Online Casino Gambling

The first Spanish gaming license was given to Casino Gran Madrid. The license process began in 2009 when the operator signed an agreement to allow Playtech to power their casino. As a result, Casino Gran Madrid now offers a range of Playtech online casino table, slot and poker games. The player management system for the casino is provided by Media Tech, a Spanish company.

The Beginning of the Process

In 2006 and 2007, Madrid authorized current land-based casinos and bingo halls to allow the activity knowing that regulated gaming was scheduled for the future. The authorization permitted these operators to provide online casino, bingo and wagering. However, these companies were still required to acquire a license in the future and follow the rules of the online gaming law that was in development.

Casino Gran Madrid

As a result, Casino Gran Madrid became the first land-based casino to acquire the license. The license was signed on May 17^th, 2011 but no public announcement was given until after local elections had occurred. A spokesperson for the new online casino released a statement confirming that beta testing will begin soon and occur over several weeks. This implies that the casino could go live within the next month.

Player Eligibility

Casino Gran Madrid will only accept players that reside within the city limits of Madrid and are at least 18 years old. There has not been a name announced yet for the online casino.

Pending National Online Gambling Law

The most surprising aspect of this approval process is that licenses have been issued to operators prior to the enactment of the national online gambling law which was approved on February 2011. The next step is to be published in the Official Gazette and a draft submitted to the European Commission which incurs a three month delay for review. During this time, Casino Gran Madrid will become the authority in the Spanish regulated market.

Tax Proposals

Furthermore, Casino Gran Madrid will only be subjected to a 10 percent tax on gross gaming revenue while the proposed figure is 25 percent for poker and casinos. Therefore, it has not yet been determined whether Casino Gran Madrid will be required to pay the tax increase once the law is enacted.

Playtech is attempting to play a lead role in emerging gaming markets that are in the process of being regulated. This is a major step for the Spanish gaming market while strengthening European Union as a world-leader in online gaming regulation.

Rival Gaming was recently scheduled to release a new three reel online slot game. Many players were excited about the addition of the innovative i-slots or 3D slots features. Many players were surprised that the game uses a three-reel slot compared to five or seven-reels in the newer games. The game entitled, “Heroes Realm” which is a medieval-themed slot game.

The introductory animated clip presents a male and female hero, battling horde of skeletons and monstrous leader. Although there is only a single payline, the graphics and number of features ensure excitement at every pull of the reel. The background is continuously transparent and shows the male and female heroes in their castle.

The majority of the symbols are represented by medieval weapons which include:

• War hammer
• Daggers
• Shield
• Flail
• Battle axe
• Sword
• Magic vial
• Treasure chest
• Two crossed knives

The animations in the game are superb. The vial stopper opens and releases a purple colored vapor. The treasure chest opens to reveal a variety of precious stones. Almost all symbols pay out when they appear on all three reels. However, the battle axe only pays when they are aligned next to one another.

The treasure chest acts as the scatter symbol which pays when at least one appears on any reel. Additionally there is a special combination that occurs when the dagger lands on the first reel, the shield on the second and vial on the third. Depending on the amount wagered, the payout ranges from 1 coin to 750 coins.

Furthermore, Heroes Realm delivers a free spins bonus round and bonus game. The two crossed knives symbol equates to 10 free spins which three cross knives symbols provide 50 free spins. The bonus game requires players to select a hero who is then transported to the courtyard of a castle. The player must then spot the hiding enemies so they can be killed by the hero. The first four villains are skeletons and the fifth, a monster.

The coin denomination in the game ranges from $0.01 to $10.00 with players able to wager up to three coins. The game is currently live at all Rival Gaming online casinos such as Ruby Royal and Sloto’ Cash. Heroes Realm is an innovative and exciting new slot game that is sure to grow in popularity as more traffic is generated.

