Casino forum archive

All online casinos try to reward their loyal players and occasionally the casino itself is rewarded. For example, this week players at Intertops have the chance to win a share of a $70,000 cash fund and Super Bowl Road Trip whilst 888poker and 888casino have won multiple awards at the ICE Totally Gaming Awards. On March 6th a draw will take place at Intertops casino and 18 players will win cash prizes of up to $1000 and between now and the draw hundreds of players will be rewarded with bonuses of up to $250.
Players at Intertops earn points when they play and then the top players are ranked into six levels which are determined by their deposits, wins and losses. On every Monday leading up to March 5th, 150 players will be awarded the bonus of $250 whilst on Thursdays a further 50 players will receive a bonus of up to $150. According to the Casino Manager the promotion is structured in such a way so that all players are eligible for bonuses, not just the high rollers.

As mentioned, last week it was the turn of online casinos to be rewarded. At the ICE Totally Gaming Awards, 888, one of the world’s most popular online gaming providers, were awarded both the Best Online Casino of the Year and the Best Online Gaming Product of the Year.

The ceremony took place on January 23rd in London with the aim of recognising and rewarding excellent products and services as well as innovation from the gaming industry. Over the last year, both 888Casino and 888 Poker reported large growths in revenue and player numbers.

The COO of 888holdings, Itai Frieberger, said that the awards are “great achievements and are recognition of our market leading performance in all aspects over the past year.”

Hi,

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Bovada Casino

As we all know, Ron Paul is the candidate of freedom and free enterprise. So it might not surprise you that the Texas congressman favors people’s freedom on the Internet.

In Nevada, the nation’s gambling capital, that translates into support for online gaming.

Appearing on a local Nevada news program just two days before the Feb. 4 Nevada caucuses, the libertarian presidential candidate told interviewer Jon Ralston that the federal government should keep its hands off online gambling.

“I think people should have legalized freedom,” Paul said on the “Face to Face” program.

The congressman from Lake Jackson went on to add: ”I think people should be free and they should make their own decisions and there should be no regulation of the Internet.”

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Popular online casino EU Casino today launched a new Flash Instant Play version of its software allowing players to access the table games and slots without having to download the software.

This Instant Play version extends the Casino’s reach to players who prefer not to download and to the vast number of Mac users who enjoy playing casino games online.

Built unlike any other Flash product the EU Casino instant play version successfully manages to give its players the same look, feel and user experience as the EUcasino.com download casino.

Commented Vikki Stewart, EUcasino International Marketing Chief, “Instant Play is the application of choice for a huge number of Online Casino players. They will now be able to use our casino wherever downloading is restricted or inconvenient, like the Office perhaps or on holiday where there may just be time to spend a few minutes playing. And now Mac users will be able to access all our games for the first time as well!

Mac users will just click on the Instant play button and view the games in full screen mode unlike the many other versions out there that offer only small windows and pop ups of the games themselves.

Added Stewart, ‘’Our research shows that Instant Play or Flash will attract up to 40% more players to an Online casino . We have spent time getting the quality just right. Great design and easy navigation is essential in Instant play and we have exceeded even our wildest dreams with a user experience we believe is second to none. Our version is big screen and totally engaging with testing before launch clearly showing our players love it’’

The introduction of Instant Play is expected to add to the already spectacular growth of EUcasino.com with Affiliates of the online casino benefiting massively in the expected Conversion bonanza.

EUcasino.com is powered by software developer and provider SkillOnNet. EUcasino.com features a number of exclusive games, slots and scratch cards alongside normal casino table games Blackjack, Roulette and Poker. Hugely popular for their originally designed 3D Slots EU Casino software has been wowing casino players around the world.

HONG KONG—Gambling revenue in Macau rose 35% in January from a year earlier, government statistics showed, as players from mainland China continued to fuel growth. But the outlook for the rest of the year was murky.

Macau, the only place in China where casino gambling is legal, saw gambling revenue rise to 25.04 billion patacas ($3.13 billion) last month, up from 18.57 billion patacas a year earlier, according to data from Macau's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. The figure was bolstered by the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday but fell short of the all-time monthly high of 26.85 billion patacas hit in October.

The Chinese territory remains the largest gambling center in the world many times over. Last year it raked in more than five times the gambling revenue analysts estimate the Las Vegas Strip earned.

Macau's revenue growth has been explosive since the end of 2009 as players have continued to place bets regardless of China's monetary tightening measures and Macau government efforts to slow growth to a more measured pace. But analysts have a less bullish outlook for 2012. Wells Fargo analyst Cameron McKnight is one of the most bearish with a forecast for 11% gambling revenue growth this year compared with last year's blistering 42% rise.

Investors are particularly concerned about whether the fierce growth in VIP gambling, which accounts for nearly 75% of all gambling revenue in Macau, is sustainable. The VIP market is driven by junket operators, which bring high-spending gamblers to the casinos, issue them credit and collect debts in exchange for commissions. Since gambling debt isn't recognized in China, there are no legal means for casinos to recover debts owed to them by Chinese players.

But despite similar concerns raised by analysts and investors the past two years, Macau's revenue growth has managed to exceed expectations.

"The year-on-year comparison forecasts are becoming more and more challenging for us," said CIMB analyst Teng Yee Tan. He is currently forecasting 15%-18% growth for 2012.

Shares of casino operators continue to outperform other listed stocks in Hong Kong with Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd., which opened its flagship Galaxy Macau casino in May, up 21% year to date at 17.22 Hong Kong dollars (US$2.22). Shares of Sands China Ltd., the Macau unit of Las Vegas Sands Corp. set to open a massive expansion project this year, have also risen 21% to HK$26.45. Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index has risen 10% so far this year.

The Casino Grand Prix promotion was a big hit in January at All Jackpots online casino. It was so much in demand that All Jackpots decided to repeat a curtailed version of the promotion in February instead of a totally new one. The curtailment became essential because of the fewer days this month. The February Casino Grand Prix promotion will therefore be a three weeks affair starting from Sunday February 5. Week 1 of the promotion will run from February 5 to February 11. Week 2 will run from February 12 to February 18 and Week 3 from February 19 to February 25. The Casino Grand Prix Final will be a three days affair from February 27 to February 29.

In order to participate in the Casino Grand Prix promotion All Jackpots online casino players must deposit and play at least 100 credits on any of the slot games during a week's promotion period. All Jackpots is a multi currency online casino and the 100 credits requirement is valid for most but not all currencies. Players should therefore check out the exact requirements for the currencies they have chosen for wagering. All slot games offered at All Jackpots online casino are eligible, excluding live slot tournaments. Two new slots games titled Great Griffin and Atomic 8s will be going live soon and will surely prove favorites for the Casino Grand Prix promotion. If a player makes a withdrawal during a weekly promotional period he will lose his position on the leader board, and must qualify again by meeting the eligibility requirements listed above.

The top 25 All Jackpots online casino wagerers in the Casino Grand Prix promotion leader board each week will win the following prizes. The players in the 1st to 5th places will win 500 credits each. Players in the 6th to 15th places will win 200 credits each. Players in the 16th to 25th places will win 100 credits each. Each winner will also receive a ticket to the Casino Grand Prix Final. A player may receive only one ticket to the Casino Grand Prix Final, and therefore is eligible to win only once during the weekly competitions. To participate in the final, an eligible ticket holder must play 300 credits or more on slots during the final promotion period. The winners in the final will receive the following prizes. The players in the 1st to 5th places will win 1,000 credits each. Players in the 6th to 15th places will win 500 credits each. Players in the 16th to 40th places will win 200 credits each.

All Jackpots online casino is a brand of the Jackpot Factory group. It is powered by software from Microgaming and is licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

From February 10-29, love is on the line at Titan Casino with a free €10 bonus for all casino players

Valentine's Day 2012 is a big occasion at Titan Casino. In a special love-themed promotion, the leading online casino is showing all players the big casino love with a free €10 bonus.

Proving that love isn't limited in nature, the Titan Valentine's free casino gift is available to all new and existing players on their first deposit between February 10-29.

In order to get €10 free, players simply need to spin the reels on the special love slots machine (which will stop and reveal the casino bonus code: KISS), make a deposit and contact Support with the bonus code. Luckily love is a win-win game, which means every spin wins.

The €10 free Valentine's gift is in addition to Titan Casino's traditional €4,000 Welcome Bonus.

