Best and worst casino artwork and theming

[MissDevil]

Perhaps this thread could co into industry discussion but a player's point of view as well as a webmaster point of view would be nice:

Who do you believe has the best casino artwork. On their website and in their software? Who has the worst?

Does the artwork and theming make it more appealing to you or do you completely ignore it looking for other factors that make a good casino: payout %, live support, bonusing, reputation, wagering req etc?

 

[johnsteed]

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MissDevil

Does the artwork and theming make it more appealing to you or do you completely ignore it looking for other factors that make a good casino: payout %, live support, bonusing, reputation, wagering req etc?

I think in my earlier years of playing on-line, I'd be more tempted to deposit at a site which had great artwork (aesthetically pleasing lay-out). While I can't pinpoint the exact time, I'd say roughly around the time I got a hold of the Casinomeister.com "Accredited Casinos" list, I then knew better.


I happen to think that the most idyllic casino (main-page) sites generally belong to PlayTech, and some of the RTG lay-outs are done quite well also. It goes without saying that the majority of the casinos that fall under either one of those software providers mentioned are generally considered devoid of principals and virtues.


I was one of those that used to believe the better the site looks, the more trustworthy it's sure to be. That's probably why I didn't bother going to MG casinos as frequently as I used to go to PlayTech or RTG's, and I'm talking about '01-03 for the most part. I couldn't have been more wrong.


These days, some of the best sites (accredited) are amongst the ugliest in design. Does that matter at the end of the day? Nope. As they say, don't judge a book by it's cover.

A list of sites that I considered to be "ugly" or unappealing would be...


a) Casino Classic


b) Nostalgia Casinos


c) Crazy Vegas Casino (the colors are awful, and the character looks all blurry)


d) Virtual City Casino


e) Phoenician Casino ("Phoencian" by definition is a native of Phoenicia, and "Phoenicia" was located in what is now Syria & Lebannon on the coast of the Mediterranian... so they stick a seashell on the homepage to transport you back in time, to a long lost world... how serene)


f) Aztec Riches Casino (the most appealing thing about the homepage is the "55K" banner that drops down, and that vexes me).


g) Golden Riviera


h) Casino-on-Net (ignoring this week's debacle, don't they have any money for a serious cosmetic make-over here)


i) Global Player (just like 888.com, ugly-as-sin, even by the standards of 5-years ago)


j) OMNI CASINO (I'd have more fun glossing through the paint-tones/wallpaper section of a SEARS catalog)


k) KIWI Casino (which is funny because it's quite possibly the best PlayTech casino, but I've always found it to be tasteless, whereas the others all look pretty good to great).


Side Note: With RTG and PlayTech casinos, at least in my eyes, the best are probably amongst the most "rogue" of all the casinos floating around out there in the on-line universe.



Steed

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[CasinoForumu]

The worst casinos usually have a great website.And its opposite is true,too.
I think the worst website design is oasis casio's.But I play there.And I dont like planetluck and starluck's sites but their software and games are great.

 

[Simmo!]

My favourite website design is Ladbrokes new one. The choice of green,red and gold and the way the games images are laid out are inspiring IMO. It bucks the trend and I like that (screenie below).

The most uninspiring one for me is 32Red, although that is set to change later this year I believe.

That all said, I think there is a marked difference in how the US and UK gambling markets perceive the quality of an online casino. The US seem to like the Vegas glitz-and-glamour approach, and a wander round the online casinos focused on that market do in large follow a similar layout - obviously a tried and tested format. The UK is more reserved and looks for a sign of "quality" above that of the "flashy" style.


Simmo!

 

[cheekymonkey]

My favourite website design is Ladbrokes new one. The choice of green,red and gold and the way the games images are laid out are inspiring IMO. It bucks the trend and I like that (screenie below).

Simmo!

Very true. The layout appears so simple, yet very effective. In fact, navigating around ladbrokes.com in general is a breeze. I don't think there are many sites out there in which you can also transfer funds between all their sites so easily i.e. from casino to poker, poker to games, games to sports etc. + no pop-ups!

