Online Casino Spotlight

Virgin Casino recently announced its partnership with Microgaming. In the future all Microgaming Flash casino games will be available at Virgin Casino through Quickfire software. Microgaming currently has approximately 400 games which will slowly be added to the Virgin Casino system.

About Microgaming

Located on the Isle of Man, Microgaming is the largest online gaming software developer. They provide many casinos with hundreds of different games including those in a Flash version. Microgaming was also one of the first companies to emerge in the online gambling software development field in the late 1990’s.

Thunderstruck Slots

Thunderstruck, a popular online slot game, is already up and running within the system. Thunderstuck is a five reel slot game featuring nine paylines. Its popularity is due to the excellent graphics and audiovisual effects. The game is based on Norse God Thor which is the origin of the symbols. Thor symbols payout double with a 10,000 fixed jackpot and his Rams award 15 free spins for triple payouts.

The Promotional Details

Virgin Casino ran Thunderstruck Cash Back Week to promote the new game. Each day players received 20 percent of their wagered cash back. There is a list of exclusions on the Virgin Casino website. The cash back is calculated through the new loss for bets on that specific day with payouts the following day.

Virgin’s Software

Market research has proven that customers want a wide array of games to play online. To fulfill this order Virgin has aligned its strategy to offer as many games as possible to give the player more choice. Virgin uses software from WageWorks for their overall casino interface. However, they offer games from other online gaming software developers such as Cryptologic, Fremantle and Ash Gaming.

Virgin Casino

Virgin launched its internet based casino platform back in 2008. Since then, they’ve slowly been introducing a variety of games to the public. They currently offer one of the widest selections and are one of the largest online casinos in the United Kingdom. With the addition of Microgaming software, they will significantly increase their gaming variety to become an industry leader.

The collaboration between Virgin Casino and Microgaming is an enormous partnership between two industry leaders. The numerous gaming options that Microgaming provides will make Virgin Casino one of the largest online casinos in the world with the most game selection to offer their customers.

When choosing a new online casino, you want to make sure that your computer, your personal information, and your money is in safe hands. After all, the potential risks for online casinos can be quiet large. On the surface, all online casinos look pretty similar, and pretty safe. However, if you know how to do your investigating you can pick out the safest online casino for you and your money.

What to Look for in an Online Casino

Beyond the games, the style, and the promotions, you need to consider the security of the website supporting the online casino.

A License

Any online casino you are considering should have an appropriate gaming license in the area where they are physically located. This area can be anywhere in the world, but the casino should be able to provide their current license information.

Trusted Software

All online casinos use software to operate their games. Do some research on any casino you are considering and see where their software comes from. Safer online casinos will use software from reputable brands such as Logic, Cryptologic, and MicroGaming. Also, online casinos are required to have a license in order to run software from known brands.

Certified Payouts

A reputable online casino will post the amount they have paid to their winners somewhere on their website. These reports should go months, if not years, in to the past. Research the report thoroughly. To ensure the report is accurate, check to see if it was compiled by the casino or a third-party accounting company. Reports made by third-parties stand a much higher chance of being an accurate account of the online casino’s payouts.

While most online casinos are safe, and gambling online should be an enjoyable experience, it is in your best interest to do your homework before you give your personal information to any website.

The next time you’re perusing online casinos and you find one you like, take a look at who provides the site’s software. Time and time again you’ll see the same names – Cryptologic, Microgaming, Playtech, RTG – at all the top sites. While a handful of large casino and poker room networks have developed their own proprietary software, most gambling sites turn to these top developers when they want the very best. Good software is important to them, and it should be to you too. If a software package is flawed in any way, then the whole casino (and its members) suffer.  Here’s why:

Look and Feel

Your entire online casino experience relies on the quality of the software that supports your chosen site. Site layout is about the only important design feature that doesn’t directly rely on the software. A lesser package simply can’t support the sleek graphics and eye-popping animations that today’s discerning online players have come to expect. When you sit at a fantastically realized online game table, thank the software!

Speed

When you play at a live casino, the dice never stop mid-air and the slot reels never stop mid-spin. In order for an online casino to truly recreate the excitement of live gambling they must have the speed necessary to offer a real-time gaming experience. This is yet another feature that demands a fast, bug-free software platform.

Security

Good software is about more than flashy graphics and high-speed gameplay. Good software not only entertains players – it protects them. While the most respectable online casinos go the extra mile for their guests by paying for additional security measures, the base layer of a site’s safety level is the built-in encryption and protection offered by their primary software.

Fairness

It’s easy to get distracted by all the bells and whistles that online casinos offer, but at the end of the day the only thing a serious player is looking at is their bottom line. Though most casino games are chance-based, in an online casino even chance must be programmed. This is done via randomization software which is designed to mimic real odds. That said, a casino can alter those odds as they see fit to give themselves a more appealing profit margin. What makes casino software truly great is what goes on behind the curtain; in other words, a fancy casino may bring the players in, but a generous casino will keep them.

To summarize, good software not only helps online casinos to look great and play well, but it also helps them to create and maintain a high standard of security and fairness.

CryptoLogic has now been a major competitor in the casino software market for more than 15 years. That means that some of the very first online casinos were powered by a CryptoLogic platform. While many of the original software companies have since fallen behind the times and technology, CryptoLogic continues to lead in its field with innovative new features and some of the best and most impressive licensing agreements in the industry.

The History of CryptoLogic

CryptoLogic was originally created by two brothers working from their parents’ basement. The Rivkin brothers only designed their first casino software as a compliment to an online payment system they had also designed. In 1996, InterCasino officially became the first online casino operating on a CryptoLogic platform. Many game historians claim that InterCasino was the first real-money online casino, thanks largely to its CryptoLogic software and payment applications. While the payment system is now long gone, the software has become a staple in the online gaming industry.

You can experience CryptoLogic software firsthand at some of your favorite online casinos, sportsbooks, poker rooms and – most recently – bingo sites. The software has long lent itself to the wild success of Europe’s most popular sportsbook, William Hill. InterCasino also remains a big draw for online players thanks to the fresh look and fast gameplay its longtime partnership with CryptoLogic has created. And the internationally renowned World Poker Tour brand now conducts its online operations on a CryptoLogic platform.

Award Winning Games

Though CryptoLogic software scores high across the board for speed, quality of graphics and in-play features and options, the company’s biggest claim to fame is its award-winning game titles. Whereas many other software brands offer a long list of generic game titles, CryptoLogic has secured a number of licensing agreements that allow the company to create games centered around more recognizable characters and brands.

The Future of CryptoLogic

In the last couple years CryptoLogic has expanded its fanbase and driven significant traffic to its licensees via its extremely popular line of superhero slots. In previous years these slots featured the most recognizable Marvel Comics characters – from Spider-Man to the X-Men to the Fantastic Four. In the fall of 2009, the company announced a new agreement that will give it access to the significant staple of characters represented by DC Entertainment (Marvel’s biggest competitor). Industry insiders believe this move will allow CryptoLogic to continue its famous game branding should Disney – who purchased the comic giant late last year – pull the plug on their Marvel slots licensing agreement when it expires in 2013.

There are many features that add to the excitement of playing slots online.  One of them is the free spins bonus round.  As the name suggests, when triggered, then bonus round offers the player a number of free spins and payouts, which are provided according to the combinations on the slot reels.  The actual payouts are based on the wager placed on the spin that triggered the bonus round.  These bonus rounds are usually triggered when three or more scatters appear on the reels.  Although very rare, they can also be triggered randomly.  The free spins round can greatly increase your chip balance, giving you the opportunity to play longer and thus, increase your chances of winning big.

Popular Games with Free Spins Rounds

In online slots games, free spins rounds are defined by two parameters: the number of free spins and the multiplier.  With basic games, the house rules dictate that a specific number of spins will be given at a certain multiplier.  In more advanced games, the number of free spins and the multiplier are determined by playing a different game on a separate screen.  One example is the popular online slots game called Fat Lady Sings.  In this game, the first Fat Lady sings and the number of free spins is determined by the number of glasses she breaks.  Next, a different Fat Lady sings and determines the multiplier by the number of glasses she breaks.

The bonus game that collectively determines the number of free spins and the multiplier can also increase the element of chance in online slots.  A perfect example is Area 21, an online slots game recently launched by Cryptologic.  Microgaming’s Pedal Power is an example of slots games that allow you to select the combination you want from a list.  In Pedal Power, you have the option to choose from 25 free spins with a 2X multiplier, 10 free spins with 5x multiplier, or 5 free spins with a 10x multiplier.   Because you have to choose between a greater number of free spins and higher multipliers, making a decision is not always as easy as it sounds.

The free spins in slots games can be retriggered when playing at most online casinos.  This simply means that if the triggering combination appears on the reel during your free spin, you are rewarded with extra free spins.  However, some online slots enhance game play in more innovative ways.  A classic example is Sneak A Peek Doctor Doctor, a game in which a yellow capsule may appear on the fourth reel during your free spin.  When the capsule bursts, it provides you with additional free spins.  Likewise, the blue capsule may appear randomly on the fifth reel, which enhances the multiplier for the remaining rounds of the game.

Conclusion

Free spins rounds typically differ greatly from regular bonus rounds.  The background music often becomes more noticeable while colors of the reels or the background itself may alter to highlight the change in the game.  With online slots growing more popular by the day, new and innovative free spins features are sure to come in the near future.

Veteran online casino InterCasino has launched an impressive lineup of new games to keep players busy over the holiday season.  These games are based on two classic MGM movies and one of the most beloved comic book heroes of all time.

Medieval warriors are sure to love Brave Heart, a slot game centered around the sword slashing movie starring Mel Gibson.  This game even incorporates the memorable battle for Scotland’s freedom into the format.  Led by Gibson’s character William Wallace, the better the Scotts do in battle, the more points the player gains.  Brave Heart also offers a nice selection of progressive jackpots that are strategically named after different levels of movie success.  Ranging from Smash and Epic to Acclaimed and Blockbuster, each jackpot is individual but can be targeted by the player within a single game.

Forest Gump is another new slots game you can find in the Intercasino lobby.  This one is based on the historical film starring Tom Hanks and comes with two full bonus games.  Forrest Gump serves up many famous quotes from the hit film and caters to interactive fans with “Run Forrest Run” feature that provides players with control over Gump’s incomparable dash.

Fans of DC comic books will have a filled day with InterCasino’s new super hero-themed slots game – Superman.  This is an epic game based on the alter ego of Clark Kent.  It features an amazing 50 paylines and calls for players to court the lovely Lois Lane while thwarting the evil attempts of the sinister Lex Luthor.  This game is action packed because all this goes on during your pursuit for a wealth of free spins and prosperous jackpots.

In addition to the movie and comic book-themed virtual slot machines, InterCasino also has a new game called Perfect Pairs Blackjack.  This game is largely based on the classic hole-card variant known as Atlantic City Blackjack.  While very similar to traditional Atlantic City, the differences add a uniquely fresh touch to the game.  The most notable difference is the inclusion of an optional side wager that offers bonus payouts based on the first two cards the player receives. Another catch is that these bonuses only apply to pairs.  For example, mixed pairs payout 5 to 1, colored pairs payout 15 to 1, and Perfect Pairs pay out 25 to 1.  Perfect Pairs offers the highest quality graphics you will find in an online casino game, boasting brilliant animation and 3D graphics that give it a realistic look and feel.  It also includes dealer voice-overs that liven the flow of the game and keep the action moving.

Powered by CryptoLogic, InterCasino is one of the oldest casinos in the online gambling industry, first emerging on the scene in 1996.  In fact, it is the very first casino to utilize CrytopLogic software.  InterCasino is well known for welcoming customers with generous deposit bonuses and more exciting games than they know what to do with.  Unfortunately, due to the controversy surrounding online gambling in the United States, this casino does not accept U.S. players.

Recently, online casino software developer CryptoLogic introduced their Batman and Wonder Woman themed games into the online casino market.

“With the Batman and Wonder Woman on our side, we’re confident CryptoLogic will again demonstrate the connection between big brands and revenue growth,” said Brian Hadfield, CryptoLogic’s President and CEO. “CryptoLogic’s greatest strength is partnering with the brands that attract players to the biggest gaming sites in the world – providing increased revenue for our licensees and value for our shareholders.”

CryptoLogic developed the games after signing an exclusive multi-year licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and DC Comics.

Both of the new releases are slot games. The Batman game is a 50-line game. In the game, Batman takes on the Joker. Players take on inmates at Arkham Asylum to stop the Joker in game that includes stacked wilds. The Wonder Woman game is also a 50-line game. The game features a bonus wager with Wonder Woman fighting an island of zombies.

The company has also introduced the Monkey to Mars and Triple Action Hold’em games into the market. The Monkey to Mars game is a 25-line slot game while Triple Action Hold’em is a new poker entry from CryptoLogic. This poker game uses only the top 28 cards in the deck. The player is given three betting options in the game. Their is a main ante bet plus a couple of side betting options. In addition, the company released updated versions of their Let It Ride and Three Card Poker games.

Other companies launch new games

On November 5th, online software game provider Microgaming will launch three new slot games into the online market. Each game features a 5 reel video bonus slot. The Dance of the Masai is a 25-line game with a 10 free spin bonus feature. The other new games are Alaskan Fishing and Kings of Cash.

Vegas Technology also has added some new slot games. Love Bugs and Bangkok Knights were recently launched into the online gambling market by the company. Love Bugs features a five-reel video bonus game with a romantic theme while Bangkok Knights is also is a five-reel game with themes tied to the Thailand city.

Realtime Gaming has introduced three new games, including a unique poker game. The company’s Texas Hold ‘em Bonus Poker brings casino poker together with the Texas Hold’em version of the game. Competitors will be able to place bets on the flop, the river, and the turn with the same structure and theme as regular Texas Hold ‘em. Also, the bonus feature allows for even more winnings in each hand.

Realtime has a couple of slot games as well. The Shopping Spree II is a progressive slot game. This game is a five reel, nine pay-line game. There is a minimum progressive jackpot of $100,000. The other new slot game is called Triple Twister. This video slot game is a five reel, fifty pay-line game. The game features two progressive jackpots.

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.

Real Time Gaming, a leading provider of online casino gaming software, recently introduced a new video slot to its fast growing portfolio of casino games.  Known as the Mayan Queen, this bonus slot is the newest progressive jackpot game to hit the virtual casino market.  Though only available for a short time, this one already looks as if it could be a very profitable game.

When it comes to progressive games with twenty or more reels, hitting the max bet on the reels needed to qualify for the full jackpot can be a stern challenge.  The same holds true for the Mayan Queen video slots game.  RTG already has a vast selection of online slots that payout large winnings quite frequently.  Although your bankroll can diminish rather quickly attempting to win the progressive jackpot, it is essentially the same scenario when playing slots at online casinos powered by Cryptologic, Micrograming and Playtech, each of which no longer accept players from the United States.  And with Real Time Gaming possessing a huge network of more than one hundred casinos that are a big hit among American players, it also has a number of jackpots that consistently exceed and payout more than $1 million.

This past weekend, RTG casinos aided in building up the progressive video slot for Aztec Millions and helped produce the latest millionaire player at online casino gambling.  The jackpot, which required an additional $1 wager to participate, stopped at $1.26 million for a single player who is likely in the process of cashing a huge check as we speak.  Since the jackpot was spread out across such a wide network, it is still undetermined which casino this very lucky player games at.  We are banking that is one of the many RTG casinos deemed as the best of the best by the online gambling industry.

At the time of this writing, there are still two RTG progressive jackpots up for grabs worth more than $1 million.  Its Jackpot Pinatas has climbed to $1.4 million while both Mid-Life Crises and Shopping Spree combine for more than $1 million collectively.  As for Mayan Queen, RTG’s new video slots game maxes out at $150,000 in addition to the random progressive pot players can go after.   The game’s presentation is that of a jungle theme that portrays the Mayan culture and society.  The Emerald, which represents the scatter symbol, triggers a feature that awards a player with six free spins.  Also a multiplier, this symbol can award the player up to 500 times their original bet.  Players can also increase their winnings through a free spin bonus mode when the wild symbol, the Mayan Queen, is expanded over each payline of the third reel.

Mayan Queen was officially launched on September 16 and is currently available for play at all RTG online casino licensees.  The game is available in a Flash or downloadable version so give it spin and perhaps you could be the next lucky millionaire.

There are many advantages to playing blackjack online opposed to in a land-based casino and one of the most unique of them all is the luxury to play for progressive jackpots.  This is a significant benefit when considering that even the most skilled player may secure steady winnings over time, but rarely claim considerable single payouts when playing traditional games.  Over the past few months, some of the most well known online casino software providers have added progressive games to their portfolios and here are few that may pique your interests.

Cryptologic

There are many reasons to play progressive blackjack at a casino powered by Cryptologic.  For one, many players find that the pool is easier to win since it can be hit when you have four aces of the same color, meaning they do not have to be of the same suit.  Although there is no second jackpot to compete for, there are fixed payouts you can win through a number of combinations of both suited and unsuited aces.  If you want to contribute to the progressive jackpot, you can do so with a voluntary $1 wager.

Microgaming

Microgaming goes above and beyond to standout from the competition and this is reflected in its progressive blackjack game.  With this game, winning is not based on a combination aces but sevens, which makes the name Triple Sevens a fitting title.  If you assemble 21 from three seven of diamonds, then you hit the progressive jackpot.  Similar to the other games, this one also has fixed payouts for many different combinations of seven.  Microgaming’s Triple Seven blackjack game produces winners more frequently but the average payouts are lower than the games by other vendors.

Playtech

Leading casino software provider also offers a progressive blackjack game that gives you the opportunity to win big.  In this game, four aces of the same suit gets you the entire pool.  Unlike the offerings from other vendors, there is no combination that qualifies you for a smaller amount of the pot.  There are however, fixed payouts for specific combinations such as three aces of the same suit and four aces from different suits.  A major plus of progressive blackjack with Playtech casinos is that even a single ace offers a $5 payout.

Vegas Technology

In Progressive Blackjack by Vegas Technology, the jackpot is claimed when you are dealt out four aces of the same suit.  This powerful combination gets you 100% of the money in the jackpot pool.  However, if you are dealt four aces of different suits, then you receive 10% of the overall pot.  Vegas Technology’s progressive blackjack also has some fixed payouts that make the game more intriguing.  Keep in mind that you must place an additional bet of $1 in order to qualify for the pool in any of these progressive blackjack games.

Conclusion

Progressive blackjack carries the same level of high risk as any other progressive casino game.  What we mean by this is that your chance of hitting the jackpot are very low, especially if you are someone who prefers to play it safe all the time.  On the other hand, gambling in itself is all about luck so on any given day, you could hit big and make online casino history.