Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa

Poetic justice for GalaxyWorld

In the past the guys behind Galaxy World casino got somewhat more than their fifteen minutes of "fame" with a highly publicised court case and the ire of screwed shareholders. It is therefore understandable that many feel there is poetic justice in the following story of the "Mother of All Bonuses"

GW's bonus promotion ran for days before casino management woke up -- every deposit over $500 getting a bonus of 25%. And it was good to cash out after playing through once, so when players cashed out and then bought in again, they got another 25%. And so on. The software automatically added the 25% every time.

Stunned and disbelieving players called customer support over the phone and by live chat to ask if this was the way it was supposed to work and were assured it was. The CSR's said, sure, go ahead, have fun, thanks for playing. And so some of them did - one player in particular who turned his original $100 deposit into US$ 47 GRAND!

The guy deposited $100 and at the end of the day claimed $47,000 in BONUSES, and had a $75,000 net profit. Did the casino honour the deal? Not so far - the last we heard the player had been offered $15 which was what he won on his initial deposit before he started recycling those bonuses.

There are probably more aggrieved players. Another one we know of turned $3 000 into $14 000 adhering exactly to the rules but has been denied his payout, instead being offered a rather measly $600!

As you might guess serious disputes are now raging - and that GalaxyWorld bonus genius is probably none too popular with his employers!

An already popular gambling suite gets a serious revamp

Real Time Gaming software has a strong following among players who like quality, download casino games on well-built sites, so those players will be delighted with the major improvements and expansion to the games which the company has recently introduced with little fanfare.

We first encountered the new software at Black Widow casino and were impressed by the selection, colour and smoothness. The usual 12 game RTG suite has more than doubled to 29 games of top quality and we asked some of the highly experienced RTG fans to give us their views:

Apparently the blackjack is essentially the same although the interface has been improved. The VP looks the same but many new games have been added such as Pick 'Em, All American, Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus,Loose Deuces, and others.

One expert commented that he didn't know why Double Bonus and Double Double bonus are not found in more internet casinos is as they are the most popular games in Vegas.

Other veterans agreed that where RTG software is strong is in the handling of promotions. The player enters a coupon code in the banking section of the software to claim a promo. These codes can be unique to the individual player. The operator sets the betting requirments and which games are excluded, and when the player has fulfilled the requirements, the bonus is added automatically.

The consensus was a positive thumbs up for the new software, so try it out and see if you agree!

Diamond to offer both Java and download

Diamond Games are on the verge of launching their new win32 download software platform which will enable players to use either the Diamond Gaming Java or the new download gambling suites all on one casino account. There is every reason to suppose that the download suite will be as good as the current Java offering in terms of gameplay and graphics.

According to Nick Gabriel the VP Operations at Diamond the new suite has been in Beta testing for several months and they plan to get the public to help them do final testing before launch. Although the "new boy" on the software provider block, Diamond plans to launch a further three casinos for their clients within the next month or so.

Again?

Players will remember the big scares last year when the credit card "Big Brother Is Watching You" giants Visa and Mastercard started turning down transactions for Online Gambling.

The resultant panic saw the emergence of any number of alternative payment systems and middle-man organisations and things seemed to settle back down, albeit with "new" brands like Net Teller, PayPal, FirePay, ACH systems and so on becoming more familiar.

The business rolled on. Until two weeks back when increasing numbers of gamblers started reporting transaction problems on their credit cards. Last week scores of Microgaming casinos seemed to confirm players' fears with emailed and pop-up warnings and in many cases incentive offers for players to change to other methods to ensure trouble-free gambling entertainment.

In the absence of any formal public announcements, it looks as if the CC Biggies are on the warpath again. Why? Well those effected have said that they have been offered any number of explanations at bank level such as a general ban on all gambling cc transactions, political pressure, too many chargebacks and so on.

A word to the wise - start looking at alternatives to avoid future hassles.

International moves that make online gambling a better place

Nevada is not the only gambling centre making moves to enable internet gambling and make the industry a safer place.

