The world over companies grow, merge, buy out and sell, it’s just the way business works but when the big players in any industry make big moves, there are generally very good reasons for it and we can only assume that this is the case following a recent announcement that the founder of casino software giant Playtech Teddy Sagi has sold 10% of his share in the company.

This share is worth $350 million, which translates to more than €250 million and £200 million. As you can see, it’s an absolute fortune no matter which currency conversion you’re using which is no surprise, given that Playtech is one of the two dominant online casino software developers in history.

Along with Microgaming, Playtech made a name for itself as one of the first online casino software developers and the two companies have been engaged in fierce competition ever since. Playtech powered online casinos like Europa Casino offer a vast casino games portfolio that are popular with players the world over.

While there is a great deal of speculation over these new developments, the reasons for the move have not yet been made clear but it is evident that it will allow for Playtech’s stock to enjoy increased liquidity which can have substantial benefits for the company.

A total of 29.3 million shares were sold through Sagi’s company Brickington Trading and even at the conclusion of the sale, Sagi still owned a 39% share in Playtech which is considerable. It is interesting news overall but also indicates that Playtech is planning to continue along its aggressive growth trajectory instead of merely resting on its laurels.

InterCasino is an industry veteran that has been around since the very inception of online casinos. Over the years it is one of the online casinos that has continually evolved and developed to keep up with the changing environment while keeping millions of casino players happy and satisfied.

Once again, InterCasino has made some revolutionary changes and its highly anticipated new casino platform has finally been launched. While it was supposed to make its debut in April of this year, the casino delayed the launch explaining that they wanted to do things properly and needed to invest more time in the project.

That additional time paid off and the transition from the old to the new platform earlier this month was smooth and efficient with players retaining their original login details and all player account balances and loyalty points have been seamlessly transferred to the new platform. The look of the casino has changed quite a bit and we’re still not sure if it’s as nice as the previous version or if it’s just a matter of it needing time to grow on us.

That said, it is now a Flash based casino leaving the old download version obsolete, so you are advised to uninstall it from your machine if you still have it and instead access the instant play casino via your internet browser.

Usually flash based casino platforms offer less variety when it comes to casino games than their download counterparts, but this is not the case at InterCasino. Instead there are a number of new games available thanks to the fact that Amaya Gaming acquired the Cryptologic group last year and has now added its own Chartwell Technology produced games to the InterCasino portfolio. These include popular titles like Wild Panda, Aladdin’s Legacy, Medusa and Frogs ‘n Flies as well as three new table games, namely Jacks or Better video poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em poker and European Roulette.

In addition to its on-going bonus offerings, InterCasino has also added new promotions into the mix with the addition of a long awaited high roller bonus which can be accessed once by both new and existing players alike. If you’re already a player at InterCasino you may use either existing funds or a new deposit to access this bonus with consists of a 50% match of the deposit with a $1,000 minimum deposit and $1,500 maximum bonus accessible. Wagering requirements are 15x the deposit plus bonus. Terms and Conditions do apply and are available on the casino’s site.

While many things have changed, the things that really count like safe, secure banking, and professional customer support remain the same. The casino’s license remains with the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta and above all, you’re still assured an amazing gaming experience every time you play.

Golden Riviera Online Casino has long enjoyed a favourable reputation with players who enjoy an exciting gambling experience that is backed by a solid group offering not only a huge variety of casino games but also good customer service and a safe, secure online environment.

Golden Riviera is always looking for ways to please its players and this month has really upped its game by increasing its regular €10,000 monthly slots tournament pot to a guaranteed prize pool of €15,000!

The popularity and success of the previous monthly tournaments has inspired the increase and now players have the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the usual slots tournaments with even more rewards.

The new €15,000 tournament is a freeroll which means that you don’t have to pay to enter. All you have to do to take part is register on the 5th of November 2012. The tournament will then run from the 9th until the 19th of November 2012. The selected game for this month’s tournament is the ever popular Thunderstruck II online video slot and the player who comes out top on the leaderboard at the end of the tournament will walk away with the lion’s share of the increased jackpot prize.

So whether you’re a new or existing player at this casino, make sure you don’t miss out on the exciting slots tournament action in November at Golden Riviera Casino.

WOW, WOW, WOW! Our Team got an awesome surprise when we checked in on Jackpot City Online Casino… and we just had to share… we totally LOVE the casinos new look!

