Las Vegas Casinos See Greater Decline in Gambling Revenue for 2010…

March 11th, 2010

Oh Las Vegas I feel your pain! But then again, I don’t feel the pain of your hotheaded governor who recently threatened President Obama after he spoke to a group of high school seniors and urged them to save money for college rather than gambling it in Las Vegas.

So yes, Las Vegas continues to lose gambling revenue. Ever since the unofficial recession started, Las Vegas has experienced a gradual decline in the money it takes from people. Look, I completely understand that in order for Las Vegas to continue being the “playground” it has become for adults over the years, it needs a whole lot of money coming in. But you know what? Las Vegas isn’t going anywhere – and the loss of revenue really isn’t that big of a loss.

January 2010 saw a 3.2% decrease in overall revenue compared to January 2008. Granted, 2008 was a loss from 2007, and all but one month in the last two years has seen an increase in revenue. But still, that revenue came in at $888.3 million for the month of January 2010. Needless to say, business is still good.

Casino operators and the Nevada Gaming Control Board would certainly love to see Las Vegas faring better, yet, they know things aren’t going to overnight. Referring to January 2010 as a soft month, the Gaming Control Board says they are expecting an even larger decline in the coming months this year. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however. And that, my friends, is the World Series of Poker, which makes its way into Vegas during the Summer months.

That said, I have something to say to Las Vegas. Dear Las Vegas, maybe if you hadn’t fought against regulating online casino gambling all those years, you wouldn’t be in the fix you’re now in. And let me remind you that WSOP is primarily fueled by the online poker industry. You can thank the PPA later for saving your ass this year. And don’t go blaming the economy either – cough, cough Project City Center, cough, crazy condo developers – for the Pennsylvania gambling industry has seen increases in revenue. Sure, Atlantic City is going bankrupt, but that’s what happens when you let Donald Trump open a casino. Oh wait, Trump recently set up shop in Vegas, did he not? :)

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Inter Casino Gets Makeover in More Ways Than One

March 11th, 2010

If you haven’t been over to Cryptologic-powered Inter Casino in the last few months, now is a great time to give the “oldest” online casino in business today, a visit. I say “oldest” in parentheses simply because there are other online casinos sure to argue they were launched before Inter Casino, but if you ask me – all things considered – Inter Casino is the oldest, having launched in 1996.

So, what’s all this fuss about dropping by Inter Casino these days? Well, most importantly, there are some great new bonuses and promotions being offered for non U.S. players right now. Secondly, Inter Casino has received a huge design makeover, pretty much making their website entirely unrecognizable to players who knew it since, well, pretty much since it was launched nearly fifteen years ago.

At first, I thought the extent of Inter Casino’s makeover was a little too much, but then considering how long Inter Casino has kept the same look going, it made more sense they were feeling the need to give their image a complete makeover. It’s like that pair of jeans you’ve grown so used to wearing. Sure, they do the job and stay on your butt, feel comfortable and  look nice. But times are a changin’, and fashion/design is especially an evolving phenomenon.

This also explains Inter Casino’s recent decision to launch a Twitter page and tap into the booming social media networking sector. A smart decision, if you ask me, for there is no denying the role of social marketing in an increasingly competitive World Wide Web. The fast-paced world of Twitter seems especially suited to the ever-changing online gambling industry.

For more information on Inter Casino, as well as all of the new promotions and bonus offers being offered, including a 100% slots bonus up to £125 Free and a 100% games bonus up to £80 Free, read the OCS Inter Casino Review. The new logo will give you a taste of the new design.

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Online Bingo Picks Up During Winter Months – Carves a Niche in Gaming Sector

March 10th, 2010

I recently read a report that the long and snowy winter in the UK is being credited with increasing online bingo activity. If you ask me, there’s no disputing the claims, and for that matter, the long and blistery winter taking place up here in the Northeastern United States is doing the same! Lest I mislead any of you to think your’s truly is an avid online bingo player, let me just say that I still dig me some bingo, nonetheless. Unless you had a childhood like Frank Scoblete – playing Craps in the alley behind the school at the age of “lucky” seven – there’s probably no other game than bingo that you got to play as a child, which you can now wager money on. Okay, maybe Casino War, but that’s pretty much it!

