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SIGMA2019

We Attended SiGMA 2019 iGaming Event

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More than 15,000 participants attended Malta’s three-day SiGMA 2019 iGaming exhibition event. Management of Casino Brango, as well as our sister Casino Extreme, was there, too. We attended conferences, workshops, and have been a part of many events.

iGaming professionals all over the world gathered to share their views and insights, as well as the latest industry trends. Exhibitors showcased cutting-edge games and software, offered innovative industry solutions and brought crucial networking opportunities. While the days were jam-packed with activity, the evenings were reserved for luxury dinners, Betting and Boxing joust, sunset cruise, parties, and plenty of other events.

Our colleagues were the part of this important event and thanks to them you can see the SiGMA 2019 highlights in the gallery bellow.

 

 

Blockchain-Based Games

Microsoft Develops Blockchain-Based Ninja Card Game

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In a point in time when games are becoming more blockchain-based, who better to lead the revolution than Microsoft. The latest news in the gaming world come from the project that brought together Microsoft, game developer Eidos and gamebook firm Fabled Lands. Microsoft develops blockchain ninja game and the gaming community is eagerly waiting to see the outcome.

The Plot

The game in question will reflect the 1980s best-selling book called “The Way of the Tiger,” by Jamie Thomson and Mark Smith. The game’s title will be “Arena of Death”.

The story is set in the fantasy kingdom of Orb. The main character will be the participant acting as a ninja trying to avenge his adoptive father. Moreover, he or she will be on a quest to return the stolen scrolls.

Interestingly, developers purportedly have the plan to keep all the original features of characters in a game. Therefore, the story-line, the skills and the magic of the original book should be preserved.

Furthermore, the game will bear the title “Arena of Death”. You may have guessed that players will have the chance to fight through playing cards.

Blockchain, Tokens and Games

As stated previously, game developers will use tokens. VeChain Thor blockchain will issue the coins in question. These should enable the players to own the in-game items. This is what separates “Arena of Death” from many other games.

Namely, for some time now, blockchain-based games have been developing and players are getting used to collecting the in-game items and actually owning them. One of the authors of the original book, Jamie Thompson, reportedly said:

 “We were going to relaunch the series into a computer game format but this new technology (blockchain), just made more sense. Imagine playing Magic the Gathering but knowing if you owned a card, it really does belong to you. Or if we say there are only 100 editions of an item or skill, you know there really are only 100 editions.”

The Future of Tokenized Games

The estimates show that in 2025 the amount of network data will be 160 zettabytes. Many believe that blockchain has the advantage over other technologies when it comes to storing content. However, the problem of large file sizes remains. Either way, the blockchain application is on the rise in many industries, not just in the gaming world.

Nevertheless, this does not keep the developers from creating games of this kind. Obviously, people like to own assets that appear in a game. Therefore tokenization is becoming a mainstream.

As a quick reminder, there are “CryptoKitties” that everyone is talking about, as well as far more popular, but less marketed “Gods Unchanged”. ETH- based games are apparently rocking.  Fans of speed may already know that blockchain game F1 Delta Time organized an auction of  F1 car-branded NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

Are you a fan of collecting in-game items?

numbers and dice shooting

Craps Is the Game of Numbers and Dice Shooting

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The same as some other games, Craps is the game of numbers and dice shooting. Many players got the habit of trying out their luck without thinking too much. Although, all games depend on luck partially, knowing your numbers and planning bets can get you a long way.

Moreover, Craps involves dice shooting. Although it may not seem that way, there is a pop-science behind that ritual as well. Some of the most prominent connoisseurs of the game gave their opinions on the subject.  Today, among the game basics, we also present the best shooter profile, as described by Frank Scoblete, a well-known casino specialist and book author.

The Numbers 

If you are just getting to know the game, it may be news to you that Craps is a game of eleven numbers (2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12).  Numbers and dice shooting are inseparable. The dice itself has six sides displaying six pits (1,2,3,4,5,6).  There, since we have two dice, six sides each, the number of possible combinations is 36. Possible combinations within the eleven numbers are:

2 = 1:1

3 = 2:1, 1:2

4 = 2:2, 3:1, 1:3

5 = 3:2, 2:3, 4:1, 1:4

6 = 3:3, 4:2, 2:4, 5:1, 1:5

7 = 4:3, 3:4, 5:2, 2:5, 6:1, 1:6

8 = 4:4, 5:3, 3:5, 6:2, 2:6

9 = 5:4, 4:5, 6:3, 3:6

10 = 5:5, 6:4, 4:6

11 = 6:5, 5:6

12 = 6:6

The Bets

When placing bets, a player has the aim to lower the so-called “house edge”. The experts say that if a player makes the bet with wrong numbers, the house-edge is increased. Therefore, they advise to try slowing down the game. If a player makes too many quick decisions, the chances are majority of those would be wrong choices.

