Online Gambling News Blog

Bodog Casino at ixgames

The Bodog Online Casino has a download version featuring more than 75 casino games including 20-line slots, bingo, and more than GB£ 348,569 in progressive jackpots waiting to be won. Visit ixgames and click your way to Bodog Casino. (Sign in, and you can choose your game. Your account at Bodog casino is also connected with their full sized sports book and poker room).

Bodog offers all the major casino games like Blackjack, Caribbean stud, Craps, Pai Gow Poker, video poker, slot machines and more.......Most online casino’s lack a good customer support team, but not Bodog. Should you have any problems or questions, they offer a 24/7 support staff that you can reach through email or free phone support.

I now there was alot of casino games winners in 2007!!

The best online casino reviews with rating.

Welcome to Online Casino Reviews.Online Casino Games Reviewer is an online casino portal committed to only featuring reviews of online casinos and online poker rooms which are established and licensed. All our casino games having fast payouts and excellent customer service. Ixgames is one of the best gambling informational portals on the internet today.

At ixgames you will find information about payment methods, bonuses and much much more!!

For each casino games on ixgames you will find:

1. Full list of online casinos with bonus information and helpful description.
2. Help, rules, strategies and tips for casino games.
3. Payment information, Deposit and withdraw methods.
4. Full description and review of online casino software with recommendations.

Also, online casinos games give you the opportunity to endlessly play free online casino games in case you are not familiar with them. This way you risk no money before even knowing the rules.

If you are going to play for money then please reat our Casino Guide

History of Poker

Have you ever wondered where this all-time favorite casino game called poker came from? Who were the pioneers of chopping and bluffing? How it all started? You see, you cannot be a master of poker unless you learn the history of the game first. The reason for this can be best explained by French novelist Gustave Flauber in his quote: "Our ignorance of history causes us to slander our own times." This means that we do not read history for the sole purpose of stocking facts in our brains. Our mission is to keep in mind the past events, listen to what they try to say, and allow them to cultivate our way of thinking. With these, we will end up wiser and more ready to face the challenges of the present and of the future.

Unknown Origin?

The birth of Poker was an event that history failed to record on its memoirs. Nobody ever came forward to claim that he or she invented or founded the game. If basketball has Dr. Naismith and volleyball has William C. Morgan, poker is known to be only established by a John Doe -- author unknown.

Even the place where poker actually began remains a mystery. However, there were accounts uncovered that tried to prove that poker has distinctive similarities with As Nas, a card game which came from Persia or Iran. The said game flourished in America, particularly in New Orleans, with the help of the Frenchmen and Persian sailors. Since then, poker, like a continuous blazing fire, spread through the other parts of the world. The games Primero and Brelan were said to be possible influences in the making of Poker.

What's in the Name?

Poker -- a fascinating name, isn't it? Expect your fascination to grow more once you acknowledged the diversity of cultures that worked hand in hand just to come up with this game title. Germany offered the term "pochen," which means "to knock" while France was said to have given the name Poque. The English referred to poker as "brag," as derived from French word Brelan. Another possible contributor are the Hindus with their "Pukka."

In 1834, Jonathan Green finally came up with an appellation for this game that has no definite name. He coined the term "Poker" to describe a game he fondly called "the cheating game". However, others say that poker could have been derived from the term hocus-pocus, a magician's usual expression.

The Initial Set-up

Originally, poker was played with only 20 cards, which include only the tens, jacks, queens and kings. The maximum allowed number of player is four. Each player were given a set of five cards. Back then, poker was played virtually anywhere. However, it is most famous inside riverboats to serve as a source of entertainment for sailors and passengers.

As time went by, the 20-card deck was replaced with 32, and then evolved to 52. The poker jargons or the exclusive words or phrases used in poker grew in number. Today, these jargons play significant roles in the cultures and traditions of America and Europe.

