Historical Casino Heists: The Real-Life Oceans’ Saga

Posted on March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 by giftsadmin

casinos of the world have seen their fair share of robberies, some high-value, some not; some daring and some just really, really weird. Here’s our round-up of some historical casino heists which should show anyone with terrible ideas just why it really, really shouldn’t be thought of.

Beyond Pokemon: 7 Trading Card Games You May Not Have Heard Of

Posted on February 20, 2018April 1, 2019 by giftsadmin

Trading cards have been around for about 125 years. That’s a long time; and, as you might expect, some pretty crazy games have come out in that time! Some have been institutions in and of themselves (ever heard of Pokémon?), but others are a little more, shall we say...niche.

Myths, Lies & Misconceptions About Slot Machines

Posted on February 2, 2018April 11, 2024 by giftsadmin

Myths and Lies about Slot Machines - Gifts for Card PLayers

Slot machines are some of the most popular games on the casino floor – and for online play, too. And people really want to win. This has given rise to some really weird myths about slot machines, how they work and how people can supposedly beat the system. We took a closer look at some myths, lies and misconceptions about slot machines to see if we could get the to jackpot… Er, truth.

Odds on the Floor

Posted on January 31, 2018April 11, 2024 by giftsadmin

Casino Odds - Gifts for Card Players

Cards in Art

Posted on December 4, 2017July 24, 2018 by giftsadmin

We all know about the famous series of paintings depicting dogs playing poker, but what about other art containing cards and games? We went digging for some more card-depictions in classic art and elsewhere. Have you spotted any cards in famous art? Let us know what you’ve found in the comments!

Trick Card Decks & Where to Find Them

Posted on November 14, 2017December 1, 2023 by giftsadmin

Over the years, I’ve developed a deep-rooted fine love for card and coin tricks; those are two things I’m almost never without – when killing time waiting for a taxi to pass, while waiting for an important e-mail to come in or while in conversation on the phone for a radio interview, my hands are usually busy with a coin palm or a card flip. Here are some of the most popular trick decks and where you can find them; of course, please use them only for card tricks and not for rigging a card game…

Talking Truth about Tables

Posted on November 9, 2017February 26, 2025 by giftsadmin

No bridge or card room is complete without a proper table. It’s more than a functional piece – it’s a functional centerpiece and sets the tone of the entire room around it. You’ve got to think about beauty, practicality, comfort and space all at the same time. Alex shares some of the coolest tables money can buy.

10 Casino Facts You Didn’t Know

Posted on November 2, 2017February 26, 2025 by giftsadmin

Even if you’re a seasoned veteran of the casino floor, we’re willing to bet on the fact that you might not have known about any of these cool, weird or otherwise unusual casino facts and statistics.

Gambling of the Ancients

Posted on October 20, 2017January 29, 2024 by giftsadmin

While the first slot machine saw the casino floor for the first time in 1894, gambling is by no means a new phenomenon. In fact, we’d guess that gambling has been around about as far as mankind. We wend digging for some more information about the gambling of the ancients…

Politicians’ Favourite Card Games

Posted on October 3, 2017April 11, 2024 by giftsadmin

Politicians Playing Cards - Gifts for Card Players

Politicians really do seem like the most serious of creatures - and in many cases, they have to be that way. However, sometimes they let us catch a glimpse of their not-so-stoic sides...which is always appreciated!

Is Virtual Currency a Gamble?

Posted on September 28, 2017January 29, 2024 by giftsadmin

Virtual currencies like Litecoin, Zcash, Etherium and Bitcoin have become an increasing appearance on the online gambling scene. We took a closer look at virtual currencies to find out what they are, how they work and what they’re

Michael’s Game: A Card Game for the Treatment of Psychosis

Posted on September 11, 2017May 14, 2024 by giftsadmin

One of the most exciting new uses for cards is one that many of us might not have ever imagined possible: cards as treatment for psychological difficulties.

