Online Casino Gambling

Many players in the United States and other countries will probably be sad to know that it is indeed legal to gamble online in the United Kingdom.  This is mainly because the UK government views the online gambling arena as a legit and more interestingly, a profitable industry that can deliver significant tax revenues under the right legislation and regulation.  The U.S. on the other hand, sees it as a potentially dangerous industry that is difficult to control and has therefore, elected to prohibit it, or at least this is their attempt with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Potential Revenues

The foreign countries where many online casinos operate openly embrace the internet gambling industry.  Operators pay these governments thousands of dollars to obtain gaming licenses in addition to taxes and other expenses.  Antigua, Grenada, Gibraltar, Curacao and the Dominican Republic are just a few of many small countries whose economies have received a significant boost from the online gambling business.  While the UK government does not regulate these offshore casinos, not all are corrupt or looking to cheat players.  Conducting business in general over the internet is risky whether the government is involved or not.  However, the online gambling space is becoming much safer and as a result, more trusted by UK citizens.

Proceeding with Caution

Due to the fact that offshore casino operators are not subject to scrutiny by the UK government, players need to be more cautious than ever.  Even though the country is more open to the internet gambling industry, if someone happens defrauds you, it will be very difficult to prove your case to any type of authorities.  Therefore, the best approach for UK players to take is to “wager with caution.”   Also keep in mind that all online casinos exist to make money by attracting as many new players as they possibly can.  The only way this can be achieved is by offering an honest service and establishing a good reputation.   If it starts to become known that the casino is not paying out winnings or involved in other questionable practices, word will travel fast and damage any credibility they have established.  The good thing is that most casinos, with the exception of the fly-by-not operators, have proved to be safe and reliable.

If you are someone who is concerned about transmitting sensitive personal information such as your name, address and credit card numbers over the internet to an online casino, you must understand the same risks exist when doing business with  other companies whether they are licensed in the UK, involved in the gaming business or not.  The internet can be a haven for criminal activity and not even legislation and regulation from the government can stop it from occurring.  Fortunately, reputable online casino operators take every to ensure that the information you share with them remains private and secure.  This is made possible by the use of secure servers and encryption technologies that protect data and prevents hackers from intercepting and thieving confidential information.

Last Thursday, Nevada gaming regulators approved a license for the centerpiece casino of the $8.5 billion CityCenter development.  This approval will grant the 4,004 room Aria Resort hotel and casino to open as planned on December 16, 2009. Aria will have the only casino resort inside the CityCenter, which also includes a 500,000-square foot retail, dining and entertainment district, boutique hotels and high-rise residential units.

John Moran Jr., a member of the committee, said a project such as this could not have come at a better time for the community.  A large portion of the hearing , which ran more than two hours, focused on the 67-acre CityCenter and the positive affect it would have on the Vegas Strip, an area where gaming revenues have dropped over 12% this year because of the nation’s ailing economy.

Jim Murren, MGM Mirage CEO and Chairman, spent more than 40 minutes going over the project’s qualities while explaining the measures the company took in 2009 to deal with its financial problems.  He also stated that the project will help the market for not only the MGM Mirage resorts on the strip, but the competition as well.

The CityCenter project is a 50/50 joint venture agreement owned by MGM Mirage and Dubai World.  Pete Bernhard, Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission, asked Murren and Dubai World CEO Christopher O-Donnell how the two companies where able to resolve their differences on the brink of a near split early this year.  This past March, Dubai World surprised MGM Mirage with a lawsuit, claiming that the construction of the CityCenter had been mismanaged.  This lawsuit almost sent the entire project spiraling into bankruptcy, an unfortunate fate that would stopped its development completely.

Murren said the two were able to come to terms after finally sitting down and discussing the matter, stating that the partnership between MGM Mirage and Dubai World is now just as strong as the company’s other joint partnership agreements.  O’Donnell followed this up by saying that despite the bumpy road, the two were able to work through all of their issues.

According to Murren, Aria is the most world’s most luxurious and technically advanced casino hotel and resort, stating that it will set the bar for others in Las Vegas.

Murren also noted that MGM officials will consider plans for the CityCenter’s Harmon Hotel in 2010.  Due to construction issues, work on the Harmon was stopped until further notice.  Planned to include 47 stories, development of the building was halted at 26 stories and the condominium component of the project was canceled. Murren remarked that the building has been sealed off and will cost at least $170 million to finish.

