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Online gambling is a hot topic right now, with many US states looking towards regulating it and a federal bill that, at the same time, seeks to ban it. With all the hoopla surrounding online gambling, there has ended up being some confusion about what is myth and what is fact. A new web memo published at Competitive Enterprise Institute endeavored to separate fact from fiction. They pointed out that the main myth about online gambling is that it leads to crime and money laundering. But really, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Below is a list of some of the most popular myths masquerading as facts - and why they are, in fact, just plain wrong. Myth #1: Online Gambling Leads to Crime and Money Laundering As of now, there are two online gambling markets for American players: A very small one in the United States, which consists of only three states, and an offshore, illegal gambling market, where many Americans play for lack of legal American sites. Regulating online gambling will not lead to crime; in fact, crime is much more likely to happen on illegal sites, which are not regulated and where consumers are not protected. In fact, the only places that consumers are protected is on regulated online gambling sites. Here’s why: Depositing and withdrawing large sums of money at online casinos requires compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the USA Patriot Act - two of the most powerful anti-money laundering tools today. Compliance with these acts, however, is not required for offshore online gambling sites. Player-to-player money transfers are illegal in regulated online casinos, which is another way that money laundering is prevented. In regulated online casinos, players are strictly limited by their locations. All three states that have thus far legalized online gambling - Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware - use the most sophisticated geolocation technology that simply blocks anyone not located within state boundaries. This is yet another way that regulated gambling protects players and prevents money-laundering. Myth #2: Online Gambling Won’t Bring in Any Revenue While all beginnings are difficult and the revenue of online gambling might not be as large as what was originally projected (for the three states that have legalized it), the industry is still generating revenue. And there is more for the taking, if online gambling is regulated. The fact is, between 2003 and 2010, Americans spent a staggering $30 billion on offshore and overseas gambling websites. If online gambling were regulated in the States, that money could be going into national coffers. Myth #3: Online Gambling Will Lead to Underage Gambling The technology used by regulated online gambling sites is far superior to the security at brick-and-mortar casinos. At online casinos, players must submit to a "Know Your Customer" check, which includes names being run through a licensed third-party or government database. This effectively shuts down underage gambling. (By the way, in New Jersey, players with criminal convictions are not allowed to play at all at online casinos - another way money-laundering is prevented!) Myth #4: Online Gambling Will Lead to Gambling Addiction Online gambling is no more addictive than gambling that takes place at brick-and-mortar casinos. For those who say that online gambling will create a casino on every phone and thus make gambling addiction more prevalent, we refer them to the numbers in Myth #3 - $30 billion spent on gambling sites in 7 years. Americans are gambling no matter what - and prohibiting gambling is not going to stop them. And if they are gambling anyway, you might as well give them a safe platform to play on - one that has the technology to spot addictive behaviors and to offer resources for help. Americans Want to Play Too As the situation stands now, millions of players outside of the United States play at totally safe and legitimate online casinos like Tivoli Casino, Real Deal Bet Casino and PlayFrank Casino. There is no reason why Americans shouldn’t be able to do the same.
Play’n GO is getting into the Christmas spirit and after launching Xmas Joker in November, it is now getting ready for another great release. The slot machine Wizard of Gems is scheduled to be launched on December 10th and is sure to make this Christmas a very special one for players who will enjoy the magical theme. The slot will be made available at some of the best online casinos in the business, like Tivoli Casino, SpinEmpire and Prospect Hall Casino. A Colorful Theme with Gems The software provider made the slot machine look amazing as the cartoonish wizard can be found alongside the reels filled with colorful gems of different shapes. There are 20 fixed paylines available on each spin to generate prizes and the rewarding features help make wins very frequent. There are a total of seven regular symbols in the game represented by gems and their payouts are determined by their frequency on the rollers. Intense animations will help highlight wins and the special features. Features Ranging from Wilds to Free Spins and More Since the symbols are magical, they will vanish after they create a win and will make room for others to fall in the respective columns for the chance of getting new winning combinations and thus continue the streak. The multiplier on the top of the screen will increase from 1 to 2 to 3 to 5 with each consecutive win obtained with the help of the cascading reels. Wild symbols are shown as the spell book used by the powerful wizard and the star is the scatter symbol in charge of awarding free spins. At least one wild symbol is guaranteed for each round during the free spins but this number can easily go up to nine wild symbols at the same time for really big combinations. Free spins can be re-triggered with three additional star symbols, up to a total of 50 rounds.
