A New Jersey bill that would authorize Atlantic City casinos to offer Internet gambling has been introduced in the state’s Assembly, a measure that many expect to draw fire from gambling industry opponents. Assemblymen Anthony Impreveduto and Neil Cohen, both Democrats, call their proposed legislation a “safe-haven bill” that aims to establish Atlantic City as a regulated U.S. jurisdiction for Internet casinos. Business practices by companies operating in this so-called safe-haven would be closely monitored by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, Impreveduto said.

Cohen, a 10-year assemblyman, said this is a “protective measure” to prevent the growth of unregulated Internet casinos, hoping Internet gamblers would flee sites that are operated in unregulated jurisdictions, “My 10-year old son was able to log on to an Internet casino last night, and he would have been able to play if he had a credit card,” Impreveduto said Friday.

Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Merle Berman, R-Las Vegas, plans to introduce a similar bill to the Nevada Legislature this year. The state’s 2001 legislative session begins Feb. 5. Impreveduto and Cohn said they have not been approached by the casino industry to draft such a bill. “I came up with the idea when I was surfing the Web for something else and an ad for an unregulated Internet gambling site popped up,” Impreveduto said. The New Jersey legislators said they expect opposition from groups on the religious right, such as the New Jersey Catholic Conference. Bill Bolan, chairman of the Catholic Conference, didn’t return a Friday phone message. Impreveduto said the proposed New Jersey bill only permits operators of Atlantic City land-based casinos to apply for e-gaming licenses. Those operators would include: Park Place Entertainment; Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts; Carl Icahn’s Sands; Aztar Corp., which operates the Tropicana; and Harrah’s Entertainment.

The proposed legislation requires Internet casinos to use software that blocks minors and compulsive gamblers. In addition, New Jersey regulators would have to approve of the software. Impreveduto acknowledged that the bill will have a lot of amendments prior to reaching a possible vote. For one thing, the current draft does not address who can participate. “Since the bill is silent to that issue right now, (if it passes the way it is) gamblers could participate from Holland or New York City or Trenton (N.J.),” Impreveduto said. “But this is one of the issues that will be debated in the Legislature. Since the bill does not allow for online sports wagering, Impreveduto believes the proposed legislation does not butt heads with federal laws.

Department of Justice lawyers under the Clinton ทางเข้า789Bet Administration have argued that the 1961 Federal Wire Act bans sports wagers via the telephone or the Internet, but have not taken a stance on Internet casinos. Internet casinos offer games such as black jack, poker and virtual roulette.

The Bush Administration’s stance on the issue is unclear. Tony Cabot, a lawyer for Las Vegas firm Lionel Sawyer & Collins, said the issue could be resolved if the New Jersey Legislature requests the Justice Department or Congress to decide if Web-based casinos are banned by the Federal Wire Act. ” The Internet gambling industry is like the Wild Wild West,” Impreveduto said. “This bill is a starting off point for regulating the industry.”

You mentioned in a column the phrase “deck penetration.” I believe I know what you mean by that, it being, how many cards have been dealt so far versus how many remain. I am writing to see if my suspicions are correct. Also, does penetration have any effect on my basic strategy play? Donnie B.

Correct, Donnie, deck penetration measures the quantity of cards that have been dealt before the dealer shuffles the cards. Penetration is usually expressed as the percentage of the deck already dealt, for example, “65%” or about 34 cards on a single deck.

Penetration is extremely important to card counters, but not indispensable for basic strategy players like you. Unless the dealer is outright cheating, or indulging in preferential shuffling thinking that plenty of 10s remain in the deck, the cards should be in a random order after each shuffle.

Bottom line: If the player is not counting down the deck and there’s no preferential shuffling, there is no advantage to the basic strategy player if the dealer were to allow 20% penetration, then shuffle, or plunge on to the 90% penetration level.

Dear Mark,

I thought I would share with you my first royal flush in 20 years. I needed the King of Hearts, and actually waited two minutes before I hit the draw button. For some reason, I really believed it was my day, so I waited before springing the king loose. What a thing of beauty when he appeared. Anyhow, thanks for all your advice on how to select machines by identifying good paytables. Though I never hit the royal until this past week, I am losing less often by knowing which machines to play. Curtis L.

Congratulations, Curtis, on beating the approximately 40,000-to-one odds against hitting a royal, and with the Suicide King no less, the King of Hearts. Why Suicide you ask? Well, pull out a deck of cards and look at his Majesty. On examination you’ll note the King of Hearts appears to be stabbing himself in the head.

Considering a royal flush can be elusive over a lifetime, I am delighted you got yours in only two decades.

Dear Mark,

Recently on a blackjack game, I had an 11 against a Sbobet dealer 6 with a $20 bet. All I had remaining was $10 and I stated “double for less.” The dealer would not let me do it. I thought I could. I won anyway, but $10 less than I should have. What should I do next time? Chuck D.

It had to have been a break-in dealer, Chuck, as I know of no casino, nor any seasoned dealer, who would not accept a “double for less” wager on a blackjack game.

Double for less is to double down with less than your original bet. When the rules permit doubling, the player does not have to actually double his bet, but can increase it by any amount up to, but never more than, the original wager.

If it ever happens again, Chuck, which I doubt it will, hold up your play and call over the pit boss. He will let you take your shot at an extra $10.

