Second Life Takes A Lead From The US

11.7.2007 | 5:15 am | News, casinos, gambling

In a move which many have claimed to be too heavy handed, Second Life owners Linden Research have banned all casinos, gambling and games of chance from their hugely successful virtual world.  They have citied problems with the US law and possible interpretation by the authorities as the reason, but many members of Second Life are up in arms about the move. 

For those who have never heard of Second Life, it is the most successful virtual world simulator of all time, with traditional businesses being managed from inside the virtual world.  The community also has its own currency, which can be converted into any of the more traditional currencies such as dollars, pounds, etc.  It seemed like a natural progression to include an array of gambling facilities into this virtual world, with casinos proving very popular among the millions who “inhabit” this world.

Second Life was only set up in 2003 but it has quickly become the most successful of the many virtual worlds now available on the internet.  It is the life like actions, businesses and members of the society who have spawned a massive growth in the community with many webmasters actually living off their Second Life income – indeed last year we saw the first millionaire created by the mysterious world!

It will be interesting to see what action the administrators of this world take as and when the online casino / gambling laws are relaxed because there is no doubt that it might be a new market for some of the major casino companies in due course. 

Will Second Life become the new Macau? Will online gambling ever be legalised in the US? While nobody actually knows the answer to these questions, the pressure being exerted on the US authorities continues to grow, with many claiming that it is only a matter of time before the rules are relaxed – perhaps after next years Presidential elections when the pressure to please the public may be off?

Do Casino Boats Have A Place In The Industry?

11.6.2007 | 8:29 pm | casinos

As the traditional casino industry continues to go from strength to strength we are seeing an increasing number of casino boats emerging from the midst.  These vessels offer a very different approach to gambling, and also can be very controversial because of concerns about their legality and who actual receives taxes, distributes gambling licences, etc.

The idea of casino boats is not new, as they have been around for some time, but they are starting to become more popular now there is more and more money at stake.  Like the floating night clubs which have appeared in places such as the UK and the US, they are proving very difficult to administer and control, using all of the loopholes in the various regulations set-up to catch them out!

While we call them casino boats, they often offer a lot more than just casinos, and can be very luxuries.  They tend to flout the laws of the land by regularly sailing between various destinations around the world, docking for as long as is legally possible and then moving on again.  International waters have also proved a very popular spot for these casino boats to drop anchor, with the old laws of the sea deeming them effectively untouchable.

At some stage the authorities will catch up the new fleet of casino boats, but at the moment their popularity is growing in some quarters, and they seem to be benefitting from the feel good factor in offline casino gambling.  As and when the authorities do manage to change the laws governing their use, it will be interesting to see the ensuing court cases which will be no doubt fought to the last. 

While a few hands of Poker on a casino boat may not be to everyone’s taste, they are an interesting alternative to a weekend in the countryside!

Microsoft Xbox Set To Bring Poker To The Masses

11.5.2007 | 3:47 pm | Poker, Poker Stars

In a move which has the potential to greatly increase the current world wide Poker playing audience, Microsoft has signed up with TV Company ESPN to bring on demand TV to the Xbox.  While the ESPN connection will open up a whole new world to Xbox subscribers, it will specifically bring Poker to the masses in the shape of the World Series of Poker.  So how will the online Poker market develop through this venture?

While Poker is in a recovery stage after the shock of online gambling being banned in the US, the fact that the World Series of Poker will now be marketed directly to gamers throughout the world not only has the potential to assist in promoting online Poker sites, but also Poker games for consoles such as the Xbox.  When you consider the millions of Xbox consoles sold since the machine was first introduced, this represents a great opportunity for the Poker industry to shine.

The gaming consumers have always showed an interest in games such as Poker, and the fact that access to the professional tournaments will soon be at their fingertips is enthralling.  These are consumers who have a genuine interest in challenging game play, and it does not come any more challenging than Poker!

While no other formal deals have been announced, the fact that this agreement is not exclusive opens the door for an array of similar agreements for the Poker industry.  It may well be that the online gamer sector is ready to cover some of the void left by US gamers, but time will tell how quickly this will expand.  This also gives the World Series of Poker an interesting head start towards the inevitable TV on the internet which is growing ever closer. 

Promoting to a ready made market is not difficult, and is sure to see an increase in Poker interest among a new group of consumers.  We are sure to see record viewing figures for the next World Series of Poker, and the headlines which will go with this……

Are Smoke Filled Casino Rooms A Thing Of The Past?

11.2.2007 | 9:22 pm | News, gambling

Even though many states have already passed a number of laws banning smoking from public places, it seems that we may soon see the last of the casino smoke filled rooms.  The scenes we see in the films where smoke is billowing above the table and all around as they come in to lay their hands.  While there has been some campaigning to stop the law hitting casino’s it looks like the 75% floor ban may be extended to the full casino area.

A recent survey in New Jersey found that 70% of those questioned were in favour of a total smoking ban across the State’s 11 casino developments.  Interestingly, of those questioned many said that they would actually visit a casino more often if the rooms were free of smoke.  It seems inevitable that we will see a total ban at some point very soon, with the authorities under pressure from the public as well as lawyers who are concerned about the possible legal implications if only partial bans are enforced.

Even though many of those questioned said they would visit more often if the casino’s in New Jersey were 100% smoke free, recent results from a number of casino operators around the US have indicated a short term fall where smoking was banned on the casino floor.  Whether this is just a short term phenomenon as smokers vacate the area to be replaced by non-smokers remains to be seen, but there will be an inevitable shift in the make-up of the casino industries clientele.

Of course it is not only the casino industry which has and continues to suffer from the smoking ban, but the industry yet again seems to be making all of the headlines.  Historically the casino industry has been through many changes, some voluntary and some forced, only to come out at the other end stronger and fitter – this time will be no different.

Is Macau A Lucky Place For Gamblers?

11.1.2007 | 10:16 pm | News, casinos

While there is no doubt that Macau has well and truly established itself as one of the most popular (if not the most popular) casino haven in the world, is it starting to look like a lucky place for gamblers?

While billions upon billions of dollars have been spent in Macau over the last couple of years, with yet more in the pipeline, it seems that investment returns may not be quite what many had expected.  The latest company to be hit by trading in Macau is Las Vegas Sands (the worlds largest casino company by market value) which saw its shares drop by over 15% today after announcing a third quarter loss.  Even though the loss was a mixture of cost over runs at their Macau development, and a run of big client wins in Macau and Las Vegas, there seems to be a pattern in Macau of late.

The multi-nationals are all spending heavily to gain a firm foothold in the Macau market, but over runs, competition and customer wins have held back results of late.  When you consider that the markets were disappointed at recent monthly income growth of some 49%, perhaps the experts are expecting too much too soon?

It would be no surprise to see a slowdown in new developments in Macau, and the possible merging of various companies in the region.  While the local government have always appreciated the income which the casino industry brings in, it seems inevitable that new licences and new planning permissions cannot go on at the pace they have been.  Perhaps it is time to cut all new developments, which will increase the value of existing casinos in the area.  This in turn may spawn a period of corporate activity which may well result in some of the fat being taken out of the local casino industry.  Perhaps not a bad thing in the long run?