After experiencing the spinning sensation of Titan Casino's "love reels" players are encouraged to keep the love alive playing popular Titan Casino games like Cherry Love, True Love, Love Match and Dr. Lovemore.

The magic of the casino love brought on by this special Valentine's Day promotion is anticipated to deliver extra big winnings, in addition to overall good feelings throughout the month of February.

Titan Casino

As a member of the Titan family (which includes Titan Poker and Titan Bet), Titan Casino holds true to the mega-brand's core values of quality service and excellence in gaming. Based on award-winning Playtech software, and exclusively promoted by Euro Partners, Titan Casino has over 300 popular casino games on a hassle-free, secure platform, with 24/7 multi-lingual support. Dedicated to delivering the highest bonuses, Titan Casino takes online gaming to the next level, offering new players an astonishing €4,000 Welcome Bonus.

If it were up to me, there would be no more casinos opened in Ontario and we wouldn't be loosening the rules for online gambling.

I'd shut down the Windsor casino that has made less and less money since Detroit opened its own and the Americans needed passports to cross the border. I'd leave gambling strictly to Niagara Falls and a few First Nations.

I don't care how much money Ontario rakes in from casinos - nearly $2 billion a year. It's too dangerous a pastime to encourage. For too many, it ruins lives and destroys families.

Sixty per cent of us gamble and 3.4% of those are problem gamblers.

All it does is give governments an easy way to pick their citizens' pockets.

I'm not alone in this. A recent poll showed that in Toronto alone, 50% of the population is against a casino in the city. Only 35% were in favour in the Forum Research poll while 15% had no opinion. Researchers claim that over the years more and more Canadians have become anti-gambling as we become more and more aware of the negatives involved.

So why does it seem inevitable that a casino will be coming to Toronto in the very near future?

For one thing, Ontario is about to dive into online gambling by letting you buy lottery tickets online and place bets from your iPhone or your computer.

For another, both Ontario and the city are desperate for new money-raising options.

There's an Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission report due soon that is reportedly going to recommend a Toronto casino as a way of helping to erase the provincial deficit.

And what a coincidence. Toronto just happens to have two perfect casino sites - one at Woodbine Racetrack where the slot machines reportedly jingle as merrily as anywhere in the world and one at Ontario Place, which the government has just shut down for five years as it searches for ways to redevelop the site.

Turn Ontario Place into an adults-only entertainment centre?

Ontario Place has always been a tough sell. Even before it opened back in 1971, there were plenty of critics claiming it would never fly - and really, it never did, not in the way its builders expected. Facing hard times, the province got sick of losing $20 million a year on it.

There was never enough to do or see, the food and drinks were pricey and seldom up to par in a city loaded with good restaurants. And there never was an easy way of getting there.

It was supposed to be a jewel, a family place that would showcase Ontario. Instead it became another mistake by the lake.

Putting a casino there might finally make it go, but does Toronto really want to send that message? Turn some of its finest waterfront into an entertainment venue dedicated to emptying the pockets of every visitor?

Does Ontario want that? Visit us. Bring cash. Leave the kids at home.

And of course, tourists aren't the OLG's main target. They want to make it easier for more Torontonians to gamble. No more buses to Niagara Falls. You can spend the savings on the slots.

The best place for a Toronto casino has to be Woodbine Racetrack, where betting and slots are already available and where a billion-dollar redevelopment plan will put all kinds of entertainment, retail and recreational activities in one place.

A casino would be a natural centrepiece - and for those of us who think casinos are eyesores, it would have the extra benefit of confining all the gamblers to one not-very-visible part of the city.

Out of sight - and out of mind. As long as governments are dependent on gambling, you have to close your eyes because it's not going away.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Thursday that Nevada casinos recorded their second consecutive year where gaming revenue increased.

Brick-and-mortars took in $10.7 billion in 2011 — marking a 2.8 percent increase over 2010 and the highest annual jump since 2007.

Strip casinos saw their gaming revenues increase by 5.1 percent over 2010 — taking in $6.068 billion.

If it were up to me, there would be no more casinos opened in Ontario and we wouldn’t be loosening the rules for online gambling.

I’d shut down the Windsor casino that has made less and less money since Detroit opened its own and the Americans needed passports to cross the border. I’d leave gambling strictly to Niagara Falls and a few First Nations.

I don’t care how much money Ontario rakes in from casinos — nearly $2 billion a year. It’s too dangerous a pastime to encourage. For too many, it ruins lives and destroys families.

Sixty per cent of us gamble and 3.4% of those are problem gamblers.

All it does is give governments an easy way to pick their citizens’ pockets.

I’m not alone in this. A recent poll showed that in Toronto alone, 50% of the population is against a casino in the city. Only 35% were in favour in the Forum Research poll while 15% had no opinion. Researchers claim that over the years more and more Canadians have become anti-gambling as we become more and more aware of the negatives involved.

For one thing, Ontario is about to dive into online gambling by letting you buy lottery tickets online and place bets from your iPhone or your computer.

For another, both Ontario and the city are desperate for new money-raising options.

There’s an Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission report due soon that is reportedly going to recommend a Toronto casino as a way of helping to erase the provincial deficit.

And what a coincidence. Toronto just happens to have two perfect casino sites — one at Woodbine Racetrack where the slot machines reportedly jingle as merrily as anywhere in the world and one at Ontario Place, which the government has just shut down for five years as it searches for ways to redevelop the site.

Turn Ontario Place into an adults-only entertainment centre?

Ontario Place has always been a tough sell. Even before it opened back in 1971, there were plenty of critics claiming it would never fly — and really, it never did, not in the way its builders expected. Facing hard times, the province got sick of losing $20 million a year on it.

There was never enough to do or see, the food and drinks were pricey and seldom up to par in a city loaded with good restaurants. And there never was an easy way of getting there.

It was supposed to be a jewel, a family place that would showcase Ontario. Instead it became another mistake by the lake.

Putting a casino there might finally make it go, but does Toronto really want to send that message? Turn some of its finest waterfront into an entertainment venue dedicated to emptying the pockets of every visitor?

Does Ontario want that? Visit us. Bring cash. Leave the kids at home.

And of course, tourists aren’t the OLG’s main target. They want to make it easier for more Torontonians to gamble. No more buses to Niagara Falls. You can spend the savings on the slots.

The best place for a Toronto casino has to be Woodbine Racetrack, where betting and slots are already available and where a billion-dollar redevelopment plan will put all kinds of entertainment, retail and recreational activities in one place.

A casino would be a natural centrepiece — and for those of us who think casinos are eyesores, it would have the extra benefit of confining all the gamblers to one not-very-visible part of the city.

Out of sight — and out of mind. As long as governments are dependent on gambling, you have to close your eyes because it’s not going away.

Johannesburg, South Africa, February 11, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Red Flush Online Casino announced this week the addition of two new video slots to its portfolio of casino games, namely Great Griffin and Power SpinsTM – Atomic 8s. The new casino games were released on February 8, 2012 on both the casino’s Download and Instant Play platforms.

Today Alex Roberts, the Red Flush Casino promotions manager, said that the new games are the most exciting from Microgaming for 2012 so far. “We’re close to offering a portfolio of over 550 games and there’s no better way to close down on the milestone than with two of the most entertaining games,” he said.

The new video slots from Microgaming can be accessed directly from the Red Flush casino lobby, where a number of other popular games can be played; including the highly acclaimed The Lord of the RingsTM video slot.

The new video slots are as follows:

Great Griffin video slot

Personified through flawless interactivity and impeccable artwork, the Great Griffin video slot brings to life a majestic creature that has been fear since the ancient days as the guardian of treasures and invaluable possessions. The Great Griffin – a majestic creature with the body of a lion and head and wings of an eagle – is the protagonist of this 5x4 reel and 50 paylines that offers an abundance of Wild substitutes, free spin rewards, multipliers and a second screen Pick Bonus. The graphics are imaginative and create an intense ambiance which becomes even more electrifying when the Griffin flies across the reels to scratch random numbers, turning them into Griffin Wilds during which all wins are doubled.

Power SpinsTM – Atomic 8s video slot

Power Spins – Atomic 8s video slot takes the basic format of the original game, and transforms it into a super slot that‘s complete with a Power Spins button that can be clicked at any time to activate both the left to right as well as the right to left paying directions. The game is encapsulated through 5 reels and 9 paylines with additional Wild and Scatters that jump to life through the use of electrifying graphics. The Atomic logo, a first from Microgaming, is appropriately the Wild and can reward up to 8,000 coins when 5 of these appear on the reels.

Roberts added that the above new games are the first of many exciting titles to join the casino this year. “Microgaming has announced some very exciting developments, which include the release of another video slot based on a major film trilogy,” he said.

Ever since the UIGEA was passed in 2006, Realtime Gaming (RTG) has been consolidating its share of the American online casino market. Operators that were originally on the RTG platform have increased the number of online casinos offered by them. Operators powered by other software providers have shifted their brands to RTG because RTG has continued to service American customers and is doing a good job.

The latest round of changes began when Rival Gaming online casinos began to experience some problems after the Black Friday Department of Justice action closing down prominent online poker sites. Late last year Deckmedia had shifted one of its online casinos, Sloto' Cash, from the Rival Gaming platform to the RTG Platform. This month another of its popular brands Desert Nights online casino has been shifted to the RTG platform.

The styling of the Desert Nights online casino web site remains similar so as to hold on to the brand equity earned. The set of online casino games is completely different because of the switch to RTG. In fact RTG offers over 170 online casino games at Desert Nights, which would be about three times the Rival Gaming number. There are some similarities and some differences in the welcome bonus structure. There is a no deposit welcome bonus on offer. Earlier $500 worth of free spins was available to new players, with the provision to retain their winnings. Now players are offer a small and simple $8 bonus in order to test out the games.

The main deposit welcome bonus continues to be a huge multi deposit bonus. Earlier the maximum amount was $10,000 available over the first ten deposits. Now the amount is slightly reduced. New players at Desert Nights online casino can avail of up to $8,888 as bonuses over the first eight deposits. The bonus percents vary from 121% to 300% and the maximum limits for the bonus installments vary from $600 to $1,500. The bonuses cannot be cashed out, but there is no limit on the amount of winnings that can be cashed out.

The VIP Lounge still consists of three tiers, Bronze, Silver and Gold, but the rewards scheme has been altered. For example the Bronze level offers a free chip of $25 upon meeting the entry requirements, 150% monthly reload bonus up to $1,500, extra comp points, 5% weekly cash back and a special birthday bonus.

Sloto' Cash became a changed online casino after shifting to the RTG platform. Bonuses are regularly being offered through the newsletter. Online tournaments are being held every week. There is a lively Facebook page that offers promotions. The players at Desert Nights online casino are expecting such changes in coming times.

Casino developers in Hardeeville, South Carolina have gained the support of three college students who say that the proposed destination gambling resort would provide a huge boost to the local economy and offer much-needed jobs to a struggling region of the state.

Ryan Baggot from the University of South Carolina, Juan Jordan from Georgia Tech and Thomas Kersey from Armstrong Atlantic State feel so strongly about the idea, that they’ve started up both online and paper petitions to bring to Republican Governor Nikki Haley.

Haley has been reluctant to approve any casino property and that’s not sitting well with the students, who have named their campaign “Let Us Work.” The biggest appeal of the project is the amount of jobs that would be created, which developers estimate at 4,700 statewide, including 2,250 on site.

“We want her to have that tenacity, and not discriminate against a business in the open market that won’t be taking any of our tax dollars and will completely comply with regulations,” said Jordan.

You can view the Let Us Work website and petition here. So far, the students have collected over 400 signatures. They are hoping to get to 1,000 before delivering to the governor.

Currently, South Carolina law does not allow for land-based casinos. The state does have two casino boats, which sail off Myrtle Beach, that offer Las Vegas-style gambling. These boats sail three miles into international waters before gamblers are allowed to place any bets.

The Keetowa Indian Tribe is behind the proposed casino, which would include a 400-room luxury hotel and be located within the Hilton Head Lakes development on U.S. 278 in Jasper County. Under federal law, the tribe can open a casino on any land they own, as long as they receive the governor’s approval.

So far, both Haley and former Gov. Mark Sanford have refused to approve any measure that would bring a land-based casino to the state.

The latest winner to scoop a prize on the popular gaming website Jackpotjoy has spoken of her shock and delight at winning the huge sum of £17,739. Ms Veronica A won the staggering payout on the Tycoon Progressive game, a version of the classic slot machine which sees its jackpot prize build and build until one lucky player wins just as Ms A did!

Jackpotjoy offers a great variety of online games like Jackpotjoy roulette, just to name one of the countless casino games, online bingo games and video poker.

There are no variables here and what you see is what you get. The coin size is 25p, and you can try your luck as many times as you like, clicking away with one click per play and the chance to land a really handsome prize. Such simplicity has made it a real favourite on the site.

The beauty of the progressive prize is the way it grows and grows until someone wins, and as more people join the site and play the game the prize is only going to go up and up!

Tycoon Progressive is very easy to play, and you can set it to Auto Spin, meaning you can sit and watch as you ride the thrill of the game without having to lift a finger, and it can all be done from the comfort of your own home. Who needs Vegas?

The website also has other slot based games such as Reel Wild West and themed games from well-known names such as Deal or No Deal and Monopoly. Aside from the slots you can choose from Bingo games, Poker and instant wins.

Ms A said of her win, "I'm just so very happy and delighted with my win! I haven't decided what to spend it on, but I'll be treating myself to something nice, and it's come just in time to treat the family to some well deserved Christmas presents!"

If you want to get involved in the fun and give yourself a good chance to pick up one of the progressive jackpots then head to Jackpotjoy.com to register and play.

Email is superior to chat and phone as a form of contacting customer support, 888 representative Roy Harpak told Online Casino Reports during a recent interview in London.

Email Documents Everything

Email is the best way to contact customer representatives, because that way everything is documented, Harpak said. He pointed out that using this form of communication, you can just tell a representative when you last sent an email and they can go into the system and retrieve it.

Whereas phone might be a little bit quicker when you're in a rush and need instant assistance, he added, email will always be preferred because it keep allows a representative to give better support and gives the customer the comfort of keeping track of their query's status - which keep everything nice and neat.

24/7 Assistance

888casino, 888poker, 888sports, 888bingo and 888games all offer 24 hour, seven day a week customer service assistance to players, through email, phone or chat, and in more than a dozen languages listed on the online gambling provider's website.

Players can also find a category list of most popular questions already answered, on everything from bonuses and promotions, to payment methods, deposit and withdrawals, and login, registration, technical and gaming issues.

The only way to get treated as a high roller in most casinos is by gambling big. But MGM Resorts International has expanded its loyalty program and a related website to reward customers for their spending on restaurants, shows and other items as well.

The Las Vegas-based company hopes to keep customers from hopping to other resorts it doesn't own.

At the enhanced "M life" website, MGM Resorts visitors can plan their trips and track the points they earn at 13 of the company's casino-resorts. Ten of the resorts are in Sin City, and the other three are in Mississippi and Michigan.

Bill Hornbuckle, the company's chief marketing officer, said the company is letting customers directly book services at various resorts all in one place for the first time. With M life, a room at the Bellagio, a Cirque du Soleil show at the MGM Grand and dinner overlooking the Strip at the House of Blues Foundation Room all generate points toward freebies and personalized offers, and can all be booked at the same time.

"It's the first time we've been able to bundle the totality of the company," Hornbuckle said.

The enhanced offerings — which include things as outlandish as scuba diving in the aquarium at The Mirage or buying out the entire theater at Fantasy for a private showing of the Luxor's topless revue — are part of MGM Resorts' effort to learn more about its customers and keep them coming back.

The company is hoping to catch up with competitor Caesars Entertainment Corp. in the use of this loyalty strategy.

Caesars, which owns or manages more than 50 casinos in six countries, including 10 in Sin City, extended its Total Rewards program to include non-gambling spending in 2008. MGM Resorts revamped its program — which previously included just gambling, like those at other casino companies — about 18 months ago, but waited to phase in non-gambling spending.

Hornbuckle said it's still too early to say how the changes are affecting MGM Resorts' revenue. But he said some customers have tripled their spending at MGM Resorts properties after learning that one company owned them and would recognize the spending with loyalty perks.

"It's meaningful to the company," he said.

Tourism in Las Vegas has improved since 2009, when the Great Recession sapped many gamblers of the funds for a visit. Over the past year, room rates have crept back up and companies are doing better.

On Wednesday, MGM Resorts announced a deal with Ameristar Casinos to jointly market offers at their casinos. The much smaller Ameristar has eight casinos in smaller gambling markets including Colorado, Mississippi, Indiana and Iowa.