VIRGIN ISLANDS

In late June, the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean amended laws to enable the regulation of online gaming. Last Thursday the legislation was passed by the full Senate and now moves to the governor for signature before passing into State law. Once passed, the authorities will set about designing licencing requirements and fees.

ISLE OF MAN

In Europe, the Isle of Man Department of Home Affairs has revealed that nine applications for on-line Gambling licences have been received from the three continents of Europe, Africa and North America. The deadline expired for the receipt of applications for the first three licenses a few weeks ago. Official disclosed that the number and quality of applicants has exceeded all expectations but that names of applicant companies are not being released while the application procedure is conducted. With its advanced communications and banking infrastructure, well educated English speaking population and proximity to the UK, the island is an ideal licencing venue, but the government has warned that regulations are strict and will be professionally applied.

BRITAIN

This week saw the release of the Budd Commission report on the British Gambling industry, which the government in that country will now study with a view to updating the gambling laws. Although much of the report is devoted to land-based activities chapters 30 and 37 refer to the internat gambling industry, the important point being that the Commission recommends that it be regulated rather than banned.

Its great to see a positive and practical approach, and we hope that the licencing requirements which eventually emerge will be strong but reasonable. You can view the report at (http://www.culture.gov.uk/role/gambling_review.html).

Starnet's latest re-seller responds

Last week we were checking out a new Casino Affiliate Network-like operation which invites you to build your own casino and boasts a generous fifty percent affiliate commission scheme. We were waiting for a response to our questions from Casinomatic.com which is the selling entity claiming to "power" the casino products on offer.

Shortly after going to press we received a response from Casinomatic manager Rick Venti, who confirmed that Casinomatic is using Starnet software and told us:

"We do license our software through Starnet and do have program similar to Casino Affiliate Network. As far as regulating who we partner with ....(Starnet's e-cash company) EFS that handles all payouts and such for every operator. So as far as someone using our product they really can't "dupe" anybody. So we would never have to do any criminal checks on potential operators because when they build site and offer to the public we control all the money issues....period!"

We didn't find that very reassuring somehow.....players, be on the lookout for more of those cheap 'n largely nasty CAN sites.

WWV blames their software for player glitches.

Several players experiencing the all-too-common casino pay-out runaround this week were told by World Wide Vegas that a browser glitch in dotcom Entertainment Group (DCEG) software was the root cause of the delays.

DCEG is a Canadian outfit which writes its own bingo and backend software and claims that its Java casino games originate in-house. Those in the know will tell you that the games in fact come from Garrinck of Seattle who also supplied the notorious GSS.

The casino has been assuring players that the problem, which affected Blackjack gamblers will be resolved shortly and that DCEG has been asked for both an apology and compensation. DCEG has thus far remained silent on the issue.

Here's what WWV told their players:

"This problem affects winners and losers alike. DCEG, our software provider, updated the software due to browser incompatibility related to MAC users. However when they did this update they affected the code for blackjack causing it to circumvent the shuffle mechanism and it caused the blackjack to perform radically. Some players had 20 hands without a win and others could not lose. Over all the game was paying out at over 20%. Once we were notified of the problem we asked DCEG to investigate. They investigated and discovered that their browser incompatibility repair caused the game to not shuffle properly and basically circumvented a large portion of the game code causing these results. We will be getting a statement from DCEG by Monday and they will be compensating each player affected."

The OPA is now taking a hand to protect the players and has asked DCEG Chief Executive Officer Scott White for confirmation of the WWV story. In the meantime it is likely that the OPA will be issuing a cautionary to players to be careful around casinos which use DCEG software which are:

World Wide Vegas
International Players and its affiliate program site 2betsafe.
The Stargate Network of:
Stargate, Mountainhigh and Winbig casinos
Casino Vegas
Lucky Dragon

Who's software failed the players' test?

