Posts Tagged ‘gambling’
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
Espacejeux.com is the latest casino to make headlines in the Canadian market. If you recall, Canada has been lagging behind in developing an online gambling program. The country started off a big rocky with the entire issue. It opened a casino in one of its provinces but soon had to shut it down after just a few hours of operation. It was a major guffaw for the country and its leaders. The problem didn’t stop the country as a whole though from at least investigating the market. Earlier this year, PlayNow.com moved into the country and started up a successful and lucrative company. It offers a list of games that Canadians are playing in mass numbers. The success of the gaming website is only mirrored by the success of the country’s Lottery. If you look at the numbers the lottery has brought in, it is a record high and it has been for months now. Taking this as a sign, legislators moved to increase gambling within the provinces and the move was a predominantly a positive one.
Now legislators are making moves to increase it even more. It began with PlayNow.com. This was a website that was first created to capitalize on gambling. Its success made legislators move for improvements in gaming. Now a new website is available to Canadian gamblers. This time it is Espacejeux.com. This website offers a good variety of table gaming, blackjack and roulette for gamers. Anyone in the provinces of Canada has the chance to take part in wagering and hopefully winning a good payout. The draw of winning is what is pushing more and more gamers to play is the bigger payouts. The country right now is working to revamp rules for gambling. They are by no means done with legislation. Still- Canada is getting closer to w workable law. You can expect more provinces to move into gambling as it becomes more popular and more plausible in the market. Expansion is the name of the game with gambling all over the world. Canada is in the nascent stages of finding a workable law, but most likely it is going to develop quickly and expand to all provinces.
Tags: Canada, expand, gambling, legal
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Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
One of the biggest concerns of anti-gambling activists is putting underage people in danger. They believe that if gambling is legalized for the online market, then it will be difficult for gaming companies to monitor just who is using the accounts. It could be the legal-aged person who signed up for the account, but what if it isn’t? What if a legal-aged person signs up for an account and then forgets to sign off? This happens a lot in today’s market with the prevalence of personal-account websites. If an underage person sees an application still open he or she could potentially get into trouble and even develop an addiction to gambling. This is a concern for gaming activists and they are pushing for some serious monitoring changes to be maintained. First of all, adults have to be the responsible ones. If they are going to wager online on a home computer, leaving the computer while still logged in is a bad idea. They need to always sign off, or get a password on the computer. Most computers today can be programmed to lock up if they are idle for a few minutes and they require a password to restore themselves. This could help gamblers to protect their information at home if they forget to log off.
Another way to protect information is for casinos to require a key to sign in. Let’s say some one signs in, and then forgets to sign out. If they are idle at the casino for say ten minutes, the casino could use software that would sign them out of the account and then require a special key recognition element to get back in. Or, it could offer a security question for gamers to get back into their account. They could pick up where they left off, but without the security question’s proper answer, they can’t get back in. This is another way for the casino to take responsibility and never allow an unauthorized person to start wagering. Finally, when consumers sign up for an account, casinos are already using state of the art “checking software” to make sure people are who they say they are. For example, newer casinos are using credit databases to find information on new customers. For example, if you sign up for an account the casino may give you three cities and ask which one you grew up in as a child. If you pick the right one, then you are allowed to create an account. This is another safeguard and another example of how casinos today are putting added security measures into their protocols. It may sound like a lot, but safety is a major concern for the market today.
Tags: addict, gambling, safety, underage
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Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
There are places in the world where gambling is still being modified and tested. Poland is a country that has some issues to deal with regarding its gambling protocols. The country has long been in the middle of problems. If you recall earlier this year there was a scandal involving some of the biggest politicians in the country. They were caught engaging in illegal activities ranging from money laundering, fraud and bribery. It was an embarrassing time for the market and politicians are now trying to make a stand. Polish legislators are trying to clean up their image regarding gambling. Now the country’s legislators are trying to suppress the problems that have gone on by revamping their legislation. Part of the reason for gambling changes in the country is due to the fact that gambling is growing so much in the area. Estimates currently are that the internet gamblers will wager over four billion in polish currency by the end of this year. This is a huge amount for a country is in the midst of financial problems due to the recession. So far this year, gambling has risen by 20% in the country and that means that more and more gamers are taking their own chance at a good win. If it is growing in popularity, then it means that the country has to come up with ways to take advantage of the huge dollars and to also protect the growing gaming market.
