Archive for the ‘city’ Category

Gambling in Macau

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

Macau is an interesting mix of Portuguese and Chinese culture. It is a good example of how history is ever present, as Macau is one of the reminiscences of 16th Century history when Europe and China clashed. Even more interestingly many hundreds of years later it became the Asian capital of gambling, and three recent news highlight this fact.

First it was reported that some of the top poker players in the world congregated in Macau to play against wealthy businessmen in million dollar duels. Prominent members of Full Tilt Poker such as Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan made the trip in pre-organized games, and the latter is rumored to have won over 6 million dollars in one particular match.

Use a full tilt bonus code to register at Full Tilt where you can see these pros playing online poker and learn from them. The story is that Las Vegas used to be the place where the highest stakes ring games used to be played daily, but now it is said that these games are drying up. But the action is moving to the East and with the economic rise of China, successful and wealthy Chinese businessmen are keen on challenging the best players in their home turf at high rollers casinos in Macau.

The second piece of news goes in the same vein as it was reported that the profits from gambling in Macau are skyrocketing while Las Vegas is still in a deep recession. By some measures the profits of Macau would be currently a few times the profits of all casinos in Las Vegas. Here again this shows how the tide is moving to Asia in many aspects of wealth creation and spending.

Finally the third relevant news that came out in the past few weeks is about Stanley Ho, who is the tycoon controlling the casino monopoly in Macau. He is in the middle of some legal battles against two of his four wives and ex-wives with regard to his inheritance and how it will be split among his 17 children. At 90 years old, he remains the leading and most recognized figure of Macau, but his relatives are not waiting for his death to start already trying to get a share of his billions.

Stanley Ho is certainly one of the savviest businessmen from Asia, as he managed to obtain the gambling monopoly from the Macau Government in 1961 and still owns it to this day.

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Playing Poker while traveling

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Although poker has remained consistently popular ever since its inception, over time different variations of the game rose to prominence. Three games in particular could be said to have dominated the poker scene at different points in history and defined what the majority of gamblers were playing.

The complexity of poker has certainly increased from the earliest variations, leading to the ultimate dominance of one particular type of poker that today is the most popular and frequently played at online poker rooms.

The game of 5 Card Draw, although not particularly popular during the Civil War, suddenly shot to prominence following it and became the most popular variation of poker for almost an entire century. Difficulty arose when the morality of gambling was being questioned, as it often still is, and the state of Nevada decided that running a betting game was a felony. A law was passed to enforce this, supposedly making all forms of poker off limits.

However, the Attorney General of California questioned Nevada’s legislation. It was proposed that as Draw variations of poker were based on skill rather than on luck or chance, the anti-gambling laws could not apply to them. Stud poker, on the other hand, which was definitely a chance based game, was deemed illegal. Since Draw was the only legal game left on offer, Draw poker games had a great opportunity to develop and grow, until eventually Nevada reversed the law in 1931 and casino gambling was legalised.

Just prior to the start of WWII, the 7 Card Stud variation of poker increased in popularity and overtook 5 Card Draw as the country’s favourite game. For about forty years 7 Card Stud remained top of the table, riding the booming business that flooded into the newly developed casino industry of Las Vegas.

It was during the 1970s that the so called “Cadillac of poker” arose. Texas Hold’Em shot into the public eye when it was featured as the important title game in the World Series of Poker, and since then it has remained the top dog of poker variations. Although other types of poker are still played such as Omaha, Manila and Razz, it is almost impossible to compete with the popularity of No Limit Texas Hold’Em.

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Casino or culture, Singapore brings tourists

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

What makes Singapore an attractive tourist destination? Casinos or culture?

cute girls gambling

Since Singapore has reduced its exports of electronic components, they are now trying to develop the tourism industry to bring new income to the island-city. As China grows and wins the world, it can expect to prosper from its casinos and roulette strategies as well. Singapore is not exactly mainland China, rather a satellite Chinese economy. As the most modern and wealthy Chinese location, it has led the way for China in many respects.

However, Singapore has a major handicap: it has no Angkor Wat or Taj Mahal as a major touristic attraction unlike most of its neighbors, or tropical beaches and diving spots. For foreigners, Singapore is not the favorite destination but rather a flying hub leading to more exciting countries. Most travelers only spend a few days, so the introduction of casinos is an attempt to attract a different breed of visitors as well as to keep the existing ones longer.

With the new generation of Chinese and the influence of Indians and other Asians who start to travel around the world, Singapore has begun to work on new attractions, including two casinos, a theme park by Universal Studio and French style tourist boats (bateaux mouches).

