Since their inception in the 1990s, online casinos have significantly grown in popularity, becoming one of the most popular hobbies in the United States. With the COVID-19 pandemic in the past two year, people were forced to stay inside and comply with lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing measures, and traditional land-based gambling facilities, including iconic Las Vegas venues, were forced to shut down physical operations. Therefore, bettors had to turn to online casinos to keep the action going.

Some of the reasons why online casino games are so popular include the convenience and safety of playing at home, as well as the different incentives and promotions offered by online operators. Given that many traditional brick-and-mortar venues are still gradually reopening across the country, iGaming has emerged as a viable alternative for individuals looking for new entertainment options. As a result, the sector has grown significantly, with the iGaming industry generating tremendous profits in 2020 and 2021, and online casinos accounting for more than 60% of the market.

Following the widespread adoption of the Internet in the 1990s, online casinos were introduced and quickly became a popular attraction, with games and platforms developed by companies such as Microgaming and Playtech. However, due to technological limitations at the time, the game selection was still limited, and slots were usually the only games available.

As technology advanced and computers became more sophisticated, software companies began focusing on table games and other casino games, resulting in improved gameplay, graphics, and sound effects, finally offering online punters a genuine experience.

Today, iGaming operators have been able to provide authentic gaming experiences to bettors playing from the comfort of their homes, and with the emergence of live dealer games and virtual reality casinos, online casinos have become a perfect emulation of the real deal – you can feel as if you were on the floor of one of the renowned Las Vegas Strip casinos, interact with dealers and other players, and ultimately enjoy the thrill of playing classics like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

It’s undeniable that visiting Las Vegas is a one-of-a-kind experience, and nothing will ever match the thrill of walking down the Strip and playing in one of those iconic venues. However, with all the tech advancements and innovations introduced by the iGaming industry, online casinos have never been so close to matching all the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas.

New gaming trends

The emergence of live streaming technologies in the late 2000s allowed iGaming software providers and operators to come up with one of the hottest trends in the industry today: live dealer games.

Unlike conventional online casino games which rely on random number generators to provide an outcome, live dealer games are managed and operated by professional croupiers in real time, and streamed to players from land-based casinos and broadcast studios. Apart from being able to witness the whole gaming process, players can also interact with the dealers and other players, just as if they were at a real casino. Live dealer games are featured at almost every reputable online casino, such as FanDuel – of which you can read more here, in this FanDuel online casino review.

However, in the past couple of years, a new trend emerged that promises to take things even further: virtual reality casinos. As VR devices and headset became more affordable, developers and operators began focusing on this technology to provide immersive environments to players. 

Virtual reality casinos are virtual counterparts to regular casinos. Unlike traditional online casinos, where players just click and play games, VR casinos provide a completely immersive experience that includes interactive slot machines, realistic roulette and card game tables, other users strolling about in their VR avatars, and even cocktail bars. The majority of classic casino games, such as slots, blackjack, poker, and roulette, are available in virtual reality casinos.

Online casinos vs. Las Vegas

Although it is hard to predict Las Vegas’ long-term future, we can be certain that it will not disappear anytime soon. For starters, Vegas is still a major tourist destination, and it’s reasonable to assume that people whose overseas travel has been restricted will be eager to visit.

Furthermore, as enjoyable as the online casino experience is, nothing compares to the adrenaline of being in a room filled with hundreds of machines, all of which are playing music and ringing out whenever someone wins. It’s meant to get your heart racing, and it succeeds admirably. Many Las Vegas casinos also provide conveniences and other perks that you won’t get at home. It’s a unique experience that virtual gaming can’t quite match. It’s also worth noting that, aside from casinos, Las Vegas provides a vacation full of options to let you enjoy yourself. Whether you want to go shopping, watch a concert, eat at one of their fantastic restaurants, or simply relax in your luxurious hotel and enjoy the warm weather, Las Vegas has it all. So, will Las Vegas be replaced by internet casinos? Most likely not, and certainly not in the near future.

Long gone are the days when children would be lined up in strict rows in a big square classroom and made to recite their spelling, times tables, or the significant dates of the Civil War. In the modern era, education has taken on a new and multidimensional role, straddling the lines between play and learning, home and school, independence and socialization. However, in a market that is saturated with educational tools for teaching or engaging young people, how do you pick the best ones?

Below, you’ll find a brief list of some of the best tools for offering children a well-rounded view of the world, as well as the skills and abilities to navigate their way through it.

1. Good Ol’ Fashioned Books

Even with the advent of countless replacements for books in the past few years, there really is no replacement for the real thing. However, fortunately, gone are the day of stale books about Tommy and Jane going to the soda shop to spend a nickel – there are an unbelievable number of creative, beautiful, and diverse books for children and young adults to choose from.