One more thought, readers. Because you only double down when you are more likely to win the hand than lose, you always want to wager the maximum amount. It is the double downs and blackjacks that jiggle your blackjack play from the red into the black. Do not shortchange yourself in these situations. Chuck just happened to be light in the pocketbook.

Gambling quote of the week: Winning and losing and the expectations therefrom are diverting. I conceive there would be no pleasure properly so called if a man were sure to win. It is the reconciling of uncertainty to our desires that creates the satisfaction. – Frederick Brandt, Games, Gaming and Gamesters’ Law.

Today, Instagram ran a big press conference to announce a new feature.

So far, sharing your pictures and videos on Instagram was only in a public mode and therefore went into the feeds of everyone who followed you. From now on, you can send photos directly to one or several contacts.

The impressive success of Snapchat, the private photos and ephemeral app (pictures are deleted automatically after a few seconds) probably gave inspiration to Instagram and Facebook. After trying to buy the app, Instagram is now doing nearly the same with Instagram Direct. The principle is simple – a messages app. You have a “Inbox” tab and you’ll see the private photos your contacts have sent you. To send private photos there is a “direct” option that allows you to send pictures to either all your followers or the ones you choose: friends, parents, colleagues… Once you send it, you can see who has seen it, commented or liked it.

Social Media for Business in 2016: The Ultimate Checklist SocialMedia

Are you still stuck with social media in 2016? Are you beginning a new business and looking for a social media strategy? Do you need a refresh on the necessary networks? Then step this way…

Social media can be hard to get used to when a business is first starting out, but this infographic by The Whole Brain Group provides a checklist with tips on how to create a successful online social media presence. More about Tiktok For Stories

Takeaways:

Make sure you know the age range, gender, occupation and location of your target audience before creating any content – don’t annoy people or promote yourself too much.

Your content needs to address the troubles of your audience, and answer any FAQs they may have. Start by writing a certain number of blog posts a week on various subjects – and don’t forget your target keywords!

On Facebook, don’t forget to tag other people and pages.

For Twitter, use Twitter Cards or Promoted Tweets to up the engagement on your content.

With LinkedIn, review your calendar on a weekly basis and connect with people you’ve met.

Following and featuring customers is a clever way to optimise your Instagram account.

8 Tips to Get The Most Out of Your Content Marketing SocialMedia

The year is 2016, and more traditional forms of marketing are not reaping the results that they once did. Quality content marketing can boost your general marketing effort ten-fold. In fact, companies that engage in content marketing generate three times more leads than those who don’t!

95% of marketers claim they are doing content marketing in one form or another. So how can you make sure your content stands out amongst the hoards? Aussieessay have created the infographic below with some top tips for content.

1) Know your audience:

To create a great piece of content, you must know your audience. Only then will you be able to speak to them on an emotional level.

2) New and different:

Your content needs to be different and new. Don’t steal others ideas! You need to establish your brand as the thought leader in your specific industry

3) 6 simple tips:

Don’t use jargon

Make it understandable for anyone

Make it easy to read

Use short sentences

Make it concise

Make sure it’s easy to digest

4) It needs to be useful:

Content should add value:

A solution to a problem

An answer to a question

Good and trusted information

5) Give without asking:

Don’t alienate your audience by dangling a stick in front of their nose and never giving them the carrot.

6) Timing is everything:

Post at the time you know your audience will be reading. You want to be there first before the competitors!

7) Shareable:

Make content that people want to share with their friends and colleagues.

8) Promote:

Once you’ve created a piece of content, make sure you promote it.

We’re not going to tell you how hard it is to stay focused some days, because we know you know. On days when you just can’t get in the zone even the smallest distraction will take its toll on productivity. It can take as much as 15 minutes to find your focus again after even the smallest distraction.

Too many distractions can affect motivation and move you further away from hitting your writing goals. So, if you have tried all the tricks, planned your blocks of writing the night before, scheduled in your writing and rest times, shut yourself in a quiet room with a lock on the door, and you still haven’t got anywhere, what next?

We have picked out five apps and browser extensions to help you on your way to productivity. Choose one and try it, or hey – try them all – after all you can never be too productive. Be warned these apps and extensions do block all internet and network activity, and can be very difficult to disable whilst a block is on – probably for the best if you are needing some serious concentration time, but not great for you if you aren’t fully committed (oh and might have an emergency email or Whatsapp message to send all of a sudden).

STAYFOCUSD

Ideal for Google Chrome users, this Chrome browser extension limits the amount of time you spend on selected websites and blocks others with highly customisable settings. You can block entire sites or specific pages or you can allocate how much time you want to allow yourself on certain sites. If you think you need half an hour to get some research done allocate that much. This extension will alert you if you have left one of your blocked windows open but inactive – you don’t want to use up your time after all!

StayFocusd: Free Extension

FREEDOM

When you visit Freedom’s website you will be confronted with the statement that time is your most valuable resource – and how right they are. Freedom allows you to manage your distractions by blocking all distracting websites and apps on not only your computer, but also your phone and your tablet. In fact, it even goes so far as to block the entire internet when you really need it. You can block for a few hours or a whole day. Different devices tend to mean different distractions and Freedom has that covered letting you create block lists for each of your devices. More about Translation Companies UK

Freedom: Free trial then starts at $2.42 a month.

