Gamblit Gaming CEO Eric Meyerhofer said the company is rapidly expanding its footprint this year after raising an additional $25 million from investors in 2017.

Paradise is returning to the Caribbean.

It's a slow process -- everything worthwhile takes time -- but it's beginning to happen. And you can give the credit to Canada and the United States of America.

Before I explain what I am talking about, let me ask you a question. When is the last time you or a member of your family went to bed hungry.

'Is this a trick question?,' some of you are saying. I assure you it is not. When is the last time you or your family genuinely went to bed hungry and you didn't have access to food or the money to buy it?

If you are like 98 per cent of the people in America, the answer is probably never.

I lived on three different islands in the Caribbean for a total of five years -- St. Kitts, Nevis and St. Maarten. During that period of time, I saw a lot of people go without food. Some went to bed hungry two or three days a week.

Shortly after I moved to St. Kitts to work as editor of The Observer, a weekly newspaper that served the islands of St. Kitts and Never, the twin island Federation lost its sugar cane industry. Overnight 1,200 hard-working sugar cane employees were thrown out of work. The government just couldn't afford to subsidize them any longer.

If something like that would have occurred in the United States, the men could have found jobs elsewhere. Such is not the case in the Caribbean, where jobs are as precious and as rare as pure gold.

Sugar cane is used to make rum, sugar and by-products. When the sugar cane industry moved to Central and South America, the men were left without their weekly pay coming in. Some found work in the tourism industry, but most of them remained without an income.

Their wives and children went to bed at night hungry. In many cases, the only thing they had to fill their stomachs was warm water.

My heart went out to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. I knew Dr. Denzil Douglas, the Prime Minister for both islands, was doing everything in his power to help the island people, but his hands were tired by the poor state of the economy. Tourism and the sugar cane industry had been the foundation of the economy of the Federation.

I had a candid off-the-record conversation with Dr. Douglas and asked him why didn't his government convert the sugar cane fields to growing marijuana? Voters were already beginning to recognize the merits of the amazing plant and were making it legal in various states for medical as well as recreational use.

Dr. Douglas thought my idea had great merit, but said, 'Geno, if I did that, the U.S. government would brand me a drug trafficker. They would prohibit their citizens from visiting our islands and it would throw even more people out of work.'

But now, hallelujah, that has changed.

People in Canada voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use. States like Nevada, California, Oklahoma, Delaware, Arizona and other states have legalized the plant for recreational or medical use.

The relaxing of the laws paved the way for Caribbean islands to follow the lead and legalize marijuana in Jamaica and other islands. A movement is underway in St. Kitts to do the same.

When legalization happens, I am going to make a prediction: gang violence on the islands will diminish. Community life will return to normal. People will begin to live again. Smiles will return to the face of the population.

The Caribbean islands will return to paradise.

I miss the Caribbean islands. I miss the casinos, the poker, the sports betting, the thoroughbred race wagering, and I miss the people.

I am going to give the islands another year or so. They I plan to take a cruise back to the Caribbean, back to the paradise that I enjoyed during my five years of employment.

One of the people I intend to look up is Wilbur. He is a young Rastafarian who held down three jobs while I lived in St. Kitts. He repaired computers, fixed washing machines, and repaired air conditioning units.

'You need three jobs in the Caribbean in order to survive,' he told me.

He also had half a dozen large marijuana plants growing in front of his house. And when he had a little extra money, he played poker.

Wilbur belongs to the islands. He told me he would never be happy in Miami, Las Vegas, New York or Los Angeles.

'I am an island person through and through,' he said. 'When you return to paradise, you will find me here.'

Nevada’s gaming win returned to its billion-dollar ways in May, posting a monthly total of $1.04 billion, a 5.3 percent increase over last year, the state reported Friday.

In a restricted gambling market such as the United States, the pickings can be slim, however, the LCB community places 24VIP and Superior Casino high on the list of go-to options. What makes these stand-out brands so successful? We’ve read your concerns regarding slow withdrawal processing and this was addressed in our chat with Affiliate Manager Connie Burstin along with a full explanation of the required verification deposit. Read the full interview to find out more including July birthday celebrations packed with chips and spins all month long!

Q: For anyone unfamiliar with 24 VIP and Superior Casino, please take a moment to introduce the brands.

A: Superior Casino began its operations back in 2006 as the first online casino powered by Rival software. Since then, our online casino has been providing a variation of casino games powered also by Betsoft and Vivo Gaming. Whether players are looking for slot machines, table games, video poker or play with live casino dealers, they can find it at Superior Casino via a desktop or mobile.

Superior Casino is recognized as Trusted and Experienced Casino Operation providing a safe, easy and fun online casino entertainment.