One of the high growth markets in the world is gambling and all over the world more and more legislators are pushing for legislation that can manage it. They want to have access to tax revenue dollars, but also to make the project work they have to come up with regulatory law that works for the market. Right now gambling companies are working with legislators to come up with laws that help customers. The Polish market is one that is growing so quickly, it is putting legislators on the defensive. They have to protect new gamers who may not be wise enough to protect themselves as they join in on online gambling fun.
Tags: gambling, gaming, legal, Poland
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Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
Change in the gambling market is common. Right now the market is leveling itself due to changing rules legislators are toying with. Though online gambling isn’t yet legalized in the US, that doesn’t mean that legislators aren’t working hard to make it happen. They want to make sure that people have the ability to wager online and the governments have the chance to take advantage of the huge tax revenue dollars that casinos bring in. Part of their goal is to overcome the aftermath of the recent recessionary period. It left more than a few countries with huge deficits and problems with their financial states. The US is still toying with various rules and regulations when it comes to gambling online but nothing solid has made its way into legislation as of yet. Right now there are a few law makers who are making it a priority, but they aren’t finding as much support as they would like to push the issue forward. The UIGEA as of now still stands—this is a bill that deems online gambling transactions illegal and forces banking institutions to flag and deny them as they come in. It is one of the biggest problems with gambling today and it could be the most detrimental bills on the table. Part of the problem is that the UIGEA doesn’t define what gambling is or what it includes. This is making it difficult for everyone involved to manage their own online gambling entities.
There are solutions on the table, but none of them have been accepted yet. There is some caution that if legislators don’t make it a priority soon, then the issue will be put off for another two years, leaving the US without the ability to take advantage of tax revenue dollars. At a time when the states are sorely in need of the money, this makes it even more difficult for them to continue without it. If legislators are to make decisions on the issue though, they are going to have to do it quickly. If the issue ends up being shelved for another two years, it could prove difficult to ever implement a workable gambling law.
Tags: ban, bill, gambling, legal, UIGEA, US
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Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
If the US is to implement a new gambling law then its legislators have to be ready to come down on illegal operations. It is no secret that most anti-gambling activists believe that the legalization of gambling would inevitably bring in more instances of crime, corruption and addiction, along with money laundering, theft and overall a rise in criminal activity. They may have a point, but no one can say for sure what is going to happen. One thing that legislators are aware of though is the push for legalization. They are warning that without the proper regulation though, there could be more problems to deal with. Already countries around the world have had to create special task forces to monitor casino gambling activities alone—they are funded by the states involved and put a specific list of policing agents on finding and eliminating illegal activities regarding gambling. Criminals know how lucrative gambling is—and always has been throughout the years. They know how to bring in illegal games. For example, recently in Denton, Texas an illegal slots ring was broken up. The owner was running the “slot parlor” out of a side room off of his garage. Patrons reported the illegal activity anonymously and police moved in to break it up, but not before realizing that hundreds of people had been duped. The owner set up the machines to never pay out. That is the main problem with unregulated and illegal locations—there is no way of protecting the gambling public that participates and supports them.
In the future expect more legislators to continue dialogues on how to form task forces that are going to monitor, uncover and disband illegal activities regarding illegal gambling. Now that it is a hot topic in the market, you can expect that more and more gamblers are going to be coming together to be taken advantage of. They think they are getting a deal, but don’t realize that these are unregulated and the owners of these illegal casinos can do whatever they want with the games to dupe players out of hundreds of dollars over time.
