Evonik strengthens its focus on adhesive and sealant solutions – Chemie.de

Posted on by

Left to right: Olaf Schulze, Mayor of Geesthacht, Lauren Kjeldsen, Managing Director Evonik Nutrition & Care, Mathias Jammer, Site Manager Geesthacht

Following its double-digit million euro investment and after less than 18 months of construction, Evonik officially opened its new multi-purpose silicones manufacturing facility in Geesthacht, Germany. A celebratory inauguration ceremony was held at the site on 10th January.

Located in Northern Germany, 30 kilometers outside the port city of Hamburg, the new plant was completed on time and within the planned budget. Commissioning of the facilitys new tank farm started in December and incremental production increases are planned over the coming months. Im delighted to open our new facility and continue the long history of production at the site, said Dr. Xiaolan Wang, head of the Interface & Performance Business Line of Evonik.The increased production footprint helps to strengthen our focus on silicone and nanotechnology specialty chemical products, while also providing our customers with a faster, more reliable supply of the products they need.

There has now almost been 35 years of continuous chemical production at the site, producing high-quality components and raw materials for the manufacture of sealants and adhesives, molding and casting compounds, and other products.

Standing on the same site as the existing plant, the new tank farm had to be built and commissioned for use while keeping production running smoothly for Evoniks customers. The additional capacities are for a range of silicone and nanotechnology products. These include: addition-curing silicones and silyl-terminated polymers which are used as binders for adhesives and sealants in parquet adhesives, adhesives for wound care and other medical applications or in electronics such as e-mobility housings or potting materials.

To address the increasing market requirements a broad range of silyl-terminated polymers (SMPs) will also be produced. The other advantage of creating more room and flexibility in our production schedule is that we can react quickly to changing market demands, as well as develop new products, said Dr. Sabine Giessler-Blank, head of the Polymer & Construction Specialties Product Line. Our customers rely on us to innovate and deliver property-enhancing products, for example developing SMPs to address the trend for roofing and liquid membranes, or help them to meet the growing demand for strong, but lightweight fiber composite applications in the automotive and aerospace industries.

In addition to the increased capacity, a new tank truck filling facility has been completed at the site. By simplifying the delivery and storage process for customers Evonik hopes to also increase efficiency in this process as well.

'+_msgObj.message+'

'+_msgObj.message+'

'+_msgObj.message+'

'+_msgObj.message+'

'+_msgObj.message+'

You are currently not logged in to my.chemeurope.com .Your changes will in fact be stored however can be lost at all times.

Visit link:

Evonik strengthens its focus on adhesive and sealant solutions - Chemie.de

‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Delayed as CD Projekt Red Polishes ‘Crowning Achievement’ Over ‘Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’ – Newsweek

Posted on by

Cyberpunk 2077, originally planned for an April 16 release date, but has now been delayed until September 17, developer CD Projekt Red announced on Thursday.

In a statement posted to social media, the Cyberpunk developer did more than announce the delay, further describing just how far along the game is in its development. According to CD Projekt Red, the game is currently "complete and playable," throughout its open world setting of Night City. Instead of core story, content or environmental changes, the delay is primarily motivated by the need for additional "playtesting, fixing and polishing."

Indicating their confidence in the game they've created, CD Projekt Red also set a bold goal for Cyberpunk 2077: topping their own critically acclaimed Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to become their "crowning achievement" in the current console generation. Witcher 3 is often named among the best open world games and best RPGs ever createdit's not even uncommon to hear Witcher 3 named as the best game ever made. So while Cyberpunk 2077 has a lot to live up to, its delay announcement suggests CD Projekt Red feels as if they're near to realizing their complete vision.

CD Projekt Red also promised more frequent updates on the game's progress, particularly as the revised release date approaches.

In Cyberpunk 2077, players start off in Night City as V, a customizable mercenary who acquires transhumanist enhancements throughout the game. Night City is a gigantic corporate-controlled metropolis in the Free State of California, with six different regions for players to explore, each with their own rival factions and gangs. Along the way, players are guided by Johnny Silverhands, a digital ghost played by Keanu Reeves, who haunts the player and nudges him or her towards his own objectives.

Signed by CD Projekt Red co-founder Marcin Iwiski and the head of studio, Adam Badowski, the full statement reads:

"We have important news regarding Cyberpunk 2077's release date we'd like to share with you today. Cyberpunk 2077 won't make the April release window and we're moving the launch date to September 17, 2020.

We are currently at a stage where the game is complete and playable, but there's still work to be done. Night City is massivefull of stories, content and places to visit, but due to the sheer scale and complexity of it all, we need more time to finish playtesting, fixing and polishing. We want Cyberpunk 2077 to be our crowning achievement for this generation, and postponing launch will give us the precious months we need to make the game perfect.

Expect more regular updates on progress as we get closer to the new release date. We're really looking forward to seeing you in Night City, thank you for your ongoing support."

See the rest here:

'Cyberpunk 2077' Delayed as CD Projekt Red Polishes 'Crowning Achievement' Over 'Witcher 3: Wild Hunt' - Newsweek

Rate of gambling addiction still unclear in Minnesota – PostBulletin.com

Posted on by

Years later, Don Weinberger's compulsion to gamble had him skipping work to visit the casino. All the while, he kept his habit and the debt he accrued because of it from his wife. When the truth came to light it nearly tore his family apart.

It's now been more than two decades since Weinberger has gambled, something he attributes to his faith in God and Gamblers Anonymous, which he continues to be involved with today. But seated in a downtown St. Paul eatery on a recent Friday morning, he recalled clearly the mindset of his younger self and the many others affected by gambling addiction.

"The scourge of a compulsive gambler is that when you win, it's never enough," he said.

According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, or the NCPG, compulsive gambling affects approximately 2 million U.S. adults roughly 1% of the U.S. adult population. A further 4 to 6 million are thought to be problem gamblers who do not necessarily meet the criteria for pathological gambling.

But less certain is the scope of gambling addiction in Minnesota. The most current data on the prevalence of the disorder in the state comes from an official survey conducted in 1994.

State agencies have been working on a new survey for several years and in 2018 commissioned the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation of St. Paul to take one. The contract for the study is for approximately $400,000, according to the Department of Human Services.

Helen Ghebre, a community capacity building team supervisor with the state human services department, said the findings of the survey are currently being reviewed and that a publicly available report on them is expected to be published before the end of February.

Conducted by mail over a period of several months in 2019, the survey sampled from a random pool of 35,000 Minnesotan households and included questions about gambling frequency and attitudes. Ghebre said the results will illustrate the rate and severity of problem gambling in Minnesota as well as the demographics it most effects.

"We are using this to better target where we direct resources and funding," she said.

Ghebre said she could not make preliminary comments on the findings of the survey because they are still being reviewed. She could not say why it took the agency until recently to conduct a follow-up to the 1994 survey, but added that agency leadership was supportive of the idea.

The department plans to take the surveys more regularly in the future, she said, roughly once every three to five years.

Until the new study is published, a survey more than 25 years old continues to be one of the few official sources sources on gambling addiction rates in Minnesota. That survey found approximately 4.4% of the states adults either show signs of problem gambling or have a pathological compulsion to gamble.

In a recent survey of its own, the NCPG estimated that gambling addiction affected approximately 3.6% of Minnesotans in 2016, or about 152,000 people.

Even if only a small percentage of Minnesotans are affected by gambling problems, the amount of money they spend may not be insubstantial. In a separate report from 2018, the state human services department said that assuming problem gambling accounts for between 15% and 33% of gambling revenues, as it does in other states, then problem gamblers generated anywhere from $266 million to $585 million of Minnesota's gambling revenue in 2014.

