The Struggle Is Real – The World’s Oldest Casino Can’t Find New Management

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Negotiations are still swirling in the wind for the world’s oldest land-based casino. It’s located in the city of Venice, Italy, and it’s in a state of panic.

Why? No one wants to take over the management. The city council of Venice wants investors to commit roughly half a billion Euros over the course of 30 years.

This is a beautiful casino with a very rich history. The Ca’Vendramin Calergi casino was built in 1638, and is still in operation to this day.

Some close to the deal are realizing the big mistake here: asking for too much money in a very uncertain economy. Gambling is an activity that people tend to do year round, no matter what the economy does. However, it’s wise to be conservative in a period where credit markets are still cold, so say the least.

CaVendramin Calergi casino

The council has two choices: go for another public tender or go completely private. Venice’s major indicated that there were no other options available.

The terms of the old public tender that got shot down were heavy: investors would trade a down payment of 140 million Euros and then 308 million Euros to be paid over 30 years. A year 16 million Euro gambling tax would also have to be paid to the state.

The bureaucracy of Italy comes into play on this deal heavily as well. They added a lot of mess to the deal by requiring the new management have to pay a 5% tax on gross revenue exceeding 140 million Euros. These high levels of taxation are driving offers away from the casino.

In our opinion, it’s going to take private investment to keep up with not only the regulations involved with taking care of such an old casino, but also making sure that the tax obligations are met every year.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments.

Are Poker Players Really Bluffing or Are You Just Hoping Too Hard?

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Poker is a game where bluffers will bluff, but that doesn’t mean that’s all they’re going to do. Image is a very important tool in poker. A lot of newbies assume that everyone on poker bluffs. Have you checked out the World Series of Poker? Generally speaking, people only make big raises or shoves when they actually have something to play with.

It’s very dangerous to just assume that people are bluffing. Isn’t there a way to look at player intentions before you get too committed?

Yes, there is. It’s actually called folding. People hate folding a hand that could potentially be good. But if you know that you have a weak hand from the beginning, why not fold and watch the show? Looking at what a player does when you’re not in the hand is very important to gain knowledge on what they’re doing.

bluffing in poker

If you find that one player is bluffing, do you avoid all hands that they’re in? Of course not. You want to make sure that you are practicing good poker policy even when other people are playing wildly. If you cultivate the image of a player that uses their head, you won’t get pulled into emotional situations. It’s unnerving to play with a bluffer, because they’re taking chips that you could have received yourself. When you’re playing for real money, this is even more frustrating.

It’s still in your best interest to be quiet, be patient, and wait for the right opening. Positioning in the game also makes a difference. If you’re the dealer, you’re the last one to act on the opening hand. This will let you know a good idea of what everyone has. If you have a weak hand when you’re the dealer, then you can fold gracefully and leave the pot alone. On the other hand if you’re the first one to act, a simple call vs. a raise can make a big difference. If you do indeed have a very strong pair, like KK or AA, then you should raise.

You have to think about odds with everything that you do. Yes, there will be times where you catch a really bad beat. It can really color your mood. When that happens, there’s nothing wrong with standing up and taking a deep breath. One of the key reactions the typical bluffer is hoping for is to unnerve you to the point where you start playing sloppy.

Don’t let them put you in that frame of mind. As long as you stay mentally strong, you can take over the game eventually.

Be Secure: Tips for Online Poker Safety

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There is little feeling worse in the world than being hacked and having a stranger gain access to all of your personal information and even worse – your money. But that’s what could potentially happen to your poker account if you access a dodgy website on an unsecured computer.

It’s a worrying thought but never fear! Follow these simple steps and make sure that you are protected online.

Choose a reliable poker room

This is a big one. Don’t just play poker with any random site that you find online – and especially don’t enter your card details unless you trust the website.

The PKR poker domain is one of the best established gaming websites that there is in all of the UK. Their world class security is second to none in the online poker world.

Poker Safety

After the Heart Bleed problem that many internet companies suffered, and the eBay hacking, customers are understandably wary about entering credit card information or other personal details online.

All of the information on the PKR website is completely encrypted, using the internationally sound SSL/https process, which is above industry standard.

