Author Archives: Shawn Libro

A Roll of the Dice

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In order to maintain any sort of lead in the online gaming market, organizations across the globe must constantly undergo Blackjack_boardcomplete makeovers to enhance the gaming experience and offer players new kinds of online excitement. Grand Games is reviving its face in the online gaming market in Belgium with the support of its parent company, Aspire Global. Aspire Global is an acknowledged leader in instant, online games, and the change to this part of their organization will increase their standings in this notoriously-tight market for gaming.

A Unique Offering

Grand Games offers a generous amount of games that present players with extremely diverse experiences. Among the more unusual offerings that keeps players coming back are the dice games. These offerings have proven to be local favorites in the region. People are constantly logging on to try their hands at Monte Carlo Dice, AstroDice, Cubis, and Roll the Dice. The new and improved website is part of the Grand Games effort to hone in on player preferences. This change means increasing the efforts that are being poured into dice spinner games in particular.

The Celebration Begins

The updated online look and the greater emphasis on player interaction has become a reason for celebration on the Grand Games site. In order to let players celebrate along with them, the site is offering 25 free spins to anyone logging on to play AstroDice. This game is new to the circuit, making it one of the first promotions designed to introduce players to the fun. The game is played completely online, eliminating the need for players to download and install any type of technology before starting the action. The platform of the site as a whole is simple to navigate, easily leading players to numerous club benefits and regular promotional offers.

Versatility Is A Strength

Grand Games is also proud to bring players free play as they explore the gaming potential that they have to offer. The flash-based gaming platform represents the cutting-edge technology that is becoming more widely available in the Belgium market. This site is fully compatible with tablets and all of the most popular operating systems, including Androids and iPhones.

New Jersey Online Gambling

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A five day test run of online gambling has taken place in New Jersey, with companies looking to set up their permanent Gamble-Onlinewebsites over the coming weeks. Over a dozen online casino and sports betting websites are going to offer gambling options to players in the New Jersey area. Poker, slot machines, blackjack, roulette, and other gambling games will be available. There will also be betting on sports games allowed, such as the NFL, NBA and NCAA football.

These games can be played on phones, tablets and laptops/desktops. The registration system is fairly straight forward, but includes location checkers to ensure that players are not from another state. The purpose of this check is to ensure each company has the correct website/server set up to cope with the demands of online gambling.

Senator Raymond Lesniak, a Democrat who was a huge backer of the online gambling bill, says that there is enough legislation to ensure that companies do not bend or break the rules. These rules are there to ensure age limits, and to prevent out of state/country players from using these websites.

He believes that online companies that are based in New Jersey will have a greater sense of transparency, legitimacy and authenticity towards customers. They will gain more business than a company that is set up in Gibraltar or the Isle of Man. The goal is to eventually get such websites operating in many more states, but that could take close to a decade to achieve.

The benefits to New Jersey are huge. Aside from the boost to the state’s economy, which was much needed, there will also be tax advantages for the government. It is said that the state government is going to bring in close to $5 billion extra revenue per year due to this online gambling bill.

This is a historic moment for New Jersey, and for gamblers across the United States. They are the first state to allow online gambling to be legal to citizens who live there. The move is a much needed boost for Atlantic City as well, because the city has been struggling with its gambling proceeds. The profits are no where near as high as they used to be five or ten years ago.

Many of the largest online betting companies in the world are coming to New Jersey, which promises to be great for the state’s economic health going forward. For more info on the benefit to New Jersey of online gambling, click here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/12/02/online-gambling-is-good-for-new-jerseys-credit-rating/.

Gearing Up for the 2013 WCOOP Main Event

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 pokerstarsThe World Championship of Online Poker is a premier series of tournaments held every year on Poker Stars. This years edition is already underway culminating in event #66 starting on September 29th. The main event cost $5,200 to enter. The game is No Limit Hold’em. An eight million dollar prize pool with a $1.25 million prize guaranteed to the first place finisher.

The entire series lasts for almost a month. The cost of entry can range anywhere from the one hundred dollars to upwards of $10,000. A variety of disciplines and formats are spread. Omaha, stud, mixed games, and of course no limit hold’em are just a few of the variants featured. Reputations are made when a player wins a WCOOP event. The accomplishment is immortalized in the signature bracelet that is awarded for first place in each event.

2013’s First Dual Bracelet Winner

This editions first double bracelet winner was Russia’s Yoo4. A pot limit omaha tournament which was event #16 was the first score he took down. On his march to victory, he eliminated the ever popular dutch player Marcel Luske. This was Yoo4’s first bracelet win in his career.

