Open	38
Closed	26

2004 Newsletter

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

14 January 2004 – Special Announcement

The Casinomeister Awards for 2003 have just been announced!

Best Casino of 2003
Worst Casino
Best Casino Group
Worst Casino Group
Best Affiliate Program
Biggest Disappointment Biggest Casino Scam Evil Player Award

All this and more here https://www.casinomeister.com/bestworst2003.php

Hear Vortran and I dish out the awards here! https://www.casinomeister.com/radio_show.html

15 January 2004 – Issue #175

BEST AND WORST OF 2003

As most of you know, Wednesday was the announcement of Casinomeister’s “Best and Worst” of 2003: a year’s worth of highlights and lowlifes encapsulated into 7650 words and 19 categories. Hats off to 32Red Casino, Casinomeister’s Casino of the year, and a gracious salute to Black Widow Casino, 2003’s worst casino. Wonder what it’s all about? Well, go brew a pot of coffee and check it out here.

NEW AND IMPROVED FORUM

For those of you who have been away, or asleep for the past couple of weeks, you would be in complete unawares that Casinomeister’s forum has been ramped up and converted to what it is now…and what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. If you are already a forum member, please take a few minutes and log in and update your user profile in “user cp”. In your user cp, you can:

select from over 400 avatars (your personal picture that appears by your posts), or upload your own.
You can add a custom user text – this is the title that appears beneath your name on your posts. I am the exalted “Forummeister”, I’m just waiting for the first “Bonusvacuum” or “Beater” to show up.
you can go into an invisible mode, so that no one knows that you’re lurking.
add people to your “buddy list”. The buddy list is used to keep track of the friends you have made in the forum. By going to your “user cp”, you’ll be able to see which of your “buddies” are currently online, and be able to send them private messages. Adding people to your buddy list also allow you to send private messages to multiple board members at the same time. You may add any member of this board to your buddy list by clicking this button in a member’s posts.
You can also set up ignore lists: Ignore lists are used for those people who’s messages you wish not to read. By adding someone to your ignore list, those messages posted by these individuals will be hidden when you read a thread. Sorry, you can’t ignore me
I’ll also be setting up a referral program where members who refer the most forum members will receive cool prizes. Whoopee!

If you aren’t a member of Casinomeister’s Forum, please join us. The forum consists of people from every walk of life in the online gaming world, players, webmasters, casino operators, cash provider reps, journalists, bonus hunters, blabber mouths, shills and spammers, just about anyone you can think of. We’ve had over 70 new members sign up since the new board was launched two weeks ago. C’mon, what are you waiting for? Come join the party!!

NEW WEBCAST

A new webcast is up! Topics include:

* Warren Cloud casinos
* Hear Vortran and I give out the Best and Worst of 2003 awards All this and more .

CRYSTAL PALACE GROUP

Ongoing saga: I had a bit of a run-in with Warren Cloud and Oliver Curran this week after I placed their casinos in the not-recommended section at Casinomeister. They reacted by making a few derogatory comments, some of which were directed at the members of Casinomeister’s forum and were posted here. Shameful. But they were pissed. And I wouldn’t blame them for being a bit pissed. I’d be a bit miffed myself if I ended up in “Casinomeister’s Evil Page” – even though it was merely the “not recommended” section. Well, what’s the problem with them?

The problem is that there is an unwritten policy at this group of casinos that if you are participating in bonus play, you better lose or play way beyond the minimum wagering requirements. If you play the minimum, you’re considered a “beater” and locked out. There have been a few occurences of winnings being paid to these “locked out” players, but in most cases – they were lucky to get their deposits back. Please keep in mind, it is the casino that has invited these players to play. It’s their offer, and they should abide by the posted terms and conditions. The players have risked their deposits fairly. If they cash out as soon as they make the minimum wagering requirement, tough for the casino – that’s the tough part of being a casino.

The managers and/or operator of these casinos have generally shown contempt for these players. And that’s wrong. Warren Cloud and company are not committed to this industry providing players with a form of entertainment; they are there strictly to churn out a profit. Every time I have a email chat with Mr. Cloud, I think of most of the other operators and managers I know. It’s like being on another planet with this individual. The difference in mannerisms and philosophy between WC and many of his competitors is astonishing.

And if you choose to play at one of his casinos after all I have said and written about them, make sure you either a) lose or b)don’t play with a bonus. Simple as that.

CONTEST WINNERS

Tammy Larose and Susan Warren are our $200 winners for Casinomeister’s Scavenger Hunt! Eric Burgin is our $200 winner for “Who Wants to be a Casinomeister?”!! It’s fabulous!!! It’s fun!! With all of the exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!!! So c’mon! What are you waiting for?? Let’s play here!! and here!!

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO MEMBER

It’s damn hard to get on Casinomeister as an advertiser. Sometimes a bit too hard as some casinos have found out. Why? Well most of you know that I require a number of conditions to be met before a casino is brought on board. It’s always been this way at Casinomeister. I am also one of the few website owners who require a face to face meeting with either the operators of the casino, or their representative(s).

With this in mind, let’s give BlackJackPlayer.com a warm welcome. They are a well established no download casino licensed and operated out of the island of Curacao. Backed by the well respected VIP Management Services and running on the IGW software platform, BlackJackPlayer.com has the reputation of one of the Net’s top performing Online Casinos. At the moment, all new players receive a $50 bonus with a $100 deposit, existing players receive $25 bonus with deposits of $100

Open an account here!

BJ TOURNAMENT AT CASINOMEISTER!

If you haven’t joined my multi-player BJ tournament at Intercasino, now is the time. The signup fee is a mere $25 – you’re given $1000 play money to playout for 90 minutes – 10 minutes today – 20 minutes tomorrow – it don’t matter. You have until the 31st to play it out.

Top scorer wins $3000, second place $1000 and ten runner up players win $100.

C’mon, time to kick my ass at BJ!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds
Check it out here!

Casinomeister’s newsletter is now available in three flavors: HTML, text, or AOL, (you are reading the totally bitchin’ HTML version). If you would like to update your settings, please scroll down to the bottom and you’ll find a link to do so. Any problems, please let me know!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Have you tried English Harbour’s new Platinum Version 4.20 software? Well if you like slots, this is a “must play”. Orient Express is a 5 reel 21 line slot! Check them out today!!

For fun and bigger winnings, visit Lucky Nugget Online Casino today and start your lucky streak off with a 100% match bonus up to 150 dollars free!

Go to Lucky Nugget Casino and open a New Real Account. Then purchase $50 and you will receive $200 free.

Biggest Jackpot Won Online
The WORLD’S LARGEST EVER ONLINE JACKPOT was won at Lucky Nugget! Congratulations to Jim L., for his record-breaking win of $1,683,526.64 on the Major Millions Progressive Slot at Lucky Nugget Online Casino!

What we offer you:
You too could enjoy a major win when you STRIKE GOLD at Lucky Nugget and experience all that we have to offer. So use your bonus to get lucky on our selection of 80 of the finest casino games available. You could strike it rich on Blackjack, Video Poker, Slots and 11 Progressive Jackpots! What’s more, you will enjoy the most realistic game play ever on our advanced software, Viper. Viper is designed with you in mind and will improve your gaming with time-saving features such as Expert Mode and AutoPlay as well as enhance your overall experience with incredible graphics and sound.

Safe and Secure!
At the same time, as a reputable online casino, we are dedicated to your safety and security. That is why our selection of user-friendly purchase options are encrypted with the most sophisticated technology and security controls.

Strike Gold with Lucky Nugget today and join our list of winners.

This week’s humor……

From the archives:

WORDS WOMEN USE

FINE This is the word women use to end an argument when they feel they are right and you need to shut up. Never use “fine” to describe how a woman looks — this will cause you to have one of those arguments.

FIVE MINUTES This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so it’s an even trade.

NOTHING This means “something,” and you should be on your toes. “Nothing” is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards. “Nothing” usually signifies an argument that will last “Five Minutes” and end with “Fine.”

GO AHEAD (With Raised Eyebrows) This is a dare. One that will result in a woman getting upset over “Nothing” and will end with the word “Fine.”

GO AHEAD (Normal Eyebrows) This means “I give up” or “do what you want because I don’t care.” You will get a “Raised Eyebrow Go Ahead” in just a few minutes, followed by “Nothing” and “Fine,” and she will talk to you in about “Five Minutes” when she cools off.

LOUD SIGH This is not actually a word, but is a nonverbal statement often misunderstood by men. A “Loud Sigh” means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment, and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over “Nothing.”

SOFT SIGH Again, not a word, but a nonverbal statement. “Soft Sighs” mean that she is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe, and she will stay content.

THAT’S OKAY This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. “That’s Okay” means that she wants to think long and hard before paying you back for whatever it is that you have Done. “That’s Okay” is often used with the word “Fine” and in conjunction with a “Raised Eyebrow.”

GO AHEAD At some point in the near future, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble.

PLEASE DO This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance with the truth, so be careful and you shouldn’t get a “That’s Okay.”

THANKS A woman is thanking you. Do not faint. Just say, “You’re welcome.”

THANKS A LOT This is much different from “Thanks.” A woman will say, “Thanks A Lot” when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have offended her in some callous way, and will be followed by the “Loud Sigh.” Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the “Loud Sigh,” as she will only tell you “Nothing.”

Ha ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHT

A number of players noticed that RTG’s Caribbean 21 disappeared from RTG casinos. There was a good reason why….

RTG’s Caribbean 21

Yes, it looks like there have been some record wins here by one player. What may look like a catastrophic event for a casino may turn into a very good thing for them. If they play their cards right (pun intended), they very well might turn this into a PR dream. More on this soon.

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. ~Bryan Bailey

Follow the thread here.

MANAGEMENT BUY-OUT FOR GAMBLING.COM?

Graeme Levin remains a consultant

The buyer appeal of top Got2bet portal Gambling.com was illustrated last month when new owners in what seems to be a management buy-out were quickly found after an original suitor failed to make the payment deadline.

Former owner Graeme Levin told InfoPowa this week, “I’m pleased to tell you that Gambling.com has been sold to a group of independent investors who are backing the current management team led by Tim Rosenberg and Dylan Schlosberg. Tim has been Gambling.com’s CMO and Dylan ran Herotech, responsible for our advertising and media buying.

“I will remain as a consultant for a while. Craig will continue to handle the technical matters. Gambling.com will therefore retain its independent stance in the Industry. Although I envisage little changing, both Dylan and Tim have exciting plans for Gambling.com and I am confident that they will take the site from strength to strength.”

Levin was unable for commercial reasons to disclose the purchase price, but confirmed that the takeover became effective at the end of December 2003.

In October last year a little known portal group called Interactive Gaming Holdings announced that it was to take over Gambling.com for an impressive purchase price of GBP 2.5 million.

The deal was that GBP 500 000 would be in cash but the remainder would presumably be in the form of equity or profit sharing once the company has successfully been floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in London, England. IGH hoped to raise some GBP 8 million through this listing, enabling it to add more websites to its network of Got2bet and betting operations. IGH’s goal was to become a one-stop destination for online bettors, and despite its low profile claimed already to control over 1100 gaming related sites. Driving the IGH listing project as chairman was experienced Got2bet executive Craig Marshak, a former director of Schroders and the co-founder of CV Holdings, the developer of the successful Be The Dealer private label casino gambling platform.

STOP PRESS: Information coming in as we went to press this week is that Joe Plummer’s Fairbet.com portal and possibly ancillary interests has been sold to an undisclosed buyer for a reported US$ 1.15 million This figure has yet to be confirmed.

23 January 2004 – Issue #176

The ICE

The International Casino Convention kicks off next week in London, and I intend to be there eager to meet as many people as I can who are involved in this strange industry. Thousands of people from all over the world travel to the ICE just to check out what is new in casinos – brick & mortar, and the online type. Best of all, it’s a free show.

Why should you care? I’ll tell you why. This is where people like me meet people like operators and software providers and licensors, and it gives me the opportunity to ask questions or dish out some agenda. I also take many mental notes and get vibes from people which enables me to make some good calls on which casinos I ought to promote, and it assists me to resolve whatever issues may be at hand…luckily there aren’t too many outstanding issues at this moment.

Some things do come to mind; the Oddson – Fortyplus fiasco is still simmering–there are a few players who have had difficulties with their payments and I hope I can get some answers on this. There are a few issues with RealTimeGaming that I hope to resolve as well

I will also be traveling around with my handy dandy microphone interviewing pertinent individuals, or perhaps recording “off the cuff” comments that no one is meant to hear. Be careful what you might say, it may end up on the webcast.

Just kidding, I would never do that, would I? Nevertheless, I am looking forward to hooking up with the usual suspects, and with a few new people as well. See you there…

NEW WEBCAST

A new webcast is up! Topics include:
*International Casino Exhibition
*Why you should care
*Incashcasino – not good
*Warren Cloud hurts Vortran’s feelings All this and more

WARREN CLOUD – POTTY MOUTH

Sometimes I rub people the wrong way, not often but sometimes. And I’ve been involved in this industry long enough to know that being tactful, diplomatic, and polite can get you a long way. I am a patient and fair person, but I feel obligated to warn players when I think that something is amiss with an online casino, and in many cases I will take some sort of action.

But even though some people may not agree with what I have to say, or what action I have taken, there is no reason to stoop to name calling and implied threats. And I will not tolerate it one bit. Warren Cloud, the operator of the Crystal Palace casino group, has a potty mouth that indicates to me that he has no self control. His words are an embarrassment to this online community, and it’s a wonder why anyone puts up with his obnoxiousness.

But I feel sorry for the dude since he seems to be hung up on money; it really shows. I just hope that the guy will find peace somehow and someday will learn that money isn’t where it’s at – it’s love. I’m sure under that shell of anger and greed, there is a nice warm funny guy who is not at all that bad.

Peace Warren.

Wondering what I’m talking about? You can read about it here.

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

It’s damn hard to get on Casinomeister as an advertiser. Sometimes a bit too hard as some casinos have found out. Why? Well most of you know that I require a number of conditions to be met before a casino is brought on board. It’s always been this way at Casinomeister. I am also one of the few website owners who require a face to face meeting with either the operators of the casino, or their representative(s).

Open an account here!

BJ TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

If you haven’t joined my multi-player BJ tournament at Intercasino, now is the time. The signup fee is a mere $20 – you’re given $1000 play money to playout for 90 minutes – 10 minutes today – 20 minutes tomorrow – it don’t matter. You have until the 31st to play it out.

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty (it’s $3920 right now!), second place 20%! 10 third place winners at 10%! The more people that join — the more is loaded into the kitty = the more you might win.

C’mon, time to kick my ass at BJ!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds
Check it out here!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Have you tried English Harbour’s new Platinum Version 4.20 software? Well if you like slots, this is a “must play”. Orient Express is a 5 reel 21 line slot! Check them out today!!

For fun and bigger winnings, visit Lucky Nugget Online Casino today and start your lucky streak off with a 100% match bonus up to 150 dollars free!

Go to Lucky Nugget Casino and open a New Real Account. Then purchase $50 and you will receive $200 free.

Strike Gold with Lucky Nugget today and join our list of winners.

And now for the humor……

A man goes to a bar with his dog. He goes up to the bar and asks for a drink. The bartender says “You can’t bring that dog in here!” The guy, without missing a beat, says “This is my seeing-eye dog.” “Oh man, ” the bartender says, “I’m sorry, here, the first one’s on me.” The man takes his drink and goes to a table near the door.

Another guy walks in the bar with a Chihuahua. The first guys sees him, stops him and says “You can’t bring that dog in here unless you tell him it’s a seeing-eye dog.” The second man graciously thanks the first man and continues to the bar. He asks for a drink. The bartender says “Hey, you can’t bring that dog in here!”

The second man replies “This is my seeing-eye dog.” The bartender says, “No, I don’t think so. They do not have Chiwauas as seeing-eye dogs.” The man pauses for a half-second and replies “What?!?! They gave me a Chihuahua?!?”

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

A number of players noticed that RTG’s Caribbean 21 disappeared from RTG casinos. There was a good reason why….

Why do you on-line gamble?

Why do you on-line gamble? Gambling in it’s self is a risky venture. But on-line gambling is super risky. Rigged software, slow payouts, no payouts and etc….. Yet will still do it. Why? In my case i think it’s a combination of things. Fun, boredom, excitement, convenience, and the love of gambling to name a few. An even though the odds are against me I still do it. At least when I enter a land based casino I feel I can win, but on-line it’s a whole different story. When I see people posting about winning money and not being able to collect their winnings. It just blows. Also even worse ever try playing for fun after playing for real money. No juice what so ever. Were hooked. Just wish it was better regulated. Oh well, gotta go gamble. See ya.
Fast Eddie

fast_eddie

What do you think? Post your answers here.

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

MORE SERVER SWAMPING ATTACKS

Absolute Poker fights DoS attack off

Gambling911 this week reported more weekend Denial of Service extortion attacks on sportsbooks…and on a poker room.

The portal revealed that “…those betting offshore this weekend were in for a rude awakening as several sportsbooks fought off the widest range of Denial of Service attacks yet, and the attackers promise worse things to come.

“Among those hit, Cascade, BetPanAm, Sports-Gambling.com, Blue Grass Sports just to name a few. Olympic Sports appeared to also be under DoS attack but would not release a statement to this effect.”

“Even the poker sites are no longer immune. Absolute Poker was under attack a good portion of Saturday. “The problem has been solved one hundred percent and we are proactively trying to ensure that it stays that way” commented spokesman Hilt Jorgensen.

The attackers threatened a massive assault for both this weekend and the Super Bowl, offshore sports betting’s busiest day of the year.

In a deeply threatening and unlawful email sent out last Saturday, the attackers warned operators that increased protection would do little to stop the attacks, and made the following extortionate demands:

“This is what all your customers are going to be telling you this Sunday and on Super Bowl Sunday. You can triple the size of your pipe and it still won’t help. You will be under a dos attack, just like the attacks that so many others have experienced this football season.

“The choice is simple, either you make a deal with us to protect your site from this happening, or you can forget about taking any more bets over the internet. The sites that cared about their business paid us the $40,000 for 1 year of protection and have experienced no problems since making the deal. The ones that refused to pay have lost much more than what we have asked for as their site keeps going up and down.

“You have 3 choices. You can make a deal with us now before the attacks start. You can make a deal with us when you are under attack. You can ignore us and plan on losing your Internet business.

“You can make a deal with us before the attacks start by agreeing to pay $15,000 for 6 months protection. The funds have to be sent by Western Union and must be sent the same day the deal is made.

“If you wait to make a deal with us when the attacks start, it will cost you $25,000 for 6 months protection and the lost revenues as your site will stay down until the $25,000 is received.

“If you choose to ignore this email, you will see how painful it can be when you get emailed from your customers with the subject your site is down.”

It is understood that several elite law enforcement agencies are investigating the ongoing attacks.

30 December 2004 – Issue #214

Today there is no advertising, no jokes, no forum highlights, nothing but a couple of thoughts I’d like to share with you.

The last time I decided not to publish the “normal” Casinomeister newsletter was when the Second Gulf War kicked off on my youngest daughter’s fifth birthday.
I felt it was inappropriate to pretend that something serious wasn’t happening.

Today is the same sort of situation. I can’t pretend that over one hundred thousand people were killed this week by the tsunami, and this is affecting hundreds of thousands of families directly, and the rest of us vicariously. It’s a tragic example on how powerful nature can be, and how fragile we really are.

I wish to thank Ted Loh on the excellent website he put up for those of you needing information on the tsunami. And I hope that instead of throwing your money at some online casino this week, that you will instead choose to donate this money to one of the following organizations here: http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/28/tsunami.aidsites/index.html. Thanks!

27 December 2004 – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

iNetBet Casinomeister Christmas Specials!!
iNetBet is offering 5 separate promos from the 17th to the 29th of December. These are exclusive promos for Casinomeister members only!!!!

Don’t be a loser and miss out on these exclusive offers!!!

Monday December 27th: Get a 50% Match Bonus*Deposit between $10 – $200
*Enter coupon code: EWM8U
*Receive a 50% bonus
*Play through deposit and bonus 25x
*Only avaliable to new players
This offer only avaliable between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm EST on Monday 27 December.

20 December 2004 – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

iNetBet Casinomeister Christmas Specials!!
iNetBet is offering 5 separate promos from the 17th to the 29th of December. These are exclusive promos for Casinomeister members only!!!!

Don’t be a loser and miss out on these exclusive offers!!!

Monday December 27th: Get a 50% Match Bonus*Deposit between $10 – $100
*Enter coupon code: JMKKU
*Receive a 200% bonus
*Play through deposit and bonus 30x
*Only avaliable to new players
This offer only avaliable between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm EST on 20 December (which started about three hours ago).

16 December 2004 – Issue #212

IS SANTA CLAUS DEAD?

Last week I related an experience I had with my little boy who “matter of factly” told me the truth, that St. Nikolaus was dead – that he died a few hundred years ago in Turkey, and that the dude handing out gifts at the Kinder gym was a fake. He can be pretty blunt for a four-year-old. Obviously, he doesn’t really care what BS I feed him, because he knows he’s getting stuff on Christmas – no doubt about it. And I’ve completely lost my leverage with the boy; threats like “don’t do that, Santa can see you” have no effect whatsoever.

But it’s my daughter who is the sentimental one. It was her who just last week looked at me with teary eyes demanding the truth. Was Santa really dead? Was he real? What was I to say? And I posed the question in the last newsletter – did I: a) lie to my little girl and fill her mind with total crap? or b) take the honorable route to righteousness; upholding truthfulness – teaching my child that honesty is the best policy no matter if you have to shatter a few myths along the way?

The question was posted in our forum where a number of you voted – 74% of the voters believed that I totally bullshitted my little girl. 26% believed that I did the honorable thing and told the truth. So what did I do?

Well you’re damn right I lied. Why in the hell would I want to break my little girl’s heart? There are times when it’s best just to keep things mellow. Like the time when she was three, and I had to explain why we had to let one of her pet bunnies run free into the woods (yeah right), or when she wouldn’t go to sleep at night – the “Nacht Eule” (the night owl) is going to come and check on you (that worked like a charm). Yeah, sometimes it’s best to lie to children in order to maintain peace in the home.

And myths are fascinating, aren’t they? Christmas for me has always been a wonderful time, and it’s the secular merged with the religious that is so intriguing. The History of Christmas is a must read at the history channel website. So what’s wrong with a little myth in our lives? “Yes, little girl. There is a Santa Claus. And he’s watching you.”

WHEN LYING IS BAD

Lying is bad when you make a posting in forum, trashing an online casino and blatantly lie about the circumstance. Don’t lie, because you will get caught.

NEW CASINOS AT CASINOMEISTER

Casinomeister is proud to present Virgin Games!! Backed by one of the most prestigious companies that is dedicated to the entertainment industry (Virgin), they have selection of the most popular branded games!! “Instant Win Monopoly”, “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Price is Right” are but a few. Sign up now, and receive a �50 bonus!! (Terms and conditions apply – read them!)

Sorry no US.

King Solomons Casino is the newest RTG casino that has signed up at Casinomeister. They are offering Casinomeister players an exclusive sign up bonus – Purchase $150 for $150 bonus.

It is a pure slots offer and only available to people who download. Use Coupon Code meister1

The wagering requirement has been reduced for players using this coupon — it is set at 15x instead of the normal 20x.

If slots ain’t your thing, you are more than welcome to take up any of their other offers.

And let’s welcome back Cherry Casino the flagship casino of the Net Entertainment group. To show you how much they appreciate having you as a customer at their casino, they will give you a 30% bonus on your first deposit up to $100 every month. Terms and conditions apply.

Tired of being accused of “Scroogeness” every Christmas? REDEEM YOURSELF AT MY WISHLIST!! Yes! Now is your chance to become a better person by buying me something at my Amazon.co.uk wishlist!! Just imagine experiencing the pleasure of giving, and giving generously. Don’t be a Scrooge! C’mon! What are you waiting for!!!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Lasseters Casino!! US$20,000 Cash or A Car!! What would you choose? From Monday 1st November 2004 until Friday 31st December 2004, players can earn a chance to win US$20,000 towards the car of their choice, or US$20,000 in cash.

Every US$250 wagered by a player during the promotional timeframe, will earn one entry into the draw, which will take place on the 4th January 2005. Terms and Conditions Apply Licensed and fully regulated by the Northern Territory Government in Australia – check them out today!! You won’t be disappointed!!

There’s a Holiday Gift Parade at English Harbour Casino! Celebrate the season of giving with English Harbour Casinos and they could make your Holiday one to remember! They are giving away a holiday gift to one lucky winner every single day of the month. There is $10,000 in prizes to be won! So don�t delay, follow the details at their website to participate in this amazing giveaway! Valid from: December 1st to December 24th

Challenge Casino has finally gone Viper, and to celebrate they are offering a TRIPLE DEPOSIT BONUS – up to $1000 Free!

Here’s how the offer works:
1st Deposit
Max Deposit = $100
100% Bonus = $100
2nd Deposit
Max Deposit = $800
50% Bonus = $400
3rd Deposit Max Deposit = $2000
25% Bonus = $500
Total Max Bonus $1000

Check them out today!!

Sign up at Aces High Online Casino today and receive a complimentary 15 Dollars Then double your winning streak and make a single deposit of 50 dollars to claim an additional 35 Dollars worth of Free Casino Credits! You win again!

This is the kind of Fast Paced Casino Action you’ve been waiting for – go play, go win!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

You Know You’ve Had Too Much Christmas Cheer When…
1. You notice your tie sticking out of your fly.
2. Someone uses your tongue for a coaster.
3. You start kissing the portraits on the wall.
4. You see your underwear hanging from the chandelier.
5. You have to hold on to the floor to keep from sliding off.
6. You strike a match and light your nose.
7. You take off your shoes and wade in the potato salad.
8. You hear someone say, “Call a priest!”
9. You hear a duck quacking and it’s you.
10. You complain about the small bathroom after emerging from the closet.
11. You refill your glass from the fish bowl.
12. You tell everyone you have to go home… and the party’s at your place.
13. You ask for another ice cube and put it in your pocket.
14. You yawn at the biggest bore in the room… and realize you’re in front of the hall mirror.
15. You pick up a roll, and butter your watch.
16. You suggest everyone stand and sing the national budget.
17. You’re at the dinner table and you ask the hostess to pass a bedpan.
18. You take out your handkerchief and blow your ear.
19. You tell your best joke to the rubber plant.
20. You realize you’re the only one under the coffee table.

ha ha ha (hic!)

ATTENTION WEBMASTERS! (and anyone else concerned with fighting spam)

I’ve added a new section to the Webmaster Forum in Casinomeister’s Forum entitled “Webmaster Detectives.” Here you will find useful links to fighting spam and exposes on current evil spammers. The most recent are the Russian operators of Oyster Gaming casinos. Lots of good information here (all searchable of course). The webmaster section is readable by anyone, but you must be a member of the “webmaster user group” in order to post. Please contact me if you feel you want to be a member. Check it out here: https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=70.

15 December 2004 – Exclusive

Pardon the intrusion, but I’d thought I’d fill you in on an exclusive promotion that is happening as of today:
King Solomons Casino is the newest RTG casino that has signed up at Casinomeister. They are offering Casinomeister players an exclusive sign up bonus – Purchase $150 for $150 bonus.

It is a pure slots offer and only available to people who download. Use Coupon Code meister1

The wagering requirement has been reduced for players using this coupon — it is set at 15x instead of the normal 20x.

If slots ain’t your thing, you are more than welcome to take up any of their other offers.

13 December 2004

Casinomeister Casino Alert -Capital Casino has gone Viper!!

To celebrate, they are offering an 150% Welcome Bonus to start you off — Get an instant 150% Bonus up to $75 on your first deposit at this casino!

9 December 2004 – Issue #211

IS SANTA CLAUS DEAD?

I was out and about with my four-year-old son the other day at his weekly kids’ gymnastics. Every Tuesday we meet at a local sports hall where a group of 10 or so kids from the ages of 2-5 run around and do semi-organized physical training with their parents. Well this was a special Tuesday because “Nikolaus” was to appear and hand out goodies.

While putting on our gym clothes in the changing room, I briefed my son with the routine rules and regs of kid’s play. “Be nice. Don’t get too wild. Follow instructions,” etc. He is usually pretty much okay with this, but there are a couple of other boys his age in his group, and when they get together the combination is catastrophic (I’m sure most parents of young kids can relate to this). Anyway, he promised to behave especially since “St. Nikolaus” would be there, and he ran off to play.

And what a good little boy he was (I call him Mini-me, by the way). He wasn’t too wild, and he followed the leader’s instructions to jump through hoops, or climb up ladders, over benches, etc. And he didn’t lose his mind when the other boys in his little gang showed up. He was an obedient child. And finally, it was time for Nikolaus to make his appearance.

Now this is Germany, not the States where Santy Claus is a jovial forgiving half-crocked big fat guy. Nikolaus is daunting and commands respect as he enters a room. He carries a book full of Christmas rhymes (that always seem intimidating with their moralistic endings), a large staff, a bag of “gifts”, and sometimes a handful of small branches – switches to wap the butts of little bad ones – are stashed in his belt. I felt for these little kids as he came in. They stood around him as he read from his book preaching how important it was to be an obedient child. Nothing jovial here.

Finally it was over, and he handed out his little gifts; a wooden clothes hook shaped like an animal – and a sucker. We bid him farewell, and the kids went back to where they left off. Playing oh so playfully.

And my little boy, Mini-me, began to careen around, and I could sense that the obedience I was cherishing a moment ago was dust in the wind. He hooked up with those other young crazy lads, and they went out of control. After a few minutes of exasperating pleads to “Mellow out!” “Knock it off!” and “Okay, dammit – that’s my last warning!” I pulled out my trump card with “Okay, Nikolaus was just here, and you’re not getting anything for Christmas if you keep this up. He can still see you, y’know.”

My boy just looked up at me and said, “That’s wasn’t the real Nikolaus – the real one is dead. That was only pretend.” I was taken aback a bit and went on, “Then who do you think brings the presents on Christmas?” I asked.

“You do,” said Mini-me – and he ran off in his reckless four-year-old way. My trump card was worthless; I honestly thought it had a couple of more years of use. And yes, since then we’ve had the conversations about “Well, if you don’t behave, should I buy you anything anyway?” which is a stupid thing to say since it doesn’t work. Kids know (at least mine do), that their old man is a softie and will always have cool stuff for them on Christmas.

And why did he say Nikolaus was dead, and that the other was a fake? Probably because my mother-in-law told both him and his six-year-old sister that St. Nikolaus was really a Turk who died hundreds of years ago, and that Santa Claus is not real; it’s made up by Americans because they’re not Catholic. My boy took this in stride, but my little girl was a bit freaked out. She is more in touch with American fantasies than my little boy. She’s really into “Santa is Coming to Town”, “The Grinch”, and the whole lot. She came home and demanded the truth. “The truth?” my wife yelled, “You can’t handle the truth!” my wife couldn’t resist using this line which did not go over well with the little one.

So she (my little girl) turned to me and asked me to be honest, “Is there a Santa Claus? Please, tell me the truth.” I thought for a moment, this may be a turning event in this child’s life. This is a moment that all parents dread, and here I was.

I looked into those little teary eyes and said…

Okay, what did the Casinomeister say? Did he: a)LIE to his little girl and fill her mind with total bullshit? or b) take the honorable route to righteousness; upholding truthfulness – teaching his child that honesty is the best policy no matter if you have to shatter a few myths along the way?

Take the poll here! Let me (and others) know what you think. The answer (the truth) will be revealed next week’s newsletter.

PHOENICIAN AND NOSTALGIA LEAVE REAL TIME GAMING

Phoenician Casino and Nostalgia Casinos are highly professional and well financed casinos which have had a fairly high profile in the past with their instant Neteller cashins. Unfortunately with their migration, this insta-cash option is no longer available, but perhaps with enough feedback from players, this is something that Microgaming can implement in the near future.

New players collect a 50% deposit bonus up to $100. If you are not a member already, sign up here or via Casinomeister now!!

For you text subscribers:
https://www.casinomeister.com/casinos.html

SO WHAT’S A POOR BOY (OR GIRLIE) TO DO?

This leaves dedicated Casinomeister players slim pickin’s when it comes to RTG sites to choose from. But Casinomeister proudly hails TWO Real Time Gaming casinos that cut the mustard to be listed. You can get your RTG fix here:

Bodog Casino Join Bodog Casino today and get a 10% Cash Bonus on your first deposit.

iNetBet is still running their Casinomeister Exclusive welcome bonus – this only goes until 31 December so act NOW!

If you’ve already joined these two casinos and have “petered out”, well fret no more. There are a couple more RTGs that will be joining us in the near future. Watch this space…

ATTENTION – SCROOGES

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Make your Fortune at Captain Cooks Casino

Captain Cooks Casino, offers players a high quality site, which enables players to download and register as a player. Some of the most standout features of Captain Cooks Casino include the high payout percentages, prompt payouts, original promotions and dedication to customer support and security.

Captain Cooks Casino not only boasts a massive collection of the latest flash and download Microgaming games, including Major Millions and Video Poker but also offers some of the best sign up bonuses on the Internet.

With a $16 FREE no purchase bonus available to all new players; it’s hard to go past Captain Cooks Casino for an all-encompassing online gaming experience.

Challenge Casino has finally gone Viper, and to celebrate they are offering a TRIPLE DEPOSIT BONUS – up to $1000 Free!

Check them out today!!

Jump-start Your Winning Streak!
Take the road to riches with Nugget Online Casino!Simply open a new Real Money Account, make a first single deposit of 50 Dollars, and we’ll give you 200 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits!

PLUS! Enter Belle Rock Gaming’s 9 Cars Promotion at Lucky Nugget and you could win one of nine cars, each worth 25,000 Dollars, as well as a share of 1 MILLION casino credits!

So don’t put the brakes on! Speed to a win at Nugget Online Casino! and Strike Gold today!

Unlock Your Winnings With $200 FREE

Release your winning self at The Gaming Club Online Casinowith a 200 Dollar FREE sign-up bonus!

Follow these winning tips and you’ll open doors to secure playing, fair payouts and over 100 interactive games providing you with exciting winning opportunities.

Download The Gaming Club’s free casino software
Register a Real Account
Deposit 50 dollars into this account with a user-friendly deposit option such as Click2Pay or NETeller

Then shut out the competition and play to win with 200 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the Archives:

An older lady gets pulled over for speeding…

Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?

Officer: Ma’am, you were speeding.

Older Woman: Oh, I see.

Officer: Can I see your license please?

Older Woman: I’d give it to you but I don’t have one.

Officer: Don’t have one?

Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.

Officer: I see…Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.

Older Woman: I can’t do that.

Officer: Why not?

Older Woman: I stole this car.

Officer: Stole it?

Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.

Officer: You what?

Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see.

The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half drawn gun.

Officer 2: Ma’am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman steps out of her vehicle.

Older woman: Is there a problem sir?

Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner.

Older Woman: Murdered the owner?

Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.

The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.

Officer 2: Is this your car, ma’am?

Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers. The officer is quite stunned.

Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license.

The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it to the officer.

The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.

Officer 2: Thank you ma’am, one of my officers told me you didn’t have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.

Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too.

ha ha ha

2 December 2004 – Issue #210

THE DEMISE OF A CASINO

If you haven’t heard, Kiss Casino has called it quits. And I hope it has not come as a surprise or has given you much of a shock. The warning signs were there, and these were pointed out a number of times in our forum.

This is what was sent to their players yesterday:

Dear Player,

It is with great regret and a heavy heart that we announce that Kiss Casino will be closing permanently on December 22, 2004.

If you currently have a balance with the casino, please either play out your balance or withdraw your balance before our closing date. Please note, if you have received a bonus, the wagering requirements are still in place for all bonuses as well as redeemed/comp points.

Your current account status:

As a matter of good will, all players that are not able to playthrough their credits or cash out their withdrawable balance by December 22, 2004 will still be able to contact our customer service center until December 31st, 2004 to request credits to be cashed out, should they have met wager requirements. All funds remaining in casino accounts after December 31st, 2004 will be retained by the casino.

We hope that you have enjoyed your time with us as much as we have enjoyed having you at our casino.

Regards,

Kiss Casino

Giving credit where credit is due, I applaud the manner in which they are bowing out. They’ve notified their players with a courteous email stating their intentions and giving the players more than enough time to access their accounts and do whatever. This is a much better scenario than “poof” they’re gone, which has happened more often than not. The question is whether or not this demise was expected or predicted. The answer is yes.

Last August, a thread appeared in our forum where a few players were expressing their dissatisfaction concerning the operation of Kiss casino. https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4881 One player (sandmanfromlv) shared an email he received from the casino that addressed his pending cashout of $2500.

I am currently owed $2500 by Kiss which has been pending now for over 2 weeks. While they respond to emails, I have been receiving the standard RTG banking untruths, such as the old Costa Rican banking holiday stall, we’re waiting on some banking issues to clear up in a couple of days, and finally, the one that should get both myself and others worried….

“Unfortunately we do not have a date as to when your withdrawal will be payed yet. I will contact you as soon as we do. We are waiting for a wire transfer and all I can assure you is that we are doing everything in our power to have your money for you as soon as possible”

This was worrying. As the affiliate manager of the casino joined the discussion, and the conversation spiraled this way and that, a couple of us kept insisting for an answer on what was meant by this comment “We are waiting for a wire transfer…”. CJ, the affiliate manager never gave an explanation for this comment. A major red flag everyone. Not too much later another thread appeared here: https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/showthread.php?p=48609 which covered the dilemma of a 19-year-old player who was considered not of the “age of majority”. This was only after the player had won money. It didn’t make a difference to the casino when he made his few first purchases and lost them. This selective application of the rules landed them in Casinomeister’s Rogue Section.

The operator contacted me stating his concern that he had been “rogued” at Casinomeister. He had met me before, and felt that I was a reasonable person and he was hoping to better understand my motivation. He went on to explain their position on not paying this 19-year-old from Indiana. They thought that what they were doing was fair, and that it was the right thing.

I replied with the following:

As you are probably well aware, I am motivated to protect players from questionable casino practises as well as protecting operators from fraudulent players. In the case of Kiss casino and this “underage” player, I feel that this policy is flawed and unfair to the player. There is also the possibility of abuse by the casino management concerning this policy. Let me explain:

As far as I can tell, there is no clear cut law that governs what the “age of majority” is for online gaming in Indiana. When the player initially signed up, he was under the assertion that he was of age. The casino accepted his deposit, and when the player lost his deposit – this was a non-issue for the casino. When he returned to the casino and made a deposit and won, it became clear that it was now an issue. Immediately players see this as “selectivity” in how rules are applied. If a casino is going to apply these standards to one player, then they need to be applied to all players across the board. If these rules are not applied even-handedly, then it can be perceived as an unfair and potentially abusive policy.

Also since this is your policy and not a policy dictated by Costa Rica, RTG, or whomever/whatever, you can make whatever calls you want on this. You could have sent the player on his merry way with his winnings and then ban him from future play, letting him know that he would be welcome back on his 21st birthday. Since there was no clear-cut law broken, the confiscation of this player’s winnings seems a bit harsh. No one would have gone after you if you paid a 19 year old player. There are many casinos catering to the above 18 player – I have yet to hear of any operation being in jeopardy by a 19-year-old player collecting his winnings.

I sympathize with operations trying to do the right thing, but I really think the right thing here would have been to implement this age policy after-the-fact; not during his cash-out procedure. Again, the problem lies with the vagueness of his State’s statutes. If you were able to produce documentation that indicates that it is clearly illegal for this player to play at your casino, then fine – more power to you. But then what about all of the 18-20 year olds that come from this state – what about their deposits into your casino? This is why this is so problematic. Again, I stress that this policy should have been implemented after this player (and any others) would have been paid.

Sincerely,

Bryan

I never heard back, and then three weeks later – they notify players that they are closing. Who is to say what prompted this, but reading in-between the lines they seemed to have been on shaky grounds. I don’t know how this is affecting their sister casinos “Giant Vegas” and “Giant Slots”. Only Real Time Gaming and the operator of this casino group have the answer to this one.

I have a feeling it’s not quite over yet.

PHOENICIAN AND NOSTALGIA LEAVE REAL TIME GAMING

Well that was a shocker, especially to the employees of Real Time Gaming on Wednesday morning when the news hit the fan. I don’t think they were aware of the move until after the players found out. Phoenician Casino and Nostalgia Casinos are a couple of the reasons why I decided to take RTG back on board. Now they’ve crossed over to Microgaming! What a coup for MG! These are highly professional and well financed casinos which have had a fairly high profile in the past with their instant Neteller cashins. Unfortunately with their migration, this insta-cash option is no longer available, but perhaps with enough feedback from players, this is something that Microgaming can implement in the near future.

In the meantime, new players collect a 50% deposit bonus up to $100. If you are not a member already, sign up here or via Casinomeister now!!

For you text subscribers:
https://www.casinomeister.com/casinos.html

SO WHAT’S A POOR BOY (OR GIRLIE) TO DO?

This leaves dedicated Casinomeister players slim pickin’s when it comes to RTG sites to choose from. But Casinomeister proudly hails TWO Real Time Gaming casinos that cut the mustard to be listed. You can get your RTG fix here:

Bodog Casino Join Bodog Casino today and get a 10% Cash Bonus on your first deposit.

iNetBet is still running their Casinomeister Exclusive welcome bonus – this only goes until 31 December so act NOW!

If you’ve already joined these two casinos and have “petered out”, well fret no more. There are a couple more RTGs that will be joining us in the near future. Watch this space…

ATTENTION – CASINO OPERATORS, SUPERVISORS AND AFFILIATE MANAGERS

You are invited to join our forum as a “Casino Representative” group member. There are already a number of your competitors and colleagues already listed as members. It’s time you became a member as well. Why? To help streamline the complaint process or any issue players may have concerning your operation. I try to monitor and administrate the forum as best I can, but I am not in there 24 hrs a day and most people know that I do not work on weekends. Making yourself available to your players will only benefit your operation, and it will benefit this industry as a whole when player issues are caught in their fetal stage before they become a full-blown nightmare.

I understand many operators do not want to post in forums fearing the unrelentless mob. Rest assured I feel your pain. As a member, you are not obligated to post in the forum when issues come up; your account will merely be displayed in order for members (or me) to either PM you or send you an email.

If you are already a member, please contact me via the forum requesting membership of the “Casino Representative” group, or go to your “User CP” and request membership there. Thanks!

ATTENTION – SCROOGES

Tired of being accused of “Scroogeness” every Christmas? REDEEM YOURSELF AT MY WISHLIST!! Yes! Now is your chance to become a better person by buying me something at my Amazon.co.uk wishlist!! Just imagine experiencing the pleasure of giving, and giving generously. Don’t be a Scrooge! C’mon! What are you waiting for!!!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Set your winnings in motion at Jackpot City Online Casino! Sign up as a new Real Money Player today, and we’ll give you 25 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits – no deposit required – to spin and win on our electrifying selection of Slots!

PLUS! Enter Belle Rock Gaming’s 9 Cars Promotion at the Home of the Biggest Jackpots and you could win one of nine cars, each worth 25,000 Dollars, as well as a share of 1 MILLION casino credits! So put your foot down! Visit Jackpot City Online Casino and fast forward to a win today!

Challenge Casino has finally gone Viper, and to celebrate they are offering a TRIPLE DEPOSIT BONUS – up to $1000 Free!

Check them out today!!

Sign up at Aces High Online Casino today and receive a complimentary 15 Dollars worth of casino credits. PLUS, 35 Dollars worth of Free Casino Credits is yours when you make your first single deposit of 50 dollars!

That’s up to 50 Dollars worth of Free Casino Credits in Total! Just the kind of deal you’ve been waiting for!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

A boy is watching television and hears the name Jesus Christ. Wondering who Jesus Christ is, he asks his mother. She tells him that she is busy, and to ask his father. His father is also busy so he asks his brother. His brother kicks him out of the room because he doesn’t have time to answer his stupid questions.

So he goes downtown and sees a bum in an alley. He asks the bum, “Who’s Jesus Christ?”

The bum replies, “Well, I am.”

The boy, not believing the bum, asks for proof. So the bum takes the boy into the bar down the street and takes him inside. They walk up to the bar and the bartender exclaims, “Jesus Christ, are you in here again!?”

