Online Gambling Winners, Losers & No-Longer-In-Business: 2011 Edition

Real-Time Live Gaming Takes Off Led by Google and Bwin
Most players are used to selecting an avatar when they gamble on the internet. However, 2011 was the year in which a lot of casinos and poker sites moved away from that trend and enabled players to be their real selves at the tables.
The live gambling idea took off with projects involving live dealers, where players were able to see a dealer deal their hands in real time to enhance the realism of the gaming experience. Now, online gambling sites allow players to use their own webcams to see one another and engage in a more realistic experience.
Bwin Party and Google are early starters in this venture, and their joint site Aces Hangout is their shot at this form of gaming. This site is expected to provide tough competition to Zynga, the owner of the most popular app on Facebook: Texas Hold’em.