United States Condemns WTO for Authorizing Piracy to Antigua over Gaming Restrictions
January 29th, 2013 by OBO-admin
United States officials have stated that they intend to act against a decision passed by the World Trade Organization six years ago. The World Trade Organization authorized the small nation of Antigua and Barbuda to pirate more than $20 million worth of United States intellectual property rights after the United States passed laws banning online gambling.
Antigua said that the United States violated the General Agreement in Trade and Service (GATS) passed by the World Trade Organization in 1995. They allege that the GATS included provisions for online gambling, which the United States violated when it prohibited gaming providers from offering their services to U.S. citizens.
U.S. officials said that the inclusion of online gaming was introduced by mistake when the industry was first born. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act wasn’t passed for over a decade after the United States joined the GATS.
The United States has protested the moral basis of these laws since the beginning of the century. They have raised several hearings with the World Trade Organization since they first joined the new treaty. The WTO has rejected every complaint that they have filed.
Antigua waited six years before considering enforcing the WTO’s decision. They hoped that they could negotiate a settlement with the United States instead. However, they have engaged in countless meetings with U.S. officials failed to lead to a compromise both countries would agree to.
Antiguan officials tried to bring the matter up again in last month’s WTO meeting. They were unable to get their concerns on the docket, but the WTO has agreed to hear their position before the end of the month.
The United States has said that it intends to help resolve the issue. Officials claim that they have already settled with several other countries that have copied Antigua’s argument. However, they also said that Antigua has refused to accept every offer they have tendered and the Caribbean nation needs to accept responsibility for the failed negotiations.
Posted in Casino News |
Nevada Lawmakers Will Consider Revisions to Online Gaming Legislation Next Month
January 23rd, 2013 by OBO-admin
The entire world has been waiting for a federal bill that would regulate online gaming in the United States. They have grown increasingly frustrated with the fact that federal lawmakers have not been able to pass a bill since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was first passed.
Nevada has already passed its own online gaming bill that allows citizens to play intrastate poker. However, some experts fear that the player pools aren’t large enough for gaming providers to make sustainable streams of revenue through online gaming. Nevada gaming providers may need a federal bill that is going to allow them to market their online poker services to citizens in other states. The Nevada gaming industry is watching developments in Washington more intently than anyone else.
In addition to a federal bill, Nevada lawmakers are going to need their own legislation that will own legislation that will allow them to form compacts with other states. They realize that they can’t wait for their colleagues in Washington to pass a bill that will regulate the industry. Several congressmen in the Silver State are discussing a new bill that would allow them to sell their services across state lines when a federal bill is finally passed.
Assembly Bill 5 is scheduled to go before the state Congress next month. State lawmakers realize that this bill will need to be a priority, because they want to have a system in place if the federal government passes its own bill that allows casinos to offer their services across state lines. The bill will need the support of Gov. Sandoval. The governor’s office has still not confirmed whether or not he intends to support Assembly Bill 5.
Posted in Casino News |
Blackjack On Plane Flights Faces Legal Barrier
January 22nd, 2013 by OBO-admin
There was much excitement over the possibility of having a casino based blackjack table on an in-flight casino. Passengers saw it as an opportunity to have fun and enjoy themselves on fourteen hour flights, while airlines saw it as a means of profit and of course raising their brand value.
Although there are two designers, Jean-Pierre Alfano of AirJet Designs and Frédérique Houssard, from Designescence, who are currently working on designing an in-flight casino lounge that will cater to luxury travelers. Both designers hope that the Casino Jet Lounge will soon become a feature on long haul commercial flights with a fashionable bar area and a blackjack table.
According to Frédérique Houssard, from Designescence, “We’re trying to bring back the glamor of the ’50s and ’60s a little bit; the kind you see in the James Bond movies.”
However, while airlines are more than willing to experiment with this, the laws in the US do not allow gambling in their airspace and as of now, this project is on hold. There are several ideas coming out as to how to circumnavigate these laws but so far nothing has taken off the ground.
