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Elvis Presley

A new album featuring Elvis Presley songs inspired by the Cirque du Soleil Viva Elvis show in Las Vegas is set to be released in November, this year. The album, Viva Elvis will feature some of Elvis’ biggest hits, including “Suspicious Minds” and Blue Suede Shoes” in an all-new, “postmodern” context. Adam Block, the Senior Vice President of Legacy Recordings, which will release the album, has suggested that Viva Elvis offers “a tantalizing musical experience”, noting that the album is “so creative and so contemporary” that it will appear to both new and old fans of the King. The album will feature Elvis’ own vocals, put to new backing tracks that will incorporate rockabilly, hip-hop and garage rock, as well as other diverse musical styles.

However, while fans are eagerly awaiting the forthcoming Viva Elvis album, the Cirque du Soleil show which the record has stemmed from, hasn’t proven a huge hit with Elvis aficionados. A recent review on the Bloomberg website gave the Las Vegas show just one star out of five, suggesting the performance “gets smothered in sentimental hooey and flabbergasting kitsch”. While we tipped Viva Elvis as a potential hit with fans in our article, What Happened to Elvis Presley’s Casino??, we also noted that Presley fans in Las Vegas have been yearning for a large style Elvis attraction – such as a casino resort. Given that a 2010 Presley revival is currently underway there wouldn’t be a better time to begin work on a new, and hopefully successful, Elvis tribute in Sin City.

Barney Frank

Barney Frank’s online gambling bill has been scheduled for a “markup” by the House Committee on Financial Services. The bill, which could potentially legalise online casinos in the United States, will be debated, amended and discussed by the committee on Tuesday 27th July 2010. Current legislation in the United States dictates that online gambling is illegal, without providing a definition of what constitutes “unlawful internet gambling”. Frank’s bill proposes the introduction of a regulatory framework, which would generate revenue for the government.

Michael Waxman, a spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, has suggested that the decision to markup the bill indicates “that Congress is serious” about Frank’s proposal “and establishing a strict regulatory framework” for online gambling. The bill has been backed by various figures in the internet gambling industry, including poker star Annie Duke. In the bill hearing earlier this week, Duke suggested that the “at a basic level”, the committee must decide whether Americans have the right “to do what they want in the privacy of their homes without the intrusion of the government”. Duke urged the House Committee to consider legalising the online gambling industry – noting that it has thrived underground for quite some time.

Intercasino

Following a recent casino and website re-design, Intercasino has rolled out a range of new promotions, including the chance to win a trip into outer space and win a range of other extraordinary prizes. However, there has been speculation that the online casino would increase its welcome bonus – which is available for all new players. Well, we’re pleased to announced that Intercasino is now offering a 100% match bonus worth up to £250 – which is double the casino’s previous £125 welcome offer!

To take advantage of this new and improved welcome bonus, you simply have to be a new player at the online casino and make a minimum deposit of at least £10. Whatever you deposit will then be matched 100%; so if you deposited £250, you’d receive another £250 free from Intercasino, bringing your playable balance to a whopping £500.

With three new slots available, including a brand new DC Comics slot in the form of the Green Lantern, now is the perfect time to start playing at Intercasino. For more details about the casino’s games and welcome offer, we recommend you read our Intercasino review.

Flag of the United States

A new bill, put forward by Congressman Barney Frank, which could legalise online gambling in the United States will today be heard by the Financial Services Committee. According to the proposed measures, online gambling websites, ranging from online casinos to poker rooms, would have to operate within an established regulatory framework and would have to be licensed by the government. It’s believed that legalising online casinos in the United States could create billions of dollars of revenue for the cash-strapped government.

While the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed in 2006, the legislation, which means that banks cannot transfer funds relating to online gambling, was only introduced a few weeks ago. Patrick Keefe of the Credit Union National Association informed the technology website PCWorld.com that the legislation has proven to be a nightmare for financial institutions, as the government hasn’t provided details on what constitutes an illegal online gambling website.

Those who oppose the UIGEA would like to see the regulation scrapped, but admit that the bill would be hailed as a success if it led to a clarification of what is meant by the term “unlawful internet gambling transactions”. The bill will face a public hearing at the Financial Services Committee, in Washington D.C, at 2pm (EDT).

Mansion Casino

Mansion has revealed details of a range of new promotions available at the online casino this month. While a full list of the offers available can be found on the Mansion Casino website, we reckon the following promotions are the ones you should be keeping an eye out for:

To start with, Mansion Casino has announced its new “Hit Your Target” offer, through which you can receive a bespoke prize. Simply enter your username on the “Hit Your Target” page (accessible through the Mansion Casino website) and you’ll receive your unique points target, as well as details on the prize you’ll win if reach your aim.

To hit your target, all you have to do is wager on Mansion’s casino games. The more you wager, the more points you’ll receive, bringing you closer to that all important target prize. The promotion ends on the 31st of July, so to receive your target and, hopefully, a prize, make sure to visit Mansion Casino before the end of this month. When signing up to this promotion, make sure to click “Opt In” on the offer page, else you won’t be able to take part.

Alongside this promotion, Mansion Casino is offering a 25% reload bonus every Tuesday. To claim your bonus, all you have to do is make a deposit today (Tuesday) and the promotion will be credited to your account. For full terms and conditions are of course available at the casino and to claim either of these promotions, make sure to visit Mansion today.