Officially, PKR say; “It is a requirement of the Alderney Gambling Control Commission that an independent testing house evaluates a licensee’s RNG, operating procedures, systems architecture, technical infrastructure, site security and the veracity of the games themselves. PKR Ltd has been evaluated by Gaming Associates, an Australian based testing company and we have met their requirements.”

Protect your password

It’s one of the oldest pieces of internet advice out there. Always be vigilant with your password and never use the same password for different sites. Even if you just change one letter or number in the password, it is more secure than using a universal one.

Sites where you use card or bank details, are best left to a completely separate password altogether. And make sure to not use anything too obvious as your secret answer either!

Because the problem is, one leak and the whole of your online life is in jeopardy. Credit card numbers, addresses, family’s names etc. are all snippets of information that your average hacker can potentially find.

Don’t skimp on the protection

Anti-virus software is an essential part of any device that wants to browse the internet safely. Sadly, people mistakenly believe that an anti-malware program is all that they need, and this is where they run into problems.

Perhaps if you are just researching and lightly browsing the internet, an antivirus program may be sufficient to protect you. However, when playing poker and with lots of money at stake, it is vital that you always choose a well-known and reliable company.

All it takes is a few extra steps to ensure that you are at the top of your game.

How PKR stay secure

Sometimes, websites such as PKR Poker may ask you to send in documents for final verification. So you can enjoy your poker games safe in the knowledge you are secure to play.

Any items that you send will be stored in a secure folder, with only the top staff members allowed access.

If we do ask you to send the required documents (and we will never do this over email), then all of your details will be encrypted including the first and last four digits of your credit card, and also the security number on the back.

PKR are also the only online poker developer that is licenced and regulated by the UK Government.

3 More Fun Slots to Add to Your Collection

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We have a confession to make: we’re absolutely crazy about slot games online! There’s nothing more freeing in the world than sitting down to play your favorite slots for as long as you want. There are no bouncers, no annoying staff, or anything else to deal with. It’s like taking everything you love from a land based casino, and leaving behind everything that you don’t like.

Great graphics, big prizes, free spins and more are waiting for you, so why not check things out when you get a chance? Here’s that list.

1. Loose Cannon

Loose Cannon slots

Do you like 243 ways to win slots? If so, you’ll love Loose Cannon! This is a pirate themed slot that has a huge top prize of 75,500 coins! The symbols are perfectly themed: you have the Captain, a sexy wench, a compass, and a pirate ship. The compass will play a big role in things, because you get retriggerable free spins. If you get one, 3, or 5 compass symbols, then you get those free spins. If you hit a wild on the 3rd reel, you activate the Wild Cannon Feature. This is a feature that makes the cannons fire, turning adjacent symbols wild. In fact, it can get to the point where you have a whole board of wilds, leading to a lot of cash! This is definitely a game to play, for sure.

2. Untamed Eagle

Untamed Eagle slots

This 243 ways to win slot is incredible. It’s got a 90,000 jackpot that you can trigger, leading to a lot of cash as you can imagine. There are wild sand scatters, which is a good thing. You can hit three scatters to get ten free spins. Remember that these are truly free spins, where you don’t have to spend more to get them. One feature that we found neat was the Lucky Nudge feature. If you trigger that, it can pull the scatters out, giving you those precious free spins. Soaring Wilds are also pretty neat. It turns other symbols into wilds at random. You have a cool feature called Your Choice that lets you gamble a portion or all of the coins in your win box. That’s truly putting the gambling part back in your own hands.

3. Avalon II

Avalon II

Avalon II is all about the medieval times. Noble knights, damsels in distress, the Lady of the Lake, and Excalibur…what else could you want? This is a five reel, 243 ways to win slot with a huge jackpot. In fact, there are few slots that offer a top prize like this. The top prize is 2,400,000 coins, but it won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination. See, you have to defend the Realm and help the King get the Holy Grail. The Lady of the Lady becomes a trailing wild symbol, which can help you complete combinations. Don’t forget that if you get three scatters, you unlock the Holy Grail feature. There’s multiple challenges involved, spread through eight bonus games. Watch out for Merlin, because if you get him to come up you can get either 20x your bet or 4x your winnings.

