California Tribes Release Draft of Online Poker Bill
May 17th, 2013 by OBO-admin
The California Online Poker Association was forced to dissolve last year because the tribes couldn’t come to a resolution they could all agree with. They appear to have finally worked through their differences and introduced their own bill that would regulate online poker.
The tribe released a draft of the Internet Consumer Protection Act of 2013 earlier this week first reported by California Online Poker. The bill would legalize online poker and ban all other forms of online gambling. The bill will also bar California from enjoining any federal legislation that may be passed and will permanently restrict online poker to California residents.
The new law also contains a bad actor clause. This clause would prohibit any company from operating in the state if they offered online poker to California residents before the law was passed. Players would also be charged with a misdemeanor if they played on an unregulated site.
A number of other groups have a stake in online poker and would be reluctant to support a law that doesn’t work to their benefit. These experts believe that different groups are going to challenge this bill. The bill would restrict online gaming licenses to tribes and card rooms that have held gaming licenses for at least five years before the law is passed. Newer gaming establishments would be likely to object to that provision.
Two other bills have been introduced this year. Lawmakers will wait to see how much support they receive from the various stakeholder groups before they move forward. They are also watching developments in Nevada to determine what changes may be necessary to create a functional online poker industry.
Posted in Casino News |
Blackjack – the Most Player Friendly Game at Oklahoma Casinos
May 15th, 2013 by OBO-admin
Oklahoma has over 70 casinos, and players can win big money if they play their cards smartly. The trick is to choose games that have a lower house edge, such as blackjack. Casino games such as slots have a high house edge and players cannot always hope to win big money playing slots. They will win only if they are lucky. However, blackjack players can always bend the odds in their favor if they implement basic and advanced blackjack strategies.
Speaking about house edge, Jay Bean, who serves as the floor manager of a prominent casino chain, said that table games have a lower house edge than slots. Further, he said that blackjack, which has a house edge of just one percent, gives players the best chance of winning.
The second most player friendly game is craps and the third is roulette, but both craps and roulette are electronic games at Oklahoma casinos.
According to Forbes.com, the games with the highest house edge are popular slots such as Wheel of Fortune, some of which have a house edge greater than 10 percent. Oklahoma players are therefore advised to play blackjack if they want to win, but are simultaneously warned that the most player friendly games can get house friendly.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Cash Withdrawals Now A Possibility For Ukash Customers
May 13th, 2013 by OBO-admin
Ukash is one of the online methods that most online blackjack players used to make deposits. It is a UK based e-wallet service that has been providing online gambling players the option of making deposits at gambling websites without having to divulge their personal information.
The company recently announced that it will now work with PayPoint to offer its customer base the option to not only make deposits but to also start cash withdrawals. This is great news for the online blackjack community as they will now also be able to take out their prize money.
CEO David Hunter of Ukash said “At the heart of this new service is our mission to give consumers the utmost flexibility with their Ukash, We also believe it creates even greater appeal for e-commerce retailers to add Ukash to their payment options.”
Most online blackjack players prefer to keep their payment information confidential as not everyone are comfortable with letting others know how much they spend or make online. The Ukash service is an ideal platform as users need not fill out their personal information to make payments or withdrawals. Not only will the online gambling community benefit from this new service but those who spend a lot of time shopping online will also be able to take advantage of the Ukash online payment service.
Posted in Blackjack News, Casino News |
Online Gambling May Create Less Revenue in New Jersey than Previously Anticipated
May 8th, 2013 by OBO-admin
Governor Chris Christie and other New Jersey lawmakers hope to raise a considerable amount of revenue from online gambling. They were disappointed to hear a new estimate which suggests the state may generate considerably less revenue from online gambling than they originally expected.
Christie’s administration hoped that New Jersey would be able to generate at least $180 million after providing online gambling for one year. A new report from GamblingData.com, a company that studies trends in the online gambling industry, states that New Jersey would probably only generate about $40 million in revenue during its first year.
