Gambling advertising is the promotion of gambling by casinos, lotteries, bookmakers or other organisations that provide the opportunity to make bets. It is usually conducted through a variety of media or through sponsorship deals, particularly with sporting events or people.
Although not as highly regulated as tobacco advertising and alcohol advertising, in many countries there are strict laws about the way in which such services can be marketed.
Gaming operators often sponsor sporting events, sportspeople or television coverage. For example, Bet365 sponsor snooker players and the Channel 4 coverage of The 2005 Ashes was sponsored by Betfair, both being online betting sites.
Casino tokens are small colored metal or plastic discs used in gambling establishments.
There are two main types of tokens used in casinos: multicolor tokens of various denominations called chips, used primarily in table games; and metal token coins, used primarily in slot machines. Some casinos also use gaming plaques for high stakes table games ($25,000 and above). Plaques differ from chips in that they are larger, usually rectangular in shape and contain serial numbers.
Money is exchanged for the token coins or chips in a casino at a cashier station (the cage), at the gaming tables, or at a slot machine. The tokens are interchangeable with money at the casino, but have no value outside of the establishment.
These tokens are employed for several reasons. They are more convenient to use than currency, and also make theft and counterfeiting more difficult. Because of the uniform size and regularity of stacks of chips, they are easier to count compared to paper currency when used on a table. This attribute also enables the pit boss or security to quickly verify the amount being paid, reducing the chance that a dealer might be overpaying a customer.
Furthermore, it is observed that consumers gamble more freely with replacement currencies than with cash.
Finally, the chips are considered to be an integral part of the casino environment, and replacing them with some alternate currency would be unpopular. However, many casinos are moving to paper receipts.
Casino tokens are collected as a part of numismatics, more specifically as specialized exonumia collecting.
A set of injection molded ABS poker chips “hot-stamped” with denominations 100, 50, 25 & 10
Chip Denominations
Chips of the same denomination from different casinos tend to have similar colors. This increases familiarity with denominations.
The most common color scheme used in US casinos:
$1.00: White (uncommon: blue, grey)
$2.50: Pink
$5.00: Red
$25.00: Green
$100.00: Black
$500.00: Purple
$1000.00: Orange (often oversized)
Official Chip Colors
Denomination
Color
Exceptions
$1
White
Unusual in Nevada; may be blue or gray or white.
$2.50
Pink
Blue (MO); North Dakota prescribes pink for $2 chips
$5
Red
$25
Green
$100
Black
$500
Purple
$1,000
Orange
Oversized; usually yellow in Nevada
A standard 300 piece set of ABS plastic chips
History
After the increase in the value of silver stopped the circulation of silver dollar coins around 1964, casinos rushed to find a substitute, as most slot machines at that time used that particular coin. The Nevada Gaming Control Board consulted with the US Treasury, and casinos were soon allowed to start using their own tokens to operate their slot machines. The Franklin Mint was the main minter of tokens at that time.
In many jurisdictions, casinos are not permitted to use currency in slot machines, necessitating tokens for smaller denominations.
Tokens are being phased out of many casinos in favor of coinless machines which accept banknotes and print receipts for payout. (These receipts can also be inserted into the machines.)
Future
In certain casinos, such as the new Wynn Casino in Las Vegas, chips are embedded with RFID tags to help casinos keep better track of them, determine gamblers’ average bet sizes, and to make them harder for counterfeiters to reproduce. However, this technique is costly and considered by many to be unnecessary. Also, this technology provides minimal benefits in games with layouts that do not provide gamblers with their own designated betting areas, such as craps.
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot (highest payoff) for a gaming machine (usually a slot machine or video poker machine) where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played. Normally multiple machines are “linked” together to form one large progressive jackpot that grows more quickly because multiple players are contributing to the jackpot at the same time.
The progressive jackpot meter
The amount of the jackpot is shown on a meter as a money value. Usually the jackpot can only be won by winning the combination with the highest payoff, e.g. a royal flush at a video poker game, or five of the most valuable symbols (lemons, cherries, alligators, etc) on a slot machine. Once a player wins the jackpot, the jackpot resets to a preset minimum level.
The amount on the jackpot progresses (increases) a small amount for every play on a connected machine. The amount that the jackpot advances by is set by the casino (“the house”). For example, on a machine whose house edge is 5%, a generous jackpot contribution might be 1% (one fifth of the expected profit). The house is prepared to contribute some of the profit of a jackpot linked machine because players are attracted by the:
relative novelty of progressive jackpots (generally, only a small fraction of the house’s gaming machines will be connected to a progressive jackpot)
constantly changing meter, often displayed on large, fancy LED displays
large amount of the jackpot, which eventually motivates more players to play the game.
Qualifying
Usually only players who wager the maximum number of credits per play qualify to win the jackpot. All wagers, whether or not they’re max credit bets, contribute to the jackpot though. As a result, a game which requires a 10 credit wager to qualify for the progressive jackpot will tend to have the progressive jackpot rise to higher levels (relative to its break-even level) than a game that requires only a 5 credit wager to qualify.
The break-even point
In some games such as video poker, it is possible to compute an optimal playing strategy based on the frequency for each payoff versus the odds of hitting that payoff. Since the jackpot of a progressive video poker game is constantly growing, it eventually can reach a break-even point where the machine becomes a positive expectation bet for the player.
When the progressive jackpot is less than the break-even point, there is a negative expected value (house edge) for all players.
In the long run, with optimal strategy, a video poker player can make a profit, although the “long run” is generally longer than most people think. (Several tens of thousands of plays.)
It’s worthwhile to note that a break-even point cannot normally be calculated on a slot machine game, because the payback percentage for the game is unknown to the player. The break-even point in video poker can be calculated because the payback percentage for the game is a function of the paybacks and odds of the poker hands, which is based on a 52 card deck.
Advantage play
Advantage players who only play when the progressive jackpot provides them with a positive expectation situation still generate revenue for the casino. This is a unique situation where the player has an advantage over the house, yet the casino is still making a profit from the player. This situation occurs because the bulk of the progressive jackpot has been bought and paid for by the other players’ contributions to the jackpot.
