Recently MGN, or Mobil Gaming Now, Technologies addressed some of the bad press it’s been getting. The allegation was that the casino consistently violated the Safe Port Act, which was voted on by Congress back in 2006.  According to the act and the UIGEA, credit card companies are banned from accepting online transactions for gambling-related activities. The UIGEA, in essence, made banking institutions and credit companies responsible for flagging and monitoring gambling transactions. In an effort to comply, most financial institutions pulled out of US gambling activity and closed their doors sharply to the market.

According to MGN though, their products include online sweepstakes games, rather than online gambling. These sweepstakes allow all players to compete for prizes and points, rather than money. That lack of a financial transaction makes them exempt from the UIGEA law.  According to the company’s CEO Mark Jensen, “Our company’s sweepstakes game is 100% legal because it’s based on sweepstakes and not gambling. It doesn’t ask a player for consideration to play the game. The passing of the new Act is a very positive event for MGN. We are positioned to offer gaming companies a legal game where players have a monetary incentive to play as well as the spirit of competition.” 

Jenson also stated that the amount of online gambling in the US is another point of contention. He added, “An estimated 23 million Americans play Internet poker every day according to a study from the American Gaming Association. The number of Americans gambling online has grown 20 percent every year, to the point where they’re now wagering $6 billion annually. The new Act threatens this business. MGN Technologies offers a solution for Internet gaming companies with our sweepstakes game.”  Over the past two years the company has spent a lot of time in the midst of hefty development of their sweepstakes games. They purposely tried to develop games that were one-inch shy of official gambling games to avoid the legal repercussions of operations. Jensen added that the company was well aware of closing in on the line of gambling, but chose to purposely stay clear of the issue. They cited the precarious nature of the online gambling industry and its every changing rules as the impetus for their decision to move into the sweepstake market.

Slotastic! Is celebrating the holidays by creating a number of specials and bonuses to last throughout the month. If you are a shopper who loves bargains, then you have probably have combed the online world to find that one great deal. Many consumers put hours into comparison shopping and find the best deals of the season around Christmas. If you are an online slots player, you may be looking for the same return. It’s easy to shop around online for a great casino and Slotastic! Is one of them.

The casino is a US-friendly casino and that’s a big deal in today’s gambling climate. Due to the UIGEA, many US-based casinos exited the market. They chose to move to places like Gibraltar or Macau for their operations. It was a difficult time and many casinos closed their doors to US players as a result of difficult legislation. It forced many online US gamblers to start gambling offshore. The problem with that was they were diverting funds to other countries and away from the US economy. This is why legislators today are working overtime to flesh out a workable way of rewriting the UIGEA and amending it to include US players legally.

Slotastic! is one of those Casinos that allows US players. A spokesman for the company said, “We wanted to create an online casino specifically with slots players in mind. We know slots players love jackpots, so we’ve got 6 progressive slots with about $3 million in the jackpot pool. And of course, slots players love their bonuses. We know that – that’s why we’ve got lots of generous weekly and monthly bonuses.”  If you are a fan of bonuses and specials, take a look at this casino because you’ll find tons of them. There are 55 real-series video slots games to enjoy and you get the chance to win 12 of the biggest progressive jackpots around. That includes a rolling $1.5 million Jackpot Piñatas game. It is a progressive slots game that offers the huge bonus if you win. Of course you have to play the maximum wager amount to be eligible, but if you want to win big, you have to play big. The spokesperson added, “Free games can significantly extend a slots player’s playing times. Our holiday games, as most of our games, have plenty of chances to win more free games built into them.”

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, Kahnawake, Netherlands Antilles the United Kingdom and Malta are the jurisdictions that have the largest numbers of online casinos registered. Some larger companies have the weight to ban other companies registered in their country from promoting their online casinos in other gambling sites to their own citizens. These companies are encouraged to market in the international market. Jurisdictions that follow this policy include Antigua, Costa Rica, Australia and Australian territories and the Isle of Man amongst others.

By thwarting citizens 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 company 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.