24VIP Casino was established in September of 2017 and since then has already developed into a solid online gambling option for bettors looking for a safe, secure and entertaining gambling destination. Being sister site to Superior Casino, 24VIP Casino has the same strong reputation for quality of games, security, and top-notch service as well as fantastic offering of bonuses and promotions.

24VIP Casino is recognized as a fun online casino environment and promotions where every player is VIP.

Q: Both casinos have stellar ratings on LCB – 4.5 out of 5. What’s your secret to keeping players happy and looking after them?

A: Our top priority is customer satisfaction. We know what our players want and we deliver: high promotions with fair terms, round-the-clock quality support and generous loyalty rewards.

We take every case seriously and players trust that. Important issues are elevated to our experience management team and handled swiftly.

Q: From LCB exclusives to chips and shop items, it’s apparent that you’re in the business of rewarding your customers. What other perks and promotions are in store for loyal players?

A: Besides the rewards advertised in our sites, we have a dedicated Customer Care department that adds surprise tokens and cashback bonuses to players at least twice per week to active accounts. Players love Free Spins and we release them every weekend and when new games are added (which is quite often).

Q: The LCB team has uncovered quite a few casinos with fake games through the years. To be clear, there are no problems related to your brands, but what’s your stance on pirated software and offering peace of mind to future and existing customers?

A: Being in business since 2006, we have seen a few of these companies come and go. We’ve never entertained the thought to work with them. We have had a super relationship with Rival as one of the first licensees (and before this with RTG). We know and respect the work software companies do to produce quality games. It’s unacceptable that someone would come along and try to capitalize on that hard work by stealing the games.

Q: Explain the verification deposit – what it is and why it’s necessary.

A: The verification deposit is necessary to ensure the player’s information is correct to avoid fraud and abuse. By making a verification deposit the player is confirming that the name in the casino account is valid. The verification deposit also enables the banking methods for withdrawal, by linking the card or wallet with the casino account. The verification deposit can be withdrawn without any terms or conditions attached, unless a bonus is claimed with this deposit.

Q: There are member comments regarding their experiences with longer withdrawal timeframes. Can you provide some insight in the cashout process?

A: Players are not always aware that they need to verify their casino accounts by sending in a Security Form along with some documents. The processing times for a withdrawal start after the player verification is approved. Sometimes players assume we will process within 7 days of the withdrawal request, but the processing times (2-7 business days) counts only after verification is complete. This may cause confusion and player may believe their withdrawals get delayed.

Q: We’d like to thank you for opening the door to give LCB’ers a look behind the scenes. Are there any sneak peeks or upcoming plans you can leave us with?

A: We are developing new promotions and reward schemes as we speak. We currently have a month-long World Cup Fever promotion. Next up is a two-week celebration of the casino’s famous host’s birthday coming up in July. Lots of Spins and chips will be added in this period.

London-based charity organization that works on preventing gambling-related harm issues, GambleAware, has teamed up with M&C Saatchi agency. The two companies will work in tandem to develop and conceive a brand new safe gambling advertising campaign.

The UK government has green-lighted the initiative proposed by gambling industry groups and broadcasters for a major campaign concerning responsible gambling, with a budget of £5-7 million already approved. The extensive campaign should be running for two years.

GambleAware was asked to lead the campaign, based on their public health experience, the quality of their pitch that has impressed the members of the jury, as well as their thorough analysis and team's expertise. The board for overseeing this project was already appointed – it consists of representatives from Public Health England organization, as well as the Welsh Government's public health community and academic experts.

They will be supported by the creative genius of M&C Saatchi and they will deliver the public relations campaign. Saatchi, on the other hand, will have the logistic support by Atlas Partners. GambleAware will retain their partnership with 18 Feet and Rising agency for all of their other ongoing and future campaigns.

Interim Deputy Chair of Public Health England, Trustee and Chair of the Safer Gambling Campaign Board commented: “GambleAware is committed to reducing harms associated with gambling and to taking a public health approach. Advertising is an important part of raising awareness and we hope the campaign will play its role, in collaboration with other sectors of society.”

M&C Saatchi CEO, Giles Hedger, said: “We are delighted to be playing our part in the creation of a more mindful gambling culture in the UK. This is a new and important chapter in the ongoing balancing of market freedoms and public health.”

Source:

“GambleAware appoints M&C Saatchi to develop safer gambling advertising campaign”, gambleaware.org, June 22, 2018.

A 6-year-old girl remains in “very critical” condition after a suffering an electric shock at the MGM National Harbor resort outside Washington, officials said Wednesday.

You never know what you're going to read in the morning newspaper.

There I was in Phoenix, AZ. sipping a cup of Kona Coffee at a gourmet coffee shop, when I came across a story in the Arizona Republic that grabbed my attention. A student at the University of Nevada campus in Reno, NF. had just won the 'Ugliest Man on Campus' award.

