Las Vegas is in a bit of a slump, so I was very curious as to what I would find there on a recent trip.

I was only there from Sunday through Thursday,  so I didn’t experience the peak weekend time in the heart of football season. That said, things were certainly a bit slower than I had seen in years past. Not crazy slow, but enough to notice the difference.

One of my stops was The Cosmopolitan. In recent years this was the hot spot on The Strip. Of course there are plenty of other casinos battling for the luxury crwod, but the young, hip, beautiful crowd could be found at The Cosmo.

With that context, I have to say that I wasn’t overly impressed with what I saw (again, considering the off-night visit). The crowd seemed like any other ordinary Las Vegas crowd. It wasn’t the low rent or older crowd of the second tier casinos, but it wasn’t at all a luxury crowd as well. The most glaring difference was the complete lack of the “beautiful” crowd. No hot babes. No real buzz.

Again, it’s only one night, but this is consistent with what I’ve been hearing from others. Since MGM Resorts took over operations a few years ago, some longtime visitors have noted a shift: the vibe has become a bit more mainstream and less exclusively “sexy/cool/elitist.” It’s still attractive to 20s-40s partygoers and influencer types, but the crowd can feel more mixed now. You see more ordinary tourists rather than the ultra-glam scene of the past.

Now, it’s still a very solid option if you’re going to Las Vegas. It remains one of the most popular and vibrant casinos on the Strip and consistently ranks as a top choice for its central location, stylish vibe, nightlife, and dining scene. We noted the Bungalow Suites a few years ago. It’s still very much “hot” in terms of energy, events, and appeal to a younger, party-oriented crowd as compared to other Vegas spots. The Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub continue to draw big crowds.

But something has changed. Part of it might be related to the dip in Vegas tourism. Recently, the Cosmopolitan started offering special perks for locals like other Vegas casinos. When you have to offer specials, then you’re no longer the hot and exclusive option.

We’ll see how this develops, but we’re old enough to remember when spots like the Hard Rock and The Palms had that special, exclusive feel. Things change.

Yesterday we explained how legal sports betting continues to gain popularity, but even with these trends, there are tons of illegal gambling websites out there. The problem with these sites is that you really have no idea which ones are legitimate, and you have little recourse when things go wrong.

This article by Richard N. Velotta in the Las Vegas Review-Journal shines a light on the problem. Velotta explains how the American Gaming Association has made it a priority to encourage the public to bet responsibly with licensed operators and avoid illegal offshore websites. Despite this, illegal gambling websites continue to operate and can be difficult to track down and shut down. He describes the case of a Canadian gambler who has been unable to collect his winnings on a $225,000 jackpot he won playing blackjack on BetOnLine.ag, an internet domain in Antigua. Read the story and you’ll see the details.

Why do betters still use illegal gambling websites?

There are plenty of reasons why these sites are still in business.

Firstly, you have to consider that betting hasn’t been legalized everywhere, so many betters are still shut out of the legal betting market depending on their state of residence or jurisdiction.

Secondly, illegal gambling websites often offer better odds and higher payouts than their legal counterparts. This can be attractive to bettors looking to maximize their winnings, even if it means breaking the law. This also applies to local bookies.

Thirdly, illegal gambling websites are often more accessible and convenient than legal options. While legal sports betting may be limited to certain states or require in-person registration, illegal websites can be accessed from anywhere and may only require a few clicks to place a bet. Without the shackles of regulation they make it easier for everyone to play.

Lastly, some individuals may simply prefer to use illegal gambling websites out of habit or loyalty. They may have been using these websites for years and may be hesitant to switch to a legal option.

Enforcement is difficult

The reality is that illegal gambling websites can be difficult to track and shut down. These websites can operate offshore or use various tactics to hide their location and ownership, making it challenging for law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute them. This problem also stems from the silly and ineffective laws intended to stop gambling in places like the United States. We now have more rational regulatory policies, but it will take a while for this to have a broad effect on the market.

Stay away

While legal sports betting has expanded across the United States, illegal gambling websites remain a problem due to the benefits and accessibility they offer. If you live in a jurisdiction where legal gambling is permitted, you’re foolish to stick with an illegal website. It is crucial for every person who plays online to know exactly with whom they are playing and to stay away from those operating illegally. Otherwise, you’ll have little recourse when you get screwed over.

We’ve all been there. You’re playing blackjack and some idiot at the table keep making idiotic decisions. And sometimes those decisions negatively affect your hand. If you’re betting big dollars, that can really hurt.

More often than not, someone at the table will get really pissed off at the novice player, and that often leads to silly shouting matches.

Avoid being the angry player at all costs.

This scene from the television show “Entourage” offers a good example of why you shouldn’t get angry.

