The 16th annual East Coast Gaming took place in Atlantic City from May 16th and 17th. The conference features several speakers and panel discussions. Panelists included casino executives and politicians. New Jersey state senator Raymond Lesniak who served on a panel said that internet gambling will be the gambling industry’s “lifeblood.”  Lesniak told the conference “The demand is going to be the lifeblood. The way to increase that demand is for online gaming and sports betting.” Lesniak sponsored a bill in the New Jersey legislature that, if approved, will legalize internet gambling in the state and make New Jersey the first state to allow internet gambling. Last year a similar bill was vetoed by Governor Christie citing constitutional concerns. Lesniak is positive about the bill’s chances of passing both houses. Lesniak stated “I believe the governor wants to get on board, I’m certain that this governor doesn’t want to see a casino closed on his watch.”

Panelists said that the US congress is too badly divided to cat on internet gambling issues and that the future of the industry lies with individual states. Richard Bronson, the chairman of US Digital Gaming, stated “Those who think the U.S. government will pass a law, a federal Internet gambling law, that’s naïve. In a Congress that can’t agree on what day it is, the thought that they’re going to agree to put casino gambling in every living room in America is ridiculous.” Bronson said that legalization will take place on a state by state basis and said “This should and will occur on a state-by-state basis. There is no doubt that within the next year one or two states will do it.”

David Clifton, a licensing and gaming partner for Joelson Wilson LLP in London, pointed out that several European countries have legalized internet gambling and said that the United States would benefit from federal regulation so that regulations and laws could be standardized. Clifton said that “You have the opportunity to learn from Europe’s mistakes.” Clifton warned that if internet gambling is not legalized in the US it would encourage illegal activities by offshore gambling companies. Some panelists said that internet gambling can add additional value to casinos since most internet players are young and online gaming would encourage them to visit brick and mortar casinos.

Eugene Johnson, a senior associate with Spectrum Gaming Group, called internet gambling the wave of the future for casinos as traditional players age making younger players important to the industry. Johnson stated “If you walk into a casino in Atlantic City and look at people playing slots, how many young people do you see? Internet gaming is the future of the casino business. It’s strongly tied to mobile gaming. Young people are particularly tied to their mobile devices. If you don’t evolve with the future, you’re going to be left behind.”

When the world entered the computer age and become enamored with all that the internet could provide, life was never the same. Tasks that were once done only at establishment on land now became easily completed from one’s home with a few keystrokes and clicks of a mouse. One aspect of life that evolved to embrace this new technology was gambling. It was during the middle of the 90’s that online casinos first went online and have been gaining momentum since.
For the birth of the online casino industry to occur, software had to be developed. The first company to accomplish this was a software developer known as Micrograming. The software that created the first online casinos simply offered free games for players. At this time, software needed to still be developed to protect financial transactions that would occur over the internet. The answer to this dilemma came with software developed by another software company known as Cryptologic. They were able to add secure financial features to the casino software. Now, players could wager real money. With the convergence of these two software developer’s products, online gambling was now a money making business.
As technological advancements occurred, the online casino software improved. Over time, these venues became quite real and continued attracting more and more people across the globe. However, in 2006, players from the United States were banned from participating in online gambling due to legislation passed aimed at preventing terrorists from thriving. This legislation was passed in response to 9/11 and took away a vast market for online casinos. While this law still remains, many hope it will one day be repealed. Even without American players, the future of online casinos continues to look bright. Online casinos have help to spread access to these games to people who may have never set foot in a casino.

