Online Casino Gambling

Rival Gaming has quickly become a name in the online casino software field since being formed in 2006. With dozens of games and some of the best technology in the industry, Rival figures to be a major player in the development of some more vital casino software into the next decade and beyond. The company is based in Cyprus.

Games

Rival has a vast amount of casino games that are available to their clients. Table games, slots, video poker and specialty games are among the category of games that Rival has developed software for. Blackjack, craps, roulette and baccarat are some of the table games featured at Rival. Keno is one of the specialty games at the site. There are several video poker games available, including deuces wild poker.

Slot games have been the primary focus of Rival’s casino games software. There are numerous 3-wheel and 5-wheel slot games to download at the site. Major Moolah, Strike Gold and One Million Reels BC are the main progressive slot games produced by Rival.

The company’s I-Slots games are quite unique in the industry. When players start an I-Slot game, they are introduced to a creative world with its own unique characters via a video animation clip. As the player moves forward, each level greets them with additional video clips, along with fun features and engaging mini-games. The I-Slots games combine the enjoyment of classic slots with an entertainment experience that’s part film and part video game.

Backend system

The company’s RivalPro technology is a vital tool for casino operators. The backend system enables casino operators to instantly access important information while providing some of the most secure technological software. RivalPro can track and sort players into convenient categories while providing specific info to use in marketing and advertising. The security technologies are also some of the most advanced in the industry.

Rival’s InTouch tool enables casino operators to quickly access a variety of important reports through a Blackberry or PDA device.

Rival Gaming news

In the first quarter of 2009, Rival announced the launch of their latest licensee in Vegas Regal Casino. During the spring, the company engineered some other important deals. The Rival-powered FortuneReel.com casino was launched. An even more significant deal was initiated in the middle of May. Rival was chosen to power a casino property at BetUs.com, one of the leading online casino sports books in the industry.

Fixer Upper is newest I-Slot game

The newest release from Rival is the I-Slot game Fixer Upper. The game has 5-reels and 20-lines with a theme based around home improvements. The object of the game is to fix up houses while trying to win payouts. The coin variations are 0.01, 0.05 and 0.10 and can be wagered up to 10 coins per payline. There is a max payout of 8888 coins or 8888.00 credits. The bonus round’s maximum payout is 1700.00 credits and there are several bonus rounds in the game.

While millions of dollars are wagered each spring on the annual Kentucky Derby triple crown horse race, the state is generating headlines this week for a gambling issue that is a little different. Kentucky’s Supreme Court is hearing arguments on a case involving Internet domain names that are involved in online gambling.

Can state seize domain names?

The judges are hearing arguments that are tied to an old “gambling devices” statute in Kentucky. The issue involves over 100 domain names. The state of Kentucky has argued that these names are no different than any gambling devices, like slot machines, and can be seized. “They have been using these to violate the law in Kentucky,” Eric Lycan, an attorney representing the Kentucky Justice Cabinet, said. “They are subject to forfeiture.”

An initial ruling by a Franklin Circuit Court judge went in the favor of the state. The administration wanted to seize 141 gambling domain names in an attempt to prevent the citizens of Kentucky from gambling on the internet. The state has felt that online gambling has hurt Kentucky’s noted horse racing industry. The decision was then overturned by the Kentucky Court of Appeals to land the case in the state’s Supreme Court.

The state wanted a judge to force the sites to block Kentucky residents from using them or to be allowed to seize the domain names.

Web gambling groups make their case

Three attorneys from internet gambling groups delivered their objections to the proposed legislation to the Kentucky Supreme Court. Their arguments are tied to the lack of a specific law in the state that prohibits online gambling. Attorney Bill Johnson feels that Kentucky has improperly mixed civil and criminal issues in the case.

“The ultimate issue in this case is whether a domain name is a gambling device under the statute,” Johnson told the court. “This case should have never proceeded in the beginning.”

Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Lisabeth Abramson questioned Lycan on domain names and if they could be viewed as gambling devices because the original law was enacted before online gambling began. The statute in question referred to devices like roulette wheels and poker tables.

“Aren’t you just trying to use a 30-year-old statute that talks about tangible property to get to Internet gambling?” she asked.

Lycan feels that the law should be broadly interpreted as the state clearly intended to ban casino-style gambling in Kentucky.

Another issue involves the jurisdiction of the state of Kentucky. Most of the domain names are for offshore gambling sites. So, the state is trying to gain control of entities that aren’t based in the United States. Industry attorneys have also argued that the law violates the international trade agreements and First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

There has been another basic question that has been raised in the case. If the domain names are able to be seized, there is nothing preventing the gambling companies from coming up with new ones. A ruling isn’t expected for at least several weeks.

