Online Casino Blog » Online Casinos

CryptoLogic Wins 2008 Top Casino Software Award

Mike Smack — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:34:44 +0000

For three consecutive years, CryptoLogic has been awarded the industry’s top software award by the Gambling Online Magazine beating out many companies and software developers. The award is given to the company who most continuously improves and develops different software to cope with the needs and technological advancements of the casino gaming community.

This award is one of the most coveted awards because of its prestige and the additional honor received by the winner. CryptoLogic is a perennial winner for one big reason - they are supremely successful in introducing and making new changes and innovations that give hot and fresh features to users - this creates ultimate success in the world of online gambling entertainment. Take a look at the post How Spiderman Can Make You Money in Online Casinos for a great example of this. Although, there are many software developers who made it on the final list, CryptoLogic won the award by proving their power to develop unbeatable software. This consistent effot by CryptoLogic year after year has lead to their distinction as the industry’s top software developer.

CryptoLogic is considered the industry’s top software developer because they constantly are putting research and development into creating new and more challenging innovations and concepts that really fit the interest and needs of the users. They have incorporated high levels of graphics and technical design for them to be able to deliver it elegantly to their customers. Over the years, CryptoLogic has been introducing different online games and casino games that have really won the interest of the casino-playing community. This is why they have partnered with so many different casino companies and gambling entities in order to develop software using their own unique brand of casino entertainment. Due to their high level of involvement in the casino community, their developmental skills had been recognized by customers and industry leaders due to their passion to develop better and better software and give the people a casino gaming experience that’s difficult to forget. Since CryptoLogic is one of the world’s leading software developers for online casino games, the recognition from many award giving bodies have been very important for them - especially for marketing and name-recognition purposes. This is why they are continuously exerting maximum effort in continuing their path as being the leading software developer in casino gaming.

The Gambling Online Magazine’s Industry’s Top Software Award is based on the votes of the people - this includes regular online casino gamblers and also a variety of respected online gambling entertainment critics. As a result of their votes, the winners emerge as the champions of their respective fields. This serves to prove that the winner really does deserve to get the award - its not some fake award that’s just arbitrarily given. Due to the voting process and the trust given by the people, the voting serves to crown true winners. CryptoLogic has been successful in maintaining their top position for three consecutive years because they have not stopped in continuing their tasks as software developers - constant and never-ending improvement. Because they know that they are software developers at heart, they really have to push their software development ideas from a simple idea and be able to grow them higher and make it different and better from all previous developments they’ve introduced over the years.

I have no affiliation with the company but their passion to change their approach to suit the market and their non-stop work ethic is admirable and really makes them worthy to gain this award. Of course, they’re aren’t doing this just because they’re nice guys or because they want to have an award on their shelf - they know this means great marketing and great marketing means more customers which means bigger profit. Even so, this vision of serving and giving the people the best that they can give is one of their most important assets in continuing the development of their enterprise. Their effort and their hard work will really pay off as they had been recognized for three years as the industry’s top software developer - and they’ll likely will win others in the coming years.

Online casinos using Cryptologic software include InterCasino, InterPoker, Playboy Casino, Playboy Poker, and VIP Casino.

Related items

Related posts:

Red Dog Poker: How Wide Does Your Spread Go

Mike Smack — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:37:42 +0000

Being casino aficionados, we know that there are tons of games that can be played in a computer. For video game fans, you’ve got games like World of Warcraft that suck your life away. For card games, we have games like 3-card monte that suck your money away. In the online casino world, we have casinos that require you to download their proprietary software (like PokerStars, Casino Classic, Full Tilt Poker, Sun Poker, and Playboy Casino) and online casinos that enable you to play their games online (like BetUS). Those that use their own client software that you install on your computer let you play once the installation is complete and those that let you play the games online use either Java or Adobe Flash and you can play it right away (and usually are open to Mac and Linux casino players.

In this day and age, most of us have hectic schedules which can sometimes may it tough for us to visit our local casino to play a few games. The internet has really revolutionized this. In fact, how about the 24-7 Poker Channel that gives you poker television constantly? Even if you don’t want to play casino games, you can just watch others play them online! Most online casinos offer the classic casino games like video poker, blackjack, and roulette. These games are super easy to play online and some of them really give out nice payouts.

