In this age of economic recession any news can be good news. The news in Iowa is, there are jobs coming to town. Casinos can be wonderful things for a community. Getting past the fact that they bring in tax revenue for state and local governments, they also bring in money and stimulation that can turn an area around. That is the idea behind the Lyon County Resort and Casino which broke ground at the end of June. Of course, it does not come without controversy. Several home owners whose land had been in their families for generations sold their properties to make way for the casino, but even there money was to be made.

For starters the operators of the Lyon Country Resort and Casino are fully committed to bring a destination resort, “…the likes of which you’ve not seen in Iowa,” commented Dan Kehl of Kehl Management. This will hopefully bring tourists and visitors not only from Iowa, but from nearby Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Not only would these visitors be spending money in the casino, but in restaurants, hotel rooms, shops, and other nearby attractions. However this is after the casino is open. The casino will also bring jobs to the community. Dealers, managers, hotel staff, and the list goes on. Not to mention the hundreds of jobs it will create during the construction phase.

The new casino will also bring in money to local boards and government bodies. Their is a Lyon County Riverboat Foundation that is in charge of dispersing close to $2.5 million to these bodies. Larchwood, where the casino is located, is expected to receive up to $320,000 from the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation’s charity arm. Of course, there are taxes that will help fill budget gaps in Lyon County. Some of the projects the new casino will help finance will be the establishment of an assisted living complex, and the waiving of a city property tax.

Those who oppose gambling and casinos cite many, well founded reasons. Some of the bigger arguments come in the form of consumer protection. Anti-gambling groups want to make sure the public is not being swindled. They also want to guard against problem gambling and gambling addictions. This has become a real problem in today’s society where gambling has become more accessible. These are real problems and should be addressed. Other anti-gambling groups claim that the introduction of casinos brings the chance that crime will increase. Again, this is a real problem and deserves the attention it receives.

Some studies suggest that crime rises when gambling comes to town. Of course, with that much cash flowing, theft becomes a key player. There is always the risk of casino patrons being forcibly asked to surrender their winnings. At times this can lead to the brandishing of weapons. There is also theft within casinos. Purses, wallets, casino chips, and other valuables can be lifted easily in an environment that offers so many distractions. Inside the casino crimes like cheating and embezzlement occur more often than casino operators would like or report. Now that the world is in such a high tech age, identity theft has become popular. Not only can criminals take from patrons while they are in the casino they can continue once they get home.

Case in point: Singapore has seen a moderate rise in crime since the city-state opened its two casinos. The usual suspects have reared their ugly heads. There have been reported incidents of petty theft, identity theft, fraud, and embezzlement. Some of these cases have seen convictions that resulted in heavy fines and jail sentences. This slight rise in crime was expected, and Singaporean officials and law enforcement agencies have claimed they have gone through the necessary measures to prepare for it. All the same, Singapore seems to be enjoying its two new casinos and all the bells, whistles, theme and sky parks that go with them.

There is a major debate revolving gambling in Australia. Some pubs down under enjoy hosting gambling machines or “pokies” as they are called. There has been action in recent months about curtailing some of the action. This is in response to the government wanting to take more responsibility over problem gamblers. A report by the Productivity Commission recommends a massive overhaul of national gambling laws. The commission is citing numbers that suggest there are well over 160,000 problems gamblers in Australia, and there are hundreds of thousands more who are at risk of developing a gambling problem. What is at stake is the public’s right to choose. Civil liberties are always the center of these debates.

One of the first actions the Commission wants to take is stop allowing the gambling machines to accept $50 notes. This seems like a good first step, however, some feel that this doesn’t stop a problem. It just makes it take a couple of extra steps. Another measure the government is looking at is requiring that all gambling machines flash warning messages periodically while a player is playing. This is gambling’s equivalent of the warning labels on cigarette packs and alcohol containers. Most don’t seem to have a problem with this. It is an inconvenience for the player. The real opposition would come from pub owners who would have to pay for the upgrades.

There is also a major debate on the gambling taxation issue. Currently, some pubs and clubs enjoy a tax concession on the gambling machines. Most are finding this is unjustifiable. This is where the debate really heats up, as taxation brings out the best in everyone. “The Federal Government’s response on this report is nothing short of a disgrace,” stated Independent Senator Nick Xenophen. The Senator is an outspoken opponent of gambling in Australia. The debate over gambling machines will continue on both the state and federal level.

It is not surprising news to learn that the casino and gaming industry in the United States has suffered over the past two years in a way that it never has before. With the economy in a nose dive and jobs being lost by the scores the American public has not had the resources to venture out to the casinos. Of course, the first effects are felt on the casino floors. Gambling is, in a word, down. However, that is not where the dominos stop. Towns like Las Vegas, Atlantic City and regional casinos are feeling the sting starting with the hotels. Americans are afraid to travel, and can not spend the money once they get there. Room rates have been slashed, and retail and dining are suffering.

The economic recession has sent some casinos into bankruptcy while others have been forced to close their doors. Almost all casinos and casino resorts have cut back on expenses including laying off workers. There was a slight bump in business at the beginning of 2010. However, sadly, it looks like that has leveled off and casinos in the United States could be in for another rough year. The national economy sees glimmers of hope, but it has not trickled down to consumer confidence.

Moody’s Investors Service, one of the world’s most respected sources for credit rating, research and risk analysis, has recently released it report on the gaming and casino sector in the United States. The silver lining is the report states that the casino market will neither ‘erode or improve over the next 12 to 18 months.’ Senior Vice President, Keith Foley, stated that “While not a stellar performance, it’s a marked improvement over the consistent, and often substantial, declines of 2008 and 2009.” However, he also states that those trends will flatten out. What this all boils down to is the casino industry is not doomed. However, it will continue to face struggles as Americans deal with the financial meltdown, and its slow re-stabilization.

The Yard House is a restaurant known for its casual to upscale menu, classic rock atmosphere, and one of the world’s largest selection of beers on tap. They have made an impact on Southern California’s dining scene as well as several other states. Now they are making waves in the Las Vegas casino market. Yard House founder, Steele Platt, has thought long and hard about adding his brand of dining to the casino scene. He always thought it would be a good fit, and with the newly opened Yard House at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, he predictions look to have been confirmed.

The Yard House is not completely new to Las Vegas. In 2008 Mr. Platt opened one at Town Square close to the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. However, that location is not attached to a casino. When the Salt Lick Bar-B-Que closed, he new that this could be the location that would bring it all together. “We like being in a mixed-use project,” he commented, “Here, we have an outdoor patio and outside entrance, but you also have the movie theaters, the bowling center and the casino from which to draw customers from.”

Station Casinos, Owners of the Red Rock Resort and Casino, as well as Mr. Platt put the old Salt Pit through extensive renovations. The new restaurant now has indoor and outdoor seating, as well as an entrance from the casino as well as from the outside. The Red Rock Yard House also features a glass enclosed jeg room which houses up to 5,000 gallons of beer. The beer us pumped to the 130 taps by almost five miles of individual beer lines that fly above patrons heads in stainless steel conduits.

With the success of the Red Rock Resort and Casino Yard House, Mr. Platt already has plans to bring his restaurant to other casinos, and not just in Las Vegas. He has plans to stretch out to the east coast and add a Yard House to a Miami, FL racetrack.

It sounds like something out of a James Bond movie. A person walks into a building with an envelope. They open an envelope find a note, some cash, and an alarm watch. Then one of the most successful gambling coups reaps in hundreds of thousands of euros. It happened in Ireland for real recently and it garnered a tip of the hat from the Irish Bookmakers Association. “It’s a classic. They did nothing illegal,” they stated. The bet was made on the Hurley Family Handicap Hurdle and a special horse named D Four Dave. IT was a huge risk, but the laser like precision of the plan brought organizers €200,000.

Douglas Taylor is a managing director for recruitment company MCR. He is also part owner of D Four Dave. In a report on the gambling coup, about 200 agency employees were taken to betting shops in Counties Dublin and Kildare. Once there they opened an envelope. The envelope contained a note that read: “Dear employee. Enclosed you will find (1) A completed betting slip for the betting shop that you have been sent to. (2) €200 in cash for which you need to place the bet. (3) A watch with the alarm set to go off at 6.55 p.m.”

The timing and the bet size was the major factor. The bets were small enough that it did not raise any red flags with bookmakers or gambling regulators. The timing, minutes before the race. ensured that the odds remained high, 14 to 1 in some cases. Had bets been made any earlier or through out the day odds makers would have slashed the odds. Of course then the gamble paid off when D Four Dave crossed the finish line first. While officials are not condoning the action they are not blowing a whistle either. They feel that it was risky as the track was unpredictable that day, but they keep repeating that nothing illegal transpired.

Anyone who has spent time online has noticed the barrage of advertising. Most sites have banners, links, pop ups and other forms that let the online public know what they could be taking advantage of. This is nothing new. Advertisements have been the major source of revenue of publications of all kinds for as long as they have been around. The online casino and gambling world depends on it. Now that web surfers’ online habits can be tracked servers can identify who shows an interest in online gambling and taylor advertisements for them. This usually comes in the form of banner displays and pop ups.

Online goers also know that one of the most popular activities on the internet is YouTube surfing. Hours can be spent watching everything from home movies to bootleg recordings of concerts and shows. Youtube is also used professionally to market individuals and companies to the public. How does YouTube makes its money? Advertising. Now the popular online site broadcasting site will have a new market of advertisers, online casino and gambling sites. New ad guidelines were introduced by Google who owns YouTube. In the past, Google has been very strict on its policies of online gambling advertisements. However, in 2008 they lifted their AdWords ban on internet gambling in the United Kingdom.

YouTube will now allow on line casino and gambling advertising for “licensed entities located in England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France or Spain.” Google and YouTube will still keep a close eye on who advertises and where. Online casino and gambling advertisements will can only be accessible to those viewers that have verified that they are eighteen years of age or older. Those online casino and gambling companies who wish to advertise on YouTube will be able to on the YouTube home page, video pages or on their own channels. Already the extremely popular British online gambling site, Ladbrokes, has bought space and will be the first to venture into the new market.

Online casinos and gambling sites are hot. For the past decade or so the industry has grown from the scrappy little brother to a major, multi-million dollar business. Online casinos, mush like the evolution of their land based cousins, are starting to look more like major companies than gambling operations. There are CEO’s. boards, investors, affiliate campaigns, advertising and marketing departments. It seemed that the online gambling world could go no further. Then the smart phone craze hit. Now online casinos can be accessed through mobile sites and be played on by users who have iPhones, SmartPhones, and the like.

The online and mobile casino craze is also entering a new phase of advertising. What was once only banners and pop ups online is now advertised in magazines and even television. The mFortune Mobile Casino group knows this first hand. They have a very successful television campaign last year. The online and mobile gambling group were able to reach millions of viewers and expand business not only for themselves, but for their affiliates. Managing Director for mFortune commented that they learned , “…that these campaigns present excellent opportunities for affiliates, who can reap the rewards of this increased brand exposure.”

The online and mobile casino group were so impressed with last year’s television campaign that they have decided to go with another one for this year. This one even includes bonuses for new players. mFortune will be launching a campaign in the month of July on Sky, Virgin and other satellite channels. This campaign is predicted to reach 5 million viewers who will see the thirty second spot 3.5 times. This makes the number of viewings close to 17 million.

The bonus for players comes in the way of free money. by texting “FRUITS” to the advertised number, and by downloading the mobile casino to their mobile device players will earn a free £5. The best part is they can keep their winnings made from the free money.

In the United States, the voice of the poker community is the Poker Players Alliance. It is a non-profit organization comprised of members who are professional and novice players of both online and table poker. Poker Players Alliance allows poker players to have one voice who represents them in government and other such bodies. According to its website the group’s mission is to, “Establish favorable laws that provide poker players with a secure, safe and regulated place to play.” They want to do so through education and awareness. The feel that poker is one of America’s oldest game and should be considered a game of skill.

Poker Players Alliance wants to work with the government. However, they do feel there is a real threat coming from some government agencies and lawmakers. They have exposed some bills at the federal and state levels that would limit how poker players choose to enjoy their times at the table and in online casino sites. One of their most recent crusades has been in the United States Congress, working to legalize online poker playing within the country. They are working to establish improved laws that would help clarify poker’s position in the U.S. One of PPA’s biggest stances is that laws meant to limit a citizen’s right to choose start out small, but quickly bloom into prohibitions and restrictions.

Being a non-profit organization, Poker Players Alliance depends on contributions from its members. They are hosting a fundraiser on July 1. This fundraiser will be a money bomb. A money bomb is when an organization asks for donations of any amount on a specified day. The idea is to create awareness, by focusing its drive in a short period. PPA knows its membership is its lifeblood. “We would not be where we are today without the support and dedication of the poker community,” said Chairman and Former Senator Alfonse D’Amato. The PPA hopes to raise $25,000 during its money bomb drive. Information can be found online at www.theppa.org.

Online gambling and poker is finally receiving some serious attention in the United States. Government bodies at both the federal and state level are hold hearings and debates on the subject. Some are even introducing bills in committees that are nearing a vote. Online gambling has been a touchy subject. Most governments, particularly at the state level, are in dire need of a new source of revenue. They have been hit hard by the recession and any help filling budget gaps is good help. They are also seeing that Americans are going to find a way to enjoy online gambling, and most lawmakers are tired of seeing American dollars sent offshore. However, even in states where online gambling is close to coming out of committee, they are facing some opposition from unlikely groups.

California State Senator Roderick Wright is seeing this first hand. He is the chairman of California’s Senate Governmental Organization Committee and the author of a bill that would allow online poker in the state. Recently, though, he found that entities like the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, and other poker groups who the bill is aimed to help were not lending their support. They objected to some of the language in the bill.

Being a good politician, Senator Wright postponed his committee’s vote on the bill. “As author of the bill, let me say that the bill needs more work,” he commented. In its current state the bill allows for open competition for three online gambling licenses. However, the competition is open to anyone including offshore companies. This is where Californian poker and gambling groups find objection. Since the online poker would be only open to Californian residents, they feel that established Californian gambling and poker companies should be the ones to hold the licenses. There is also a call for more research to be done on the subject. Since it is new to American governments, they want to make sure they know everything they can know. In short, they want to get it right the first time.