If you are in the online gambling and casino business and you have not heard of the annual Fire and Ice Party, its time to join the world. Anyone who has any interest in the industry side of online gaming knows the party hosted by Lyceum Media is the most anticipated event of the year. The movie industry want to attend Elton John’s after party, politicians want to go to the Inaugural Ball and online casino execs want to party in Earls Court, London. The Fire and Ice Party was set up because online casino employees were tired of being snubbed by the older cousins in the land based casino business at their annual galas. So, the onliners decided they would have their own party, run it along side the International Gaming Expo, and make it the biggest and most decadent party the world has ever seen.

This year the those attending the online casino only party will be transported back to an era of partying with classical proportions. The theme is Bacchanalian Decadence. “What is that,” you ask. Here is a little history lesson. Bacchus (or Dionysos to the Greeks) was the Roman god of wine. This naturally made him the god a parties and ecstasy. (He was also the patron god of agriculture and theatre.) Around the time of 200 BC a Greek influenced Roman culture in southern Italy began a festival known as the Bacchanalia. This was a celebration of Bacchus and of course was met with what we would call quite a party. At first these parties were for women only, but men were soon included. Even though they were held in secret, they became so popular and the Roman Senate found the activities there to be a threat to stability and outlawed the festival. Like an underage college freshmen attending a frat party, however, the Bacchanalia went on.

Now the word Bacchanalian is used for any event were drunkenness or excessiveness takes place. This fits right in with the original goal of the Fire and Ice party. Lyceum Media has pulled out all the stops this year, and they want their attendees to have the time of their lives. However, they are also committed to giving the online casino and gambling community the perfect venue for networking. I guess togas will be optional.

Virtually everyone involved in the online gambling and casino industry knows Income Access. Income Access is the industry’s leader when it comes to developing and distributing affiliate marketing software. Their software is completely customizable and brandable and provides comprehensive reports and accurate tracking. They are familiar with the online gaming industry and their knowledge has made their products ideal for online gambling and casino companies looking to have a successful affiliate program. They also boast one of the most extensive affiliate networks and paid research systems. They are regarded as simply the best when it comes to affiliate marketing and managing.

Adding to their already established reputation, Income Access recently announced they have made a partnership deal with Orbis Technology. Orbis Technology is an industry leader when it come to supplying integrated gaming and betting solutions. They have developed the one account, one wallet system. This system is allows online casino operators to offer their customers the ability to play on multiple products and platforms in all languages and currencies. Due to this new deal with Orbis Technology, Income Access will be able to offer online gaming products and an affiliate program powered by a single provider. “The combination will make for a very powerful and attractive package for operators,” stated Orbis Technology Chief Technology Officer, Peter Boyle. Mr. Boyle feels it was a “natural step” in the development of Orbis Technology.

Income Access firmly believes partnerships like the newly formed one with Orbis Technology are why they have grown to be so strong. Chief Executive Officer for Income Access, Nicky Senyard said, “A core part of our mission is developing meaningful partnerships.” Income Access has stated that their goal with Orbis Technology’s OpenBet system is to fill the needs of online casino operators with a, “..complete gaming solution.”

Independently, both Income Access and Orbis Technology have proven their value in the online gambling and casino industry. They have earned their well established reputations. This new partnerships goes to show their continuing commitment to excellence within the online gaming sector.

Sadly the casino mecca of Las Vegas, Nevada has been hit hard by the economic recession that engulfed the United States a little over a year ago. Las Vegas is one of America’s fastest growing cities. As the population and tourism industry grew so did the city. There have been new housing developments, subdivisions, schools, churches, and, of course, casino and casino resorts. However, one of the first sectors to take a nose dive when the recession came was the housing industry. This jolted condo heavy cities like Miami, Florida, and Las Vegas. As they were claiming one of the top spots in new condominium development, financing and the influx of new buyers evaporated into thin air. This has left the citizens of Las Vegas disappointed of their town which is so famous for its shiny reputation.