Savvy gamblers sometimes organize teams of players to play machines where the progressive jackpots generate a positive expectation situation. Such teams often displace ordinary players, making the machines unavailable just when they are at their most interesting. Team members will often have cell phones and work in shifts, calling another teammate to replace them when they’re ready for a break. Some casinos have a policy of “no team play”, and will eject players suspected of playing in such teams.
Player’s clubs
Most casinos offer slot clubs, which pay back a percentage of a gambler’s wagers on their games in the form of cash rebates and other perks with a monetary value. Participating in a slot club can reduce the break-even point of a progressive jackpot game because of the value of the rebate on each wager.
Other jackpot games
Progressive jackpots are not limited to slot machines and video poker. Poker games sometimes include a progressive bad beat jackpot. Caribbean stud poker is another casino game which often has a progressive jackpot available, and some online casinos offer progressive versions of blackjack, roulette, and other casino games.
List of popular progressive games
MegaJackpots
Wheel of Fortune
Megabucks
Regis’ Cash Club
Links
Megajackpots – ticker and records for MegaJackpots from IGT
Get real on web gambling Kansas City Star, MO Rick’s Gambling & Tourism column in today’s Star Business Weekly looks at the US’s untenable position in the worldwide on-line gambling industry. …
State cracks down on Net gambling Kentucky.com, KY By Jack Brammer FRANKFORT — Kentucky is commandeering 141 domain names of Internet gambling sites in a novel legal move to crack down on the unregulated …
Ky. governor seeking to block online gambling Forbes, NY By JOE BIESK 09.23.08, 7:39 AM ET Kentucky’s pro-gambling governor is looking to make sure all bets are off for more than 140 online gambling Web sites that … Online gambling takes its toll Aftenposten, Norway Top community officials are among those who unwittingly lent large sums of money to finance a Norwegian bishop’s son’s gambling debts. …
Casino gambling, poker table revenue up in FL CBS 4, FL But the stakes weren’t as high for other kinds of gambling. Racing at horse and dog tracks and other sports wagering declined 43 percent, to $159 million. Gambling case fallout remains as Donaghy reports to prison USA Today The league has determined that for the first time in major professional US sports, a referee will walk into prison a convicted felon on a gambling charge …
Former gambling site worker cops to ID theft Register, UK The former employee of an internet-based gambling website has admitted he used his position in the company’s credit department to steal the identities of … Arizona gambling feels economic pinch, report shows East Valley Tribune, AZ “Gambling is a form of recreation,” she said. Morago compared it to people making decisions whether to go to a movie, go out to dinner or even “go shopping …
Gambling grows to unexpected levels in Poland Puls Biznesu, Poland Last year, the Poles spent more on gambling than on beer, vodka and medical services. If the upward trend continues the gambling market will be worth as … Unexpectedly, Las Vegas hit by US downturn Reuters And while free rooms and room discounts have kept hotels relatively full — occupancy is down just 1 percent in the year to July — gambling revenue is down …
Blogosphere:
Online Sports Gambling Ken The best sites to find Online Sports Gambling, a leading online casino gambling guide. Includes online casino reviews and recommendations, online casino directory, best payouts and bonuses, blackjack strategy and tips, … BetOnSports.com Gambling Site Worker Pleads Guilty After Stealing … CyberInsecure An employee of the offshore Internet gambling website BetOnSports.com has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his role in a large Internet-based identity theft ring. BetOnSports PLC does not exist since July 2006 and the Antigua …
Kentucky Seizes Gambling Domains MHB The seizure was taken after the Commonwealth found that the “domains were being used in connection with illegal gambling activity”. The domains seized include:. fulltiltpoker.com. indiancasino.com. bet21.com. allslots.com. bodoglife.com … Kentucks Seizes 141 Gambling Domain Names Chad Kettner There were a number of popular gambling sites listed for seizure including PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, BodogLife.com, GoldenPalace.com, Bet21.com, DoylesRoom.com and also Rick Schwartz’ IndianCasino.com. …
KY governor after online gambling domains maconlinepoker To be very frank and honest, this is not a good news at all for online gambling industry. US Kentucky state governor, Steve Beshear is trying all his efforts to crack down online gambling industry and in oder to boost offline local … NBA Ref Starts Prison Term for Gambling The NBA referee who admitted gambling on basketball begins his 15-month federal prison sentence today, reports USA Today . The conviction of referee Tim Donaghy, 41, has rocked the NBA, even though officials determined he didn’t bet on …
Bingo Betting gamblingguide online gambling has typically been a mans world (sorry for the huge generalisation but this is a blog after all). Perhaps the influx of Bingo sites will even that up slightly. Certainly Bingo seems to be a more social than playing a … Judge Tosses Gambling Attorney’s $20 Million Lawsuit Against Casinos Law.com – Newswire A federal judge has dismissed a $20 million racketeering lawsuit against seven casinos by a former New York City attorney who said they had a duty to stop her from gambling. The judge wrote that Arelia Margarita Taveras failed to …
Responsible Gaming – Psychology of a Gambler To be honest, gambling gets a bad rap, especially when you consider that it’s one of the prime driving forces of humanity. Nobody has ever gotten rich by playing it safe, and if you have a stock portfolio, you’ve bet your money that … Seniors Doubt Study’s Finding of Gambling Problems Wholesale Bingo Supplies Blog – Bingo Bob But a new gambling study published in the journal Psychology and Aging suggests not all senior citizens have Fava’s self-control. It concludes the elderly are more likely to develop gambling problems than younger people. …
Video: NFL Football Best Bet of the Week with Odds from Gamblers Television
Though many participate in gambling as a form of recreation or even as a means to gain an income, gambling, like any behavior which involves variation in brain chemistry, can become a psychologically addictive and harmful behavior in some people. Reinforcement phenomena may also make gamblers persist in gambling even after repeated losses. Because of the negative connotations of the word “gambling”, casinos and race tracks often use the euphemism “gaming” to describe the recreational gambling activities they offer.
