World Player Steps Out
By Lil’ Dice

The premiere edition of the exclusive Fortune Lounge magazine has been much-anticipated and is a global call for all players to epitomize the ultimate World Player, which is the name for this new title. Built on all the core traditions that have made the Fortune Lounge group stand out in the industry, World Player magazine represents success, aspiration and the good life.

The launch of World Player magazine is a milestone in the history of Fortune Lounge, and demonstrates the maturity the group has reached as a reputable and industry-leading organization. “It is designed with your lifestyle tastes in mind”, says the magazine’s Editorial Director, Michael Jones. Its pages are filled with lifestyle images and articles that convey the luxury and opulence of places like Monte Carlo, Las Vegas and the French Riviera.

As with most Internet-based industries it is hard to keep track on who’s who in your zoo so the World Player is a mix of fun for everyone, and is packed with everything and anything that resembles the lifestyles of those aspiring for a better, more fulfilled lifestyle of the rich and famous. It is laced with trendy sections like fashion, sport, stylish new gadgets, celebrities, spas and has all the qualities that make up the ‘high life’.

“The premiere edition of World Player magazine focuses on the greatest online gaming event in history, the International Casino Games hosted by Fortune Lounge Group”, says Jones. The front cover and main feature story alludes quite nicely to the nautical theme that has been created for the first edition, and this echoes a sure sign that Fortune Lounge is heading in the right direction with regard to keeping their players happy. Be sure to check out “Cruise Control” which is an article relating to cruising on the Caribbean, which is essentially what the International Casino Games is building up to.

Poker players need not feel left out because the magazine has a section dedicated to your needs too. You can now have those burning Texas Hold’em questions answered by the legend himself, Lou Krieger, who has been called on to reply to player submissions every month so be sure to submit yours before the next edition is published.

Also with the rising emergence of new stars at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), “Hollywood Players” is a fascinating look at the latest craze to hit Tinseltown – poker and get the lowdown on what went down at this year’s WSOP.

World Player is a complimentary magazine and it will be distributed every month to Fortune Lounge casino and poker players. Don’t worry if you’re not a member because they’re making these lovely magazines available at designated hotels and casinos in and around Vegas. If you’re a Fortune Lounge player then you can expect your very own copy of the World Player in your mailbox on September 1st, 2005.

First published 30 Aug '05 - EzineArticles

Online Casinos: A new playing field
By Lil’ Dice

The catapulting popularity of online gambling has created a relative global demand for ground-breaking and progressive advances. This has led the industry to evolve in the areas of game releases, promotions and new legislation.

A great variety of entertainment-rich games are released monthly to feed the sophisticated market’s appetite for themed games which cater for different consumer trends and tastes. In recent times, online casinos have added skilled gaming, such as backgammon, as well as multi-player slots and sports or topic-specific betting to their websites. For the player it means a much greater choice than those offered at traditional land-based casinos, such as slots, table games and video poker and the convenience of managing several activities from a single account.

To entice new enthusiasts, promotions are growing larger with ever-increasing fortunes to be won. The world’s first International Casino Games, a six-month event with a 1.5 million US dollars total prize pool, is making online gambling even more tangible. This event, like other casino and poker cruises, integrates the online and offline worlds by holding its grand final on a Caribbean Cruise. Even though cruises are almost synonymous with gambling, the event also addresses the need for players to compete internationally in their favorite games.

Apart from only targeting the huge high-rollers and the senior market, the casinos also allow business savvy entrepreneurs to take advantage of the industry growth through the highly competitive range of affiliate programs. Commission structures of the best choices available include life-long earning potential from acquisitions which are set at approximately forty percent or higher.

Another positive development, following concerns about the difficulty in identifying underage gamblers and monitoring the online gambling environment, is new legislation recently released by the self-regulatory body eCommerce and Online Gaming, Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA). With the new regulations in place, online casinos are to start a massive clampdown on underage and excessive gamblers in an effort to promote more responsible gambling. In the event that there are no home jurisdictions in states where online gambling is acceptable, gamblers will now have to abide by the minimum gambling age rule of eighteen years.

The fifty-six online casinos and poker rooms bearing the eCOGRA Seal of Approval will put into practise in-house policies and a comprehensive range of independently enforced requirements that are designed in collaboration with the G4 responsible gambling consortium.

