Promotional Period

Therefore, players will have between August 15^th and the 19^th to wager between GBP 500 and GBP 25,000 on these two games and several other selected top slots. If players meet the wagering requirements for release of bonus amounts, they will bring home guaranteed cash prizes.

Ten Wagering Tiers

To accommodate the variety of bettors at the casino, the promotion signifies ten wagering tiers with subsequent bonuses for each tier. The first tier requires betting at least GBP 500 for a bonus of GBP 10. The second tier involves wagering at least GBP 2,500 to receive a bonus of GBP 50. Therefore, as the wagering limit increases so does the awarded bonus. The top tier entails a wagering requirement of GBP 25,000 for a maximum bonus of GBP 650.

Eligible Playtech Slot Games

The Virgin Casino website displays the complete list of eligible games for the promotion. Players can only wager on these games to count toward the fulfillment of the wagering requirements. All amounts won during the betting on these games are the players to keep. The list of Playtech games include: Monopoly YITM, Star Trek, Cleopatra, Da Vinci Diamonds, Crocodopolis and the War of the Worlds

Eligible Microgaming and Cryptologic Slot Games

Eligible Microgaming slot games include, the Lord of the Rings, Rhyming Reels Queen of Hearts, Hot Ink and Tomb Raider II. Cryptologic games that are part of the promotion include 300 Shields and Batman. Since Virgin Casino does not have one exclusive supplier, they utilize many of the best casino software development companies.

There is always a lot of exciting activity at Virgin Casino. Game launches, promotions, tournaments and bonuses are the norm at the casino. This is simply another example of the launch of two new games accompanied by generous bonuses. It will be interesting to see what the casino has up its sleeve for the month of September and beyond.

Financial Results for the Second Quarter

The financial results for the quarter ending June 30^th, 2011 highlight an increase in revenue to $7 million from $6 million in the first quarter. However, the total expenses remained consistent at $6.5 million. Therefore, income prior to tax is $0.5 million compared to a loss in the first quarter. The company made an announcement that the Board of Directors is pleased with the performance and will continue to focus on improving revenues in the future while decreasing costs.

Small Reasons for the Increase in Revenue

The company further reported the reasons for an increase in revenue. Although small, there was a reduction in liabilities from the previous quarter as a result of a dispute with a supplier. Also, there was an upsurge in revenue from branded games. During the second quarter, six new branded slot games went live for a total of 185 revenue-generating online games. However, there was a loss in revenue from online poker.

Progressive Jackpot Win

Another highpoint from the second quarter was a progressive jackpot win of $4.2 million at Sky Vegas online casino. The result was a decreased provision for jackpot wins but also a decrease in cash and cash equivalents. Cryptologic directly pays out any progressive jackpot wins to avoid a player-casino dispute.

Update on Commercial Agreements

The financial announcement also gave an update on commercial agreements. Cryptologic has signed a binding agreement with a specific game supplier to continue their business relationship. However, the disagreement between the brand licensor and Cryptologic continues to be unresolved. Therefore, the online gambling community is anxious to learn the results of the review being conducted by Deloitte Corporate Finance which is ongoing.

Cryptologic appears to be making significant improvements from where it was several months ago. As it continues to release games and improve its financial results, the online gambling industry is following closely. Hopefully in the future, Cryptologic will revert back to the game-releasing, financial online gaming powerhouse it once was.

The Parrot Symbol

The parrot is the most important symbol in the game as it pays the most. Five parrot symbols on any payline award 5,000 coins. The second most important symbol is the Magic Potion which pays out 1,000 coins when five of the icons appear on a payline. Other symbols include toadstools and flowers. Additionally, high value cards from nine to ace are an active part of the game. The reels are set in a forest environment with bright, exotic flowers.

The Fairy Symbol

The wild symbol is represented by the fairy which only appears on reels two through four. The fairy icon animation involves the fairy leaping out of the symbols and spreading across the rows transforming the reel into an enchanted forest. This incredible feature only occurs during winning combinations.

The Scatter Symbol

The scatter symbol is the forest which awards scattered payouts when more than two forest icons appear on any reels. If five are hit the maximum payout is 100 coins multiplied by the total bet which converts them to credits. Three or more forest symbols equate to ten free spins. When the fairy symbol appears during a winning combination, payouts from the free spins are multiple by three. If three or greater scatter characters appear, the free spins are retriggered.

Gaming Technology Solutions Enhanced Gaming Engine Platform

A product of NextGen Gaming, Fairies Forest has already proven to be extremely popular due to the large payouts, amazing graphics and sound and high level of fun. Since Virgin Casino does not have a sole gaming supplier, the operator uses  Gaming Technology Solutions (GTS) Enhanced Gaming Engine platform which allows access to games from my suppliers including, WagerWorks, Cryptologic and Microgaming.

With so many similar online slot games available on the market, Fairies Forest is a breath of fresh air to players. The game presents so many excellent features that players will never want to walk away from this game. Stop by Virgin Casino soon to reap the many benefits of Fairies Forest.

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.

Seizure of Three Domains

On Friday, April 15^th, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice seized the domains of the three largest online poker room operators: Poker Stars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker. A warrant for the arrest of the owners has been issued along with a demand of $3 billion in penalties. However, the owners do not currently reside in the United States so they cannot be taken into custody at this time.

UIGEA 2006

The Department of Justice enforced this indictment under UIGEA 2006. One of the charges held against the operators is conducting illegal online gambling with the most severe being bank fraud and money laundering. According to the UIGEA, the funding of illegal gambling is a criminal offense therefore, since payments have been made from the casino to players, these operators are violating the law.

Payment Processors and the UIGEA

Due to this section of UIGEA, most online banks are weary of making financial transactions with online gambling sites. The payment processors used for financial transactions in the incident claimed to be online merchants that purchase various types of physical merchandise. According to legal experts, these are the primary aspects of the transactions that can get gambling operators into trouble.

Reaction from the Online Community

Of course the actions taken by the Department of Justice have been condemned by the online gambling community. The three poker rooms at fault have not yet released any type of statement. Additionally, no statements have been made from other online poker rooms that allow U.S.-based players. Legal professionals are advising players to wait and keep an eye on this situation.

This event was not unexpected as online gaming software providers Playtech and Cryptologic and payment processor Neteller all withdrew from the American market when the UIGEA was enacted in 2006. Microgaming followed two years later after the Kentucky domain name case began. It is unpredictable as to whether this particular event will cause additional flight by operators from the online gambling industry.

Amaya Purchasing a 5 Percent Stake

Following this announcement was unconfirmed news that Amaya had acquired a 5 percent stake in Cryptologic prior to an acquisition bid. Based out of Canada, Amaya is an online gaming company that is active in the Kenyan market. Amaya recently acquired an online gaming license from the Dominican Republic jurisdiction and is planning to launch an online gaming site featuring a variety of casino games in the third quarter of 2011.

The Filing of an SC13D Notification

This unconfirmed news was finally confirmed the week of April 11^th when Amaya notified the stock exchange of this strategic move. On April 15^th, 2011 Amaya filed an SC13D notification which is a report of the acquisition of 5 percent ownership of a company. Amaya purchased 652, 170 shares of Cryptologic for slightly over 1 million USD. This is typically the beginning phase of an acquisition.

The Chief Executive and President of Amaya filed the statement to the stock exchange. The shares of Cryptologic were purchased between March 25^th, 2011 and April 7^th, 2011 at an average price of $1.65. The stock was purchased to facilitate a possible strategic transaction with Cryptologic. The executive further stated in the notification that Amaya is keeping all options open and will continue to monitor business performance and activity.

