| Everyone thought that even though land-based casino | | | | Shanda has done so well because it has decided to |
| revenues worldwide are taking a hit because of this | | | | focus more on online games and online board games |
| incredibly tough recession that online gaming revenue | | | | rather than online gambling games . The potential for |
| on the other hand would be new to the tough | | | | online game playing in China is incredible and if they |
| economic times because of the little amount of | | | | could do this well during the recession imagine how |
| expenses it takes to operate an online casino but this | | | | well it will do when we come out of this recession. |
| hasn't been the case. | | | | Even though online gambling hasn't been hit as hard as |
| Even online casinos worldwide are starting to feel the | | | | land-based gambling in China, the one area that seems |
| pinch of a recession that borders on the depression | | | | to be outpacing them all is the online game arena. I |
| and you can see this not only from the numbers but | | | | think that American gambling companies should learn a |
| from all of their forward outlook on future revenues, | | | | lesson from this company and try to shift their focus |
| but there are still some diamonds in the rough as far | | | | more so away from online gambling during the |
| as online gambling companies to either gamble at or | | | | recession to online games because of the fact that |
| invest in through the stock market. One of the online | | | | online games have become almost a culture unto itself |
| gaming companies that is growing revenue and net | | | | with the younger generation as we start to move |
| income like gangbusters is the Chinese online gaming | | | | online at a younger age every year. |
| firm Shanda. | | | | I know this because I have a 42-year-old brother that |
| While everyone else is losing their shirt financially | | | | still plays games on his Xbox with his kids and it has |
| Shanda has announced incredible revenue gains for | | | | gotten to the point where they are almost addicted to |
| the third quarter of 2008. Their revenues have | | | | these games so it goes to show that online games as |
| increased by 41% over last year's third-quarter | | | | well as online gambling have a big influence even |
| revenues and net income increased over 20% from | | | | culturally among our young and among our middle-age |
| last year. | | | | population. |