The Black Friday indictments sent reverberations across the online gambling world. It impacted the industry across the globe, not just in the United States. Since the indictment, the companies involved have come under more scrutiny and as a result, we have learned that Full Tilt Poker wasn’t engaging in the best business practices (to put it lightly).

At worst, Full Tilt was running a Ponzi scheme to defraud its customers. At best, they mismanaged their funds and ran out of money to cover what is owed to players. In either case, the customers are kind of out of luck, unless they can win a lawsuit (assuming Full Tilt is ever able to pay the suit). Alderney has stripped Full Tilt of their licenses and is reviewing their own practices.

Full Tilt was part of the UK’s White List, which allowed it to operate there without any regulation from the UK government. Now because of the problems with the poker room, there is a major push to do away with the White List, which essentially has the UK trusting other government regulators to do their job, and oversee the industry on their own. But is it a good idea?

Most online gambling operators oppose the idea for the simple reason that it will cost them money. They are currently able to operate in the UK tax-free, but are taxed and regulated wherever they are located. If the UK regulates them as well, they are being taxed again while not gaining any new business. If the casinos lose money, it might hurt the players. Businesses usually pass new costs on to the consumer. In this case, they might do it by getting rid of some of their best bonuses and promotions. Deals like allowing customers to use casino play slots for free could become a thing of the past.

On the other hand, if UK gambling customers feel safer with their own government doing the regulation, it could be a good thing. While the overseas regulators have been trusted so far, Alderney clearly dropped the ball by not noticing Full Tilt’s problems. So what do you think?

Football betting has been a popular activity across the world and it has just recently started catching on in the United States. By football, I mean the sport that most Americans call soccer but almost everyone else calls football (though it was the English that first used the term soccer as a nickname for Association Football).

Not long ago, the world, and even some in America, was enthralled with the FIFA World Cup. The World Cup is also the largest sports betting event in the world. In other years, that betting didn’t really cross over to the United States, but this year it had its biggest year ever in the States. If you are an American and want to engage in football betting and other sports betting, there are some things you need to know.

The most important thing you need to know is whether or not it is legal. In America, it is illegal to place sports bets online, over the phone or through any other electronic means (like with a smartphone app). This isn’t some gray area like some types of online gambling. The Wire Act expressly prohibits electronic sports betting.

So where can do you bet on sports in America? In betting shops or casinos that are licensed and regulated by the government. The biggest spot to do that in is Las Vegas, where any casino has bookies on hand to take your sports wagers. Aside from in Nevada, there are three other U.S. states where you can legally bet on sports offline. You can also place sports bets in Oregon, Montana and Delaware. If you are not physically located in one of those states and place a bet on sports you are breaking the law. Possible exceptions include office pools and other small-time bets (like those squares for the Super Bowl), which some states allow and others don’t directly address.

Just because you can’t bet online doesn’t mean the Internet can’t help you with your betting. It is recommended that you use the vast resources at your disposal — everything from Google to sports betting sites to players’ Twitter accounts — to research the teams, players and all other factors that could impact the outcome of the game.

Here at Gambling Review we cover a lot of gambling and casino news. News on regulation, politics, casino bonuses and other timely information makes up the bulk of what we cover here in the “news” section. It is important to remember that we cover a lot more than that, though.

Following industry news, events and promotions is important, but it means nothing if you don’t know where to play or how to play. In those areas, we have you covered. You can find online casino reviews, software reviews, game tips and more here on the website. Each online casino reviewed and recommended by Gambling Review has a solid reputation for player safety and customer satisfaction. Each is licensed and regulated by a respected regulatory body and uses established and trusted casino software.

Though there are a number of good software providers out there, we recommend Microgaming, Playtech and Realtime Gaming (RTG). Anything by those companies has the experience and reputation to make you feel at ease when betting large amount of real money. For example, the wiki page of RTG shows that the company was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1998, back when your average person was just getting used to the Internet. In 2007, the company moved its development to Costa Rica. Realtime Gaming’s software has been tested for safety, fairness and encryption by TST Global.

Another thing to look for is our review of eCOGRA. The respected private regulatory agency tests the software of various casinos to ensure that they are safe and fair. In addition, the company will mediate and help resolve disputes that arise between players and the online casinos, if necessary.

Before joining an online casino, do more than read up on the news. Read up on the casino, its software, its licenses and anything else that can determine how safe it is. All of that can conveniently be done right here at Gambling Review.

Sometimes here at Gambling Review we like to step back and look at the different online casinos and software developers out there. For this blog, we are focusing on Realtime Gaming and their related casinos.