His name was Ed Feinhandler. When a reporter interviewed him, Feinhandler said he not only was proud of being the ugliest man on campus -- he wanted to be known as the 'Ugliest Man in the World.'

Said Feinhandler, 'Most people make their fortune by being handsome or beautiful. Not me. I want to earn my first million dollars by being ugly.'

My friend Dave Molina came through the door and I grabbed him excitedly.

'Buddy,' I said, 'here is a story that's going to make us some money!'

Dave read the article and said, 'Count me in.'

I called the university and after an hour, Feinhandler called me back. He was excited about doing an interview with a couple of freelance magazine writers and agreed to meet us at the airport when we arrived in Reno. The following Saturday, we boarded a commercial jetliner and flew to Reno.

Eddie was waiting for us. He carried a sign that identified him as 'Mr. Ugly.' Two attractive girls were standing next to him.

One asked me, 'Is he really the ugliest guy in the world? He said if we went out with him, we'd become famous.'

I gave Eddie a long look. He wore a beard and glasses and was missing two front teeth. (I found out later the teeth had been blackened out to enhance his ugly appearance). 'Well, my partner and I are going to write a story about him for a magazine, so I guess you could become famous by going out with him. Sort of.'

The girls gave each other a high five and snuggled up next to Feinhandler who gave each of them a big squeeze.

One said, 'Where do you plan to take us, Eddie darling?' Eddie swelled with pride.

He drove us back to the hotel where we were staying in an ugly brown Datsun with a license plate on it that read 'Mr. Ugly.' As we drove down the street, people waved at the car and girls blew kisses.

David asked him, 'Eddie, just how ugly are you?'

He said, 'Once I invited a girl to my apartment. It was on the sixth floor of a high rise building. I opened the window and told her, 'Either make love to me or jump.' She jumped.'

We conducted the interview next to the swimming pool at our hotel resort. Beautiful girls in bikinis came up to the scrawny Eddie who was wearing swimming trunks. When they found out Molina and I worked for a magazine, they insisted on being photographed with Feinhandler.

Eddie was beyond happy.

'I am going to become famous and make a million dollars by being ugly,' he said. 'You'll see.'

Pam, one of the bikini girls, said, 'Eddie, I don't think you're ugly. I think you're kind of cute.'

Feinhandler scowled.

'Stop that,' he whispered. 'You'll ruin my reputation.'

While I took notes, Dave snapped photos and drank Coors beer. After we were finished with the interview, the two of them entered the casino and began shooting dice while I found a seat at a poker table.

After we returned to Phoenix, Dave and I sold the story about Ugly Eddie Feinhandler to three different magazines. A couple of weeks later he gave us a call. He had been signed to appear in a movie called 'Apple Annie.'

'Who are you going to play, Eddie?' I wanted to know.

'Myself, of course,' he said. 'That's the only part I'm trying to sell.'

I lost track of Eddie over the years. I have no idea if he made that million dollars, fame is as fleeting as it is. But he had a million dollar personality and in today's world, that counts for something.

Months after introducing severe bans due to constant spamming and misleading Bitcoin ads, Facebook has decided to ease the restriction and accept some crypto ads – provided that the onboarding request has successfully specifed all kinds of services companies want to advertise. However, initial coin offerings or ICOs, as well as binary advertisements will have to wait for some better days. The prohibition on these crowdfundings using cryptocurrencies remains in effect on other major sites for social media as well, such as Twitter, Google Plus or Snapchat.

The social media giant issued an immediate ban on crypto-ads in February, due to an increased number of fake financial products and services, which started to damage not only the platform itself, but true values of BTC too. Instead of educating the world’s largest database of active users, which counts up to 2 billion people, the network has become a haven for swindlers and all sorts of crypto frauds who want to earn a fast buck by deceiving enthusiasts to invest, said Rob Leathern, product management director at the time.

Thanks to an entirely new approach to advertising cryptocurrencies, the request sheet can determine whether companies have relevant offers and licenses, including a proof of trading on at least one stock exchange. Leathern also added that not everyone who wants to advertise will be able to do so. Similarly, the company will monitor how well the adjustment works, so that additional improvements can be timely imported.

Facebook has also announced that its advertising policy could see further tweaks in the future, allowing both blockchain projects and crypto investors to get in front of new potential customers and markets. On the other side, the ban on crypto ads at Google and Twitter still remains active, due to the fact that it was only recently introduced – at the beginning of June 2018.

Source:

“Facebook Relaxes Ban, Accepts Some Crypto Ads”, Shen Muyao, coindesk.com, June 26, 2018.

Roaming through less crowded online gaming regions, we happened upon a brand new to us, called Dobrobet. Looking very stylish and professional, the casino seems a picture-perfect representation of sports betting/casino games place where a punter can wager some money, have fun and be treated fairly. But if all these years in the business have taught us something, it is not to trust appearances. Is stylish and professional looking an indication of honesty, integrity, licensed software and other virtues the good guys of the industry are distinguished by? No, unfortunately, looks do NOT guarantee our safety.

