Well, things just became a little more complicated: MasterCard may be shutting down any and all payment processing to offshore casinos for USA players. This decision stems from a recent audit MasterCard conducted, in which they found that some gaming sites were incorrectly coding transactions. Usually, transactions via MasterCard to an online casino are processed as “uncoded” transactions; that is, they have no specific numeric value that designates the type of payment being processed. This all changed recently, when a few online casinos improperly coded their payment requests, thereby exposing the loophole they were exploiting in order to get MasterCard funds through the door. MasterCard pulled the break on any sort of “uncoded” transactions, bringing the online gaming industry to a standstill.

What does this mean for players? For the moment, it’s likely that any attempt to deposit directly to a casino using MasterCard will fail, especially if you’re located in the USA. There is, however, a little good news: MasterCard is planning to revoke all funds to offshore payment processors and refund all casino customers their purchases. On top of that, if you were ahead of the casino and cashed out money, you’ll obviously get to keep these winnings, too. Clearly, MasterCard is holding the payment processors responsible, and the dominoes eventually fallback to the online casinos, who are at the end of the money chain.

What does this mean for online casinos? This is a devastating turn of events for sure. Online casinos will lose and all recent funds deposited by MasterCard, plus they run the risk of having their payment processors shutdown by authorities. Also, under financed casinos, that are running on skin and bones are now suddenly faced with losing substantial sums of money, which they have to cough up as the merchants who originally benefited from the transactions.

If there is a silver lining to be had, it’s probably that e-wallets, which act as an intermediate step between credit card and online casino, are relatively unaffected. So, if you’ve been hesitant to open an EwalletXpress, UseMyWallet, or Click2Pay account, now is the time to do so. In most cases, online casinos themselves have to hand out invitations to these services, so make sure that you get in touch with your casino’s support team as soon as possible. They’ll be able to guide you through the e-wallet sign up process, making sure that you are ultimately able to do deposit money. You might also consider looking at casinos that accept Visa, AMEX, or Discover Card. We’ve listed a few below.

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In the big picture, the exodus of MasterCard from the online casino scene will hurt in the short run, but the situation should wright itself in a few months. It has been noted that some people are considering starting up special payment processing options located in the USA, employing MasterCard ex-employees in order to gain favor with the company. Also, players in Europe and Asia might experience a temporary blackout period with their MasterCard. This side effect will be more pronounced with any International players that carry a MasterCard bearing a USA bank name. This too, should blow over, since online gaming is legal in most non-USA jurisdictions.

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These days, players increasingly join casinos that accept a certain payment/deposit method, even if the casino itself is not the top choice on their list. Gambling is gambling, and once you’ve got your bankroll loaded and you’re ready to play, you want to be able to deposit and use your funds. It’s very stressful to join a casino, only to find that you can’t deposit at the last minute.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a short list of online casinos that accept Discover card and online casinos that accept Amex card. While these casinos aren’t necessarily the top online brands, they are reputable places to play casino games and are extremely convenient for customers with Amex and Discover card.

Note, in order to deposit using Amex, it’s necessary to fill out an authorization form, which takes 30 seconds at most. After that, simply fax back the completed form; or scan it to an image file and include it in an email to the respective casino’s support team. Essentially, this measure is in place to make sure fraudsters don’t cheat you or the casino out of money. Safety first!

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Casino Moons - Discover Card/Amex Accepted - A simple layout, attentive customer service, and wide variety of deposit options make Casino Moons a top destination for USA players as well as those from around the world. You’ll find that Casino Moons’ ambient atmosphere and Top Game gaming software combine to produce an outstanding casino experience. Payouts are easy to: there’s nearly 10 different ways to collect your winnings, even for USA players. Play at Casino Moons Today - Click Here!