The Russian writer Dostoevsky portrays in his novella The Gambler the psychological implications of gambling and how gambling can affect gamblers. He also associates gambling and the idea of “getting rich quick”, suggesting that Russians may have a particular affinity for gambling. Dostoevsky shows the effect of betting money for the chance of gaining more in 19th-century Europe. The association between Russians and gambling has fed legends of the origins of Russian roulette.
Johan Kinnander has been appointed board member in the European internet gaming company Betsafe.com
Johan Kinnander, who is CEO at Glife AB, one of Sweden’s leading online social networks, has extensive experience of online marketing, especially from his time as CEO at Google in Scandinavia and AD Pepper Media. He has established and built a number of successful companies in the Nordic market.
- I believe that Betsafe’s business will increase ejoinsxtensively the next coming years and I hope I can contribute with my knowledge and network to help them make this trip as smooth as possible, says Johan Kinnander who has followed the development of internet gaming during his time with different internet companies.
- We are very satisfied with the recruitment of a board member with such a long and thorough experience of internet business, says a happy Henrik Persson Ekdahl, Betsafe’s CEO.
Johan’s background contributes with exactly the right competence that we need to be able to successfully grow on our already strong Nordic market, and on our upcoming endeavors. We intend to strengthen the board with at least 2 more significant members during 2008. Johan will be a board member in the Norwegian company Artic Invest A/S, the investment company that owns www.betsafe.com.
Betsafe.com is an internet gaming company who offer odds, live betting, poker and a casino in English, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish at www.betsafe.com. The company holds its license in Malta, and was recently nominated ”The world’s best bookmaker” by the Norwegian gaming magazine ”TIPS”.
in ring game (cash game or live-action game) and tournament formats.
For the poker table seating, most casinos apply the rule first-come, first-served. Some poker rooms allow the use of the phone to ask to be placed on a list. If there is a break at a poker table, the players can inform the manager and their places will be held until they will be back.
The usual currency for the games are the chips, that can be purchased from the casino dealer, from cashiers, or from chip runners. Some will allow players to buy chips from each other at the table, and some allow to play with cash.
Usually there is a fee charge for conducting the game. The rake is the scaled commission fees taken by a casino operating a poker game. This fee structure is common in low-stakes cash games. For ring games, it is generally 5-10% of each poker hand, up to a predetermined maximum amount. This fee is sometimes referred to as the “drop” since the dealer will drop the rake into a container at the table.
In mid or high stakes games, there is sometimes used an hourly charge for renting a seat. It might be sometimes combined with a rake.
The usual fee for tournaments is 10% of the buy-in.
Some common rules in U.S. public cardrooms wrote by Bob Ciaffone in his book Robert’s Rules of Poker:
Players must protect their hands, either by holding their cards or placing a chip or other object on top of their cards. An unprotected hand may be mucked by the dealer in turn.
Players must act in turn. Players should not telegraph or otherwise indicate intentions to act prior to their turn to act.
In the event of an action out-of-turn, the action may be binding if there is no bet, call or raise between the out-of-turn action and the player’s proper turn.
Verbal declarations are binding and take precedence over non-verbal actions.
Betting actions without a verbal declaration must be made in a single motion or gesture (“no string bet” rule).
Knocking or tapping the table is a check. Tossing or pushing cards away is a fold.
In the absence of a verbal declaration of “Raise,” if a player puts in chips equal to 50 percent or more of the minimum raise, he will be required to make a full minimum raise. Otherwise, the action is deemed a call and the excess chips should be returned to the player.
In limit games, an oversized chip will be constituted to be a call if the player does not announce a raise. In no-limit, an oversized chip before the flop is a call; after the flop, an oversized chip by the initial bettor put in the pot will constitute the size of the bet. In pot-limit and no-limit, if a player states raise and throws in an oversized chip, the raise will be the maximum amount allowable up to the size of that chip.
Bets should be placed in front of the player’s cards. Chips should not be thrown (splashed) into the pot.
Wagers must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise in that round, unless a player is going all-in.
“Show one, show all” – Hole cards, including folded hands, should not be revealed to other players until showdown. If a player reveals his hole cards to another player active in the current hand, all players have the right to also see the hole cards. Also, if an uncalled winning hand is shown to only one player, then any other player at the table has a right to see the winning hand. Note that, contrary to a common misinterpretation, “show one, show all” does not refer to the number of cards in the hole – an uncalled winning hand may expose a single hole card without revealing the other hole card.
Players may not verbally disclose the contents of their hand.
Players may not advise other players how to play a hand (“One player to a hand” rule).
Cards may not be removed or held below the table or otherwise concealed from view.
Players in hands cannot reveal their hole cards to convince other players to fold; if so, the player’s cards are considered a dead hand.
Players must keep their highest denomination chips visible at all times.
Except for small denominations used to tip for food or drinks, players may not remove a portion of their chips from the table (called going south or ratholing) unless they cash out and leave the game. Players must not sell or share chips with another player at the table.
Cards speak for themselves and prevail if a player misstates the value of his hand at the showdown.
Speaking in foreign languages at the table is prohibited.
Players should not discuss or otherwise influence the hand-in-progress after folding.
Cell-phone use at the table is prohibited.
Profanity is prohibited.
In U.S., some local laws may limit the type or nature of poker games offered in public cardrooms. For example,
North Dakota has a limitation of $25 per individual hand, game or event.
In Montana the maximum size of a won pot is $300.
In San Jose, California, no single bet may exceed $200.
San Jose cardrooms have “spread-limit” games to finesse this rule.
Florida requires that in limit games, all bets be no more than $5, while in no-limit games the maximum buyin is $100.
In Florida, poker tournaments are exempted from the betting structure rules and may use any betting structure the cardroom wishes. Tournament formats are used to circumvent gambling rules in other states as well. Unlike some other forms of gambling, tribal gaming may be subject to state laws governing poker.
Typically, online poker rooms generate the bulk of their revenue via four methods:
The rake. Rake is collected from most real money ring game pots. The rake is normally calculated as a percentage of the pot based on a sliding scale and capped at some maximum fee. Each online poker room determines its own rake structure.