Realtime Gaming, often called RTG, is one of the pioneers of the online gambling industry. The company was developing gambling software back when most people never even considered the possibility of playing casino games over the Internet. If you look at our page on Realtime Gaming or check out the wiki page about Realtime Gaming, you will see that the company was established in 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia (United States). It is now based in both Atlanta and Costa Rica.

Realtime Gaming has a good selection of games that are small in file size, making them easier to download and less space-eating on your computer. They also have over 100 games to play, including slots, blackjack, poker, roulette and all of the popular casino games. They are one of the most respected software developers in the industry and are used by some of the best online casinos in the business, including Aladdin’s Gold Casino and Lucky Red Casino.

As you would learn from following the news here on Gambling Review or by reading some other gambling blog, RTG casinos are good about offering new promotions on a regular basis. In addition, they are well known for periodically launching new casino games, particularly newly branded slots.

One difference about Realtime Gaming software is that they give more responsibility to the casinos that use their software. Some of their competitors dictate the rules, regulations, payouts, and everything else for the casinos and those casinos are basically just a place to locate the software. With Realtime Gaming, the casinos have more control, for better or worse, to run their operation.

The beautiful Caribbean island of Curacao is a top vacation destination. The country, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is home to beautiful beaches and a thriving online gambling industry, though most of the island’s visitors don’t know about that side.

An important group in the nation is CIGA, the Curacao Internet Gaming Association. CIGA is a trade group that focuses on creating fair and responsible trade guidelines for the industry, meeting the common interests of those in the market, and serving as an advocate for the gambling operators with the Curacao Gaming Commission.

There are a number of popular and reputable online casinos operating in Curacao. They have some of the best customer service and game selections in the industry. When it comes to games, among the most popular at the moment are Hitman slots.

Hitman slots are based on the popular video game that is available on Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The popular Hitman series of games was adapted into a 2007 film, which was much better than most movies based on video games. That movie increased the popularity of the franchise, which is now a popular slot series.

The Hitman slots are designed by Microgaming and feature excellent graphics that recall the console game. Symbols on the reel include a shadowy hitman, payoff money, various weapons and more. The slot game has animated scenes showing the hitman pulling off a job. The Hitman slots have some of the darkest yet cleanest graphics on slots. The game has the sinister tone of the source material but is expertly crafted. It can be found at most Microgaming casinos.

To gamble means to “bet on an uncertain outcome” or to “stake something on a contingency: take a chance,” according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary. The implication is that gambling is risky. That is true. It does a disservice to gloss over that and pretend that it’s just a fun pastime with no risk. The people who say that gambling is dangerous are right. It certainly can be if you are not smart about it. That is why gambling smarts are so important.

While I hate to make broad generalizations, I’m going to here for the sake of the blog. There are two types of gamblers. One is someone who walks into a casino knowing nothing about the games and just plays with no strategy. They usually blow a lot of money before they’re done. The other is a knowledgeable gambler who uses the correct strategies and often comes out ahead, making money at the casino, though they still lose money more often than they win.

Using gambling smarts means knowing the difference between a good game and a bad game. If you want a game with good odds, a progressive slot is not the game for you. However, it’s a great game if you want to take a shot at a huge jackpot on a single play. If you play strategy-based games like blackjack and poker, you have a better chance of winning money at the casino. You also have to learn the strategy and employ it wisely, though.

Even within a certain game, gambling smarts will come into play. If you’re playing roulette, for example, there are many different bets you can place. Some are safer bets but they have lower payouts. The bets with the best payouts have the worst odds. Balancing those costs and benefits can help you choose a betting strategy. Speaking of strategy, having gambling smarts also means knowing not to use progressive betting systems. Those systems will simply deplete your bankroll more rapidly. It is best to stick to flat betting instead.

If you choose games with the best odds for what you are seeking and place the best bets in those games, you will have more success playing casino games. There are guarantees, of course. If there were, it wouldn’t be gambling.

As passage of the Massachusetts gambling expansion bill becomes more likely, the focus moves from the three casinos and the slot parlor to smaller issues. On Wednesday, members of the state House of Representatives will debate a number of amendments that have been proposed. The bipartisan amendments would have a great impact on the gambling industry and on the state’s economy.

This morning, House Democrats are privately discussing 154 different amendments to the casino bill. Fifty of those amendments were offered by Republicans supportive of the bill, with the rest by fellow Democrats. Among those amendments are incentives for casinos to hire legal Massachusetts residents, creating a nonprofit charity casino, and banning the simulcasting of greyhound racing, according to The Herald News.