In today’s market, many states are looking to gambling as a way to fund their budgets. The recession wreaked havoc on many state’s finances. Deficits are high. Expenses are outrageous and income is limited.  Gambling is the seemingly perfect solution to the issue due to the huge dollars moving through the system. It’s estimated that gambling is an $8 billion business annually.  Though the recession is considered to be “over” by now, it has left huge deficits in the state and federal budgets.  The US is currently looking for ways to legalize and regulate gambling. Formerly the UIGEA was what made it illegal for banks to allow money to be transferred for the purpose of gambling withdrawal or payments.  This rendered gambling illegal in the states and forced many gamblers to take their business to offshore casinos.  Billions of dollars are being spent out of the country via gambling and now the US is looking for a way to change that. The government wants to legalize gambling and take advantage of the huge tax revenue dollars that are available.

One state that recently got a taste of the money that could be generated from gambling with legalized slots parlors is Pennsylvania. Back in 2004 the state made slots legal and from that one move they were able to bring in a revenue increase of over 24%, just from slots parlors. In just the first 11 months of legalization Pennsylvania collected over $3.8 million in revenues as a result.

On Tuesday, Pennsylvanian State Representative Bill DeWeese made the move to introduce a proposal to add table games to the state’s casinos. If the move is accepted, it could be a highly lucrative move for the government. Under the measure, casino operators would pay a million dollar fee up-front to bring games such as blackjack, poker and craps at their currently slots-only facilities. There would be an annual renewal fee as well as daily tax of 18% and a local-share assessment of 2% of its daily gross table-game revenue. This is in addition to the money being paid to the state from the slot machines. Overall it is a great deal for bringing money into the state’s economy. If it is as lucrative and successful as projected, many other states will follow suit close behind.

Slot machines are popular with legislators. They know how lucrative the machines can be and are working hard to create laws that allow them to take advantage of the added gambling tax-revenue dollars. Although it’s relatively new for governments to be revisiting the UIGEA of 2006, gamblers have known all along how much you can get in return from a slot machine. Innocent gaming can bring big rewards.

Take the slot machines at Table Mountain Casino for example. Recently a player named Fernando, from Fresno, California, realized a huge payout. He’s been a long time casual player who stuck mostly to the smaller-wager slots games. In his own words he comes to the Table Mountain Casino to “spend some time and relax.” That relaxation time paid off though.  He was playing at the penny slot machine on his Players Club Card when he hit it big. He got lucky and won the Massive Cash Jackpot. That day he left the casino with over $28,000 in cash. That’s not a bad payout for playing the penny slots for a few hours. The great thing about slots is that the wager doesn’t always dictate the outcome. 

The Table Mountain Casino is notorious for its big payouts. As of later it’s been handing out one big win after another. In fact, it’s become known for its big payout potential. The casinos slot machines are guaranteed to hit between $20,000 and $50,000 and it can happen at any one of the casinos slots. Those are great odds to work with for any slots player.

Add to that the special promotions and events the casino has and you are sure to have a good time.  Check out Table Mountain Casino for the Mega Mountain Jackpots. This casino is the only Central California casino where you can find the promotions. You don’t need any special winning combination. All you have to do is be playing with the Club Card. It’s free to sign up for and its bonuses are substantial.

With the Table Mountain Casino Club Card you earn while you wager. Each time you play a game you get valuable points back and those points add up. You get 1 point for every $1 you wager on a slot machine. You can redeem the points directly on your machine as you play. You also get specials like Free Bonus Play, discounts on entertainment, specials, birthdays and dining. It’s a great perk to the Table Mountain Casino experience.

“The credit card companies and financial institutions have clumped all gambling into the same boat, and it has caused many legal forms of gambling to be blocked from payments,” said industry observer Jennifer Watson. “That is why state lotteries are keeping a close eye on the Frank proposal.”  Watson is referring to Barney Frank’s proposed legislation to regulate online slots and gambling, and put on hold the UIGEA.  The UIGEA was intended to stop casinos from offering wagering services to US citizens; however enforcement has been cloudy over the past three years since its acceptance.