Copyright by Online Gambling

Information about Poker Player's

Every once in a while, serious poker players often look for information regarding other poker players. This is especially the case with the popular ones. It may be considered data gathering, or even spying, but knowing something about who's out there in the scene is a good strategy when playing poker. Aside from reading books that deal with poker rules and odds, most poker novices now research the playing styles and attitudes of their favorite players in order to take a leaf out of their book.

Poker is such a fascinating game that people from different walks of life are drawn to it. Players come from diverse cultures and countries; it is of no surprise to encounter a player who was born from another country now residing in the United States as a pro poker player. From blue-collar workers to high-profile celebrities, various people are bound by their love of this game. Gone are the days where men dominated the field of card games, because women are now cutting across the borders, and many have reached super-stardom and acquired a large fan base from all over the world. Die-hard poker fans often look for information about the revered idols, the well-known players who make poker world more exciting. Thus, they often go out of their way to look for sites that contain various data about the different professional poker players who have reached stardom.

One such site that offers such data and information is ixgames.com, one of the leading portal for bingo, poker, casino, and sports book reviews online. This site offers a comprehensive and up-to-date list of the profiles of famous poker players you see on TV today. It is a safe bet that if the player one looks for happens to be famous, his or her name is sure to be listed in the ixgames player profile list. In this site, any poker fan can read about other poker players and get relevant information that is updated regularly. ixgames offers a categorized list of famous poker players biography listed in alphabetical order. This makes browsing through the names easier. By simply clicking on the name, one can access the specific bio immediately. Most of the words and data deals mainly with the background and professional careers of the different male and female players. These may include birthdays, places of birth, educational background, and even civil status of the listed players. One may find himself pleasantly surprised to find that their sharp idol was a quiet, nerdy geek back in college, or that he had only started to play poker late in life, when he was already married and had kids. Most of the stories and experiences that these players have gone through are funny and almost unbelievable, yet real life is often unpredictable and unexpected. Some players even went as far as quitting high-paying jobs, or relinquishing their hold on their respective flourishing businesses to play poker professionally. If not for information value, player profiles are also entertaining and oftentimes inspiring. So the next time you want the lowdown on a certain poker player, go to a site that is in authority, a site like ixgames.com.

Copyright by:  Poker Player Profiles

World Series Of Poker History

With over 5500 players paying $10,000 to enter the 2005 WSOP and even more expected this year, the humble beginnings of the World Series of Poker seem a long way off. It was in fact only 36 years ago, in 1970, that the first official World Series of Poker took place, after which Johnny Moss was ‘elected’ the Champion after a vote from his peers. A lot has changed since then.

Though the first official World Series took place in 1970, the idea for the world’s greatest poker tournament goes back much further. In fact, for the original inspiration behind the WSOP you have to back as far as 1949 and the legendary poker ‘marathon’ between Nick ‘The Greek’ Dandolos and Johnny Moss.

1970 – The First Ever WSOP  -  The first World Series of Poker, as Benny Binion grandly called it, was modelled on the Texas Gamblers Re-Union. Like the “The Re-Union” it was an invitational event and once again involved the world’s top players but this time there was a twist. First off the festival would be played in the open, for anyone to see. Binion was hoping it would attract the same attention as the Greek v Moss game. The other difference was that this time there would be a Champion.

With no tournament to decide the Champion (the first WSOP was exclusively cash games) the 1970 WSOP champion was decided by a vote. The player’s overwhelmingly backed Johnny Moss, naming him the best player at the WSOP, the first ever WSOP champion.

Thanks to:  ixgames

About Doyle's Poker Room

Lost in a poker game, what to do?

There is always a risk of losing, when playing poker. What is more, chances of losing are bigger than winning, however we usually believe that we won’t loose, but when it happens so, disappointment strikes your body. In addition, that feeling of indisputable winning encourages us to risk, what leads to really sad outcomes.

There are many stories about people, with destroyed lives because of online gambling, but the problem was not in the game, it was in themselves, as they weren’t able to concentrate and felt into despair. In this article we want to give you some pieces of advice how you should act if you loose.