And you thought it was the sex laden chat room at Desperate Housewives Bingo Room that got the better, err worst of me! Go ahead, I know you want to check it out now: Desperate Housewives Bingo.

Anyhow, it’s definitely true that online bingo has seen a rise in revenue this Winter. And heck, it’s still not over. It’s common knowledge within the online gambling industry that the winter months are busier for the online gambling industry as a whole – bingo, online casino, poker, you name it. If you stop to take a look at your own play history, you might very well come to the same realization! :) But I also believe that in the case of online bingo, it’s not just Frosty the Snowman casting his charm on the online gambling community these days.

Ask any seasoned online gaming marketer about online bingo, and they will tell you it has always just been a matter of time before online bingo took off. Granted, it hasn’t taken off like online poker did at the turn of the Century (man that makes me feel old), but bingo has performed impressively over the last couple of years. Ideal for cross promoting with online casino gambling (many online casinos now host their own dedicated bingo rooms), online bingo has carved itself a nice natural niche within the whole online gambling experience.

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iGaming Super Show to Host Online Gambling Regulation Conference Seminars

March 10th, 2010

Since “Day One”, the online gambling industry has been dealing with the complex issue of regulation. And rightly so, for without regulation, online gambling becomes nothing but a black market of criminal activity and rogue online casinos. There simply is no denying that proper regulation is the key to expanding the gaming industry and keeping online gambling a credible pastime. The only problem is that regionalization tends to make regulation a grey matter, with no two jurisdictions exactly regulating in the same manner.

For example, there is a HUGE difference in regulation standards between the UK and Costa Rica. In fact, Costa Rica does not even regulate – they simply license online casinos. As a player, this is important information to know. And one of the major resources of information for players are the news and review sites such as our very own Online Casino Suite. This is where media publishers, such as iGamingBusiness, serve as an important link between the people behind the online gambling industry and those who make it go round, i.e., the players.

iGamingBusiness, which publishes iGamingBusiness Magazine and iGB Affiliate Magazine, recently announced it will be hosting a series of conference seminars focused on educating the industry about regulatory standards and the diversity therein. While the conferences are primarily aimed at regulators and online casino operators, those of us more closely connected to the industry than the average player will certainly be keeping abreast to the discussions. Furthermore, the seminars make up just a small part of iGB’s inaugural “iGaming Super Show” conference being held May 25-28, 2010 in Prague. In other words, any of the expected 2,000  iGaming Super Show attendees are invited to sit in on the regulatory seminars.

Participating in the discussions will be representatives from high-level regulatory jurisdictions in Europe and elsewhere in the world, representing the nation-specific regulatory factors which online casino operators face in today’s market. The idea is to demonstrate how regulation can successfully be implemented, which in turn, will serve to guide an increasing number of governments coming round to the idea of regulating online gambling. For more information, please visit igamingsupershow.com

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Get $15 Free at Superior Casino for Playing New Rival Gaming Video Slot: Candy Cottage

March 9th, 2010

Today, Rival Gaming Software launched a new online casino video slot – and no, it’s not another I-Slot. Sorry to disappoint all the I-Sluts…err, I mean I-Slot fans out there. But seriously, you wouldn’t believe how devoted some players are to I-Slots. Admittedly, they do get me a little hot and bothered, but that’s only because of the realistic animations of curvaceous vixens. Come on, I’m only human! God help me all the same!

