Archive for April, 2010

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RTG Software Adds Two New Real Series Video Slots to Online Casino Games Portfolio

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

Leading  U.S. facing online casino software developer, Real Time Gaming, aka RTG, has launched two new video slots, boosting their portfolio of online casino games to well over 125.

Although still short of the 200 mark, it’s only a matter of time before RTG’s online casino games portfolio reaches that milestone and earns bragging rights in the company of giants like Microgaming. And not that RTG doesn’t have anything to brag about already. In fact, their current portfolio beats out Rival Gaming, Vegas Technology and certainly gives Playtech and Cryptologic a run for their money. The only one standing out from the rest of the pack is Microgaming. And, as mentioned, nobody comes close to the size of Microgaming’s online casino games portfolio.

On the heels of St. Patrick’s Day, “Lucky Day” is an Irish-themed 5-reel, 25-payline video slot as part of RTG’s “Real Series” of slot machines (now over 60 games in the series). Offering a random jackpot and a free spins feature with a massive 3x winnings on six free spins and a 2x multiplier on the seventh free spin, while permitting a free spin retrigger up to five times (resulting in 35 free spins), Lucky Day has the potential of living up to its name.

For all the hockey fans out there, not to mention fans of free spin bonuses and random jackpots, Hockey Hero saves the day. An entertaining game that probably would have proven popular during the 2010 Winter Olympics, Hockey Hero offers 25 paylines and a chance to be sent to the penalty box for free spin bonuses. Not necessarily what you want to do in a real hockey game, going to the penalty box means more money and a chance at winning a 10,000 coin jackpot.

For more information about Real Time Gaming and the highest rated RTG properties, visit the OCS RTG Casinos page.

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GOP Circulates Memo Tying Jack Abramoff with Online Gambling Interests

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

As time draws near in which either the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) begins to be enforced (as much as is possible, of course) or proposed legislation to overturn the UIGEA and regulate online casinos is passed, the Republican party is gearing up for a fight. As reported by the Washington Post, the latest “card” being played by the GOP is none other than Jack Abramoff.Recently circulated on Capitol Hill is a GOP-backed memo arguing that while Jack Abramoff’s shameful lobbying tactics and ties to Indian casinos certainly warrants the jail sentence he is currently serving, the lobbying firm that employed Abramoff, Greenberg Traurig, has itself, been employed by online gambling interests, including the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) – a leading trade body formed of the biggest names in the online gambling industry and working to get online gambling legalized in North America.

In effect, the memo seeks to assert that it was Abramoff’s employer, Greenberg Traurig, that was in on the “criminal activities” carried out by Abramoff. But even if that was the case (however unlikely), the IGC never worked with Jack Abramoff in any capacity whatsoever. Furthermore, Abramoff was fired by the firm, apparently for doing things “his way”.

What may seem an ironic strategy, considering Jack Abramoff’s association with the Republican Party, could end up being a solid argument in the GOP’s fight against online gambling, or rather, fight to protect land-based gambling interests. The only flaw to their argument, is the fact that Abramoff was acting on his own and that his activities regarding Indian casinos had nothing at all to do with the work Greenberg Traurig was doing on behalf of online gambling interests. In other words, there is no solid base for argument to claim that Abramoff was connected with all of Greenberg Traurig’s clients.

In many ways, the attempts made by the GOP to squash the legalization of online gambling are paramount the same tactics used to get the UIGEA passed. Added as a last-minute attachment to a must-pass Port Security bill with provisions to block terrorist funding, the UIGEA was passed into law unawares to many of the politicians who voted for the port security bill.

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Mega Bonus Rally Taking Place Now at Ruby Royal Online Casino

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Ruby Royal Casino is one of the newest approved Rival Gaming powered online casinos here at OCS. On the fast track to become one of Rival’s top performing licensees, Ruby Royal is hosting a ton of promotions right now and giving away lots of free bonus cash. Besides their no-deposit teaser bonus of $11 Free and a massive welcome bonus worth 200% up to $1,000 Free (no game exclusions and a low 15x play-through), Ruby Royal is hosting a weeklong promo called the Mega Bonus Rally.

