Online Casino Gambling

Online gaming expert Vin Narayanan recently explained the many options the New Jersey Governor has with regards to the online gambling bill that was recently passed by the state Senate and Assembly. Narayanana argues that Federal politics are likely to affect the bill and immediately end this groundbreaking effort.

The first opportunity is for Governor Christie to reject the bill. If this occurs, the bill reverts back to the New Jersey Legislature for the chance of overturning the decision. However, to change the decision, the bill must be passed again in the Senate and Assembly. However, in this instance the bill needs to be passed by two-thirds majority. The Democrats do not command two thirds of either house.

Therefore, they will need Republican support which was obtained in the first round of voting. Unfortunately, many Republican legislators will not vote for the bill a second time. In fact, most legislators in general will not vote for the bill once it has been vetoed by the Governor.

Therefore, the question that plagues the industry is, will he sign the bill? The enactment of the bill will depend on whether he is planning to run for President or Vice-President in 2012. Signing this bill will displease the conservative party who are fighting to keep online gambling illegal. Therefore, by signing this bill, Christie will undermine his opportunity at the national stage.

Since there was initially bipartisan support for the bill, Governor Christie has many reasons to enforce a vet including:

• The uncertainty of online gaming legislation
• Not wishing to oppose Federal policy
• Stating online gaming should be legal at the Federal level before state

Current blueprints for gaming legislation are limited and murky. Therefore, Christie may not want to have to create an entire plan online gaming. Also, by following the United States federal policy, Christie will appear to be a citizen that respects the values of this country. Moreover, Christie may wish to wait for Federal law to dictate the fate of online gambling before New Jersey.

The future of online gaming is at his fingertips with the world listening closely. Due to the importance of this bill, Governor Christie is making history regardless of the decision he chooses. Obviously online gaming enthusiasts and companies are hoping Christie approves the bill. Unfortunately only time will tell what the future holds for the online gaming community in the United States.

Launched in 1997, Omni Casino is one of the oldest in the industry. The casino recently announced an overhaul of the website to celebrate their 13^th anniversary. Over the past few months there were updates regarding the project in The Omni Times, a newsletter from the casino. However, holiday celebrations overtook the recent news leaving the makeover of the website still in development. Finally, in the first newsletter of 2011, the renovation of the site was discussed.

The headline read, “A whole new look is coming to Omni Casino! Stay tuned for a special announcement next week.” In addition to the review of the website restyling, a plethora of bonuses and promotions were announced which are available specific days in January. The promotions include:

• 150 percent bonus up to $60
• Double Down Blackjack Tournament
• Winter Winfall bonus

To be eligible for the 150 percent bonus up to $60 each Monday, players must play any day over the previous weekend (Friday, Saturday or Sunday). The player simply needs to make a deposit of at least $20 and send an email to Omni Casino customer support with a subject of “Mad Money Please.” Customer support will then credit the account within a few hours. To release the bonus, the wagering requirement is 25 times the deposit. A maximum of $6 per wager can be applied.

Between January 8^th and January 16^th, Omni Casino is hosting the Double Down Blackjack Tournament. The competition is structured as follows: for each hand of $5 or greater played in a blackjack game, players will earn a single tournament point. The top 15 players with the most points will split a prize pool of $1,000. The player in first place wins $300 with the remaining prizes equaling smaller amounts. There are no restrictions on winning.

The final promotion is the Winter Winfall bonus which begins January 12^th and ends January 13^th. On both days players will receive 75 percent on their first deposit up to $75 with a minimum deposit requirement of $25. This equates to $150 for the total promotional timeframe.

Omni Casino is beginning 2011 with strong promotions and a whole new look to their website. Both improvements are an excellent method of drawing in new customers and enticing regular players to make deposits during the promotional periods. This is the primary reason Omni Casino has been around for such a long time!

Darts is one of the most popular bar sports around the globe. Leagues and tournaments are a popular pastime in many cities. Therefore, one of the leading online gaming developers, Playtech, recently released two games relating to darts. The games are aptly entitled, Darts and Jackpot Darts and can be accessed through the Arcade Games section within the Games menu at all casinos powered by Playtech software.

The game begins with the player placing the initial wagers. In this game, there are three methods of betting permitted:

• Hitting a specific section of the board
• Combination bet
• Total score

The first wager consists of a bet that one of the three darts thrown will land in a specific section on the dart board. These sections include single, double and triple rings on the outer portion of the board and the single or double bull on the inner portion of the board.  The second bet involves wagering on whether the darts will hit a combination of an exact number of times from zero to three. Combinations can include a color, or outer ring.

The final bet is the total score. Since each section of the dartboard contains a score, players bet that the score of all three darts will add to a certain number. There are predetermined ranges so if the score falls in a selected range, the player wins.

The first step to placing a wager is selecting the amount and placing the bet in a particular section on the dartboard. Rolling the cursor over that section will reveal the odds (in decimals and fractions) of that location. At this point, multiple bets can be placed with the total displayed on the screen.

Once the player is confident in the placement and amount of all wagers, they should click the “Bet” button to begin the game. A hand will then appear and toss all three darts toward the board. Winning bets and the subsequent payouts will appear under the “Results” caption. If any amount is won, the player has the opportunity to bet again with those payouts. In this bonus round, darts are thrown again with the amount wagered increase and thus higher payouts.

The second game, Jackpot Darts, has similar rules with the addition of a progressive jackpot that rises with every wager. To hit the jackpot, a player must bet that all darts land in the bull’s eye. The remaining rules are the same.

Each of these games is available at all Playtech casinos. Due to the excellent graphics and sound, these two games give the persona of a realistic tavern environment featuring darts as the central point of interest.

