Around 3:30 in the morning in April of 2009 an earthquake registering a 6.3 on the Richter Scale devastated Italy’s Abruzzo region. At least 150 were killed and thousands left homeless in Italy’s deadliest earthquake in thirty years. Besides crumbling Italian structures that have stood for thousands of years, the infrastructure was left in ruins and the entire area was no less than a complete disaster area. It is believed the epicenter was about 60 miles northeast of Rome, where tremors could be felt strong enough to set off car alarms. However, that was nothing compared to the damage that was done to schools, hospitals and vital structures of the region hardest hit. Help was/is badly needed and charity groups have been doing their best. They can now add a donation from an online sports gambling site to their list.

StanleyBet International is the online gambling enterprise giving aid to the afflicted region. StanleyBet is one of Europe’s most popular online casinos. They have licenses stretching across Europe in the UK, Romania, Malta, and Croatia. Their international model is somewhat unique and is in compliance with European Union trade regulations. They have a large player base in Italy and feel this is the least they can do. John Whittaker of StanleyBet stated, “We have very close links in Italy as well as employing a significant number of Italian nationals within our business.”

The donation from the online sports gambling site totals 1.3 million Euros (over $1.8 million US). The plan is to use the money to rebuild a school. Mr. Whittaker continued, “After such a tragic event, we felt it was incumbent on us to help in any way we could and, as a result, we decided to fund the rebuilding of the school.” The school will have thirteen classrooms and accommodate ninety students. It is set to open when the new 2010 term begins. StanleyBet is giving back, and the online sports gambling site should be applauded.

It does not sound like it on the surface, but a big jackpot win can be just as good for the casino as it is for the winner. Most people are skeptical they will ever win the big one and don’t make the maximum bets sometimes needed to be eligible for a progressive jackpot. A big winning is the best way for a casino to gets its name out in a slew of good publicity. It also reminds the gambling public that a jackpot win could happen at any time and the lucky winner could be anybody. It is not good enough to simply have a large cash prize to play for, gamblers have to know the prize is actually attainable.

All Slots Online Casino is gaining that afore mentioned good publicity. Recently, they were able to say that someone on their site won a life changing progressive jackpot. Close to a month ago the player, known as David R., responded to an email and began playing slot games on All Slots Online Casino. He found the Treasure Nile slot game which was tied to the jackpot and decided to try his luck. A mere 4.5 Euro (a little over $6 US) bet saw five “Pharaoh” symbols appear on the correct play line and David R’s balance jumped. It jumped to over 131,000 Euros (about $188,000 US).

All Slots Online Casino is a member of the Jackpot Family Group, and is considered to be a leader in the online casino industry. It carries the prestigious eCOGRA accreditation seal. They have long prided themselves as being a fair, well based online casino. They support hundreds of games and have a reliable and safe deposit and payout system. They now also boast that they are the site of winners. Jackpot Factory’s Vice President of Player Affairs stated that, “…this exciting win just goes to show that at All Slots Casino, dreams really can come true.” Just ask David R. He said he is planning to buy a house with his winnings.

The iPhone may be the greatest most widely used invention since the computer and the television. Since its inception, not long ago, it has seen multiple updates, accelerated sales, and has become the phone of choice for those who wish to have a multimedia tool in their pocket or purse. Besides being a phone and a music player, the good people at Apple have developed an app system for the iPhone. These apps cover a wide array of functions such as video games, language translators, wether updates, and GPS map devices. Those who have an iPhone don’t know how they ever lived without it. Now iPhone users have a new set of apps to add to their device. The online gambling industry app has made it to the iPhone and now people can literally have a casino at their fingertips.

Ladbrokes, who is already a leader in mobile online casino technology, recently announced they are expanding their list of 15 casino and slot games. They will begin using software developed by MFuse. This software will bring the online sports gambling industry, not just to the iPhone but include it as an app. Ladbrokes feel this is the direction the online gambling industry is headed and is committed to staying in front of the pack and continue its pioneering ways. “Mobile betting and gaming will be a key driver of growth in the sector in the next few years,” said Managing Director of Remote Gaming, John O’Reilly, “the Ladbrokes iPhone application is another step forward in making mobile betting and gaming easier to access.”

