Casinos are the perfect place to blow off steam and party like a rock star. Over the years many celebrities have chosen casinos as their place to kick back and have a good time. Unlike night clubs, casinos provide a wide range of services including fine dining, spas, shows, high end shopping, gambling, and privacy should the need arise.

That is not to say that celebrities can't make quite a scene at a casino if they choose. Most casinos in Las Vegas have a rich night life with clubs and bars open 24 hours a day.

Earlier this week Rihanna told reporters about a recent bachelor party she had for pop star Katy Perry in Las Vegas which serves as a perfect example of just how wild parties at casinos can get. The girls and 25 of their closest friends started off with a poolside party at the Hard Rock Hotel and casino where they drank, ate, and mingled. After that caught a hummer limo to the latest Cirque du Soleil production, at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, they ate dinner at Ago, partied it up VIP style at the XS Nightclub, and then finished things off by visiting the Sapphire strip club.

Las Vegas isn't the only Mecca for casino fans. Many celebrities take their antics to Atlantic City which serves as home to some of the best casinos on the east coast. Celebrities like Nick Lachey, Drew Barrymore, Jamie Lynn Sigler and Jon Bon Jovi have been seen hitting the tables at the Borgata Hotel and clubs like Mur Mur or Mixx attract such celebrities as Kim Kardashian.

For the most part celebrities aren't that much different than the rest of us. Many simply visit casinos to play their favorite games. Over the years many celebrities have made the transition to poker pro and while some like Jennifer Tilly  or Tiffany Michelle are more successful than others it is still a sport that many people simply love to compete in.

Since online casinos make it easy to play any hour of the day, many celebrities have already begun popping up at them. Nikki Hilton has been spotted playing at online poker site Doylesroom.com and Heavyweight Boxing Champion Evander "Real Deal" Holyfield plays exclusively at RealDealPoker.com.

So whether you like to stay at home and play online or head to the casinos for a night out, chances are you might just find yourself among a few famous faces.

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Atlantic City learned the hard way that poker players prefer a live playing environment with real dealers. The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino recently conducted an experiment that involved removing some of their tables and replacing them with automated poker tables. The response from players was of course resoundingly negative.

The machines which mimicked real tables automatically shuffled and dealt video-type cards. Every player at the table was assigned a small display screen complete with sensor controls to place further bets, to call and to fold. Sort of like a weird combination of video poker and live gaming the new machines neither provided the convenience of video poker or online gaming nor the camaraderie of the table games.

To further hurt matters many members of the casino union clubs were apprehensive about the new devices. They feared that should they become popular it could lead to further layoffs for dealers in the area and they fought hard to get the machines removed.

Whether the deciding factor was the lack of interest in the machines or the outrage of the dealers themselves it was no matter. The machines themselves have been removed and it seems unlikely they will make a return any time soon. Just goes to show that nothing can compare to the real thing.

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In a recent interview given to the Medill News Service, the vice-president of the American Bankers Association, Steve Kenneally spoke out against the UIGEA calling it ineffective and costly. This is not the first time that someone has used such language about the upcoming law but his words did carry a certain weight with those who have grown frustrated with its quickly approaching deadline. Should something not go through soon the UIGEA is set to become applicable on June 1^st.

Kenneally said that it will still take a lot of time to implement systemic changes that are needed to be able to implement the law. When it comes right down to it he wanted to make it clear that there are certain transactions that banks won’t be able to stop. For example if a player writes a check to an online gambling site the banking system won’t be able to stop it from clearing since it would be in the name of the holding company. The same would apply to wire transfers. It is true that these funding methods take longer to go through then electronic transfers but it would be enough to keep the online gambling industry going.

He also points out that banks could prevent transfers by credit and debit cards to online casinos provided they honestly identified themselves but most online casinos use a code that belongs to another kind of online merchant and effectively disguise their identity. This makes it impossible to track and stop all the electronic transfers going on. Though the practice of disguising itself is illegal it’s doubtful that many casinos are above doing it if it means keeping their business a float. Sure banks could get overzealous and start blocking legitimate transfers if they find them suspect but that wouldn’t be good for anyone involved.

When it comes right down to it though, it’s the cost of the extra measures that really bothers Kenneally. Under no circumstances would the banks be able to pay for all of the extra things and ultimately it would be the consumers that would have to carry much of the burden. It just doesn’t seem fair that people who have no intention of gambling online would have to pay for such a futile attempt he notes.

The only solution according to Kenneally would be to legalize and regulate online gambling. This seems to be the words on everyone’s mouth lately but nothing appears to be happening. The House Committee hearing on Barney Frank’s bill was postponed and no new date has been set. Kenneally finished up his interview with a grim warning, "We're just telling all of our bankers to be prepared on June 1."

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The deadline for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is set to take effect June 1^st and a number of politicians are working against the grind to get it repealed or delayed before it’s too late.

Republicans Barney Frank and Jim McDermott are at the forefront of this movement. They are looking to legalize, regulate and tax online gambling for the benefit of the government and American players.