This is was a hotly discussed topic at a recent Clark County Zoning Board meeting. Developers and citizens alike are frustrated over seeing highly visible, unfinished projects mar the landscape of their city. (It should be noted that citizens of Las Vegas, love their city not just for their ritzy, glitzy casinos, but for the natural and man made beauty of the town.) Projects such as the Wyndham Vacation Resorts’ Desert Blue, now sit as an unfinished memorial to the economic woes of Las Vegas and the United States. The partially completed Desert Blue is also clearly seen from the heavily traveled Interstate 15.

Resident Greg Esposito stood up for Las Vegas when he exclaimed at the meeting, “A half done building has never really stood in the middle of the community.” He, and others like him, are afraid that if they were someone who wanted to invest in a casino or resident property in Las Vegas, they would be turned off as they wondered about the economic stability of the city.

Those aren’t the only concerns. Unfinished residences and casinos have construction pieces exposed to the elements. These steel, concrete and construction tools aren’t made to be exposed for this length of time. Now safety plays a factor. County commissioners are worried that these elements will have to be replaced before too long. It does not seem like their is an easy answer in sight. Hopefully, the economy will soon rebound and Las Vegas can be proud again of their constant growth.

The end of January is coming. Yes, while that does mean the Vancouver, Winter Olympics is around the corner, it is not the only anticipated event on the horizon. It also means the London Affiliate Conference and the iGB Affiliate Award Season is here. This is a big time for the online gambling and casino industry. The iGaming Affiliate Awards (previous known as the CAP Awards) is a fun, black tie event meant to honor the ongoing success of the online gaming industry. What makes the iGB Affiliate Awards so special for the online gaming community is not only its attention given to online casino affiliates, but the simple fact it is a chance for affiliate companies to be honored by the peers as they are the ones casting the votes.

It is also a night dedicated to fun. It might now be on the scale of the Fire and Ice Party, but organizers of the event have all but guaranteed this year’s iGB Affiliate Awards will have a touch of unpredictability and humor. They have recently announced that the star co-host of the event will be Phil Laak. Known, affectionately as The Unabomber, because of his trade mark hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, Phil Laak is a bona-fide star in the poker world. Organizers of the iGB Affiliate Awards feels he will be a perfect fit for the evening because he is “…legendary for knowing how to have a good time…”

This comes at a good time for Mr. Laak. Within the last year he has launched his own online poker site, Unabomber Poker. Unabomberpoker.com is being hailed as a boutique online poker room where players can test their skills against one of the most famous poker players. However, back to the awards night, Phil Laak has a loose cannon personality that has shown itself at many poker tables and tournaments. He is also bringing along his best friend and former roommate, Antonio Esfandiari.
The online gambling and casino community is in for a treat on January 28th. Let the awards begin.

Barely a week goes by in the gambling and casino business where some report is made where companies are either making an affiliate deal or forming some sort of partnership. There are so many companies and casinos, and they all have something to offer one another. The casino industry can be a very symbiotic business. This casino needs that gaming machine. That gaming machine vendor likes this software. This software would like to track those customers. Those customers just want some free drinks while their gambling. Truth be told the casino industry is really no different from most others. Restaurants make deals with soft drink and food providers, as well as, napkins, plastic cups, and linens.

One of the big deals this week was made between a casino games developer and a games software developer. Scientific Games Corporation, which is listed as a NASDAQ traded company has recently penned a deal with Playtech. Scientific Games, whose motto is “Delivering Serious Fun!” is an industry leader in providing all types of gambling activities including printed products, such as scratch off lottery cards; lottery systems like bingo and video lottery terminals. They are also well known in the online gambling industry with their products being used in jurisdictions all over the world.

Playtech’s Videobet is currently developing their next generation of reporting and management software for gambling terminals. One of their goals with this upgrade is to get the Videobet software into their machines that spread across casinos in the United Kingdom making Playtech the leading technology provider for the UK. It is very easy to see why these two gambling industry giants are forming this partnership.

