Article by John Trodey

In March 2011, one of the major online casinos announced that it had dealt its one billionth blackjack hand. And when you think of how many web casinos exist, it gives you some idea of just how popular visiting casinos online is. When the first online casino went live in 1996, nobody could have predicted the twists, turns, and huge growth the industry would experience, particularly when you add in smart mobile devices, which are finding their way into more hands every day.

Statistics by Nielsen Media Research in 2010 showed that in the UK alone, online gambling traffic was up by 40% over 2009. It also found that 46% of online players were women and about 50% were middle aged men with above average salaries. And in the US, the National Annenberg Survey of the Young found that some 16% of college-aged men visited online casinos at least once a month, up dramatically over 2008 figures.

Many online gambling venues credit the increase in popularity to the development of industry standards by groups like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), better responsiveness to customer service, and a commitment to providing players with safer, higher quality sites. Newer payment methods are coming online, and more currency and language options are also assisting in the worldwide growth of gambling websites.

One of the biggest world regions for expansion of online gambling is Latin America. These 33 countries, with a population of around 570 million, are ripe for investment by web gambling firms. In fact, investors in areas like financial service providers and online server operators are keenly eying Latin America as a front for expansion.

A chief reason for the appeal of expanding online gaming into Latin America is the existing telecommunications infrastructure, including widespread availability of broadband and mobile internet. In 2009, internet access reached nearly 200 million Latin Americans, and it was growing at a clip of 30% per year.

Mobile online gambling appears to have the greatest potential for growth in Latin America, because device penetration in the region was at 80% in 2009, which was above the world average, with mobile networks reaching nearly 500 million people. Couple this with the rapidly evolving graphics and game features specifically for mobile devices, and it is clear why any casino online looking to expand would do well to consider this region.

But mobile device gambling isn’t just a Latin American phenomenon. Mobile devices are rapidly growing in popularity everywhere, and the web casinos that develop applications for it are the ones who will be first in line to take advantage of this market.

Online gambling has come quite a long way since 1996. More regulations are in place to help reassure consumers, and more payment and currency options are available. The graphics and software platforms are better than ever, casinos are taking a new look at customer service, and mobile handheld devices like Android phones and iPhones are opening up a new sector in online gambling. In short, it is a very exciting time for the online gambling industry.

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Future of Online Gambling

The days have already gone when people were played casino games in serious gambling to earn a huge amount of money. It was the year 2000 when it was played by the gamblers to make huge profit. And this trend had continued for about five years and so. But now the trend had already changed. Basically now a day’s people are playing casino games to have some fun. The multiplicity of internet has given a driving force to online gambling. As for the convenience, people are playing the game. The enthusiastic people are trying their luck by playing the online casino games. And for some people it is just like the best source of entertainment. As it offer different types of interesting activities. Now online gambling has become more competitive with the increasing of its demand.

The people of UK are generally crazier about the online gambling. It is anticipated that there may be considerable in the rise in the spending limits of the average consumers’ .So it is expected that the revenue from the online gambling is expected to touch near about 6 billion by the end of 2010. With the passing of days more and more consumers are showing interest in online gambling. Playing a casino game in online is so simple that even a lay man or a person who is a beginner can play the game easily. There are a number of websites which are offering the online casino gambling. UK is continuing as the leading player operators. Online poker making the people crazy, all over world it has caused bizarre by making crazy people for this online game. It also uses some new business tricks to make it online gambling a successful one and to be in new heights.

In the list of online gambling poker has become the hottest one. It is believed that online poker casinos will increase the number of players with in a few days. And the industries are likely to increase by numbers in a few years. Around 60 billion gamblers are there, who plays online casino across the globe. It is believed that with in 2-3 years online poker will enjoy highest demand. Through TV shows and different programs poker becoming popular day by day. The different series of poker have been covered by different channels, especially by the ESPN channel. Betting on poker game also became demanding now a days. Through all these it is believed that the future prospect of online would be quite good. And there is likely to have competition on the online gambling market.

