Archive for January, 2010
Kentucky House to Legalize Slots?
Yesterday, Speaker of the House in the state of Kentucky introduced a bill that would allow race tracks to carry slot machines. A similar bill was introduced the previous day in the state Senate. Kentucky has a complicated take on gambling, with most games being outlawed yet horse racing and betting on it not only accepted, but considered a part of state pride (such as the Kentucky Derby). In addition, Kentucky has a state lottery. If they pass a law legalizing slot machines, it would be a step toward allowing more gambling freedom within the borders of the Bluegrass State.
Though the gambling bills in the House and Senate are similar, there are some differences, with the main one being how the revenue is used. The House bill spells out specific purposes on which the money from slots will be spent. One such purpose is the construction and funding of public schools, which is a common reason given for allowing gambling. The Senate bill, however, is not specific and instead states that the revenue from the legalized slots would be placed in the general fund, to be spent as the government decides at a later point.
Kentucky, like most American states, is struggling during this recession (sorry Ben Bernanke, it is still a recession) and could use some extra money. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear estimated that legalizing slots could generate approximately $780 million over the next two years. That’s money that could certainly help right now.
A Word on Freeroll Slot Tournaments
Online casinos and brick and mortar casinos love holding great promotions. Popular promotions are the best way to attract new customers and convince current customers to play more often. Tournaments are perhaps the most popular of casino promotions.
Slot tournaments are a great way to play your favorite games with a severely reduced risk. Why are the risks reduced? That’s because you aren’t depositing money to play the game. Normally, when you play slots you have to wager money for each spin. On winning spins, you get some of your money back, but on losing spins, you lose all of the wagered money.
With slot tournaments, however, it’s different. Usually you only pay an entry fee and then are given a certain amount of credits. You wager those credits like you would your own money and instead of winning money, you win points. Those with the most points at the end of the tournament win prizes.
But it gets better. Sometimes that entry fee is waived and you can play the entire tournament without having to use any of your own money. These are called freeroll tournaments and they exist for slots, poker and other casino games. Freeroll slot tournaments take all risk out of playing online slots, because you can play for prizes without risking losing a cent!
The gameplay for slot tournaments, whether they are freeroll tournaments or not, is slightly different than playing normal slots. For one thing, since you are given a certain amount of credits and are competing against other players, you want to spin as fast as you can to make sure your competitors don’t have more turns than you.
Therefore, if you like playing online slots but don’t want to spend money to do so, you have two good options. One is to play the free trial versions that most casinos offer. In those, you wager, win and lose fake money. A better deal, though, is freeroll tournaments, because even though it’s still free, you can win prizes at the end. If that sounds like a good deal for you, keep an eye out for freeroll tournaments at your favorite online casinos.
All Slots Casino Brings Back Popular Promotions
Earlier I reported that All Slots Casino is offering a new exciting game called Robot Butler. While that may be exciting news for people like me who love the idea of being served by machines, there is bigger news out of the All Slots camp. Two of their most popular promotions – Slots All Star Competition and Head of the Table Playoff – are back this month.
The Slots All Star Competition began yesterday and runs until January 25. During this promotion, players earn points for doing something they would do anyway: playing online slots. There are no specific games to play and the promotion follows a leader board format.
Players can pick any regular online slot games offered by the casino (live tournaments don’t count). During the promotional period, players earn 1 point for every 50 credits wagered, 1 point for every 50 credits won each day, and 1 point for every 50 credits lost per day. In that way, you can get points whether you do well or not.
The leader board is updated every 30 minutes and to qualify in the promotion you only need to wager at least 50 credits during this period. However, to win you will need to do more than that. When the promotion ends, the players atop the leader board will share a 10,000-credit prize pool.
Upon the conclusion of that tournament, All Slots starts the Head of the Table Playoff. This promotion, which runs from January 26 to February 1, focuses on table games. During this tournament is the same as the Slots All Star Competition in structure, with players earning 1 point for every 50 credits wagered, won and lost. To qualify, players must play any games offered for video poker, power poker, table poker, casino war, blackjack, and red dog. The promotion doesn’t include baccarat, craps or roulette.
To take part in these popular promotions, visit All Slots Casino today.
Arctic Fortune Slot at Lucky Nugget Casino
Arctic expeditions are always exciting. They capture the spirit of adventure and countless dangers that can keep your heart rate accelerated. I also love movies set in the arctic, including Insomnia and White Out. I have to admit, though, that I enjoyed the latter mostly because it starred Kate Beckinsale. To be honest, I would watch a 2-hour movie of Kate reading a book…silently. But that’s just me.
Anyway, I’m not rambling about arctic tales for nothing. I bring it up because Microgaming has released a new online slot called Arctic Fortune, which can be found at Lucky Nugget Casino. The game has a Nordic adventure storyline, with Vikings traveling throughout the icy wild in search of treasure.
The game features well-illustrated symbols of Viking ships, treasure chests, frozen landscapes, wolves, Viking horns and more. Getting the correct combination of treasure map symbols triggers a bonus round, where you must shoot deadly spiders. It doesn’t sound scary, especially compared to the rest of the dangers you face in the arctic, but believe me when I say these are nasty spiders. Players have a shot at 40 free spins and a multiplier of up to 6x.