Chief Executive Officers for both companies (Mike Chambrello for Scientific Games and Mor Weizer of Playtech) released a joint statement commenting on their partnership. It read in part, “This is an important step for both companies.” Both casino providers feel they have skill sets that are a perfect match. They also feel the ones who will benefit the most from the partnership are the customers who are now getting the best of both companies combined into one.

How many of you have ever thought this, “You know, I like playing poker with my friends, and sometimes I win. Can you imagine if I had just a little bit of help or someone whispering in my ear so I cold really learn how to play and not just rely on blind luck?” Bluff Europe, a poker and gambling publication in Europe offers just that. Their monthly publication already offers tips and articles from gambling professionals, and novice poker players through out Europe have used this knowledge in friendly poker games, online games and even tournaments. Their features like Poker Wisdom and Poker Clinic with Dr. Tom, are always a huge hit.

One of their biggest successes was last years Poker Academy. The inaugural run saw seminars where big time poker names helped out would be gamblers with strategy tips and analysis. Names included, Paul Jackson, Phil “Unabomber” Laak, Donnacha O’Dee and Ian Frazer. They were seen by poker fans in Dublin, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.

Bluff Europe has recently announced the popular Poker Academy will be returning. They are very proud to announce they listened to attendees and Bluff Europe subscribers, and took that feedback to heart. This years seminars will include even more material. According to their website, bluffeurope.com, the upcoming Poker Academy will be offering live hand demonstrations, and analyses of individual’s play. There will also be some interactive exercises. The feather in the cap of the upcoming seminars will be the chance for some players to receive one on one mentoring form professional gamblers and poker players.

But, as they say on TV, that’s not all! Sponsors of Bluff Europe’s Poker Academy, GCasino.com and BlackBeltPoker.com will be handing out prize packages through out the seminars. These two sponsors have also lined up their own list of professional gamblers and will host exclusive tournaments, with chances to win trips to Las Vegas, and buy ins to other tournaments. The gambling and poker seminars are one day events or two day boot camps and the first is scheduled to be held at the Vic Casino in London on February 13.

In case you have not heard, 2009 was not a banner year economically, especially in the casino and online casino industry. It seemed every week had a new story or update about a casino loosing money, laying off workers, filing for bankruptcy, or flat out closing their doors. Casinos in towns like Las Vegas have attracted customers buy lowering their resort rates. Some have been able to skate buy through cutting costs. The good news some casinos were able to out together a profit for the final quarter, this is not to say that these companies are not affected by the recession, but they were able to make just a little more money than they spent.

One of those lucky companies in the casino industry that were able to post a profit for the the 2009 fourth quarter is International Gaming Technology. They are a Reno based gambling and casino equipment manufacturer. International Gaming Technology was lucky enough to post a net income of $73.3 million. This was up from $61.2 million in the same quarter of the previous year. This also means their stocks went up from 21 cents a share to 25 cents in a year on year comparison.

International Gaming Technology is planning on continuing their cost cutting ways. They see it as a way to weather the economic downturn and continue providing their casino customers with their first rate products. They were able to shop more replacement gambling machines went up over the past year. This was a good sign that the casinos they provide for are making it through also. IGT is also making strides to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the products they develop. “It is important to say ahead of market trends and continuously evolve our business,” stated IGT Chief Executive Officer, Patti Hart. Sadly, even though they were able to make some financial gains, some market analysts feel it will still be some time before they make up the market share they lost to other technology companies. However, with the current economic environment, any light at the end of the casino industry tunnel is a good light.

Most people enjoy playing bingo. Bingo, like most other gambling activities, has found its niche in the online world. It is becoming as popular than its online cousins, like poker, video slots, and blackjack. Now online bingo web sites are finding they can host popular promotions and awards systems and take advantage of their return customer base. Online bingo promotions and tournaments are being held every month, and some of them can be very rewarding. Much the same way casinos and online casinos have membership reward points systems, online bingo sites like Posh Bingo are allowing their players to cash in their points to earn play cards for tournaments with high jackpots. They are even offering fun and non-traditional ways of earning those points.

