2008 was a great year for the online casino industry. And so were 2009 and 2010. Year after year, the popularity of online gambling continues to increase. It has reached such heights now that casinos have almost become an integral part of mainstream society.

Recent reports published by financial analysts revealed that this industry is growing at the rate of 8 percent every year. With a colossal number of players signing up at gambling sites, some online casinos have even recorded an amazing rate of growth up to 25-50 percent!

It’s just been a decade and the online casino industry has taken giant strides towards success. Today, it has become a separate entity in the gambling industry, thanks to the launch of advanced technology enabling the casino industry to meet the demands of innumerable sites needing constant updating.

For online casino sites, it’s not easy to operate within this cut-throat competition environment. To keep pace, casino sites are raising their opening bonuses as well as offering sign up specials to attract new customers. They are also hiking their jackpot prizes, with some casino sites offering even millions as the standard prize for hitting the progressive jackpot!

The online casino industry is flourishing. However, one thing that’s baffling gamblers as well as site owners is the attitude of the US law enforcement on this industry. With the anticipation of a ban being imposed on such sites by the government through UIGEA, many companies had left the US market in 2006. Now, as President Obama lost the majority in Congress, there is still a lot of uncertainty over what will happen to the thriving online casino industry in the future.

The enforcement of UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) had stolen the spark from the online casino industry. It forced the financial institutions to scrutinize all money transfers. Although this did not deter the industry from growing in leaps and bounds, the fear of what will happen next still looms large over the industry.

The online casino industry has high hopes with Obama, but obviously his agenda had higher priorities. It was expected that the Obama administration would be more flexible towards the gambling industry, but nothing concrete happened. Will the online casino industry see the light of the day as a regulated industry? This is still what the industry urgently needs at this hour. Bans and surveillance are not the answer to people’s freedom to play.

In April this year the selection committee deciding which women known in poker will receive induction into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame came together. They have finally decided on the three women receiving induction into the Hall of Fame on the third of September at the famous Golden Nugget Casino located in Vegas. Here is of the list of the outstanding women who made the cut.

First is Billie Brown who received this award posthumously. Billie might not be well known with today’s poker world, however she was a poker legend in Las Vegas during the 1980’s. Billie led the pioneering of tournament poker marketing in Las Vegas. Billie actually created the concept of the guaranteed prize pool.

Second is Kathy Liebert who is a world renowned player even if she doesn’t quite fit in the category of poker hot babe. Kathy has quite an impressive record that includes 1 WPT win, 1 WSOP bracelet, and an astounding 7 WPT final tables. At over 5.7 million on tournament winnings, Kathy is the highest earning woman in tournament poker. Kathy was actually the first ever woman to win the prize of over 1 million dollars in a single poker tournament.

Third is the definite poker sexy abe Jennifer Harman. Jennifer Harman is well known around the world for not only being a poker babe, however also having one of the best poker records out of all the women poker players.

Jennifer Harman’s record includes 2 WSOP bracelets, 3 World Poker Tour final tables, and over 2.6 million in tournament winnings. Jennifer Harman always has some poker hottie news that surrounds here. Most recently Jennifer Harman flashed some cleavage to get into the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. Cleavage or not, Jennifer Harman came to play as she didn’t disappoint with her performance by making into the money in the famous event.

Jennifer Harman’s Twitter messages stated that she was hanging out with her husband on some beach in Italy, nothing related to her nice picture. After receiving the news of her getting into the Hall of Fame Jennifer Harman surely deserved a vacation.

Big changes are occurring on the Las Vegas fronts where several companies are contemplating name changes amongst other things.

The Las Vegas Sands Inc. is tossing around the idea of changing their name from “The Las Vegas Sands Inc.” to either “Sands International” or “Sands International Resorts”. The corporation feels they should distance themselves from the limiting name of “Las Vegas”. The Las Vegas title doesn’t accurately represent the international presence of the Sands.

The Las Vegas Sands Inc. is known for owning the Venetian on the Las Vegas strip, however they have many more locations than just the Venetian. The Las Vegas Sands Inc. has three locations in Macau and another 5.5 billion dollar resort on its way to being opened in Singapore, with other locations around the world as well.

The bad economy has Las Vegas struggling however The Las Vegas Sands Inc. is alive and thriving therefore a new name change replacing “Las Vegas” with “International” would probably better represent what the company really is, more than just one resort in Las Vegas.

The Plaza Hotel located on the Freemont Street Experience is also undergoing some big changes. The Plaza is doing a lot more than just a name change with their new 20 million dollar renovations that are expected to take a year. The owners of the Plaza feel a new name like the “Union Plaza” will be a better name to represent the Plaza after it opens up with its new look.

Getting a new make over is a good reason to add on a new name. The renovations and name change could not come at a better time, as they were much needed adjusting at the Plaza in order to stay up to date and competitive.

The two main divisions of the Tropicana are actually fighting to keep their name, or at least fighting for their rights to the trademarked “Tropicana” name.

Several years ago the Las Vegas division of the Tropicana entered bankruptcy and now it is out because of Carl Icahn, Tropicana’s main financier, who posted 150 million dollars up for the Las Vegas division to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Carl Icahn’s companies control the Atlantic City division of the Tropicana and now the two divisions are in a legal battle for the “Tropicana” trademark. The operator of Tropicana Last Vegas claims they have the full rights to the “Tropicana” trademark because of a court ruling in Nevada. Carl Icahn is suing in order to claim those rights from the Las Vegas division.