Pre-scheduled multi-table and impromptu sit-and-go tournaments are not raked, but rather an entry fee around ten percent of the tournament entry fee is added to the cost of the tournament.
Some online poker sites also offer games like black jack or side bets on poker hands where the player plays against “the house” for real money. The odds are in the house’s favor in these games, thus producing a profit for the house.
Online poker sites invest the money that players deposit. Since the sites do not have to pay interest on players’ bankrolls, this method can be a significant source of revenue.
Many online poker sites offer incentives to players in the form of bonuses. Usually the bonuses are given after a certain number of raked hands are played.
In addition, several online cardrooms employ VIP Managers to develop VIP programs to reward regular players and additional bonuses exist for players who wish to top-up their accounts. These are known as reload bonuses.
During July 29-30, 2008, will take place the conference Next Generation in Gambling (NGG) (Exploring multi-channel delivery of games to customers while complying with federal and state laws in Canada, United States and Latin America).
The event will target the casino, racing, and lottery companies working in North American jurisdictions, focusing to expand delivery channels while staying in compliance with the law, developing multi-channel strategies to bring gaming products directly to consumers is a logical next step.
The topics will cover technological information via the dedicated technology track, marketing tips, thought-provoking keynotes, and panel discussions from professional speakers like Hon. Alfonse D’Amato (Chairman and Chief Executive, Poker Players Alliance), Chris Collins (Linden Lab), Shawn Kreloff (CEO, Sona Mobile).
Airbus is in discussion with more clients interested to use the world’s biggest passenger plane, Airbus superjumbo A380, into a flying casino.
David Velupillai, marketing director for Airbus’s executive and private aviation division, said a fully-fitted casino could be delivered as early as 2012.
The gambling “is clearly a growing business in Asia and what this interest reflects is what is happening in Macau and Singapore. The idea of a flying casino has been mentioned before but it’s now looking a lot more concrete,” said the head of Airbus’ Executive and Private Aviation Division, Francois Chazelle.
The most important destination for the future casinos will be Asia, especially Macau.
Las Vegas Sands Corp., a hotel, gaming, and resort development company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada and owning The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, the Sands Expo and Convention Center, and Venetian Macao Limited, a developer of multiple casino hotel resort properties in The People’s Republic of China’s Special Administrative Region of Macao, hopes to launch VIP charter flights between Hong Kong and Las Vegas featuring baccarat tables in Lockheed Martin planes, in accordance with a South China Morning Post
One of the factor to measure the development of the gambling industry is the trade of the gambling software. In this context, good news from Playtech, the most known producer of gambling software. Its revenues increased with 101% to $32.7 million during the last quarter of the last year. Its casino games division rised to $22.9 million and its online poker software up to $9.4 million in revenue.
Playtech Cyprus Ltd. is a gaming software development company founded in 1999. The company provides software for online casinos, online poker rooms, online bingo games, and fixed-odds arcade games online.After UIGEAimplementation in US, the company’s stock suffered a one-day fall of over 40%. It subsequently recovered the losses to stand at near its 52-week peak in February 2007.
Harrah’s Casino & Hotel Resort chain, which also run the World Series of Poker, will have new owners, two private equity firms named Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group, shelling out a whopping $17.7 billion for the acquisition, being complete in early 2008.
“The WSOP will remain a key brand in the Harrah’s portfolio, and one earmarked for expansion on a number of fronts,” said WSOP Communications Director Gary Thompson.
The senior management team, lead by Harrah’s Chairman and CEO Gary Loveman, as well as WSOP Commission Jeffery Pollack and his team, will be kept.
Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.is a gaming corporation that owns and operates casinos, hotels, and six golf courses under several brands.
Harrah’s Entertainment is the world’s largest provider of branded casino entertainment through operating subsidiaries.
The company known as Harrah’s Entertainment was founded on October 30, 1937 as a small bingo parlor in Reno, Nevada operated by William F. Harrah.
Since its beginning Harrah’s has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions.
The company went public in 1971 with 450,000 shares. Following that, it was listed on the American Stock Exchange in 1972 and in 1973 Harrah’s becomes the first casino company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Company founder William F. Harrah died in 1978.
Casinos:
Bally’s brand:
Bally’s Atlantic City (Includes Wild Wild West Casino & Claridge Towers)
Bally’s Las Vegas
Caesars brand:
Caesars Atlantic City
Caesars Indiana (being re branded to Horseshoe)
Caesars Palace Las Vegas
Grand Casino brand:
Grand Casino Biloxi (it will be renamed Margaritaville Casino and Resort)
Grand Casino Tunica (to be renamed Harrah’s Casino Tunica)
Harrah’s brand:
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino
Harrah’s Atlantic City
Harrah’s Cherokee
Harrah’s ChesterHarrah’s Council Bluffs
Harrah’s Joliet
Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
Harrah’s Las Vegas
Harrah’s Laughlin
Harrah’s Louisiana Downs
Harrah’s Metropolis
Harrah’s New Orleans
Harrah’s North Kansas City
Harrah’s Prairie Band
Harrah’s Reno
Harrah’s Rincon
Harrah’s St. Louis
Horseshoe brand:
Horseshoe Gaming Holding Corporation
Horseshoe Bossier City
Horseshoe Council Bluffs
Horseshoe Hammond
Horseshoe Casino Tunica
Other casinos:
Bill’s Casino Lake Tahoe
Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and Saloon, Las Vegas, Nevada
Sheraton Hotel and Casino, Tunica, Mississippi
Casino Windsor (name to be changed to Caesars Windsor in 2008
Conrad Resort and Casino, Punta Del Este, Uruguay
Flamingo Las Vegas
Imperial Palace
O’Sheas Casino (Operated as part of Flamingo Las Vegas)
Harveys Lake Tahoe
Paris Las Vegas
Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino Las Vegas
Showboat Casino, Atlantic City
London Clubs International, UK
Margaritaville Casino and Resort, Biloxi, Mississippi
Golf club and courses:
Atlantic City Country Club – Atlantic City, NJ – Acquired from the Caesars Entertainment merger
Cascata Golf Course – Las Vegas, Nevada
Chariot Run Golf Course – Laconia, Indiana
Cottonwoods Golf Course – Tunica, Mississippi
Grand Bear Golf Course – Gulfport, Mississippi
Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson, Nevada
Other assets:
Roman Empire Development (RED) to manage room renovation projects internally.