Yes, this is a teaser, because this story should appropriately be broken by The Gamemaster and The Wizard of Odds who have thoroughly tested this software and found it wanting. Once they have publicly released their results we'll carry the story and give you the detail.

Consumer power is growing when this sort of expert practical testing can be done and the gambling public warned about inferior products. We'll tell you which software and which casinos are using it right here!

$100K plus Treasure Nile pays out immediately - twice!

Microgaming may have introduced the big jackpot progressive to internet gambling, but it's fair to say that Crytologic perfected it with their minimum-$100 000 jackpots this year. Now Microgaming has followed suit with Nile Treasure slots progressive - and there have already been two winners!

According to a Microgaming media release Suzanne G, a prison worker and grandmother of 2, is the first-ever jackpot winner on Treasure Nile, launched twelve days ago as the Internet's first 5-reel 9-line progressive slot. She won a cool $105,248.06 playing the new game at the Lucky Nugget Casino on only her seventh excursion into online gaming.

"I was ecstatic! I jumped up and down and started running and screaming. I told my family and all my friends ... I screamed it to the world," Suzanne remarked.

Only days later another player, Linda W at Riverbelle casino was dancing for joy as well - she hit the restarted progressive for $150 grand and some change You can find the casinos carrying the new progressive over at Jackpot Madness or as we told you earlier it is on the new Golden Tiger Casino site.

Here there be pots of gold.

We did a quick patrol looking for the really big money jackpots this week and here's what we found:

Rags to Riches - Cryptologic - US$ 309,000

Caribbean poker - Cryptologic - US$ 190,000

Treasure Nile - Microgaming - US$ 100,000

High Voltage - Atlantic Interbet - US$ 51,000

The Dazzler - Unified Gaming - US$ 40,000

Lotsaloot - Microgaming - US$ 34,000

Cash Splash - Microgaming - US$ 27,000

Good luck!

Win a trip there on a new promo

Online casinos are certainly becoming more imaginative in their player promos these days. Here's a draw where you can take your partner on a luxury trip to New Zealand, reputed to be one of the most scenically spectacular places around.

Appropriately enough the prize is being offered by the New Zealand themed and owned Kiwi Casino with a special promotion for online gamblers which runs through to the draw in mid-October. The contest winner will be able to choose from three paradise escapes "downunder": Spa Decadence, Adrenaline Heaven, and South Seas Cruising. Full details are on the casino site but it all looks very exciting and not a little different.

All players need to do to enter the Choose Your Paradise contest is place a bet at Kiwi Casino. Every $10 wagered puts them into the draw to win, and the more a gambler wagers, the better his or her odds of winning.

And the Cryptologic powered gambling is pretty good, too!

There are a lot of "ifs" but the Vegas giant is looking at an internet operation.

According to the Las Vegas Sun this week Vegas bricks and mortar casino giant MGM Mirage is investigating offshore licensing jurisdictions with a view to moving online for real money wagering instead of waiting for the authorities to yea or nay Nevada licensing.

Like its peer Harrahs, the gambling colossus already has a "promotional" web site where comps can be won but no real money betting takes place. But MGM Mirage is making it clear it wants into Internet gambling sooner rather than later -- and may go overseas to become a part of what is now a $3 billion-plus gaming market according to analysts like Bear Sterns.

"The new Nevada legislation ... empowers the commission to act, should Internet gaming be deemed legal by the federal government," said MGM Mirage President and Chief Financial Officer Jim Murren. "Who knows if or when that'll ever happen?"

Murren said the Las Vegas-based gaming giant is now "scouring the globe," examining different jurisdictions that genuinely licence Internet gambling. If MGM Mirage finds an overseas jurisdiction with tough regulatory standards -- and can be assured it can block would-be bettors from areas that don't allow Internet gambling -- the company may open an online casino there, even before Nevada legalises Internet gambling, Murren said.