Imagine his chagrin when he scored a second title later on in the series. Event #35 was a rebuy omaha tournament. What happened at the final table rarely occurs online these days. Yoo4 took less than a half hour in the complete dismemberment of the final table. The doors were blown off of the car via the sheer domination shown in capturing a second bracelet.

High Roller event #23

The highest single entry fee to an event eclipsed over $10,000. Coupled with this is the factor that any player could rebuy before a certain level resulted in only the elite entering this event. The guaranteed prize pool was once again shattered as 276 entries/reentries choose to participate. In the end, there was a two player deal that resulted in a near split of first and second place prizes. With the bracelet still at stake, Germany’s MauriceSch took down the final eight handed table for over $533,000.

There is still time for anyone to pony up and enter the upcoming WCOOP main event. Skill and the buy in are all that separates the entrant from the likes of past main event winners like Yevgeniy Timoshenko and other online poker legends.

Online Casino Industry In UK Undergoes Attacks From Politicians

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LadbrokesScholars in the United Kingdom are going to be taking a closer look at the risks of addiction to online gambling. The studies come after political parties began scrutinizing online casinos due to supposed harmful effects of betting.Labour and Liberal Democrats have been calling out particular companies including William Hill and Ladbrokes, stating that they have been exploiting the less fortunate by targeting them with fixed odds betting terminals. These machines allow people to play casino and slot games including black jack and roulette.

The chief executive of the Responsible Gambling Trust, Marc Etches agrees with these studies, stating that he feels there needs to be an “honest and independent debate” regarding gambling.

The charity that is funding the research on the addictive nature of fixed odd betting terminals plans on branching out with studies that show the impacts of social gambling, online casino gambling, advertising of gaming, and how all of these different facets of the betting world impact youth.

The Responsible Gambling Trust plans to begin raising funds to begin research in April, but the government wants to wait for the FoBT research results before it decides whether any gaming restrictions should be imposed.

Betting groups have enough on their hands as a new 15 per cent tax on the profits they earn from online gambling businesses. This tax has been imposed by the government and goes into effect in December of next year.

Paddy Power, a prominent betting group, released a statement via their chief executive Patrick Kennedy stating that the government should be careful not to over regulate online casinos and other gaming means that reside onshore while off shore bookies are allowed to get away with whatever they please.

Betting groups have also pointed out that previous studies commissioned by government groups have shown UK gambling addiction is not nearly as rampant as some are making it seem.

The most recent study, conducted in 2010 showed that the percentage of adults that were struggling with a gambling addiction had risen to 0.9 percent from 0.6 percent in 2007.

Marc Etches feels that more research is necessary before a real conclusion can be drawn about the effects of online gaming and other methods that provide the public with easy access to betting.

Shanghai Bobby Returns

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thESPN reports that Shanghai Bobby will participate at Belmont Park on Friday, September 20. This race will be the now-3-year-old’s first after a five-month layoff.

Shanghai Bobby

Shanghai Bobby is owned by Starlight Racing, trained by Todd A. Pletcher and previously ridden by Rosie Napravnik. In 2012, he came in first in the Grey Goose Breeder’s Cup Juvenile and was ranked ninth in earnings for 2012 overall. There was great anticipation heading into the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown Races, but after the Florida Derby, Pletcher announced that Shanghai Bobby’s energy level was not where they expected it to be, so they chose to rest him instead.

Disappointed Fans

The decision by Pletcher was one of the great disappointments of the season for race fans. Nevertheless, Pletcher has an impeccable reputation, and it’s better to play it safe with a young horse than ride him too hard. Shanghai Bobby had been riding for 13 months before the layoff, which is outstanding, and it’s not unusual for a young horse to need some time off even sooner than that. It was also later revealed that he had suffered a pelvic stress fracture, which he has now fully recovered from.

Belmont Park

For those anticipating Shanghai Bobby’s return, five months has seemed like a very long time, but the wait is finally over. Shanghai Bobby was unbeaten as a two-year-old, and will now compete in a race that is reserved for three-year-olds. The $100,000 Aljamin overnight stakes is 6.5 furlongs.

Shanghai Bobby has been training at Saratoga, and Pletcher says that he is very pleased with his health, energy level and performance. Some insiders expected a bigger splash than Aljamin for the return, but Pletcher said it was important to start him off on a positive note, and Shanghai Bobby clearly enters this race as a heavy favorite. An interesting note, however, is that this will be Shanghai Bobby’s first spring since the Three Chimneys Hopeful, and he’ll be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez for the first time.

