Online Casinos Directory

If you look at any US state, legislators are in the middle of heavy debates over the question of legalizing gambling. It is interesting to see the developments in the issue, but overall there are still staunch sides to the issue and they are holding up well against eachother. On one side you have those who are against legalization of gambling. A good portion are completely against the activity’s legalization, but another portion is looking at the issue more conditionally. They believe that gambling should not be legalized without the proper regulatory laws put into place. They aren’t completely against gambling; they are just worried that without the proper laws, gamblers won’t be protected at all. They worry that legalization of gambling will bring an increase in gambling ddiictions without the adequate programs to help people, crime with inadequate police protection to handle it and poverty with no public works programs to aid in fixing the issues. Their belief is that rules need to be put into place that protect players, casinos and the communtiies surrounding gambling organizaitons before any legalization issues are addressed. Currently legalization codes are not adequate to dictate what gambling rules should be.

On the other hand there are the legislators who believe that gambling should be legalized. Their position is that online gambling is a billion-dollar business and the states cannot turn away this kind of revenue at this time. Most states’ economies have been ravished by the recession and without some viable option to help them recover, they are going to continue to have to manage deficits. Gambling is the only billion-dollar money generating activity on the table right now and the legislators are pushing for its legalization. Some states are already earmarking gambling revenues for various public works, development and expansion efforts in years to come. They confidently believe that the money will be brought in once gambling is legalized and regulated under adequate laws. Only time will tell which side wins out, but most likely legalization will happen. State legislators are not going to want to put off the kinds of revenue that is avaliable if they make the move to legalize gambling for good.

Ipsos Reid is a company that recently held a survey of the American public. The goal was to find out what people’s perception of online gambling is and how they feel about its legalization. Interestingly, the findings were that a lot of Americans and Canadians believe that online gambling is already legalized. Though they may not directly participate in the hobby, they believed that debates were over and people were legally gambling consistently. When it comes to public feel about online gambling, the survey showed that about 49% of those selected believed that online gambling was a positive activity for the countries.

Though the information was interesting, it was hardly a surprise to many involved. Experts know that online gambling is not as negatively perceived as it once was by the American public. In fact most believe that it is a viable option to raising the money needed for governments to continue offering important public programs that are without funding at this time. The recession was a stark reality for millions and they understand how many budget cuts had to happen and how they affected the quality of programs available. Though some legislators are still campaigning that legalizing online gambling would bring crime in mass numbers, the voting public is still doubtful. There is no tangible evidence that online gambling is directly related to crime, corruption or an increase in addictions that are unmanageable. In fact, some legislators are maintaining that though they once may have been against online gambling, the real issue is whether or not the government can build in the proper safeguards into the system. If they can, then many legislators have said that they would change their minds on the issue and vote for gambling’s legalization and regulation.

One of the biggest issues to tackle is the issue of regulation. Many Americans believe that the proper regulation is what is going to bring success with legalizing gambling. Even legislators hold to the same idea. They are pushing hard for an increase in regulations that police activities online and protect all gamers. They also want programs that increase security and protect gamers’ identities and funding information. If these can be sorted out many believe that the question of online gambling will be answered swiftly and easily.

The UK recently came up with a plan on how to manage online casinos overseas. The plan is groundbreaking in that it is changing how the UK is dealing with gaming operations. In past years gaming operators believed that the UK was dealing with them unfairly. Part of the problem was that increases in taxation led many of the casinos to move to move cost-effective centers like Gibraltar and Malta. The British online casinos decided that their treatment was unfair and that was forcing them outside their chosen areas of operations and moving them to offshore locations. Since the rules for foreign casinos are more lenient with online British companies, most feel that they should look to outside licensing. Now that companies have left the market the UK is looking to change their rules.

When it comes to regulating online casinos, there are problems and issues. Many countries are dealing with issues regarding the problem and the UK is not alone. Some issues that need to be addressed are, if casinos have licenses from the UK, what type of information should be required to maintain it? How can the most vulnerable gamers be protected? How is sports betting going to be managed throughout the world of gambling? The problem is that the rules are no where in place for the UK; meaning that the UK will have to start fresh with all laws and regulations when it comes to online gambling. All of these things need to be sorted out and with no previous framework of rules that worked, countries are having to make the rules as they go and see if they work. The EU rules also show that any EU member nation has to follow the exact rules. It is this uniformity that the EU is seeking and hoping that it can bring some laws and regulations to the mix that work for all members. Hopefully the new rules will also allow for more online operators to remain in Britain. With better rules and regulations, it is hoped that operators won’t need to flee to offshore areas or remote locations to operate in a cost-effective way.

