Online Casinos Directory

There are many debates throughout the US over the question of gambling and its legalization. Massachusetts is in the midst of heavy debates but also seems to be one of the closest states to regulation of wagering activities. Governor Duval Patrick has been instrumental in the push for the move. He cites the millions of potential tax-revenue dollars as the main reason why gaming should be included in the state’s budget for the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

Part of the issue within the state was the question of bringing slots gaming to the casino floor. House Speaker Robert DeLeo was a proponent of the move. In fact, he originally brought up the decision and his bill was built on racetracks including slots to their businesses. The move would create the “racinos” that are a healthy combination of race tracks and slots gaming parlors. DeLeo believed that the combination was the best way to salvage the racing industry and bring gambling to the state’s market at the same time. Though DeLeo was firm on his position, the Governor’s was different.

Governor Patrick pushed for gambling to be legalized within the state, but with the exception of the creation of racinos. In fact, he was staunchly against the move and even threatened to pull his support if the bill concerning the creation of racinos was approved. Earlier this year the Senate sided with the Governor on the issue and left racetracks out of the legal decision. That’s horrible news for racetracks throughout the state because they are already suffering greatly and in danger of evolving out of the market altogether. It was hoped that bringing slot machines to their business models would be the saving grace for racetracks that have had diminished numbers since the beginning of the recession. And there are no signs of a revival for racetracks—horse or dogs. Without the inclusion of slot gaming it is possible that many racetracks in the state will have to close down due to low numbers. Only time will tell what happens, but the move to eliminate them from gambling negotiations has definitely hampered their operator’s hopes.  

Delaware has long been in a debate over legalizing land-based and online gambling sites and just like other states it has had its opponents to the move. They cite an increase in illegal activities and a growth in addiction as the main potential problems with the move. Though there is no prior research to substantiate that claim, it seems like things are already pointing to the validity of the statement. Delaware just opened its own table game initiative and already there has been illegal activity. Recently one player was arrested at Delaware Park for illegal betting at the new tables installed in the casino there. It was Maurice Thomas, 25-years old, who was taken into custody. His infraction was “capping”. This is a practice where the betting party places his or her bet late and on top of his original bet. He did this on four separate occasions at the tables in the state and was arrested. Part of the goal of the arrest was to prove to other visitors that illegal activities regarding gambling would not be tolerated and the park would be persecuting to the fullest extent of the law. This increase in illegal activity is going to be met with a lot of resistance and consequence according to officials of the state and the casino. They believe that as the state continues to move into more and more gambling they have to send a clear message to all gamers in the market.  Illegal activities will not be tolerated.

Though Delaware is moving into the world of gambling they also have a lot of neighboring competition. Pennsylvania for example is scheduled to open nine different casinos that have various table games in the next few weeks. That means that Delaware is by no means going to have an exclusive corner on the market of gambling or table gaming for that matter. The state is going to have to be ready for a considerable amount of change and illegal activity. With the proper safeguards in place they hopefully will fare well and rely on gaming as a means of revenue generation within the state.

The world of gambling has had a lot of bad news in the past few years. Since the recession began back in 2008 there have been difficult times for every business and gambling is included. Casinos saw a huge downfall in revenues throughout the past two years and have yet to reach the numbers they were doing prior to the recessionary period. It is a difficult thing for a business to take a hit, but when the entire industry starts taking them in every US city, it nearly brought the market to a standstill. Though casino operators created specials, people were at a loss and cut discretionary spending out of their budgets altogether.

Now experts are chiming in with some good news. A recent Moody Investor Services study showed that the gambling market may be on the rise once again. So far Moody has deemed the industry as “stable”. Though it has yet to reach the numbers it did pre-recession, gambling is clearly on the rise once again. Part of the change can be attributed to the bottomed out unemployment rate. At the height of the recession the unemployment rate hit well over 10% in most large areas—smaller areas experienced an even more dreadful number of jobless residents. Now that that number is very slowly climbing it seems that people are once again returning to their old spending habits, and that luckily includes vacationing and gambling.