A Strong Indication

During an interview earlier in the week, Pletcher said that Shanghai Bobby was not only back to form but perhaps better than he had ever been. A reported questioned why then a race like Aljamin was necessary, and Pletcher responded that there’s no better indicator than a race. If everything goes well Friday afternoon, then fans can look forward to Shanghai Bobby making a lot of noise in upcoming events.

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UK Player Wins £3.7 Million On Mobile Slot Machine

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A UK player has hit the largest jackpot ever to be won from a mobile slot machine. While playing the online casino game called Mega Moolah, the man won an incredible £3.7 million. Known by the name Gabriel L., the lucky player hit the jackpot while playing the Microgaming casino game on his mobile phone. Despite being a frequent player, Gabriel L. said that he simply couldn’t believe the win had happened while playing on his phone.

Mega Moolah Progressive Jackpot

The CEO of Microgaming offered a statement of congratulations to Gabriel L., mentioning that he would make sure the player received all of his winnings immediately. He also remarked that he was proud such a large prize had been won on a Microgaming mobile product.

With 103 mobile games and new content arriving every month, Microgaming offers more choice than any other company in the online casino industry.Not only is Microgaming responsible for creating the world’s first online casino in 1994, they currently offer some of the world’s most popular online casinos. Casino UK, Maple Casino and Labrokes are just a few of the wildly popular gambling sites powered by Microgaming.

Spin Palace Mobile Casino, the mobile gambling platform that turned Gabriel L. into a millionaire, has also become extremely popular. Compatible with a range of mobile devices, players love Spin Palace for offering the latest games and exclusive promotions.

For those who want to try their luck on the same mobile slot machine that Gabriel L. used, Mega Moolah is also available for desktop computers. Players can choose to play directly from an Internet browser or download and install the casino software to their computer. In addition to offering the biggest online jackpots, Mega Moolah features a fun African safari theme. While viewing beautifully drawn cartoon animals lurking in the savanna, players may just win a jackpot big enough to buy their own zoo.

How Spain’s Anti-Smoking Laws May Affect Online Gambling

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How Spain's Anti-Smoking Laws May Affect Online GamblingAs Spain revisits its anti-smoking laws, pundits are wondering how this could affect Eurovegas and online gambling. Spain fears that tens of thousands of jobs may be lost and a recession may hit, but this could mean new business for online gaming in Spain. Because of the new change, Eurovegas may relocate to a country that is more smoker-friendly.

European Union (EU) states are considering the prospect of taxing online gaming to bring in more revenue for the country. In fact, they expect millions to be generated. Once it’s legal in Spain, online gaming can replace the casinos in Spain that are banning smoking. Smokers can create the environment that best suits their gambling style when they are in the comfort of their own homes.

The Spanish government has looked to other countries to determine how to set up online gambling. Germany has banned the practice of online gambling, but Spain has looked at their reasons for banning the practice to determine how their program will be structured to avoid online gamblers from breaking the law and creating an underground community. Spain is working hard to regulate the online gambling industry by licensing the online gaming operators. Most of the licenses are valid for five years.

Gaming operators must verify or prove that they are capable of adhering to strict controls and regulations. This prevents minors, and people who are not mentally stable from gambling online. Gaming operators who adhere to the rules will have a greater chance of having their licenses. The online gambling industry will be strictly monitored and controlled.

There are numerous benefits Spain expects to gain from participation in the online gaming community. The Spanish government will benefit from the generation of billions of Euros it needs for taxes annually. Once Spainiards accept online gambling, it could emerge as one of the safest, most lucrative, and most secure online gambling websites in the world.

Bingo: Getting it Done on the Smartphone

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More than a few gray haired women played bingo last year for the first time online to have fun, and everything went smooth. The free games offered made the introduction persuasive, and the promotions and bonuses did not hurt. One player commented: “It’s just as affordable as church bingo, and I couldn’t believe it: My granddaughter played – just like in church.”

Bingo Leads to Discovery
Yes, a few online bingo games allow the kids to play. For many elderly people, their bingo days seem over when advanced years keep them from church. With the rise in popularity of online bingo, players can either go online and find bingo or find another game to play. Some have even discovered the social world of the Internet can be rewarding.

Easy Entrance
At first, online bingo games were promotional features, used by advertisers to offer product with online advertising. That paid for the bingo games initially. With time, online bingo took off. The easy entrance is one reason for the popularity. Another is the low cost to play. Some non-gamblers looking for fun have played because the cost is practically nothing.