Recently, Totally Wicked, a new online gaming site, went live. Owned and operated by Total E Soft Limited of the United Kingdom, Totally Wicked features an abundance of special characters and graphics. The casino is licensed and regulated by Costa Rica, a reputable gaming jurisdiction. In March 2011, Totally Wicked will be releasing a poker section.

The casino has a plethora of games available to customers. Although a brand new site, the total payout of progressive jackpots is $1.5 million. By entering the Preview section on the website, you can view every game they offer. The most popular games include:

• Three reel slots
• Video slots
• Blackjack
• Keno
• Casino poker
• Craps
• Multi-hand poker

The casino is currently offering a number of attractive bonuses and promotions. First, a 100 percent deposit bonus up to $200 is awarded to players on their first deposit. Second, high rollers that deposit $5,000 or more will be given a free $1,000. Third, additional bonuses are awarded for second, third and fourth deposits. Fourth, an additional 20 percent bonus is awarded to players that make deposits using NeTeller and Moneybookers.

In addition to these wonderful bonus options, Totally Wicked has continuous promotions every month. They choose to contact players via email to inform them of these bonuses. Players can be awarded an additional bonus for referring their friends to the casino.

Totally Wicked is also flexible with their currencies offering players the ability to wager in American Dollars, British Pounds or Euros. All of the most popular deposit and withdrawal options are available including, credit card, prepaid vouchers and electronic wallets. Rest assured all transactions are secured with SSL encryption technology.

The Totally Wicked Online Casino staff is excited about this new business endeavor and view it as an opportunity to provide a top-notch service while creating a network of players that are having a great time. As a result, customer service is available by many different means around the clock. Furthermore, FAQ’s and rules for all the games are available at the website.

Totally Wicked Online Casino is a fun and excellent site to place wagers. Offering a top-notch customer service staff, an overabundance of games and fantastic promotions, Totally Wicked is beginning their online casino career on the right note. As the casino becomes more experienced they will discover what works and what doesn’t to be able to please all customers.

Over the past few weeks momentum has built regarding the online gaming bill for the State of New Jersey. Unfortunately, this momentum has come to a screeching halt. The bill was not put to a vote on the assembly floor December 13^th as was originally planned. However, the sports betting bill did make it to a vote and was passed unanimously.

A Last Minute Delay

This delay occurred due to a last minute amendment prior to voting. The amendment consisted of a reduction in the racing levy. The proposed levy was set at 5 percent and introduced to pay race tracks from their expected loss of business if the chance of online gambling went into effect.

Re-approval Required

As per the current procedure, a change in the tax structure posted to any bill requires re-approval by the Senate and Assembly prior to being sent to the floor for voting. A representative to the bill informed the media that there was no change to the prospects of the bill. Apparently it is expected to be approved by both houses unanimously. This is proof that the bill is ready to be presented to the full assembly on January 6^th, 2011.

An Overview of the Bill

Once enacted, the bill will allow residents of New Jersey to gamble online at regulated Internet sites, operated by Atlantic City casinos. Unfortunately the rest of the United States and international customers will not be able to play at these sites. However, gamblers outside of New Jersey will be able to engage in online horse betting.

Effect of the Bill

The introduction of this bill is expected to revive Atlantic City casinos. In November 2010, Atlantic City casinos reported a significant drop in revenue by 12.5 percent compared to 2009. Sponsor of the bill, Senator Lesniak, expects it to generate millions of dollars in private revenue by giving casinos a new product. Furthermore, the bill will generate $35 million in tax revenue for the State of New Jersey.

On December 13^th, the gaming and sports betting bills were cleared by the full assembly. Each bill needed 41 votes for approval. 54 legislators voted for the bill and 17 voted against with 4 abstaining. This bill will create America’s first approved pro-online gambling regulation. This could start a chain reaction with many states following until all states allow this form of gambling.

The state of Maine is quite a place.  It has some of the most picturesque coastline in the world.  During the fall the changing of the foliage color is amazing.  With thousands of lakes is it any wonder that kids’ summer camps have become a long standing institution in Maine.  There is great shopping and dining among its beautiful cobblestone villages.  It is home to famous vacation spots of former presidents.  Don’t forget about the tasty lobster!  What more could you ask for?  How about a casino!

New to the Industry

Maine is one of the few states left that is new to the casino gambling industry.  At the moment no casino exists in Maine but recent events may have cleared the way for construction of their first casino.  During the recent mid-term elections voters narrowly approved a proposal to build a casino in Oxford County.  Black Bear Entertainment, the company that was formed to promote and develop the casino, has yet to choose a location.  The company is currently evaluating five sites along route 26 in Oxford.

Recount Halted

The initial proposal passed but only by less than one percent of the vote.  This prompted opponents of the casino, from the group Casinos NO!, to demand a recount in hopes to overturn the decision.  After 20% of the votes had been recounted it was clear that there was no appreciable change in the outcome.  Thus, opponents have requested a halt to the recount and have for all intents and purposes ended the official opposition to the proposal.

Impact

Black Bear Entertainment has given encouraging estimates of what this proposal means to Oxford County as well as the state itself.   With a tough year of almost 10% unemployment in the county, the new casino would create a welcome opportunity of work for local residents.  The company plans to build a $165 million, 100,000 square foot casino and resort in phases over the next five years.  Construction itself would create around 800 jobs.  The casino and resort would create more than 1700 year round jobs and generate at least $60 million in revenue that would be directed to specific state programs.  Among these state programs are several education funds that involve k-12 schools as well as scholarships to state universities and community colleges.  With the recount halted Black Bear Entertainment plans to hire planners and engineers immediately to help it select a site and begin the permitting process.

So if you travel to Maine any time soon keep your eyes open for moose, lighthouses, colorful leaves and now possibly a slot machine or two!