Having your cake and eat it

I've been reading and posting at this forum since it was formed. Initially there were a great many posts fantasizing about how great it was in Thorp's day when the casinos dealt down to the last card and the basic strategist played break-even with the house. Now the thing has gone full circle and people are complaining about the lack of regulation in internet blackjack.
You cannot have it both ways. Where crime, corruption and vice exist in the gambling world so does profit for the professional gambler. Where law, regulation and order exist profit does not exist. The advantage from card counting casino blackjack in Thorp's day was so great partly because the casinos could cheat any detected counter out of his bankroll. It is no accident that in recent times the best blackjack games have been offered in Russia where the mob is firmly in control.
I can't help feeling the recent posts about internet blackjack being corrupt are the same people who complained about the decline of the Nevada game.

I've heard stories about counters going into these casinos and never being heard from again. No thanks.

also known as "mr. 1" on a paranoia scale of 1 to 100, don't think it's worth going to russia !

That is when good conditions exist it is for a reason.
If you want to play in a regulated enviroment fine, but do not expect fantastic conditions.
Some people, like Uston, do not want to be treated like a criminal, which is a noble aim. I don't care about treated like a criminal, I just want the money.

it becomes uncertain whether you will be allowed to leave with the money. Online, it becomes uncertain whether you will have your money simply disappear. These are unknowns that are not calculated into our win/loss percentages when figuring the ev on a game. If we have to figure that one time in a hundred you will have your entire stake stolen then many otherwise profitable situations become negative ev.

I don't want heavily regulated casinos. Some of these regulations work in favor of casinos, such as CTR requirements. But I do want my rights protected. I want law enforcement that is not biased in favor of casinos. I want protection against illegal detention, search, and seizure. I want to see casinos punished when the fail to abide by the terms or written contracts (such as cash backs).

it becomes uncertain whether you will be allowed to leave with the money. Online, it becomes uncertain whether you will have your money simply disappear. These are unknowns that are not calculated into our win/loss percentages when figuring the ev on a game. If we have to figure that one time in a hundred you will have your entire stake stolen then many otherwise profitable situations become negative ev.

With regard to online gambling, if not Russia, then being stiffed one time in a hundred would not noticeably effect EV. Most bonus hustlers go after 100% or 50% on deposit deals. Obviously an occassional rip-off won't affect your profits much.
At our level of play its difficult to get that type of return but 10% and 20% deals for big money are easy to find from reputable operations.

I don't want heavily regulated casinos. Some of these regulations work in favor of casinos, such as CTR requirements. But I do want my rights protected. I want law enforcement that is not biased in favor of casinos. I want protection against illegal detention, search, and seizure. I want to see casinos punished when the fail to abide by the terms or written contracts (such as cash backs).

Noble aims, as I said. I have no problem with people who want their civil rights respected. But I also have to acknowledge that whenever advances are made with regard to casino regulation the conditions get worse. Better men than me have tried and failed to achieve some kind of happy medium. I don't think one exists. Just look at Atlantic City or, even worse, Holland.

In the eastern Europe the casinos are not such united as in the US and each casino brings the best rules as posible hoping to attract customers,that`s why you`ll not see to soon shuffling devices there.Also,the personnel of this casinos are not so skilled in their job and they try to turn the "luck" in their favor.

"best game" and "Russian Mob". I recall the days in Vega$ when I saw casino patrons worked over for "taking advantage" of the casino. I would speculate that there is plenty of house cheating that transpire in mob run games as well. I'd just assume go up against the Vega$ casinos of modern days that offer decent rules and workable conditions than play against communist (oh, that's right, they've changed) mobsters.

...compared to Western European states where the rules are often set by the government or the casinos are all state run. I don't accept your hypothesis. The pit bosses are stupid certainly, but that is hardly unique.
Also, notice I said Russia, not eastern europe. Some eastern european countries have been much more effective in dealing with the mob. Poland seems to have dealt with the problem reasonably well judging from my recent experiences there.

Some people, like Uston, do not want to be treated like a criminal, which is a noble aim. I don't care about treated like a criminal, I just want the money.

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Unfortunately the great Mr. U had a desire to treat himself as a party animal also.

Chip

"best game" and "Russian Mob". I recall the days in Vega$ when I saw casino patrons worked over for "taking advantage" of the casino. I would speculate that there is plenty of house cheating that transpire in mob run games as well.

Definitely, though I'd have thought this was a secondary consideration to being robbed in the street or in your hotel, as is common with wealthy westerners.

I'd just assume go up against the Vega$ casinos of modern days that offer decent rules and workable conditions than play against communist (oh, that's right, they've changed) mobsters.

I'd have to point out that freemarket capitalism has failed Russia worse than communism did in this regard and is chiefy responsible for the rise of the mob. Whatever else they did I can't imagine the old KGB letting things get this out of hand.

... that such stories are reliable? G