Dobrobet is a Serbian brand catering to local audiences, but they do welcome players from other regions as well. It is one of only few online casinos originating in the country, even though the owner companies - Dobrobet Entertainment Limited and Dobrobet Entertainment EOOD - are both registered in Bulgaria. Serbia is a country where land-based betting shops and slot parlors are far more popular than any sort of online gambling, but as this goes to show, even regions where internet wagering is not as widely utilized are not safe from rogue groups!

The site is a Curacao licensee, and on the surface appears decent. However, our investigative team discovered some FAKE games, namely pirated versions of Net Entertainment and Playtech video slots. Their platform, by their own claim, is powered by Inplaynet, a company which supposedly supplies Greentube and Playtech games with a Curacao license, although this is highly suspicious because we know that Greentube has not yet entered the online Curacao market.

Other than this major red flag, we have been faced with one more issue, a tactic many crook sites use to lure in unsuspecting players and get them to reveal personal data. To complete the registration process, the site asks for a personal ID number, which is the equivalent of asking for a Social Security Number, neither of which should ever be revealed to any merchant! Casinos that attempt this are clearly aiming to commit some kind of financial or credit card fraud, or else why would they ever need these highly personal details from their customers?

Another unsettling aspect is the obscure nature of the T&Cs. These are written in a general way, without specifically referring to any of the crucial rules that are of great importance to players when choosing a venue: terms on bonuses, withdrawals, accounts, restrictions are all missing. Needless to say, we do not like the look of this at all and would like to warn our readership against signing up at sites that lack complete terms of service.

Finally, we get to the fake software issue, not any less serious than the above-mentioned disadvantages. As previously said, they offer unlicensed copies of NetEnt, Playtech and Marvel games which are no longer available on the market. Many rogue outlets have made this mistake, never removing Marvel games after they've been discontinued by the original provider, unwittingly marking themselves as a rogue site with questionable software.

We provide screenhots of fake slots, one from each featured provider, complete with clear evidence of forgery and foul play.

On the screenshot taken during the gameplay of Koi Princess, one of NetEnt's most popular titles, in the version which is offered by the site, you can see that the original NetEnt domain and infrastructure are missing:

Rocky from Playtech does not appear genuine either, lacking the Help button - the usual red flag - and clearly launched from the same fake domain used for hosting the NetEnt slots:

Here is proof that the site still offers Marvel-branded releases, all of which were removed from the official Playtech portfolio in March 2017, due to Marvel Entertainment being purchased by the Walt Disney Company, the two having never been likely business partners. Most gamers are well aware of the fact that amazing Avengers, Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, the Iron Man series and other extremely popular and finely crafted slots are no longer available to us. But apparently, the operator has been too busy scheming their predatory schemes to keep up with important industry events.

As many of you know, our international team has many Serbian colleagues, and needless to say, we are sorry to have discovered the first Serbian casino gone rogue. One is innocent until proven guilty, and we believe the above is more than enough proof to read the guilty verdict - software piracy, unethical registration requirements, deficient terms and conditions - Dobrobet, you've got some 'splainin' to do!

A former employee of The Venetian suspected in a deadly shooting at a company picnic in April was transferred to Las Vegas police custody early Tuesday after fighting extradition from a Texas jail for nearly two months.

The ever-growing list of online casinos joining the flock of LCB Member Rewards sites... keeps growing! Our phenomenal program that proved to be a huge success with our esteemed members is not stopping or even slowing down any time soon, as we are proud to announce the inclusion of not one, not two, not even three – but FOUR new casinos!

Please, give it up for Dublinbet, Lucky31, Casino Estrella and Casino Extra – the group of sister sites who are our latest additions to the Member Rewards program. All are licensed and regulated by the Curacao gambling authorities, and Dublinbet and Casino Extra, in particular, provide the unparalleled live casino experience, with the latter providing a Live Casino telecast live from Dublin. Casino Estrella is catering for the needs of the Spanish and South American community in particular, while Lucky 31's massive suite of gaming options is second to none. Read more about each and every casino by clicking on their individual links that lead you to the review pages.

Let us summarize the LCB Rewards Program once again for those unfamiliar with it. In short, if you register with all of the participating casinos and make your first deposit there, you will receive a $3 LCB chip that you can redeem for any of the items found in our Shop https://latestcasinobonuses.com/shop. How do you know which casinos are eligible? Look for the yellow horizontal banner on every casino's review page, stretching across the width of the screen, saying that you can earn the chip when making your 1st deposit at that particular casino.