Casinos are fun.  They offer James-Bond type glamour, fun games and also offer the thrill of perhaps getting lucky and winning big.  It’s great to go to an established casino for a night out.  For those who don’t have the time to get to a casino or prefer to gamble from the comfort of their own homes, there are also excellent online casinos which can provide the same thrill of the game without the inconveniences of the bricks-and-mortar establishments.
Gambling, when successful, is a thrilling pastime.  Hours can pass by quickly when hoping for that big jackpot or concentrating on successive hands in card games like poker or blackjack.  For real game aficionados, it’s not so much the atmosphere of a casino as much as it is the passion for making a wager and winning.  That is why online casinos are so successful; good gamblers and even amateur gamblers can concentrate on the game, and nothing else.
However there is a downside to online casinos.  Not only are there fraudulent websites and scam artists a-plenty on the internet, there are also professional-looking online casinos that have no scruples about taking large sums of money from gamblers who cannot control themselves.    As we all know, gambling for some people becomes far more than a fun hobby; it can become a dangerous addiction that can rob someone of everything they have.  Irresponsible websites that offer gambling options abound on the internet and can create havoc on the lives of gamblers who cannot control themselves.  But can online casinos offer fun and yet be responsible?
The answer is yes.  Established online casinos that offer help or can direct a gambling addict towards help do exist.  For example, the Lucky Nugget Australian Casino, http://luckynuggetcasino.com/au/, is a great online casino that offers 400 casino games if one downloads the software or 200 games if one chooses to play in a browser.   The Lucky Nugget online casino has been around since the late 1990’s, and has over a decade of customer service under its belt.  Not only is a 24/7 help line available for clients; right there on the home page, there is a highly visible link to a gambling awareness website.  The help is there for those who may need it, and it’s there for concerned family members of a gambling addict who may want to find help for their loved one.
Gambling is great fun, and online casinos offer the promise of big jackpots and excitement.   It is precisely this aspect that can cause a small minority of people to become addicted and get into financial trouble.  However, established, reputable online casinos do their best to ensure that help is available to those who need it, and provide the information in a highly visible location.  Online gambling can be fun and can be done responsibly when online casinos are chosen with care.  As the saying goes, “have fun but stay within your limits!”

Just about every gambler has a losing streak at one time or another. The all-time record for losing the most money during a losing streak was probably set by Terrance Watanabe managed to lose $127 million while on a yearlong gambling binge at Caesar’s Palace and Rio casinos. Watanabe’s run of bad luck is believed to be one of the biggest losing streaks in Las Vegas history. The gambling binge took most of Mr. Watanabe’s personal fortune which he built up over two decades running his party favor business. According to figures cited by the press Harrah’s Entertainment derived 5.6% of its Las Vegas income from Watanabe’s losses at the gaming tables.

Watanabe was in a legal battle with Harrah’s and claimed that casino staff routinely supplied him with liquor and painkillers as part of a plot to keep him gambling. Clark County District Attorney’s office charged Mr. Watanabe with four counts of intent to defraud and steal from Harrah’s. Watanabe had received $14.7 million in credit from the casino which he lost. Several Harrah’s employees said their managers told them to let Mr. Watanabe gamble even though he was visibly intoxicated. Casino rules and Nevada state law state that anyone stipulate that anyone who is clearly intoxicated should not be allowed to gamble. The employees said that they feared they would be fired for discouraging Mr. Watanabe from gambling.

There have been other cases with huge losses. In 1993 former Philadelphia Eagles owner Leonard Tose claimed in an unsuccessful civil suit that casino employees had gotten him so drunk that he was unaware of what he was doing and lost millions. In Nevada unpaid gambling debts are treated as criminal matters. Mr. Watanabe’s generosity was almost as famous as his gambling. Watanabe often Caesars employees bundles of $100 bills. One of the reasons Watanabe was seen as so valuable to the casino was his preference for games with a high house edge such as roulette and slots. Some casino employees said that Watanabe would stay at the tabled for 24 hours at a time. During one bingo Watanabe lost over $5 million.

Watanabe claims that Harrah’s not only allowed him to gamble while very drunk they plied him with drugs to keep him at the gaming tables. Several Caesars employees say while there was no plot to keep Watanabe Mr. Watanabe drugged or drunk. They say that staff knew the company wanted to keep one of its most lucrative customers and looked the other way. It looks like Mr. Watanabe made several bad decisions and it cost him plenty!

Online gamblers in New Jersey got some good news recently. State Senator Ray Lesniak’s online gambling legalization bill was passed by the New Jersey House Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee. The vote was three in favor and one against. The bill has been sent to the full assembly for a vote. In April Lesniak’s bill was approved by a Senate committee. According to the Associated Press news agency the House committee approved the bill with an added amendment. The amendment said that licensed New Jersey online gambling operators could take out-of-state bets if the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement determined that no federal laws would be violated by taking out of state wagers.

News reports indicated that tax structures were different in the senate and assembly version of the internet gambling law. No dates for voting on the bill have been set by the senate and house. Some unnamed sources said that there is no room available for a vote in the current legislative session which ends in June. Passage of the bills could take place this fall. Robert Griffin, CEO of Trump Entertainment Resorts and president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, spoke in favor of the bill. Griffin said the bill would benefit casinos and resorts in Atlantic City. Griffin pointed out that millions of Americans gamble online anyway at illegal offshore gaming sites. He also said that the offshore sites lacked supervision, regulation and consumer protections.