The newly launched makeover is nothing short of spectacular and features a Vegas like city that emanates excitement and movement and really feels like it draws you in and keeps you wanting more. Not only does it have a much more appealing design than before but it feels less cluttered and seems to flow much better too. Check out the before and after shots that we’ve included above for the purposes of comparison.

All the information you’ll need as a new visitor is right at your fingertips and all you have to do is mouse over the various buttons to access it! If you’re looking to play on your Mobile or if you’re a MAC user, they have included buttons for you to easily access appropriate versions and the applicable software…talk about thinking of everything!

This online casino is continuously evolving and has always been a class act and a place that we would highly recommend you visit and play at. It has been in operation since 1998 which means that there is solid experience in all aspects of operation and customer service. They offer a generous welcome bonus of $/£/€500, a host of regular promotions as well as a plethora of online casinos games.

So if you’ve never played at this casino, it’s definitely one you shouldn’t miss.

The past few months have certainly brought in high rewards for players at Sun Vegas Casino. This booming online casino saw a mad rush of large payouts of 100.05% in the category of Table Games. As part of the Vegas Partner Lounge gaming group, Sun Vegas alone paid out over $148,850 in the month of May alone and has been on a roll ever since! Cinema Casino, also a member of Vegas Partner Lounge, boasted of an abnormally high payout of 108.05% in the Table Games category too. Seems that the dice have been speedily rolling in the direction of rewards lately!

Most casino’s have payouts which land somewhere between the mid-nighties, and anything over 95% is considered high. Sun Vegas Casino has once again proved that they are making winners, and many of them! All payouts are regularly monitored and verified by eCOGRA – the independent standards Authority for online gaming. They make sure that all payout percentages are correct before being released to the public, and so this report confirms that Sun Vegas Casino really has had a good run in terms of winnings lately.

Austin Green, Manager and spokesperson for Sun Vegas Casino, was delighted with the result: “We’re all about making winners, and this month we seem to have excelled in that! We are so elated with the payout results and we’re sure that a lot of our players are over the moon with their winnings. At Sun Vegas Casino we always try to provide our players with a first-rate entertainment experience because they are our number one priority.”

A trip to Sun Vegas Online Casino is as good as a holiday. Fully licensed and regulated, players can be sure that they are getting fair game play as well as top-notch service. When players sign up with the casino, they will receive a 3-tier Match Deposit Bonus offer when they make their first three deposits. Players will get a 100%, 25% and 50% Match Bonus when they deposit 150, 125 and 100 respectively. Ultimately the entire package offers a combined value of up to £/€/$425 free.

Sun Vegas casino currently offers in excess of 600 games so players are spoilt for choice with variety and entertainment. These include a host of popular online slots, Table Games, Video Poker, Progressive Jackpots, Unique Parlour Games, Keno and some exciting Multi-player Tournaments. With outstanding features and captivating story-lines, the games on offer at Sun Vegas Casino truly will enthral all players alike.

So if you’re in the mood to enjoy a state of the art online casino that offers higher than average payouts, visit Sun Vegas now.

The Fortune Lounge Group recently announced that four of its online casinos brands, namely Royal Vegas, Platinum Play, 7 Sultans and Vegas Palms casinos now offer their players the option of communication with customer support staff via Skype.

This means that the next time you have a query or need assistance with something, instead of phoning or e-mailing customer care, you’ll be able to logon to Skype and receive answers and assistance quickly and easily.

According to Wim Ochse, Head of Fortune Lounge’s Customer Support, the introduction of Skype to their group of casinos is an industry first, with no other casino group currently offering Skype as a one-click contact point. He further added that due to the fact that support staff assist players who are already connected to the internet on their computers or mobile devices, Skype is an excellent option which allows players to communicate with the casino staff with ease.

In addition to its latest Skype contact offering, the Fortune Lounge Group continues to offer players support via e-mail, telephone and live chat. Skype support is currently only available to English speaking players but the group has stated that it may introduce the service in a variety of other languages including French, Spanish, Italian, German, Greek, Dutch and Portuguese, depending on the demand for it going forward.

In the meantime though, players of all languages can connect to the English speaking support staff on Skype and request to be put through to support staff in their native language.

This is yet another step in the Fortune Lounge Group of casinos quest to make your online gambling experience with them one of the best and most streamlined possible. They get two thumbs up from us.

Casino Tropez has been in business since 2001 and recently announced its official re-launch which not only features a new design in both its website’s look and feel but also in casino software usability and added player resources.