Week 14 of the NFL regular season kicks off tonight with the Vikings at the Cardinals. The Vikings were embarrassed last week, losing 38-7 at home against the Seahawks and are in a troubling position looking forward to the post-season. The Vikings’ ability to win important games has once again come under scrutiny this past week, and they face a Cardinals team that is 10-2 and becoming one of the favorites for the playoffs. Minnesota will be without many of their best players this week, out with injuries. Linval Joseph, Harrison Smith and Anthony Barr did not practice this week and will be off the roster tonight. To add insult to injury, the Vikings are 1-15 when playing on the road and broadcast on national TV. The Vikes do have one excellent thing going for them and that is of course Adrian Peterson, but as we watched last week, the MVP candidate can be stopped. We will need to see a much better game from Terry Bridgewater if the Purple and Gold are to beat the Cardinals. Bridgewater is no stranger of the Cardinals, having helped Minnesota beat them in his first NFL action back in 2014 preseason when he came in with the Vikings trailing 28-24 and led them to victory 30-28. The Cardinals are dominating the NFC West and have won six straight games. They are in front of the Seahawks, whom crushed Minnesota last week and for Arizona, tonight’s game looks like the best-case scenario. They are relatively healthy, look to be improving every week, and are favorites to win tonight according to all odds posted by bet365 and other leading online sportsbooks. Thursday Night Betting The Vikings are way behind in the odds to win outright tonight. Bet365 Sports has them at 4.20, while the Cardinals are at 1.25. There are 216 individual props posted at the famed UK sportsbook, with Live in Play bets ready to rock n roll throughout tonight’s game. Punters that want to maximize profits should take advantage of the special offers at bet365 like their 100% deposit offer, or the Parlay deal, which will give punters the chance to win 50% more on American pre-game parlays; valid for tonight’s match-up.
Just a bit over a month before 2016 comes around; Golden Riviera Mobile Casino has released four new games to its mobile catalog. There is an all-new sports slot, as well as a three-piece “so many” series of slots that promise hours of fun while on the go. Basketball Star This new exciting basketball-themed sports slot is brought to Golden Riviera Mobile by Microgaming. This game is based on another successful Microgaming gem called “Rugby Star” but this new edition is a game not to be taken for granted. While playing Basketball Star, the sounds and graphics will make you feel like you are on the hard court and with numerous bonus and free spins options available, there are a number of ways to maximize winnings. Players will surely recognize many of the highflying basketball stars that have been taken straight from the NBA and transformed them into characters in this new slot game. So Many Games The next special November release is actually a trio of slots called “So Many.” There is So Many Monsters, So Much Candy and So Much Sushi. Players seeking a thrill should test their hand at So Many Monsters, as this game is packed with some frightening, yet friendly monsters that are on the reels, in the bonus rounds and hiding behind virtually every corner. For players that like the Candy-style games, So Much Candy will be perfect for them. Sweet tooth games have become as popular as candy itself. The reels are full of the sweet stuff and with a number of special offers for mobile players; it is only a matter of time until sweet winnings begin to appear. So Much Sushi takes players on a Japanese foodie adventure as the Maki and Nigiri begin to pile up. Be sure that this game does not leave you hungry as the red Tuna, Orange Salmon and other prized sushi pieces are on all reels, all the time.