The Moody research is welcomed news to large cities that relied heavily on gambling like Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Their tourist numbers have been dramatically down since the recession first began. Armed with drastic specials and promotional rates, the markets are hoping to reinvigorate their own market base. It seems to be working—slowly but surely. Only time will tell how quickly numbers return to pre-recessionary levels, but this is a good sign that things are finally expected to turn around for the better. Las Vegas and Atlantic City are expecting the coming summer months to be high-traffic times once again and hoping that tourism is again on the rise. They are creating specials for families and as large a customer base as possible.

The state of Ohio is in the midst of serious debates over online gambling. Governor Steve Strickland is leading the legislators of the state to allow racetracks with slots, or racinos, to be established. It’s been a few years now that gambling and racinos in particular have been up for debate. The Governor is well aware of the struggling budget within the state and gambling is set to bring in the necessary funds to overcome. There are few other options in at state’s disposals that would bring in millions of tax-revenue dollars. Though legislators believe legalizing gambling, racinos to be exact, is the most reliable way to bring in money, there are other entities within the state that disagree.

Namely LetOhioVote is an organization that is petitioning for state legislators to allow the voting public to decide on the issue of legalized gambling. They want the issue to be on the November ballot and decided by the people. Organizers of the group firmly asserted that they have no opinion as to whether or not gambling should be legalized or not—that argument is not a part of their agenda. Rather, their only concern is that the people are given the proper information to make an informed decision. They want to be sure that politicians are not painting a more positive picture of the gambling issue in an effort to bring in millions of tax-revenue dollars. There is a repercussion of having gambling facilities and online gambling legalization. Some experts are citing the increase in congestion from traffic if land-based casinos are built and other are noting the increase in gambling addictions to deal with. These are just a few issues to deal with for the state and any other state that brings gambling into its legislature.

LetOhioVote is campaigning hard for the change to be put into the hands of the public. Legislators would have preferred to pass the issue and collect on funds. Now, it is in the hands of the voting public whether or not gambling will be a staple in the finances of the state. Within the next few months the issues should be sorted out because the voting public will have spoken.

Smoking and gambling are up for debate in the state of Massachusetts. The state senate is currently arguing a bill that would allow casinos into the state to legally operate. The casinos would offer huge tax-revenue dollars to suffering state coffers. After the recession, Massachusetts, just like all other states, was left with a struggling economy and few ways to bring in the millions of dollars needed to balance budgets. Gambling is a hopeful solution to the deficits. If it brings in the millions of tax-revenue dollars anticipated, it will help the state to avoid further cuts of public programs and expansion. To make it through the recession the state, like most others, was forced to eliminate education funding, state funding to businesses and funding to public buildings.

In addition to debating gambling, Massachusetts is also in hefty debates over whether or not those casinos will allow smoking in 25% of the gaming floor. It was in 2004 that state lawmakers first approved a law that banned smoking in public places like restaurants, workplaces and bars. That law was targeted at saving lives and saving people from second-hand smoke. Many activists pined for the decision citing the dangers of smoke. Though there were opponents, in the end the bill was passed. Its elimination of smoking in public places was a long-time goal of the state and its legislators who were hoping to elevate the level of health consciousness in the state.

Now, six years later state legislators are revisiting the bill. They are looking to approve a bill that would allow smoking in 25% of the casino floor. The hope is that it will encourage more developers to come to the state.  Initially smoking became an issue because experts noted that a ban on smoking would keep casino goers out. A good majority of them are smokers, according to market research. This is now becoming a focus again in the state. Legislators are hoping that a partial smoke allowance will still encourage developers, while maintaining a safety standard for casino visitors. After the debates, a sure-fire plan will be instituted to bring casinos to the state and hopefully the financial goals will be reached. 

