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Republicans and Democrats worked together last week in a rare show of bipartisan partnership in order to pass a government spending and tax package - and RAWA, the Restoration of America’s Wire Act, was not included in it. RAWA is a bill that was proposed by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, but the real force behind it is Sheldon Adelson, the notorious online gambling opponent. The bill would see the Wire Act revert to an old interpretation that would render online gambling illegal across the United States, including in those states that have already legalized it. RAWA did not make it into the last spending package of the year, as the majority of lawmakers thought that it was not an important enough issue. Not a Good Year for RAWA RAWA may also have been shunned due a recent hearing at the beginning of the month, which was meant to push the bill forward, but ended up making it look like an embarrassment. The bill was heard by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the overall sense of the hearing was that RAWA supporters have absolutely no facts to back them up. Now, because RAWA has failed to make it into the 2015 spending package, supporters (namely, Chaffetz and Adelson) will have to wait another whole year before being able to try again. Online Gambling in America As of now, three states have legalized online gambling in America: Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. Each one has been successful in implementing geolocation technologies and restricting minors from using the sites. Other states, such as Pennsylvania and California, have also considered regulating online gambling in the past year, but were not able to muster enough support to get their respective bills passed. Now that RAWA is not a threat (at least not for another year), more states might seriously consider legalizing online gambling within their borders.
Perfect Pairs and 21+3 are two new Blackjack games from Realistic Games that are now available to play at quality online sites like LeoVegas Casino, bet365 Casino and Ladbrokes Casino. The new releases are designed to give players more options, and the casinos more opportunities for generating revenue. About The Games Perfect Pairs has been available at land based casinos in London, Macau and Australia, but now moves online with this new release. It plays out like a regular multi-deck Blackjack game, but players are able to choose a side bet that wins if the first two cards dealt out are any pair. A Perfect Pair occurs when two identical cards are drawn from the decks, for a 25/1 payout, while a Coloured Pair are two cards of the same rank, but different suits, like the King of Hearts and King of Diamonds, which has odds of 12/1. 21+3 is an intriguing blend of Blackjack and Poker, where a side bet can be placed on the first two cards, and the Dealers up card making up a Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind or Straight Flush. A payout of 9/1 is awarded in the event of any of these combinations being drawn. Commenting on the new releases, the commercial director for Realistic Games, Andy Harris has said ''Our Blackjack is very popular, but these two side bet games will only add to the thrill of playing it and the impressive returns for those who operate it.'' About Realistic Games Realistic Games is a British based developer who produce a range of titles that can be played on mobile devices or via desktop PC's and laptops. They produce a full range of Roulette, card games, slots and fixed odds games on their proprietary ReGal platform. Perfect Pairs and 21+3 are both licensed by Games Marketing for use in many countries around the world, including the U.K. market.
Most people would be happy with a new tablet computer, coffee machine or even a pair of socks for Christmas, but one person could be around $227 million richer, (minus taxes), by the big day if they win the US Powerball lottery jackpot on Wednesday 23rd December. That would buy a lot of socks, and thanks to online services like TheLotter, PlayHugeLottos and PlayUSALotteries, the winner could come from just about anywhere in the world. This magic becomes a reality thanks to the advent of online lottery tickets; many all around the world have parted with queuing up at lottery retailers, buying their lottery tickets online. Only recently, a man from Iraq won $6.4 million in the Oregon Lottery by purchasing an online lottery ticket using TheLotter. About The US Powerball Draw To win the jackpot, players will have to match 5 numbers from a pool of 69, plus a single Powerball number from a second pool of 26. Tickets cost $2 per entry, but a further $1 PowerPlay option can multiply lower level prizes by up to 5x. Jackpots have reached over the $500 million mark, and are either paid as a lump sum, with taxes due, or with a smaller single payment, followed by further amounts over a number of years, which in the long term will result in a bigger payout. The draws are held in Tallahassee Florida, and the cut-off time for buying tickets is 10PM EST on the night. Anyone buying online needs to note the time difference, as Florida is 5 hours behind the U.K., 6 hours behind mainland Europe and of course, 3 hours ahead of California. Online services work by players choosing numbers and purchasing tickets from wherever they may be, and should they win a prize, it will be forwarded to their bank account. If a major win is hit, they can even collect the prize in person.
