While Kentucky is foolishly fighting online gambling (how else but) by grabbing up domain names, over in British Columbia (where lies my all time favorite city, Vancouver), is enjoying mega success through legalized online gambling and is reaping enormous financial rewards.

Can the states be far behind? Can they afford NOT to do this? I’m telling you, it’s only a matter of time and the clock is ticking.

The British Columbia Lotter Corporation had launched its controversial online gambling site,  PlayNow.com last week and was shut down by the initial spike of traffic.

It’s been an overwhelming success, said Michael Graydon, president of the BC Corporation.      

“So we decided to close the site down for a half a day, add some new hardware and servers to the system to be able to accommodate it. We’re in the process of doing that. Our IT people are working very hard to get it up and running.”

The site is still offline today.

But it will include casino games, bingo, sports, lotteries and other games and is expected to generate about $100 million in revenue.

Did you read that U.S. legislators…$100 million in revnue. In Canada. Can you imagine what it would bring in here?

A friend, Abe, sent me an interesting cli from the New York Times, which I think is not just a fun angle on gambling moments…but kind of instructive.

There is a report coming out of China of a syndrome that might be caused by excessive table gambling. I know…hard to believe. Right?

Seems like the patient (unnamed), in a letter to the respected Lancet magazine, reported painful swelling  in her left leg.

Blood tests showed deep vein thrombosis. In other words, a clot.

Good news is that she recovered.

Doctors researched her case. She had no family history of clots.

At 40, she did take birth control pills.

Ultimately doctors came up with this: the clot might have been caused by excessive mah jongg playing.

She had been playing the game for 8 hours, sitting at a table, motionless.

“Our patient’s condition is similar to economy class syndrome  in its underlying pathophysiological mechanisms,” the doctor’s wrote.

“However, the mechanisms of mah-jongg-related D.V.T. could be complicated by stress (especially when it involves monetary bets) and sleep deprivation.”

Here’s the deal.

New Jersey seems poised to become the FIRST state to legalize online poker …. at least within the state.

But Atlantic City casinos are putting the pressure on legislators to kill the bill.

Who’s kidding whom?

Folks, this is a smokescreen.

You’ve gotta know that the second online poker is legalized the casinos will be right there, ready to take advantage.

What they DON’T want is competition.

They want to monopolize the online poker industry in NJ.

It’s a useless battle.

And they know it.

But they also know that stalling will keep the millions flowing into their accounts.

OK, here is what is happening now: the New Jersey Casino Association, which represents the 11 casinos in Atlantic City, is reportedly opposing a referendum on allowing sports betting and online poker and gambling in land-based casinos.

The Association said in a statement that it opposes the referendum, as a positive outcome would mean that the introduction of intrastate gambling could violate federal bans.

“As the industry seeks to work with government to revitalize the economic engine that the Atlantic City casinos bring to the state of New Jersey, the last thing that the state needs at this time is to undermine the destination resort model by expanding gambling to other parts of the state,” wrote Joe Corbo, president of the Casino Association.

Say it ain’t so, Joe.

This new hurdle means that a review of the referendum has been delayed in the Assembly, and there are fears that this delay could impact the chances of its passage.

You are delaying the inevitable people.

Let me spend my money where I WANT to.

OK?

Anyone who agrees with me, let me know.

Here’s a dispatch (from China’s news agencies) that I found incredibly interesting and I want to share it all with you.

I’ve been wild about the World Cup, watching every match I could, while I’m not at work.

China, it seems is going wild over the cup too. Only thing is, they don’t have a team competing in it.

No matter. They are gambling, illegally it would appear, online. In record numbers.

As of this past Saturday, one day into the tournament, Chinese police said they already confiscated $102 million in illegal funds and arrested some 3,600 suspects for illegal gambling in connection with the World Cup. This from a report by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

“The state of our country’s online illegal gambling activities is still a very grim situation,” a police official told reporters, according to the Legal Daily. He largely blamed offshore gambling syndicates for “infiltrating” the country, according to the report.