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Actually, this highlight is from me. The forum receives on average 5-6 new members a day. And one of my private joys is to read how they answer the question, “Tell us something interesting about yourself.” Reading on, you’ll see we have all kinds in our forum. Here are just a few:
About you : nothing
About you : i am living in bangladesh for quite some time
About you : sdfgtrgreth
About you : im a bum
About you : I live on the moon
About you : I am a calm, confident man.
About you : I am a native ameerican indian.Older than dirt (lol)
About you : Cartoon Rapper.
About you : I like puppies,hot chocolate ,and long walks on the beach.
About you : I love women.
About you : move along…nothing to see here
About you : Write me
About you : I’m a Life Coach who lives at on 10 wild acres at the end of a dirt road with her husband, 6 parrots, 6 cats and assorted peacocks and other wild critters.
About you : I represent a website that I will not spam in my profile.
About you : Free $51 in your account just enter the code FREE51 100% redimable and Enjoyable !!
(needless to say this was from an a-hole spammer who was drug out into the street and shot).
About you : Nothing much. I’m a pretty boring person that just likes to read.
About you : I’am a men
About you : I love Rabbits
About you : wife and 2 kids hobbies football and poker and then theres the love of my life BEER

and…..
About you : im naked

Not a member yet? If not, why not? Sign up here and join the action!!
https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/

1 December 2004 – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Casinomeister Casino Alert -Phoenician Casino and Nostalgia Casinos go Viper Two of the Internet’s most popular casinos, Phoenician and Nostalgia, have moved from RTG software to the new Microgaming Viper software platform. Both carry 121 of the most exciting casino games!!! New players collect a 50% deposit bonus up to $100. If you are not a member already, sign up here or via Casinomeister now!!

For you text subscribers:
https://www.casinomeister.com/casinos.html

25 November 2004 – Issue #209

PITCH A BITCH!

I’m not much of a sniveler; I have a good temperament and can maintain my cool under the most trying circumstances. Well it’s my turn to snivel and “Pitch my Bitch”. What am I bitchin’ about? The bitchers who have been abusing my “Pitch a Bitch” section, that’s what. I have been receiving on average 3-5 complaints a day; which if you do the math is around 20 – 25 per week, which comes out to an average of 100 per month or so. No problem — I tackle this as part of my work load. But it has been clearly abused by “fraudsters” who waste my time with false claims. I don’t think people realize what effort is invested in the normal PAB, the follow ups, the digging through archives to find similar problems, etc. I don’t need to go into specific details for me to illustrate that a fair amount of time is invested, do I? The problem is that there are a number of individuals who don’t give a flying rat’s ass how much time of mine they waste. And it’s come to the point that nearly 60% (over half in other words) are bogus complaints. So I am wasting over half of my time with this. So how do I combat this problem?

Here’s how: starting yesterday the PAB section is only available to “full fledged” Casinomeister members. To be a “full fledged” Casinomeister member you must be subscribed to this newsletter (which you are unless you are reading this as a forwarded copy or on the main site), and you must be a member of our illustrious Forum. Certainly, many of you are only halfway there.

I think this is only fair, and it makes sense. I have faith that players who begin to participate and interact with Casinomeister will think twice before trying to scam me over with some bogus claim. If you haven’t joined our forum, please take the three and a half minutes it takes to do so. If you’ve never visited our little online community, you have been seriously missing out.

ATTENTION – CASINO OPERATORS, SUPERVISORS AND AFFILIATE MANAGERS

I understand many operators do not want to post in forums fearing the unrelentless mob. Rest assured I feel your pain. AS a member, you are not obligated to post in the forum when issues come up; your account will merely be displayed in order for members (or me) to either PM you or send you an email.

If you are already a member, please contact me via the forum requesting membership of the “Casino Representative” group, or go to your “User CP” and request membership there. Thanks!

NEW MICROGAMING GAMES!
REEL STRIKE � Bonus Feature Video Slot
LADIES NITE � Bonus Video Slot (just like Thunderstruck but Girlie!)
HO HO HO � Feature Video Slot
BAR BAR BLACK SHEEP � Video Slot
DOUBLE JOKER 10 PLAY � NEW Power Poker
BONUS POKER � NEW Video Poker
DOUBLE BONUS POKER � NEW Video Poker (Yes!! Finally!)
DOUBLE DOUBLE BONUS POKER � NEW Video Poker (Double yes!! Finally!)

Check out these bitchin’ new games at these bitchin’ casinos (Viper Powered):
http://www.casinomeister.com/casinos.html#casinos

GAMBLING ONLINE MAGAZINE AWARDS!!

Top Online Casino – Tie between Intercasino & Omni Casino
Top New Casino – Bodog Casino
Top Casino Group – Trident Group
Top Online Casino Watchdog – Casinomeister (third year in a row)
Top Online Casino Portal – Gone Gambling (Casinomeister 2nd)
Best Gaming Message Board – Sports911 (Casinomeister – Honorable Mention)
Top Affiliate Program – Partnerlogic

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

If you’re looking to sink your teeth into quality entertainment and a friendly welcome of 200 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits , look no further than Lucky Nugget Online Casino!

Start unwrapping the rewards the moment you sign up and make your first deposit of 50 dollars. You’ll receive:

*200 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits to play on win on over 100 casino games

*Quality online gaming – in the October issue of Strictly Slots magazine, Lucky Nugget was recently acknowledged as having the Best Slots Tournament, and took 2nd place in the Best Video Poker Site category

*Exclusive monthly promotions

*A trustworthy customer relationship And stringent security controls

We’ve been creating big winners since 1998, and now it’s your turn to find out just how easy it is to Strike Gold! Play today!

All Slots Casino is also offering an excellent sign-up promotion. Buy $25 get $100 FREE! or buy $50 get $150 FREE! Terms and Conditions apply – read them!

Challenge Casino has finally gone Viper, and to celebrate they are offering a TRIPLE DEPOSIT BONUS – up to $1000 Free!

Check them out today!!

This is your chance to excel, starting with 200 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits, at The Gaming Club Online Casino.

Claim a victory and sign up today. Then make your first single deposit of 50 dollars and we’ll give you 200 FREE casino credits!

What’s more you’ll enjoy a competitive edge with:

*Ready-for-action Slots and Video Slots
*The backing of a known and respected online casino
*The safe use of our deposit options such as Click2Pay.

It’s the sporting chance you’ve been waiting for. Play to win today.

There’s up to 100 Dollars in FREE bonus money waiting for you,

courtesy of Aces High Online Casino

10 Dollars FREE

Play Video Poker*!

20 Dollars FREE

Play Blackjack!

25 Dollars FREE

Play Joker Poker and Double Joker Poker!

75 Dollars FREE

Play Slots and Video Slots!

100 Dollars FREE

Play the Thunderstruck, Belle Rock and Spring Break Slots!

CONTESTS!

Casinomeister’s Scavenger Hunt!, this month there are two Scavenger Hunts!! Find the info, answer the questions, and be eligible for $200 in cash!!! It’s fabulous!!! It’s fun!! With all of the exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!!! So c’mon! What are you waiting for??
Thanks Colosseum Casino and Vegas Slot for being this November’s sponsor! And congrats Sodax77 for being last month’s winner. $200 was added to your iNetBet account!! And I bet you blew it all!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

Little Johnny was going to his father’s house one day and he was packing everything in his room and putting it in his little red wagon.

He was walking to his fathers house with his wagon behind him, when he came to this hill.

He started up the hill but was constantly swearing “This God damn thing is so heavy!”

A priest heard him and came out. “You shouldn’t be swearing” said the priest. “God hears you…He is everywhere…He’s in the church…He’s on the sidewalk…He’s everywhere”

Then Little Johnny says “Oh, is he in my Wagon?”

The priest replies “Yes Johnny, God is in your Wagon.”

Little Johnny says “Well tell him to get the hell out and start pulling!”

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Signup Bonuses

Hi all

Who actually “wins” the money in a signup bonus transaction?

It occurred to me today that while i know some people stand by bonuses, the terms and conditions of playthrough have changed so much, even over the past 12 months, that i wonder if they are now more of a benefit to the casino than the player particulaly when you take into account to claim one, you have to deposit your own money.

Now I dont mean this poll in terms of attracting new players – that’s what they were always there for anyway, but the actual “bonus” money itself. Who wins? Are they no longer an incentive?

Take the poll, and read more about it here.

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

WTO RULING ‘DEEPLY FLAWED’ CLAIMS U.S.

Appeal a certainty

It didn’t take long for the United States to react to last week’s ruling by the WTO that the Americans have no right to ban cross border gambling on the Internet.

According to the Australian Financial Times, U.S. officials dismissed as “deeply flawed” the World Trade Organisation decision and said the federal government would appeal, that the decision set a new precedent for judicial activism at the WTO and could involve the 148-nation trade body in domestic issues over laws affecting moral issues such as gambling and prostitution.

The Administration “fundamentally rejects” the ruling that countries don’t have an explicit right to limit services affecting public morals, a senior US trade official said. The official added that even if the ruling was upheld, it would not force any change in U.S. federal or state gambling rules.

The case has attracted widespread mainstream media coverage and interest around the world, because it is the first time that the WTO has taken up a dispute concerning internet commerce.

The WTO ruling last week favoured the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda in its fight against the US over a 43-year-old law banning gambling payments across state lines. Antigua argued that the law violated a 1995 WTO agreement meant to open up parts of other countries’ service sectors.

At most, Antigua would be allowed to impose punitive tariffs on US exports. Antigua claims the industry employs about 3000 people, but no figures exist on the amount of online gambling online that flows through the islands.

Antigua argued that the Clinton administration did not list online gambling as an area it wanted exempted from the 1995 WTO services agreement. US officials say that at the time, such gambling posed no threat. US trade officials were particularly alarmed over parts of the WTO ruling that asserted member states had to consult other countries before modifying laws that affect public morals.

More news here.

19 November 2004 – Issue #209 ~ Barcelona European I-Gaming Conference Special Report

Where are all the gay people?

Like a good movie, a good story opens up with a subtle scene that evokes the theme, mood, or central idea of the presentation. I’ll begin with my chance meeting of an old acquaintance in Z�rich’s International Airport. Perchance, we were unknowingly booked on the same flight from Z�rich to Barcelona, and it was only fitting that we would sit together and pick up where we left off last year. Life is that way, you know. It’s short and condensed, and when you see some of your friends only two or three times a year, it’s easy to imagine time standing still.

You see, he was one of the persons I met last year in Barcelona that discussed with me the details concerning a certain casino group and their questionable “beginnings”. (This was well documented in last year’s Barcelona’s newsletter). We also discussed Playtech and my relationship with them (he’s well connected to some of the Playtech operators). I more or less stated that there is no relationship between me and Playtech since this company has not shown an interest to have one. Oh well, das ist leben.

We arrived in Barcelona, and yes it was much warmer than the 8 degrees (Celsius) that I was used to back in northern Bavaria. We grabbed our bags and took a cab to our Hotel in Sitges – about 35 minutes away. Lesson learned – always make sure the cabbie has his meter running and don’t accept a flat rate offer. Most of the persons that I asked at the conference paid between €50 – €90 for the same ride. But my buddy and I split the cost (€60 before tip) – and here we were.

Sitges; a small resort town on the outskirts of Barcelona known for its gay clientele. And as many of you know, I used to live in the gay district in San Diego for about eight years – so I’ve seen it all. And being a native Californian – not much can surprise me. But what I was surprised at was the apparent emptiness of the city. My hotel was on the marina (about a ten minute walk to the conference center) which was lined with open-air cafes and restaurants – but it was a ghost town. Just a handful of diners, and plenty of stray cats.

The conference had already kicked off by the time I had arrived, which was cool since I wasn’t dealing with jetlag or any weirdo time difference. I just briefly unpacked and made my way down the road two hundred meters, and then proceeded to climb 147 steps up a 45 degree incline (yes I counted them – 148 if you counted the curb) towards the conference center. Glad I’m not a smoker (eh, Spearmaster?).

And there I was, in the magnificent Melia Sitges Hotel (a four star with five star prices) and I was greeted by a myriad of familiar folk – it seemed as though I had just seen some of them merely a few weeks ago (I did – in Vegas), and some I hadn’t seen for a year or so. And yes, they were all hanging out by the bar…

continuation as you scroll down…

CHALLENGE CASINO – VIPER!!

Challenge Casino has finally gone Viper, and to celebrate they are offering a TRIPLE DEPOSIT BONUS – up to $1000 Free!

Check them out today!!

BARCELONA 2004 – European I-Gaming Congress & Expo Pt. II

Where were the cabs?

The bar, like at any conference, is the command center. And most anyone you need to find will be there in one condition or another. And Brian Cullingworth, Ted Loh, and “Greedy Girl” were in fine condition and we commenced to chat and catch up on a few current issues.
Issue number 1: Why was the Casino Rewards group still implementing terms and conditions that most of us deemed unfair (this was covered in 5 November’s newsletter). At this point they had not replied to my inquiries, and Ted was to meet with one of their representatives during the conference (ed. note: they have since responded, more as you read on my dear reader).

Most impressive item of the day: Simon Burridge, chairman of Virgin Gaming discussing the importance of player satisfaction. Virgin’s philosophy is that when the customers are happy, the stockholders are happy. What is impressive is that this casino group has resources to comp players with a myriad of nice things (Virgin Records, Virgin Airlines, Virgin Megastores, etc., are at their disposal) which gives people like me hope that they will steer this industry away from the Frankenstein monster called a “bonus.”

The cocktail party in the main conference hall soon commenced, and it was like a who’s who in online gaming: Neteller people were there, Boss Media, Net Entertainment, Partnerlogic, Click2Pay, and then there were many new faces – new enterprises – people with new ideas. What a great place to network and gather information! But then I was kidnapped by an odd consortium of industry folk, and we traveled via taxis to the waterfront where we dined on yummy Spanish food. But one thing I am unaccustomed to is waiting so friggin’ long for the food. I am one to sit down, order a beer – take five minutes to figure out what I want – order that, eat, converse in jocularities, then leave. This is usually done within an hour or so (depends how jocular we are). But in Spain, (and France for that matter as well), you end up in some weirdo time warp where restaurant meals take four hours to consume. I can’t complain though – the food was good, and the company was even better.

And a midnight, our group left the restaurant to the now empty street, and I figured I we were going to catch some cabs back to the hotel (I had no idea where we were). But no, we walked a block or so along the waterfront, and lo and behold up a deserted alley-way was a small little bar with disco lights reflecting off of the pavement. “Where were the cabs?” I thought, but alas like sheep we followed the lights and thumping techno-pop and entered a dark place.

continuation as you scroll down…but click a few links along the way!

CONTESTS!

Casinomeister’s Scavenger Hunt!, this month there are two Scavenger Hunts!! Find the info, answer the questions, and be eligible for $200 in cash!!! It’s fabulous!!! It’s fun!! With all of the exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!!! So c’mon! What are you waiting for??
Thanks Colosseum Casino and Vegas Slot for being this November’s sponsor! And congrats Sodax77 for being last month’s winner. $200 was added to your iNetBet account!! And I bet you blew it all!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

BARCELONA 2004 – European I-Gaming Congress & Expo Pt. III

Mojitos meltdown

Yeah, it was dark, but not dark enough to reveal the fact that about three other groups of i-Gamer legionnaires found their way to the same spot. There was a small disco floor in the back – which was empty – but the music was cranked. To experience what it sounded like, turn off the lights in your room (if it’s night) turn up the volume on your computer (way loud) And while listening to this, imagine Michael Casselli of Bluff Magazine and me doing the “Freedom Dance” (a throwback from my 60’s youth near San Francisco). “Greedy Girl” from Gonegambling.com was preoccupied with trying to photograph men’s nipples (what?!). And some crazed Irishman (who will go unnamed) kept us in good spirits with an endless supply of Mojitos. This was a Monday night, and you could tell the barkeep was lovin’ it. The entire town was deserted except for his disco-bar teeming with jocular (love that word) casino people. Everybody was gettin’ down – bumpin’ and thumpin’, and then in walks this bearded Spanish guy selling roses and a collection of spinning light toys. We shooed him away, but not before he held the spinning light toy up against my ear. Unbeknownst to me, this was not the last time I would see this guy.

I began the next day with a yummy hotel breakfast with Spearmaster (meals were included with my deal) which was topped off by a miserable walk up the 147 steps. But once we arrived back at the conference center, business was underway. I attended the roundtable discussion: “Life After Gambelli and Ladbrokes” which was to cover the changes in European law since these legal issues surfaced. Lawyers Martin Arendts (Germany) Polo Van der Putt (Netherlands) Quinino Mancini (Italy) Thibault Verbiest (Belgium) and Olga Finkel (Malta) gave indepth reports on what was happening in their respective countries. But after this presentation, it was clear that gaming laws in Europe are not clear, nor will they be anytime in the near future. I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Arendts after the discussion and got a good earful on the present condition in Germany concerning online gaming. There have been some recent laws passed, one of which allows German states to regulate or permit online gaming/advertising within their own jurisdictions. But again, our discussion proved that there are just as many grey areas as before. I still remain a confused man.

Lunch of course was fantastic. The meals provided at the GIGSE and EIG conferences always exceed expectations; this was no different. And Spanish food is always a treat – especially in Spain.

That afternoon, I hit the booths. One of the most interesting was URU a identity confirmation service provided by the GB Group in the UK. This service allows its clients to protect themselves against identity crimes. URU accesses and crosschecks numerous databases to verify personal information (addresses, DL numbers, etc.) in a matter of seconds. This would do away with the faxing of IDs and all of the other hokey stuff that are commonly forged by fraudulent players. It is only applicable to UK players at the moment, but I have a good feeling that they will be expanding.

The day wore on. Night came, and again it was time to feed.

continuation as you scroll down…but click more links along the way! Okay?

BARCELONA 2004 – European I-Gaming Congress & Expo Pt. IV

Don’t be a zombie!

Food; one of my favorite subjects. And during these conferences I’m always able to enjoy some very good meals with people I really appreciate being with. We go through the normal chit chat, sometimes even talking about you my dear reader, but only nice things – I promise. Topics on our minds these days (webmasters, marketers, and online consultants): player fraud is a biggie. A couple of weeks ago I confided with some of these people that I was getting ready to shut the “Pitch a Bitch” section down since there were so many fraudsters wasting my time. Even this week after my return, I have a guy who has been a regular poster at Casinomeister try to pass on a Photoshoped drivers license to a reputable online casino. C’mon, give me a break. Don’t waste my time with this crap!

And while we were conversing over a yummy meal (I had the fish), enter the same bearded guy from the night before selling roses and disco toys. Again we shooed him away, and continued with our conversations. Brian Cullingworth and I left before it got too late and walked back to the hotel. We passed a 17th Century church, the Saint Bartomeu (picture here but not mine – I had no camera with me this trip). It was midnight, and the surf was pounding the sea wall. Amazing that they would build a church there, as if they were mocking fate and the elements.

The following day, the third day of the conference, produced some memorable presentations. The gem was the closing presentation – the DDOS workshop. Deliberate Denial of Service attacks are still serious and will continue to be so. Companies that rely on continuous accessibility of their websites (Amazon.com, Ebay, Microsoft, and just about every online casino and sportsbook you can shake a stick at) have been hammered by every denomination of screwheads; from bored college geeks to Russian organized crime syndicates. The evil ones’ goal is to shut down a site by launching a kagillion zombie computers on the site rendering it useless.

It was clear during the discussion that this is a bad situation, and that the attacks are evolving – getting cleverer. But there is a great deal of cooperation within the e-gaming community. One of the presenters mentioned that this is a blessing in disguise since it has heightened the level of online security, but unfortunately, many of us are unaware that we (yeah, you too) may be part of the problem. It is believed that 60% of home computers have been compromised. In other words they are zombies, running a program in the background that will cause the computer to visit a certain site on a certain day thus joining a league of evil.

Don’t be a zombie! Cleanse your machine NOW! If you are on a DSL or cable modem with a continuous Internet connection, and you do not have a firewall or virus scanning software up and running, you are wrong. Here are a few links to assist you in cleansing your machine:
http://www.lavasoft.com/
http://www.mcafee.com/
http://norton.com/
And if you are an operator, you may want to read up on the following and make a contingency plan with your ISP:
http://www.cisco.com/
http://www.networknewz.com/

BARCELONA 2004 – European I-Gaming Congress & Expo Pt. V

The return of the bearded Spaniard.

That evening, we taxied back down to the waterfront and had a wonderful dinner with a few new faces, and some old. And it was right at the end of the meal that the same bearded Spaniard came in sporting an armful of his wares, to include the “Musical Fantasy Light”. It was a sign, I believe, I couldn’t leave Spain without one. So I bought one for my kids back home. And this is why I have been sprinkling this newsletter with so many audio links to the damn toy. I just want to share with you, my dear reader, the sweet melody that my little ones have been pleasuring me with over the last seven days. Consistently. Endlessly. Mercilessly.

The following morning was the beginning of the last full day in Spain, and for about four hours I met with eCOGRA’s Andrew Beveridge and Tex Rees who had invited me, Ted Loh, Brian Cullingworth, Debbee Silverman, and Michael Corfman form Casino City. eCOGRA as most of you probably know, is the only real regulating entity in this business. I’ve been in involved in this industry longer than most, and I can honestly say that this organization has what it takes to do what it says it’s going to do: provide player protection. If you are unfamiliar with eCogra, please peruse their website here: http://www.ecogra.org, it would be a few minutes of your time well spent. And eCOGRA member casinos are identified on Casinomeister’s Reputable Casino section as well.

The meeting: we discussed at length player issues and ways in which we as portal operators and information gatherers could work together to achieve improved protection and awareness for players. Both Andrew and Tex discussed new player protection measures and eCOGRA’s dispute mediation reports. Tex Rees had processed 123 disputes since eCOGRA began, 26 in the last three months. 26 out of the 123 were non-eCOGRA casinos (eCOGRA only mediates eCOGRA casino disputes). And 11% of the 97 eCOGRA disputes were valid issues. Impressive. To keep things in perspective, I’ve received over 300 complaints in the “Pitch a Bitch” section at Casinomeister in the last 90 days, and I would guess off of the top of my head about 60% of these are fraudulent claims.

At the end of the session, we gave feedback on any problems eCOGRA casino may be having, (which are few and far between), since we are the ones in the trenches; we know what’s up with players and the goings on at casinos. All in all, I am pleased to say that this organization is really going strong and is definitely headed in the right direction.

That evening, Ted, Debbee and I went to Barcelona to check out the “Casino de Barcelona”. It was smaller than expected with a few non-descript video slots and video poker. None of the VP machines had full payout. But to Greedy Girl’s surprise, I doubled my €20 in about 5 minutes at the VP machine and cashed out. The place gave me the creeps with its low ceilings and smoky patrons. We left and grabbed some chow in the Gothic district. There they had an open air market selling antiques and artifacts – a very cool place to browse. And the Greedy Girl commenced to shop which I easily tolerated since I am very much accustomed to tagging along with the missus while she looks for shoes or other fascinating apparel. And I thought to myself, and which I elucidated later that evening “I look upwards and pray to God each and everyday and thank him for making me a man. If I were a woman, I couldn’t handle the plumbing nor the shopping. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

We had dinner that evening with a player from Germany thesmiler, and topped off the evening with a cab ride back to the hotel. We were pretty exhausted and the following day was going to be an early one with morning flights to catch out of Barcelona.

And like a good movie, a good story ends with a few words that allow the audience to dwell upon what happens to the situation after they have stopped reading. Well, I’m back. I’m way behind in emails and updating the site (as you may have guessed). Winter’s kicking in and it’s dark most of the time here in northern Bavaria. But at least I have warm memories to dwell on and a really cool tune to remind me of Barcelona EIG 2004. Thanks Rivercity Group and ATE. You did a bang up job.

And as a post script, it was nice to find out upon my return that the Casino Rewards group removed the bonus wagering requirements that were considered unfair by many, and they gave their word they would not, under any circumstance, apply bonus terms retroactively. Good going!

4 November 2004 – Issue #208

HAMPTON CASINO ~ PLAYER RAPED OUT OF $1.3 MILLION Deceit, lies, and wormy conversations: that’s what you’ll get when you

WHAT A WEEK!

Well, that was one hell of Tuesday! Actually, it’s been one hell of a week. Monday was a holiday, and a much needed one after a wild Halloween weekend (no thanks to Peralis). It was also my son’s 4th birthday, a family day, and we flew a kite. Then Tuesday came and I had just received my ballot in the mail – too late? Nope, I was able to fax it back to California el Pronto. And then I began to glue myself to CNN for the remainder of the day – in fact for the next 24 hours (minus the three hours of sleep). Now it’s Friday; 51% of the Americans are in jubilation, and the rest of the world population is in mourning. Ha ha, just kidding. Seriously, what moved me the most was the amount of people who got up off their duffs and got involved.

No matter what persuasion you are – a Christian Coalition groupie, or a NORML “Smoke the Vote” advocate, your stance doesn’t make any difference whatsoever unless you get involved in the process, and I am really happy that many of you care enough to try to make a difference.

Photographic proof of me making a difference. From this last Saturday’s local paper.

There have been some heated arguments in the “Wild Card” section of Casinomeister’s Forum from both sides of the coin – and I welcome these views as long as they remain civil. But with such passionate opinions, it’s hard to remain so (civil) – we’re not talking about online casinos here – we’re talking about people dying, about government involvements, about corporations being involved, and how this affects us, our friends, and our families. It’s hard not to get emotional about these issues, and it’s hard not to attack things we don’t understand.

I’m proud to be a Yank. I’m proud to see that the voting process really works, because I really believe it does. Whether or not we like the outcome, this is the price we pay for a democracy. Sometimes you have to grin and bear it, but what the hell, isn’t that what a true democracy is all about?

Kudos for those of you who got out the vote on Tuesday.

CASINO REWARDS – NOT RECOMMENDED

Yep, all Casino Rewards casinos were added to the “Not Recommended” section at Casinomeister this week. Why? Well I’ll tell you why. I (amongst many) feel that one of their bonus terms is a bit out of the norm and could be easily overlooked by players. Stated on their T&Cs section in paragraph 4 it states:

… Using the promotional bonus for no risk wagers or to wager on Roulette, Progressive Roulette, Sic Bo, Baccarat, or Craps does not fulfill your obligation with regard to the total amount wagered prior to withdrawal. All bets played using auto play will not count towards the wagering requirements.

The problem that I have with this is that since this is such an obscure rule, and that so many players use autoplay, it could be easily overlooked. “Autoplay” is something that Microgaming proudly implemented into their games when they introduced their Viper software in January 2003. All autoplay does is allow you to play faster (at perfect strategy), but it is part of the game itself – it would be like disqualifying bonus play for using the built in analyzer.

I know that Ted Loh (Spearmaster) was concerned about this as well, and about a month or so ago, he made an attempt to have this rectified. But since these terms are still up, I believe his attempt fell upon deaf ears. Not good. I understand that casinos have the right in choosing how players can play out their bonuses, but I feel obligated to warn players of this unfair bonus term thus the non-recommendation.

Casinos concerned:
Yukongoldcasino.com
Blackjackplayer.com
Virtualcasinocity.com
ZodiacCasino.com
LuckyEmperorCasino.com
GoldenTigerCasino.com
https://www.casinomeister.com/rogue/casinorewards.html

I’m still patiently awaiting comment from the casinos.

CASINO CAUTIONS

From Infopowa News:
The operators of Indio and African Palace Casinos had their slowpay-nopay player problems when they were using Futurebet software, but assured the industry that those days were over when they changed to Playtech. However, there is now some doubt about this as news comes in that there is a substantial five figure payment outstanding to a player who has been waiting for six weeks. And alarmingly, the casino management has been unresponsive to player emails – all good reasons to exercise extreme caution.

From Me:
The problem:

I requested withdrawals back on Labor Day weekend Sept. 6th from both African Palace total of $26,978.00 and their sister, Indio Casino total of $14,607.00. They were both running promotions that weekend in which I took part. African Palace was running a 30% non-cashable bonus promotion on all deposits over $500 and Indio Casino offered 25% on all deposits. I received the promotional e-mails, and it was confirmed to me that I could participate. I fulfilled the promotional wagering requirements for the bonuses I received to the best of my knowledge at the time and withdrew all balances by the 6th of September. Their banking policies state that Neteller withdrawals are processed within 2-3 days. In response to my first inquiry on the 15th of September, they said I would need to send in some verification documents, which I quickly complied with. Note that to that point they had not initiated a request for these documents, which they should have done. Regrettably, the delay in payment continued. I kept inquiring of them why this was happening. Their response to my e-mails and their help over the phone was nearly non-existent except for one e-mail reply from the cashier department saying that they are continuing to investigate unspecified irregularities with my account. That was back on Sept. 25th and since then there have been absolutely no updates from them despite my continued inquires. I have concluded that they refuse to be cooperative in this matter, which is why I am seeking outside assistance. Please contact this casino group and ask them to produce any valid reason as to why my long overdue withdrawals should be further delayed or not paid. Failing to do so, they should be asked to pay me what I am owed. Thank you.

Well, I’m waiting…but I’m not holding my breath. I’ll give them a few days before I contact Neteller to see if they can speed things up.

CHALLENGE CASINO – VIPER!!

Challenge Casino has finally gone Viper, and to celebrate they are offering a TRIPLE DEPOSIT BONUS – up to $1000 Free!

Check them out today!!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Hey, hey, hey!! Nostalgia Casinos and Phoenician Casino are offering an exclusive 100% signup bonus (up to $200). Register an account at either one of these casinos via these links and your account will automatically be redeemed in ten minutes!

Also if you wish to claim the standard casino bonus which is offered to all new signups – don’t worry – it’s still available! If you finish with the special bonus they have created and wish to make a second deposit you still have those offers available.

All you need to do is enter in those coupon codes which are available on the casino websites.

Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

CONTESTS!

Thanks Colosseum Casino and Vegas Slot for being this November’s sponsor! And congrats Sodax77 for being last month’s winner. $200 has been added to your iNetBet account!!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

Three engineers and three accountants are traveling by train to a conference. At the station, the three accountants each buy tickets and watch as the three engineers buy only a single ticket.

“How are three people going to travel on only one ticket?” asks an accountant.

“Watch and you’ll see,” answers an engineer.

They all board the train. The accountants take their respective seats but all three engineers cram into a restroom and close the door behind them. Shortly after the train has departed, the conductor comes around collecting tickets. He knocks on the restroom door and says, “Ticket, please.”

The door opens just a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand. The conductor takes it and moves on.

The accountants saw this and agreed it was quite a clever idea. So after the conference, the accountants decide to copy the engineers on the return trip and save some money (being clever with money, and all that). When they get to the station, they buy a single ticket for the return trip. To their astonishment, the engineers don’t buy a ticket at all.

“How are you going to travel without a ticket?” says one perplexed accountant.

“Watch and you’ll see,” answers an engineer.

When they board the train the three accountants cram into a restroom and the three engineers cram into another one nearby. The train departs. Shortly afterward, one of the engineers leaves his restroom and walks over to the restroom where the accountants are hiding. He knocks on the door and says, Ticket, please.”ha ha ha

US FEDS CONFISCATE $3.2 MILLION

Urgent: Do NOT deposit by Neteller until further notice

Do NOT deposit by Neteller until further notice. Your transactions will appear to be rejected by the system, but the funds will actually be deducted from your account.

There is no ETA for this problem to be solved at this time – and all they will do is apologize to you. No warnings were sent to customers, and presumably operators have not alerted their customers either.

I will update you when I have heard that this problem has been resolved.

The US Department of Justice expanded its attack on Internet gambling in April by confiscating $3.2 million in advertising cash paid to Discovery Communications by Tropical Paradise sportsbook for advertising slots, according to a report this week in the New York Times.

The newspaper reported that Federal law enforcement officials routinely seize money they suspect is connected to activities like money laundering, terrorism or drug smuggling and this has apparently been extended to cases involving internet gambling advertising.

Well, that was one hell of a mess. Read about it here.

PLEASING THE PLAYERS

Advice on website content

It is encouraging to note that the Vegas Partners Lounge online casino group is sufficiently interested in their potential and existing customers to ask for input on upcoming website revamps.

Posting on a popular Got2bet forum, the group asked for straight-talking ideas and with the exception of the inevitable few off-at-a-tangent responses, there were some useful suggestions.

One of the more thoughtful and practical responses in our view was this one, from which gambling website owners might draw inspiration:

QUOTE
1) Give us USEFUL information on the “about us” page. Most casino’s “about us” page is either sorely lacking in useful information or altogether missing. The things we want to know are:

– How long has the casino been operational?
– Where is it physically located?
– Where is it licensed?
– What software type is it using?
– What other casinos / businesses are partnered with it?
– And most importantly, SHOW US the people in charge and provide an easy way to contact them. Give some real background on the owners / managers so that we may better relate to (and come to trust hopefully) them. Kudos to 32Red for doing the same.

2) Bonus offers:

– A variety (including a “no bonus” option) should be made available, and the current offers as well as all their T&C fine print should be made available clearly on the “promotions” page.
– When making a deposit the available bonus choices ought to be brought up front and center. Ideally with a nice little menu where the player can examine the fine print for each offer and make their choice as best suits them. That way there are no surprises for either the casino or the player.
– Make the T&C short and sweet. Put the important information at the top (wagering requirements, restricted games) and make it BOLD and obvious to the player that this is not simply “free money” but that there are some strings attached.

3) Annoyances:

– NO POPUPS. They suck, and any “gotta have it” type marketing information presented in them simply ought to be posted at the top/middle of the home page, NOT in a popup of ANY type.
– NO “Download the casino software now?” popups. They are still popups, and these particular ones are even more annoying. As was said earlier, if I become interested in your casino, I am perfectly capable of clicking the “Download casino” link myself.

4) More specific information about the available games:
– Game variations available including minimum and maximum bets on each. UNQUOTE

More comments here: https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5938

More news here.

28 October 2004 – Issue #207

FRAUDSTERS!

Only those close to me know how frustrated I can get, and this week they got an earful. I was ready to yank the “Pitch a Bitch section” off of the site and make our beloved forum a “members only” subscription sort of thing – pay to enter. Why? I’ll tell you why. There are some scumbags out there who like to waste my time with fraudulent complaints. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen some really stupid stunts being pulled.

Gas powered leaf-blowers are on my hate list; player fraud is right under them. I hate fraud, and I hate the players who commit it. They leech my time and effort away from players who have legitimate complaints, the ones who really need some sort of assistance and attention. Get this – eight members were banned from our forum this week for making fraudulent claims – they lied to me and to the other members of the forum. They also tried to cause harm to the business they defrauded by posting these claims. This I won’t stand for.

In most cases, it’s a first time poster complaining that they can’t make a cashin or they didn’t get a bonus. When it appears that a player hasn’t made an effort to solve their problem in a logical manner, I begin to suspect something. Before anyone posts a complaint in the forum, they are required to read this:

Before posting a complaint in Casinomeister’s forum, please consider the following:

There are ways to deal with your complaint privately. If the offending casino is powered by RTG, you can contact Montana Disputes section.
If the casino is a member of eCogra, you can contact Tex Rees.
You may also “Pitch a Bitch” with the Casinomeister here:
https://www.casinomeister.com/casino-complaints/

There are a number of casino operators/managers and affiliate managers who are members of this board, please feel free to PM them before or after you post your complaint. They should be able to assist you before things get nasty.

Fraudulent complaints will not be tolerated. This is not a message board that condones the bashing of casinos. If you are posting a public complaint, ensure that it is free of subjective and insulting comments and that it is truthful.

All complaints will eventually be investigated. If it turns out that the post was fraudulent in nature, the member will be banned and possibly invoiced for time and effort spent investigating the issue.

Yeah, invoiced. And I don’t come cheap. For those banned recently, expect a document floating your way.

And what gets me, is when players feel they need to dis’ me in public on other message boards when I’m a little slow in assisting them. This just happened recently at one of the more popular message boards; a player began to snivel because he didn’t receive his bonus through my site. It seemed that “gasp” the casino wanted this player to provide a copy of his ID to ensure that he was a legit player; he had signed up at a number of their sister casinos with different variations of his name. This raised some red flags, so the casino made this request two weeks ago. After repeated requests from both me and the casino, the player has still not furnished any documents proving who he is. At press time, I’ve given him the ultimatim to make an public apology on the board where he posted, or provide the casino with the information they requested. I don’t take these things lightly.

On another note:
It was brought to my attention this week that a player tried to cash out a four figure sum from a well-known casino, but they denied his cashin because he played a game disallowed by the bonus terms and conditions. They claim that the terms and conditions were changed on 15 October (two days before he made his deposit) which disallowed the game he played. But when he contacted me on Monday the 25th, the old terms were still live on the site. It may be a simple case of a webmaster not updating pertinent pages, or it’s an example of a casino trying to apply changed T&Cs retroactively. I hope this is not the case. By the way, I made screen shots of the Terms and Conditions that were live on 25 October, and they did not disallow the game in question. I’m letting the casino have a chance to resolve this on their own before I go public with this. So far, it’s not looking too good.

LARA CROFT – TOMB RAIDER!

The long awaited “Tomb Raider” Slots was launched today at all Microgaming casinos powered by the Viper software. This is a definite coup for Microgaming snagging a well-known heroine as the hostess of a five reel, fifteen line slot. Bonus features, free spins, and other surprises await you in this beautifully designed video slot. Yes, it kicks ass. Check out the new game here:
777 Dragon Casino
Desert Dollar Casino
Ruby Fortune
Vegas7 Casino
You can also check out the casinos listed here https://www.casinomeister.com/casinos.html for any listed as “Viper”. They’ve got the game.

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

All you need to do is enter in those coupon codes which are available on the casino websites.

A Winning Blockbuster!
Starring:

25 Dollars FREE! No Deposit Required! Players are calling it “a sure-fire winner!”

Get ready for LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION AND WINNINGS at Jackpot City Online Casino with the newly-released hit, 25 Dollars FREE!

For the best in on-screen entertainment, simply download our thrilling casino software.

Then register as a Real Account Player, and you’ll get to preview 25 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits, no deposit required, to play and win on our superb selection of Slots and Video Slots!

The 25 Dollar feature presentation is playing now. Get your ticket to winning before it goes off circuit!

Sign up at Victor Chandler’s The Spin Room, and be eligible to win a Sony Ericsson K700 Camera phone! Guaranteed to turn heads on the move. They’re giving away not one, or two, but three of the latest Sony Ericsson phones to 3 lucky players at their casino.

The Sony Ericsson K700; a camera phone initiates the dawning of a new era in mobile imaging. Equipped with a large high-quality colour screen and a VGA camera that also does video, a device with dual fronts.

Stake more than �15 on any table in the casino during the month of October and you will be entered into the draw to win this great prize. The winner will be contacted on the 1st November. TIMES A WASTIN’!! Sorry no US!

BUY $50 GET $500 FREE

Used to winning? Always get what you want?

Then you’ll be happy to hear that The Gaming Club Online Casino has something more for you. 500 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits in fact. And that’s just for starters.

Sign up today and make your first deposit of 50 dollars*, via Click2Pay, to enter a world of winners and winnings. Your first 500 FREE casino credits will give you a taste of what to expect:

Unparalleled gaming excellence on our selection of Slots and Video Slots!
A casino reputation that’s the envy of others – in the October issue of Strictly Slots magazine, The Gaming Club was recently voted Best Jackpots Site, and took 2nd place in the Best Slots Tournament category!
Discretion and integrity, making sure you concentrate on what’s important – your game!
World-class security and safe deposit options such as Click2Pay!

Become one of More Winners, More Often at The Gaming Club Online Casino today!

*Please note that the required 50 Dollar deposit MUST be made via Click2Pay, in order to claim the 500 Dollar bonus.

At Aces High Online Casino you can! With your choice of five sign-up offers, getting you ready to play and win on your favorite game has never been easier.

Simply make a first single deposit of 50 dollars, and:

Buy $50 get $10 Free on Video Poker

Buy $50 get $20Free on Black Jack

Buy $50 get $25 Free on Joker Poker or Double Joker Poker

Buy $50 get $75 Free on Slots and Video Slots

Buy $50 get $100 Free on Thunderstruck, Belle Rock and Spring Break slots

It’s your advantage all the way – simply choose the offer you like the best and then cash in on the Fast Paced Casino Action today!

Put winning into overdrive! Take part in Aces High’s Maximum Winnings Promotion. You could win 10,000 DOLLARS IN CASH, and a share of 9,000 CASINO CREDITS!

*Video Poker Bonus excludes play on Jacks or Better Video Poker

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOTSign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the archives…

A man walked by a table in a hotel and noticed three men and a
dog playing cards. The dog was exhibiting an extraordinary
performance.
“This is a very smart dog,” the man commented.
“He’s not so smart,” said one of the irked players. “Every
time he gets a good hand he wags his tail.”

Two little brothers, aged six and eight, decide it’s time to
learn how to swear. So, the eight-year-old says to the
six-year-old, “Okay, you say ‘ass’ and I’ll say ‘hell’.”

All excited about their plan, they trooped downstairs, where
their mother asks them what they’d like for breakfast.
“Aw, hell,” says the eight-year-old, “gimme some damn Cheerios.”

His mother backhands him off the stool, sending him bawling
out of the room, and turns to the younger brother.
“What’ll you have?”

“I dunno,” quavers the six-year-old, “but you can bet your
ass it ain’t gonna be Cheerios.”

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

What would you like to see?

Hi there guys,

This being the most active gambling related message board, with a whole range of different types of casino players, it seemed like the best place to post the BIG question…

What do the players want?

We are trying to unclutter our websites, by bringing the relevant info to the front, and making it more accessible, while dropping irrelevant info, that’s regarded as “not so important” to the back.

What do you look for first when you reach a casino site?
What information would you like to have served to you as soon as you reach the site?
What do you regard as “less important” information?

This info would help us greatly in creating a more user friendly experience for players.

Please PM me.

Regards
VPL

Well, what do you want? See what others have to say, and perhaps add your own 2 cents. You can check it out here.

21 October 2004 – Issue #206 ~ Las Vegas 2004 Special Report

LAS VEGAS – YEEHA!

Starting points are always a bit difficult for me; looking for a logical place to begin a story. Was it the airport in Frankfurt? Naw, it was an uneventful boarding and a mellow flight – “Dodgeball” with Ben Stiller was the in-flight flick. Getting to the Hotel? The Excalibur is not too much to talk about – a little worn at the edges, and the people are pretty trippy to watch. I saw a couple of brides playing the slots during my first evening there. Imagine being married at the Excalibur and then hitting the slots after the nuptials. Now that’s story to tell your grand kids. but anyway, a good place to begin would be at Partnerlogic’s dinner at Mandalay Bay’s “China Grill”.

This was an exclusive dinner for a number of affiliates and choice industry people, and the food was absolutely mind blowing. Huge salads toped with some Asian sauce and peanuts and cashews, yummy fish and other Ameri-Asian foods. Good choice Partnerlogic! And I wish I were more coherent during this dinner, it was like six am to me but 9 pm local. There was no way for me to join the band of partyers onward to Mandalay Bay’s nightclub. I was pretty much tripped out.

Las Vegas is the best place for the jetlagged. Time is inconsequential – and the city never really sleeps. My room was adequate, but it was more like the Motel 6 of the strip. But here I was, all revved up and ready to go for the Casino Affiliate Conference which was to kick off the following day.

And what a day it was. If you are a casino operator or anyone involved with the promotion of online casinos, and you weren’t there, you sorely missed out on one of the best attended affiliate conferences yet. I can’t preach enough on how important it is for affiliates to meet their affiliate managers in person to get that face-to-face thing going, as well as meeting some of the operators in person as well. I take these conferences seriously; my main mission is to meet with whomever – mostly operators who have questions about certain player issues, and with affiliate managers who are in league with righteousness, or those who are anticipating walking the road to roguedom. Fortunately, most casino operations are watching their Ps and Qs, and there are not too many outstanding issues at the moment.

But I do get the occasional amusement out of the “newbie” affiliate sales person. One of the first persons who approached me as I walked onto the conference booth arena was a rep from Casino Blasters (Golden Palace). He excitedly explained how I could make more money with him than from anyone else, but I told him quietly and straight out that I do not promote Golden Palace, nor do I accept advertising from Playtech casinos at the moment. He seemed totally shocked and yet intrigued on why I wasn’t interested in promoting his product. I told him I’d explain it in an email since it was a rather complex explanation.

But I did explain that Playtech and I do not see things eye-to-eye, and I left it at that and moved on. I wasn’t there to rain on his parade.

The food was located in the middle of the room, and that is where I met with a few industry people. To include representatives from iGlobalmedia. Some of you may recall some software issues that iGlobalmedia had in the past that were subsequently corrected. And as most of you know, iGlobalmedia is the prime mover of Party Poker, and their software is now reviewed by BMM. Things seem to be going smoothly, but there is a thread in our forum at Casinomeister that concerns me. Seems that there is some glitchiness in the way browsers handle some of their games. This has been a matter under discussion here. I hope by press time next week all of this will have been explained and resolved.

Making my rounds about the room, I met Ted Loh and we immediately went into hyper drive downstairs where we commenced on our annual Slots/VP experimentational ass kicking. Some times we kick ass; sometimes it’s our asses that get kicked. To avoid any embarrassment, I won’t go into any further discussion about this. Continuation as you scroll down….

But first, help me pay some bills…

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Let’s give a warm welcome to the land “Down Under” at AusVegas Casino, Casinomeister’s newest member!! Take advantage of their 200% Sign Up Bonus – all new cash players will receive a 200% Sign Up Bonus on their first deposit, up to the value of US$100.