SELFCONTROL

This is a free Mac App that functions using a blacklist and a whitelist to separate up those sites that are exceptions from those that you absolutely don’t want to be on. This app is pretty strict, so it is likely you will be blocking all web communication, unless you have specified not to, including Dropbox and all online services – so be warned, this app means business!

SelfControl: Free

COLD TURKEY

Cold Turkey is a fantastic tool for blocking both websites and applications. If you know you are most distracted for example when you hit a mid-afternoon slump, then you can schedule your time blocks to kick in then and which sites you want to block. If you are one of those people who spends your time on your computer at night when really you should be sleeping, then Cold Turkey will go ‘Frozen Turkey’ on you and kick you out altogether. If you feel you work better with short breaks through your ‘black out’ period, then Cold Turkey will schedule in short breaks for you.

Cold Turkey: Free to download or go Pro from $19.

FOCUS

This app sits nicely in your menu bar and helps you create an ideal work environment around you. It will block any specified websites across all browsers and other Mac applications such as Twitter, Skype or Mail. When you do attempt to go to the blocked sites, it will give you a motivational quote and send you on your way. You can schedule your website blocking or use the timer to help you organise blocks of work if you work better with shorter intervals and breaks. If you are feeling like you need an extra bout of concentration you can switch to ‘Hardcore’ mode – but be warned you really won’t be able to stop this once it has started.

Focus: Free Trial then $19.99.

If these all sound a bit dramatic and you don’t feel as though you want to go as far as installing blocks on your computer, how about listening to the bustling sounds of a coffee shop at Coffitivity or mix up your own atmosphere with the options at Noisli. Right now, thanks to Noisli we are sitting by a fire on a stormy night in a forest with the occasional train passing by and productivity has rocketed through the roof.

We as tournament poker players blame casinos for the lack of interest in poker tournaments and maybe justifiably so. If the casino is unaware of our existence and assumes that we only frequent their establishments to play in poker tournaments and get buffet comps, then they are justified in thinking we are not a valuable customer. How many times have you heard “He’s only a poker player?” Most poker tournament players are not aware of the fact that tournaments in themselves generate very little, if any, revenue on their own. Some even lose money. I know most of you can’t believe that, but trust me, it is the truth. However, the casinos do benefit from poker tournaments in other areas, such as, pit play, gift shops, restaurants, slot machines, video poker machines, sports betting, shows, keno, not to mention the rooms we occupy. So how do we change their attitudes about the average poker tournament player? First they have to know where we spend money outside the poker room. This is very important. The way to do that is simple, use a “Players Tracking Card.”

I realize that many of you would like to remain anonymous and not have your wins and losses in other areas of the casino known. I also understand not wanting to be put on numerous mailing lists for fear of being pestered. Most of us just want to come and play and be left alone. Well, we need to change the way we feel so the casinos will in turn value our presence. The only way to keep tournaments alive and well in Nevada is by corporate awareness. The “suits” upstairs in the executive offices must be made aware of our value. The Players Tracking Card can do this for us. We need to let the casinos know we exist and that we “crossover” into other areas of the casino. We can best do that by filling out a short form telling them who we are and why we are in the casino. After doing that, we need to use the card everywhere we spend money. That will show the casinos we are an asset to them and not a liability.

The length of the tournament determines how long players will be registered in the hotel. In my experience as a tournament player, I have spent anywhere from three days to three weeks in one casino. That’s a long time and during that time I’m likely to spend a lot of money in all areas of the casino, as we all do.

I personally do not want to see tournaments leave Nevada forever, so PLEASE use your Players Tracking Card. What more can you do? Take this information seriously and follow up. The benefits may surprise you and can only increase the more you use your card. Please identify yourself as a poker player so all of us will benefit. Let’s be heard, we deserve the same perks as other casino customers. Help us bring tournament poker back to Nevada where it belongs.

This article was inspired by Mike Gainey, Poker Room Manager at the Reno Hilton. Mike is the person responsible for the success of the Pot of Gold and the Cup of Gold poker tournaments at the Reno Hilton. Their successes helped him convince the executives to welcome the upcoming “World Poker Challenge” to be held in January, 2001. Motivated poker people like Mike Gainey make it possible for us to have poker tournaments, so let’s do our part. We can help make it a success and show our appreciation by using our Tracking Cards throughout the casino and making corporate aware of our value.

Casino Tropez enjoys an impeccable reputation in the industry and amongst our players. Our integrity is maintained by providing our Togel Hari Ini players with a truly fair, transparent, and secure gaming environment.

An illustration of our transparency is the unique built-in game and financial history feature. Any player can review each and every game he/she ever played at, with the exact date & time, wagered amount, winnings and detailed game results. Financial transaction history displays all deposits and withdraws from the players casino account. Both of these features can be accessed any time while online.

Casino Tropez systems have also been tested and approved by leading international accounting firm BDO. After testing millions of game rounds, their analysis reported 100% random results. This is achieved by using a sophisticated Random Number Generator, which is a separate piece of hardware connected to the casino computers. A third-party accounting firm periodically tests our casino systems to ensure its ongoing accuracy. The Casino Tropez average payout percentage, which is the percentage of total winnings out of the total wagered amounts, is also reviewed on a monthly basis.