Germany will ban any form of Web-based gambling or brokering of games over the Internet, beginning with January 1st, 2008, including the advertising of gaming over the Internet and on television.
Germany ratified an accord that preserves the country’s state monopoly for lotteries and most forms of betting. The new online-betting laws, which expire at the end of 2011, have drawn criticism from Internet betting companies and lottery brokers.
At least 13 of Germany’s 16 states have submitted the ratification documents, Eric Braum, a spokesman for the Hesse government, which monitors the process, said in an interview today, in accordance with Bloomberg. “That’s the required majority and we expect to have all the rest coming in by New Year’s Eve.”
The new laws are very similar to the laws in the U.S. The states may order Internet service providers to block websites of illegal betting operations and banks to stop money transfers to them. Illegal gaming includes placing a bet from German territory over the Internet with a company based outside Germany.
The operators claim the ban is contrary to law. Tipp24 said that “doesn’t see its business model jeopardized” because it expects the new rules to be overturned in court. The company regards the regulations “as clearly contrary to law and will sue for its rights if necessary,” Tipp24 said in a statement Dec. 19.
The European Commission called on Germany to reconsider the total ban on online betting, saying the step was disproportional. In April, Germany rejected that demand, arguing the rules are needed to protect citizens from the dangers of gambling, but the EC can sue EU member states to force them to comply with EU law.
MGM Grand Macau officially opened its doors these days to thousands of guests eager to experience the burgeoning gaming destination’s latest grand resort. With 600 rooms, MGM Grand Macau resort casino marks the powerful partnership’s first venture into the rapidly growing Macau gaming market, setting a new standard of luxury in Asia.
“We have long anticipated this moment,” said Terry Lanni, Chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage. “It marks the beginning of a new era, both for our company and for the Macau gaming market. We’ve been eager to demonstrate the combined capabilities of our partnership and this striking resort is testament to what we can achieve together. We are confident our efforts brought satisfaction to our many guests who celebrated with us tonight and will continue to do so for the many who visit Macau in the future. We look forward to showcasing to the world what we have created.”
Pansy Ho Chiu-king, Managing Director of MGM Grand Paradise, added, “Through our partnership, MGM Mirage and I wish to bring about a brand new experience for tourists in Macau. The pleasurable experience of our guests will encourage repeated visits and a positive word-of-mouth reputation for both MGM Grand Macau and Macau.”
MGM Grand Macau features suites and villas; a grand casino offering approximately 375 table games, 900 slot machines and 16 private gaming salons for preferred customers; and the signature Grande Praca showcasing Portuguese-inspired architecture, dramatic landscapes and a glass ceiling rising 25 meters (82 feet) above the floor of the resort.
The 35-story resort also includes convertible convention space, world- class spa and swimming pool facilities, and a variety of restaurants that continue in the MGM Grand tradition of culinary talents celebrating the diversity of international tastes and influences. These unique elements, combined with the high-quality service provided by its 6,000 employees will define this new resort. Initial plans calls for a 222,000 square foot split-level casino, with 385 table games and 1,000 slot machines. The property will also include a 1500-seat theater, a 5500-square foot nightclub, 13,500 square feet of meeting and convention space including an 11,000 square foot ballroom, a 25,000-square-foot spa, and nine restaurants, including one on the roof with views of the city and the harbour.
MGM Grand Paradise Limited is a join venture owned and jointly operated by MGM Mirage (the world’s No.2 casino operator) and Ms. Pansy Ho Chiu-king. It was formed to develop, build and operate resort casinos in Macau S.A.R under a sub-concession agreement approved by the Macau government. The total cost of the project is budgeted at USD $1.27 billion.
Wynn Macau resort will add 85 gaming tables and 551 slot machines in an expansion scheduled to open Monday
The expansion, which also features a new rotunda entrance, brings the casino resort’s total to 390 tables and 1,190 slot machines.
This casino will also be connected to the future Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which is expected to open close to the Nape waterfront district in 2009 as Macau’s second Mandarin Oriental property.
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) is a hotel management company which is part of Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited and is formally known as Mandarin Oriental International Limited.
Another casino will be opened in 2008 by Four Seasons Hotels, Inc., a five-star Canadian-based international luxury hotel chain. It is considered among the finest luxury hotel chains worldwide, according to Travel + Leisure magazine and Zagat Survey, and operates 55 AAA five diamond properties in major cities and resort destinations in 18 countries. It is also the particular hotel of choice for many celebrities and members of royal families.
In 2009 will be opened Grand Hyatt operated by Global Hyatt Corporation. Hyatt is a part of the Marmon Group which is owned by Chicago’s Pritzker Family. Grand Hyatt hotels have higher standards and are generally larger than typical Regency hotels.
Virgin Group is in the latter stage of negotiation to secure land in Macau, where he is going to set up a US$3 billion casino resort complex.. Virgin Group Ltd is a conglomeration of separately run companies that each use the Virgin brand of British celebrity business tycoon Sir Richard Branson.
About Macau:
澳門特別行政區 Região Administrativa Especial de Macau
Macau Special Administrative Region
Official languages: Chinese, Portuguese
Government Chief Executive: Edmund Ho Hau-wah
Establishment:
Occupied by Portugal 1557
Portuguese colony August 13, 1862
Transfer of sovereignty December 20, 1999
Area: Total 28.6 km²
Population 2007 (1st qtr) estimate: 520,400 (167th)
Density: 17,310/km² (2nd)
GDP (PPP): 2006 estimate
Total US$14.3 billion (139th)
Per capita: US$28,436 (2006)
Currency: Macanese pataca (MOP)
Time zone: MST (UTC+8)
Internet TLD: .mo
Calling code: +853
The Macau Special Administrative Region, commonly known as Macau or Macao (Chinese: 澳門), was established on December 20, 1999, as one of the two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the other being Hong Kong. Macau has thriving industries such as textiles, electronics and toys, as well as a notable tourist industry, which boasts a wide range of hotels, resorts, stadiums, restaurants and casinos.
