Online Casino Bill

Land-Based Casinos vs Online Casinos – The Main Differences

          Jeff Mott

Land Based CasinosAlthough it may be argued that nothing can truly compare to the actual sights and sounds of the land-based casinos experience, it could be debated at least that both of these enterprises share some common qualities and each has its own high and low points.  For example, both online casinos and their land-based counterparts offer players the opportunity to place real money bets.  Each one also offers a wide selection of games including blackjack, slots, craps and video poker.  That being said, there are some major differences.

A select number of online casinos feature live dealers who interact with the players via webcam.  However, it’s much more common that the “dealer” is computer generated, and the outcome of the games are determined by a random number generator.  The upside is that it allows for faster play.  Depending on the software, you can play in excess of 1000 hands of blackjack an hour using the auto-play feature based on optimal strategy.  You can also review previous hands and outcomes.  Random number generators guarantee fair play and third party auditors ensure that the games are tested regularly.  The results of these audits are often made available to the public via the casino’s website.

Financial transactions are handled differently at an online casino.  At land-based casinos there is a cashier located within the casino where you can easily purchase or cash in your winnings. Depositing and withdrawing funds to and from an online casino may require the use of a third party payment processing service known as e-wallets.  Deposits are usually instantaneous but withdrawals generally take longer and it might take several days for the funds to be credited to a player’s e-walled account.  The reason for this is that the casino must first perform standard anti-fraud procedures and allow for reversals, which allow you to terminate your withdrawal request and transfer the funds back into your casino account.

Land-Based Casinos Comps vs Online Casino Comps

The comps that land-based casinos are famous for obviously don’t translate to the online casino experience.  Rather than providing players with free meals or upgrade to their rooms, online casinos offer financial rewards based on the amount of play generated.  These bonuses can include free spins, or match bonuses, which will match a deposit dollar-for-dollar up to a specified amount.  Players are often required to bet a certain number of times before any winnings can be cashed out.

Of course, land-based casinos are more than just the games, there’s also the atmosphere to consider and this is one of the main differences between online and real-world gambling.  Land-based casinos have sights and sounds that can’t be replicated online.  In land-based casinos friends and loved ones can cheer you on or you can take a break to see a show.  Online casinos can’t rival this experience but they do feature incredible graphics without any unnecessary distractions.  They are a convenient, entertaining, and potentially lucrative way to play from the comfort of home.

Sheldon Adelson’s Campaign Against Online Casino Gambling

          Jeff Mott

Sheldon Adelson Opposes Online Casino Gambling

Last fall, when Sheldon Adelson first began waging his war against legalized online gambling within the United States many people found his stance confusing and profoundly misguided. After all, with the exception of Sheldon Adelson, the gambling industry unilaterally supported the notion of gambling being extended to include Internet-based gaming. Adelson’s position in this matter was is further confounded due to the fact that it comes from a man who amassed a substantial fortune from land-based gambling operations.

Surprisingly, just 6 months later, Sheldon Adelson has managed to make serious inroads in blocking the legalization of gambling. In late 2013, supporters of online gambling made considerable headway with states such as New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware offering regulated Internet gambling within their borders. It was expected that the huge revenues and tax income generated post-launch would serve as a massive incentive for other states to follow suit. However, by June, efforts in California and other key states stalled and although Sheldon Adelson is no closer to bringing about a federal ban on online gambling, they have similarly failed in creating a regulatory plan for online gambling on a federal level.

Sheldon Adelson has wasted no time capitalizing on his momentum. According to the Wall Street Journal, Sheldon Adelson has been successful in persuading the casino industry’s most influential lobbying group, the American Gaming Association (AMA), to cease supporting efforts to regulate online gambling. Prior to this, the AGA’s actively supported online gambling from as early as March 2010. This support created a major rift among the most important members of the group. Insiders suggested the change not only curtailed the AGA’s impact in Washington, but also negatively impacted plans to support regulation of online gambling at a state level.

Sheldon Adelson seeks help from prominent casino operators

Sheldon Adelson has also enlisted other prominent casino operators like Steve Wynn and former politicians like George Pataki to lend their support to his cause. Recently he has enlisted the support of Democrat and former mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown to oppose online gambling in California. It doesn’t help matters when the casino revenues being generated in New Jersey have fallen substantially below expectations. This disappointing fact will potentially discourage other states from embracing online gambling as a means to solving budget concerns. In April, New Jersey revenues dropped to $11.4M, a far cry from the $180M predicted by Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie. What’s the reason behind this great disparity? According to the president of France’s Internet gambling regulator, Charles, Coppolani, “The fad is over.” The advancement of regulated online gambling in California also seems to be lagging due to competition with tribal casinos, many of which have opposing interests.

While Adelson isn’t entirely responsible for the recent setbacks, he has managed to turn the tables to a certain degree. He’s put online gambling proponents on the defence and has been a catalyst for increased public debate on the key issues associated with online gambling such as underage gambling, cheating and addiction (all of which are factors that apply equally to the land-based casino he operates). Even investors seems to have lost their enthusiasm. Caesars Acquisition Company, a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment, has experienced a 26% drop in stock since March, trading at $12.08.