Online Casino Gambling

The popular casino dice game craps has a long and varied history. Modern craps has evolved from a game that was played many centuries before.

Craps derived from English game

In the 12th century, Sir William of Tyre led a group of crusaders on a castle by the name of Hazarth. Tyre’s group seized Hazarth and named their favorite pastime game after the castle. The Hazard game apparently was derived from Arabic dice games that were eventually brought to Europe.

By the 17th century, Hazard was a vastly popular game in England. The game was a staple in taverns throughout the country. Hazard was also a popular casino game among noblemen.

In the game, the player with the dice is known as the caster. In each round of the game, the player will specify a number between five and nine. The specific number between five and nine is known as the main. A roll of the main number results in a win. If the player rolls a two or three, he loses. A roll of 11 or 12 will result in a variety of outcomes depending on the main number that was designated. A main of 5 or 9 will lose on a roll of 11 or 12. On a main of 6 or 8, the player will lose on a roll of 11 but win on 12. With a main number of 7, the player wins on 11 but loses on 12.

It didn’t take long for neighboring countries to take notice of the game. The game became popular in France. The French called their version of the dice game “Craps.”

Game evolves in the 19th century

In the early 19th century, Bernard de Mandeville made an important adjustment to the game. The New Orleans resident simplified craps. His version of the game was soon being played on steamboats traveling the Mississippi River. Mandeville’s game had a flaw due to the ability to use crooked dice tied to the betting rules of the game. John H. Winn was able to build on Mandeville’s initial adjustment to the game. Winn brought the modern layout to the game of craps. His adjustments allowed players to bet on the shooter or against him. This greatly eliminated any impact that could result from any fixed dice being used in craps games. Winn’s adjustments to the game enabled craps to become widely popular.

Highest wagered on game

Over the last century, the game has continued to grow in society and culture. Craps was a popular game among soldiers in World War II to break the monotony of war. The game was occasionally featured in some popular movies over the years to elevate the status of craps in popular culture. In the 1990′s, the game suffered a downturn due to the surge of slots and other casino games. However, craps has rebounded, due in part to the growth of online casinos. Today, the game is the biggest in the history of the world in terms of money wagered.

The Canadian-based Optimal Group Inc. recently brokered a non-prosecution agreement with the United States Department of Justice to forfeit $19.2 million in funds. The case was tied to Optimal’s involvement as an e-wallet provider to process billions of dollars related to online gambling operations.

US government pursuing online gambling operations

The United States has been actively seeking out any e-wallet providers that have been involved with any online gambling sites. The US has used a variety of laws to make their case. Among these laws are the Wire Act, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and the Illegal Gambling Business Act.

From 2004 to 2006, Optimal’s e-wallet company Firepay was operating in the United States. “Optimal, operating an electronic wallet called Firepay, processed more than $2 billion worth of illegal gambling transactions for United States customers,” the  U.S. Attorney’s office said. When the United States enacted their Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in October of 2006, Optimal no longer accepted payments from customers within the US. Prior to the legislation, about 80% of their payments were from customers in the United States.

Under the deal, Firepay acknowledged a violation of federal law by providing wagering in the United States. The Optimal Group agreed to forfeit $19,182,418 as part of their non-prosecution arrangement with the US. Optimal stated that the amount was a “disgorgement of property involved in and proceeds received from the payment processing services that were provided by the company’s subsidiaries to Internet gambling merchants in relation to U.S. customers of such merchants.”

Firepay is no longer in operation. The Optimal Group has focused their business interests into some different areas. The Group’s WowWee business is a leading designer, developer, marketer and distributor of innovative hi-tech consumer robotic and entertainment products. The operation is also involved in the development of toys.

Electracash also a target

The US is also looking into the operations of many other foreign and domestic e-wallet providers. The California based online cash processor Electracash Inc. has been a target of the government in recent months. In July, US federal authorities seized bank accounts of the company. The accounts were allegedly used to process payments from online gambling operators. Now, the government is seeking to gain access of Electracash e-mails to find further evidence of illegal activity.

UIGEA related seizures could be winding down

While the government has been able to seize some funds from several e-wallet providers tied to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, the seizures could soon be a thing of the past. With Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank’s reform legislation to end the UIGEA gaining momentum, the government could focus on taxing online gambling operators instead of the far more difficult process of trying to enforce laws that are vague in nature. The current policies of the United States have done nothing to stop the continued growth of the online gambling industry. The impending UIGEA reforms would enable federal authorities to direct their energies towards more substantive issues and concerns.