"We won't do anything that would jeopardise the billions of dollars we have invested in the ground (across the United States), the billions of dollars in equity in our brands and our licenses," Murren said. "We're taking an extraordinarily conservative approach to this. But again, we're a leader in this industry, and there are certain responsibilities that come with being a leader".

But it's also hypothetical at this point, Murren stressed.

"It's a possibility. I wouldn't call it a probability at this point," he said. "I would say 90 percent of the jurisdictions out there we wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole."

Nevada's top gaming regulator Brian Sandoval declined to say whether his board would approve of such a move.

"There's nothing that prohibits them from conducting such activities," he said. "Certainly if MGM does it, it would seem likely other licensees would seek to do the same thing ... so it's real important (to look carefully) at the first licensee to ensure we've reviewed all relevant legal issues."

According to the investors, Tropika's gay casino is a non-starter

In our show last week we reported that the recently deactivated Tropika casinos could be followed by an online casino targeted on the gay community and run by pretty much the same exec team. The project was called C4G and immediately attracted the attention of the Online Players' Association with the chilling promise that hell would freeze over before a repetition of the Tropika player payment debacle would be allowed.

Players and OPA alike can rest easy. According to Canadian investor message boards Tropika's position is that the prospectus is two months old and the C4G project is dead. That is perhaps just as well bearing in mind the recent furore and the player antipathy it aroused.

Who says a ban on internet gambling is inevitable?

It's not over until the fat lady sings, they say - opposition is mounting to the proposed Californian internet gambling ban.

This week the (California) Desert Sun reports that “Opponents are moving to kill an internet gambling banning bill, with mounting resistance from banking and gambling groups to legislation that breezed through the Assembly stage with a vote of 61-2 in May.

Critics of the proposed legislation say the ban is unenforceable and has too many exceptions. The usual carve-outs by vested interests are again apparent.

The executive director of the California Council on Problem Gambling in Palm Springs has questioned the practicality of a statewide ban on Internet betting. ”Taxpayer money would be better spent on education and prevention, not on chasing down Internet casino operators, says the head of the largest problem-gambling group in California.

The Interactive Gaming Council lobbyists have been stirring the pot, too. Norm Towne, a lobbyist for the IGC says "The Internet is designed to be open, and California should follow Nevada by licensing and regulating Internet casinos."

Even anti-gambling groups are against the Bill in its present form - what a crazy business this is. Stand Up For California -- a group that opposes the expansion of gambling -- and the Committee on Moral Concerns have been publicly critical, opposing exceptions for slot machines in Indian casinos that are linked together by telephone lines, betting on horse races by telephone and Internet-based sports fantasy leagues…

The bottom line is that California cannot yet be counted out.

Tax benefits for Brit players will now come in October

Cheaper betting for British gamblers moved closer this week as the British government decided not to let the grass grow under its feet and moved the new betting tax cuts forward by three months. Beginning Oct. 6, sports and race bettors will no longer pay a 9 percent tax that they have been charged for more than 30 years.

When Chancellor Gordon Brown announced his budget in early March, he said the betting duty would be abolished by Jan. 1, 2002, and replaced with a 15 percent tax on bookmakers’ gross profits. The idea was to end the deductions from bettors’ wagers, and encourage UK bookmakers to return home from their offshore locations.

The early start to the new policy means that the change will cost the government an estimated £75 million [$105.4 million] in the first year. But it expects to make up that loss “in the medium-term” by generating growth in the industry.

In the last couple of years, most UK bookmakers have set up offshore telephone and/or Internet operations, to offer tax-free wagering to fight offshore gambling competition. As soon as Brown announced the change in March, two of the largest UK bookmakers, Ladbrokes and Coral Eurobet, said they would abandon their no-tax operations in Gibraltar and move to Britain. In a press release Friday, the Treasury office said: “Since the Budget announcement, rapid progress has been made both by the bookmakers in re-locating their off-shore operations to the UK and by Customs in preparing to switch to the new system. The Government has therefore decided to bring in the reforms to betting taxation a full three months early.”