Casino Tropez has been granted a license by the Gaming Commission of the government of Antigua and Barbuda. Any diversion from the approved and permitted manner of our business would result in the immediate annulment of our license.

Playing Bingo can boost your brainpower and is a kind of keep fit exercise for the mind according to researchers from Southampton University.

What’s more, the same study also found that the older you are – the more mentally agile you could be!

The study took place back in 2002 and was conducted Southampton University’s Centre for Visual Cognition at the Department of Psychology. The study tested the mental agility of Bingo players over the course of a year and its results were rather surprising but great news for those of us beyond a certain age who love our Bingo.

The study measured the mental responses of 112 people aged either between 18 and 40, or 60 and 82. Half the people from each group played Bingo regularly whilst the other 50% didn’t. The results found that the Bingo players were both faster and more accurate than the people who didn’t play Bingo in a battery of tests which gauged mental speed, memory and the person’s ability to glean information from their environment.

The reasons seem to lie in the Bingo players’ mental agilities and abilities to mark off their cards (sometimes multiple cards) quickly with rapid hand to eye co-ordination and these are the skills which had previously been thought to decline with age. What’s more – unlike other pastimes which are generally considered to be far more cerebral – like chess, for example, Bingo calls for quick identification of numbers and winning lines etc., within time constraints.

So when you’re playing online Bingo, it may be better not to use the sites’ automatic play functions. The only problem then is the potential of missing a win – so maybe do a bit of both if you’re keen to preserve your mental agility.

Playing the right kind of online Bingo can also keep you happy. Jackpotjoy – the UK’s number one online Bingo site – keeps all its games fun to play with great graphics, sounds and different twits in each game which require a little more mental agility still. People can also socialize with other players or Jackpotjoy’s friendly staff while they play.

And, of course, they can also win significant amounts of money, as many players regularly do – like Mrs. Anna D who recently landed £3,092 playing Jackpotjoy’s Bingo 75 Round The Clock. So perhaps if Anna keeps playing until she’s 100 or more – she’ll be getting cleverer all the time!?

Useful Information About Online Bingo Sites

Hunting for the good Situs Judi Slot bingo sites on web is an intimidating task when there are hundreds of websites out there. Further, many online sites with jackpot bingo promotions are added each day; therefore it isn’t a surprise when someone tells you that he/she is unable to find good online bingo sites. Have you heard about the horror stories of choosing the worst online bingo site? If no, then know it as it shall help you out in selecting the good online bingo sites. However, you need to pay some amount to know about the site, you should also know whether the website is safe or not.

There many things that you have to do before checking out the good online bingo sites; firstly, you have to read the reviews of various sites. These reviews shall help you out in selecting the best site with jackpot bingo promotions. After reading the reviews you shall know which sites are not good enough so that you cross them off from your list. After narrowing your bingo site list, it would become easy to select one or two sites from a list of 4-5 sites. When you log onto each site, browse thoroughly and if the site lets you to play for free then try it out.

Let have a look at some of the criterions that are to be kept in mind while selecting a good site for you. Have a look at follows.

Reputation: The term reputation in the world of gambling means- the site has to pay the specified amount to the player and the site should have supportive site. Furthermore, the software used in the site has to be a safe and secure one. You can even know the reputation of the site by knowing its time period; for instance if the site is in the business for a long time then it shall be considered good, otherwise not.

Games: There are only some bingo sites that offer the best bingo games. Make a list of your favourite games and then check whether they are available on the site or not. However, look out for the mentioned below things:

Check out for the variations that you like. 2 lines, blackout, 4 corners and full house are some of the popular variants.

Check out where the players are more, the more the players the more rewards you can win.

Promotions: Almost every site provides promotions. There are many sites that provide you promotions just after signing in. You can even get a matching bonus; it means that if you have deposited $50, then you shall receive $50 too. There’s another bonus called no deposit that you can win too. You can even win rewards by referring to your friends.

Deposit and withdrawal options: You have to check out the reviews of the sites whether it pays the players in time or not. If you find any complaints regarding the payment options, you shouldn’t consider the site.

Is gambling on the Internet legal?

Some state and federal law enforcement officials declare flatly, “Yes, it’s all illegal.” Yet with hundreds of web sites taking billions of dollars in wagers each year, fewer than 25 people have ever been prosecuted for online gambling. Most were bookies who were also taking sports bets by telephone. A few were unusually foolish.

For example, a Pennsylvania operator settled a criminal case by promising the Attorney General of Missouri that he would stop taking bets from people in Missouri. He continued to take bets from Missouri, and ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.

So, is Internet gambling legal for those of us who are not taking bets by phone or breaking agreements with prosecutors?

Everyone in the United States and Canada is subject to at least two sets of laws, federal and state/province – and an additional set of laws if they are on tribal land. There are also laws on the city and county level, but these are usually of no consequence, except to big operators who are openly taking bets in that city or county.

Federal governments are not usually concerned with gambling. They do care about organized crime. So there are federal laws in the United States which make it a crime, under some circumstances, to take a bet, if you are in the gaming business.

This means that players are not violating any federal laws by merely placing bets. Senator Jon Kyl’s first draft of his proposed Internet Gambling Prohibition Act would have made betting a federal crime. But the U.S. Department of Justice, remembering the bad old days when it had to enforce the earlier Prohibition on alcohol, stated publicly that it did not want to go after $5 bettors. So, today, no one is even proposing making it a federal crime to merely place a bet.

