Author: Stephen Macintyre

Ornate chandeliers or dim, smoke-filled rooms, high stakes, villains and love partners in crime. Not to mention the heights, suspense highs and escapes from hell. Is it any wonder casino-themed movies are so enduringly popular and also some of the highest grossing ever, or that of the 25 Bond films made, Casino Royale is the fourth highest revenue earner in the 007 franchise? Below is a list of movies people tend to watch as part of a good night in or as a prelude to the thrill of a good gamble in real life. Everyone’s got to live on the…

Gambling in Macau has been legal for more than 150 years, but turn the clock back to the pre-millennium era, the city’s casino reputation was at an all-time low. It was considered seedy, dangerous and oft-controlled by the Triads. Wind the clock forward to the present day and Macau is almost unrecognizable. It’s a city that’s undergone one of the quickest transformations on the planet, becoming one of the most glamorous and sought-after gambling and holiday destination for locals and tourists alike.

A trip to the races is rarely a let-down. You don’t have to be an aficionado of the sport to get involved in the festivities. Whether it is horse racing or the dogs, the event provides the setting for a rambunctious social gathering and a decent opportunity to win some cash.

It is easy to think that playing video games is something that you would only ever do for fun or for the buzz of the competitive side of it. Yet, with an estimated 700 million people said to play online and more than 1.2 billion playing video games in general, are there some health benefits that they are enjoying and that others are missing out on? The truth is that there are some powerful health benefits associated with playing games that you should be aware of.

Getting into shape can often be a difficult and lengthy process and there are a high number of fitness regimes to choose from, but many of these can be difficult to sustain and also offer variable results. Rugby players manage to remain extremely fit and toned using a number of different techniques and even if you aren’t about to enter a scrum, it can hugely beneficial to follow one of them. It’s also a great way of sculpting your body and increasing your core strength as well as building up your overall resistance to injury.

The start of a new year is always a great time for debate among gamers. Whether we are looking back on the big successes of the last 12 months or taking a peek into our crystal balls to predict what is next for gaming in the future, there is so much to both reflect on and look forward to in the weeks ahead.

Look, sometimes it’s just not possible to actually get away – we get it. When you’re stuck in a rut and you need to be anywhere but home though, it can be a hard reality to swallow. Whether long-distance air travel is simply too expensive, or you’re just unable to take much time from work, that doesn’t mean you need to be confined to the same four walls that you’ve become accustomed to every day. Becoming a tourist in your own city or town is the best way to see the things you’ve always taken for granted; in a way…