The problem of all gambling games being lumped together is proving to be a difficult one to manage. For example, state lotteries are legal and were supposed to be exempt from the UIGEA. However, states are reporting that credit companies have blocked online subscriptions to their lotteries based on the UIGEA.  It seems as if a lot of states were taking the “better safe than sorry” attitude with regards to deciding what forms of wagering come under the title of “gambling” and what forms don’t.

That’s one of the problems with the UIGEA. It focuses on banking institutions and what their responsibilities are in terms of gambling, but never defines what exactly “gambling” is. Financial institutions are tasked with flagging any transactions that directly involve online gambling and they are required to deny the transactions. The UIGEA initially excluded lotteries, race track betting and fantasy sports, but a lot of other forms of gaming are getting inadvertently thrown into the mix. One of numerous problems with the UIGEA is that it leaves the financial industry to interpret the meaning of Unlawful Internet Gambling. Each one has to decide for themselves what falls under that title. It’s no wonder many are choosing to decide conservatively and include any online gambling activity.

The result of the lack of definition is that online slots parlors want to see Barney Frank’s latest legislation move into play. They are hoping that the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act introduces new legislation for regulation and also is able to put the outdated UIGEA on hold.  Slots parlors online are watching closely as the market moves and shifts with the times.

There is an ongoing battle regarding protecting the rights of online gamblers and online casinos. As the market moves to legalize online gambling, many precautions are being built into the system. Earlier this year Barney Frank made moves to protect the rights of online slots parlor operators by introducing amendment bills to the UIGEA.  Although the amendment was hefty and definitive, the real battle will be in upcoming months as Frank campaigns for enough votes to get the law passed.

As the new amendments wait for review there is another waiting to defend the rights of online slots parlors to compete in the world market. The Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, or iMEGA, is currently entangled in two major court battles that will significantly contribute to the future of online slots parlors and online gambling. One case is happening in Kentucky and one is in Minnesota.

The Kentucky case has been going on for a while now and the next step is a Supreme Court showing by iMEGA.  This case began when a Circuit Court Judged granted permission to block online slots parlors from promoting to the public. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear moved to seize the domain name of 141 online slots parlors operating in the state. Although iMEGA was successful in having the decision overturned in a court of appeals, the battle is far from over. Both parties are now headed for round two and iMEGA Chairman Joe Brennan seems hopeful. He stated, “In our mind, they’ve broken no new ground. They haven’t strengthened their case at all. They are falling back on same arguments that were unsuccessful at the appellate level: We are bad people, we don’t deserve to be here, and sites don’t deserve to be represented by groups like iMEGA, which is simply an illegal internet gambling association.”

Only time will tell how online slots are dealt with in this case. It is indicative however of the state of online slots parlors and online gambling, in general. With most jurisdictions wanting to legalize and regulate online gaming, this is just the beginning of how the market will change before debates are all over.

Online slots parlors are steadily growing in popularity. The United Kingdom Gambling Commission reported earlier this year that statistics are showing an increase in people who prefer to play slots online, rather than at a land-based casino.  When the same survey was handed out last year by the Commission, only 7.8% of respondents preferred gambling online. This year that number is up to 8.8%. Although the number change is not a huge one, it still shows that people are more open to gambling online and, despite the recession, still want to wager. Industry analyst Barry Freedland stated, “Fifty years ago, land based casino gambling was the only way for people to enjoy any leisurely gaming. But now, overwhelmingly people are shifting their gambling habits from land based casinos to the Internet.”

The United Kingdom is not the only country where people seem to be jumping into online slots play. It is however, one of the first countries to regulate and legalize online slots parlors. Countries are finding out one by one that slots parlors are big money. There are billions of dollars to be had by legalizing and regulating the gambling activities. Although it is thought that online gambling that is available 24-hours a day could put citizens in difficult positions, most governments are willing to take the risk. Whether or not that is a good thing or a bad thing, has yet to be seen.

