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These are bad times for Macau casinos, as gross gaming revenue from the world's largest gambling center have shown a 49 percent decline this February. Macau's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau has revealed this troubling numbers for a month in which revenues should be much higher – the festive new Chinese Year season. In total, the Macau reported $2.44 billion in revenues last month – the worst reported since February 2011. This number amounts to some 19.5 billion Macanese patacas which were spent by gamblers at the region, a stark difference when compared to the 38 billion spent in February of 2014. Market in Steady Decline The new numbers are another part of a steady fall in China's big gambling region revenues, making it a ninth consecutive month of decline. Over the past year, Macau's six major casino operators have lost $89 billion in market value. The decline has been attributed first and foremost to winds in the Chinese government wanting to diversify Macau's economy away from gambling, as President Xi Jinping said when he visited the region back in December. VIP Players Drawn Back Another reason for the decline is believed to be found in China's ant-graft on corruption which began last summer, which affected high rollers and VIP players who deterred from playing in Macau. Another culprit is Macau's high prices. Analyst Ben Lee compared the price of a one-night hotel stay or a bet at a baccarat table in Macau to an average trip for a Chinese tourist from the mainland, sharpening the sense of Macau's high price and a reason why potential gamblers are swayed away from the region. Recovery on the Cards Despite the grim numbers, Macau is still the world leader in gaming revenues. Analysts are optimistic about recovery, saying that February figures were better than those estimated and believing that recovery is possible after mid-year due to operators not panicking and the opening of new resorts that will attract gamblers.
UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, the hearing has been postponed. Below is the text of our original article discussing the bill. The online industry is holding its collective breath. RAWA Threatens Online Gambling The bane of the online gambling movement, the proposed Restoration of America's Wire Act (RAWA), is in the process of being heard by the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. Written by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the bill would bring back broad prohibitions against wire transactions which would encompass interstate and state online gambling. With Chaffetz as an understandably strong proponent, a lack of effective speakers against the bill could result in what would be a worst-case scenario, the advance of the Bill to Congress for consideration as law. The bill specifically seeks to repeal the 2011 Department of Justice interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act allowing for legalized online gambling with the exception of sports betting. This interpretation provided the basis for the launch of online gambling in America, with the following three states first legalizing online gambling by voting to regulate it: Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey, giving rise to what remains a fledgling though landmark online gambling industry within the United States. Another Change in Interpretation? Chaffetz's bill could change all that, and the continued survival of online gambling in the US is at stake. While the growth of online gambling in Nevada and New Jersey especially signals that state governments could effectively regulate and benefit from allowing online gambling within their jurisdiction, the RAWA represents the opposing development--a newly drafted notion representing an opposing movement that could result in a potential federal mandate shutting it all down. Little Opposition Without sufficient opposition, the Bill will keep moving through the various channels of Congressional approval at the end of which lies legalization. As far as staunch opposing voices necessary to stem the tide, the Poker Players Alliance report that it is currently unclear if any pro-online poker interests will be represented at the House hearing, where more strong support advocating online gambling bans will be present in the person of online gambling ban proponent Sheldon Adelson. Drawing the Lines Today's subcomittee test for RAWA will define much more clearly how much traction the online gambling movement has gained in Washington, in addition to how much the banning movement has taken hold as well.