Players have been blessed with the emergence of more payment processing options as online casino gambling continues to soar to new heights of popularity.  The heated competition amongst payment providers in the internet gambling space is good news for players.  Not only does it provide the player with more options, but also helps them discover the companies offering the lowest transaction fees, thus reducing the cost of their gambling expenses.

Two of the newest payment processors to open their doors to the world of online gambling are GoldPay and I-Point.  Both services have their own distinct advantages but offer a common benefit as well, which is being available to players who reside in the United States.  This is a significant plus for American players who are at a disadvantage because of restrictions and all the legal repercussions surrounding online gambling in the U.S.   Let’s overview both options to find out more about what they have to offer interested players.

GoldPay

GoldPay is an online payment service that offers five options from which players can transfer funds.  These options include Bank Wire, eCheck, Money Gram, Western Union and Xoom.  After selecting an option that suits their preference, the player is sent an email containing detailed instructions on how to compete the transaction.  Once complete, the player is notified that their account has been funded and can now make a deposit at any online casino that accepts payments from GoldPay.  The service also supports withdrawals, allowing players to retrieve their balance and winnings through Bank Wire, Money Gram and Western Union.

There are many advantages to using GoldPay as your payment option for online casino gaming.  The most notable is perhaps the fact that your transactions are processed almost instantly.  The service is also available to virtually anyone with an email address.  So outside of online gambling, this option permits you to send money to friends and families or make purchases from other online merchants if you choose to.  Most importantly, all GoldPay transactions are completely secure and private.  After creating your account, there is no need to share any personal or financial information with the service provider.

I-Point

I-Point is also an online payment service, but works slightly different that than your typical e-wallet.  While the service calls for you to fund your account with a credit card, the card details are not stored on the company’s servers.  This results in superior security because even if a hacker was able to break into the server, your sensitive credit card information will not be available to them.  I-Point is different in another manner which may be even more important. This refers to the method it uses to remit a player’s funds. When you need to make a deposit into your casino account, I-Point provides you with a telephone number and confirmation code.  Once the code has been confirmed, you are then allowed to transfer funds.  Because the entire process is enabled through mobile phones, I-Point has quickly become the preferred payment option for mobile casino gaming.

As we mentioned earlier, GoldPay and I-Point are new payment options to the world of online casino gaming.  However, casino operators are adopting support for their services quickly, including Vegas Casino Online, a popular casino powered by Real Time Gaming.

They are a staple of casinos throughout the world. Dozens of the “one-armed bandits” are filtered throughout the casino floor. The sounds of slot machine activity in a casino are non-stop. While there are numerous games to play in every casino, the slot machines are the ultimate revenue generators for most casino operators. About 70 percent of the average casino’s income is generated through slot machines.

The slot machine is a rather basic concept. A button is pushed to spin three or more reels. A player wins when a certain combination of symbols show up on the reels. So, how did this basic game became a goldmine for casinos?

Earliest machines date back to 19th century

The first slot machines were developed in the final decade of the 19th century. In 1891, the Sittman and Pitt company in Brooklyn, New York produced a machine that would become a precursor for future slot machines. Their machine was based on poker. It contained five drums with a total of fifty cards. With the help of poker’s popularity, the machines began to show up in bars throughout New York City. However, there was a significant drawback for Sittman and Pitt’s invention. There was no payout mechanism built into the machine. The establishments that used the machines would offer their patrons various items, if the player received a winning hand. The players were usually paid with drinks, food or cigars to reward winning hands.

It didn’t take long for someone to develop a machine that included a payout mechanism. In 1895, Charles Fey invented a machine that was a little more advanced than the one developed by Sittman and Pitt. Fey’s machine made it far easier to calculate a win. His machine featured five symbols instead of fifty cards. Fey substituted the five drums with three reels. This made it far more easier to calculate payout mechanisms. The symbols used by Fey were diamonds, hearts, horseshoes, spades and a cracked Liberty Bell. This led to his invention being called the “Liberty Bell” machine.

Fey’s initial slot machine was quite unique. It was made of over 100 pounds of cast iron. The payout of fifty cents for three Liberty Bells was a high reward at the time.

Modern machines took shape in the 1960′s

While slot machines continued to grow and evolve in the first half of the 20th century, there were still some elements that were lacking. In the early 1960′s, the Bally’s corporation came up with a significant new slot machine. Their “Money Honey” slot device became the first slot machine to be completely electromechanical. While the mechanical slot machines had several issues to deal with, the new electric machines proved to be more reliable and secure. The upgraded machine included a bottomless hopper (the holder into which coins get paid out) with automatic payouts of up to 500 coins.

The slot machine technology has continued into the 21st century with several more advances for players to explore when gambling at casinos or online.