The top men at several betting companies, including William Hill, Coral Eurobet and Ladbrokes all applauded the Government for bringing the tax changes forward sooner.

And will attack gamblers' paying capability to get it.

For at least the last year or more the monopolistic Hong Kong Jockey Club has been wailing about internet wagering and the inroads it is making into their profits.

This week the CEO, Lawrence Wong took stronger steps to protect the Club's interests by asking Hong Kong's Legislative Council to propose a bill restricting banks and credit-card companies from allowing their customers to pay Internet gambling debts with credit cards. With scant regard for the wishes of players, Wong hopes this will make online transactions so inconvenient that bettors will return to conventional wagering. Of course, The Jockey Club has an exclusive franchise to operate the only two legal forms of gambling in the city, the Mark Six Lotto and horseracing, so by forcing player to wager conventionally Wong is entrenching his monopoly. As the city's largest taxpayer, the Jockey Club certainly has enough clout to make this bill sticking it to the players, stick!.

Club sources point out that the income tax rate would rise by about four percentage points if the Jockey Club weren't around to contribute to the economy. And they have been pointing that any threat to Hong Kong's low 15% flat income tax raises discomfort and concerns in the business community.

Meanwhile, betting turnover at the racetrack has fallen 12% from its 1997 high of $11.8 billion. Those Hong Kong folks are serious gamblers! Attendance at Happy Valley and its sister track Sha Tin is down 160,000, or 5.5%, below last year's mark -despite the Jockey Club's decision to sponsor 10 additional races this year.

Who is Casinomatic and how are these new operators going to be checked out?

Ever hear of "Casinomatic"? Neither had we until we were checking out a new online casino titled Odds On Asia.com. The site announces that it is "powered by Casinomatic", and the link carries you to a Casino Affiliate Network-like operation which invites you to build your own casino and boasts of a generous fifty percent affiliate commission scheme.

The immediate question of course is what checks will be made on individuals who decide to accept this offer and start coming on line with underfunded and inexperienced managements? We're still awaiting a response to that question...

Even more interesting is the software which Casinomatic offers. It is the ubiquitous Starnet Java and download stuff one finds on hundreds of casinos churned out by the Starnet production machine. Netforce Entertainment are also mentioned but we'll tell you more once we have it.

Here's a portal that is doing something about unfair software.

The Gamemasteronline site has started a research project on online casino software fairness, a subject on which there has been a huge amount of argument on the message boards lately. Details are on the site, but player participation looks pretty simple -- all players are welcome - just videotape your gambling session without sound and send it in on VHS format. Make it clear on the monitor at which casino you're playing either by taping a screen with the casino info or putting a sign up; differentiate between sessions; you can have more than one session and more than one casino on your tape. The Gamemaster will conduct a detailed independent assessment and give you a result.

Videotaping is easy for the player - no writing copious notes! The Gamemaster may use the tapes as evidence later or go back and collect different kinds of play data (not just wins and losses, but playing detail too.) for an overall multi-gambler report.

Sounds like a practical and honest attempt to fairly address an issue instead of just posting about it, so if you have suspicions about a particular software here's your chance to get an expert critique on it.

Biggest jackpot ever continues to grow.

Growing numbers of players are zeroing in on the twelve Cryptologic casinos carrying the record-breaking Rags to Riches slots jackpot, which had still not been won as we went to press and is now at an impressive US$290 000 and rising.

Giving added appeal to the casinos carrying the Mother of all Jackpots is a secondary progressive in the Caribbean Poker stakes, where the jackpot has just topped US$188 000.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...

Last week's not-so-fond farewells to the Tropika executives following Microgaming's switch-off of their ailing casinos might have been a little premature, judging by revelations by the Online Players' Association. It appears that chairman John Ashbee and his sidekick David Prue have been trying for a return to the internet gambling business with a new "private" casino company.

Fronted by fellow Canadian Dale Douglas, the Toronto duo's C4G venture seeks investment to finance an online casino aimed at the gay community, according to a prospectus now in the hands of the OPA hyping the huge potential of the "explosive" online gambling industry.