Kicked off yesterday, Mega Bonus Rally lasts through Sunday, April 25th, and celebrates the excitement of Formula 1 racecar driving. An online gambling contest of sorts, the top three winners will walk away with a brand new iPad (come on, you know you want one!). More importantly, however, is that the journey along the way is all about claiming outstanding free cash bonus offers.

The way it works is that players must wager a minimum amount ($50) on a select casino game to complete a “lap”. When the wager requirement is met, the player is permitted to move onto the next lap – complete with its own wagering challenge. To give players more incentive to keep going, Ruby Royal is offering a free cash bonus to accompany each lap. There are eight laps total, so you can imagine this amounts to some serious free cash.

Truth be told, there is $4,000 up for grabs per player. Each lap offers up to $500 Free, increasingly awarding a greater percentage of free money each lap. The first lap, which requires at least $50 in wagers on the popular Psychedelic Sixties iSlot before moving to lap two, offers a 100% Match bonus up to $500 Free, while the last lap dishes out a 300% bonus up to $500 Free.

As for those iPad’s being given away, the first three players who complete all eight laps will be the benefactor of Apple’s latest masterpiece, which if you haven’t heard already, is tricked out to provide an amazing online gambling experience. For more information, read the OCS Ruby Royal Casino Review or Visit Ruby Royal Now.

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Millionaire Online Casino Giving Away 200% Bonus up to $500 Free Through Weekend

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Top U.S. facing online casino, Millionaire Casino, is giving away a special bonus now through Sunday, April 18th. Arguably better than their normal welcome bonus, and the welcome bonuses of most other online casinos at that, Millionaire is offering 200% up to $500 Free for real money depositors who use a credit card to fund their bankroll.

Millionaire’s normal bonus, albeit impressively large (worth up to $2,000 Free on the first deposit and $5,000 free over the course of three deposits), is a match bonus. In other words, it is worth 100% free, as opposed to the aforementioned 200% offer. Although it’s less free money overall, you get a greater percentage of free funds with less risk to your own money!

In terms of wager requirements, the limited time 200% bonus has a play-through of 20x with normal wager restrictions. As always, read the full bonus terms posted inside the cashier. If you can’t find them, contact customer service and have them emailed to you BEFORE claiming the bonus. Needless to say, this is the perfect bonus for play on the slot machines.

In order to claim the bonus, simply contact customer service (via the cashier section of the online casino software platform) and inform them of your deposit and request the special offer. As with all promotion claims, do not wager any funds until the bonus money has been received.

For anyone unfamiliar with Millionaire Casino, they are powered by cutting edge Vegas Technology Software that has been laboratory tested for RNG fairness by Certified Fair Gambling (CFG) – a California based testing house with credentials in the land-based and online gambling industries (jacobsongaming.com). Millionaire Casino is owned and managed by EH Gaming Ventures – one of the leading US facing online casino networks with licensing and regulatory credentials in Antigua & Barbuda.

Visit Millionaire Casino or read the OCS Millionaire Casino Review for more information.

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USA Online Gambling Regulatory Update: Frank’s Bills Delayed; Amendments in Mass

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Currently, there are several areas in the U.S. online gambling legislative landscape that are experiencing a major upheaval. One, of course, is the overall federal stance toward online gambling as a whole in the States. The other resides on a State level, which at this time, is primarily being soaked up by Kentucky and Massachusetts. In other words, no other two States are making as many headlines in regards to online gambling legislation.

Not that I’m sick of talking about Kentucky (okay, maybe I am), it’s just that what is happening in Massachusetts is more about legislation than the legal battle currently taking place in Kentucky. As reported earlier last week here at OCS, Massachusetts is currently seeking to expand gambling. However, certain provisions slipped into the legislation would call for an outright ban of online gambling – going so far to impose a prison sentence on those who participate in online gambling.

The latest word on the street in Massachusetts is that several alternative proposals have been given to amend the legislation, including several dealing specifically with online poker. These include a provision introduced by House Representative, Robert Nyman, to provide an exception within the online gambling ban to games of skill, including online poker. Other proposals seek to ban all forms of online gambling other than online poker.

