t's one of the slickest websites around, just what you'd expect from something called Virtual Vegas. Like its inspiration, the cyberversion features real-time conversation, the latest sports news, and gambling -- sort of. The site can't take real wagers because online gambling with real money is against the law. But you can place funny-money bets and win prizes.Virtual Vegas is the brainchild of Dave Herschman and Hikaru Phillips, who two years ago were looking for new ways to make a little money doing something fun in multimedia. In the fall of 1994 they released a Virtual Vegas CD-ROM, with gambling games and simulated Vegas-like activities, including show girls, music, and lots of high-gloss pizzazz. A month later they went on the World Wide Web and instantly attracted a loyal following. "People started sending us all this email talking about Virtual Vegas as a real place," says Dave. "And it is real. It's a place where people can meet friends, hang out, play games, and have fun." The site has attracted 2.5 million visitors with an average of 70,000 players a month. If online gambling ever becomes legal, Virtual Vegas is well poised to rake it in.
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