Casino Cruise has unveiled nine brand new slot games plus three new mobile casino games for players to experience this January. Incredibly, Casino Cruise already has a gaming library that has passed the 600 mark. And of those 600 games, more than 200 are also available on mobile devices. To build its gaming library, Casino Cruise has acquired games from some of the finest software developers in the industry. Among the represented developers are NetEnt, Microgaming, and NYX Gaming. New Slots Available 4 March From Wednesday 4 March, Casino Cruise users will be able to play a huge selection of new slot games. Why not start with an adventure to Forsaken Kingdom? Developer Rabcat Games has drawn inspiration from Arthurian tales to bring together the Knights of the Roundtable and the legendary blade of Excalibur. With St Patrick’s Day coming on Tuesday 17 March, Lucky Leprechaun will get you into the Irish spirit ahead of the near-global celebration. Faeries Fortune is another Irish-themed slot, but this time you can experience the game in HD quality. Moving towards Scandinavia, Vikings Quest will let you do battle while trying to secure a boat-load of winnings. Spell of Odin is another new slot that builds on the Viking vibes. You can wield magic as you try to conquer the Restless Sea. Spring is a time for holidays and partying, which is why Spiñata Grande can warm you up with its colourful fiesta vibes complimented by cheerful music from a mariachi band. For a more traditional party experience, Easter Eggs will get you thinking about delicious chocolate. Golden Princess is the penultimate new slot for March. In this slot, you will take an adventure through the jungle in search of a wealthy ancient kingdom. After finding the kingdom, Volcano Eruption will offer spectacular views to compliment what can be a lucrative slot experience. Mobile games Arrive 10 March A week later, Casino Cruise will launch three new mobile casino games based on existing versions currently available on desktop devices. After playing all of the slots above, it might be nice to relax with a few hands of cards in Vegas Strip Blackjack Gold. Meanwhile, Cherries Gone and Lucky Leprechaun further expand the mobile slot selection. Android users can access BETAT Mobile Casino on their smartphones and tablet devices. For Apple iOS users, they can access the site on the latest iPhones and iPads to experience Casino Cruise’s new games this March.
The first leg of the Coppa Italia Semifinal gets underway at 19:45 tonight with Fiorentina travelling to Juventus Stadium to face the Bianconeri. Coach Massimiliano Allegri is demanding a better performance from his side after they tied a 10-man Roma in Serie A action on March 2. Carlos Tevez scored on a masterful free kick but Roma tied it up with 12 minutes left to play, thanks to Seydou Keita’s equalizer. Team Focus Juventus are obviously the favorites tonight, having only lost one game in their last 23 appearances in all competitions. The White and Blacks are in excellent form so Allegri should not have much to worry about, but he needs to get the win at home for this first leg to ease the next game on April 7. Meanwhile, Fiorentina haven’t lost a game in their last twelve and that includes a big win against Roma 2-0 on February 3 and a huge win against Inter 1-0, which improved their Serie A standing to fifth place. Egyptian born Mohamed Salah has been incredible off the bench scoring three goals in four games, still on loan from Chelsea. "I wanted to make the most of Salah's extraordinary form, that is why I chose him ahead of Alberto Gilardino," related Coach Vincenzo Montella. Live In-Play Betting Fiorentina are the underdogs tonight, according to the listing by bet365 sports, but that could be the best bet for punters interested in this game. Juventus are listed at 1.57 pre-game, a draw is 4.00 and a win outright by the visitors is 6.00. Throughout the game, punters can bet with live in-play lines, an incredibly interactive way to watch the Coppa Italia Semifinal. It’ll be a great match tonight featuring two rivals that have a long history against one another. Don’t miss out on the first leg of the Semifinal and test your online wagering skill by choosing a live in-play betting prop with bet365 sports.
Spring has arrived bringing with it an interesting initiative from software developer Play'n GO. Throughout March and into mid-April, players at online casinos powered by Play'n GO will be given a chance to win a 9-day trip for two to South Africa's safari including accommodation, tours and €1,000 in spending money. Apart from the safari trip, players will also be able to win 2 iPads and 1 MacBook Air. This colorful offer will accompany the release of Easter Eggs, a new video slot hitting casinos March 18 on desktops and mobiles. New 'Easter Eggs' Slot The 5-reel, 20-payline Easter Eggs brings the holiday spirit to life with cute Easter bunnies, lambs, roosters and a host of prize-filled Easter eggs. The slot features two kinds of scatter symbols for free spins and a game where players open eggs for coins. The wild symbol is a golden egg that substitutes for other symbols save for scatters, helping players to complete winning combinations. Easter Eggs also includes a gamble round where players can try to multiply their prize by correctly guessing the color/suit of a face-down card. How to Take Part Players will receive a raffle ticket for every accumulated wager of £/$/€20 they place on Easter Eggs at Play'n GO online casinos between March 20 – April 10. The more tickets, the better chances to win. One lucky Safari trip winner will be randomly drawn and announced on April 13, 2015. For the iPads and MacBook, players who wagered an accumulated sum of at least £/$/€50 on Easter Eggs will participate in three raffles which will be held March 27, April 3 and April 10. Participating Casinos Play'n GO's Eastern offer with all its prizes will be available at online casinos powered by the software including Unibet Casino, BetVictor Casino, Vera and John, LeoVegas and Casino Euro.
