Online Casino Gambling

Neteller has collaborated with Ukash to release the Lucky Draw Promotion. Neteller and Ukash are online payments solutions providers. Neteller boasts an electronic wallet system whereas Ukash provides payments in the form of prepaid vouchers which can be redeemed at most online casinos. Both services are offered at the majority of online casinos. Surprisingly, these two competitors often jointly host promotions.

Email Message to the Customer

In the email sent to all Neteller and Ukash customers revealing May’s promotion, they state, “We realize you love winning cash and we love giving it away, so here’s another chance to win 1,000 Euros.” This promotion is simple with no required registration. Players simply need to deposit into their Neteller account. For every 100 Euros deposited in May from Neteller to Ukash, players will earn one entry toward the prize.

Instructions for Depositing at Ukash

This transaction between payment processors is quite simple when following the posted instructions online. Participants must first login to Neteller and access the “Deposit” tab. Next, select the “Make a deposit” button and choose Ukash from the many available options. Then enter the amount of deposit and confirm. Finally, input the Ukash voucher number and value to complete the process.

About Ukash

Ukash is currently available to 33 countries in Europe, Southern Africa, South America, Canada and Australia. In all of these countries, vouchers can be purchase at thousands of retail locations for use online. Players can easily find these locations on the Ukash website by inputting their address. Vouchers are also available for direct purchase online.

Neteller’s Strategy

Neteller has recently implemented the practice of collaborating with many local payments solution providers to become more accessible to their customers. As a result, the company recently announced the collaboration with Moneta so Russian-based online players can directly fund their Neteller accounts. When they login, players will immediately see Moneta as an option to make a deposit.

At this point, players will be required to enter a deposit amount and then will automatically be transported to the Moneta website to complete the financial transaction. Of course this will occur in a secure environment under the Neteller umbrella.

The collaboration between these two payment processors is an excellent method of drawing new customers to both companies. Since Neteller is the most well-known payment processor for online gambling, they continue to pioneer new ideas to increase customer traffic and satisfaction.

With the recent release of the long awaited, action-packed movie, Thor, this begs the question as to whether an online slot game will be developed based on the film. Super heroes have proven to be popular in movies, comics and online slot games. As a result, there are numerous online slot games available based on Marvel superheroes.

Thor The Movie

The movie Thor was produced by Marvel Movies and directed by Kenneth Branagh. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Academy Award winning actor Anthony Hopkins as Odin.

Playtech Versus Cryptologic

There are currently two leading online gaming software developers that provide Marvel-branded slot games: Playtech and Cryptologic. Playtech has an agreement with Marvel Movies and provides numerous slot games based on their superheroes. When Iron Man 2 the movie was released, Playtech simultaneously launched the slot game.

Prior to the Playtech agreement, Cryptologic has released several Marvel-branded games. Cryptologic has an agreement with Marvel Comics which is an entirely different entity from Marvel Movies. To date, Cryptologic has release over 15 Marvel Comics super hero online slot games, one of which details the life of Thor. This begs the question, since the comic was converted into a movie, will Playtech produce a new version of the game?

The Original Thor Game

Thor is a super hero based on the mythological Norse god and features all his allies and enemies as symbols in the game. Other symbols include accessories and weapons that grant him super powers. The wild icon is the thunderbolt which becomes animated when the jackpot is hit which pays out 4,000 coins.

The Thor logo is representative of the scatter symbol and activates the free spins bonus round. During this extra game, players are given 10 free spins at triple the payouts. The highlight of the game is that the progressive jackpot can be randomly hit on any spin. This jackpot is three tiered. The first level is Hero, second is Super Hero and third is Marvel. This game is available at all Cryptologic online gaming sites.

Since a popular Thor game already exists from the Marvel Comics-brand, it is difficult to predict whether an additional game will be released to the public based on the movie. However, to remain competitive in the industry, Playtech may release a newer, updated version to give players a choice.

