The oldest online casino

14 April 2012

The earliest online casinos first started appearing back in the mid 90’s and there has long been debate over who was actually the first ever online casino. You can land on the homepage of several leading online casinos and you will find the sentence “the oldest online casino” or words to that effect, but they can’t all be the oldest.

Many people will argue that Intercasino were the first, others will tell you that Intertops Casino was the first to launch but then many will point out that Gaming Club Casino is the oldest. This section explores the truth behind who is actually the oldest. One thing is for sure though, that both Intercasino and Gaming club are without a doubt two of the oldest online casinos.

If you visit the Gaming Club Casino, you will read the words “1st Online Casino, Est. 1994.” This technically makes them the oldest online casino in the world. However, this fact is slightly misconstrued.

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How has WMS gaming done in the last 18 months with the new online games

28 March 2012

The short answer is that this software provider has done very well indeed and the reason they have done so well isn’t down to pure coincidence.

WMS Gaming software can be found exclusively at Jackpot Party casino (which is a wholly owned subsidiary of WMS) and the games are only accessible to UK based players. This cutting edge online casino is fully licensed in the Channel Island licensing jurisdiction of Alderney and although there are many player location restrictions, they have still managed to acquire a huge fan base from within the UK.

Since WMS Gaming first launched their non-downloadable (Flash-based) casino platform in 2010, the software company has gone from strength to strength and has continued releasing their latest games on a regular basis, leaving them with the impressive catalogue of games that they have today.

WMS Gaming have acquired several licenses that has allowed them to develop branded name games which are generally slots, such as Star Trek™, I Love Lucy™, The Lord of the Rings™, Bruce Lee™ and The Wizard of Oz™, to mention just a few.

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A future perspective on online slot machines

04 February 2012

Slots have come a long way in the past few years alone. The gameplay and graphics have improved dramatically with both Classic Slots and Video Slots and the recent introduction of i-Slots has given us a glimpse of what the not-too-distant future may hold for online slots.

As more and more software companies continue churning out their latest creations, some try to be more elaborate and unique than the last, whereas others have a winning formula and simply mass produce slots that are very similar, and only have minor differences in the themes they offer.

Classic Slots will always be around and there is very little that you can do with these. Then we take a step up to the more advanced Video Slots. These games included scatter symbols, wild symbols, free spins and bonus rounds. These slots really excited the players when they hit the scene and became widely available, instantly attracting a huge fan base.

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Is Rival Casinos going to fall over and die?

03 February 2012

In online terms, Rival Casinos haven’t been around for a great length of time. They first launched in 2006. They provided a unique approach to how online casinos were to operate and little did they know they there would be tough times ahead, many tough times.

The company are very resilient, but there is only so much a company can take before they admit defeat and cannot take any more blows.

The introduction of the highly innovative i-Slots looked to be a huge success but the idea came at just the wrong time. The Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIEGA) was passed and threatened the entire operations of online gambling in the US, including Rival Casinos.

Cracks then started to appear when in 2008, T2, a marketing company whom Rival had entered into a marketing agreement with claimed that Rival’s four owners had breached this agreement, which the lead to a lawsuit and they incurred a huge payout of approximately C$500,000 to T2 Marketing.

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How to deal with non-paying online casinos

21 January 2012

The fortunate thing for players is that most online casinos will payout without fail and usually within a maximum of 48hrs. The time taken to withdraw funds may vary from one online casino to the next and this could also depend on how much you are trying to withdraw.

If you are just trying to withdraw £20, in many cases this can be instant, or within a couple of hours. If you have a substantial jackpot win of £5,000 or more, this could take longer to withdraw. Most large wins will need to be verified by the casino before they are paid out, so you may experience a slight delay on larger wins. Don’t panic because the funds are taking longer to arrive.

The unfortunate thing for players is that there are a growing number of rogue casinos out there who have not been paying out winnings to their players. You may have already spent hundreds in the casino and finally hit a big win only to realise that they are not paying you when you proceed to withdraw.