Astonishingly, this venture has surfaced only days after Ashbee issued a news release to his Tropika investors in which he gave myriad reasons for the company's exit from the online gambling industry, describing this as a "prudent management" move!

Tropika investors will also be less than happy with the fact that Tropika facilities are being used to put the new "private" company together. However, shareholder anger might be the least of Ashbee's woes - the OPA has made it clear that it will be a frosty day in hell before Tropika is permitted to deceive and rip the players off again!

According to investor message boards Tropika's position is that the prospectus is two months old and the C4G project is dead. If true, that is perhaps just as well bearing in mind the recent furore over their now closed casinos. And can the industry really have changed that much in two months?

Millionaire tennis marketing is an internet casino first

Omni Casino is one of the top internet casinos in our view, and this week it showed its marketing muscle with a major tennis sponsorship that is a first for the online gambling industry, and tied it to a player benefit.

The casino has announced that it will be sponsoring The Hamlet Cup International Series on the ATP Tour, which takes place in Long Island, New York from August 18 to 26 this year. In conjunction with this Grand Slam sponsorship, the casino is running a prize draw in which members can win a million dollars. All members have to do is correctly predict the winner and loser plus the exact final score of the Championship Match in the Men's Draw at the US Open Tennis Tournament on Sunday September 9th, 2001.

The promo started at the beginning of this month, and in addition all new players will receive an added $20 free to use at the casino on a minimum deposit of $20 when opening an account. New account holders will automatically be eligible for the million buck tennis prize.

Someone in the promotions department over there is feeling generous by the looks of things - members who make an initial deposit of $150 each month will also receive a bonus - an extra $50 free for use in playing at Omni Casino. That might make the difference between success and failure in the record-breaking Rags to Riches slots jackpot which the casino is running - as we went to press there was just on $275 000 in the pot

C3i players get a new home

It looks as if the recently launched Aspinalls Online casinos have taken a shortcut to building a large gambler base by taking over the respected Microgaming-powered C3i online casino.

Players are being invited to move across with some interesting incentive bonus offers, and it is believed that several weeks back the British media carried a small report that the takeover had involved several million dollars. It is understood that C3i will close it's doors once the transfer is complete.

Aspinalls has been handing out enticing promotional bonuses to the general gambling public, too. A recent news release from CEO Russell Foreman announces that players who download the casino software will go into a draw for an exclusive V.I.P. trip for two to Las Vegas worth over $21,000. The trip includes first-class travel, limousine transfers, a luxury suite at a leading hotel, and a gift of $1000 to play at the hotel's casino. This promo closes at the end of July.

Meanwhile, every new member who deposits and plays his or her first $50 at one of the Aspinall.com casinos will automatically receive a pair of designer cufflinks in the form of silver-plated playing dice, worth $70.

Says Foreman, "We want players to gain the maximum enjoyment from their visits to Aspinalls.com".

The Great Internet Shakeout claims more victims.

Online casinos seem to be going out of business almost as fast as new ones are launched these days - the probable result of more informed and discerning players, stiff competition and basic underfunding leading to crooked practice and failure.

These names will have a bad odour for many players who experienced difficulties in getting paid last year. Well, the air is cleaner now because they have left the building, as it were. Disappeared. Gone. Without ceremony or fanfare. We can only hope that they met their player obligations before doing so.

Our thanks to message board poster The Original Mary who checked these guys checking out!

Secretcity Casino.com
Golden Globe Casino.com
Egyptian Gold Casino.com
Tiger Club Casino.com
Reno Vegas Casino.com
Green Fear Casino.com
Lucky Buck Casino.com
Hidden City Casino.com
Jaxbets.com
New Players Casino.com

and of course we now add the 11 closed down Tropika casinos to the list

One thing is for sure. There will be many more, but in general those going to the wall are inferior operations which the players can well do without.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa