. Ismael Diagne, Business Strategy Manager for the Mini Vegas group that runs all of the above mentioned online casino sites had this to say, There is significant value in the eCOGRA initiative in terms of increased business efficiency and as a highly professional vehicle to prove our commitment to superior service and fair gaming for the online casino player. In order to ensure compliance on the part of the online casino, eCOGRA runs a series of inspections conducted by some of the leading auditing firms on the market today. eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge says, "We expect to make further announcements early in 2006. Interest in the eCOGRA standards is growing from online casino players, online casinos, leading poker rooms and online casino software providers alike. Membership continues to be open to any online casino software provider that is prepared to commit to our goals and principles".
The online casino operator, reckoned to be a billionaire, is riding on a socialist platform. Online casinos have provided the backbone to internet entertainment and some of the money generated by this industry is now started to find its way into he political arena. Aaron Shaked is part of the wealthy family that runs several well known online casinos. After making a fortune in the online gambling business he has declared that he will run for politics in Israel where he lives. He has declared his support for the Labor Party and will be running on a socialist platform. Many politicians before Shaked came from entertainment backgrounds so why shouldn't this online casino mogul get involved as well? Online casino gambling is becoming more publicly accepted and despite pressure from the anti gambling lobby, there are more and more online casinos sprouting up everyday. For the most part, people from all over the world take part in online casino gambling. The question is whether the association with Shaked and the online casino business will have a positive or negative influence on his public standing.
Blackjack
Slots
Roulette
Baccarat
Craps
Poker