The headquarters of Macau Government
The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer, under the policy of “one country, two systems”. The Central People’s Government is responsible for the territory’s defence and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events.
The Legislative Assembly of Macau
Weather averages for Macau
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Average high °C (°F)
18 (64)
18 (64)
21 (70)
Average low °C (°F)
13 (55)
13 (55)
16 (61)
Precipitation mm (inch)
32.4 (1.3)
58.8 (2.3)
82.5 (3.2)
Source: WMO – Macau 12.11.2007
Weather averages for Macau
Month
Apr
May
Jun
Average high °C (°F)
24 (75)
28 (82)
31 (88)
Average low °C (°F)
20 (68)
24 (75)
26 (79)
Precipitation mm (inch)
217.4 (8.6)
361.9 (14.2)
339.7 (13.4)
Source: WMO – Macau 12.11.2007
Weather averages for Macau
Month
Jul
Aug
Sep
Average high °C (°F)
32 (90)
32 (90)
30 (86)
Average low °C (°F)
27 (81)
27 (81)
26 (79)
Precipitation mm (inch)
289.8 (11.4)
351.6 (13.8)
194.1 (7.6)
Source: WMO – Macau 12.11.2007
Weather averages for Macau
Month
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Average high °C (°F)
28 (82)
24 (75)
19 (66)
25.4 (78)
Average low °C (°F)
23 (73)
18 (64)
14 (57)
20.5 (69)
Precipitation mm (inch)
116.9 (4.6)
42.6 (1.7)
35.2 (1.4)
2,122.9 (83.6)
Source: WMO – Macau 12.11.2007
Macau’s economy is based largely on tourism, much of it geared toward gambling. From 9.1 million visitors in 2000, arrivals to Macau has grown to 18.7 million visitors in 2005, 21.98 million visitors in 2006 and is expected to receive between 24 and 25 million visitors in 2007, with over 50% of the arrivals coming from mainland China. Macau also received the Future Award 2007, for being regarded the most promising future tourism destination in Asia Macau is currently rated as one of the world’s top tourism destinations by the World Tourism Organisation.
Macau center
Since 1850, gambling has been licensed and has always been an important source of earning for the government. In the early 1960s, gambling provided 50 percent of official revenue. Starting in 1962, the gambling industry had been operated under a government-issued monopoly license by Stanley Ho’s Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau. The monopoly was ended in 2002, and several casino owners from Las Vegas attempted to enter the market. With the opening of the Sands Macau, the largest casino in the world as measured by total number of table games, in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006, gambling revenues from Macau’s casinos were for the first time greater than those of Las Vegas Strip (each about $6 billion), making Macau the highest-volume gambling centre in the world.
In 2007, The Venetian Macau, the second largest building in the world, opened its doors to the public. Other casinos and hotels slated to be opened through 2009 are: Four Seasons (2008), MGM Grand Macau (2007), Ponte 16 (2007), Far East Consortium Complex (2007), Grand Hyatt (2009), Galaxy Cotai Megaresort (2008), City of Dreams (2008), Oceanus (2008), Mandarin Oriental (2009). The first Phase of Macau’s Cotai Strip is scheduled to open in 2007 and will include 19,000 guest rooms throughout seven resort hotels, with the $1.8 billion Venetian Macao serving as the anchor. The head of Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson is in the latter stage of negotiation to secure land in Macau, where he is going to set up a US$3 billion casino resort complex. As a result, Macau’s economy is growing rapidly due to gambling related tourism and construction from the new casino entrants. Macau is still the only place in the People’s Republic of China where casinos are legal.
Gondola ride in the Venetian
Cotai Strip
The Cotai Strip is the name of the casino and tourism district of Cotai, Macau. The development of this area was inspired by the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Here it is a list of casinos and hotels by Macau Concessionaire:
Las Vegas Sands
7 resort hotels
20,000 hotel rooms
Over 1.5 mm sq ft of casino space
Over 3.0 mm sq ft of MICE space
25,000 seats for live entertainment
3.0 mm sq ft of retail space
Over 4.0 mm sq ft of vacation suites
Site 1 = The Venetian Macao
Site 2 = Four Seasons Hotel Macau
Site 3 = Far East Consortium
Site 4 = City of Dreams (see Melco-PBL below)
Site 5 = Shangri-La and Traders
Site 6 = Sheraton and St. Regis
Site 7 = Hilton and Conrad
Site 8 = Fairmont and Raffles
Melco-PBL
City of Dreams
Macau Studio City (Melco-PBL will not own this but will manage the casino) (Hotels on the site include The Ritz-Carlton Macau, Macao Marriott Studio City, and W Macau – Studio City)
Galaxy entertainment
Grand Waldo Hotel
Cotai Mega Resort (aka GalaxyWorld Resort)
MGM Grand Paradise
Nothing official announced yet but has stated that they plan to build a casino on Cotai
Wynn Resorts
Owns land on Cotai and has stated that they plan to build one casino resort that will be “the most beautiful hotel on earth”.[5]
Harrah’s Entertainment
Owns the Macau Orient Golf Course on Cotai, adjacent to the Lotus Bridge and across from Macao Studio City. Has not announced any plans other than to operate it as a golf course for time being.
Macau gaming law
In the Macau legal system, gaming law is not considered as a branch of law in the traditional sense. Instead, it may be considered as a transversal gathering of a range of legal topics more or less directly related to gaming, including constitutional law, administrative law, tax law, company law, contract law and criminal law. In this manner, issues of public law as well as private law are of relevance for gaming.