Their big online bingo promotion for January is their £6K Slice promotion. The jackpot games take place on January 29 and, as you would expect, Posh Bingo is ready to serve up £6,000 (over $9,700 US) in prize money. Qualifying is very simple. Cards in the £6K Slice game cost 500 points a piece. Points can be acquired in several fun ways. The most common is playing online bingo games at Posh Bingo. For every £1 pounds wagered players accumulate 5 points. Players can also tack on 2 more points for every £20 spent on any of Posh Bingo’s wide range of side games.

But that’s not all, and here is where the fun begins. Players have several opportunities to earn additional points at the online bingo site. Ten points can be earned by a bingo on the Xmas Snowflake pattern. If players send in their New Year’s Resolution they earn 100 points. A player can get half way to a Slice card by simply sending in a photo of themselves celebrating New Year’s Eve. The game will be played online at 8 PM, UK time on January 29. The top prize of £3,000 will be awarded to the player who is able to score a full house. There are also £2,000 and £1,000 prizes for those who can get 2 lines and a single line, respectively. Online bingo is going to start someone’s 2010 on the right foot at Posh Bingo.

All right, so everyone dreams of their big shot. Pitchers want to play in Yankee Stadium. College quarterbacks want to win the Rose Bowl. Golfers want to play in The Masters. For gamblers they all want a chance at one of the big poker tournaments that we are so used to seeing on television. This is where the big boys come to play. Not only do they get to play for the big cash but the exposure they receive by playing in games featured on ESPN are worth its weight in gold.

Most non-professional gamblers, especially poker players, know they can play at any of the thousands of poker sites. Most of these online poker sites offer special promotions that award the winner a buy in to a big time poker tournament complete with travel and hotel expenses. These promotions are becoming a major draw. Now one site is offering a chance for some lucky winners to play not only against some of the best poker professionals but A-list celebrities.

The online gambling site, Party Poker, is holding its tournament this month, with the finals set to be held on January 31. The fifteen prize packages include a seat at the invitation only World Poker Tour Celebrity Invitational. The WPT event will take place on February 20 and 21 in the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, California. The final event will be taped and televised on March 3. The rest of the package includes four nights’ worth of accommodation and $2,250 to live it up while staying in Tinsel Town.

Qualifying spots can be acquired with the online poker sites Party Point system. There are two tournaments. One requires 10 Party Points and the other 25. For those who are new to Party Poker they can play in a special freeroll taking place on February 7. All they have to do is make a real money deposit between January 25 and February 6.

In case you had not noticed there is a total ban on online gambling in the United States of America. In case you had not noticed there are a lot of gambling enthusiasts in the United States of America. Those gambling enthusiasts are stuck with a problem: Where do they spend their money? For years online gambling and casino sites have been courting American dollars. They see a virtual gold mine just waiting to be tapped. For years those American dollars have been flowing offshore to the gambling sites that are brave enough to market themselves to the United States. There are some companies, however, that have not wanted to tempt American gamblers.

Up until recently, one of the online casino companies that have stayed away from the gambling was Royal Apollo. That has recently been changed. Royal Apollo Online Casino announced in early 2010 they will begin accepting deposits from players in the United States. This is welcome news to American gamblers as Royal Apollo Online Casino has much to offer. They have lush bonuses. They are also one of the few, if not the only online casino to offer i-slots. I-slots are slot machine type games that are filled with bonuses and free spins, but also give players the opportunity to immerse themselves in an interactive story line.

Royal Apollo Online Casino also has several other bonuses for their new American Players. Since Royal Apollo is obviously new to the United States, the first bonus Americans will want to take advantage of is the welcome bonus. At Royal Apollo this is more than just a one time deal. Players can receive a 100 percent bonus for their first ten deposits. The first deposit can go up to $200, the second, up to $150. The third is also up to $150. Deposits five to ten can earn up to $100. Americans can also take advantage of Royal Apollo’s VIP rooms and other customer loyalty programs.