Online Casino Spotlight

Grand Virtual Online Gaming Technology is a leading software provider in the online gambling industry.  In the business since 1997, the company has been an innovator from day one and never stopped making enhancements to its products.  What sets Grand Virtual apart from the competition is its commitment to flexible, highly scalable solutions that can be easily extended for future growth.  In simple terms, its software is able to accommodate a wide variety of casino operators and their ever changing requirements.  The company’s large number of international clients serves as a prime example being that each operator enjoys feature rich gaming systems that support multiple languages and currencies.   Considering the distinct advantage it has over the competition, it is no surprise that Grand Virtual casino games are used by millions of players in more than 200 countries around the globe.

Notable Qualities

Boasting an extremely high level of modularity, Grand Virtual gaming platforms are capable of supporting traditional and emerging models.  This includes innovative features such as skilled-based, chance-based, multi-hand, lotteries, progressive games, real-time and many others.  The software also supports a variety of client platforms, most notably personal computers, mobile phones, gaming consoles, and interactive TV systems.  Furthermore, Grand Virtual software is compatible with an array of multimedia and web development technologies for enhanced graphics and user interfaces.  These technologies include Flash, Active X, Shockwave, AJAX, Java, DHTML, and various streaming formats.

Key Components

Grand Virtual software is compromised of various components.  One is the Universal Gaming Platform, which consists of the back-end of the gaming infrastructure.   Based on the powerful Unix operating system, the platform enables the functioning of several related components.  These components include gaming servers, a game points manager, e-commerce engine, financial stored value manager, and central database.   It also includes a robust toolset that facilitates data mining, fraud screening, player support, and affiliate and partner programs.  Due to its flexibility and extensibility, the Universal Gaming Platform enables Grand Virtual software to support virtually all forms of online gambling.

Another important component is the Casino Client Software.  This platform is essentially a customizable gaming module that runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems and features a visually impressive 3-D casino floor.  The software allows operators to gives players the power of choice when it comes to selecting the types of games they play and how funds are transferred.  Players also have access to their transaction records and the ability to customize the audio and video effects of game play to their liking.   The Casino Client Software offers a variety of casino games including multi-player poker with 3D tables, selectable avatars, step-by-step tutorials, automated training rooms, and a wealth of promotional features.

Conclusion

The online gambling market is changing rapidly and the Grand Virtual software platform is perfectly suited for the evolution.  It has been strategically designed to support new modules for emerging applications and can be easily integrated into existing platforms.  Therefore, it is clear to see that Grand Virtual technology will not only power the industry today, but into the future as well.

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.

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.

Created by British company Orbis Technologies, Ltd., OpenBet is an online gaming software platform that separates itself far from the competition.  Unlike most other solutions, this particular application offers seven individual gaming modules: Casino, Sportsbook, Fixed Odd Games, Rake Games, Retail, Exchange and Marketing.  These modules and their ability to interact with one another enables casino operators to provide players with a fully integrated gaming solution that delivers support, security and much more all from a single package.  Orbis’ “one account, one wallet solution” has made OpenBet one of the most unique and popular online casino gaming platforms on the market.

OpenBet Technology

OpenBet is widely adopted by some of the biggest players in the realm of online gambling, both in the United Kingdom and other countries as well.  The software utilizes a standard three-tier architecture based on the powerful Unix platform.  This architecture consists of a database system, web server and application server.   The database it uses is called Informix Dynamic Server, a system that often runs on Linux and Solaris platforms.  The application server is a proprietary solution developed by Orbis to maintain a high level of availability and facilitate a high number of betting transactions.  Written in the C programming language, the application server includes a number of libraries designated to perform various tasks.  The web server powering the OpenBet software platform is Apache 1.3, which supports application servers on both the front and back-end.  These web components help Orbis maintain what has become one of the best  designed gaming platforms in the industry.

OpenBet Then and Now

It didn’t take long for OpenBet to go from a new solution to the near perfect gaming system it has become today.  The software was initially developed in 1996 and in 1997, its first sports betting application was implemented through a joint venture with Index and Sport life.  In 1999, ICE, the first OpenBet Casino was launched, followed by the Sky Vegas Live Roulette channel and several other new customers.  By the time to the millennium rolled around, Orbis was a key player in the online gambling industry, powering sites such as Ladbrokes.com as well as channels like Survey Sports and Paddy Power.  Even after being acquired by News International Company NDS Ltd., Orbis kept the OpenBet brand alive and well in the online gaming world.

Today, the OpenBet gaming system is still prevalent and currently being used by some of the most notable brands in the online gambling atmosphere.  The software powers 32Red, Betway, Ladbrokes, Lasseters, Macua SLOT, Premiere Bet, Ukbetting and VC Games to name a few.