Posted in Casino News |
Indian Company Releases New Blackjack Game
January 18th, 2013 by OBO-admin
When it comes to blackjack and casinos games, one does not think of them being very popular in countries like India. However, this is not the case as the Indian company iAppStreet, recently released a new blackjack game for iOS users.
This blackjack game will be available for all kinds of iOS platforms – single, local or global.
App Street Software is based in Delhi, India and recently introduced Blackjack by iAppStreet 1.0. What’s more, this game is available free. The feature that makes this game stand out from the rest is that it permits players to access several gaming options; for instance players can get up to five different modes on their devices such as the Auto Match mode which allows players to play with international players if they connect to the Game Center, the Bluetooth mode that’s lets players try blackjack with their select group of friends, Single Player mode or join other players.
According to Saumya Mittal of App Street Software, “Blackjack, or 21, the favorite card game found in casinos around the world, can now be experienced right on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Impeccably designed and intuitive, this one is sure to make you go ‘Wow!’
Posted in Blackjack News |
App Street Software Releases Free Blackjack App for iOS
January 15th, 2013 by OBO-admin
App Street Software has launched a free blackjack app called Blackjack by iAppStreet 1.0 for iOS devices. It is a brand new variant of blackjack with unlimited options, featuring a total of five tables with bets of different sizes, Bluetooth Mode for playing with friends, Single Player Mode for playing alone, and Auto Match Mode to play with friends worldwide through Game Centre. The app includes options such as titles, Game Center leader boards and achievements, and American/European rules.
The app prompts players to select either European or American rules at the beginning of each game. If players are looking for better odds, they must choose the European rules, which allow the dealer to stand at hand/soft 17. On the contrary, American rules state that dealer must hit at soft 17.
New players are given a chip stack worth $25,000 in play money. They can then continue playing blackjack, share scores on Twitter and Facebook and earn more free chips. They can also purchase one of the 8 chip stacks, worth as much as $1 billion, if they want a taste of high roller gaming.
Depending on the amount won, players can gain places on 3 leader boards, bag any of 29 achievements, or win 12 titles.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Debunking Common Blackjack Myths
January 11th, 2013 by OBO-admin
The most confusing thing about playing blackjack is planning a proper move when the player gets a hand equaling 12 and the dealer’s face-up card is either 2 or 3.
If the dealer’s face-up card is anywhere between 2 and 6, it could mean that the dealer has a high chance of going bust. The odds of the dealer going bust under such a situation is anywhere between 35 percent and 42 percent. On the contrary, the odds of a dealer going bust while his/her face-up card shows cards between 7 and Ace is just 11 percent.
If a dealer’s face-up card is somewhere between 2 and 6, players will usually stand if they have a hand with more than 10. However, many of them wonder which strategy they must use if they have over 12 and the dealer’s face-up card is either 2 or 3. A blackjack strategy chart gives the required advice, but still players tend to get confused.
Belief in certain blackjack myths can hurt players’ chances of winning at blackjack. One of the biggest mistakes players can make is assume that dealers’ hole cards are always ten. In fact, chances of dealers getting 10 as their hole cards are around 30 percent only.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Pennsylvania Casinos to Introduce New Side Bets and Games
January 8th, 2013 by OBO-admin
If things go as planned, gamblers in Pennsylvania will soon have several new side bets and games. The regulatory body in Pennsylvania has approved several new side bets for table games such as baccarat, craps, and blackjack and games such as Double Attack Blackjack.
These new games and side bets are still not available at casinos because the state is currently reviewing the rule of each new side bet and game. As soon as they get the state’s approval, casinos can introduce all or few of these games and side bets.
One of these new side bets, called House Money, is likely to become very popular. In fact, it was introduced in a few casinos this fall for all forms of baccarat and blackjack. This side bet stands in a class of its own because it enables players to use part of their winnings from the side bet to place regular bets. Blackjack hands such as two-card straight, pairs, two-card straight flush, and suited Ace-King win the House Money side bet. House Money was created by Shuffle Master Inc., which now goes under the name of SHFL Entertainment.
Another exciting side bet is Straight Jack, which is associated with a progressive jackpot with a seed value of $5k.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Blackjack Toolbox Launched to Help Players Win at Blackjack
January 2nd, 2013 by OBO-admin
Sigma Gaming Solutions launched its first blackjack application called Blackjack Toolbox for recreational blackjack players desirous of winning at blackjack. Players can run this app on any iOS device such as iPads and iPhones and use it to calculate bankrolls, length of gaming sessions, bet size, time to quit playing, and so on.
The developers say that Nevada players lose around one billion dollars annually playing blackjack, which is four times more than the total predicted by any fair odds analysis. About 80 percent of this is because of poor gaming habits on the part of players, such as sitting down to play without a good-sized bankroll, betting in an erratic fashion, inability to quit when they should, and so on. About 20 percent is because they do not know the proper strategies and are unable to choose the right table. The developers also claim that Blackjack Toolbox can address all these problems and help players win at blackjack.
The app comprises 6 simple tools—card maker, calculator, simulator, teacher, guide, and recorder. While some of these tools help players calculate the house edge, others assist them with basic strategy and teach them how to manage their bankroll. It is available at iTunes App Store for $3.99.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Five Best Blackjack Strategy Books
December 31st, 2012 by OBO-admin
Blackjack is one of the most popular table games at casinos because of its simple rules and low house edge. Talented blackjack players can easily beat the house if they implement a few blackjack strategies, such as card counting. Several blackjack books have been written to teach players how to win a blackjack game, and here is a list of five of them.
Frank Scoblete’s Best Blackjack
Written in a simple and easy-to-understand way, this is a great blackjack book for beginners as well as experienced players. The book even gives information about Over Under and Double Exposure.
Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution
All about the simplest card counting technique on earth, the Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution can convert blackjack players into card counters in just a few hours.
Don Schlesinger’s Blackjack Attack
Blackjack is a mathematical game, and this book is all about the mathematical aspects of blackjack. Beginners must find it difficult to understand, but experienced players will be happy with it.
Walter Thomason’s Twenty-first Century Blackjack
This book is all about a system of progression betting that can help blackjack players make money.
Arnold Snyder’s Blackjack Wisdom
Blackjack Wisdom contains valuable information about little-known topics such as camouflage, team play, shuffle analysis, and others.
Posted in Blackjack News |
Lucky Player Wins £5.8 Million Mega Moolah Jackpot at Blackjack Ballroom
December 30th, 2012 by OBO-admin
Blackjack Ballroom has given away the Mega Moolah progressive jackpot for the second time in its history.
Casino players love Microgaming’s Mega Moolah progressive video slot because of its ability to transform players into millionaires. A Blackjack Ballroom spokesperson says that they are totally overwhelmed with the £5.8 million win of last night, which happens to be much bigger than the GBP5.5 million won at Blackjack Ballroom previously. Player traffic to Blackjack Ballroom had risen because of the Mega Moolah progressive jackpot, and in fact, it was increased player activity that contributed to making the jackpot get bigger than ever.
So far, no details have been revealed about the lucky player who won this progressive jackpot, but he/she definitely belongs to the elite group of winners at online casinos in the Casino Rewards Group. Previous winners of the Mega Moolah Jackpot are K.E. of Blackjack Ballroom, who won $5,556,753; A.D. of Challenge Casino, who won €3,841,871; and H.H. of Casino Classic, who won €65,863,
Recently, A.B. of Golden Tiger Casino won €77,245 playing Mega Moolah Summertime, which is the third video slot in the Mega Moolah slot series and belongs to the same progressive jackpot network.
The Mega Moolah progressive jackpot has now been reset to $1 million.
Posted in Blackjack News |