Dogs Playing Poker

Posted on August 31, 2017December 1, 2023 by giftsadmin

Dogs Playing Poker

By Alex J Coyne © Gifts for Card Players

Before their viral popularity, these paintings were featured on cigar boxes.

When was the last time you saw a painting of dogs playing poker? Now, when was the last time you really thought of a dog playing poker? It turns out the painting has a richer history than you would expect…

The Paintings

“Dogs Playing Poker”

Coding with Card Games

Posted on August 28, 2017February 20, 2024 by giftsadmin

if you’re a card player, you might already have more of an aptitude for computer programming than you think. Your affinity for bridge, hearts, poker, or whatever your game may be has likely already trained your brain to think computationally.

The Greatest Virtual PC Casinos

Posted on August 15, 2017January 29, 2024 by giftsadmin

The greatest virtual PC Casinoos - Gifts for Card Players

You don’t always have to visit a casino to have the full casino experience. Check out our list of some of the best free, downloadable virtual casinos and casino games from the golden good old days of DOS through to PC’s and smartphones.

Will Kickstarter and New Tech Change Playing Card Design?

Posted on August 7, 2017June 19, 2024 by giftsadmin

Kickstarter and New Tech Change Playing Card Design - Gifts for Card Players

Through crowdfunding the public now has the power to turn proposed projects and products into reality by collectively funding them. From books to businesses, the range of active campaigns is wide indeed, but one particular category of items appears to be a favorite in the crowdfunding market: playing cards.

Inside the Magic Shop

Posted on July 20, 2017February 16, 2025 by giftsadmin

The College of Magic is home to Southern Africa’s only dedicated Magic Shop specialising in all manner of magical marvels. Alex takes us inside ...

A Cur’s Hand

Posted on July 8, 2017December 1, 2023 by giftsadmin

The Bennett Murder at Bridge - Gifts for Card Players

The Bridge Table Murder is arguably one of the most notorious murder cases in American history - and certainly proof that you should pick your partners carefully! Alex takes a closer look at the infamous case of the Bennett-murders ...

ROUNDUP: Our Favourite (Non-Bridge) Card Game Apps

Posted on July 2, 2017February 20, 2024 by giftsadmin

The Best Card Game Apps - Gifts for Card Players

Young or old, we’re all glued to our phones these days. Most of us lament this situation fairly often, but take a moment to look at the bright side. Our technological sidekicks can be distracting, sure, but they can also serve as some good old-fashioned entertainment, or even as a self-improvement tool!

A Deck for Everything

Posted on June 23, 2017February 20, 2024 by giftsadmin

Lovecraft Card Box - Gifts for Card Players

Breaking out a themed deck for a game of bridge, poker or blackjack can be a lot of fun, and many players turn into card collectors. Here are some of our coolest and weirdest picks for themed card decks.

Remember when you played bridge for fun?

Posted on June 17, 2017February 26, 2025 by giftsadmin

Remember when you played bridge for fun?

Time for some party bridge!

By Alex J. Coyne © Gifts for Card Players

The game of bridge has always been a social one, and the same is true for most card games. If you’ve ever attended a bridge party at a house or club and loved it, why not consider calling up some of the other bridge players in your neighborhood and arranging your own?

Top 3 International Lottery Games in the World

Posted on May 1, 2017August 9, 2017 by giftsadmin

Let's have a look at the 3 most reputable lottery games worldwide. These games have changed a lot of lives and have made ordinary people like you and me into millionaires.

The Best of Poker Documentaries

Posted on April 17, 2017January 29, 2024 by giftsadmin

Drawing Dead: The Highs and Lows of Online Poker

They say it takes 10, 000 hours to become adept in any field. With poker, sometimes it’s all about watching the game, and nobody’s ever said that you can’t fill up some of those hours by watching some movies about poker. Here are Alex's picks for some of the best poker documentaries out there.

A Return to the Classics: What’s Behind the Card and Board Game Resurgence?

Posted on April 14, 2017January 18, 2024 by giftsadmin

Sites like Kickstarter have proven hugely popular for raising money, with the board game niche being one of the most active on the website.