Anyhow, as exciting as it always is to get a new I-Slot, this time around, Rival has unveiled a five-reel video slot with some interesting features. Of course, I’m going to tell you all about this new game, called Candy Cottage. But if you want to cut right to the chase, Superior Casino is giving away a free $15 No-Deposit Bonus chip to anyone who wagers at least $10 on Candy Cottage by Monday, March 15, 2010. Keep in mind, that’s a no-deposit bonus, so we’re talking some serious cashout restrictions.

Anyhow, as I mentioned, Candy Cottage is a video slot. It offers five reels and twenty paylines of betting action themed on the story of Hans and Gretel. Slightly creepy – but in a fun way – this game brings to life the crazy kid-eating Witch, the not-so-adorable Hans and Gretel, and lots of candy. Coin sizes range from 1 penny to $0.25 and up to ten coins per line can be wagered. Doing the math, that’s a max bet of $50 if betting the max denomination and max coins. Most players will probably stay away from the larger bets anyways, considering Candy Cottage isn’t a progressive jackpot slot.

What is most interesting about this slot is that it only takes two of the top paying symbols (Hans and Gretel) lined up on a single payline to pay a jackpot. Generally, it takes three symbols. The greater frequency of jackpot wins makes up for a lesser frequency of free spins, which are triggered by three or more Gingerbread House symbols. The good news is that all free spins pay triple winnings, thus giving them extra bang when they do hit.

The wild symbol (the child burning furnace) is expanding, meaning it will expand to fill the entire third reel when it can connect the first/second and fourth/fifth reels together on a payline. That means an even greater chance of winnings on multiple paylines. As for the bonus round – yep it has a bonus round – it is triggered with 3 or more cages (guess what they are used for?…cue diabolical evil laugh). If you are good with a computer mouse, you will love this bonus. It takes some skilled maneuvering, as the bonus consists of moving little greedy Hans all over to eat candy falling from the sky – each successfully eaten candy converting into free cash.

So, there you have it folks. Candy Cottage isn’t an I-Slot, but it sure does stand up to Rival Gaming’s reputation for delivering some of the most entertaining and lucrative slots at USA online casinos. If you would like to experience Candy Cottage firsthand, aforementioned Superior Casino offers a live Flash version to play for free (no account required). If you do decide to play with real money, make $10 in wagers on Candy Cottage before March 15th and Win a free $15 no-deposit bonus chip. Read the OCS Superior Casino Review for details.

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Poker Heist in Germany no Oceans Eleven, But Full of Excitement all the Same

March 8th, 2010

If you watched the evening news last night, there’s a good chance you heard about the high stakes poker heist that went down in Germany, in which live television cameras caught the caper going down – or at least the immediate repercussions thereof. If you didn’t see it, basically, think of your standard World Poker Tour camera shot, the sound of people screaming and stuff breaking, a set board crashing down behind the players at the table, the camera going into handheld “shaky” mode, and everybody running for cover.

It truly was like something out of Ocean’s Eleven, minus the….how do you say…professionalism? As if there is anything professional about robbery. But to be honest, the German poker heist was probably more real life than any blockbuster movie fantasy. Apparently, the crooks did not read “Robbing for Dummies”. Heck, the footage capturing all the poker tableside action speaks for itself.

Another video shows the perps running from behind a counter where the money was apparently being held, and wielding a small machete at a supersized security guard, who in turn, resorted to throwing random objects at the thieves and managing to successfully capture one of them. However, either the captured perp had all the money in his backpack, or his fellow robbers have something of a conscious, for one of them returned, threatening the security guard with a metal stand. That was enough to back the security guard down – who, apparently, was the only person with an ounce of bravery in the whole casino – and the thieves went on their merry way. It was a sloppy mess to say the least.

Granted, they did get away with approximately 300,000 Euros. Authorities, however, expressed confidence that with all of the evidence left behind, it is very likely the bandits will be brought to justice. Currently, they are still on the run.

Who knew poker could be so fun? Wouldn’t you know it, but the tournament, which had a 1 Million top prize award, was eventually won by an online qualifier at Poker Stars. Kevin MacPhee, a 29-year old home player from Idaho, took out his revenge in head’s up play on the Finnish player, IIari Tahkokallio, who ironically won head’s up against MacPhee last year at the London Open.

