The Biggest Ever Online Casino Win

The year was 2009, the same year that Barack Obama was inaugurated as president of the United States. Microgaming announced their biggest ever online casino win through the progressive slot Mega Moolah. The winner walked away with over six million dollars against his bet of only twenty five pennies. Soon other jackpots ensued, and in 2015 Mega Moolah did it again with a payout of nearly eighteen million Pounds to a resident of the United Kingdom. He is the record holder for the largest jackpot online slot payout to date.

The First Ever Game Created By Microgaming

Back in the day when Microgaming made their debut launch in the casino world, they created their first ever slot game called Cash Splash, a game which would change the industry forever. Suddenly the progressive jackpot was created, whereby a portion of every spin would be placed into a pooled jackpot. The industry was euphoric, and this little piece of innovation allowed Microgaming to secure some of the largest gaming clients on the planet.

Cashsplash, The Game That Changed The Industry

The first ever game introduced into the world of online gambling is still being enjoyed by many today. A very popular game that continues to fascinate players because of its great pays. Last year, Cash Splash awarded one hundred and eighty two people the progressive jackpot. The average payout per winner was around the twenty five thousand mark, or a whopping nearly five million Euros. If you ever played this slot game, you will agree that it is impressive! Such was the success of the first instalment that Microgaming recently released their sequel Cash Splash five Reel. The older three reel Cash Splash takes you back to the golden age of slots while the newer version is bigger boasting plenty of new features to get the cash rolling in. For those who have enjoyed playing the three reel version, the five reel machine looks similar in colour and design, but unlike the three reel version, this version has music that plays in the background. The classic three reel slot pays the jackpot with three Cash Splash reel symbols spinning onto its single pay line whereas the five reel, fifteen pay line video slot version pays the progressive jackpot with five wilds on the fifteenth reel. Both machines are linked together throughout the entire Microgaming network making the progressive jackpot accessible from anywhere.

The Cash Splash logo is the Wild symbol which acts as a Joker on the reels. This means that it only needs two of a kind to make a win. The blue and red scatter symbols will award you a two hundred and fifty multiplier on your initial bet.

One final thing worth knowing if you are unsure as to which of the two Cash Splash slots you should play, the three reel version of the slot has a payout percentage of 91.51 percent. The five reel machine has a payout percentage of a slightly lower 91.47 percent.

Detroit: Become Human For PS4 by Quantic Dream

The year is 2038 in Detroit, a city with highly advanced androids that exist only to serve mankind. See the world through the eyes of three androids, Kara the housekeeper who cares for a little girl called Alice. Markus who believes they should have the same equal rights as humans, and Connor whose job it is to round up deviant androids. Each of those playthroughs takes about ten hours to complete.

Pillars Of Eternity II: For PC and Mac By Obsidian Entertainment

The sequel to Obsidian’s 2015 fantasy role playing game, this is a pirate themed game filled with adventure. You can get involved in arguments, or even win the heart of a giant woman by feeding sharks to her bird. Obsidian’s newest adventure is a world that lives and breathes, giving the player a real taste of what it is to live outside the realms of reality. It’s a classic adventure game for the adventurous gamer.

Dark Souls Remastered For PS4, Xbox1 and PC By FromSoftware

Dark Souls Remastered is a game like no other in that it is famous for all the wrong things. It builds on a dark fantasy in which almost everyone is trying to kill you. That tagline has become famous and in their marketing campaign, the company adopted the words “prepare to die” as their slogan. Dark Souls Remastered has been upscaled to 4K resolution with 60fps. For Nintendo Switch enthusiasts, the game will be released sometime during Summer 2018. Such is the success of this series that From Software have released a deluxe Trilogy Box at a price of four hundred and fifty Dollars. Contained in the box are the first three Dark Souls games, a pair of bookends, six soundtrack CDs and books.

God of War for PlayStation 4 by SIE Santa Monica Studio

God of War, the eight instalment of the God of War series, is an action-adventure video game. Unlike the previous games that were loosely based on Greek mythology, this game is all about Norse Mythology. The main heroes are Kratos, the former Greek God of War, and his young son Atreus. After Kratos’s second wife dies, father and son embark on a journey to spread her ashes to fulfil a promise to her. Atreus has no idea that his father has special powers. Along their journey, they encounter Norse monsters and gods. Moving slightly away from the tradition of the games, Kratos often uses a magical battle axe instead of his usual signature double-chained blades. Critics have praised the game. The narrative is superb, the design world class as well as the art direction, graphics, characters and the combat moves.

