When it comes to gambling Australia has always been a somewhat conservative country. Although it is not illegal to gamble online in Australia, many people feel it should be, or at least monitored more closely. A simple search on http://news.google.com.au/ will bring up several articles like this one:

According to a recent study done at Southern Cross University’s Centre for Gambling Education and Research there are around 6,500 Australian online gamblers, and over half of them have started playing online in the past six years. What does this boom mean? Well according to Sally Gainsbury, head of the study, Australians are taking a liking to the online past time much more rapidly than any other form of gambling and quite often developing a habit of playing more often than they should be. In fact, Australians are spending around $600 million in gambling annually. The study also noted online gambling disrupting sleep schedules, and even eating habits.

This study has opened the eyes of many Government officials who are now being pressured to implement certain laws for online gambling moderation. Members of the study have brought several ideas to the Government that could be useful. One idea is to have a message pop up on the screen after the player has been at these gambling websites for a certain length of time.

Online gambling is easier to access, and more convenient. But the fact of the matter is: it is very much harder to regulate problem gamblers. It is easy to spot a problem gambler at a brick and mortar casino, but online is a little bit trickier.

You may be asking yourself how a game that is completely random with fixed odds could possibly have specific strategy or tips that can help you win. Well, I’m not here to tell you how to win. I’m here to tell you how to win more money. Yes, there is a difference. Anyone who claims they can give you the secret to winning slots is full of it. There is no way to guarantee winning, unless of course they plan on rigging the machine, which I wouldn’t suggest. Here I will give you some tips to stretching your dollar, and making the most out of your slots experience.

First, decide how much you are willing to spend. You may think this is a silly rule, but it can be very beneficial. Make sure that you pick a number and you stick to it. Next decide which game you would like to play. There are penny chances, all the way up to dollar machines. I like to play penny machines because it is always wise to place the max bet. You cannot win the max jackpot without placing the max bet. I am by no means a ‘high-roller’ so I like to keep it reasonable.

Finally, if you’re not winning, move on. I like to play a machine between 5 to 10 times, and if I don’t win anything significant, I move on. Do not keep going after 10 times if the machine doesn’t seem to be hitting. I know you may have this mentality that the next one is it, but it’s not. Trust me.

For more of the best tips and strategy try Google, but be weary of the advice provided to you!

If you are looking for a great place to play some slots Lucky Red is your place. With a high payout percentage and hit frequency, this casino is a sure bet for having fun and winning some extra money. There are over 95 different slot games and 60 specialty games.

One of the things that make Lucky Red so exceptional is the software they use. RealTime Gaming (RTG) is one of the best, if not the best, casino software companies on the market. It is a quick and easy download time of two minutes also. But, the thing that makes it so great is the edition of Random Number Generation is all of the casino games. This feature ensures that all games are fair and completely random.

With specialty slots like The Three Stooges, Shopping Spree, and Cleopatra there is certainly a game for everyone. They have nostalgic themes as well, such as fruit games and Aladdin’s Gold. Their welcome bonus is currently set at 400% with no limit. What this means is the casino will match your first deposit 400 times. Most have a limit to the amount of money one can deposit, so the fact that Lucky Red does not makes it quite special.

I would recommend Lucky Red to anyone who likes to play casino games, and I hope you’ve enjoyed my review. Not only is it a great place to play slots but also there are tons of specialty table games like my favorite blackjack online game is there when I want a change of pace from slot machines.

I love playing slots online, but I won’t play at just any online casino. I always do my homework when picking out where I am going to spend my money. The first thing I do is find a casino to play at. I do this by researching the best ones on the internet.

This brings me to another point. Many casino sites claim to know what the best casinos are on the internet so you have to be very careful when taking advice on the internet. I like to go to Online Casino Suite; they always know what they’re talking about.

Once I have some suggestions I like to go to the actual casino and check everything out. First I see if it is registered. After that I check what kind of software the casino uses. This is very important. The software tells a lot about a casino. Only the best software companies will work with the most reputable casinos. The best software companies are RealTime Gaming, PlayTech, and Microgamming.

All of these casino software companies have something called Random Number Generation installed in them. I learned about RNG from Wikipedia. It is essential for any casino to be considered fair. This is what makes sure every game is completely randomized, and everyone has the same chance of winning.

Other very important things to consider when picking your online casino are the payout percentage and the hit frequency. These two things also determine how much a casino pays, and how often.

Now you have a starting point for finding the perfect game, so go find it.

The difficult thing about gambling is that gambling is legal in some areas and illegal in others. Today’s market is taking on the issue of gambling. That’s good news for the future of the game, but for now it also incites a lot of confusion. The biggest problem is that players have to ensure that gambling is legal in their specific jurisdiction. If a player lives in a jurisdiction where online gambling is illegal and they play at an online casino where it is legal, they may still have a difficult time cashing out. The casino may refuse to make the payout too and the funds may be confiscated.