While Chinese officials like to blame foreigners for the illegal activities, corruption has a long history in Chinese soccer.

Traditionally, national-team hopefuls had to pay tens of thousands of yuan in bribes, said Rowan Simons, author of a book on soccer in China, according to CNN.

“Players have come out and said they can’t play for the national team because they can’t afford it,” he said, according to the report.

Surely, neither China’s soccer skill nor its level of corruption is the worst in the world. In both areas it falls somewhere in the middle: According to FIFA, Chinese soccer ranks 84th in the world, just ahead of Mozambique.

Yeah, China didn’t qualify for the World Cup, but the government is heavily promoting the competition. CCTV, the state-run television network, airs the matches each night along with pre- and post-game commentary, while a number of domestic newspaper reporters have made the long flight to South Africa.

News from one of my correspondents in New York prompted this posting.

Man, sometimes help comes from strange places.

Those who have been in favor of making Online Poker legal in the United States got a big supporter from New York.

Alfonse D’Amato, a former senator of the state and current Chairman of the Poker Players Alliance, stated that he is in favor of allowing the practice.

“Why is it OK for a group of friends to sit around the kitchen table and play a friendly game of poker, but not OK for people to play over their computers?” remarked D’Amato.

Good point Al.

D’Amato was quick to point out that the basic structure of online poker does not violate any current federal laws.  Citing the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, which relates to sports betting, and not poker as those opposed to the notion have said.

D’Amato and Poker Players Alliance Director John Pappas have now joined forces in favor of a bill that would legalize the industry. Strange bedfellows I’d say.

Pappas said that banks are discouraged to do business with online poker companies, making sure no illegal activity is occurring.

“There is what amounts to a safe harbor already embedded in the law, so that any bank that does want to transact with an online poker business simply needs a reasoned legal opinion that it their client is not involved in restricted transactions,”  Pappas said.

Online gambling has been outlawed since 2006, but a new bill sent to the floor to be debated and passed would be a huge victory of online casinos, as they could potentially see a giant leap forward in terms of revenue, despite the struggling economy and difficult times that casinos are having.

OK, so you’re having a quiet game of cards (for money of course) with your friends in say… Charleston. Friendly game. Poker maybe.

Knock on the door.

Boom. You’re busted.

That’s right. In South Carolina (one of the prettiest states in the Union), people are still being busted for blue laws first established in the early 1800s.

Crazy isn’t it?

I mean, what is the South Carolina Lottery if not gambling?

Oh right. Money raised goes to education.

n 1802, laws were enacted that would make gambling illegal in the state – even for charitable purposes or in home, social events.

Finally, new legislative events may change these laws, as legislators are pushing to overturn these ancient laws.

Why? Cos the state needs THE MONEY, why else?

According to the law, games using cards or dice, including such family favorites as Monopoly, are illegal in the state.

Somebody stop me from laughing.

Under the new bill, certified not for profit organizations can use raffles to raise money, and social gambling, such as home poker games, will be permitted.

Furthermore, residents are going to have the ability to vote on whether or not the state constitution would be amended to allow raffles by churches, schools, and similar organizations.

Some opponents fear that if social gambling and charitable are legalized, then more forms of gambling will invade the state. In a time where tax revenues are nearly crippled in many state economies, new methods of generating revenue are being explored.

So cut the crap Carolina.

And legalize gambling.

Your people are doing it anyway. Might as well tax winnings. And casinos…

Poverty makes strange bedfellows, right?

Like once anti-gambling legislators now doing a 180 degree turn and looking for any kind of revenue relief. Anything but new taxes.

So…Maryland state senators are now considered amending a bill this week that could bring card games to one racetrack so games would be allowed in five other locations, as well.

Hours later, members of the House of Delegates urged a panel to back one bill that would permit table games like craps and roulette at slots locations, as well as legislation to bring slot machines to veteran organizations across the state and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

Personally, I love it. Hell, I’m always traveling to D.C. from my home in Pennsylvania.