PlayGrand Casino has earned its place in OCR’s Casino in the Spotlight series after rolling out a number of features to improve the overall standard. Online casinos should always try to improve, and OCR is happy to report that PlayGrand has invested in making some extremely positive improvements to the playing experience. UK Gaming Licence Added The first of the key changes has been the acquisition of a UK Gambling Commission licence to ensure legal access for players residing in Great Britain. All other players’ rights are subject to the Curacao licence that also held by PlayGrand. So Many Mobile Slots PlayGrand has got an enormous selection of mobile slots that can be played on iPads, iPhones, and Android devices upgraded to their current respective operating systems. Players can use their preferred device to go play titles like James Dean, King of Slots, Medusa 2, Taco Brothers, Psycho, Zorro, Pandamania, and Big Foot. Mobile blackjack and roulette games are also made available. NetEnt Games Players can have access to all of the latest NetEnt slots to hit the market. This renowned developer is just as effective at creating licensed slots as it is for making original content. For every South Park or Dracula, you also have Gonzo’s Quest or Hooks Heroes. Many of the titles are also available as NetEnt Touch versions for mobile access. All in all, the NetEnt selection is strong here. Welcome Offer Too High? One question mark about PlayGrand is the sheer size of the welcome offer. New players are promised a 200% boost for their first deposit, with a €10,000 ceiling quoted. The scale of the offer is far above the industry average, which could raise questions for some. However, it is reassuring to see that the wagering requirements are 35x. That is quite fair within the industry, as some casinos will hold you to 50x requirements or higher. Non-Responsive Site Design PlayGrand has gone against the industry trend of designing sites that will automatically readjust depending on the device used to access them. Unfortunately, PlayGrand does not have a responsive design that will fit within the web browsers of smaller screens.
Another country is ready to regulate online gambling. The Ukraine Proposition This time it's Ukraine, where the Ministry of Finance has officially proposed legalizing all economic operations of casinos, bookmakers' offices and online gambling. Published Tuesday on the ministry's website on Tuesday, the bill calls the creation of a national service for gambling that will regulate through issuing licenses to gaming establishments, as an operation to be coordinated by the Cabinet of Ministers. In a country where online casinos such as Tivoli Casino, Slotty Vegas Casino and Winner Casino are already popular with players, the bill would permit application of entities in the territory of the Ukraine who show charter capital of over EUR 2 million in fluidity to organize and offer gambling. Borrowed funds will not be accepted. A single operator on lottery will also be introduced, which will be required to submit a tender to the national service for gambling to obtain licensure. Areas Addressed The comprehensive bill specifies requirements pertaining to the building of casinos, providing minimum numbers for equipment (tables, gambling slot machines and other equipment) and employee ranks, fixed to the city or district size and economic outlook. The fee range for a one-year license for land-based casinos varies is EUR 300,000-1 million, with a flat fee for online casinos of EUR 1.5 million. Zoning requirements have also been offered in the bill proposal to address size of office according to buildings in which they are placed, with bookmakers offices zone for online operation. Two licenses will be required according to the plan. The first is an EUR 1.5 million fee for bookmaker transactions and a business place opening fee of EUR 1,500-3,000 depending on the city or town. Industry Impact It is always a big moment for iGaming when a new country adopts regulation, because every new national model for regulation provides more solutions for common problems facing countries which have been unable to this point to resolve their own policy issues in the greater interest of harnessing the benefits of added state revenue which regulated online gambling can bring to any national economy.
The French first division is surprising on so many levels that even savvy punters are staying away from many of these matches. Caen and Rennes are two of the teams that perform better than expected, scoring plenty of goals on the road against tough opponents. Now that they meet at Roazhon Park, it is only fair to expect a high scoring match that should please the eye and offer some lucrative betting options. Lille Ends Caen's Invincibility Caen has been a streaky team this season, and alternated winning streaks with several games lost in a row. November was a pretty good month for them and they managed to win at least one point regardless of opponent and banking. It was Lille that finally ended the invincibility after scoring twice on the road and the penalty conceded with 18 minutes left in the match was not enough to change anything. The home side is particularly dangerous against offensive teams, but they have the ability to recover after conceding an early goal. They’ve done it several times this season, so even if Rennes comes out firing on all cylinders and scores first, the hosts are not to be underestimated. A Propensity for High Scoring Goals Rennes actually lost fewer games than Caen, despite the fact that they sit seven points below in the standings and have seven points fewer. The team settled for one point in many games and only a fraction of those fixtures were actually scoreless draws. Over the last two months, the team was defeated only by PSG and Marseille, besides the stunning home defeat to then in-form Nice. This is the kind of match where it is hard to predict the winner, but punters might not have to do it, if they have an account with bet365 Sports. The bookmaker offers odds of 11/10 on more than 2.5 goals to be scored, an outcome that even covers the 2-2 draw that Rennes is so famous for.