While players can continue to enjoy the same benefits as before including over 350 exciting casino games, a rewarding VIP program, regular promotions, outstanding customer service as well as quick and easy payment processing, there are also a number of new standout features including:

• Instant Web Play – while a download version of the casino software is available, players can also login to the casino and play via the Casino Tropez website. Both platforms are accessible by the same username and password.
• An all new Payback Bonus – while the traditional Welcome Bonus at Casino Tropez was $3,000, the new $3,000 Payback bonus includes a 100% match bonus up to $100 on first deposit followed by a 50% refund up to $1,000 on all deposits that day.
• A Casino School – this is a completely new addition of casino game and strategy related articles which has been made available to assist players in learning game rules and strategies to enhance the complete gaming experience.

So if you’re in the mood for a completely awesome gaming experience built on years of experience and a trusted brand, then visit Casino Tropez now.

Across the globe governments and anti-online gambling proponents fear that should online gambling be legalised that people will only gamble at home but according to gaming industry experts this fear is largely unfounded.

Tom Doyle, vice president and product management at Bally Technologies Inc. based in Las Vegas agrees with the experts, stating that casinos will be ready when internet gambling is legalised in the United States and that online casinos will only add to the overall experience. He further stated that there would always be people who wanted the live casino experience in a real casino and that free play online could actually enhance people’s land based game play.

Vahe Baloulian of eGaming Partners Inc. agrees, adding that online gaming aids land based casinos in retention and can even bring new clients to brick and mortar casino venues as online casinos help novice gamblers to acquaint themselves with various casino games, rules and strategies until they feel comfortable enough to put them into practice in actual casinos. He added that “Once people learn for free, then it trickles down to live games,” and that “We see it in Europe, where free play is used to teach players the game and then invite them to the casino.”

Baloulian is further of the opinion that there are several business models that casinos could employ to build brand recognition and connect with both existing and new players. The possibilities for driving players from free play online websites to actual casinos are endless.

Both Baloulian and Doyle as well as Jeff Jordan of Jordan Gaming Consulting Group LLC in Las Vegas, were panel members on the discussion of driving land based casino traffic via online gaming at the Global Gaming Expo which was held at The Sands Expo and Convention Centre this year.

Doyle stated that “gambling in Las Vegas continues to move beyond the casino floor” due to the fact that the Nevada gaming commission’s recent decision to allow wagering in the city’s hotel rooms via their mobile devices like iPads and smart phones.

So while the governing bodies continue to make excuses and arguments against online gambling, it would seem that many of these are unfounded. In addition it seems that the once hesitant land based casinos are now firmly behind online gambling so players are sure to reap the benefits of that going forward.

As any seasoned online casino player will tell you, there inevitably comes a time when you will need to verify your identity with the casino by submitting a variety of documents. Sometimes documents are required when you sign up for a new player account but more often than not, these requests come when cashing out a big win and the process can sometimes be frustrating enough to put a slight damper on your winning mood.

There are number of reasons online casinos require player documentation including mandates by regulating authorities, to prevent the opening of multiple player accounts as well as to prevent fraud and identity theft as well as the wrongful access of your account. The verification processes are in place to protect both players and the casinos, yet this somehow doesn’t make the process less painful!

Thanks to a new organisation PlayerVerify.com however, these issues may soon be a thing of the past! This online service eases the process for both the casino and the player by providing a hub and secure technology required to facilitate the verification process electronically. According to Mark Dalton, spokesperson for the group, the verification process entails matching details furnished by players with relevant documentation such as identification documents, passports or driver’s licence details. Players are able to securely login and submit all of this documentation to PlayerVerify and are given a secure access code to this information which they can then give to the casino should they be asked for documents.

This process eliminates the need for scanning, faxing or sending e-mail through unsecured channels and gives the player more peace of mind when submitting such sensitive information. Also, all documents can be uploaded once without needing to re-scan and re-send them every time a casino makes a verification request.

In addition to the peace of mind of a highly secured account, players can view real time data pertaining to which online casino is accessing their details and also whether the documents are acceptable to the casino in question or not. Once the casino has viewed the necessary documents, the player can then lock their account, denying the casino any further unauthorised access.

While the program may seem very player focussed, online casinos also benefit from it as they will not have to sit with piles of hard copies of documents or have the responsibility of storing this information securely. PlayerVerify also offers the casinos online approval services where they can submit requests for additional player information if required and the entire process is managed on their behalf.

So if you’re a regular online casino player, why not try PlayerVerify and make your casino verification processes a whole lot safer and easier to manage.