Also to celebrate the launch of AUSVEGAS, they’re giving away US$5,000!! All players who make two or more deposits of US$25 during the month of October, will be entered into the draw for a chance to win a HUGE Cash Prize of US$5,000.

One lucky player will win the lot!

Check them out today!! Licensed and fully regulated by the Northern Territory Government in Australia, and a sister casino of Lasseters Casino. You won’t be disappointed!!

Open a real money account at First Web Casino and get a $75 Welcome Bonus on your first deposit of $25 OR a $125 Welcome Bonus on your first deposit of $50!

A testimonial from a happy player:

“I have tried just about every Microgaming casino out there and you guys are easily the best. (Microgaming casinos are the only ones I feel I can trust). Your casino looks good, its fast, never any hassles, friendly people, good odds, and you have some games in your casino that I have not seen anywhere. Honestly, how do you get so many new games no one else has? You are definitely way ahead of the others. Keep up the good work, guys.” Mike H.

Hey, hey, hey!! Nostalgia Casinos and Phoenician Casino do nothing but please their players!

ATTENTION: Casinomeister members only! They are offering an exclusive 100% signup bonus (up to $200). Register an account at either one of these casinos via these links and your account will automatically be redeemed in ten minutes!

All you need to do is enter in those coupon codes which are available on the casino websites.

From the Makers of Crazy Vegas! The brand new Maple Casino is offering CASINOMEISTER MEMBERS ONLY an additional $20 on top of your initial Deposit Bonus. They have a 150% Match Bonus on your initial deposit (terms and conditions apply), but to receive the additional $20, open a real account, deposit a minimum of $40 and send an email mail to maplecasino@vegaspartnerlounge.com quoting promo number: MPL001CM. You can expect the bonus to appear in your account within 5 hours after making the deposit, and sending the email.

Maple Casino is a member of the Vegas Partners group (Crazy Vegas, Sun Vegas, Cinema Casino, Casino US, 777Dragon Casino, Arthurian Casino). You can expect the same high quality customer support and promotions that are exemplified in these casinos. You can read about some of the player experiences here! Enjoy!

VIVA LAS VEGAS
continuation…
The CAC was a brilliant success and ended on an interesting note with a much anticipated event: online casino personalities were to mud wrestle with professional women wrestlers. Mark Lesnick attempted to convince Michael (girly-boy) Casselli and me to have a re-match in the mud (MC cheated in Toronto’s bout if you remember), but we turned it down thinking it would be a little weird wresting each other all slicked down and such. You might as well slather yourself in baby oil and wrestle naked. Don’t think I wanna do that with Michael. Alas, when the show began, it turned out that the casino (The Frontier) had reneged on Marc Lesnick’s deal and would not allow any guys to wrestle the women. Originally guys were to volunteer to wrestle five women at a time; any guy left in the ring unpinned after 30 minutes was to be awarded an iPod. Well that didn’t happen, but we were rewarded with the sight of a number of young college girls taking on each other in the ring of mud. It was pretty hilarious, and not degrading whatsoever. Really! The MC was a good ol’ boy from Nashville, whose running commentaries had me in stitches. I don’t get a chance to hear real down to earth American humour live like this too often.

And I was looking forward to the following day when the “really” big event was supposed to kick off. The Global Gaming Exposition: the largest gaming exposition in the free world, touting over 750 exhibitors and over 100 conference sessions; this was my fourth attendance starting with my first in October 2001. The G2E has always been important to me since this has attracted just about every software provider and licensor of online casinos that you could imagine. This is a exhibition where I make most of my contacts – it has been a crucial “must attend” event for Casinomeister. But after this visit, I’m beginning to feel that the online gaming community is the red-headed step-child of the brick and mortar world.

The exhibition was a success for the G2E, but a flop for anyone involved with online gaming. I was extremely disappointed with the vendor turnout and there were virtually no booths pertaining to cyber-gaming. Playtech had a booth. Netentertainment had a booth. IGC had a booth. Angelciti had a booth, but it was empty. That was about it except for maybe a couple of others that were positioned helter skelter amongst the rest.

Me thinks the G2E has gotten too big for its britches. “More is better” should be their slogan since the showroom floors were huge, but much of it had hardly anything to do with gaming whatsoever. There was an entire floor devoted entirely to food caterers; the food and restaurants found in B&M casinos. Well the free samples were fine and dandy, but what the hell? These folks should have their own exhibition. This just seemed to be a tag-along effort. And throughout the entire main level of the showroom floor were booths presenting items that casinos use for freebies and comps (watches, stuffed animals, vacation packages, etc.). Sheesh! Talk about a loss of focus. After this year, they will probably lose all support from the online community.

And this is pretty odd for me to figure out. Someone mentioned to me that it was the uncertain legal environment that has turned off the online vendors from this event. This may be true, but just last week I was spotting televised ads for Party Poker on the Game Show Channel, and CNN at the moment is running Sportsbooks and Casinos on CNNtext. And what about online Poker? This phenomena is supposed to be exploding online and offline with special televised programing dedicated to poker rooms tournaments. I just don’t get it.

Each year I report on the slew of innovative new games coming out from IGT, etc. Last year we had the Twilight Zone, Star Wars, and Monty Python’s the Holy Grail just to name a few. This year…nothin’. Nothin’ worth talking about except for one. The game worth mentioning is the new “Fistful of Dollars” slots from WMS Gaming. For you Spaghetti Western fans – this is it. WMS has teamed up with Clint Eastwood, MGM and Warner Bros. to produce one of the best video slots coming out this year (due to hit the B&Ms February 2005!). The steely-eyed man with no name brings the player into this five reel video slot where there are three bonus rounds to muster. Inspired by the sights and sounds of Clint’s good guy vs the bad guy confrontations, this will be the coveted game on the gaming room floor come February. Keep you eyes open for this one. And yes, Clint was there to help introduce the game.

Continuation as you scroll down….

But first, help me pay some more bills…

CASINOMEISTER-POKER.COM

Pros and Cons of Being an Online Poker Prop

A proposition, or prop player works for the poker room. This player plays just as any other player does. The prop does not have any unfair advantage, does not collude with other players or the house, and plays with their own money.

Congratulations!
River Belle Online Casino is sure that you will enjoy the gift of:

*200 Dollars FREE on your first 50 Dollar deposit!
*Hours of entertainment on a selection of over 140 casino games!
*The exclusive Belle Rock Slot – a 5-reel, 9-payline Video Slot only available at the Belle Rock Gaming group of casinos.

This gift certificate is redeemable at River Belle only – simply click here to download our gaming software, open a Real Account and make your first deposit today!

River Belle offers all our Players user-friendly and secure payment mechanisms such as Click2Pay – what’s more we’ll give you an EXTRA 20% bonus if you make your first deposit using Click2Pay!

SCAVENGER HUNT

Check out this month’s Scavenger Hunt!! Open an account at the sponsoring casino, answer the questions and maybe you’ll win $200!

Thanks iNetBet for being this month’s sponsor!

Testimonial from Steve W.:
Again, many thanks…it was a thrill winning and thanks again for the great site.

By the way..thanks for the EXTRA..to cover the service charges…you are amazing.

Cheers…Steve

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

LEAVING LAS VEGAS…. It’s not as easy as it seems – leaving. It’s always like there is something left to do. And it’s also hard leaving the friends that I always end up hooking up with; forces from Reviewed Casinos, GoneGambling’s Greedy Girl, Ted Loh and numerous others.

Squelching a rumour: It was reported in Reviewed Casinos Newsletter that I was witnessed throwing away a beer in a trash can at the Rio Casino.

Fact:
It was not a beer; it was a Corona. I had drank about half of this yellow liquid when it suddenly occurred to me that this was not beer. It was a mockery of a beer. My instincts were to throw it into the trash – which I did without hesitation or after-thought.

Moving on…I did have a chance meeting with Nick from Casino Players Advocate. This was unexpected – but I appreciated the moment of meeting him. Nick and I have more or less known each other “cyberly” over a number of years, and we had a public falling out last Spring when I became frustrated over some portals that chose to promote casinos that were causing some serious player issues. Nick was one of the portal operators that I became outspoken about. We sat down and talked about this a bit, and I apologized for any grief caused. I feel it’s time to move on and forget about past animosities. Like I told him in an email a couple of days ago: anger, resentment, and negativity does no one any good in this line of work. So in good faith, I’ve removed a webcast that berated the man and reinstated his posting privileges in our forum. I will also refrain from being overly critical on his endeavors in the future.

See, it’s not so hard to get a peace offering out of me. I’m a Libra. So who’s next?

Blurred memories due to jetlag or other inebriating effects:
*Ted Loh freaking out in the Aladdin at the 100 Play VP machine when he was down to about seven hands played (he had about $.25 left) and hit three deuces pat in deuces wild. He jumped out of his seat and ran across the room spewing profanities. He had been betting $10 a session a few minutes earlier on 100 hands.
*Laughing my ass off in the Kahuna Bar during the piano duels along with the folks from Piggs Peak.
*Introducing Cipher to Dean from Phoenician Casino
*Discussing “Refer Madness” (the book) with Steven Wainio from Betoncharity.com Sir Galahad’s Pub in the Excalibur.

So to end…I grabbed a rent-a-car from Avis at the Aladdin hotel, and began my trek across Southern California were I began my annual pilgrimage to the Motherland. I had a week of getting even more behind in my work, but I had the chance to visit my 98 year-old grandma, and I had a reunion with one of my oldest daughters (she’s 20) after a twelve year absence. It couldn’t have gone better.

And for those of you who didn’t get the chance to buy me a beer in Vegas, I’ll be in Barcelona in about three weeks…

WHILE I WAS GONE:
There has been an incredible amount of player fraud coming out of Israel, and a few other cases of player scams. These will get my full attention next week. Til then…

Peace

19 October 2004

Let’s give a warm welcome to the land “Down Under” at AusVegas Casino, Casinomeister’s newest member!! Take advantage of their 200% Sign Up Bonus – all new cash players will receive a 200% Sign Up Bonus on their first deposit, up to the value of US$100.

One lucky player will win the lot!

Check them out today!! Licensed and fully regulated by the Northern Territory Government in Australia, and a sister casino of Lasseters Casino. You won’t be disappointed!!

And yes, I’m back in the saddle again. Stay tuned for the normal newsletter on Thursday that will cover my escapades at the Casino Affiliate Conference and the G2E. See you then!

1 October 2004 – Issue #206

SUNNY AND THE PRESS

Perhaps you may remember, but a couple of weeks ago the Sunny Casino group published a press release that announced the mix-up between Casino Fortune (the online casino) and Casino Fortune, an Oregon State Lottery game. The Sunny Group had explained how the state of Oregon had inadvertently sent them a lot of traffic from Oregon; gamers looking for the lottery game. They went on to state “You steal our name and send us traffic!” And they hinted at a lawsuit in the making.

This is not what caught my attention. What caught my attention were the statistics that they included in the report. And I quote:

“We’re a very established and well-respected Internet casino. Almost 2 million Americans gamble with us. We’re the largest casino, with regards to American clientele, third-largest in the world.”

Third largest in the world. Hmm I thought, how accurate is this? Largest casino for American players? I’m not so sure about this.

I did some quick investigating using Metrics Market http://www.metricsmarket.com/, a tool that you can get a good ball-park figure on the size of a site’s traffic. I checked a few casino sites at random to get an idea where Casino Fortune might be placed. Here are the results:

888.com (casino-on-net)
Estimated 5,970,800 visitor sessions in the last 30 days

Partypoker.com
Estimated 2,946,600 visitor sessions in the last 30 days.

Sportingbet
Estimated 1,081,800 visitor sessions in the last 30 days.

Goldenpalace
Estimated 893,100 visitor sessions in the last 30 days

Intercasino.com
Estimated 592,200 visitor sessions in the last 30 days

Casinomeister:
Estimated 379,500 visitor sessions in the last 30 days

Casinofortune:
Estimated 102,700 visitor sessions in the last 30 days

Now I understand that this does not reflect the number of players that might download the software and make a purchase when visiting the casino webpages, but 888.com has nearly 60x Casino Fortune’s traffic, Party Poker 30x, etc. Now I wrote to their spokesperson, asking how they came up with their figures, but he never answered my email.

This week, the Sunny Group published another “Press Release” which touted their being covered in an Associated Press article that reported on how the Sunny Group proposed spending $400 million for a 31 percent stake in Donald Trump’s casino company, thus bailing him out of a failed casino venture.

Trump, the chairman and chief executive of Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts, said yesterday he hadn’t seen the offer from Casino Fortune, a private company that claims 2 million Got2bet customers in the United States as well as land-based casinos in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Africa.

“I have not seen anything from them. I know nothing about it, and so obviously, we can’t comment,” Trump said.

In this article, Sunny claims “Casino Fortune entered the Internet gambling business nine years ago and claims to be the third-largest player in the $7 billion-a-year global online gaming market.” So maybe they are including accounts opened nine years ago. But then I checked out the “Way Back Machine” http://www.archive.org/ (a website that archives the Internet), the first Casino Fortune website archived was in December 1998 http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.casinofortune.com. Intercasino, which is known to be one of the oldest online casinos online (is that redundant or what?) is archived back to 1996, the year that they claim to have started business. http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.intercasino.com. So if there is an error here, I don’t think it’s on the behalf of the Wayback machine not archiving websites.

What am I getting at? I just hope that the Sunny Group is being honest and upfront with us all. And I hope that they aren’t using opportunist means to gain publicity via the mainstream press. As soon as the mainstream press becomes involved, the Sunny Group may come under a certain scrutiny that they may not have anticipated.

ACE-GAMES.COM Busted out in our Forum

Besides gas-powered leaf blowers, one thing I can’t stand is when a casino sends its employees into a forum to masquerade as players, especially when these players are managers, and doubly especially when these “players” dis their competitors. It’s juvenile, it’s deceptive, it’s stupid, and it’s wrong. Check out the details here and hopefully you will understand why I am so pissed:
The complaints that they made are here:
https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5629
The “busting out” is here:
https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5675

Casino operators/managers please note: if I find casino employees posing as players, and then posting complaints against their competitors, I will cause waves that will make your head swim. Just a forewarning.

CASINOMEISTER’S POKER CORNER

If you are a poker player, bookmark this site http://www.casinomeister-poker.com. Casinomeister’s poker site showcases the creme de la creme of the poker world. The focus, of course, is providing information: Poker tips, Poker Do’s and Don’ts, a Poker Forum, and Poker News, courtesy of Infopowa News Service.

From “Poker Room Guide”

In my opinion the most important thing to look for is game selection. This means do they offer the games you want to play in such as if you prefer Omaha, Omaha High/Low, Seven Card Stud, or Seven Card Stud High/Low. Also this would include tournaments and structures you would want to play. Tournaments come in several versions. There are single table, two table, three table, multi-table and satellites where the highest places advance to a much bigger tournament such as the Worlds Series of Poker. Usually only the biggest online poker rooms will offer all of these. That does not necessarily mean smaller rooms are to be avoided though….

“I have not seen anything from them. I know nothing about it, and so obviously, we can’t comment,” Trump said.

APOLOGIES FROM THE MEISTER

It’s been insanely busy for me at the end of the summer–beginning of fall. The newest webcast hasn’t been uploaded yet, and I’m knee deep in grenade pins in the “Pitch-a-bitch” section. If you’ve been trying to get a hold of me recently, I’ll get to you – I promise. Just keep bugging me and I’ll respond!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Hey, hey, hey!! Nostalgia Casinos and Phoenician Casino are offering an exclusive 100% signup bonus (up to $200) only for Casinomeister members. Register an account at either one of these casinos via these links and your account will automatically be redeemed in ten minutes!

All you need to do is enter in those coupon codes which are available on the casino websites.

Spin and win with a complimentary 200 dollars

If you’re looking to sink your teeth into quality entertainment and a friendly welcome of ! 200 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits, look no further than Lucky Nugget Online Casino!

Start unwrapping the rewards the moment you sign up and make your first deposit of 50 dollars. You’ll receive:

*200 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits to play on win on over 100 casino games
*Quality online gaming – in the October issue of Strictly Slots magazine, Lucky Nugget was recently acknowledged as having the Best Slots Tournament, and took 2nd place in the Best Video Poker Site category
*Exclusive monthly promotions
*A trustworthy customer relationship
*And stringent security controls We’ve been creating big winners since 1998, and now it’s your turn to find out just how easy it is to Strike Gold! Play today!

Colosseum Casino 100% bonus up to $100!! Make a deposit beyond this and you’ll be entered into a lottery to win a “Smart Car”

777 Dragon Casino has just gone VIPER!! Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

Are you a member of All Slots Casino yet? If not, why not? Are you a Slots fan? If so, this is the place to play. Thunderstruck, King Cash-a-lot, Skullduggery are just a few of my favorites. And right now, you can chose your own welcome bonus! Get $100 FREE or $150 FREE instantly, when you make your first deposit! Remember, terms and conditions apply – this bonus excludes play on Power Poker, Video poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Craps, Roulette, Multi-Hand Blackjack and Sic-Bo. You need to play All Slots!!

SCAVENGER HUNT!!!

Check out this month’s Scavenger Hunt!! Open an account at the sponsoring casino, answer the questions and maybe you’ll win $200!

Thanks iNetBet for being this month’s sponsor!

Testimonial from Steve W.:
Again, many thanks…it was a thrill winning and thanks again for the great site.

By the way..thanks for the EXTRA..to cover the service charges…you are amazing.

Cheers…Steve

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the Archives:

The Apocalypse hits and every dies. God looks over the millions of
people and says, “Welcome to Heaven. The women are to go with
Saint Peter, and the men are then to form two lines. Make one line
of the men that dominated their women on earth, and the other of men who
were dominated by their women.”

With much movement the women are gone and there are two
lines. The line of the men that were dominated by women is
100 miles long, but the line of men who dominated women has
only one man.

God gets angry and says, “You men should be ashamed of
yourselves. I created you in my image and you were all
dominated by your mates? Look at the only one of you that
stood up and made me proud and prepare to learn from him!”
God turns to the man and says, “Tell them, my son. How you
managed to be the only one on that line?”

The man says, “I don’t know, my wife told me to stand here.”

ha ha ha

WILL U.S. PLAYERS BE WELCOME?

Speculation that new UK gambling laws may make this possible

One of the major frustrations for many American gamblers is being excluded from quality UK and European sites like 32 Red and others governed by stringent Channel Island jurisdictions, but that could be about to change.

According to eGaming Review this week the new UK gambling laws will allow licensed operators to accept U.S. players…and that could lead to other European domiciles following suit.

It is unlikely the move will prompt the UK’s biggest bookmakers to change their cautious stance on US bettors but the expected decision from the UK government could persuade jurisdictions such as Alderney and the Isle of Man to alter their legislation to mimic the UK’s position, according to an industry source.

However, any move could still be put on ice after the UK’s pending gambling legislation faced a set-back this week when the government released its reaction to the Joint Committee’s report on the land-based industry.

Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said limits on high prize slot machines will not be relaxed to the dismay of the offline sector.

Rank Group, the major offline operator and owner of Blue Sq, said it disagreed with the findings and would continue to lobby aggressively for improvements to the bill.

If the lobbying means the bill misses this parliamentary session it is unlikely to become law until 2007 at the earliest.

But Jowell said the government remained committed to the new bill and said the UK ‘urgently’ required new legislation.

“New protections are urgently needed and I’m confident we will be able to introduce a Bill to Parliament soon,” Jowell said.

More Casinomeister news here.

23 September 2004 – Issue #205

I GOT BONED OUT OF THE OKTOBERFEST!

You’d have to a real nitwit if you’ve never heard of the “Oktoberfest” which is held every year down in München (Munich for you non-German speakers). It’s a three week long Bierfest full of tourists and over-priced Bavarian beer. Ask any German why it’s called the “Oktoberfest” but held in September and not October, and their eyes will glaze over and they’ll tell you the question never occurred to them, “It’s alvays been dis vay,” they’ll say.

Anyway, I spoke with Kevin of Reviewed Casinos a few weeks ago over the phone, and he told me that “a lot of the guys” were all heading down there on September 24th for a wild bash. I knew a good number of these “guys” and I knew it was going to be great. He said that I should meet them, and they would perhaps make arrangements for a room. Munich is about three hours by train from my place.

This sounded great, and I imagined the fun, the beer, the debauchery and decadence that I knew these people were capable of. Well time passed by, and last Thursday I was exchanging emails with Kevin – and he asked me “when I was going to meet them on Friday”. By the time I got around to answering, it WAS Friday. I asked which Friday he meant…and there was no answer. I called his phone…no answer. I emailed a couple of the people I knew were going…no answer. “Damn,” I thought. “Did he mean this Friday? But I swore that he said the 24th.

Well the weekend cruised by, and I caught a glimpse of the Munich parades on TV – the weather looked great and most of the Germans looked happily half-tanked, and I searched the faces in the crowd for some belligerent English speaking drunks. Alas – they weren’t to be found.

And this work-week kicked off on Monday, still no word from Kevin (like as if I had no phone). I plunged into my work and had nearly forgotten about this until Tuesday when Tim Whyles from Wagershare emailed me stating that he just got back. He had to extend his flight by a day because he was having so much fun, “my mouth still hurts from laughing so much” he dared to say, and then complained of a horrific hangover. I felt soooo sorry for him.

So I got boned out of a good time. Kevin still hasn’t responded to my emails, but I believe he’s back. I’ve seen him lurking in my forum. You can’t hide from me, dude – I know you’re there.

The Oktoberfest is still going on – it lasts for a couple more weeks. I asked my wife if I could go, but she said no. Thanks guys. Thanks a lot. But then again, my beer is way cheaper at home — and much better tasting too.

CASINOMEISTER-POKER.COM

If you are a poker player, bookmark this site http://www.casinomeister-poker.com. Casinomeister’s poker site has been officially launched (finally) and showcases the creme de la creme of the poker world. The focus, of course, is providing information: Poker tips, Poker Do’s and Don’ts, a Poker Forum, and Poker News, courtesy of Infopowa News Service.

From Poker Room “Do’s and Don’ts”

*Always act in a timely manner. There is nothing worse then a player who slows the game down with constant lag. If your connection is bad or computer running slow reconnect or reboot.
*Do NOT play more games at once then you can handle quickly. If you are trying to play 4 games at once and slowing them all down there are 36 players whose poker experience you are slowing down.

To read more Poker Room “Do’s and Don’ts”, Click here.

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Hey, hey, hey!! Nostalgia Casinos and Phoenician Casino have just joined Casinomeister this week!

To give everyone a warm welcome, they are offering an exclusive 100% signup bonus (up to $200). Register an account at either one of these casinos via these links and your account will automatically be redeemed in ten minutes!

All you need to do is enter in those coupon codes which are available on the casino websites.

Sign up at Victor Chandler’s The Spin Room, and be eligible for a drawing of a fantastic computer – Dell’s Dimension XPS This is built for extreme gamers; with XPS Technology that includes a new chassis design, specialized thermals to keep the system cool and quiet, power for the long haul and the most engrossing realism in video and sound.

Stake more than $15 on any table in the casino during the month of September and you will be entered into the draw to win this great prize. The winner will be contacted on the 1st October.

SCAVENGER HUNT!!!

Check out this month’s Scavenger Hunt!! Open an account at the sponsoring casino, answer the questions and maybe you’ll win $200!!
Thanks iNetBet for being this month’s sponsor!

Testimonal from Steve W.:
Again, many thanks…it was a thrill winning and thanks again for the great site.

By the way..thanks for the EXTRA..to cover the service charges…you are amazing.

Cheers…Steve

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the archives…

A skinhead and his girlfriend were walking down Main Street when she spotted a beautiful diamond ring in a jewelry store window. “Wow, I’d sure love to have that!” she said. “No problem, baby,” the skinhead said, throwing a brick through the glass and grabbing the ring.

A few blocks later, his girlfriend was admiring a black leather jacket in another shop window. “What I’d give to own that!” she said.

“Sure thing, darling,” the skinhead said, throwing another brick through the window and snatching the coat. Finally, turning for home, they pass a Mercedes car dealership. “Boy, I’d do anything for one of those!” she said to her boyfriend.

“Whoa, baby!” the skinhead cried. “Do you think I’m made of bricks or something!”

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Winner Screenshot Gallery

Hi guys

Inspired by the Winner Screenshots thread (and with the meister’s blessing), i’ve set up a “Winner Screenshot Gallery” to keep a permanent record of the good wins everyone has. It’ll build into a categorised directory and we’ve started it off with a few from me, JPM and a couple of other guys.

I’d love for anyone to submit any decent screenshots for it as you go along. Just stop by here to send me a shot or just pop by and have a browse here.

Any ideas for improvements also welcome.

Cheers

Simmo!

Good going on something positive for a change. Its nice seeing people winning for a change. You can check it out here.

21 September 2004 – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Pardon the intrusion, but I’d thought I’d fill you in on two promotions that are happening as of today:

Fortune Room has just relaunched and has gone Viper – (Microgaming’s exciting new software)! To celebrate they are offering a “New Opening” bonus. This offer will reward you the player for your commitment to the casino and is structured as follows:

First Purchase: 50% Purchase Match on up to $500
Second Purchase: 50% Purchase Match on up to $500
Third Purchase: 50% Purchase Match on up to $500

Total Bonus: $750 Terms and Conditions apply…

ALSO

The brand new Maple Casino is offering CASINOMEISTER MEMBERS ONLY an additional $20 on top of your initial Deposit Bonus. They have a 150% Match Bonus on your initial deposit (terms and conditions apply), but to receive the additional $20, open a real account, deposit a minimum of $40 and send an email mail to maplecasino@vegaspartnerlounge.com quoting promo number: MPL001CM. You can expect the bonus to appear in your account within 5 hours after making the deposit, and sending the email.

16 September 2004 – Issue #204

PROBATION FOR ROGUE CASINOS?

Being “rogued” at Casinomeister is a serious issue in the online casino community. The Rogue Section was set up at Casinomeister in September of 2000, and unfortunately it has grown since then. The purpose for the rogue section was mainly a “name and shame” tactic to either convince casino operators to do the right thing, or to warn players of devious casino deeds. In the past four years, a number of casinos have been removed from “Rogue” or “Not Recommended Section”. In most cases it was because the business ceased to exist, but in some instances, the operators had an epiphany and realized that the dark side was not all what it was cut out to be.

“Turning over a new leaf” is a good thing. In fact, I wish that every operator “rogued” would just listen up and realize that deception, unfairness, crappy customer service, and unethical behavior is unnecessary to do well. Changing business methods or modifying one’s own behaviour is a hard thing to do, but when operations do so because of this “Rogue” section, I see it as a good thing; the “Rogue Section” is successful when it allows casinos to move on.

So what do you do when a casino or casino group decides that it needs to move on? Well in the past, I’ve redeemed casinos or placed them on probation, but after a lot of thought, I decided to do away with the probation/redemption section. It was far to complex and problematic to begin with.

If casinos are making serious changes in fixing whatever was screwed up, then in my opinion their screw ups can become “Past Issues“. The Virtual Casino group, and the Warren Cloud casinos are the two most recent groups of casinos that have been making a serious attempt in getting their acts together, and they have been migrated to the “Past Issues” section.

The “Past Issues” section (in my opinion), is much better than some arbitrary “probation” period, or better than me waving my magic voodoo stick over some casino operation declaring them redeemed. That’s a ridiculous thing to do.

Past issues are just that – past issues. There is no time limit to be listed there. And the casino operators know that everyone (who cares) is watching them, and that they are being held under a cyber-microscope. They know what is expected of them.

And I think this will work much better for everyone. Players are given more responsibility to be able to make intelligent choices on their own – and casinos know that improving one’s business practices will not go unnoticed.

And to emphasize a point – I think the terms redemption and probation imply that the wrong-doer is off the hook. This is one of the main reasons why I did away with this section. The way it stands now is that these casinos are under more scrutiny then when they are seriously rogued. They are also more responsive to player issues – and this is the main point of the matter; making this a safer environment for the online player. Antigua’s not going to do it. Kahnawake is not going to do it. It is the players, the operators, and the choice few who care who are going to do it.

ROGUE SOFTWARE WARNING

If you are a player of ixcasino.com or Joker-club.com, please be advised that the operators can manipulate the games in their favor. This is straight from the index page of http://www.start-your-casino.com/

* OUR PROPRIETARY RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR IS CALCULATING YOUR PROFIT BEFORE THE WINNING/LOOSING NUMBER IS SENT BACK TO THE GAME. YOU CAN SET A MINIMUM PROFIT THAT IS ALWAYS KEPT FOR YOU! THIS ALSO ENSURES THAT YOU WILL NOT WAKE UP WITH $20000 DEBTS!

and

The software is very good, with great control over the profit/winnings. It has the ability to change the winning % per game/table in real-time. Also you can withdraw the profit and limit player’s winnings. Games are completely random, if the winning is within the limit. If the bet is causing winning over the set limit, the generator is generating another number until the winning is within the limit (or player loses).

And then you can check out their settings page when the administrator can manipulate the games. Beside offering rigged software, the Jacks or Better video poker will make your eyeballs bleed. I played about four hands until my head began to swim and my eyes began to seriously burn. Players beware.

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Hey, hey, hey!! Nostalgia Casinos and Phoenician Casino have just joined Casinomeister this week!

All you need to do is enter in those coupon codes which are available on the casino websites.

A Winning Blockbuster!

Starring – 25 Dollars FREE! No Deposit Required! Players are calling it “a sure-fire winner!”

Get ready for LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION AND WINNINGS at Jackpot City Online Casino with the newly-released hit, 25 Dollars FREE!

For the best in on-screen entertainment, simply visit www.jackpotcity.com/a41555 and download our thrilling casino software.

Then register as a Real Account Player, and you’ll get to preview 25 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits, no deposit required, to play and win on our superb selection of Slots and Video Slots!

The 25 Dollar feature presentation is playing now, only at www.jackpotcity.com/a41555. Get your ticket to winning before it goes off circuit!

Stake more than ₤15 on any table in the casino during the month of September and you will be entered into the draw to win this great prize. The winner will be contacted on the 1st October.

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the archives…

While walking down the street one day a female senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. Her soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. “Welcome to Heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.”

“No problem, just let me in,” says the lady. “Well, I’d like to but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven,” says the senator.

“I’m sorry but we have our rules..” And with that, St. Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down, down, down to Hell. The doors open and she finds herself in the middle of a green golf course.. In the distance is a club and standing in front of it are all her friends and other politicians who had worked with her, everyone is very happy and in evening dress.

They run to greet her, hug her, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are having such a good time that, before she realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives her a big hug and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for her.

“Now it’s time to visit Heaven.” So 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before she realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

“Well then, you’ve spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity.” She reflects for a minute, then the senator answers: “Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell.”

So Saint Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down, down, down to Hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and she is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. She sees all her friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to her and lays his arm on her neck. “I don’t understand,” stammers the senator. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.

The Devil looks at her, smiles and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us!”

ha ha ha

CASINO CAUTIONS

10 September 2004

Dangerous deals: The perils of careless CPA deals were highlighted again this week by allegations on a major message board that a number of affiliate programs had been taken for a CPA ride by two affiliate webmistresses. The modus operandi was not immediately clear, but nevertheless Greg Gomes of Wager Junction accused two affiliates, only to face the embarrassment of having to make an abject apology in the absence of any facts. The other programs remained mute, prompting more unproved allegations that they had been intimidated by threats of affiliates pulling their content. The bottom line was that few emerged untainted in the matter. No factual backup was ever produced, and the only positive possibility is that if there was unethical or dishonest conduct going on, it has probably been stopped by all the public fuss.

Unwise destination: Destination Poker was losing friends and uninfluencing people again this week, with a number of player complaints regarding bad operator conduct. One in particular stood out where a player reported a tussle over retroactively applied T&Cs – always a big no-no. Unable to settle the issue with Destination’s management, the player resorted to RTG’s dispute resolution service, only to be given the surprising news that they did not have any records of Destination’s former T&Cs, and the onus would be on him to produce same if he wanted a favourable judgement. Luckily for the complainant, a fellow player did have a copy of the T&Cs, which illustrated that he was in the right but did nothing for the reputation of Destination. In fairness to Montana, after a bad start they made the correct decision and ruled in favour of the player.

Clouds over Cirrus: Exchanges on several webmaster – affiliate oriented forum sites indicate that a significant number of webmasters have dumped or are considering dumping RTG-powered Cirrus Casino over allegedly unpaid advertising bills. Players were this week reporting a blitz of promo offers from this operation, and caution is indicated. As at going to press Cirrus had not responded to our requests for comment.

Wade’s confession: Will startle many readers, but as players have been pointing out at least Ace-Games.com Casino manager Wade Reese is truthful. Nagging complaints about slow-pay came to a head this week when one player revealed that he has been owed several thousand dollars for something like 4 months, getting the usual promises and email and telephone run-around after being paid less than half the amount owed. Even the assistance of affiliates was unable to prise the cash out of this casino, it appears. Then came an email from the manager Quote: “The casino is struggling and having many problems when most casinos would be out of business we have some strong backing so we are fighting to get to the point we are ahead and will not have to confront these problems anymore. Please, I have kept my word with you and paid you what I can. I will send the rest soon – that is all I had in my Neteller account.”Unquote. Looks like another place to steer clear of until the situation is clarified. InfoPowa asked the casino manager to comment on these allegations, but there had been no response by the time we went to press.

More Casinomeister news here.

13 September 2004

Hey, hey, hey!! Nostalgia Casinos and Phoenician Casino have just joined Casinomeister today.

And to give everyone a warm welcome, they are offering an exclusive 100% signup bonus (up to $200). Register an account at either one of these casinos via these links and your account will automatically be redeemed in ten minutes!

All you need to do is enter in those coupon codes which are available on the casino websites.

10 September 2004 – Issue #203

HEY YANKS!! GET OFF YOUR DUFF!!

And register to vote! I am serious as a heart attack. There are still a hell of a lot of you that are watching time pass by, and you haven’t registered to vote yet. Knock, knock – ding, dong – November 11th is eight weeks away, and the time to procrastinate is over. Why am I preaching this political jive? Because politics control the gaming life of the US gambler. There are a lot of really scared politicians out there who fear the outcome of November’s election – they want your vote. Well, are you going to give it to them? You also need to let them know where you stand on getting the US government to recognize the irrevocable fact that Got2bet needs to be licensed and regulated. Prohibition is a time tested failure.

I tried to motivate the lot of you that hadn’t registered yet a few weeks ago, and some readers were critical that the links I posted were left-wingish (which they weren’t). Maybe “Smoke the Vote” isn’t so right-wingish – I just thought it was rather provocative. Nevertheless, for the readers who are sitting on the conservative side of the fence, here are some informative sites that you may find useful.

The Official Re-elect George Bush Website
http://www.georgewbush.com/

Republicans Abroad
http://www.republicansabroad.org/

Christian Coalition
http://www.cc.org/

Just a word of warning, it’s the Christian Coalition that has been lobbying against Online Gaming in the states, but if there a few Republicans out there who have some pull, you may want to contact the CC and let them know how you feel.

And for the rest of you Yanks, you need to do some research and find out how your local representatives feel about prohibition vs regulation. Also, if there are any readers out there who can compile a list of Senators and Congressmen who oppose regulation or support the “Internet Gambling Enforcement Act”, send it to me and I’ll have it posted at Casinomeister. Don’t let narrow-minded politicians tell you how to spend your leisure time.

INTEVIEWS IN VEGAS

The expo.com/” class=”minibold”>Global Gaming Expo are looming on the horizon, and before you know it – I’ll be there shuckin’ and jivin’ with most everyone in the this industry that makes a difference. During this time I’m planning to conduct interviews with these sort of folks. In the past I’ve interviewed:
32red Casino – Ed Ware
Wagershare’s Tim Whyles
Neteller CEO Gord Herman
RTG’s Eddy Kleid
Spearmaster Ted Loh
Winneronline General Manager – Jeff Tuttle

What I want to know is who do you want to hear from. Who do you want me to interview and what do you want me to ask? I’ve started a thread in our forum where you can post your suggestions.

Also, if you are an industry person who has some interesting things to share, please contact me and perhaps we can arrange a time when we can get together. I will be there from Sunday the 3rd to Thursday the 7th.

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Are you a member of Roxy Palace Casino yet? If not, why not? You are aware that Microgaming has just released a bunch of new exciting slots last week! Well to try them out, open an account at Roxy Palace Casino and treat yourself to their 100% match bonus for new players (up to $100). And then have a blast at their new games!!

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

LIGHT UP THE SKY WITH $200 FREE!

See the light at The Gaming Club Online Casino with a 200 Dollar FREE sign-up bonus!
Download our FREE casino software. Open a Real Account.Then use your 200 FREE dollars and follow our guiding beacons to a selection of user-friendly deposit options such as Click2Pay and your choice of over 130 casino games!Plus, shed even more light on winning at The Gaming Club this September! A 15,000 dollar trip to view the Northern Lights, or its value in CASH, and a share of 20,000 casino credits could be yours!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the archives…

Three turtles, Joe, Steve, and Poncho, decide to go on a picnic. So, Joe packs the picnic basket with cookies, bottled beer, and sandwiches. The trouble is, the picnic site is, 10 miles away, so the turtles take 10 whole days to get there. By the time they do arrive, everyone’s beat.

Joe takes the stuff out of the basket, one by one. He takes out the beers and says, “Alright, Steve, gimme the bottle opener.”

“I didn’t bring the bottle opener,” Steve says. ‘I thought you packed it.”

Joe gets worried. He turns to Poncho. “Poncho, do you have the bottle opener?”

Naturally, Poncho doesn’t have it, so the turtles are stuck ten miles away from home without beer. Joe & Steve beg Poncho to turn back home and retrieve it, but Poncho flatly refuses, knowing that they’ll eat everything by the time he gets back.

Somehow, after about two hours, the turtles manage to convince Poncho to go, swearing on their great-grand turtles’ graves that they won’t touch the food. So, Poncho sets off down the road, slow and steadily.

Twenty days pass, but no Poncho. Joe and Steve are hungry and puzzled, but a promise is a promise. Another day passes and still no Poncho, but a promise is a promise. After three more days pass without Poncho in sight, Steve starts getting restless.

“I NEED FOOD!” he says with a hint of dementia in his voice.

“NO!” Joe retorts. “We promised.”

Five more days pass and the two are near starvation. Near death, the two turtles weakly lift the lid to get a sandwich. As they open their mouths to eat, Poncho pops out behind a rock, and says, “Just for that, I’m not going!”ha ha ha

ANOTHER BIG BUDGET POKER TOURNAMENT

10 September 2004

Royal Vegas offers its free roll

Another online big budget, online poker freeroll tournament was announced this week by Royal Vegas Poker Room, which claims the “….poker world’s first freeroll tournament to offer cash prizes totaling $100,000.” There’s no entry fee required – and all players have to do to win is play.

While tournaments with prize pools of $100,000 are rather commonplace these days, prize money is always contributed by the competitors, along with a fee that goes to the Internet site or land-based casino that’s hosting the event. But there’s a big difference here: all of the money in this tournament — except for five-dollar rebuys during the first hour of play and a five-dollar add-on — will be contributed by the host site, Royal Vegas Poker, a leading Internet poker site.

The action will take place Saturday night, December 18, 2004, at 8:00 PM EST. The game is no-limit Texas hold ’em, and entry may be gained by meeting any one of the following requirements:

— Become a first-time Royal Vegas Poker account holder by registering an account between August 1st and December 14th 2004. You can do this at http://www.royalvegaspoker.com. There’s no purchase required.

— If you’re a current Royal Vegas Poker customer, you can qualify by playing at least 2,500 raked hands between August 1st and December 14th.

— You can also qualify if you play at least 1,000 raked hands in any one of the following calendar months: August, September, October, November or December 2004.

— Fulfill any of the Royal Vegas Poker “special promotion” entry requirements.

Each player will begin the tournament with $1,000 in chips. Only one entry per account is permitted, and only valid Royal Vegas Poker account holders, who have met at least one of the qualification requirements, are eligible to play in the tournament. Entries are not transferable and raked hand requirements are only met on tables with limits of $0.25/$0.50 and above.

CASINO CAUTIONS

10 September 2004

Bonusing blues…just seem to get worse, with daily issues arising between players and online casinos, and some none too savoury practices. One that caught our eye this week involved sending players promo offer emails that contained some, but not all the conditions. For example the Kiss and Giant Vegas casinos email we were shown did not contain the important condition that there was a maximum payout beyond which winners would not be paid. And there was no link to the T&Cs on site where the condition appeared none too prominently. The cut-off was applied to those players who were lucky enough to win over the max, alienating more customers at a time when acquisition costs are reaching very high levels. Surely it is not too much to ask that promo emails contain a clear link to the site T&Cs and the caveat that players are expected to familiarise themselves with these before accepting the promo? Despite admitting that their promo email had been “careless” Kiss management were still withholding full payment as we went to press. The issue has made them few friends.

Delano demise….another example of how NOT to close down an online casino occurred this week when RTG-powered Delano casino went down without a word of explanation to its players. The url at first routed to RTG, who ignored requests for comment and then had everyone scratching their heads when it re-routed to Winward Casino, a DCEG-Parley powered operation that has been around for some time. Understandably, those players owed money by Delano wanted to know what was happening, and fortunately the president of Winward, Jon Ramsay broke the Delano and RTG silence to tell them. It appears that Delano was provided with customer services and hosting in a commercial deal with Winward. For undisclosed reasons, Delano was unable to continue in business and Winward agreed to look after the owed players, whom it would transfer across to its books – not a bad deal with acquisition costs running at around $500 or head or more these days. Kudos to Winward and nothing at all to RTG and Delano management for their silence. Readers may recall that Delano was one of the casinos involved in the record-win Pirate of the Caribbean dispute last year.

Internet 1×2 hassles? Internet1x2, which is located in Belize, has reportedly had its doors boarded up and has been evicted from the business park, it was reported in Sports911 this week. It is rumoured that tens of thousands of dollars are owed to various people in Belize. Yahoops was listed in the Blacklist at Majorwager over 2 years ago.

More Casinomeister news here.

26 August 2004 – Issue #202

WELCOME BACK RTG

Yep, it’s true. Two RTG casinos found a home at Casinomeister this week – both operating from Costa Rica. Most of you know that I have been adamant on only endorsing casinos licensed in a jurisdiction that provides gaming licenses for online casinos. Costa Rica is not one of these jurisdictions; it never has been. And most of you know that there are hundreds of online casinos stationed there, many of which are problematic or managed haphazardly flying by the seat of their pants. That’s just the way it is – life in the online gaming world

But there are diamonds in the rough. Out of these hundreds of casinos, there are a few that are outstanding professional operations. They chose Costa Rica as a licensing agency for various reasons – and they aren’t going to run off and get a license on the Isle of Man on my behalf.

And for those of you who know me personally, you know that I have been struggling with this issue for quite a while now. In most cases, the “hoops and hurdles” casino operators go through in order to get licensed in a jurisdiction is reflected in a better managed and financed organization. This I believe to be true. But what do I do with those few casinos, those happy few that have business licenses from Costa Rica and that are well managed and run a reputable and well-funded business?

Many of you know that I am very particular which casinos are endorsed at Casinomeister – they must meet the “litmus test”, which can be found here. One qualifier states “They must be licensed in a jurisdiction that offers gambling licenses.” Well I am amending this with a footnote: “Under special circumstances I will endorse casinos licensed in Costa Rica. This endorsement is based mainly on the casino’s history of professionalism and player satisfaction.” Further – if a casino has been operating for one full unproblematic year, then they will qualify for consideration. Fair? I think so.

So with this in mind, I’m welcoming iNetBet Casino and Bodog Sportsbook and Casino with open arms. I’m sure most players will agree that these two operations are two of the best that RTG has to offer.

WARREN CLOUD REQUESTS REDMEPTION

Warren Cloud and I have had our moments – the name calling and brash comments are pretty much considered “water under the bridge”; I’m not one to hold grudges. Over the past several months we’ve been much more cordial to each other and have been able to put that stuff behind us. And for the unknowing or newly subscribed: Warren Cloud operates a number of RTG casinos and he has a notorious background of being aggressive when it comes to dealing with bonus hunters or player fraud. He is the operator of Crystal Palace, High Rollers Lounge and has recently over the past year picked up the Las Vegas Strip group of casinos and the IPI group as well. Warren Cloud is probably the biggest operator that RTG has right now. He operates over 25 casinos and some of these are RTG’s most successful operations.

The bottom line: He wants to be removed from Casinomeister’s “Not Recommended” section and placed on probation for the following reasons:

All legitimate winnings are being paid. The casino has the right to deny bonuses to “advantage” players. But if a player is deemed a bonus abuser they are paid their winnings + deposits and allowed back in without a bonus.

Fraudulent players are given their deposits back but forfeit their winnings.

He claims to have turned over a new leaf.

