Gambling in the U.K. may have finally peaked after years of strong growth. The U.K. Gambling Commission has announced that the number of people playing gambling games is the same as it was last year. They surveyed 8000 people and found that 8.8% of the people polled had gambled either on a computer, phone, or interactive television in the month of June. That was the same percentage as it was last year.

This comes as a surprised considering the media blitz that people in the U.K. have been experiencing over the last 11 months. New legislation allowed easier accessibility to online casinos, and allowed them to advertise on television. It was expected that a large rate increase would be the result of these new laws, but the only increase came in the number of women playing. It rose from 6% in 2007, to 6.5% for the same month in 2008.

Many players have difficulty fully trusting an online software program. It’s a common issue with online players, so someone has decided to offer action that eliminates the possibility of crooked software. They are offering action with live dealers that players can watch as they play their games.

The live dealers will increase the feel of real casino gaming for the players, and Michele Guarino, CEO of 1 Gaming says “We believe that live dealer-dealt online casinos are a natural progression from traditional RNG (Random Number Generator) casinos, as technological developments and improvement of consumer broadband speeds now enable high quality live video streaming.”

The games are broadcast from the Fitzwilliam Casino, which uses Distance Gaming technology to present the action. So far feedback has been tremendous, and the online gaming industry could experience a big change over the next couple of years as popularity for this type of action grows.

Bill HR 6663 is a new bill created by US Congressman Pete Sessions that is designed to bring clarity to the existing online gaming situation in the US. It also promises to grant immunity to all the companies that left the US market after the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act. This bill will specifically target organizations that provide sports betting. This form of gaming is considered particularly harmful because of the effect it could have on amateur sports.

So it looks like the new fight may be cut back to just sports betting. That would make online poker and online casinos legal. The companies that complied with the UIGEA regulations and stopped offering US action would no longer face any legal charges. Sessions has introduced Bill 6663 with the support of three respected Congressmen: Jesse Jackson Jr. from Illinois, Marion Berry of Arkansas, and Bill Delahunt from Massachusetts.

When it comes to choosing a casino, it largely depends on what type of action you’re looking for. Right?

If I had to choose between online action, Fremont St. action, and mega resort poker action I would have to say that the big poker rooms in the mega resorts are the best. The Fremont St experience is cool for a couple of sessions, but if you want a particular type of action you’ll find what you’re looking for in the mega resort rooms. Fremont St. poker rooms are limited, and you won’t always find the action that’s right for your bankroll.

You’ll find the action that you’re looking for online every time, but the online game cannot compare to the live action in a Vegas poker room. It may be easier to play online, but nowhere near as exciting as playing a game at a mega resort poker room like the ones at the Bellagio or the Wynn. It all comes down to going where the action is.