Internet operators, especially those who do not have licenses from foreign countries, may be violating U.S. federal laws by taking bets online. The major statute, the Wire Act, was passed by Congress 35 years ago to help the states enforce their anti-bookmaking laws. The Wire Act only applies to individuals in the business of gambling who use a wire, like a phone line, which crosses a state line. Gambling businesses that conduct 100 percent of their activities inside a single state do not violate the Wire Act.

There are other federal Online Casino Malaysia anti-gambling laws, but most involve committing felonies under state laws.

The major weakness of the Wire Act, besides the fact that it was written long before the Internet was invented, is that it was designed to go after illegal bookies. Betting on a sports event or horse race is clearly covered. But a good argument can be made that lotteries and casinos do not fall under the Wire Act, even if they are conducted interstate or internationally.

But there are still laws of the states, provinces and territories. Federal governments may only be interested in organized crime, but states are often interested in saving your souls.

Every state has what is known as the “police power.” This is the right to protect the health, safety, welfare and morals of its citizens. Of course one man’s moral outrage is another man’s hobby.

Still, every state makes most forms of gambling a crime. Almost half the states specifically make it a crime to place a bet.

For example, in California it is a crime to bet at a banking or percentage game, meaning any casino game, outside of an Indian casino. It was also a crime to make, take or even record a bet on a sports event or horse race, outside of a licensed track or OTB. In August, 2001, Gov. Gray Davis signed a law making it legal for Californians to bet by phone or computer on horse races conducted anywhere in the world.

It is still a crime for someone in California to bet on a sport events. No ethical lawyer would ever tell you to break the law. But I have not found one reported case, in the history of the United States and Canada, of a player being arrested for making a bet on the Internet.

It also does not mean that betting on the Internet is safe. You might not be committing a crime, but how about the operator? Is an unlicenced operator going to run an honest game?

22. JOHN’S, Antigua — The competition is not so much stiff — as stiffs — according to Internet bookmaker Intertops.com, which picks HBO’s drama Six Feet Under to win the Outstanding Drama award at the 54th Primetime Emmys on Sunday September 22. Six Feet Under has won 23 Emmy nominations and looks set to scoop a casket full of awards. Donations — not flowers — please …

Next in line is NBC’s The West Wing with 21 nominations. Martin Sheen and Allison Janney are both favorites to win the vote in the male and female dramatic acting categories.

Jennifer Aniston and Raymond Romano are Intertops.com’s laugh-a-minute lovelies to win the comedy acting prizes. Friends continues to delight and is the top pick in the comedy series category.

Intertops.com is also offering action on both Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston winning their respective Emmys. Bet $10.00 and win $30.00 if Hollywood’s golden couple BOTH boost the trophy cabinet on Sunday September 22.

But if ONLY Brad wins — at 8-1 — at least Jennifer could win $800 on a $100 bet. She can’t lose either way!

“Award Shows make for perfect betting action. The results are shown live on television and you can back your favorite TV actor or show,” said Michael Maerz, chief bet manager of Intertops.com.

“Make the right guess, and when they say ‘And the winner is … ‘, it could be you! Intertops.com has always offered entertainment betting, and it gets a great reaction from our customers. We are delighted to provide some Emmy action to give this year’s ceremony some extra spice,” he said.

Gaming Corp. Inks Deal with Boss Media

Gaming Corporation plc (“Gaming Corp”or “the Company”) the Qiu Qiu Online operator of the Casino.co.uk gaming portal today enters the casino operator market through an agreement with Boss Media AB (“Boss Media”) one of the world’s leading suppliers of gaming software and owner of Casino.com.

Gaming Corp has today entered the online gaming operator market through a software licensing agreement with Boss Media. Under the terms of the agreement Boss Media will provide a bespoke online casino that will enable the Company to offer a wide range of casino games to its customers, including blackjack, roulette, video poker, slot machines and jackpots. Under the terms of the agreement the Company will pay Boss Media a set up fee and pay an ongoing share of the casino’s net revenues.

Gaming Corp currently operates Casino.co.uk the profitable and rapidly growing Internet portal that provides marketing services to some of the World’s leading casino operators. As part of the contract the new Casino will be promoted through Boss Media’s Casino.com website giving the new business considerable marketing reach in most major markets.

The online casino operation will be licensed in Curacao in the Dutch Antilles and operated by a wholly owned subsidiary of Gaming Corp. The casino will offer both downloadable and non-downloadable casino software, 24/7 multilingual telephone support and show all transactions in pounds sterling. Customers will be able to buy chips with debit and credit cards as well as by cheque or bank transfer.

Commenting on the deal Justin Drummond, Chief Executive of Gaming Corporation said:

“The deal with Boss Media is the first and most important step in delivering our interactive gaming strategy. We believe that Boss Media’s software is the best available on the market today. This combined with the marketing weight offered by our Casino.co.uk portal and our other online businesses means we are confident of success in this rapidly growing market”.

Peter Bertilsson, CEO and President of Boss Media, says:

“Gaming Corp have a proven record of sales and marketing online products and with casino.co.uk have already established a valuable database of players for their own casino. We are very pleased to have secured this agreement with Gaming Corp and look forward to what I am sure will be a highly profitable relationship”.