The enormous slot tournament, Grand Slam of Slots II (GSOS II) is scheduled to begin on May 27^th, 2011. Since the middle portion of March, the majority of Microgaming online casinos have been hosting qualifying tournaments to award free entry into the GSOS II to the winners. The qualifiers for entry are finally drawing to a close. Platinum Play online casino recently issued a reminder to account holders indicating that there is only two weeks remaining for the qualifiers.

Qualifying Tournaments

Microgaming has set aside a ten week period for its casinos to host the qualifiers. The ninth week ends on May 15^th. The qualifying tournament was available to all players at Platinum Play. The game of choice was Avalon, which is based on the English legend, King Arthur. This qualifier offered eight seats to the GSOS II in addition to a large prize pool of 5,000 credits.

The next qualifying event at Platinum Play was for VIP players only through an invitation. This competition featured a prize pool of 10,000 credits and granted 16 free seats to the mega tournament. The game of choice for the competition was an older version of Thunderstruck.

Upcoming Qualifiers

The final week of qualifiers at the casino will begin on Monday, May 16^th and end Sunday, May 22^nd. This qualifying tournament is open to all players and boasts a prize pool of 6,000 credits with 10 free seats to the GSOS II. The chosen slot game is Ladies Nite, a popular game for online slot competition. The second and final even will be based on a lucky draw and will feature 4 free seats to the larger tournament.

The Fortune Lounge Group

These same events are being held across all Fortune Lounge casino group including Royal Vegas, Vegas Palms and 7 Sultans. Overall there are 120 free seats being given away with 100,000 casino credits. Additionally other prizes include Diamond VIP status for an entire year coupled with triple reward points.

Powered by Microgaming software, these casinos are all licensed and regulated by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta, a reputable jurisdiction. Also, all online casinos in the Fortune Lounge Group boast the Safe and Fair Seal by eCOGRA. These qualifying tournaments offer double the winnings in that players have the opportunity to win credits and a free seat in the upcoming mega tournaments.

Silver Dollar Casino offers a variety promotions and sweepstakes every month. These bonuses typically involve the purchasing of tickets by redeeming loyalty points. There are often prizes that are additional casino credits.

The Barbeque Grill Giveaway

For May 2011, the sweepstakes is an item commonly used in the home: a barbeque grill.

Silver Dollar released an announcement stating, “Spring time is here which means it’s time to light up the BBQ! Don’t miss you chance to up your BBQ game. Enter Today!”

The winner of the sweepstakes will be given a Primo Kamado Ceramic smoker-cum-grill. Primo is a top-of-the-line grill that combines traditional Kamado-style (round) cookers with charcoal grills through a sleek, innovative design using premium materials.

The Grill

The result is a sophisticated, modern-looking all-in-one cooking machine. To acquire one ticket for the grill, players must redeem 500 loyalty points. The drawing for the giveaway will be on May 30^th, 2011.

American players at Silver Dollar Casino will be able to receive this prize as well with no shipping cost. Players from other countries will be given the prize at cash value. Those that have not made a deposit in the past 90 days are ineligible for the sweepstakes.

$500 Bonus Giveaway

Silver Dollar Casino is also offering an additional monthly giveaway in the form of a $500 bonus. Again, players must acquire a ticket to enter by redeeming 500 loyalty points. To be released, the bonus must be meeting the typical wagering conditions. As a result, this giveaway is much less popular than the barbeque. However, the advantage of this bonus is there is a much greater chance of winning due to the lack of participants.

$50 Sweepstakes

Furthermore, every week in May, Silver Dollar will be hosting a $50 sweepstakes. Entries for the giveaway can be purchased through the redemption of 250 loyalty points with an unlimited number of entries.

Earn Double the Loyalty Points

Concurrently, the casino is allowing players to earn double the loyalty points when played at the game of the month: La Cucaracha. The highest payout in the game is 5,000 coins which could convert to a maximum of $50,000. Also, there is an inviting free spins round that grants players triple payouts and a popular bonus game.