There is also a bonus game where you must search for hidden treasure. If you find it, you can win up to 9,000 coins as a bonus.
Arctic Fortune, like some of Microgaming’s online slots, is a little different. There are no traditional paylines. Instead, there are 1024 ways of winning. Basically, you’ll know whether or not you’ve won by seeing if the game is giving you money. And when they do, you probably won’t be able to figure out why. But that’s okay. That only adds to the mystery of the game, right? The online slot can be played using denominations ranging from $.01 to $.20, with up to 10 coins allowed for each wager.
If you’re in the mood for an online slot that capture the excitement of exploration, the danger of polar ice, frostbite and wildlife, then Arctic Fortune is the game for you. To play, stop by Lucky Nugget Casino today.
Robot Butler Slot at All Slots Casino
I’ve always wanted a robot to serve me. Ever since I saw The Jetsons and their robot maid, I’ve wanted a robot servant of my own. It’s only practical. I want to be served but I don’t want to make a person do it, because it seems like undignified work. Also, I don’t want to have to pay minimum wage and robots don’t require pay. If they ever get all up in arms and act like they’re going to unionize, you simply flick their switch to “off.” Problem solved!
Sure, I’ve seen movies about robots rebelling against humans in the worst of ways, everything from The Terminator to The Matrix to the “Robots” song by Flight of the Conchords. Let’s face the truth, though. That’s nothing more than pro-robot propaganda. We all know that we will eventually have robot butlers and most likely they will come from Japan.
That’s why I’m so excited about the new online slot by Microgaming. The game, called Robot Butler, can be found at All Slots Casino, among other Microgaming sites. The game featured a robot that looks like a combination of Bender from Futurama and those machines in the Flomax commercials. This butler does what butlers do best: serve you. At least I think that’s what they do best. From TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Benson, I figure they’re also good at wisecracking and putting you in your place.
Robot Butler is a 5-reel, 20-payline online slot that pays out up to 10,000 coins. It features symbols of high-tech cards, futuristic houses, and of course the robot butler. The butler is a wild symbol and can be used to stand for any other symbol to help you get a winning combination. The robot butler can also trigger a bonus round, where you win more coins the more tasks your butler is able to complete.
There is also a gamble feature that comes in to play when you get winning spins. In essence, it is a “double or nothing game,” where you risk your winnings for a chance to multiply them. I only wish that upon winning, dance music would start playing and your butler would start dancing “the robot.” That would make this game perfect.
To become a part of the glorious robot-exploiting employing future now, stop by All Slots Casino and try the Robot Butler online slot.
Super Slots Lets You Beat the Bank
We’ve always had an odd fascination with bank robbery. Whether it’s the times of Jesse James knocking off banks in the old West, John Dillinger doing the same in the 1930s, or heist films like Dog Day Afternoon, the idea of stealing from a bank has often been romanticized. This is despite the fact that the banks actually give you free money just for letting them hold yours while you’re not using it.
For those who love heist moves and want to relive it in the form of a slot machine, Super Slots Casino has the perfect game for you. The casino has released a new online slot by Vegas Technology called Beat the Bank. The game is themed on a bank heist and all of the preparation and artistry that it entails. The game features symbols of cops, robbers, diamonds, security cameras and bank vaults, among other things.
It is a 5-reel, 25-payline online slot that can be played in denominations ranging from $.01 to $10. The game features 2 different bonus rounds. The first is the Free Spin Bonus Round, where you are awarded 15 free spins and any winnings you get during those free spins are tripled. The other bonus is the Beat the Bank Bonus Feature. In this bonus round, the player must choose which safe has money and which is empty. Each correct guess results in a doubled prize. You keep playing until the alarm is triggered.
For the record, my favorite bank robbery scene is the beginning of Out of Sight, where George Clooney simply walks up to a teller and politely asks her to give him the money without ever raising his voice, showing a weapon or resorting to violence. It was as clever as it was exciting.
To take part in an exciting online slot version of bank robbery and embrace your inner-Jesse James, visit Super Slots Casino today to play Beat the Bank.
Dispute Resolution for 2009
The e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance company, commonly called eCOGRA, is the industry leader in inspecting and certifying online casinos. The company checks the websites for fairness and safety, making sure that players that become members of those casinos can be assured not only that their information is safe, but also that they will be playing fair games.
There is another aspect of eCOGRA, though, that does not get as noticed. That is the dispute mediation service that the company provides. If you are playing at a casino that is licensed and given the seal of approval by eCOGRA and have a problem, whether it’s about billing, feel you were cheated, or anything else, your first step should be to take it to the casino’s customer service department. If the casino can’t or won’t help you and you feel you have been wronged, you can take the dispute to eCOGRA and their dispute mediation department. eCOGRA will look at the facts of the dispute and rule in favor of either the player or the casino. By contract, the casinos are required to honor the decision made by eCOGRA.