GamblingData made its estimates by comparing New Jersey’s industry model with European countries with regulated online gaming markets. They said that New Jersey will probably fare better than countries such as Italy which have large underground gaming markets. New Jersey’s regulations are expected to be much more favorable to online gaming providers so most companies will probably apply for the necessary licenses.
The news is also discouraging to the gaming providers who have recently received licenses to offer their services in the Garden State. PokerStars invested over $40 million purchasing the Atlantic Club Hotel and Casino to enter the newly regulated online gaming market. Gaming providers are also concerned about the growing competition in the state.
Gaming providers will be subject to a 15% tax on all gross revenues as long as they choose to invest in the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. Those companies that choose not to invest 2.5% of their gross revenue to develop programs to discourage compulsory gambling would need to pay a 20% tax on all gross revenues instead.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Foxwoods Partners with Game Account Network to Launch Free Play Online Casino
May 6th, 2013 by OBO-admin
Game Account Network, one of the leading online gambling software providers, has gotten into a partnership with Foxwoods Casino in a bid to gain the benefits of a regulated US online gambling industry. The company, which is headquartered in the UK, signed a deal with Foxwoods owners Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, according to the terms of which Game Account Network will supply the software Foxwoods requires to launch an online casino.
Since Massachusetts has not yet legalized online gambling, the Foxwoods online casino will be available for fun play only. According to a statement released by the tribe, the online casino will convert into a real money gambling site only if Massachusetts passes an online gambling bill and creates regulations for online gaming.
Critics, however, have pointed out that all free players do not become real money players even after free play casinos become real money casinos.
Offshore online gambling companies are grabbing all opportunities to gain entry into the US market ever since individual US states began rushing to intrastate online gambling. So far, online gambling bills have been passed in states such as Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey, and states such as California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania are considering the pros and cons of legalizing online gambling.
Posted in Blackjack News, Casino News |
Lucky Hill Casino Offers Limited-time Bonus for Blackjack Players
May 3rd, 2013 by OBO-admin
Lucky Hill Casino, one of the most popular of UK online casinos, offers extraordinary gambling opportunities for blackjack players. The online casino offers an attractive portfolio of not only online blackjack games, but also online slots, online poker, and other popular casino games. The online casino has just launched a limited-time offer, giving its customers the opportunity to beat the house and build their bankrolls.
The above-mentioned limited-time offer gives online blackjack players better chances of winning. As the owner of Lucky Hill Casino puts it, the online casino is making a list of games associated with its bonus offer, ensuring that the list includes both luck-based and strategy-based games. This gives Lucky Hill Casino players a better opportunity to build a plump casino bankroll in no time.
Lucky Hill Casino’s special bonus offer includes games such as Blackjack, Gems and the City, Freaky Wild West, Vampire Slayers, and Aztec. Before actually beginning to play for real money, players can learn the game’s rules and strategies by playing it in the fun mode.
The community of players at Lucky Hill Casino is ever growing and this limited-time offer of a free bonus of €5 for every €50 spent on real money games is sure to attract many more players.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Cake Poker Upgrades Blackjack Games
April 29th, 2013 by OBO-admin
Cake Poker, a popular online poker room, has introduced a collection of Gold Chip buy-in and real money casino games called Jackpot Games, giving players the opportunity to win their share of as much as $2 million. Besides, Cake Poker has also upgraded its blackjack offering, incorporating advanced features such as game speed, auto play, and strategy tips.
The selection of Jackpot Games at Cake includes table games, slots, keno, blackjack, Devil’s 7, Joker Poker, and Bingo. Players can gain access to the Jackpot Games if they hit the new Jackpot button in the gaming menu of the lobby at Cake Poker.
The newly upgraded blackjack games at Cake Poker have brand new features, which both advanced players and beginners find to be attractive. The auto play feature enables players to play as many as 500 blackjack hands automatically. They can stop the software from playing automatically whenever they wish. Besides, players can alter game speed by choosing from five levels and get useful blackjack strategy tips throughout the game.