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How to handle bonus disputes at online casinos

18 January 2012

Players must always ensure that they have read and fully understood the terms and conditions of an online casino bonus. Failure to familiarise yourself with the requirements in order to fully benefit from a promotional offers often results in players not achieving their full bonus, and this is through no fault of the casino.

Registered members are generally not aware of the wagering (playthrough) requirements needed to complete a bonus. The limits set by most online casinos are also generally not within reach of most player’s realistic capabilities. The bonus will require the player to wager a large amount of cash and within a certain period of time.

Many players simply do not have enough hours in the day to complete the wagering requirements and therefore will not receive the full bonus. This is the players fault for not realising the commitment needed in the first place, prior to signing up. To receive a sign up bonus (for example a matching deposit bonus), simply depositing the minimum amount is also not always enough, which players also tend to overlook.

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How exactly do you redeem online casino bonuses?

14 January 2012

There are in fact several different answers to this question and this will depend on which type of online casino bonus you are trying to redeem. The starting point to redeeming any online casino bonus is to actually sign up to the casino and become a registered member. Casinos do not just hand out bonuses to any old internet surfer.

Registration is usually free and simple and there is also usually a rule with most online casinos that states that only one member per household may register an account. You cannot open multiple accounts with an online casino and use the same house address. Once you have become a member of the casino, you can now start to redeem your bonus. The registration is the easy part.

There are numerous ‘No Deposit Casinos’ out there today, which offer new players a small amount of bonus funds to get you started, for free! This could be anywhere in the region of £2 up to a maximum of usually no more than £25. Players do not normally have to make a deposit into their account to receive these funds and this bonus cash will appear as either ‘Free Cash’, or ‘Bonus Funds’. Whatever the casino calls this cash, it is free and can be used to play on selected games in the casino in the Real Cash Mode.

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Which Online Casino Has Comp Points worth Collecting and Why?

21 November 2011

Most of today’s online casinos have some form of loyalty scheme. It is actually quite uncommon to find one that doesn’t have a loyalty program or VIP scheme of some sort.

The main aim of these programs is to encourage players to carry on spending money and playing at their casino on a regular basis. They promise to then reward these loyal players for their efforts. The more frequently someone plays (in real cash mode) at a casino, the more points he or she will earn and therefore climb the ranks. These points can be referred to as comp points, loyalty points or frequent player points (FPP).

There are usually different levels or ‘tiers’ to each loyalty scheme ranging from between three to eight different levels. Each tier will come with its own special rewards and perks that a player can benefit from. Many casinos give the player the first level of loyalty complimentary, but others will make them work for their position within the ranks

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Which Online Casino Accreditations are real and which are Just Plain Fake?

19 November 2011

Players should consider online casino’s accreditations prior to signing up with them. The logos of these ‘seals if approval’ can normally be located at the bottom of the homepage, which you can hover over and they are usually clickable meaning that once clicked, you will be sent directly to the site which approved them for being a ‘fair’, ‘trusted’ or ‘certified’ site. There are several different types of accreditation that combine to make a casino a safe and secure website.

There are certain standards that players will notice with accredited online casinos that weaker online casinos simply won’t have. It’s simple, no certification, don’t trust them. If a casino claims that they are the ‘Number 1 Casino in Europe’, and have this advertised in bright neon letters, it is sure to fool hundreds of people, but where did they obtain this fact, who voted for them to become the ‘Number 1 Casino in Europe’, and what was the organisation that awarded the website with this accreditation?   

This is an obvious example of how some casinos can award themselves with fake accreditations that should simply be ignored. It is hard for a ‘newbie’ (new player) to ever realise that these websites will say anything to get you to sign up. Unfortunately many players get misled.   

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How do Online Casinos get Good Reputations and what makes them Trustworthy?

11 November 2011

Online casinos can acquire a solid reputation for several different reasons. There are many casinos that are still around today since the first online casino was launched in the mid 90’s, but many of the weaker ones no longer exist. The UK saw a boom in online casinos that stemmed from major high street bookies, so players who already knew the operator instantly trusted their new online ventures, which gave these casinos a huge advantage in gathering new players.

