On December 9, Ohioan lawmakers voted to legalize sports betting. Governor Mike DeWine first has to sign the bill in order for it to become a law, but he’s expressed willingness to do so. In this article, we explore the legal battle to get this bill on the senate floor. We will also review the contents of the bill.

Background

It took many years for Ohioan lawmakers to be able to vote on a sports betting legalization bill. There were many reasons why they couldn’t do it any earlier. The main obstacle, however, wasn’t conservative opinion regarding sports betting, it was the federal government.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 or PASPA banned sports betting nationwide, with the exception of a few states. For instance, Oregon, Delaware, and Montana were allowed to continue their sports lotteries, while Nevada could keep its sportsbooks. States which had legal casino industries also had a one-year window to apply for sports betting licenses.

In 2018, the Supreme Court overruled PASPA in the Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association case. The justices ruled that PASPA violated the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The 10th Amendment postulates that the federal government only has the powers granted to it by the Constitution; everything else is left to the states or the people.

Therefore, the federal government exceeded its powers by ratifying PASPA. The Supreme Court ruling consequently allowed for each state to legalize sports betting on its own. Many states such as New Jersey, Michigan, and Louisiana have already done so.

Three Long Years

Ever since that important Supreme Court case happened, Ohioan lawmakers have been trying to make sports betting legal in their state. The last three years have seen many attempts for a bill legalizing sports betting to be put on the House’s floor.

Just this summer, the proponents of this measure tried to add the legalization of sports betting to a bill regarding veterans’ ID cards. This idea was swiftly rejected by the House, which likely wanted to separate the two issues to see the genuine support for the measure.

There were other obstacles as well. The most obvious one is lawmakers and different organizations opposing legalization due to the harm it might cause to Ohioans. One chapter of the NAACP formally opposed the measure as they claim it would turn young people to gambling.

There have been issues even with people and groups agreeing with the measure. For instance, various organizations have been negotiating with lawmakers to include them in the legislating process and to reap more benefits.

In the end, Sen. Kirk Schuring, R-Canton, who is at the lead sponsor of the bill, said that it was pointless to keep arguing and negotiating as the state was only losing money in the process. He noted that Ohioans who want to bet can simply go to Indiana or Michigan. Indiana has added $412 million to its GDP since it legalized sports betting in 2019.

The Bill

The bill in question is called House Bill 29. The House passed it with 72 to 12 votes, while the Senate with 31 to 1. Both Democrats and Republicans are in favor of it. Although the bill is not yet a ratified law, it will most likely be signed by Gov. DeWine who said of sports betting legalization that “It’s time to do it.”

Now let’s talk about the contents of the bill. To begin with, the bill is set to legalize sports betting in brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, as well as online (websites and mobile apps). There is cap as to how many sportsbooks could operate in each county based on the size of its population. There could be outright sportsbooks, as well as kiosks bars and restaurants.
There are going to be three types of licenses – Type A, B, and C. Type A is for casinos, racinos and sports teams that would allow them to operate an online sports betting operation. There would be up to 25 Type A licenses and two “skins” for each operator. The first skin would cost $3 million and allows for one betting website and the accompanying mobile app. The second skin would cost $10 million.

Type B license is for brick-and-mortar stores for in-person betting. The fees would cost between $50,000 to 100,000. Finally, Type C license can be obtained by bars or restaurants that want to put sports kiosk on their property with a limit of $700 paid in winnings to an individual per week; clerks could, however, pay in cash to the customer.

These businesses are going to be taxed at 10%. Most of the tax revenue would go towards public and private schools, while the rest would be allocated to problem gambling services, as well as services for veterans.

Last but not least, you must be over the age of 21 to bet in Ohio. Once the bill comes to effect, Ohio would have until January 1 2023 to set up the whole operation in motion.

Twelve years ago, when Bitcoin was invented, nobody could predict that this currency, which had absolutely no safety nets attached to it, would cause a global financial craze. In its first few years, Bitcoin was worth pennies; it’s now worth $48,000 (as of the time of writing this article). The nay-sayers realised their mistake and a swift change of opinion followed.