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Tiger Woods Turns His Back on Paddy Power Online Sportsbook

March 7th, 2010

Paddy Power, what are you thinking offering Tiger Woods $75 million to be a spokesperson for your online casino and sportsbook over the next five years? I mean c’mon, he just lost his sponsorship deal with Gatorade – the man needs at least $200 million.

But seriously, what are you thinking Paddy Power? Perhaps you are thinking that the real Tiger Woods was only coming out of his shell and the whole sex scandal was just the tip of the iceberg? That Tiger Woods was going to live the playboy lifestyle from here on out, become a high roller on your site and serve as a role model for all the twenty/thirty something guys who want to cheat on their wives?

If you ask me, Paddy Power’s offer for Tiger Woods is nothing more than a publicity stunt, which considering the fact I’m writing an article about it at this moment, it’s a pretty damn good publicity stunt. Does Paddy Power, let alone anybody, really think Tiger Woods would take Paddy Power up on this offer? The guy has put himself in a clinic and is trying to keep his marriage alive. Furthermore, he’s made it clear that he plans to return to playing golf. And last time I checked, being a professional athlete and a spokesperson for a sportsbook is a conflict of interest.

Not surprisingly, Tiger Woods has already turned down Paddy Power’s offer. But, keeping the publicity stunt alive, Paddy Power has announced they will be making a more “lucrative” offer for Tiger, but no details as to what exactly that is. My guess is a hybrid deal with Donald Trump to get Tiger on “The Apprentice”.

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Free Casino Bonus Money Red Tape: Part III – The Play Through

March 5th, 2010

Continuing with the OCS blog series on casino bonus red tape, we’d like to discuss the concept of the play-through, and how this applies to bonus money and real money.

As you may already know, unless you are playing with a no-deposit bonus, a.k.a. free chip, all free casino bonus money is contingent on the amount of an accompanying deposit. The more money you deposit, the more bonus cash you will receive. This is usually up to a certain amount, although it is not unheard of to receive an unlimited bonus.

Depending on the percentage of the bonus, the ratio of bonus money to deposited cash will vary. A common amount is 100%, meaning that for every dollar deposited, 100% will be matched in bonus money. This is actually the correct meaning of a true “match” bonus. For a bonus less than 100%, technically, it is not a match bonus.

Let’s say you deposit $100. With a 100% Match bonus, you will receive $100 Free, giving you a total bankroll of $200. Now, here is where things become more tricky. Instead of having the $200 in a single account, the casino will keep your bonus money separate from your real money, until the wager requirement has been met. The wager requirement is the amount of times you must wager over your bankroll before you are eligible to cash out winnings derived from bonus credits. A 10x play-through will require you to wager $100 + $100 = $200 x 10 = $2,000, before you can cash out.

The way it works is that your balance will show the total amount of your bonus and deposit. Although it appears there is one balance, per say, a bonus balance and real money balance is tracked through the accounting/cashier section of the software. This determines how much of the play-through has been met, and how much in wagers is needed to be eligible for a withdrawal.

Some online casinos, such as Microgaming powered Jackpot Factory, use a bonus management system (in this case, the “ClearPlay Bonus” system) that automatically transfers eligible bonus money winnings to the real money account as the play-through is met in increments of $10. This money is eligible for cashout; However, keep in mind that all remaining bonus money is void. Most online casinos do not even allow players to cash out bonus winnings until the entire play-through is met.

This brings up an important question. When do you know when the play-through is met? Keeping track of it yourself – wager for wager – also called “micro managing” your bonus, is timely and difficult. Not every game contributes to the play-through and of those that do, most do not even contribute the same percentage amount. Furthermore, certain bets, such as the Gamble Feature on many slot machines do not count toward the play-through.