“This initiative is one of the most comprehensive and widespread responsible gambling efforts yet seen in the online gaming industry,” says eCOGRA’s CEO Andrew Beveridge. The regulations effectively bar players who are not eligible to gamble online because of compulsive and excessive behaviour that could be financially damaging to their lives, and this includes players who are too young to gamble.

In this new playing field, it is encouraging to see online casinos taking the lead in protecting and enhancing the enjoyment of responsible players by reinventing themselves and, by so doing, setting credibility and legitimacy as the new industry benchmarks.

First published 26 Aug '05 - EzineArticles

Mobile Gaming leads the way
by Lil’ Dice

The state of online gambling may have just found another highly viable ally. The new world offered up by the mobile gaming industry can be highly rewarding for online casino operators and software providers, as the opportunity to play online, is increased by the popularity of hand-held devices such as PDAs, mobile handsets and palmtops. Soon we could see a growth in various synergies and partnerships between the hugely popular online gambling market and the even trendier mobile gaming industry which could just be the ticket to adding legitimacy to the exceptionally lucrative world that is online gambling.

Mobile gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States of America and it is expected to increase from “1.2 billion dollars of annual revenues in 2005 to 7.6 billion dollars by 2010”, according to reports published online. This means that the growth of the mobile gaming population is set to jump by a rapid 200 million people who will be using their cellular phones for extra curricular activities like mobile gambling.

There is no limit to the opportunities that mobile and wireless devices afford the gambling community and it is great that games like poker, slots and Roulette are already being played using mobile handsets. Wireless applications like WAP, GPRS and OTA are making the lives of million simpler and faster, and some say this adds to the overall mobile gaming experience.

However, there are some limitations that cannot be overlooked when considering a leap into the mobile gambling market and these are usually legislative, technological and cultural hurdles. In order for these factors to be properly addressed, they will need to be negotiated carefully and strict security will have to be thought out when dealing with problem gamblers.

Considering mobile gambling like its online counterpart has more anonymity than is offered at land-based casinos, there is a threat to its integrity because it is harder to pin down and track underage gambling due to the lack of real interaction with a customer.
Even though these problems could provide serious setbacks for the market, this is in no way hindering the speed at which consumers are joining in the fun that is being offered by mobile gambling. Mobile handsets are becoming more and more advanced, and with the hardware comes the same technological advancement in the software, which means an increase in use and the more people are buying into them. It is a never-ending cycle when it comes to technological advancement and one can only hope that the mobile gambling market is not just another passing trend.

First published 5 Aug '05 - EzineArticles

Clampdown on Underage and Excessive gamblers
By Lil’ Dice

Online casinos are to start a massive crackdown on underage and excessive gamblers in an effort to promote more responsible gambling. This is according to new legislation released by the by self regulatory body eCommerce and Online Gaming, Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA).

The regulations are to be implemented following an intense training session for casino managers, which covered a wide range of topics on problem gambling activities from warning underage players off to excluding gamblers with a problem. The 56 online casinos and poker rooms bearing the eCOGRA Seal of Approval will put into operation in-house policies and a comprehensive range of independently enforced requirements that are designed in collaboration with the G4 responsible gambling consortium.

“This initiative is one of the most comprehensive and widespread responsible gambling effort yet seen in the online gaming industry”, says eCOGRA’s CEO Andrew Beveridge. The regulations effectively bar players who are not eligible to gamble online because of compulsive behaviour that could be financially damaging to their lives, and this includes players who are too young to gamble too. Gamblers will now have to abide by the ‘minimum gambling age of 18’ rule that is also applied to most offline casinos in the event that there are no home jurisdictions in particular states where online gambling is acceptable.

The new requirements are a concern for marketing departments of online casinos and poker rooms because it steers them against sending any promotional or marketing literature to any player who may be considered a problem gambler, or to those who are underage, and they will not be allowed to utilize media primarily targeted on teenagers.

Casino staff will receive guidelines and ongoing coaching on how to identify and deal with problem gamblers and the use of Identification Verification technology, as part of the registration process, has been formalised and is already being embraced at many operations.

This is the right step in a safer more well-regulated direction for online gambling and one can only hope that this is just the first of many endeavours in the industry that will add legitimacy and credibility to an ever-growing market of new gamers.