Minnesotas billion-dollar gambling industry does help to fund a range of government services as well as youth activities and scholarships. The Minnesota Gambling Control Board reported the state's gambling industry had a total of about $359 million after prize payouts to spend on wages, taxes, rent, charitable contributions and other lawful expenditures in fiscal year 2019.

The industry also contributes to state-funded options for inpatient and outpatient gambling addiction treatment. In 2016, the NCPG said that approximately 600 Minnesotans enrolled in such programs, which are supported in part by state lottery revenues, charitable gaming tax dollars and Native American gaming industry contributions.

According to that report, Minnesota ranked 14th in the U.S. in terms of "per capita public spending dedicated problem gambling services."

Gambling addiction and problem gambling affect people of all different ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. But according to Brien Gleeson, an addictions counselor at the Mayo Clinic hospital in Eau Claire, Wis., some demographics appear to be more vulnerable than others.

"One particular population that we are more concerned about would be older folks, for a variety of reasons," he said.

Gleeson said that his patients tend to gamble most often at casinos. With more free time and retirement funds on hand, he said that some senior citizens find it difficult to resist their allure.

For some, the chance to socialize at a casino can be as enticing as the chance to win. An elderly couple might go to a casino, Gleeson said, as a way to spend time together.

Compulsive gambling manifests in a range of symptoms, Gleeson said, the most distinct of which is gambling to make back lost money.

"If youre chasing your losses, youre headed in the wrong direction," he said.

Gleeson said that many of his patients have successfully managed to cope with gambling addiction by themselves. Others, he said, turn to self-help groups like Gamblers Anonymous.

Gambling establishments themselves, he said, appear willing to help. Many casinos allow those who believe they have a gambling problem to voluntarily ban themselves from entry.

As it becomes less and less taboo to openly discuss drug and alcohol addiction, Gleeson said gambling addiction is starting to shed its stigma as well. Hopefully, he said, that will encourage more people affected by it to seek treatment.

But because money is still seen by some as impolite to talk about, financial planner and counselor Melanie Hardie said many are still unwilling to open up about the other ways they mismanage it.

Some psychologists have termed behaviors like money worshiping, compulsive buying and secretive spending as "money disorders." Unlike compulsive gambling, however, money disorders are not recognized as a clinical diagnosis by the American Psychological Association.

A former mental health counselor, Hardie today works at LifeWorks a company headquartered in Atlanta that offers financial counseling to the employees of other businesses and is an active member of the Minnesota chapter of the Financial Planning Association. In her view, mental health issues do not necessarily lead to money mismanagement so much as a lack of financial education does.

"Is it 'compulsive spending,'" she asked, "or a lack of knowledge?"

A bill introduced in the Minnesota Legislature last year proposed to make financial literacy a requirement for high school graduation but was not passed. Some educators objected to the measure, saying that the decision to mandate personal finance courses should be left to school districts, many of which already teach aspects of the subject in other courses.

Whatever their causes, poor spending and saving habits can quickly cascade. Hardie said the inability to pay off a heavy debt load, for example, can lead to a poor credit rating, which in turn can make it difficult if not impossible to obtain a mortgage or car loan.

To help break the cycle, some libraries and community centers have hosted free and low-cost classes on personal finance and credit repair. Some financial planners and non-profit organizations will occasionally offer to do pro bono work as well, Hardie said.

Older Minnesotans with money troubles, meanwhile, can call the Senior LinkAge Line for a referral to a financial counselor.

Like Gleeson, Hardie said she hopes that those who have mismanaged their money will be viewed more sympathetically in future and feel encouraged to ask for help.

"As long as its a taboo subject, we're not going to learn and develop and grow," she said.

Go here to see the original:

Rate of gambling addiction still unclear in Minnesota - PostBulletin.com

MGM Springfield reports lowest month of gambling revenue – theday.com

Posted on by

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) A Massachusetts casino reported its lowest monthly revenue in its 16-month history.

MGM Springfield's December gross gambling revenue was $18.9 million, down from $21.6 million a year ago. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission released its monthly numbers Wednesday.

The new numbers come amid concerns that MGM Springfield is losing out to an over-saturated gaming market and legalized sports betting opportunities in New York and New Hampshire, MassLive.com reported.

Overall, MGM has fallen short of promised revenue prior to its opening in August 2018. Regulators were told the casino would bring in an average of $34.8 million a month. Instead, the average over the first 16 full months was $21.54 million a month, with a high of $26.9 million in September 2018, its first full month of operations.

The president of MGM blamed the December numbers on the bad weather, though Encore Boston Harbor, another casino, reported an improvement in its gaming numbers from $47 million in November to $54 million in December.

Slots-only Plainridge Park Casino was $10.2 million in December, down a bit from $10.9 million in November. Year-over year, Plainridge was also down from $14 million in December 2018.

Read the original here:

MGM Springfield reports lowest month of gambling revenue - theday.com

Gamblers bet $1.5 billion on sports in state last year – New Castle News

Posted on by

By John Finnerty

CNHIHarrisburg Bureau

Gamblers placed almost $1.5 billion in wagers and generated $30 million in revenue for the state in the first full year of legalized sports gambling.

In December alone, gamblers wagered more than $342 million on sports bets in Pennsylvania, according to the Gaming Control Board.

The key reason for the Pennsylvanias year-end momentum is its growing roster of online sportsbooks, which combined to produce almost 87 percent of the states total December handle the amount wagered by gamblers, said Dustin Gouker, an analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com, a web site tracking the gambling industry.

That last two months of 2019 began to show us the real potential of the Pennsylvania market, Gouker said. Now that the online market is maturing, it is entirely possible that 2020 could bring in $4 billion or more in online and retail bets.

Pennsylvania will finish 2019 a distant third in total handle among all legal sports betting jurisdictions. New Jersey, the countrys No. 2, attracted $4.6 billion in bets in 2019. But Pennsylvanias haul in state taxes was more comparable to New Jersey, which generated revenue of $36.5 million. Nevada is still the top state for sports wagering revenue.

Pennsylvania is beginning to succeed where it wanted to most: making sports betting a significant revenue driver for the state, Gouker said. Its tax rate is significantly higher than every other state, which has slowed the industrys growth. But Pennsylvania is the most populous state to fully legalize sports betting, and that has proven to be too enticing for operators to ignore.

The Department of Revenue projected that sports wagering would generate $35.5 million in 2019-2020, said Jeffrey Johnson, a spokesman for the department. The state fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, rather than by the calendar year.

Story continues below video

Sports wagering provided almost $21 million in state tax in the first six months of this fiscal year, he said.

The tax revenue from sports wagering, while still significantly more than the state had been getting earlier in the year, actually dropped in December, compared to November, as gamblers took home more in winnings, leaving casinos with less profit for the state to tax, Gaming Control Board data shows.

Decembers bets produced $17.5 million in revenue down from Novembers $20.6 million win.

The states take in tax was $3.9 million in December, double what the state got in sports wagering tax in August, but still less than the $5 million in tax generated by sports betting in November.

Sports wagering winning and losing is going to be very volatile, said Doug Harbach, a spokesman for the Gaming Control Board.

Gouker called the problem as double-edged sword for states because when gamblers win more, theres less casino revenue to tax. But if gamblers dont win often enough, theres the chance that they will become less likely to continue placing sports wagers.

Thirteen states including neighboring states, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia have sports betting. Close to half the states either have legal sports wagering or there is legislation moving to allow sports wagering, Auxier said.

This isnt just states having dreams of big revenue scores. They know better, he said.

Continue reading here:

Gamblers bet $1.5 billion on sports in state last year - New Castle News

UK Gamblers Banned From Using Credit Cards As Of April 14th – HighstakesDB

Posted on by

Gamblers in the UK will be unable to use credit cards to fund their online play from April 14th this year following a ban announced this week by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).