Minit for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Windows, Linux, Macintosh By Devolver Digital

Minit is a game that is played sixty seconds at a time. In this unusual gameplay, the player uncovers mysteries, lifts curses and overcomes dangerous enemies. It has the potential to be very frustrating in that a minute is a short time to achieve goals, but instead, it is a fun puzzle game that will have you hooked right from the start. This game is filled with interesting characters that are inviting or aggressive and some just want to be left alone.

From The Liberty Bell To The One Armed Bandit

The first modern slot machines were an invention of Bavarian mechanic, Charles August Fey. In the year 1984, he successfully created his first coin-operated gambling machine. He used an existing poker model but changed the drums to reels and replaced the playing cards with hearts, diamonds, spades, horseshoes and a liberty bell. His invention was later called the Liberty Bell but as he hadn’t patented the machine, it was later copied by many.

During the nineteenth century, long before Mr Fey created the first official gambling machine, the first poker machine had been invented. The game had five drums with a total of fifty playing cards and cost a nickel to play. Players pulled the lever and if they won, the bar paid them in drinks, there were no money payouts at that time. The house edge was increased by the removal of two cards, the ten of spades and the jack of hearts. This halved the chances of getting a royal flush

In 1902 slot machines were officially banned but the Liberty Bell survived and continued to be manufactured. Money prizes were illegal, and prizes were chewing gum and sweets based on the corresponding fruit wins.

For many more years, slot machines remained mechanical with a lever that needed to be pulled to set the reels in motion. As there were springs that stretched and gradually stopped as the reels stopped spinning, players felt they had control. The “one-armed bandit” was born. By 1964, Money Honey was released with a payout of five hundred coins, and by 1976 the first video slot was developed. Slots as we know them, with different screens and payouts on bonus rounds came into existence in 1996. “Reel ‘Em” was exciting! Two interchanging screens and multiple prizes and suddenly the casino started seeing real money. These machines generated seventy% of the casino’s income but took up seventy% of the space!

It was around the middle of the 1990’2 when the gaming boom happened. Initially, the only games available were the traditional ones, such as roulette and blackjack, but soon slots were added.

243 Payline Slot Machines

At first glance, these slots are a little confusing because they appear to have 243 paylines while at the same time, they eliminate paylines altogether. Players are not limited to paylines but can collect as long as they land several identical symbols on consecutive reels.

Software developers using a simple little mathematics to get to this number, 243. Three are three visible symbols on each reel and for five reel machines, the number of possible combinations would be the number three to the fifth power, which equals precisely 243. At first glance these machines seem expensive to play, but they aren’t when you compare them to a regular paying machine. If you play a slot with fifteen paylines and bet ten coins with a value of two cents, your wager per spin would be three euros. However, if you decide to play the 243 Ways to Win slot, your wager might increase somewhat, but then so do your winning opportunities increase dramatically and your chance of getting a payout does too.

Will US Sports Betting Decision Affect Canadian Online Casino Market?

Canuck online casino players may still be able to play online poker, but as of May 2018, they now lag somewhat behind the US in terms of sports betting. And, this could make things tougher for the Canadian online casino industry if it wants to remain competitive.

Earlier in May, the US Supreme court overturned a federal law banning sports betting in most of its states. Wagering on singles games, though, remains illegal in Canada. While there’s concern that the decision could affect Canadian casino operators as they lose business to American outlets, there’s still hope that the ruling may spur changes to regulations in Canada.

Canadian Online Casino Industry Falling Behind

It’s not due to lack of trying that Canada hasn’t made moves to modernise its sports betting regulations. The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) president, Paul Burns has reported that the country has fallen dangerously behind the US. He has stated that the country’s Parliament has certainly had a few chances to modernise gaming laws but not done so. Provinces requested a relatively straightforward amendment to the criminal code nearly a decade ago, which would have provided better regulatory control to sports wagering to protect punters and athletes alike. Unfortunately, the request fell on deaf ears.