Whoever designs their sites deserves a smartie (an orange one).

 

[Mousey]

Drab, uninspiring and badly in need of updating: Global Player. But I play here a lot because I love the variety of VP they offer, customer service is speedy and friendly, and they pay me fast (should I ever win anything again in my gambling lifetime). Their slots are very blah, all single line 3-reels, all skinned the same, with the only difference being denomination or whether it's progressive or not. Their cards are small on my small screen and after a long day at work I find it very tiring to try to play at GP.

Grates on my nerves, like fingernails on a chalkboard: Fortune Lounge's Vegas Palms. Not quite sure what nerve this theme/color combo hits, but I just know I don't like it.

Pleasant, relaxing: King Neptunes

 

[pacers31]

I honestly don't care about the aesthetics of any site, as long as the games are pleasing. Let's face it, all the games of a particular software provider are basically the same. Same games at all MG, RTG, Playtechs, etc. Therefore, I could care less about the backround on the screen, I instead care only for the reputation and responsiveness of the site. Just because MG puts on a little fancy movie when you log in doesn't mean that I trust or distrust that site more than another. I personally don't see why they need these themes at all since the games are identical at each. I guess I just don't even consider the backdrop when picking a site. For me the backdrop is always the same anyway, the room my computer is in at the house.

 

[dominique]

King Neptune rules by miles and miles.

I like the Lake Palace design too.

Personally, I do care about how the casino looks and I really hate todays unimaginative, slapped together, blinking billboard type casinos.

Yuck!

 

[Slotster!]

Even though I'm not a member, I've always like the look of the Platinum Play casino.. Seems simple and classy. I like the simplicity of 32RED branding and name too, although I agree the website could probably do with an update... Definitely more Monte Carlo than Las Vegas, which is a good thing. Las Vegas is great if you're actually there, rubbish when it's being copied. Ooh, Harrods casino always looked nice and well presented, but I could never get the software to work.

Mainly they're a much of a much of a muchness...

 

[MissDevil]

Grates on my nerves, like fingernails on a chalkboard: Fortune Lounge's Vegas Palms. Not quite sure what nerve this theme/color combo hits, but I just know I don't like it.

I like that and don't like that at the same time. The colour scheme is nice but it kind of feels like Vegas in the day time to me. Which Vegas isn't particularly attractive in the day. It's the night where it comes alive.

How the tropical beach scene with super blue fits into "Vegas" beats me.

 

[The Watchdog]

the Best and worst

The Best art on a site and casino that I have seen would be:

Riverbelle

xxclubcasino (new playtech casino) very nice look

Aspinalls

Sierra Star

Sun Palace

The Worst:

Tropez

Las Vegas Casino

All Slots

Slots.com

Captain Cooks

 

[Alexandre]

It' not a casino but a poker room....it's the best I've ever seen, i'll explain why in details if I can find some time to write about it.
They made great changes the last months (watch their website through Archive.org Wayback machine).
Everything is at is place, from the homepage to the registration process.
The use they make of the video in terms of incitative design is astonishing....couldn't be better.
They repeat the key phrases pronouced by Mr Doyles in the flash animation, they put his handwritten signature at the end of the animation and that man gives me the garanty that this site is safe and secure. What could I ask more ?
People like 888 should take example of them...as 32Red who have a poor black & white picture of Pasty Kensit instead of a rich video taking the player to and through the registration process...amateur's work.
-http://www.doylesroom.com/
Respect to Mr Doyles design and marketing team.

 

[soflat]

Worst: Casino US

They have Uncle Sam pointing a finger at you on their homepage.

Obviously not designed by or for Americans. But who in the world WOULD want the US gov't looking at them as they visit online casinos? It makes no sense.

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Best: Casino US

They have Uncle Sam pointing a finger at you on their homepage.

It helps remind us not to play over our limits. In fact it reminds us we shouldn't play there at all.