The Utah Jazz have not won three games straight this season since April 1, and that may remain the case, as they travel to California to face the league leading Golden State Warriors tonight. The Warriors may have lost its first game of the season, but no one has beat them at home in the last 30 games straight, and they are an amazing 49 out of 50 in Oakland. Utah beat the Nuggets and the Suns in back to back games, which was the fifth time this year that they have won two-straight, but facing Steph Curry and the blazing Golden State Warriors is an entirely different game, and odds are that the Jazz will go home with yet another road loss. Utah is in 8th place in the Western Conference with a record of 12-14. They face the defending NBA Champions coming off a big win against the Bucks, the same team that handed them their only loss this season. The Warriors will be looking at tonight’s game as a training scenario for their massive Christmas match-up against the Cavaliers for the first time since beating them in the NBA Finals last year. The last time these teams face one another was on November 30 in which Curry lead a fierce Warriors’ comeback in the fourth quarter to victory 106-103 in Salt Lake City. Curry scored 10 points in the final six minutes of the game in true MVP style. Utah’s defense has been like a wall over the last two games, holding both Denver and Phoenix to 39.2% shooting and 25% on 3’s. Speaking about his team’s defensive success, Head Coach Quin Snyder related, “When we're precise and committed on defense, usually good things happen the rest of the game. Usually we take care of the ball and do things like that." NBA Live Betting and Pre Game Odds Bet365 Sports is well known for its competitive and attractive betting markets in all sports, but the NBA stands out as a way for punters to make serious cash on all games. Combining pre-game and live in play bets are a great way to maximize profits and bet interactively as the game plays out. The Warriors are huge favorites tonight and it may be worthless to bet on the Jazz. The Warriors have needed to comeback to win games so perhaps a bet on the Race to 20 Points – Jazz 3.20, while the Warriors are 1.33, could be the best bet.
For a few years now, many of the biggest names in iGaming have had their sights set on the growing Latin American online gaming industry. With a population of more than half a billion people combined, Latin America is a virtually untapped resource with massive potential. Until recently, many governments in Latin America have had outdated laws pertaining to online gambling. Countries like Mexico are now in the process of changing Mexican gaming laws, in order to combat corruption and generate the most impact on national budget. Numerous operators have already made their move into the Mexican industry, with Caliente Casino and Jackpot City Casino being the most popular with the local population. Brazil is another example of slow and naïve bureaucratic system that has not yet passed legislation for national reform regarding the issue. With the Brazilian economy hovering around record lows there have been new bills, which among other things would threaten foreign operators from proving iGaming services. Some popular foreign operators in the Brazilian market include big names like Tivoli Casino and bet365 Casino. The Next Step The Latin American market has been avoided by many operators due to the history of political instability and weak economy. That has changed in many of its countries over the last ten years. In Argentina, Casino Estrella and Winner Casino are examples of how a local brand and a foreign one work side by side and become the most popular brands therein. The Latin American population is incredibly mobile savvy and young, which are two huge markets to consider. Chile has a booming mobile gambling market with local iGaming leaders 888 Casino and 7Regal Casino offering optimized mobile casino gaming to Chileans. Sights Set on 2016 2016 will be a huge year for hard-line decisions regarding online and land-based gambling in Latin America. There have already been some of the biggest conferences in the world that have taken place in Argentina and Brazil. Casino Fantasia's Latin American Manager, Victor Arias understands the potential in Latin American, "It is really important to recognize the interesting growth and interest from the biggest companies all around the world to conquest a market with a population of over 600 million people in 27 countries which are having an important economic growth and the power of acquisition is getting better every day." He believes more investors will flock to the Latin American market based on these factors. Even international software developers have plans to better reach the Latin American industry. Austria-based NOVOMATIC have plans to open local offices in Central and South America to better serve local operators. There are already games designed, which are designed for Latin American players and the future looks very bright for continued growth. With the New Year just a couple of weeks away, it's exciting to think about what's in store for the Latin American online gambling industry will evolve into. There is currently shaky infrastructure in place, but new foundations are being poured with every new government decision made. The potential is too great to overlook for job creation and new budgets due to online gambling profits. It may be slow going, but perhaps that is exactly what is needed in order to make a strong, lawful online gambling industry in Latin American countries.