To play poker and believe that you won’t loose is rather silly, as it is impossible. Everybody looses, even the best players. The best way to avoid that stress of loosing in poker is to have in mind that you can loose and that you’re having fun and won’t be very sad if lost. Your disposition is tremendously important, so try to avoid various stresses and be in a good mood, this will let you to stay calm in the case of your loss.

Theoretically everything seems rather simple: to be always calm and not to fluster, but in practice everything is not so easy. Some people rest in winning really much and loss can unsettle them. If your loss is big enough and you feel that you aren’t able to carry it out yourself, the best way is to find a friend, which you know very good and who will certainly help you. Such failure may discourage you and you won’t be able to think clearly and to calm down without help of another man would be very hard.

What to do when you are alone? First of all, try not to panic. Blue funk will block your ability to concentrate and to think. If you have lost a really big amount of money stop flustering and think what outcomes may have such a loss. Decision that life is finished and everything is lost may do only weak people and you’re not such, so stop and rethink everything once more.

Of course, it would have been better if you had thought of that before starting playing, but as it has already happened it is too late to cry over spilt milk.

One of the worst decisions you can do in such case is to run to your friends or bank or somewhere else and to loan money thinking that you’ll get your money back. It won’t happen, as previously, you won’t be able to concentrate on the game, because you’ll be too much nervous and absent-minded. Secondly, this may lead to much a bigger headache, as even thinking clearly, you may loose all the money.

It is better to avoid such situations and to do that you must be positive; optimism is a really good way out in such situations. Enjoy the casino games, learn how to stop, when you feel that it may bring troubles to your pocket.

Casino sites that still accept US players

This list will be updated continuously and we will make all reasonable attempts to ensure that the list of US casino and gambling sites that accept US players is accurate.

The lists include online casino, online poker and sports betting sites that have indicated that they will continue to accept players from the United States.

Blackjack tips

More info: Casino Guide

Bingo Players Tips

# Never play more cards than you can watch, be careful of "play all you want for $" you'll end up going nuts trying to watch all your cards!!!

# Never bang while you are dabbing, dabbers work better if you dab lightly. If you bang hard chances are your dabber will leak.

# Paper cards with lower card numbers (free space #) tend to have the numbers closer together card #1 (B-1, 2, 3, 4 & 5; I-16, 17, 18, 19 & 20). Longer games like Coveralls tend to draw numbers in sperts close together. 16 17 then 19 and 20 come out. To win more coveralls, try to come in early and get the first set of paper cards issued. On big nights managers stock the counter with plenty cards usually the ones on top are the lowest free space number cards. Check the next coverall for yourself. Notice the flashboard. Lighted up numbers usually in sets by the 30'th number called.

# Be courtious to those around you. Do not yell out loud the number you need!

# Burning the number (on paper cards) does not mean that it will come out the next time.

# Buy a card for a neighbor once a night. You never know when you will want one more game when your wallet says it's time to go!

# Share the wealth when you win. Toss out a lucky dollar to those around you when you win. If they win a larger jackpot, they could return the lucky dollar (ten fold)! Especially if they win with your lucky dollar!

# If you want to win at bingo. Play bingo on nights that are generally slower for the operators (Monday - Thursday usually less players than weekends). Being a game of chance if there are fewer players then there are fewer cards in play. If you have as many cards as you can comfortably play and there are fewer cards in play, due to lower crowds, then you have a larger percent of cards in play. Odds in your favor? I think so! Especially if the hall you play at offers electronic online bingo (computer bingo) and you have 2 or 3 cards per game.

Poker Strategy

Online poker is not simple, not because of its rules, but because of its variables: human behavior and ever-changing odds. There's no doubt that in short term poker success luck plays a major role but over the long run, poker is certainly a game of skill. Like any classic game of skill, poker demands study and practice from those who want to achieve mastery.