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Rome Casino - Discover Card/Amex Accepted - Rome Casino is a paradise for VIP players and recreational gamblers alike. Featuring industry leading Top Game software, Rome Casino has over 50 different casino games including blackjack, slots, roulette, pai gow, Caribbean Stud poker, craps, and roulette. Customer service is available using a website chat interface, so you don’t have to pay for long distance calls, nor wait hours for an email response. Instead, you’ll find that Rome’s staff is happy to have your business and will do what it takes to keep you happy. Click Here to Play at Rome Casino Now!

Diceland Casino - Discover Card/Amex Accepted - Diceland is a great place for those that like a suave, cool gaming environment that feels like the stylish private casinos in many major cities or Las Vegas. Diceland runs on the famous Top Game software platform, which was recently overhauled and updated to assure players the highest quality - and most fair - gaming experience possible. Players can enjoy a plethora of casino games ranging from Video Poker, Table Games, Slots, Blackjack, Progressive Slots, and specialty games. There’s lots to do at Diceland Casino, so much in fact that we couldn’t possibly summarize it all in one paragraph. You’ll have to see it for yourself! Click Here to Play at Diceland Casino Now!

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First, you’re going to need to learn table games and video poker. Forget slots altogether. For some, this may feel like a leap over a steep cliff, but in reality learning table games will increase your odds of winning. More importantly, you’re going to need to shift your focus from winning one big jackpot once in your life to winning small amounts of money on a regular basis that buildup your bankroll over time. Think about it: there are probably only 20 major jackpot winners in the course of a year across ALL casinos. If you take into consideration the fact that you’re one of millions playing at once, it’s easy to see why chasing slots jackpots is futile.

The following list of player friendly bets assumes that you have a working knowledge of each game. Bear in mind that rule variations from casino to casino may affect your results. So, even though reading your casino’s terms and conditions is very boring, you might be able to ferret out which games are most favorable to the player.

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1. Blackjack: Doubling Down on 11. Blackjack is one of the most popular table games, and offers players a reasonable chance of making money. During the course of play, you might find that you’re dealt 2 cards that give you a total of 11. When this occurs, you should always double down, EXCEPT against an ace (in which case you just hit). Why? Well if you think about it, 11 is one of the most favorable hands a player can have, because doubling down could result in a bigger win. Additionally, doubling on 11 means you have no chance of busting, because the highest card you could get (a 10 value card) would make a hand of 21. Anytime the game allows you to bet more under favorable circumstances, do so. To learn more about basic strategy and doubling down, visit our Blackjack page - Click HERE.
2. Roulette: The Double Dozens Bet. Roulette is more difficult to beat than blackjack. The odds are stacked against the player in the long run, however, it’s possible to make a few small wins if the ball drops on the right numbers. Consider what we can “The Double Dozens” bet: pick one of the betting areas on the table that divides the field into 3 pieces (excluding the zeros), and then place two equal bets on two of the three areas. If you win this bet, you’ll get one of your bets back plus 2:1 money. So, if you bet $5 each on two spaces, for a total bet of $10, and win one of the $5 bets, you get paid $10 on the winner plus get the $5 bet back ($15), less the losing $5 bet, for a final total of $10, a $5 net profit on your wager. Essentially, each successful double dozens bet makes a 50% profit. If you should lost this bet, the downside can be treacherous. Instead of making $5, you’ll lose $10, and have to make that back on subsequent wagers.
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4. Craps: Odds Bet. Some casinos offer what is called an “odds bet” in Craps. The first step is to place a successful pass line bet. Next, after the point has been thrown, you place a bet behind your original pass line bet and take “odds” that any number other than 7 will come in on the subsequent die throw. The Wizard of Odds website states it best:
   

   Wizard of Odds on craps: The odds are simply an additional wager that the point will be rolled before a 7. Because seven is the most likely total roll, you win more than even money when you win. Specifically, if the point is a 6 or 8 the odds pay 6 to 5, if the point is a 5 or 9 the odds pay 3 to 2, and if the point is a 4 or 10 the odds pay 2 to 1. These are exactly statistically fair payouts.