For further clarifications and absolutely every bit of info you may need for this, check out THIS PAGE where you'll find detailed instructions about taking part in this program on how to qualify, how to collect your chip and how to purchase our shop items. You can also follow this thread on our Forums for the entire history of casinos who have joined and the feedback from other members.

Have fun!

It's time for the June bundle of joy to unravel its mysteries in the one and only LCB Shop! Ok, we don't really have monthly bundles - any decent casino is welcome to join, and June is as good a time as any. New freebies, items and bonus gifts can land in our loyalty store any day, so you should definitely be on the lookout for these hot articles. The latest brand to make it into the Shop is CampeonBet with a very attractive, exclusive offer you simply can't afford to miss.

Cash Grab

Some like free spins, others would rather take cash, straight up! The latter is what you'll get from the multi-platform operator: €5 to wager and win on video slots from Net Entertainment, Red Tiger, 1x2 Gaming, Pari Play, Playson, NextGen Gaming, ELK Studios, Casino Technology, Cryptologic and Betconstruct. That's plenty of choice, but you won't have any trouble selecting a favorite, as these names represent top-of-the-line iGaming providers with the best software in the industry.

The cash chip is available once a week, as long as you have made a minimum amount required to deposit for the first, and any subsequent claim. You can purchase the article cheap - the cost is only $2 in LCB virtual currency, which can be earned via activity on our portal. Contribute to LCB and the gaming community by rating casinos and games, making first deposits at partner sites, posting comments and taking part in exciting forum discussions, sharing tips, experiences and freebies with other players. Every action counts, as long as it's an honest input with the aim to help our tight-knit community.

Since CampeonBet is now a participating casino in our Rewards program, depositing at the site for the first time generates $3 in LCB chips. If you are new to the brand, that means you can purchase the Shop item, and still end up saving a coin or two! They are licensed by Curacao and offer several gaming divisions, numerous promotions, and a user-friendly interface available in 8 languages.

To find out more about CampeonBet bonus item, visit LCB Shop, click on the ''New'' tab and learn about important T&Cs, including promotional rules and restricted countries.

Best of luck LCB'ers!

Laughlin water service was restored Sunday morning, but a boil water order issued Saturday remains in effect. Businesses and residents are required to boil water or use bottled water for drinking and cooking until water quality analyses are completed.

Laughlin water service was restored Sunday morning, but a boil water order issued Saturday remains in effect. Businesses and residents are required to boil water or use bottled water for drinking and cooking until water quality analyses are completed.

Ever since online gambling has been made legal in New Jersey, there is only one operator who has been the undisputed ruler of the segment when it comes to the money side of it. This, of course, is PokerStars, the casino giant that exclusively caters to the needs of the most popular card game's aficionados.

However, that has now changed and only time will tell if this “new revenue order” will be permanent or we're entering the stage of constant overtaking. Caesars Interactive Entertainment has surpassed both PokerStars and Borgata and is now the new leader in the New Jersey poker market, revenue-wise.

PokerStars has, in fact, had a terrific streak of being first, which lasted for over two years – they took first position in April 2016 and haven't looked back, until now. In May 2018, Caesars dethroned them and now rules the NJ empire. The main reason behind this change is the state's joining of the Multi State Internet Gaming Association (MSIGA), which is now, therefore, sharing poker liquidity with other states – something Nevada and Delaware have been a part of for the past three years. It is because of this, and the fact that Caesars is the only operator offering online poker in those two states, that this operator benefits wildly from the situation which is reflected in their increased revenue, which has soared by more than 40%!

In total, New Jersey online operators amassed $24.3 million in May revenue, which is 1.3 million less than in the month of March, when the revenue record was set. This is the fifteenth month in a row that combined online casino and poker revenues to exceed $20 million in this state.

Source:

“New Jersey revenues up 15% as Caesars enjoys poker spike“, egr.global, June 14, 2018.

LCB’ers, as we head into the weekend, we have some news to share with you, and while it’s something you hear about pretty frequently on our end, we know you’ll still be pleased, as it means closer attention to be paid to your questions, comments and concerns! So, what’s the news, you’re wondering? Well, both Split Aces Casino and Twin Casino have joined us on the forum.

Jamie signed on this past Thursday as direct casino support for Split Aces, with a straight-to-the-point greeting: “I am the casino representative, so if you have any questions about our brand – please write in this forum thread. Thanks for your support LCB!!!”

Support for the latter signed on with a more lengthy introduction: “My name is Line and I'm working for Twin, I'm actually in the Affiliate team, but I love this community, so thought it would be fun here myself, to see the good AND the bad feedback, if there will be lots of support, I will get some supporters onboard aswell, but for now it will just be me.”

Of the casino, Line added, “The company has been operating for less than a year, and to be honest it been a fire baptism, to start up in one very competitive market. But we try to be available, transparent. We handle all issues swift and with lot of pride. We are still in the start-up phase so we don't have the politics of a bigger company, and we can solve things very fast.”

