Archive for April, 2007
by Simon Dexter Monday, April 23rd, 2007
New gambling laws were announced this week with TV and radio adverts being allowed for the first time from September. The rules are stringent and below is a look at them and a tongue-in-cheek view of what may happen without the guidelines.
(1) Advertisements must not portray, condone or encourage gambling behaviour that is socially irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm.
“Don’t pay that gas bill! Come to our gambling establishment and put the lot on the 4:50 at Kempton Park. You know it makes sense.
(2) Advertisements must not suggest that gambling can provide an escape from personal, professional or educational problems such as loneliness or depression.
Feeling down? No worries – have a bet with us and all your troubles may be over. Meet new friends as you spend your last £10 on a crazy Cheltenham forecast.
(3) Advertisements must not suggest that gambling can be a solution to financial concerns, an alternative to employment or a way to achieve financial security.
Fed up with the rat race? Find an easier way by gambling for a living. It’s the only way to achieve financial security. Contact us with your credit card at the ready for further details.
(4) Advertisements must not portray gambling as indispensable or as taking priority in life, for example over family, friends or professional or educational commitments.
Make gambling your way of life. Forget friends, family and relationships – come to us for a real buzz and a whole new way of life.
(5) Advertisements must neither suggest peer pressure to gamble nor disparage abstention.
If you don’t gamble, well, frankly you are a loser. Everyone else is doing it so why don’t you. Non-gambling is for nerds.
(6) Advertisements must not suggest that gambling can enhance personal qualities, for example that it can improve self-image or self-esteem, or is a way to gain control, superiority, recognition or admiration.
Want to win friends and influence people? Then come and have a bet with us. Be the most popular bloke at work with your gambling stories. Discover a new you.
(7) Advertisements must not link gambling to seduction, sexual success or enhanced attractiveness.
Make every woman love you. Gamblers get more women. Fact. Join today and not only will your sexual performance improve but you will feel and look better with every dollar you lose.
(8) Advertisements must not portray gambling in a context of toughness or link it to resilience or recklessness.
Only real men gamble. Prove yourself to be well hard by spending your wages down the local casino. Hey, there’s always next week and think how cool you will be telling the story about how you don’t care about the money.
(9) Advertisements must not suggest gambling is a rite of passage.
It’s time to grow up. Throw away those short pants and act like a man. Come to our gambling establishment and you leave a grown up. You’ll win loads of money but you’ll be shaving the next day.
(10) Advertisements must not suggest that solitary gambling is preferable to social gambling.
Stay away from the crowd. They only encourage you to spend less at the casino. Bet by yourself – you really will win money that way…honest.
by Simon Dexter Monday, April 23rd, 2007
Casino Royale may have failed to receive any Oscar nominations but the gambling based film was critically acclaimed and proved, at last, that the Bond series is not a dieing genre.
There are an incredible 54 films with the word ‘casino’ in the title and to be honest I could only name two: Casino Royale and Martin Scorsese’s ‘Casino’ - perhaps three if you will count the original Bond movie with David Niven and Peter Sellers.
Has anyone heard of “Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold” whose tagline is 6′ 2″ of dynamite caught in the web of international intrigue? Another probably needed a more subtle title - The Casino Murder Case (1935) which was surprisingly about a murder case set in a casino!
It was Scorsese’s ‘Casino’ which divided many people as to whether it was the best ever casino film. Many believed the film to be one of the director’s best works - on a level with Raging Bull and Taxidriver. Others saw it as a poor attempt to cash in on his success with Goodfellas.
It has been described as over-violent and with plenty of brutal scenes, I think this is a fair point. I’m not a huge film buff but this offering kept me engaged for three hours - pretty hard to do with my usual levels of concentration.
I have yet to see the latest Bond film and may not get to watch it at the cinema. The gambling side to the action does intrigue me and I should get to see it on dvd. I haven’t really enjoyed a Bond film since I was a kid - though I did have a liking for Duran Duran’s theme for View to A Kill.
