The Casino Lab Rat Blog

Is Harrah’s preparing for online gambling entry?

The TimesOnline website in the UK is reporting that HARRAH’s is preparing itself for an entry into online gambling.

(see story here : Casino Giant Virtual Wager )

Harrah’s, the Las Vegas gaming group that owns Caesars Palace is employing Mitch Garber, a former chief executive of Party Gaming, as the head of a new company formed to house its internet operations and the popular World Series of Poker.

The real world gaming giant is spinning these businesses out into a newly-created entity.

The move is likely to fuel speculation over the possibility of Harrah’s making acquisitions in the online-gaming sector. Many observers think it is simply a matter of time before online gambling is legalised in America.

Bodog Online casino winners last weekend

Over the weekend Drew C. from TX stunned everyone in the Bodog Casino with a spectacular win of $127,308 while playing Let em Ride Poker.

Some of the other big weekend winners included:

David G. of TN (who is a Bodog Casino celebrity of sorts) played Lion’s Lair and Aztec’s Treasure slots and came across his very own treasure chest worth $14,172!
Our top online BlackJack winner this weekend was Leroy B. from PA who banked a cool $12,125.
Next on the Bodog BlackJack charts was Josh D. of IN with winnings of $8,735.
It rained money on Steve J. from FL who raked in $7,966 playing Rain Dance online slots.
Barbara W. from SC was up next with a total win of $7,847 from some of the most thrilling online slots games: Penguin Power and Prince of Sherwood.
The BlackJack masters of the Bodog Casino continued to impress with Stanley T. from CA cashing out on $6,895 and Terri M. from AZ with $6,521.
Our biggest Baccarat winner was James Bond’s twin Kiet C. from LA, displaying equal prowess in Baccarat as Bond. He walked away with $5,517!
And then we have Linda C. from TX who hit a $4,999 jackpot while playing Goldbeard slot. Nice one!

Latest iPhone Application has Casinos Worried: Blackjack Card Counting Aid

Just off the international media scene, Nevada’s Gaming Control Board has released a warning about an iPhone application said to make card counting more accessible to the average blackjack player.

According to the release, the Northern California Tribal Casino originally caught wind of the program called “A Blackjack Card Counter,” which can be downloaded and used on either an iPhone or an iPod Touch.

Released on Jan. 15, the application gives users a choice of four card-counting strategies and calculates “significantly more accurately,” according to the Gaming Control Board.

In a memorandum that the Nevada Gaming Control Board circulated to casinos, board member Randall Sayre sounded the alarm about Blackjack Card Counter, an iPhone application that sells for $1.99 on Apple Inc.’s App Store.

“This program can be utilized on either the Apple iPhone or the Apple iPod Touch portable music player,” Sayre said in the memo (download PDF). “Once this program is installed on the phone through the iTunes Web site, it can make counting cards easy.”

It’s currently being advertised with an “As Seen on CNN” stamp for $1.99.

Among the application’s features is a “Stealth Mode,” which shuts off the iPhone screen - making the phone appear to be turned off. However, the user can still continue to track cards by pressing the screen at the spots where the keys would normally show.

Computerworld reports that Blackjack Card Counter is not the only app for card counting on the App Store. The rival “Card Counter,” a “card-counting practice program”, sells for $2.99. Card Counter is more popular than Blackjack Card Counter; the former is currently No. 30 on the App Store’s list of best-selling games.

Is it legal?

“Just as a reminder, use of this type of program or possession of a device with this type of program on it — with the intent to use it - in a licensed gaming establishment, is a violation of NRS 465.075,” said Sayre. Counting cards with a device is a felony under Nevada law and is punishable by prison terms of between one and six years, or a fine of no more than $10,000, for the first offense.

… MMmmm? Well, I’m off to download it to the iphone I won a couple of months back at Bodog Casino.

>> Check out the latest casino news and player reviews on site at CasinoLabRat.com.

Coming to a Microgaming Casino Near You in March

Are you “so over” the February casino games releases? I am (except for Bet365’s Gladiator slot machine…)

Here’s a quick summary of the next casino games releases from Microgaming - you can look forward to playing these new games in early March at good Microgaming Casinos all over the Internet!

Beach babes video slot: bikini-clad redheads, blondes, brunettes… and beachballs?

