Coronavirus Keeps Testing Macau’s Casinos

The Year of the Rat has not been kind on Macau, the gambling capital of the world. Following the coronavirus outbreak and consequent shutdown of its forty-one casinos, Macau’s gambling revenue, which is vital to its economy, has plummeted 87.8% in February and is expected to drop even more in March. operators have joined forces in fighting against the virus, but the road to economic recovery might be long and contingent on many variables such as travel restrictions, tourist visas, and customer confidence. Let’s take a look at how it all started and how it plays out in an economy that relies almost entirely on the gambling tourism industry. How it All Started: The COVID-19 Outbreak Diagnosed for the first time in late December 2019, the virus affects the respiratory system and causes symptoms that range from the common cold to pneumonia and, in 3 to 4 percent of the cases, death. The virus is believed to have originated as a disease in bats, and made the jump from wildlife to
[Read more...]How To Overcome Those Holiday Blues

The first day after the holidays is one of the grimmest in the working year. You've swapped the beaches, blue skies and hours of fun for a view of a commuter's armpit and the sound of someone droning, droning, droning into a mobile phone. Reasons to be depressed Here are some of the worst things about post-: An email inbox that seems to be eternal. There are so many unread messages waiting for you that you know it’s going to take you a whole week just to get through them all, but by then you’ll have another week’s worth of mail to deal with. Post-travel trauma. It always seems like a good idea to stretch the holiday out for as long as possible… but that often means coming back to work with jetlag and a vacant look on your face! Rebooting your life. Only a couple of weeks before, work was ticking over well, but now you’ve forgotten all your passwords. Holiday envy. It’s enough to drive you up the wall! While you were away on a
[Read more...]7 New Year’s Eve Party Ideas Rock The House

Holiday season parties are in full swing, with New Year’s Eve as the final big bash. To celebrate the dawning of 2020, you are undoubtedly planning the New Year’s Eve party to beat all parties. We hope this list of seven unique and rocking New Year’s Eve party ideas keeps your whole house swinging into the new year. From game themes to a classic pajama party, you will certainly find a party concept to make your New Year’s Eve celebration the most talked about soiree in your friend circle. 1. Casino Game Party Instead of bringing your entourage to the casino, bring the casino to them! Invite your closest peeps over for a fun night of classic casino games and light-hearted gambling. Starting with games, keep it simple and easy. Set up casino staples like poker, roulette, and blackjack. All these games are a snap to set up with some inexpensive supplies. Plus, the rules are straightforward enough that anyone can catch on with a brief explanation,
[Read more...]A Year-End Roundup Of 2019’s Biggest News Stories

Hopefully 2019 was a prosperous and happy year for you, but around the world, it’s had mixed results. We got some causes to celebrate— enjoyed some regulation changes—but also weathered some tragedies. Here are the 14 biggest news stories from 2019, so you can be informed and ready to make small talk with your boss at the year-end party. 1. Changes to European online gambling regulations This year brought promising changes to European gamblers who enjoy taking a spin at their favorite online casinos. When online gambling hit the scene a few decades ago, it soon became clear that regulations were needed to keep consumers safe. However, some regulations can actually hurt the online gambling ecosystem and make it less available to players, but this year . Belarus legalized online gambling, the Czech Republic began to allow international operators, and Slovakia loosened their strict regulations. 2. Austria legalizes gay marriage 2019 kicked off with a win for
[Read more...]A Worldwide Surge In Protests

Lately, it seems as if the whole world is in a state of unrest. From Chile to Hong Kong and Iraq to Bolivia, citizens are protesting by the millions and creating movements that are bound to shape the future of their countries and the rest of the globe. But what is causing this surge in protests? Back in the 1960s, flyers and phone trees were the main tools to spread the word and gather people together. Today, the internet is the new ground for political activism. In Hong Kong, the government regulates some internet activity with a tight fist. For instance, gambling is banned in Hong Kong, but the rest of the world-wide web can still be used to rally like-minded citizens and help them rise. The connectivity provided by social media serves as the main platform to quickly organize, catalyze, and communicate the moment-by-moment happenings of a movement. Nowadays, a massive protest congregates faster than ever before and their message is carried throughout the world without
[Read more...]5 Celebs With Good Luck And Gambling Fever

