Other industries are not the only ones struggling in the current economy. The casino economy is taking quite a hit as well. However, in a reaction to becoming much more challenging, new trends have emerged as efforts of making casinos much more social focused helps control costs while casino companies still earn a fairly decent wage.
The new trend that is increasing in popularity are the websites that are offering online slots, bingo, blackjack, poker and several other games, many of which are available for people to play for fun at first on social networking sites. Then there are other sites that are completely dedicated to offering gambling for stakes with players of all different skill levels.
In an effort to offset some of the overhead costs, one of the things that many casino operators are doing currently are focusing on training their staff, adjusting labor costs, creating better internal communications and trying to retain players. These are some of the key points that casinos are working on as well as other strategies. Some of the other changes have included making changes in food and beverage services in order to continue to offer fine dining choices but still be able to better manage costs.
All the while, there are several policies that involve gaming and entertainment that are being more scrutinized. Any events that are offered at a casino must bring in a solid return on the investment but still provide an exciting experience for people that attend and take part.
In regards to other aspects of marketing, the one solid trend that stands out above many of these other strategies is the high usage of people on social networking sites. Casino players have swamped Facebook in order to play casino style games. Casino operators have noticed this and have embraced the mentality that utilizing social networking sites is an extension of the presence that the casino has online. It has made a solid impact and encourages people to spend time and entertain themselves by participating in casino activities and gaming online.
Some casino operators were obviously concerned that some of their most common demographic of casino players is not reached via social networking sites. The demographic is usually 50 plus and has shown significant growth anyway in participating in casino gaming. However, the technological age has reached out to younger people that use Facebook.
According to statistics, the Facebook group is the fastest growing age group that is participating in casino games. Twitter has been much slower but it is because most of the users are much younger. Only 30 percent of people that use Twitter are 45 years old or older. YouTube is the most popular site on the Internet is the second most popular social networking site. By reaching out to people that are on these sites, changes are certainly being made with new marketing strategies. While Facebook and Twitter are the most used social networks, casinos are mostly choosing to have a presence on YouTube. Fortunately for casinos, the effort has been working.
October 26, 2012
Casinos are Becoming More Social
Legislation For Online Gaming In EU Moves Forward
Online casino players in Europe are poised to take advantage of the European Gaming and Betting Association’s (EGBA) call once again, for the requirement and dire need of a regulatory mechanism for operations of online casinos within the European Union. The European Commission is expected to release a Communication and Action Plan when it comes to online gaming, and a call for this regulatory mechanism is surprisingly preceding the EC’s schedule. The reason is that the EGBA is trying to pressure the European Commission into creating a more protected and cohesive plan to protect players throughout Europe. This way, they are guaranteed of a crime free gaming opportunity for all. The Secretary-General of EGBA was less than impressed with the current situation, because there are currently 27 many markets available for online gambling throughout Europe. The Secretary-General stood up and demanded European rules be implemented, there provided every player fair, transparent and open licensing conditions, for all EU regulated operators. This ensured the maximum protection for every European player.
The EGBA has focused most of its attention on the current situation in Germany, because the German gambling administration is currently incompatible with the European Union treaties. In June, the European Parliament stated a very clear commitment to make sure that every country in the European Union conformed to the EU treaty when it came to online gaming. This is extremely important, because German states were currently providing licenses based on a procedure that was extremely contentious. The EGBA also discovered evidence that the Germans tendering procedure neither was not fair, open nor was it transparent for European bids. Although Germany is considered critical, the situation is increasingly growing dire in a variety of jurisdictions throughout the European Union. Many countries are going ahead with questionable legislation in order to open online casinos.
The European Commission has called for reactivation of a variety of drug cases, in order to take action against any offender in the member states, ensuring that they are unable to move forward with impunity. There are currently nine different infringement procedures that have been placed on hold, and there are innumerable new complaints coming in. The solution to these problems is advanced European Union legislation covering online gambling for every member of the union. This type of legislation is already in existence for nearly every other online service, and the legislation is anticipating regulation of both consumer protection issues as well as market accesses. Consumer protection standards have already been agreed upon; they just need to be put into effect. These standards require incorporation along with a variety of technical standards, licensing requirements and tools for reporting, to make sure that all of the standards have been met, and customers as well as businesses are protected when it comes to online gaming. This is an extensive industry that is anticipated to grow more than €4.5 billion in the next 3 to 4 years, and it simply cannot be ignored any longer. It is time for the European Union to stand up and create the regulations it needs to protect its citizens as well as the online gaming corporations that currently function as well as those in the future in Europe.
Choosing the Best Online Casino
Choosing the best online casino for your gaming adventures can be a daunting task with the amount of casinos scattered across the internet. Like any other industry, a rogue casino can always be looming like a rotten tomato among the fresh ones. If you sign up with a casino like this, not only will you be forfeiting any of your winnings; but, you will also probably not receive your deposit back, either. There is good news; there is a simple method for separating out the bad from the good. The following are some tips on how to choose a reliable online casino.
The majority of casinos operate under license from some jurisdictional authority. These authorities are responsible to verify the credentials of the site owners, as well as their financial standing. They are also to inspect the software that is used to access the games to ensure that the games are fair, as well as examine the management controls that have been proposed before a license will be granted.
Either the Home page or the About Us page will detail the credentials of the licensing authority and you should be sure to verify it carefully. You should also be wary of a casino site that does not list its license details. When researching, you will want to be sure that their license is valid and that the licensing authority has a good reputation. Otherwise, you could be dealing with nothing but a scam artist.