But don’t worry. All online casinos have a system in place that keeps track of it for you. When the play-through is met, any winnings exceeding the maximum amount of bonus money earnings that can be cashed out (most bonuses have a maximum cashout) will be removed from the real money account. Remember, being “play” bonuses, no actual bonus money can be cashed out – just winnings earned off that bonus money. Some casinos will also remove the bonus winnings that is eligible for cashout and make it a “pending” withdrawal.

But remember, this is IMPORTANT – in all cases, the player must request the final withdrawal and should always withdraw ALL winnings derived from the bonus. Otherwise, if any bonus winnings are left in the account, all future winnings will be subject to the original bonus terms and conditions. In other words, it is vitally important to keep tabs on your wager requirement. For me personally, if this means micromanaging, then so be it.

Case in point is the player who recently was robbed of a $5,000 jackpot win, because his bonus winnings were still in his account. Even though the player had met the play-through, he had not withdrew his funds yet and was still playing on excess bonus winnings. His jackpot win was hit making a wager with such winnings, and therefore, was subject to the max bonus cashout – far below the $5,000 jackpot.

Do online casinos do this on purpose – throwing in just one more variable that will make it harder for you to win? Probably. Does that mean you have to let them win. No, it doesn’t. When you know the bonus red tape, you are one step ahead of the curve.

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Free Casino Bonus Money Red Tape: Part II – Multiple Accounts and Multiple Bonuses

March 4th, 2010

As part of the OCS blog series about casino bonus red tape, we’d like to discuss the concept of “multiple accounts”. For most of the seasoned online gamblers out there, it is common knowledge that online casinos do not permit you to open more than one account. And not just one account per person. It’s one account per household. In other words, if both you and your spouse open an account, well then, when it comes time for either one of you to cash out your winnings, you will be denied – and that sucks. And it doesn’t end here either. There’s the notion of multiple accounts within a single online casino network. Sure, it’s allowed, but it’s a trickier matter when pertaining to welcome bonuses – more on that further in this post.

One of the main reasons why all online casinos impose this rule is because of bonus abuse and fraud, and hence the reason why the universal rule of one account per household should be classified as bonus red tape. Understandably, online casinos cannot afford to give unlimited bonus money to their players. They wouldn’t be able to stay in business. And a welcome bonus is just that. A bonus to welcome a new player to the casino. While it would be nice to receive such a grand welcome every time you login the casino, that’s simply not going to happen. Reload bonus offers will make due.

Now, of course you are not going to forget if you opened an account at a particular online casino six months ago. If so, well then, you need to start taking your Gingko Biloba. Players who say they forgot they had an account already opened or that a relative unknowingly created an account at the same online casino are full of it. 99% of these people what the industry likes to call bonus hunters. And truth be told, some of them probably do forget they previously opened an account because they have too many gambling accounts to keep up with.

So we can agree that you are not a bonus hunter and that you are taking your Gingko Biloba. No worries about opening multiple accounts, right? Wrong. Remember that part in the first paragraph about online casino networks? Yep, that’s where a lot of people go wrong. See, most online casino owners, operate and manage more than one online casino – some are more transparent about this than others. For example, a network like the US friendly English Harbour Gaming Ventures (see the OCS Vegas Techology Casinos page), maintains their own website with a listing of all their online casino properties, while a network like the Microgaming-powered Casino Rewards (non US) offers a comprehensive rewards program integrating all of their eighteen online casinos under one roof. On the opposite extreme, there have been several investigations revealing large numbers of rogue, blacklisted online casinos all being tied together by the same owner or network.

Now, assuming you are playing at an online casino that is part of a reputable and transparent network, like the aforementioned English Harbour Gaming Ventures (EHGV), you need to verify whether or not the network allows multiple welcome bonuses to be claimed. All networks will permit players to open a single account at all of their online casinos, in effect, creating multiple accounts. For example, at EHGV, you can have an account at English Harbour Casino (for the table games), VIP Slots (for the slots) and Millionaire Casino (for the high rolling action). However, you cannot claim the welcome bonus at all three of these online casinos – just ONE of them. Even if the welcome bonus if for a different percentage and amount of free money, the fact that it is a first-time deposit bonus is the deciding factor.

