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June 7, 2011

Motorola To Release Droid Bionic

Filed under: Casino — Tags: , — OCE News @ 12:00 am

The latest in the Droid series, Motorola Droid 3, is soon to be released. The design is very similar to Motorola Droid Bionic and it will have a full QWERTY keyboard. How it differs is that the new Motorola Droid 3 will apparently have the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. This possible revelation has come as a surprise to many mobile casino patrons.

Motorola Droid 3 will also have a number of other exciting features. It’s rumored that along with the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, it’ll have a four-inch touchscreen which will have qHD 960 × 540 resolution. It’ll also consist of a dual-core processor, thought to be Nvidia Tegra 2, an eight MP camera in the rear which will come with Full-ND recording and a 1.3 MP camera in the front which can be used for making video calls. It’ll also have 4G LTE network compatibility.

Gingerbread Vs Froyo Os

It’s not certain as to whether the Motorola Droid 3 will use the Android 2.3 Gingerbread or the Froyo OS. The most positive aspect of the former is that it’s very fast and has superior security options to choose from. For gambling, the time taken for processing and for data to be collated has been seriously reduced and it has got rid of the pain of long loading times. In addition, it’ll allow the handset to be compatible with all Android casinos available. The latter is seen as much more reliable and an easier to use operating system than the previous OS. However, there’s still everything to play for as to which will be chosen out of the two. Both of them are compatible with the mobile games which are currently circulating.

Droid Pro

The Droid Pro was the last Android-based Smartphone to be released by Motorola at the end of the last year. This devise has a 3.1 inch capacitive touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard. It also comes with a five megapixel autofocus camera with a dual LED flash. Another main feature is that it includes 3G mobile hotspot abilities and so is able to connect with up to five other devices. The Motorola Droid 3 is a serious step up from its older sibling.

Release Date?

At the moment there is no set release date for the Motorola Droid 3 which is not a rare occurrence with this mobile company. It is all very vague at present and so it could be anybody’s guess when it could be out on sale. Rumors are that it will be some time in June. There has been no word as to the price tag though.

With what is said of the features, it looks as though it will be a big competitor in the Smartphone market currently out. For mobile gamers it’s fast, functions well and will provide stunning resolution to provide a fantastic online casino gambling experience. This year, it is thought that there will be a lot of Android-powered phones released, so lovers of this operating system may find themselves spoilt for choice.

June 5, 2011

Macau To Attract Mass Market Through Casino Resorts

Filed under: Casino — Tags: , — OCE News @ 12:00 am

Macau, the favorite destination of the world’s gamblers, is broadening its consumer base. It is shifting its focus from the rich and celebrities to the mass market of Chinese gambling. Macau is just a short distance away from Hong Kong. It generated approximately $24 billion revenue in 2010. Seventy percent of this revenue came from affluent Chinese families.

To provide a more rewarding and reliable option, Macau is looking at the newly built world-class casino resorts that target the affluent middle class people of China. This serves the double purpose of promoting Macau as a tourist destination for shopping, sightseeing, and other activities in addition to gambling.

More Affluent Middle Class in China

When Portugal handed over Macau to China in 1999, it became the only part of China where gambling was legal. The wealthy and affluent Chinese started heading for Macau to enjoy a lavish lifestyle and spend money on gambling, which was not possible in the mainland. But this also started the problem of licensed middlemen who financed rich mainland Chinese and they assumed the responsibility of paying off their gambling debts. Due to PRC becoming more active in world trade, the source of funds for gamblers became highly volatile. On the other hand, the Chinese middle class has become more prosperous, therefore a more reliable market for the gambling industry in Macau.

Annual growth of Macau gambling market is estimated to be 27 to 35 percent. Analysts expect that mass market segment will grow by 30 percent in the next three years. It is more than double the growth of the VIP market segment. Michael Joaquim das Neves, the Director of Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), has pointed out, “ the

VIP market depends on a few numbers of people, whereas mass market is a big number. We prefer and encourage the faster growth of mass market.”

Infrastructure Support to Develop Macau

The travel time between Macau and mainland of China will be significantly shortened by a Guangzhou–Zhuhai high-speed railway network. This infrastructure upgradation will help in expansion of Macau as a tourist and gambling resort. Further access will be facilitated by expansion of the Gongbei gate at the border. By 2015, a light transit railway and a bridge will connect Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macau.

With all these support and changes, analysts are very positive about the prospects of Macau and its gambling industry. In the current scenario, casino-resorts developers and operators are excessively expanding their presence in Macau and building new resorts. Among the latest projects is the Galaxy Entertainment Group’s new facility, opened on May 15, which costs $1.9 billion.

This Galaxy resort has a 350-ton man-made beach, a multiplex cinema, and a sky-top wave pool among other attractions. Within next 9–12 months, the number of hotel rooms in Macau is expected to increase by 41 percent, which means 8200 hotel rooms. In spite of the massive increase in hotels and resorts, it is expected that these will be fully booked once they come into full operations. Other major companies on the expansion scene are Sands china, Wynn Macau, MGM resorts International, and Stanley Ho’s SJM.