The flagship American lottery, the Powerball, is about to make a new millionaire and this time the winner is competing for a massive jackpot of $164 million. This is the estimated value of the first prize, which grew at an accelerated pace since November 7 when the last player hit the winning combination. A record number of people purchased tickets for the Wednesday draw, but none of them managed to win the first prize, so many more are expected to participate on Saturday. Lottery tickets are now available online thanks to agents such as Play Huge Lottos, Play USA Lotteries and TheLotter, which drives up the number of lottery tickets sold these days. Everyone Benefits from Powerball Draws The success of the Powerball can be partially explained by the high jackpots, but there is more than meets the eye about this famous American lottery. The proceeds from Powerball benefit will benefit education in American states, as the lottery has returned billions since its inception. Millions of students have benefited from the support, so it is only fair to say that the lottery is here to stay. A Powerball tickets only costs two dollars per play, so anyone can afford to participate and the return on investment is fantastic. Winning the $164 million jackpot is the best case scenario, but even second-tier prizes can change one’s life for the better. The odds of winning any prize are about one in 25, while the chances to claim the jackpots are won in 292 million. A Difficult Decision to Make Now that the jackpot revolves around $164 million, the cash option has also surged to almost $100 million. The winner will have to make a difficult decision and choose between a larger amount paid over 29 years and 30 payments and claiming the jackpot at once. Many prefer the latter, even though choosing the cash option will result in the forfeit of a significant amount.
Sometimes, luck smiles upon you. And in the case of Rodney Meadows, a resident of Modesto, California, luck smiled upon him twice in one day. On November 23, Meadows won two lottery jackpots: One of $10 thousand, and one of $10 million. Meadows was out running errands when he decided to buy a few $30 California Lottery 30th anniversary scratch tickets. When he won $1000 with one of them, a hunch told him to buy three more tickets - the last three tickets left on the row. It turned out to be a pretty amazing hunch. With one of those tickets, he won an unbelievable $10 million and became an instant millionaire. Meadows told lottery officials, “I could not believe it. I had to ask the clerk at the store, and he said, ‘You better check it again on the machine.’” Greg Parashak, the lottery spokesman, said that the chances of a person winning the jackpot are 1-in-3-million. A History of Winning These are not the first lotto wins for Meadows; in the past he had also won $1000 two times. In fact, he is an avid lottery player, who bought four to five lottery tickets every week. These are also not the first winning lottery tickets that the Modesto Fast Mart has sold; last month they sold a $25,000 ticket and two months ago they sold a $30,000 ticket. Since Meadows’ most recent win, the Modesto Fast Mart has been flooded with customers who are purchasing lottery tickets with the hopes of becoming the next big winner. Online Lottery Tickets While Meadows purchased his tickets at a store, more and more people are turning to the internet to buy their lottery tickets, just like more and more people are turning to online casinos as opposed to land-based casinos. Popular online lottery tickets sites include The Lotter, Play USA Lotteries and Play Huge Lottos.
Ready, aim, fire! Microgaming’s newest slot game, Bullseye, has just been released to Microgaming and Quickfire operators, including Gaming Club Casino, Real Deal Bet Casino and 10Bet Casino. The new slot takes it name from the UK's famous 1980s television game show, Bullseye, which was based on the game of darts and involved three pairs of contestants competing against one another for prizes. It ran from 1981 until 1995 and was hosted by comedian Jim Bowen. Microgaming has managed to capture the thrill of the beloved game show and recreate it as a slot game, available on both desktop and mobile devices. And like the game show, players can test their mettle - and their aim - while competing for many luxurious prizes. About the Game Bullseye is a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 243 ways to win. Symbols include prizes that were often featured on the popular game show, including a speedboat, car and caravan. The dart symbol acts like a wild multiplier during regular play. When the prize board symbol appears on reels one and five, a special bonus round is triggered, featuring Bully, the game show’s dart-throwing mascot. During the bonus round, players can throw darts at the board for a chance to win prizes worth as much as 15 times the total bet for each thrown dart. If that isn't enough, when three or more scatter symbols appear on the reels, the free spins bonus is triggered, which happens to be retriggerable. In the free spins bonus, players have all their wins doubled, and an additional scatter pays out between 5 and 100 times the original bet. About Microgaming Launched in 1994, Microgaming is a world-leading pioneer in the online gaming industry. To date, Microgaming has created over 800 casino games, and is always coming up with new themes and special features for their players' enjoyment.
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