By: Andrew Burnett

The prohibition on credit cards being used to place bets comes after UK Government and UKGC reviews found a large percentage of such those using credit cards were problem gamblers.

Though online and land-based poker rooms are not specifically mentioned in the UKGC press release, the ban will apply to all online and offline gambling products with the exception of non-remote lotteries.

Neil McArthur, Gambling Commission chief executive, explained the reasoning behind the move: "Credit card gambling can lead to significant financial harm. The ban that we have announced today should minimise the risks of harm to consumers from gambling with money they do not have".

The figures released alongside the ban announcement claim that 24 million adults in Great Britain gamble, with 10.5 million of those gambling online adding: UK Finance estimate that 800,000 consumers use credit cards to gamble.

The UK Governments Culture Minister, Helen Whately, stated: "Whilst millions gamble responsibly, I have also met people whose lives have been turned upside down by gambling addiction.There is clear evidence of harm from consumers betting with money they do not have, so it is absolutely right that we act decisively to protect them."

Included in the new legislation will be a licence condition that all gambling operators participate in the GAMSTOP scheme and offer their customers the service from 31 March.

GAMSTOP is the UKs national online self-exclusion service, which up until now has seen companies in the gambling sector voluntarily sign-up.

Whately endorsed the new regulatory requirement that all sites offer the GAMSTOP option, stating: "I am confident that people who have taken the significant step to opt out of gambling will be well supported, alongside a wide range of other tools.

The National Lottery, as well as other lotteries with good causes approaches, will remain unaffected by the new ban on credit card payments.

That, say those behind the new legislation, is partly because refusing credit card payments would place too great a burden on retailers who offer lottery products as part of a wider shopping environment.

The ban is likely to be the second huge hit to gambling operators in less than a year after the government forced Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) to reduce their maximum stake 100 to just 2.

That resulted in huge profit hits in 2019 and many bookmakers have announced hundreds of high-street store closures.

A Democratic Senator in Nebraska is asking the states lawmakers to vote on a multi-pronged bill that could see poker defined as a game of skill enshrined in state law.

Omaha Senator Justin Wayne is seeking to have poker, fantasy sports and sportsbetting reclassified from games of chance, in a move that could eventually lead to the mostly gambling-free state offering its own gambling options.

While poker does have a random component in the cards that are dealt to participants, there is more skill than chance necessary for successful participation in a game where strategic decisions influence the other participants and, ultimately, the outcome of the game, states Wayne in his bill.

Tax revenues are also at the heart of the argument, with reports of 80% of Nebraskans crossing into Iowa for their poker and other gambling needs.

The World Series of Poker organisers have announced a Value Menu of bracelet events for this summers Vegas biggie.

This weeks announcement adds 25 events in the $400 to $1000 buy-in range to the WSOP schedule, with WSOP Vice President Jack Effel stating: Everyone loves good value and the WSOP has continued to enhance its offering to meet the demand at these meaningful price points.

He added: Delivering large prize pools, new players and exciting formats are core objectives of the WSOP and these 25 events are key to meeting this mandate.

.

View post:

UK Gamblers Banned From Using Credit Cards As Of April 14th - HighstakesDB

Ukraine’s parliament approves gambling bill at first reading – iGaming Business

Posted on by

Ukraines legislature has approved a bill that would legalise gambling in the country in its first reading, with 260 of the countrys 450 deputies voting in favour.

The bill, 2285-D, was introduced by Oleg Marusyak as one of six alternatives to the reforms submitted by the Servant of the People Party-led government in Parliament in October.

Eastern Europe-facing operator Parimatch hailed the bill's passing its first reading, noting that legal gambling could boost the Ukrainian economy.

"The adoption of Bill 2285-D in its first reading is the first step towards creating a fair and transparent gambling market, which will in turn attract investment and introduce new technology to the country," Parimatch said.

"Once legalised, the market will create thousands of jobs, contribute to both state and local budgets, lead to an increase in tourism, and will help to counter corruption in professional sports. Also, the increased tax revenues generated will provide much needed funds to support culture, medicine, and sports in Ukraine."

Marusyaks bill includes a lower licence fee for online gambling than any of the alternatives, at UAH6.7m (212,800/249,500/$277,300).

The bill also includes a minimum licence fee of UAH41.7m for casinos in hotels with 200-250 rooms and a fee of UAH62.6m for casinos in hotels with 250 or more rooms. These licence fees will track the countrys minimum wage to adjust for inflation.

The bill would determine bookmaking licences through a system where each licensee would have the rights to open 5 bookmaking shops. 32 bookmaking licences would be available in Kyiv, 16 between Ukraines other large cities of Odes and Kharkov and a further 32 in the rest of the country.

The number of gambling machines is limited to 40,000 and players must be 21 to gamble, an increase from 18, which it had been in an earlier version of the bill which did not pass when read in December.

In addition, it proposed a register for self-excluded players and the distribution of responsible gambling information to staff.

The bill will now face a second reading, before which further details - such as the tax rate on gambling - may be worked out for inclusion in the final bill.

"Deputies in Ukraine shoulder great responsibility when preparing the bill for its second reading, which must meet the highest international standards for legalizing the gambling industry," Parimatch said.

"Parimatch is open to dialogue and working with lawmakers as part of the finalization of the bill. We are happy to share our comprehensive global expertise and knowledge gained over the years operating as a successful, internationally focused and responsible gambling company."

If passed at the second reading, it will be presented to President Volodymyr Zelensky and if signed will become law. Zelensky has pushed for legal gambling in Ukraine, ordering a new gambling bill in the country in September 2019 and putting his support behind Oleg Marusyaks law in December when it went to an earlier vote.

Zelensky previously threatened to strictly enforce the countrys existing anti-gambling laws if a framework for legal gambling was not adopted.

See more here:

Ukraine's parliament approves gambling bill at first reading - iGaming Business

How to Win While Gambling Even if You’re Lazy – Lazy Gambling Tips – BestUSCasinos.org

Posted on by

Everyone has a lazy gambling habit. Call it a bare bones strategy, or call it what it isgambling without thinking too much.

Youre just in the game, not in it to win it. Maybe you need a break. Or maybe youre teaching the game to someone new But is lazy gambling always a bad thing?

In an ideal setting, you only gamble when youre fully alert and feeling great. But expecting to stay that way in a casino is like expecting a tire with a slow leak to last you for the next 1000 miles.

People fall back on this way of gambling with real money the way they fall back on spare tires. Itll carry the load for a while, but it wont get you far.

The best lazy gamblers know when to leave the game or start paying full attention again.

I personally think of lazy gambling as a step down from being fully engaged. It would be equivalent to using the autoplay feature for slots.

But without the opportunity to apply strategy, its still not the ideal example. When you decide to be a lazy gambler, you shouldnt just abdicate your options. You should still play strategically.

Lazy gambling is more of a style than a system. You pick and choose how you want to manage your game. And it isnt a strategy thats applicable for just any kind of game.

Keeping that in mind, theres no need to go all in. This is simply a way to unwind without completely walking away. Heres how to keep lazy gambling fun and prevent it from eating up your bankroll.

If you need to coast for a while, there isnt much point in betting the max. While its true the odds wont change because you change your bet, Im assuming you dont want to put much thought into the game for a while.

Despite your lazy gambling strategy, your money wont manage itself. Making minimum wagers is safer than dropping the max on every play.

Card counters do something like this anyway. If they believe the majority of cards left in the shoe are of low value, they cut back on their wagers.

If youre explaining a game to someone new, it wont matter if you lose with a minimum wager. Even new players feel comfortable with losing minimum bets.