Soon after Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were recognised as legitimate, various vendors started offering their clients the option to pay with cryptocurrency. Previously, that was reserved for obscure online sellers and the Deep Web, but not anymore!

Online casinos, which are only becoming more successful during the pandemic, also began accepting some cryptocurrencies as a viable form of payment. Some though went even further. There are now online casinos, which solely operate with cryptocurrency.

In this article, we will tell you more about the trend of gambling with cryptocurrencies and we will take a look at pure crypto casinos.

The Appeal

So, why is that some players choose to bet with cryptocurrencies rather than regular, fiat currencies? Reason number one – anonymity. As the name crypto-currency suggests, this type of digital currency, using blockchain technology, is fully encrypted. This means that people living in countries where gambling is restricted, can still gamble by using cryptocurrencies.

This is because many countries are yet to regulate cryptocurrencies, and even further away from legislating their use for gambling. Gamblers from Asia, where your bank accounts might be under supervision for suspicious activity, do that daily. However, China recently banned crypto transactions, so more countries might unfortunately follow suit.

American players make use of similar legal loopholes. Those living in states where online gambling is not available or outright illegal bet at crypto casinos as the laws still only regulate gambling with fiat currencies. Sure, there are online casinos in the US, but they only accept players from states with legalized online gambling by tracking their geographical location.

Even if a player lives in a country/state with legal gambling industry, they might still choose to gamble anonymously by using cryptocurrencies. Some people make it a point to gamble with crypto in a bid against government intervention in their private lives. Moreover, your winnings go directly to you, not to your bank, which saves you additional charges; plus, you can instantly use the money.

Reason number two for the appeal – taxes. While most countries require you pay taxes on your winnings, some countries have yet to regulate profit off crypto gambling. Unfortunately, the US isn’t one of them and the IRS can knock on your door if you fail to disclose your crypto winnings.

Reason number three on the list – the economy. We can see from a mile ahead that the world is heading towards a global recession. The Covid-19 pandemic closed thousands of businesses and devastated economies worldwide. Due to the rising inflation seen all around the world, fiat currency is becoming less and less valuable.

You already take a risk when gambling, so why take two by using a devalued currency? It’s true that cryptocurrencies can be volatile, but at least they are not affected by the actions or inactions of governments.

Crypto Enters the Chat

The crypto emergence in online gambling appears to have happened overnight. One day we gamble at our favourite online casino, then the next we see that the said casino now accepts cryptocurrencies. No matter what your stance regarding cryptocurrencies is, it’s nice to see that operators expand their payment options to appease all sorts of players.

For now, the types of accepted cryptocurrencies are usually limited to Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, we notice that some operators have begun accepting more obscure and/or more volatile cryptocurrencies as well.

Crypto Casinos

There are now online casinos that only accept cryptocurrencies as payment. This used to be a thing you could only find on the Deep Web, but not anymore! These are legitimate businesses where you can legally gamble. However, make sure that you thoroughly evaluate an operator before you play; check their licenses and read reviews to avoid scams. This applies to all casinos, not just crypto ones.

It’s alleged that 50% of crypto transactions involve forms of gambling, which explains why crypto casinos are booming. One of the largest ones, Stake, is reportedly worth $1 billion. We gave you a few reasons for their success, so this number should be hardly surprising to you now.

As opposed to other online casinos, crypto casinos tend to accept most cryptocurrencies. The biggest number we’ve seen was around 200, so no matter what you have in your e-wallet, you can probably gamble with it.

Moreover, there are now even casino games modeled with crypto in mind where you can only use this type of currency. These games and others that accept fiat currency seem to have higher RTP’s in crypto casinos, which is yet another advantage.

Based on our research, we can say that crypto is here to stay and that the gambling industry is there for it.

In today’s world, digital currency is getting more and more popular with each passing day. Bitcoin is by far the most popular cryptocurrency out there, and even though people were a bit skeptical to the concept at first, it is now accepted at an increasing number of online stores. Bitcoin is even beginning to spread to the online gambling industry, as there are quite a lot of casinos that now accept the cryptocurrency as a method for deposits and withdrawals. In this article, we will talk about what are the advantages of using Bitcoin at online casinos, and how can one find a reputable operator that supports this payment option.

Why Use Bitcoin at Online Casinos?

There is one clear advantage to choosing Bitcoin over traditional cash for your online casino efforts – this cryptocurrency is not actually considered ‘real money’, which means that most government regulations concerning gambling are not likely to apply to it. For instance, if casino gambling is illegal where you like, you can bet that gambling with Bitcoin won’t be. This is why many USA citizens play at Bitcoin casinos – they don’t really have a choice. If you want to avoid legal troubles and still play online casino games, using this cryptocurrency is one of the best ways to go.

How to Find the Right Bitcoin Casino for You

The so-called ‘Bitcoin’ casinos have emerged in recent years as an alternative to standard online casinos, with the cryptocurrency support being their major selling point. Even though most online operators are safe to play at, players need to learn to distinguish the reputable casinos from the shady ones, and pick one that is right for them. The first thing you need to look at is the selection of available games at the casino in question. A good online casino would have plenty of games from different developers, and a live casino platform.

When it comes to playing at online casinos, safety should be your number one concern. You need to find a casino with a stellar reputation, and there is no better place to look than customer reviews. There are several good websites that offer in-depth reviews of Bitcoin casinos, which can be of great help to someone who is wondering where to play. We recommend visiting our favourite site by following the link here.

Find the Best Welcome Bonus

Most online operators use welcome bonuses in order to attract new players, and Bitcoin casinos are no exception. Upon your first deposit, you will usually get a percentage of the sum you deposited as bonus money. Some casinos give you the option to receive this welcome bonus in either Bitcoin or in a conventional currency. Make sure you are familiar with the bonus offers that a casino has, and that the offers themselves work for you.

To sum it all up, finding a good Bitcoin casino shouldn’t be too much of a problem to you. Just make sure that the operator you choose has good reputation, and that the featured games are to your liking. And finally, of course, don’t forget to claim your welcome bonus!

Online gambling hasn’t been around for too long – while the first online casinos started popping out in the 90s, the industry really started gaining traction in the 2000s, and really hasn’t stopped ever since. Right now, there’s dozens upon dozens of online casinos available in the UK alone, with thousands of players trying out their first online slot every year! But what are the essentials that you absolutely need to know before you dive in? It was hard for me to narrow it down to just 5 golden rules you need to follow, but at the end of the day, these are the most important things you need to look out for:

1. Beware Of Fakes!

This isn’t really that big of a problem, since A) the overwhelming majority of fake online casinos close down pretty quickly after launch, and B) they’re very easy to spot anyway, but considering just how much damage you can possibly sustain from falling victim to one, I still thought I’d make this rule No. 1. To stay safe, make sure to look in the footer of the casino for any banners signifying that it has been licensed. The Gambling Commission is your best friend here – if you don’t see its logo, stay away!

2. Do Your Research!

It’s vitally important that you do your research before you sign up for any online casino! Some casinos provide better bonuses for their live games, others have a better selection of slots. Each casino is different from the others in some way or another, so it’s in your best interest to discover how! Many of the differences are explained on this website, but it never hurts to do your own research.

3. Don’t Be Afraid Of New Things!

Okay, so maybe you primarily want to play slots, or you just want to play roulette. That’s fine! But have you considered just giving the other games a shot? I mean, most of them are free to play if you use practice mode or your demo account, so you’re literally not losing a thing other than 5-10 minutes of your time! Who knows, you might be able to find something that you enjoy as much, or even more, than what you originally liked?

4.Live Casino Is Your Friend!

As an extension of the previous rule, I can’t stress enough just how important live casino is! Some of the biggest wins that I’ve seen, the sums big enough to be reported on the news, have come from either slot jackpots or live roulette and blackjack. I’m not saying that you should transition exclusively to the live versions of these games, but playing them will give you a better chance of making it big than their AI-controlled counterparts.

5. Be Careful With Your Money!

I’ve left one of the most important rules for last – be extremely careful with your cash! Online casino is one of those things that try to hook you with the “just one more game” mentality. Always set a budget for what you want to spend on online casino for a particular month and don’t go above that, and no, you’re not allowed to use up some of next month’s budget! Always keep that budget as low as possible, under half of your total disposable income for the month, and if at all possible don’t spend all of it! Sure, you might make it big and return your investment and then some, but you must not assume that for a certainty when playing!