There are a number of jurisdictions the world over who regulate and give licenses to online casinos. Antigua and Barbuda, Costa Rica, Gibraltar, Netherlands Antilles the United Kingdom and Malta are the jurisdictions that have the largest numbers of online casinos registered. Some larger companies have the power to stop other smaller companies from entering their country. The ban is political and much is trying to be done to stop large companies from starting a monopoly. There are free trade agreements that need to be adhered to—even in the world of online slots and promoting over borders.

By stopping people from online gambling, various jurisdictions are able to avoid having to deal with the inevitable problems that online gambling brings. Right now the world is in a precarious position regarding gambling, and some countries are finding that avoiding the issue altogether is the best option. The US did that for a while, and though it did work there was a drawback. When the UIGEA became a law in 2006, instead of US citizens ending their online gambling activities, most just moved to companies outside of the US borders. That meant billions of dollars were channeled out of the country, benefiting other countries and taking money away from the US economy. This is why legislators in the US are now trying hard to change the laws. They understand the billions of dollars that gamblers are playing online could be kept in the US and could benefit US programs and problems. Only time will tell where the legalities of gambling where go for the states, but no one can debate that billions of potential dollars are at stake.

Antigua has become a forerunner in the world of online gaming. The small island is nestled in the Caribbean and has been around for many years. It’s rich in history, dating back to its naming by Christopher Columbus, and tradition. One thing that is uncommon to its heritage is its huge advancement in offshore banking, upscale luxurious tourist industry and internet gambling services. You wouldn’t normally think such a small island would become the mecca of internet gambling that it has.

There may be bad news for the economy though. In past months the debate over legalizing and regulating online gambling has threatened to change the face of the industry.  Countries that were not a part of the online gambling industry are now on the verge of entering it as strong competitors for their own market share. Antigua is well aware of the battle it faces. The island’s director of offshore gaming, Nelson Smith, issued a statement that addressed the topic.  His stance was that smaller locales, like Antigua, have a huge competitive edge in the market over bigger, more established, countries. The biggest draw to the island is that it taxes internet and gambling companies just 3%. Most other countries are well into the double digits when it comes to setting the tax rate.  Britain for example, just set its tax rate on internet gambling websites at 15%. Smith stated, “There’s a huge difference between 3% we have and the 15% Britain has just instilled. Companies are not ready to handle the financial stress of paying five times more in taxes than we are asking of them.”

Antigua is also revisiting its regulations for online gaming companies. The island is strengthening up laws to avoid the problems from the past they have had with companies. They had a brief pattern of companies set up, take funds from customers and then shut down. In an effort to preserve their reputation as an online gaming mecca, the island is creating an air-tight regulatory document to avoid sullying its name. Smith added, “As a leader in the industry of online gaming, we want to create a highly regarded center for companies to set up in…our goal is to set ourselves apart based on our previous dominance of the industry.”

Online gaming companies are looking for one key thing: trust.  A recent survey has proven that trust is the number one thing companies look for when seeking out areas to inhabit. Britain, for example, has instilled a “gold standard of regulation” for all of their online gambling companies. It created a constitution, of sorts, that every company requesting residence there must agree to follow.  Part of the goal is to create an online gaming community of trust, honor and reliability for not only companies hosting there, but also their customers.

From the customer side, trust is a huge issue. Many online gaming organizations and watchdog companies have done their own surveys and realized the same result. People want to be able to trust whatever company they are working with and that includes internet gambling companies. Martin Finch, of a US-based gaming watchdog society, stated, “People are becoming increasingly aware that sharing information with an online gambling company is as precarious as sharing information with a financial institution, lending company or online storefront…add to the psyche the negative view point of gambling as being an unscrupulous and under-the-table activity, and people are apprehensive about trusting online companies.” For companies to move forward, they know that trust is an issue that needs to be earned.

As a result, countries hosting gambling entities are working to overhaul their rules and regulations. Britain is looking to create “an iron-clad guarantee of payment by a trusted government” to encourage online gaming. It is their hope that Britain will soon become a hub of the industry. Nelson Simon, a leader in online gaming reviews, stated, “We recognize the importance of the industry and we treated it as an industry which can be managed through regulation. And the industry, recognizing that we understand that importance, stood by us.”

As the online gambling industry grows, countries are strengthening their laws in hopes to gain a trust with gaming companies. They want the companies to set up shop in their jurisdictions. For gaming companies, it’s a matter of gaining customer trust. Either way, trust is the issue that everyone in the industry is focused on developing as the market evolves.

As the debate over legalizing online gambling rages, more and more people are entering the fray.  So far legislators are divided—some want to legalize and regulate online gambling, and some don’t. Those who do are seeing it as a financial opportunity, whose potential revenues are too big to pass up. They believe that the billions of dollars being passed through offshore online casinos could be used to rebuild cities that were ravaged by the recession.  On the other hand are those who believe that the UIGEA of 2006, that banned financial institutions involvement in online gambling, is still a viable option for the US economy. 