Also, some online casinos do not accept players from all over the world. In this respect, it is vital that you check to be sure that your country of origin is accepted by the casino and what types of currency they accept for deposits. Also check to see what payment options are available and if these are legal within your jurisdiction.
Be aware that if the casino is in a different country, you will have to exchange your money into their form of currency. This will cost you at each deposit and withdrawal. It is helpful if they have customer support available in your native language.
The popularity and the reputation of a casino will lie with their online presence. A good online presence can be achieved if the casino is a topic of conversation in any one of the many online casino forums that players frequent. It is a good idea to register and participate within these forums, as you can get a good feel for what casinos are the best to play, which ones payout the best, and so forth. It is so crucial that you check out a casino before you actually play there. Your extra effort in research can pay off greatly in the end.
Finally, check out what types of bonuses are offered at the casinos that you are considering. Most bonuses are given as a percentage of your initial deposit. Also, some casinos give bonuses to new accounts. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of the bonuses, as sometimes there can be strings attached.
October 24, 2012
Casino Industry Trends
The casino gaming industry is an exciting one with new changes happening all of time all over the world. Since people all across the world are all different there a significant number of trends to follow. Some of these trends range not only from policies and regulations but also changes in technology. Another aspect that some may not consider is the changing demographics and their effects on casino gambling. At some point or another, all of these are somewhat connected to each other.
One of the trends that have significantly shifted is the competitiveness, especially in the United States. People are becoming more assertive when it comes to casino and online gaming both. These people are trying to exceed any commercial operators so that they can be at the top of the online gaming list. A few major shareholders within the casino industry had started promoting the need to legalize Internet gaming in the United States. Other casino gambling websites are located in other countries. There has been a rise of the number of people that are becoming big time gamers in the casino world.
Another popular casino style game is online slots. Because of their popularity, many software providers have started to create the content for marketing on the slots that is customizable depending on what seems to be the players’ needs. Also within the game of slots, there has been a continuous effort to create games that are skill-based and multi-player. Developers use the social allure of these casino games but without racking up the expensive cost of live table games that have been the norm over a period of several years.
In addition to some of these technological developments and shifts, there have been changes in regulations and policies. Many of the policies and laws are targeted at identifying the use of online casinos for operators that are preying on the players to steal money. This helps to discourage the use of these sketchy online casinos and to make law enforcement officers aware of potential scamming and fraud.
As far as financial world, there have been several investment banks that have become interested in online gaming and casinos. This has created the anticipation that there will be some major business developments as there will be an increase in mergers and acquisitions. Part of this peaked interest stems from the enforcement of these new policies and rules to make sure that online gaming is secure and gaming revenue is protected.
Since online and casino gaming is becoming more acceptable across the world, there has been an emergence of people in the United States that are being sought out to be partners in online gaming. Many people and companies that have the money to do so in the United States have been partnering up with other global operators of online gaming. Some of the people in the industry in the United States are even taking bold enough actions to try to bring new opportunities to the world of online gaming.
Christmas Slots Pay Out Big With Bonuses Galore
Christmas is only a couple of months away, and increasingly more online casinos are introducing Christmas themed slot machines. This introduction is leading more and more players to play these Christmas slot machines, and the winners list is growing. Spin Palace is one of the online casinos that provide Christmas themed slot machines already, and their players have received extensive reports from playing these games. One player won €21,385 and another player one €4167 on a slot machine called Deck the Halls. On this particular slot, the symbols on the reels are traditional Christmas themes. They have reindeer, roasted turkey, Santa Claus, stockings, Christmas trees, and a log fire. This Santa Claus symbol on this lot is stacked, providing incredible PR opportunities for every player. The Deck the Halls logo is wild, and this wild symbol also doubles every payout. If a player gets a bill symbol, this triggers 10 free spins at double the pay out. Christmas music plays softly in the background while playing.
Another Spin Palace Christmas slot machine called Santa’s Wild Ride offered players is staggering payout of €24,682. This particular slot machine is a bit wilder than traditional Christmas games, as this is a beer drinking sets of death rides a bike, not a slave. Mrs. Clause is very sexy, and goes with him on his deliveries on Christmas Eve night. Santa’s Wild Ride logo is wild, and can multiply the player’s payout at random, up to a four multiple. The key symbol on the reels triggers free spins, and the wild symbol takes on innovative properties. Each player that experiences the free spins round gets 25 free spins, and all payouts are doubled. Santa’s Wild Ride also has a bonus game available, that offers players 10 times the bet that triggered the bonus game. The best feature of this particular online slot machine, is that there are 243 pay line combinations, and every one is active in valid at all times.
Gift Rap is another Christmas slot machine from Spin Palace, and it has opened up with €4226 in payouts to one lucky player. As the name implies, this is a Christmas themed game, that has else that rap, as well as a rapping Jack Frost. The toys are led around by the elves, and the wild symbol is a Christmas tree ornament, that provides the payout for the jackpot. The rapping Jack Frost symbol is the trigger for the second screen bonus game. In the bonus, there are 30 different gift boxes available to choose from, and the player continues to select boxes and winning credits, until a snowman is uncovered. This can be a very lucrative bonus game, because of the 30 boxes, only three of them contain snowmen. Spin Palace is a licensed online casino, and is licensed by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta. They utilize software from the extremely popular Microgaming company, so you know that playing at Spin Palace is safe, secure, a lot of fun and best of all, the payouts are incredible.