Tags: anti, debate, gambling, legalize, legislator, pro
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Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
The US and its gambling legislation are up in the air still. It was the UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, that banned online gambling transactions. The bill put the duty of policing all online transactions and flagging ones related to wagering, in the hands of financial institutions. Of course, bank owners were not happy about that. Not only did it add a stressor to the mix of their daily operations, but it also brought them to a new level of accountability. If they failed to flag and deny a transaction, their institutions were at risk of money seizure and hefty fines. In an effort to avoid these two repercussions, banks became overzealous with denying transactions. In addition, the UIGEA was seen as incomplete because it didn’t even define what “gambling” was. This was another problem for the banks that had to sort through the various rules of the road in terms of gambling.
There are legislators now working to overturn the UIGEA, and create a new bill to replace it. They are hoping that they can find a law and regulatory ruling to bring in the millions of tax revenue dollars. It is no secret that gambling is a billion dollar business and legislators are aware of how much money is at stake if they continue to leave wagering out of the mix. They know that gambling could be the answer to what is going on in terms of budget shortfalls and deficits. They have few other options beyond gambling that could open the door to the amount of money they need to overcome financial difficulties. In the end, legislators are pushing now for HR2267. This is a bill that should come up with a way to manage gambling online. Unfortunately, there are diminishing numbers of legislators supporting the bill. The bill is being pushed by proponents, but there is no guarantee that it will continue to be a priority if congressmen shift. Some experts are saying that if it isn’t passed this time around, most likely the bill will end up on the table in two years at the soonest.
Tags: gambling, HR2267, online, UIGEA, wager
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Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
There was a time when gambling was considered to be an underground activity. If you go back to the 1940s, you would see the stereotypical gamblers rushing around casinos. Mobsters and entertainers made up that stereotype. They were the high rollers who clogged the poker tables. This is what made up the perception of gambling for a long time but then things began changing. Suddenly more and more casual and friendly games began croping up in the market. This changed the overall feeling for gaming and people started wanting to join in on the fun. Suddenly land based casinos started getting more customers who were more “everyday”. They brought some prices down and varied the wager requirements for games. This brought a new popularity to the games and opened the door for a bigger customer base. Things like the World Series of Poker were born too in the 1970s. This was a huge change for the gaming public. Suddenly as the poker games gained more players, it created more tournaments in the world. These are all examples of how gambling has been growing in popularity and widening its market.
If you look at the average gamer now, the sterotype is totally obliterated. No longer is there a slim demographic to promote to. With the rise in internet gambling now there is even a bigger market to play with. Gambling companies are building big promotions that span all bankrolls too. If you have a limited bankroll you can still find casinos that offer the big payouts to you. Some casinos are even free so it won’t cost you anything to join in on the fun. The risk is virtually gone as you wager but still have an opportunity to win cash prizes. The way the gaming companies are opening up the market can be seen too with the movement of mainstream advertisers into big tournaments. Now it is common to see mainstream advertisers posting their brands at the WSOP. This was formerly unheard of. As the market continues to expand and more states legalize gambling, expec the market to continue to blow up and welcome more players. It is an exciting time in gambling and gamers are on the cusp of innovations and fun with the online market.
Tags: advertise, gambling, mainstream, market
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Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
The issue of gambling addiction growth is an important one in the market. Various legislative bodies are playing with rules on gambling. Some are pushing for changes where online gambling and land based gambling is legalized and regulated. They see the huge benefit of the activity. Consider that a good casino can open and bring in millions of dollar in just a few days. Hollywood Casino in Perryville did just that recently. The casino made $2 million in revenue after being opened for just four days. Imagine how much tax revenue the state of Maryland received throughout a month of that casino’s opening! This is the reason why so many gaming companies are pushing for legalization and why legislators are so tempted. The amount of revenue dollars is huge and post-recession, that money could truly turn state economies around for good. Remember that the recession was difficult on cities and states everywhere. Most are now still facing deficits and huge budgetary shortfalls. There are few options other than gambling that potentially could bring in the huge dollars necessary to make real changes.