Silver Dollar Casino is offering many exciting and interesting promotions with the approach of the summer months. Look for many more giveaways and bonuses through the summer.

eCOGRA recently announced from its headquarters in London, England that it has upgraded the Generally Accepted Practices (eGAPs) for online gambling. In the release, eCOGRA states, “The eGAPs provide a professional framework for safe, fair, efficient and responsible business activity.” eCOGRA is an independent entity that protects players and gaming standards while awarding approval of operators that follow their eGAPs.

To date, eCOGRA has granted its seal to 153 online gambling sites across the globe. The newest revision to its eGAPs is available on the eCOGRA website. The Chief Executive of eCOGRA announced that revisions have been made to confirm eCOGRA’s requirements will meet all new guidelines for CEN Responsible Remote Gambling Measures.

CEN is the European Committee for Standardization which creates technical specifications to create a single market for the European online gambling industry and its consumers. In recent months, the online gambling industry is one of seven new responsibilities that have been added the CEN’s jurisdiction. These new requirements are expected to meet the majority of regulatory authorities across the globe.

The CEN measures were developed by the CEN Workshop Agreement which was created in early 2011. As more European countries choose to implement a strictly regulated online gambling environment, the regulatory bodies will follow the guidelines of the CEN measures. Therefore, with eCOGRA aligning their requirements with those of the CEN, they can provide expert framework that can be used by many operators.

Those casino operators that currently feature the Safe and Fair seal must also adjust accordingly to the new requirements. eCOGRA approved gaming sites currently experience periodic inspections to ensure compliance. Therefore, those that are not compliant with the new requirements will not be renewed with the Safe and Fair approval seal.

There are nine areas of the online gambling industry that will be covered by the new eGAPs including:

• Protection of vulnerable customers
• Combating fraud
• Protection of privacy
• Prevention of underage gambling
• Fair gaming
• Accurate customer payments
• Customer satisfaction
• Responsible marketing
• Safe operating environment

The new eGAPs will features 134 detailed requirements within the nine aforementioned categories. There were a variety of experts and stakeholders at the CEN Workshop Agreement to ensure all parties were represented and had input into the new eGAPs.  This is an excellent step toward a more standardized system of regulation for the online gambling community.

Rival Gaming recently released a new explorer-themed slot game entitled “Diamond Temple.” The game begins by introducing the female explorer Jenny Nevada who gathers her equipment, boards a plane and is dropped in the middle of a jungle. The introductory clip continues by showing her swinging through trees until she reaches the entrance to the Diamond Temple which holds the treasure.

The symbols on each reel are consistent with this adventure and include:

• Map
• Land rover
• Pistol
• Golden mask
• Binoculars
• Knife
• Explorer’s hat
• Bag of diamonds
• Rope
• Jenny Nevada
• Plane

The wild symbol is represented by the rope and payouts the highest jackpot of 5,000 coins. The hero, Jenny Nevada represents the free spins bonus round while the plane triggers the bonus game. The symbols are well-crafted with pastel colors and sharp outlines which is consistent with most Rival Gaming slot games. When winning combinations are hit, all symbols become animated.

The bonus game is activated by hitting three or more planes across any reel. The bonus game animation shows Jenny Nevada at the entrance to the temple and she must enter to search for valuables. Each chamber holds a variety of artifacts, tools and small diamonds. After cleaning out one chamber the player must advance to the next by selecting which door to open. Some doors lead to booby traps which will end the game for the player.

The free spins bonus round is a standard feature of all Rival Gaming online slot games. To access the round, players must acquire three Jenny Nevada symbols which trigger 10 free spins. Accessing four symbols equates to 20 free spins and five symbols equals 50 free spins. During this round all payouts receive a 4x multiplier.

Diamond Temple boasts 20 paylines with players able to wager up to ten coins per payline. The coin denomination is smaller than most other online slot games, ranging from $0.01 to $0.25. The game is currently live at all Rival Gaming powered casinos.

Diamond Temple is an exciting and adventurous online slot game that holds true to its characters and themes. With a variety of appropriate symbols, stellar graphics and fund features, this is an excellent release. Stop by one of many Rival Gaming online casinos to try your luck and find some buried treasure along the way.