Americans Continue to Visit Online Casinos According to ScanSafe

According to a recent report published by cybersecurity vendor, Scansafe Ltd., US citizens are continuing to gamble online despite the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Admittedly, US citizens now have fewer options for making deposits and withdrawals at online casinos especially following the decision by Neteller to cease doing business with US online gamblers and the fact that other payment processors have begun backing out of the market.

However, start up companies are already beginning to fill the void, and US gamblers are finding a way around the attempted roadblocks set in place by the DOJ.

Scansafe confirmed this in their recent report which shows that employees of Scansafe customers in the US were continuing to visit online gambling sites. In fact the number of requested hits to gaming websites was up by 77% in the last week of January, 2007.

To put this into context, Scansafe provides website blocking services to large companies seeking to regulate the types of websites that employees can visit. They process and examine over 6 billion hit requests each month.

Although Scansafe cannot track whether or not real money bets are being placed with gaming sites, their is an expectation that US citizens are continuing to place real money bets online.

While the increase in numbers could very well be attributed to US players searching for new sites that will accept US Dollars, the fact remains there is still a healthy demand for online casinos and internet betting.

The supply side is certainly doing what it can to keep up. Already, there are at least two start-up company's saying they will accept US account holders. EZi Pay is currently being accepted at several online casinos, while a larger movement is in the works to launch what many online gambling insiders are predicting will be the replacement for Neteller.

Called YouTeller, the new eWallet is acquiring the necessary certifications and regulations before launching in the near future.

Stanley Ho Opens New Casino in Macau

Casino Grand Lisboa, the 25th casino in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), opened on Sunday.

The casino complex, located in downtown Macao, features 240 gaming tables and 480 slot machines, but without the regular setup of VIP rooms for the highrollers. The hotel section boasts 420 guest rooms and suites, a number of dining venues specializing in a big variety of western and Chinese styles and luxury boutiques.

Casino Grand Lisboa, another flagship of local gaming czar Stanley Ho, is widely seen as the tycoon's counterattack to the foreign investments in the industry.

"The Grand Lisboa combines the best of our heritage with the world's latest technology," Ho said while addressing the opening ceremony, which grouped thousands of celebrities and gamblers.

Macao, with a population of 500,800, has a 150-year history of gaming industry and is the only part of China where casino gaming is legitimate. Direct tax paid by the casinos dominates over 70 percent of the MSAR government's yearly revenue.

Introducing Get21 Blackjack Tournaments

As most casual observers have probably noticed, poker tournaments, both online and land-based varieties, have surged in popularity over the last few years. Whether daily events in online poker rooms, weekly televised tournaments with celebrities, or the mega-famous WSOP, poker tournaments and the attraction to them has become a virtual mainstay in the gambling community. Now, some people are trying to replicate the success of these tournaments by expanding the tournament structure to Blackjack.

Already common in Vegas, Atlantic City, and the Caribbean, Blackjack tournaments are becoming more and more popular. Blackjack players are often just as enthusiastic and competitive as their poker-playing counterparts and several industry execs, and the public, have taken notice. To capitalize on this interest, online destinations featuring multiplayer Blackjack and regularly scheduled Blackjack tournaments are popping up in increasing number.


Get21.com, which claims to be “The First Multiplayer Blackjack Tournaments Room,” has relied on the input of several Blackjack professionals to create a site featuring continuous multiplayer Blackjack tournaments with a wide range of prizes, structures, and buy-in fees. Get21 offers Single Table Tournaments which include a “Shootout” tournament table, “Heads up” tournaments, and “Sit & Go” single table tournaments. “Sit & Go”-s can also be found at their Multi Table tournaments in addition to their regularly scheduled tournaments and those specially scheduled. Buy-in fees range from $1+$0.1 to $2,000+$150.

Tournaments at Get21 and other multiplayer Blackjack destinations are usually carried out as follows: after paying the buy-in and house fee (amounts vary from site to site and from one tournament to the next), each player receives 1,000 new chips. Players can not accumulate chips from one level to the next. The buy-ins are put into the prize pool and the House keeps its fee(s). The tournament’s winner is then the player who has collected the most chips at the end of the game. Buy-in amounts, House fees, no. of players, no. of hands per level, no. of levels, etc., all vary according to the tournament structure. Players who lose all of their chips are eliminated.

If you enjoy playing Blackjack and want to try out this new variety or, you have never been too much of a fan but the thought of competition inspires you enough to give it a shot, check out Get21.com and multiplayer tournament blackjack. The trend is sure to heat up in the coming months as several television networks have already tapped into the activity’s potential and begun airing tournaments and programs related to the game. This fall, beginning Sept. 16th, the CBS network is airing what will be a weekly-televised Blackjack and has already announced the filming of a second season! It only takes a few clicks of the mouse to try out this new and exciting development in the gaming industry and get in early on the action.

Gambling Addiction #3

Causes

The behavior frequently develops from occasional gambling to habitual gambling and then, the urge to gamble becomes so great that the tension can only be relieved by more gambling. Hence, a pattern of addiction emerges. Players begin to player higher stakes and take larger risks. They may begin to ignore friends and family and neglect other responsibilities. The 'exact' cause is actually unknown and it's not definite if some people are more predisposed to the behavior than others. In any case, it's important to recognize the problem as early as possible to be in a better position to correct it before more serious consequences occur.

Treatment and sources for Help

Fortunately, there are ways to treat the problem and organizations exist which are designed to inform and help anyone suffering from gambling addiction. Gambler's Anonymous is probably the most recognizable organization dealing with problem and is a good place to start. Online casinos as well (at least, the reputable ones) usually include links on their sites to other sources of information on problem gambling and support policies and initiatives designed to combat it. Visit our 'gambling organizations' category on the left for a short list of other organizations that may offer more information. Also, you may want to check out some of the books we have listed on our site which deal with 'gambling addiction' and ways to fight it.