If you tell your friend to put a bet on the pass line at the craps table, you can explain the game as its played. That bet usually wont vanish right away. By the same token, you can explain how the dont pass bets work on the next round.

The key to long-term success in blackjack is to know when to apply an exceptional rule. Bare bones strategy says you stand on 17 or higher and hit on 16 or lower.

Splitting aces should be obvious, but other opportunities require more thought. If you cant let an opportunity to split pass you by, then youre not in a lazy gambling mode.

Baccarat is made for lazy gambling. You can bet on the bank or player and the odds are close. You can also keep putting money on a tie, but that wont pay as often.

Lazy gambling in roulette favors the outside bets. The rule of thumb in lazy gambling is take as little risk as possible. But there is an exception to this rule of thumb.

If the game allows a player to make more than one wager at a time, adding a slightly less risky wager is okay. In roulette, that slightly less risky wager will be placed on one of the 12-number bets. In craps, you either take the odds or lay them.

Should you lay odds because you bet dont pass? Decide ahead of time how you want to hedge your bets. Some players only bet pass/dont pass and come/dont come. They ignore the odds and riskier bets with higher payoffs.

Since lazy gambling eschews the more complicated betting, your remaining leverage is in how much you wager. While dropping down to minimum bets is one way to ease up, its optional.

If youre only playing safe bets, then youre already playing the best probabilities and lowest odds. This is the time to ratchet up your wagers without having to think through every play.

The rule of thumb is simple. Safe bet + maximum wager = riskier bet + minimum wager.

All youre doing is simplifying the game for a little while. Its better to use the safe bet + maximum wager style. The house edge is at its lowest.

Thats admittedly a playing strategy. You cant dispense with strategy 100%. Lazy gambling trades off complex strategy for simpler play.

In some games, it wont matter much. In baccarat, it doesnt make a big difference if you bet on the player rather than the banker. In casino blackjack games, many beginners stand and hit by simple rules anyway, so if youre teaching the game to someone, youll probably start them out that way.

Once your friend is comfortable with the basics, you can dial it up again and start showing the more complex strategies.

When theres a crowd standing around the craps or roulette table, theres sure to be fun. Sharing a blackjack or baccarat table with four or five other people is very entertaining.

But if you want a break from the crowd, head over to the video consoles. In online gambling, its as simple as changing which game you play.

You play the video versions of table games at your own pace. You could play 400 to 600 hands of video blackjack or video poker every hour, or you can play one hand per minute. Its up to you.

Solo playing allows you to regain your focus. Some players favor the video versions of their favorite games to live groups. The gaming can be both relaxing and intense at the same time.

If the casino offers standard blackjack, sit at that table. If the casino offers European roulette, choose that variation.

The more rules and special features the casino adds to a game, the more likely theyre improving their edge.

If you havent studied the rule variations ahead of time, dont play the games.

If youre in a small casino and they dont pay 3:2 for blackjack, see if they have a video console that pays standard odds. Always pick the odds you know if youre going to gamble more passively.

If youre feeling adventurous, you can be a lazy gambler and try new games. Study the rules first. If you can decipher the rules quickly, its probably simple enough to play casually.

If you have to think about what youre doing to get the best possible payout, the game probably isnt a good match for lazy gambling.

In roulette, you only want to play a wheel with a single zero if you can get it. The fewer green slots, the better.

With blackjack, youll want the 3:2 table if there is one. Ive played 6:5 blackjack but not happily. Simpler play is less likely to frustrate you if the odds are good.

If youre going to play keno with real money, the lazy approach is to stick with the Pick 4 through Pick 7 games. I would choose Pick 5 or Pick 6 myself. The fewer numbers I have to match, the better. The higher the payout odds on any matches I make, the better.

Keno may have awful odds and probabilities, but some keno options are clearly better than others. And thats true even if you dont study the rules for whatever keno variant youre playing.

Again, this is not a strategy guide. Lazy gambling is a style of play that allows you to relax and think less about the game youre playing. You can continue to enjoy the game but also unwind a little.

Ive never spent an entire evening in lazy gambling mode, but Im sure some people do. Theres no shame in having a preferred style of play.

Following these rules for lazy gambling keeps the oops moments to a minimum, and youre less likely to make a major mistake. Any friends you introduce to gambling will appreciate your choices.

Read the rest here:

How to Win While Gambling Even if You're Lazy - Lazy Gambling Tips - BestUSCasinos.org

Betfred Owners Have Government Gambling Treatment Contracts – GamblingNews.com

Posted on by

The owners of Betfred have been criticized because of their ties to both the flagship British betting company and Health Assured, a company with multiple government contracts, some of which pertain to gambling treatment.

The names of Betfred owners Fred and Peter Done have been cited in a new development related to the treatment of gambling addicts, the Guardian reported. According to the newspaper, the brothers, who are also big Tory donors, have been making millions off the treatment of gambling addicts.

The pair are owners of Health Assured, which is a government-picked company tasked with the provision of health and well-being services to staff. Amid the dozens of contracts, several arrangements targeting the treatment of gambling addicts have surfaced prompting indignation.

According to The Guardians report the Dones have claimed 5.2 million in dividends from their health business so far. The newspaper also noted that the brothers have donated 375,000 to the Conservative Party since 2016.

A number of government officials and MPs have spoken against the arrangement, including Jon Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, who stated outright that the Dones brothers had an unacceptable conflict of interest, providing both betting products as well as treatment to vulnerable players.

The National Health System (NHS) chief, Claire Murdoch chimed in speaking of tokenism and hypocrisy, and that measures would need to be taken. According to The Guardians analysis, the services provided by Health Assured may be reaching tens of thousands of government employees as of this moment.

Murdoch urged players who experience issues with gambling to visit one of the newly set-up NHS clinics offering gambling problems help. Murdoch has also been vociferous in urging gambling companies to avoid trying to retain players who exhibit problem gambling issues.

In a recent letter addressed to gambling bosses, Murdoch said that she has seen first-hand the devastating effects that gambling addiction could have on mental and financial well-being. This view is also shared by Gambling Commission boss Arthur McNeil who just this week announced a credit cards gambling ban, citing concerns about the financial well-being of players.

Murdoch stressed on addiction in general, explaining that whatever the source of the addiction drugs, drinks or gambling should be addressed and be a national concern. Another critic, Ian Duncan Smith, who is the chair of a cross-party gambling group, said that it was cynical to both create a problem and try to amend it.

Betfred has been criticized on several other occasions as well. Last year, the company reportedly underestimated the pay it owed to employees and ended up underpaying without notifying staff members once the mistake was discovered.

In October, 2019, the company was slapped with a 322,000 fine by the UK Gambling Commission, after failing to meet money laundering norms. The company was also affected by the introduction of the fixed-odds sports betting terminals restrictions, with Betfred estimating that it might close down up to 500 shops.

Its worth noting, however that Betfred and Health Assured operate as completely separate businesses with no legal ties outside of their owners. Yet this detail has been enough to prompt criticism.

Originally posted here:

Betfred Owners Have Government Gambling Treatment Contracts - GamblingNews.com

How Betfred makes millions treating gambling addicts – The Week UK

Posted on by

The gambling industry is back under the spotlight after it was revealed that the bookmaker Betfreds owners make millions from a company that treats gambling addicts.

Following the news, the shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth, said the fact the company is simultaneously cashing in from betting and gambling addiction treatment is an unacceptable conflict of interest.

The owners of Betfred are the billionaires Fred and Peter Done. The Guardian has revealed that pair also own Health Assured.

That companys clients include multiple NHS trusts that treat gambling addicts from the public sector. Health Assureds website states that the NHS staff can access counselling for issues such as reckless behaviour, including excessive drinking or gambling.