   As you can see, the odds bet can be a great way to mitigate the house edge, and make some quick money in the process. Important: not all casinos offer the same odds for these types of wagers. Always visit your casino’s game instructions page to learn more. At most online casinos, the odds bet payouts are small, but still helpful in the long run towards making, not losing, money.

There you have it: 3 bets that can be extremely helpful to casino players. Remember, as always, you have to take short run profits and know when to leave. If you get ahead and continue to play, eventually, you’re going to start to hemorrhage money. Play smart and “Know when to fold’em”.

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Reload Bonuses

We’ve written before that players should use caution about accepting first time deposit offers. In most cases, these bonuses are laden with terms and conditions that make it nearly impossible to convert into real cash. As a result, a player’s initial deposit is almost certainly bound for the casino’s coffers.

Reload bonuses, however, are a different and more friendly beast. Once you’re through the door and have proven that you can deposit money successfully, it’s likely your casino will offer you some halfway decent reload or “redeposit” bonuses. In most cases, these bonuses are pared down compared to their first deposit bonus relatives, and actually give players a chance at making money. These bonuses are either offered on your casino’s promotions page in the form of a coupon code, or over the phone via a casino support representative. High Rollers always get these offers in person on the phone, as a special Thank-You for their business. Expect to get anywhere from 25%-50% extra money on top of your next deposit, plus easy play through requirements and not a lot of terms and conditions.

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Tournaments Galore

Poker isn’t the only casino game that is amenable to tournament play. As a matter of fact, it’s possible to run tournaments with most any casino games, especially blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and slots. Casino tournaments are fun because the cash prizes are typically larger than the average online poker cash game. It’s not uncommon to see blackjack tournaments with Grand Prizes well over $2500 USD, depending on the size of the tournament and the number of players the casino is able to attract.

If card games aren’t your thing, you’re still in luck: many online casinos run regular slots tournaments. At first glance, playing slots against other players might not make sense, since it is a “house banked” game. In other words, players are really playing against the house to win money. Most online casinos don’t pool the tournament fees as a jackpot. Instead, they offer the regular payouts of the particular slot machine, and award the winning player an additional cash prize at the end.

Slots tournaments are especially enjoyable if there are lots of people participating. Casinos with multi-player games and chat functions will often boast a fast paced and entertaining chat conversation among tournament participants. Tournaments are a social function, so some online casinos aim to allow players the most interaction with others as possible.

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Here’s another upside to slots and blackjack tournaments: incidences of cheating are extremely low. You may have heard that poker is susceptible to automated robots and player “collusion”, or sharing one’s hand with others at the table to unfairly win the pot. There’s no such thing as collusion when it comes to tournament blackjack or slots, since everyone’s game is their own and not subject to any outside influence. Play with confidence: you won’t get bagged at non-poker casino game tournaments!

New Games, New Thrills

The start of the New Year and push into February means that many online casinos will attempt to capture throngs of players with innovative games. Generally speaking, casinos will release new slots or video poker games just after the New Year, and use the initial set of customers as a “pilot” test group. The casino managers want to see if there is any interest in the games. Most importantly, they want to see if that interest will be sustained after the initial release. Online and offline casinos don’t waste table space or computer processing time with games no one likes, so if you’re interested in new casino games, February is the month to play.

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Additionally, online casino managers will also entice players to try new games with special bonuses and coupons. In some cases, these promotions are offered in conjunction with using an e-wallet to deposit; however most of the time you can just use your credit card as usual.

There might not be such thing as “free money” at the casino, but there is such thing as discounted money. Why play with your cash when you can get a matching bonus from the house? Play Smart and Win BIG!

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There’s just one hitch in your personal card game evolution: casino games like blackjack, baccarat, or Caribbean Stud poker. Most people don’t begin playing these games until they’re 21, the legal age for casino gambling in most locations in the USA and around the world. Suddenly, you’re faced with an entirely new set of games that require you to bet money on each hand of play. This experience can be intimidating at first, even if you’re an experienced card player: learning the critical aspects of any casino card game is crucial, especially when your hard earned money is at risk.

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You’ve probably noticed that brick and mortar casinos don’t offer much in terms of free gaming tutorials. This is for one simple reason: if you don’t know how to play a game, you’re more likely to make mistakes. As a result, when you make mistakes and lose your hand, the house makes money. There’s really no profit motive for making casino customers “smarter”. Instead, it’s usually the naive and uninformed players that help casinos make money, for the sole reason that they’re clueless when it comes time to pony up money for a bet.

The same is true for online casinos. When was the last time an online casino offered you a step-by-step, highly instructive blackjack tutorial? Probably Never. True, some casinos do post game rules and very basic tutorials, but if anything, this information only lulls the player into a false sense of security. After playing cards for 2 hours, the player who thought they understood the game is penniless and needs to reload their bankroll. Clearly, there’s more to playing online casino card games than just reading a couple paragraphs of game history or rules offered by online casinos, and unfortunately many players realize their skill deficit only after losing hundreds to the house.

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As a result, player ignorance is a key aspect of a casino’s bottom line. Online casinos count on “first timers” to mess up in the process of learning how to play baccarat, pai gow, blackjack, or Let ‘em Ride. Moreover, casinos hope you NEVER will learn the ins and outs of casino card games, because that means you’ll continue to hand over your cash every time you step onto the gaming floor.

The Bellagio in Vegas wasn’t built because wise card players scored money from the house: instead, thousands of ignorant players came long before the first brick was laid and essentially donated their vacation money to the Wynn Resort and Casino Group. Likewise, online casinos don’t sprout up and expand because they routinely get wiped out. To the contrary, online casinos tend to have a higher rate of expansion, mostly because people feel more comfortable playing a new game in the comfort of their homes, opposed to facing peer pressure from a group of seasoned gamblers sitting around a blackjack table in Vegas.

How Can I Mitigate My Inexperience at Online Casinos?

First of all, if you’re new to online casinos, or are trying out a game you’ve never played before, play the game in “free play” mode opposed to “real money”. This is an obvious piece of advice, but you’d be surprised how many players with a few bucks left over from slots will try to play baccarat, only to find out that chances of winning a “Tie Bet” are remote. Their bankroll quickly goes down the drain, when they could have simply signed out of their “real money” account and played for free instead.

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Next, take the time to LEARN a casino card game. When we say “learn”, we don’t mean read the casino’s 3 paragraph explanation of Pai Gow: instead, do a search with your favorite search engine for game rules and strategy, and study all the material carefully. THINK about how you would play the card game if you were really at a live table game. Would you double down on 15 in blackjack, even if the dealer has a bust card? Do you even know what a “bust card” or “break card” is? If not, we advise that you take an intensive course or set aside significant study time to learn the game thoroughly.

Once you’ve got a hold of a game’s rules and strategies, only then should you approach an online casino and play in “Free Mode”. If you’ve just learned Baccarat, play at least 100 hands for free before you even think about depositing money. Online casinos have the “free play” option as a marketing ploy, so turn the tables in your favor and use this chance to learn a new game on your own schedule. Land based casinos almost NEVER have “free play” available; and, if they do, it’s at 3 packed tables in a busy casino with 100 other tables beckoning you to play for real instead of waiting in line behind 20 other inexperienced gamblers.

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Finally, we suggest tackling real money play only after you’ve been able to increase your “play money” balance over several sessions of play. Beginner’s luck does apply for casino card games, but don’t think you’ll always be lucky, because chances are, that beginner’s luck will run out when you’re betting big for the first time. Therefore, don’t conclude that you’re a blackjack ace if you can turn $1000 in “play money” into $1500 the first time you practice. Instead, attempt to do this 10, 20, even 30 times before you step into the real casino.