June 3, 2011

New Casino Constructions On Hold In Ohio As CAT Is Too High

Filed under: Casino — Tags: , — OCE News @ 12:00 am

To help the budget, Ohio State is looking at construction of new casinos to raise revenues. But the imposition of Commercial Activity Tax got these plans derailed. This law was promulgated in 2005. It replaced the state’s Corporate Franchise tax and property taxes levied on the inventory, equipment of businesses, and fixtures. The new CAT system was supposed to be simple as compared to the old tax scheme which generated about $1.3 billion annually for state and local schools. The older system was considered too high and too complicated because too many exemptions over time have been incorporated.

CAT for New Casinos of Ohio

The new CAT system would reduce the tax on Ohio’s declining manufacturing industry and shift the burden to the growing service industry. This means CAT would apply to the state’s new casinos. CAT is 0.26 percent for every $10,000 in revenue. The problem is not the rate but the disagreement between Ohio Department of taxation and Casino owners regarding exactly what constitutes taxable revenue for casinos.

The casino industry defines the revenues as the total loss by gamblers in that casino or the NET winnings of the casino. But a March 2010 memo of Department of Taxation stated that tax should be applied on total bets placed in the casino. If a gambler bets $100 in total, but loses only $19, the CAT is applied to $100.

Early this month, the Ohio House of Representatives approved a proposal to its effect. This means the difference between an estimated $5.2 million and $59 million that needs to be paid by the casinos every year. This amount is enough to turn a profitable casino into a losing one. These extra taxes could make a casino a bad investment or an unprofitable one.

The American Gaming Association, a gambling trade group, points out that other casino states like Illinois, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia base the tax on what the casino wins, not on total betting as Ohio wants to. But the Government argues that “The CAT was designed to apply to a business’ total gross, not a net calculation of receipts after expenses.” There is a strong argument that the CAT should extend to a casino’s gross wagers.

Other Forms of Gambling Have Different Rules

In case of racetracks, taxes have been levied based on commissions the track makes on bets, not on the bets placed. The Department gives the argument that gambling system on racetracks is different from that in a casino. The racetrack gamblers bet against each other and the track only collects the commission. But in casinos the gamblers bet against the casino. Therefore, CAT is applied only on commission in racetracks, but on all bets at casinos.

As far as lotteries are concerned, they are not taxed because they are run by state, therefore are tax-exempt. Lottery sellers pay CAT only on the commissions they make from ticket sales. As compared to other forms of gambling, casino gambling is at a loss, tax-wise. Therefore, casino owners have placed construction of new casinos on hold until the issue is resolved. For example, a Cincinnati-based casino’s opening, which was supposed to be done in a few months, has been pushed back to 2013.

June 1, 2011

Online Gambling Can Increase Popularity Of Land-Based Casinos

Filed under: Casino — Tags: , — OCE News @ 12:00 am

The fear of traditional casino operators regarding loss of business due to online casinos has been given a break following the results of a recent research. This research shows that online gambling does not pose a threat to the business of traditional land-based casinos. Presented at the recent iGaming North America 2011 conference, the research showed that online gaming can actually increase the popularity of the traditional gambling houses. This conference was held in Las Vegas in May for three days and was an inaugural event that aimed at giving the traditional casinos a venue to network. They have a place to examine and discuss different aspects of online gaming now.

A Venue Where Representatives of Different Sectors Met

Representatives of different sectors of the gambling industry like vendors, suppliers, operators, government regulators, and consultants came together. In iGaming North America 2011 conference, various topics were discussed. These included global reach, opportunities, technological issues, commercial success, and many more topics that most land-based casino owners had never discussed or known before.

This conference was organized by Bola Verde Media Group, Lewis & Roca, and the Innovation group. Bola Verde is a St. Louis-based consultancy group which provides its clients with research and analytics of the online gaming industry. Lewis & Roca is a law firm that represents clients in the industries including casino operators, gaming equipment suppliers, investors, and other collateral business dealing with the casino and gaming industry.

The Innovation group provides consultancy and advisory services and is deeply involved in evaluating market opportunities and helping to draft

gambling laws. This company has conducted a primary research to find out the impact of internet casinos on traditional gambling houses.

The conference was attended by over 300 delegates and featured well-known figures in the online casino industry. The delegates expressed the desire for the coexistence of both online gambling and land-based casinos. This has been the main concern showed in the conference.

Debate on the Issue of Online Gambling vs. Traditional Casino Gambling

One of the prominent delegates Jan Jones, Senior VP of communications and Government relations for Caesars Ltd., emphasized the need for responsible business strategies to strengthen the relationship between online gaming and land-based gambling establishments. She noted that younger people are also getting interested in gambling, with majority choosing online gambling, though the average age of the gambling patron was 50 years. Therefore, instead of fearing the online gambling industry, its better to develop an online presence as it works to boost the total number of people interested in gambling.

Traditional casino owners were not totally convinced by the arguments. They expressed contrary opinion that there is a declining trend in the number of land-based poker players as a consequence of rising number of internet gambling games. Though Steve Rittvo estimated that if the United States legalizes online gambling, the gambling market could double in the next five years.

The results of the research are not withstanding, and the debate will go on, it seems. Looking at the present scenario, it seems the traditional casino owners will have to come in terms with the online gambling industry and be prepared for peaceful coexistence in near future.

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