A video game giant is making its foray into online gambling. EA's New Division EA, perhaps the most well-known US video games developer, is planning to launch a new competitive gaming division. The move is designed to harness the growing popularity of eSports; EA will integrate global eSports contest across its most popular titles. Catching the Wave Following the example of online sportsbooks such as Winner Sports, Betway eSports and bet365 Sports whose eSports offerings have already been a hit with their users, EA has opened a new Competitive Gaming Division. CGD will be driven by EA Sports household titles such as FIFA and Madden NFL, and also bring in non-sports games such as Battlefield to offer competitive contexts to as wide a range of users as possible. EA chief operating officer Peter Moore will take the reins of the eSports division as executive vice-president and chief competition officer, serving out his current role for 2016 before taking on his new position heading the CGD on a full-time basis. EA eSports strategy EA Sports chief executive Andrew Wilson said the new division will be built around three core pillars of competition, community and entertainment. Wilson also mentioned a plan for developing live events and broadcasting that will bring spectacles of competition to millions global viewers. The technical strategy is to ultimately replace standard gaming modes with automated eSports modes. The eSports market has experienced significant growth over the past 12 months, hosting new partnership as more and more operators offering betting options on eSports contexts. What are eSports? eSports are technologically mediated competitions where the input of players and teams are integrated within the eSports support technology across computer interfaces so that they are mediated by interactions between humans and digital technology. Vicarious achievement, escapism, acquiring knowledge and novelty have all been identified as components of increased user engagement for eSports spectators. Some of the most popular eSports games today include StarCraft 2, Counter-Strike and CS:GO, DOTA 2, and League of Legends. They gained popularity as new ways to engage online gamblers, and their popularity and technological prowess has led to eSports taking off as a spectator sport as well.
The second to last week of the NFL 2015 regular season gets underway tonight with a feature game between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders. Neither of these teams will make the playoffs this year trailing both the Broncos and the Chiefs in the AFC West. The Raiders have a 6-8 record going into this game, while the Chargers are underdogs to win at 4-10. Key Matchups Latavius Murray vs Chargers D-Line The ball will definitely be in the hands of Running Back Latavius Murray, as he needs just 44 yards to become the first Raiders RB to go over 1,000 since 2010. Although his team is struggling, Murray leads the AFC with 956 rushing yards and 5 TD's. Murray could have a heyday with the Chargers' defense, as they are not known for their protection against the run. Teams this year are averaging around 120 rush yards per game against San Diego and that will need to change if they are to beat the Raiders in Oakland tonight. Charles Woodson vs Philip Rivers Charles Woodson announced his retirement from the NFL after this season, but that does not mean that he will be giving another stellar performance for the last time at O.co Coliseum in front of his home fans. There has even been talks that Woodson may be put in the game as a Wide Receiver and to return kicks, something he did in College before turning pro. Chargers QB Philip Rivers will need to make smart passes to get around Woodson as a Safety, but if he is on Offense as well, there is no telling just what stats he will post tonight. Woodson has picked off Rivers just once before, but rest-assured he will be looking for his second one tonight. NFL Betting Markets With just two weeks left to bet on the NFL 2015 Regular Season, expect online sportsbooks like bet365 Sports to be having increased traffic from punters eager to get in on the action. The Chargers come into Oakland as underdogs at 3.15, while the Raiders have strong odds at 1.38. For even more of an inside edge, check out bet365's American Sports Stats page with a comprehensive list of statistics. Live in Play markets will be offered throughout all four quarters of NFL action, the perfect way to maximize profits.