In 1990, role-playing inventor, Steve Jackson, was planning his newest game, which he would ultimately call the “Illuminati — New World Order” Game, or “INWO” for short. Jackson was creating a game that would hit very, very close to home, very close to the actual plan of the Illuminati to propel the world into the New World Order — also known as the Kingdom of Antichrist. As we shall show you, Jackson issued playing cards, three of which foretold the events of 9/11, three of which correctly predict future events just ahead of us, and two that correctly foretell the last two events that the Bible foretells will occur during the final birth pangs that will produce Antichrist! More info can be found on the archives of: www.thetruthandlight.wordpress.com Key word search “Illuminati”

Despite the boom and bust cycles that the internet periodically experiences there is one activity that has constantly made money that activity is online gambling. Internet access via cell phones has long been a reality and soon e-gamers will be able to access their favorite games such as online bingo, blackjack, lotteries, and most forms of internet gambling on their cell phones.

New smart phones are essentially mini PC’s with high resolution screens, and lots of processor power with full operating systems. The bounds of technology are being pushed further every year and the possibilities this presents to the online gambling industry are seemingly endless. The days of sitting in front of a PC or having to find a wireless connection are a thing of the past.

There are several factors that contribute to the expansion of online gambling to mobile devices.Mobile industry analysts predict that in the very near future prices for mobile internet access will drop dramatically. Already many cellular carriers are starting to redesign their pricing plans. Cellular carriers have recently spent vast amounts of money to upgrade their networks for high speed data access. Of course they will need consumers to use their product to recoup their investment, hence the drop in prices.

With the improvements in mobile phone and PDA technology some experts predict mobile gaming revenues to increase by 900% in the next three years. In 2004 online casino gambling generated$48.3 billion in revenue and is expected to generate $70.6 billion dollars by 2009. Even state lotteries (most notably Massachusetts) are getting into the act with a few states already considering online mobile gaming as a way to generate greater profits.

How will all this affect the average online gambler? No longer will online gamblers be limited to sitting in front of their PC or having to wait to find a wireless connection. For now the options of online gamblers are limited, but not for long industry experts say. Casino games where the player competes against the house are already available and include such games as blackjack, roulette, slots, and craps. Games where players compete against each other such as online bingo and poker are a bit more difficult to translate to wireless but solutions appear close.

The convenience of mobile devices will be a major attraction to the online gambler. Imagine, if you will, being a passenger on a long boring road trip. With a cell phone or wireless device online gamblers will be able to play poker, online bingo, or bet on sporting events. One major European airline will be offering online bingo to it’s passengers in the near future.

Sports bettors, who rely on the timing of their bets, will no longer have to access a PC or go to a betting parlor. Progressive slots players will be able to place bets from their cell phones if they have a hunch that a large progressive jackpot is about to hit. The possibilities are almost endless for both amateur and serious online gamblers.

This technology surpasses the usefulness of wireless laptops which need a router to receive a signal. With a cell phone or wireless device all that is needed is a satellite signal which at present is available almost anywhere. Even if your first choice is to play from a PC, players should consider downloading mobile software on their cell phone to have on standby in case the situation arises where a bet must be placed or a particular game must be played at that very moment. Players should be sure to familiarize themselves with the mobile playing interface because the navigation on a mobile device will be different from what is found on a PC. Cell phone gambling is a fast growing economy; anyone can participate, so get in there and play!

Ron Paul and Barney Frank introduced bill HR 5767 in order to prohibit the US government to ban online gambling in the United States, this after the introduction of the actual ban itself called the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act). The bill recently came to vote in the US government and lost. Its aim was to stop this ban and have the US government regulate national gambling, which would in turn generate billions in revenue for the government over the course of a decade.
It is quite shocking and sad to see that the bill did not pass in congress. First of all, the bill would have been a great help to the already damaged US economy as the revenues the government regulation would bring into the government are in the billions over the course of a decade, and that is just the start. Another positive fact is that if the bill were to have passed, the government would be able to successfully, or improve its monitoring on US citizens making bets online, as the current situation clearly states that Americans are still gambling despite the fact that there is a current ban on internet gambling operations, and that the UIGEA law has failed. It is much better for the government to regulate and stop impeding Americans to gamble online than to ban the whole process altogether and fail in the ban itself while not taking in revenues from online gambling operations.
The bill was turned down in part due to the Las Vegas entrepreneurs and operators lobbying the government in order to succeed in the ban due to the reasoning that since Americans will not be able to gamble online, where else than Vegas to make bets, wagers, and have a good time in general, therefore promoting tourism and economic activity in the city. 
The future is quite grim after HR 5767 failed to pass as now the ban remains, and Americans will not be able to gamble online, at least for a long time until another bill like this one comes to the senate floor for discussion. It would have been better for the government to lift the ban, and promote the Las Vegas entrepreneurs to compete with each other over the internet than to ban the gambling operation and stop from gaining billions in taxes and earnings from regulation.
In places like most European countries, this type of gambling has become acceptable, and has grown in staggering popularity. Governments take in revenue from online gambling operations, and punters are happy performing bets online in fair regulated markets. USA based casino operators should learn from these already successful methods of gambling operation s and try to promote it in their own country instead of trying to impede it in order to make their clients go in a physical manner to their casinos. It is much cheaper and much more effective to have online virtual portals than to spend billions in physical infrastructure.