Other projects to give Singapore a different cachet include the opening of clubs and film clubs, and the famous car racing of the famous Formula One, hoping to attract tourists from other continents. Citigroup, the group responsible for this project, hopes to generate a profit of between $ 150 and $ 200 million per year, and thereby show that Singapore has changed. Creating a Formula One circuit is certainly a brilliant idea, but it does not have no local flavor, does it?

As for the new casinos, they should be similar to those already present in Macao. Faced with all these radical changes, local residents remain skeptical. For them, the establishment of a Formula One circuit is a way to get free publicity. Regarding the casinos that should be opening soon, there was a petition up against the project, criticizing the evils of gaming on families and young people, adding that these venues may attract the local population more than the tourists.

Some deplore this change of the city, thinking that Singapore is seeking to become a modern city and delete all its history and culture in the process, to make way for a city that can be found anywhere, which also represents the end of Chinatown, famous for its shopping.

Time will tell how the casinos perform and if international gamblers really decide to make Singapore a new stop on their routes. The Marina Bay Sands is a very beautiful casino hotel and there is no reason to believe that it will not be a success.

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Monte Carlo

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Monte Carlo Casino

The Monte Carlo Casino

Monaco is a name bringing thoughts of wealth and splendor.

A remnant of the historical past of Europe, it is an independent State, even though it is a tiny city-state inside metropolitan France with no army to defend itself and a population of only 33,000 people. Monte Carlo is the most famous neighborhood in Monaco, and this is where the famous casino is located.

The Casino de Monte-Carlo is a treasure of the Belle Epoque, but also the reference with respect to gambling for all players in Europe. Its building was built in 1863 by Charles Garnier to whom we also owe many monuments in France, including the opera that bears his name in Paris.

Overlooking the Mediterranean, the casino has seen the high society of yesterday and today in a magnificent setting made of sculptures and bas-reliefs, frescoes, marble and gold. It is in the same building that is housed the Opera de Monte-Carlo with its exceptional cultural events.

The Casino de Monte-Carlo has become a reference for games with all sorts of variations: Thirty and forty, Roulette, European Roulette, Chemin de fer, Bank at two tables, Punto Banco, Craps, Poker, American Roulette, Blackjack, and the expression that everyone knows seems to always resonate when thinking of Monte Carlo “Les jeux sont faits”.

It is in such an emblematic place as the casino at Monte Carlo that appeared the first automatic machines and where the jackpot was invented, as well as slot machines flowing stream of their currencies in the laughter of the ladies beautifully dressed and coiffed.

Over the years, the Monte-Carlo Casino has hosted new and exclusive games while creating other fairs and festivals places like Cafe de Paris, the Sun Casino or Casino summer. Obviously, in this mythical place open to persons of at least 18 years, you should be well dressed without shorts but with a jacket and cocktail dress for ladies.

Who knows you may see James Bond there if you are in luck.

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Hong Kong, dear Hong Kong

Thursday, July 30th, 2009
Hong KongHong Kong

If you want to travel somewhere and if you want to visit a City, Hong Kong is one of the best choices you could ever make.

Hong Kong is unlike most Cities. Very few other cities come to mind when seeking an extraordinary place with a wide variety within it, and Rio de Janeiros could be compared to Hong Kong in this respect, but there are very few other candidates.

On Hong Kong Island, there are sand beaches, hicking trails among the luxuriant tropical forest around the “Peak”, skyscapers coming out along the cliffs, large preserved unbuilt areas, breathtaking views from the highest points, unlimited supply of the richest Chinese food in the World, the highest proportion of Roll Royces per inhabitants on earth, etc.

Unlike most big metropolis like Tokyo for instance, the land is not 100% invaded by concrete, and the natural beauty of this tropical paradise is preserved on about half of the entire surface of the Island.  So it is possible to start walking from “Central”, which is one of the business districts, and to find yourself alone in the forest in less than 15 minutes.

If you like the city aspect itself, there are choices for all tastes: luxurious shops Asian and Western, immense shopping malls on ten floors offering every known brand, local tiny shops where you can find Chinese medicine, various potteries and art pieces.

Hong Kong itself is made of Hong Kong Island which is the second largest island (after the wild Lantau Island), plus numerous smaller islands, and Kowloon & the New Territories. The most beautiful side is all these islands. You can take various boats and ferries and visit them, eat local sea food and enjoy a moment of peace in a slower paced environment. It does not feel like a big town at all over there.

Another advantage of going to Hong Kong is that it is probably the best hub to visit South-East Asia. Neighboring countries such as Thailand, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia,…, are all only a few hours away by plane, and will welcome you with open arms.

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