My reason for consideration:
There have hardly been any complaints for the past several months – publicly or privately through the “Pitch a Bitch”. I’m trying to be as objective as possible, and in my honest opinion – when casinos have been making efforts in keeping their act together – I need to look at this at this objectively.

So what I am doing is taking your responses and suggestions into consideration concerning this. I’ve set up a thread in our forum that discusses this here. Chime in if you want – but at least vote on this. And for those of you who still have pending complaints with the Warren Cloud casinos, now is the time to make this known. I’ve posted a link in the forum for any unresolved Crystal Palace and etc. issues that you may want either reconsidered or resolved. I’ll be out of town all of next week, but I’ll be reviewing this information upon my return.

And why am I going to such lengths to either put this guy on probation or not? It’s because I am trying to be as fair and as objective as possible. Simple as that.

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Are you a member of Roxy Palace Casino yet? If not, why not? You are aware that Microgaming is releasing a bunch of new exciting slots in a few days! Well to prep yourself, open an account at Roxy Palace Casino and treat yourself to their 100% match bonus for new players (up to $100). And then keep an eye out for their new games!!

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month

NEW WEBCAST IS UP!

Topics include:
*Crystal Palace Redemption?
*Brandy Casino’s idiotic promo
*Fraudsters!
*Vortran007’s Casino Warning All this and more .

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything; flash cards, special learning centers, in short, everything they could think of. Finally in a last dash effort, they took Tommy down and enrolled him in the local Catholic school. After the first day, little Tommy comes home with a very serious look on his face. He doesn’t kiss his mother hello. Instead, he goes straight to his room and start studying. Books and papers are spread out all over the room and little Tommy is hard at work. His mother is amazed. She calls him down to dinner and she was shocked, the minute he is done he marches back to his room without a word and in no time he is back hitting the books as hard as before. This goes on for sometime, day after day while the mother tries to understand what made all the difference. Finally, little Tommy brings home his report card. He quietly lays it on the table and goes up to his room and hits the books. With great trepidation, his mom looks at it and to her surprise, little Tommy got an A in math. She can no longer hold her curiosity. She goes to his room and says, Son, what was it? Was it the nuns?

Little Tommy looks at her and shakes his head.

Well, then, she replies, was it the books, the discipline, the structure, the uniforms? What was it?

Little Tommy looks at her and says, Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren’t fooling around.

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Wow, this is a tough one Bryan. I think I would vote for a totally different option:

I’d like for Warren to come here and explain his rogue behavior and the reasons for it to all of us before we even consider letting him off the hook. Once you put them on probation, he just has to behave for 6 months and he’s un-rogued (dis-rogued?). I think that’s too easy for one with such a reputation for bad behavior. Lets have him here explaining why he behaved so badly and answer questions from the players (reasonable questions, not personal attacks). Then we can decide if he has EARNED probation.

What do you think? Vote here.

24 August 2004 – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

That’s right! Bodog Sportsbook and Casino has joined Casinomeister!!

So how about giving them a nice warm welcome and joining them today! Join them now and get a 20% Cash Bonus on your first deposit!!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s newsletter with further announcements!

20 August 2004 – Issue #201

FOOL IN THE POOL

How low can you go? Well, not much lower than Golden Palace. At first their attention-getting guerilla marketing was a funny ha-ha (hiring streakers, strippers, boxers, and miscellaneous public clowns to don their URL in greasepaint), but they have stepped over the line of ingenuity and into the land of self-absorbed insensitivity. It was predictable that they would hit the 2004 Summer Olympics, but this was something I think we all could have been spared. It’s not funny anymore.

MAKING A SPLASH AT THE OLYMPICS

Fool in the pool amusing, but surely GP has now gone too farCourtesy Infopowa News It was perhaps inevitable that the Golden Palace guerilla marketers would be unable to resist the temptation to disrupt the most prestigious and dignified sports event on the planet – the Olympics, but that’s what one of their streakers did in Athens on Monday.

During the Olympic Men’s Synchronised 3 metre Springboard Finals a streaker managed to get through heavy security, climbed the diving platform dressed in a tutu and clown shoes, and then belly-flopped into the pool where he attempted to entertain the crowd by trying to imitate a synchronised swimming routine. The now infamous Golden Palace logo was emblazoned on his chest.

Possibly unsettled by having the tension-filled competition interrupted, the American, Russian, and Chinese teams’ performances deteriorated, and the Greeks took the Gold. The three countries were ahead of the Greeks in the event before their miscues in the last round.

The streaker was a 31 year old Canadian named as Ron Bensimhon, an apparently serial streaker who also “performed” at the World Figure Skating Championships in Germany last March. According to Bensimhon’s lawyer, the tutu-clad streaker loved the rush he received from the skating event, and decided the Olympics would be the ultimate stage for him, providing even more notoriety, fame, and adrenaline-fuelled excitement….not to mention publicity for Golden Palace.

Men and women representing the company have run on the field of play, sometimes half-dressed and sometimes nude, bearing the slogan at the 2002 European Cup football final in Glasgow, this year’s Superbowl, the running of the bulls in Pamplona and the 2003 US Open Golf among several other events.

Bensimhon was marched away to face Greek justice, and the Olympic authorities announced an immediate tightening of security, on which some Euro 1.2 billion has already been spent.

Greek justice is swift it appears, for 72 hours later his sentencing was announced as five months in jail or Euro 3 000 in fines. And according to CTV news, he walked away a free man after filing an appeal and paying a fine of Euro 2 000, which is just over Cdn $3,200. And under the Greek legal system, it could take two years for a court to rule on his appeal.

Bensimhon seemed concerned more with his personal agenda than with the distraction his antics had caused to the world’s top athletes.

“I wanted everybody to know who I am,” the Montreal native told CTV Newsnet.

“My name is Ron Bensimhon and I will be coming out with a record soon and Golden Palace is sponsoring my new record and I wanted everybody to see me. And what better event than the Olympics? Everybody will see me and I hope they will buy the record when it comes out.”

“I thought it was something funny. I just jumped in a pool and that’s it. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

Well what’s the big deal? The big deal is that this wasn’t just some swim meet at the local college, this was the Olympics. These athletes train their entire lives for this moment. Win or lose, this was their moment and no one else’s. For some self-serving “fool in the pool” stealing this moment away is not only disrespectful to the spirit of the games, but extremely insensitive to the players who were distracted by the interruption and confusion. It also makes a mockery of the game’s security. And during these times when everyone is on edge, it’s like yelling “fire” in a crowded theater thinking it’s funny.

Well these guerilla marketing tactics aren’t funny anymore. Shame on Golden Palace – they can now be found in Casinomeister’s not recommended section.

THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE! POLL ENDS TODAY!! VOTE FOR CASINOMEISTER!!! at the Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers poll! They’re taking their annual readers’ poll and you can vote for Casinomeister! Woo-hoo! What’ll it be? Best Portal? Best Watchdog Site? Best Forum? Best Biergarten?

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

5 New Video Pokers only at Pharaohs Casino They are pleased to announce the release of 5 brand new video poker slots. Pharaoh’s Casino is the first of a selected group of Bossmedia casinos who offers these “full screen” real Vegas style Video Poker Slots!!!

Outstanding graphics combined with great paytables make these Video Pokers an absolute must for all poker enthusiasts.

To invite you to try the new video pokers, they are giving away 50% bonus with your upcoming deposit of $88 or $288!!! Terms and conditions apply!

Vegas Villa 28th Olympics Promo$28 Free – No purchase required + purchase match of 30% on up to $1000 purchased.

What to do: Register a real casino account at Vegas Villa for the first time!!

Players will be awarded the 30% match bonus on their first purchase by wagering the purchased amount once in full. Match bonuses will be credited within 24 hours, up to a maximum bonus amount of $300
Terms and conditions apply – this is a limited offer.

Sorry, players from Denmark, China and Israel are excluded from this sign-up offer.

Here’s a Refreshing Offer – Buy $50, Get $75 FREE!

Satisfy your thirst for winning and fill up on Fast Paced Casino Action at Aces High Online Casino.

Energize your gaming experience at Aces High with an offer that’s easy to swallow: a 150% Sign-up Bonus! Download our FREE casino software and sign up as a New Real Player at Aces High, and you’ll get 75 Dollars worth of FREE Casino Credits on your first deposit of 50 casino credits.The sweet taste of success is waiting for you at Aces High with:

*75 FREE CASINO CREDITS on your first deposit of 50 casino credits
*Thousands of dollars worth of prizes and bonuses to be won monthly
*Over 90 action-packed games, including 13 Progressive Jackpot Games
*Cutting-edge, FREE casino software
*Fast-paced payoutsBetter-than-Vegas odds
*Reliable, friendly 24/7 toll-free and e-mail support

Feel the thrill of knocking back win after win! Sign up at Aces High today.

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

This guy sees a sign in front of a house “Talking Dog for Sale.” He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the back yard.

The guy goes into the back yard and sees a mutt sitting there.”You talk?” he asks.”Yep,” the mutt replies.
“So, what’s your story?”
The mutt looks up and says “Well, I discovered this gift pretty young and I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leader, cause no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies eight years running. The jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn’t getting any younger and I wanted to settle down. So I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security work, mostly wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings there and was awarded a batch of medals. Had a wife, a mess of puppies, and now I’m just retired.”
The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. The owner says “Ten dollars.”
The guy says he’ll buy him but asks the owner, “This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him?” The owner replies, “He’s such a friggin’ liar.”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

The “Perfect” Casino
No such thing (that i’ve found yet anyway) but my perfect casino would combine the following:

*”expert mode” (a-la all “Viper” casinos)
*Make the friggin’ “Reverse Withdrawal” function “optional” (Ladbrokes :thumbsup: ) – or at the very least allow the player to specify a time-out option like 30mins rather than the poxy 24hours at some casinos – no names mentioned ye olde sodes.
*A good loyalty scheme (Crypto style :thumbsup: )
*Sensible bonus structure (Nostalgia :thumbsup: )
*Near-instant payouts (Phoenician :notworthy )
*Option to direct cashouts to debit card or NETeller each time you cash out
*No seperate Bonus Accounts!!
*The ability to go back and play for fun whenever you want (MG – Boooo. Crypto – :thumbsup: )
*Monthly bonuses – but optional! (32Red )
*Not find after depositing loads-a-money that you needed to register for the loyalty points first!!

Think that covers it…what have i missed?

One day, my prince will come. Until then, any casino that has reverse withdrawal enabled can k.m.a

Cheers

Simmo!

What do you think? Check it out here.

CASINO CAUTIONS

Brandy Casino marketers continued to take flak this week from webmasters whose fora are being overun by spammers anxious to earn small rewards under the “Let’s Talk About Brandy” promotion. In the promo, the Playtech-powered casino offers players $10 prizes for every five positive posts on any Internet forum. The resultant plague of amateur spamming across many privately owned sites has incensed webmasters and players alike, and wide criticism has been levelled at the casino. The Gambling Online Magazine site has suffered losses as a result of the activity and banned Brandy Casino from its annual awards due to unfair advantage and bad conduct. GOM exec Eric Morris relented late in the week because the site had not specifically identified spamming as an Award-disqualifying conduct, but as he explained to the Brandy people the honourable thing to do would be to withdraw in any case. It will be interesting to see what happens, and GOM has now introduced disqualification rules to fight this evil in future.

Player tussles to get paid by RTG-powered Kiss and Giant Vegas casinos continued this week, with some players now overdue for payment for eight weeks. Several players reported receiving an email from the casinos which really made them anxious:

Quote Unfortunately we do not have a date as to when your withdrawal will be payed yet. I will contact you as soon as we do. We are waiting for a wire transfer and all I can assure you is that we are doing everything in our power to have your money for you as soon as possible.Unquote

Allied to the weak excuses for non-payment that these casinos have been handing out to players, this is cause for anxiety indeed as it has so often heralded casino failures in the past, leaving players stranded.

Later in the week an affiliate manager representing the casinos appeared briefly on the message boards and raised the ire of players by displaying what many thought was a flippant attitude. She revealed that there had been some management hassles, but did not elaborate, leaving more uncertainty.

RTG’s Montana dispute facility was working on complaints according to a spokesman, but it all seemed to be going at a snail’s pace.

More news here.

13 August 2004 – Issue #200

JUSTICE FOR SCAMMERS

I think that most of us are aware that the Internet is full of scammers. Busting out scammers is what became the impetus of Casinomeister – and providing information on how to prevent being scammed by online casinos was one of my main goals in the beginning – and still is. And right now I can honestly say that most casino scams have been ground into the dirt – you just don’t see them too often anymore.

But scammers come in all shapes and forms and even though you may be savvy on how to prevent being taken advantage of, well your mom or your wife, or your favorite uncle who just got online for the very first time last week may not be. It’s really up to you to ensure they are up to snuff.

There was the Nigerian 419 scam that was really popular a couple of years ago – now it’s getting more inventive coming from the Middle East or South West Asia. If you have never read my escapade with Brother Frank – a Nigerian scamster, you should check it out over a pot of coffee – it’s a long read, but a hilarious one at that.

One of the newest scams is the “lottery winning” scams. You probably get these every day. The sad thing is that these sort of emails have been increasing. You want to know why? Because they work. People are getting ripped off every day – people like your mom – or grandma – stupid son-in-law – just ordinary decent folk who believe that these scams are legitimate enterprises.

Wim from the Fortune Lounge group forwarded me an email; it’s a warning apparently from Citibank that alerts the unsuspecting email recipient that there is a risk of identity theft amongst Citibank customers – stating that they need to provide their banking details – they are warned that the process is necessary and to not do this their account will be suspended. This looks real. And when you click though the hyperlink (which looks authentic), you end up somewhere in Russia, and you’re prompted to give these people your banking details. Customers of Ebay, Paypal, and AOL have been victimized by these criminals. Neteller customers are probably next on the list.

Become savvy to these antics – protect yourself through knowledge. Fraud Watch International provides information on a number of current scams. Including this recent “Citibank” mailing. Fraud Watch International includes not only fraud alerts, but explains how to protect yourself from being scammed.

Been scammed? Here’s a link you may find useful. The Internet Fraud Complaint Center. The Internet Fraud Complaint Center is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). This is straight from their website: “For victims of Internet fraud, IFCC provides a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation.” So if you or someone you know has been victimized – contact these people.

And then there is the lighter side of scammers, it’s when they – the crooks who are conning innocent people – are scammed by people fighting back. Ebola Monkey Man is an absolutely hilarious site where the webmaster has taken up the hobby of “scammer baiting”, much like I did with Brother Frank – but he took it up a couple of notches. He has convinced these 419 scammers to send in photos of themselves holding signs that say Iblowdudes, Ima Wayne-Kerr, etc. These are must reads – absolutely brilliant.

Another site 419eater.com, (which has been showcased by the BBC by the way), includes “The Tale of The Painted Breast” which you have to read to believe. So I’ll leave you with these to peruse and spend the rest of your lunch break on. Or your evening break if you are at home, and remember to keep your guard up, and protect your friends and loved ones from these creeps.

THIS IS ALMOST YOUR LAST CHANCE! VOTE FOR CASINOMEISTER!!! at the Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers poll!. They’re taking their annual readers’ poll and you can vote for Casinomeister! Woo-hoo! What’ll it be? Best Portal? Best Watchdog Site? Best Forum? Best Biergarten? Let them know here!

NEW WEBCAST IS UP!

This weeks topics:

*Playtech
*Indio Casino Players
*Protecting yourself from Internet fraud All this and more .

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Just for today, Playmontecarlo is offering you insurance against bad luck on Friday the 13th, to ensure that the unluckiest day of the year is the luckiest day of your year! Simply place a minimum deposit of �50 and you will be insured to receive 10% more on your winnings, or, 10% back on any of those cursed losses.

PlayMonteCarlo- Europe’s number 1 Online Casino

Vegas Villa 28th Olympics Promo$28 Free – No purchase required + purchase match of 30% on up to $1000 purchased.

What to do: Register a real casino account at Vegas Villa for the first time!!

Sorry, players from Denmark, China and Israel are excluded from this sign-up offer.

TRIPLE YOUR WINNING ACTION AT RIVER BELLE ONLINE CASINO

SIGN UP TODAY AND GET A 100% MATCH BONUS, of up to $250 FREE
&
WIN A WEEKLY SHARE OF 7,777 CASINO CREDITS,
PLUS A $7,777, 7-DAY CRUISE FOR TWO!
&
GET ROCKING WITH A BELLE ROCK BONUSThe smart money is on Riverbelle Online Casino this month!

1. That’s because you’ll enjoy value for money with a 100% Match Bonus, of up to 250 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits, on your first single deposit. Sign up as a New Real Player today, and you’ll not only Enjoy their Southern Hospitality, you’ll also be eligible to join in the 7 Ports Of Call Promotion

2. Here’s the deal:

Each week an article will be published in the 7 Ports Paper featuring the Slots you will need to play in order to share in that week’s 7,777 casino credit prize pool.

Deposit 77 casino credits and wager 1,777 casino credits on your favorite Slot from the choice provided. If your preferred Slot has had the most wagers placed on it during the specific promotional period, your name will go into a lucky draw where you could share in 7,777 casino credits!

Take part in any two of the four Slots Playoffs during the month of August, and you’ll go into a further draw where you could win a 7-day Cruise for Two, worth $7,777, or choose to take the $7,777 cash value instead!

For more information on how to enter simply visit River Belle’s Promotions Page.

3. BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE

Time your winnings just right for a chance to win with Belle Rock Gaming! Each time you meet the promotional requirements at River Belle, you’ll qualify for the Belle Rock Bonus, where you stand to win 700 credits every 7 hours during the month of August!

Money talks, so SIGN UP AS A NEW REAL PLAYER at River Belle, and our Triple Action winnings will have you grinning from ear to ear!

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn. The farmer who lived nearby heard the noise and yelled over to the boy, “Hey Willis, forget your troubles! Come in and visit with us. I’ll help you get the wagon up later.”

“That’s mighty nice of you,” Willis answered, “but I don’t think Pa would like me to.”

“Aw come on boy,” the farmer insisted.

“Well okay,” the boy finally agreed, and added, “but Pa won’t like it.”

After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. “I feel a lot better now, but I know Pa is going to be real upset.”

“Don’t be foolish!” the neighbor said with a smile. “By the way, where is he?”

“Under the wagon!”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

bing – 11th August 204 -1:36 PM

Im so excited as this is my biggest slot win ever. I first hit 3 beach partys to get the 15 spin bonus round then while in the bonus round I hit 5beach partys which paid 500*22.50 x 3 since wins are tripled. Im so excited and cant wait to get paid by 7sultans. Unfortunately I could only take a screenshot after the spins were over as the bonus round spins by itself quickly.

This was a $35,000 win!!! Check it out here.

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

DoJ INTIMIDATION CHALLENGED

Casino City launches action based on US Constitution First Amendment

There has been speculation for weeks as to which media company has the balls to tackle the US Department of Justice on their thinly veiled threats to US media carrying Got2bet advertising, and this week the challenger stood up to be counted as Michael Corfman’s Casino City group.

In a press release that received wide coverage and applause, the Casino City group announced that it had raised a formal challenge to the legality of the U.S. Justice Department’s attempt to suppress advertising for Internet gambling services.

The Louisiana-based company that provides a directory of both Internet and land-based casinos as well as several other informational services on its web-sites, has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

Casino City seeks a declaratory judgment stating that the Department of Justice’s application of aiding and abetting charges to advertising for legal overseas companies violates the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

If successful, Casino City’s case would eventually put an end to what many consider a chilling effect that has left many advertisers in the U.S. afraid to place ads for Got2bet.

Casino City operates a variety of websites providing gaming information, including CasinoCity.com, a gaming portal launched in 1995, and one of the most popular such sites on the web today. On its web sites one can find interviews with professional gamblers, advice, expert columns, directories, playing strategies, tips, weekly news publications, and news clips.

The company relies on the sale of I-gaming advertisements for a portion of its revenues and therefore faces a reasonable and imminent threat of prosecution from the Justice Department. It has already experienced direct consequences of the Justice Department’s actions.

Michael Corfman, President and CEO of Casino City, explained. “Our parent corporation had partnership plans with A&E Television Networks to promote the Breaking Vegas documentary and associated sweepstakes. Casino City was to be featured on The History Channel website and in 30 national television spots, but they cancelled the agreement after the promotion had already begun. We were told by their marketing agents that A&E felt there was an unacceptable risk it would be viewed as aiding and abetting online gaming since it’s only two clicks from our home page to an online gaming site. When you have an FCC license that must be protected to stay in business, you just can’t afford to take chances with the Department of Justice. That was the first instance, a few months ago.”

He continued, “More recently a major Las Vegas casino wanted to work with our parent corporation on a promotion but their lawyers nixed the arrangement because of our involvement with online gaming. The scare tactics employed by the Department of Justice have clearly had an effect.”

Law firm Greenberg Traurig has assembled an heavyweight team to handle Casino City’s case. Barry Richard, the attorney appointed to lead the litigation team, sports an impeccable resume. Barry represented President George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election litigation and has successfully argued three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Named as one of the National Law Journal’s Lawyers of the Year in 2001 for his “national reputation for compelling advocacy,” Barry has experience in state and federal constitutional law in addition to complex commercial litigation, appellate practice, and government and election law. Barry will be assisted by Laureen Galeoto.

Patrick O’Brien serves as an advisor to both Barry and Casino City. He is an expert in I-gaming law, and has advised and represented major sportsbook and casino operators, transaction processors, media outlets, Internet portals, and both targets and witnesses in several online gaming investigations.

The complete action filed by Casino City and additional information on the case can be found on the web at http://Online.CasinoCity.com/FirstAmendment.

12 August 2004 – Special Announcement

Vegas Villa 28th Olympics Promo

$28 Free – No purchase required + purchase match of 30% on up to $1000 purchased.

What to do: Register a real casino account at Vegas Villa for the first time!!

Sorry, players from Denmark, China and Israel are excluded from this sign-up offer.

10 August 2004 – Special Announcement

The next 5 players who open a real money account, at Victor Chandler’s The Spin Room, play at the casino, and email spincompetition@vcint.com with their account number using the subject line ‘SPIN ROOM CASINOMEISTER’, will have an additional $25 added to their account!! This is in addition to their 100% bonus!

Besides being a great deal, this is an excellent opportunity for you to join the prestigious Victor Chandler’s group of casinos!!

Terms & Conditions apply. Sorry, no US players.

And for you Yanks, your normal newsletter will be here on Thursday with lots of interesting tidbits and major announcements. Hang tight till then!

6 August 2004 – Issue #199

Kerry vs. Bush vs. us

There are about three months left before the Americans cast their vote on who they feel should be leading their country. Whoop-de-friggin’-doo some of you might say. And if this is how you feel – think again. Already heated debates are spreading; the Democrats (Kerry) are convinced that this is the most important election in recent history, the Republicans are convinced that to falter from the current path (the Bush one), the US is doomed.

I and those who are not living within the US borders can only sit back and watch. And I feel confident to say that most of the world is concerned on how this election will turn out. And if they aren’t concerned, they ought to be.

If you’re not concerned, you out to be.

As most of you know, I am a expatriated American – a bona fide resident of the EU, but I still feel strongly about a number of things that the US affects – everything from its war on Terrorism, to its apparent war against its own citizens on making choices on their own – the right to choose. You see, what a lot of people tend to forget is that there are scores of Governors, Senators, and members of the US Congress who are looking for your support in November. They don’t want to lose their paycheck and their flag waving balloon glory. Time to make them wake up and smell the cyber coffee.

Are you going to support the ones who feel you’re too dimwitted to gamble online? Find out who they are and vote them out! Find out which politicians are non-committed, or don’t have an issue with regulating online casinos. Now it’s your turn to tell them how you feel. Get active, and get your friends and family active. If your family members choose not to vote, disown them! If your friends are apathetic and are under the illusion that their votes don’t count, kick ’em in the ass and get them registered. Make a party out of it, and hand out free beers or sexual favors to anyone who registers and promises to vote. Check out these links for additional support and information:

America Coming Together (ACT)
http://actforvictory.org/

Federal Voting Assistance Program
http://www.fvap.gov/

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Inc.
http://www.bigvote.org/index1a.htm

The League of Women Voters
http://www.lwv.org/

Rock the Vote
http://www.rockthevote.com/

Smoke the Vote
http://www.smokethevote.org/

The 2004 election is crucial for all of us – Britons, French people, the Dutch, Chinese, Arabs, everyone. If you are non-US, make sure your US friends are voting. Thanks!

Speaking of voting, VOTE FOR CASINOMEISTER!!! at the Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers poll!. They’re taking their annual readers’ poll and you can vote for Casinomeister! Woo-hoo! What’ll it be? Best Portal? Best Watchdog Site? Best Forum? Best Biergarten?

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Exclusive Promo for Casinomeister members only!
Blackjackplayer is offering a 100% match bonus up to $100!
Dates: Aug 1-31st
Who: New Players
Bonus: 100% match up to $100
Min Deposit: $50
Max bonus $100

Be there or be square!

Count Your Lucky Stars with Buy $50, Get $200 FREE!

Why look to the heavens to find your fortune when all you need to do is sign up and play at Lucky Nugget Online Casino.

There’s a complete cosmos of casino games, free credits and more waiting there for you! Including this sparkling offer of 200 dollars FREE on your first single deposit of 50 dollars!

For a star-studded gambling experience, open a real account at Lucky Nugget today and enjoy:

*200 FREE casino credits
*FREE download
*FREE registration
*FREE promotions
*Stringent security
*Fast payouts Put a twinkle in your eye and a gleam in your smile. Strike Gold at Lucky Nugget today.

Get more than you bargained for!
Double up on winning with this twice-as-nice offer from The Gaming Club Online Casino Sign up with us today, and not only will you receive 25 Dollars absolutely FREE, you’ll also qualify for a 50 Dollar Bonus on your first single deposit of 50 Dollars!

To claim your two offers for the price of one, simply download The Gaming Club’s free casino software. Then register as a Real Player and you’ll automatically qualify for 25 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits – no deposit required – that you can use to play our exciting selection of Slots and Progressive Slots.

PLUS! Make a first single deposit of 50 Dollars, and you’ll receive a further 50 Dollars worth of FREE casino credits – giving you a total bonus of 75 Dollars FREE!

So if you’re on the lookout for more bonus money, more games and more promotions than ever before, join More Winners, More Often at The Gaming Club Online Casino today!

Wild Jack Casino is offering a 100% match bonus for new players up to $100!! Plus if your first deposit is $50 or more, they’ll give you an extra $10 free!

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

CONTESTS!

Thanks Colosseum Casino and Vegas Slot for being this November’s sponsor! And congrats Sodax77 for being last month’s winner. $200 has been added to your iNetBet account!!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

A man goes to a Psychologist and says, “Doc I got a real problem, I can’t stop thinking about sex.”

The Psychologist says, “Well let’s see what we can find out”, and pulls out his ink blots. “What is this a picture of?” he asks.

The man turns the picture upside down then turns it around and states, “That’s a man and a woman on a bed making love.”

The Psychologist says, “very interesting,” and shows the next picture. “And what is this a picture of?”

The man looks and turns it in different directions and says, “That’s a man and a woman on a bed making love.”

The Psychologists tries again with the third ink blot, and asks the same question, “What is this a picture of?”

The patient again turns it in all directions and replies, “That’s a man and a woman on a bed making love.”

The Psychologist states, “Well, yes, you do seem to be obsessed with sex.”

“Me!?” demands the patient. “You’re the one who keeps showing me the dirty pictures!”ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

I don’t want to start a heated political argument here because that would not be appropriate (I am not an American and I have presently a fairly open view on the forthcoming elections) but something has been puzzling me since the election tempo quickened and Fahrenheit 911 became a cause celebre, and I wonder whether anyone here has any thoughts on it.

To an outsider, one rarely hears positive views on the present incumbent in the White House, but everyone from journalists to movie stars seems to have a great personal and vociferous antipathy to the current Administration, with contemptuous remarks and ridicule constantly heaped on the US President.

Yet the polls show that this is a relatively close race with three months yet to run.

Is this because the polls are in some way skewed, or that the Democrats have a more articulate and high profile following and communications campaign? Where is all the Bush poll support coming from? Is it fuelled by fear – the need for national unity in the face of terrorist threat? Is George Bush as bad as he is being portrayed by so many attacks on his intellectual capability and integrity (and by association that of his government)?

As an outsider the gap between what the polls are suggesting and the seemingly universal condemnation of the President is truly puzzling. Once again – no heated political row here please, just some comment on this apparent disparity.

Here we go – politics in Casinomeister’s forum. What do you think? Check it out here.

SEARCH ENGINES UNDER ATTACK

California class action goes after advertising revenues

The big story this week appeared on CNET and reported that some gambling ads on Google, Yahoo and other major web sites are alleged to be illegal in California, according to a lawsuit filed early in the week.

The 60-page filing, presented in San Francisco Superior Court, alleges that the companies sell rights to Web advertisements based on searches for terms such as “illegal gambling,” “Internet gambling” and “California gambling.”

The online businesses also use geotracking software to target particular regions, including California, for illegal gambling ads, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit demands that the companies stop accepting the advertisements and give California “millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains,” said attorney Ira Rothken, one of several attorneys from firms involved in the class-action lawsuit.

Yahoo and Google rake in a majority of the millions of dollars gambling firms spend on advertising, according to the lawsuit. Representatives from the two companies did not return a call seeking comment.

In all, about a dozen high-profile web companies are named as defendants.

Subsequent enquiries by InfoPowa reveal that several law firms in addition to Ira Rothken’s company seem to be involved in the suit, which is available in detail here:

Click to access yahoocomplaint.pdf

It appears that the two main listed plaintiffs are Mario Cisneros of Marin County (San Francisco area) and Michael Voight of Scotts Valley. who is described as having personal knowledge of finding Internet gambling sites via the defendant search engines, and as having lost circa $100 000 on Internet gambling.

However, the allegations are also made as a “Private Attorney General action brought as a Class Action and on behalf of the California general public against the major Internet search engine websites which advertise illegal gambling in California”.

The document is a wide attack on Internet gambling generally, listing many references and authorities.

The following are listed as defendants:

Yahoo
Google
Overture
Ask Jeeves
Looksmart
AltaVista
Terra Lycos
Jupiter Media
CNET Networks
FindWhat
Kanoodle
Business.com
Sex.com

Broadly speaking the allegations cover:

“Defendant’s advertisements have resulted in substantial illegal Internet gambling in California during the past 4 years, substantial unlawful profits by defendants and their co-conspirators, and substantial gambling losses to California residents.

“Defendant’s conduct has also resulted in the depletion of substantial tax resources for the State of California as Internet gambling evades Californian regulation and taxation contrary to the laws and public policy of of the state.

“The general public has also been harmed, as the net effect of of defendant’s actions has been to extract resources out of legitimate sectors of the Californian economy and has created financial ruin with it’s attendant social costs to Californians”

The plaintiffs want the advertising activity declared illegal, they want to stop it and they seek to have the defendants, “….disgorge and forfeit all revenues and profits” to a fund to be used for purposes to be directed by the Court, to be given to licensed Californian gambling entities as restitution, to be given to spouses of gamblers who have suffered community of property losses or to go to the state treasury as restitution for lost taxation.

29 July 2004 – Issue #198

What the hell?

It’s hard to believe, but it seems as though summertime just might be deciding to kick off in Europe. It was nice and warm today, so I fiddled around a bit and decided to sit myself down in my terrace and bang out the newsletter from out there.

Well here I am. It’s several hours later, in fact it’s way past dinner and I’m still sitting here. Don’t know what to say. I could write about my surroundings – my covered porch with the grapevines and tomato plants that snake up the vertical beams and into the wooden rafters. I could write about what I can hear: the teenager next-door in his basement pounding out some speed metal on his set of drums – sheesh!

But this isn’t some creative writing course, or a place to whine about writer’s block, this is my newsletter – and I should be writing about some current news affair in the online gaming business.

Well let’s see, what could I write about? I could write about Playtech casinos and their woes, but all that does is annoy the wrong people. I could write about how Warren Cloud has purchased the IPI Media group of casinos (Onluck Casino group), which makes him probably the largest RTG casino operator out there. But what the hell, as far as I know he’s been paying his players. Nobody (except one disgruntled affiliate) has been complaining about not getting paid. So I’ll skip that – too boring.

Or maybe, I’ll just shut up and let you take charge of this newsletter my dear reader. You can decide whether or not to patronize my sponsors, to laugh at my jokes, or to admire the profoundness of today’s forum highlight of the week. Yes, the choice is yours – read on, and I’ll get back to enjoying a summer evening on my back porch.

VOTE FOR CASINOMEISTER!!! at the Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers poll!. They’re taking their annual readers’ poll and you can vote for Casinomeister! Woo-hoo! What’ll it be? Best Portal? Best Watchdog Site? Best Forum? Best Biergarten?

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

JACKPOT CITY CREATES 2 NEW MAJOR MILLIONAIRES!

Jackpot City Online Casino, part of the Belle Rock Gaming Super Group just can’t stop making millionaires! Following on from last month when European player Joaquim M scooped an astonishing online gaming haul with a �1,453,610 win whilst playing the Major Millions progressive jackpot, another millionaire has been made.

Douglas W. from the USA won $1,066,961 on the Major Millions Progressive Slot on July 9, 2004 and is the second player in just 40 days to win a jackpot of over $1-million at Jackpot City Online Casino! As a Progressive Jackpot winner, Douglas will also take home a 5,000 casino credit bonus on top his of jackpot win, thanks to Jackpot City!

On the monster win Douglas said, “It didn’t sink in at first. I was only playing for 5 minutes when it happened. It shows if you keep playing it really pays off. You just need to try your luck!”

Jackpot City and Lucky Nugget are both Belle Rock Gaming online casinos, CEO, Tim Johnson said. “A big congratulations to all our winners! This shows more people throughout the world are enjoying online gaming and now there has never been a better opportunity to win!

Visit Jackpot City – home of the biggest jackpots!

NEW SOFTWARE! Crammed full of wild-west casino action, Silver Dollar Casino has every casino game you could possibly imagine – and then some! You especially won’t want to miss out on their absolutely huge Progressive Jackpots. Plus, a new version of the software has just been launched and features brand new games including 100-hand Poker, Red Dog Poker and Mahjong Madness! Visit Silver Dollar to collect your $100 Welcome Bonus and experience top of the line casino action today!

The Spin Room likes to give a little bit extra to customers who open real money accounts. Register today and you will scoop our 100% sign up bonus. Deposit �50 and will we give you �50 free.

And there’s more. The casino will also give you an additional 100% match bonus at the start of every month until the end of the year. We will give you an extra �25 bonus once a month when you deposit �25 or more with the casino. It pays to play!

To qualify for the bonus all you have to do is register with the casino, deposit and play, it’s that simple! (please read their terms and conditions – sorry, no US)

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

Take advantage of the 100% at VIP Casino Should you choose to play with us this July you’ll get a 100% match deposit bonus up to $80*! This will automatically be credited to your account with your first deposit of the month (EST) for $25 or more.

CONTESTS!

Casinomeister’s Scavenger Hunt!, congrats to Brian W. and Terri C. our Scavenger Hunt June 2004 winners!! Find the info, answer the questions, and be eligible for $200 in cash!!! It’s fabulous!!! It’s fun!! With all of the exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!!! So c’mon! What are you waiting for??
Thanks Vegas7 and Desert Dollar for being this July’s sponsor!

THE SUMMER FEST IS HERE!!!

Come join our six year birthday celebration with Jackpot Willi!! He is our host of the ongoing Bierfest, and you have the opportunity to win 10 LITERS OF LOCALLY BREWED BEER or $200, YOUR CHOICE!!! Open an account at the sponsoring casino, play the slots, and YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN!!! Party time is NOW!!!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

1. One hand on wheel, one hand on horn: Chicago.

2. One hand on wheel, one finger out window: New York.

3. One hand on wheel, one finger out window, cutting across all lanes of traffic: New Jersey.

4. One hand on wheel, one hand on newspaper, foot solidly on accelerator: Boston.

5. One hand on wheel, one hand on nonfat double decaf cappuccino, cradling cell phone, brick on accelerator, with gun in lap: Los Angeles.

6. Both hands on wheel, eyes shut, both feet on brake, quivering in terror: Ohio, but driving in California.

7. Both hands in air, gesturing, both feet on accelerator, head turned to talk to someone in back seat: Italy.

8. One hand on latte, one knee on wheel, cradling cell phone, foot on brake, mind on radio game: Seattle.

9. One hand on wheel, one hand on hunting rifle, alternating between both feet being on the accelerator and both feet on brake, throwing McDonald’s bag out the window: Texas.

10. Four-wheel drive pick-up truck, shotgun mounted in rear window, beer cans on floor, squirrel tails attached to antenna: West Virginia.

11. Two hands gripping wheel, blue hair barely visible above windshield, driving 35 on the Interstate in the left lane with the left blinker on: Florida.

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Masaki G29th July 2004 07:34 PM

Hello guys!

I am new here, my name is Masaki, im Japanese (residing in the USA now).

I have heard a lot about Casinomeister before, but before i started studying English properly this place was unavailable for me …..not any more i hope

In Japan me and my friends, we play a lot of online Blackjack and Videopoker (well, thats probably because me and my friends are mathematicians and have our own strategies each

So far the most popular online Casino for us japanese (not only our gang ) was 888 and intercasino, which as I know are the most popular casinos in other Asian countries, like Taiwan, Singapore and HK.

What other casinos do you guys play here, i mean what casinos do you trust and can advise me as the most trusted ones and having best bonus offers?

Or, can I just consider every casino good, if it has not been yet included into Bryan Bailey’s evil list?

Thanks a lot for This great place and all replies!

Masaki G

What do you think? Any ‘mericans want to share you thoughts? Check it out here.

PHISHY BUSINESS

Watch out for information fraudsters

Security Pipeline carried an excellent article by Michael Cohn this week on criminal activity that is costing credit card holders millions in fraudulent transactions.

Termed “phishing” the modus operandi involves crooks sending fraudulent e-mail that appears to be from a legitimate organization such as a bank, credit card company, online merchant, or Internet service provider asking the recipient to divulge personal and financial information birthdates, Social Security numbers and PIN codes. Unlucky victims are then subject to identity theft, monetary losses, and credit card fraud.

In the USA, federal and state law enforcement has linked organised crime to phishing attacks that are increasing in both volume and sophistication.

“There’s a lot of activity in the former Soviet bloc, the Eastern bloc, Latvia, and Ukraine,” says John Curran, supervisory special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. “It definitely looks like there are organised groups.”

The U.S. Secret Service has also noted an increase in organized crime involvement in phishing. At AIT Global’s Annual InfoSec Meeting at the United Nations in June, Robert Caltabiano, an official in the New York Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service, pointed to the increasing indications of organised crime in phishing attacks. Although Caltabiano recommended that victims first go to local law enforcement for help, he noted, “with phishing attacks, the information goes global.”

There’s even an Anti-Phishing Working Group. This industry forum, reported 1,197 unique attacks in May 2004, up from 402 attacks in March.

Making matters worse are hacker websites that sell phishing starter kits. “There’s a whole underground economy of trading credit card information back and forth and the tools for doing credit card fraud,” an official of the group says.

On the positive side, there have been several successful prosecutions. The Moscow Times reported in May that the U.K.’s National High-Tech Crimes Unit arrested 12 Russian-speaking people who had been recruited by the Russian mafia to participate in a phishing scam. The suspects, who came from Russia, the Baltic republics, and Ukraine, set up bank accounts where money stolen from phishing victims was deposited.

The New York Times recently reported that authorities in Romania had arrested 100 hackers involved with phishing attacks. The Romanian General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime, working with the Secret Service, arrested one hacker, Dan Marius Stefan, in September 2003. Stefan was convicted of stealing nearly $500,000 through phishing e-mails that claimed to be from eBay. He is now serving 30 months in jail.

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission has worked with the Department of Justice and the FBI on filing complaints and prosecuting several individuals, including Zachary Keith Hill, of Houston, Texas, who pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced to a 46-month prison sentence. Hill had been sending e-mails claiming to be from the AOL Billing Center.

Phishing is clearly another growing danger, demanding increased alertness from casino and player alike.

22 July 2004 – Issue #197

VIRTUAL CASINO VS CONNECTTOCASINO

Ingenious marketing schemes have always intrigued me; what new approach will online casinos take? We’ve seen the Golden Palace streaker flashing his jiggling buns ad nauseum. We’ve seen the shills post about their “wonderful” experiences in the message boards, and we’ve all had our share of spam.

I’ve always wondered what the next novel, innovative approach would be. In fact I brought this up during the panel discussion at the GIGSE. As moderator, I had prepared a number of questions for the panelists; questions pertaining to marketing of course. The last question I had was, “In which direction do you feel marketing will take us? Do you foresee any new techniques in the near future?

This question had most of the panelists stumped – including me, it’s difficult to foresee new trends until they are happening.

Well, now it’s happening. Enter the new trend: dissin’ your competitors via email marketing. Yeehaw!

Here is an email a player of RTG’s infamous Virtual Casino received on Tuesday:

From : Danny <danny@casinosupportcenter.com>>
Sent : Tuesday, July 20, 2004 1:28 AM
To : <“Undisclosed-Recipient:, “@sendmail.thevirtualsupport.com>
Subject : new danny letter of the day

There Are Good Ideas
There Are Great Ideas
Then There Are Ideas That Meet A Better Higher Standard
And Those Are The Only Ideas That Matter

That Is Reality
And That Reality Is Virtual Meeting A Better Higher Standard

Have something to say about the casino or myself send it for me to post here

Letter of the Day

Danny I’m sending you a copy of a complaint I have with xxxxxxxxcasino. You might be able to direct me to someone who can help or maybe you can. I should have listened to you and stayed away from this casino. I had an account with this casino for about 8 months. About 3 weeks ago I won $400. My brother wanted to join so he opened an account at his house. The next day he played at my house under his account. After a couple of days at his house he won $600. Then this casino froze both of our accounts saying we have multiple accounts. I discussed this matter with xxxxx at accounting he said you need to prove that he is a different person with a different ip address id and etc. so he did. He sent lots of identification. They released both of our accounts. I still was waiting for my withdrawal so was my brother. A few days later they closed both of our accounts again. They insisted that we have multiple accounts because he played on my computer. Basically the conversation went nowhere. He just kept on saying that we have multiple accounts and that we both will not get paid. There system detected it even though we proved who we both are and opened separate accounts. We proved who we are but they proved nothing… they keep saying our system detected multiple accounts and we will not get paid. They offer no help and wished me good luck when I said I will complain to someone. I hope you can help or direct me to someone that can. I played at havana, casino delrio, casino lasvegas, and the virtual casino. All have paid me with no problem, with a good support staff. What do I do? I sent this letter to interactive gaming council. I never heard of them. Ok Danny now my brother is thinking of joining your casino because he has seen how helpful you are. If he opened an account at his house can he then play on my computer with his account? Thanks Kevin. Account namexxxx

Danny comments: Kevin Kevin Kevin. Why didnt you listen? We know you guys play other casinos, that’s fine, but please be careful of who you choose. There are a lot of fly by nights out there. You are the 4th player I have to have played there and not got paid. Go to http://disputes.montanaoverseas.com/ and file a complaint. They are very helpful One of my players got paid 36 hrs later after filing and she waited for a long time before that. Good Luck

This was nearly the exact copy of a complaint that appeared in our forum and submitted to me via “Pitch a Bitch”. The player had merely written to “danny” for advice, and danny decided to dis’ one of his competitors by using it in his newsletter. Danny knew full well that it was Connecttocasino that was involved, and most of the readers probably knew which casino was being referred to as well since this was the complaint nearly word for word that was posted at Casinomeister.

Is this a new trend in marketing? It’s about as classy as shills and spammers being rewarded to pollute our message boards (thanks Brandy Casino!). Shameless and unprecedented; Danny’s carelessness even included identifying the player by his account number (which I’ve xxx’d out by the way).

The question is: how will Connecttocasino respond to this? Should we put on the Kevlars and dust off the flack jackets anticipating a “casino war”? Well I hope there won’t be any shock and awe here. Casinos – if you have a problem with your competitors – keep it to yourselves and don’t try to spin a player’s problem into a marketing ploy.

I think the Virtual Casino group just violated their probabtion. What do you think?

VOTE FOR CASINOMEISTER!!! at the Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers poll!. They’re taking their annual readers’ poll and you can vote for Casinomeister! Woo-hoo! What’ll it be? Best Portal? Best Watchdog Site? Best Forum? Best Biergarten?

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Yahoo!! Desert Dollar Casino just went Viper!! Get up to $375 FREE.

777 Dragon Casino Buy $25, Get $50 Free! 200% Match Bonus on initial deposit. FREE BONUS on EACH & EVERY deposit up to $3000 FREE Each & Every Month!

CONTESTS

Thanks Vegas7 and Desert Dollar for being this July’s sponsor!

THE SUMMER FEST IS HERE!!!
Come join our six year birthday celebration with Jackpot Willi!! He is our host of the ongoing Bierfest, and you have the opportunity to win 10 LITERS OF LOCALLY BREWED BEER or $200, YOUR CHOICE!!! Open an account at the sponsoring casino, play the slots, and YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN!!! Party time is NOW!!!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

A very frustrated man visits his doctor. “Doc, you’ve gotta help me! My wife just isn’t interested in sex anymore. Haven’t you got a pill or something I can give her?”

“Look, I can’t prescribe anything…”

“Doc, we’ve been friends for years. Have you ever seen me this upset? I’m desperate! I can’t think; I can’t concentrate; my life is going utterly to hell! You’ve got to help me.”

The doctor opens his desk drawer and removes a small bottle of pills. “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t do this. These are experimental; the tests so far indicate that they’re VERY powerful. Don’t give her more than ONE, understand? Just ONE.”

“I don’t know, doc. She’s awfully cold.”

“One. No more. In her coffee. Okay?”

“Um… okay.” He thanks the doc and heads for home where his wife has dinner waiting. When dinner is finished, she goes to the kitchen to bring dessert. In fumbling haste, pulls the pills from his pocket and drops one into his wife’s coffee. He thinks for a moment, hesitates, then drops in a second pill. And then he begins to worry. The doctor did say they were powerful. Then an inspiration strikes… he drops one pill into his own coffee. His wife returns and they enjoy their dessert and coffee. Sure enough, a few minutes after they finish, his wife shudders a little, sighs deeply and heavily, and a strange look enters her eyes. In a near-whisper and in a tone of voice he has never heard her use before, she says, “I need a man…”

His eyes glitter, and his hands tremble as he replies, “Me too.”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

what are your views on drip feed bonuses?

Ie. we pay $x after you stake $y, then we pay $z after you stake $p etc etc.

Does anyone think they’re any good or can they not be compared to bonuses that are given simultaneously but are non withdrawable until �g has been staked.

thoughts ?

Like he said, any thoughts on this? What do you think? Check it out here.

19 July 2004 – Issue #196

PLAYTECH AND CASINOMEISTER

About a week-and-a-half ago, July 8th to be precise, I voiced my disdain concerning Playtech and how they operate. My disdain and frustration stemmed from several weeks of not getting the answers I felt that I (and thus you) deserved; I had asked a series of questions that I felt were crucial to player assurance. If Playtech never wanted to answer any of the questions I had posed, then they should have just told me that it was none of my business, and I would have gone on my merry way.

Well, what I wrote on the 8th of July did not sit well with Playtech, and they brought this to my attention. I took a good hard look at what I said, and I honestly feel that these were my opinions – opinions based on my findings and observations.

Regardless, I will make the following statement:

The recently published content regarding Playtech was not intended to cause commercial harm to this provider, but rather to draw attention to my frustration in obtaining information and to establish a useful dialogue. After discussing matters further with Playtech, I acknowledge that Playtech was and is under no obligation to provide information concerning its businesses and licences to me.

As most of you know, for over six years, I’ve worked diligently as an advocate for players and operators alike. My approach to anyone in this industry has always been open-minded, giving those involved every opportunity to respond and/or resolve areas of genuine concern. I, of course, reserve the right to voice an opinion based on a fair and responsible assessment of the facts. Players, operators, and other industry figures expect me to voice my opinion. I am a player advocate; this is what I am supposed to do.

To conclude, I just want it to be perfectly clear to you, my dear Reader, where I stand in regards to the responsibility of a software provider and its relationship to player assurance. If it is the software provider that puts a casino into operation, then the software provider should be answerable to legitimate player issues. This is my opinion. I understand that I am not here to regulate anyone, but if questions are put forth to entities that offer their gambling services, they should be answered to avoid speculation.

I am happy to point out that since the last newsletter, Embalu (the player who was owed $2234 since December from Sterling House Casino), was finally paid his winnings this past week. Hopefully this is a sign that things are taking a positive turn.

CONTESTS!

THE BIER FEST IS HERE!!!
Win 10 LITERS OF LOCALLY BREWED BEER or $200 in cash!! So what will it be? Well how can you make this desicion if you don’e enter our contest? Open an account at the sponsoring casino, play the slots, and YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN!!!!!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Yahoo!! Desert Dollar Casino just went Viper!! Get up to $375 FREE.

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100…or..make a $25 first purchase, and get $40 absolutely FREE, so you can play with $65.

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the archives:

A lawyer and a blonde are sitting next to each other on a long flight from LA to NY. The lawyer leans over to her and asks if she would like to play a fun game. The blonde just wants to take a nap, so she politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks. The lawyer persists and explains that the game is really easy and a lot of fun.

He explains” I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5, and vice-versa.” Again, she politely declines and tries to get some sleep. The lawyer, now somewhat agitated, says, “Okay, if you don’t know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don’t know the answer, I will pay you $500!.” Figuring that since she is a blonde that he will easily win the match.

This catches the blonde’s attention and, figuring that there will be no end to this torment unless she plays, agrees to the game. The lawyer asks the first question. “What’s the distance from the earth to the moon?” The blonde doesn’t say a word, reaches in to her purse, pulls out a five dollar bill and hands it to the lawyer. Now, it’s the blonde’s turn. She asks the lawyer: “What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?” The lawyer looks at her with a puzzled look. He takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references.He taps into the Airphone with his modem and searches the Net and the Library of Congress. Frustrated, he sends E-mails to all his coworkers and friends he knows. All to no avail. Afterover an hour, he wakes the blonde and hands her $500. The blonde politely takes the $500 and turns away to get back to sleep. The lawyer, who is more than a little miffed, wakes the blonde and asks, “Well, so what IS the answer!?” Without a word, the blonde reaches into her purse, hands the lawyer $5, and goes back to sleep.

ha ha ha

MANGO – BLACK DOG HASSLES EXPLAINED

New owners and a software upgrade

To use a cliche, better late than never. That is what came to mind this week when we received a belated response to our questions put to both Mango and Black Dog casinos and their software provider Diamond Digital systems before we went to press last week.

We were trying to find out what was happening after a confusing series of closure and suspended services notices that were of little comfort to owed players.

In the responses, Black Dog and Mango advised that they were both undergoing ownership changes as well as a software upgrade, and Diamond reported that “….neither Mango Casino nor Black Dog Casino are closed. We are currently implementing a number of upgrades to the backend system, which make it impossible to register new players. We expect these updates to be completed by the end of the (July) month.

“We understand from BlackDog Casino support that all redemption requests outstanding as of yesterday have now been processed. Though there still are some outstanding redemption requests in Mango Casino, the casino owners have assured us that these will be paid shortly.”

8 July 2004 – Issue #186

NO MORE PLAYTECH AT CASINOMEISTER

Some people are calling me a troublemaker. Well, I’m not. I just feel that a software provider owes its players a certain amount of assurance that its operators are running a clean and legitimate operation. So what’s the problem?

The problem is that Playtech executives remain aloof and unmoved concerning a number of issues that ought to be addressed. Each one of these issues are directly related to player assurance and protection. I have presented several questions on a number of times to the CEO of Playtech and as well to other well positioned people since early June. Some of these issues have been floating around since last December. So far, they don’t have much to say.

I’ve decided to no longer endorse Playtech powered casinos mainly because of this questionable behavior. I feel that this “silence” is rude and they’re making me feel like an annoying twit trying to squeeze beer out of a stone. Well, since they feel that they don’t need to answer my questions – yet – then I’ll take it to task to answer these questions for them.

I’ll pick a couple for this week, and I’ll answer the rest next week. The problem is, I don’t think Playtech will like the answers that I am coming up with.

Question #1: What is the process for licensing your casinos? Is this a responsibility of Playtech, or does the responsibility fall upon the operators? Who monitors or oversees this? The reason that I ask this is that I’ve spoken with the Antiguan Gaming commission and they’ve stated that their website is up to date, yet according to them Club Dice’s license expired six months ago: Antigua Gaming Commission – Club Dice

Answer: I don’t know who monitors or oversees licensing for the casinos since my point of contact for Playtech Caribbean operations won’t answer my emails. So I picked up the phone and called the Antiguan Gaming Commission once again and spoke with the licensing administrator. She said that the operators are given three months notice before their licenses expire — then they expire. So with this information, I assume it is up to the operators. Perhaps one of the operators out there can email me and explain the process. That would be most helpful.

I then asked her about Club Dice Casino (Playtech’s flagship casino), and if it was true that Club Dices’s license expired in January (seven months ago). She said yes, but there was paperwork being processed – it wasn’t completed yet. I asked her if Club Dice has been operating without a license for the past seven months. She said yes.

So Club Dice is operating without a license. That’s reassuring, ain’t it? This leads up to another question: Is this condoned by Playtech? Well my dear reader, I’ll let you answer that for yourself. Use the information that I have given you, and dwell upon an answer. You don’t expect me to do all your thinking for you, do you? (insert smilely face here).

Question #2: Are casinos allowed to operate before their licenses are fully processed? This question is in response to the Antiguan Gaming Commission telling me that laislabonitacasino.com was not licensed and that they were requesting that the casino remove their “Antigua” logo.

See my answer to question #1.

So two down, four to go. Stay tuned next week while I assist Playtech on answering the rest.

JOIN OUR FORUM!

Gabba gabba hey! Be one of us…

One of the best things about online gaming is playing at an online casino – that’s a no brainer. But what is even better is creating a personality who is out there meeting people and getting involved in all sorts of conversations – from Video Poker strategy, to whining about your landlord.

And one of the joys of administrating one of the most popular online casino forums on the net is reading the user profiles (besides reading your posts of course). Here are some of the new players who have registered this past week (we’re averaging about 7 new members per day):
About you : happy
About you : You might not like what I am saying, but rest assured I am going to say it!
About you : I rock at bonus hunting =)
About you : I’m really really nice
About you : I’m very loveable
About you : BBC journalist
About you : I do like this life!
About you : got ripped off majorly by BML sportsbook

So what are you waiting for? Come register here and join the crowd! You never know when you might meet that special someone!

CONTESTS!

Casinomeister’s Scavenger Hunt!, congrats to Brian W. and Terri C. our Scavenger Hunt June 2004 winners!! Find the info, answer the questions, and be eligible for $200 in cash!!! It’s fabulous!!! It’s fun!! With all of the exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!!! So c’mon! What are you waiting for??
Thanks Vegas7 and Desert Dollar for being this July’s sponsor!

THE BIER FEST WINNER!!!
Jody G. from the US is our winner this month. You have the option of 10 LITERS OF LOCALLY BREWED BEER or $200 in cash!! So what will it be? For the rest of you, hang tight. The next Bierfest starts tomorrow!! Open an account at the sponsoring casino, play the slots, and YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN!!!!!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Yahoo!! Desert Dollar Casino just went Viper!! Get up to $375 FREE.

*158 Huge Games
*Thunderstruck
*Weekly cash bonuses
*Viper Software
*Quick Payouts
*24/7 Toll-Free Support Check them out today!

Have you tried English Harbour’s new Platinum Version 4.20 software? Well if you like slots, this is a “must play”. Orient Express is a 5 reel 21 line slot! This week’s promo: Race to Win! Tour de France Prize Draw! July 8th to 14th

Tour de France is one of the longest races in the world, challenging even the world’s top athletes. To recognize this event they invite you to challenge yourself by playing their games all week! They’re giving away HUNDREDS of prizes to their real account players just for being on-line. The longer you’re online, the more prizes you can win! Challenge yourself this week and you’ll be a winner!

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100…or..make a $25 first purchase, and get $40 absolutely FREE, so you can play with $65.

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

Three elderly men are at the doctor’s office for a memory test.
The doctor asks the first man, “What is three times three?” “274,” is his reply.

The doctor rolls his eyes and looks up at the ceiling, and says to the second man, “It’s your turn. What is three times three?” “Tuesday,” replies the second man.

The doctor shakes his head sadly, then asks the third man, “Okay, your turn. What’s three times three?”

“Nine,” says the third man. “That’s great!” says the doctor. “How did you get that?”

“Simple,” he says, “just subtract 274 from Tuesday.”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Kiwi Casino, Better Then Other Playtech Casinos?

I noticed Casinomeister has removed all Playtech casinos from his reputable list other then Kiwi. It is stated that the casinos have been removed due to blanket problems with Playtech, not necessarily individual casinos. I have played at Kiwi and they seem on par with any other Playtech casino insofar as support and payment speed, I was paid to neteller in 5 days. I’m just wondering, but Kiwi to me is no better then most Playtechs such as City Club, and because they use Playtech software, would to me anyways, fall under the same problems of overall Playtech mismanagement. Why then does Kiwi get put on a higher level then most Playtechs. To me and many others The Sunny Group is far superior to Kiwi in support and speed of payments, but they receive no pardon from Playtech’s lack of responsibility in management. Just my 2 cents. Cheers

This is pretty controversial! I say yes, keep Kiwi for now, but what do you think? Check it out here.

1 July 2004 – Issue #194

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN! Yep, I’m back – back in the saddle again. And there is nothing more refreshing than a brain break from the day to day issues that are dealt with at Casinomeister. (And I hope this newsletter provides you with a brain-break from your work as well). In case you hadn’t noticed, Casinomeister was on autopilot with Vortran at the helm for the past two weeks. More power to him since he didn’t mess anything up. It was during this time that Italy’s southern Tuscany coast was my home away from home.

Tuscany is where I spent my time – chillin’ at the beach eating pizza and pasta and drinking Lambruso. Went to Pisa and saw the leaning tower and all of the other leaning buildings (yes, they all lean). Drove to Florence which was a totally insane thing to do. Italians CANNOT drive – period. I’m used to driving in Germany where most everyone follows the rules (Germans just love rules – really). And driving amongst a bunch of Italians (who try to get away with anything) was just a bit too much. Now don’t get me wrong, there are rules for the road in Italy, it’s just that they really don’t matter. Amazingly enough I never saw anyone have an accident.

Checked out a number of nearby Etruscan ruins and tombs; really some amazing stuff. Tuscany has a very rich history, and I would recommend this sort of road trip to anyone; even Italians.

Now work-like thoughts would slip into my mind at times, and I would dwell upon an industry issue or two. One thing my mind kept returning to was “why are there so many hateful people in this industry?” There are some individuals that act like total lunatics on some of these message boards – and they are so full of hate. These gutless individuals seem to enjoy being verbally vicious – fighting on message boards – giggling like little school children; they think it’s funny or cute. I wonder, why the hate? Where does this come from? And don’t they have better things to do with their time?

But anyway, I did a lot of reading. I read a number of well written English fairy tales to my six year old daughter, and reading out loud can be such an entertaining thing. It brought back memories when I was a US paratrooper deep in some Central American jungle. We’d chill in the basecamp during breaks from jungle patrols. And for entertainment purposes – we’d read books out loud to one another. Besides the entertainment factor, we did this because we didn’t have enough books to go around. And if a slow reader had a book you were dying to read, it became a bit frustrating. GI’s will fight over the stupidest things. I remember my squad had a copy of Stephen King’s “Thinner”. We’d sit there in the jungle heat and take turns reading each chapter – the amount of drama was up to each soldier, and we had some pretty good times. With this in mind, there are a number of US and UK troops still stuck in Iraq. Please check out http://booksforsoldiers.com/. You can get rid of some of your old paperbacks that are collecting dust. They even accept Paypal donations (in case you still have that old Paypal account and don’t know what to do with is besides buying crap at Ebay). Your donation can make a big difference to someone’s life out there. I know this for a fact.

Anyway, I’m back. It was a ten hour drive back home, through the Italian Alps, Austria, and Southern Germany; long – but it was do-able.

The hardest part (obviously) is trying to get back into the swing of things. I know I have a number of “pitch-a-bitches” to get to. Hang tight if you’re waiting for me to respond. I will be banging these out shortly. Thanks for your patience.

DESTINATION POKER

Rogued! Destination Poker is destined to go nowhere but to the dustbin. Apparently the management of this casino feels that “bonus abusers” are ok only if they lose. If they win, well that’s another story.

This week there was a complaint lodged against Destination Poker from a player owed $10,200. It seems that he was on some “negative player” database that is shared by 12 or so RTG casinos. Apparently, this database is not of evil players who make chargebacks and play fraudulently, these are players who use bonuses and win. The manager went on to say “What he did with us was pretty classic bonus abuse. He made a big deposit and got the maximum possible bonus we offer and lost it fast. Then deposited, took no bonus and won and cashed out immediately.”

The casino allowed this player to play – and since this player was allowed to play, the casino should have paid him his winnings and THEN banned him. What if this player had lost? Would the casino refund his deposits? I think not.

These sort of flaky vague rules are enforced by managers bent on either tricking or abusing players out of their winnings. Tactics like these are completely unacceptable in this industry.

This is a relatively new casino, but I have reason to believe that they are directly associated with Connect-to-casino, Portifino, and Hamptons Casino. There are also indicators that the management has worked with the Virtual Casino group in the past as well. I have reliable sources that have confirmed this. And in my opinion, this information is correct.

You can read more about it here: https://www.casinomeister.com/rogue/destinationpoker.html

PLAYTECH – WTF?

Questions they choose not to answer

If you’ve noticed, recently all Playtech Casinos have been dissapearing off of Casinomeister’s Reputable Casino section – all sans Kiwi Casino. I’ve exempted Kiwi from removal: they have been associated with Casinomeister since they launched several years ago. They’ve always been one of my favorites and I will stand by them.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is that Playtech executives remain aloof and unmoved concerning a number of issues that ought to be addressed. Each one of these issues are directly related to player assurance and protection. I have presented the following questions on several occassions to the CEO and other well positioned people at Playtech since early last month. So far, nothing. Nada. I’m presenting these questions here to that you, my dear reader will understand why I am no longer endorsing Playtech casinos. These are the questions posed:

1. What is the process for licensing your casinos? Is this a responsibility of Playtech, or does the responsibility fall upon the operators? Who monitors or oversees this? The reason that I ask this is that I’ve spoken with the Antiguan Gaming commission and they’ve stated that their website is up to date, yet according to them Club Dice’s license expired six months ago.

2. Are casinos allowed to operate before their licenses are fully processed? This question is in response to the Antiguan Gaming Commission telling me that laislabonitacasino.com was not licensed and that they were requesting that the casino remove their “Antigua” logo.

3. What is the relationship between Playtech and the OPA? Is the OPA certification taken at face value or is there an agreed to process? The reason why I ask this question is that many of your operators rely on this “OPA logo” to give credence to their sites. But I know first-hand that the OPA is run by a couple of Welshmen who don’t even have a college education. Most seasoned players are aware of this as well. Is the data that is reviewed by the OPA done by someone with some form of credentials? If so, what are they?

4. The Chance Group has a notorious reputation for delaying payments to their players – is this something that Playtech can rectify?

5. Why do Playtech casinos let player cashins sit for 3-5 days before being processed? Is there a way to expedite these cashins? The reason I ask this is that many players are suspicious that these payouts are delayed to tempt the player in playing back their winnings to the casino.

NEW QUESTION: 6. It has been brought to my attention that Indio Casino has resurfaced using Playtech software. Are you aware of that they left a number of players unpaid last winter before they left Futurebet? Will the owners now be required to pay what they owed to stiffed players?

So how about a Question #7: Am I wrong to expect a few answers in the near future? Or am I to assume that there are no answers to these questions?

In my honest opinion, I feel that players are not in safe hands in case things go wrong at Playtech casinos. And things do go seriously wrong, just take a look at the Chance Group. As long as Playtech blows these questions off, I will not endorse their operations. Simple as that.

If there are any Playtech operators out there that would like to respond to these questions, go for it.

CONTESTS!

Thanks Vegas7 and Desert Dollar for being this July’s sponsor!

THE BIER FEST WINNER!!!
Jody G. from the US is our winner this month. You have the option of 10 LITERS OF LOCALLY BREWED BEER or $200 in cash!! So what will it be? For the rest of you, hang tight. The next Bierfest starts tonight!! Open an account at the sponsoring casino, play the slots, and YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN!!!!! Thanks Roxy Palace Casino, our sponsor for June!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Are you a member of Playmontecarlo Casino?? If not why not? A member of Betting Corp., they are a well respected and well run casino. Check out their most recent promotion!

The heated finals of EURO 2004 are nearly upon us. We are offering you the chance to cash in on the excitement and increase your winning power!

10% back on Finals Day

Here is a bet worth taking- If the EURO 2004 Finals result in a Penalty Shoot Out, this Sunday we will give you 10% back on losses made, or, 10% more on winnings made that day!

The promotion begins at 12am on Sunday July 4th and finishes at 7:45pm on the same day. (GMT)

Either way you can only win!

Yahoo!! Desert Dollar Casino just went Viper!! Get up to $375 FREE.

Join All Slots Casino for non-stop slots excitement! Get $100 free – Instantly! Get $100 free when you make your first deposit at All Slots Casino! Don’t miss out on their weekly $1,500 Hot Slots competition featuring the newest Microgaming slot games! Come to All Slots for the excitement and stay for the cash!
*158 Huge Games
*Thunderstruck
*Weekly cash bonuses
*Viper Software
*Quick Payouts
*24/7 Toll-Free Support
Check them out today!: All Slots Casino

Have you tried English Harbour’s new Platinum Version 4.20 software? Well if you like slots, this is a “must play”. Orient Express is a 5 reel 21 line slot! This week’s promo: Red, White and Win Independence Day Prize Parade: July 1st to 7th.

In celebration of Independence Day English Harbour Casinos is excited to announce that they have THOUSANDS to give away all week! Winning is easy, all you have to do is have a real account and play your favorite games and you’ll be entered to win a prize up to $500! So join them this week and be prepared to win!

Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

$50 Welcome Bonus at Trident Lounge Let them treat you to a $50 Welcome Bonus with your first deposit to enjoy on our vast selection of over 100 exciting casino games! Play on their Viper Download Casino or instant-play Flash Casino for the most rewarding gaming experience online!

*Award-winning Viper software!
*Latest 5-Reel Progressive Video Slots!
*Multi-Bonus Feature Slots & 10-Play Power Poker!
*Over 100 Exciting Casino Games!
*eCOGRA Players Seal of Approval!
*First Class 24/7 Support!
*Quick Payouts!
*Multiple Deposit Methods!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

ROBOT BARTENDER

A popular bar had a new robotic bartender installed.
A fellow came in for a drink and the robot asked him,
‘What’s your IQ?’

The man replied, ‘150.’
So the robot proceeded to make conversation about
Quantum physics, string theory, atomic chemistry, and so on.

The man listened intently and thought, ‘This is really cool.’

The man decided to test the robot. He walked out the bar, turned
around, and came back in for another drink. Again, the robot asked
him, ‘What’s your IQ?’

The man responded, ‘100.’ So the robot started talking about
football, baseball, and so on.

The man thought to himself, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’

The man went out and came back in a third time. As before,
the robot asked him, ‘What’s your IQ?’ The man replied, ’50.’
The robot then said, ‘So, you gonna vote for Bush again?’

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Is it still ok to play online in the U.S.?

Just a question for everyone, with the crackdown on internet gaming in the United States, does anyone know if our play/payout, deposits etc…are being tracked? I understand the tax issues on withdraws over $10,000 a day, but I think that is only @ land based casinos. I am concerned enough to have slowed down a lot with my online play, but hell it’s FUN. I wonder if the smart move might be to stick to land based casinos. FYI I am a staunch Bush supporter so lets try not to spiral into a Michael Moore type Bush bashing (the moron who hit us with Farenheit 9/11). Just wondering if there are any “insiders” who might work for a bank or casino that has info on how, if at all, the U.S. clients are being tracked.

DOPEY GAMBLERS

Gambling generates the best buzz because it’s risky!

Researchers in Montreal, Canada reckon that players get a buzz out of gambling because of the uncertainty of getting a reward.

After extensive research, Canadian scientists believe they are closer to understanding why players gamble according to press reports last week. They have apparently discovered that the levels of dopamine in the human brain rises and falls most in situations such as gambling, where there is uncertainty as to whether there will be a reward….or not.

“Using a combination of techniques, we were actually able to measure release of the dopamine neurotransmitter under natural conditions using monetary reward,” said David Zald, an assistant professor of psychology.

Dopamine has long been known to play a role in the way humans react to food and sex, but pinning down the precise conditions that cause its release have proved difficult. Zald says the research will lay the foundations for a clearer understanding of exactly what takes place in the brain during these ‘unpredictable reward situations’ and could help in discovering whether there is a chemical cause for problems such as gambling addiction.

9 June 2004 – Issue #193

THIRD STONE FROM THE SUN

I hope those of you living in Europe and Africa took the time out yesterday to check out the passing of Venus before the sun. It received quite a bit of press mainly because of it being a rare occurrence; it happens only twice every 120 years. Some astronomers have waited all their lives to see this. Before yesterday, no one alive had seen it – and only a few photographs existed. Now the web (the astronomy community in particular) is all the buzz with photos being uploaded, downloaded, emailed and shared.

Yesterday in the forum I was sharing experiences on my observances, and one member, sw2003, observed how small it was (Venus). And it is small, almost the size of the earth, about 7575 miles in diameter compared to our 7926 miles, but the distances between things in space are mind boggling. I dug up some figures to reflect this:

If the sun were the size of a large beach ball (about 26 inches in diameter) Venus would be about the size of a very small pea and be about 56 meters away from this beach ball. Look out your window and envision this. Earth would be about the same size as Venus and be about 80 meters away.

Jupiter, the largest planet, would be the size of a tangerine and be about 400 meters away. Pluto, the smallest and furthest planet would be the size of a small ball bearing and would be about 1.75 miles from our sunny beach ball.

If the sun were the size of an orange, the closest star would be about the same size and 1000 miles away. And this orange you can see at night, but the light from this orange takes about 4.5 years to get to you.

Get this, if the Earth’s orbit was reduced to the size of a dime. Earth would be microscopic, and the sun would be the size of a grain of sand. Our neighbor Sirius, the brightest star in the winter months, would be another grain of sand three miles away. And figuring there is a grain of sand for every cubic mile, that’s a lot of empty space.

What has this got to do with online casinos? Not much, but it’s good to think about how we are just space dust. Really. And maybe some of the crap you get so upset about isn’t so important after all. And it’s good to think about this sort of stuff so your brain doesn’t turn to mush.

By the way, you can check out a couple of photos I posted in our forum here.

If beer and money ain’t your bag then you can always VOTE FOR US!!! at the Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers poll!. They’re taking their annual readers’ poll and you can vote for Casinomeister! Woo-hoo! What’ll it be? Best Portal? Best Watchdog Site? Best Forum? Best Biergarten?

Also, congrats to Steve W. and Janice R. our May 2004 winners!! Find the info, answer the questions, and be eligible for $200 in cash!!! It’s fabulous!!! It’s fun!! With all of the exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!!! So c’mon! What are you waiting for??
Thanks Ruby Fortune and Vegas Country for being this month’s sponsor!

From Steve W.:
Again, many thanks…it was a thrill winning and thanks again for the great site.
By the way..thanks for the EXTRA..to cover the service charges…you are amazing.

Cheers…Steve

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Are you a member of Blackjackplayer yet? If not? Why not? Deposit $100 or more and get $50 cash bonus added to your account. And existing Players deposit $100 or more and get $25 cash bonus added to your account. You must wager 10 TIMES (deposit + bonus) before cashing out the bonus. Please read the terms and conditions!

Have you tried English Harbour’s new Platinum Version 4.20 software? Well if you like slots, this is a “must play”. Orient Express is a 5 reel 21 line slot! This week’s promotion: Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend $10,000 Giveaway June 3rd thru June 9th Check them out today!!

Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

Jackpot City Introducing an all-new Belle Rock Slot, exclusive to the Belle Rock Gaming Casinos (Jackpot City) – it’s your opportunity to win more! Play this 5-reel, 9-payline Video Slot at Jackpot City (or at your favorite Belle Rock Gaming Casino) during the month of June, and you could win your share of $15,000 in Cash!!!

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100… Make a $25 first purchase, and get $40 absolutely FREE, so you can play with $65.

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

I don’t mean to pick on the ladies this week, but it was awfully funny. I’ll bash the guys next time.
DICTIONARY FOR WOMEN’S PERSONAL ADS:

40-ish…………….49
Adventurous……………..Slept with everyone
Athletic……………………..No tits
Average looking………………..Ugly
Beautiful…………………………..Pathological liar
Contagious Smile………………Does a lot of pills
Emotionally Secure………………….On medication
Feminist……………………Fat
Free spirit………………………………Junkie
Friendship first……………………..Former slut
Fun……………………………..Annoying
New-Age…………..Body hair in the wrong places
Old-fashioned…………………..No BJs
Open-minded……………………….Desperate
Outgoing……………….Loud and Embarrassing
Passionate………………..Sloppy drunk
Professional…………………….Bitch
Voluptuous……………Very Fat
Large frame……………………………Hugely Fat
Wants Soul mate………………………….Stalker

WOMEN’S ENGLISH:

1. Yes = No
2. No = Yes
3. Maybe = No
4. We need = I want…
5. I am sorry = you’ll be sorry
6. We need to talk = You’re in trouble
7. Sure, go ahead = You better not
8. Do what you want = You will pay for this later
9. I am not upset = Of course I am upset, you moron!
10. You’re certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?

MEN’S ENGLISH:

1. I am hungry = I am hungry
2. I am sleepy = I am sleepy
3. I am tired = I am tired
4. Nice dress = Nice cleavage!
5. I love you = Let’s have sex now
6. I am bored = Do you want to have sex?
7. May I have this dance? = I’d like to have sex with you
8. Can I call you sometime? = I’d like to have sex with you
9. Do you want to go to a movie? = I’d like to have sex with you
10. Can I take you out to dinner? = I’d like to have sex with you
11. I don’t think those shoes go with that outfit = I’m gay

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Miss out my AAAA at VP

You won’t believe this. I was playing VP at Intercasino today. I got 3 Aces and was interrupted by something and forgot to “hold”, then I hit “draw” and another Ace shows up…. @#$%&*#$
I forgot they don’t autohold for you.

Anybody else seriously screw up lately?

4 June 2004 – Issue #192

SIX YEARS WE BE HERE!

Yep, this month marks Casinomeister’s sixth year as an online entity. What started as a simple little site born from a casual conversation at “Oscars”, evolved into what it is today – “Casinomeister – the Online Casino Information and Watchdog Site.” It’s a special place like no other. And I’m proud to say that no one has mimicked or copied what Casinomeister has become. Where can you find a bitchin’ webcast and listen to my little robot buddy Vortran speak? Where can you “Pitch a Bitch” against your favorite casino? Where can you read weekly news updates from Infopowa news? Where can you converse with people in “the know” and people who “don’t know” (hint: our forum). Where else can you read a cool newsletter like this one? (hint: you are reading it).

No one has a robot friend like mine. A few webmasters may have hand tools or kitchen appliances, but they don’t count. No one has a webcast. No one besides perhaps Winneronline has a forum as active as ours with intelligible writings I dare say! And not many websites give you my dear reader the opportunity to complain about your treatment at some online casino.

But don’t get me wrong, I am not one to rest on my laurels, or take anything or any one of you for granted. I try to do my best to give everyone the attention they deserve by answering your emails – and sometimes I get swamped, and I end up writing Thursday’s newsletter on a Friday evening. Wait a minute! I’m supposed to be watching TV right now. Damn!

Anyway, I just want to take these few moments to thank you for your support and your emails. Sometimes I don’t respond to them all, but I try. Thanks for your gratefulness and encouragement.

And I hope that everyone will take time out this week to listen to our webcast. I talk a little bit about where Casinomeister started from, and we also have an exclusive interview with Jeff Tuttle, Winneronline’s General Manager. It’s really a great show, and Vortran behaves himself as well.

In closing, thanks for a very cool six years. It would not have been fun without you!

If beer and money ain’t your bag then you can always VOTE FOR US!!! at the Gambling Online Magazine’s Readers poll!. They’re taking their annual readers’ poll and you can vote for Casinomeister! Woo-hoo! What’ll it be? Best Portal? Best Watchdog Site? Best Forum? Best Biergarten?

Thanks Ruby Fortune and Vegas Country for being this month’s sponsor!

NEW WEBCAST IS UP!

This week’s topics:
*History of Casinomeister
*Unanswered questions for Playtech
*Exclusive Interview with Winneronline
*Vortran’s “Evil Portal” warning All this and more .

PAYIN’ THE BILLS

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Let’s give a warm welcome to All Slots Casino the newest Casinomeister casino!

Get $150 FREE!
Get $150 FREE when you make your first deposit at All Slots Casino!

Join us in June for our weekly $6,000 slots competition featuring the newest video slots games from Microgaming!

Come to All Slots for the excitement and stay for the cash!

153 Huge Games
Big Kahuna Slot
Viper Software
Quick Payouts
24/7 Toll-Free Support
Huge Cash Promotions

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100… Make a $25 first purchase, and get $40 absolutely FREE, so you can play with $65.

THE MEISTER’S BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Congrats go to the following winners for May’s tournament at Intercasino!
1st Place: tonya725 $2090.00
2nd Place: BenB21 $836.00
3rd Place: jcottig $418.00
4th enr2play $418.00
5th tn6147 $418.00

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

An American, an French and a Taiwanese were lost in a desert. Fortunately they found a magic lamp and the gene told them they can have 3 wishes.
The American said: “I want money!”
He got 10 million.
The American said again: “More money!”
He got another 10 million.
Finally, he said “Get me home with my money!”. Boom! He was back home with a pile of cash.

The French said: ” I want pretty women!”
He got two pretty ladies.
The French said again: ” More pretty women!”
He got another two pretty ladies.
Finally, he said “Get me home with my women!”. Boom! He was back home with the most beautiful women he has ever seen.

At least, the Taiwanese said: “I am thirsty, give me beer!”
He got a dozen beer.
The Taiwanese said again: “More beer! “
He got another dozen of beer.
Fully drunk, the Taiwanese was asked what’s his last wish:
“Damn I am bored and I missed my two friends, bring them back with me!”
Boom! The American and French were back to the desert with nothing.

The American and French were very pissed but they couldn’t do a thing. So they keep walking. Can this be? They found another magic lamp! This time the gene said” I am younger so I can only grand two wishes”.

This time, the American and French decided to let the Taiwanese make his wish first. They also advised him not to make the same mistake. The Taiwanese nod.
“Gave me two dozen beer!” The Taiwanese said. Boom! He got two dozen beer. He was so happy he got everything he want in one wish.
After the Taiwanese was drunk, the American and the French urge him to make his second wish. “Well,” the Taiwanese said to the genie at least. “That’s everything I want, you can leave now.”

ha ha ha

Thanks to hhcfreebie for posting this in our forum! Got a funny-ha-ha you’d like to share? Post it in the “Jokes” section in Casinomeister’s Forum, and if it’s good enough – I’ll publish it here along with a link to your website (if you have one).

US FEDS CONFISCATE $3.2 MILLION

Advertising money taken by DoJ officials

The money initially belonged to Tropical Paradise, a Costa Rica-based Internet casino operation, which in October paid Discovery for television spots to advertise an online poker room, ParadisePoker.com.

According to court documents, the government seized the money and told Discovery, which is based in Silver Spring, Md., that it could be party to an illegal activity by broadcasting such advertisements.

Federal prosecutors contend that Got2bet sites are illegal, but the offshore casinos fall outside their jurisdiction. So for nearly a year, the government has been trying to curb the sites’ activities by investigating and pressuring American companies that provide services to offshore gambling sites on the theory that they are “aiding and abetting” the operations.

Until now, the effort has largely involved seeking information from American companies, including major broadcasters, Web portals and industry consultants. The seizure of money significantly escalates the government’s attack.

Matt Richtel, the author of the report says that the move has raised strong criticism from First Amendment experts, media industry executives and people involved with offshore casinos. They assert that the federal government is relying on an untested legal theory in taking action against American companies, and using tactics more typically used against organised crime activities.

“This is not drug money or terrorist money,” said Rodney A. Smolla, dean of the University of Richmond School of Law. “The fact it is being treated as such shows a crusader’s zeal against offshore gambling.”

The possible message being sent, legal experts said, is that any American company that does business with an offshore casino – including software makers and consultants – could be in danger of having proceeds from that business seized.

“This is a strategy of intimidating anybody who is in the chain of commerce,” said Lawrence Walters, a lawyer who works with offshore Internet casinos, as well as software companies that do business with the casinos.

The Justice Department declined to comment about this case or other investigations in this area.

Tens of millions of Americans place bets over the Internet, wagering on sporting events and on casino games like virtual blackjack, roulette and poker. But the casinos are outside the United States, typically in Costa Rica and the Caribbean or in Britain, where the operations are fully licensed and legal.

The legality of online betting is a complicated matter of some dispute in the United States. The government asserts that the federal Wire Act prohibits all Internet casinos, but the courts have been divided, legal scholars said.

The individual states also have laws that prohibit any gambling enterprises that they do not formally authorise. Some states, but not all of them, make it illegal for individuals to place a recreational bet; New York, for instance, does not make it illegal to place a bet online.

In June 2003, the Justice Department sent letters to trade groups representing major broadcasters and publishers, telling them their members could be violating the law by displaying advertisements on behalf of offshore casinos. The government said the businesses could be seen as aiding and abetting the activities of the casinos.

Then, Raymond W. Gruender, the United States attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri, convened a grand jury, sending subpoenas to companies asking them to provide a broad range of information about their relationships with offshore casinos. The investigation had a significant impact. Some major broadcasters, including Infinity Broadcasting and Clear Channel Communications, stopped taking gambling ads last fall. Google and Yahoo, the Internet search engines, said in April that they would stop taking such advertisements.

So far, executives at media companies have not voiced public challenges to the government campaign. An executive for one media company, who asked that his firm not be identified so as not to attract further attention from the Department of Justice, said that the government was promising to go easy on broadcasters and Internet sites that cooperate with its inquiry.

The executive said he had heard from people involved in the investigation that the government might begin levying fines or pressing charges against media companies.

1 June 2004 – BIERFEST

NetBet Casinomeister Christmas Specials!!
iNetBet is offering 5 separate promos from the 17th to the 29th of December. These are exclusive promos for Casinomeister members only!!!!

Don’t be a loser and miss out on these exclusive offers!!!

December 20th: Get a 200% Initial Deposit Bonus

26 May 2004 – Issue #191 GIGSE ~ Toronto Special Report

…and how love conquered pride.

So where should I begin? Perhaps in the Air Canada fight where my knees were nearly pressed up to my chest the seats were so small. We were getting ready to land at Pearson Airport in Toronto, in fact the wheels were just about to touch down when the plane suddenly lurched upward and we shot back into the sky. The pilot mumbled something incoherently over the PA, and then stated that he would explain what had happened in a few minutes. We (the passengers) just looked at each other, a little bewildered, a little unnerved, and then the pilot came back and explained that there was vehicle on the runway that didn’t have clearance. Great, I thought, a near miss. I make it this far and nearly get creamed on Toronto’s airstrip.

But it was cool, we flew around and landed for real about twenty minutes later. Damn I thought, twenty minutes less of “fun time” on the ground. But it gave me the few extra minutes to contemplate my main mission for my visit to Toronto: gather online casino information for Casinomeister, and to rescue Vortran’s love of his life – Brontë

Lest we forget, Brontë was somehow mysteriously snatched up and held hostage in Michael Caselli’s “drug den” in London. This was reported in Casinomeister’s Newsletter issue #190. Before I left Germany, I had promised Vortran by hook or by crook, I would bring Brontë back to him.

Anyway, my time is very limited at these conferences, and I try to squeeze in as much as I can: movies, restaurants, and other chillin’ extracurricular activities that I can’t get in my little German village. And of course what brings me here is the Global Interactive Gaming Symposium and Exhibition, the GIGSE. It’s the largest trade event that attracts just about everyone in this industry. My primary mission, (besides Brontë’s rescue), was to gather information, and to convey this information to you my dear reader; this is very important to me.

Well, after the obligatory customs formalities, the bus ride to the hotel, and the checking in, I was hungry. And man, I was dying for some good ol’ Tex Mex. I knew a place that was right around the corner, and I was hoping to find someone to dine with.

I picked my cell phone and gave Tim Whyles (Wagershare’s affiliate manager) a call. I knew he was in town, and he’d probably be game for some good chow. The phone answered on the second ring.
“Hello, Bryan. You must be in Toronto.” Cell phones always give me away.
“Yep, you hungry?” And as soon as these words left my lips, I realized that Tim was probably still in London. It was 2 o’clock in the morning in London.
“No Bryan, I’m not really hungry right now.” At least he was quite jovial about my faux pas, and I wished him a nighty-night, and a tomorrow’s pleasant flight.

Good enough. I met Brian Cullingworth in the lobby as he was checking in. Brian Cullingworth: the executive consultant for Infopowa news. We’re in contact with one another on a daily basis, but he’s in South Africa, and I’m in Germany most of the time, so it’s always good when we sit down and chat in person. We set out for the local Tex Mex (El Paso), and had a lengthy conversation about industry stuff and perhaps some gossipy stuff about you my dear reader, naw just kidding. But it was a good conversation conversed over good food. I had the Chicken Chimichunga and bitchin’ Strawberry Margarita. A very tasty meal indeed.

The following day I spent buying up what I can’t get in Germany, at Wal-mart nonetheless (cheap sponges, freezer bags, and other household goods). I then caught “Troy” down at the Paramount theaters. A cool film that an undergraduate could use as “crib notes” for Homer’s epic (except the Trojan War lasts for about ten years – the movies makes it seem a matter of weeks). The fight scene between Hector and Achilles I remember well from my dry read of a door-stopper of a book. It was nice to see this come to life via Hollywood (it was filmed in Mexico by the way…I was wondering why most of the extras looked Mexican).

That evening was spent wining and dining with the usual suspects.

Monday was the first official day of the GIGSE. That morning and early afternoon was spent mainly in the hotel lobby with some planned and spur-of-the moment meetings, some of which were quite insightful. Knowledge is power, and this is one of the reasons I attend these functions – to strengthen my brain.

That afternoon was my first official function acting as moderator for the “round table” discussion panel “Effective Marketing Strategies”. Debbee Silverman (Gonegambling.com), Eric Morris (Gambling Online Magazine), and Michael “Girly-boy” Caselli (Online Casino News) were the panel. We met briefly before the discussion was to begin, and I gave them a bit of a rundown of what questions I was going to ask. It was difficult not to be distracted by Michael’s bravado; he thought he was oh so manly by harboring the innocent (and presumably drugged) wooden figurine up in his hotel room. But I remained cool, not letting his swaggering demeanor affect my professionalism.

The discussion panel went well, and I think it was very informative. These three individuals explained what worked well and what didn’t work so well concerning marketing online as opposed to marketing offline. If you are involved in marketing in some shape or form, you should have been there.

The discussion wrapped up, and I began to collect my things – my mind wandering on how I was to get Brontë back from “evil-man’s” sleaze lair, when a man stepped forth from the dissipating crowd and introduced himself as the owner of Slots Alley. He wanted to sit down and talk…

To be continued, but first this:

CASINOMEISTER PICKS!

One thing that I especially enjoy about the GIGSE, is that I have the chance to meet the husband and wife team behind Captain Cooks and Casino Kingdom. These are by far two of the best run casinos in the business – and it’s a family business which makes it even more pleasant. These people have class. I’ve been a member of Captain Cooks Casino for years, and it seems as though we’ve grown up together. This is a top notch organization. And Casino Kingdom is just as worthy for this praise. Not a member yet? Well why not?

NEW PLAYERS:
Captain Cooks Casino
*$16 Free No-Deposit Bonus, and
*Buy $20 get $60 Matched Deposit Bonus, and players can get this great bonus 5 times, or
*Buy $100 and get $200 Matched Deposit Bonus (claimable once).

NEW PLAYERS:
Casino Kingdom
*$16 Free No-Deposit Bonus, and
*Buy $20 get $40 Matched Deposit Bonus, and players can get this great bonus 5 times, or
*Buy $100 and get $100 Matched Deposit Bonus (claimable once).

Both casinos are running the high speed Viper software from Microgaming.

Continuation of our saga…

So where was I? Oh yeah, Slots Alley. For those of you who are newly subscribed, or for those of you who merely breeze though this newsletter looking for the joke near the bottom and have no idea what I am referring to when I say “Slots Alley” here’s a brief rundown:
I’ve accused Slots Alley (and all of it’s sister casinos) to be using pirated source code for its progressives, to be running mock (fake) progressives, and for lying to me on a number of issues. Most of this is detailed here. Well, here I had the owner standing in front of me, I thought “Oh, shit. The goon squad is probably looming in the corners of the room.” But it was cool. He asked me if I had time to sit down and talk, and I said “Yeah, let’s grab a beer and talk.”

So we sat in the hotel lounge and talked. He pretty much explained everything to me, he covered most of the bases, covered most of my accusations, covered just about everything…but my main concern was about the progressives. How is a small little no name casino supporting progressives as large as the ones at Intercasino and the Sands? Slots Alley’s Keno progressive stands at $460,000 at the moment; Intercasino’s “Rags to Riches” stands at a mere $205,000.

So what’s up with that? He explained that he has set his own money aside, as well as funds from his partners to cover these progressives. He is willing to take a serious hit with these progressives since this is something he planned for – and as a result he hopes to be considered a casino group that pays its winners, and that has progressive games worth playing. He also explained that one progressive was paid off only a few weeks ago.

Fine and dandy, but my main point was that to earn legitimacy and credibility in this industry, you have to convince those of us who watch and investigate via transparency and “open frankness”. Where is this winner? Why wasn’t a big press hullabaloo made about this winner? The owner stated he was a bit apprehensive on making this widely public because it would have drawn more attention from me. Well, this was a mistake. If members of the press are not made aware of these progressive wins, then why should any of us believe that they actually happen? This industry is drenched with doubt and skeptics. Innocence is not taken for granted; it must be proven. The proof is in the pudding so to speak, so I’m willing to keep on watching these guys and to give them the benefit of the doubt and credit where credit is due. Let’s see some winners.

He also mentioned that my exposés have brought him good traffic. This reminded me of the traffic that Black Widow’s Brian Woods boasted about that he received from my rogue section. I guess it’s not so bad getting listed there; there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

That evening was the reception party, and it was jam packed – elbow room only. After a couple hours of jovial jocularity, a group of us exited with some of the good folks from Leopard Rock Casino, Greedy Girl, Brian Cullingworth, and a few choice others. We ended up having a marvelous dinner; sort of a world market buffet that was first class in quality and very inexpensive. I like the Canadian dollar. What a pleasant way to end the evening…and yet I had not a clue for what was in store for me the following day. An incredible day lay ahead…

Continuation after this brief moment. Scroll slowly and click away:

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

PlayMonteCarlo.co.uk is offering you the chance to win a trip to Royal Ascots fantastic Ladies day. Experience the glamour and style at the UK’s premiere Horse Racing event.

The prize includes rail tickets to and from Ascot and transfers to a first class hotel- where you will spend a night of luxury after an exhilarating day at the races.

At the racetrack you will be treated to first class service and enjoy the style and chic of Ladies day, a sumptuous 3 course lunch and champagne cocktails..

All you need to do is play for real before June 1st to be entered into the prize draw to win this fantastic prize. Sign up this month and you could also receive a �125 sign up bonus.

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! 400% Match bonus on $20 – $50, up to $200 free at Platinum Play Casino Offer expires 3 June so join NOW!

Have you tried English Harbour’s new Platinum Version 4.20 software? Well if you like slots, this is a “must play”. Orient Express is a 5 reel 21 line slot! Check out the English Harbour family of Casinos! The player who purchases the most in all English Harbour group accounts at any of their participating casinos will win a grand prize of $1,000! Check them out today!!

Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100 or make a $25 first purchase, and get $40 absolutely FREE.

Jackpot City Use Click2Pay to make your first deposit, and you’ll automatically be entered to win $20,000, compliments of Belle Rock Gaming! As a New Real Money Player, they will give you $25 FREE to play and win on their exciting selection of Slots and Progressive Slots games. To claim your Sign-up Bonus, simply download Jackpot City Online Casino’s free casino software, register as a Real Player and claim!

THE MEISTER’S BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

If you haven’t joined the Meister’s BJ tournament at Intercasino, now is the time. The signup fee is a mere $20 – you’re given $1000 play money to playout for 60 minutes – 10 minutes today – 20 minutes tomorrow – it don’t matter. DEADLINE May 31 2004 11:00PM EST!!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go! The kitty is $3600 right now! What are you waiting for, c’mon!!

CONTESTS!

Yahoo! Play Casinomeister’s Scavenger Hunt! Find the info, answer the questions, and be eligible for $200 in cash!!! It’s fabulous!!! It’s fun!! With all of the exclamation points, it’s gotta be good!!! So c’mon! What are you waiting for??
Thanks Platinum Play and Grand Hotel Casino for being this month’s sponsor!

GIGSE ~ TORONTO SPECIAL REPORT

Continuation of our saga…

Tuesday, or should I say – groovy Tuesday, because this is exactly what it was – very groovy. The day kicked off at the exhibition floor where many major software providers had their booths primed with free t-shirts and free beer, (Kudos to RTG, Playtech, and Neteller, for the free beer – but more on that later). One of the highlights of the GIGSE event was the luncheon with eCOGRA executives Andrew Beveridge, Michael Hirst, and fair gaming advocate Tex Rees. We were joined by Brian Cullingworth, Jeff Tuttle (managing director of Winneronline.com), Debbee Silverman, and Michael Caselli. This was a chance to share our ideas and pose questions for the directors as well as to enjoy a good meal.

eCOGRA (e-Commerce and Online Gamine Regulation and Assurance) is probably the closest thing we will have to regulation in this industry as long as governments fail to do so. I invite all of you to peruse their website and take a good look at what they are trying to achieve. They have come under fire by a few distrustful players stating that eCOGRA is a puppet of Microgaming (since Microgaming has put up funds to get this started), and is nothing more than another “Safebet”. Plus there was a certain unawareness on the players’ part on how casinos are “approved” by eCOGRA. This is no rubber stamp by any means, and not to sound redundant – I would recommend all players (and operators) to soak up the information that is available on their site specifically in the sections eGAP and Procedures.

What is encouraging is that they are convincing other software providers to join. So far Casava has joined and it looks like there are more on the horizon. One question I had for Andrew was about their position on licensing: would a casino being licensed in say Costa Rica make any difference on being approved by eCOGRA? He said that licensing is a factor, but not a serious one since they do not rely on a third party’s set of standards, but standards of their own. As long as a casino meets their (eCOGRA’s) standards, they are good to go. This was a relief for me since I felt that some software providers (for example RTG) may be put off about this since most of their licensees are based in Costa Rica. I would hate to see them left out in the cold because of a poor choice in licensing decisions.

We finished our lunch, and mosied back to the conference where everything was in full swing. Again kudos to the free beer suppliers, they even had Becks! But the Award for the most Coveted Booth goes to Real Time Gaming. They had center stage as you entered the exhibition hall, and besides the normal floor layout with video monitors of the latest games and girls with clevage, they had an upstairs pavilion (about 3 meters by 4 meters) that included a bar (free beer) and a masseuse. The hell with the conference – just drink beer and get a massage!

But I had a mission. RTG complaints was an issue, and there are a number of them. I spoke with one of the RTG reps and he detailed what RTG should have done a long time ago – involved a controlling third party that will oversee these complaints. For the time being, all complaints for RTG casino should be submitted. These will be forwarded to the third party for mediation and review. RTG will only handle complaints if and only when they have been submitted there. So if you have a pending complaint with Connect To Casino, Cirrus Casino, Crystal Palace group, or any RTG, you know where to go now.

Another mission: speak with someone at the Playtech booth concerning my concerns. No one there but salespeople, and another open bar. Oh well, moving on…

…and in doing so I gathered tickets for the GIGSE party at the “Indian Motorcycle Club” (sponsored by the Parlay Group) and two tickets for Second City Comedy Club (thanks to RTG). The day was finished, and it was time to go. And as I innocently left the conference center, I had no idea what was in store for me that night…

Scroll slowly downward for the continuation of this bitchin’ saga.

ANOTHER CASINO TO JOIN!

Member of eCOGRA: at Jackpots in a Flash, make a first purchase of $25 and get $25 FREE! If your first purchase is a NETeller purchase, you will get an additional $10 FREE! or get a 40% Signup Bonus up to $200 FREE on your first purchase of $65 or more!

Continuation of our saga…

Greedy Girl was my date for the Second City Comedy Club. Thanks to RTG, it was a true highlight of the week. For those of you unfamiliar with Second City, Second City has produced many of the greatest comedians of our current time – John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, John Candy, Michael Myers, Eugene Levy, etc. Well, I don’t think any of us laughed so hard in quite a while. Entitled “Invasion free since 1812” (alluding to the fact they share a border with the US, and the US hasn’t invaded since then), it was semi political – totaly hilarious. I almost thought I saw a White Russian come out of Greedy Girl’s nose she was laughing so hard. It was far-freaking out.

After the show, it was onward to the “Indian Motorcyle Club” bar. And it was here that things began to mesh. I had nearly forgotten about Brontë, but I was quickly reminded when I ran into Michael. He was half-lit and laughed when I told him that he needed to hand her over to me. He shouted over the music, held his drink, and pointed at me with his pinky, “You want Brontë? You want Brontë? Hah! Then I want something from you, and we trade.”
I asked him what, and he spoke again, “Sumo!”
Sumo, I thought. What did Sumo have to do with this? And then it dawned on me. As far as I knew, Michael has never done anything macho recently, and one of the only reasons he was in Toronto was for the Sumo Wrestling match that was scheduled for the following day.
“You mean you want me to…”
“Yes!” said Michael, “I want the Sumo!”
I suddenly realized that it was the match that Michael wanted. This was the only way that Vortran was to see his beloved Brontë again. I felt a little unnerved, but I thought – oh what the hell, if it makes people happy.

So we hung out together, and it got much later – and as if on schedule – as tradition would have it, Brian Woods from Black Widow Casino walked into the bar – and it looked as if he was looking for someone. Was that someone me?

I approached him and asked him what was up – and I mentioned that it would have been cool to be scheduled together for the Sumo ring that next day: Casinomeister vs Black Widow. And I mentioned that I tried to contact him beforehand to arrange this, but his emails were bouncing. He was mildly taken aback; emails bouncing? Oh well, an opportunity lost – but we decided that we might get together in the near future, somewhere in Europe – and have a good time. And this is a possibility, but I only wish they would pay their players.

The rest of the evening was dedicated to getting some of our well inebriated friends back to their proper hotel rooms – the late evening seriously took its toll on a few hardy individuals.

And while I slept that night, I dreamt of Brontë, her sinewy wooden body – floating face up in a dark pond shrouded with fog. Vortran stood at the edge – begging for his lost love in his funny metallic voice. The most disturbing thing was that Vortran had no arms – and we all know that robots can’t swim.

I awoke that morning with Michael’s words repeating over and over in my head, “I want the Sumo,” and the vision of a broken Vortran standing on the banks of a fog enshrouded pond. What a way to wake up.

Late that morning, I had a very good conversation with Jeff Tuttle from Winneronline, and we discussed a number of industry related issues as well as some trivial things. Did we talk about you? Perhaps so. Webcast fans – stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Jeff – it should be up by the beginning of next week. I also met with the operator of Roxy Palace who will be this years first Bier Fest sponsor. This will be kicking off next Tuesday, the 1st of June. This is a “must join” contest – the winner will receive 10 liters of locally brewed Bier – what a deal!

Anyway, I was still on a mission to hook up with someone from Playtech, but alas their stand was populated with free beer drinkers and a couple of sales people. I then bumped into the general manager of the Virtual Casino Group. Some of you remember that last January I had met with the owner of the Virtual Group, and he wanted me to set up a special section at Casinomeister for Virtual complaints, and that was also going to put links on his casinos indicating that I was available to assist players if they had unreconciled problems. Well since then (the end of January), I have only eight recorded complaints – none for May – and all were resolved (except one) in the player’s favor. So in short, it looks like they have finally gotten their act together. Nobody is complaining.

Finally, the time was nearing for the Sumo match…Michael approached me, put his arm around my shoulders and walked me up to the RTG beer stand. We sat down and went into sumo training mode – beer style. And it was then that he stated “Don’t forget, I have something you want.” And the image of my little buddy Vortran, home alone, was stuck in my head. “Okay, what the hell – let’s do it.” I said.

The River City group had arranged several mats in a rectangle on the floor to simulate a Sumo ring (more like a Sumo rectangle). And a large crowd encircled this “ring” and began to make their wagers. The River City Group had handed out $1000 of play money per person for the betting. Michael and I squeezed into our Sumo suits (mine had breasts which was pretty cool), and we were the first ones up. Wittingly entitled “The Expatriate Act” (both Michael and I are expatriated persons), the match kicked off with our exhibition.

Brontë and Vortran were on my mind.

After the match, Michael was as giddy as a little school girl. This was okay with me since I new that there was no reason for Michael not to keep his word. Besides, I had many instances of my time in the sun – or the limelight so to speak. Just give me Brontë back – and he did (photographic proof of the Sumo wrestlers and the hand-off).

Anyway, this was the close of the conference – and I had yet to hook up with anyone in Playtech. So I will take the opportunity to ask my questions now. Feel free to answer at your earliest convenience:

Continuation after this brief moment. Scroll slowly and click away:

1. What is the process for licensing your casinos? Is this a responsibility of Playtech, or does the responsibility fall upon the operators? Who monitors or oversees this?
2. Are casinos allowed to operate before there licenses are fully processed?
3. What is the relationship between Playtech and the OPA? Is the OPA certification taken at face value or is there an agreed to process?
4. The Chance Group has a notorious reputation for delaying payments to their players – is this something that Playtech can rectify?
5. Why do Playtech casinos let player cashins sit for 3-5 days before being processed? Is there a way to expedite these cashins?
6. When can players expect to see other variations of the multihand poker (Joker-Poker, Double Bonus, etc.)? – I guess the sales guy could have answered that one – oh well.

If any Playtech operators out there wish to tackle these questions, be my guest. Answers to be published in next week’s newsletter.

Anyway, for a grand finale, Microgaming invited a large group of us to feast at “The Sultan’s Tent”, a fine Moroccan Restaurant with an extraordinary pleasant staff (the maître d’ helped me with my jacket when I left, that doesn’t happen very often), and a four course gourmet meal. The decor was brilliant, simulating Moroccan tents strewn with comfy couches to sink deeply into. There was a tantalizing floor show with Indonesian contortionists…and then the belly-dancers came out and did their stuff. I dig belly dancers. The evening ended with the introduction of a real live Tiger that each one of us had the opportunity to pose for a splendid framed photo. When I showed the photo to my wife back in Germany, she freaked – and scolded me reminding me of what happened to Roy from Siegfried and Roy. Anyway, it was a very nice evening — thanks!

The Toronto show was over and it was time to go home. I won’t bore you with the last day or two of shopping in Toronto for sponges, T-shirts, and Dental Floss, or my seeing the fabulous musical “Hairspray”. I was tired and just wanted to come home.

And home is where I’m glad to be now. It was good getting back to real home cooked meals, and real beer. Besides, it’s always good to jump back into the saddle again and tackle whatever comes my way. The first thing I got hit with was a “Joe Job” (spammers using my email address as a source for spam). Some dweeb had nothing better to do but to spam others in my name, and I believe it was probably the evil webmaster of fortuneaffilliates.com (notice the additional “l” in affiliates). He’s got his panties tied in a knot since I contacted the real Fortune Affiliates about his spam operation. Oh well……and so it goes.

Brontë and Vortran are once again reunited. Seeing their love re-blossum was well worth the “defeat” in the Sumo wrestling ring. And I want to thank Sue Schneider, Mark Balestra, Nancy Kraus, and all those at the River City Group that made all of this possible. Vortran thanks you too. Thanks!

14 May 2004 – Issue #190

Michael Caselli proves he is a man!

This week, the roguish magazine editor Michael Caselli proved his manhood by stealing the heart of Brontë (Vortran007’s girlfriend) by convincing her that he was some big shot in the online casino industry. Photographic proof of his decadence and heartlessness appeared this week. “Girly-boy” Caselli and an apparently inebriated Brontë appeared in a sleazy strip club in Soho London. Right now their whereabouts are unknown, but it is rumored that she will be his traveling companion at the GIGSE.

This whole shameful situation is totally unnecessary, and the worst thing is the condition my poor buddy Vortran is in. I’ve never seen a robot cry before. I hope this was worth it, Michael. You’ve really crossed the line on this one. The sound you hear is the sound of a can of whup-ass opening. See you in Toronto, my friend.

WEBMASTERS CORNER

An open invitation to join our forum

As many of you know, I am a webmaster at heart. Most everything you see at Casinomeister is done by hand, and my hands only – graphics, HTML, my banners, etc. I’m inviting all of the oldtimers and newbies out there to get involved in our webmaster section of the forum. With the recent announcements from Yahoo and Google dropping casino adverts and pay-per-click programs, webmasters face new challenges. And it’s always good to hone one’s skills. Even I forget a lot, and I’ve been doing this for years. Come join the fun!

*Software Issues
*Creatives
*Marketing
*Design
*Domains and Server Information What are you waiting for, start blabbing away here.

PAYING THE BILLS

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Let’s give a warm welcome to The Spin Room the newest Casinomeister casino!

Getting straight into the action is the name of the game at Victor Chandler’s premium casino, The Spin Room. To join, hit ‘sign up now’ and follow the quick and easy steps. It doesn’t take a second to sign up and with no need for any lengthy downloads access the game of your choice, wherever and whenever you like. If you are a newcomer to The Spin Room, today is your lucky day. Take advantage of their 10% sign up bonus and get your hands on £100 in free chips! (sorry, no US)

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! 200% Match bonus on $100, up to $200 free at Royal Vegas Casino! New players only – offer only good until 17 May!

TRIPLE YOUR WINNING ACTION AT RIVER BELLE ONLINE CASINO
Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100 or make a $25 first purchase, and get $30 absolutely FREE, so you can play with $55.

Jackpot City Use Click2Pay to make your first deposit, and you’ll automatically be entered to win $20,000, compliments of Belle Rock Gaming! As a New Real Money Player, they will give you $25 FREE to play and win on their exciting selection of Slots and Progressive Slots games. To claim your Sign-up Bonus, simply download Jackpot City Online Casino�s free casino software, register as a Real Player and claim!

THE MEISTER’S BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

CONTESTS

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

This week’s humor……

A man walks along a lonely beach. suddenly he hears a deep voice: “DIG!”

He looks around: nobody’s there. I am having hallucinations, he thinks. Then he hears the voice again: “I SAID, DIG!” So he starts to dig in the sand with his bare hands, and after some inches, he finds a small chest with a rusty lock. The deep voice says: “OPEN!”

Ok, the man thinks, let’s open the thing. He finds a rock with which to destroy the lock, and when the chest is finally open, he sees a lot of gold coins. The deep voice says: “TO THE CASINO!”

Well the casino is only a few miles away, so the man takes the chest and walks to the casino. The deep voice says: “ROULETTE!”

So he changes all the gold into a huge pile of roulette tokens and goes to one of the tables, where the players gaze at him with disbelief. The deep voice says: “27!”

He takes the whole pile and drops it at the 27. The table nearly bursts. Everybody is quiet when the croupier throws the ball. The ball stops at the 26.

The deep voice says: “SHIT!”

ha ha ha

Thanks to 3-7-ace.com http://www.3-7-ace.com for posting this in our forum! Got a funny-ha-ha you’d like to share? Post it in the “Jokes” section in Casinomeister’s Forum, and if it’s good enough – I’ll publish it here along with a link to your website.

RUSSIANS AND JACKPOT EXPRESS

3W Graphics under the microscope again

What is alleged to be plagiarisation of an online slot game came to notice again this week following a press release from Atlantis Internet Group of Henderson, Nevada on its casino products.

In the release Avi Casino.com was mentioned as an operation created by Atlantis for an unspecified “…licensed Nevada casino” and one eagle eyed industry observer giving it the once over noted that Jackpot Express – a Microgaming game – was featured along with other familiar products from the Russian 3W Graphics company.

Atlantis appears to own several online casinos using this software, including Atlantis-Gaming.com, All Sex Casino.com,French Quarter Casino.com and Casino-Curacao.com.

Despite contacting Atlantis some days ago for a comment we had received no response by press time.

Atlantis chairman Donald Bailey took a bullish position in the press release, opining that “…some feel it is inevitable that Got2bet will become legal and regulated in the United States and become an increasingly larger part of the business of gambling,”

“Some believe that legislation may be enacted to regulate Got2bet when licensed gaming executives from Las Vegas and Atlantic City become involved in the business; when Internet Gaming software is embraced as reliable by the regulatory gaming agencies; and when the product is used online by a licensed casino in Nevada or New Jersey,” continued Bailey.

Bailey went on to reveal that his OTC listed company is working with unamed gaming industry executives as consultants, and had created the “play for fun” Avi casino site to Nevada State gambling requirements in anticipation of legalised play-for-money authorisation.

7 May 2004 – Issue #189

Michael Caselli wants to be a man!I had reported last week that Online Casino News editor Michael Caselli was arrested for lewd conduct, shoplifting, and assault at Classy & Sassy ladies boutique in London. Apparently, this report was fabricated by some devious individual. Shameful! I spoke with “girly-boy” Caselli (he insists that his friends call him “girly-boy, what a weirdo) over the phone about this, and he denied everything. Everything except the part about being a “pretty princess”.

Michael Caselli still wants to prove his manhood by taking me on in the Sumo wresting ring in Toronto at the GIGSE. Maybe he’ll get more dates this way by impressing the women. Well prepare to be body slammed girly boy. I will try not to make you cry. But if you think this is what turns girls on, I’ll play your silly game.

ACHTUNG DEUTSCHE SPRECHER!

Spreche wenig Englisch?

Hast du Problem mit Online Casinos? Oder suchst deutsch Bier? WTF?

*Online Casinos
*Online Casino Beschwerden
*Fragen und Antworten
*Mish Mash Klickst du hier!

Ja du!

WEBMASTER’S CORNER

An open invitation to join our forum

*Software Issues
*Creatives
*Marketing
*Design
*Domains and Server Information What are you waiting for, start blabbing away here.

FUTUREBET QUESTION

Trying to do the right thing…

Most of you are aware of how I feel about turnkey solution providers, software providers that license and provide support for casino operators to get on line and do business. Most of you know how I feel about what level of responsibility that they inherit – mainly by being the entity that puts these operators in business.

I have always felt that the buck stops at the software provider when there is a problem. A lot of people disagree with me. They feel that it’s the operator, and if there is a problem, take it to the operator’s licensing jurisdiction. Well this is crap. You know as well as I do that there are many licensing jurisdictions that couldn’t give a flying rats ass on what happens to a player. Licensors are concerned about getting paid, that’s about it. So when a casino goes down, it’s the software provider I that I press for player solutions.

In the past, there have been some software providers that have a hands off policy when it comes to dealing with their licensees. They consider themselves strictly a software provider and not a policeman. Or they have been short sighted by not creating any safeguards to bail out licensees when they have problems, or to give their players a safety net of sorts.

Well enter Futurebet. They have had some problems in the past, and most of these were managerial and combined at times with lack of proper funding. I have been watching these guys pretty closely for the past few years, and I’m pretty up to snuff on their “history” and the difficulties that they’ve had. Most of this has been well documented here.

I spoke with one of the owners this week, and I’ll have to admit he explained a lot to me. He answered many of the questions that I had about their operations, and many other details that I won’t bore you with. I am pretty much satisfied that this company is on the right track: players are to be protected from failed casinos, and operators are to conduct business in an ethical manner. It’s good seeing a software provider taking what I do and say to heart – not just because it’s hurting their pocketbook, but because they understand that to be in this industry for the long term, ensuring that players are taken care of is where it’s at.

PAYIN’ THE BILLS

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Let’s give a warm welcome to The Spin Room the newest Casinomeister casino!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Raymond Guerin from Wales is the winner of the Monaco Grand Prix competition on PlayMonteCarlo.co.uk – Europe’s #1 online casino.

We would like to thank the multiples of players who entered the competition and let you know that PlayMonteCarlo will be hosting more exciting competitions and introducing new state of the art, non download games throughout the summer. New Players are currently receiving a �125 sign up bonus, so it makes double the sense to visit us and try your luck!

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! 200% Match bonus on $100, up to $200 free at Royal Vegas Casino! New players only – offer only good until 13 May!

Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100 or make a $25 first purchase, and get $30 absolutely FREE, so you can play with $55.

THE MEISTER’S BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

CONTESTS!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

NEW WEBCAST IS UP!

This week’s topics:
*Global Interactive Gaming Summit & Expo
*Michael Caselli is a Pretty Princess
*FuturebetCasey Kasem gets pissed
*Playtech Problems
*OPA Bogus Certificates
*Portal Whores
All this and more .

And now for the humor……

Something a bit tamer then last week’s humor:

Reasons not to mess with a child:

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, “When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah”. The teacher asked, “What if Jonah went to hell?” The little girl replied, “Then you ask him”.

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, “Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?”

Her mother replied, “Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.”

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, “Momma, how come ALL of grandma’s hairs are white?”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Igs Payed Me Off…
Thursday May 06 2004…I received A bank wire for the full amount ($4,800) USD. For those who have seen my threads about islandjoescasino.com, and playercenter.com, this brings to a close over three months of hell. IGS got involved, and paid me in full. It took some time, and alot of complaining, but the fact is I GOT PAID. I am very pleased about the outcome. I would like to thank everyone who read my posts, took action, and acted on my behalf. I firmly belive I would NEVER have seen a cent if it wasn’t for these forums, advocates, and other concerned players. Again THANKS to everyone for your support. Now its off to Atlantic City, for some “real” gambling.

Well how about that!

ECOGRA TO BRIEF SOFTWARE PROVIDERS

GIGSE an opportunity to find out about Seals and regulation

Software providers committed to player protection and better credibility for the industry are invited to attend a special briefing during the upcoming GIGSE conference in Toronto.

Executives from eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) will be presenting a detailed briefing on the process involved in achieving Seal status, which has already been awarded to 41 quality online casinos. The briefing will include the signing-up process, costs, review procedures, the benefits of affiliation and a question and answer session.

The presentation will be made by eCOGRA CEO Andrew Beveridge and will take place in the Grenadier Room at the Intercontinental Toronto Centre at 1.00pm on Monday May 17, 2004.

“Our initiative to improve safety and efficiency in the industry is open to all software providers and casino operators with the requisite commitment”, says Beveridge. “eCOGRA is a sincere, strongly funded and independent body focused on guiding online players to genuinely safe and efficient casinos operating to carefully developed and enforced standards.

“Our goal is to introduce sensible self-imposed regulation that will improve business by attracting to our approved casinos a bigger percentage of gamblers tired of questionable practices and inept operational conduct elsewhere”.

The purpose of the reception is to provide interested parties with an overview of the objectives and progress of the organisation, and to encourage more software providers to apply for eCOGRA membership resulting in additional reputable casinos earning the Seal.

29 April 2004 – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Pardon the intrusion, (I didn’t mean to wake you) but I thought you might want to know that Spin Palace has just launched a package of new VIPER games!

CashSplash Progressive Video Slot
Major Millions Progressive Video Slot
Scull Duggery Video Slot
Vinyl Countdown Video Slot
Jacks or Better 10 Play Power Poker

These NEW games will blow your mind! They are offering a $100 match bonus for all new players up to $75. If you haven’t joined this casino, now is the time to do so. Spin Palace was recently given the eCogra seal of approval, and they were also awarded Casinomeister’s “Best New Casino” of 2002. This casino is by far one of my favorites!

Now get back to work before your boss catches you slacking off!

29 April 2004 – Issue #188

Michael Caselli is a “Pretty Princess”!

PLEASE NOTE: THE FOLLOWING STORY IS NOT TRUE. MICHAEL AND I WERE PUBLISHING PROPAGANDA AND PULLING PRACTICAL JOKES ON EACH OTHER PRIOR TO OUR WRESTING MATCH IN TORONTO. THIS WAS ONE OF THEM. I CAN ATTEST THAT MICHAEL IS AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG MAN, A CREDIT TO THIS INDUSTRY.

Online Casino News editor Michael Caselli was arrested for lewd conduct, shoplifting, and assault at Classy & Sassy ladies boutique in London. Apparently, he locked himself in the woman’s dressing room for quite some time. Becoming suspicious, store clerks then knocked on the door asking if he was ‘ok’ or needed assistance. Michael Caselli was then reported to have exited the dressing room wearing high heel shoes, women’s thong underwear and matching bra along with a dress wrapped around his head as a hat.

He then began to dance and skip around the store shouting “I’m a pretty princess” over and over, according to witness reports. And that was only the beginning.

Again this industry must suffer more negativity because of one depraved and disturbed individual. It’s really sad. But never fear, this dude will pay dearly when I meet him at the GIGSE in Toronto next month. Yes that’s right, girly-boy Caselli (this is what he likes his friends to call him) has challenged me to Sumo Wrestle his pansy-ass for charity. No problem. I’ll take him on for free. And you my dear reader can have a vicarious experience knowing that I will kick his butt in honor of my readers and members who are offended by his despicable public activities. Michael, you will pay dearly.

WEBMASTER’S CORNER

An open invitation to join our forum

*Software Issues
*Creatives
*Marketing
*Design
*Domains and Server Information What are you waiting for, start blabbing away here.

GPWA IS BEING SOLD

And my official offer…

Speaking of webmasters, there was a rumor buzzing around at the Casino Affiliate Conference in Amsterdam that the GPWA was being sold. In last week’s webcast, I made my official offer for the website. I hope it’s an offer they can not refuse.

I spoke with my good friend and fellow webmaster John Abbott this week, and he has agreed to split the cost of my offer. Thanks John! The cost of $18 will be split 50/50 and I propose to pay it in one lump sum. No strings attached. At the moment John and I have no plans on what to do with the site (if of course we are the top bidders), but for now I have designed a new GPWA site

PAYIN’ THE BILLS

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Let’s give a warm welcome to Play Monte Carlo Casino!! The newest Casinomeister casino! PlayMonteCarlo is Europe’s #1 Online Casino. They offer you a wide array of state of the art, non – download casino games that offer the most exclusive experience in online betting and gambling.

Play, Bet and Win in Pounds, Euros or Dollars and have your winnings paid directly back onto your Credit Card account. PlayMonteCarlo offers a secure and safe service that is manned 24 hours, 7 days a week by a team of localised customer support representatives.

They are currently offering you the opportunity to win a fantastic 3 night trip for 2, to the Monaco Grand Prix, where you will enjoy premium seating at the motoring calendar’s most prestigious event. Sun yourself on the glamorous French Rivera, relax in a luxury Nice hotel and enjoy a meal in one of the best restaurants in town. All you need to do is place a bet with them before May 2nd 2004. And they will automatically enter you into the competition to win this incredible prize.

Any new players that join PlayMonteCarlo this month will receive up to �125 sign up bonus

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

32Red Casino is offering Casinomeister members an exclusive sign-up bonus of up to �500 (sorry, no US players – bummer). Claim up to �500 free with their 100% Match Welcome Bonus! Awarded the coveted “Casinomeister’s Best Casino of 2003”, they are by far the creme of the crop. Check out their new Microgaming Slots and Video Poker

Brought to you by English Harbour – have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100!

Mummy’s Gold Casino Get an unbelievable 50% sign up bonus on your first purchase, up to $100 or make a $25 first purchase, and get $30 absolutely FREE, so you can play with $55.

Jackpot City Use Click2Pay to make your first deposit, and you’ll automatically be entered to win $20,000, compliments of Belle Rock Gaming! As a New Real Money Player, they will give you $25 FREE to play and win on their exciting selection of Slots and Progressive Slots games. To claim your Sign-up Bonus, simply download Jackpot City Online Casino�s free casino software, register as a Real Player and claim!

THE MEISTER’S SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

If you haven’t joined the Meister’s Poker tournament at Intercasino, now is the time. The signup fee is a mere $20 – you’re given $1000 play money to playout for 60 minutes – 10 minutes today – 20 minutes tomorrow – it don’t matter. DEADLINE April 30th!! Don’t worry about me, I got my ass kicked in this one!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

And now for the humor……

From the Archives:

An elderly woman was looking for a pet to be a good companion and not much trouble.

The pet store owner suggested a parrot, showed it to her and guaranteed her it would be a wonderful companion.

The woman asked if it would behave if she took it to church with her on Sundays.

The owner said it shouldn’t be a problem and that she could put him on her shoulder and he would stay there.

She bought the parrot and for the next week spent time getting to know him.

Assured that he spoke properly and was well behaved, she put him on her shoulder and went off to church.

Just as everyone quieted down and the sermon began, the parrot looked around, squawked and said, “It’s goddamned cold in here!”

Everyone turned to look at her and she ran out of the church in total embarrassment! All the next week, she talked to the parrot explaining the necessity to remain quiet during church.

The parrot understood so she put him on her shoulder and went to church the following Sunday.

Once again, just as everything got quiet and the sermon began,the parrot squawked, looked around and loudly proclaimed, “It’s goddamned cold in here!!”

And again the woman ran from the church. The next day she returned to the pet store and explained the embarrassing situation to the owner.

Since she didn’t want to get rid of the parrot, the owner offered the following solution:

If the parrot does that again, grab him by the legs and swing him around 5 or 6 times and return him to your shoulder.” “That’ll work?” asked the woman. “Guaranteed!” exclaimed the owner.

So, the next Sunday she took the parrot to church and, sure enough, just as the sermon started, the parrot squawked, “It’s goddamned cold in here!!” Without any hesitation, the woman grabbed his legs, swung him around 5 or 6 times and placed him back on her shoulder.

The parrot shook his head, ruffled his feathers and said, “Pretty fuckin’ windy, too!”

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

legality of proving your ID to casinos

I’ve recently come back to online casinos after being gone for over a year. It seems being required to fax in copies of your credit card and drivers license has become standard practice. I’m not sure this really gives you any more security than the old system. Secondly, I wonder if it is legal.

Personally, I am having trouble getting a particular casino to accept my copies — they say they can’t read the fax, despite my using photographic paper to make my copies with (very high quality). And i don’t have a scanner to scan copies — copy centers refuse to scan them for me as they say it is illegal to make such copies of your CCs and DL. I wonder if the casinos are participating in what is actually an illegal practice? Does anyone know? Or is this why most of them aren’t on the mainland, so they can get away with this?

What do you think? Voice how you feel about this here.

23 April 2004 – Issue #187

FORUM DOWNTIME

Our forum will be off line for a few hours Monday morning April the 26th Central European Time. Hang tight while I upgrade the software; no I didn’t sell out.

THE CASINO AFFILIATE CONVENTION

Groovin’ it in Amsterdam

I dig Amsterdam; it’s so lax there. And it’s not too far from my home – about a six hour drive. But we didn’t drive there right off of the bat, my wife and I cruised by Peralis’ and spent the night in his cozy abode smack dab in the middle of downtown Dusseldorf. If you are a Kraftwerk fan, Dusseldorf is the place to be. Very industrialized with many serious looking Germans. No decadence here, so let’s move on.

Both Mito and Peralis from Reviewed Casinos hitched a ride from us. Amsterdam is quite close to Dusseldorf relatively speaking — only about two hours. A nice drive except it’s so damn flat! It was like driving I-95 between Georgia and Virginia, nothing but flatness, farms, and trees. It was a relief to arrive in the big city, except Dutch traffic signs are kind of hard to read.

No problem finding our hotels, and I was bit surprised how easy it was since we had no map of the city. Lesson learned: before going to a big city, buy a map. Jeeze, I thought that was a no-brainer.

Finally my wife and I checked into our room, and as I waited for her to change (we were to meet Kevin and all at the Krasnapolsky Hotel), I switched on the TV to check out what stations they had to offer. After about 45 seconds of channel surfing, I came across FREE PORN! Holy crap! I thought, what the hell is this? But after about thirty seconds of staged “ohh-baby” the TV screen prompted me to enter my room number. Damn, I thought – NOT free. And we discovered that every time we turned on the TV, the porn channel would reappear – and only for 30 seconds. But we didn’t need any of that, we were in Amsterdam.

For those of you who have never been to Amsterdam, let me forewarn you. It is not a city for prudish uptight people. Pornography (I mean the raunchy stuff that your dad stashed in the wood shed) and sex toys are sold in the open. For instance, walking into a tourist souvenir shop you may be confronted with the “nasty” between the t-shirts and Coffee Cups from Holland. It was kind of funny watching how parents would shuffle their kids out. “Hey dad! Look at those funny looking candles!” Oops, gotta go.

Hemp, weed, marijuana, whatever you want to call it is sold in most coffee shops. Since the actual soliciting of weed is illegal, (like-wise is selling sex), you have to ask for a menu (or so I heard). Some of the coffee shops are called “smoking coffee shops” and you can always tell by the contact-high you get as you walk in. How long have the Dutch been doing this? Since 1554. Yes, that’s right. Amsterdam has always been a world city and this caught on from visiting Hemp smokers from Asia.

And of course there is the infamous “Red Light District”. This is where you can go “window” shopping so to speak. Need I say more? Well, maybe later.

But I was there for the Casino Affiliate Convention, and this year I think it went suprisingly well. There were some really good speakers and a lot of good information about the state of things for portal operators and casino operators in Europe. There was a relatively high turn out and if there were any crises, problems, or glitches, they remained well hidden. It seemed to be a stress free event.

The first day kicked off with “Advertising Law and Gaming Law in Europe: Where you can and can’t advertise in Europe” presented by attorney Ewout Keuleers. His presentation really outlined how complex it is for any business to advertise online casinos in Europe, mainly from the complexities of many EU states. Each country has their own laws, but with online gaming there is the “cross-border” free trade issue. What is challenging for most companies is the justification of restrictions and how one can regulate the Internet. There is also the question that no one can seem to answer: where is the gaming transaction taking place? Is it on the players computer or is it where the server is located? His presentation left more questions open than giving answers, mainly because there are no clear-cut answers. Up to now, most of the laws that have been imposed are to protect the National Lotteries and have not much to do with online gaming. It’s only now that some of these laws are being questioned.

He stated:

It is possible that Europe is at the advent of an e-gaming breakthrough.

The EC Court has recognized the wide discretional power of Member States to adopt and enforce restrictive gaming measures, it should be emphasized that the concerned jurisprudence only relates to off line forms of gaming and not all sorts of e-gaming i.e., an informational society service.

Considering that e-gaming services are borderless, national authorities will have to become aware and recognize that a restrictive national regulation would be a moot issue if a citizen can log into a foreign gaming platform with the same conveniences he does with a national one.

In essence, this industry is still in a real “grey-area” in Europe. Interesting stuff for webmasters and operators alike. But the most interesting stuff was yet to come…

That evening was the Intercasino’s Partner Logic party held at the Supperclub Lounge; a funky bar that was nestled in a maze of lurid alleyways; Greedy Girl told me she felt right at home there. The place was packed, and what was really strange was that there was another section of the nightclub that was inaccessible to us. The doors were blocked by a couple of trippy looking dudes. But I got a peek as I walked by. Bizarre. Everyone was lying on the floor and being served food. Oh, well. We snaked up the stairs and began to party.

We had tickets for free drinks, but after about a half an hour, it didn’t make any difference since they ran out of beer at 11 o’clock! So we left, but while leaving the club I took another peek into this room and now everyone was lying on the floor groping and kissing each other. Ah! An orgy room!! But we were in Amsterdam. eh!

The following day was another eventful one. I was scheduled to speak on “Ethical Concerns of Portal Operators” and the core idea was why and how to protect yourself from casino scams; mainly focusing on the why.

Here are a couple of points that I made: The bottom line for most people in this industry is to make money. But when failure or scandal occurs, it’s usually the result of a profit driven philosophy. A prime example would be the Pirate vs Hamptons casino (worst player experience 2004), where the casino operator would rather lie and cheat a player than realize what a goldmine good public relations can be.

The bottom line should be the player, and to cater to the players’ needs (safety, dependability, honesty, fairness). Without the player there is no industry. If the operator of Hamptons had subscribed to this train of thought, he would still be in business, RTG would have NOT gotten the black eye that it did, and the player would have been a much happier camper.

And for the affiliates: don’t let easy money cause you to betray your own ethical standards. ‘nuf said.

Anyway, that evening a number of us strolled through the narrow streets and over the little bridges that cross the murky canals. The “Red Light” District is something else; very surreal. Women of all colors sizes and shapes patiently wait behind plate glass windows, doing their nails, or performing mini-dances. They smile, wave, and shameless men poke their heads in their doors asking for prices. My wife said “It’s not fair, there are no men on display!” But I explained, how would guys make money doing that? After the first customer, they would have to hang a sign on the door “Come back later.” Oh well, ce la vie.

The following day we drove straight home, back to Germany, back to the land of real Bier and home-cooked meals. The CAC 2004 Amsterdam was a really successful event; well coordinated, good turnout, informative, and I met a number of new faces and reacquainted myself with the old ones. If you are a portal webmaster or a casino operator, you really need to start coming to these events. It’s the people in this industry who make this industry tick; come on out and meet them.

And now for the humor……

From the Archives:

A hippie gets onto a bus and sits next to a nun in the front seat. The hippie looks over and asks the nun if she would have sex with him. The nun surprised by the question politely declines and gets off the bus at the next stop.

When the bus starts on it’s way the driver says to the hippie, “I can tell you how you can get that nun to have sex with you”. The hippie says that he’d love to know, so the bus driver tells him that every Tuesday evening at midnight the nun goes to the cemetery and prays to God. If you went dressed in a robe and glow in the dark paint mask she would think you are god and you could command her to have sex with you. The hippie decides this is a great idea, so on Tuesday he goes to the cemetery and waits for the nun to show up.

At midnight sure enough the nun showed up, while she was in the middle of praying the hippie jumped out from hiding and says. “I AM GOD” I have heard your prayers and I will answer them BUT … first you must have sex with me. The nun agrees but asks for anal sex so she might keep her virginity because she is married to the church. The hippie agrees to this and has his way with the nun. After the hippie finishes he stands up and rips off the mask and shouts “Ha, Ha Ha I’m the hippie!!” Then the nun jumps up and shouts “Ha Ha Ha I’m the bus driver!!”

ha ha ha!

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

CASINO CAUTIONS

An appalling deal from Futurebet

The latest misadventure at Futurebet continues to draw slings and arrows from outraged players in the Indio Casino affair. A number of players have been trying to get their payouts for months, but have seemingly been caught in a buck-passing timewarp between the owners of Indio, Futurebet and the (allegedly) third party service provider Player Support.com. Indio closed its doors on April 6 and is currently seeking a new software provider after problems with FB over Player Support performance and over an abortive attempt by FB to develop download software with Indio investment money. The owners of Indio claim that FB was unable to return the funds, and that an agreement was made whereby FB looked after the unpaid players and Indio walked away from the mess. After more prevaricating, FB’s CEO Jeff Hurley and his sidekick Ron Katz came up with a shockingly bad deal for the players FB should have been helping. Accounts, with a ten percent bonus were opened for them at Sportsbookusa, graveyard for many FB sites and the owed amounts credited. Then came the sting in the tail – before withdrawing anything the players had to complete a x10 wager through! Caught between a rock and a hard place, and without any liklihood of fair redress, the players were reluctantly taking up the offer as we went to press….and early reports indicated that their credits were not surviving the WT. Futurebet has been in enough scrapes to make its licensees (and it is rumoured that they are in many cases their own licensees) a risky bet.

8 April 2004 – Issue #186

What a friggin’ waste!

I’m not sure if some of you are following this or not, but there is a British dude who has sold all of his possessions in order to wager the entire amount (about $138,000) on one spin of a Roulette wheel in Vegas on Sunday. I’m not easily offended, and I don’t find many things obscene, in fact I’ll be cruising around Amsterdam next week and there ain’t much there that can shock me. But this is obscene. And I hope that he loses. Why? Because of the starvation in this world, the poverty, the hungry kids. Imagine what goes through the minds of people who can’t afford medicine for their children, and this guy is going to throw it away! If he loses, I hope the casino has the decency to donate his loss to charity. That would be the right thing to do. But would that happen? I doubt it.

Frohe Ostern! Happy Easter to one and all! And if you celebrate this holiday, do you know what you are celebrating? I can see all the good Christians out there nodding their heads saying “Yes, we celebrate the resurrection of Christ”. But what’s with the bunnies and the eggs, and why do we say Happy Easter instead of Happy Resurrection? Why? Well I’ll tell you why. It’s from our (Western European) past. The pagan Anglo-Saxons worshipped Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility (German = Ostern, Dutch = Oostelijk, Norwegian = �stlig, English = Easter). They would have a festival called Eostre, and in fact the month of April was called Eostur-monath by the Latins.

The Easter Bunny may have originated from the same pre-Christian source. A story is told that the goddess Eostre turned her pet bird into a rabbit to entertain some children. The rabbit immediately laid some brightly colored eggs, which the goddess gave to the children. Thus we have an egg laying rabbit. Now aren’t you happy you subscribed to this newsletter?

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Lasseters Casino has joined Casinomeister!! They have just released a suite of 20+ instant play FLASH GAMES!

Lasseters Casino, the World’s First Government Licensed & Regulated
Internet Casino has! Join them today and take advantage of not only the no deposit required $10 FREE CASH offer, but make a deposit of your own and you’ll get an additional 50% sign-up bonus up to $250 in BONUS CASH!

So go and enjoy the fun! As an experienced and genuine Australian land based casino operation since 1981 and with their guaranteed odds and prompt payouts Lasseters.com is a casino you can trust.

If you have any reservations about playing with them, I encourage you try all their games with a free FUN account. The payouts are exactly the same and we know that after trying their games, you will accept no substitutes!