Each player knows his or her red lines, abilities and skills. Majority of players decides on placing several bets and combining Pass Line bets with two Come bets and/or Place bets. Additionally, adrenaline-driven players prefer “Crazy Crapers” bets, for example. The thing is that with these bets, a player risks a lot. Although, if having luck on his or her side, the amounts that he or she can win are astounding.

In order to prolong the game experience and go for the more reliable style of gambling, the experts say that you should keep less, but steady betting style. The above-mentioned Frank Scoblete even advocates for a single bet. His explanation is interesting. He says:

“If the player makes two of the best bets at craps, the Pass Line and Come bet, and goes on three of them at once, he will face a house edge of 1.41 percent on each of the numbers he bets. So, a $10 bettor’s expectation is to lose around 42 cents. If the player only makes one such bet, his expectation is to lose 14 cents.”

The Ultimate Dice Shooting Style

 Mr. Scoblete differentiated several shooting styles. The Rhythmic Roller (a.k.a. Dice Control, Precision Shooting, Dice Influence) being the most successful one. He claimed that this particular style is not just the physical skill of throwing the dice in a certain manner. It entailed the comprehensive attitude towards the game and a player’s place in it. He also claimed that there are but a few people who are able to master it. In order to describe it more clearly, he derived the list of main elements of this style, as follows:

 

  • Proper setting the dice in a way that encourages certain numbers to appear or in order to reduce the appearance of the seven.
  • Correct gripping of the dice so there is little or no friction when released.
  • Real arc on the dice, which changes depending on the table.
  • True bounce of the dice on the table so there is not too much friction or activity on the dice from a table’s layout or the pyramids at the back wall.
  • Playing at good tables for one’s throw.
  • Proper betting on oneself.
  • Avoidance of all poor bets such as the hardways, the horn, the field, and all place bets except perhaps the six and the eight.
  • Extremely small bets on other players. One small Come or Pass Line bet is recommended.
  • Regular at-home practice.
  • Honesty about your actual skill.

What kind of a shooter are you?

Fun casino facts

Fun Casino Facts

By Lifestyle No Comments

Ever since the dawn of mankind, gambling has been one of the favorite types of entertainment. Playing a game against all odds and winning can certainly add a special flavor to an experience. Beating the odds is a challenge of its own. It requires some luck, though. Furthermore, gambling also entails a certain skill and analytical mind. Especially when playing table games. Here are some fun casino facts.

Nature of Casino Games

Gambling is challenging. The biggest challenge in gambling is to figure out the predictive character of each game. Apparently, there are many cases of developing the strategies. Some of those work quite well and players get to take large amounts of money home. Some other techniques failed. Additionally, some of the tryouts even made the news or served as an inspiration for certain movies. Either way, gambling has a long history of ups and downs.

Nevertheless, one thing remained constant: gambling is still one of the rare entertainments that provides both fun and opportunity to earn money.

Casino and Table Games Fun Facts

#1 The four kings in a deck of cards represent the four leaders: Alexander the Great (king of clubs), King Charlemagne (king of hearts), Julius Caesar (king of diamonds), King David (king of spades).

#2 Blackjack was the favorite game of Napoleon. He simply adored the game and even played it while exiled on the island of St. Helena. Historians say that 21 was his favorite distraction.

#3 Twenty-one actually came to North America with French settlers along the Mississippi River. The original rules were quite different. For example, doubling was not forbidden for the dealer or the “house”, a new betting round would happen after the dealing of each card.

#4 Card counting is actually not illegal. This is one of the main misconceptions. However, most casinos are in the hands of private entities. Therefore, they reserve the right to control and ban the entrance to whomever they think is trying to cheat.

#5 Yes, the movie “21” found its inspiration in real-life events and persons. Namely, the MIT students and their professor did form sort of a “company” when they became skilled at counting cards in blackjack. There were also people investing in their operations and they dominated the casinos in the 90ies.

#6 The first casino in the world ever established was Casinò di Venezia in Venice, Italy. It opened its doors in the first half of 17th century. However, gambling does not originate from Italy.

#7 According to archaeological findings, gambling originates from China. Moreover, the oldest evidence dates back to 2300 BC and is related to sort of a lottery. Although we cannot tell for sure whether there had been any older evidence of any form of gambling, the Chinese artifacts and sites are officially the oldest ones.

#8 The first ever $1 million bet was placed in Las Vegas in 1980. The man was William Lee Bergstorm and the Casino in question was Binion’s Horseshoe Casino. He played craps and lost.

#9 The difference between US and European roulette is in a fact that European one has 37 numbers and a single zero, while the US one has 38 numbers including a single and a double zero.  That being said, European roulette is obviously more player-friendly due to the fact it has a single zero which decreases the house edge to the estimated 2.7%

#10 The first country to legalize online gambling was Antigua and Barbuda in 1994.

