Gaming software developer Playtech has announced the release of its Mobile Web Apps, a series of applications that will bring the company’s gaming products to mobile devices such as cell phones. Playtech announced in January a list of initiatives for this year and the mobile gaming platform is first on the list. Games available on the platform are blackjack, craps, video poker, Texas Hold’em and their signature slots.

Playtech stated that their platform will bring a new level of graphics to phone-based gaming. Progressive jackpots, greater security and protection against problem gambling are promised as well. Playtech has been a mover and shaker in the industry lately, creating a lot of speculation. Their deal with Sportech puts the company in position to offer sports betting on the mobile applications. The recent partnership with Scientific Games has many people speculating that Playtech is planning to secure a U.S. license if and when the country’s online gambling market is opened. Currently, Playtech refuses U.S. customers because of the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) ban.

The mobile platform will be available on personal computers or on devices for on-the-go use. Players can use the same account and log-in details for both. No download is needed with the instant play mode of the mobile applications. The technology can also be used on Android phones, the iPod Touch and the iPhone. Mobile Web App examples are a video poker game called Jacks or Better, blackjack and a progressive slot game called Gold Rally. Gold Rally is linked to Playtech’s online casino progressive slot jackpot, which has paid out more than a million to each of five players over the past year. Three Java-based games are scheduled for release as well. They include keno, bingo, pop bingo and the ever-popular “rock, paper, scissors,” which will carry fixed odds.

A new, unique feature called “Casino Pack” allows user to bundle a number of games into a single, downloadable package. Playtech’s IMS (Information Management Solution) will be transferred over, allowing integration across multiple platforms. Even though Playtech is the largest publicly traded online gaming software company in the world, they haven’t gone over the final hump. Mobile Web Apps are another step to get noticed by industry giants like Microgaming and Cryptologic.

The Ramada Plaza Hotel in Kentwood, Michigan was recently raided by the police as an illegal gambling operation was taken down. Police spokesmen said the illegal poker tournaments included topless dealers and hostesses and the serving of alcohol. Police arrested 20 people, including four topless dealers.

The authorities were tipped off by the Texas Hold’em poker event from its advertisement on Craig’s List.

“That’s how it came on our radar screen,” said Lt. Curt Schram of the Michigan Police to a local T.V. news station. “They were so open about it.”

No hotel workers were charged but Schram confirmed the management was aware of the operation. Apparently, the tournament organizer convinced hotel executives that everything they were doing was legal.

The tournament host has not been found, but police are planning his arrest. The authorities know his identity and said he is based in Detroit. The man previously tried to host similar events at hotels in Muskegon, but was denied access.

Scram said there were at least three such poker events held in the past month at the Ramada in a conference room, and sometimes the girls were completely nude. He said the girls would perform for tips, playing in Twister games and offering Jello shots.

I’m not condoning this type of behavior but one would think if he had planned this out for other hotels before, he would know better than to advertise it on a public forum like Craig’s List available to the authorities.

In an effort to curb appeal against legal gambling in his state, Alabama Governor Bob Riley inadvertently made his opponents‘ case for them. This was represented in Riley’s examples in his State of the State address.

He said that gambling in the 1950s was controlled primarily by criminals, and attempts to rid them from the state led to the assassination of a candidate for attorney general. His point was the old myth that gambling increase crime.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you vote to let this happen, you’ll be swimming in a pool that has more sharks than all the oceans in the world,” Riley said.

However, gambling proponents said Riley is reiterating their point, only for a different outcome. Gambling operators only want legalization and regulation so that criminals like ones that Riley fears are forced out of the gaming black market that would be created by a prohibition of gambling. They said that the 1950s created an environment that was fruitful for crime and illegal gaming. Regulation, not full prohibition, would prevent corruption.

Additionally, Alabama lawmakers are angry that Riley has no legitimate plan to deal with the state budget crisis. Senate Rules Committee Chairman Lowell Barron said Riley is counting on federal money from bills that haven’t even been passed yet.

House Budget Committee Chariman Richard Lindsey said a state tax on casinos and gambling would be helpful. If Riley doesn’t prohibit electronic bingo, lawmakers estimate that taxing it would raise $200 million per year in revenue.

The betting table may make craps seem intimidating but it only requires a little bit of strategy and some luck. The number of ways to bet are broad and the dice rolls can seem daunting at first but it’s not that complicated once you understand the terminology.

Craps is played with two dice. The large betting space is called the “pass line.” Your “come-out” roll, or first roll of your turn, determines the pass-line point. If you roll a 7 or 11 on your first turn, you win automatically and a new round begins. Rolling a 2, 3 or 12 is a “crap out,” or automatic loss. All other numbers (i.e. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) establishes a “point.” The shooter can keep rolling until they hit that point again. If you roll a 7 after establishing a point, you lose. For example, if you first roll a 5, you keep rolling until you hit a 5 again. If you roll a 7, you lose.