Thanks to the two new signups, members can get their questions answered directly on the forum, as well as through the casinos. Head to Jamie’s profile to send him a message for all Split Aces inquiries or to Line’s user profile for anything regarding Twin Casino.

Let’s give them a warm welcome, shall we?

Happy gaming!

By the time the American Gaming Association’s Global Gaming Expo rolls into Las Vegas in October, college and pro football will be well underway.

A criminal complaint accuses Danny Roy Salazar of burglarizing the Rio, Westgate and Caesars Palace between Jan. 13 and June 8 and stealing an assortment of items, including mattresses, televisions, “prototype auto electronics,” beauty products, furniture, light fixtures, an iPad and a photo booth.

The father of an Armenian entrepreneur who financed his son’s sports wagering system manufacturing company will receive further scrutiny as a condition of the Nevada Gaming Commission’s unanimous approval of a license for Las Vegas-based BC Technologies and its top executive, CEO Vahagn Badalyan.

iGaming Giant, Microgaming, has announced the inception of a new exclusive and very elite independent game studio – Stormcraft Studios. They will be supplying exclusive content to Microgaming and the company's host of numerous clients and partners.

The team behind such all-time classics and industry staples such as Mega Moolah and Immortal Romance, loved by millions around the globe, have teamed up and created a gaming studio of their own. Under their new moniker, they will be crafting new epic games and making them available exclusively to all Microgaming operators. The studio is already working on a surge of premium content in which innovation will be the keyword. With many new choices and unexplored territories coming to players worldwide, Stormcraft Studios will lend a hand to Microgaming's inevitable act of taking the market by storm.

Their first brand-new steampunk-themed game, Fortunium was released on Wednesday, June 20th and is a video slot packed with premium features and optimized for portrait playing. It is going to be a great addition to Microgaming's diverse portfolio. The game was originally previewed during the ICE Totally Gaming 2018 back in February.

Terence Igesund, Creative Director at Stormcraft Studios, comments: “Entertainment and craftsmanship are at the core of everything we do at Stormcraft Studios. The careful consideration we give the user experience will be unmistakable in all the upcoming games that we are developing exclusively for Microgaming.”

Microgaming's Games Publisher, David Reynolds, added: “It is exciting to be working with some of the industry legends behind a number of Microgaming’s biggest titles to deliver a fresh wave of content under the new Stormcraft Studios brand. The team’s passion for quality and creating premium gaming experiences is distinctive in everything they do. We cannot wait to unveil the exclusive content they have in store in the next few months.”

Source:

“Bringing the thunder: Introducing Stormcraft Studios”, microgaming.co.uk, June 19, 2018.

People who haven’t seen the “new” Palace Station will hardly recognize the place.

Tuesday’s Culinary union ratification of a collective bargaining agreement with MGM Resorts International virtually assures a summer free of labor strife for the Strip.

Top performing providers of live casino solutions from Latvia, Evolution Gaming, has announced a historic agreement with Atlantic City’s Resorts Casino Hotel, as first dual play roulette kicks off at the venue, allowing customers to play alongside online players. The product represents Evolution’s first streaming service outside of Europe, and also first installation in the United States outside of Nevada.

The casino is owned by Mohegan Sun Property, a luxury ocean view gaming haven with the best casino games and entertainment on the Boardwalk. In addition, Resorts Casino Hotel is the first American rotunda on the east coast to have celebrated a major milestone this May – its 40th anniversary. By launching an entirely new and innovative Evolution Dual Play table with five-cameras, customized gear and wide HD screens, designed to create a unique gambling environment, the resort is ready to introduce an entirely new generation of on-floor gaming action! The monitors will successfully feature live-streamed game feeds thanks to new technologies, as well as promotional messaging, which should engage visitors and patrons.

However, Dual Play will not launch before Q3, since it represents a part of Evolution’s B2B service to European licensees. Players will be able to experience the Resorts Casino’s Dual Play American Roulette table from anywhere in the world, regardless of the device type – playing alongside real-time visitors is definitely going to depict a breakthrough in live gaming. Director of business development and land-based sales at Evolution, James Stern, is convinced that a landmark installation such as Dual Play will surely give online players across Europe a chance to experience the excitement of playing live at a leading Atlantic City casino.

Meanwhile, president and CEO of Resorts Casino Hotel, Mark Giannantonio, said that developing a trustful relationship with market leaders in Dual Play tables is key to expanding their gaming offerings. Evolution Gaming belongs to a premium clique which knows how to attract and retain leading operators, that will enable the experience of playing online at a real live American Roulette table at Resorts, added Giannantonio.

The Stars Group has decided to acquire NetEnt’s exclusive gaming portfolio for its PokerStars division in Portugal. Creators of leading digital casino solutions and award-winning games are the first software company to launch their products on the platform in a regulated market of Lusitania, where the company persistently continues to push its growth strategy. The content agreement will see not only premium slots such as Archangels, Asgardian Stones and Hotline, but table and jackpot games as well.

The Stars Group and NetEnt have a lot in common, as both companies offer leading global platforms for online gaming, including well-established brands such as PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars and Full Tilt. Growth in regulated markets is a key part of the business strategy and further investments in the sector have also been announced.

Managing director and chief of European market operations at NetEnt Malta, Carl Silverstolpe, is very proud of PokerStars’ decision to choose an unprecedented casino supplier and looks forward to building a close and trustful relationship with the Stars Group on a global level. By making some of the most-wanted games available to their players, the team is confident in providing additional support with a market-leading portfolio of quality releases, which deliver the ultimate player experience, added Silverstolpe.

NetEnt recently launched two groundbreaking and utterly innovative products – a daily jackpot campaign that celebrates the World Cup with €1M worth of cash prizes and an industry-first widget that allows simultaneous sports betting and live casino action. As a reminder, the Board of Directors appointed Therese Hillman as the company's new CEO in March 2018, after Per Eriksson was dismissed due to his failed efforts to meet financial expectations.

Source:

“NetEnt first to go-live with PokerStars Casino in Portugal”, netent.com, June 15, 2018

Bitcoin – the final frontier. Apparently, not even aging TV stars are immune to the lure of digital currencies as seen via the example of William Shatner, whose stardom rose to prominence decades ago in the hit TV sci-fi series, Star Trek, in which he played the admirable and unshakable James T. Kirk, captain of the starship Enterprise.

Shatner, 87, who's known to transcend the boundaries (his kiss with Uhura in the 1968 episode of the series is incorrectly cited as the first interracial kiss portrayed on US television) is apparently spending his senior days – mining Bitcoin! That's what he admitted to Solar Alliance startup after proclaiming him their celebrity spokesperson. Shatner then went on to say that this is not even his first foray into the cryptocurrency world, although he admits he is not 100% sure what he's doing most of the time.

In an interview with Chicago Tribune, Shatner said: “The concept is so, I guess the word is bizarre. You have to blank your mind and say, ‘What is blockchain, again? How does mining operate, again?’ The concepts are really strange, and yet when you begin to grasp it, it makes sense.” For him, it all began in 2014 when he was sent some Bitcoin tokens by a fan, only for the actor to Tweet soon after: “What the heck is a bit coin?”

Solar Alliance is battling a barrage of criticism coming from the environmentalist groups who are adamant that Bitcoin mining wastes resources. This is why Solar Alliance is ready to take on a feat of spreading out on 14 acres of land in the Midwest, install solar panels there and harvest the sun's energy to generate the power Bitcoin miners need to do their stuff.

Murphysboro, the Illinois town of 10,000 inhabitants, has already offered 165,000 of square feet in a vacant factory to the company to be converted for mining operations. Its Mayor Stephens said that the town is “like a lot of Middle America, have seen job losses because of a change in the worldwide economy. From my perspective, we’re going to have someone who will occupy a previously derelict property, and whatever development comes out of it will just make it more marketable if the project is not successful.” Miners can rent the space there and get some free coaching and advice from the company members.

Shatner was approached by Solar Alliance when they outfitted his own home by coincidence, saying he'd help them run the facility when it's operational. “I’m in Chicago a lot, and I live in Kentucky part of the time. I might very well do that. It’s an interesting idea to see it at work because … it’s so esoteric that it’s difficult to understand.”

Source:

“William Shatner Joins Bitcoin Mining Project, Admits He Doesn't Quite Get It”, Kelso C. Edward, bitcoin.com, June 14, 2018.

In a 15-minute address at the end of Tuesday’s meeting of the board of directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, CEO Rossi Ralenkotterwent through a checklist of reasons why he’s going to retire.

In the last 6 months or more, there has been a flood of games whose subject matter revolves around the ancient Chinese culture, with one of the more recent releases being Play’n Go’s Fu Er Dai slot. We happen to love the trend, as we feel that Chinese culture is so vast and beautiful that it certainly deserves all kinds of exposure. Also, its market is enormous, so there's some healthy commercial reasoning behind it, as well.

This time around, however, it's Iron Dog Studio, a 1x2 Gaming subsidiary, that went full Far East and released a game of exotic beauty and charm with Chinese mythology in mind – Si Xiang. The game's official description reads: “In Chinese mythology the skies were divided by four mythological creatures that guarded the world and Iron Dog Studios Si Xiang’ unleashes these tremendous mythological beasts into a spectacular slot.”

This 5-reel game has all the visual cues inherent to Chinese architecture of old, particularly the sacred spots like temples and places of worship. The main game's backdrops are set in a thriving big city. Once the Extra Spins mode is triggered, that changes to a remote landscape with some cool-looking clouds in the shape of a dragon.

Its key features include the expanding symbols of The Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger and Wild Tortoise. A special Yin Yang symbol that sits outside of the reels, to the left, will release multiple features at specific points during the game. When Yin Yang lands on a winning combo, it will give out multipliers and can even unleash some of the wild beasts.

The game is playable on smartphones and tablet devices just as well as on desktop computers.

Here is the neat game preview:

Doesn’t time fly when we’re enjoying ourselves? Who would think that WinADay Casino is already celebrating its 10th birthday next week? Anyway, it’s been an incredible year for the venue, as it not only launched five new games and cryptocurrency support, but also witnessed a site-wide progressive jackpot in a record-breaking $277,482 chunk. To mark the beginning of another successful decade in business, the innovative betting site is ready to release an entirely new addition called Vegas Vibes, accompanied by birthday deals and a Freebie up to $100, both available until June 28th.

After introducing cryptocurrencies last July, Bitcoin users became more than welcome to join the venue, and both deposit and withdrawal options are now available. Earlier in February, the casino added Litecoin, only to beef up the platform with BCH a month later, in March. The number of players who prefer betting in cryptocurrencies due to lower fees and faster processing times has been multiply increased, says the casino manager.

The platform is constantly evolving to answer the latest industry trends since players’ preferences change over time, added Michael Hilary, who has managed the venue since 2008. However, the operator’s dedication to customer service has remained unchanged, as it represents one of the key elements in running a successful gambling business.

The site’s soon-to-be-launched Vegas Vibes slot will bring the thrills of Las Vegas, thanks to a bonus round that awards up to 15 free games with a 3X bet multiplier! The casino’s progressive jackpot is nearly $200,000 and rising, so hitting five Elvis symbols with a max bet could payout some life-changing amounts, comments Hilary.

If you want to enjoy all birthday bonuses, which are available from June 20th to June 28th, and earn a freebie along the way, make at least one deposit and use the bonus code, BDAYFREEBIE, to begin. An introductory bonus for Vegas Vibes includes 111% bonus on deposits of $25 to $250 and the bonus code is, TRYME111.

The operator of a Northern Nevada casino has settled a state Gaming Control Board complaint that it illegally operated an unlicensed interactive gaming system by linking to websites based in Curacao.

I have a Canadian friend named Ace. He and I have a lot in common. We both love to gamble, we ride horses -- he grew up on a large cattle ranch in Canada -- and we appreciate beautiful women.

When we aren't playing poker, betting on the horses or shooting dice, we talk on a variety of subjects ranging from politics to the clever ways casinos in order to relieve people of their cash.

'They don't force you to give them your money,' Ace lamented. 'They make you want to do it.'

I asked him to explain himself.

'They hit you over the head with a velvet blackjack,' Ace said. 'It doesn't even hurt because it's made of velvet. Now I'm talking about beautiful cocktail girls in sexy outfits, free money for slot machine players, and special promotions that lure you into the poker rooms or blackjack tables. The casinos are offering special promotions, but they are just cleverly designed scams created to take your money.

'After they overpower you with the velvet blackjack, you wake up and wonder where all your cash went. Then you repeat your performance and give it another shot.' Ace shook his head. 'People never learn.'

Back in the 1800s when the West was overrun by prospectors searching for gold, gambling saloons sprung up everywhere. The games of chance varied widely from legitimate to crooked. Your chances of being cheated in a gambling saloon were about 50 percent.

While towns made an effort to maintain law and order, many gambling disputes erupted into violence. Some saloons even had signs posted directing gamblers to check their guns with the bartender or a security officer.

'What's really amazing to me,' said Ace, 'is the fact that so much money changes hands in a casino and yet the violence is kept at a minimum. I guess it's the velvet blackjack syndrome at work. People lose their bankroll and tap into their credit cards until they use up all their cash. Then they just shrug off their losses, go home, and when they accumulate more money they come back again for another session.

'Back in the Old West, the loser would probably have shot up the place and would have either ended up dead or in jail.'

I agreed with Ace's observations. Actually, I am very impressed with the way most gamblers conduct themselves, whether they are winning or losing. It helps, of course, for a casino to have good security personnel mingling with the gamblers and heading off trouble before it becomes violent.

During my many years as a gadabout journalist and gambler, I can count on one hand the incidents of violence I have witnessed in a casino setting. They were limited to fistfights and in one case a shooting at the Showboat Casino in Las Vegas. Nobody was injured -- the shooter was too inebriated from tequila to shoot straight -- and the person with the gun was quickly arrested.

Casinos have perfected the use of the velvet blackjack and I have to hand it to them. They know how to manage the show and how to keep the customers coming back for more. That velvet blackjack is a marvelous invention.