Poker can seem to be an overwhelming game for those who have never played it. Many have only seen the game on TV in the various major tournaments that are broadcast. Poker’s growth has been unmistakable over the last decade as beginners continue to learn and play in casinos and online.

The basics of Poker

Poker is derived from a family of card games. The games varies in how hands are formed, how cards are dealt, limits on bets, as well as how many rounds of wagering are allowed. In the initial round, the betting starts with some form of a forced wager. These wagers play a big role in the outcome of poker games. Because of this, poker is a game that involves some unique strategy when compared to some other casino games that are based strictly on chance. Each successive player must match the initial wager or fold from the remainder of the hand. They also have the option of raising the hand. Savvy poker players can bluff their opponents with certain moves or non-moves by remaining unemotional regardless of their hand. The betting round concludes when each player has matched the last wager or folded. If all but one player folds during the course of any given round, the remaining player wins without showing his hand. If more than a single player remains in contention after the last round of betting, all hands are then shown and the winning hand collects the pot.

Winning poker hands

While there are some variations depending on the exact poker game that is being played, there is a general order of poker hands that will lead to a victory. Here is a basic list of the top ten winning poker hands:

1. Five of a kind-This hand features four cards of the same kind plus a wild card. If multiple players have five of a kind, the player with the higher value cards will win.

2. Straight flush-A straight flush is a hand of any five cards in sequence of the same suite. A royal flush occurs when an ace is the highest card in the straight.

3. Four of a kind-The same as a five of a kind with one fewer card.

4. A full house-This hand features three cards of one kind combined with two cards of a different kind.

5. A flush-In this hand, the player holds only cards of the same suite.

6. A straight-This hand features five cards in sequence but of different suites.

7. Three of a kind-A lower version of five of a kind and four of a kind.

8. Two pairs-This hand features two cards of one rank combined with two cards from another rank.

9. A pair-A hand with two cards of one rank.

10. A high card-In this hand, no two cards have the same rank.

With a basic understanding of whether to bet or fold and the main winning hands in the sport, poker newcomers aren’t too far away from being able to feel like one of the elite professional players that they see each year playing for millions of dollars at the World Series of Poker.

Bingo is a game of chance that most people have played at one time or another. Bingo is still going strong in the 21st century despite the simple aspects of the game.

Origins of game traced to Italy

The origins of the bingo games that are played today date back to the 16th century in Italy. When the country was united in 1530, a lottery was developed. The game was known as “Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia.”

The next major evolution occurred in France in the 18th century. In 1778, “Le Lotto” became a popular game in the country. The cards utilized within the game were divided into nine vertical and three horizontal rows. The horizontal rows featured five squares with numbers, as well as four squares that were blank, placed in a random arrangement. The vertical rows possessed numbers ranging from 1 to 10 for the first row, 11 to 20 in the second row, proceeding all the way up to 90.

In the following century, lottery games became a popular educational tool in some countries. One of these games helped children learn multiplication tables in Germany.

Bingo arrives in the west in the 20th century

A traveling carnival salesman took notice of the lottery games being played in Germany and brought the concept to the United States. He made some adjustments to the game that was observed in Germany. His version of the game allowed players to complete a row diagonally, horizontally or vertically. The pitchman called his game Beano.

In 1929, New York toy salesman Edwin Lowe observed the game being played at a carnival in Georgia. Lowe noticed how many players were involved and interested in the game. Winning players would shout “Beano!” when they had the required numbers on their card.

On his return to New York, Lowe introduced Beano to his area. He used some dried beans, cardboard and a rubber numbering stamp to play the game. It didn’t take long for the game to become popular among Lowe’s friends. During one game, a woman yelled “Bingo!” upon completing a winning card instead of Beano. The new name would stick.

Lowe offered his game in several variations. Players could purchase a 12-card or 24-card set. By the 1940′s, the game was widely popular around the country. Many imitators copied Lowe’s game during this time. In the end, Lowe simply asked his competitors to pay him a dollar a year and use the name bingo for the games.

Churches offer the game

A short time after Lowe’s game became well-known in the market, a priest from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, approached Lowe about his game. The priest felt that the game would help to solve some of the financial problems at his church.

It was through the initial church games that another development in bingo occurred. It soon became apparent that there wasn’t a big enough variety of different bingo cards for the games. This led to Lowe utilizing the services of a Columbia mathematics professor to create 6,000 different bingo cards.

Today, bingo is still a popular game in many churches around the country.

Poland could become the latest country in their region to implement a ban of online gambling. Russia and Ukraine have already banned online gambling in the area.