Casinos that have been around for longer generally have a better reputation compared with recently launched casinos, because of their impeccable track record regarding customer service, payouts, security and overall integrity, as well as the countless reviews that show them in a good light. It’s impossible for a new casino to instantly gain a good reputation, unless they happen to be owned by an already trusted and responsible operator.

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How can you Test the Customer Service at an Online Casino before you play?

09 November 2011

One way of checking whether or not the online casino that you are considering joining can be trusted or not is to check if their customer service is helpful and efficient. If they are not very helpful to begin with, this is not a good sign for the future, especially if you ever need to report a problem.

Prior to signing up and registering a real cash account at one of the many online casinos, players can test the water by contacting the customer service and asking a few questions. One way of contacting them is by using the Live Chat feature, but not all online casinos have this option. If a casino doesn’t have a Live Chat feature, they will definitely have telephone support and either an email address to contact them on or an online email entry form. Most of the reputable casinos have Live Chat. Some of the online casinos may only grant access to their live chat to registered members only.

There may be different telephone numbers available depending on which country you are located in. Therefore the support language may also vary so dial the number which is most relevant to you. If you send an email, or use the online email entry form, you can expect a response from the support within a maximum of 48 hours.

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Top 5 things to lookout for on T&Cs of online casinos

01 November 2011

Players are often duped into signing up with an online casino without ever reading the terms and conditions of a promotional offer. If a welcome offer appears too good to be true, it probably is.

There are several rogue casinos out there who promise the world but do very little to keep their promise and when you contact the customer support, they simply throw the Terms and Conditions at you, which to be honest you should have read.

The good news is that most online casinos are operated by reputable owners. The bad news is that on occasion, some will slip through the vast net and go undetected for a while before they surface on the casinoman.net radar and arouse suspicion. There have been a few online casinos that are part of the Virtual Casino group who have been offering their players (both new and old) a string of daily and weekly special offers in the form of a coupon code system.

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Vintage Vegas takes another spin

04 September 2011

Chris Phillips alias Zowie Bowie also known as the man with constant and very obvious fake tan, has been wowing the Las Vegas lounges since 2006 with his wacky performances which he had been doing so expertly along with his then-fiancée.

The gleaming wide smile of the curvaceous Marley Taylor had drawn the crowds in to admire and ogle at the various outfits that both performers dared to wear during their flash performances and to marvel at the dance moves that Marley performed throughout. But then things went a little wrong for the couple as Marley decided to quit to go off with another man who was unfortunately the musical director of their show.

But all is not lost as Phillips has hired a new musical conductor who just happens to be the man that Marley went off with in the first place. It sounds like a story out of the roman era of trickery and deceit, but Phillips is convinced that the three of them will make the performance and therefore the whole show tighter and more intimate than it ever was in the past.

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Single Zero Roulette Vs Double Zero Roulette

31 August 2011

Place your bets is the phrase you will hear in casinos all over the world, it is followed by a mad flurry of players trying to get their chips down on the table before the Croupier announces ‘Rien ne va plus’ a few seconds before the ball drops neatly into the winning number, well at least that is what they would say if you were playing French Roulette.

This is not the only difference that a player will find between a French Roulette table and an American Roulette table because the American game has a double zero on it whereas the French only has the one zero. Does this matter to the player?

It is all a question of percentages, and with American Roulette having the double zero it increases the house percentage by a fraction. Not a big fraction, but just enough to give the house that little extra advantage over the players. Does this really make a huge difference for the gambler?

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How to play craps for the first time in Las Vegas

18 August 2011

The whole concept of crap is that it is a fast moving game that gets punters on their toes and for those who know and play the game routinely, shouting out their bets and throwing chips on the table for dealers to maneuver to where they need to be placed, it is a really great casino game to play.

Watching dealers seemingly and smoothly whipping the chips away and then stacking a load and pushing them over to a player who has presumably just won, you realize that no -  he hasn’t won - he has just bought into the game. In short to a new comer it looks like organized mayhem that is really hard to understand.