So yes, the online poker industry definitely has their fingers in this one, folks. This is no surprise considering how big online poker has become in the US over the last ten years, not to mention the lobbying power of groups like the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). Just how the final bill turns out in Massachusetts is anybody’s guess, although proponents of the original bill are already claiming victory. Their belief is that the bill will easily pass the House, and will, perhaps, see some amendments in the Senate.

As for the federal debate on online gambling, it looks like Barney Frank’s bills to overturn the UIGEA and provide regulatory guidelines is being postponed for a hearing to take place in the House Financial Services Committee. By no means up for a markup (just yet), the two bills will be scheduled for a hearing in due time as the Committee tends to previously scheduled matters.

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Eye on Gambling Online Sports Portal and Forum Founder, Passes Away

Monday, April 12th, 2010

The owner and founder of a popular online sports betting portal, Kenneth Weitzner, has been found dead inside in his Virginia home, along with his wife, Jackie Weitzner. Ruled a double-suicide, the death of the Weitzner’s not only comes as a shocker to the departed’s family and loved one’s, there is also a sense of disbelief brewing within the internet betting industry.

An avid and gregarious voice amongst the ruling elite in the professional sports betting arena, Weitzner was largely known for his podcasts and presence on his online sports betting portal, EyeOnGambling (EOG), which Weitzner used to publish sports betting news and live lines, as well as recruit online bettors for sportsbooks and poker rooms.

Widely regarded as a player advocate and purveyor of strict gambling standards, Weitzner was a friend to online gamblers and sometimes-foe to the Costa Rican based sportsbooks seeking to levy deals with Weitzner – many of whom Weitzner would call out for unethical business practices. The fact is, Weitzner certainly wasn’t afraid to shoot from the hip, which is precisely why some of his colleagues are speculating whether his death was truly a suicide, especially considering the murder of PokerListings.com owner

Another variable to consider is speculation from some of Weitzner’s colleagues that he owed large amounts to business contacts. Whether from gambling debts or business dealings, it’s hard to fathom that Kenneth Weitzner would be strapped for cash. One of Weitzner’s first successful online betting portals, ThePrescription.com (theRx.com) sold for $2 million in 2002. As for EOG, it was and continues to be thriving portal site, no doubt pulling in good money for affiliate referrals.

A tragedy all the same, Kenneth and Jackie Weitzner will certainly be missed by many. Weitzner’s legacy – EOG – will be business as usual, and is currently being manned by one of Jackie Weitzner’s sons. The forums were recently shut down for a designated time period, serving as a moment of silence for the Weitzners.

A touching announcement on all sub-forums reads,”There are times in everyone’s life when the unimaginable becomes reality, thus has been the case for those of us here at EOG. We have lost two wonderful people who touched many lives and will never be forgotten. Before we can begin to move forward from these moments we must first reflect upon our own feelings and personal thoughts regarding this tragedy. While we may never truly know the reasons why this tragedy happened, we will always have with us the fond memories, the laughter shared, and the wisdom given by both Ken and Jackie. We live our lives day to day often forgetting to tell those we love and care about how we feel. If nothing else, take this time to let those you love know how much they mean to you. You never know when it may be too late…”.

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Boss Media Achieves eCOGRA Online Wagering Software Fairness Certification

Friday, April 9th, 2010

Boss Media, which powers the OCS approved Casino Club, is the latest top-tier online casino software developer to receive an eCOGRA certification, following the likes of popular European betting site and software licensee, Bwin – approved in January of this year. Now making a total of eighteen eCOGRA approved software platforms offering mobile wagering, sports betting, poker games, bingo and online casino gambling, there is no denying the growing need and importance of eCOGRA in the European iGaming industry.

Better yet, eCOGRA’s role is more essential to the legally regulated online gambling sector, which is precisely why you won’t find any U.S. facing online casinos with an eCOGRA certification. If you ask me, I think eCOGRA is smart to keep away from the U.S. In other words, any country who willingly doesn’t play fair, opts to ban rather than regulate, and who attempts to give online betting a bad name simply does not deserve eCOGRA.

What eCOGRA does is provide the groundwork for achieving the highest standards in gaming operator responsibility, while ensuring safe, fair and overall transparent online gambling standards are met in all gaming operations – everything from software provider to online casino operator. As most people know by now, the software platform is where fairness begins, as this is contingent on the programmed source code and a properly functioning Random Number Generator (RNG).

