Tag Archives: online gambling
What is it Online Gambling?
What is it Online Gambling?
Just like any commercial market today, gambling also took its chance of having to saturate a broader area of gaming through the Internet.
Nowadays, there are as many online gambling games as there are gambling games. Every kind of gambling game has their online counter parts in the Web. From poker to sports betting, every gambling activity seems to be online.
Most proponents of online gambling assert that online gambling is just as safe as gambling in known casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Just like the usual casino, online casinos are also required to have their licenses and permits before engaging into online gambling.
By doing so, online casinos are systematically regulated and audited by professional firms. All online casinos use the secure e-cash facilities, in cooperation with the credit card companies, so that the customers are being protected from unauthorized use of credit cards or from cases of identity theft.
Generally, online gambling in an online casino will entice new players by requiring them to deposit an amount by offering bonuses. An online casino that will offer you a free $100 for a $50 deposit is a good example. In this manner, more people believe that online gambling offers better chances than real-life gambling. However, this poses more risk in getting addicted to the game.
For people who want to play online gambling, deposits can be made through credit cards, fire pay, or 900 pay. Fire pay works like an ordinary online debit card. Normally, the player places money into the account and can be spent to any online merchants. Funds can be deposited through wire transfers. 900 pay, on the other hand, is another way of depositing money by calling a 900 number and the amount that is to be deposited is charged to the player’s phone bill.
What’s more, online casinos are further classified into two groups based on their interface. Online casinos could either be web-based or download-based.
Web-based casinos are forms of online gambling wherein users may directly play online casino games without having to load any software to the local computer. Online gambling is mainly presented in the browser plugins like Macromedia Flash, Shockwave, or Java.
On the other hand, download-based online casinos are the most common online gambling sites in the Web. Here, online gambling users have to download certain software in order to play the casino games. And because it has pre-downloaded software, it is faster to initiate casino games on it compared to web-based casinos.
Plus, there are other ways of frauds in online gambling. Most of these cases are player-based. Players who want to cheat usually uses Adobe Photoshop or a comparable tool to maneuver the graphics of a slot machine screenshot in order to deceive the casino into thinking that the player just hit a jackpot. Another way is to use special software, one that can cheat the casino.
Online gambling is a highly interactive game, meaning whatever choices players make are based on their own prerogatives. So, however enticing online gambling can be it is a must that players must know their own dispositions so as not to be deceived.
Lotteries Set to Go Online
Lotteries Set to Go Online
The worldwide market for lotteries is hugs and over 200 jurisdictions around the world have official lotteries. In 2009 industry experts say that total global lottery revenues totaled about $240 billion USD. In the US where most states have lotteries total sales amounted to $52.4 billion in 2009 and are expected to rise in 2010. Lotteries also spend a lot of money on marketing and spend about $5 billion annually on advertising and promotions around the world. Most lottery jurisdictions implemented lotteries to supplement tax revenues and in the US most states spend lottery revenues on education or social services. Many jurisdictions have come to rely on lottery funds to support various government functions. During the current global recession lotteries have provided governments with much needed funds to fill empty state coffers.
Lottery ticket sales have increased by a modest 2% a year compared with double digit growth for casino and online gambling. In the US legislation has been introduced that would re legalize online gambling and provide the government with another revenue stream. In the US gambling sites are incredibly popular including lottery sites. Should federal law be changed it will clear the way for online lottery ticket sales which at present are blocked by vague regulations regarding online gambling. Online marketers stand to benefit from changes in the law as lotteries spend millions to promote their games online.
Thanks to the recession lottery ticket sales have slowed but there are other factors contributing to the slowdown in lotto ticket sales. Offshore gambling sites are siphoning off revenue from lotteries as more Americans go online to gamble and play foreign lotteries. In addition most lotteries have not introduced new games in years and player boredom has contributed to a decline in ticket sales. Mega jackpot lotteries such as Powerball and Mega Millions spark player interest when jackpots reach hundreds of millions but for some reason many lottery players are not interested in everyday jackpots of $20-$30 million and ticket sales fall.
Lottery demographics show that most regular lotto players are aging and for some reason many state lotteries have not been able to attract a younger player base. Thanks to flagging many states have had to cut marketing budgets resulting in flagging ticket sales. Most lottery industry experts say that allowing state lottery ticket sales in the US would result in an increase in sales. In Europe and New Zealand online lottery ticket sales have been popular with players and most players say convenience is a major factor in online lotto ticket purchases.