In the Macau SAR, the regulation of gaming is premised on administrative law concepts which are similar to other civil law jurisdictions. From the perspective of administrative law, gaming is based on the concept of administrative concessions (and sub-concessions), supervision of concessionaires, and powers of government intervention. Gaming law in Macau is currently being reformed. Immediately after the transfer of sovereignty the Government of the Macau SAR has embarked in a major overhaul of the gaming sector, by opening the sector to various operators so as to generate competition. This has meant the granting of various concessions and subconcessions to operators other than the historical operator.
As a result, there are currently six concessions and subconcessions of casino games of fortune: Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (known as SJM; headed by Stanley Ho); [Galaxy Casino] (a subsidiary of Galaxy Entertainment Group, from Hong Kong); Wynn Resorts (of Steve Wynn); Venetian Macau (Sheldon Adelson); a partnership of MGM with Pansy Ho (daughter of Stanley Ho); and a partnership of Melco and PBL of Australia. There are also monopoly concessions for pari-mutuels (horse and dog racing), lotteries and sports betting.
Each of these operators has signed a concession contract with the Macau SAR; the text of such contracts can be seen in the website of the Macau Gaming Inspection (see links below).
Concessions allow the opening of more than one casino.
Regarding gaming promoters, from an administrative law perspective the prime issue is their licensing and regulation, which was initiated in 2002. Gaming promoters are subject to a licensing system rather than to a system of concessions. The main applicable law is Administrative Regulation no. 6/2002. Lists of gaming promoters currently authorized are available in the website of the Macau Gaming Inspection (see links below).
From the perspective of company law, gaming concessionaires must be public companies, to which special rules apply, in addition to the general rules stated in the Macau Commercial Code 1999, as amended. There are also specific company law rules related to gaming promoters.
The taxation of casino sub/concessionaires is made of a fixed part and a variable part. The variable part falls on the gross gaming revenue. The tax rate is currently of 35%, plus two contributions of up to 2% and 3% for social and economic purposes. The maximum tax is therefore 40%. In addition, a fixed premium is also payable, plus a premium per VIP table, other table, and slot machine. Gaming promoters pay taxes on commissions received.
From the perspective of contract law, gaming and betting are contracts which may or may not generate civil or natural obligations for the parties. The matter is regulated in the Civil Code 1999 (art. 1171), which states, drawing from Roman law, that gaming and betting generate natural obligations except in sports competititions and where the law provides otherwise. The problem is that gaming legislation currently does not provide to this effect.
Regarding credit for gaming, Macau law states since 2004 that the granting of credit for casino games of fortune generates civil obligations, which are fully enforceable in Macau courts. Credit for casino games of fortune is defined as any case where chips are passed on to a player without immediate cash payment of such chips; this is an intentionally broad concept. Credit for gaming is regulated by Law no. 5/2004, of June 14.
From the perspective of criminal law, there are specific criminal offences related to gaming; see Law 8/96/M, of July 22, and Law 9/96/M, of July 22. Other criminal law matters are covered by broader laws: the Penal Code and the law on organized crime. Game cheating is mentioned in art. 6 of Law 8/96/M, of July 22. In addition, general laws on the prevention and repression of money laundering and the financing of terrorism through casinos apply.
Competition law matters, and advertising law, as well as the impact of WTO law on gaming, may also be pointed out as part of gaming law. Regarding online gaming, the Macau SAR does not currently grant concessions for online casinos. The current casino concessions only cover land-based gaming, not online gaming.
The 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed with hope that tribe-operated casinos would provide a steady source of income for Native American communities. The income genereated from these casinos would aid reservation economic development. Many tribal governments have seen great improvements in their ability to provide public services to their members, building schools, making infrastructural improvements, and shoring up the loss of native traditions. The casinos have changed the economic climate in and around the reservations. Of course, there have been positive changes as well as negative changes. The positive changes include young adults moving back to reservations, adult employment increasing by 26 percent, and a 14 percent decline in the number of working poor. In counties with or near a casino, the employment- to- population ratio has increased and mortality has declined. The negative changes include a 10 percent increase in auto thefts, larceny, violent crime, and bankruptcy in areas near a casino, and an increase in bankruptcies within 50 miles of a new casino. In 2006, Congress introduced legislation to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to attempt to address some of the above concerns.
Vinje, David. L. 1996. Native American Economic Development on Selected Reservations: A Comparitive Analysis. American Journal of Economics and Sociology. 55 (4): 427-442.
In 1987, US recognizes the right for the native American tribal entities to operate casinos free of state regulation. In 1988 it was enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), as an economical aid and a source of income.
The Indian gaming industry has grown from nearly $100 million in total revenues in its first year, to more than $22 billion annually; exceeding the combined gaming revenues of Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
The most recent Indian gaming statistics, provided by the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), indicate that there are approximately 360 Indian gaming establishments in the United States. These casinos are operated by approximately 220 federally recognized tribes and offer Class I, Class II and Class III gaming opportunities (See IGRA) . The largest casino in the United States, Foxwoods Casino, is owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and located in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Tribal casinos located in the eastern United States generated roughly $3.8 billion in FY02. Those located in the Central United States recorded gross revenues of approximately $5.9 billion, while those located in the Western United States generated close to $4.8 billion. Most of the revenues generated in the Indian gaming industry are from Indian casinos located in, or near, large metropolitan areas. Currently, 12% of Indian gaming establishments generate 65% of Indian gaming revenues. Indian gaming operations located in the populous areas of the West Coast (primarily California) represent the fastest growing sector of the Indian gaming industry. Currently there are 562 federally recognized tribes in the United States. The tribal gaming industry will continue to grow in the near term, as new casino and resort developments are built by tribes and America’s general passion for opportunities to gamble (Las Vegas, poker tours, Internet, etc.), continues to flourish. There are currently a number of lawsuits pending which challenge the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on constitutional grounds (see e.g. Warren v. United States) (Wikipedia)
Mohegan Sun is a resort and casino located in the village of Uncasville in the town of Montville, Connecticut and is the world’s second largest casino.