New Jersey’s new Casino Control Commission chair, Linda Kassekert, has promised to champion causes for the $4.6 billion gaming industry, but not at the expense of weakening the state’s regulatory structure. Kassekert said the commission stands ready to help casinos respond to likely competition in nearby states: “The commission will do everything it can to ensure that this casino industry can grow and prosper. This commission also will not waiver from ensuring honesty, good character and integrity in the industry.” Among the dignitaries that attended the Nov. 20 swearing-in ceremony were a former governor (Florio) and two former commission chairmen. Gov. James E. McGreevey, who administered her oath of office, praised Kassekert’s leadership and managerial skills. “With Linda Kassekert at the helm of the Casino Control Commission, this administration is one step closer to our goal of making this goal true.

Compulsive Gambler Sues Gaming Corp.

A compulsive gambler filed a $7-million lawsuit against the province of Ontario’s gaming system claiming he went bankrupt partly because the “self-exclusion” orders he signed, which were designed to turn him away from gambling facilities, were largely ineffective. Constantin Digalakis wagered more than $250,000, alleging he was egged on with free limousines, meals and other perks, even after signing an exclusionary order. It is the first and only suit filed by a problem gambler against the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., Canada’s biggest gaming company, and part of a legal trend that some observers believe could continue. “It’s probably the lawsuits that are going to turn the tide … and make the Qq Online industry and its sponsors take more responsibility. We think this is the next step and there will be a lot more of it,” says Brian Yealland, spokesman for Gambling Watch Ontario. But casinos and the Ontario gaming system say that they bear none of the responsibility for Mr. Digalakis’s plight. The self-exclusion forms he signed state clearly that casinos are not legally obliged to bar anyone, nor are they liable if excluded gamblers manage to get in.

Park Place Eyes Massachusetts Casinos

Park Place Entertainment Corp. of Las Vegas, the nation’s largest casino gambling company, has hired an influential Massachusetts lobbying firm to represent Park Place’s interests as the state considers allowing casino gambling. According to the Boston Herald, Park Place hired ML Strategies, which is run by high-powered Republican consultant Steve Tocco. “We would be remiss, given the nature and size and attraction of the market, if we didn’t actively monitor where the state is going,” says Park Place spokesman Robert Stewart. “This is not an effort to affect the outcome.” Massachusetts Gov.-elect Mitt Romney has said he is open to the possibility of having casino gambling in the state. Such casinos could compete with big established markets in the Northeast in Connecticut and Atlantic City, as well as major casinos planned by Park Place and other companies in New York state.

While it is illegal to offer wagers over the Internet in most states, a growing number of U.S. companies are profiting from a boom in online gambling and from business relationships with virtual casinos based overseas whose games can be played in the United States.

In the process, some state attorneys general say, software makers, media companies and Internet services working with overseas casinos may themselves be running afoul of the law — and may be assisting in an illegal activity in which 1 million U.S. residents a day participate.

American businesses counter that their role in online gaming is indirect, that the casinos are acting legally in the jurisdictions in which they are based, and that the U.S. and state laws are murky, mired in evolving jurisdictional questions raised by the borderless quality of the Internet.

American businesses’ involvement with overseas casinos — based typically in Costa Rica and the Caribbean — has largely transpired under the radar of regulators, and those few who have studied the matter acknowledge that prosecution of U.S. companies could be challenging. But the issue seems destined to invite increasing scrutiny as state and federal law enforcement focus increasingly on how they might take action to slow an exploding industry whose operators are based offshore.

For the moment, the legal action that is taking place is largely at the state level. The New Jersey attorney general’s office recently sued three Internet Situs Slot Deposit Pulsa Tanpa Potongan casinos — located in South Africa, St. Kitt’s and Costa Rica — for targeting the state’s residents. In the course of its investigation, the state asked three billboard companies based in United States to remove ads for Internet casinos appearing on the New Jersey Turnpike, the Atlantic City Boardwalk and the Atlantic City Expressway.

The office took no action against the billboard companies, but John Peter Suarez, director of New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement in the office of the attorney general, said that companies doing business with overseas gambling sites could be seen as abetting an illicit activity. It’s similar to a business that “has ties to organized crime,” Suarez said, noting that the U.S.-based business doesn’t have to necessarily be taking the wager to be implicated.

“If they’re profiting from it,” he said, “then they’re associated.”

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal concurred, asserting that “anyone associated with this industry is in legal peril.” He conceded that the prosecution of indirect relationships could be difficult “at best” and that businesses could offer “a lot of defenses.” But another question, he argued, is one of business ethics.

“These companies should take a look in the mirror and ask whether they are doing the right thing, and whether they can justify being a means to victimize innocent people,” Blumenthal said.

Yahoo! Internet Life, with a paid circulation of 1.1 million the most widely-circulated magazine about the Internet, accepts advertisements from overseas casinos. Its editor-in-chief, Barry Golson, disputed the organized-crime analogy proposed by Suarez. “Some of these casinos are operated by people who are licensed in other countries,” Barry said.

But Golson added that the issue goes to the heart of emerging political, social and legal issues raised by the Internet. Indeed, Golson editorialized earlier this year about the dangers of Internet gambling — asserting the activity is addictive and unregulated — and questioned the magazine’s policy of running the ads. In an effort to stave off potential legal issues, Golson said the magazine plans to require casinos to include a disclaimer with their ads noting the activity may be illegal in some states. But as to the magazine’s long-term advertising policy, Golson said, “We are doing what everybody else is doing — waiting for some national consensus to emerge.”