In actuality, the US is changing. Congress is looking at various proposed bills that would open the door for online gambling to be legalized and regulated. Part of the problem is that most states are putting their own laws together regarding gambling. Congress could have serious opposition from them and the states that have already put stringent bans on the industry, but made room to exemplify their state-licensed casinos and lotteries. These are going to be the most difficult to manage due to their reliance on money coming in from gambling. Professor I. Nelson Rose, of Wittier College Law School, stated, “It will be difficult for states already relying on the huge funding they receive from gambling, to now move back if there is a ban at the federal level…budgets have already been drawn up and money has already been apportioned.”

If Congress passes a prohibition bill, many people are worried that US gambling companies will move to quickly consolidate their offerings.  Anthony Cabot, Las Vegas attorney, stated, “Once that happens…a very small number of competitors will actually make up a majority of internet gaming commerce.” This could be a worst-cast scenario because small islands like Antigua would suffer. For a long time they have been the hub of internet gaming and now the market would completely shift and possibly, leave them out in the cold.

As time moves forward the question of legalizing online gambling is going to be answered. Hopefully everyone will be ready; that includes countries and businesses with vested interests in the industry.

Representative Bob Goodlatte is a critic of online gambling’s legalization. His argument stems from the potential outcome of moving society into a casino frenzy. He believes that internet gambling is “the crack cocaine of gambling” and introducing it legally to the country would be disastrous.  Goodlatte was instrumental, though unsuccessful, in bringing an internet gambling ban to the forefront last year and only time will tell what the outcome will be this year.

His main defense to banning internet gambling is to go after payment systems. Prior to Goodlatte’s stand, representative Jim Leach brought up the idea of cracking down on online gambling by cutting off payment systems like credit cards and wire transfers when they are being used by gamblers or gambling websites. Goodlatte stated, “If we can cut off the ease with which these companies can receive funds from US consumers by making it very difficult if not impossible for them to use credit cards and checks and wire transfers…that will have largely the effect we’re looking for.”

The argument Goodlate and Leach are taking is that the ones providing the transactions should be tied down. They believe that if financial institutions are targeted, the problem will be solved. This is not unlike the focus of the former UIGEA of 2006. The UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, prohibited transfer of funds from a financial institution to an internet gambling website.  Though at the time it was effective, it’s proving to lack the strength in coverage it was intended to have. Particularly it never actually defined internet gambling as illegal; it merely called the transaction of money via internet gaming websites and banking institutions illegal.  This loophole is becoming fodder for much debate on how effective the UIGEA truly is and giving legislators a lot of leeway to overturn it. 

Although Goodlatte is repeating the same framework of the UIGEA by going after financial institutions, critics are saying that his argument will not hold up. Sue Schneider, president of the River City Group, an internet gambling tracking company, stated, “What you’ll see is other e-cash products emerge that offer anonymity as far as what those purchases are.”  She believes that companies will crop up to handle the transactions, but with discretion. In the end, it may be that there is a loophole with the UIGEA that no future legislation can close.

Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto, a democrat in support of legalizing online gambling, said he believes that its regulation should be viewed as a “consumer-protection issue,” rather than an ethical one.  Many legislators opposed to the legalization of online gambling are drawing a sharp ethical line as their argument. They believe that gambling itself is wrong and to promote it as a government would be detrimental to society as a whole. They also cite an increase in illegal activities as a result of online gambling’s legalization. They believe that things such as corruption, underage gambling, and addictions would be encouraged if gambling is legalized.

Impreveduto, along with other supporters, take issue with this ethical argument. They believe that legalizing online gambling is a way to protect consumers. It would give states the individual power to combat problems like underage gambling and addictions. A federal ban on internet gambling, which is still under sharp debate within Congress, would be “meaningless.” 

What many legislators, like Impreveduto, are noting is that regardless of its legalization or not, people are going to gamble online. That’s been made clear by the numbers. Despite the recession that brought many businesses and citizens to their knees throughout the past few months, internet gambling as a market grew steadily. It seems that it was completely independent to and impervious to any recessionary affects.  Statistically, people were continuing to gamble throughout the recession and most of them were channeling their money into online casinos offshore.  The billions of dollars that were transacted are being fueled into other economies.  Many legislators want to bring that money back to the US.

Impreveduto believes that if the country can come up with a viable legislation and regulation of internet gambling, it could benefit from the numbers. He added, “There are billions of potential US tax dollars being moved throughout the country and serving other nations well…why shouldn’t the US take advantage of that.”  In a time when almost every state is still regrouping from the aftermath of the recession, it is an important thing for the government to look at. People are going to gamble online—that’s the reality. If the US doesn’t make moves to benefit from that, other countries already are.