Vince and the gang head to Las Vegas when Vince is offered $100,000 to host a party. Ari comes along with them, and he and Vince agree to split winnings and losses. Vince loves blackjack and has a knack for it. Plus he doesn’t get frazzled easily, even when he loses the $100,000 and more. Ari is a maniac, so he’s going cray watching Vince try to make a comeback.

Things come to a head when Vince gets a pair of eights. He splits, get another eight, splits again, and then gets a three, which leads him to double down. The hand is worth over $300,000.

Meanwhile, the idiot player at the end of the table decides to split kings. Naturally, Ari freaks out and yells at him, while the guys pulls two tens, which easily could have been the bust cards for the deal, who had a three showing.

But the dealer flops over an eight, and would have had 21 had the idiot not split his tens. Instead, the dealer draws another three instead, before pulling another ten to bust.

The lesson is simple. The idiots, can just as easily help your hand as they can hurt your hand. You’ll always remember the hands where they hurt you, but they can help as well. It’s all random, so don’t let it bother you.

Which leads to the next lesson. Getting angry is never helpful when you’re gambling. You want to strip out your emotions, not get distracted by them.

Just watch lunatic Ari in this clip. Of course the guy is a caricature of an emotional gambler, but you never want to be anything close to that.

Part of the fun of being a high roller is just the ability to let go and enjoy the ride. You can bring a big stack to the casino and life isn’t going to change at all if you blow it. The same goes for the ordinary gambler who wins a big parlay early in a casino trip and then lives like a high roller for a while with those winnings.

The key of course, as with most things in life, is knowing when to stop. This may be tricky, as we can all get a little wild when we’re in the zone. But there’s a difference between wild excess and sheer stupidity.

Which brings us to the latest example of high rollers taking things way too far. This story takes us to the historic city of London where one can find plenty of ways to enjoy your vices. A 62-year old gentlemen went on a 72-hour gambling bender which resulted in separating himself from £3.9 million of his net worth. That’s around 10% of his claimed net worth, so naturally this one stung a bit. Can you imagine losing that much money playing baccarat? It’s absurd.

Of course, lawyers have gotten involved, and the gambler is suing the casino, basically alleging that they let him play to long and shirked their responsibilities under the 2005 Gambling Act.

He may or may not have a case. That’s really not the point here. Stuff like this should never happen if you have even just a little self-control. Learn some basic self-discipline.

Again, being rich gives you the opportunity to act like a brainless high roller, but is there any limit for you?

For many of us, this wouldn’t be a problem. Few people would take things this far. But we all have our weak moments, and for some of us, this type of behavior is a real risk factor.

One of the best ways to prevent this type of fiasco is to have trusted friends around. Now that might be difficult for some high roller types who crave excess. At some point your real friends start to peel away when you act like this. The yes-men and enablers hang on and encourage the irresponsible behavior. If this sounds familiar, then you know you need to get back to having real friends around you. The types of friends who will make you stop playing.

Another trick is having a hot, horny girlfriend or sugar baby who wants to take care of you back in your room. That’s always more fun than the gambling part . . . pick your vices well!

And of course, then best way to handle this is to get some help. If you’re edging toward this type of behavior, find a counselor who will teach you ways to develop discipline and self-control.

Good luck!

As more and more states rush to get in on legalizing all forms of gambling, we continue to see success stories as state start to see the cash roll in. Detroit has had casinos for years, but Michigan expanded legalized gambling and added sports gambling to the mix, and the results have been very positive:

Internet casinos, poker and sports betting in Michigan generated $1.4 billion in revenue in 2021, the first year online gambling was operational in the state.

Internet casino gaming generated $1.1 billion in revenue while internet sports betting produced $292.2 million, according to numbers released Tuesday by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. Meanwhile, bettors wagered $3.7 billion at online sportsbooks last year.

Michigan became the third state in U.S. history to generate more than $1 billion in annual revenue from online casino games and poker, and the first to do so in its first year.

At some point states will start to cannibalize each other’s revenues, but with sports gambling most players are state residents. So each state is just adding to the overall pool of players. Let’s see how this trend plays out . . . Ohio will be joining the party in 2022!

That primal scream you just heard came from Atlantic City . . .

Yes, there’s a chance we may casinos some day soon in New York City. It’s certainly not definite. At this point it’s just a proposal in Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed state budget, but this could have huge repercussions across the East Coast. New York state recently launched app-based sports betting, so the trend in the state is certainly for gambling expansion. It will be fascinating to see what kind of reception this gets and how far this goes.

Atlantic City won’t implode of course, but the entire dynamic from a lifestyle and travel point of view will change in this region. New York is already a huge destination spot, but adding casino gambling really shakes things up. Imagine a night on the town that ends at a casino at 3 AM? The possibilities are endless. High rollers will flock to New York to get their gambling fix while also having the rest of this dynamic city and its nightlife at their disposal.