Online Gambling in Scandinavia

The two Scandinavian countries that have state-owned online gambling monopolies are Norway and Sweden. According to local press, both nations are facing problems of varying nature. In Norway, it has been reported that 4 percent of the gaming population over 18 years of age gamble at foreign websites. On the other hand, Sweden has reported a decline in the net revenues from online gambling for the second straight year.

In July 2010, Norwegian legislature placed a block on financial free e-wallet slot transactions to and from foreign gaming sites. The Culture Minister Anniken Huitfeldt has publicly stated that tougher measures will be developed to punish those engaging in unregulated online gambling.

The proposal for ISP filtering is not popular among the liberal political segment and the media. Ove Vanebo, a liberal leader, opposes the idea stating that citizens cannot be shut out of overseas gambling sites by politicians. The publication, Liberalen, indicated that such an act is Internet censorship which breaks the bipartisan consensus in Norway.

In Sweden, the acting CEO of the online and land best online casino malaysia gambling monopoly confirms the decline in gaming revenue is a result of the measures implemented to alleviate problem gambling in the country. The processes to curb problem gambling essentially limit the amount of gaming in Sweden. The CEO has suggested that in order to remain competitive, a broader range of games should be offered at casinos which would bring new licenses for new games in demand.

Some of these measures enacted by Sweden in 2010 include:

  • Responsible gaming awareness and education
  • The acquisition of responsible gaming company Playscan AB
  • Imposing an age limit of 18 to purchase lottery tickets

However, it is clear these same measures used to help those with a gambling addiction or who are developing a problem is decreasing the amount of gaming revenue earned by the country. Sweden is in the midst of finding the correct balance between expanding revenues from online and land-based gaming and enacting measures to help those with gambling problems.

To limit the access of foreign online gambling sites, Norway must find a creative way to please all parties. Unfortunately this is typically a difficult task. The measures enforced by Sweden to minimize problem gaming are doing exactly that, decreasing the number of players at online and land-based casinos. However it is performing a necessary function. Both countries need to find the same balance other European nations have between the government and their players.

Online Gambling Considerations in Canada

In the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, the Minister indicated six months ago that they were considering the legalization of LVKING Singapore online gambling. During the week of April, 11th, 2011, the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation, a government-owned land-based gaming operator, announced they are prepared to join British Columbia and Quebec to implement an online gambling system.

The Reintroduction of Online Gambling

This idea has been reintroduced as a result of a subpar financial performance from the corporation over the past year. In 2010, the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation recorded a net income 15 percent below the target. A report issued by the corporation stated that, although the revenues are expected to continue as planned in 2011, the company’s future is unsure without the introduction of online gambling.

Conducting Studies

The leader of the corporation released to the public that they are only in the phase of studying the idea and have not yet committed to the online gambling industry. The primary concern among province leaders is that the gaming money is being taken elsewhere and therefore cannot be reinvested in the infrastructure of the area. This is one positive aspect of land-based casinos.

Playnow’s Shutdown

In other Canadian news, there have been concerns regarding the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s online casino operator Playnow. In 2010, the online gaming site was forced to shut down in less than a day of launching as a result of a security breach. In March 2011, the Senior Corporation I.T. Executive resigned from his position causing continued issues for the casino operator.

Messages from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation

A representative from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation confirmed that the departure of the I.T. executive was unrelated to the security breach. The executive also stepped down from his position with the Gaming Standards Association in British Columbia. This was a forced resignation due to the rules regarding employment by each organization. Until these announcements, the Canadian media was in a frenzy.

It appears as if the Canadian Government and subsequent gambling entities need online gambling for additional money to assist each province with improvements. If Saskatchewan is interested in implementing a system, it is in their best interest to utilize the models set forth by many European countries. It appears as if British Columbia is not off to a good start. Hopefully the province will bounce back and become a leader in online gambling in Canada.

Breaking The Myth Of Roulette Strategy

Roulette is one of the most popular games around the world, most probably because it really is down to luck whether you win or lose. Unlike many games you cannot sway the odds very much here, with the roulette wheel spin sealing your fate whether it’s to take your bet or pay you winnings. And whether experts champion it or not, there really is no sure strategy to ensure that you win when playing this popular game.

Roulette Systems

There a huge variety of views in the industry regarding roulette strategy, with some professionals adamant that you can use strategy to your advantage, whilst others regard this belief as nonsense. Unlike in games such as blackjack or poker, you have no control on the game play other than placing your wager. As such, strategy is all but useless here, and you must avoid falling into the Gamblers Fallacy of believing that you can break the laws of probability.

The Gamblers Fallacy

The Gamblers Fallacy is the name given to the belief by some that the rules of probability can be bent. When playing roulette for example, they could believe that the ball landing on red six times in a row is unlikely, with the probability of a black increasing the more times that a six wins. However, this is completely untrue as each spin doesn’t affect the game before or after, meaning that the probability of a red or black each time remains at 50/50.

Buying Books for Roulette Strategy

It is widely regarded that with gambling, practice makes perfect. This can often involve buying literature on the subject which is an excellent idea, especially if you intend on playing high strategy games such as poker. Books on the subject can not only outline the rules of a game but provide important insight and tips into how to build your personal strategy to any one game. However, in regards to roulette it is unwise to spend a lot of money on books. There are an enormous range of eBooks and real publications available for purchase, promising the chance to find strategies which will really help you win. You should use a certain amount of caution in these cases, and you’ll often find that your money is far better spent being put into your roulette bankroll than for paying for books which won’t help you at all with your online roulette career.