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Posted Nov.26th, 2023, viewed 36 times
MGM Mirage Opens Online Casino
MGM Mirage, a Las Vegas resort operator, quietly launched its first online casino by a major U.S. gambling company, a website that welcomes internet gamblers with photos of 19 games and showgirls.
The site is open to everyone for free play, but only gamblers from six countries outside the U.S. can bet real money.
Owners of hotel casinos like Bellagio, Mirage and MGM Grand have jumped into the online gambling world with a $15 million investment and a small office on the Isle of Man off the coast of England that has licensed four other web casinos.
MGM Mirage has a solid brand name and 19 casinos on three continents, so it has more to lose than most online gambling sites if it competes with regulators.
When web casinos came online last week, only residents of the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand were able to open accounts and start betting.
Bill Hornbuckle, president and chief operating officer of MGM Mirage Online, said there will be numerous online ads and promotions on the Western European portal site following the "soft launch" on Sept. 26.
The site offers animated card games including slots, roulette, poker and blackjack. There are also baccarat, crab, bingo, and keno. Each window appears in a separate window, allowing you to gamble without downloading software.
The MGM Mirage site is networked with multiple database search software designed to help gamblers see who and where they are.
Five other companies working for MGM check the age and residence of potential online betting companies. Regulators and inspectors in the Isle of Man and London monitor the system network.
The site now rejects gamblers in dozens of countries, including the United States, where federal law prohibits the use of the internet or telephone lines to offer casinos or sports betting.
But while MGM Mirage is hoping to bring other big casino companies online, and other overseas gambling sites are hoping to provide credibility to them, federal lawmakers are pushing in the opposite direction.
The bill passed by voice vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday would criminalize gambling operators from accepting credit cards, checks and money transfers in connection with illegal Internet gambling.
"Internet gambling does not serve a legitimate purpose in our society – it is dangerous for families, it is dangerous for society in general," said James Leach, R-Iowa, a sponsor of the bill.
In Nevada, where MGM owns 12 casinos, regulators will monitor the site in a quarterly report submitted by the company. Online violations could jeopardize the company's state gambling license. However, the Nevada Gaming Control Board has not approved the site, and can only respond to violations found by the Isle of Man regulator.
Dennis Neilander, chairman of the board, said, "It's a burden to have MGM Mirage report to us and keep us informed."
Gambling industry analysts say regulated online casinos are likely to be a firm niche in the industry. Bear Stearns estimates 1,800 large offshore Internet gambling sites will generate $3.5 billion in annual revenue.
"These are really revolutionary times for the industry," said analyst Michael Tew.
Keith Furlong, deputy director of the Interactive Gaming Commission, said the group, which represents small gambling sites, expects a "domino effect" of regulation.
"The challenge right now is to find one or two major countries or countries to intervene through reasonable regulation," Furlong said.
Other major U.S. casino companies, Park Place Entertainment and Harass Entertainment, have not yet had access to the Internet.
Park Place has applied for a license on the Isle of Man but has not decided whether to open an online venture. Harris said it was too early to get a license. 바다이야기