Gambling has started taking an important part in our lives, even more so now with so many online casinos on the market. But wary voices say this could turn into a problem in the long run, due to the availability and publicity of such games. But just like everything else, gambling can also prove to be useful and highly recreational, as long as you do it right. I have been curios and passionate about such games of chance for many years now, and yet I can safely say that I have no problem with gambling. This is probably because I have three golden rules bout gambling, which I would like to share with you. So, let’s begin!

1. Set Your Own Time & Money Limits – Something extremely important in gambling is knowing your limits and never crossing them. And as you know, time is the most valuable and non-renewable resource of all, so make sure you don’t spend too much time gambling, thus neglecting other important duties, aspects or people in your life. Another limit to set is that for how much money you are comfortable with and willing to gamble. This is a clear sign that you can gamble for recreational purposes and that you are and ready to gamble responsibly.

2. Never Gamble to Recover Money You’ve Lost – This is indeed a must if you want to have a safe and recreational gambling experience – never gamble with the intent of recovering your previous losses. If you happen to lose the capital you set aside for gambling, as was pointed in the first rule, never go back to the tables hoping to win your money back. In such cases, it’s best to cut your losses and go back to playing with a clear mind.

3. Don’t Play under Stress – An equally important rule is to only play when you are in a good mood and have enough free time on your hands. Never start playing if you are about to go to an important meeting or travel somewhere because you might end up missing your train or flight or even being late if you have a good run. Also, it is recommended not to play when you are upset or tired, as your judgement might be clouded, which could not end well. Find time to play for fun or for winnings, just as long as it doesn’t affect your life or mood in a bad way.

You may have noticed; It’s been a tough time for casinos in Europe for the past few years. Even though you could clearly feel the ease on legislation, the smoking bans and economic crisis chased customers away. This has been on one hand beneficial to online businesses and operators who were wise enough to expand their services online have managed to recoup some of the losses that they suffered on the ground. In any case though, given the cost of running a physical venue with employees and technical equipment, it has been a blow and everyone has felt it.
France has been no exception. But 2015 may have just been the lucky year for operators in the country of love and wine (alright and cheese…and art…oh stop it already!), driving 2.2% increase in revenue (amounting to €2.2b in 2015) – the first positive growth in the industry for the past seven years.

Logically, both – government and operators – are thinking of “riding” the moment and expanding, giving the industry a long awaited opportunity to regain its positions. You can imagine the government (especially on local level) would benefit from taxes. To give an example – the Mayor of Marseilles, Jean-Claude Gaudin, announced this month that the city will be opening a casino. A public tender is to be launched. Mr. Gaudin is basing his decision on a study he has commissioned to be conducted in the area, concluding that a local casino would create over 500 jobs and bring a potential10 million euro in tax revenues every year. Another outstanding example is the city of Deauville – where 30% of the local budget is on the shoulders of gambling operators’ taxes.

France has a long history of limiting casinos to touristic destinations and not allowing them in bigger towns. This however is hopefully about to change. A recent step forward was allowing members only poker clubs in Paris last year. A similar practice we’ve seen in London. Sadly, it comes a bit too late for one of the iconic venues known to all well-established gamblers – the world-famous Aviation Club de France (ACF). It was closed last year after more than 100 years of history, home to a huge number of great players. Many French and international players and gambling lovers campaigned back then to re-open the club, keeping the history and beauty of the place alive and saving its over 200 employees from losing their jobs. They didn’t manage to save the club, leaving Paris with only one option for poker players – the Cercle Clichy Montmartre who also has a license valid only until 2016. Let’s wait and see how this will unravel.

When it comes to weird gambling habits, nobody can beat the Asians. Believe it or not, they are superstitious about absolutely everything from the colour they wear, to staying away from books and dogs before and while gambling. But they are not the only people with such beliefs, as the Thai are coming strong from behind with their own eerie superstitions. Here is a top of the weirdest convictions concerning gambling. Warning, some of these superstitions might shock you.