The stats for eCOGRA’s dispute mediation in 2009 have come in and they’re not much different from the previous year’s. There were 826 dispute mediation requests received, though after rejecting any that were not for casinos licensed by ecOGRA or did not have enough information, the number was reduced to 628. This number is slightly up from 550 in 2008, which may be because of an increase in online gambling. In those cases, 48% of the cases were ruled in favor of the players, down 1% from 2008.
While it’s always nice when the player win the dispute, the fact that 52% of the rulings went in favor of the casinos tells me something I’ve always suspected. A lot of players don’t read the terms of service agreement. That thing with all of the legal mumbo-jumbo that you have to agree to? Yeah, that. You should always read it and make sure it is something you would actually agree to before joining a casino. It seems that a lot of people aren’t doing that, since they are disputing things they have no reason to dispute. I know it’s not fun to read the terms of service, but it’s wise to do so. So make a New Year’s resolution to read the TOS of any site you join. It will save you some headache and confusion.
SEGAGames Adds CTXM to Deal
A while back, it was reported that SEGAGames signed a deal with Playtech to bring some of its popular brands to online casinos. This is news that excited geeks around the world living in their mothers’ basement (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
The licensing agreement will result in a launch of SEGA branded online gambling websites, such as SEGAPoker.com and SEGACasino.com. On the websites, gambling games will be played utilizing the popular game themes of Virtua Fighter, House of the Dead and more. Here’s hoping there are games for Sonic the Hedgehog and After Burner, my two favorite SEGA games of all time. I think a Sonic slot would be particularly exciting.
Recently, though, SEGA sweetened the deal by bringing in software designer CTXM, which is known for a wide range of games, from standards like Bejeweled to the exciting Supercow. This is great news for anyone who has always wanted to combine their love for video games with their love for online gambling. Here’s hoping Nintendo catches on and follows suit. Anyone else want to see a Mario Kart game where you can bet on the races?
Platinum Play Casino Now Offering Ukash
There are people out there that don’t trust websites, computers or machines in general. I understand the sentiment. I’m kind of distrustful myself. I don’t like that fact that supermarket cashiers are losing their jobs to automatic-checkout machines. Even things that seem so beneficial, such as medical machinery, make me nervous. Sure, pacemakers seem helpful, but what if they’re simply biding their time until the robot revolution, when the pacemakers will take control of the host’s body and make them all slaves to the machines? It can happen.
Perhaps that’s a slight exaggeration, but there is a very legitimate worry people have about entering sensitive information online. No matter how many times you tell them about cyber security, licensing and regulatory agencies and the like, some people will never be comfortable using a credit card or bank account to deposit money at an online casino.
The good news is that at some casinos you don’t have to. Platinum Play online casino, for example, is now allowing its members to make deposits and withdrawals using Ukash.
No, that’s not an East-European pastry. Ukash is a program that allows you to essentially pay cash when making deposits online. The Ukash card is a prepaid card that can be purchased at any PayPoint location throughout the UK. You can go to any store that has a PayPoint, which includes newsstands, convenience stores, supermarkets and more, and pay for the gift card using cash. You then go home and log onto Platinum Play casino, where you use the prepaid card to make a deposit. That way, neither your bank account nor your credit card number were accessed and you are assured of safety.
There is no registration required, so no sensitive information is exchanged. To take advantage of this service and make payments the same as using cash, visit Platinum Play online casino today.
New Chinese Slot at Cherry Red Casino
Restaurants and cooking are popular right now. People have always loved eating good food and going to a good restaurant, but in recent years it has become increasingly popular to watch TV shows about people cooking or eating good food. I’ve never understood it myself, but the times have definitely changed. In the past, only people like my grandma watched cooking shows, people like Julia Child, who was only interesting when lampooned on Saturday Night Live. But now, whether it’s Iron Chef, Rachel Ray, Man vs. Food or whatever, shows centered on food are incredibly popular. In fact, right now not only do we have an entire network dedicated to food shows (Food TV), but the Travel Channel is showing mostly food shows as well.
Anyway, that is just a really long lead-in to the new Realtime Gaming slot that is likely to be hugely successful. The game, which can be played at Cherry Red Casino as well as other RTG casinos, is called Wok and Roll. As you might expect, the online slot has the theme of a Chinese restaurant. The game features symbols of meat cleavers, egg rolls, soup, fortune cookies and more. And yes, playing the game makes me hungry. I think I’m going to go out for Chinese for lunch. Of course, in China, they just call it food.
Wok and Roll is a 5-reel, 25-payline online slot that can be played in denominations ranging from $.01 to $5. The maximum fixed jackpot is $25,000. The game has an autoplay feature if you are in the mood to gamble lots of money while you do something else. The game has a chef as a bonus symbol that triggers up to 10 free spins. Like many Real Series online slots, this game has a randomly triggered progressive jackpots.
The game is a available in a free trial version if you want to take it for a spin before betting any real money, so you have nothing to lose. If you love slots and Chinese food (don’t worry, you don’t have to like egg rolls), then stop by Cherry Red Casino and play today.