The difference between online craps and land-based casino craps is that you don’t have to pass the dice to the next player online. You simply bet on the outcome of your own roll.

The odds of any number coming up in craps are 1 in 36 and the odds of a 7 or 11 are 22%. You have an 11% chance of crapping out. The house edge on most bets is only 1.5%, making craps one of the most enticing casino games.

Aharon Shaked, one of the first online casino pioneers, passed away last Saturday at age 58, according to Israeli business news site The Marker. Starting in dentistry in his native Israel, he made his fortune in online gambling with the two established 888 holdings. He accomplished that in 1997 with the help of his brother, Avi Shaked.

The idea of 888 came about at a dentistry conference in Monte Carlo in the 1990s when Aharon noticed people flocking to the casino. Neither brother had any previous experience in gambling so the two spent time at casinos in Eliat, a southern Israeli city where they both gained knowledge on the industry.

However, it wasn’t easy for the brothers, mortgaging their houses in 1995 to build 888. In 2005, the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and the brothers owned 70% of the stock. Each brother sold stocks worth $91.3 million and held onto ones worth $267 million each.

Aharon told a British newspaper following the company’s listing that his wealth would not change him, vowing to put the profits toward charities for underprivileged children in Israel.

A good casino game strategy for online blackjack will not differ too much from a strategy that you would use when playing blackjack in a land based casino. The most important component for your online blackjack game strategy is still playing according to basic strategy.

This is a legal strategy in an online casino. It is very easy to accomplish online. Have open in one window the online casino that you are playing at. In another window, have a basic strategy chart pulled up so that you can reference it easily. Online blackjack still carries a house edge of 2% to 4%. Basic strategy, if played perfectly, can lower the casino’s house edge to 0.5% to 1%.

Perfect basic strategy means that you make every play according to what the chart says, even if your brain tries to tell you that play cannot possibly be the best play. This usually happens when you are dealt a stiff hand—a hand with a total of 12 to 16. Those hands are easy to bust so they usually require standing when your brain says to hit. The best statistical play that you can make is on the basic strategy chart, so you will want to stick with the chart.

You will not win every single hand using basic strategy, but you will win more over time than if you played without it. Casinos would like you to believe that you can win every hand so that when you do not, you quit using the chart and go back to playing randomly—they make more money this way. So stick with your game plan and keep using your basic strategy chart.

Normally blackjack strategy also includes a card counting system. But card counting cannot be done online. This is because of the Random Number Generator (RNG). An RNG can be likened to picking up all the cards that were just played and shuffling them back into the deck. In other words there are no discards, and all cards have the same chance of being dealt as they did in the previous round. So, for the sake of your game strategy for online blackjack you will want to dispense with trying to card count.

If the dealer’s upcard is an ace you will be offered insurance. Do not take it. Insurance is really a side bet on whether the dealer’s hole card is worth 10 or not. If you take insurance and the dealer does have a natural blackjack, you will have lost your original bet although you will be paid 2-1 on your insurance bet. While this sounds like a good idea, it is not. If you lose the round and the dealer does not have a natural blackjack you will have lost your money on both bets. Overall there are more losing or even outcomes in regards to insurance than there are positive outcomes. Experienced blackjack players will tell you to decline insurance because you will lose more money in the long run.

For a good casino game strategy for online blackjack you will want to play according to basic strategy for the best statistical plays; dispense with card counting since the RNG makes it impossible; and decline insurance to hang on to more of your money in the long run.

It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas for the slots enthusiast at PrismCasino.com. The online casino has unveiled three new holiday-themed five-reel online slot games: “Naughty or Nice,” “Rudolph’s Revenge” and “Santa Strikes Back.” Though the titles sounds a bit harsh, these slots have well-thought themes and graphics that will be a delight to any gambler.

“Naughty or Nice” is a 50-payline progressive slot with a $5 maximum bet per line. It also includes features that can result in 10 free games or prize doublings. When three or more wreaths are scattered, you must choose between “naughty” or “nice” to receive 10 free games. “Rudolph’s Revenge” is another 50-line slot but has an extensive theme about a vengeful reindeer with a couple of shivering elves. Players hit the jackpot by lining up five evil Rudolph symbols. “Santa Strikes Back” is the sequel to “Rudolph’s Revenge.” Ol’ St. Nick seeks to regain control of the North Pole from Rudolph and players get seven free games if Santa and Rudolph line up on the reels.

PrismCasino is powered by RealTime Gaming and has over 130 casino games to choose from that includes everything from Vegas Three Card Rummy to War. They accept Visa, Master Card, Neteller or Click 2 Pay and offer 24/7 customer support. In addition to their normal monthly bonuses, VIP program and refer-a-friend bonuses, it is currently offering a 350% sign-up bonus and $30 in free chips to new players.

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