Dr. Tony Alamo Jr., the Gaming Commissioner, told Murren that he believes the CityCenter would be a success.  Formerly a member of the Nevada Athletic Commission, Alamo referenced a boxing analogy when describing the challenges MGM Mirage has dealt with in 2009, a year in which it sold Treasure Island, laid off 9,000 employees, and cut more than $800 million in annual expenses to avoid filing bankruptcy. Alamo stated that it is a 12-round bout and although MGM  has taken a beating for the first six, it is round seven and they are now staging a comeback.

In the game of blackjack, the dealer draws their cards based on the rules that have been defined for that particular variation.  As you probably know, the actual rules can vary greatly depending on the casino you play at.  However, there is one thing that often remains the same regardless of the variant, and that is the rule which calls for the dealer to stand on a hard 17.  This simply means that the dealer either does not have an ace, or the ace is forced to be valued as 1.  The rules are different when the dealer has a soft 17, which refers to a hand with an ace valued at 11.  Most casinos require that the dealer stand with a soft 17 while others have rules stating that the dealer must take a hit.  Let’s take a look at some strategies for both scenarios.

Playing Defense

Having the ability to hit on a soft 17 benefits the dealer because of the probability of being able to increase the value of their hand.  For example, let’s assume the dealer has a hand comprised of a six and an ace valued at 11 for a total of 17.  After taking a hit, the dealer draws a five.  Now at first, you might assume that the hand adds up to 22, but this is not the case, as that ace is able to claim the value of 1.  The brings the hand total to 12, which allows the dealer to draw another card.  While a soft 17 doesn’t necessarily mean the value of the dealer’s hand will always increase, it does however, increase the probability.  For this reason, you must pick up a more defensive-minded strategy in order to combat the advantage a soft 17 gives the dealer.

The Offensive Approach

Now we will take a look at a strategy where the dealer is forced to stand on a soft 17.  Let’s say the dealer stands with their face-up card ranging anywhere from three to six while you have a total hand value of nine.  In this scenario, you are in a strong position where you should seriously consider doubling.  In a game where the rules allow the dealer to hit on a soft 17, your position would not be as strong and simply taking the hit would be the best option opposed to doubling.

Online casinos offer a wide variety of blackjack variants.  Therefore, you should make yourself familiar with the rules and how they impact the dealer before placing a wager.  You’ve got your blackjack games based on Atlantic City rules, European rules, Spanish rules, Vegas Strip rules, Vegas Downtown rules and a host of others.  If you really want to better your chances of winning, we strongly suggest that you avoid blackjack variants that allow the dealer to hit on a soft 17.  As you learned from this article, this particular rule gives the house a considerably higher edge.  If you do elect to play these games, just keep in mind that you will need to change your strategy accordingly to overcome the dealer’s advantage.

Keno is said that have originated in ancient China, a time when it was used to finance wars and the development of the infamous “Great Wall of China.” You can imagine how slanted the house edge was back in those days, but today’s keno games are a little more favorable.   In this article we will show you a few strategies that can better assure a higher winning percentage online.

Conservative vs. Aggressive Tables

Most online casino games follow the same basic approach.  You check off between 1 to 15 numbers on your board and then 20 balls are randomly drawn.  You are paid out based on how many of those balls have numbers that match the numbers you selected.  The real difference lies in the payout structure.  In the game of keno, there are mainly two types of payouts table.  One table is more conservative as payouts usually do not rise to phenomenally high levels.  The other is more aggressive with payouts that typically start out at around 50% of the matching numbers and substantially higher payout amounts.

When trying to determine which table you want to play at, the best way to approach it is select the degree of risk you are willing to take against what type of return.  For example, if you conclude that you will not be satisfied with the returns provided by the conservative table, you may prefer to take the aggressive option.  If you are not a risk taker, then the conservative returns are probably suitable.  In either event, you should know what you are up against.  Conservative tables have an average payout ratio of 95.2% while aggressive tables are at 84.4%.

In addition, aggressive tables often have limitations that may prevent you from cashing out your entire winnings expressed in coins.  These are big differences you must take into account and more reasons why you need to think wisely about the type of online keno game you want to play.

Making Smart Bets

Many keno players are faced with the challenge of deciding how many numbers to mark on their board.   It is pretty obvious that the more numbers you check off, the greater the probability of some of them matching up with the 20 drawn balls.  Keep in mind however, that this also means that you must put down larger bets.  The good thing is that most games make it possible to calculate the average payout ratio.  Take Microgaming keno for example.  These games offer tables with a 93% payout ratio for 3 matching numbers.  As to be expected, selecting 14 to 15 numbers results in a greater average payout ratio at just above 95%.  However, 13 numbers on the board has an average payout of 96.5%.  Therefore, a good rule of thumb for the serious keno player is to mark off 13 numbers on the board as it gives you the greatest return.