About Mohawk:
Total population: 78,000+Regions with significant populations
Canada (Quebec, Ontario): 30,000
United States (New York): 20,000
Languages: English, Kanien’keha’ka, Other Iroquoian DialectsReligions: Christianity, Longhouse, Handsome Lake, other
Since the 1980s, Mohawk politics have been driven by factional disputes over gambling, land claims, traditional government jurisdiction, taxation, and the Indian Act. The elected chiefs and the controversial Warrior Society have encouraged gaming as a means of ensuring tribal self-sufficiency on the various reserves/reservations, while traditional chiefs have opposed gaming on moral grounds and out of fear of corruption and organized crime.
Mohawk Gambling Casinos
On October 15, 1993, Governor Mario Cuomo entered into the “Tribal-State Compact Between the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and the State of New York.” The compact purported to allow the Tribe to conduct gambling, including games such as baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette, on the Akwesasne Reservation in Franklin County under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
The tribe is currently pursuing obtaining approval to own and operate a casino in Sullivan County, NY at Monticello Raceway. The U.S. Department of the Interior has so far approved of this action and is awaiting Governor Eliot Spitzer’s concurrence subject to the negotiation and approval of either an amendment to the current compact or a new compact and for the land to be taken into trust.
The Kahnawake Mohawk Territory (Kahnawá:ke) is an Indian reserve on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, across from Montreal.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission offers gambling licenses to Internet-based poker, casino, and sportsbook sites and has established Kahnawake as a substantial player in that business. Many sites are hosted and managed by Mohawk Internet Technologies (MIT), a local data center located within the territory. MIT is the closest and fastest source for “legally hosted” gambling websites for their North American players.
Both the Canadian and Quebec governments dispute the legality of Kahnawake’s gambling operations, but have not risked taking further action due to the harsh international repercussions that followed the Oka Crisis. The websites hosted within Kahnawake are the only privately owned gambling sites that have operated in continental North America without legal action being taken against them. (Wikipedia)
The US government calls it “Canada’s Problem”.
60 Percent of World’s Online Gambling Runs Through Mohawk Controlled Servers. Chad Hills, analyst for gambling research and policy at Focus on the Family Action, said the Internet gambling industry is “out of control,” and Canadian and American policymakers need to establish “clear policies or effective oversight for tribal gambling operations.”
“Actually, as these events have little, if anything to do with the Jurisdiction of the Mohawks of Kahnawake, it has not been an issue for us,” Chuck Barnett, Board of Supervisors for Mohawk Internet Technologies, told Gambling911.com this weekend. “My understanding is that these offices (Golden Palace) were located well into the City of Ville St. Laurent, a borough of Montreal. And it was the offices of CyberWorld Group (CWG) that were raided. This entity is not licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.”
Hartley Henderson from MajorWager.com says that gambling has always been of interest to some of the Mohawks, but many others have rejected it. In fact in the 1990s there was an internal struggle among the Mohawks on the Akwasasne reserve which straddles the Canadian and U.S. border over the issue of gambling. While many Mohawks at Akwasasne felt this could be a vibrant source of revenue, other Mohawks on that reserve were vehemently opposed. In fact the issue led to a bloody conflict. At Kahnawake, on the other hand, gambling was not allowed to develop into a similar struggle. Clearly the leaders at Kahnawake were hoping to raise money for the reserve by way of a land based casino and decided to use a democratic process to decide the issue. They put the issue to a referendum and the motion for a casino was defeated in 1994 by a 724 to 627 margin. The close vote was a sign to the leaders of Kahnawake that the residents didn’t necessarily have objections to revenue generation by way of gambling, they simply didn’t want a physical casino on the reserve and the resulting social issues that often arise from one. So in 1996, the KGC was given the directive to oversee all gambling projects on the reserve and the obvious direction was to develop a system to promote wagering via internet servers. By doing so, the much needed revenue would be generated for the reserve without the concerns the inhabitants had with regards to a physical casino on the land.
In 1998 the Mohawk Council created Mohawk Internet Technologies. MIT is solely owned and operated by the Mohawks themselves and is overseen by KGC.
The Mohawk Gaming Commission has issued 443 online gambling permits so far, according to Joe Delaronde, a member of the Kahnawake band council, and the jurisdiction has gained a well-deserved reputation for probity, CBC reports.
CBC recently reported a story claiming “Kahnawake’s resident cybercasino giant fined for illegal gambling,” but the story was misleading, says Hartley Henderson. While they claimed that Golden Palace, the largest cybercasino operating in Kahnawake, was fined for illegal gambling, the claim just wasn’t true. Cyber World Group was fined, but they are not the same as Golden Palace, and more importantly they were not operating at MIT. Instead, Cyber World Group had an office in St. Laurent which is on the island of Montreal and that is what they were fined for – operating in Quebec proper.
The Register says that Cyber World Group, the owner of GoldenPalace.com, in Canada this week pleaded guilty to charges of illegal gambling and agreed to a $2m fine.
“We don’t ask for anything. We tell them that this is our right to do this. And we’re doing it properly, we’re administering it properly — the world seems to think that we’re doing a good job, and we’re confident we’ll continue to do a good job. I’m not just making that up,” said Delaronde. “You go to any of the publications around the world about this and Kahnawake is well-respected. Its jurisdiction is unquestioned. The only place where there is a question is in [our] backyard.”
The Center provides support for scholarly inquiry into all aspects of gambling, including the business of gaming, its economic and social impacts and its historical and cultural manifestations.
Specifically, the Center:
- Houses the Gaming Collection, an unparalleled repository of books, journals, and primary materials for gaming research;
- Collects and compiles currently-issued government documents, company reports, and equity research forecasts to assist researchers in understanding the financial impact of gaming;
- Digests available government and industry information into the UNLV Gaming Abstract;
- Acquires and maintains casino corporate archives and gaming-related manuscript collections;
- Maintains a network of links and unique resources for the study of gaming at http://gaming.unlv.edu;
- Offers information resources to student, faculty, media, industry, and public researchers;
- Assists the gaming industry through records management outreach;
- Fosters the academic study of gaming by providing fellowships and research grants;
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Playtech Cyprus Ltd. is a gaming software development company founded in 1999. The company provides software for online casinos, online poker rooms, online bingo games, and fixed-odds arcade games online.