New Jersey has been losing jobs, revenues and profits that are currently going overseas illegally. Assemblyman Ruben Ramos Jr. said that New Jersey needs to stay abreast of current technologies. Ramos said that the internet is here to stay and there is no turning back from internet gambling. Senator Lesniak and Assemblyman Burzichelli told the committee that Constitutional experts had confirmed that internet gambling would be legal as long as the servers, where the bets are placed, were located in Atlantic City. Lesniak also spoke about the need to be ahead of rival states such as Iowa, California and Washington D.C… New Jersey Senator Ralph Caputo disagreed and said that it is unfair to limit the expansion of internet gambling to Atlantic City. Caputo is a former Atlantic City casino executive. Caputo said that casinos elsewhere in New Jersey would be disadvantaged. Caputo also said that a state wide referendum should be held on the issue. Other gambling bills passed the committee stage. Bills on simulcast betting on horse race and allow mobile betting on horse races passed the committee stage.

In Ohio casino regulators have approved a second casino in the state. On May 29th Penn National Gaming intends to open its new casino in Toledo Ohio. The Ohio Casino Control Commission voted unanimously to award the license to the company which is also building a casino in the state’s capitol, Columbus. The first Ohio casino is scheduled to open in Cleveland next Monday. On May 9th state senators voted on a variety of changes to Ohio’s gambling laws which will set the rules for casinos and slots-like video lottery terminals.

The senate passed a wide range of new gambling regulations intended to sort out the state’s sometimes confusing gambling laws. The bipartisan vote was 29-3 and came after senators stripped a provision that would have expanded charity card games to all 88 counties. Charities can book the poker rooms to run events to generate funds for their cause. Currently Cuyahoga County is the only county with a poker facility. Senate committee chairman Bill Coley said the poker issue would be addressed by a separate bill.

The Ohio house which had passed an earlier version of the measure rejected the changes made by the senate. House Speaker William Batchelder said the move was to give house members more time to consider the senate’s changes. Batchelder told reporters “There are a carload of tough issues here and said that he thought that legislators could work out the changes by the end of the week. Batchelder said the measure he had a problem with-expanded card games- had already been dealt with. Lou Blessing, the bill’s sponsor, told house members to reject the changes. Blessing stated “All we need to do is take more time, make sure we get it right.”

Batchelder said that state regulators told him that there was nothing in the bill that needed to be in place before the opening of the Cleveland casino. State senator Coley told his fellow senators that the bill empowers authorities to keep organized crime out of the casinos and ensured that local law enforcement agencies would be trained to deal with money laundering and petty theft.  Coley stated “I believe that we’ve been able to come up with a good piece of legislation, a bill that is fair to all parties, and a bill that gives Ohio the protections necessary to conduct a wide variety of gaming in this state,.”

Senators added a one year moratorium on Internet “sweepstakes” cafes in Ohio. Internet cafes have been controversial because of a lack of regulation. Other provisions would let bingo halls stay open until 2 AM instead of midnight. The senate bill also outlines a minimum number of live racing days at the state’s seven horse track.

Facebook has about 800 million users around the world. Statistics show that 53% of all Facebook users play social games. Game developer Zynga accounts for about 12% of Facebook’s income and the company recently released a very original version of bingo on Facebook. The five most popular casino games on Facebook are Texas Hold ‘Em, Slotomania, Double Down Casino, Bingo Blitz and Best Casino. Together the top five games draw 11,240,000 daily users. The potential of real money gambling on Facebook can easily be seen.

Other online gaming operators are looking at the figures and want a slice of the social gaming pie. Social gaming and gambling are beginning to merge to create a new gaming category. The two markets are a perfect match and each is capable of accelerating the other’s growth. On Facebook social games are played by 290 million active players a month and the internet gambling industry generates $30.3 billion. As one industry observer puts it “Social games have the reach, gambling has the money.” Internet gaming operators are eager to enter the social gaming market and realize that to make money from social gaming they will have to adopt new strategies.

Social games are a little bit different from traditional internet gambling games. Social gamers play for virtual goods and currencies to unlock other game features. Figures show that 20% of Facebook gamers have paid for in game benefits by using Facebook credits and virtual currencies. While that may not seem like a large number the sale of virtual goods and in game features are how social games are monetized. The way most Facebook games are set up no real money can be won.