Simple strategies like this can go a long way in helping you become a winning keno player.

One of the best things about the burgeoning online gambling market is all the payment options available to the player.  Prepaid cards are among the latest and most secure methods you can use to pad your casino account.  This option is taking off fast as more casinos are embracing it.  Players love these cards because they offer numerous advantages over credit cards.

Hassle-Free

Prepaid cards are easy to obtain.  Most of them can be purchased at retail stores for the dollar value of your choosing.  For the most part, a prepaid card works the same way as a credit card, mainly because the transfer of your money is essentially instantaneous.  The major difference is that credit card transactions can often be rejected if a player exceeds the limit allowed by the card issuer or for various other reasons.  This is not the case with prepaid cards because the issuing institution already has your funds, meaning there is no reason for them to block your transaction.

More Secure

Another reason prepaid cards are catching on so fast is because they are far more secure than credit or debit cards.  Sure, online casino operators take a variety of security measures to protect the sensitive information associated with credit and debit cards, but that does nothing to deter a motivated cyber criminal.  Hackers are drive to thieve credit card data because they can either use it to make purchases it or sell it off to someone else.  Prepaid cards have fixed amounts and the moment you enter the number at your online casino, that entire amount is transferred to your player account.  At this point, there is nothing for the hacker to gain and the prepaid card is essentially worthless.  These cards are not linked to your bank account number or any other sensitive details, which should help you sleep much easier at night.

More Discreet

Credit and debit card payments are typically facilitated through a bank account.  Online payment services usually require you to fund your account with a bank account or credit card.  This documentation creates a trail that leads right back to the online casino.  With a prepaid card, this is something you do not have to worry about, making it a perfect alternative for players who would prefer to gamble online in a discreet manner.

Helps Stop Problem Gambling

Prepaid cards can be very effective in preventing compulsive gambling.  For example, players can simply buy the card for the exact amount they are able to afford and halt temptation in its tracks when playing at an online casino.  As we touched on before, once that money is transferred into your account, the card is useless.  This means that no matter how much you are tempted, you can’t replenish the card and risk more money.  In order to play again, you must go out and purchase another one, which could prove to be very inconvenient.  With credit cards, giving into temptation and taking out more money is generally much easier, providing some players with the leeway that puts them on the road to problem gambling.  You can avoid this by playing at an online casino that accepts prepaid cards.

When signing up for an online casino account, all players are required to accept an end user agreement, a form of documentation that contains all the terms and conditions under which you are allowed to play.  Some of this information is relevant to details about banking and transferring money to your casino account.  As a new player, you should read these terms and conditions to make sure you understand them before accepting the agreement.  This article will explain why.

Key Terms and Conditions

It is important to know that by accepting the end user agreement, you are authorizing the online casino to impose certain stipulations and obligations upon you.  For one, you must confirm that you are the legitimate owner of the money being placed in the account for wagering, meaning you can’t place bets with someone else’s credit card.  You should also know that this agreement frequently states that while you may place wagers immediately, you are not allowed to withdraw funds until your credit card company has confirmed the transaction.  This isn’t necessarily the fault of the online casino, but it is still something you need to consider.

Violation of the Agreement

If you violate any of the terms and conditions outlined in the end user agreement, whether they are related to wagering or banking issues, it could end up having a negative affect on the funds in your online casino account.  Should your account be suspended or deactivated for any reason, note that the agreement often states that the casino operator can withhold any contested payments, whether they are in the form of refunds, deposits or bonuses.  This is permission you give them when accepting the end user agreement.  If you happen to owe the online casino money, the operator is authorized by you to take various actions to get it.  A worst case scenario would involve them calling upon third-party collection agencies to recover the debt.

Dormant Accounts

One important condition that lies in the end user agreement relates to dormant casino accounts.  Some players sign up with multiple casinos, playing at one for a while and then venturing off to several others before coming back; if they return at all.  Quite a few players even leave money in their account that is owed to them.  This is why many casinos specify that a player has up to six months to withdraw money if their account is lying dormant and they are not participating at the casino.  Once this period ends, that money is no longer yours.  Since you accepted the end user agreement, you agreed to forfeit the funds and hand them over to the casino.  Operators have a reason for doing this, and it is primarily because maintaining casino accounts is a part of their operating expense.  If you are not putting yours to use, then they are not making any money from it.

Conclusion

You must only read and digest the end user agreement one time.  This does not have to be a hassle as it can be a fast and simple process.  In any event, you should definitely make sure you read and understand it before wagering at any online casino.