As always, we’re on a mission to find as many slots as we can to add to our collection. Do you have a slot that you’re dying to share? Want to get us to check it out? Just sound off in the comments. We’ll check it out and if it’s as hot as you say it is, you could see it appear in a new guide!

To Fish, Or Not To Fish – That Is the Poker Question

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Sometimes winning hands of poker isn’t about the cards themselves, but the people at the table. Given this fact, shouldn’t you aim for the easiest competition out there? The new and fairly unskilled players of poker are referred to as fish, and they aren’t going to cause you too much trouble. If you’re willing to challenge them, they’ll pretty much barrel into just about any hand, giving you easy money…if you choose to accept it.

Listen: some people really like to avoid the fish altogether. They feel that if they’re going to play poker, they should play against people that are just as skilled as they are, if not more so. But if you have a limited bankroll and you really want to make the most of it, you should try to catch some fish as much as possible. It can help you pad your bankroll so that you can go after more serious competition later on.

poker fish

Don’t be fooled though: fish can be challenging if you’re not fully prepared to engage them. Every fish has at least one lucky day. Poker isn’t just about mental prowess, but the luck of the cards. You might try to bully a fish, only to find that he really isn’t one to be pushed around. He will shove you back and go all in, leaving you to figure out if he’s seriously got something good or not. If the flop isn’t in your favor and the fish is shoving all his chips in, it might be time to cut loose and run.

Finding fish doesn’t have to be as hard as you think. Did you know that the more well established the casino, the easier it is to find fish players? If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. New players flock to where the action is hottest. They’re not thinking logically at all. Instead of logic, they’re thinking purely of all of the money that they could win. They don’t want to find that they’ve been pushed out by stronger players. The allure of winning big poker hands like the players on TV is too strong to resist.

Online poker is indeed what you make of it, and you aren’t guaranteed anything. But if you want to hunt fish, make money, and really capture the spirit of poker…why not take a chance and play today? You just never know how much you can win until you play!

Being on the Go Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Win Real Money Online!

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Gambling is evolving, and it’s a good thing for players. You need to know that you can go online and play at the casino as long as you want. But before the rise of mobile gambling, you were chained to the computer that you had at home. Sure, most people have laptops, and this means that they can always take their laptop out. But have you seen some of the older generation of laptops. We’re not talking about the thin profile ones that are very lightweight. We’re talking about laptops that are seven pounds on their own! Try carrying around a laptop, a charger, and anything else you need with your laptop. It’s a lot of effort, a lot of stress, and a ton of headache.

Now, compare that to just being able to slide your smartphone out of your pocket. We’re not trying to get into a big technology debate here, because that would be a waste of time. The reality is that you definitely want to look at getting the best experience for your money. In our opinion, that’s going to mean tapping into the mobile gaming experience.

mobile gambling

Are all mobile casinos created equal? Not at all. Some have an HTML5 format, which means that they load decently well but they’re much more basic than having an app on your iPhone or Android or even your Blackberry that connects to the casino directly. These apps are completely safe to use, as they are often developed in house by the casino company. Yes, it’s true: these companies invest a lot of money to make that you are going to always be able to connect to their casino. This gives you a fuller, richer experience, with color and sound being high quality.

The best part here is that you will always be able to connect to eh casino and play on the go, provided that you have adequate signal. That’s the only downfall of this casino experience. If you don’t have adequate signal, you could drop out in the middle of playing a game. That would be awful, as you could lose the money that you wagered! Definitely not something that you want to experience, that’s for sure!

You’ll be able to still chat with other players and see where you are ranked. If you’re using web applications to track your statistics, there’s good news here too: you will have no problem getting that data transmitted to the tracking server when you’re finished playing. No matter how you decide to interact within the casino, you will be able to have a good time. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what really matters most?

Get in the game today. Whether you have an iPhone or an Android phone, or some other smartphone, chances are good that a casino has designed an interface that’s suitable for your device.

If You Want a Challenge, Turn to Bingo

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Listen: we know that when it comes to challenging gaming, you probably don’t think too terribly often about bingo. Bingo is one of those games that people only think old people play. Not to be politically incorrect or anything. I’m sure that you have a very nice grandma, but you probably don’t want to play anything that she’s playing.