Lobbying scandal has played a role

Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk is responding to some recent controversies in his nation involving the gambling industry. Last month, four ministers in Poland’s cabinet resigned over alleged influences from gambling companies. Poland’s Minister of Sport, Miroslaw Drzewiecki, resigned his post due to allegations that gambling interests were influencing his decision on some pending legislation. Drzewiecki’s name showed up on some transcripts tied to an anti-corruption investigation known as Operation Blackjack.

It didn’t take long for other names to surface in the scandal. Andrzej Czuma, Minister Of Justice, and Grzegorz Schetyna, Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister also soon resigned along with another member of the nation’s cabinet. All four of the ministers were alleged to be under the influence of gambling companies that didn’t want to pay taxes that would have been associated with some pending legislation.

Many observers feel that the scandal has played a role in Tusk’s enhanced tough stance on gambling.

Sweeping reforms could be coming

Tusk is trying to get some vast legislation in place related to gambling in his country. The proposal would go beyond an online gambling ban to also eliminate slot machines outside of casinos along with higher taxes for gambling companies in the country. In addition, the legislation would ban advertising for any games of chance.

“We are proposing to ban a significant part of the gambling sector,” said Tusk, We want to see this market shrink by 20 to 25 percent per year. Over the course of five years this kind of gambling should disappear from Poland.”

The legislation would gradually eliminate slot machines over a five-year period. During this period, taxes on the “one-armed bandits” would be increased from 180 euros a month to 480 euros a month. There are over 20,000 slot machines in Poland. The “one-armed bandits” are typically found in bus stations, train stations, shopping malls and fast food restaurants.

Tusk is also concerned about the potential threat of gambling on young people. The new legislation would make it illegal for anyone 17 years of age or younger to gamble.

The online gambling ban portion of the legislation will attempt to cover many different areas. The new laws could enable Poland to track connections between internet providers in the nation and those of international wagering websites. The legislation would also closely monitor online money transfer providers.

Tusk doesn’t have to look far to see the dangers of online gambling bans. Russia’s recent anti-gambling legislations have seem to have done little to stop wagering in the country. Many loopholes in Russia’s new laws have been exploited. The crackdowns appear to do more harm than good in the long run. Tusk could generate almost endless revenue for his country by supporting gambling but his new reforms will likely be doomed in the years to come due to the continued growth and popularity of gambling.

Recently, online casino software developer CryptoLogic introduced their Batman and Wonder Woman themed games into the online casino market.

“With the Batman and Wonder Woman on our side, we’re confident CryptoLogic will again demonstrate the connection between big brands and revenue growth,” said Brian Hadfield, CryptoLogic’s President and CEO. “CryptoLogic’s greatest strength is partnering with the brands that attract players to the biggest gaming sites in the world – providing increased revenue for our licensees and value for our shareholders.”

CryptoLogic developed the games after signing an exclusive multi-year licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and DC Comics.

Both of the new releases are slot games. The Batman game is a 50-line game. In the game, Batman takes on the Joker. Players take on inmates at Arkham Asylum to stop the Joker in game that includes stacked wilds. The Wonder Woman game is also a 50-line game. The game features a bonus wager with Wonder Woman fighting an island of zombies.

The company has also introduced the Monkey to Mars and Triple Action Hold’em games into the market. The Monkey to Mars game is a 25-line slot game while Triple Action Hold’em is a new poker entry from CryptoLogic. This poker game uses only the top 28 cards in the deck. The player is given three betting options in the game. Their is a main ante bet plus a couple of side betting options. In addition, the company released updated versions of their Let It Ride and Three Card Poker games.

Other companies launch new games

On November 5th, online software game provider Microgaming will launch three new slot games into the online market. Each game features a 5 reel video bonus slot. The Dance of the Masai is a 25-line game with a 10 free spin bonus feature. The other new games are Alaskan Fishing and Kings of Cash.

Vegas Technology also has added some new slot games. Love Bugs and Bangkok Knights were recently launched into the online gambling market by the company. Love Bugs features a five-reel video bonus game with a romantic theme while Bangkok Knights is also is a five-reel game with themes tied to the Thailand city.

Realtime Gaming has introduced three new games, including a unique poker game. The company’s Texas Hold ‘em Bonus Poker brings casino poker together with the Texas Hold’em version of the game. Competitors will be able to place bets on the flop, the river, and the turn with the same structure and theme as regular Texas Hold ‘em. Also, the bonus feature allows for even more winnings in each hand.

Realtime has a couple of slot games as well. The Shopping Spree II is a progressive slot game. This game is a five reel, nine pay-line game. There is a minimum progressive jackpot of $100,000. The other new slot game is called Triple Twister. This video slot game is a five reel, fifty pay-line game. The game features two progressive jackpots.