Casino News

Philip Dennis Ivey Jr. represents a fascinating case study in the world of casinos. Born in 1977 in Riverside, California, and raised in Roselle, New Jersey, Ivey developed a profound understanding of mathematical and psychological aspects of games of chance that transcends traditional gambling.

Walk into most any casino, most anywhere in the world, from Atlantic City to Monte Carlo to Macau, and you will see wall-to-wall gamblers. They play the same games, adhere to the same rules, and generally have a blast.

“Emotion is the enemy of smart betting.” — Tony Bloom

On a humid July evening in 1998, an underdog France team triumphed in the FIFA World Cup Final. Behind the scenes, a little-known gambler had just made a fortune. Tony Bloom, then a quiet analyst in Victor Chandler’s betting operation, had pushed for the company to back France heavily.

Bright lights, big money, major entertainment, and plenty of casino gambling.

Craps is a game with numerous bets available and can be intimidating for those hitting the table for the first time. Dealing the game also comes with quite a learning curve as potential casino workers learn the ins and outs of a game that is fast-paced, has some mathematical considerations, and involves thinking quickly on your feet to keep the action moving.

The island of Macau has become the largest casino market in the world and often referred to as the “Las Vegas of Asia.” The island, located right off the Chinese mainland, is the only legalized casino market in China and attracts wealthy gamblers from the mainland as well as other parts of Asia.

Nobody likes losing money to casinos. But most of us put up with the financial beatings, accepting that they inevitably happen when you risk cash in games where the other side has the best of it. Some of us find legal ways to turn the tables. Maybe we card count or hole card or seek out lingering bonuses on slot machines. 

Back in the day, being a casino dealer meant learning to shuffle cards in specific ways – with all kinds of artful riffles and passes – that were unique to different casinos. There were  special cuts and reshuffles and a variety of techniques employed to make the cards as random as possible when they were dealt.

Las Vegas’s storied Tropicana became the latest Sin City casino to face implosion in October 2024. The site was cleared to make way for the construction of a new baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics.

There’s nothing quite like rolling the dice at the craps table. There are plenty of cheers and high-fives as players watch those cubes tumble down the table and hopefully hit a much-needed point number. The chips move about the table at a fast pace as dealers pay off winners and collect losing wagers.

When casino managers look over new table games, there are specifics they must see before offering the games to the public.

The game must be easy to learn and play. No one wants players to be intimidated and walk away. Empty tables earn no money.

In the United States, the outcome of the presidential election, which will be decided on Nov. 5, is expressed primarily by people voting. In Great Britain and other jurisdictions around the world, it is expressed by people betting.  

The horses head down the stretch and the excitement builds. Fans leap to their feet and cheer on their jockeys. Within a few minutes the horses race across the finish line. Some bettors celebrate and others are disappointed with the results.

Like many companies around the world, the casino and gaming industry has been forced to deal with a growing technological concern over the last few years – cyber attacks. Cyber security has never been a bigger concern as casinos around the world have experienced breaches in recent years.