Red Dog

What we’ll be covering here is a popular online game (which can be sometimes found in land casinos) called Red Dog (also known as Red Dog Poker). It’s a card game that’s a simple variation of “Acey-Duecey”, “In-Betweens”, and “Between the Sheets”. The rules of this game are easy to learn and understand and once you get a handled on it can be a really fun game to play.

A Red Dog player first sits down in front of the dealer at the Red Dog table. The poker ranking of the cards are used, the suits are irrelevant and aces are considered high cards. When you’re starting your Red Dog game online, you’re first going to want to place a wager and click the deal button in the screen. After doing so, two cards will be dealt face up on the table. If the cards are not consecutive or equal, then the dealer announces the spread, which is the amount of card values in between these two cards. (example: If the two cards are 3 and 8 then the spread is 5) You now can increase what you’re wagering up to the amount of your original bet.

A third card is now dealt face up. That bet you originally made means you’re betting that this third card will be ranked in-between the first two cards dealt on the table. This means that the probability of you winning will depend on the spread of the first two cards. If this third card matches any of the two cards or is outside the two cards then you lose.

Your winnings on this are equal to the Red Dog payout table:

1 card spread = Pays 5:1
2 card spread = Pays 4:1
3 card spread = Pays 2:1
4+ card spread = Pays 1:1

If we look at the payout table and then compute the player’s edge, then optimal Red Dog strategy suggests that you should only raise your bet if the spread is 7 or more - no matter how many decks are used.

Now let’s talk about some other situations you may encounter while playing Red Dog. If the two cards you are initially dealt are consecutive (example: a 4 and a 5) then the hand is a push. The reason why it’s a push is because since the two cards are consecutive (like 4 and 5) then there’s no way you could win (there’s no number between 4 and 5)! This push means your bet gets refunded.

Another unique situation you may come across is if the two cards dealt face up are identical (example: a 4 and a 4). Now a third card is dealt by the dealer. If this third card is identical to the first two cards (example: a 4, 4, 4) then you get a payout of 11:1. If this third card is not equal to the first two cards then the hand is a push and you get your money back.

This is one of those fun quick games with easy rules that are great to play when you want to take a break from more intense casino games. Since it’s hard to find this game in brick-and-mortar casinos it’s a good idea to check it out online. Once you do, come back and let us know what you think of this game.

Red Dog is currently available for play at Casino Classic, Omni Casino, Playboy Casino, Bodog, CasinoRoom, and Canbet.

Resources:: Full Tilt Poker - Join More Than 95,000 Poker Players Playing Online!

Related items

Related posts:

BetUS Casino Asking for Player Social Security Numbers?

Mike Smack — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:51:26 +0000

I recently received a letter from a CasinoSmack reader about the online casino BetUS. Check it out:

It’s been awhile since I had an online account, and obviously some things have changed. I went to set up a Betus.com account, and they asked for my SS#. Is this normal practice?

-Bill N.

Thanks Bill for the question. The interesting part is that I’ve asked myself the same question about casinos asking for my social security number. Is it necessary? Recall a recent blog post about the concerns about online casino player identity theft and credit card fraud.

The Security of Social Security at BetUS

I could’ve just written up a blog post condemning online casinos for asking for social security numbers amid the concerns of identity theft and other security issues. Instead, we’re going straight to the source. I’ve contacted a BetUS representative to help answer these questions. Check out the BetUS social security number response from Kat Chaves, BetUS Sportsbook, Casino, Poker & Racebook Affiliate Marketing Manager:

“Company policy requires that all new customers making a first time deposit via credit card pass a verification process called Strike Force. The way this verification process works is as a basic 4 question quiz requiring answers that only the card holder could respond correctly. In order to get access to the card holder’s credit information, Strike Force needs the last four digits of the Social Security number. If the card holder provides wrong or missing information on the quiz, the verification process then asks for the first 5 digits of the Social Security number to verify. This rarely happens, but is more common among young card holders with no credit history or card holders that have similar names or SS numbers. We do not have access to the quiz information nor the social security number this information is strictly confidential and handled through Strike Force. The verification process is mentioned on our site. If the player would like to speak directly to an account manager, please let us know. I hope this information helps and if you need further assistance please let me know.”

Thanks a ton Kat, we’ve all really appreciated you coming through and answering the reader’s question. If anyone would like to speak with Kat Chaves, let me know and I’ll forward the BetUS contact information.

Personally I’m feeling way more relieved about giving my information online over at BetUS… plus remember that BetUS uses high grade internet encryption as well (RC4 128bit), which means all information gets encrypted before it’s transmitted over the internet. This virtually assures your information will not be snooped on others (hackers, etc.) The BetUS website is also verified by the USERTRUST network for even more security.

Related items

Related posts:

Team CardRunners Joins the Full Tilt Poker Crew

Mike Smack — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:02:23 +0000

Team CardRunners, comprised of an elite and exclusive group of card players and instructors have finally joined the official ranks of one of the biggest worldwide virtual play game groups online - Full Tilt Poker. The CardRunner team has joined the ranks of over 100 expert card players currently at the online poker room.

Composed of young and talented poker experts like Brian “Stinger 885” Hastings, Andrew “muddywater” Wiggins, Mike “schneids” Schneider, Cole “cts” South, Eric “P3chy Keen” Liu, Brian “sbrugby” Townsend, and Taylor “Green Plastic” Caby, the CardRunners extensively share their insights, thoughts and knowledge on virtually all aspects of playing poker. They talk poker via online chats on the Full Tilt Poker website and through interactive poker playing sessions, where you log in into your Full Tilt Poker account and you can actually play in the same table with these guys, learning poker tips as you go, asking questions and getting focused answers.

You vs The CardRunners Team

You can find the CardRunners team constantly playing hands of poker at Full Tilt Poker website - they believe in straight-up integrity and practicing the things they preach. So get up in there and challenge them!

According to Full Tilt Poker member Howard Lederer, education and poker should be combined. He’s pumped that Team CardRunners has finally joined one of the elite online poker websites in the community. “I’m thrilled that one of the most innovative poker education sites has joined the team,” says Lederer.

Team CardRunners co-founder Taylor Caby (Full Tilt Poker Username: Green Plastic), says that since they play poker all the time anyway, this is was pretty much an inevitable event for them. “The biggest names in poker all play at Full Tilt, so it was a natural alignment. I am excited to showcase the CardRunners strategies, secrets, and work ethic in front of Full Tilt’s highly ambitious, extremely loyal player base,” says Caby. The whole crew is excited about sharing their versatility, secrets and strategies online to other Full Tilt Poker members.

Team CardRunners is joining a well-rounded group of poker professionals that have already make this poker site their homes. The group is composed of such experts as Erick Seidel, John Juana, Clonie Gowen, Phil Gordon, Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow, Gus Hansen, Erick Lindgren and Allen Cunningham. That’s one of the fun aspects of Full Tilt Poker – they allow you to mingle and learn insights from the most successful people in the playing field of poker.

Full Tilt Poker has been doing this kind of thing for a while – they’ve been hosting poker games virtually and serving people from all over the world since June of 2004. They’re licensed and duly regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, which is based in the United Kingdom and Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

Related items

Related posts:

Play Strip Poker with Playboy Playmates in London!

Mike Smack — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:59:35 +0000

Poker + Playboy Girls = Playboy’s 1st ever Strip Poker event!

12 very lucky PlayboyGaming Players will be paired up with 12 stunning Playboy Girls to take part in our first televised Strip Poker event this November 2008 in London with a prize fund of almost £3,000 ($5,000)!

This money can’t buy event will have commentary from Grub Smith and reflect our “Live the Life” philosophy with pure indulgence and luxury from start to finish. The event will be take place early November in London (UK) with 2 tables of 6 leading to a final table.

Each Player will draw a girl at random from a hat as their “Lucky Bunny Partner”. The girl will see the cards, but will not have the decision on what hands you decide to play and don’t worry - only the Girls will strip.

How do I enter to qualify?

Only PlayboyGaming Players can enter and the top twelve MPP positioned players will win a place to the event. To register an account click here and download.

Player’s must enter the bonus code STRIP into the Cashier. Only MPPs gained AFTER they have entered the bonus code will count towards the leader board.

Once you have entered you can view your position on the qualifying leader board here.

The Playboy Strip Poker Promotion runs from Tuesday 26th August (EST) to Midnight Sunday 19th October (EST).

What are you waiting for - hookup with the Playboy Casino Playmates and get the game going!

Related items

Related posts:

Let’s Have Group Slots: The Slot Machine Tournament

Mike Smack — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Since the beginning of casinos, it’s always been said that slot machines are one of, if not the most popular game in casinos. Before a player that wanted to hit some slots and pull some lever was only able to play offline – but with the rise of online slot machine gaming, anyone that wants to play and enjoy the game can easily go to tons of different slot machine websites.

All you guys reading this that love slot machines, well then you can attest on the fun and the enjoyment you can have when you hit big on the slots. The flow seems unending and exciting when you start playing the game – the lights go off, the crazy slot machine sounds, the waitress bringing you drinks, pulling that lever 100x per hour – it’s part of the fun of it.

Now come online casinos offering big money slot tournaments, which is an additional source of slot machine fun to all slot fanatics. With online slot machine tournaments, this game is now open to be played online players worldwide, whether or not you have a casino nearby you. You live in the amazon rain forest? Hit up BetUS Casino for some Touchdown Fever slots. Maybe you like sleeping in a cave in Nepal? Then go to Casino Classic for some Break Da Bank Again and Alley Cats.

The Point of Slot Machine Tournaments

The idea of the slot tourney is to have different players compete simultaneously against each another. The players don’t need to be on the same part of the world to enjoy it either. Technically they are connected online through the means of their own computers.

But there are some people who are still curious and skeptical on how to play the game – maybe they find the mechanics of a worldwide tournament too complex. Some people art still freaked about possible online casino scams and they think people are just out to rob them of their money by any means possible. The solution to feeling skittish about doing an online tournament is complete understanding. You just need to learn the rules of the tournament you’re entering before you enter. If it seems fishy, stay away. If it seems cool, join in. Multiplayer games can usually turn the most mundane of games way more fun.

A lot of people curious about online slot machine tournaments are people that are actually playing the game offline and they just want to try something else – to play online. Although the rules are the same as with playing at a brick-and-mortar casino, the technical issues need to be addressed before the tournament begins in detail in order to have full player confidence.

Of course there’s tons of different kinds and types of slot tournaments available online. The basic theory is that basically all players must start with the same amount of capital or credits. The same timeframe of slot play is given also to all players. In this way every player involved has the same rate of opportunity and chances as anyone else. For example, I checked the BetUS website real quick and I saw a tournament available right now. The BetUS $10 Buy-in Roulette Tournament is every Saturday and they start you off with 1,000 in chips. Casinos also have progressive slot machines too, which means the jackpot total keeps going up and up if no one wins it, like a lottery. As of the time of this writing, Casino Classic has the Mega Moolah progressive slot machine jackpot at $3,757,086.72!

Differences in Tournament Slots vs Standard Slots

Tournament chips and your typical online casino chips are not the same thing. For example, the chips (or credits) that you use for playing regularly online can’t be used for the tournament game. This means you can’t take your huge bankroll into a tournament – everyone starts out equally with the same number of slot machine credits.

You can use the chips you have to play in any machine you like. However, you only are able to play for the allotted time frame the casino has given.

The winner of the slot machine tournament is the player who has the most chips within the tourney time frame. Of course, the other players will then be placed according to the number of chips they gained throughout the game (2nd highest chip total gets 2nd place, etc.).

The tournament begins for you as soon as you make your first spin - the clock or timer immediately begins to start to count the time. The credits you use to play with are separated from the credits won during the game – there is no mixing of credits. When the clock stops; the game ends. All online player chip totals are then tallied electronically to determine how many each player has for the tournament and then the winner will be declared.

Related items

Related posts:

Online Casino Scams: Preventing Identity Fraud and Theft

Mike Smack — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:00:00 +0000

If you happen to see any invites from an online gaming site and accepted it, then make sure that you’ve checked thoroughly what’s said on their security page. You have to make sure that you have read the entire text. Never begin any game at a new online casino if the security section of their website is not properly read and understood.

What you should expect to see in the security section is a long explanation on the details on how that particular casino’s security system will protect your identity while you play online. Remember that you have to provide your financial or bank account details to make game deposits – so be clear on the casino policies!

Online identity theft is an unfortunate occurrence - but with online games like casino games the system is designed to properly focus on thwarting hackers whose goal is stealing a player’s identity. The systems implemented by online casinos include methods to secure your privacy and safeguard your personal information.

The Security Scepticism

Most online casino players are skeptical in this matter. Many of us are in doubt of the security – we may feel that our identity may be in danger of being stolen or used by someone else. We might feel uneasy about giving our bank details, answering security questions and giving our date of birth. This information, if accessed by hackers, may be used for malicious purposes.

As an online casino gamer, you need to have confidence in your casino before you start playing online. You can’t play your A-Game while being paranoid that someone is watching you and trying to snatch your identity. This isn’t just an online occurrence, scams like credit card identity theft happens in real life as well. People have paid at restaurants, the server has taken the credit card details, racked up major charges on them, and the unsuspecting victim finds huge billings incurred in their card monthly statement.

So how can you make sure that what you’ve sent to them, which can include your personal identification, is hack-free and secured?

Before playing online, you should really see how identities are being protected in the site that you wish to visit and play for real money. The website should state in detail how they make your stay in their site worry free and secured. Some casinos take extra steps so that you know who’s an actual employee of the company and who’s just a player. For example, here’s the text from Full Tilt Poker:

“Full Tilt Representatives appear in Green Text in the game software. Thieves will attempt to get information by offering “free money” or bonuses if you send them your account information. Some use misleading usernames like “System” or “FTAdmin”. If they do not appear in green text, they do not represent us and should not be listened to.”

Keeping it Encrypted

The security text must cover not only your identity but the assurance that your account is not in danger. Most reputable casino declare that any confidential information sent through is encrypted. Remember to play online only if the online casino in question informs you of the security measures that they offer. Some casinos offer you an audit trail as proof of their honesty. Here’s the text from BetUS:

“For peace of mind, BetUS.com provides you with a fully transparent and comprehensive audit trail on all games played, detailing the sums wagered and wins/losses. By doing this, we believe our members can wager with BetUS.com and have complete confidence and trust in our systems.”

Try checking an online casino you’d like to play at for real money. Compare them with other casinos you’ve played at before. View their homepage and read all the information you can about them. Click ‘About Us’ and ‘Security’ and you’ll get a look at what the casino is telling its players about how they’re protecting you from hacking and cheating.

Types of Online Casino Scams

There have been reports players claiming online identity theft, insider cheating, identity fraud, poker bots, and casino gaming credit card fraud. Users have had their identity stolen and their credit card accounts have been abused by others. Companies like LifeLock have sprung up in order to capitalize on this emerging online security market - hopefully ensuring 100% safety online. If you are ever in doubt that someone has seen your identity, immediately inform the casino webmaster or click on the online casino’s contact us page to seek online assistance. Here’s the text from PokerStars:

“We aim to keep our information about you as accurate as possible. You can write to us at any time to review, change, obtain a copy of your information or have your details altered or corrected in accordance with your rights under the Data Protection Act 2002.”

Identity theft over the internet is rampant and you as a player must do your due diligence and in-depth research to guarantee your safe play and knowledge that the online casino you’re playing at is dedicated to maintaining a secure playing environment.

Related items

Related posts:

White Listing Request of Kahnawake and Antigua Has Been Rejected

Mike Smack — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:40:00 +0000

The United Kingdom Secretary of State has officially rejected the white listing request of the gambling commissions of Canadian First Nation of Kahnawake and Antigua.

They are both considered to be established as online gambling entities in other parts of the world, yet Kahnawake and Antigua have both been rejected… with no specific reason given. Currently, only the online gambling companies which have been licensed in the European Economic Area (EEA), Tasmania, Isle of Man, and Alderney are allowed to advertise in the United Kingdom.

“After careful assessment of their representations against the published criteria, the Secretary of State has also decided not to whitelist Kahnawáke (Canadian reservation) or Antigua,” says the United Kingdom Gambling Commission in their newsletter.

The request for white listing is important to any online gambling company because only white listed companies can advertise their company inside the United Kingdom. Since they are already established in other countries, many online gambling officials and insiders were shocked to hear the news because of the implications this may have on their reputation and business.

The Push for UK White-Listing

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign island country located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe and is a union of four constituent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Online casino operations in the United Kingdom are generally very closely monitored due to the different allegations from casino players which have had major media penetration and has caused a political headache for the UK. That’s why only those online gambling companies who have managed to be on the United Kingdom’s white list are allowed to advertise inside the United Kingdom. Being on this casino whitelist means they’ll gain huge bumps in reputation and the confidence of the average casino consumer in terms of perceived safety, legitimacy, and professionalism.

Kahnawake and Antigua are now planning to do a counter request in order to make it to the list. They see it as a mistake in part of the people who assessed their capabilities for the white list because they believe that they have what it takes to operate in United Kingdom. For example, the tribal leaders of the Canadian First Nation of Kahnawake have stated that they have more than seventy five percent of all casino gamers going through their website servers. With this much at stake, they know that their reputation is their only proof to the average consumer of their legitimacy and capability of being established in this field.

Why did Kahnawake and Antigua get rejected?

On the flip side, there are some allegations from online casino players that both Kahnawake and Antiguathey do not respond adequately to the inquiries and problems experienced by the players. The UK Gambling Commission feels this is not a good sign for these commissions in terms of joining the white list, especially because of the possible implications that customer complaints may have on the reputation of other online gambling entertainment corporations.

Since almost all types of online gambling entertainment businesses have been such huge moneymakers in almost all parts of the world, the expansion into the United Kingdom would have been a great opportunity for Kahnawake and Antigua to explore the potential possible revenue streams available in the area. Aside from the United States, Europe is also a great venue for online casinos to branch out and expand their businesses into. There are so many opportunities to explore business ideas in different countries within Europe. The United Kingdom is widely considered in the business community to be the first step in the full penetration of Europe due to the people in this area who are really hooked into online casino gaming – they’re comfortable with playing casino games online. Due to the moneymaking potential of the UK, it’s almost a matter of profit life and death for Kahnawake and Antigua to secure a white listing license from United Kingdom.

Related items

Related posts:

ChanPoker Closes Down: The End for the Johnny Chan Casino

Mike Smack — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Big news has just gone down in the poker room world: ChanPoker.com has closed down.

Chan Poker, which was fronted by two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) champion Johnny Chan, is officially closing its online doors on August 21. This was shocking news to me as the flashy internet poker website had a great design and with a super-popular name behind the casino. It was a member of the Ongame Network – as a member of that network they were forced to close their membership of American poker players due to the UIGEA act.

What’s up with Johnny Chan?

If you recall one of our earlier posts about the Johnny Chan Academy Dealer School then you read about former instructor Nick Ciavarella who mentioned in the comments that the Johnny Chan Academy had closed down. So is there something else going on here? First the Chan Academy closes down and now Chan Poker closes down? Is there something going on behind the scenes in the Johnny Chan poker world that may have affected both of these businesses closing their doors?

The closing of Chan Poker is surprising since they launched the poker room with tons of publicity back in 2006, with a booth at the Lifestyle Expo and much discussion at the 2006 World Series of Poker.

According to ChanPoker, there continues to be an effort by ChanPoker.com to find another online casino to take over the player database and honor player point balances because right now ChanPoker players must be feeling very disillusioned.

So if you’re a ChanPoker player, make your withdrawal request immediately. They’ve lifted some of maximum limits for withdrawal methods to make it easier for players to take out their cash.

Here’s the official ChanPoker statement:

ChanPoker Closure - August 19, 2008

We are sad to inform you that Chan Poker will be ceasing operation effective this Thursday, August 21, 2008. Effective immediately we will no longer be accepting deposits. On August 21 our poker clients will be disabled.

If you have a cash balance with us rest assured that all withdrawal requests will be honored and promptly processed. To facilitate timely withdrawals, limits for certain withdrawal methods have been increased. We will make every effort to accept withdrawal requests through our website for as long as necessary however we strongly advise submitting your request as soon as possible. To initiate a withdrawal now please follow this link to go to your account. Please note that once final withdrawals are processed your account will be automatically closed, no further action is necessary.

The final $50 daily freeroll will be held Tuesday, August 19, 2008. We will not be holding any additional weekly Red Orange Freerolls.

For those that wish to continue playing online poker, know that we are actively seeking a partner to provide a new home that will honor your player point balances. We will keep you informed of developments on this front.

As always, if you have questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us at support@chanpoker.com.

Warm regards,

Chan Poker Customer Support

Related items

Related posts:

U.S. Takes on Online Gambling: Huge Fines to Microsoft, Yahoo, & Google

Mike Smack — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:10:00 +0000

Something happened recently to the big 3 of the internet: Google, Microsoft (MSN), and Yahoo. It all ties together with online casino gaming. All three lost big money because of it.

These three giants of the world of computer technology paid fines for advertising online gaming entertainment industry companies without performing proper process. The Department of Justice (DoJ) in the United States claimed that these corporations paid $31.5 Million Dollars as fines for their violations of laws regarding the online advertisement of online gambling entertainment. The United States government has emphatically said that they do not condone the encouragement through advertisement of casino gambling of websites that can be easily accessed by under-aged people, especially students. The U.S. government has stated that this is an opportunity as venue for companies to learn about the “dangers of online gambling” and a way to send a message to other search engine marketers. That is why they believe they are forced to file a law suit against these three giants in computer technology – of course, all this stems from the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

The Big Three versus the Big Government

To continue the story as it has developed, the attorneys for the United States federal government have said that these three companies have only paid the amount for arraignment. However, the three major computer companies involved did not admit nor deny the allegations of advertising these casino gambling businesses on their sites. It is important for them to protect their reputation because they are considered as the world’s premier authorities for internet information, with the most viewed sites on the web and the most used software on the planet. Because there is a possibility that each of these companies’ clients and customers will not continue their patronization of their products due to negative publicity, they have attempted to do their part on closing the case as quickly as possible. They have done this so the case will not continue and in order to not fall victim to additional negative publicity about them.

Microsoft was actually the company that paid the largest amount in fines - approximately $21 million United States Dollars (USD). The payment will go to different agencies of the government that the government feels needs monetary support to continue their projects – and to their legal funds to continue their online gambling prosecutions. Microsoft did not comment publicly on the case, the outcome, or the settlement. They have paid the amount in order to ensure that the lawsuit does not continue further and for them to protect their company against any future liability. Although there are people claiming that Microsoft Company accepted payments from many online gambling entertainment associations, they have stood on their legal position that they only provide quality service appropriate for the needs of each user of their software and MSN search engine. This issue is a great controversy faced by companies in this new internet age - the possible implications for reputations of major companies, especially those known as the world’s leading brand on computer software, are huge. Microsoft has been placed into a high pedestal which is not reached by many companies – this means that a company like theirs will be constant targets from both commercial attacks and government attacks. Google, Yahoo, and Apple are also constant targets of lawsuits – this has just been one of the first which has directly involved online casino gaming since the arrival of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act. It’s amazing to think how laws passed by governments are starting to affect the online world, which was previously thought to be untouchable. Even virtual worlds like Second Life are banning casinos – what else will be affected on the internet?

The Blow of Negative Publicity

Although Google and Yahoo! have paid a relatively small amount compared to Microsoft, they admit that this is a great blow to them because they are known world wide for their undoubted credibility and reputation as the world’s online giants. The fines handed down to these three companies for illegal online gambling activities is seen by most legal sources as a deterrent to other companies. given for them is just right, says the Department of Justice for violating the rules and laws set about the online gambling entertainment.

This is a disturbing new trend of the government interferring in internet communities. For example, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is making casino gaming illegal and wants people to go to the jail and pay thousands just because they play casino games online! We of course know of the many online casinos that have left the United States market as well due to these lawsuits – contact your favorite online casino by phone to make sure they still accept players from your part of the world.

What do you think will happen in this online battle? Will online casino gaming be finally free and open or will governments force internet based casinos to close down altogether?

Related items

Related posts: