For those who have never heard of Second Life, it is the most successful virtual world simulator of all time, with traditional businesses being managed from inside the virtual world.  The community also has its own currency, which can be converted into any of the more traditional currencies such as dollars, pounds, etc.  It seemed like a natural progression to include an array of gambling facilities into this virtual world, with casinos proving very popular among the millions who “inhabit” this world.

Second Life was only set up in 2003 but it has quickly become the most successful of the many virtual worlds now available on the internet.  It is the life like actions, businesses and members of the society who have spawned a massive growth in the community with many webmasters actually living off their Second Life income – indeed last year we saw the first millionaire created by the mysterious world!

It will be interesting to see what action the administrators of this world take as and when the online casino / gambling laws are relaxed because there is no doubt that it might be a new market for some of the major casino companies in due course. 

Will Second Life become the new Macau? Will online gambling ever be legalised in the US? While nobody actually knows the answer to these questions, the pressure being exerted on the US authorities continues to grow, with many claiming that it is only a matter of time before the rules are relaxed – perhaps after next years Presidential elections when the pressure to please the public may be off?

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The idea of casino boats is not new, as they have been around for some time, but they are starting to become more popular now there is more and more money at stake.  Like the floating night clubs which have appeared in places such as the UK and the US, they are proving very difficult to administer and control, using all of the loopholes in the various regulations set-up to catch them out!

While we call them casino boats, they often offer a lot more than just casinos, and can be very luxuries.  They tend to flout the laws of the land by regularly sailing between various destinations around the world, docking for as long as is legally possible and then moving on again.  International waters have also proved a very popular spot for these casino boats to drop anchor, with the old laws of the sea deeming them effectively untouchable.

At some stage the authorities will catch up the new fleet of casino boats, but at the moment their popularity is growing in some quarters, and they seem to be benefitting from the feel good factor in offline casino gambling.  As and when the authorities do manage to change the laws governing their use, it will be interesting to see the ensuing court cases which will be no doubt fought to the last. 

While a few hands of Poker on a casino boat may not be to everyone’s taste, they are an interesting alternative to a weekend in the countryside!

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While Poker is in a recovery stage after the shock of online gambling being banned in the US, the fact that the World Series of Poker will now be marketed directly to gamers throughout the world not only has the potential to assist in promoting online Poker sites, but also Poker games for consoles such as the Xbox.  When you consider the millions of Xbox consoles sold since the machine was first introduced, this represents a great opportunity for the Poker industry to shine.

The gaming consumers have always showed an interest in games such as Poker, and the fact that access to the professional tournaments will soon be at their fingertips is enthralling.  These are consumers who have a genuine interest in challenging game play, and it does not come any more challenging than Poker!

While no other formal deals have been announced, the fact that this agreement is not exclusive opens the door for an array of similar agreements for the Poker industry.  It may well be that the online gamer sector is ready to cover some of the void left by US gamers, but time will tell how quickly this will expand.  This also gives the World Series of Poker an interesting head start towards the inevitable TV on the internet which is growing ever closer. 

Promoting to a ready made market is not difficult, and is sure to see an increase in Poker interest among a new group of consumers.  We are sure to see record viewing figures for the next World Series of Poker, and the headlines which will go with this……

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A recent survey in New Jersey found that 70% of those questioned were in favour of a total smoking ban across the State’s 11 casino developments.  Interestingly, of those questioned many said that they would actually visit a casino more often if the rooms were free of smoke.  It seems inevitable that we will see a total ban at some point very soon, with the authorities under pressure from the public as well as lawyers who are concerned about the possible legal implications if only partial bans are enforced.

Even though many of those questioned said they would visit more often if the casino’s in New Jersey were 100% smoke free, recent results from a number of casino operators around the US have indicated a short term fall where smoking was banned on the casino floor.  Whether this is just a short term phenomenon as smokers vacate the area to be replaced by non-smokers remains to be seen, but there will be an inevitable shift in the make-up of the casino industries clientele.

Of course it is not only the casino industry which has and continues to suffer from the smoking ban, but the industry yet again seems to be making all of the headlines.  Historically the casino industry has been through many changes, some voluntary and some forced, only to come out at the other end stronger and fitter – this time will be no different.

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While billions upon billions of dollars have been spent in Macau over the last couple of years, with yet more in the pipeline, it seems that investment returns may not be quite what many had expected.  The latest company to be hit by trading in Macau is Las Vegas Sands (the worlds largest casino company by market value) which saw its shares drop by over 15% today after announcing a third quarter loss.  Even though the loss was a mixture of cost over runs at their Macau development, and a run of big client wins in Macau and Las Vegas, there seems to be a pattern in Macau of late.

The multi-nationals are all spending heavily to gain a firm foothold in the Macau market, but over runs, competition and customer wins have held back results of late.  When you consider that the markets were disappointed at recent monthly income growth of some 49%, perhaps the experts are expecting too much too soon?

It would be no surprise to see a slowdown in new developments in Macau, and the possible merging of various companies in the region.  While the local government have always appreciated the income which the casino industry brings in, it seems inevitable that new licences and new planning permissions cannot go on at the pace they have been.  Perhaps it is time to cut all new developments, which will increase the value of existing casinos in the area.  This in turn may spawn a period of corporate activity which may well result in some of the fat being taken out of the local casino industry.  Perhaps not a bad thing in the long run?