Bingo is more than a Mecca for old ladies and gents; it’s actually a challenging game that every gambler should think about. Here’s what makes bingo so interesting:

First and foremost, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to have a good time. We watch the big televised poker events like anyone else, but those decisions can make your head hurt. Do you fold, or go all in? Are you going to go for a logical decision, or are you going to play with your gut? Either choice could give you the bracelet, or it could leave you going home in defeat. Scary stuff.

play bingo online

Why not play bingo instead? If you don’t happen to win a bingo round, you can always try again without too much problem. The challenge comes from all of the different patterns that you have to choose from. Each room is going to play for a different pattern. If you’re a fun of classic blackout bingo, you can play that. But if you want to play a pattern of flowers, or even a big heart, you can do that. When you think about it, this style takes a lot more effort.

Are you going to step up to the challenge? Not only do you get cool rooms to play in, but you will also meet tons of great people. We still have friends from bingo rooms that we’re close to. When one of your friends wins, it’s awesome. It takes the sting out of not winning yourself. When you build a good social list of people, you feel like you can take over the bingo world. Some people say they even start winning more when they add in more friends. Now, nothing is guaranteed in the world of bingo but it never hurts to start looking into anything and everything, right?

If you want to play bingo, you’re going to need a site to play at. We highly recommend that you play bingo online with Paddy Power. It’s a well established site that gives you plenty of playing options for the money. You can play to your heart’s content, and who knows…you just might win big! Join the site and start playing today.

Wow! These 6 Slots Practically Rake in the Dough For You!

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We’re pretty fond of slots for one big reason: the new generation of slot games online really helps you win big money. Sure, it balances out across the board, as some people will win big while others will fall short. That’s just part of the process, and you might as well make the most of it. We have a big list of great slots for you below. Check them out when you get a chance, you won’t regret it.

1. Zeus

Zeus slots

This is a 30 payline slot that gives you plenty of chances to win big, so don’t let the “low” payline count fool you! The betting action has a nice range, giving you up to $150 per spin. Zeus, the title character of this themed slot, is the wild card. You also have a Pegasus wild that can be combined with Zeus for a big payout!

There’s a bonus round that can give you 25 spins, plus scatters that can unlock a whopping hundred free spins. Can you imagine what that can do for your wins?

2. Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee slots

This slot has been around for a while, but it can really put a ton of cash in your pocket. Sixty paylines gives you so many chances to win that we would be shocked if you didn’t get anything out of playing a real money game on this slot. The regular play has a gorgeous layout, making it very easy to pass the time with this game. Don’t forget about those bonus rounds, though!

Two bonus rounds gives you new avenues of money making opportunity through five free spins, with treasure chests that you can unlock. The treasure chests lead to more free spins that you can activate, over and over again. Definitely worth checking out, for sure!

3. Amazon Queen

Amazon Queen slots

This one only has twenty paylines, but it makes up for the low payline count with plenty of features. Multiple bonus rounds can mean up to a hundred free spins, or even more than that. You can loop through multiple bonus games, and play this slot without a deposit. But if you really want to get the most out of the game time, you have to play it for real money.

An autoplay function really speeds up the amount of cash you can generate with this slot, because you don’t have to wait for everything to load. Just tell it how many times you want to spin, and the game will essentially take it from there.

Our favorite part? The gorilla symbol. We won’t spoil it for you, but here’s a hint: BIG payouts. Huge prizes. Go for it!

4. Bier Haus

Bier Haus slots

This is a fun game, especially if you’re familiar with German drinking culture. A bier haus in Germany is where great beers are served. The atmosphere is friendly, and the regulars want you to do one thing: drink! You better come prepared!

If you’re trying to cut back, or you just want to stay home, there’s always this slot game. You have forty paylines, plus a bunch of scatters and wilds. You can even spin for as low as forty cents, making this a very economical way of stretching your bankroll.

Big prizes still await you through the chance of getting eighty free spins, plus hidden features that you just have to play in order to unlock! Continue Reading

Try New Video Poker Variants

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Boredom at home is something that we can all relate to. If you’re ready to break out of the rut and really have some fun, you have to check out stuff that’s going to make you feel better. Why not look at video poker?