Don’t look for the usual bonus round that Microgaming Video Slots offer almost as stanbdard in this game; in a startling departure from conventional game design, and apparently in response to player demand, the action here is all about Free Spins…and spins-within-spins, all accompanied by a significant Multiplier.

Fighting Fish Video Slot: Boxing bass, sparring snapper?

We’re not joking, this 5 reel, 30 pay-line slot game features Red and Blue piscatorial contenders for the Deep Sea Championship belt and their crustacean support teams… (what are the Microgaming developers having with their cereal?) Hopefully something to look forward to, it sounds a bit like the ultra-popular fishy cops and robbers themed Dolphin Tale slot.

Kings and Queens Video Slot: Classic casino icons

As you’d expect with a royal theme, this slot is apparently a very sumptuously illustrated game that has 8 x multipliers and a colour-and-suit choice gamble feature that can quadruple your win up to a regal £10,000.

The Rat Pack Video Slot: Music and meyhem

The marketing crew at Ladbrokes Casino assure us we’ll enjoy a “Musical extravaganza when playing The Rat Pack Video Slot”. OK. It’s a new 30 pay line video slot in which 3, 4 or 5 scatters will trigger Free Spins with a special ‘Nudge’ Feature incorporated, where only scatter wins are awarded. Reels with scatters are Held for one Spin, the scatter is then nudged down a position and the reel is re-spun. Sounds fun…

Triple pocket hold’em poker: poker lovers delight?

This one sounds a winner despite having not played it yet! You get to play two dealers and go after a 40 to 1 jackpot - so you’ve the chance to win up to 40 times your bet with each hand. Looking forward to it.
So, these games will be launching early March at good Microgaming Casinos all over the Internet! Get your Microgaming-powered Casino account ready now - so check out:

>>Ladbrokes Casino (very safe and especially popular with UK and European players)
>>Canbet Casino (Australian owned and catering for Asian players with lots of currency options and payment methods)
>>Blackjack Ballroom Casino (a great all-round Microgaming Casino offering a full suite of all the latest sliots and casino game releases)

Want a change from Microgaming Casino Slots? Check out the latest at Bet365 Casino

If you’ve an avid online slots player and have not visited Bet365 Casino for a while I’d suggest you get there ASAP.

The crew at Bet365 have recently extended their good, but slighly “played that” set of Playtech-powered casino games with some of the most stylish new slot machines on the net. In my view these new games really do give the award winning Microgaming Casino games a real run for their money. Bet365 Casino’s new Novel slots feature some amazing graphics and game themes.

I especially like Gladiator from the latest slots selection. The graphics are great - kinda animated photo-realistic images from the Gladiator movie. You’ll see all your favourite actors (and some not so great too)… Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus, Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, Oliver Reed as Proximo and Derek Jacobi as Gracchus, etc.

There’s a fun Coliseum bonus and also a Gladiator bonus offering a range of ways to win extra prizes.
Next up, Great Blue slot is a tad fishy for my taste, but the animated aquatic beastie icons are quite cool and the game plays fast and is fun.

Diamond Valley Pro was a bit of a let down for me as I was expecting a golfing slot for some reason. It is of course a re-vamp of the popular slots game release Diamond Valley, and is about wild west diamond mining.

A very cool feature of this game is that you can win up to 20 free spins with a x10 multiplier and more free spins can be won during free spins infinitely. The bonus game lets you choose a character, and then you get to select the prize offered in either the left or right hands of the Indian, the hussie (probably not Diamond Lil) or the rough outback guy…

I suggest you check them out as you can play for free or for real money at Bet365 Casino.

Here are links to the latest reviews on Bet365 Casino in case you want more information on Bet365:

>>CasinoLabRat.com Bet365 Casino Review
>>Review & Rating of Bet365Casino.com by the crew at GoonersGuide.com

Best Christmas Slots

It’s a dead heat!

Not one, but two winners have come out of the annual CasinoLabRat.com “Best Christmas Casino Slot” survey this year. Over 200 slots fans voted on their favourite Christmas themed slots game (think snowmen, a certain portly gent, Christmas puds and candy canes or just lots of bells and red nosed reindeer) - and two slot machines came out on top.

When all the votes were in and counted, (we even included votes for feasting, shopping sprees and summer fun at the beach themed games as it takes all sorts!) most players, regardless of which hemisphere they were in, agreed that Microgaming had once again excelled themselves and provided the ultimate in Christmas slots fare.