The Dones have taken 5.2m in dividends from Health Assured in the past three years. They are also both Tory donors, handing 375,000 to the Conservative party since 2016.

The mental health chief of the NHS, Claire Murdoch, has written to the Gambling Commission to say the health service should not be left to pick up the pieces from gambling firms tactics to retain customers with addiction issues.

A government spokesperson said any public authority awarding a contract should also carry out its own thorough due diligence, including looking for conflicts of interest.

Health Assured said: All public sector contracts we have been awarded have thorough due diligence carried out before are they issued, including looking for conflicts of interest.

One of the UKs largest bookmakers, Betfred, has previously been criticised for its attitude to problem gambling and towards staff.

Last year, the gambling regulator weighed in after it introduced games that mimicked fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

Betfred, which had revenues of 728m last year, was accused of cheating on new rules after high-stakes roulette-style games were launched on the same day as restrictions on curbing fixed-odds betting terminals came into force.

The Guardian says the move was seen as an attempt to bypass a crackdown on the much-criticised machines.

For a round-up of the most important business stories and tips for the weeks best shares - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today

Read more from the original source:

How Betfred makes millions treating gambling addicts - The Week UK

Victorian mother accused of leaving son in hot car while gambling banned from visiting family home – 7NEWS.com.au

Posted on by

A mother accused of leaving her baby boy in a hot car has been banned from visiting the family home as her son remains in a critical condition in hospital.

32-year-old Kaija Millar is accused of locking her 14-month-old son, Easton, in the car while she played the pokies in Melbourne's south-west.

Victoria Police claim the infant was left in the Brook Hotel car park in Point Cook for more than two hours, as temperatures reached 33 degrees outside.

It's alleged she checked on the 14-month-old a number of times by peering in through the window.

Emergency services were called to a car parked near the Brook Hotel just after 3pm on Wednesday, finding a 14-month-old boy unresponsive and in critical condition.

A 32-year-old Gladstone Park woman was charged with negligently causing serious injury and reckless conduct endanger life, and was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on January 23.

She's now also been banned from returning to the family's Gladstone Park home.

Sources close to the family told 7NEWS the 32-year-old hid her gambling problem from her husband and friends.

More on 7NEWS.com.au

They say the woman drove more than 35km from her home in Melbourne's northwest to Point Cook to gamble up to three times a week.

Easton's father has remained by his son's bedside.

Read the original here:

Victorian mother accused of leaving son in hot car while gambling banned from visiting family home - 7NEWS.com.au

Bill on legalization of gambling in Ukraine passes its first reading – UNIAN

Posted on by

The relevant bill was backed by 260 MPs.

Photo from UNIAN

The relevant bill on state regulation of activities regarding the organization and conduct of gambling (No. 2285-d) was backed by 260 lawmakers with the required minimum being 226 votes, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Read alsoUkraine's budget may get almost US$189 mln from gambling legalization official

As UNIAN reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, to adopt a law on the legalization of gambling in Ukraine before December 1, 2019.

On October 18, 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers submitted the bill to the Rada.

On December 19, 2019, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, failed the vote on draft law No. 2285 in the first reading. The bill legalizes gambling in Ukraine and allows casinos to operate as part of five-star hotels only.

Following that, the Cabinet of Ministers ordered the police and the Tax Service of Ukraine to shut down gambling establishments operating under the guise of lotteries.

On January 3, 2020, lawmakers tabled a bill in parliament to amend the Tax Code of Ukraine to reduce the tax rate on gambling establishments' revenue from 18% to 10% of total income. What is more, it proposes that gambling winnings should be exempt from individual income and war taxes.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter

Read more:

Bill on legalization of gambling in Ukraine passes its first reading - UNIAN

Betfred owner linked to firm that advises people struggling with high debt – The Guardian

Posted on by

Fred Done, one of the billionaire Tory donors who owns bookmaker Betfred, also bankrolls a company that makes money advising people struggling with high debts, it has emerged.

MPs and campaigners raised fresh concerns about the Done familys business empire, a day after the Guardian revealed that brothers Fred and Peter Done own a company that provides services including gambling addiction counselling to the public sector.

Companies House filings reveal that Fred Done also invested 150,000 in Angel Advance, a debt management company set up in 2013 and part-owned by other members of the Done family.

Angel Advance derives its revenues from advising indebted people, some of whom pay the company a fee to negotiate reduced repayments with creditors on their behalf.

The website offers money saving tips, such as switching to a cheaper supermarket, cutting down on takeaways or renting a spare room to a lodger. The tips do not include stopping gambling.

Angel Advances website also advises customers in difficulty to contact the Samaritans if they are struggling to deal with debt.

A list of issues they might be facing includes job-related stress, alcohol or drug abuse and suicidal thoughts. It does not include problem gambling, despite the fact that betting addiction has been linked with elevated rates of suicide.

Labour MP Carolyn Harris voiced dismay that the Done family could profit from gambling, counselling for gambling addiction and debt management all at once.

They get paid when you gamble, they get paid when you seek help for it and they get paid when you try to clear your debts, she said.

Its about how they can make the most of the vulnerable and squeeze blood out of a stone. Its characteristic of the mentality of this industry.

Problem gambling has frequently been linked to high debt, including by industry regulator the Gambling Commission, which announced a ban on betting with credit cards earlier this month.

Last year, the Guardian reported on the case of a problem gambler who used nine credit cards to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds with online casinos, who she claimed ignored her obvious signs of a spiralling addiction.

Debt charity Step Change said people with gambling problems who seek its advice usually have more debts than those who dont, owing an average of 16,323 to eight creditors.

Citizens Advice said the number of people who have asked it for help because they owe money directly to a bookmaker has increased by 83% in two years.

Fresh revelations about the Done familys interests come a day after the Guardian revealed that brothers Fred and Peter, who are worth a combined 1.25bn and have given 375,000 to the Conservative party, also own Health Assured.

The business provides gambling counselling to staff who work at NHS trusts and in parliament, prompting an allegation of hypocrisy from NHS mental health chief, Claire Murdoch.

Both Harris and SNP MP Ronnie Cowan called on parliament to review its contract with the company.

Cowan said: For the UK parliament to contract them to provide support is beyond the pale.

To compound matters, for Fred Done to invest in a debt management firm after helping to drive so many people into debt beggars belief.

The Dones created the problem, then paid money to support the Tory party and then the Tory government uses taxpayers money to pay them to fix the problem they created. And we wonder why people dont trust politicians!

A spokesperson for Health Assured said people with gambling addiction problems accounted for less than 0.1% of telephone calls it received from its clients staff.

The management and directors of Health Assured and Betfred are also entirely separate and independent of each other, they added.

What is more, Health Assured has always been open, and provided full disclosure on ownership during tender processes and new contracts won have been secured on merit.

A spokesperson for the House of Commons and the House of Lords said: UK parliament is bound by strict procurement regulations. Our focus is to ensure high quality services and value for money for the tax payer. All contracts are reviewed regularly.

Marc Etches, chief executive of the leading betting addiction charity GambleAware, added his voice to concern about the Done familys overlapping business interests.

It is important that anyone who is experiencing gambling harms has access to appropriate support, he said.

However, this case understandably raises concerns about a potential conflict of interest.

Joanne Whittaker, a director of Angel Advance, said: The business is authorised and regulated by the FCA, who are aware of the make up of its ownership, and it is run completely independent of Betfred, with an entirely distinct and separate management structure.

Any clients receiving debt advice arising from gambling-related issues would receive appropriate signposting and help in accordance with our approved protocols and procedures.