Playing craps for the first time can be a nerve racking experience but there are certain tips and pointers that may help calm those shaking hands and get the dice rolling. The best time to go and chance your luck on the dice table is when it is quiet in the casino, mid-week is usually a good time with hotel rooms costing that much less and with less people around you will not have to wait in line to get anything.

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Pinnacle Entertainment names a new CFO

13 May 2011

Carlos Ruisanchez has been named as the new CFO for Pinnacle Entertainment after his predecessor Stephan Capp resigned after eight years with Pinnacle to pursue other opportunities. His resignation took the company a little by surprise especially as Capp had seen such success in improving the businesses financial bottom-line over the eight years that he was working with them by cutting the company’s corporate cost structure.

Capp also served as executive vice president for Pinnacle during his involvement with the company. However, analysts assured their investors that there were no internal problems that led to Capp resigning his position at Pinnacle to alleviate any nervous reaction that this had in the industry.

Ruisanchez, 40 years old was the regional casino operator’s executive vice president of strategic planning and development and has been working for Pinnacle since 2008. He was instrumental in the development of the River City Casino in St Louis also in the planning of the Baton Rouge casino in L.A. and he was a force behind the purchase of the River Downs Racetrack in Ohio. He will now to handle both positions for Pinnacle Entertainment.

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Will the recession hit Las Vegas more than Atlantic City?

08 May 2011

Las Vegas and Atlantic City have been hit by the recession but whether one gambling destination has been hit more than the other is a tricky question to answer. Smaller resorts like the casinos that are located near or on Indian reservations, city centre casinos and riverboat casinos have been less affected by the recession as they do not rely so much on people coming for overnight trips as do the larger casino resorts such as Las Vegas or Atlantic City. The recession has made people think twice about travelling further afield to a resort thus it has hit both Las Vegas and Atlantic City in a much more dramatic manner.

In an attempt to attract people to Las Vegas and Atlantic City both of these multi-million dollar areas of the gambling world have increased their comps (free stuff) making a trip there more inviting to the visitor. Some casinos however, will have only increased their comps on slot machines which means that if a visitor wins $100 in one day the casino will increase this fives times to $500. Other casinos tighten their belts when a recession hits and reduce their comps on all levels of gaming.

Unlike the casinos in the Caribbean who rely on the seasons for their revenue in the gambling industry, Las Vegas and Atlantic City need the short term visitor to keep their wheels turning and both of these resorts are not betting on great returns since the recession hit them.

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UIGEA, the latest update in the situation in 2011

07 May 2011

UIGEA, the Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act came into effect back in 2006 to prevent financial institutions from transferring funds to online gambling operators and the initial aim was to stop financial transactions to offshore online casinos. It does not prevent the individual from placing bets on offshore online casinos just US financial institutions but it did lead to a dramatic decline in many online casinos accepting US players.

Operators like Party Gaming stopped its US operations immediately even before the legislation came into effect causing its stock price to drop by 60%. Another major player, Microgaming which powers approximately 100 online casinos also stopped business with US players causing a drastic reduction in their prices too.

In an attempt to change the dramatic effects that the UIGEA had on the online gambling industry a bill called the Barney Frank’s HR 2267 was introduced to the House Financial Services Committee but unfortunately it was not voted on in time by the House of Representatives so the initial full UIGEA came into effect on June 1st 2010. This meant that the HR 2267 bill had to be re-introduced making it a sure fact that any amendments would not take place to the legislation until a much later date.

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The Casino at the Empire Leicester Square A Historical Account

09 January 2011

The Casino at the Empire Leicester Square is a highly opulent place that boasts of some really glamorous atmosphere and a high end crowd. It has more than 55,000 square feet of casino space and claims to offer a ’Vegas experience in the heart of London.’

The Casino at the Empire is the place to be if one is interested in gambling. It is recommended even for people who can’t afford, as it will be a wager one would only be happy to take!

The Casino is spread over the two floors of grandeur and there are many places to look out for and many tables to splurge and gamble at. At the ground floor, one finds a lot of tables and slot machines, in case you are not too interested in the card tricks and games.

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