There is one problem though that is weighing heavily on the minds of legislators—gambling addictions. Experts are warning that with the convenience of online gambling being in the homes of US residents, it could open the door to a huge epidemic of gambling addictions. How would a surge in gambling addiction be managed? An alcoholic can cut alcohol out of his or her daily activities. He or she can stop going to bars and stop affiliating with other alcoholics. If someone is addicted to online gambling, how do they get the internet out of their world? The internet is everywhere today. Most people have jobs that provide free internet access as part of their daily work life. There is free internet at libraries, coffee houses, some restaurants and other wifi- areas. It isn’t as simple to limit internet restriction for an online gambling addict. This is an issue that legislators are tackling and trying to find solutions to in the near future. They want to make sure that people are protected, while they still take advantage of the huge tax revenue dollars their governments so sorely need.
Tags: addict, addiction, gambling, worry
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Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
There is a group of anti-gambling activists who believe that the biggest problem legalized gambling poses to the community is addictions. They believe that if gambling is offered so readily, it is easily going to become one of the hardest things to regulate. People will be playing online and going to casinos. The games can be addictive and customers may run into problems. So the question remains: How do you know if you have a problem or not? There are some signs you can watch for. Just like any other addictions, there are issues to take into account and periodically assess honestly. Here are some warning signs:
• Do you find yourself rushing to the casino any chance you get, or logging into an online casino? If you are frequenting casinos a lot it could mean that you are going overboard. Ask yourself whether or not you take your bankroll into account when you wager frequently. Are you able to go to the casino without financial regrets?
• Do you keep pushing your bankroll limit higher and higher? If you keep on increasing your budget without any increase in your income to support it, you could have a problem. Any gambler needs to be aware of their bankroll and never set it higher than what he or she can afford to lose. Let’s face it, when wagering the odds are never in your favor. You want to protect yourself and never go overboard. If you find yourself changing your life to afford more and more gambling, you could have a problem.
• Do you put off paying bills to have more money to wager? This is a dangerous action. Some people who belonged to Gamblers Anonymous stated that they started prioritizing their gambling schedule over every day bills. They slowly began infringing on their monthly budgets little by little until they were paying few bills and spending their money at the local casino to have fun.
• Are you losing your social life because of the casino? Another telltale sign of an addiction is when you start cutting out social outings in lieu of gambling. if you find yourself putting off friends and family for the purpose of more time to wager, you could have a problem.
These are just some of the signs of a potential problem. If you find yourself having problems managing your wagering schedule, then take some time to talk to a counselor specializing in addictions. They can help you to decide whether or not you truly are an addict and what steps to take to help yourself.
Tags: addiction, gambling, sign, warning
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Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
The world of gambling is changing and a huge feud is brewing. The online world of gambling is giving land based gambling a run for its money. Consider that in ten years ago a state might have had three big dollar casinos in its borders. These casinos split the allegiance and money of a few million people from the state and neighboring states. The casino operators were happy because they continued to benefit from the money available and built themselves up a hefty income stream via those millions of yearly customers. Then something changed—online gambling entered the market. The benefit here was that gamers didn’t have to travel for hours to a good casino—nor did they have to plan for the trip, drive, find parking, search for games, etc. Instead, they now were able to log into their online accounts from the privacy of their own homes. The only requirement was a secure internet connection and a laptop or desktop. Armed with that, anyone could log in and wager for hours—no waiting, no travel and no hassle.
So what did this do to land based gaming companies? It seriously eked in on their revenues. Online casinos have done nothing but grow in the market. Due to millions of new gamers entering the market in any given month, online companies are able to benefit from the money. They in turn use that money for more promotions and benefits to the gaming public. Remember too that online companies don’t have the same overheads that land based casinos have to deal with. A land based casinos has huge utility costs, rent or leasing agreements to pay for, management, maintenance, wait staff, security, etc. Online casinos have none of these costs to manage. This cuts down dramatically on how much it costs for them to operate and bring new games to the market. If a land based casino wants to expand a slots parlor, for example, it could mean major construction and cost. On the other hand if an online casino wants to expand their virtual slots parlor, it is a matter for programmers and developers to manage, but no real inconvenience plays a part in the process.
Tags: gambling, growth, market, online
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