On Friday, March 6, the incredible EuroMillions Lottery will be rolling out yet another SuperDraw. This time around, the jackpot is an unbelievable €100 Million and it is the largest EuroMillions lottery of 2015. The EuroMillions SuperDraw is usually to celebrate an anniversary or special occasion, but this Friday’s draw is not an especially important day. However, if you win the grand prize, the day will become unforgettable. Get EuroMillions SuperDraw Tickets Online You do not need to live in Europe to get your hands on a ticket to the SuperDraw this Friday, as online lottery tickets are still available. Online lottery tickets agents like TheLotter, Play Huge Lottos and EuroLotto are each selling online tickets and offer real-time results so you do not need to wait around to find out if you have won anything. These agents are trustworthy and their sites are secure so buying a ticket is safe and easy. Grand Prize: €100 Million Have you considered what can be done with €100 million? How about anything that your heart desires. You could buy properties around the world and a fleet of fancy sports cars to park in the driveways. You could buy your family and friends tickets for trips to the most beautiful vacation hot spots and still have a ton of money left over to donate to the charity of your choice. The EuroMillions has thirteen prize tiers of secondary prizes. The lowest category offers a 1-13 chance of winning and all of these prizes can be claimed online. This Friday could be the day your life changes forever, but it will not happen unless you get a ticket to the EuroMillions SuperDraw.
After NBA commissioner Adam Silver openly called for its regulation last November, the plight for sports betting legalization in the US has gotten additional weighty support in the image of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. Credit to NBA Commissioner Back in November, NBA commissioner Adam Silver published a New York Times op-ed calling for legalization and regulation of sports betting. Silver has been trying to rally his fellow commissioners from the MLB, NFL and NHL and it seems that a least for some part, his labor is starting to bear fruit. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred gave the credit to Adam Silver for igniting the discussion, saying: "Without embracing everything he said, certainly the idea of having a federal system to govern gambling -- whatever that system is -- uniformity at a federal level seems like a pretty good idea to me". Conversation on Regulation Needed Furthermore, during a talk with ESPN's "Outside the Lines", Manfred said: "Gambling in terms of our society has changed its presence on legalization. I think it’s important for there to be a conversation between me and the owners about what our institutional position will be". Manfred's remarks are very substantial in the sense that the MLB has been one of the staunchest opponents of sports betting legalization, as the league's history includes some gambling related scandals like the Black Sox Scandal of the 1919 World Series. Millions in Lost Revenues While Manfred certainly doesn't look as passionate as Silver is on the issue, his openness could advance the much-needed discussion on the perks of sports betting regulation in the US. As Adam Silver claimed, no regulation of sports betting means millions lost in potential revenues for the state. The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimated that Americans have made about $3.8 billion in illegal bets on last month's Super Bowl. If other big players in the major professional sports leagues join Adam Silver and Rob Manfred's positive approach, legalized sports betting could become an up and coming reality.
The world-renowned casino software developer is showing its generous side with its gift of giving initiative that is designed to help charities from around the world through money donations. This is not the first time Microgaming made waves with its charitable approach and the initiative was first introduced in 2013, around the Christmas holiday season. Charitable Giving The way the gift of giving initiative works is very simple. Microgaming clients and business contacts are asked to share their opinion on charities from four different regions. The ones that get the most votes in their regions will receive a donation from the software developer. Last year, the chosen charities were WWF, Chiva, the British Red Cross and the Cure Cancer Australia Foundation. This Year's Recipients In December 2014, the initiative continued and after the votes were in, the charities selected to receive donations from Microgaming are Medecines Sans Frontieres in Africa, White Ribbon in Australia, Change Heroes in Asia, and the Hospice Isle of Man selected for the “rest of the world” region. Each of these charities received £7,500 in order to help them help other people in need. The initiative has seen a lot of success in these two years and it is a product of the PlayItForward branch of Microgaming. About Microgaming PlayItForward Microgaming’s CSR Programme is a longstanding branch which has been focusing on charity, health, education, sport and community. PlayItForward was created in 2014 by Microgaming and it is an initiative that covers all the aspects from the program and helps communities both on a local and on an international scale. The software developer also has a Health & Care Trust which is independent from the main company and has been able to support charities and get involved in local projects for health since 2002. With decades of tradition, Microgaming will continue to be one of the biggest and one of the most charitable operators in the business.