thetruthandlight.wordpress.com In 1990, role-playing inventor, Steve Jackson, was planning his newest game, which he would ultimately call the “Illuminati — New World Order” Game, or “INWO” for short. Jackson was creating a game that would hit very, very close to home, very close to the actual plan of the Illuminati to propel the world into the New World Order — also known as the Kingdom of Antichrist. As we shall show you, Jackson issued playing cards, three of which foretold the events of 9/11, three of which correctly predict future events just ahead of us, and two that correctly foretell the last two events that the Bible foretells will occur during the final birth pangs that will produce Antichrist! More info can be found on the archives of: www.thetruthandlight.wordpress.com Key word search “Illuminati”

The online gambling market has seen almost exponential growth since its humble beginnings in the mid 1990′s. Online casino games and slots have had an explosive development since they first hit the internet in the late 1990′s. Where do they go from here and will the current financial situation be a test for the many brands out there?

Since the beginnings of slot machines in the Las Vegas in the 1950′s, where they were initially used to entertain the girlfriends and spouses of the rich gamblers while they spent their money on the roulette and blackjack tables, slots have risen to become the main source of income for casinos worldwide, both offline and online. In online casinos, slot games account for more than 80% of income.

When the gambling industry first went online it was not, as many would suspect, the established land based operators that made the move. It was in fact young entrepreneurs who saw the possibility and grabbed it with both hands. Today you can find all kinds of online casino games, from the classic single-line casino slots to impressive 3D poker rooms, and even see live dealers on the roulette table as if you were in a real casino.

With so many markets suffering a sort of domino effect from the busting of the housing bubble, and with the horizon not looking very positive, how will the online gambling industry be impacted? With ever-increasing levels of debt, obviously there will be less players willing to risk their valued savings, and those fortunate enough to still have surplus cash to spend will have less of it.

Online gambling is often frowned upon by mainstream commentators and analysts, but, in practical terms, gambling on the Internet does not differ much from speculating in the stock market, bond market, derivatives market or other financial markets. It can be argued that online gambling is in fact less dangerous than other forms of financial speculation, as it only affects the speculator (gambler) and, possibly, his family, but not the larger economy. Irresponsible gamblers seeking to make a quick profit would be better off playing Internet casino games than trading credit default swaps and other risky derivatives that are tearing down the world economy.

While the banking sector, real estate, automakers and other markets are experiencing grave difficulties, the online gambling market is surviving so far. The financial crisis will decrease the number of online gamblers playing in their spare time for leisure reasons, but at the same time, sadly, it will increase the amount of players desperate to make a buck in these difficult times. Driven by the slim chance of winning a fortune, some regular gamblers will go beyond their usual gambling expenditure and will bet more than they can afford, while some new players will gamble their hard-earned cash away in the hopes of being able to alleviate their financial situation in the face of unsurmountable debt.

It is indeed a sad situation when online casinos and gambling sites will benefit from those who can not really afford it, but it is also a cold, hard reality that should not be ignored.

What the future of the online gambling industry will be like is uncertain (as with most other markets), but the rapid growth that we have seen in this sector over the last 10 years will undoubltely slow down — that much is certain. Many of the smaller companies will probably merge with or be absorbed by bigger companies and new games will not be launched that often. But in the end this is one of the newer businesses that will likely survive the current credit crunch and ensuing financial crisis.