Here are some the basic building blocks of a good poker strategy:

• To have a good poker strategy, a poker player should have a conscious or unconscious understanding of odds and expectation. Of course, these numbers are not often as clear-cut as in other casino games. It's likely that you would have to work with the numbers mechanically before they become second nature to you.
• Pot odds are really just another way of looking at expectation. It compares the amount of money in the pot to the amount of money you would have put in to continue playing. It helps answer the eternal question in poker strategy: "Is it worth it to continue in this hand?" To answer that, you always have to have a sense of card odds. Lets say the pot contains $100 and you need to put in $10 to continue playing. The pot odds are 10 - 1. If you have a better chance of winning than that, it's worth calling. When the card odds are better than the pot odds, it makes good poker strategy sense to get out. Have a 25-1 chance of getting that inside straight? Time to fold.
• A bad poker strategy is to play too many hands. Most players play way too many hands. You will win more by folding more often. This sort of discipline is difficult for the recreational player. If you read the experts' books, you'll see how they preach patience and discipline, and you'll be shocked by how many hands they say to throw away.
• Another good poker strategy is to note that the bluff is not as key an element of the game as you may think. Clever deception has its manifold pleasures, but it shouldn't be done indiscriminately. As part of your poker strategy, you can use the concept of pot odds to guide your bluffing. An occasional, not-too-costly "discovered bluff" (one that doesn't work) may also help you win bigger pots in later hands. Players may think you are a 'bluffer' and stay in when you actually do have a good hand.
• For the player seeking a profit, a good poker game is not one where titans of equal strength square off against each other. The law of the jungle rules the poker table. The secret of winning money consistently is to find games with players who play worse than you do. Successful players need weak players who obviously allow their money to be drawn away by strong players. Guilt does not pay in poker, guile does, so make it a part of your strategy.

A few more things you can immediately conclude based on the chances of receiving an opening hand:

• the more players at the table, the greater the chance that one or more players has a Pair, for example. In other words...the more players at the table, the lower the relative value of the lesser ranked hands.
• if you haven't got a Pair or better, or four cards to a Flush or Straight, Fold immediately. Perhaps this last bit of advice needs some elaboration. What it comes down to is this: if you hold nothing in the opener your chances of improving and beating the other players are too slim. Of course this means that you'll fold most of your opening hands.

Welcome to Draw Poker. So let's assume you've got a little something to build on. Every beginning player wants to know whether they should hold a kicker and a Pair, or just the Pair. Same with Trips. As you'll see in the following, the odds almost always favor tossing the kicker:

• Needless to say, the better your opener, the better your chances of improving it. But forget about trying to build something out of a three card Flush or Straight: your odds are 1 in 23 and 1 in 150 respectively. It's highly unlikely that the pot would ever justify that kind of risk.
• In the end, it's these odds that must advise you on your Poker betting decisions. If you've got a four-card Flush and it'll cost you $20 to stay in, the question is "yes or no"? First question: what are your chances of completion on the draw? 1 in 4.5 So if you're going to stay in, that pot better pay you $90 or better (4.5 x $20), after you deduct your ante and bets thus far.

Anything else is blind faith in beating the odds and the sidelines are full of players who tried that as their betting policy. Look where it got them. Of course, Poker wouldn't be Poker if that was all there was to it. Bluffing, intimidation, body language and all the rest of it come into the game if you're playing your opponents across a table instead of across cyberspace. If that's your game I suggest you do some serious reading.

There are many, many books on the Poker subject and your first tough choice will be picking one. But remember, Poker has been around a long time. Anyone that tries to sell you a "hot new strategy" is beating you at the book counter, not the Poker table. Go with the pros.

Payment Solutions for Easy Money Transfer

As far as gambling is concerned, you no longer have to drive all the way to the glimmering lights of Las Vegas just to have the experience of playing casino games and receiving payouts.  Thanks to the Internet, players and gamblers can have the same fun without shelling out bucks for plane tickets. Because of the convenience of online gambling, casino sites today enjoy the benefits of housing member players and more profit. With amazing tournament traffic and schemes, the odds and ends of winning just keep rolling, with millions of members signing up in different online casino sites.