According to Burns, not only does that hurt players and their desire to legally wager, it also harms the operators that are losing big revenue to their offshore counterparts. He further highlights the fact that the government does not reap tax benefits from online gaming activity that’s going on anyway, despite the laws that are in place.

In light of this, the Canadian gaming sector faces the potential for even greater revenue loss now that legalised sports betting is becoming a possibility south of the border.

Billions Going to Offshore Operators

While Canadians may not have the numbers that Americans do, Canucks still enjoy sports betting just as much as they love their online slots and dice games.

The country has a population of around 36 million people, yet they bet about $10 billion per year on sports. Most of that money, though, goes to offshore betting operators. It should be noted that Canadians can bet via government-regulated operators, but single-game betting has been illegal for decades.

So, Canadians are spending billions each year illegally on sports because what they want – single-game bets – is offered by offshore operators.

Unless laws change in the country, Canada risks losing even more business to the United States if more states begin offering single-game wagering and land-based casinos. It will definitely be a big blow to Canadian operators, whose customers could start heading elsewhere so as not to miss out on the action.

There Is Good News

There is some good news though. Creating a legal landscape for sports betting in the country would be much easier than it was across the border. So, the CGA is calling on legislators to make a straightforward change to the Criminal Code.

Watch this space – it might just happen

For now, Canucks can continue enjoying great casino action at many reputable online casino operators that cater for Canadian dollars.

Fairy-tale Themed Online Casino Games Given the Boot From Casinos!

In May, online casino games on sites called Fairies Forest and Fairytale Forest were banned for the likelihood that they may appeal to children.

The Online Casino Games, the Sites and the Problem

M88.com promoted three games – Fairytale Legends Hansel and Gretel, Fairytale Legends Red Riding Hood and Fairies Forest back in January. The games feature animated images of a fairy in a forest, a pixie and a wolf.

The Fairer Gambling campaign, however, has complained that the content of the three ads was likely to appeal to children.

However, ProgressPlay, trading as m88.com responded to the complaints by making the games accessible only once members logged into their player account and promptly modified the ads to remove all images of fairies and what it dubbed “other unsuitable characters.”

The site, however, claims that the games were produced by a third-party software company and appeared on other websites that are run by different casino operators, too.

What the Advertising Rules Say

Advertising rules dictate that casino gaming ads must not be of any appeal to children or underage gamers, especially by being associated with or reflecting youth culture.

Meanwhile, the Advertising Standards Authority has had it welcomes the interim action taken by the site in response to the complaint.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) further noted that Fairytale Legends Red Riding Hood was based on a much-loved children’s fairytale and included animated images of a fairy and a wolf. Moreover, the Hansel and Gretel game featured a nighttime forest complete with gameplay coins and stars.

The ASA said it considers fairies to be popular with children and that the wolf was heavily exaggerated and included big eyes, prominent nose and a long muzzle. It considered the appearance of the wolf to resemble characters from children’s films and TV shows. The Fairies Forest game also displayed an animated image of a fairy in a forest with colourful flowers.

The ASA determined that the three games were to be of appeal to children and ruled that they should not appear in that format.

More Complaints, More Rulings

In another ruling after more complaints by Fairer Gambling, no less than six casino games appearing on the sites letou.co.uk and fun88.co.uk have been banned over their likely appeal to youngsters. Those games feature images of dragons, a young girl, pixies, castles, princes and animated animals.

The ads, from TGP Europe Gaming ads reported that the games had been removed before it even received details of the complaint. It also cited that the ads were produced by a third-party software developer and appeared on other gaming sites.

TGP responded that determining whether a gaming ad has a special appeal to underage gamers was highly subjective and that it believed the themes of dragons and castles are popular thanks to currently popular TV series that are aimed at adults.

The ASA claimed that the ads sported animated images likely to appeal to youngsters and were marketing products which breached advertising rules.

Consider the Following Before Registering an Account

The popularity of playing at online casinos has ensured the industry continues to soar from strength to strength. If you want to play online slots or table games, or even place sports bets, your options are endless. The hardest part, really, is finding a reputable online casino and making sure you’re not being scammed.

That’s why it’s important to first do your research before you open a player account and hand over your banking details. Here’s how to make sure you only play at legitimate casinos.

Check Out the Professional Online Casinos Reviews

One of the easiest ways to figure out if a casino is just faking it to take your money is to check out its reviews online. There are usually customer reviews which will help you make an informed decision. There are also professional reviews from third-party sites that shed light on online casino practices. If the casino you want to sign up to is reviewed professionally, you can rest assured the website is reputable.

Well-Known Gaming Software

Underhanded online casinos can rig games just to get you to spend money – with no hope of winning. So, check out the software developers that create the programs. Games from well-known brands like NetEnt, Playtech and Microgaming are legitimate. If you see games that aren’t accompanied by a known brand of developer, move on.

All Seals Aren’t as They Seem

It’s fairly common for online casino sites to display standardised or industry-related seals to build your trust. Take a careful look at the seals before you put your trust in the site. Some casinos make them up just to appear legitimate.

Read the “About Us” Section

Reputable casino sites always have an About Us page that gives you information about staff, the history of the brand, where they are located and details of their gambling licenses. If there is no such page, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the site is a scam but do be wary if you can’t find this information.

Reliable Customer Support

Scammers don’t spend a fortune hiring and training customer support staff for you. So, if a site offers consistent and responsive customer support teams, you can rest assured it’s legit. The top-quality customer support services should be varied, too, and not just limited to live chat or email. If you can call or request a call back from a human being, the online casino is probably not trying to pull one over on you.

Licensing

Finally, check out where the online casino is licensed. The country in which it is licensed should be familiar, such as Malta or Gibraltar. If the name of the country sounds a little too exotic, you can bet that the casino isn’t in the slightest bit licensed. There are legitimate countries where online casinos can get licenses, but these are fairly limited.

Uses these 6 tips when deciding to sign up to an online casino and ensure your money and your personal details don’t fall into the wrong hands.

Online Casino Laws and the Confusion in Canada

Casino laws in Canada used to be strict with just limited forms of gaming permitted. Thanks to major changes to the country’s legislation in the 1970s, individual provinces were awarded the authority to license and regulate gaming within their own region. In turn, this led to several land-based casinos being launched, and some states even started their own lotteries – many of which are still going today. However, things get a little more complex when it comes to online casino laws in the country.

There are some provinces that run their very own online casinos along with government-approved outlets where you can wager online. Overall, it is legal for Canadians to use these sites and buy lottery tickets online.

Since betting online for real money is a particularly favourite pastime in Canada, Canucks probably aren’t too worried about the laws if they’re simply enjoying playing online slots, bingo, poker and blackjack or any other casino favourites.

What’s more, as technology continues to advance, more and more new and innovative games will pop up. There are even slots that make use of Virtual Reality technology, making the experience even more enthralling then before. Some sites offer hundreds of games and you can create a new player account for free and take advantage of great bonuses and promotions to boost your bankroll.

But, before you sign up, make sure you understand the laws.

Online Casino Laws and Grey Areas in Canada

The law in Canada goes like this: to legally offer online slots and other casino games to Canadians, the casino operator must be proved by the government and must be a licensed entity.

Grey areas start to appear when casinos based in and operating from other countries allow Canadians to play on their platforms. There’s confusion over that since it might appear to be against Canadian law. However, if the casino is based in a location where online gaming is legal, Canadian laws then apply and it is legal for you to play.

The UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority and Kahnawake Gaming Commission are just three of the regulators that do back casinos that permit Canadians to enjoy gaming, and most reputable and trustworthy providers are registered with one of the authorities.

Some argue that it is generally safer to play on one of these sites to remain in line with Canadian laws. However, there is currently no governing body to monitor casinos or complain to should you run into any issues. Complaints rarely happen and most people, be they from Canada or anywhere else in the world, still enjoy hours of great entertainment and the chance to make some serious money.

Could the Laws Change?

Since online casinos are so popular in Canada, something may need to be done to legalise the situation. Reports often tell us that the government is considering introducing the necessary changes for online gaming. While nothing has been done yet, watch this space!

5 Online Roulette Games Worth Playing

Roulette is one of the classic casino games that has remained popular over its existence. It’s a fairly simple game that can be played by all levels of players. Online roulette games, like their land-based cousins, involve three basic components – the board, the ball and the wheel. All you do is pick a number or set of numbers and hope that they ball lands in the right pocket.
There are many variations of roulette, which is where things get complicated. You need to choose the best option for your preferences. There are also Live Dealer games where you can play at online casino, in real time, with a real dealer.

Online Roulette Games to Consider

Here are 5 of the most popular variants of roulette.

1. European Roulette

This is the most popular choice as European roulette has a lower house edge. The game has a single zero which reduces the house edge by around 2.7%. The game also uses some rules that make it a favourite with online players. It uses the en prison that allows you to lose less cash if the ball lands on the zero pocket when playing the outside bets.

2. French Roulette

French roulette is a modified version of the European game. The board is elegant, and all the number pockets have red labels but both red and black bets are still there. The Voisins du Zero bet is specific to this kind. It’s a bet that’s made on the number of pockets that are close to the zero.

3. American Roulette

In this version, you get double zeros. It’s a particularly popular variant with our Canadian players. While many online casinos offer both European and American variations, American roulette is still popular in certain regions.
The game offers fair odds and the variation in the house edge is due to the two zero pockets. Some casinos also use the Voisins du Zero rule in their American variants so as to lower the house edge.

4. Mini Roulette

As the name suggests, Mini Roulette is a simpler version of the popular game. The wheel comes with 13 pockets with numbers 1 – 12 and a zero. It’s a fun game where players stand to win money easily, even on inside bets.
The rules of mini roulette are similar to other versions and it uses the Voisins du Zero rule when the ball lands in the zero pocket, where you will lose half your bets and proceeed with gameplay.

5. Multi Wheel Roulette

This is a new version of roulette that is quickly gaining popularity. It’s fairly similar to other versions when it comes to the design, gameplay and rules. The biggest difference is that you’re able to wager on several wheels at the same time. It’s like playing on many tables in one go.
These are the top five roulette variations, many of which are available in free mode or to play for real money at reputable online casinos. Try them out and find your favourite.

Online casino gaming in Canada is legal. In fact, online casinos have been popping up across the northern country with Kahnawake right at the helm of the soaring industry.

Rules, Regulations and Online Casinos

You can pretty much play anything and everything at online casinos across the country, but the specifics for regulations are different from territory to territory and province to province. While Canada’s gaming laws haven’t been updated significantly since 1985, the current legislation works for players who love games of skill and chance.
The international gaming industry is developing and changing at a rapid pace, and its commendable to see Canada making an effort to keep abreast with its legal framework and allow the profitable online industry to flourish on its soil.
Despite a number of grey areas in the current law, there’s nothing prohibiting Canucks from wagering real cash on card games, dice games and online video slots. While each of Canada’s 10 provinces is empowered by the government to create and impose their own gaming-related rules, the differences are very small, with Kahnawake overseeing all online casino operators on a national level.
Canada is already pretty liberal with its land-based casinos, so it wasn’t long before it realised how beneficial their online counterpart would be for the economy, and it continues to observe the unstoppable rise of the internet gaming industry.

Kahnawake Proves Strong Competition for Regulators

Meanwhile, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission is the only licensing authority in the country and it is actively supported by Canadian government officials. Despite the grey areas, the entity is deemed the only official authority on gaming activity in the territory and beyond.
The commission started with its regulations and licensing back in July 1999 and continued to become a world-renowned agency whose licensees are reputable, fair and transparent. For operators to receive a license, their business must be based on the respective territory of Kahnawake and meet several requirements which have been dubbed moderately strict. The agency regularly checks up on their brands and undertakes inquiries both before and during the licensing agreement process to ensure that only reputable and trusted brands receive a license.
Another important trait is that player protection protocol is properly implemented, and that adequate security is offered to players. A player must be allowed to self-exclude or set up different limits in different ways. Should a complaint be filed against the operator, they must respond within an adequate amount of time, too, offering a solution.

The Future of Canadian Online Casinos

While more and more reputable and trustworthy regulators have been active in the industry for longer than Kahnawake, the commission does its best to continue improving and contributing to the safety of the industry. It continues to strive to provide a solid legal foundation for online gaming services and ensure that all casino games have random and fair outcomes and that players are afforded optimum security.
With all this in place, there is no doubt that Canada’s online casino industry will continue to flourish.