There’s plenty of good reasons to play at Lasseters: Here are just a few:

Numerous Games from 1� & 2�
$1,000 maximum bet per hand
$100,000 maximum win per spin
24×7 Live Customer Support
Guaranteed Odds
Prompt and Guaranteed Payouts
Public Company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)

Aside from these many great benefits, Lasseters sends ALL depositing players regular offers via Email. For a taste of things to come, check out the Lasseters Online Newsletter where you’ll find weekly 100% bonuses, random draws, competitions and much, much more!

So stop wasting time downloading software; choose Lasseters Casino as your home for online entertainment and start taking advantage of this fantastic offer TODAY!

NEW WEBCAST

A new webcast is up! Topics include:

*Affiliate tips
*Our Forum
*Vortran007 Casino Warning All this and more .

ATTENTION CASINO OPERATORS/AFFILIATE MANAGERS

Trying to do the right thing…

I will be attending and speaking at the CAC in Amsterdam next week. If you would like to be interviewed for Casinomeister’s webcast, please let me know and perhaps we can arrangem something.

THE MEISTER’S SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Desert Dollar Casino has just relaunched their website, and it looks fantastic.

New Players – choose your own bonus:

*$10 Free plus 150% purchase match up to $60 (Total Bonus: $100 Free)

*300% purchase match when you buy $20

*75% purchase match up to $500

Jackpot City Online Casino Visit Jackpot City Online Casino today and you’ll get 25 dollars FREE, no purchase required to play on slots, when you download our FREE casino software and open a new player account.

The Jackpot City Online Casino is the Home of the Biggest Jackpots and with your $25 FREE you could be NEXT… download our free casino software and get your free cash, when you become a Real Player and play on slots.

What’s more, not only can you get $25 FREE, but you will also get constant promotions and cash bonuses as part of our loyalty program.

And the winning doesn’t stop there: when you play at Jackpot City Online Casino you’ll be gambling at one of the most exhilarating Slots destinations on the internet, where you stand to win thousands of dollars in prizes.

With over 80 casino games at your fingertips as a New Real Player and our revolutionary Viper software, created to improve your game play and maximize your chances of winning with minimal effort, winning has never been this easy!

Go on, make the choice: thousands of players have already signed up to play at Jackpot City Online Casino and win. Maybe it’s time you did too.

Follow in their footsteps and win big today!

Are you ready to have, Fast, Paced Casino Action?Aces High Online Casino would like to give you $100 ABSOLUTELY FREE, when you open a Real account today and purchase $50! Use this FREE MONEY to play our superb selection of over 90 online casino games and accelerate to a win today at Aces High!!

And there’s more:

Download our free casino software and play on our exhilarating range of 94 online casino games, including 11 Progressive Jackpots.

Go to Aces High Casino for Fast Paced Casino Action – where you’ll get $100 FREE when you open a Real Account and make your first purchase of $50.

Do the math, and you’ll see that the only answer is playing at Aces High Online Casino!

And now for the humor……

Three natural blondes died and found themselves standing before St. Peter. He told them that before they could enter the Kingdom, they had to tell him what Easter was.

The first blonde said, “Easter is a holiday where they have a big feast and we give thanks and eat turkey.” St. Peter said, “Noooooo,” and he banished her to hell. The second blonde said,”Easter is when we celebrate Jesus’ birth and exchange gifts.” St. Peter said, “Nooo,” and he banished her to hell. The third blonde said, she knew what Easter is, and St. Peter said, “So, tell me.”

She said, “Easter is a Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish festival of Passover. Jesus was having Passover feast with His disciples when he was betrayed by Judas, and the Romans arrested him. The Romans hung Him on the cross and eventually He died. Then they buried Him in a tomb behind a very large boulder…” St. Peter said, “Verrry good.”

Then the blonde continued, “Now every year the Jews roll away the boulder and Jesus comes out. If he sees his shadow, we have 6 more weeks of basketball.”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

An open letter…
Posted by Bruno712 on 7 April 2004 05:17 PM

Before I go off on one of my usual tangents, I need to preface any diatribe with a few facts that, I hope, will allay any accusations of bias.

I have been gambling, on and off, for 34 years. My first bet was a 2 team teaser on two dogs, BC and Michigan, in college football in the fall of 1970. I have been gambling online sporadically since 1998. In fact, I believe it was you, Brian, that resolved a dispute I had with English Harbour Casino in December of 1999. Since retiring I have had more time and a lot more money to dabble in this ‘hobby’. I believe discipline, research and the 5 Ps are the cornerstone to success in any field or venture. So I make reading this and other gambling portals’ forums a part of my daily routine as I am sure most of you do. After winning and losing hundreds of thousands of dollars at various and sundry casinos, I believe I have a pretty fair take on how this entire business works. I have no problem with free enterprise, as I am a capitalist down to the marrow of my bones. I have no problem with guys like you, Brian, capitalizing on the needs of both casinos and players. There is a need and you and others like you, fill it. I do, however, take issue with any claims of neutrality when it comes to people taking beaucoup money from only one side. It is only human nature to show bias, whether consciously or subconsciously, to the side that is putting food on your plate! When someone opens an advocate site free of casino ads, then I may think differently, but, being the cynic I am, probably not. All this being said, here we go…

Perhaps it is the lawyer in me, in fact, I know it is the lawyer in me, but where I come from, a person is suppose to be innocent until proven guilty. Because Ryan Hartley said he is guilty and because Brian reiterates Ryan’s belief, does not make this guy guilty. I have seen no evidence, the rest of your readers have seen no evidence and, in a court of law, hearsay evidence, as it is presented in this public forum, is inadmissible! When a group of people go behind closed doors and accuse, prosecute, judge and sentence someone without a public display of evidence it is referred to as a kangaroo court! The cry of guilty from Ryan (at this point) is no more plausible than that of Warren Cloud in the Pirate issue! You may say, “Well, you don’t have all the facts.” Precisely my point! And you do not have the right to denigrate this Interabunchofnumbers dude, until you can and will present the facts. It is no different than my pointing at someone and calling them a rapist because someone was raped and another guy told me this person did it. And then, when I am questioned, my proof is saying, “I know it to be true because someone told me.” If you are going to have a public hanging at least include the public in the prosecution and defense. This guy is, most probably, guilty as hell. But we don’t have the right to even assume that without proof. Not someone’s word that they have proof.

This nonsense has gone on in this cyber gambling world since its inception and it will continue to go on until there is some kind of regulating and governing body that is given some juice by casinos and players alike. As long as we allow casinos to make their own rules, change these rules on a whim and treat their customers like the faceless entities they are, this business will never even approach legitimacy. As long as players continue to successfully outsmart the existing gambling programs, the casino world’s collective paranoia will continue (and rightfully so) to exist. It took Las Vegas 50 years to gain legitimacy. And it did so by not only creating rules and laws to control casinos, owners and players, but also by creating a legitimate governing body to enforce them.

As it stands now in Got2bet, casinos have the power, absolute power. I will not bore you with the quote.

1 April 2004

Doloplex Casino Group Purchases Casinomeister.com

After several months of secret negotiations, I have agreed to sell Casinomeister to the Doloplex Casino Group for an undisclosed amount. This has been a difficult decision to make, but I feel that the Doloplex group will be able to carry on the mission at Casinomeister unrelentlessly. I am very proud of what I have accomplished so far, but it’s now time to hand over the torch and move on.

Up until now, it’s been nearly a one man show. Casinomeister started merely six years ago in a small uptown San Diego apartment in southern California. Empowered with some HTML skills, a new version of Photoshop, and a diverse background from commercial fishing to jumping out of airplanes and blowing up things, I jumped again feet first into the weird world of online gaming. I inadvertently became a spokesman for the online player. But my love for beer and a quiet life drove me to relocate in rural Germany where I hooked up with my robot sidekick Vortran007. Up until now, we have operated in a studio overlooking an apple orchard in Northern Bavaria.

Over the past few years we have solved hundreds of player complaints, and we have exposed countless online casino scams. But with a booming casino industry it’s time to get more people involved. This is why I thought it would be best to just sell out. Let a group of people handle the player complaints and casino investigations. It’s too much for one guy and a robot.”

Doloplex spokesman Mr. X announced that “We are delighted in taking over Casinomeister. Bryan Bailey has some very big shoes to fill, but I am sure we will be able to fill these pleasantly. We have a large staff that can handle just about any task, and we don’t hire robots. Players will be happy to know that they will be in good hands with the new and improved Casinomeister. We have some very big things in store for everyone. I think players will be pleasantly surprised. “Not! This Press Release went out first thing this morning, and man I got some of you. Ha ha ha ha ha!!! Some people forgot to look at their calendars. I was congratulated a number of times — thanks! Doloplex? Who dat? Do a Google search and you’ll find out.

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Lasseters Casino has joined Casinomeister!! They have just released a suite of 20+ instant play FLASH GAMES!

So go and enjoy the fun! As an experienced and genuine Australian land based casino operation since 1981 and with their guaranteed odds and prompt payouts Lasseters.com is a casino you can trust.

There’s plenty of good reasons to play at Lasseters: Here are just a few:

Numerous Games from 1� & 2�
$1,000 maximum bet per hand
$100,000 maximum win per spin
24×7 Live Customer Support
Guaranteed Odds
Prompt and Guaranteed Payouts
Public Company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)

So stop wasting time downloading software; choose Lasseters Casino as your home for online entertainment and start taking advantage of this fantastic offer TODAY!

NEW WEBCAST

A new webcast is up! Topics include:
*Futurebet Problems
*Another Scammy Software ProviderThe Clinstones
*Vortran007 Casino Warning
*Vortran007 has a BIG surprise! All this and more .

ATTENTION CASINO OPERATORS/AFFILIATE MANAGERS

I will be attending and speaking at the CAC in Amsterdam this month. If you would like to be interviewed for Casinomeister’s webcast, please let me know and perhaps we can work out some arrangements.

THE MEISTER’S SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

If you haven’t joined the Meister’s Poker tournament at Intercasino, now is the time. The signup fee is a mere $20 – you’re given $1000 play money to playout for 90 minutes – 10 minutes today – 20 minutes tomorrow – it don’t matter. DEADLINE April 30th!!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

March Millionaire Slots Tournament Winners: Congrats!!
1st: jenlou $2570.00!!
2nd: NewFish5 $1028.00
3rd: DAlanr $514.00
4th jfcraig $514.00
5th howler $514.00
Good going!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Desert Dollar Casino has just relaunched their website, and it looks fantastic.

New Players – choose your own bonus:

$10 Free plus 150% purchase match up to $60 (Total Bonus: $100 Free)

300% purchase match when you buy $20

75% purchase match up to $500

Jackpots in a Flash New Players!

Make a first purchase of $25 and get a $25 INSTANT Bonus!

Get a 40% Signup Bonus up to $200 FREE on your first purchase of $65 or more!

And now for the humor……

From the archives:

Two drunks are walking along. One drunk says to the other, “What a beautiful night, look at the moon.”

The other drunk stops and looks at his drunk friend. “You’re wrong, that’s not the moon, that’s the sun.”

They began to argue when they come upon another drunk. They asked, “Sir, could you please help settle our argument? Tell us what that thing is up in the sky that’s shining. Is it the moon or the sun?”

The third drunk looked at the sky and said, “Sorry, I don’t live around here.”

********

Two men were sitting at a bar recounting their dreams.

“I dreamed I was on vacation,” one man said fondly. “It was just me and my fishing rod and this big beautiful lake. What a dream.”

“I had a great dream too,” said the other. “I dreamed I was in bed with two beautiful women and having the time of my life.”

His companion looked over and exhorted, “You dreamed you had two women, and you didn’t call me?”

“Oh, I did,” said the other, “but when I called, your wife said you’d gone fishing.”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Well there were plenty of highlights to cover this week. But one of the most important items is the major upgrade the forum went through today (that’s why it was closed, not because I had sold the site). Over the next week or so, I will be tweaking things here and there. So bear with me as I make this forum one of the best online casino forums on the net. Your home away from home. Don’t know what I’m talking about?

26 March 2004 – Issue #184

SCAMS AND THE SCAMMY SCAMMERS WHO SCAM US

Remember the dweebs who started up SlotsAlley casino a little while ago? Remember how they lied to us about their “progressives” being pooled by a group of Brick and Mortar casinos? Or how they were certified by the “Fair Gaming Labs” (a bogus watchdog site). Well they’re back in the “scamlight”. They’ve set up Casinovasoftware.com, their casino “software provider.” They even have a catchy slogan “because it’s the way the game is played”, and this speaks volumes. It’s all a big game. They know they are in the wrong for deceiving players and portal masters, and they know that most savvy players are wise to their antics. But it is only a game ain’t it — a game of deception.

Deception: These guys have deceived the portal master of RichChicken.com into thinking they are a group of legitimate casinos. Rich Chicken gave LucknRollcasino.com the “coveted” Golden Egg award. Why? The reason: “Luck N Roll offers a large selection of progressive games with combined jackpots totaling over $1 MILLION DOLLARS and growing. You can choose from the following slots: Break the Bank, Money Mint and Greased Lightnin’, as well as Keno, all offering a chance at over a quarter of a million dollars in jackpot take!” Did Richchicken.com ask this casino where this “$1 MILLION DOLLARS” was supposed to be coming from? No, probably not. Just put the ad-copy up and hope people will click through the banners and lose their money. One persons deception is another persons ad copy. But hey, it’s only a game.

And it’s you my dear reader that they’re playing games with – playing games with trust, with being truthful. Take a look at casino1x2.com where they boast “Payout Percentage reviewed by B.I.A.A.” Which according to them stands for the “Bauhaus Internet Audit Assurance (B.I.A.A.)”.

Stuff like this begs me to dig deeper, so I checked them out. There is no website for b-iaa.com, merely a generic “coming soon” page from their server. I did some simple searches at Google for “Bauhaus Internet Audit Assurance” –nothing. They state that they are “one of the leading global accounting firms, (which) provides a monthly review of Casino1x2.com payout percentage.” Funny how they don’t seem to appear anywhere on the Internet except at Casino1x2.com and Internet1x2.com.

So who are these guys? I checked Whois and b-iaa.com is registered by a guy who goes by the name of “Peter Singh”. So I did a Google search on “Peter Singh”. A number of sites came up, and number one on the results page was: The Rocking Sikh Peter Singh. Is this the same dude who is behind the B.I.A.A.? Probably not. Peter Singh is probably a faked name for the registrant. But it’s an amusing thought to think that a Sikh Elvis Impersonator is watching over the gameplay of Casino1x2.com and its brethren. After all, it’s only a game, right?

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Diamond Casino has joined Casinomeister!! What does this mean? It means that they are committed to provide their players top notch customer service and fair treatment — they are now part of the Fortune Lounge family of casinos. Right now, they are offering 60% match bonus (up to $120) for new players! Terms and conditions apply. Please read them – and join Diamond Casino today!

THE MEISTER’S SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

If you haven’t joined my Millionaire Slots tournament at Intercasino, now is the time. The signup fee is a mere $20 – you’re given $1000 play money to playout for 90 minutes – 10 minutes today – 20 minutes tomorrow – it don’t matter. DEADLINE March 31st!!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The kitty stands at $4480 right now with 174 players! The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Desert Dollar Casino has just relaunched their website, and it looks fantastic.

New Players – choose your own bonus:

$10 Free plus 150% purchase match up to $60 (Total Bonus: $100 Free)

300% purchase match when you buy $20

75% purchase match up to $500

Jackpots in a Flash New Players!

Make a first purchase of $25 and get a $25 INSTANT Bonus!

Get a 40% Signup Bonus up to $200 FREE on your first purchase of $65 or more!

If you aren’t a member yet of the Riverbelle Online Casino then you must either be living in a cave, or you just subscribed. One of the most trustworthy and successful casinos out there.

Double Deal Bonus – Up to $300 FREE All new real players get a 100% match bonus up to $250 free! PLUS an extra 20% if their first purchase is made using NETeller. Thus, in total, you can get up to $300 FREE!

To download or not to download, that is the question.
You can choose to play on the flash casino (no download required), or on the latest casino software Viper (the downloadable version) as either as Guest Player or a Real Player (play for real money).
The number of games available at the River Belle is impressive. They have all the basics covered: poker, blackjack, craps, keno, roulette, baccarat and slots, together with 11 Progressive Jackpot games.
They have a variety of variety of payment methods including NETeller, FirePay, 900Pay, Citadel, Prepaid ATM, Credit Card, Gaming Card or EcoCard, just to name a few.

How can they help you?
In true Southern Hospitality, we at the River Belle Online Casino would like to make your gaming experience a true pleasure. We have a support team waiting to assist you with any problem, just phone them Toll free or email them.

The River Belle Online Casino – Enjoy Southern Hospitality.

And now for the humor……

One day a guy dies and finds himself in hell. As he is wallowing in despair he has his first meeting with the devil.

Devil: Why so glum, chum?
Guy: What do you think? I’m in hell.

Devil: Hell’s not so bad. We actually have a lot of fun down here. You a drinkin’ man?
Guy: Sure, I love to drink.

Devil: Well you’re gonna love Mondays then. On Mondays That’s all we do is drink. Whiskey, tequila, Guinness, wine coolers, diet Tab, and Fresca. We drink till we throw up and then we drink some more.
Guy: Gee, that sounds great.

Devil: You a smoker?
Guy: You better believe it.

Devil: Alright! You’re gonna love Tuesdays. We get the finest cigars from all over the world and smoke our lungs out. If you get cancer, no biggie – you’re already dead, remember?
Guy: Wow. That’s awesome.

Devil: I bet you like to gamble.
Guy: Why yes, as a matter of fact I do.

Devil: Cause Wednesday you can gamble all you want. Craps, Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Slots, whatever. If you go bankrupt, well, you’re dead anyhow.

Devil: You into drugs?
Guy: Are you kidding? I love drugs. You don’t mean….

Devil: That’s right Thursday is drug day. Help yourself to a great big bowl of crack or smack. Smoke a doobie the size of a submarine. You can do all the drugs you want and if ya overdose – that’s alright – you’re dead, who cares? O.D.!!
Guy: Yowza!! I never realized Hell was such a swingin’ place.

Devil: You gay?
Guy: No….

Devil: Ooooh (grimaces), You’re gonna hate Fridays . .

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Casino Bar
Posted by lanidar on 25th March 2004 02:38 PM

I’m just making this post because I am curious.
I KNOW Casino Bar is on the rogue list and Iwould NEVER make a deposit.
BUT, they gave me a $20 birthday bonus.
I went into the casino…played blackjack. I now have $26.
Here’s my question…
Last I played there was in July 2002. Back then my deposit was through Paypal.
We all know Paypal does not accept payments from online casinos.
Since yesterday, I emailed them several times…no responce.
How am I going to be paid is the question.
They are using a withdrawl method that states: CREDIT…but, I don’t have a credit card registered with
them…thank God!
One other thing…I REALLY don’t care whether I get paid or not…since it’s only $26.
I just want to break their chops for the payment.
Any suggestions?

How fast will Casinobar pay out $26?

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

SCREWING THE RITZ
26 March 2004

Laser cell phones – whatever next?

Making the headlines all over the world this week was a story from London, where a high tech gang tried to take one of Britain’s most exclusive casinos for �1.3million in an amazing sting.

Two Serbian men and a “beautiful” Hungarian woman are alleged to have used a laser scanner to predict the spin of a roulette wheel at the Ritz casino in London last week.

It is claimed the device, hidden in a mobile phone, was linked to a micro-computer which calculated where the ball would drop. As the ball was spun, the information was delivered back to the gamblers by pushing a button on the phone and bets were placed before the third spin of the wheel, which is allowed.

Police arrested the trio at a nearby West End hotel for “obtaining their winnings by deception” after the casino became suspicious.

On their first visit, the three won �100,000, but they scooped �1,200,000 the following night. When the group left the club, they were given �300,000 in cash and a cheque for �900,000.

But after reviewing tapes from surveillance cameras, the club, which is underneath the Ritz Hotel, called in police. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Clubs and Vice Unit, which investigates casino con tricks, seized the cash and several mobiles.

They are being examined and now Scotland Yard’s Serious and Organised Crime Squad has taken over the investigation. The device can’t predict the exact number, but it does reduce odds from 37-1 to possibly 6-1.

The suspects have been released on police bail until the end of the month.

There is no offence of “cheating” at a casino, but, under a Gambling Bill to go before Parliament next year, any attempt to use outside influences would be an offence.

19 March 2004 – Issue #183

Doloplex Casino Group Purchases Casinomeister.com

Doloplex spokesman Mr. X announced that “We are delighted in taking over Casinomeister. Bryan Bailey has some very big shoes to fill, but I am sure we will be able to fill these pleasantly. We have a large staff that can handle just about any task, and we don’t hire robots. Players will be happy to know that they will be in good hands with the new and improved Casinomeister. We have some very big things in store for everyone. I think players will be pleasantly surprised.”Not! This Press Release went out first thing this morning, and man I got some of you. Ha ha ha ha ha!!! Some people forgot to look at their calendars. I was congratulated a number of times — thanks! Doloplex? Who dat? Do a Google search and you’ll find out.

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

Lasseters Casino has joined Casinomeister!! They have just released a suite of 20+ instant play FLASH GAMES!

So go and enjoy the fun! As an experienced and genuine Australian land based casino operation since 1981 and with their guaranteed odds and prompt payouts Lasseters.com is a casino you can trust.

There’s plenty of good reasons to play at Lasseters: Here are just a few:

Numerous Games from 1� & 2�
$1,000 maximum bet per hand
$100,000 maximum win per spin
24×7 Live Customer Support
Guaranteed Odds
Prompt and Guaranteed Payouts
Public Company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)

So stop wasting time downloading software; choose Lasseters Casino as your home for online entertainment and start taking advantage of this fantastic offer TODAY!

NEW WEBCAST

A new webcast is up! Topics include:
*Futurebet Problems
*Another Scammy Software ProviderThe Clinstones
*Vortran007 Casino Warning
*Vortran007 has a BIG surprise! All this and more .

ATTENTION CASINO OPERATORS/AFFILIATE MANAGERS

THE MEISTER’S SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

March Millionaire Slots Tournament Winners: Congrats!!
1st: jenlou $2570.00!!
2nd: NewFish5 $1028.00
3rd: DAlanr $514.00
4th jfcraig $514.00
5th howler $514.00
Good going!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Desert Dollar Casino has just relaunched their website, and it looks fantastic.

New Players – choose your own bonus:

$10 Free plus 150% purchase match up to $60 (Total Bonus: $100 Free)

300% purchase match when you buy $20

75% purchase match up to $500

Jackpots in a Flash New Players!

Make a first purchase of $25 and get a $25 INSTANT Bonus!

Get a 40% Signup Bonus up to $200 FREE on your first purchase of $65 or more!

And now for the humor……

From the archives:

Two drunks are walking along. One drunk says to the other, “What a beautiful night, look at the moon.”

The other drunk stops and looks at his drunk friend. “You’re wrong, that’s not the moon, that’s the sun.”

The third drunk looked at the sky and said, “Sorry, I don’t live around here.”

********

Two men were sitting at a bar recounting their dreams.

“I dreamed I was on vacation,” one man said fondly. “It was just me and my fishing rod and this big beautiful lake. What a dream.”

“I had a great dream too,” said the other. “I dreamed I was in bed with two beautiful women and having the time of my life.”

His companion looked over and exhorted, “You dreamed you had two women, and you didn’t call me?”

“Oh, I did,” said the other, “but when I called, your wife said you’d gone fishing.”

ha ha ha

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

26 March 2004 – Issue #184

SCAMS AND THE SCAMMY SCAMMERS WHO SCAM US

NEW CASINOMEISTER CASINO!

THE MEISTER’S SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The kitty stands at $4480 right now with 174 players! The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Desert Dollar Casino has just relaunched their website, and it looks fantastic.

New Players – choose your own bonus:

$10 Free plus 150% purchase match up to $60 (Total Bonus: $100 Free)

300% purchase match when you buy $20

75% purchase match up to $500

Jackpots in a Flash New Players!

Make a first purchase of $25 and get a $25 INSTANT Bonus!

Get a 40% Signup Bonus up to $200 FREE on your first purchase of $65 or more!

If you aren’t a member yet of the Riverbelle Online Casino then you must either be living in a cave, or you just subscribed. One of the most trustworthy and successful casinos out there.

The River Belle Online Casino – Enjoy Southern Hospitality.

And now for the humor……

One day a guy dies and finds himself in hell. As he is wallowing in despair he has his first meeting with the devil.

Devil: Why so glum, chum?
Guy: What do you think? I’m in hell.

Devil: Hell’s not so bad. We actually have a lot of fun down here. You a drinkin’ man?
Guy: Sure, I love to drink.

Devil: You a smoker?
Guy: You better believe it.

Devil: I bet you like to gamble.
Guy: Why yes, as a matter of fact I do.

Devil: Cause Wednesday you can gamble all you want. Craps, Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Slots, whatever. If you go bankrupt, well, you’re dead anyhow.

Devil: You into drugs?
Guy: Are you kidding? I love drugs. You don’t mean….

Devil: You gay?
Guy: No….

Devil: Ooooh (grimaces), You’re gonna hate Fridays . .

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Casino Bar
Posted by lanidar on 25th March 2004 02:38 PM

How fast will Casinobar pay out $26?

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

SCREWING THE RITZ
26 March 2004

Laser cell phones – whatever next?

Making the headlines all over the world this week was a story from London, where a high tech gang tried to take one of Britain’s most exclusive casinos for �1.3million in an amazing sting.

Two Serbian men and a “beautiful” Hungarian woman are alleged to have used a laser scanner to predict the spin of a roulette wheel at the Ritz casino in London last week.

Police arrested the trio at a nearby West End hotel for “obtaining their winnings by deception” after the casino became suspicious.

On their first visit, the three won �100,000, but they scooped �1,200,000 the following night. When the group left the club, they were given �300,000 in cash and a cheque for �900,000.

The suspects have been released on police bail until the end of the month.

There is no offence of “cheating” at a casino, but, under a Gambling Bill to go before Parliament next year, any attempt to use outside influences would be an offence.

19 March 2004 – Issue #183

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH LICENSING?

Last week I made a few comments about what players should do and not do when it comes to opening an account at an online casino. This was bearing in mind what the “Pirate” went through with his unnecessary ordeal of being screwed out of $1.3 million. I stated players should consider the following:

*Do not gamble at casinos “licensed” in Costa Rica.

*Do not gamble at casinos that limit withdrawal amounts.

*Do not gamble at sites that use the phrase “Legally licensed and fully insured”.

*Do not gamble at sites that disallow robots.

After making this comment, an operator from one of the “good” RTG casinos wrote to me, debating my statement of “Do not gamble at casinos “licensed” in Costa Rica.” I’d like to share with you some of this exchange since I think both of us made some good points.

Him:

Now, just because we have a “license in Costa Rica” does not mean that we are not a legitimate casino. I know that RTG is working on proper licensing facilities and some of the operators have requested that RTG gets more involved in the operation. So I believe it is up to the players to choose where they want to play as it is unconstitutional to say, and I quote: “Do not gamble at casinos “licensed” in Costa Rica.” You are helping the players which is great and I agree to that but you don’t tell the casinos don’t take players that are Asian or Arabic? I like your forum, and respect your opinion a lot due to your experience in the online casino market, but give some of the “Costa Rica Licensed” casinos the benefit of the doubt as there are some of them that are above board and are doing their best to put the player’s enjoyment first. I mean there might be other operators from other software vendors that might have done the same as Hampton. What would have said then?

Thanks for your time. I would like to open this for discussion with you as I would like to get a better understanding on your views of RTG casinos.

Me:

The problem with being “licensed” in Costa Rica, is that there is no gaming license offered from there. Sure there are some legitimate casinos running their operations out of Costa Rica, but not many. If a player has a problem with a casino based in Costa Rica, there is nothing anyone will do about it there. Where is the contact person? Where is the authority?

I have been very critical about casinos who choose to license themselves in Costa Rica, because it is nothing to boast about. I have rarely ever had to contact a licensing agency outside the Caribbean or Central America concerning player complaints. If I gave you a list of the casinos that have ripped players off that were located in Costa Rica, it would make your head spin.

Well what’s the problem with being licensed in Costa Rica? Well besides the license agency being a non-entity (they don’t even have a website), most of the casinos that choose this license can’t afford the alternatives. Many of the jurisdictions that provide real gaming licenses conduct background checks of the license holders and of the chief employees. Take Malta for instance. It’s an affordable license – �7500 per year – and a member of the EU (in April 2004). They conduct extensive background checks and the have a relatively high profile. I don’t see that happening in Costa Rica. And I believe to be licensed in CR costs about only about $2000.

So there is a trickle-down effect; many of these casinos don’t have the financial backing to afford a real license – and many of these operators couldn’t pass a background check as well I’m afraid.

I know this may sound unfair, but I also am aware that there are a number of well funded, good honest casinos and Sportsbooks that operate out of Costa Rica. But, there are literally hundreds of unresolved complaints that have stemmed from Costa Rican based casinos. If there was a proper licensing authority there, this wouldn’t be so.

I hope to see this all change. I know that RTG is aware of this problem, and they are looking at solutions as well. And on the other hand, a lot of people don’t care. It’s just that I do.

Him:

Thanks for the prompt reply. I agree that there is no proper licensing in place in CR. However, it is not that all operators are not willing to go the extra mile(and cash) to get the license, but also the investors of the newly started casino that wants to see that the company is in good hands before spending loads of money. Yes I know that it sounds bad, but I respect these people for doing this. All I am saying is that their are legitimate casinos in CR, and these should be rather pointed out and mentioned in forums instead of taking down the lot because of a bunch of bad apples.

I know that you feel strongly about the license issue. I respect that you care about it as I do too cause I am trying to change the face of gaming as a whole. This is a business and the business that is run the best will come out tops and this is what we strive for. And we are a CR casino, but we are looking for a legitimate license due to the controversy that is going on with RTG casinos and their licenses.

On another note, I spoke with Warren Cloud over the phone this week (yes, we are able to speak without freaking out on each other), and he said licensing doesn’t make a difference — what make a difference is whether or not a casino pays. Right now he’s offering to give me x amount of money to set aside, and to use to pay any player that I feel gets screwed over by his casino; pay them at my discretion.

Again, it’s the money thing. He figures, what good is a license? It doesn’t matter.

Well, I look at it this way. I’ve been living in Germany for a little over four years. I didn’t realize that after being here for six months, my California drivers’ licensed was invalid to drive on German roads. I had no idea this was a problem until about a year ago when it dawned on me that if I were to be involved in an accident, or if I got stopped by the Polizei, I’d be screwed. I never worried about this since I’m a good driver, and I’ve been driving for twenty some odd years with only two tickets and no accidents. I can drive.

But I decided that I needed to get a real license to protect myself. I had to study the German driving laws and take the hands-on classes, and there was A LOT I did not know. There were crucial driving laws I had no idea about, and certain responsibilities that drivers have here that do not apply in other countries. Getting a German drivers’ license made me a far better driver.

I feel getting a license – a real license to operate an online casino from a jurisdiction that has a solid foundation in its business ethics and practices, speaks for itself – and that the operators who seek licenses from these jurisdictions become better operators and make this a safer gaming environment for everyone.

NEW WEBCAST!

A new webcast is up! Topics include:

*Hampton’s Aftermath
*Spot the Rogue ~ 3 easy steps in spotting evil
*Vortran007 Casino Warning All this and more .

$20 FROM CASINOMEISTER!

Sun Vegas Casino has gone viper – which includes all the new exciting games, The Big Kahuna, 3 Card Poker, & Aces and Faces 10 Play Power Poker. They are offering a 150% Match Bonus on your initial deposit (terms and conditions apply). Also receive an additional $20 Casinomeister bonus on your initial Deposit Bonus by opening a real account and emailing support with the following code: sv20Extra211. You can expect the bonus to appear in your account within 5 hours after making the deposit, and sending the email.

This is one of the best casinos out there; I play there almost daily!!

Vortran007Robot Warning

Casino Warning:Islandjoescasino is shut down and they are not paying their players. They are claiming that the owner is having personal problems and will not respond to emails.

THE MEISTER’S SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The kitty stands at $3480 right now with 124 players! The more people join, the higher the cash prizes go!

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds
Check it out here!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Desert Dollar Casino has just relaunched their website, and it looks fantastic.

New Players – choose your own bonus:

$10 Free plus 150% purchase match up to $60 (Total Bonus: $100 Free)

300% purchase match when you buy $20

75% purchase match up to $500

Jackpots in a Flash New Players!

Make a first purchase of $25 and get a $25 INSTANT Bonus!

Get a 40% Signup Bonus up to $200 FREE on your first purchase of $65 or more!

If you aren’t a member yet of the Riverbelle Online Casino then you must either be living in a cave, or you just subscribed. One of the most trustworthy and successful casinos out there.

The River Belle Online Casino – Enjoy Southern Hospitality.

And now for the humor……

One night, a father overheard his son saying his prayers, “God bless Mommy, Daddy, and Grammy. Goodbye Grampa.” The father thought this was strange, but soon forgot about it. The next day, the Grandfather died. About a month or so later, the father again overheard his son’s prayers, “God bless Mommy and Daddy. Goodbye Grammy.” The next day, the Grandmother died. The father began to worry about the situation.

Two weeks later, the father again heard his son praying, “God bless Mommy. Goodbye Daddy.” This alone nearly gave the father a heart attack. The next morning, without saying anything, he got up early and went to work. He stayed in his office all day. Finally, after midnight, he went home. He was still alive! He crawled into bed with his wife and apologized. “I’m sorry honey, I had a really bad day.” “You had a bad day?” his wife yelled. “The mailman dropped dead on the porch this morning!”

ha ha ha!

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

…was blind but now I see.
Posted by Bruno712 on 18th March 2004 02:42 PM

I posted a thread a few days ago about winning my first Jackpot; a $20,000 Royal at The Sands of the Caribbean. In the words of Paul Harvey, “Now…the rest of the story.”

Before actually deciding to “…put MY money in some foreigner’s account in order to be given the opportunity to give them more”, I did my best to follow the 5 (or 6) Ps, Proper Preparation Prevents Pisspoor Performance. I did my homework, or tried to. After gathering as much data as I could, reading endless horror stories and coming to the conclusion that this thing, gambling online, is a no win, no how, no way proposition, I came to the following conclusions. When gambling online, one is actually taking a double risk. The first is inherent in the act itself, specualating on the outcome of a game of chance that, odds are, I couldn’t win and that, if by some act of a Higher Power I should win, I would never get paid by these theiving, coniving so-called businessmen who run these money gobblers. Well, I am here to tell you that in spite of myself, I was wrong on at least one of my conclusions. I got paid!

Ten seconds after seeing the Heart Royal flush appear on my 19″ CRT monitor, I had my cell phone in one hand dialing customer service, I had my kid calling Ecash and I was clicking madly on the “Online instant help” icon. I wanted instant verification that what I saw was what I saw. “I don’t see your hand, sir, but your balance shows $21,000” was all I needed to hear. I had overcome the first demon, I WON! Now, on to the business of collecting my booty from these pirates (no offense, Pirate). I will be the first to admit that for the next three days I acted like the my wife, er, I mean a child. I wanted what I wanted and I wanted it now, damn it! When I was told it could take as long as two weeks for me to realize my profit in actual green, well, I did what every ex-jock, beer swillin’, macho guy would do…I whined like a wounded dog. The F bombs flew wildly and I whined, and I whined, waw waw. “I knew it!” I told everyone that would listen including my 8 month old chocolate lab. “They are going to figure out a way to f*** me out of my hard earned just desrves.” For two days I pouted, I emailed, I called, I pouted some more and then I pouted. Yesterday, I finally accepted the fact that it was not meant to be. I convinced myself that Nick Melrose and company needed the money more than my daughters needed an education, my house needed an additon or my dog needed a Coach collar. A lesson had been learned. My life as an online gambler had lasted a very exciting 4 days. Now, back to reality…

I decided to remove all remnance of my former life, so I went to my Neteller account to withdraw the few sheckels I had left in it. I checked my balance to get the correct amount to withdraw and what do I see??? Saints be praised! Alleluia! Merry F’n Christmas! I was a Twentythousandaire!!!!!! They paid me, They really paid me! Order the coach collar!

Now that I can muster some semblance of decorum, let me first apologize to any and all members of The Sands of The Caribbean and Ecash for ever doubting you, for calling you all those names under my breath and for losing faith in my fellow man (and woman) in general. You are the balls. Thanks muchly! And thank you too, Bryan, for putting up with me.

Now, lets see if I can get it back to them before they even know its missing…

Bruno 712

And there is more…

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

DISTRIBUTED DENIAL OF SERVICE UPDATE
19 March 2004

Raids continue… now portal sites affected

Extortionate DDoS activity continued this week with many sites being hit following demands for protection monies up to $50 000. The positive news is that most seemed to shake off the raids before serious losses were incurred.

And in a new twist, three prominent Got2bet portals, Sports 911, The Prescription and Major Wager were all temporarily rendered hors de combat over the weekend but bounced back after active assistance from technical, telecommunications and ISP experts. The attacks in these cases seemed to come out of Calgary, Canada and are being vigorously chased down by Interpol and the RCMP.

Elsewhere, and as usual most sites that had been targeted preferred not to publicly disclose their identities although they successfully fought back and reported the assaults to the authorities. But it is known that the raiders have targeted a wide range of online casinos, poker rooms and sportsbooks. The large Canbet organisation was rumoured to have been one of them but this was not confirmed as we went to press.

Interactive Gaming News carried a quality article in three parts on the phenomenon, advising that companies like Paddy Power, Coral and Blue Square were among those targeted.

Blue Square’s finance director Ross Ivers said the approach is more complex than just “hacking.” “This is not hacking – there has been no attempt to steal data,” he said. “It’s blocking and it’s akin to putting 400 people inside a betting shop to block anyone else coming in.”

Over the next two weeks of March Madness betting, this criminal activity can be expected to escalate and most companies are taking added technical and other precautions.

One company, BetonUSA expects to take in something like $30 million in wagers, whilst even conservative observers are predicting betting revenues of over $80 million in this key sports period that seems to ignite even the everyday gambling world too.

CNBC estimates that in the USA commerce will take a $1.5 billion productivity hit over the next two weeks as a result of workers being distracted by gambling’s mad season!

Black Jack Guide Learn how to be a smarter blackjack player with over 8 free strategy cards, blackjack odds, and over $10,000 in free bonus chips. Find the best casinos, reviews, and the biggest bonuses.

12 March 2004 – Issue #182

THE AFTERMATH

For those of you following the “Pirates” dilemma of being screwed out of $1.3 Million by Hamptons casino, well it finally saw resolution this past weekend. There was an undisclosed settlement that seems to have satiated most everyone.

And as Rich Katz (Hamptons Casino’s evil operator) curls his little doggie tail between his legs and scurries off into the horizon, this scene ends, the smoke clears, and a long awaited resolution occurs. The good guys cock back their hats, cradle their shotguns in their arms, nod in agreement and watch the sun set — their silhouettes fading to black.

And as I watched the credits roll, and munched on the last remaining kernels of popcorn, I sat in my seat and prayed there was not a sequel in the making…

…and I got up from my seat and left the theater via the exit in the darkened back. Walking out into the empty parking lot, I thought about the “movie” a little more – the aftermath. What happens to the movie once the credits roll? In the “Graduate”, Dustin Hoffman and Katharine Ross jump on the bus as she flees her wedding ceremony. As the credits roll, we wonder – “What now? What kind of relationship are they going to have?” Or at the end of “Castaway”, Tom Hanks is standing in the middle of some road, alone. Well, what’s he going to do now? At the end of “The Wizard of Oz”, everything seems to be all honky dory at the end. But will Auntie Em and Uncle Henry really stop blowing off Dorothy? Is there really no place like home? Even in the drab grey landscape of Kansas? Let’s see what happens when she turns eighteen!

So what’s the aftermath for the Pirate? He’s already assured me that there will be no sequel – thanks dude! I don’t think we need one. But there is something lingering in the air…something…I just can’t put my finger on it though.

I know one thing for sure, during this entire episode, the numbers for Hamptons Casino didn’t change. They weren’t affected in the least by this robot scandal. Webmasters continued to promote them; players continued to play there. Not many people really cared whether or not they were condoning this operator’s behavior. But then, what the hell? It wasn’t confirmed that the operator was lying until the 11th hour. And when this happened, he was booted, the casino was sold, and the pirate was paid – not the full $1.3 million dollars, but he was paid.

Many players cried “Evil! Evil! Rogue the liars! Hamptons is evil! Off with their heads!” But it’s too late. Without missing a beat, Rich was booted and the casino went over to Connectocasino.com. Business back to norm. Business as usual.

And now, does anyone care? Hopefully not enough for a part II. Bearing this in mind, players should observe this episodic adventure and learn the following:
Do not gamble at casinos “licensed” in Costa Rica.
Do not gamble at casinos that limit withdrawal amounts.
Do not gamble at sites that use the phrase “Legally licensed and fully insured”.
Do not gamble at sites that disallow robots.

And when – if ever – you are speaking to some casino manager on the phone, just consider that each word is probably being tape recorded for future reference.

CASINO KINGDOM GOES VIPER

Yep, it’s true. Casino Kingdom has just launched their Viper Software! Open an account and receive $16 free and a 100% bonus of up to $100/₤100/€100 FREE! OR $40/₤40/€40 for $20/₤20/€20 FIVE TIMES in your first month of registration! This is a 200% Bonus! Take your pick! Terms and conditions apply!

Vortran007 Robot Warning

CASINO WARNING:
New York Casino has a customer service malfunction. One player has emailed her ID numerous times in order to cash out $1000, and the casino does not take the appropiate action. This may be an indicator of more serious problems. Stay alert – stay alive.

SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The kitty stands at $3480 right now with 124 players! The more people join, the higher the cash prozes go!

Congrats to February’s winners!!

1st: MTMDK $2730.00
2nd: dodge $1092.00
3rd: haakonha $546.00
4th: claire $546.00
5th: cifimi $546.00

Gonegambling’s Jackpot

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Reviewed Casinos
Wizard of Odds

Check it out here!

Casinomeister’s newsletter is now available in three flavors: HTML, text, or AOL, (you are reading the totally bitchin’ HTML version). If you would like to update your settings, please scroll down to the bottom and you’ll find a link to do so. Any problems, please let me know!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Vegas Palms is Casinomeister’s “Pick of the Week”. They are offering a 100% match bonus on your first purchase up to $150. Your bonus will be credited within 24-hours. Remember no Craps or Roulette play for this, and there is a 10x play through requirement. Please read the Terms and Conditions.

And more Viper! Colosseum Casino Get up to $135 FREE for first time depositers!

Claim your bonus in 3 easy steps:
1) Make a Purchase at the Casino.
2) Visit their promotion claim page
3) Enter your Real Account Number and the following promotion number: colo100r

The FREE 100% MATCH BONUS will then instantly be credited to your Casino account.
PLEASE NOTE : you only have 72 hours to claim your bonus!

Furthermore, If you make an initial purchase above $100 you will receive the $100 bonus, plus an automatic entry into a lottery with the chance to win a wonderful “Smart Car”. Check them out today!

Have you tried Silver Dollar Casino Get a 100% Match Bonus with your first purchase up to $100. If you like slots, “Orient Express” is a must play. This is a 5 reel 21 line slot! One of my favorites!!

MUST JOIN POKER ROOMS

is Casinomeister’s “Poker Room of the Week”. They are offering a 100% match bonus on your first purchase up to $50. Check out their $40 FreeRoll. Every 15 minutes, every day, they have a $40 FreeRoll. Seats are limited, so if your account is less than 7 days old you can take one of the 200 available seats on offer.

This offer is limited to 2 FreeRolls, per player per day. Check them out for more information.

And now for the humor……

To: Tech Support

To whom it may concern, Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed that the new program began making unexpected changes to the accounting software; severely limiting access to wardrobe, flower and jewelry applications that operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. No mention of this phenomenon was included in the product brochure. In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalls many other valuable programs such as DinnerDancing 7.5, CruiseShip 2.3, and OperaNight 6.1 and installs new, undesirable programs such as PokerNight 1.3, SaturdayFootball 5.0, Golf 2.4, and ClutterEverywhere 4.5. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and invariably crashes the system. Under no circumstances will it run DiaperChanging 14.1 or HouseCleaning 2.6. I’ve tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix Husband 1.0, but this all purpose utility is of limited effectiveness. Can you help, please!!!! Signed, Jane

Dear Jane:

This is a very common problem women complain about, but it is mostly due to a primary misconception. Many people upgrade from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 with no idea that Boyfriend 5.0 is merely an ENTERTAINMENT package. However, Husband 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM and was designed by its creator to run as few applications as possible. Further, you cannot purge Husband 1.0 and return to Boyfriend 5.0, because Husband 1.0 is not designed to do this. Hidden operating files within your system would cause Boyfriend 5.0 to emulate Husband 1.0, so nothing is gained. It is impossible to uninstall, delete, or purge the program files from the system, once installed. Any new program files can only be installed once per year, as Husband 1.0 has severely limited memory. Error messages are common, and a normal part of Husband 1.0.

Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. Consider buying additional software to improve performance. I personally recommend HotFood 3.0 and Patience 10.1. Used in conjunction, these utilities can really help keep Husband 1.0 running smoothly. After several years of use, Husband 1.0 will become familiar and you will find many valuable embedded features such as FixBrokenThings 2.1, Snuggling 4.2 and BestFriend 7.6. I hope these notes have helped. Thank you for choosing to install Husband 1.0 and we here at Tech Support wish you the best of luck in coming years. We trust you will learn to fully enjoy this product!

Sincerely,
Tech Support

FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Gamblin’ food!
Posted by TAR on 10th March 2004 07:45 AM

Whatcha folks eat while yer gamblin? My latest is turkey, mayo, and pepperoncinis on a microwaved bagel. Mayo has gotta be drippin’ off it. Pepperoncinis add a nice tang to it. Funny thing is, my weight gain is proportonal to my money loss. Hm.

Whata eatin’ lately???

TwoBelly Tim

So…what have you been eating? Tell us here.

CASINOMEISTER NEWS

DDOS ATTACKS CONTINUE

Online casinos and poker rooms in the firing line

Undeterred by several successful rebuffs, the Eastern European and Brazilian extortion attacks continued this week. The targeted sites preferred to remain anonymous but reported attempts to extort “protection” money followed by the usual attempts to swamp sites and render them inoperable.

Over on the sportsbook side of the business, BetWWTS is reported to have paid the crooks off to the tune of $30 000, but most others were taking a tough line against the threat. Several casinos and poker rooms, including Harrods Casino and Cryptologic’s InterCasino, InterBingo, InterCasinoPoker and VIP Casino went down.

Affiliates of these operations were emailed, “As you are probably aware we are experiencing a DDoS Attack from an external source. Presently this is effecting the PartnerLogic website and all our client Casino websites (InterCasino, InterBingo, InterCasinoPoker and VIP Casino), all of which are currently down.”

Gangs of computer crooks allegedly operating out of Eastern Europe have collected protection money from 10% to 15% of the companies they have threatened, says DK Matai, executive chairman of security company MI2G.

According to USA Today most issue ultimatums in e-mail messages in the days leading to major sporting events, such as the Super Bowl. Often, threats are issued after an attack, demanding that American currency be sent to a Western Union office.

With the key March Madness betting frenzy in the USA fast approaching, more attacks can be anticipated.

BoDog in Costa Rica was forced to pay more than $20,000 last fall when hackers immobilized its site, says Rob Gillespie, the company’s president.

Since then, it has fortified its site with security products from Riverhead Networks and other tech firms. It withstood a hack attack during Super Bowl weekend.

News courtesy of Infopowa news service.

More Casinomeister news here.

4 March 2004 – Issue #181

HAMPTON CASINO ~ PLAYER RAPED OUT OF $1.3 MILLIONDeceit, lies, and wormy conversations: that’s what you’ll get when you speak with Rich Katz (aka Ron Lewin) the operator of Hamptons Casino. As most of you know, he taped recorded a player who goes by the handle “The Pirate” confessing to using a “robot” at Hamptons. At first, there were only a few persons privy to the entire conversation, me, RTG, Hamptons, and possibly a few more. When I first heard this recording of the player confessing to the use of a robot, I honestly believed this is what I heard – a confession of a player getting caught. I heard only about half of this 34 minute tape while I was in London at the ICE. But upon my return, I received a phone call from Ron/Rich/whatever he calls himself — he wanted me to have access to the entire file so I could hear it for myself, at my own leisure. So I downloaded it, listened to it, and wrote him back:

Hi Ron,

I’ve listened to this – and I find it hard to believe that the player confessed to all of this under duress. He sounds like a player who just got caught, but I’m still not 100% certain.

One thing that gets me is that he mentioned he wrote this program in COBOL, which is odd since this is an old language. Most of the tech heads I know have stated that you can’t write a robot in COBOL since it can’t read the screen thus no interface.

He now claims that he was baiting you, hoping to make a deal…but if he had no program to sell, why would he make a deal? This blows me away.

I think the bottom line is — do you have tangible evidence that he used a robot, thus voiding his play? I feel that this is what everyone needs so everyone is certain.

Sincerely,

Bryan

I also mentioned that I was in the process of putting together that week’s webcast, and was wondering if I could air some of the clip. But then I had second thoughts…

Hi Ron,

Actually, I’m wondering if airing the clip is such a good idea. Players may get all freaked out about a casino tape recording players’ phone conversations. I know, the player had posted what he did on another board. He wanted to do it on mine, but I didn’t feel it was right so I disallowed it. And if a casino has this sort of material posted, then it looks like tit for tat; you screw me I screw you sort of thing.

My idea is that I just describe what transpired over the half hour conversation. I honestly feel that this may be more effective, especially since we are only hearing from the vocal players. We haven’t heard from the “silent majority” those that lurk, watching this as spectators; we don’t know what they are thinking.

I haven’t made any public statement that I have listened to a half hour conversation between you two; I haven’t described what I heard or how things were said. Does the player have a copy of this tape as well? I am wondering how much he knows of what I know.

Let me know your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Bryan

But Sting beat me to it publishing the transcripts on gambling911.com, which was fine and dandy with me, since I didn’t have the time to go through this tape (mp3 file) and write down every word. Let me rephrase that: I’m glad I didn’t waste my time with doing so because the tape was nothing but a bunch of bull crap.

Ron/Rich/Richie Rich called me and wanted to know my thoughts and told me that he agreed that players would probably get a little freaked out like I mentioned. Tit for tat, we don’t want ‘dat.

But I still wasn’t totally satisfied, I asked him if he had proof other than this “confession”, that the Pirate used a robot, some sort of data or what-not. He said “Yes, I have proof.” I said, “Are you going to make this public? The confession isn’t good enough.” He said he wasn’t going to do this, that the tape is all he is going to provide. I told him that the Pirate would probably take him to court. Ron/Rich said “Bring it on.” He was prepared to fight this legally.

Well as time elapsed, things got heated in Casinomeister’s forum. And things got interesting as well. A representative from Hamptons casino divulged how they were able to detect Pirate’s “robot”, which prompted Mike McMain, RTG’s Director of Engineering,, to jump into the forum and refute this claim. There was major bullshit coming out of this casino, and they were shooting themselves in the foot with such mindless claims. And I feel sick about the whole thing. Why?

Because there is NO ROBOT.

Rich (Ron Lewin) told me over the phone that he had physical evidence that Brian used a robot (besides his “confession”). This was a lie. And I’m so friggin’ pissed right now because I have put my reputation on the line, I have made public statements that Hamptons had this evidence. You don’t lie to me, because when you lie to the Casinomeister – you get caught.

From the git go, there has been speculation that Rich coerced this confession out of the player. This was always lingering in the back of my head but I gave Ron/Rich the benefit of the doubt; I believed what he told me was true. But yesterday, someone contacted me, who will obviously remain anonymous (who knows what stupid shit Katz will pull), who has been behind the scenes, and he has confirmed my suspicions (and everyone else’s) that Rich coerced “the Pirate” into confessing to something that he didn’t have – a robot.

There is no robot. Rich knows this, the Pirate knows this, RTG knows this, and so do you. What this someone told me was personal in detail, and believe me it just bolsters the facts outlining this case.
1) Hamptons didn’t have the money to cover the funds to pay the player.
2) Hamptons increased the wagering limits in the hope that the Pirate would lose it back.
3) RTG gave a clean bill of health about the game.
4) Rich goes into a panic because he owes the player $1.3 million dollars.
5) Rich tricks the player into saying he has a robot after telling the player he will never see a dime.
6) Rich calls me and tells me he has proof besides the tape that a robot exists.
7) Hamptons enters Casinomeister forum detailing how the robot was detected.
8) RTG enters the forum stating that Hamptons could in no way shape or form detect this robot.
9) Player logs are requested – all requests are ignored.
10) Rich is asked to provide his proof of a robot – requests ignored.
11) MSNBC contacts me – looks like they are going to do a story on this case.
12) Someone contacts me giving me the inside scoop.

But even if this “someone” didn’t contact me, I would have woken up and smelled the coffee anyway; everything fits into place already.

And I feel like shit because now it is crystal clear to me that this player has been unjustly called a cheater, an abusive player, a T&C violator, and he’s been raped out of $1.3 MILLION DOLLARS! I cannot imagine the stress he is gone through, both him and his family.

And what about this stupid robot policy? As mentioned before, the only thing robots can do (robots are software programs that can play at the casino instead of you) is play perfect strategy. Isn’t this what we are all trying to do anyway? It’s stupid to ban them because all they can do is make you lose your money faster. Microgaming, and OddsOn have robots built into their software so you can leave your computer, grab a beer, watch some TV and come back. Shame on RTG for not policing their casino’s terms and conditions on this. It’s like there is total chaos out there.

In closing, I apologize to the “Pirate”, but I had believed that Hamptons Casino was being straightforward with me. Right after the infamous tape was released, Ron/Rich wrote to me and stated, “If he (the player) were baiting me he made a terrible mistake didn’t he….he’s going to have to live with his mistakes, we all do, every day, we are all responsible for the way we carry our selves.” I read this and I wonder how this person can sleep at night, or face himself in the mirror, if he has kids – how can he look them straight in the eye. This whole episode has been one big sleaze fest, and I am sickened with how embarassingly stupid and corrupt this operator has behaved. I am not one to be lied to. When you lie to me, you lie to the entire gaming community.

26 February 2004 – Issue #180

Exasperated. That’s how I feel about this whole “Caribbean 21” mess. Exasperation is something I don’t personally deal with frequently. But I am dealing with it now.

If you are newly subscribed, or if you haven’t been following the events of the past few weeks concerning RTG’s “Caribbean 21” fiasco, here it is in a nutshell:

A player, who goes by the handle “Pirate of the Caribbean21” (I’ll call him P21 for brevity’s sake) played Caribbean21 Blackjack at a number of RTG casinos for a number of months winning in the neighborhood of $1.3 million dollars. Unbelievable – and that’s exactly what the operators of some of these casinos thought. A few operators complained to RTG that there must be something wrong with this game — this one player was kicking serious casino ass.

RTG pulled the game offline. They inspected the game, and just last week gave it a clean seal of approval and put it back in service.

But during the time that RTG was inspecting their P’s and Q’s (or I should say – 1’s and 0’s), the casino manager of Hamptons and P21 had a conversation over the telephone where the player admitted to using a robot. But the next day, the player claimed he made these admissions and confessions under duress. He states he had made these comments (which were tape recorded and spread all over cyberland) believing there was no other way to get any money out of Hamptons.

The casino claims it has evidence of robot play, but won’t produce this information.

And now Delanos Casino won’t pay. They owe the player around $70,000 dollars. Why won’t they pay? Because P21 told the Hamptons manager (not Delanos’) that he had used a robot. Delanos casino has a rule against Robot play. It’s stated clearly here:

All wagers must be placed through the user interface provided by Delano Casino on our Web pages. Any Internet wagering through other means, including the use of a “robot” player, is strictly forbidden. In the event that use of non-approved client software is detected, Management reserves the right to invalidate all such wagers retroactively, cancel the player’s account, or take any other appropriate action. http://www.delanocasino.com/rules.asp

Which is identical down to the punctuation to Hampton’s terms:

All wagers must be placed through the user interface provided by Hampton Casino on our Web pages. Any Internet wagering through other means, including the use of a “robot” player, is strictly forbidden. In the event that use of non-approved client software is detected, Management reserves the right to invalidate all such wagers retroactively, cancel the player’s account, or take any other appropriate action. http://www.hamptoncasino.com/legal.asp

Oddly enough, this same statement appears at 5Dimes Sportbook and Casino, a Unified Gaming casino.

All Internet wagers must be placed through the user interface provided by 5Dimes Sportsbook & Casino on its Web pages. Any Internet wagering through other means, including the use of a “robot” player, is strictly forbidden. In the event that use of non-approved client software is detected, Management reserves the right to invalidate all such wagers retroactively, cancel the player’s account, or take any other appropriate action. http://www.5dimes.com/rulespolicies.htm

Hamptons Casino used to be a Unified Gaming casino. In fact, they are still listed at Unified Gaming as one of their clients.

So what happened here? It looks like Hamptons Casino is using a Unified Gaming rule, and they brought this over from their happy days at UG. Delanos did not have this rule on their “Rules” page back in June 2003 according to the Wayback Machine http://www.archive.org/, so this is a recent update. How recent? We don’t know. This is up to Delanos to clarify.

But why ban robots? Hampton’s manager told me the reason they ban robots is that they want real players playing their games. He equated it to playing in Vegas: they have the shows, the free drinks — the action, everything going on around you to distract you while playing; thus the house edge gets even better.

The same thing goes for online play. These anti-bot operators want real players, ones who make mistakes, or get distracted, or who go by gut feelings and not use perfect robot-like strategy and hit when they should stand. The house edge gets even better when you aren’t playing perfect strategy.

But isn’t that what most of us are trying to accomplish? To play perfect strategy? Isn’t this why Microgaming has robot play built into their game package? Isn’t this how you are supposed to play?

Jyde, one of our more profound posters in our forum put it mildly:

Banning robots is like admitting your games are rigged because you’re afraid someone will find patterns. A robot can’t do shit for you – other than lose money when you’re not around. You can teach it basic strategy – and it will play basic strategy. You can have it bet progressions and it will do it. But you can’t teach it “gut feeling” which I believe is the only “tool” the Pirate (P21) used.

So what now? Where will it go from here. Should we expect some sort of public announcement or Press Release that addresses these issues from Real Time Gaming, or are the hopes that this situation will eventually die out and go away?

I think not. Unfortunately, once the main stream press gets wind of this, most of the people involved will wonder why didn’t they just pay the guy and make a big PR issue out of it. 20/20 hindsight has a serious price sometimes.

I’ve been corresponding with the operators of Delano Casino over the past several days. One of the last things I mentioned was:

I understand the policy of sticking by your guns, and making sure that players adhere to the casino’s terms and conditions. But don’t let this become “blind obedience” to the rules. I learned as a US paratrooper that sometimes you need to break or change your own rules in order to get out of a messy situation. You may be facing the same sort of situation. Perhaps you should look at this “robot play” rule and decide whether or not this is feasible or rational rule to have at all. Don’t forget; it’s your rule, you’re the boss, you can do what you please. I know of some casinos that have just said the hell with the rules, paid the aggrieved players, and then revised their terms and conditions. This is a path worth considering.

I still have hope that considerations are being made, and that the right thing will be done. I hope by next week we know exactly what RTG, Delano, and Hampton plan to do. The hours of speculation are over.

NEW EVIL PLAYER

Opportunists don’t bother me too much; people who take advantage of a situation to further their own cause. But this situation merits condemnation of the most serious kind. This player took advantage of the death of my friend and player advocate Julie Sidwell to reopen a case of player fraud – his fraud.

Read the rest of his shameless exploit here.

SPECIAL CASINOMEISTER BONUS AT SUN VEGAS

Sun Vegas Casino has just released new Viper Games!!

The Big Kahuna is the chief game of the Microgaming new releases. This exciting, feature filled game is a 5-reel, 9 payline video slot that has a wild symbol, a scatter symbol and two bonus features.

3 Card Poker is the latest addition to the Microgaming suite of quality table games. You will love this easy and uncomplicated game with its fast pace and excitement-filled play. Players face off against the dealer by staking the Ante and Play bets, or staking the Pair Plus bet which pays out according to the rank of the cards in hand whether they beat the dealer’s hand or not.

Aces and Faces 10 Play Power Poker is Microgaming’s new video poker game featuring generous pay tables, improved performance and graphics and the Ten Times concept that enables players to play ten hands at a time, every hand dealt from a separate and independent deck.

Don’t forget Sun Vegas is offering a 150% Match Bonus on your initial deposit (terms and conditions apply). Also recieve an additional $20 Casinomeister bonus on your initial Deposit Bonus by opening a real account via this link and emailing support with the following code: sv20Extra211. You can expect the bonus to appear in your account within 5 hours after making the deposit, and sending the email.

Other high quality casinos that have these new games right now:
Spin Palace
Platinum Play Casino
King Neptunes Casino

If you haven’t joined my Slots tournament at Intercasino, now is the time. The signup fee is a mere $20 – you’re given $1000 play money to playout for 90 minutes – 10 minutes today – 20 minutes tomorrow – it don’t matter. You have only until the 29th to play it out!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The kitty stands at $5000 right now. Way to go!!

Congrats to last month’s winners:

1st: moisanf $2470.00
2nd: kmyeg $988.00
3rd: risch2 $494.00
4 gtdidea $494.00
5 Yeedini $494.00

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

NEW CASINOS JOIN CASINOMEISTER

Let’s give the following Playtech casinos a warm welcome for joining the ranks of Casinomeister’s Reputable Casino section.

Casino Las Vegas $100 FREE First Deposit Bonus, $100 FREE Second Deposit Bonus, $100 FREE Third Deposit Bonus, $100 FREE Fourth Deposit Bonus!! That’s a lot of bonuses! Terms and conditions apply. Open an account today!

And if you like them apples, you have the same bonus structure at their sister site Swiss Casino Check them out today!

And now for the humor……

“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven,” says the senator.

They are having such a good time that, before she realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives her a big hug and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for her.

The Devil looks at her, smiles and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us!”

ha ha ha!

20 February 2004 – Issue #179

SHOULD HAMPTON’S PAY?

Well, for those of you who are following the saga of the unpaid $1.3 million dollar winner at Hampton’s Casino, there has been an interesting turn of events that may expedite payments for this player.

RTG has given the game “Caribbean 21” the thumbs up and it’s been relaunched. Phoenician Casino.com is one of the first to do so, and stated publicly that this player was paid by them and they had no problem in doing so. Now all eyes are turning to Delano Casino who is holding $70,000 or so of his. What will they do now? Well, I hope they pay the guy – expediently.

And what about Hamptons, will they stick to their guns that they won’t pay this player a dime more than what they already have? They owe this player in the neighborhood of $1.3 million dollars. The casino manager and the player had a conversation over the telephone where the player admitted to using a robot…and then they agreed to go into cahoots together and make some money off of other RTG powered casinos. But the player has claimed he has made these admissions and confessions under duress. He claims he had made these comments (which were tape recorded and spread all over cyberland), believing there was no other way to get any money out of Hamptons. How true is this? We may never know.

The casino claims it has evidence of robot play, but won’t produce this information. So it’s a Mexican standoff of sorts.

Lets look at an analogy to get a better understanding what is happening here. Let’s say a casino forbids players from wearing a blue hat while playing the games: this is stated in the casino’s terms and conditions – no blue hats to be worn while playing. Now let’s say a player wins a million dollars at this casino, but says he wore a blue hat while playing. And then he changes his story saying that he never wore a hat of any color.

Is the casino liable to pay up? Does the casino have the right not to pay a player that wore a blue hat, even though most people feel the blue hat rule is a goofy-ass rule? I feel that the casino has a right not to pay, if it can show photographic evidence of the player wearing the blue hat. But there is no concrete evidence in this situation, no photos, no witnesses.

If the casino does not pay this player, it will always be remembered as “the casino that did not pay a player because of a stupid hat rule”.

Back to this Caribbean 21 situation: Do you find it odd that only one player has been winning these amounts? No one else has come forth stating that they’ve been playing the same strategy. So why only this player? Well, I guess this dude knows what he’s doing and no one else is doing it – what he’s doing. Maybe he has a secret. These casinos have been watching him for some time now, for quite a few months…some of these casinos were getting their butts kicked by this guy. But no action was taken until the beginning of January when RTG yanked the game and Hampton refused to pay the remainder of the $1.3 million. This is no ordinary situation.

You know what would be interesting, what if the programer who designed the game joined the dark side and hooked up with someone innocent like this player? I wonder if this has crossed anyone’s mind at all. I’ve been thinking about this a bit since my gut instinct says something ain’t kosher here.

But you can’t go by gut instincts in situations such as these. You gotta have proof, a smoking gun. If something techno-funky happened, you have to prove it with data – not horse doo doo.

So as things stand now, as painful as it may seem for the casino — the player ought to be paid everything he’s owed.

NEW WEBCAST

A new webcast is up! Topics include:

*Should Hampton Casino Pay?
*Luck’nRoll Casino – Rogue
*Vortran007 Casino Warning All this and more .

PLAYER FRAUD

This is no joke. I am getting hit up by player fraud a bit too often. Players who lie to me in order to weasel some “winnings” out of a casino. I do not tolerate player fraud, even if it’s fraud against a casino I don’t see eye to I with, I do not tolerate it. A recent incident happened here, where “Crudebar” reared his fugly head again, but was disguised as Boatman. Oops, he got caught.

If you are a fraudster and seek my help via the “Pitch a Bitch” section, be forewarned that I will publicly drag you though the coals and notify every casino operator I know to encourage them to shut you out and kick you to the curb. Taking care of player complaints is a time consuming thing, and no one pays me to do this. If you have a pending “Pitch a Bitch” that I haven’t gotten to yet, you can thank dickheads like Crudebar for wasting my time.

If you are defrauding the casinos, please do not use my services.

SPECIAL CASINOMEISTER BONUS AT SUN VEGAS

Sun Vegas Casino has just released their Viper Games!! This includes the new slots “Spring Break” and “Hot Shots”!! If you are not a member yet, they are offering a 150% Match Bonus on your initial deposit (terms and conditions apply). Also recieve an additional $20 Casinomeister bonus on your initial Deposit Bonus by opening a real account via this link and emailing support with the following code: sv20Extra211. You can expect the bonus to appear in your account within 5 hours after making the deposit, and sending the email.

This is one of the best casinos out there; I play there almost daily!!

Vortran007Robot Warning

CASINO WARNING:
Indiocasino is not paying its players due to a software malfunction. They have also claimed that Futurebet is aware of this and that this should be corrected soon. This is incorrect. Futurebet has stated that they are unaware of any malfunction. Indio casino is being untruthful and should be avoided at all costs. (Listen to what Vortran has to say on our webcast)

There will be more posted at Casinomeister as this story develops, to include the list of marketing firms involved.

SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The kitty stands at $3920 right now. Way to go!!Congrats to last month’s winners:1st: moisanf $2470.00
2nd: kmyeg $988.00
3rd: risch2 $494.00
4 gtdidea $494.00
5 Yeedini $494.00

GONEGAMBLING’S JACKPOT!

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Wizard of Odds
Check it out here!

CASINOS YOU GOTTA JOIN!

Have you tried English Harbour’s new Platinum Version 4.20 software? Well if you like slots, this is a “must play”. Orient Express is a 5 reel 21 line slot! Check them out today!!

And now for the humor……

After a day fishing in the ocean a fisherman is walking from the pier carrying two lobsters in a bucket. He is approached by the Game Warden who asks him for his fishing license.

Not having one the fisherman says to the warden, “I did not catch these lobsters, they are my pets. Every day I come done to the water and whistle and these lobsters jump out and I take them for a walk only to return them at the end of the day.”

The warden, not believing him, reminds him that it is illegal to fish without a license.

The fisherman turns to the warden and says, “If you don’t believe me then watch,” as he throws the lobsters back into the water.

The warden says, “Now whistle to your lobsters and show me that they will come out of the water.”

The fisherman turns to the warden and says, “What lobsters?”

Ha ha ha ha

CASINO CAUTIONS

Be cautious at Hampton
After weeks of watching the sad saga of Hampton and The Pirate develop we have now seen enough to convince us that Hampton Casino.com has been behaving in a questionable manner and should only be approached with caution…especially if big wins are made. If you’re planning on playing at this operation please be careful and ensure that you carry out a search on leading message boards first.

Online poker casualties
There’s been something of a goldrush into the booming online poker sector, and as a consequence the industry is now seeing a few casualties. Pro Poker’s website is down, and the word is that World Poker Central is also offline as of this week. Odds On-powered Big Bet Poker has already told its players that it is to close February 23.

Not much pride here
There have been grave doubts about online casino, fantasy sports and sportsbook site Lionbet.com since December last year, when the owner, apparently in a spat with software provider Futurebet advised affiliates to stop sending him players because the FB payout infrastructure was so slow. The key question of course was why that owner continued to accept deposits despite this. Another warning flag was non-payment of affiliate obligations and the final crunch came this week when Lionbet stopped responding to emails complaining about this. A few months back Futurebet was boasting that it had received new investment which would revitalize the company, and perhaps some of that should have been directed into the player support and accounting infrastructure. The site, still powered by Futurebet is operating, but if the owner is stiffing affiliates, he or she is probably only a heartbeat away from screwing players.

More news here.

18 February 2004

Pardon the intrusion, but I thought you might want to know that Platinum Play Casino has changed their bonus structure to the following:
A 200% match bonus up to $50 plus an additional $10 if you purchase $50 or more.
Therefore:
It’s purchase $20 – get $40 Free
Purchase $50 – get $110 Free.

Terms of new offer:
To cash out the purchase = 15x
To cash out the Bonus = 15x
To cash out the free ($10) = 20x
(Terms and conditions apply. Please read them!)

If you haven’t joined this casino, now is the time to do so. I play there nearly daily – it’s by far one of my favorites!

Now get back to work before your boss catches you slacking off!

12 February 2004 – Issue #178

A 1.3 Million win NOT!

This industry never ceases to amaze me. If you haven’t been following this story about a $1.3 million screw up, I’ll give it to you in a nutshell. This player, we’ll call him P21 for brevity’s sake, won over a million dollars at Hamptons Casino playing Caribbean 21. In fact this player has been paid out about $60,000 dollars from several other RTG casinos and has about $70,000 sitting at Delano casino, but at the moment his Delano account is locked.

This is a lot of friggin’ money.

Now the player has been accused of using software, or a “robot” to accentuate his play. This is strictly forbidden in Hampton Casino’s terms and conditions. The worst thing is that this player, P21, has admitted it via a taped phone conversation. Who taped the conversation? The casino did without the player’s knowledge, and the player did the same to the casino without the casino’s knowledge.

Both the player and the casino have posted bits and pieces of this conversation in cyberland: P21 claiming he was hoodwinked into confessing, the casino claiming the confession is good enough. Both P21 and Hamptons casino have been thrown into a lion’s den, our forum, where both positions have been turned upside down, dissected, ripped apart, sewn shut, kicked across the floor, and opened up again.

And it ain’t nowhere near resolved. Question: how will this be resolved? There is no way in hell that players will let this one go. The amount of money involved is one thing, but where is the regulating entity? There is NOT one. Players of these casinos have no protection, no safety net to catch them when they fall — and it goes both ways, the casino has no one to turn to, to prove their case. Hamptons Casino is “licensed” in Panama. Where is this “authority” that should be stepping in to solve or resolve this matter? And Hamptons casino should be kicking themselves in the fourth point of contact (an old paratrooper term), by having been licensed here. One would guess that at this stage, the casino would also approach their licensing agency to protect them against fraudulent claims, or to act as an official regulator; someone to give us an authoritative voice. But I believe the Panamanian licensing agency is about as worthless as the Costa Rican one. Prove me wrong please.

The bottom line is, no matter how convincing the tape is (and it is if you have heard the entire 30 minutes – I have), the players need to be presented tangible evidence via a trusted third party who has expertise in this matter. Unfortunately, the casino waited too long to respond; the players’ trust is a fragile one. And the damage has been done: Hamptons Casino will always be remembered by the players as the casino that didn’t pay a dude $1.3 million because of a stupid rule.

And a stupid rule it is. Microgaming has “robots” built into their software, allowing players to go into autopilot, grab a beer or hot cup o’ java while their computer plays away. Go Vortran, go!! But what the hell, that’s no fun! I play because I like to play. I use good game play and strategy; I know what I’m doing. But I also go on hunches as well. After a certain number of crappy hands, I’ll up the bet 5 or sometimes 10 fold, just so long as my bankroll can handle it. WHAM I hit it big, or I end up staring at .77 cents left in my account…that’s why they call it gambling.

Casinos expect this, the erring human factor. Why do you think they serve you free drinks in Vegas? Someone’s got to pay the lighting bills there. I spoke to Hampton Casino’s manager Ron Lewin over the phone the other day, and he explained that this is one of the reasons they do not allow robot play. He wants to ensure that it’s a human on the other end, someone enjoying the casino action, someone making judgement calls – playing on hunches, someone who is likely to error in the casino’s favor. This is what they do in Vegas, this is what they do at Hamptons.

This is what the industry is all about.

Even so. It’s still a stupid rule. Robots can be programed to play perfect strategy, but they can still lose. They don’t “see” the cards on the other side of the table, they are only there as pseudo people. But it’s the casino’s prerogative to have this rule. And if you break the rules, all bets are off.

Anyway, here is my take on the whole situation:

The player did something that no one can figure out – it wasn’t luck – something was manipulated – that’s my gut feeling. No one has ever won this much money EVER on this game. As far as I know, P21 played this game exclusively over the past few months at RTG casinos. He is the only person making these sort of winnings.

Hampton’s had the same gut feeling and called P21’s bluff. P21 realized that he was caught, ‘fessed up, and tried to cut a deal for $300,000. But he insisted that the casino would reveal how he was caught. The casino remained tight lipped.

Next: P21’s significant other may have found out later that day and commenced to kick some serious butt — P21’s. P21 was convinced to change his story.

The next day, P21 claimed to be duped — that he was tricked into confessing — that there is no robot — that he has been misunderstood and taken advantage of. He was merely playing the games. And so it goes.

DaveR, a long time respected member of our forum mentioned the following scenario in our message board:

This whole thing was an inside job. One of the programmers at RTG (perhaps the developer of Caribbean 21 himself) implemented a cheat mode into the game. This programmer may have revealed this cheat mode to his best friend (computer programming buddy P21), and a robot was developed by either of them. Plans were made to split the profits if the scam worked. $1.3 MILLION is nothing to laugh at

Wow. I wonder if this has been considered by those who have been investigating the case at RTG. If so, remember you heard it here first. Tantalizing ain’t it?

SPECIAL CASINOMEISTER BONUS AT SUN VEGAS

Pardon the intrusion but I thought this would interest you. Sun Vegas Casino has just released their Viper Games!! This includes the new slots “Spring Break” and “Hot Shots”!! If you are not a member yet, they are offering a 150% Match Bonus on your initial deposit (terms and conditions apply). Also recieve an additional $20 Casinomeister bonus on your initial Deposit Bonus by opening a real account via this link and emailing support with the following code: sv20Extra211. You can expect the bonus to appear in your account within 5 hours after making the deposit, and sending the email.

This is one of the best casinos out there; I play there almost daily!!

THE ICE WEBCAST

It’s a hit! Exclusive interviews with:

Ed Ware of 32 Red
Tim Whyles of Wagershare
Gord Herman – CEO of Neteller
Eddy Kleid of RTG
Spearmaster of Got2Bet

All this and more here.

SLOTS TOURNAMENT AT INTERCASINO!

Top scorer wins 50% of the kitty, second place 20% and three runners up win 10%. The kitty stands at $3180 right now. Way to go!!

Congrats to last month’s winners:

1st: moisanf $2470.00
2nd: kmyeg $988.00
3rd: risch2 $494.00
4th: gtdidea $494.00
5th: Yeedini $494.00

Gonegambling’s Jackpot

Sign up at four of the best portals on the web and be eligible for a weekly drawing of a least $200. Participating portals:
Got2bet
GoneGambling
Reviewed Casinos
Wizard of Odds

Check it out here!

CASINOS YOU NEED TO JOIN!

Have you tried Super Slots Buy $100 – Get A $100 Bonus! The minimum eligible purchase for the Welcome Bonus is $50 – $100. Initial purchases for more than $100 will be subject to a maximum Bonus of $100. SuperSlots Casino is part of the English Harbour New Ventures Group. Check them out today!!

Platinum Play Casino is one of the Best Casinos out there! Consistantly getting great reviews by players and portals alike, this is another casino I enjoy hanging around. In fact, I just whipped some serious ass in Thunderstruck Slots. Join in on the fun here!

And now for the humor……

From the archives:

A snail slithered into a bar, climbed up to the counter and said to the barkeep, “I’ll have a beer please.”
The bartender picked him up and without saying a word, threw the hapless snail out the window.

Two years later, the same snail slithered back into the bar, climbed back up to the counter and said to the barkeep, “What did you do that for?”

Government Verbosity:
Pythagorean theorem: 24 words.
The Lord’s prayer: 66 words.
Archimedes’ Principle: 67 words.
The 10 Commandments: 179 words.
The Gettysburg address: 286 words.
The Declaration of Independence: 1,300 words.
U.S. Government regulations on cabbage sales: 26,911 words.

Ha ha ha ha

CASINO CAUTIONS

Going, going, gone?
Posts are appearing on the Internet from worried players to whom ProPoker.com is alleged to owe money. They are concerned at the lack of response to their emails asking about the following “For Sale” info on this site:

“Notice: ProPoker is now up for sale. All parties interested please email management@propoker.com”

In the interests of a balanced report we invited comments on what will happen to client accounts and monies owed in the event of a sale, and whether the owners are leaving the industry or moving on to some other form of Got2bet. This reasonable question has received no response and we would therefore advise caution around this operation until the situation is clearer…and they communicate.

Don’t bank on this
Online gamers with long memories or good research talent will recognise the name Jack Banks from the notorious multi-million dollar fraud charges several years ago. Information coming to hand this week would suggest that these folks may be touting new software and re-entering the industry.

The following brands are suspected of being involved:

Getacut (white label program)
iGaming Network (no download Java, 40 game software)
Gcash
g.cash
galaxiworld
Telton Ltd.

Jack Banks aka Banques was convicted of bank fraud and securities fraud in relation to founding Galaxiworld several years ago and was punished by what was referred to at the time as a “…mere slap on the wrist”. His daughter Esther Willinger nee Banks seems to be involved in his businesses and runs marketing operations. Information from reliable sources indicates that the following casinos are probably involved and should therefore be approached with care.

ivegas.com
goldencairocasino.com
galaxine.com
galaxiworld.com
casino.centurion.net
casino.getacut.com

Does Antigua care?
Players and portalmasters alike continue to look askance at the Antiguan gaming directorate’s continued silence on the Odds On – Forty Plus closure affair, and complaints have now been submitted to several governments. Odds On has offices in Antigua and appears to be licensed there despite its other premises in Costa Rica and Toronto, yet Antiguan gaming director Ron Maginley has apparently told enquirers that Odds On’s involvement in the Forty Plus affair is outside his remit. At least one outraged player is said to be pressing Maginley on the issue, thus far without a reply. Forty Plus abruptly closed last year leaving players unpaid, and after some pressure and three months Odds On made arrangements for aggrieved players to receive credits at English Harbour Casino. Questions are being asked about the ownership links between the two companies, and about the questionable manner in which Odds On handled the Forty Plus issue. Antigua and the USA are currently at loggerheads in a dispute before the WTO on the impact of U.S. actions on Antigua as a fee-earning gambling jurisdiction. It would seem that some players have been paid and others not, a worrying scenario in an issue that has dragged on for far too long.

10 February 2004 – International Casino Exhibition ~ London Special Edition

Thieves suck.

So where do I begin, well I could begin trying to explain why this London adventure has taken so long to publish (I’ve been back for ten days), but I won’t get into this. I would rather begin with the drive to Nürnberg on January 24th cruising through the early morning snow, wondering if I was going to make it to the airport in time. Or I could begin with chillin’ in the Flughafen (airport), listening to my brand new iPod which was making its virgin trip, or I could begin with chillin’ in the aircraft, listening to my iPod groovin’ to the tunes I had uploaded the night before, or I could begin on the “tube” when I had realized that I had left my backpack on the transfer bus, which included my iPod, my digital recorder, three years worth of hand scribed notes, my digital camera, gloves, scarf, umbrella, and passport.

The bus drove off with my backpack, and it was never turned in. Thieves suck. The worst of the matter was the camera. Everything can be replaced, but the camera had pictures that are now gone forever. I could kick myself in the ass. Before I left I was going to download them, but I ran out of time. There were pictures of my kids posing in front of the Christmas tree, playing in the snow, and I’ll never see them again all because of my absentmindedness – and because of a thief.

Lesson learned: never travel with things that are irreplaceable and download your pictures whenever possible.

Getting a new passport was no problem. Since I do a lot of traveling, I carry a photocopy of my passport in my luggage for just this sort of situation. And I was surprised how helpful the personnel at the American consulate were in helping me get a new one. But alas, I had only so much time in London, and Monday was my funday – shot to hellday.

Anyway, so I started off the trip being bummed out. At least I was with friends who helped me feel at ease by bringing me to China Town for some funky Chinese food and then forcing tequila shots down my throat (thanks Greedy Girl). Nevertheless, I made it to the first day of the International Casino Exhibition in one sober piece the next morning.

The exhibition floor was huge, and it took a while to find the online gaming section of the ICE. It was disappointingly small. Only a handful of booths filled two rows and several of the leading suppliers of gaming software were not represented. Why? Because it seems they have no need to rent a space (Microgaming for one) since they are not taking on new clients. Makes sense, but it would have been nice to see a demonstration of what is to come…Microgaming for example is always developing new games. And…sources tell me that some fantastic new slots are due out soon (you think Thunderstruck and Spring Break are groovy, just wait). But anyway, many of these reps were loitering around, they just didn’t have booths. No problem with that since I can still get what I want. And what do I want? I want information.

I don’t come here to hang out in booths, I come to talk to people, to meet with them get to know them and their operations. My digital recorder, lost in my backpack and belonging to some thief right now, was to assist me in making some unprecedented interviews with figureheads of this industry�so I bought a new one, and put it to good use.

Ed Ware, the operator of 32Red, was my first guest and we met in a rustic pub just down the road from the ICE. Our conversation was very informative. He touched on his policies on how his casino handles problem gamblers (which is a hot topic in the UK), and his casino’s relationship with US players. This is an operator truly dedicated to this industry and to his players. This is what operating a casino should be all about, and it’s nice seeing this personified. You can listen to this interview here.

Tuesday evening led to an event I’ll never forget; dog racing. Fortune Affiliates had invited a number of their affiliates for a night at the races; a buffet table decked out in the best English eats (yum) and a free 5 pound wagering chip. Dogs with names like “half tight” and “Angry Man” (I immediately thought of Warren Cloud, and bet on this one) zipped around the track; I wasn’t aware they could run so fast. Spearmaster, Greedy Girl, Peralis, and Mito made the evening into an entertaining one with their rambunctious behavior. Thanks Fortune Affiliates for a memorable evening.

The next day was spent mostly meandering around the exhibition center. One of the most interesting segments was my lunch with the CEO of the Virtual Casino group. Now most of you are aware of my dealings with this casino group. There have been some serious problems in the past, and I have been quite outspoken about all of this. The CEO wanted to meet me for lunch, and I was a bit leery at first thinking I’d be picked up and taken “for a ride.” But it was cool. He met me in a cab along with his CFO, an elderly English gentleman. No goon squad here.

We sat down at a nearby restaurant and talked. He was aware of my past dealings with his casinos, and some incidents I reminded him of, and to his CFO who was mainly in the financial loop of things – not the casino side. I spoke of my concern over the issues of manipulative spam campaigns, about some serious breaches of player privacy, and of player complaint issues.

The CEO of the Virtual Casino group has assured me that the Virtual Casino group has turned over a new leaf, they have a new managerial staff that is dedicated to the industry and they have been cleaning up their act. This is a good thing, I thought since this is what we all want-a change for the better. I know, I know, many of us are skeptical about what people say – since actions are what count. Well, the proof will be in the pudding as he said. I have a special section at Casinomeister set up to handle any outstanding complaints concerning this group of casinos.

We also cleared up some misunderstandings about Prism Casino and Cirrus casinos. These casinos had many related identifiers when they were either launched, or under operation. I had pointed this out clearly months ago, and stand by my findings. But it was good to finally hear an explanations as to why. One of the reasons was that the Virtual group was acting as a consulting group to get these guys started. They were sharing server space, email accounts, stats, etc. but as the initial weeks went by they separated into their own identities and business entities. I was not wrong what I have said in the past; I’ve said that there were identifiers that connected theses casinos to one another. But now I feel it’s safe to say that they are separate businesses.

So I’m considering some of the past casino screwups to be water under the bridge; the manipulative spam, the dissing of me by their support, the accidental exposure of player identities and credit card info on the internet. Water under the bridge, but I’ll be watching them – closely.

For the remainder of the day, I met a number of good friends and acquaintances. Brian Cullingworth and I filled each other in on some interesting gossip. No we were talking about you my dear reader, but we could have been. You never know.

I met with Paul Templeton, Neteller’s VP of operations for the UK. This proved most interesting because it seems that even though the online casino industry is for the most part unregulated, it’s the ecash providers that may be the crux of protection for players. He set me up for an interview with the CEO of Neteller Gord Herman, which you can listen to here, and this proved to be very reassuring for any players who are having difficulties with online casinos.

When players have problems, and they approach me, the first thing I do is contact the operator, or at least make an attempt to do so. If I don’t have a point of contact, I take it to their support. If there is no response after three attempts, I contact the software provider, then the licensing agency. Now one entity I have left out of the loop is the ecash provider, but now no longer. If you are a rogue casino operator and you are reading this, be advised that Neteller takes their customers seriously. It will take merely two or three complaints to prompt Neteller to review your merchant account. I know of one casino/sportsbook that had their Neteller account yanked just a few weeks ago. Something to dwell on.

And players, if you do not have a Neteller account, why not? They are growing rapidly and will soon will be making transactions in Euros and British Pounds.

That evening was the Fire and Ice party which turned out to be a very interesting engagement. I even ran into Brian Woods again, one of the operators for Black Widow casino. You may recall it was our chance meeting last year – or was it by chance – that gave impetus or the momentum to award Black Widow the worst casino of 2003 award. We chit chatted for a while, about how things were going, the usual banter. And then I asked him if he was pissed at me. He said “No, do I look pissed?” and I said no – he didn’t. So we spoke for a while longer, about the industry, about Europe, and about a number of trivial things. He then handed me a White Russian, and we lost ourselves in the crowd. In essence, I’m glad no one is pissed.

That evening I also hooked up with Time Whyles of Wagershare, and we discussed a number of things that affiliates may find interesting while hanging out in a quieter spot (in front if the women’s bathroom). You can hear about it on my webcast as well.

The last day of the ICE was spent mostly with RTG and going over a number of player issues. One biggie is the issue about a player who has won over a million dollars at Hampton Casino playing Caribbean 21. In fact this player has been paid out about $60,000 dollars from several other RTG casinos and at press time he has about $70,000 sitting at Delano casino, but his account is locked.

In a nutshell, he has won a lot of money.

But there are troubles in these waters which I am still trying to decipher. The player has been accused of robot play, which is strictly forbidden by Hampton’s. And the worst thing is that this player has admitted it via a taped phone conversation. The casino has posted this phone conversation where the player admits this. Yet the player is recanting his confession, stating that he was entrapped to confess. The casino considers the phone conversation as evidence enough – taking the confession face value, stating that the recorded conversation (which both parties recorded by the way) is good enough. They haven’t produced techno-evidence of robot play to the outspoken mass of angry players. Oh, what a mess. If you want to read about it, you can check it out here. But brew yourself a pot of java before hand, it’s a long read.

But anyway, my trip to London was much more informative than eventful, except of course there are several events that are still lingering with me. Movies for one; as tradition has it, I’ve caught the “Lord of the Rings” films, all three, at the Odeon in Leicester Square. What a fantastic experience! It’s a shame that this film was the last one of the bunch.

Another thing that is lingering within is knowing that I have a lot of friends in this industry. My job can be a “loners” job. I sit here up in my studio, staring at the monitor all day, pounding out emails and working on the site; Vortran and I don’t speak for hours at a time at times. Sometimes I’ll get the occasional phone call, but that’s about it. It’s quiet in my studio (except for the music which you can listen to here), but I am in contact with hundreds (if not thousands) of people all over the world. Weird ain’t it.

And this has got to be one of the weirdest jobs in the world; running Casinomeister – but I like it. I find it satisfying when I’m able to help some poor wayward player receive their winnings that they considered lost. I enjoy helping businesses stand out amongst their peers when they do good. And I am intrigued on how some “businesses” assume we are gullible sheep waiting to be herded into some sheppard’s soup.

And I have learned that one must always keep their guard up, be it on a London bus, or at home investigating some errant online casino. There are snakes in the grass; I hope I can continue to cut a clear path.

2 February 2004 – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Also, stay tuned for this week’s webcast and newsletter. Exclusive interviews with 32red Casino’s Ed Ware, Tim Whyles – affiliate manager of the Spin Palace group, RTG, Spearmaster, and Neteller’s CEO Gord Herman, and you’ll also hear of my exploits at the ICE in London.

Now get back to work before your boss catches you slacking off!