Despite all the competition on the market, Orbis continues to prove that is has the goods needed to run a stable and reliable internet betting establishment.  More importantly, OpenBet features such as multiple currencies and multilingual capabilities have made it possible for players all over the world to excel with the software and partake in online gambling.  Whether it is sports wagering, new games or old classics, this platform delivers all the technology to enjoy a safe and stable gaming experience.

French legislators are in the process of discussing a bill that would end a state monopoly on online gambling. The proposed bill is being evaluated in the French parliament this week. If passed, the legislation would allow privately owned websites to offer wagers on horse racing, soccer and poker.

The country is under a great deal of pressure from several forces to implement the legislation. It is estimated that about 3 million French citizens are illegally wagering at online casinos based abroad. Under the proposed law, private firms would obtain a permit from a newly created regulator. The firms could then set up websites offering wagers on skill games like horse racing, poker and sports contests.

Great potential for French market

According to consulting firm MECN, the French market could be worth nearly 2 billion Euros in gross revenues by the middle of next decade. The report is based on five key factors:

Liberalization-The legislation is expected to be in place by next summer.

The importance of the French market-Among casino operators and industry experts surveyed in the report, 80% indicated that France was relevant and important to their future endeavors.

Onlne poker-Nearly 80% of the casino operators in the survey are looking to secure a French poker license.

Market size-The licensed market in France last year totaled 70 billion Euros with a gross revenue of over 8 billion Euros.

Potential-The market has unlimited growth potential in poker and sports betting.

“The operators will focus on online poker and sports betting because they expect the French market to outstrip even the success story of the Italian online poker and betting market,” according to a statement from MECN.

The wheels are in motion

“We have chosen a middle way which I think is just and efficient, a controlled opening up of the market,” Budget Minister Eric Woerth told parliament. “I want to put an end to these parallel universes. I want to put an end to the jungle of illegal sites,” he said.

Under the current laws in France, two state-owned organizations handle legal online gambling operations in the country. The state makes about 5 billion Euros per year from gambling at race tracks, licensed cafes and the internet. Woerth has indicated that France could generate 1.5 billion Euros annually from taxes tied to the pending legalization.

In addition to pressure from private gaming firms and the European Union, there are several top soccer clubs in Europe pushing for the bill to go through. The soccer organizations feel that their sport would benefit by giving their fans a chance to place wagers on matches at their websites.

The bill is critical for online gaming corporations in the United Kingdom. Their profits have been down in recent years but the French legislation would be a major jump start for their operations over the next few years. Several major gaming companies in the UK saw their revenues decline by over 25% in the first-half in wake of the worst recession since World War II.

What keeps most players from partaking in online gambling is the never ending issue of security.  This is quite understandable when realizing that it combines two mediums that are still controversial in the eyes of many: the internet and casino gambling in general.  Despite its popularity, there remains a large number of consumers who still do not feel comfortable making purchases online.  All this weariness continues, even with the advanced payment systems and security mechanisms that have been deployed by online merchants and casino operators since the early days of the World Wide Web.

When it comes to the internet, security is something that can never been ensured.  On a good note, there are a few global licensing and trading standards that govern some of the most reputable online casino sites on the market.  The reliable companies use the latest in software technologies and security protocols to ensure the protection of the casinos and their customers.  In some cases, these casinos set up systems that are more secure than those utilized by online banks and other financial institutions.  When looking at things from this perspective, the bigger issue may not be the security of online casinos, but actually distinguishing which casinos are reliable from those that are not.

Using Available Resources

Finding a reputable casino can be a difficult task but fortunately, there are a number of helpful resources at your disposal.  By performing the right search, you can find several well established governing bodies which can provide detailed information on the casinos that can be trusted.  There are casinos that have been validated with certifications and display special badges on their website.  These badges can be viewed as symbols of credibility that indicate the casino’s level of integrity and security.  Some of the most trusted symbols boasted by online casino sites are those obtained through well known internet security firms such as VeriSign and Thawte.  These trusted seals can found on the sites of big name organizations that range from The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to Merrill Lynch.  Other signs of reliability are displayed through badges that indicate affiliation with industry regulatory bodies such as GeoTrust, eCOGRA, RGP, and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

Ensuring Fairplay

If you are a new player that has concerns about cheating, you should know that this is an entirely different issue than security.  Cheating can actually take several forms, but the most common are well known and immediately addressed by online casinos.  For example, collusion in poker rooms has been a major problem over the last few years.  Many casino operators have elected to deal with this by logging the IP address of every player to keep tabs on potential troublemakers.  They also verify email addresses and credit card information to make sure they know exactly which players are playing on which tables.

Online casinos are constantly emerging and the people behind them are doing all they can to reel in new traffic.  The good ones understand that the best way to keep the customers happy is to prove reliability and fair play in gaming environments.  When the players feel safe, it is much easier for casinos to build up their clientele while all the less trustworthy eventually fade in the wind.