The Internet gambling issue has sparked an intensifying debate. Using the Internet, individuals can now access remarkably realistic casino games from their personal computers. To critics, it is a potential source of massive addiction and loss, a veritable slot machine in every home; to proponents, an inevitability that can be a source of regulated and taxed entertainment.

For now, nearly all states, with a few notable exceptions like Nevada, outlaw Internet gambling from operating within their borders, according to I. Nelson Rose, a professor of law at Whittier Law School and an expert on gambling law. He added that all states make it a crime to run a gambling operation not expressly permitted by state law. Some states also have laws that prohibit the promotion of such games, statutes that could implicate companies in the United States that cooperate with the casinos.

On a federal level, matters are even less clear. The Justice Department said the Wire Act of 1960 prohibits offering sports wagers over the Internet. However, a federal judge in February cast doubt on whether the Wire Act would be interpreted as prohibiting offering casino games like blackjack over the Internet. In a ruling that dismissed a lawsuit against credit card companies whose services were used to gamble over the Internet, the judge, Stanwood R. Duval Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, wrote, “at this point in time, Internet casino gambling is not a violation of federal law.”

Despite the ruling, the Justice Department maintains that casino gambling, at the least, violates other aspects of federal law.

Despite its uncertain legal standing, Internet gambling is a booming business. Bear Stearns estimated that some 1,400 casino websites generated revenue of $1.5 billion last year from online gaming, a figure the investment firm estimates will grow to $5 billion by 2003.

Few, if any, of the casinos operate from the United States. But U.S. firms are getting into the act nevertheless — by offering technical expertise, consulting, advertising or promotion, said Sue E. Schneider, chief executive of River City Group, a firm that tracks the Internet gambling industry.

Among the numerous U.S.-based websites that accept advertising from overseas casinos are several of the most popular Web destinations, including MSNBC, Yahoo! and Google.com.

In the case of Google.com, the search engine accepts ads for Internet casinos but does not accept advertising from tobacco or alcohol companies, saying it does not want to promote smoking or drinking among minors. Omit Kordestani, Google’s vice president for business development, said that while tobacco and alcohol are legal, and Internet gambling is illegal in many states, “gambling is not in the same class for us” as tobacco and alcohol. Moreover, he said, Google does not believe it is in any legal jeopardy by running the casino ads. “The laws are not conclusive on this,” he said.

Yahoo! also does not accept tobacco ads, said Nicki Dugan, a spokeswoman, but does accept gambling ads. She said that there “probably is technology” that would allow Yahoo! to target the ads only to states where it is legal but said that the company is not now employing such technology.

Also getting a share of the pie are public relations firms, including at least two firms well-known for publicizing technology sector companies: Ogilvy Public Relations and Edelman Public Relations, both with headquarters in New York, have overseas casinos as clients. For three years, Edelman has worked for Intertops.com to promote the company not only overseas, in many markets where Internet gambling is permitted, and in publications in the United States. Steve Hoechster, general manager of Edelman, said that it is not clear that Internet gambling is illegal in the United States. Nevertheless, he said Intertops has signed a contract that Hoechster said indemnifies Edelman against legal action that could arise from Intertops’ breaching the law.

Another sector profiting from the business are technology and software companies. Among them is RealTime Gaming, a company based in Atlanta that makes casino programs for around 30 offshore casinos, most of them based in Costa Rica. In addition, RealTime Gaming acts as the Internet access provider for 75 to 80 percent of those sites, said Michael Staw, the company’s founder. He said he believed the company was acting lawfully, noting, “we do not run the casino in any way.”

But Daniel Schultz, the company’s director of marketing, acknowledged that the issue of whether U.S.-based firms could face legal troubles for working with overseas casinos was tricky. “That’s the $64,000 question,” said Schultz.

Others are sufficiently concerned to be modifying their activity. Until recently, SoftNet Gaming, a software company that makes programs for online casinos, had 35 employees at its Miami offices. However, Mark Anton, the president of both SoftNet and its Antigua-based parent, Atlantic West Gaming Entertainment Ltd., said he began cutting down the activities at the Miami office because he worried he might face action from the Florida attorney general. “Rather than wait for them to do anything, we’re moving to a jurisdiction where we know it’s okay,” said Anton. His operations will be moving to Antigua.

He would not be the first to face an Internet gambling-related problem from Florida. In 1998 and 1999 the state issued cease-and-desist letters to at least 10 media companies publishing or broadcasting ads for offshore casinos. The letter stated that offering gambling over the Internet was illegal and that “Florida statues criminalize the actions of any person or entity that aids and abets the commission of a criminal act in Florida.”

Les Garringer, an assistant deputy attorney general in Florida, said that to his knowledge the state has not sent similar cease-and-desist letters since late 1999 — not because the situation has subsided, he said, but because the attorney who was overseeing the matter died, and the office had begun shifting its resources to other issues.

