Can't get enough of those poker tournaments and specials on Las Vegas that run almost endlessly on various cable networks? Good news: Casino and Gaming Television is launching next year on digital cable and satellite, allowing you to get your nonstop fill of everything gambling-related.

CGTV is the brainchild of Robert A. Carlsson and David Hawk, two investment bankers, and Nickolas J. Rhodes, one of the people who developed the popular cable networks Speedvision and Outdoor Life. Their aim with CGTV is to bring all of the excitement and action of casino gambling to your television every day, 24 hours a day.

The programming will be divided into five major categories:

Gaming: Viewers will be able to learn about the various casino games through programs like "CGTV University," where gaming experts will offer instruction for players of all expertise levels and tips for maximizing your winning potential.

Recreation: Camera crews will invade gambling hot spots around the globe, from Las Vegas to Monaco and beyond, with exclusive peeks at what makes these cities the most exciting places on earth. These so-called "venue" shows will focus on a destination and give viewers a taste of the high-roller lifestyle from the comfort of their living rooms.

Tournaments & Events: Poker tournaments are proving to be a huge draw on other cable networks, and CGTV plans to capitalize on that by broadcasting its own versions of such events, including tournaments with celebrities, showgirls, athletes, and everyday Joes.

Sports: Almost every casino has a sports book but a lot of people are too intimidated by the myriad betting strategies to actually use them. CGTV plans to bring more experts on board to help viewers understand the rules of the games. In addition, cofounder Carlsson told Vegas4Visitors that CGTV could carry events such as celebrity golf tournaments and other sports-theme programming from gambling destination cities like Las Vegas, all designed to capitalize on the sports-enthusiast market.

Entertainment: From showgirls to illusionists and beyond, CGTV will showcase major entertainment acts at gaming destinations around the globe.

That last one is important, according to Carlsson. In Las Vegas, revenue from shows, attractions, shopping, and dining adds more to the bottom line than casino gambling does. So expect to see programming to reflect that trend, with specials on the non-gaming side of gaming destination cities.

Carlsson also stressed that CGTV will not be just about Las Vegas. According to a recent survey, more than 53 million Americans went to a casino last year, from Nevada to Atlantic City to the more than 300 Indian casinos currently in operation across the United States. Add in such exotic locals as Monaco and the expected gambling expansion in the United Kingdom and Macau, China, and it becomes obvious why CGTV won't be hurting for things to cover.

CGTV is expected to launch in late 2004 in more than 1 million homes and the founders hope to be in as many as 20 million homes within the first four years.