Ladbrokes already boasts over 25,000 account holders using mobile online casino software, and use of cellular phones, specifically smart phones like the iPhone, is growing at break neck speed. Couple this with the busy lifestyle typically associated with online sports gamblers and creating an iPhone app was the next logical step. This is just another way of Ladbrokes to prove they have earned their spot as leaders in the online gambling industry and are always looking for ways to evolve so they can stay that way.

Online bingo has long been one of the most popular activities. Even though, technically, it is a gambling activity, most people don’t see it as such. Thus, it is played around the world in church halls and cruise ships as well as casinos. Bingo is also a very hot online activity. It has grown in popularity and now rivals online poker and online slot play. Online bingo sites and software providers are a hot commodity, and the good ones are coveted. Recently, 888 Holdings penned a deal to buy an another online bingo site. They will pay close to £60 million (over $95 million US) for Wink Bingo.

888 Holdings’ idea behind the purchase of Wink Bingo from Daub Ltd. is to enhance their visibility in the online gambling market, specifically to bingo players. This is not new territory for 888 Holdings. In March of 2007 they made a $43.4 million purchase of online bingo operator Globalcom Ltd. 888 Holdings also made an attempt to gain Foxy Bingo, but lost the bidding war to PartyPoker. The price for Wink Bingo starts with a £11 million (about $17.5 US) initial payment followed by £48.7 million (almost $77.7 million US) in 2011 depending on the performance of the product. According to 888 Holdings Chief Executive Officer, Gigi Levy this acquisition will help tremendously, “in the lucrative U.K. market.” Levy is also under the impression that Wink Bingo will also be an asset should the online bingo and gambling industry become legal and practiced in the United States.

Wink Bingo has already made its foothold in the online bingo and gambling industry. Since its inception in 2008 it has been generating a buzz among online bingo enthusiasts. It has been attracting over 60,000 players a month. Wink Bingo has also been pulling in close to $24 million in revenue. All in all, this seems to be a wise purchase for 888 Holdings. They are making their claim to the online bingo and a statement to the online gambling community that they are looking to expand.

There are so many stories about “the good old days” of casinos. These stories usually deal with members of organized crime running casinos as front companies, skimming off the top and living it up in cities like Reno, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City. These stories make wonderful movies, best seller books and have become part of the folklore of both organized crime and casino history. Unfortunately, far too many of these stories are true. Most unfortunately, many of these stores deal with people who are not just embezzling money or avoiding the IRS, but are thieves and killers. Most governments have been successful in passing legislation that regulates, patrols, polices the casino industry to make sure these figures do not regain the stronghold they once enjoyed, and with the advent of online gambling, regulation has to be just as strong.

Currently, this policing and regulation is being tested in Europe. The United Kingdom has suspended the online gambling issued to Paradise Bet Ltd. Officials in the UK and Europe believe their may be a link between the online gambling site and one of Italy’s most notorious organized crime outfits known as the Parisi family. Italian law enforcement officials have linked many of the Parisi group members to such crimes as drug trafficking, money laundering, loan sharking, interfering with bidding for public contracts and attempted murder. Italian police have seized hundreds of bank accounts, stables, horses, and personal property in association with the Parisi crime family.

Of course British and European agencies are not going into detail about their investigation of the Parisi family and their dealings with the Paradise Bet Online Casino operation. However, it has been reported that this December Italian assets of the London based online casino were frozen, by authorities. The online casino publication, BNet, has also reported that Paradise Bet has been linked to a three year investigation involving the Italian mafia family.

It is disappointing to hear the news that organized crime may be linked to the online casino and gambling. The industry and the public can at least hope that the regulation and guidelines that have been set will do their job and be helpful in curtailing this infiltration.