Thus, no longer do poker games like Texas Hold'em, 7-Card-Stud High, and  Omaha Hi-Lo dominate the gaming scene.  There are more ring game varieties that are now featured in different playing table modes.  Roulette and Baccarat are fast becoming famous casino alternative games, while Bingo and Sportsboook are suddenly becoming hits to different gamblers, too. With this variety in games, every site is trying to get a precious share of its own market.  

The diversity in gaming options and the consequent increase in the number of members have prompted sites to also make existing promotions and bonuses more appealing. In fact, many online casinos nowadays are competing against each other on who could provide the most when it comes to bonuses, sign-ups, payouts, and other perks. Their efforts to beef up their games and corresponding bonuses are evidently not in vain, as seen from the number of players that visit their sites everyday.  

Since most gamblers play deliberately for money, payment solutions have been credited as another crucial element of a successful gaming experience.  If chips and tokens are used to secure real money in actual casinos, wireless payment solutions are then used online.  Various payment options include credit cards, debit cards, online payments, pre-pay cards as well as money transfer.  Several sites may offer all or just some of these options.  However, more payment varieties only mean more satisfaction and convenience to the sites' most loyal patrons, wherever they are in the world.  

Common online payment schemes are click2pay, eWalletXpress , NETeller, myCitadel, and Moneybookers .  If you are aware and familiar of these financial services, others may assume that you have already played online.  Experienced gamblers and first-time players alike highly relies on these systems of payment, especially when they are playing in sites like Party Gammon, Gammon Empire, Play65, Bingo Day, and Canbet Poker.

NETeller is a leading firm that secures online transfer and transaction by  providing easy financial access to customers with extensive payment systems available on the web.  Most online gaming sites like Pokerroom, Gammon Empire, Party Gammon, and Bingo for Money use this payment alternative because of the convincing ability of NETeller to ensure convenience and security to its online clients.  By using an ID and password system, personal accounts are immediately and comprehensively verified.  

myCitadel, on the other hand, boasts of a round-the-clock merchant support with label solutions and streamline data centers.  Aside from SecureSwipe and portable device for ATM, merchants and customers use its service because of secured online transfer and anti-fraud measures.  The check processing unit also adds to the satisfaction of customers, since the clients are conveniently provided with accurate information on how transactions are made.  Authentication is a primary requirement when connecting to Citadel's web service.  

In conjunction with its traditional services, just recently, Citadel has opened the myCitadel Wallet. This is a stored value option that backs up intensified deposit and withdrawal schemes.  Other aspects crucial to Citadel's operation also include the multi-lingual and multi-currency features, which are truly appreciated by some clients. Because of the aforementioned features and the thorough process imposed by Citadel, more people trust the name.  24 Karat Gold Casino even promotes the site using the additional 10% bonus, exclusive to those who use MyCitadel on their next purchase.    

Meanwhile, Moneybookers is seen as a vital part of the deposit and payment options of other sites.  With the use of email addresses, gamblers can receive and send payables online.  From credit cards to debit cards or direct bank account, money can always be sent and collected to anyone through mails. Moneybookers also allow their clients to purchase anything online. Indeed, Moneybookers continue to provide global trade solutions for different countries like UK.

Aside from NETeller, Citadel, and Moneybookers, casino sites have other payment solutions that guarantee deposits and withdrawals to and from players. ePassporte , for example, operates like a pre-paid Visa card.  It is reloadable and can be used wherever Visa is recognized.  One can even use it in Casino Tropez, where you can also take advantage of the $300 bonus.  Unlike other services, there are no exorbitant rates and interest charges involved; thus, it's a lot easier to manage funds with limited budget loaded on your ePassporte.  ePassporte message centers for free data account delivery also ensure safety and ease of trade.  Because of these good features, travelers who may be playing at home or abroad during business trips or vacations often use ePassporte as much as online gamblers.

Another example of a payment scheme similar to a card is Firepay . With enough funds for FirePay account, you can use the money from your own bank account to either buy products, avail services, or gamble your funds while playing online poker or casino games.  FirePay features real-time fund access and quick deposits.  There are also no sign-up fees or unnecessary charges; in addition, the rate for bank account transfer to FirePay account is cost-effective.  As implied earlier, FirePay is similar to using a debit card, so you can always play for money in 24 Karat Gold Casino and avail the 200% bonus.