One of the most recent casino films was The Last Casino where a university professor enlists three of his students in attempting to con a casino.
The plot is nothing special but it is a well-made (for TV) movie that keeps you interesting from start to finish mainly due to the whole piece being well acted and the action superbly directed by Pierre Gill.
It is a much underrated film which is highly recommendable and allows you to see some of the seedier side of the casino world.
For less of the seedier side of the online casino world take a look at the trusted online casino at www.littlewoodscasino.com.
by Simon Dexter Monday, April 23rd, 2007
Keno is often introduced as a game of chance. It is described as somewhere between bingo and the national lottery.
Players pick up to 15 numbers between 1 and 80 and try to get as many of them matched as possible from a total of 20 drawn. It is pure luck and a bit of fun but there will be many people out there telling you there strategy and the best way to win at Keno.
The only real strategy with Keno is to bet sensibly. If you are going to choose 15 numbers and expect to get them you are a dreamer. The less numbers you pick then the more chance you have of winning. This is just basic maths.
Keno is a game not to be taken too seriously and is not a high stakes game. Its simplicity means anyone can play and anyone can win. The best reason to play Keno is for enjoyment and the winning is a bonus. Have fun, relax and enjoy the games.
Using online slot machines, players boost the level of the jackpot with every spin of the wheel. At littlewoodscasino.com a myriad of games are included in the jackpot and allow anyone playing to get their hands on some serious money.
The top drawer game is the Millionaire’s Club whose progressive jackpot can reach well into the millions of pounds. Every spin of the wheel gives you a chance of scooping the jackpot and there are many players out there who have joined the elite club by playing this game. Why can’t it be you?
Slightly down the spectrum is the Rags to Riches Game which allows anyone playing the pound-a-spin game a chance to qualify to win big bucks. Spinning the bonus wheel with three coins allows anyone to qualify for a bonanza pay out.
The new Shoot-O-Rama game also has progressive jackpots normally starting at 20,000 pounds. The less coin value you play here means you will win less of the jackpot though higher coin values could see you scooping the top prize.
Progressive Blackjack gives anyone receiving four aces the chance at a shot at big money. With guaranteed prizes it is becoming one of the most popular online jackpot games.
All these games and more are available on littlewoodscasino.com – the trusted name in online gambling.
by Simon Dexter Monday, April 23rd, 2007
Slot machines sending out subliminal messages? Hard to believe but that has been what has been happening in Canada in one of their biggest casinos.
The machines were filmed after allegations that five winning symbols would flash up with the intention of encouraging people to stay longer on the machine.
Following extensive tests, 17 video slot machines have been withdrawn from use in the state of Ontario and their software is under going close scrutiny.
Such messages could suggest to a player’s unconscious mind that they have won a jackpot no matter where the reels really landed.
A spokesman for the casino said the image was invisible to the naked eye. “You can stand there for 20 hours and never see it,” he said.
“Some experts say that it’s subliminal. The gambler supposedly sees it unknowingly, and it induces them to play more and more. We don’t condone subliminal messaging.”
A spokesperson for the manufacturers dismissed the idea that a subliminal message was sent out to induce gamers to play the slot machines. “There is no subliminal message in the software,”
The company, however, is building a patch for its software that will randomly scatter the reels before a customers plays it.
Slot machine playing is becoming increasingly popular, especially online, and it is not only the draw of big jackpots that get players excited.
With blackjack and poker both games which rely heavily on skill, the lure of the slot machine is due to its anonymity and equality. There is little skill in pressing a button and watching the screen whiz around but importantly there is no-one there questioning your decisions and judging you in some sort of way.
This is why it is a popular form of gambling for many people with the people playing balanced out equally among the age group and sexes.
Both online and real life casinos are realising the need to place machines that have low stakes play. This gives people of any budget the chance to enjoy their favourite games without the risk of losing huge sums.
