With all of the success of 21 at the box office ($46 million US and counting) makes me believe that there may be a whole new wave of casino movies that are about to bombard us. Not to mention all the people who think that they can beat the system by crowding the tables in Vegas.

Sure it all looks easy with a simple card counting scenario. Fortunately for the casinos it’s not that easy or they would all be shut down by now. Statistically, the house has the edge in almost every game. It is also an industry dedicated to catching the cheats and Las Vegas is at the leading edge of high-tech surveillance technology.

When it comes to what these movies can teach us it’s basically nothing. Sure it can give you pointers on how to look “cool” or what “cool” things to say when you’re playing the game but that’s about it. No one has yet to pull off a scam that they’ve seen work in a casino movie. My best advice is, if you saw it done in a movie you have to re-think your approach.

In October of 2006 the United States initiated the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. This act prevents financial companies from transferring funds back and forth from U.S. online players and the different gaming companies they play at. (with exception of online lotteries, “fantasy sports” and horse racing). This basically means that the U.S. market is completely closed from foreign gaming operations.

Currently the European Union has taken the steps to join Antigua, the popular Caribbean tourist island, in the fight for gambling. Antigua initially challenged the U.S. last year at the time of the signing of the UIGEA. Compensation is being sought after due to the losses in the U.S. market and it is being said that the U.S. violated a treaty that is held under international trade laws. Both groups are now seeking compensation for losses in the U.S. market regarding online gambling.

With so many gambling companies experiencing such large profit losses, many are waiting and watching for this case to come to a close to see exactly what will come of the U.S. ban. The World Trade Organization, the group who overseas international disputes in terms of trade has extended this case until December.

Here’s a list of some online poker websites that allow players from the U.S. to join:

-PokerStars
-Bodog
-Full Tilt Poker
-Absolute
-Poker.com
-Ultimate Bet
-Doyle’s Room

Sin City can leave you feeling like you’re a big winner, or it can make you feel like you’ve been robbed. Apparently the roulette table isn’t the only place where you can become a victim in Vegas. The city now has the nation’s highest car theft rate, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, knocking off the three-year champion – Modesto, CA. (Read the latest on these stats in the Insurance Journal, “Las Vegas Area Tops National List for Stolen Cars“)

I can understand why this happened. Most of the western U.S. is car theft central. The top ten cities with the most stolen cars per capita are all western cities, with cities in Arizona and Nevada being the most eastern of the ten. According to authorities, a quarter of these cars are stolen by professional thieves to supply huge chop shop rings based out California. The rest of the stolen cars are lifted by joy riders and people trying to get out of Vegas.

There were 22,441 cars stolen in Sin City last year. That equals out to a rate of 1,311 stolen for every 100,000 people. Slightly more cars were stolen the year before in 2005, when thieves made away with 22,465 of them. Over the last few years Vegas has been climbing from third to second and now has reached first in 2007. Authorities say that the large amount of parking garages and parking lots contributes to more cars being stolen.

The city does not like this new label and local authorities are taking action against the car thieves. Anti-theft programs like public awareness campaigns and the planting of “bait cars” (which can lead police deep into the theft ring) are being employed by Vegas Police to deal with the issue.

This isn’t a big issue to most of us that usually only visit Vegas. But the next time I rent a convertible in Reno so I can cruise into Vegas with Elvis’ version of Viva Las Vegas cranked on the CD player, I’ll make sure I pay the extra bucks for the theft insurance.

You can’t get your car stolen while playing at an online casino.

When it comes to shopping, Vegas has got it all. The great places to shop are as numerous as porn flyers on the sidewalk of the Strip. If your significant other isn’t into gambling you might want to keep a close eye on her, because the malls can bleed your bankroll faster than the tables.

Every big hotel has a shopping mall of some type. The Strip can assuage all your shopping desires if you’re willing to pay top price. The Fashion Show Mall gets over 10 million customers per year and includes Saks, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Neiman Marcus, just to name a few. The Grand Canal Shops give the shopper a “Streetmosphere” as patrons walk on sidewalks that have live performers and numerous shops around every corner. The Paris-themed Le Boulevard at Paris Las Vegas is close to the casino and is one fine boutique after another. Numerous restaurants make this one of the best places to have lunch in the entire city.

Off the Strip can be a different story. There are some shops in town that won’t make you go broke in just one day. The Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas are located 40 miles south in Primm, Nevada, and provide a relaxing atmosphere with over 100 shops to choose from. The food court is top-notch and there is a Gamezone Arcade to keep the kids busy while you shop. If you’re downtown, the Las Vegas Premium Outlets has over 435,000 square feet of shopping that offers savings between 25 and 65 percent. Stores range from higher end like Polo Ralph Lauren to mid-priced stores like Levi’s and Eddy Bauer. Canopies are plentiful, but remember to drink water in the desert heat.

A town like Vegas also produces specialty shops that one would have difficulty finding in most cities. Ron Lee’s World of Clowns, the Manilow Store, the Psychic Eye Book Shop, and Serge’s Showgirl Wigs are just a few of the outrageous selection of shops for the offbeat tastes. If you search for it you can find just about anything in this town; just remember to leave enough room in your suitcase for all the stuff you’re taking back home.

Read this article on “Best of Vegas: Best of Shopping” for more great shopping ideas!

It seems as though every second movie is being made in Vegas right now. Gambling has never been so popular with celebrities and tourists alike and the poker boom has turned everyday Joe into a Vegas fan overnight. The rich and famous are flocking to the Palms in droves to party and to be where the action is. This makes for a desirable location for actors and producers to shoot films.

The city has always been a cool setting for a flick because the city of Las Vegas is as hip as you can find. Any story plot with temptation, greed, lust, ambition, or just about any other desire you can think of can be well situated in Sin City. The town has so much history and attitude surrounding it that it’s become the world’s ultimate adult playground.

Movies and Vegas have been a good mix for longer than most people think. There have been over a hundred pictures made in Las Vegas and surrounding areas since as far back as 1936. In 1997 there were 21 motion pictures filmed in Vegas, including blockbusters like “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” and “Con Air”.

Lake Meade and the desert offer many different settings for the moviemaker. It’s central location to these and other attractions like the Grand Canyon and Sierra Nevada mountains offer up multiple settings within a close proximity. The short distance between Las Vegas and Southern California makes for easy trips home for most celebrities while they’re making a film there. The weather is another thing that producers can depend on, being sunny and clear most days of the year.

Las Vegas is a city that’s run by constantly trying to get bigger and better. It will continue to be the premier destination for opulence and desire, and therefore moviemakers will continue to use this setting to sell movie tickets. We all want to be where the action is; it looks like Hollywood wants to be there too.