Million Dollar Mega Moolah Online Slot Pays out Big at Microgaming Casino

March 18th, 2010

megamoolah_reelsMicrogaming Software’s Mega Moolah progressive slot has apparently dished out a rather large-sized win earlier today ($27,626) according to online gambling news portals. But then again, “large-sized jackpots” are pretty much the norm with Mega Moolah. Quite possibly Microgaming’s most popular online casino slot machine, there’s no doubt Mega Moolah lives up to it’s name, having dished out one of the largest millionaire jackpots in the history of online gambling. It was back in April of 2008 when Mega Moolah paid out a massive $5.5 million jackpot.

The $27K+ win today followed a $13,000 jackpot win earlier in the week, and was the largest win since last month’s impressive $45K+ win. The month prior was home to a $66,000 jackpot win.

megamoolah_progressivepayoutIn other words, expect Mega Moolah to pay out multi-thousand jackpots each month and accumulated monthly winnings in the hundreds of thousands.

What makes Mega Moolah popular with a wide range of bankrolls is the fact that it offers a four-tier progressive jackpot. The mini default jackpot starts off at $10, while the minor default jackpot kicks in at $100. The Major jackpot takes a huge leap from the minor, starting off at $10,000, while the default Mega progressive jackpot takes the cake at $1 Million. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see why Mega Moolah pays out such hefty numbers. And with a coin range from 0.01 to 0.05 and up to five coins per payline, it doesn’t take a huge bankroll to bet on all paylines, which is required to win the progressive jackpot.

megamoolah_freespinswildIn terms of playability, there are 5 reels, 25 paylines, and a Wheel of Fortune style bonus feature offering a top prize of at least $1 million. The wild, which doubles all winnings on substitutes (except for the Scatter), is the Lion symbol, while the Scatter itself (the weird looking, purple-faced creature) triggers 15 free spins with retriggers and 3x winnings throughout. Oh, and in case you are wondering, Mega Moolah is an African safari themed slot reminiscent of the Lion King. True to Microgaming, the graphics and sounds are stellar, making Mega Moolah just as entertaining as it is loaded.

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Kentucky Supreme Court Wants Online Casino Domain Owners to Come Forward

March 18th, 2010
stevebeshearkentuckyderby02

Online Gambling Hater Governor Steve Beshear Schmoozin' it up at Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear, must have gambled online at an illegitimate online casino, and got taken for a chump’s worth, ’cause he certainly has some one-sided views on the online gambling industry as whole. I think back to the time when Beshear filed a civil suit, which successfully (don’t even ask me how) managed to seize some 141 online gambling domain names on the premise that they were corrupting the youth and stealing money from Kentucky citizens.

Ladies and Gentleman, the esteemed Governor Steven Beshear: “Unlicensed, unregulated, illegal Internet gambling poses a tremendous threat to the citizens of the Commonwealth because of its ease, availability and anonymity…The owners and operators of these illegal sites prey on Kentucky citizens, including our youth, and deprive the Commonwealth of millions of dollars in revenue.  It’s an underworld wrought with scams and schemes.”

stevebeshearkentuckyderby01I especially love when Beshear says “unlicensed, unregulated, illegal”. Uh ya Steve, that is why some people think it better to regulate. If we regulated, like they do across the pond, well then, you wouldn’t have online casinos corrupting your precious children and stealing money from your constituents – because, let’s face it – you do that already! Lets not even talk about your loyalty to the horse betting industry. What’s that you say? It’s much better for the kids to wager on wild animals pumped up with performance enhancing drugs? But of course it is.

Anyhow, before I go on (because believe me, I can), allow me to make a long story short and say that the Kentucky debacle is far from over. Following the aforementioned domain seizure, the online gambling industry – led by the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) – has been fighting to get the domain names back. Now waist deep in a court battle at the level of the Kentucky Supreme Court, iMEGA was told it had NO standing in representing the owners of the seized domain names, i.e., the online casino operators, and that these individuals must come forward in order for the appeal to go forward.

Personally (simply because it’s me writing this), I can see where the Supreme Court is coming from. And quite honestly, Governor Beshear isn’t totally incorrect in saying that there are some underworld folks doing business in the online gambling industry – thriving more so because of unregulated markets like the U.S. However, I can also see it a little unrealistic to bring in 100+ domain name owners into a courtroom for an appeal’s process. So, as much as I would like to see iMEGA win this one, unless more people step up in the name of “internet freedom”, Beshear is probably going to be laughing all the way to the Kentucky Derby.