The above-mentioned new features are available in the full screen as well as mini screen versions. Players need to hit the Blackjack tab in the gaming lobby of Cake Poker to access the upgraded blackjack games.
Posted in Blackjack News |
High Profile Celebrites Get Busted During NYC Poker Sting Operation
April 24th, 2013 by OBO-admin
Ever since online sports betting and online gambling were banned in the U.S, a large number of illegal operations have started operating under the radar. The authorities have been targeting such establishments and recently conducted a raid in New York City.
Authorities acted on information received and raided a Manhattan art gallery that was attached to the Carlyle Hotel. The authorities received information that this particular operation was controlled by the Russian mafia and the players involved in this illegal sports and poker betting operation included a number of high profile celebrities.
The raid proved to be successful and a number of big names were part of this illegal gambling operation. Some of them are Hollywood celebrities, high profile Wall Street Executives and some of them are popular sports personalities. Authorities for now are keeping all names under wraps.
In a release, NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said “The subjects in this case ran high-stakes illegal poker games and online gambling, proceeds from which are alleged to have been funneled to organized crime overseas. The one thing they didn’t bet on was the New York City police and federal investigators attention.”
The authorities are keeping a careful watch in a number of states and more sting operations can be expected in the coming months to stop all illegal gambling operations in the country.
Posted in Casino News |
$180,000 Fine Imposed On Cleveland Casino For Numerous Violations
April 22nd, 2013 by OBO-admin
The Horseshoe Casino Cleveland was penalized by the Ohio Casino Control Commission for violating state gambling rules and not keeping a state law. There was a massive fine of $180,000 imposed on the Casino and this is officially the largest fine ever in the State’s history of operating
casinos.
Some of the violations that the Horseshoe Casino were accused of breaching include the use of an unapproved dice; failure to submit “complete and accurate advertisements” for the problem-gambling hot line; replacing commission-approved chips with quarters and encouraging unlicensed employees to enter restricted areas.
The breach that violated state law was the removal and storage of three slot machines. In a statement, Commission Chairwoman Jo Ann Davidson said “The Casino Control Act exists to ensure the integrity of gaming in the state of Ohio. We as regulators found Horseshoe Casino Cleveland failed to adhere to Ohio law and their internal controls, not just once, but repeatedly. We expect strict adherence to the law from the casino properties because it’s what the people of Ohio expect.”
The Horseshoe Casino Cleveland management also received a strict warning and a word of advice to focus on providing its employees with extra training on all internal controls, process and procedures that will ensure they adhere to all rules and regulations that is required by the State.
Posted in Casino News |
Illinois Governor Refuses to Consider Gaming Bill amid Pension Dispute
April 17th, 2013 by OBO-admin
The Illinois Senate and House of Representatives passed a new gambling bill last week. This bill would allow gaming providers to build more casinos throughout the state. Governor Pat Quinn initially said that he doesn’t feel inclined to legalize online gambling because the concept was too new. However, he has neither signed nor vetoed the bill and shows no inclination to do so in the near future.
Sources state that Quinn is not going to make a decision because of a dispute he has had with the General Assembly on the future of pension reform. Quinn has recently stated that he is considering the potential benefits of expanding gambling in Illinois. He said he may be willing to sign the new gaming bill, but will not do so until pension reform is addressed.
The new legislation would create approximately $150 million in revenue. Quinn feels that is a good start, but feels that the bill needs to do more. He may be more open to signing the bill if lawmakers revise it to generate more revenue to fix the state’s pension problem. Some critics said signing that the current legislation would be much better than quibbling over these details.
Some lawmakers are still trying to encourage Quinn to reconsider his position on online gambling. They believe that legalizing online gambling would generate considerably more revenue which could go a long way to fixing the state’s pension problem.
However, Quinn wants to see the implications of online gambling in another state before he decides whether or not to pursue it. He acknowledged that three other states have passed online gambling bills and may be watching developments closely before making a decision.
Posted in Casino News |