#11 The biggest revenue in gambling worldwide gets collected in Macau. This place is the administrative area of China. Namely, the yearly revenue exceeds $37.5 billion.

#12  The queens in a deck of cards represent the following women: Pallas (referred to as the “warrior goddess” and considered to be equivalent to the Greek Athena or Roman Minerva), Rachel (biblical mother of Joseph), Argine (no reference to the exact origin), and Judith (of the Apocrypha).

Feel free to add interesting facts in the comments below, should you know any.

cryptocurrency ripple

New Addition in The World of Ripple

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 “I think that we’re just in the final days of a long transition away from the old retail-centric game release model. Good times ahead.” – Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney

It seems that Ripple clicked with the above stated Sweeney’s thinking about the revolution in gaming and that it is time for the “brave and lucky to have a bright future.”

Ripple And Forte Developing The In-Game Items Marketplace

I bet most of you remember childhood days and exchanging or selling baseball cards. Collecting the cards that reflect your favorite game had a special flavor to it and even today, brings back some nice memories. While estimating the value of a card, you would look at the player, the print year, the condition the card is in, how rare it is. The rarest cards would have the highest value. And what makes the card rare? The number of cards in circulation. I was reminded about this while exploring the subject of this text, since Ripple and Forte are planning to put the items from games in circulation on their special marketplace. To think how big a leap the technology has taken in few decades!

To the excitement of XRP fans and gamers, Ripple has recently announced partnership with gaming start-up Forte in development of games that use Ripple technology, XRP token included. Reportedly, Ripple’s Xpring initiative will invest $100 million in XRP in the project itself. The amount is intended for developers only, experienced in gaming, as an incentive to make great games, as well as to build game-related economies. What this actually means is that they have a plan to develop the trading market for in-game digital goods. And not just any goods, but every item would be unique, as the tokens would be pinned to them. Such unique items would be available for buying and trading by using smart contracts. Forte has reportedly issued a statement claiming that the goal of the entire project is to create “the game-based economies that more closely mirror our experience in real economies”.

ripple crypto

Setting The Rules & Running on Blockchain

Now, from the player’s perspective, the important thing is that he or she would be in a position to own the in-game assets and to trade with them. The rules applied at this marketplace would be pre-set by developers, who would also be deciding on the premiums. The more time and energy players invest in collecting the items, the game dynamics is increased, and hence the market will spread.  We are all witnessing the tendencies to exclude the so-called “middle man” whenever possible, in every industry known to us. This is a way to cut the costs, and modern technology provides the means to do it, while making all processes transparent and secure more than ever before. In that respect, the mentioned marketplace would cut out third parties, assets would be easily tracked and verified with all owners participating and transactions would be done legally, transparently, while protecting the users anonymity.

As gaming is part of the entertainment industry, where companies strive to provide the ultimate gaming experience, the goal of this project is to make this process fun and to secure the gaming experience and trading run smoothly. There would be no complex issues and gamers would not need to worry about the blockchain technology running in the back.

Additionally, the public has also been informed that Xpring and Forte have a plan to include various cryptos and enable flow across various blockchains by developing an easy-to-use wallet which would be able to facilitate cross-chain transactions using Interledger. Sounds awfully complex, right? But it is not. To put it simply: apart from trading with XRP, the marketplace would accept other cryptocurrencies as well, and trading would be possible with users of other platforms as well. Again, this is the technical issue and a good thing to know if you are a developer or more interested in how the systems runs from within. If you are a player, yours is to relax, enjoy the game, collect the items, and trade….

Need we say that all transactions on Forte platform would be settled in XRP? This fact is believed to bring benefits to Ripple, especially if we take into consideration that the gaming industry should earn over $100 billion globally in 2019, according to some predictions. There are reviews that agree on the fact that XRP is the right choice for this project, due to its speed, finality, liquidity and low cost.

There Are Rarely “Pros” Without “Cons”

As with all other things in life, there are voices highlighting the negative aspects of this endeavor. Namely, some believe that Ripple has took on a difficult task to persuade the gaming industry that peer-to-peer economies are not the thing to be afraid of, and that by enabling gamers to buy the in-game items would not lead to decrease of buying the items from video game providers. William Quigley, CEO of OPSkins and WAX called this a “flawed logic” and made a clever comparison with the car industry, claiming that it operates just fine in spite of the fact that you can sell your car after purchasing it from a dealer. However, he feels “it’s still an obstacle encountered in the gaming world, where only a tiny, tiny percentage of video games offer virtual items that players can own and trade with each other.”

As a reminder, Forte is known for its mobile gaming company Kabam, while its cofounder Brett Seyler comes with experience in companies such as GarageGames, Unity, BeyondGames. Among the investors we found name such as Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam, Coinbase Ventures, 16z Crypto.

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