Several amendments by Republicans called for verification of legal status. A pair of amendments call for the casinos to use the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program to ensure that employees and job seekers are not illegal immigrants. Another amendment would also check the status of any casino customer who wins more than $600. The bill already requires a check to make sure the prize winner is not delinquent on child support payments. The amendment would widen the scope to also check for immigration status. Another amendment would create a two-year waiting period between a politician holding elected office and then joining the gaming commission.

Though it’s not known how many amendments will make the cut, most insiders believe that the bill will pass the legislature easily. A similar bill passed without much opposition last year, only to be rejected by Governor Deval Patrick. The governor has said that he will accept the current bill. Like in most states, the 2010 election led to a lot of new Republican seats in the Massachusetts legislature, but most of those freshman Republicans support the bill.

That genie at Aladdin’s Gold Casino wants to give you a free $500. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right? Now, my knowledge of the tale of Aladdin and the magic lamp is almost entirely based on the Disney movie, so forgive me, but this sounds like a better deal than Aladdin got from most of his wishes. I remember that they never turned out as well as Al wanted. That’s the problem with trying to fulfill your dreams through wishes. At the online casino, though, if you wish for $500 you will get it. All you have to do is rub the lamp deposit the right amount of money.

The casino is running the Aladdin’s Gold 500. It sounds like a NASCAR race, but it’s not. If you deposit $150, the casino will give you a free $500 slots bonus. As is often the case with wishes granted by a genie, there are strings attached. You must wager the bonus and deposit at least 45 times before making a withdrawal. Only wagers on slots count. The coupon code for that bonus is 500GOLD.

If I know anything about Aladdin’s lamp it is that you get three wishes, not just one. Luckily, there are two other offers available to you at the casino. Slots players can redeem unlimited 65% deposit match bonuses. For the players of blackjack, video poker, and other table games, there are unlimited 55% deposit match coupons available. The coupon codes are SLOTS65 and OTHERGAMES55, respectively. The Aladdin’s Gold 500 promotion runs from Thursday, September 8 to Sunday, September 11.

Today controversial new gambling machines will debut at Kentucky Downs racetrack. The gambling expansion has been praised by some, but criticized by others who think that the games are illegal. Challenges to the legality of the machines is currently in the appellate court.

The state of Kentucky only allows pari-mutuel gaming. Slot machines and other types of casino games are banned by law. The new machines at the central Kentucky racetrack are slot-like instant racing games. The machines simulate real races from the past, some reaching back several years. The games do not give any indication of what race it is. There are no dates or horse names. Players then pick a random horse, knowing nothing about it, and then win money based on how it places.

To some, it’s a fun way to bet money on horse races without having to actually be at the horse races, which is kind of odd for being at a racetrack. For others, it is a blatant way to sneak slot machines into the track. The rows of machines at Kentucky Downs, with their bright lights and sounds, make it look like a casino. According to some opponents, that is what Kentucky Downs has become.

Kent Ostrander, executive director of the Family Foundation, which opposes the machines, says that it is “just an underhanded way to get these machines in the state even before the Court of Appeals have made its final ruling.”

The Kentucky Racing Commission ruled that the instant racing machines are a type of pari-mutuel gaming, not slot machines, and are therefore allowed in the state of Kentucky. Two different groups challenged that ruling and the appellate court has not yet ruled on those challenges. Kentucky is now only the second state to try instant racing machines, with Arkansas the first.

Being irresponsible with your gambling and losing too much money is a bad thing. It can bring financial hardship on you and your family and it is the reason some people oppose gambling. If you do, though, it is best to come clean. What would be even worse would be to commit a crime by making up a story about burglary and sexual assault. That is exactly what one woman did, according to investigators.

According to investigators with the Riverside County sheriff’s department, a Southern California woman lied to deputies on August 9. On that date, she reported that a man ransacked her room and attacked her with a knife while attempting to sexually assault her. She said she was able to fight him off and gave a description.

The investigators noticed inconsistencies in the woman’s story, though. After they questioned her, the woman, who has not been identified, admitted to making up the story. She did it to hide the fact that she had lost money at a California tribal casino, though the amount lost is also unknown. Details about the extent of her gambling problems, if any, have not been disclosed.

The case has been referred to the prosecutors, who will decide whether to press charges against the woman for filing a false police report. Whether they do or not, this is a good time to reiterate that you should never wager money that you can’t afford to lose. If you need to commit a crime and concoct a story about a sexual assault and burglary, then that is a good indication that you shouldn’t wager the money. In that case, it’s best to not go to the casino. Responsible gambling is important at any casino, online and offline.