As mentioned, Bwin is a licensee of the Boss Media platform, and takes part in the International Poker Network – one of the largest European facing online poker networks out there currently. This may explain why Boss Media’s certification with eCOGRA followed Bwin earlier in the year. It’s a perfect example of how when the bar gets raised, those who don’t follow will be left behind. And not that there aren’t any good non-eCOGRA approved betting sites out there (let’s face it…getting certified is no easy task), yet the fact remains that an increasing number of established gaming businesses are turning to eCOGRA. This especially became the case when eCOGRA opened its certifications to other software platforms other than Microgaming and online casinos powered by Microgaming.

As Boss Media’s CEO, Johan Berg eloquently stated, “The company (Boss Media) has always been committed to the highest possible quality in both products and operational conduct. Our achievement in meeting eCOGRA’s demanding software certification standards reaffirms that commitment and provides us with a useful and internationally accepted benchmark against which we can measure our performance.”

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Online Gambling Software in Canada: Chartwell Technology on the Map

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Canada-based Chartwell Technology may not be as “household” a name as Microgaming or Playtech, but then again….. Launched in 1998 during the early days of online gambling, Chartwell has been around just as long as it’s top tier competitor software platforms. The only difference is that Chartweel is not an operator, per say, and consequently, never really boasted a prodigious number of online casino licensees in its portfolio. As a result, Chartwell has often operated under the radar of many a U.S. focused online gambling portal.

These days, however, Chartwell is increasingly making headlines – signing several high profile deals and boasting a clientele of mainly non-US facing online betting destinations totaling over twenty (20). In fact, the first online casino and sports betting site officially licensed by the UK Gambling Commission – ExtraBet – is powered by Chartwell Technology. And with household name clients the likes of Stan James, bwin, Coral Casino, Betfair and Victor Chandler, Chartwell Technology is a force to be recognized in the highly competitive online gambling industry.

Chartwell’s most recent headline, albeit less noteworthy than a new partnership or online casino client, is the appointment of Mr. Andrew Pegler as Sales Director for Charwell Games Ltd. As announced in a Chartwell press release through MarketWire, Mr. Pegler is a seasoned B2B account manager in the iGaming field, whose experience includes the execution of business initiatives from start-up level companies and B2B account management for some of the biggest names in the European online gambling sector.

Pegler stated in the press release that he is “very excited to be joining Chartwell”, especially at a time when the company is refocusing its traditionally strong online casino product offering with the rollout of new games and software features. There is no denying this claim, as evidenced by the buzz generated when Chartwell unveiled the casino platform at the International Casino Exhibit in London earlier this year. Other features in Chartwell’s diverse iGaming platform include fixed odds wagering, branded games, multi-player games, a linked progressive jackpot network and live dealer casino gaming.

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New Online Casino Review at OCS Qualifies for Homepage Listing

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

There’s a new face in the online casino reviews directory here at OCS. In fact, this highly rated Rival Gaming powered online casino even made it to the OCS homepage. How’s that, you ask? What gives one online casino homepage precedence over another? Heck, as strict as we are at granting listings in our reviews directory, period, how is it that some online casinos are listed, while others – albeit equally qualified – are not.

Errrrrrrrrrr!!!!! (sound of screeching car tires) Hold it right there! What’s that you say? Two equally qualified online casinos may not get equal exposure here at OCS? One may not even get any exposure at all? Well, pray do tell, what gives?

First of all, these are some great questions. How do you know that we aren’t a conglomerate working on behalf of all the online casinos listed at OCS? For that matter, how do you know we are not Russian spy’s working on behalf of the President Pootin (I mean Putin) and his submissive love buddy ice skating pal, Evgeny Plushenko (who won the gold medal in Vancouver, by the way)? Seriously though, this would entail a conflict of interest and some serious bias would it not? And as much as I want to say, “Rest assured, OCS does not work for any of the online casinos listed on our site”, we fully understand that the most skeptic of the skeptics still might have some reservations trusting our word.

That’s why we always encourage our skeptic readers to do some further research and find out what others are saying about a particular online casino. And believe me, there is plenty of information out there. Google is your best friend! The only thing is that much of this information isn’t backed up, but is simply hot air. That’s precisely why you will find lengthy and detailed reviews of each of the online casinos listed at OCS. Not hot air, mind you, but rather, facts and objective observations.