To gain some precise clarification and avoid some confusion some guidelines have been set in place.  As the EU council presidency makes its customary rotation it could prompt the unification of online poker laws across Europe. Starting in July 2010, Belgium will take the EU hot seat and is keen to use its position of power to clarify the rules regarding poker on the internet. Belgium Italy and France are currently in favor of regulated online casinos that offer various online games, including online poker, to their nationals. These moves, however, have also blocked outside operators from legally offering games to willing punters.
In Belgium alone, 35,000 people play online poker each week.  This is a huge number of people logging on to the internet in an effort to wager. This number includes 330,000 people that play at least once every six months. This uptake in online poker across Belgium has been significant over the past three years and with annual revenue expected to total €110 million the country is keen to tap into that money as soon as possible. with the growing advancement of technology this will always be a sticky subject for the government.  The role of online poker within their respective countries; some taking a completely negative stance and banning it completely. If America re-opening its doors to online gambling and attitudes towards online poker are becoming more positive it won’t be long before online poker is booming once again across Europe.

Part of the problem with the changing laws of the EU is that there is no uniformity. Countries have consistently built their own rules over the past few years. With no real law, they were left to their own devices. Countries were hard-pressed to continue gambling and refused to hand aside the millions of dollars at stake. They began working through their own rules and regulations. The problem then, was that the EU then stepped in to try to unify rules. It is going to be a difficult task since they are working with a wide variety of gaming rules. Some countries are trying to create monopolies and protect their own stake in the market. Only time will tell what the EU is going to do to overcome the disparity in rules and regulations.

The world is calling for some online gambling regulation. That’s now though- since it first began a lot of gambling has operated virtually unregulated. Players and casinos began working their own systems out. If something didn’t work, it was altered. If something did work, it was made a staple in the business model. That was good for the industry on one hand because it allowed it to grow considerably. It let the industry set its own rules based on what it needs. On the bad side though, it’s means that there is room for untoward companies to enter the market and take advantage of players. With no government regulation and very few licensed jurisdiction with strict licensing requirements, anybody with the money and the know-how could launch a casino. Some of the billionaires of the online casino industry didn’t come from rich, well-to-do families. They were regular people that developed software and found eager investors that were willing to invest in the dream of opening an online casino that would reach millions of gamblers worldwide. Let’s face it, gambling is a great pastime that millions want. If you have the right know-how you can enter the market and be a serious contender for that market.

As the industry has continued to change many countries have begun to make moves to regulate and legalize online gambling within their borders. Once that happens, many of the old self-made regulators will have to take a step down and follow suit with the regulators of their particular areas. Even companies that set up shop in distant places like Macau or Gibraltar for the purpose of setting their own rules will have to acclimate to the new rules coming into the gambling world. The biggest winner when it comes to regulated online gambling is the government. There are millions of tax-revenue dollars coming into play with the legalization and regulation of casinos. Not only are governments looking to charge licensing fees, they are also charging taxes on all monies won and all monies collected. Added together that makes for a great income and legislators know it. That is why they are pushing hard to come up with laws that work for them and their budgets.

The US is expected to legalize the regulation of online gambling.  In anticipation of this legislation,  a U.K. based supporter of the legislation has announced that it will launch a department to aid in processing U.S. online gambling once the legislation is passed.   The company is ready to provide a complete roster of services that assure safe financial transactions and outstanding consumer protections. Leading Secure Trading Inc.’s U.S. operations are three former senior executives from MasterCard Inc., Chris Thom, Ted Friedman and T.J. Chris Thom said, “Momentum for regulating Internet gambling in the U.S. has been building for some time. As Congress prepares to take the final step, Secure Trading Inc.’s turnkey system is primed to enable our customers to go live the moment Internet gambling is regulated.”

Chairman of UC Group, LTD Kobus Paulsen said, “Individually and collectively Chris, Ted and T.J. have extensive experience in the Card and Banking industry for providing Internet payment services across multiple market sectors. They bring substantial value to SecureTrading Inc. and our customer base as we prepare for the passage and implementation of online gambling regulation in the U.S.” The goal of Secure Trading Inc is to help gambling websites be more efficient and stay up to code with rules and regulations. The company also helps with financial processing of payments and to avert fraud. Online fraud is a serious concern in the market today. Especially with the huge surge in online businesses, there is a true concern that more and more crime is going to virtual businesses. It is hoped that the three executives of Secure Trading, Inc. will be able to work together to ensure positive movement in the world.

Before working with Secure Trading, Inc., Chris Thom was the Chief Risk Officer of MasterCard. That gives him some great insight into the world of fraud and security online. Tim Friedman, COO of Secure Trading, Inc., was the Chief Operating Officer of MasterCard New York and Europay International in Belgium. Friedman also served as the Global Head of Credit Products and SVP of Change Management. They have built a strong team to manage the initiative and are hoping that as the US heads closer to legalizing online gambling, the proper safeguards will be put into place to protect consumers.