Mark Strawn, an analyst for Morgan Stanley, said the agreement shows MGM Resorts is serious about marketing its Strip casinos together rather than separately and it could add $40 million to the company's earnings — if it reaches the right customers of Ameristar.

"There tends to be a difference in the theoretical value of casino customers and the realized value," Strawn said.

MGM Resorts spent about $15 million on technology to link its properties through M life. Scott Voeller, the company's vice president of brand strategy and advertising, said M life is convincing gamblers and other visitors to spend more by telling them exactly what it takes to achieve higher status in its program.

The top tier, "Noir," requires 1 million tier credits — an amount reached with $40,000 in annual spending on things besides gambling or annual wagers. Voeller said roughly the top 1 percent of its customers make Noir status.

Growth is faster among members spending $1,000 or more per year and earning "Pearl" status or higher, the company said. The program's lowest rung, for people spending less than $1,000, is "Sapphire" and includes about half of its members.

MGM Resorts narrowed its loss in the third quarter to $123.8 million, or 25 cents per share. Its revenue jumped 43 percent, as gambling improved in Las Vegas and Macau. It plans to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2011 results next week.

The two biggest wins by far at Mummys Gold online casino in February till now have been on a slot game titled Bearly Fishing. In what can only be termed as a coincidence, several other online slot games on the Mummys Gold winners list have animal themes. Mummys Gold online casino does not provide any details about the players on the winners list. Just the amount won, the online casino game and the date are mentioned.

The largest win was of €92,136 was on Valentine's Day and the winner must have had a real ball with his or her sweetheart. Earlier on February 10 a player had won €70,035. Bearly Fishing online slot game is loosely based on the comic book character Yogi Bear. The bear family is out fishing and the symbols on the reels include bear with a fish, jumping fish, fishing rod, picnic basket and waterfall. The winning combinations are accompanied by amusing audio visual animations. In the bonus game the player has to select a spot for the bear to fish. The number of fish caught determines the number of free spins. All payouts in the free spins are multiplied six times. Bearly Fishing also has the standard Microgaming gamble game and this can really boost the winnings for adventurous players.

A payout of €67,305 was won on February 2 on the slot game Jellyfish Jaunt at Mummys Gold online casino. Though titled Jellyfish Jaunt, the symbols are more in tune with the deep sea theme. They include blonde lady diver, submarine, snorkel and mask and treasure chest. The jellyfish and angler fish make up the fauna. The blonde diver is the wild symbol and she winks at players when she substitutes in a winning combination. The free spins bonus round awards 15 free spins with payouts multiplied three times.

The other online slot games associated with animal themes paid out smaller amounts at Mummy's Gold online casino. They include Lions Pride, Fighting Fish, Alaskan Fishing, Eagle's Wings, Cashapillar, Alley Cats, Dogfather and Silver Fang. Even Great Griffin released just this month features on the winners list with a payout of €21,298. Lions Pride and Cashapillar are both 100 payline slot games. Lions Pride showcases the animals in the African plains with the lion, lioness and cub playing the lead role. Cashapillar has a comic approach to the celebration of the caterpillar's 100th birthday. Alaskan Fishing and Eagle's Wings have stunningly beautiful and realistic visuals of the natural habitats of these animals, so much so that the payouts often become of secondary importance.

Mummys Gold online casino is a brand of the Palace Group. It is powered by Microgaming and licensed by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta.

The best online casino software provider today is Microgaming, as voted by the public at this year's Gambling Magazine Readers' Choice Awards. Microgaming powers such casinos as Crazy Vegas, All Slots, Platinum Play and Jackpot City.

Microgaming

Microgaming has won the prestigious award before too. In fact, Microgaming won Top Casino Software last year, as well as in 2003, the first year the awards were held. It has been held for 8 consecutive years.

Roger Raatgever, CEO of Microgaming, said: "Microgaming prides itself on being an industry leader, and always striving to stay one step ahead in developing casino software, so we are extremely pleased to have won this award.

Microgaming powered online casinos feature over [casinogames/software/microgaming/|400 games] including slots and lucrative progressive jackpot slots, video poker, blackjack and roulette.

Top Software Makers

The runner up in this year's award for Best Casino Software was Playtech, which won honorable mention in 2003, and has featured around the top software makers every year in between.