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How Will the 2010 UK Elections Affect Internet Bingo?
The 2010 elections in the UK brought about a partial victory for the Conservative Party and Prime Minister Gordon Brown tendered his resignation ending 13 years of Labour rule and paving the way for David Cameron to become Prime Minister. The Conservatives are still twenty seats short of the 326 seats needed for a majority. The gaming industry including the internet bingo industry is waiting for the mini manifesto promised to the gaming industry. Will the new Conservative government be better for online bingo? No one seems to know for sure.
Traditionally Conservatives have viewed gaming as an industry that needs to be controlled by limiting supply and marketing efforts and tight regulation and taxation. The Labour government has not been good for the bingo industry as a whole. The smoking ban and high levels of taxation crippled the land based bingo industry resulting in thousands of job losses. Earlier in 2010 the Labour government lowered the bingo tax a paltry 2% but the industry remains the most highly taxed in the gambling sector. Conservatives have remained silent about their intentions towards the bingo industry. At a Bingo Association meeting a shadow minister from the Tories said that the bingo tax is unfair and that the issue will be addressed when the time is right.
Some in the internet bingo industry fear that the new government could see the lucrative internet bingo market as a further source of tax revenue and could possibly raise taxes on internet bingo companies operating in the UK. Further taxation could easily drive internet bingo providers offshore resulting in a drop in tax revenue from the industry. Some commentators believe that the Labour party views the bingo sector as “a target for taxation” while the Liberal Democrats recognize the importance of bingo as a social activity.
Writing for the bingo oriented website Bingo Supermarket, author Jayne Wilson called for the online and land based bingo industries to join forces and stated, “[We] would urge online bingo operators to form an alliance in the form of an online Bingo Association in order to tackle and raise awareness of potential issues that will come around once the Government find its feet and start looking for a way to bring in revenues to service the country’s debts.” Experience has shown that by and large the government views the bingo and gaming industry as a handy source for tax revenue. While a hung Parliament may be bad for the country as a whole it could turn out well for the internet bingo industry.
Blackjack: Secrets for the Quest to 21
Twenty-one, an auspicious symbol to many aspects of modern life; a landmark number, an important number, and the landmark number to beating the odds in modern competitive gaming’s most popular game.
The automaton that is blackjack surfaced nearly four centuries ago, but, in its modern form, came to the fore in the 1960s, with the discovery of the practice of card-counting and its subsequent publicity and exploitation by those who frequently play casino blackjack.
Blackjack, simply put, is the quest to 21, and the untold riches which beyond that lie. But, in journey to that landmark, many fall by the wayside, casualties of a game deceptive in its simplicity.
There are, however, a number of cunningly effective secrets available for possible increased blackjack success.
To Hit or to Stand
A popular strategy in blackjack is the ‘when to hit and when to stand’ policy. Many players adopt a personal policy of hitting for more cards at a certain numerical result, and standing at another. A common technique is to hit at 16 or less and stand at 17 or more. This allows for the player to possibly anticipate the dealer’s hand, betting on the fact that, on most occasions, the dealers hand will be at the disadvantage.
Taking the Hit
If a total is lower than 10, a hit is a must. This may seem obvious, but for many players, the concept of the ‘hit’ is unsettling to say the least. The risk of coming up short and subsequently overshooting seems less attractive than standing and possibly winning by number.
Standing Ground
Obviously, 14 to 16, or 17 to 21, with a dealer showing a lower card, a stand is the course to take, and therein lies the gamble and the reason bettors Play Casino blackjack. There’s something deliciously dangerous about laying commodity on the line while balancing a steadfast faith that hinges on the difference between a mere six numbers.
Watching the Dealer
The rules of modern blackjack allow the bettor to see the dealer’s face-up card. This means that if the face-up card were, say, a 10, the player has the opportunity to anticipate a high number and adjust their ‘hit’ or ‘stand’ status, by assuming that whatever their result, the dealer could possibly beat it with the face-down card. Obviously, this may not mean much, especially when faced with the game’s towering tradition of uncertainty, but watching the dealer hand may very well provide staggering advantage against the house, after all the cards have been dealt.
In today’s gaming circles, blackjack reigns supreme, no matter the platform. It could be due to the fact that the objective of the game represents a landmark number in human tradition, but it’s most likely because of the basic mystery of the game. Blackjack is a game that can be manipulated by player intervention, but for most, the concept is beyond the realm of understanding. The above tips, however, lay claim to the evidence that blackjack can be conquered, and not only by the most quick-witted of players, leading one to believe that this, perhaps, could be another reason for its popularity: the mystery can be solved.