10. Red means Go! Wait! What?

Yes, ladies and gentleman, the colour red doesn’t always symbolise a stop or warning sign! Chinese people believe that red is not only a lucky colour, but the only colour when it’s time to gamble. And believe me when I say that they take this very seriously, because in Chinese culture, red represents joy and good fortune and that is just what you need when you gamble, right?

9. Reading enriches the mind, books empty the pockets

Kind of a paradox, right? Well, I did say that there is nothing ordinary about the Asians and when it comes to gambling habits, they are dead serious and they believe that it’s plain bad luck to carry or even as much as look at a book when you plan on gambling. Why? Here comes the craziest part: they don’t like things that even sound like unlucky things. And the Chinese word for ‘book’ is similar to the one for ‘lose’. So, try to stick to your Kindle when you feel like reading, OK?

8. The Cold Shoulder

The Chinese believe that it’s not only bad luck, but even a gross lack of manners to touch their shoulder while they are playing. This is partly because Chinese people don’t like to be hugged, patted on the back or touched on the shoulder by strangers and I guess in casinos many people have the urge to touch them. Really?

7. Female virgins good, male virgins bad. Excuse me?

This particular superstition is strictly related to one game of dice – craps. It is said that having a virgin female player throw the dice is good luck for the whole table – it doesn’t have to be a real one, just one that hasn’t played dice before. The same superstition states that having a virgin male player throw the dice will bring misfortune to the table. So, female virgins only, please.

6. Wash your hands, not your luck

Nowadays, even Westerners believe that washing your hands can help wash out the bad luck and change the course of your fortune. Unfortunately, that also implies that one should not wash ones hands during a winning streak, even after having used the bathroom. Yuck! No high five for you, my friend!

5. Voodoo will succeed where you have failed. Say what?

South Africans think that a little bit of voodoo or ‘multi magic’ will do wonders for you during your gambling sessions. In fact, they actually go as far as to smoke the dried brains of vultures. Yeah, talk about desperate measures. This is supposed to give them special powers and the ability to foresee lottery numbers and results of sport events. Actually, due to this belief, the vultures are even facing extinction in South Africa. Seriously, guys, who are the true vultures in this story?

4. Align your Feng Shui and use the back-door

It is no secret that Asian people believe in the power of Feng Shui and that all around us is represented by positive and negative forces that can be manipulated or let’s say channelled to our advantage. That being said, it comes as no surprise that they believe it to be bad luck to enter the casino using the main entrance. What do you mean, why? Because it is cursed by feng shui masters, of course! An intriguing case is that of the famous MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, which is believed to have started this superstition, by designing the whole casino with the shape of a lion and customers had to enter the casino through the mouth of the animal. Due to numerous complaints from the visitors which stated that they are ‘made to walk right into the mouth of the beast’, the company was forced to redesign the entrance altogether. Perhaps they should have tried a female lion? Just saying..

3. Number 4 is unlucky. What about 13, then?

Chinese believe that the number 4 caries misfortune, for the same reason books do – they sound similar to unfortunate words. The number 4 in Chinese sounds like the word ‘die’ in the Cantonese language. You don’t want your luck to four, right? I mean die.. I guess it only makes sense in Chinese.

2. Never count your money, cross your legs or whistle at the tables

Again a little bit of Chinese superstitions – plenty of them out there, which states that it is bad luck to count your money, cross your legs or whistle at the tables while you are playing. With so many superstitions to remember, how can they remember the rules of the games they are playing? What happens if you do any of these things? The gambling God will probably punish you and take away your good fortune. So, I guess that’s not a bad thing, if you are on a losing streak or..?

1. Thai gamblers wear medallions of male private parts around their necks

This superstition takes the cake, no doubt about it! When reading this, please keep an open mind and a naked neck. In Thailand, it is considered good luck for men to wear the so-called ‘Palad Khik’, which translates ‘honourable surrogate penis’ in Thai. These wooden medallions are not only meant to bring them good fortune, but they are also supposed to make them irresistible to women. Yeah, somehow I don’t see that happening.