Other states have been less aggressive. In Georgia, where RealTime Gaming is based, Daryl Robinson, counsel to the attorney general, said the issue of Internet gambling “is not on the forefront for us.” And he said that the issues are tricky because it is unclear how far the state’s jurisdiction can reach when the activity takes place offshore, and in a jurisdiction where it is legal. “The difficult question that arises is what’s the reach of a state statute when those activities are being hosted somewhere outside the boundaries of the state of Georgia,” he said.

This week we examine gambling. Do we need greater controls? Has Victoria become too reliant on income generated by gambling?

“I’m addicted.

“I’ve tried to stop, I’ve told my family that I have. It’s just that on payday, when I’ve got that money in my hand, it’s like I just have to go. I wish they’d ban the things.”

Today, she says, she’s doing OK. She’s nearly $100 up, almost doubled her investment. “I should take it out and go home, but I don’t. I’ll probably sit here till it’s all gone.”

Cheryl, 38, gambling in a suburban hotel.

The Age, September 8, 2001.

1. The changing pattern of gambling

Australia it seems, is a nation of keen punters. In the last financial year alone, Victorians spent $6.5million a day on poker machines. This is about nine times the amount lost in 199293, when poker machines were first introduced. The 1990s saw enormous expansion of poker machines throughout many Australian states, to the point where they have now overtaken all other forms of gambling and pokies taxes have become a crucial source of revenue for the Victorian Government. More than 11per cent of State Government taxes comes from poker machines. It’s anticipated that this will be almost $900million this financial year.

Antigambling campaigners are questioning about Trusted Online Casino Singapore whether the government has come to rely too heavily on income from gambling. Will it have sufficient incentive to effectively address the increase in problem gambling while it is increasingly reliant on income raised by gambling?

The Victorian Government says it is committed to responsible gambling and tackling problem gambling. Its existing policies include capping the number of poker machines in certain regions, limiting 24hour venues, restrictions on gambling advertising and a campaign to raise awareness of problem gambling.

2. Is gambling a problem?

Gambling can be fun for some. Poker machines, casinos, sports betting and now online gambling can be enjoyable – after all, how many countries take a holiday for a horse race, as Melburnians do for our annual Melbourne Cup? Gambling has created employment and generated considerable revenue for the government to spend on services and facilities for Victorians. But achieving a balance between allowing gambling as a form of entertainment and minimising problem gambling has proved difficult. Antigambling campaigners argue that the social cost of allowing the expansion of gambling in Victoria has been too great. And it is not just the gambling addicts that suffer. They point to a trail of poverty, broken homes, family hardship and crime and claim the gaming industry is addicted to profits, preying on those most vulnerable. They would like to see tighter restrictions on gambling such as coinonly machines, the removal of ATMs from venues, winnings of $250 or more paid only by cheque, a reduction in the spin rates of machines to slow them down, and fewer gaming machines.

3. Recent developments

The government has recently proposed tighter regulations to address problem gambling. Reforms include reduced gambling advertising, requiring winnings in excess of $2000 to be paid by cheque rather than cash, a restriction on gaming machines to prevent them from accepting $100 notes and limiting individual bets to $10, and a restriction on withdrawals from ATMs. The regulations would be phased in over a sixyear period. Critics say these will make little difference and would like to see tougher measures introduced to tackle problem gambling. The proposed reform package has been criticised by Opposition Leader Denis Napthine and described by Tim Costello, of the Interchurch Gambling Taskforce, as “profoundly disappointing”.

4. Recent headlines

“Tougher pokie rules `disappointing”‘ – The Age, February 26, 2002.

“Cash clamp on poker machines” – The Age, February 25, 2002.

“Let pokie addicts set limits: Lib” – The Age, February 25, 2002.

5. What `The Age’ says

“The news that Victorians lost more than $2.3billion on poker machines last financial year illustrates the failure of the State Government’s gaming policies to control gambling in Victoria. Victorians lost $200million more at the machines than they did the previous year; the people of this state lose a staggering $6million a day on the pokies. Gambling can be an enjoyable pastime, but it has also become an intractable social problem. The government needs to become less reliant on gaming revenue and to take a tougher stance on gaming machines before genuine progress can be made. – The Age, Editorial Opinion, September 9, 2001.

6. What people say

“The dominant element with problem poker machine gamblers is that they chase their losses, often with rosetinged enthusiasm. It is a waste of time, a waste of resources and a waste of lives. There are no professional poker machine players because it is impossible to make a living from them.” – Jill Duck, The Age, January 20, 2002.

“For 10 straight years, gaming taxes have poured in at a rate that has exceeded Treasury’s wildest dreams, rising from zero a decade ago to 11per cent of state taxes today. What’s wrong with this, you might say? Let’s not forget that pokie taxes are regressive, because pokie venues are concentrated near the people with the least, who not surprisingly happen to use them the most.” – David Hayward, Swinburne University’s Institute for Social Research, The Age, January 2, 2002.

“Britain’s problem gambling is about half of Australia’s proportionally, and the main reason is machines will only take 1coins, no notes and they only pay out a maximum of 20 ($A58). They are much slower and people still enjoy playing them without doing serious damage to themselves.” – Reverend Tim Costello, The Age, October 11, 2001.

7. Your view

Students are encouraged to share their views on this issue. Have we allowed the expansion of gambling at the expense of our community? Do we need tighter restrictions on poker machines? How can problem gambling be minimised? Submit your view online at www.education.theage.com.au or email: edunit@theage.fairfax.com.au