Now, here’s where things get messy, and is a rightful complaint many players have about an industry wide practice. Most online casinos will allow you to go ahead and claim the welcome bonus, even if you already claimed it at another online casino in the network. It’s not that the casino is purposefully setting you up for failure, although some conspiracy theorists will tell you otherwise, and I personally wouldn’t throw it past certain online casino networks (none which OCS would recommend, of course), it’s more that the industry does indeed have some catching up to do in terms of preventive measures.

The way they do it currently is come withdrawal time – your first time withdrawal, that is – the online casino will request a faxback verification form which consists of documents that verify you are indeed the person you say you are and that you are in good standing with the casino. It’s at this time they will verify if you are cashing out bonus winnings and whether or not you have claimed the bonus before, including welcome bonuses at other partner online casinos within the network. The casino’s argument is that the only players with multiple accounts or who have claimed the welcome bonus before are bonus hunters. In other words, you should have nothing to worry about if you are not doing anything you not supposed to be doing. But what about the newbie players who signup at an online casino after reading a favorable review that says nothing about the casino being in a network or revealing only one part of the bonus terms and conditions? It’s not until later the player realizes (oftentimes when making a withdrawal request), that they violated bonus terms and conditions. Indeed, this happens! Not every player who violates bonus T&C’s is a bonus hunter.

So, until online casinos adopt an industry wide practice of verifying player identities via the faxback process BEFORE said player makes a real money deposit and claims a welcome bonus, it is up to each and every player to verify for themselves what the bonus terms and conditions are. It is up to us to sift through the bonus red tape, including the part of the “one welcome bonus per player, per household, per online casino, per network”. Continuing with the OCS blog series on bonus red tape, next time we will be discussing the differences between a bonus account and a real money account and will touch on the basics of the play-through process…..to be followed by much, much more. But no worries, so long as you know how to recognize it, you’ll know how to get around it.

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Enter to Win $70,000 in Cash From Casino Rewards, No Purchase Necessary

March 3rd, 2010

CaptainCooks70KGiveaway

Casino Classic and Captain Cooks Casino (one of the longest running online casinos in business today) are hosting another Cash Sweepstakes draw worth $70,000 Free. Part of the Casino Rewards group of online casinos (now nearly twenty properties strong), Classic and Cooks are both great destinations to sign up for the sweepstakes and get your betting on at the same time.

Even if you don’t want to do that, you can still enter to win the $70K. In other words, there is no purchase necessary. The only requirement is that you sign up to receive the Casino Rewards newsletter. Big whoopdy doo, right? C’mon, you don’t even have to read it for God sakes! However, if you want some really good bonus offers and promotions at any of Casino Rewards eighteen eCOGRA approved online casinos, well then, it’s only in your best interest to hear keep up with the newsletters.

Now, don’t try to get smart and submit multiple email addresses. You will be found out. And don’t unsubscribe from the newsletter later one, ’cause you know what? You will become ineligible for the free cash draw if you do. That said, hold out until January 11, 2011, which is the date of the draw, and keep your fingers crossed that you will get the lucky email notification sent within 120 hours of the draw.

As far as being from the U.S., well, you won’t be able to open an account at Captain Cooks or Casino Classic. However, nowhere does this promotion say that U.S. citizens are exempt from entering the sweepstakes. You get my drift. As far as Casino Rewards is concerned, they simply want to get as many email subscribers as possible (you information will NOT be shared with third parties, by the way), and advertise the winner shortly after the drawing so as to drum up press (kind of what they’re doing already!).

Like I said, there’s nothing to lose. Go to Captain Cooks Casino or Casino Classic, and an entry form will drop down for you to enter your name and email for a chance to win $70,000.

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