Royal Vegas Launches FREE Play For A Day

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Created on Tuesday, 09 December 2008 14:22

Royal Vegas Online Casino, part of the Fortune Lounge Group, has just launched a new FREE Spins promotion called Free Play For A Day. This increases the free spins they were offering from 300 to 1000. The casino has recently been redesigned with a fresh new look, and the longer free spin offer has been launched to celebrate.
So now you can road test the games on the site and try as many slots games as you wish (there are over 350 games available on the site).

Here´s how it works: download the software, and you will get a Free Spins account. Anything you win over the 1000 allocation is yours to transfer into a real account (up to a maximum of 200 credits.)
In addition, there´s a match deposit of 100% on your first deposit.

US Treasury Issues Final Rule on US Internet Gambling

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Created on Tuesday, 09 December 2008 14:20

Whereas the UK government has sought to regulate and control betting on the Internet and boasts some big names in the industry within its shores, the US- or more accurately the Bush administration- has taken the opposite approach and sought to stop Internet gaming by targeting the companies that process the financial transactions online with the States.

The U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve has issued a final rule designed to strangle off online casinos and poker sites in the country by blocking off available ways of transacting money online. This came 2 days after a Democratic lawmaker called for a review to help a banking system that feels as if its on its knees already.

The Bush administration has worked hard to rush through the rule before handover in January.

The 2006 law has put a huge dent in the revenues of Europe's online gambling companies which lost billions on the stock market as they retreated out of the US market.
The law sought to prevent financial institutions from accepting payments in connection with online gambling, such as transactions made through credit cards, electronic fund transfers and cheques.

The rule just issued on Wednesday seek to formalise and implement the 2006 act.
On Monday, Democrat Barney Frank from Massachusetts accused the Bush administration of rushing the implementation rather than leaving it to the incoming administration of the new US president in waiting.

"This last minute rule will throw more banana skins at a financial services industry already buckling under the strain of the current financial melt down" a spokesman said.

The new law did not even properly define "Unlawful Internet gambling". 

Microgaming Online Casinos No Longer Accept US Players

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Created on Tuesday, 09 December 2008 14:19

Online casino players from the US will now have even less choice as Microgaming has taken a decision to block all new players who are citizens of the United States signing up to their sites. Microgaming power some of the most popular casinos on the Internet, such as Riverbelle, Royal Vegas and Lucky Nugget. Some Microgaming casinos had previously made the decision to block US players (Spin Palace, for example, who focus their targeting at the UK market).

Industry watchers are speculating that the change is a direct result of the legal wrangling that is going on in Kentucky. The State is trying to gain control of some high profile casino domains- one of which is microgaming.com. Microgaming.com does not feature any casinos per se, but its brand is featured on many casino sites (such as "powered by Microgaming"). Microgaming had already blocked thirteen states in the US since the UIGEA was passed.

Any U.S. players that are already signed up will continue be able to play. They are only blocking new sign ups in what is seen as a deal that was done with Kentucky. There are still casinos that offer games to US players, but the choice is obviously now smaller. Cherry Red Casino, Rushmore Casino and Golden Casino. will continue to be US player friendly.

In the UK, by contrast, it is legal to gamble online at casinos. The UK government has taken a different approach to the Bush administration in Washington and has chosen to regulate the companies that offer games onliine, as opposed to attempting to ban them. Time will tell whether the new Democrat administration under Barack Obama will continue along Bush's hard line, or will follow a closer route to the British government.

Has the Las Vegas Sands Group Over Extended itself?

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Created on Tuesday, 09 December 2008 14:18

The Las Vegas Sands Corporation- the gambling behemoth created and owned by multi-billionaire Sheldon Adelson's casino company, suffered a share dive on the NY stock exchange after stating that it faces problems paying off its huge mountain of debts.
With $8.8 billion in borrowings, the groups says it needs to cut expenditure on new builds, increase earnings at Vegas and needs to tap the market for more funds.
Sheldon Adelson, is fighting a drop in revenues across his Vegas propoerties as consumers rein in their spending in the US. At the same time, his plans to spend $16 billion on new mega resorts in Macau, China, and Singapore, where Las Vegas Sands is targeting punters in Asia- seen as the new golden goose for casinos.- look to be on shaky ground.

Punters are spending less on The Strip and the Chinese Government is cracking down on visa applications into Macau. Adelson owns 64% of the company and he needs to restructure the debt and his development commitments.

Las Vegas Sands' new casio complex project in Singapore is under threat, as are plans for a new mega complex in Macau.

Las Vegas Sands owns the Venetian and Palazzo casinos and had built their business plan hoping to service the massive new debt on the back of earnings in Nevada. But this appears to have been a wrong assumption.

Fortune Lounge Casinos Launch Blackjack Tournament League

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Created on Tuesday, 09 December 2008 14:16

New off the black from Fortune Lounge casinos Platinum Play and Royal Vegas is the new International Blackjack League. Play against other players online for high stakes. The qualifiers are being held over one month from the 27th of Oct 2008 to the 26th of Nov 2008. 

Blackjack Tournaments enable you to play games against fellow players at the casino for a shared prize. The player with the biggest pot at the end of the tourney wins the top prize.
Sign up in the Casino Lobby for the tourney you wish to play in.

 

Elimination Blackjack Tournaments
There are several Elimination Blackjack tournament types for you to choose:

- The player with the lowest number of chips will be eliminated.
- Survive by using your skill against the dealer and other players in live action games
- Use the ‘Secret Bet’ to give you an advantage during the game.
- Climb up the leaderboard and see your winnings go north.