You might want to pick books with stunning illustrations that will captivate children’s hearts and minds or choose a book with complex characters from diverse backgrounds that will open up their views on the world. Either way, you can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned book.

2. Big-Screened Tablets

Computers that can move with children are possibly the best educational tool to come out of the twenty-first century so far. While desktop computers and laptops offered the opportunity to access the amazing resources of the internet, as well as develop digital skills, they kept little ones tethered to one spot. This isn’t great for young ones with lots of energy, and it also anchors imaginative practices to one place. On the other hand, tiny computers like smartphones don’t have the scope of space for imagination to roam free!

With a big tablet for kids, the best of both worlds has been achieved. Children can dive into the depths of the online world, enjoying engaging games, films, television shows, and activities, all while moving about the room and socializing.

3. Multimedia Playsets

Many feel as though when educating children, they have to choose between chunky, shiny, (often gendered) plastic toys and more wholesome formless sets of wooden blocks. That false dichotomy has been blown away in the era of multimedia playsets, which combine toys and objects of all types in order to provide a diverse and fascinating playscape for your young ones. These toys can also be used in lessons to represent objects for counting or figures in history.

Allowing young people to use their brains as well as their bodies in manipulating these collections of tactile toys is a great way to make sure that they are experiencing holistic and enjoyable learning!

The best part about all of these learning tools is that they can be used in conjunction with one another! There’s no limit to how you can combine tools for education so as to give young kids the best idea of what the world is really like.

Las Vegas is a city that’s gained worldwide fame for its various entertainment options, but not everyone is aware that there’s more to this city in Nevada than meets the eye. The following are some of the interesting activities you could carry out in and around Vegas but might not have heard of before now.

See the View from the Highest Observation Tower in the Country
Fremont Street is one of the liveliest areas of the city, as many tourists come here to check out the live entertainment options and the spectacular evening light show, among other things. However, you might not realize that this area also contains the country’s tallest free-standing observation tower and the chance to see Las Vegas from a completely different point of view. The Strat Hotel has a tower that stands 1,149-foot tall, with both indoor and outdoor observation decks. You get spectacular views of Las Vegas during the day or at night from levels 108 and 109 of this giant building. The outdoor area even offers incredible thrill rides like the Big Shot and Insanity, to get your pulse racing as you enjoy an unforgettable view of the city from above.

Play Lesser-Known Games

Baccarat is a good example of a classic table game that hasn’t traditionally been as widely-played in the US as in Europe. Some historians believe that the history of baccarat can be traced back to 14th century Italy, but it only reached Vegas in the 1950s, when Francis “Tommy” Renzoni brought it here via Cuba. In recent years, it has become extremely popular with American players and can be found easily in the majority of Nevada’s casinos, with stakes typically starting at $10.

The 21st century has seen an explosion in the popularity of baccarat, both in Vegas casinos and worldwide. Part of the reason for this is that it can be found on many international sites. For example, the best sites for online baccarat in India in 2022 include Dafabet, 22Bet, and 1XBet. These casinos include a number of baccarat titles along with other classic table games such as blackjack and roulette. These also offer welcome bonuses such as 100% extra on the first plus 30 spins. Each of the operators they recommend has a complete, exhaustive review on the site by the professionals. Getting to experience lesser-known casino games can add an extra layer to the entertainment, whether you’re playing in-person or online.

Get an Illuminating View of the City’s History

Vegas has been world-famous since the 1950s, although the first casinos started to appear two decades earlier. The total of eight million visitors in 1954 reveals that it had already become a magnet for fun-seekers, and part of the appeal of this city has always been the gorgeous neon signs that have lit up its night sky over the years. Of course, these signs get changed from time to time, but where do the discarded signs end up going after they get switched off for the last time? The answer can be found at The Neon Museum. This fascinating attraction includes The Main Boneyard, where visitors can look over more than 200 classic signs from Vegas’ rich history dating back to the very first hotels and casinos from the 1930s. Tourists can buy tickets for special shows like Brilliant, where a 45-minute light show brings more than 40 of these discarded signs back to life, together with a soundtrack that adds to the atmosphere.

Explore the Wonders of Nature

A trip to Vegas can be about more than bright lights and great shows. The city’s location in Nevada also makes it convenient for anyone who wants to get out and get closer to nature while here. For example, the Red Rock Canyon is 17 miles from Vegas and SUV tours can be organized easily in the city. This is also a perfect spot for hiking, camping, or learning about the area in the Visitor Center. The Grand Canyon is further from Vegas, but the West Rim can be reached in about three hours by bus. Some visitors choose to take a helicopter tour of this natural wonder, while for others it’s the perfect choice for a day trip by bus. You might consider the chance to see two billion years’ worth of Earth’s geological history and one of the most iconic spots in the US is just too good to miss, no matter how exciting you find the other things to do in Vegas.