There’s nothing as thrilling as the anticipation while you wait to show your winning hand or watch the slot reels spinning into place. That’s why over the last few years, the has grown dramatically. Hollywood’s finest aren’t immune to the fun of throwing the dice—you can see many of your favorite stars in Vegas trying for the jackpot, too. Vegas isn’t too far from Hollywood, so it’s a great destination for the stars to go relax and unwind. There are even celebrity poker tournaments all around the world where you can watch your favorites go head to head. They’re often for charity, too, with big events like attracting celebrity players to raise money for a good cause. Here are 5 celebrities you might run into at the roulette wheel…if you’re lucky. Ben Affleck Two-time Oscar winner Ben Affleck is better known for starring in and making films, but you can find him shining at the blackjack and poker tables, too. He
[Read more...]Nevada’s Black Book Of Noted Casino Cheaters

Every game has its fair share of cheaters and the gambling industry has no shortage of conniving players that scheme to illegally trump the house edge. While there are advantage players who skilfully and legally play to gain an advantage over the house, there many who take illegal turns to arrive at extensive wins. The worst of these illegal players in Las Vegas find themselves in “Nevada’s Black Book,” a list of people the Nevada Gaming Control Board have completely banned from any gambling establishment in the entire state. Originally established in 1960, this “black book” contains the cheaters, felons, ne’er-do-wells, and general hooligans who threatened the entire industry. Read on for more information about the Book, criteria for the unsavory list, and which notorious casino cheaters deserve a dishonorable mention. What Is the Black Book? The Black Book is like the Ninth Circle of Hell for those who dare to deceive the system. Advantage players commonly are
[Read more...]Best Finance Apps for Robust Money Management

We all try to save money. More money means a better savings account, which leads to great financial conquests like healthy credit, home ownership, and a hot new car. But how do you establish healthy money management habits? People used to somewhat easily manage budgeting and finances by balancing their check book. However, with the rising popularity of digital payments and online banking, most people just end up checking their bank balance and call it good. This can muddy proper financing and expense tracking. One way to conquer solid money management is through personal finance apps. Imagine, after you have saved all that money, you can set aside some extra for playing to potentially make more money. For your convenience, we are covering five of the best free apps for healthy finance habits. Download any of these onto either your iOS or Android and transform how you spend (and save) money. Mint Mint is rated as the best overall personal finance app, according to . This slick and
[Read more...]5 Running Tips for Beginners

Though it may not be as widely covered and talked about as other sports (which may be the reason why is still not very common), running has a long history that dates back to the very first Olympics, where the first event was a foot race. Since then, has continued to be a popular form of athletics, while also becoming a standard part of many people’s fitness routines. An evening run can be hugely beneficial to our physical well-being, from developing leg and core muscles to encouraging heart health, but did you know that it’s also useful for mental health? Fresh air and endorphins are a potent combination for combatting stress and depression, helping to keep us relaxed, happy and ready for the challenges of daily life. Here are five quick tips to improve your running ritual and get the most from your evening laps! Start slow We’ve all heard the phrase “walk before you can run” and it holds true when setting out on your first excursion. Ambitious
[Read more...]Using Slots As Escape From The Spotlight

Spotlight effect, that is. Do you ever feel like everyone is staring at you when you go shopping in a packed Wal-Mart for a late-night pizza or stand in line for Starbucks coffee at 7am? Worried about your dishevelled hair or your wrinkly pant suit sparking judgement? Fear not. You are probably just experiencing the spotlight effect. This article explores the details of the spotlight effect and how it can add to or minimize social anxiety. While you are working on accepting that people just are not as concerned about you as you think, you can play from Royal Vegas as a diversion as you begin the process of becoming more self-aware. What Is the Spotlight Effect? Much like how it sounds, is a term psychologists use to refer to how much we believe other people notice us. We overestimate the degree to which others put us in a spotlight. We figuratively think and believe that a bright, incandescent spotlight is shining on us and only us, illuminating all our flaws, gaping pores, and
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