The US is following in the footsteps of the UK in a lot of ways. Gambling numbers are slowly climbing and forcing legislators to take notice. Plus the economy is still in shambles and many states are suffering due to huge deficits.  Gambling tax-revenues could be just what governments need to recover quicker from the economic downturn of this past year. Legislators know this and are doing their best to introduce laws that work around the UIGEA of 2006. 

Despite the issues, the reality is that slots parlors online are bringing in consistent revenues. Without some regulation and legalization, that money will be channeled into offshore gaming operator’s wallets. The US is making moves to work on the issue of online gaming and slots parlor operation and hoping to capitalize on the billions of dollars going into the industry on a yearly basis.

In the midst of the debates over legalizing online slots and gambling there are many groups cropping up opposing the move. The UIGEA made it illegal for financial organizations to move money from gambling activities.  Now there are legislations in play that are looking to overturn the UIGEA. It isn’t a difficult task since the UIGEA is a relatively vague in definitions. All it really does it stifle the hand of banking institutions regarding their involvement in payment processing for online gambling. However, the UIGEA does not define much more, not even what “gambling” legally is.  For this reason, groups are working hard to legalize online slots and online gambling and going through the UIGEA is key. 

On the other hand, there are numerous groups, such as Stop Predatory Gambling, decrying the movement towards legalizing online gaming. Stop Predatory Gambling is concerned with four main issues:

1)    Electronic Gambling Machines. It’s estimated that more than 60% of gambling revenues come from electronic machines such as slots and video poker. Slots are some of the most popular gambling games in casinos today, whether they are online or land-based.

2)    State Lotteries. The government spends millions of dollars annually courting people with various lottery products.  It’s a way for them to generate huge revenues.  The Stop Predatory Gambling organization believes that these lotteries are “virtually worthless” to citizens, while the government wins big.  The most popular lottery products are scratch tickets and keno/quick-draw gaming.

3)    Maintaining the UIGEA law.  The Stop Predatory Gambling organization hopes that the UIGEA will be upheld.  The group believes that allowing internet slots and gambling to be legalized will “bring Las Vegas into every home in America, dramatically impacting youth gambling addiction rates.

4)    Reformation of the Indian Gambling Regulatory Act. The Stop Predatory Gambling organization believes that this act has egregiously exceeded its original objective when it was passed in 1988. Funded by millionaire casino investors, tribal casinos continue to force their way into communities across the nation.

Groups like this are working hard to gain public support in their goal of stopping the legalization of online slots and gambling. There are many others situated all over the US that are campaigning hard for supporters.

In the midst of reworking gaming laws, online slots parlor operators are having a difficult time managing. Since the UIGEA, there have been problems with online gambling. The UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, was the first US ruling on how to manage online gambling. Ironically it targeted banking institutions rather than actual casinos or gambling and much of the law has left future decisions up in the air due to its original vagueness.

The future will not likely be easy for online slots parlor operators.  Although the UIGEA is being debated and there are amendments surrounding it, now another global move has come to hamper online gambling. This time it is the Royal Bank of Scotland that is creating issued. Earlier this year the bank officially cut off its services to the gaming industry. Although the Royal Bank of Scotland has not refused all services to online casino operators in that online casinos may still maintain accounts with the bank, the bank will no longer process transactions from online gambling activity.  Although some online gambling companies may chose to use two separate banks, most will probably change banks altogether for the purpose of simplicity.

The decision to stop processing payments from online casinos comes after pressure from the Swiss government.  The Royal Bank of Scotland merged with a major banking group in the Netherlands, and the government decided to pressure the bank to make a stand regarding online gambling. Industry observer Keth Frans stated, “What is seems like from the outside is that this was a decision that was made to both please the Swiss government, and to satisfy the demands of the merger. At the end of the day, what the Swiss and Dutch governments are doing is trying to protect their gambling monopolies. I’m not sure these types of actions are going to work under European Union agreements.” The Dutch have made strong efforts to stop the progress of online casinos and this is just the latest event in a series of similar activities.

Frans is referring to the issue of free trade. The WTO has voiced its opinion on the US and its UIGEA in the recent past.  They believe that the UIGEA is in violation of free trade laws and could bring charges against the country regarding the stand.