Cryptologic is another industry great in the field of gaming online. This company began in 1996. Initially it developed casino software but then quickly moved into the field of encryption. With the questionable security of online gaming at the internet’s inception, it needed a company to create more secure and reliable platforms. It was a great market to build on. The company set out to create the most secure way for people to share personal information. Because of the huge growth in the internet, Cryptologic quickly became one of the most in-demand companies in the market. Although there were other companies quickly moving in on their success, Cryptologic made moves to secure their own position in the market and protect their market share.

Wager Works is another company that has made a considerable stride in the market. This company was originally created by Silicon Gaming, a company that specializes in creating land-based casinos. The company was then acquired by IGT, Interactive Gaming Technology. Wager works then moved to make its own name in the world of gambling by creating software that only the top developers. The company’s biggest asset was its incredible software development ability and how well it integrated that technology with the latest games. Currently the company offers seventy-five games on the market and they include slots, table games, fixed odds games, keno, bingo and video poker. Their wide variety of games is one of the additional assets the company has to offer to gamers worldwide.

In the world of gaming there are a wide range of leaders. The above companies are setting the stage in terms of the best games, the best interfaces and the best websites. It is a great time to get in on gaming because of the huge strides being made in the market. If you love online gaming, then this is the perfect time to test out games by any one of the above companies. MicroGaming, RTG, Cryptologic and IGT are all setting the stage for incredible growth in the future of the market. Test out any one of the games available through the above websites and you will be happy you did. They most likely will offer the best gaming experience you can currently find on the internet.

In the world of online gaming there are company giants who are setting the stage for great gaming. If you have had any hesitation regarding online gaming, now is a great time to actually ignore them and test out some casinos. MicroGaming is one of the biggest, if not the biggest casino website out there. It is a premier developer of gaming software and brought hundreds of outstanding games to the market. This is one of the earliest online casino developers and they have managed to maintain an outstanding record of gaming excellence over the past few years. The company began back in 1994 and over the past fifteen years it has managed to create an outstanding roster of games. It is considered to be a leader in the industry of gaming and if you are looking for the best in gaming, this company is a great place to start. This company supplies games to more gaming websites than any other company. It has over four-hundred casino games and is consistently adding more every month. It is one of the most dynamic gaming solution companies available.

 Next, there is RTG or Real Time Gaming. This is another industry giant that has led the way. This company began in 1999 and has an expertise in creating user-friendly interface games. If you are a new gamer, this is the perfect company to follow. Their games are also known for their premier graphics capabilities. The company boasts over 100 games to various online casinos. The “Real Series Slots” division is an outstanding gaming selection. If you are a fan of slot machines, then these are great games to play. They offer bright graphics, integrated sound, bonus games and great payouts. This is a company that is not afraid of bringing one-of-a-kind games to the market, testing them and then making changes if customer feedback warrants. RTG also has a unique Flash version of its online games. This means that there is an “instant play” option for players who don’t want the full download version of games. Of course they are somewhat limited in comparison to the full-download, but they still offer a good way to gauge games and whether or not you will like them.

Part two coming next.

Next, you want to make sure any casino you sign up with has a VIP bonus. Many casinos today offer various cash-back rewards or merchandise credits. These are great ways to get additional credits. You can even get free dinners or other comps if the online casino is tied to a physical casino. The VIP program is one of the most lucrative benefits to find. In these programs you are going to earn credits as you wager. For example, the return on a low-level tier may be one credit per $10 you wager. When you earn 100 credits you can turn them in for merchandise, comps and additional benefits. If you earn an overall level of 10,000 credits, you then move to a higher tier and that brings back an even greater return.

You also should do some reading up on a casino you want to test out. Visit some online journals and review websites and see what people are saying about the casino you are interested in. The great thing about the internet is that it offers a wide range of information about businesses. Read through a casino’s complaints and see if there is one specific chronic issue. For example, if there are a few posts on not being paid out in a timely fashion read about them. Any pattern of complaints should be noted. See how the casino handled it and if the customers had to wait for a resolution or if their issue was solved quickly. This can give you a great insight into how the casino handles their problems and how satisfied customers are after having problems.