Free help and advice about problem gambling is available online at BeGambleAware.org or by calling the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133

See more here:

Betfred owner linked to firm that advises people struggling with high debt - The Guardian

Call for Ireland to Ban Credit Cards in Online Gambling – European Gaming Industry News

Posted on by

Reading Time: < 1 minute

A betting industry lobby group has called for the Government to follow the UK and ban credit cards in online gambling.

Problem Gambling Ireland said the introduction of such a ban here could have a significant impact in tackling gambling debt.

Having a facility for people to gamble with money they dont have is extremely dangerous, Barry Grant, chief executive of Problem Gambling Ireland, said.

However, Mr. Grant said such a ban is unlikely to be introduced in Ireland until the countrys long-awaited independent gambling industry regulator is in place.

The UK Gambling Commission has said that, as of April 14, British-based punters will not be able to use credit cards to make bets or deposit money into online betting accounts.

The UK ban will apply to all online and offline gambling products, with the sole exception of over-the-counter lottery tickets.

Before Christmas, Mr. Grant described as absolutely shocking industry figures showing Irish punters gambled close to 10bn including more than 800m on lottery and scratch card products last year, making Ireland the seventh-highest gambling country in the world.

As a nation, we are developing an increasingly dysfunctional relationship with gambling, he said at the time. Research by the UKs betting regulator classes 22% of online gamblers, in the country, who use credit cards as problem gamblers.

The ban on credit card usage for UK gambling deposits likely represents a low single-digit percentage risk to related gaming revenues. The latest in a recent series of more onerous regulatory changes, it also acts as a further reminder that the UK opportunity is no longer what it once was, Davy analyst Michael Mitchell said.

Related

Read the rest here:

Call for Ireland to Ban Credit Cards in Online Gambling - European Gaming Industry News

Esports Entertainment unveils revamped gambling website with fresh content and features – Proactive Investors USA & Canada

Posted on by

The updates offer additional betting options such as fixed odds, fantasy and pool betting

Esports Entertainment Group Inc () has come out with an updated version of its esports gambling platform VIE.gg, complete with a suite of new features and device accessibility.

The updates giveplayers additional betting options such as fixed odds, fantasy and pool betting to complement its existing player-to-player wagering.

Theres a rush of new content available with real-time streaming and event coverage now part of the program, and the VIE website is now compatible with all major desktop, mobile and tablet devices.

"This is another major milestone for our company, CEO Grant Johnson said in a statement. This is our strongest release ever, with every new feature esports gambling enthusiasts could wish for in a platform. Combined with our unsurpassed transparency as a result of our status as a fully reporting public company, we believe VIE.gg is strongly positioned for success in 2020."

To make the upgrade happen, Malta-based Esports Entertainment partnered with Askott Entertainment, a company in Vancouver that has been building award-winning online betting and daily fantasy software since 2013.

Contact Andrew Kessel at [emailprotected]

Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel

More:

Esports Entertainment unveils revamped gambling website with fresh content and features - Proactive Investors USA & Canada

Exploring the Solar System Anew at the Hayden Planetarium – The New York Times

Posted on by

Worlds Beyond Earth is the first new space show at the American Museum of Natural History in more than six years, and if you havent been to a planetarium in a while, the experience is a bit like being thrown out of your own orbit.

Surrounded by brilliant colors, the viewer glides through space in all directions, unbound by conventional rules of orientation or vantage point. Dizzying spirals show the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. At one point, museumgoers are taken along a journey from the perspective of a comet.

In illustrating the far reaches of our solar system, the show draws on data from seven sets of space missions from NASA, Europe and Japan, including the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, which was the fourth to deliver astronauts to the moon, and still-active ones like Voyager. Museum members will get an early look at the show, which runs about 25 minutes and is narrated by the actress Lupita Nyongo, during previews this weekend. It opens to the public on Tuesday. (The museums current planetarium show, Dark Universe, ends its run on Jan. 16.)

Vivian Trakinski, a producer on the show, said that the idea for Worlds Beyond Earth came from the abundance of data collected on the solar system. If the raw information is not necessarily new, the show brings together separate sources in an engaging, accessible way that should appeal to adults and to children hearing about other planets for the first time (although very young children might be overwhelmed).

Advances in visualization have allowed photographic data from space to be mosaicked to create an immersive simulation of celestial bodies across the solar system and across time. The imagery is not pure photography but a form of visual effects. Trakinski likens the process to making a climate model.

Story-wise, the movie, drawing on the field of comparative planetology, is constructed as a voyage to the far reaches of the system to Titan, Saturns almost Earth-like moon, courtesy of the Cassini spacecraft; to the environs of Jupiter and back. And in those travels, past debris and moonlets, the movie illustrates the fragility of Earth, which is positioned on a razors edge of habitability.

We have all these processes that are similar, we have magnetic fields, we have volcanoes, we have atmospheres, we have gravity, said Denton Ebel, the geologist who curated the show. And these processes lead to this huge diversity of outcomes. Ebel, who runs the Hall of Meteorites at the museum and is the chairman of the museums division of physical sciences, is the first non-physicist to curate a space show there.

Planetary science, particularly for places like the moon and Mars, is no longer done with telescopes, Ebel said. We have rovers that are analyzing rocks the same way wed do it in a laboratory here. So its geology.

The presentation shows the frightening fortunes that might have befallen Earth. Mars is held up as a frozen desert a failed Earth. Venus, scorched by solar wind, with a surface that could melt lead, is seen as an object lesson in global warming taken to the extreme.

With a sense of movement and scale that only a visual presentation could convey, Worlds Beyond Earth makes an unforced point about the dangers of climate change. Another celestial body might have an alien sea that contains more liquid water than all the oceans on Earth, as Nyongo narrates. But Earth itself, she adds later, is the only place with the right size, the right location and the right ingredients an easy balance to upset.

The director, Carter Emmart, a specialist in astro-visualization who worked at NASA Ames Research Center before joining the museum in 1998, said that a planetarium show is a natural format to browse and really see these places in a relaxed environment. This is the fruit of the missions, during which astronauts are often occupied with mechanical and safety issues.

But when I saw Worlds Beyond Earth in a not-quite-complete version last week, I was also struck by how it harnessed cutting-edge moviemaking techniques. It uses a high frame rate that is, the number of images shown per second, which here is 60 instead of the cinematic 24 to create a smooth sense of motion, and it has an almost bewildering complexity of angles and viewpoints. Emmart said that much time was spent selecting what he called the flight paths that viewers will be sent on.

He also said that it is the first new space show to take advantage of the high dynamic range essentially the spectrum between the brightest whites and the deepest blacks of the planetariums latest projection system.

That means that the loneliness of Earth amid a vast sea of darkness will be on full display.

Worlds Beyond Earth

Opens Jan. 21 (member previews are Jan. 18-20) at the American Museum of Natural Historys Hayden Planetarium, Central Park West, Manhattan; 212-769-5100, amnh.org.

Link:

Exploring the Solar System Anew at the Hayden Planetarium - The New York Times

Ethereum 2.0: The One Tech Upgrade With The Biggest Potential Impact On The Crypto Space – Benzinga

Posted on by

We rarely make a big deal about crypto tech upgrades. We dissect them. We run them through our technology model. And we give you our objective analysis. Period.

But this is an exception. Ethereum 2.0 is now finally moving forward in a substantive way, and its slated to have far-reaching consequences not just for Ether itself, but for virtually the entire crypto space.

Reason: Ethereum (ETH) remains, far and away, the worlds most popular smart-contract platform.

Its where thousands of projects reside. And its the platform where folks all over the world are scrambling to build the virtual economy of the future.

The Ethereum network is so popular, in fact, that its routinely overloaded. Transaction times become agonizingly slow. Transaction fees become exorbitantly expensive. And its mostly been this way since 2017 a chronic ailment that challenges the best minds.