But among the payment solutions provided by casino sites, credit and debit cards remain as widely used payment modes. After all, credit cards are deemed as the pioneer in payment solutions even before the popularity of online casinos and sites.  People even say that once you have a credit card such as a Visa Card, you already have a strong purchasing power wherever you go, though your funds, of course, are always limited by a credit limit awarded by the bank.

In online gambling , the mechanics of using credit cards pretty much remain the same. In fact, Casino Tropez, Bingo For Money, Pinnacle Sports, and Pokerroom offer the popular Visa and Mastercard as both deposit or payment solutions. You can always do online transactions by providing account data.  Without extra charges, credit cards make sure that the data provided by clients are complemented with more reliable security options such as password protection.  Other credit card names, like MasterCard , even take the authorization step further with their Online Fraud Monitor, which is seen as the solution to improve PIN debit activities and provide more security to the card owner.    

Aside from credit cards, another 'traditional' means of payment used in online casinos is wire transfer. The benefits of wire transfer include the accessibility to different branches worldwide and the secured service of verifying information on a player's account.  Wire transfer companies normally encourage filing requests before noon, so they can process the transfer on the same day.  A known casino site that employs the wire transfer method is Pinnacle Sports, which enlists Western Union as one of its deposit options for a $250 standard fund.

Another recognized payment option is paypal with over 100 million opened accounts since 1999. Paypal dont accept transactions with gambling sites which also includes sportbooks, but they do accept backgammon and skill game vendors.

Payment solutions may vary in procedure, form, or service.  But nonetheless, they are important website features to make sign ups, registrations, bets, and cashouts a lot easier to manage and handle by both gaming provider and online gaming participants. Apart from measuring the reliablity of different sites for poker, sportsbooks, bingo, or even casino, these payment options also add to the overall experience that the casino sites have in store for their players.  

How To Play Backgammon

Backgammon is one of the many kinds of board game that has been adopted from our Egyptian ancestors. The origin of backgammon is believed to be the primordial tabula, which is also believed to be the origin of many board and table games. Tabula is said to have existed since AD 476-–481. Around this time, Egyptians were already playing senet, a game, which is closely similar to backgammon because the moves in senet are also decided by rolling the dice.

The backgammon game has been preferred by many players from generation to generation.  And as early as 1743, a detailed book on how to play backgammon, and everything about it has already been published. The book is called A Short Treatise on the Game of Backgammon, written and published by Edmund Hoyle.

Backgammon is ideally intended for two players.  It is not a very complex game, and perhaps it is one of the reasons that players easily get attracted to it.  In essence, backgammon is a game that involves mental racing, for each player wants to move his checkers around the board without being taken by the opponent.  However, his moves will be highly determined by rolling the dice.
Each time the dice is rolled, the backgammon player must carefully think of his next move.  Then he will choose which is the best among the many options available on how to get ahead in this mental race.

A dice is an integral part of a backgammon game, because the rolled dice will determine how far the pieces can be moved. When it comes to actually moving the pieces the player has to make some good decisions.  To win the game the player must be able to completely move all of his pieces off the board.  In addition, there are lots of strategies involved to win the backgammon game.  It includes how one can successfully move across the board  without getting hindered by his competitor.  Players should move in opposite directions across the board.

Because playing backgammon is mentally challenging, it is considered by many players and spectators as one of the most exciting games.  As in the case of many games, there are several popular backgammon versions across the world.  Still, most of these versions carry the same principles and elements that make backgammon game exciting.

The backgammon table or backgammon board has a track of twenty-four (24) points; –a dozen for each player. Each dozen has different colors.  These sets of points are connected into a continuous track that resembles the shape of a horseshoe.  Checkers or pieces should be moved from higher-numbered points to lower-numbered points.  The points are numbered in ordinal manner.