Online gambling continues to be a topic of discussion in the United States legislature. Since 2006 when the first place a ban on online gambling, the public has been trying to overturn the ban and make online casinos a legal activity. Throughout this past year there has been many discussions concerning improving online gambling, but apparently the most important thing has been preventing the enforcement of the prohibition of online gambling.

Lawmakers have decided to give a little more time before enforcing the rules on making online gambling illegal. Therefore these rules have not been strictly enforced which have given the online casinos enough breathing room to continue to fight for the hope of the future of legalized online casino gambling. In the court system when an activity such as this has been delayed, it plays into the hands of those that are pushing to overturn the ban. According to a representative from the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative ( a movement to overturn the ban on gambling), and Michael Waxman, they stated, “We see this move by President Obama as an administrative decision to stop implementation of UIGEA to take an alternative approach to the Internet gambling ban in place.”

The hopes of the pro-gambling groups is that this delay will be an effort to strengthen their charge as well as their case to allow on line casino gambling within the United States. in the past, Congressmen such as Barney Frank have been asked to provide more evidence of how online casino gambling can be more beneficial to the United States government as well as the economy. Now it’s a little bit of breathing room, they will be able to assemble more solid evidence supporting online casinos and a lucrative business that they will bring to the United States. as of right now, the rules and regulations regarding online casino gambling are very vague, therefore the United States government is having a difficult time enforcing the specific rules.

Every once in a while an incident happens that places a common object in an uncommon place. Such was the case at a casino in Fallsview Niagara falls, Ontario. Casino patrons were going about their business when outside there was a car chase that followed a domestic dispute at a local residence. According to reports, the police were chasing a truck following the dispute on Tuesday morning when the driver lost control and crashed through the front entrance of Niagara Falls view Casino resort.

As the luck would have it for many patrons, the casino was not at full capacity when the incident happened. According to Niagara regional police staff Sgt., Shawn Clarkson, “We were extremely fortunate there were not more people were around. A couple of people had to duck out of the way, but we could have had some real serious problems there if it had been a few hours earlier or another day.”

The domestic dispute that led into the casino began at a residence where a male and female were assaulted with a weapon. The police began to chase the perpetrator as he sped off in his truck. As the chase continued gentlemen was involved in another crash in another residence driveway before becoming involved in a police chase that led them to the casino. The chase finally ended at 2 AM when the perpetrator intentionally slammed into the casino front entrance with his truck. He has now been identified as Harold Howard, 51 years of age from Niagara Falls. At this point he’s being charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a weapon, attempted breaking and entering, failing to remain, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, mischief and two counts of breach of recognizance. After further investigation it has been revealed that the accused and the victims are acquainted. Minor injuries were sustained throughout the incident, but none with life-threatening.

Now that the CityCenter is open, there is much speculation about how it will effect the rest of Las Vegas Casinos and their ability to maintain occupancy rates with over 5000 rooms in the mix. They’re great deal of concern about how hotels and casinos will be able to maintain their revenue and keep their room rates high enough to raise a profit throughout the casinos. Other casinos must now be competitive with these newly opened venues and try to provide services at a low cost for the tourist.

At this time, the occupancy rates have not been affected so far by the opening of the city center, but by early in 2010 neighboring casinos could be affected by this tremendous venue. Las Vegas has been looking forward to raising their room rates ever since the economic downturn impacted the casinos in the area. Just as it appeared that the casinos were going to be able to edge out of the financial crisis and once again raise their rates, the city center opened causing them to once again be forced to keep their rates low enough to draw in tourists.

The Las Vegas casinos and hotels are now fighting for their properties stating that they will no longer lower their rates any lower than they currently are. The severe drops in room rate affected the casinos profits and now they are observing a lower breed of clientele that they do not wish to service. Convention work will be a prime target this year as they try to draw in more businesses back into the area. Las Vegas has been a number one spot for conventions, however with the financial crisis the casinos and hotels are not able to fill their usual occupancy.in a more positive aspects, the newly created complex could draw more tourists into the Las Vegas area who will then spend the money in casinos and hotels.