Video slot machines can be played at Littlewoods Casino for as little as 5p per spin – still a little bit higher than the real casinos but then again there is no subliminal advertising apart from knowing you are playing at one of the most trusted online lounges on the world.
by Simon Dexter Monday, April 23rd, 2007
What is the busiest casino or online gambling site in the world? Many people might think it is Las Vegas or Monte Carlo, perhaps Atlantic City or one of the new Australian resorts. All answers would be wrong – the answer is Macau.
Recent figures published showed that the former Portugal colony has narrowly beaten Las Vegas into top spot. To be honest I had no idea where Macau was – though I’ve never been that good at geography.
I knew it was in the ‘east’ somewhere, perhaps near the Philippines or that gambling centre of the world Malaysia! I was pretty surprised to find that the world’s biggest gambling resort is, in fact, in China.
Portugal colonised the little island when they were bigger than Phil Scolari back in the 16th century and managed to hold onto it until as late as 1998 (despite trying to give it back a couple of times).
They still retain some control though the situation is similar to Great Britain and Hong Kong. For anyone really interested, check out what the CIA have to say about it https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mc.html . It’s a pretty dry webpage – unlike the Macau weather which is sub-tropical.
Anyway, for the first time the little island now pays out more in gambling and roulette wins than Las Vegas - $7 billion in 2006 compared to Las Vegas’ $6.69 billion - with the most popular game being baccarat.
In attempt to woo customers and no doubt get back ahead of the Macau Special Administrative Region of China (as it is officially called), Las Vegas is set to introduce a special Pussycat Dolls lounge.
The new room in Caesars Palace will be dedicated to the burlesque dancing troupe, who gave their name to the famous pop group.
The PCD Casino will include roulette tables, blackjack and craps as well as fruit machines and games. Players will be able to buy PCD merchandise. Whoopee! Customers will be served at their roulette table by scantily clad waitresses. Whoopee!
Now, I’m all in favour of seeing a bit of flesh but while I’m playing with my money I’d rather not be distracted.
Play at the trusted online casino and avoid distraction at Littlewoodscasino.com. You can always drag down some dubious pictures to play your own online games if you like, but when my money is down on a hand of multi-hand blackjack I need to concentrate.
by Simon Dexter Monday, April 23rd, 2007
The recent court case which saw a London gang convicted of defrauding a number of London casinos made plenty of column inches due to its James Bond-like modus operandi.
Plenty of people like to read about such cases and deep down many like the thought of ‘getting one over’ the house.
Using a miniature camera, a makeshift recording studio and two-way communication equipment they were able to cheat their way to over 250,000 pounds over the course of a few months.
However, as in many walks of life, the cheat’s day in the sun rarely lasts long and this hi-tech trio were let down, in the end, by their greed.
By winning more than is statistically possible, over a short period, the casino security was alerted. It was only then that their play was monitored more closely and eventually the scam was worked out.
This does not mean that anyone who wins more than is statistically possible is cheating. Stats have many algorithms than can peak and trough. The clean player who wins big has nothing to fear. No matter how closely they are monitored, the casino will not be able to find a scam because there is none.
Casinos certainly do not ban lucky customers, indeed they want them to spread the word and, in a curious way they want them to win.
Meanwhile, a ban on smoking at a Toronto casino saw revenues fall by 33.8 per cent last summer and in a move to reclaim their customers, the management are spending $2.3m on luxurious covered smoking shelters.
The move has angered many bar and restaurant owners who have been unable to erect special smoking patios for their customers due to the government regulations.
Casinos have been exempt because there primary service is providing gambling facilities and not food and drink.
Opponents say the ‘loophole’ has created an unfair playing field for private businesses and is a debate which may hit Britain soon with the forthcoming smoking ban.
Whether a smoker or not, online casinos offer the person the right to enjoy whatever they like at a tense moment.
I am sure many players at Littlewoods Casino have their own preferences whether it’s simply a cup of tea to calm the nerves or a sly puff on a pipe.
Does anyone still smoke a pipe?