Points numbered 1 to 6 are known as the home board.  Some players and in some versions, they call those numbers the inner board.  The inner board suggests the presence of an outer board, which are points 7 to 12.  Meanwhile, points 13 to 18 are known as the competition's outer board, and points 19 to 24 are the competition’'s home board.

To start the game, the players must first roll a die.  The one who gets the higher number has the chance to move first.  However, during the game proper, the number that will appear on the dice must be followed in moving the checkers across the board or table.  When the player rolled the die, and numbers four and two appeared, the player will then have to move one of his pieces four points forward, and the other piece two points forward.

While the game is progressing, there are many possibilities that could happen.  A piece may land on an unoccupied point, but it may also land on a point occupied by the opposing piece.  However, as a rule no point can be occupied by pieces from both players.

Internet Gambling Bill Could Pose Problems for GOP on Nov. 7

A Republican-sponsored effort to clamp down on Internet gambling may turn out to be a bad bet for the GOP.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which President Bush signed into law Oct. 13, has infuriated many voters who enjoy betting on sports or playing poker online, analysts said.

Other observers, however, see little threat to Republicans from the law, calling it a relatively minor matter to most voters.

"I don't believe a large volume of voters are motivated to go to the polls because of Internet gaming, either way," said Brian Darling of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank.

But with Republicans already on the defensive over the Iraq war, budget deficits and the congressional page scandal, the gambling law is the latest issue that could steer voters away from the GOP.

"I've been a loyal Republican for over 30 years, and I'm quitting the party I once loved," said Jim Henry, 55, who lives outside San Francisco. "Not because of the Mark Foley scandal or Middle East policy. But because the Republican Party wants to stop me from what I love to do: play poker over the Internet."

Sponsored in the House by Reps. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, and Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and backed in the Senate by Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., the law pits social conservatives who disapprove of gambling against the 8.5 million Americans who spend about $6 billion annually to cast wagers online.

Some opponents of the law see a political component to its passage, believing it was intended to buoy support for Frist among religious conservatives if he decides to run for president in 2008.

The law is aimed at stopping the flow of money to gambling sites, where funds could potentially be laundered.

Leach has also cited moral dimensions to the law, calling it one of the most important pieces of family legislation ever considered by lawmakers.

"Internet gambling is not a subject touched upon in the Old or New Testament or the Quran," Leach said earlier this year. "But the pastoral function is one of dealing with families in difficulty and religious leaders of all denominations and faiths are seeing gambling problems erode family values."

Even so, a Gallup Poll taken earlier this year found that 60 percent of adults believe gambling is morally acceptable. That's true for many religious conservatives who say they enjoy placing a bet.

"I've talked with Republicans all over the country, and they all understand that this is a theft of our liberty," said lifelong Republican Alan Sheldon, 61, of Loveland, Ohio, whose grandmother taught him how to play poker at the age of 4.

Sheldon, who describes himself as a conservative Christian, said he would not vote Republican next week because of the new gambling law.

"I suspect that people who actually do a lot of Internet gambling ... they're going to be turned off by this," said David Boaz of the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington. "That's going to hurt Republicans."

Boaz said the law would likely alienate self-described libertarian voters, which he estimates constitute about 13 percent of the electorate. Boaz published an analysis last month suggesting libertarians have been slowly shifting their support to Democrats since 2004.

Others say it's too much of a niche issue to swing the election.

"National security, the economy and such issues are likely to be the most pressing issues in voters' minds next Tuesday," said Carrie Meadows, a spokeswoman for Goodlatte.

The Poker Players Alliance, an advocacy group in Washington with more than 120,000 members, said it has been flooded with angry e-mails from libertarian organizations and Republicans disavowing the law. And the group is letting its members know how their representatives voted.

Alliance President Michael Bolcerek hopes they vote Tuesday and "share their outrage with Congress."

Online Casino Games

Ever make the choice of playing at an online casino establishment.  Internet gambling is very fun, many online casino players win big jackpots, sill there are ways you can make better choices and win more and stay away from money losing casinos.