Under their bill, a 6% tax would be levied on all deposits and paid to the state or tribal government the player resides in. In addition to that a 2% tax would be charged on all deposits for the federal government. It is estimated that if this bill went into effect that the government could see as much as $30 billion for states and tribal governments and $42 billion for the federal government in as little as a decade.

McDermott rightly argues that the potential source of revenue online gambling could provide cannot be ignored in today’s economy. He also argued that adults should have the right to spend their money how they see fit without interference from the government.

The bill was supposed to be considered in the House Financial Services Committee late last week but that did not occur. A vote is now due in spring and all online casinos will be watching developments closely.

Should the UIGEA go into effect before another piece of legislation goes through, many online casinos, poker rooms, and sports books could see their current business in the American market choked off or face persecution from the federal government.

Call or write to your local politicians today and make sure that they are representing your voice in the matter.

 

 

 

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All Slots Casino has announced that one extremely lucky player has hit the top jackpot on the Mega Moolah video slot this week earning themselves $2.7 million. This is the fourth time in less than a year that Mega Moolah has paid out more than $1 million and its online following is ever growing.

Mega Moolah allows players to compete for a top paying jackpot as well as a number of smaller jackpots on a tiered basis. In all there are four different jackpots available– mini, minor, major and mega.

The mini prize usually pays off a lot less then some of the other ones but it still provides a pretty good return considering the lower wagering amount. The mega prize is of course where the real money is. It is responsible for paying out one of the largest jackpots ever- $6,374,434.

New players can now enjoy a massive £5,000 bumper bonus, including a £200 welcome bonus and a 10% deposit bonus on every deposit over the course of the first year.

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Microgaming has released two new slots games. They may be releasing less than their customary three games a month but what they are lacking in quantity lately they have been more than making up for in quality.

The first of the new slots games is Sugar Mama. For those who are unfamiliar with the term a Sugar Mama is a wealthy female that pays for everything her Sugar Baby desires. The game is themed in pinks, purples and jewel tones. Symbols include the Sugar Mama, her pet Chihuahua, Credit Cards & Cash and a young dashing waiter serving champagne. The Sugar Mama logo is the wild and it offers a fixed jackpot of 7500 coins. The first scatter symbol is the Free Spins Logo which triggers twelve free spins with double the payouts. The second is the pink Gift Box which triggers the Boutique Bonus round in which players pick three gifts out of fifteen or Sugar Mama with winnings of up to 60 times the total bet up for grabs. Both scatter symbols offer a top scatter payout of up to 100X the total bet providing players with plenty of opportunities to win big.

                 

The second online slot game released by Microgaming is Magic Multiplier. This features a classic magician theme. It features playing cards, rabbit, a top hat and high value card symbols. The wild symbol is the Magician which offers a magical jackpot of 10,000 coins. It tops Sugar Mama with three scatter symbols. The Hypnotic Wheel triggers the free spins bonus round which offers a random number of free spins with a multiplier of up to 5X the initial bet. When the Curtains appear on reels 2, 3 and 4 the Curtain feature is triggered and players can open one of the curtains to receive a bonus prize. The last scatter symbol is the Cups and Balls. This replicates the popular magic trick where players have to choose the cup that has the ball hidden underneath. If they can do this successfully then they have the chance to win up to 25X the triggering bet. 

               

Both games are now live at all the Microgaming online casinos. Some of the best places to check them out include All Slots Casino, 32Red Casino, and All Jackpots Casino.

 

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Ladbrokes Casino plans to launch Thunderstruck II in early May and they are giving their players the chance to be one of the first to try out the new slot game with a special free spins promotion.

It’s pretty simple. Those who play the original Thunderstruck slot game in April and deposit £25 into their Ladbrokes accounts and then make a turnover of £150 will receive 50 free spins to use at next month’s launch. All they have to do is claim it.

The original Thunderstruck is a 5-reel, 9-payline and 45-coin online slot game. Its scatter symbol is the Ram which can appear anywhere on the reel provided that two or more of them show up. The wild symbol is Thor which not only serves as a wild but a multiplier doubling out any combination made with that symbol.

If you haven’t tried it out yet now would definitely be the perfect time. Thunderstruck is one of the most popular slot games on the web and for good reason. It can easily provide hours of entertainment for any slots fan. Visit the Ladbrokes Casino today and see what all of the buzz is about. You’ll be happy you did.

 

 

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Steven Wynn dropped out of his deal to take control of the floundering Foxwoods casino project yesterday.

Wynn, who submitted a financial agreement just last week to the state Gaming Control Board issued a stunningly brief statement saying that he has "terminated all agreements and negotiations" to take over the long-stalled project.

"We are fascinated by the legalization of full gaming in Pennsylvania and stimulated by the opportunity that it presents for Wynn Resorts, but this particular project did not, in the end, present an opportunity that was appropriate for our company," he said.

An attorney for the local investors, Steve Cozan, said that the investors had no idea that Wynn would be dropping out of the deal and learned of his decision through the news release receiving no explanation or other information.