A lot of people assume that video poker is only something that you would get at a land based casino, but that’s not true at all. There’s more than just one type of video poker out there, and playing good strategy can yield some big bonuses. It’s up to you to see what type of game that you’re really interested in playing.

Here’s a few choices to look at.

All Aces Video Poker

All-Aces-Video-Poker

This is a great video poker variant for beginners. There’s a lot of action here, with some choices that you have to make. If you get 4 Aces, you’re looking at a huge payout. The only thing that’s going to pay out more is a Royal Flush!

Like most video poker versions, it’s easy to play. You get five cards, and then you choose which ones you would like to hold on to. The discarded cards go out, and the new cards step in. That’s when you look at what you win based on the different combinations made. If you manage to get two aces on the first turn and then the other two aces on the second, that’s where you can win big!

Joker Video Poker

Joker Video Poker

Joker Poker is one of our favorites. The joker really comes in handy and can make the difference between a pair and a three of a kind, or move you up to a four of a kind from a three of a kind. Since Jokers are wild, anything is possible.

Oh, don’t forget that you can get an extra joker instead of just one. You’re playing against the machine rather than other players, which takes a lot of the confusion and frustration out of the process. You won’t have other players blocking you from those high payouts.

There’s a 5,000 coin jackpot at stake as well, which means winning could set you up very nicely for a while. Only one way to find out, you know!

Aces and Faces Video Poker

Aces and Faces Video Poker

Do you want to play a video poker game where you can double your winnings? If so, then you’ve come to the right game. Aces and Faces is played with one standard deck of cards, but absolutely no wilds.

Even though it’s low on frills, it’s big on fun. You can win with just a pair of jacks, giving you plenty of time to build up your winnings. The double your winnings feature is worth checking out.

These are just a few of our favorites, but feel free to let us know about others that you come across. As always, if you’re going to be a new player at a casino, you might as well get a bonus for it. It’s a great token of appreciation for putting your heard earned cash on the line at a casino. Most casinos realize that without the players constantly coming back, they would be out of business in short order. That’s why they do so many promotions. Not only do they want you to come in, but they want you to become a loyal player. Looking up casino bonus codes for video poker rooms would be a wise move. Not a high roller? It’s not a big deal. There’s room at the casino for everyone, not just the high roller people.

Either way, good luck and enjoy yourself! That’s the real point of the casino, you know! :)

More on Blackjack Tournament Strategy

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Blackjack tournaments are a fun way of mixing thing sup, but I see way too many newbies just in without strategy. Now, I already gave you a little bit of strategy, so I suggest that you read that article before going to this one. Still, you can’t have enough strategy, so I figured that I’d write some more on the topic.

First and foremost, you need to make sure that you have an adequate bankroll the entire way through. Betting hard is not your friend here. You want to maximize the value of every single chip that you put into the game. However, if the stakes are getting higher and you have to sacrifice more chips, then you have to get with the program there. Can you go all in when you feel justified to do so? Absolutely — but it’s going to be risky. If you’re in the right position, you can do this with no problem.

Blackjack Tournament Strategy

Position is going to be incredibly important. It’s all about who gets to act first, and who gets to act last. If you are the one that gets to act last, you really do have all of the power in blackjack. It’s very important that you remember this, because it’s very easy to forget. You might think that you’re going to be just coasting along, minding your own business but that’s not the case at all.

You have to always look at the biggest picture in the game. Blackjack tournaments are all about staying alive for as long as you can, as hard as you can. If you take the top prize at the tournament, that can be a lot of money. But if you’re new, don’t get your hopes up. It can take a while to get used to the tournament format.

Choosing where you sit in the tournament can be a good thing, but the tournament itself will choose who acts first and how the action moves. All you need to do is pay attention to how everyone else is betting. You will know how to size your bets based off of what everyone else is doing. If you’re the first person to act, then you need to try to bet as low as possible. This can help you against your opponents.

The tournament format is good because you get to think about what the other players are going to do next. This is different than the way traditional blackjack is played, but isn’t that part of the magic? Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win. Take it as incentive to keep practicing so that you’re even better the next time you start moving forward.

Get in the game while it’s on your mind, and you certainly won’t regret it!