Christmas Shopping for that Special Gamer

As the holidays quickly approach the question a lot of people are asking themselves are "What can I get for my favorite gaming aficionado?" Well, there are several places you can go without hopping on a plane and heading to your favorite gift shop in Las Vegas.

The Gambler's Book Shop, (www.gamblersbook.com) in Las Vegas, offers thousands of books for the gaming enthusiast. Titles range from "How to Play Blackjack" to Sportbetting to the Mob and Las Vegas. They also offer an array of casino game software and instructional videos.

Poker Products (Pokerproducts.com) is another unique website that focuses in the Thursday Night poker player. They offer everything and anything relating to poker. One can order playing cards from casinos, poker chips, and even complete poker tables. Check out their "HOT DEALS" page for quick and impressive gift ideas.

You also order instructional videos on Blackjack, Craps, Bingo and the Lottery from Casino City (Casinocity.com)

Still unsure? How about a magazine subscription? Gaming Online Magazine, a bi-monthly magazine for Online Gaming fans, runs stories and articles about the do's and don'ts of the Online Casino market. Then there's Casino Player, one of the largest magazines for the casino aficionado.

How about videos? Every gambling video library isn't complete without the movies CASINO; OCEANS ELEVEN; VIVA LAS VEGAS (with none other than Elvis); the GODFATHER (Parts I & II); THE GAMBLER (with James Caan, not Kenny Rogers); THE GRIFTERS; ROUNDERS; James Bond's DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER; INDECENT PROPOSAL; and of course any movie starring Nicholas Cage- HONEYMOON IN VEGAS [see Cage get married in Vegas]; CON AIR [see Cage blow up Vegas]; LEAVING LAS VEGAS [see Cage drunk in Vegas]; and SNAKE EYES [see Cage in Atlantic City].

Have those? How about some documentaries? You can get documentaries on Casinos to Wayne Newton to a History of Las Vegas. Many casino websites offer gift ideas and merchandise. You can even get Atlantic City and Las Vegas versions of monopoly.

So don't panic and try to hop that flight to Vegas for gifts. Try these ideas and websites and let Santa come to you.

Multi-Coin Multi-Line Slots
Hit Mississippi Casinos

GULFPORT, MS -- /CasinoWire/ -- Mississippi gamblers next year can expect more video slot machines with high-resolution graphics and elaborate story lines.

New video devices are being tested for licensing by the Mississippi Gaming Commission. These include the latest versions of lower denomination, multi-line, multi-coin machines that were popularized in Australia and brought to the United States by Australia-based Aristocrat and WMS Industries of Chicago.

"The multi-coin, multi-line phenomena is here," says Steven Zanella, vice president of slots for Beau Rivage. "You're going to have a heavy, heavy amount of video product on the slot floor... At least 80 percent of the floor will be a video product. Right now we're at about 30 percent."

High-resolution graphics, animated story lines, and bonus features are intended to keep slot players glued to the machines. Zanella says that slot players are demanding, and have come to expect the latest in new game technology. However, Zanella concedes that the new devices are not likely to replace the highly popular video poker and reel games such as Double and Triple Diamonds and Sizzling 7s.