First published on 15 Aug '05 - EzineArticles

Casino Olympics

[In one of the most anticipated wins in Fortune Lounge history, Debbie H. leaped ahead of other finalists at the International Casino Games final, and secured the grand prize of $250,000 in cash.] - Courtesy World Player

It’s been advertised globally and has been poised to be the ‘biggest online casino event’ that the industry has seen yet and it’s even been compared to the Olympics, but does the International Casino Games have what it takes. Lil’ Dice takes a look at the online casino industry’s latest trend towards multi-player tournaments and unimaginable prize pools that are believed to be the biggest in the industry.

The International Casino Games was launched with much anticipation on 4 July 2005, and casino veterans and beginners alike were set to go head to head in the first tournament that not only sought to bring players from different countries together but a host of different games are offered so that everyone has a chance to play their favourite games in an exciting online environment. There was a bevy of excitement amongst the Fortune Lounge Group when they tested the waters by first rolling out the International Casino Games on its steadfast and reliable Royal Vegas Casino brand. This got the ball rolling in a six-month tournament period where players compete in a variety of games including slots, video poker and table games.

As if that was not enough to entice players to game away countless hours of fun at their PCs, there is a total of US$1.5 million up for grabs in cash and prizes and a chance to win an all-expenses paid ticket aboard the Caribbean Princess, a luxury liner where players will stand a chance at winning a $250,000 grand cash prize and the champion title. This is the world’s first and largest casino event of its kind and is set to become an annual gaming calendar highlight.

International Casino Games has been running for about a month and it has not generated the interest that is expected for an event of this proportion. This is a tournament that could be set to revolutionize the industry of online gaming, and I think it begs the question of why such an event has not received the due it deserves. Some say that events like the International Casino Games, which are attached to offline marketing events like party cruises or tournaments aboard luxury liners attribute to people’s lack of interest because they are seen as “just another sweepstake” or another tactic to get the public’s attention.

It is still early days to predict the fate of the International Casino Games and I think it is not only a question of lack of understanding of what the tournament stands for and what it is essentially, but the fact that it is an online tournament that is linked to an offline event. This could be one of the mitigating factors that confuses gamers because they don’t understand the outcome of the International Casino Games, and they’ve been bombarded with the figures of the tournaments and prize pools as opposed to what it means for them to be part of the tournaments.

Take for instance the name, “International Casino Games”, this alludes to a challenge, an extraordinary competition that will decide the real victor from the common player. It also connotes a dilemma between what games really mean to people and how one perceives online gambling in general. For instance, picture the first type of gambler – new to the scene, wanting to try out all games and test his hand at trying to wager and win online. On the other hand, you get the gamer who is interested in winning the game, who wants to know the game’s rules, its strategy and feel the thrill and adrenalin rush of playing what could be also be seen as a type of sport. This is really what is facing the International Casino Games’ success rate and the state of online gambling in general.

The fact that some people see online casinos as a quick way to make a buck and those who are genuinely interested in playing in tournaments is a real concern for events like the International Casino Games. How does one market an event like this to these two kinds of players effectively so as to open up new avenues of a constantly growing market?

Time will tell as the International Casino Games continues to razzle and dazzle the industry and one cannot predict the route this event will take, but for now let’s hold thumbs and hope for the best. This is however, the best tournament that we have seen yet and the rewards are stupendous. So why not play your game and try your luck at the weekly tournaments and stand a chance at winning your way onto the Caribbean Princess where you can battle it out with the industry’s finest players and who knows maybe you’ll be setting a few trends of your own, being the best player at the table.

First published on 29 July '05 - EzineArticles

Hi there!

So it's been a long time coming and you have been very patient with me to get my act together for this blog. Without further ado, I bring you a fury of work and a little extra to get your gaming on the way!

For those of you who don't know me, you are one step closer to being RICH RICH RICH! I am a passionate online casino player and reviewer. My collection of work includes strategies and industry secrets that will make you a small fortune fast. Have a look through my profile for more about my career.

I have collated a bunch of tips that I've picked since I started playing at online casinos and have decided to share these with you so that you can make a killing playing your favorite casino games.

Here's a little advice that's sure to make your gaming priceless. The first step to beating the casino to set realistic goals for yourself and when your goals are reached, it's time to cash-in off course.

Remember to only play when you feel fresh and rejuvenated - that way you don't start betting wildly for the sake of a win.

You can also get the latest information, tips and playing secrets if you visit the Gamble Clinic. I have been writing for this site for a while and will continue to update users with the latest industry secrets.

Why do I do what I do?

Because I think it's important to educate and inform you about online casino gambling. And besides it should heat up your play and make your gaming more entertaining.

Best wishes,
Lil Dice