Playtech’s Purchasing Rampage

At the same time, Cryptologic’s largest competitor, Playtech, is on a purchasing rampage. The latest company in their scope is London-based online gaming provider, Ash Gaming. Media reports that Playtech is on the brink of an acquisition. This purchase is a strategy move to complement Gaming Technology Solution’s (also acquired by Playtech) EdGE platform which is currently used with several of Ash Gaming’s top games.

The acquisition of Cryptologic could be excellent for specific entities in the online gambling industry, especially Playtech and other online software developers. Since Cryptologic, Microgaming and Playtech are constantly competing to be the most popular developer, removing Cryptologic from the race could significantly improve the other two company’s profits depending on the direction Amaya plans to take the company.

Currently, the largest progressive jackpot is featured at a Vegas Technology-powered casino in a game aptly named, “Progressive Blackjack.” The value has currently reached $140,575, slightly below the average winning size of $187,328. On average, the jackpot hits once per month with the maximum winnings ever being $259,342 which occurred 18 months ago. In the past year alone, Vegas Technology has paid out over $2 million. Progressive Blackjack is available at:

• Go Casino
• Online Vegas Casino
• Millionaire Casino

The Cryptologic Progressive Blackjack game currently has a jackpot of $77,128. Unlike most other progressives, this is slowly moving and hits on around $135,000 once per year. The game hits when four aces of the same color are dealt. Therefore, it should be more popular than the Vegas Technology variant which requires four aces of the same suit. This game is available at popular casinos like InterCasino and VIP Casino.

The Playtech variant is also called Progressive Blackjack and currently boasts of jackpot of $69,007 which is slightly greater than the average amount to trigger the jackpot – $63,971. The jackpot hits 1 in every 10 days but was last hit 15 days ago so the system is due turn out a winner. Another trend is that the past 10 hits have been in the $60,000’s range. Therefore, the time is ripe for players to login and try their luck with the potential for winning big.

The Playtech version of Progressive Blackjack is currently available at the following online gaming sites:

• Omni Casino
• Casino Tropez
• Casino Del Rio

Although each of these online progressive blackjack games has the exact same name, they are different in their own regard. If you have to select one of the three, try the Vegas Technology version since it has a much higher payout than the other two and is hit once per month. This is the ideal balance between a large sum of winnings and the frequency of winning. This appears to the best time to place a wager and potentially win as all versions are at the cusp of hitting the jackpot.

As with most themed slot games, Microgaming leads the pack with regards to Valentine’s Day games. Each year the software development company releases a new Valentine’s Day variant. Like most of their games, the Valentine’s Day versions exude delicateness and elegance. Some of the most popular past titles include, “Burning Desire” and “Love Potions.” This year the company has created “Queen of Hearts” which is scheduled to be available starting February 7^th.

Another Valentine’s Day themed slot game Microgaming will soon be releasing is “Secret Admirer.” The clip at the beginning of the game shows Cupid shooting his arrow through a heart breaking it into a shower of rose petals. The actual game consists of the following recognizable symbols:

• Mask hiding the secret admirer – wild symbol
• Diamond ring – Scatter symbol
• “Secret Admirer” heart-shaped logo
• Heart-shaped wreath
• Perfume dispenser
• Rose
• Brooch

The game features are fairly standard with a free spins bonus game and the Microgaming gamble game. This game is available at all Microgaming-powered casinos like Royal Vegas, the Gaming Club and the Blackjack Ballroom.

Another major Valentine’s Day release is by Vegas Technology with their slot game “Cupid’s Arrow.” The game is of excellent quality and features the following Valentine’s Day symbols:

• Cupid – wild symbol
• Heart – bonus payouts
• Kiss
• Chocolates
• Roses
• Valentine’s Day card
• Ring
• Teddy bear
• Lovers
• Balloon

A nice feature of “Cupids Arrow” is that all symbols are animated when winning combinations are triggered. This makes the screen extremely active after the reels stop spinning. “Cupid’s Arrow” is available Slot Galore, VIP Slots and Grand Vegas casino.