But this still doesn’t necessarily explain why two equally qualified online casinos may not get the same amount of exposure on our reviews pages, does it not? Well, here’s the thing. OCS is not a directory of online casinos. In other words, we are not exhaustive, as opposed to a site like Online Casino City, which albeit, more exhaustive, does not provide the detail and comprehensive nature which our reviews provide. If we comprehensively reviewed every online halfway decent online casino in business today, we would be more like the Wikipedia of online casinos and overwhelm our readers with too many choices.

The other aspect you must consider is that while two online casinos are equally qualified in their credentials, that does not mean they are equal in areas of bonuses, payouts, customer service, loyalty rewards and a host of other factors. OCS takes into consideration the overall package. Believe us – It’s not about money. That’s precisely why we don’t accept paid advertising.

And yes, we take into consideration the fact that some online casinos are more willing to work with us than others. This is a good thing, for our selectiveness gives us more say when dealing with potential player complaints. Online casino operators know how hard it is to get listed at OCS. They would be foolish to not amicably deal with player complaints that potentially come through OCS. In other words, they are more willing to work things out with players when OCS is involved. When our referred players are happy, that makes us happy. Mind you, that doesn’t mean we are always going to take the side of the player. But if there is a dispute, a lag in customer service or any grey issue that needs resolving, we will always jump to the defense of the player.

In conclusion (let’s bring this back full circle, shall we?), that new addition to the OCS online casinos reviews section and homepage I talked about in the intro paragraph, certainly qualifies for a featured listing at OCS. The site is none other than Ruby Royal Casino, and as mentioned, is a licensee of Rival Gaming software. There are many Rival Gaming licensees in business today, and here at OCS we have just six Rival Gaming powered online casinos listed on our site. They all stand out for different reasons – And for Ruby Royal, it’s the fact they are the first – and currently – only Rival online casino to be given an operator TST approval.

For those not familiar with what a TST approval is, it means that the Ruby Royal Casino software platform has undergone extensive testing to ensure it is safe, fair and cannot be manipulated. TST, by the way, is an internationally recognized software testing facility. Furthermore, Ruby Royal Casino submits itself to ongoing payout audits, thus confirming payout percentages, which are verified by the actual TST reports linked through the Ruby Royal website. Considering the history of Ruby’s management team – Bonne Chance NV/Silverstone Overseas Ltd (which has been in business for nearly ten years), and the promotions offered at Ruby Royal – 200% up to $1,000 Free Welcome Bonus on a single deposit with 15x play-through – it’s pretty obvious to us that Ruby Royal Casino deserves to be on the OCS homepage.

For more information, read the OCS Ruby Royal Casino Review

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France’s National Assembly Passes Bill to Regulate Online Betting

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

If there was ever any doubt before whether France would legalize online gambling, or better yet, greatly liberalize and regulate French-facing online casinos, sportsbooks and poker rooms – including those owned and operated by foreign companies – consider it washed away at this point in time.

This just in: The French National Assembly has voted in favor of the bill that would stand to legalize the most popular forms of online betting, thus bringing France one giant step closer to following in the footsteps of England and becoming the next world leader to embrace a less protectionist and more tolerant stance toward online gambling.

Euro online casinos are certain to be excited about the bill even though the legislation hasn’t officially “passed” as of yet. The bill first made it through a reading by the Senate in February, and now needs an approval from the French Supreme Court and Constitutional Council. And, of course, there is the green light from the EU, although it’s not like the EU did anything to stop France from anti-monopoly gambling activities before.

Speaking of monopolies, La Francaise Des Jeux (FDJ) – which just so happens to be the second largest lottery operator in the world – and Pari-Mutuel Urbain (PMU) – the largest European horseracing monopoly – have both already taken measures to ensure they remain Kings of the Mountain when the gaming floodgates open to foreign betting operators.

Last month, FDJ bought out LVS, which was previously awarded a contract to supply a fixed odds online sports betting feed for FDJ. As for PMU, they have already signed contracts with Paddy Power and Party Gaming, each to provide sports betting and an online poker platform respectively.

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