By understanding the alternative attractions available in Las Vegas, you can enjoy a highly-varied trip where you see interesting sights and discover something new into the bargain.

Vietnam and gambling have been known to be having opposing cultures for ages now. Most of the online gaming websites and betting activities are illegal in the country. Despite many online sites operating in Vietnam, none of them is licensed or safe to play in except for THA (THABET CASINO). THABET 516 is an online legal website that allow Vietnamese to play sport betting. For ages, the government has continued to ban illicit websites even though it faces many challenges while implementing the crackdown.

Illegal online gaming websites include:

1. Horse betting sites with bookmakers
2. Sports betting sites with bookmakers
3. Sports parlay cards and numbers sites
4. Illegal casinos

The Pros and Cons of Gambling In Vietnam

The government considers gambling addiction or social media illness that lead to negative consequences such as immorality, social order, and insecurity. It also considers gambling as a social evil alongside prostitution and drugs. Many citizens think that the government should loosen the belt and manage it better to gain taxes and enhance tourism. Nonetheless, the following are the pros of gambling:

· Some types of sports betting are legal

· Payments regarding gambling are easy

· You can still use safe ways to gamble

Cons

· There are almost no local operators

· Online gambling and game websites are illegal.

Why Did Vietnam Illegalize Online Gaming Websites?

You may wonder how, when, and why the country made it illegal for all online gaming websites. To grasp the idea behind the illegalization of gambling, it is essential to understand a bit of history regarding this resistance.

After the country’s unification following the end of the Vietnam War, gambling had its legal status. However, communists began advocating for its ban, citing that gambling was a capitalistic activity with more harm than good for society.

The war, however, had its ups and downs due to the prevalence of gambling in the country. With the heightened gambling of illegal money, the government began seeing the harm for society and began licensing online gaming sites like casinos that were prestigiously governed. Another second move by the government was to restrict online gaming to foreigners or anyone that held a passport other than Vietnam’s. To date, there are only eight gambling casinos that operate in the country, and each prohibits all locals from accessing.

However, the policies have not barred the locals from gambling. Many gamblers travel to neighboring countries such as South Korea and Cambodia to place their bets. Equally, other locals are involved in the country’s gambling activities irrespective of the government’s prohibition and have been prevalent across the country.

What Is the Overview of Online Gambling In Vietnam?

Even though the government is doing all it can to block online gaming websites in Vietnam and making it hard for online operators to do their business by imposing strict policies, casino sites continue to accept local citizens. Some of the most trustworthy websites include:

• Topgame
• NetEnt
• Microgaming
• Betsoft
• Playtech.

The above sites accept and support local currency and even offer customer services in English and Vietnamese.

Gamblers can still play online games through licenses provided by other jurisdictions. This is the only legal waiver that Vietnamese enjoy regarding online gaming. How do you find out that the online gaming website isn’t illegal? These are some of the tips!

• If you visit an online gaming website, scroll to the end of the homepage and get the page dedicated to legal and licensing.
• Find out whether the sites have customer care services. Usually, if the site is illegal, customer care services are lacking. If it is legal, there is a provision for 24/7 customer services with the options of direct calling, texting, emailing, chatting, and video calling.

Due to the prohibition of online gaming websites, the online space is indeed doing badly when you compare it with our neighbors, who allow the operation of most online gaming sites. While the government is firm in its decision, there are some ways to help expand the online industry, such as:

• Allow Vietnamese who qualify for the minimum income standards in part or all of the gaming sites in the country to avoid local gamblers from going to other jurisdictions to spend their money.
• The government can perform scrutiny to verify online gaming websites with value and continue blocking those without allowing gamblers to be involved in gambling activities.
• Sports betting isn’t that bad to allow. The bill regarding sports betting has been in the parliament for more than two decades, proving that the government isn’t ready to loosen the stand on gambling.

While the above moves could positively influence the legalization of online gaming websites in the country, Vietnamese legalization of online gaming sites has a long way to go, given the government’s reluctance regarding gambling. However, most citizens hope that if liberalization continues, anything positive could happen soon.

Risks for Involvement in Illegal Gambling in Vietnam

The Criminal Code states clearly that:

-Gambling operators shall be fined up to a maximum of VDN 100 million, or there shall be confiscation of all their assets, or both fines will be upheld.

-Gamblers or offenders caught using the internet to play illegal online games, illegally gaining VDN 50 million or more from the online gaming websites shall serve a sentence of up to 3 years.