Yggdrasil is cleared to operate about the UK. UKGC Approval Initially announced Tuesday, the breakthrough is the result of the UK Gambling Commissions awarding of necessary licencure to Yggdrasil Gaming to offer its proprietary gaming platform and games to British residents on the spurs of a highly productive year for Yggdrasil that can be characterized as nothing less than game-changing. Operating out of offices in Poland and Malta, Yggdrasil has managed to sign a collection of the leading online operators in Europe with while rapidly expanding its games catalogue with excellent performance results with those partner operators. Yggdrasil Rejoices Yggdrasil CEO Fredrik Elmqvist called the approval “hugely exciting” for the next phase of the company´s development, adding that “the UK is a very important market and thanks to the way our games are performing, we’ve already received six signed clients and a great deal of interest.” With its games firmly entrenched in popular online casinos such as Mr Green Casino, Casino Extra and Casino Estrella, Yggdrasil is relying on slots to drive growth. Elmqvist forecasts the UK slots market developing in a manner similar to the Nordic markets over the past seven years: “Quality and mobile will drive the UK slots market forward and we’re looking forward to being an active part of that.” Yggdrasil`s Head of Legal and Compliance Mario Petraglia added that the company has already certified its games and platform consistent to UK remote technical standards, expressing appreciation for UKGC efforts to balance “the need to protect players with the latest technological developments and an industry striving for innovation.” Petraglia reaffirmed his company´s commitment to complying with UKGC, viewing the two organizations as partners sharing the mutual goal of “offering exciting and safe entertainment to British players.” Rising Star Joins UK As the reigning award-holder from this year´s prestigious EGR B2B Awards in May, Yggdrasil is a true iGaming rising star which is bringing a considerable portfolio to the UK market, including casino games such as Chibeasties, Cyrus the Virus, Cazino Zeppelin, and progressive jackpot Joker Millions. The newest entry into the UK market promises an interesting year of expansion for both the UK market and Yggdrasil in 2016.
Bitcoin continues to grow more popular among online casino gamers because this cryptocurrency can be traded quickly and in relative anonymity. For less tech-savvy players, however, it can be a little daunting to learn how to use what feels like a completely new payment method. Well, now it is possible to use Bitcoin in conjunction with NETELLER's e-wallet. Bitcoin Widely Accepted by Online Casinos PayPal is the world’s most recognisable e-wallet, while NETELLER is the most common within the online gambling industry. Therefore, it makes more sense to commit to Neteller for playing at online casinos, given that the e-wallet is more widely accepted. And now users will have an extra level of functionality in being able to use Bitcoin instead of more traditional currencies like dollars, euros, and pounds. NETELLER and Bitcoin Integrate The integration of NETELLER and Bitcoin is a process that was completed at the end of March 2015. Many were surprised by the partnership because NETELLER had previous adjusted its terms of use policy to entirely outlaw the use of any digital currencies. However, NETELLER users have now had the luxury of depositing by Bitcoin for much of 2015, giving them a secure new currency option. Highly Secure Online Casino Deposits This is an ironclad setup in which players can now benefit from using a cryptocurrency that carries minimal fees compared to using debit and credit cards. Bitcoin also provides greater financial security because players do not need to provide their sensitive financial information. Combined with NETELLER, this is an extremely safe and secure setup. Where to Play by NETELLER with Bitcoin For your convenience, OCR has already found three viable options for making Bitcoin deposits to a NETELLER account before going on to play online casino games. This solid trio of sites is comprised of Casino Estrella, Casino Extra, and DublinBet Casino.
The online gambling industry in Armenia has been growing significantly recently and this attracted a lot of interest from operators and developers. It also made it the perfect time for the first Armenian Gaming Forum, which was held on 19-20 November in Yerevan and was very successful. Among the highlights from the event, an expert speaker on the subject of regulations stated that the market will not allow online gambling ads within the country via TV, radio or other media channels. New legislation passes The new legislation was adopted after 91 MPs placed their votes in favor, while only one abstained for the bill. This shows a unified approach from the government in Armenia and according to a spokesman from the government, the main reason for not allowing advertising is to protect customers. Online gambling is joined by land-based casinos and other types of games connected to real money gambling. Operators will not be allowed to create ads for television or radio and advertising for games are only allowed at game centers, at entry points in the Republic of Armenia and at hotels which meet the minimum 4-star requirements. The motivation behind the ban given by the spokesperson indicates that a prohibition on gambling ads will help hold back the citizens and especially minors from trying out the options. Armenia looking to prevent problem gambling Addictive behavior and gambling is one of the major issues which is now being addressed with the new regulations in Armenia and according to the regulators, prohibiting ads is one of the best ways to do this. The drawback can be fewer incentives for operators to join the market and invest in it since they can use their advertising strategies to attract new customers. The ban on ads joins other restrictions in the country, such as casino games only being allowed in hotels with four stars or more.
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