Wanna know which ones they are?

New Deck the Halls (released in early December 2008) and an old favourite with plenty of free spins: Ho ho ho.

We recommend you check out these winning Christmas slots games at the following Microgaming Powered casinos:

Blackjack Ballroom
Spin Palace Casino
Ladbrokes Casino

(They’ve actually also got quite a few more popular Christmassy games including Jingle Bells, Gift Rap and Santa Paws).

For casino gamers who are US based, unfortunately finding quality Christmas-themed slots games gets a bit tricky… (if you’ve already got an account at popular Blackjack Ballroom Casino you can actually safely carry on playing the great Microgaming slots listed above…but if you haven’t, unfortunately these guys can accept no further registrations from Americans at this time).

I must admit my fav game at American player-friendly Bodog Casino is their new NFL Playoffs Blackjack…perhaps not a “Christmas theme” (or even a slot), but certainly timely! Check it out at BodogLife.com Casino where you can play for free without download or registration (or of course get stuck in and play for real money). They do have one Christmassy slot: Frozen Assets (snowmen and penguins) but if you’re not into 3-reel classic slots I’d stick with the blackjack.

The other two Casinos we know are popular with US-based players are Bookmaker.com’s Casino and JustBet Casino Club – but unfortunately they offer no specific Christmas slot machines to play

Wishing you a great Christmas and a prosperous 2009 from the team at Casino LabRat.com!

Build your own slot with pix from your own computer!

Many of you will have heard of the new personalizable slot machine out this week at most good casinos powered by Microgaming software…it lets you “Express your individuality with your own images and audio”.

It’s called MY SLOT and it’s a 5-reel, 9 Payline video slot. And you really do get to customise the images, colours and music so it is a totally individual slot game - just for you! But, no, it has no bonus games… and no, it’s not even got particularly high payouts when you win - but hey - I do personally recommend you have a go. Build your own slot game as it really is easy and a lot of fun…

What slot theme would you like to play today? HHHmmm…

Upload photos of all those annoying people that tell you slots are for losers (as they throw away their money at the Blackjack table or on the horses).

Make your cat feel great with a slot compiling all the best images you have of her (so your game coordinates when she sits across your keyboard as you play).

Support a footy team? Upload some images to create your new slot game.

Got some funny, cute or just plain embarrassing pix of the famliy? Upload them and play the family slot.

For those of you just not that creative or lacking in the time to build a slot yourself, you can always pick a game template or use a casino’s My Slot Theme Library as a start.

SO…

Where should I play MY SLOT! ???

Well, we recommend Ladbrokes Casino or Spin Palace Casino - but if you’d like to play at a good safe casino with extra MY SLOT! promotions running in December, check out Australia-based Canbet Casino.

Here’s a summary of the Canbet MySlot Game Launch Promotions:
- Earn Double Loyalty Points during the month of December
- Play in an exclusive Poker Freeroll Tournament
- Win generous rewards for submitting the best My Slot theme and solving the My Slot Riddle

>>Visit Canbet Casino
>>Read a Review on Canbet Casino at Gooners Guide to Gambling (GoonersGuide.com)
>>Read the Canbet Casino Review at CasinoLabRat.com

(Sorry, No USA residents can join any Microgaming Casino as from November 10, 2008)

I can’t post a blog on Microgaming Casinos without a quote from their boss. Microgaming CEO Roger Raatgever says: “We are excited to be launching MySlot to the market and feel proud to once again be leading the industry with innovative gaming. MySlot will offer players a completely different gaming experience which has never before been available - allowing them to sit in the designer driving seat and be the creator of their own slot destiny.”

New Japanese Slot: For the Public Good?

Online Slots Feature Japan’s Most Wanted.

Can you hear that? It’s the sound of online slots leading to the arrests of Japanese criminals?
The Japanese software developer Famista, Inc. has recently announced their intent to release an online slot that replaces cherries and money signs with the mug shots of Japan’s most wanted criminals.

Famista has stated that, at least initially, the online slot will be free so as to maximize the visibility of the criminal’s faces to the public. If someone hits a jackpot, lucky them, they will win additional information on the suspect whose mug got them the win.

Apparently Famista missed the more obvious and probably popular prizing solution which would to be to award the winner with that criminal as a personal servant for life should they be able to assist in their capture.

