Online Casino Play

As reported by The Daily Telegraph: “The state’s greediest pubs are raking in a staggering $1.1 billion from poker machines each year, with each machine in Western Sydney taking almost four times the annual average wage.

“The revelations have prompted calls for access to pokies to be slashed and a reduction in the number of machines in lower socio-economic areas.

“Documents reveal the $1.1 billion was collected by the top 500 hotels - more than two-thirds of the total pub poker machine revenue statewide, equating to a $200 loss by every adult, The Daily Telegraph reports.

“…The top 25 gaming pubs alone raked in just under $150 million in revenue, with all but two in Sydney’s west or southwest.

“The pubs took an average of $6 million each from the cap of 30 machines in the 12 months to September 2008 - $200,000 per machine.

“The amount is almost four times the average yearly wage and more than three times the average pub poker machine yield of $64,000.

“Gambling experts are now demanding the Government regulate the gaming hot spots in the same way they cracked down on problem drinking venues…”  All the more reason for the US and Canada to tax gambling companies instead of banning them.

Wow, I just caught 2 quads and a straight flush in H/L Omaha in a period of 15 minutes.  The sad thing is that the payoff was really small!

My first quads I caught on the flop when my pocket three’s converted, I lead out with .25 but all 5 players remaining folded in order

Then I caught quad nines when three nines flopped to match the one I had in my hand.  I checked and someone bet .50 then it folded all around to me, I just called.  On the turn I checked, he checked, on the river I checked and so did he….massively depressing win with quads.

Two hands later I had four for the straight flush with a gut shot (6 of diamonds needed) and it came on the river, I went all-in for $9 and got a call, lucky I did not have to split as I made a decent low hand as well.

Playing a monster can sometimes be tough and it really hurts when you don’t make anything on a hand that takes you all night to hit.

A recent review of the Italian gambling market has revealed a massive growth trend in the area of poker and a client base which will be approaching 5 million by the end of 2008. The country has literally gone poker mad and forecast for beyond 2008 look as though it could well be the next major online poker market in Europe.

A recent survey revealed that there are currently some 670,000 poker players who regularly play online but a substantial 11% of the Italian population (or 4.3 million people) have admitted trying poker at some point. This leaves a large, and growing market, for the Italian online poker companies to attack in the knowledge that the vast majority of them are literally just waiting for the online industry to catch their eye.

Interestingly, the survey also revealed that over 14 million people between the age of 14 and 64 have an interest in poker and would consider playing the game in the short term. However, like so many other countries around the world there is some debate as to whether online poker is legal in Italy or whether the authorities have until now been turning a blind eye. Thankfully, there is also speculation that a formal bill will be added to the statute books in the short term to officially legalise online poker.

Now if the Italian government will just release it’s stranglehold on the gambling industry things would be perfect.

Many gaming companies are closely watching Danish courts as it applies toward online poker.  The Copenhagen Post has reported that a Danish municipal court has ruled that poker tournaments do not contravene Danish gaming laws.  Poker is not merely a game of chance but also requires skill and is therefore legitimate competition, a municipal court in the district of Lyngby ruled Friday.

The ruling acquitted the president of the Danish Poker Association, Frederik Hostrup, of charges of arranging illegal gambling events. Hostrup had been sued by hotel and restaurant trade organisation Horesta on behalf of the nation’s [land] casinos. The ruling goes against a decision by the Justice Ministry’s legal affairs committee in 2006, which concluded that poker constituted illegal gambling.

Hostrup’s attorney, Henrik Hoffmann, told Politiken newspaper that Friday’s ruling legitimises poker, which has become immensely popular in Denmark over the past couple years.

“Poker has become a sport of the people,” he said. “There are between 200 000 and 300 000 Danes who play poker at least once a week and more than half a million who now play regularly.”

Illegal gambling is, according to Danish criminal law, games or competitions where the organiser “attempts to achieve a commercial economic gain”. Hoffmann said poker is more about betting wisely, playing smart and getting the other players to think you have different cards than those you actually have in your hands.

“You can win in poker based on being clever enough to hide your strategy, even though you might have a fairly poor hand,” he said.

Horesta spokesperson Erik Jensen was disappointed and surprised by the ruling. “Anytime you play for money, the risk for becoming a gambling addict increases,” he said. “[Unspecified] Research has shown that there are some 85 000 Danes who are potential addicts, which is why these precautionary measures are so important.”

Prosecutors now have 14 days to decide whether to appeal the ruling.  It is interesting to see the logic being used to make poker legal.

Playing in an online casino is a lot of fun but winning at an online casino is way more exciting!  This blog will be devoted to bringing you news, reviews, tips, tricks and commentary on what is going on in the online casino gamblng world.