Safety Tips That Vietnamese Use While Gambling

Even though the government is doing everything to stop gambling in Vietnam, it all seems to be hitting hard rocks. Gamblers use the joys of the internet to alter the government’s path on gambling. The constant tug of war between monitoring and placing bets seems exhausting, which is why intelligent gamblers have found ways to hide behind the curtains of law. This is how they evade the law:

• Installation of VPNs. a Virtual Private Network is among the safest privacy method used in public space. Often VPNs are considered distance learning tools but for gamblers, installing VPNs in their system is the best way to hide their identity while gambling on online gaming websites. Most Vietnamese continue to gamble from their comfort zones without being hacked by government agencies. VPNs access all the blocked gaming websites. Additionally, VPNs allow individuals to play on sites blocked in their country; hence most locals no longer visit neighboring countries to gamble.
• Enabling of the 2F Authentication. Aside from VPNs, gamblers chose to use 2FA for their online gaming and casino gambling. This system improves, protects, and hides identity while online. Even website owners use this verified authentication method and strong passwords to protect their identities.

Conclusion

Gambling and online gaming websites are illegal in Vietnam. The country views gambling the same way it views drugs and other immoral behaviors. Online gambling is still tight, and no one knows when the government will loosen its measures. Nonetheless, regardless of these strict measures to illegalize gambling, Vietnamese still play online using several security measures to hide their identities and access all the blocked online gaming websites. Despite being illegal, this activity has not lost its popularity across the country. Only foreigners are allowed to place bets in Vietnam’s casinos, thus making locals improvise their gambling ways without being noticed. Effective campaigns have been initiated to allow gambling, but the government is still reluctant about it. Ironically, even with all the onerous rules, gamblers have refused to down their tools.

Visit tha.bet to play legal online gambling VietNam.

Sports betting is now legal in many US states, bringing with it many questions. For first timers, the question will be how to get started. This will depend on your state, but the quick answer is that some states allow betting on-site in casinos and others allow sportsbook apps. For both betting hobbyists and newbies, the question then becomes which app is the best. Some offer a wide variety of sports, others offer great rewards programs, and some let you place bets on live games.

Sports betting has been legal in many states since 2021, but many are just now getting fully on board in time for the 2022 Super Bowl. There was a process in getting the law fully working, leading to delays and some cases like New York where only casino sports betting was allowed. Now the majority of states, including New York, are allowing sports betting through apps.

The selling point of sports betting apps is convenience. You can check on your wagers, place new bets, and collect your cash whenever you want. The best apps also offer rewards programs that reward frequent users. You can get free plays, bonus money, and even some physical rewards like jerseys or casino discounts. By taking these rewards into account, along with other factors like sports available and customer satisfaction, we broke down the best sports betting apps.

The Current Sports Betting Laws

In the US, sports betting’s popularity started with a 2018 Supreme Court vote on PAPSA, an old ban on sports betting outside of Las Vegas. The Supreme Court voted to repeal the prohibition, and this vote opened the door for states to start making their own gambling laws. Those states that did jump right on the wave put priority into sports betting laws, and allowing online gambling. This led to the current wave of sports betting apps that popularized gambling in many states.

People responded right away by putting a lot of money into sports betting. Even smaller states like Illinois and Arizona have seen millions in revenue after the new sports betting laws were passed. Several times, these numbers matched those seen in New Jersey, where gambling has been legal for some time. That’s a lot of people betting against you, and a chance for even greater rewards. So let’s take a look at the best apps to pick when you go for the prize.

The Best Sports Betting Apps

Caesars

As an iconic name in casinos, Caesars has the resources to partner with a lot of top sports organizations. This gives its app access to a lot of different sports to offer for wagers and for rewards. An example of a Caesars welcome bonus is that you get $300 in free bets, 100% deposit match up to $3000, and an NBA jersey. It’s worth noting that each app offers a different welcome bonus in each state.

DraftKings

As one of the top names in sports gambling, DraftKings is second to none in customer service. It also offers a huge amount of leagues to bet on and a customer-friendly app. Its typical promo bonus offers a 20% deposit match up to your first $1000.

FanDuel

FanDuel is a big name in fantasy sports and also offers sports betting services. This will obviously be your go-to if you are most interested in playing in fantasy leagues for money. The standard welcome bonus from them is Risk Free betting up to $1000.

BetRivers

The BetRivers site and app are praised for their stability and how easy they are to navigate. Those who sign up with this brand can usually expect to get $250 in free bets after depositing $250.

BetMGM

This app is run by another huge Vegas casino. If you also want to use a casino app, you can link your account for both the sports and casino games. This will help you earn rewards faster. BetMGM often offers risk free bets up to $1000.