In a report released by the Australian Federal Productivity Commission this week, the commission recommended that the nation’s online gambling ban be lifted. Internet gambling in Australia represents about 4 percent of the national market.

Reforms are needed

The report suggested that Australia’s ban on online gaming has not been successful for a number of reasons. There is little protection for any Australian citizen that is currently gambling abroad on sites. The commission feels that a lifting of the ban would help protect online gambling customers in the country.

“In its unregulated form, online gaming is available 24 hours a day, allows credit betting, has no intrinsic restrictions on bet size,” states the report. “The commission recommends that the Australian government allow online gaming subject to a strict regime of consumer protection.”

According to the report, gamblers in Australia spend (lose) over $18 billion per year. This figure includes nearly $12 billion on poker machines. The commission is addressing some of the social costs of gambling. One of the proposals would reduce the amount of money that a player could lose in a given time. Lower limits would be set on wagers per button push and the amount of money that could be fed into gambling machines.

Nation concerned about problem gamblers

While the regulation of online gambling is being addressed by Australia, the country also feels that the issue of problem gambling is a concern. According to the report, problem gamblers account for about 15 percent of gaming machine usage in the country. The commission feels that an additional 15 percent of gamblers face moderate risks due to their wagering tendencies.

Overall, there are about 125,000 problem gamblers in Australia with nearly 300,000 in the moderate-risk category. Based on report calculations, a 10 percent reduction in harm would result in an annual half billion dollars gain for society.

One of the main concerns in the country involves the amount of poker machines in Australia. There are about 200,000 poker machines in the nation and the amount has increased by about 15,000 over the last decade. About 85 per cent of problem gambling is linked to these machines.

The report also suggests that shutdown times at gaming venues need to be altered. The current break periods are too brief and are conducted at the wrong time, according to the commission.

A complex issue

While it is a noble task by Australia to address problem gambling, there are many issues related to gambling that aren’t a negative. Gambling is enjoyed by millions of people around the world everyday. Only a small percentage of these people would be considered problem gamblers. Regulated gambling accounts for millions of dollars for governments throughout the world. The ban on online gambling in Australia does more harm than good in the long run. If the commission’s recommendation to lift the ban is approved, regulated online gambling can provide a major lift to some of the issues of concern in the country.

Cryptologic has been one of the casino software development leaders since being founded in 1995. The Ireland base corporation offers a variety of games and business services for the online casino industry. Cryptologic is a publicly traded organization that trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CRY, CXY), the NASDAQ Global Select Market (CRYP) and the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (CRP).

Games

Cryptologic offers over 280 games as part of their software portfolio. The company offers a variety of games in several categories. Cryptologic has games in branded slots, card games, casual games, classic slots, jackpot games, multi-player games, table games, video poker and video slots. The company introduces over 20 new games every year.

Cryptologic is engaged in exclusive partnerships involving some significant brand names. The company offers King Kong, Spider-Man, Call of Duty and Jenga themed games. There are several Cryptologic progressive jackpot games that have been played in many online casinos. The Marvel, Rapid Fire, Movie Mayhem and Millionaires Club progressive jackpot games have paid out some significant jackpots.

Business services

The company offers a variety of business services to support their software development. Cryptologic has account and fund management services while also providing support for players and operators. Their unique reporting and analytic toolkit is a valuable resource for online casinos. The technology enables casino operators to identify their top players, incorporate appropriate marketing strategies based on the type/volume of games played at the casino, gain insight into under performing areas of the business and develop successful marketing strategies to bring in new customers.

A new deal with Rank Interactive

This week, Cryptologic engineered a major deal with Rank Interactive. As part of the agreement, Cryptologic will provide at least ten of their branded games for inclusion on Rank’s websites. Two games are already live with more scheduled to go live throughout the end of this year and further roll-outs are set for the first half of 2010.  Rank is a division of Rank Group, a leading European gaming business. With the deal, Cryptologic now has a total of 28 licensees.

Justin Thouin, Vice-President of Cryptologic, said: “Demand for our games remains strong as illustrated by this agreement with Rank Interactive, a well respected UK brand. With each new licensee, we open up a new recurring revenue stream that will improve our profitability and long term growth prospects.”

Rank also expressed their enthusiasm for the new arrangement. “At Rank Interactive we have been looking to build on our success and expand our increasingly popular games offering. By striking this deal with Cryptologic our customers are gaining access to the very best and most innovative betting games on the market, enhancing our relationship and revenue prospects going forward,” said Rank Interactive Gaming Director Angus Nisbet.

Rank was established and is one of the UK’s top 350 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. The company has an active membership of 300,000 with annual sales of over 50 million pounds. While their primary market is Great Britain, it also provides betting and gaming websites in Spanish, German, Danish and Swedish.