Bad news? Not entirely. Developers and sponsors of other, competing smart-contract platforms often wish they could have the same disease.

Chronic congestion on the Ethereum network signals vast and growing worldwide adoption, arguably the single most important factor in the long-term success of any cryptocurrency.

But the big disparity we see between popularity and practicality cannot last forever. Ethereum users can only put up with annoying network congestion for so long before they start looking for alternatives.

Thats what has given rise to the likes of Cardano (ADA), EOS (EOS), Tezos (XTZ), and others, all promising to be new and improved versions of Ethereum.

Would any of them make sense if Ethereum was already the fastest and cheapest smart contract platform on the planet? Probably not.

This is one reason why Ethereum 2.0 is such a big deal. If it works, it could seriously throw into question the raison dtre of wannabe Ethereum killers that have staked their futures on knocking the worlds No. 1 smart-contact crypto off its perch.

Why? Because according to Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, when Version 2.0 is fully implemented, the time required to confirm a transaction will drop from minutes to a meager three to six seconds about as long as it takes to swipe a credit card.

Two major upgrades in the Ethereum code would make this possible.

Remember: A blockchain is a database. And as the name implies, the databaseis made up of a chain of blocks. Each block records a batch of transactions. And each block is linked to the next block in the chain in chronological order.

The problem: If theres just one single blockchain on which ALL transactions must be recorded, it can create a massive traffic jam.

Imagine a single-lane superhighway with new traffic trying to ramp in from all sides. One obvious way of solving the problem: Build more lanes. In other words, run a bunch of parallel blockchains at the same time. Each shares its work across the group.

Easy to say. Not so easy to do. And Ethereum is not the only one dealing with this issue. Other crypto projects have also been looking for solutions along these lines. They have a main blockchain. Then, they create a series of sidechains to share the work load. Think of it as a main highway flanked by side roads.

Can this boost speed? Sure. But its still a fundamentally flawed design because the sidechains all have feed into the main blockchain, which effectively creates a new bottleneck. Whats worse, each sidechain has its own tokens, rules and validators. So, things can get too darn complicated.

Ethereum 2.0 does things differently; it uses a process called sharding.

Forget the super highways and the side roads for a moment. Instead, walk over to a giant, disorganized library so big and disorganized that it could take you years to find a single book. One possible solution: Assign each floor of the library to a single broad topic. Assign each row of bookcases to a subtopic. And then line all the books up alphabetically by author.

This is akin to sharding in the world of databases, with each shard representing one piece thats ultimately interconnected with every other piece. And its not entirely new: Sharding is already a technique that tech giants routinely use to expand their massive databases.

Until now, only a few crypto development teams Cardano, Hashgraph and now, Ethereum have even figured out how this might be done in theory. None of them has actually implemented it in the real world.

The big news: Ethereum 2.0 may soon become the very first to do so.

One of the key reasons Ethereum has not been able to scale up to meet booming demand was that it essentially copied Bitcoins Proof-of-Work approach.

With Proof of Work, miners compete to solve a complex cryptographic puzzle. Then the winner gets to write a new block of transactions to the blockchain and claim the reward for doing so. This mining requires faster and faster computers, consumes massive amounts of electricity and ... takes TIME!

But in Version 2.0, Ethereum is slated to switch from the sluggish Proof-of-Work method to a much faster and efficient Proof-of-Stake approach.

Its kind of like a lottery system. If youre participating on Ethereum 2.0, each token you hold (ETH) resembles a lottery ticket. The more tokens you have, the better your chances of being chosen to write a new block to the blockchain and claim the reward.

Again, this is nothing new. Second- and third-generation blockchains already use Proof of Stake and do so pretty successfully. But Ethereum 2.0 adds some valuable new wrinkles.

All very exciting! But dont expect instant gratification. Upgrading a public open blockchain especially one as popular as Ethereum is an epic undertaking, akin to overhauling motorcycle engines while careening down the highway.

In fact, its so difficult that legions of skeptics have famously doubted Ethereum 2.0 could ever be implemented. Now, however ...

Ethereum developers have finally revealed their roadmap to Version 2.0, and its remarkably elegant in its simplicity.

The main idea: The existing Ethereum network wont actually be upgraded at all. Instead, Ethereum 1.0 will continue as before. And developers will release the first iteration of Version 2.0 right alongside it.

None of the current Ethereum users will get a black eye if they decide not to switch. Meanwhile, as the overhauls are implemented and refined, the original Ethereum will be gradually phased out.

Check out Weiss Crypto Ratings and Indexes:https://www.benzinga.com/cryptocurrency/weiss-crypto-ratings/ https://www.benzinga.com/cryptocurrency/weiss-crypto-indexes/

Image Sourced from Pixabay

See the article here:

Ethereum 2.0: The One Tech Upgrade With The Biggest Potential Impact On The Crypto Space - Benzinga

EOS, Ethereum and Ripples XRP Daily Tech Analysis 17/01/20 – Yahoo Finance

Posted on by

EOS

EOS rose by 1.94% on Thursday. Reversing a 0.67% fall from Wednesday, EOS ended the day at $3.8367.

A bearish start to the day saw EOS slide from an early high $3.7961 to an early morning intraday low $3.5216.

EOS fell through the first major support level at $3.5756 before rallying to a late afternoon intraday high $3.9485.

Coming up against the first major resistance level at $3.9469, EOS slipped back to $3.8 levels to limit the upside on the day.

At the time of writing, EOS was down by 1.49% to $3.7797. A bearish start to the day saw EOS fall from an early morning high $3.8463 to a low $3.7536.

EOS left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

EOS would need to move back through to $3.80 levels to support a run at the first major resistance level at $4.0163.

Support from the broader market would be needed for EOS to breakout from Thursdays high $3.9485.

Barring a broad-based crypto rebound, however, EOS would likely come up short of $3.90 levels on the day.

In the event of a rebound, Thursdays high $3.9485 and first major resistance level would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move back through to $3.80 levels would see EOS struggle throughout the day.

A fall back through the morning low $3.7536 would bring the first major support level at $3.5894 into play before any recovery.

Barring an extended sell-off, however, EOS should steer clear of the second major support level at $3.3420.

Major Support Level: $3.5894

Major Resistance Level: $4.0163

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $6.62

38% FIB Retracement Level: $9.76

62% FIB Retracement Level: $14.82

Ethereum fell by 1.41% on Thursday. Reversing a 0.33% gain from Wednesday, Ethereum ended the day at $163.93.

Tracking the broader market, Ethereum fell from an early morning intraday high $167.28 to an early intraday low $158.17.

Steering clear of the major resistance levels, Ethereum fell through the first major support level at $159.55.

Finding support through the day, Ethereum recovered to $165 levels before sliding back into the red.

At the time of writing, Ethereum was down by 0.39% to $163.29. A mixed start to the day saw Ethereum strike an early morning high $164.87 before falling to a low $162.01.

Ethereum left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

Story continues

Ethereum would need to move back through to $164 levels to support a run at the first major resistance level at $168.08.

Support from the broader market would be needed for Ethereum to breakthrough Thursdays high $167.28.

Barring a broad-based crypto rebound, however, resistance at $167 would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move back through to $164 levels could see Ethereum spend the day in the red.

A fall back through the morning low $162.01 would bring the first major support level at $158.97 into play.

Barring an extended crypto sell-off, however, Ethereum should steer of sub-$158 levels on the day.

Major Support Level: $158.97

Major Resistance Level: $168.08

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $257

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $367

62% FIB Retracement Level: $543

Ripples XRP fell by 1.99% on Thursday. Following on from a 0.06% decline on Wednesday, Ripples XRP ended the day at $0.22888.