The final Valentine’s Day-themed release is “Love Bugs” from Cryptologic. This version adds the twist of a comic angle. The main plot of the game revolves around Love Bug and Lady Bug’s love as they display antics on the reels. The symbols on the reels include:

• Perfume
• Ring
• Violin
• Chocolates
• Necklace
• Champagne
• Love letter
• Flowers

There are many online gaming software providers that have created romance-based games but none that are specifically geared toward Valentine’s Day. If you are in the mood for love, romance and slots, any one of these games will fulfill your needs.

Many gaming companies are taking the direct approach by launching online casinos that cater specifically to that market. For instance, Bodog has done an excellent job of this by partnering with Manila-based betting firm, Haydock Sports to launch Bodog88.com. Haydock has been in the industry since 2006 and is aware of what Asian players want. For example, the culture is more receptive to live dealers as opposed to RNG’s.

Other gaming companies are keeping the casino, the games and betting structure the same but continue to cater to local requirements through multi-lingual customer support and many currencies available. Their software was created in many languages including Japanese and Chinese with deposit and withdrawal options in the currency of that country.

Despite Asian players preferring a live dealer, with many games this is not feasible. To balance this, other games native to that specific area are offered. Almost all online gaming developers offer Pai Gow Poker and Sic Bo. Playtech has taken this a step further by offering an Asian games category that includes Mahjong and Pachinko. Microgaming has recently followed suit.

The subtlest method of attracting Asian customers is by developing online slot games in an Asian theme. These include:

• Samurai and Geisha culture from Japan
• Ancient royalty from India
• Arabian Nights from the Middle East
• Chinese cuisine

Realtime Gaming has found other subtle methods of appealing to the Southeast Asian market. For example, since the number ‘8’ is lucky in the Chinese culture, some of its slot games give payouts ending in 8’s.

The most popular games in this region include, Eastern Dragon by Cryptologic, Cherry Blossoms created by Vegas Technology and Lady of the Orient by Microgaming. These continually attract new customers while retaining the old. Attracting the Asian market should not be an arduous task with many in the region beginning to have disposable income. Online gaming companies simply need to appeal to the tastes of each individual culture.

As a result of this bill, European online casino operators have lost a huge portion of the American online gaming market. This resulted in a large financial loss for most operators. The European Commission has argued against the bill stating it goes against the policy and commitment the United States has to the World Trade Organization.

Although the Commission is positive it has a winning case in court against this law, it prefers to negotiate directly with the United States. Therefore, it has initiated discussions with the proper U.S. officials. Unfortunately this was stalled by the Bush Administration resulting in separated ties between the U.S. and the European Commission.

If the act is simply overturned, players will be able to access sites in Europe and this entire issue will disappear. Therefore, Barney Frank has been committed to pushing the Anti-UIGEA bill through Congress quickly.

The UIGEA bill prevents individuals located in the United States from accessing online casinos by making it illegal for financial services to transfer money to these sites. Most U.S.-based financial companies have stopped transferring money. However, there are still plenty of overseas options for U.S. players. Regardless, this has significantly affected revenues in many states.

The three largest online gaming operators include:

• Cryptologic
• Playtech
• Microgaming

Each company completely left the United States gaming market following the enactment of the UIGEA. Consequently, their stock price took a severe drop. Each of these companies is missing out on the money generated by American players. At the same time, American players are missing out on some of the best online casinos available to date. Overturning the act will allow them to return and players to wager at the best casinos.

Frank’s Anti-UIGEA bill looks to legalize online gambling and have it regulated by each state. Therefore, American players can wager in a safe and regulated environment that eliminates underage and problem gambling. The Government will be able to collect taxes and generate additional revenue. The bill appears to be robust and well-structured. Hopefully in the future this idea will become a reality and all Americans have the freedom to play at home.