This means that millions of players play Facebook casino games with no chance of monetary gain. Many are perplexed by this but Christoph Jenke, COO of social betting game startup Crowdpark believes that most people have a betting instinct. Jenke told interviewers from Nextweb “It’s about teasing out that human instinct that two four-year-olds already have when they bet each other ‘I can run faster than you’. That human demeanor of challenging one another fits perfectly into the social network, where you’re only a mouse click away from, for example, all your schoolmates.”

If Facebook opens the door for real money gaming the environment will change. Allowing real money on Facebook would generate large amounts of cash for the social networking giant. Many in the industry believe that gaming operators will make a move into social gaming very soon. Since Zynga is thinking of moving into real money gaming smaller operators may find it difficult to compete. Zynga’s CEO is known for ruthlessness and with billions at stake smaller operators will have to fight hard for their market share.

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In the United States several Native American tribes have large gaming operations. The gaming operations have improved life on many reservations and have lifted several tribes out of a poverty stricken existence. The first tribe to offer gaming on their reservation was Florida’s Seminole tribe that built a huge bingo hall in the 1980’s. After a prolonged legal battle Native American tribes emerged victorious and court decisions paved the way for tribes to build and operate large casinos on their respective reservations. Indian gaming has been very successful and has created thousands of jobs. Since reservations are considered as sovereign nations the tribes are not subject to state regulation.

IN Alabama another legal battle is brewing between the state’s attorney general and tribal casinos in the state. For years Alabama has prohibited electronic bingo machines and the state pursued an unsuccessful vendetta against casino owners offering electronic bingo. Millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted by vindictive federal prosecutors during two trials of casino operators and several politicians. The juries in both trials handed federal prosecutors humiliating defeats and the defendants were cleared of all charges-twice.

Recent news reports indicate that Alabama attorney general Luther Strange has asked the National Indian Gaming Commission to take action to ban electronic bingo machines which Strange says are illegal because of their resemblance to slot machines which are illegal in Alabama. Under current federal regulations tribes cannot operate Las Vegas style Class 3 games such as slots and table games. Strange argues that the bingo machines operated in casinos owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians are illegal under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The tribe is offended and considers Strange’s request a violation of the tribe’s sovereignty. Daniel K. McGhee, Tribal Gaming Commission Administrator for the Poarch Creeks, told reporters “It’s an attack on sovereignty. Basically, he might as well be asking to be able to enforce certain laws in Florida or any other state. It’s offensive to tribes to make a request like that.” Currently Poarch Creek Indian Gaming operates three casinos in Alabama and all three casinos have electronic bingo machines.

In a letter Strange told the Commission “In Alabama, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians operate Class II gambling that approximates the same kind of slot machine gambling that one might find in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. The Tribe’s ability to obscure the line between Class II and III makes it harder for my office to enforce Alabama law outside of Indian land. Alabama citizens are understandably confused when Indian tribes are allowed to call their Class III slot machines ‘bingo,’ but gambling promoters within the State’s jurisdiction cannot use the same gimmick,.” Fortunately for the tribe they do not fall under the authority of the Alabama attorney general. Strange seems bent on pursuing the state’s vendetta against bingo machines and is wasting taxpayer money in the process.

Online bingo games give players the convenience to sit in the comfort of their own homes and play this somewhat addictive game. When compared to playing in a traditional bingo hall, online games offer many advantages. Some online bingo games even give players the opportunity to win larger jackpots.  You can see that there are many perks to playing online bingo but just how many people are caught up in the craze?

Studies have shown that the UK is the fastest growing location for this game. Different estimates have been taken from all over the world to get an idea of just how many people in total are actually playing. Statistics show that among all people playing online bingo, nearly 85% are women and a large percentage of these women are between the ages of 20 and 25.

Of the nearly three million people around the world who play bingo in general, nearly 500,000 of these play the game strictly online. Most agree that the ease of play combined with convenience and larger payouts is what draws them to playing online. Playing bingo online gives you the ability to multi-task. Housewives can play while doing laundry or dishes or while their little ones are sleeping. Many people even enjoy a game or two while working.

The amount of money played is not nearly as much as one may think. According to recent statistics, women who play bingo online spend only an average of £100 each month. Nearly 50 percent of those surveyed said that they enjoy online bingo for the socialization that they get. Many meet new friends and even begin relationships with people that they have met in online bingo halls.

Whatever the reason for playing the studies are clear – online bingo is a growing trend. Just over ten years ago there were fewer than 10,000 people actively playing bingo over the internet regularly. Today, there are nearly 1 million people who enjoy their bingo games on a daily basis. Even those who do not play every day agree that on average they spend no fewer than 3 days a week playing bingo online.

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