Players immediately think, Oh, I’ll lose, but it doesn’t mean much. What they find out is that online bingo offers cash prizes and free merchandise. The games run around the clock, and anybody can take a shot.

Strategies to Win
People play and they learn strategies to win. It just makes online bingo a better game for everybody. You can play practically any game online today. Why not bingo?

Smartphones and Online Bingo
Regular people are looking around for bingo games as they kill time and they’re finding today’s technology works wonderfully with online bingo. Smartphones and tablets have made playing online bingo easy for people who take the time to find the games. The Smartphones craze is also providing opportunities for socializing online and trying out new and exciting games.

Bingo: Getting it Done on the Smartphone

If online gaming ever gets boring, people can also try social activities. Smartphones and online bingo compliment each other. Online bingo has become a gateway to many Internet experiences. Perhaps it isn’t just a waste of time.

Maple Casino Voted Canada’s Best!

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Toronto – September 6, 2013

Already a top online casino in Canada and other countries, Maple Casino has been voted Canada’s Best Casino of this year by the online casino experts at Casino Jones (http://www.casinojones.com)

Maple Casino Logo

In addition to the excellent bonus offers such as a no deposit $1250 bonus and up to 150% matching on your first deposit that helped secure this honor by Casino Jones, Maple Casino offers gamers a very Canadian casino experience with Canadian themes throughout and both English and French versions of the site.

This Best Casino 2013 honor is no small recognition because Casino Jones is known for their honest reviews and very selective recommendations of online casinos. In addition to the bonuses offered, Casino Jones recognizes Maple Casino for wide variety of games available and excellent player benefits.

Maple Casino offers over 600 online casino games including, but not limited to, slots, blackjack, roulette, video poker, craps, and baccarat. It is one of the casinos which helps all players enjoy an easy play with free beginners guides including rules and strategy tips for several of their games, like Baccarat, Poker, and Craps so that players can improve their gameplay.

All games are run on the secure Microgaming platform, and monitored and audited regularly. In the event players do have any problems, while playing on the site, they have 24/7 access to Maple Casino support by email, phone and online chat.

For frequent gamers, Maple Casino offers a variety of VIP Rewards including credits, exclusive VIP support access, cash back and vacations. Deposits and withdrawals are really easy with Maple Casino supporting a wide variety of banking methods including major credit cards and several online wallet systems.

All in all there are many reason why Maple Casino is honoured to be voted as The Best Canadian Online Casino. For more information and details you can visit the Maple Casino at http://www.maplecasino.ca/

Maple Casino is one of ten casinos in the Vegas Partner Lounge Group, which has been active and successful in international online gaming for over ten years, including both: Online and Mobile Casinos.

Cashing In on Winning

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Cashing In on WinningThe online gaming market is one that can fluctuate quite often, allowing one site to lead the world in revenue one month while the very next month a new gaming platform can come out of the blue as the leader. One of the latest online gaming establishments to claim a victory is Maryland Live! Casino. They have recently generated profits that exceed $55 million. This number placed them well ahead of all other competitors in their region, drawing in gamers from far and wide. Many analysts were surprised by the fact that this establishment was able to pull ahead of Atlantic City and Pennsylvania who are regular champions when it comes to raw revenue in this location.

  • Unexpected Success

The success put Maryland Live ahead of the competition by nearly 16 percent. The results are also unusual due to the fact that this institution is only celebrating its first year in operation as well. They are growing quickly despite the fact that they have only just recently added on the standard slot and table games to the suite of their offerings.

  • Reinvesting Revenue

The boom in revenue is placing Maryland Live in the top rankings of casinos in all of America. Although, they are regularly undergoing construction on their sites in order to accommodate the growth and add new games in order to keep players enticed. At this point in time, they have 50 poker tables and only one dedicated tournament floor. The Cordish Companies are the minds at work behind this growing establishment. They have big plans for the future as well. With the partnership of Greenwood Gaming, they hope to develop a Live! Hotel and Casino in the Stadium District of Philadelphia, a project that is going to cost an estimated $425 million. They have also applied for licensing in Massachusetts with the hope of opening casino locations in this area as well.

  • Big Ideas

The big plans that this entity has in store are being considered in light of the projected revenue and growth that they are currently experiencing. As one of the largest commercial casinos in the country at this point in time, their potential is exceedingly large. The expertise that they are developing and the continued support that they have online bodes well for their future plans.

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