Play online for free

For those who would like to play casino games online, but would prefer to steer clear of the controversial online gambling sites, Internet giant Yahoo has a games page site you should surf to.

A long-time provider of exceptional free content and services, Yahoo offers free online card games in a Java-based environment (meaning there is no software to download) that are both easy to learn and fun to play. To get started, you'll need to log on (www.play.yahoo.com) and create your own Yahoo profile, which, of course, is free. Once you've created your profile, you'll be able to open a free e-mail account and utilize their "Yahoo Pager," which enables you to chat with friends, see when friends are online, and have access to the site's message boards and game tutorials. Card games offered include blackjack, bridge, gin, pinochle, and poker. Players can create their own table, or join an existing table.

Yes, it's hard to beat free.

Get in the "Zone"

Slot enthusiasts take note: The online gaming pros at Virtual Vegas (www.virtualvegas.com) are at it again. The site that already boasts Blackjack.com is taking on slots.

As the website reveals, figuring out Slotszone.com (www.slotszone.com) isn't rocket science. First and foremost, all the games are free—there’s no real wagering offered. There are two different types of play offered, non-tourney slots and tourney slots. Non-tourney slots have higher odds and players do not need to register with the site to play. To play tourney slots, however, users must register with the site (it takes about one minute), but they are also eligible to win prizes, including a trip to Las Vegas or a Caribbean cruise.

Free trips? No risk? Sign me up.

Newsgroup Noise

"I just had my first day of orientation at Bellagio. and I'm literally at a loss for words. The place is phenomenal!"

Posted, alt.vacation.las-vegas

"It never ceases to amaze me how many people don't properly tip the dealers or don't tip at all! "

Posted, rec.gambling.blackjack

"Dealers don't play you out of money. You either play yourself into money or play yourself out of it."

Clinton Scandal, Budget Push Internet Gambling to the Back Burner

While the Internet gaming industry braced itself for the stretch run of Congress' session, it turned out Internet gambling was low on Congress' priority list due to the Clinton scandal and Congress' last-minute vote on the budget.

As we hit the deadline for this column, Congress' session was not "officially" over, but with precious campaigning time dwindling (many congressman are up for re-election this year), the nation's legislative branch will likely head home the second the budget vote is recorded—and the Internet Gambling prohibition act will have to be re-visited next year.

In our next issue, we’ll present an overview of the future of this most controversial issue, looking ahead to 1999. Stay tuned.

What's New

The following are some of the latest gaming Web site launches.

This is a very attractive site that had been in development for quite some time before their recent launch. The site currently offers blackjack, slots, roulette, video poker, and baccarat. Frequent online gamers will notice that Antigua Casino's new software is a step up from virtually every other online gaming site.

Navigating a gondola into cyberspace, the Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino has launched its World Wide Web site and toll-free room reservation number in preparation for its scheduled April 21, 1999, opening. The site promises to publish new restaurant and entertainment updates, as well as all other pertinent information regarding the exciting new property.

EnterCasino is unique in that it gives its players the option of playing at a table, alone or with a friend. For those playing in pairs, the site offers real-time chat.

This site promises to deliver the best odds, attractions and customer and technical support available.

If brand name recognition exists within the online gaming world, then Golden Palace, licensed in Antigua, is bursting with it. Already up-and-running on the net for well over a year, Golden Palace has established itself as one of—if not the—most well-known names in the interactive gaming industry.

Upon loading the site, you're greeted with Hollywood-style roving neon lights and, if your computer supports sound, an old tune that is all too familiar.

Like most online gaming sites, Golden Palace offers a free software download needed to play the games. The games are available for free or real play. But unlike most sites, Golden Palace offers an exorbitant number of games—17 to be exact. Twenty-four-hour support is available in the forms of an e-mail address and toll-free phone numbers. And, get this: When we called to ask a question, we actually spoke to a human being.

282 - The number of blackjack players online playing at Yahoo's game site when we visited at 10a.m., EST, on a weekday in early October.

18,099 - The number of web pages we found on the Web Crawler search engine when we searched "Royal Flush." Granted, some of the results had to do with the "other" flush.

177 Million - The estimated number of e-mails sent over the World Wide Web each day.