Some residents backing certain gambling bills say the measures are necessary at a time when governments and groups are hurting for cash.

Yeah. Right.

“A lot of veterans are getting older, a lot of members aren’t coming anymore so we’re losing money,” Frederick Taylor, a Vietnam vet from Largo, Maryland, said of the bill to allow slot machine in veteran organizations.

A spokesman for Gov. Martin O’Malley says he has no interest in expanding gambling in the state, but senators are seriously considering legislation to bring card games to Prince George’s County.

For those of you not familiar with that location, PG County borders Washington D.C.

State senate GOP leader Allan Kittleman says any referendum on the issue should allow voters to approve having card games in multiple locations. Kittleman said he would have a commission pick five other locations for the games besides Rosecroft.

Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2008 that allows up to 15,000 slot machines in five locations.

We’ll keep an eye out of what happens.

I ran across this warning from onlinecasino.com and I thought it was important news to get out there.

It’s about March Madness. You know, the NCAA basketball tournament.

Everyone I know at work plays the brackets… it’s great fun and money can be won.

But, as March Madness approaches this week, sportsbetters should be aware of threats that target the online gambling industry.

What we like is the passion and drive of the players, which creates a stir among sportsbetters, who are looking for more thrilling events than those involving often-complacent professional players.

As a result, the online sportsbetting industry experiences one of the biggest influxes of wagers around this time every year, rivaling such popular events as The World Cup (I can’t wait for that, in a few months) and The SuperBowl.

However, it is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of March Madness, and forget about the dangers lurking online.

Although most online casinos are safe and reputable places to spend your money, hackers and other scam artists take advantage of the busy season, so players should be on the lookout for suspicious behavior.

So watch out.
Players should be aware of websites that simulate online casinos.

During March Madness, it is not uncommon for new websites to be launched, claiming that they are certified online casinos.

These websites will spread viruses and other malware that can steal the registrants personal information. This is why players must always do their research, checking out sites that review online casinos.

To combat these threats, software developers are also doing their part. BitDefender, for example, is stepping up its game during this year’s March Madness, with new offerings to help protect sportsbetters.

Players should examine all of their options before registering, to ensure a safe and prosperous experience.

Get it? Great.

Now go play.

Mea Culpa.

I like to play the slots.

I’m not an 80 year old granny, although there is nothing wrong with being an 80 year old grandmother.

And I’m not a hot chick (see above).

But I like the quick action of the game. Slot in your coins, hit a button, pull a lever and watch the figures spin and voila, you win or lose instantly.

It’s like the casino version of an instant scratch lottery game.

Instant gratification. And since I love to scratch, I also like the slots. I love the sound. The vastness of a casino hall with bright lights, its bells and whistles at 4 a.m.

I was in Vegas recently, at the Bellagio, to watch a game show being taped there, and I was just amazed (I shouldn’t be, after all these years) at the action in the slots area. Not just women. Men.

So obviously, men don’t just play poker and craps anymore.

But for those who can’t get to Vegas, Atlantic City or your nearest riverboat casino or Indian Reservation casino, I have news for you. I suggest online gambling at online casinos that are so cool and slick they will knock your socks off and give you a great slots experience at home.

Sure, you’re not sitting there with a bucket of coins, but the effect is almost the same. The sound effects, the bells and whistles. The games. The instant gratification.

With all the advanced technology available, online casino software providers can emulate any slots machine and make it available to play online.

It’s impossible to list all the different online slots for fans of the game to play. I like Playtech software, for instance, for the quality of the games they produce.

Me, I like the 7 reels with more than 100 paylines slots, but some prefer simpler 3 reels. It’s all there.

I am not in the habit of promoting one over the other. Let’s just say, check them out, and go with the more well known casinos if you are afraid of gambling online.

The better casinos are totally secure. I think most newbies worry about that.

I don’t anymore.

There are some totally cool online slots on the Internet and I’d like to hear about some of your favorites. Drop me a line.

In the meantime, have fun, play on and see you online.