The 24th Bundesliga game week kicks off this Friday evening at the Mercedes-Benz Arena where home team Stuttgart will fight for survival against visitors Hertha Berlin (19:30 UK time). The teams already met in Berlin back in October in a match which ended 3:2 in favor of Hertha. Stuttgart's Life on the Line Stuttgart sits at the very bottom of the Bundesliga table with 19 points and a goal difference of -17. They won 4 matches, lost 12 and drawn 12. Stuttgart's last Bundesliga victory took place back in mid-December, an away 0-1 victory over Hamburg. A respectable club with a strong fan base, Stuttgart is in a dire position that could very well lead it to the second league by last year. The team needs 3 points from this match like air to breath. Last week's game against Hannover ended a 1-1 draw, but Stuttgart has shown improvement on the pitch and they could take on Hertha with enough willpower and effort. Hertha in a Tight Spot While not as bad off as the host, Hertha Berlin is in a tight spot at the Bundesliga and it needs the 3 points not lesser than Stuttgart. The Berliners are positioned 14th in the league with 24 points (7w, 3d, 13l), with a goal difference of -14. Hertha has been struggling to score lately although they did manage to squeeze out a 1-0 against Augsburg last week, a narrow win that got them a little farther from the relegation zone. Hertha meets a team sharing the same type of urgency to get points from the game, and that might bring the end score to be a draw. Betting Odds Winner Sports offered 1/1 on Stuttgart, 29/10 on Hertha and 12/5 for a draw in full time result. Punters can tune-in before and during the game for pre-match and in-play bets going down to the smallest of resolutions. Don't miss this German thriller today.
Ninja Master arrives at Slots Magic and the casino also boasts some large winners this month. Let's take a look. New Game: Ninja Master Slots Magic has just launched a brand new slot game on the site: Ninja Master by SkillOnNet software provider. The Japanese-themed game has 5 reels, 20 paylines and presents all its graphics in stellar 3D. Special features include Autoplay, Free Spins, a Gamble Feature, Multipliers and Sticky Wild Symbols. Even for players who are not Japanese-enthusiasts, there is something quite alluring about the game; perhaps the possibility of big payouts. Slots Magic Big Winners Ninja Master isn’t the only excitement that has occurred recently at Slots Magic. Over the past month, a number of players have gone on winning streaks, taking home thousands of euros without risking too much money. Here are some of the big winners from the past month: Odense56 won 1,361.39 DKK playing the Forrest Gump slot at Slots Magic. The Forrest Gump slot, produced by Cryptologic, is a 5-reel, 25-payline slot, and it brings the classic movie icons and characters to life as players try to hit the jackpot. A box of chocolates is the Scatter symbol, and a Forrest Gump poster is the Wild. Other features include the Run Forrest Run feature, Autoplay and Free Spins. Another Slots Magic Player, Rosanna1610, won 1,663.49 EUR playing Fun Fair Ride. This SkillOnNet game is a wonderfully fun, 3D adventure that showcases summertime through lively graphics and sound effects. Fun Fair Ride is a progressive jackpot, as well as a standard jackpot with a maximum $40,000 payout! And Rosanna1610 wasn’t the only player to win big at Fun Fair Ride. Doffer, a fellow Slots Magic player, won over 2000 EUR while playing the same game! While there are only 10 paylines in this SkillOnNet game, it seems that players are getting lucky anyway, perhaps due to the Free Spin round and Second Screen bonus. Of course, there have been many other winners at Slots Magic, some winning more and some less. One of the keys to winning, according to an anonymous winner, is not to get discouraged. Obviously, winning every now and then certainly helps maintain morale.
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