Internet gambling is the newest fad in the US market. Legislators everywhere are looking to gambling as a means of creating additional revenue streams for suffering economies. Senator Harry Reid has discussed the issue and committed himself to doing what is best for the state of Nevada under his lead. Regarding internet gambling, he has said that he will listen to the people and watch the market to see if both are ready to move forward. Since his commitment first began, however he has seen it as a detrimental move for the state’s economy and has been a staunch critic of the pastime. While other states are embracing internet gambling, Reid is not.

Though he is firm in his belief some experts are chiming in on his position. They believe that if he is truly trying to do what is best for his state, he will consider rethinking the internet gambling issue. Representative Barney Frank has been vocal and proactive about bringing internet gambling to the US market. He has fought hard to come up with an amendment to the UIGEA and has a code in place to legalize and regulate gambling.

Despite moves to legalize gambling, Reid is a formidable opponent to the move. His vote could become crucial to the upcoming battle in Congress over the question of internet gambling legalization. Many gaming analysts believe that the best move for Nevada would be to regulate online gambling. They say that if Las Vegas was a forerunner in the industry of online gambling, and made it successful, it would bring a new notoriety to the market. The casino companies have been split on their approach, even at a time when revenue is down and the economy has severely hurt the industry. Wynn Resorts wants no part of Internet gambling regulations, other companies in the city do. Harrah’s for example is bracing itself for a move into the world of online gambling already. Company directors see the market as lucrative and see the potential of moving gambling online. They want to be set up and ready for the potential revenue stream.

It is going to take a few more months for legislators to regulate online gambling but people are still waiting to see what Reid’s stand is going to be. Although he is at liberty to choose either, no one can debate that bringing online gambling to the state could bring in the much-needed funds to turn the economy around.

Barney Frank has been instrumental in the push for legalizing and regulating gambling. His main target has been the UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, of 2006. The main purpose of the law was to protect online gamblers. Unfortunately, it failed to do the job due to a lack of specific wording. The main complaint of the law is that it never defined what “gambling” is. This created a lot of problems for the market because banks were unclear on what they were supposed to be banning and what activities were legal. Namely some lottery activities were thrown into the mix and deemed unlawful by financial institutions. The activities were later found to be legally exempt from the ban. Overzealous banks that didn’t want fees of any kind were to blame for the overly cautious moves.

The issue of gambling is hot on the mind of Representative Barney Frank. He recently introduced a new legislation that would manage gambling. Not only would it allow for online gambling to exist legally, but it also would allow the US to benefit from revenues via taxation.  It also would take the responsibility of policing transactions away from banking institutions. Part of the problem with giving them the task of regulating activities was that banks were paranoid about missing gambling-related transactions and potentially being at risk for huge fines by the government. Frank’s new bill would first and foremost, be highly specific in wording. Frank is proposing a comprehensive list of what is legal online and what isn’t. Most likely the only activity that will be deemed illegal will be sports betting, but the complete wording has yet to be seen. The most difficult aspect of finding a new law that is adequate in allowing gambling is to create the right wording. Frank has been working on the bill for months now and he has what is being noted as the closest thing to a viable option for legalizing and regulating online gambling. Only time will tell where online gambling goes from here and what the state of it will be after the new amendment to the UIGEA is passed. It isn’t set to be reviewed however until after the new year. Unfortunately there are many other pressing budget issues that are taking precedence over the gambling issue.

eCOGRA is a non-profit organization and one of the only companies in the world that provides unbiased and accurate gaming audits in order to indentify for users online casinos and poker rooms that are safe, fair, and responsible.  With the growth in online gaming it’s becoming more and more difficult for players to trust the website they are playing at. And that is a huge problem. Players have to share their personal information with websites that includes their name, address, bank account, credit card and social security number. Without some assurance that the website is verified, this can mean disaster for a consumer. Plus the internet is anonymous at its core. It’s easy for a knowledgeable and internet-savvy person to set up a “casino” website, take people’s money and then disappear.  If the location if offshore, it is next to impossible to find the culprit, much less find a way for recourse.

The organization eCOGRA strives to make online gaming safer for players all around the world. A casino or poker room that carries the eCOGRA seal means a couple of things. One, it means that the site has been continually reviewed for fairness and is approved under strict conditions. Two, and perhaps more importantly, it means that if you were to ever have a dispute with a gambling site online you could bring your concerns to eCOGRA and they would help you in resolving that dispute by acting as a mediator. eCOGRA will work continually for you as a Fair Gaming Advocate.  It’s a great asset to have an organization that works with consumers to protect them from unscrupulous operators or operators that just have a few problems to iron out in their deliverable.

The Play It Safe Seal is awarded to operators that fully comply with eCOGRA’s strict standards for player protection, fair gaming and responsible operator conduct. Sites and their player policies are checked and rechecked on an ongoing basis to ensure their compliance with these standards, as well as your safety online. The Seal has become a homepage symbol of documented, objective, fair play. If you are playing online games, check for the eCOGRA verification. If a website does have it, it ensures that the casino has fair gaming practices, timely and efficient payouts and dispute resolution policies.