Be patient. Think about the game carefully, and most importantly don’t risk money hoping to somehow get lucky when you’re completely clueless. They say “Ignorance is Bliss”, but for casinos, “Ignorance” means easy money. Don’t be one of these players. Learn to play a new game thoroughly before you ever make a bet.

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Legality in the USA

This issue is no surprise: it’s known that millions of Americans gamble online every year, yet the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2005) aims to make it illegal. We say “aims to make” because this law actually hasn’t fully come into effect: a number of large banks that offer credit cards have complained that “it’s not their job to police online transactions”, and that any mandate from the government would be nearly impossible to enforce. As a result, Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts and Chair of the House Banking Committee has successfully pushed the official enforcement date back well into this Spring, while the government contemplates larger problems in the banking industry and economy in general.

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Ultimately, if online casinos were legal in the USA, the landscape of the industry would drastically change. Almost over night, many of the small offshore gaming companies that call Central America home would fold, giving way for large USA based brick and mortar casino companies like Harrah’s to barge into the market. As a matter of fact, Harrah’s has already expressed strong interest in developing an online gaming arm in its operations, and was literally ready to pull the trigger in 2003, before all the legality issues arose.

Any move by a major land based casino would almost instantly put offshore casinos out of business, simply because they don’t have the shear amount of cash or resources that are needed to compete with these corporate behemoths. Just picture the scene if Wynn Resorts and Casinos moved in: with billions of dollars in the bank, Steve Wynn could take the whole USA online casino scene overnight if he wanted to.

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New Software

One of the many hurdles that new online casino businesses face is choosing a software operating platform. In the years before UIGEA, there were well over a dozen first rate software providers, including the likes of MicroGaming, Cryptologic, Playtech, and others that were regularly being used in the USA market. Since UIGEA, however, these brands have pulled out of the USA scene and have decided to focus exclusively on European and International business. The result of this move left a bit of a vacuum in the USA facing online casino market.

As time wore on, a few providers decided to remain in the USA casino market, like Real Time Gaming. In the immediate days post UIGEA, RTG had to brush some of the dust off its shoulders, in part because it had a reputation for doing business with shady operations. Now, however, the perception of RTG, the top software platform for USA facing casinos, has changed dramatically and many players are pleased with the company’s aggressive game development and much improved track record.

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We’ve also seen a few other new noteworthy software platforms enter the USA casino marketing, including Wizard Gaming, Top Game, and Rival Gaming. Like most new software systems, they still have some kinks to work out; but, for the most part, they have made some headway in providing USA players with new alternatives to RTG. For example, Rival Gaming has produced its signature line of “i-slots”, slot machines which actually have a plot line and video game style player interaction. These types of innovations have captured the interest of many USA players tired of the usual 7-7-7 one armed bandit.

Things coming soon…

There are a few things, of course, that we can’t predict for the next year. We already know that legal issues and software are in a constant state of flux: but we don’t know about many other important factors that guide offshore gaming companies, some of which include physical location (jurisdiction), banking options, mergers and acquisitions, and industry self-regulation.

As anyone in the casino business will tell you, cash is king. So, wherever it’s possible to run a highly profitable online casino operation, you’ll find new companies sprouting up left and right. Cyprus and Malta, for example, are well known havens for new gaming companies looking to make a break.

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Finally, for the time being, there probably won’t be a lot of merger and acquisition in the USA market, at least while the national economic crisis persists. The only way for companies to make reasonable acquisitions is under favorable legal circumstances and plentiful income. Since neither of these conditions apply, any plays with online casino company stocks are better off made in the London Alternative Investment Market (AIM), where many legal international gaming companies trade everyday.

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In conclusion, the editorial team at Jaxcasinos.com is excited to see what 2010 brings, and as always, will keep you updated and informed about the best places to play online. You can continue to trust Jaxcasinos.com as a great reference site and proving ground for any new and innovative developments in the casino market.

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