Finally, when testing out a casino view the games available. Casinos with “free play” options are very valuable. These are no-download or instant-play options. You can test out the games you like and see how well the casino has integrated visuals with sound with bonuses and payouts. Remember that the “free play” option normally is somewhat less dynamic as the actual full download version.

In the end you want a secure casino to play on that offers you a great return for consistent play. They aren’t hard to find in today’s market. Remember that the online casino market is highly competitive and if you don’t find what you want at one casino, you will find it at another. Casino operators are working overtime to keep up with the market and keep players logging into their casinos.

There is still some debate over the value of playing at an online casino gambling website versus a land-based one. It used to be that gambling was a land-based activity and traveling to a casino was standard. If you wanted to wager, the only legal place was to head on out to your nearest location. That quickly changed with the growth in technology. Online operators got wind of the popularity of gaming and made moves to translate games into virtual reality. They created games that users could participate in online and log into from the comfort of their own homes.

Though online gaming is gaining popularity, there are still some people who are afraid of it. There is no need to be IF you are willing to do some research and know what to expect from an online casino. First of all, you need a website that is secure. You are going to be sharing pertinent information with the website when you sign up and in the wrong hands, that could be dangerous. The main reason people are starting to play online is convenience. As long as you have an internet connection and a computer, you can log into a website and play almost any game you would find at a land-based casino from the privacy of your own home. You just need to know what to look for when searching.

As long as you have a secure server, the next step is to make sure that you are playing at a casino that offers bonuses. You want a start-up bonus that is straightforward. Some start-up bonuses seem lucrative and claim to have a great return, but when you read the fine print, you find some loopholes. For example, a casino may offer a 200% match bonus of up to $1,000—that sounds great, but when you read the fine print you realize that you can only claim a small portion of that over ten separate deposits. So you may have thought if you deposit $1,000, you’ll get a $2,000 credit immediately. In reality, you may get that $2,000 credit at a rate of $100 for the next twenty deposits. Be sure to read the terms of conditions.

Part two coming next.

If you love gaming then this is a great time to play online casinos. Some people are still afraid though- they are worried about the nature of the internet and sharing personal information with the masses. This is a viable concern considering how many people have gotten their identities stolen via online transactions. Though there are regulators out there concerning online gambling, there are still some unscrupulous casino websites out there. It’s important for any player to be safe when gambling online and these are some websites that offer the best in security and gaming, without requiring a hefty download.

·         Slots Oasis Casino—This casino offers a notable sign-up bonus. You can get 400% up to a $4,000 deposit. It is a RTG, or real Time Gaming software product and that means that it is quality. RTG is known for creating the best games and applications players look for. If you have played online for any length of time you no doubt have played RTG games. You will find over fifty games at the Slots Oasis Casino and they are all available on the no-download format.

·         Super Slots Casino—This casino offers a 100% match bonus up to $300.  This casino uses Macromedia Flash to provide no-download solutions to gaming. It has over 60 different slots to enjoy. The games here are powered by Vegas Technology, another great game provider. New players can take advantage of the signup bonus and look to the VIP bonus for future gaming play with return bonuses.

·         Cherry Red Casino—At this casino there is a 200% bonus of up to $2,400 upon signup. This is one of the most popular gaming websites around. If you want some great games, this is a perfect place to play no-downloads. There is also an “Instant Play” option on this website and it offers thousands of players hours of gaming fun.

·         Casino.com—This is another casino that has the dual download and no-download option. For anyone concerned about downloads, this is the perfect website to try. It offers a 100% match bonus for new players of up to $200 for slots. This is one website that consistently offers great Playtech games. It has over seventy different games to choose from and you can be playing in no time.