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While the US has always been a major part of the online gambling industry, due in the main to the gambling culture already prevalent in the country, the effective banning of online gambling did hit the industry hard.  Investors jumped ship, the banks turned up the heat and for a while player numbers were only a fraction of the past numbers.  However, it seems that the sector may be experiencing a resurgence with Europe showing particularly good growth, where the likes of Poker continue to grow in popularity.  We have also seen a number of high profile competitions visit the likes of London, which has again stirred interest in this sleeping giant of an industry.

Even though there is still a long way to go before players numbers will remotely touch the numbers before the US ban, there is an appetite for shares in the sector again.  Investors are starting to wonder if many of the big players have been over sold, and there is always the chance the US decision will be reversed in due course (although recent signs indicate this is some way off, despite earlier expectations).

It seems as though the sleeping giants are waking from their slumber, but will they be punch drunk from recent events in the sector, or will they emerge fitter, leaner and stronger than ever? Time will tell…….

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It has been proven that it is possible to increase your chances of winning just by doing some simple calculations while you are playing.  For example, if you have two Kings, and you see another player receive a King from the pack, then you know that the chances of you picking up another King have been greatly reduced. These are the simple, yet potentially highly effective situations you should be monitoring and working out the probability in your head.  It does not have to be exact, just a simple estimate will do.

The facts are that there will always be 52 cards in the pack, there will always be the same amount of suits, there will always be the same amount of fives, etc, and while you will not see all of the cards laid you will see some and be able to estimate the chances from what is “known”.  It then comes down to how much risk you are willing to take, whether you are willing to try a bluff, or whether you just fold and live to fight in the next hand.

The professional Poker players are also experts at picking out the characteristics of opponents, the speed they play their cards with a good hand, the expressions on their faces and their overall “mood”.  These techniques are not rocket science either, just simple observations which can give away so much about an opponents hand.

While many people may be good at estimating probability, many may be good at reading opponents and many at bluffing their way through, very few people have all of these “gifts”.  That is what makes a professional stand out from the rest!

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The lawsuit was original taken out by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York in 2000, and relates to a deal which Harrah’s Entertainment signed under its former name, Park Place.  The Mohawk Tribe claim that the joint venture casino agreement they signed was a way of keeping the Mohawk Tribe away from Harrah’s Entertainment’s four Atlantic City casinos. 

In a move which caused much controversy in the States, the Mohawk tribal court awarded the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe of New York $1.8 billion in damages and an additional $1 billion in interest.  While Harrah’s Entertainment do not recognise such Tribal Court rulings, the Mohawk Tribal Court are currently attempting to ratify the award through the federal courts.

This saga yet again brings the Tribal governance issue to the forefront of the political agenda, just ahead of next years presidential elections.  In what could potentially become a political “hot potato” all parties involved will be wary of upsetting either side of the argument.   Is the ruling correct? Is the ruling valid under US legislation?

These are all questions which need answers, as the unique Tribal casino agreements throughout the US come under further scrutiny.  This is yet another chapter in the history of the US casino industry which looks like being dragged through the courts, under the full public glare.  This case has been ongoing for some seven years, and nobody is holding their breath for a swift settlement of the issue.

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Has the recent change in laws regarding online gambling effected the position of the US in the long term?

There is no doubt that the unhelpful attitude of the authorities has forced many companies to look to other areas of the world.  Macau (an independently governed province of China) has emerged as the new capital of the casino industry, and while recent attendance figures were lower than expected, the rise has been as dramatic as it has been quick.

It seems as though many casino companies had already spotted the area as a prime target for the industry, with little domestic industry, high unemployment and a governing body looking to the future.  The companies who have invested there have received invaluable assistance from the authorities and local business people, who have all seen the potential for the future.  With literally hundreds of billions of dollars at stake, the risks as there, but the potential rewards are enormous!

While the face of the casino industry may still be Las Vegas in many peoples eyes, turnover and visitor numbers are still on the up in Macau, and their US counter-parts are having trouble keeping up with the pace.  What will the US authorities do now?

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So is it really possible to stop sports stars and officials from gambling, whether this be in casinos or on sports books?

While the NBA rule book looks like being amended to allow referees to visit casinos in the close season, they will still be banned from gambling on sports books.  Even though many are bemused about the casino ban, it seems that while in the company of the gambling fraternity, there may be potential temptations for some sports stars and officials.  Even the slightest piece of advice or comment about a certain event is against the rules put in place to protect the integrity of a number of sports.

Ultimately, no matter what the authorities say in public, it is nearly impossible for them to be pro-active rather than reactive.  They can only act when the rules are broken, and with more and more people using “proxy” accounts to place their bets the authorities seem to be fighting a losing battle.  But what is wrong with an old fashioned bet?

It is not so much the gambling which the authorities are concerned about, it is the potential to become involved with or targeted by ruthless gambling “fixers”.  There have been instances of a number of officials and stars blackmailed in the past for “informed” opinions on certain events.  As the screw is turned tighter and tighter this can often move on to the subject of “fixing”, with potentially large rewards for an informant.  Once part of this community, it can often be difficult to leave!

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