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Boylesports Joins Playtech’s Virtue Fusion Online Bingo Network

March 17th, 2010

As online bingo grows more popular with the online casino gaming sector, more big name online casinos are implementing bingo games in addition to their normal fare of table games, slot and video poker machines, and in some cases, a stand alone poker room. Now – yet another testament to the growing rise in popularity of online bingo – sports books and traditional sports betting sites are integrating bingo rooms for their members to get their bingo on.

One such sports betting site is the Ireland based, Boylesports, which recently inked a deal with Playtech Software to provide online bingo solutions courtesy of the Virtue Fusion platform – quite possibly the largest and most active European facing bingo networks in operation today. As their name implies, Boylesports main focus is on sports betting. However, in recent years, they have since expanded to every form of online wagering imaginable, including poker, skill games, arcade style games, lotteries and online casino wagering.

The deal marks an ongoing relationship between Boylesports and Playtech that began when Boylesports joined Playtech’s thriving iPoker network, which at the time of publication had nearly 19,000 players online. Obviously, Boylesports has been very pleased with Playtech’s services to date, and the decision to offer an online bingo package via Virtue Fusion is certain to bear fruit as well.

Virtue Fusion was actually acquired by Playtech last month, and is considered one of the world’s leading developers and licensors of the online bingo products. Generating over 100 Million Euros in stakes per month and with peak traffic of 7,000 players, it’s no surprise Virtue Fusion’s clients include big names like Mecca, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Virgin, Paddy Power, Bet365, Sky and Crown Bingo in addition to Boylesports.

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Free Casino Bonus Money Red Tape Part IV – More on Play Restrictions

March 15th, 2010
Always read the red tape before claiming a bonus at an online casino

Always read the red tape before claiming a bonus at an online casino

Continuing with our highly informative, yet (admittedly) oh-so-boring blog series on casino bonus money red tape, let’s go over a few specifics not mentioned in the previous article covering the wager requirement and play-through restrictions. In our last post, we briefly went over how the play-through governs casino bonuses, including the transfer of bonus money into actual winnings that can be withdrawn without any red-tape complications.

Anyone who is somewhat familiar with free casino cash knows that certain games do not count toward meeting the play-through, and of those that do, not all of the games do so in the same amount. Very quickly (so as not to bore the more experienced players reading this), a common bonus will allow 100% of wagers made on slots, keno and basically any other casino game with a higher-than-average House Edge to meet the play-through.

However, this same bonus may not allow wagers on the Gamble Feature of a slot machine to go toward the play-through. It may not even permit wagers made in tournament play. How do you know if it does or doesn’t? Read the full terms and conditions of the bonus. Heck, you need to read both the bonus T&C’s and General T&C’s, for online casinos will often slip a bonus term in the general section!

As for the casino games that only count toward part of the play-through, they simply require more wager-for-wager. In other words, a game that counts 1/20 or 5% toward the play through, only $0.05 of every $1 wagered would be applied to the play-through. Compared to a slots wager counting 100%, you would need to make 20 more bets on said game to achieve the same amount of play-through.

Most players understand and accept this condition in bonus play. However, many new players don’t realize that the act of placing wagers on restricted games can actually jeopardize your bonus winnings come withdrawal time. If there are games that absolutely do not contribute to the play-through, it is each players responsibility to NOT wager on these games while still playing with bonus money or winnings earned off of bonus money. Doing so is grounds for a rejected withdrawal. If you accidentally make a wager at a restricted game, immediately contact customer service and inform them of your error. They are likely to forgive the infraction, rather than waiting until withdrawal time when it is determined that restricted games were played. Again, all of this will be listed in the bonus T&C’s.

Another thing worth mentioning is that while certain bonuses impose game restrictions as part of their bonus red tap, some online casinos impose “mode of play” restrictions as well. I am specifically referring to tournament action. In many ways, it’s kind of a Catch-22. For example, online casinos love to award large Slots welcome bonuses. Some will even throw in free entry’s to slots tournaments. The catch is that the slots bonus play-through does not apply to wagers made in tournament mode. The good news is that, unlike restricted casino games, playing in tournaments is not deemed an infraction, and although not counting toward the play-through, is not grounds for a rejected withdrawal when the play-through is eventually met playing slots in standard betting mode.

Again, it’s all in the terms! Knowing what the bonus red tape requirements are ahead of time will let you know if that bonus is really worth claiming or not. Knowing what games you want to play ahead of time as well will help you even more in the decision making process.

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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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