The long-awaited launch of the Grand Slam of Slots II (GSOS II) is finally upon the eager players. Since the middle of March, all Microgaming online casinos have been running qualifiers for seats at the mega tournament. The qualifiers have included buy-ins, lucky draws, freerolls and a variety of other promotions. The qualifying competitions have ended and all winners have secured their seats in the tournament.

Prize Pool

The GSOS II began on Friday, May 27^th, 2011 and will be played over 11 days using the popular online slot game Thunderstruck II. The tournament ends on Monday, June 6^th. The prize pool is set at $290,000 and will be shared between the top 290 players on the leader board. The first-place prize is $100,000 with second and third receiving $50,000 and $25,000 respectively. The bottom players will receive $100 each.

The Thunderstruck II Bonus

Luckily, Microgaming has confirmed that this is the guaranteed amount. Since this is a rebuying tournament, the total amount collected will be proportionally shared. Additionally, Thunderstruck II has 243 ways to win, therefore, the bonus prize of $2.43 million could place a lacking player straight to the top. The first player to acquire payouts in all 243 ways will win the bonus.

Rebuys and Add-ons

At the beginning of the tournament, each player will receive 58,500 coins and 18 minutes of playtime. All players are given the option of an unlimited number of rebuys with up to five add-ons for each attempt. Every rebuy is $20 and will add to the guaranteed prize pool.  A rebuy will give the player 58,500 coins and 18 minutes of additional play time. After every rebuy, the pay table is automatically reset.

Each add-on awards players an extra 8 minutes and 27,000 coins. Unfortunately the add-ons do not contribute to the tournament prize pool and does not reset the pay table. Once a player’s time and coins have been exhausted, their score will be updated on the leader board in real-time so players can track the winners.

Associated Casino Groups

Several leading Microgaming online casino groups have decided to participate in the GSOS II including, Fortune Lounge, River Belle, Jackpot Factory and Palace Group. This is a massive, exciting online slot tournament that has been underway for several months. The stage is now set and the winners are ready to compete for a large chunk of change.

Developed by Microgaming, QuickFire is a software platform with the goal of providing its operators with online casino games offered by other software developers. The platform is described as being versatile and hassle-free for all parties. The greatest advantage is the seamless integration across all platforms including poker rooms, live dealer casinos, mobile casinos, bingo halls and online casinos. Until this moment, QuickFire only offered Microgaming casino games.

An Announcement from Microgaming

In a press release from Microgaming’s headquarters at the Isle of Man, the provider announced that the QuickFire platform will now deliver NextGen Gaming and Genesis Gaming of Australia with gaming content. The new games presented by these two companies will cover 200 top-performing casino titles including Drone Wars (Genesis Gaming), Mad Mad Monkey (NextGen Gaming) and 300 Shields (NextGen Gaming).

A Statement from QuickFire

A Spokesperson for QuickFire said the entire organization is excited to be able to extend their product to include additional casino content. There is a large growing demand from operators wanting to add the QuickFire platform to their systems for increased compatibility. Also, there is a high demand for software developers wanting to offer their games through the infrastructure. Due to the ease-of-use and growth opportunities, this is an excellent chance for suppliers to expand.

Genesis Gaming Comments

The CEO at Genesis Gaming discussed their latest game, Drone Wars, stating that it will be offered exclusively through QuickFire. The game was created as a response to the growing popularity of vintage sci-fi action games. Drone Wars allows players to selected two space mission types in the bonus game. Both choices offer an interactive gaming experience.

NexGen Gaming Comments

The CEO from NextGen Gaming made a similar statement that he was also delighted to be offering 20 games through the QuickFire platform. He further said that the process of integrating complex bonus features into QuickFire has been quick and simple. NetGen Gaming hopes to continue release games through the software in the future.

This appears to be a win-win situation for all parties involved. Microgaming is expanding its portfolio by allowing third-party suppliers to add games to their software. Meanwhile, the two new software suppliers are excited to reach new markets using QuickFire. The platform is an excellent method of expanding current offerings by Microgaming and has caught on with many online software developers. Expect many new games in the future.