A bearish start to the day saw Ripples XRP slide from an intraday high $0.23492 to an early morning intraday low $0.22120.

Steering clear of the major resistance levels, Ripples XRP fell through the first major support level at $0.2251.

Finding support through the remainder of the day, Ripples XRP recovered to $0.23 levels before easing back into the deep red.

At the time of writing, Ripples XRP was down by 0.63% to $0.22744. A mixed start to the day saw Ripples XRP rise to an early morning high $0.22937 before falling to a low $0.22633.

Ripples XRP left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

Ripples XRP will need to move back through to $0.2285 levels to support a run at the first major resistance level at $0.2355.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Ripples XRP to break back through to $0.23 levels.

Barring a broad-based crypto rebound, resistance at $0.23 would likely leave Ripples XRP short of the first major resistance level at $0.2355.

In the event of a rebound, the first major resistance level and Thursdays high $0.23492 would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move back through to $0.2285 levels could see Ripples XRP fall further back.

A fall back through the morning low $0.22633 would bring the first major support level at $0.2217 into play.

Barring a crypto meltdown, however, Ripples XRP should steer of the second major support level at $0.2146.

Major Support Level: $0.2217

Major Resistance Level: $0.2355

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $0.3638

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $0.4800

62% FIB Retracement Level: $0.6678

Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

Thanks, Bob

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

Link:

EOS, Ethereum and Ripples XRP Daily Tech Analysis 17/01/20 - Yahoo Finance

EOS, Ethereum and Ripples XRP Daily Tech Analysis 16/01/20 – Yahoo Finance

Posted on by

EOS

EOS fell by 0.67% on Wednesday. Following a 22.09% rally from Tuesday, EOS ended the day at $3.7647.

A mixed start to the day saw EOS strike an early morning intraday high $3.9400 before hitting reverse.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $4.1995, EOS fell to a mid-morning intraday low $3.5687.

Steering clear of the first major support level at $3.2453, EOS recovered to $3.8 levels before falling back to $3.6 levels.

Finding support late, however, EOS moved back through to $3.7 levels to limit the loss on the day.

At the time of writing, EOS was down by 4.79% to $3.5845. A bearish start to the day saw EOS fall from an early morning high $3.7961 to a low $3.5216.

Steering clear of the major resistance levels, EOS fell through the first major support level at $3.5756.

EOS would need to move back through to $3.76 levels to support a run at the first major resistance level at $3.9469.

Support from the broader market would be needed for EOS to move back through this mornings high $3.7961.

Barring another broad-based crypto rebound, however, EOS would likely come up short of the morning high.

In the event of a rebound, Wednesdays high $3.94 and first major resistance level would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move back through to $3.76 levels would see EOS struggle throughout the day.

A fall back through the first major support level at $3.5756 would bring sub-$3.5 levels into play before any recovery.

Barring an extended sell-off, however, EOS should steer clear of the second major support level at $3.3865.

Major Support Level: $3.5756

Major Resistance Level: $3.9469

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $6.62

38% FIB Retracement Level: $9.76

62% FIB Retracement Level: $14.82

Ethereum rose by 0.33% on Wednesday. Following on from a 15.51% rally on Tuesday, Ethereum ended the day at $166.29.

A mixed start to the day saw Ethereum strike an early morning intraday high $172.18 before hitting reverse. Falling short of the first major resistance level at $176.56, Ethereum fell to a mid-morning intraday low $159.13.

Steering clear of the first major resistance level at $149.20, Ethereum recovered to $168 levels before a fall back to an afternoon low $160.35.

Finding late support, however, Ethereum moved back through to $166 levels and into the green.

At the time of writing, Ethereum was down by 3.37% to $160.68. A bearish start to the day saw Ethereum slide from an early morning high $167.28 to a low $158.17.

Steering clear of the major resistance levels, Ethereum fell through the first major support level at $159.55.

Story continues

Ethereum would need to move back through to $166 levels to support a run at the first major resistance level at $172.60.

Support from the broader market would be needed for Ethereum to break through the morning high $167.28.

Barring a broad-based crypto rebound, however, resistance at $170 would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move back through to $166 levels could see Ethereum spend the day in the red.

A fall back through the first major support level at $159.55 would bring the second major support level at $152.82 into play.

Barring an extended crypto sell-off, however, Ethereum should avoid a return to the morning low $158.17.

Major Support Level: $159.55

Major Resistance Level: $172.60

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $257

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $367

62% FIB Retracement Level: $543

Ripples XRP fell by 0.06% on Wednesday. Following a 10.68% rally from Tuesday, Ripples XRP ended the day at $0.23360.

Tracking the broader market, Ripples XRP fell from an early morning high $0.24233 to a mid-morning intraday low $0.22546.

Steering clear of the major support and resistance levels, Ripples XRP bounced back to an early afternoon intraday high $0.24285.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $0.2484, Ripples XRP fell back to $0.23 levels to end the day in the red.

At the time of writing, Ripples XRP was down by 4.41% to $0.2233. A bearish start to the day saw Ripples XRP fall from an early morning high $0.23492 to a low $0.22120.

Steering clear of the major resistance levels, Ripples XRP fell through the first major support level at $0.2251.

Ripples XRP will need to move back through to $0.2340 levels to support a run at the first major resistance level at $0.2425.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Ripples XRP to break back through to $0.23 levels.

Barring a broad-based crypto rebound, resistance at $0.23 would likely leave Ripples XRP short of the first major resistance level at $0.2425.

In the event of a rebound, Wednesdays high $0.24285 and first major resistance level would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move back through to $0.23 levels could see Ripples XRP fall further back.

A fall back through the first major support level at $0.2251 would bring sub-$0.22 levels into play.

Barring a crypto meltdown, however, Ripples XRP should steer of the second major support level at $0.2166

Major Support Level: $0.2251

Major Resistance Level: $0.2425

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $0.3638

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $0.4800

62% FIB Retracement Level: $0.6678

Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

Thanks, Bob

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

Link:

EOS, Ethereum and Ripples XRP Daily Tech Analysis 16/01/20 - Yahoo Finance

Here Is Why Dips In Ethereum Could Be A Trap By The Bulls – newsBTC

Posted on by

Ethereum rallied towards $170 and bitcoin jumped towards $9,000 before starting a downside correction. However, dips in ETH price remains supported near $158 and $155.

Yesterday, we saw a strong rise in Ethereum above the $160 resistance and bitcoin above $8,500 against the US Dollar. ETH price traded to a new 2020 high near $172 before it faced a strong selling interest.

Later, there was a downside correction and the price declined below the $165 support. Moreover, there was a break below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $143 swing low to $172 high.

The price even broke the $162 support and tested the $160 region. An initial support on the downside is near the $158 level. It coincides with the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $143 swing low to $172 high.

More importantly, there is a major declining channel forming with resistance near $165 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. Therefore, there are chances that Ethereum might follow the declining channel and slide towards the $158 and $155 support levels.

Ethereum Price

The main support is now near $155 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. Besides, the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $143 swing low to $172 high is near $155.

As mentioned, the $155 area is a crucial support. As long as ETH price is above the $155 level, the bulls are likely to remain in action. On the upside, an initial resistance is near the $164 level.

The main resistance is near the $165 zone and the channel upper trend line. A clear break above the channel resistance is likely to set the pace for more gains in the coming sessions. The next hurdles are near $170-$172, above which Ethereum is likely to climb towards the $180 zone.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD The MACD for ETH/USD is slowly gaining momentum in the bearish zone.

Hourly RSI The RSI for ETH/USD is currently below the 50 level, with a few negative signs.

Major Support Level $155

Major Resistance Level $165

Read more:

Here Is Why Dips In Ethereum Could Be A Trap By The Bulls - newsBTC