Just imagine, the spinning faces slow and begin to fall into place and yes, you got a match! Three Haruko Tanaka’s! Assist in his capture and this infamous drug czar will serve you biscuits and tea until the day you die!

Famista representative, Takashi Saito, said in a statement that, “There are many Internet sites that display photos of those on the wanted list, but they are not necessarily visited frequently. By mixing it with entertainment, we thought we can make some contribution to the police efforts.”

Want to play some more traditional online slots that actually pay you out in cash? Head over to the Bodog online casino for some of the very best in biz.

For more on Bodog Casino*:

>> Check out the latest Bodog Casino review at CasinoLabRat.com
>> Compare Bodog Casino to other online casinos popular with American players

* Bodog has entered into a licensing agreement with Morris Mohawk Gaming Group for operations & marketing of gaming in North America. Morris Mohawk Gaming Group is located in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, & is licensed to offer gaming to users worldwide.

Online Casino Promotion: Win a trip for 2 to Dublin AND Paris!

- Have you ever wanted to see Dublin?
- How about Paris?
- Wait…how about both!

You could be one of 7 players to win the new contest at DublinBet Casino and Card Room - and be headed to Dublin for an exclusive poker tournament where you could win a trip to Paris!

The promotion is called Luck O’ the Irish, and each week a real money player at DublinBet will be selected to win an all-expense paid trip for 2 to Dublin. While in Dublin the winners will enjoy 2 nights stay, a walking tour of the city, a tour and lunch at the Guinness brewery, and then on the 2nd night they will participate in a poker tournament that will be held at the Fitzwilliam Card Club, which is where the Live Dealer games are hosted for DublinBet.

This event will take place on Thursday and Friday, December 11th and 12th.

The winner of the poker tournament, and his/her partner, will be picked up by limousine the next morning from their hotel and will fly to Paris for 2 days courtesy of DublinBet, where they will enjoy 2 nights accommodation, a city tour, and a dinner and show at the famous Moulin Rouge.

How cool is that?

The player draws will be held each Thursday at 8 pm GMT live from the casino, on camera, for 7 weeks with the first draw to be held onThursday, October 16th. To be eligible you must have made a minimum €50 deposit, played through at least 3 times (i.e. wagered a minimum of €150), and have sent an email to the DublinBet Support team to register with the words “I’m Feeling Lucky” in the subject line.

You can earn 1 additional entry each week if you make a new deposit and meet the play-through requirements.

Good Luck!

DublinBet is renowned for it’s Early Payout Blackjack - it’s just great - but they offer some of the best live dealer casino play on the net as well. Games are streamed live from Fitzwilliam Card Club in Dublin so you get a far more interactive feel as you play - other land based players can be dealt into the game you’re playing online from home. Fun.

For more on DublinBet Casino check out the latest reviews here: (Sorry, no USA based players due to US legislation)

>>Review of DublinBet Casino at CasinoLabRat.com
>>GoonersGuide.com review and rating of DublinBet.com Online Casino

>>Compare Dublinbet to other popular Live Dealer Casinos here.

PS: For a limited time you can receive an even better join bonus (100% to Eur200 instead of 100% to Eur100) when your first DublinBet deposit is made using MoneyBookers. Enter promo code: Money200 when you make your deposit to take advantage of this offer.

Are You Rrr-ready for a Rrr-reggae Slot?

If you’re a fan of pub fruity style interactive slot machines (AWP Amusement with Prizes game format) you’ll love this new slot machine release from Microgaming.

The only casino we can find it at as yet is Ladbrokes - and you can play it for free or for real money.

Jamaican-a-fortune

Here’s what the team at Ladbrokes Casino has to say about their latest no download slot machine:

“Come join the Jamaican ragga dancehall heroes at Ladbrokes Casino for bongos and blunts in this chilled out multi reel extravaganza!! Ladbrokes Casino’s latest game Jamaican-A-Fortune lets you experience the chilled out lifestyle of the cool Caribbean. Play the full Jamaican overload with Rastafarian colours and mellow sounds”.

Okay… ready to Play it now at Ladbrokes Casino?

For more information on Ladbrokes Casino check out the latest Ladbrokes Casino Review at CasinoLabRat.com or for a second opinion try Ladbrokes Casino Review at GoonersGuide.com.