"We are shocked and amazed," Cozen said. "We're trying to find out what is behind it and what if anything can be done about it."

Mayor Nutter, who recently sat down with Wynn, was also reported to be stunned by the news. He said that when he spoke to Wynn on Monday he had told him to research the many things Nutter has said in the past about problems with that particular location but that he had offered to help Wynn do what he needed to do to make the project work.

Nutter has in the past called the site “wrong for Philadelphia” said Wynn’s attorney but he wanted to make it clear that Wynn’s decision "had nothing to do with the city of Philadelphia or their interaction with us."

The Gaming Control Board has been ready to revoke the would-be casino’s license for some time now. Its license was issued back in 2006 and since that time very little progress has been made. On April 21^st there will be a board hearing in which investors will be asked to explain why their casino’s license should not be revoked and things are not looking good for them.

The investment partners paid $64.7 million for the South Philly site in 2005 and an additional $50 million for the casino license in 2007. When Wynn told the board last month that he would take a 51 percent stake in the casino and put up 40 percent of the projected $600 million for construction many investors were probably letting out a sigh of relief. The local investors would have still received a 35 percent share in the casino and the tribe 14 percent but with the deal gone it’s likely neither party will see any return on the initial investment.

Not everyone was disappointed by the news however many nearby neighborhood groups were rejoicing at news of Wynn's pull-out. They hope that it could mean the end of plans for a casino in their area.

"If it's a bad location for Steve Wynn, who the hell is it a good location for?" asked Pennsport Civic Association President Tom Otto. "Whoever woke him up, God bless him. I'm just so relieved."

Queen Village Neighbors Association president Jeff Rush was also ecstatic.

"I give kudos to Steve Wynn, who is enough of a professional to know when to walk away," Rush said.

We'll see if investigators can pull off another extension but if that doesn’t work out, there is always a chance the rights will be auctioned off.

 

 

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Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) has introduced an updated version of the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2010. This new version would ensure that taxes and fees are collected from wagers place over the Internet raising some much-needed revenue for the federal and state governments.

The most significant change to the bill was a provision that allows State and Tribal Governments to collect a six percent tax on all deposits placed in their jurisdiction. It is estimated that with the addition of this new provision online gambling could generate as much as $30 billion dollars in revenue for the state and tribal areas in as little as ten years. That is in addition to the nearly $42 billion it is expected to generate for foster care assistance programs over that same period of time.

"This legislation is a win-win for federal and state leaders, providing an opportunity to regulate a currently off-shore and underground industry, protect consumers and put to good use tens of billions in otherwise lost revenue," said Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "At a time when many policy makers are faced with significant budget shortfalls, it is only common sense to choose regulation that will generate new revenues and create new jobs currently offshore as an alternative to layoffs, program cuts or imposing broad-sweeping taxes that may further depress struggling families and businesses."

With all but six states facing anticipated budget shortfalls for the 2011 fiscal year many have already begun to explore ways to bring regulated online gambling to their jurisdictions but current federal regulations have put a damper on such plans.

Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Representative Barney Frank, Char of the House Democratic Caucus John Larson and Representative Earl Blumenauer have joined forces to create the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2010 which is meant to serve as a companion to the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009. This act was a piece of legislation introduced by Frank that would in effect legalize and regulate the online gambling industry in the U.S.

Neither piece of legislation has been passed yet but many estimates that Chairman Frank’s bill will easily pass when the time comes. It has already found more then 65 co-sponsors who are willing to show their support.

 

 

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Switzerland joined the ever growing list of casinos struck by criminals in recent months. Approximately 10 armed men were reported to have raided The Basel casino. The criminals were said to have been armed with pistols and small machines guns and were dressed in black clothes with black ski masks.

The group was said to have been very calculating. Upon entering the casino they split into two groups to cover more area. As one group attempted to break into the casino’s vault the other was busy robbing table game cashiers.

The two met back up as they exited the casino several hundred thousand Swiss francs richer. As they were preparing to leave the property a woman unaware of the situation ended up blocking the armed robbers’ vehicles by mistake and suffered the consequences. One of the gun men in a rage pulled the woman from her vehicle and beat her before taking off across the French border. The others soon followed.

“It was fast, it was planned,” Managing director of the Grand Casino Basel, Michel Favrod, said today in a telephone interview. “The people knew where to go, what they had to do and that they had to leave quickly.”

There were about 600 people at the casino at the time of the robbery. No one in the casino suffered any serious injuries although one guest did take a kick to the head after he moved during the raid.

Swiss and French authorities are working closely to bring the criminals in. Witnesses say the robbers spoke French and drove vehicles with French licenses. If anyone has any information that could lead to an arrest please contact Swiss or French authorities immediately. Time is of the essence.

This recent string of casino robberies and poker heists gives us all the more reason to play online instead of going out in possibly dangerous live casinos and poker rooms. Experience all of the fun of a regular casino and then some at Las Vegas USA Casino. Play poker online like never before at the totally awesome 3-D online poker room PKR.com.

 

 

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