Charles Dickens’ famous novel, A Christmas Carol is probably one of the most well-known Christmas stories in history. As such, many movies and even slots are based on it, centring around its protagonist, the stingy Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by 3 ghosts namely the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Future who help him to see the error of his miserly ways and leave him filled with the Christmas spirit.

Playtech casinos like Europa Casino have recently launched their very own version of this classic tale in the form of the Ghosts of Christmas video slot which even offers an animated video clip which tells the story of the original novel. This is a truly well put together game and definitely looks set to join the ranks of the web’s most popular online slots in no time at all!

This 5 reel, 20 payline video slot is set against the backdrop of Scrooge’s mansion where he sits contemplatively in his armchair as the adventure unfolds before his eyes. On the reels, Scrooge is the Wild symbol and offers a generous jackpot of 10,000…and he starts to pay out when two symbols appear in a line from right to left…not bad for someone who is reputedly so miserly!

Another pivotal character Tiny Tim also makes an appearance as does the ghost of Marley as the scatter symbol which also activate the free spins feature when three or more appear. When this happens, all line and scatter payouts during the free spins feature are tripled. Three or more clock symbols on an active payline from the left reel activate the Ghost of Christmas bonus feature. This bonus feature depicts three different scenes depending on which ghost appears (past, present or future) and you will be required to make picks to reveal bonus credits.

The games is also packed with enthralling animations including Scrooge kissing a gold coin, The Ghost of Christmas drinking wine from a horn, and The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come being depicted as Death, implying that if everyone in the world was like Scrooge, the spirit of Christmas would die.

This slot is designed to please a variety of players as line bets start from as little as 0.20 credits to 500 credits, which on max bet means that the max bet is a massive 10,000 credits which high rollers will love.

So if you’re not yet in the Christmas Spirit, play the Ghosts of Christmas video slot now!

The fact that RTG powered casinos sometimes have extraordinarily low payouts has long been a discussion point at various player forums across the web. The low payout rates were however thought to be reserved for land based RTG powered slots and casino games but it seems that many suspect that the low payouts have also been put into place by RTG powered online casino operators too. The fact that the latter applies to online casinos is a ridiculous notion, given the fact that they have nowhere near the overheads of their land based counterparts.

These suspicions were further aroused when players discovered that the popular Fruit Frenzy Slot featured two pear symbols, side by side on the same reel…a very unusual display and one that some believed indicated that a casino was running settings for minimum payouts on the game:

This unusual phenomena was not seen at all RTG casinos, but was encountered at more than one which seemed to indicate that things differed from one RTG casino to the next when it came to returns to players and so the debate continued but no real proof was ever offered as the RTG casino operators refused to release the Return to Player (RTP) information for their games.

Recently however, we spotted an interesting thread in the casino player forums where it was proven the speculation that returns to players on the same game differ from one RTG casino to the next.

Unlike in online slots games, Keno functions on the same principles as other card games which have mandatory fixed odds. From a casino’s point of view it is unethical and illegal to change the odds and also almost impossible as they operate Random Number Generators which are audited by external bodies and accounting firms to ensure that “randomness” is guaranteed. In order to get around this some RTG casinos have changed the payout amounts instead. This is clearly demonstrated in a side-by-side comparison of the same Keno Game at different casinos:

As you can see payouts on the one are slightly different from the other, but of course as a player this can make a huge difference to your bankroll.

While differing payout rates do not fall in the unethical realm it is important that as a player you keep in mind that RTG casinos Return To Player Ratios differ from one to another so it is advisable to look for the best one before playing too much.

We have done some research and found iNetBet to be amongst the best RTG powered online casinos with a Payout Rate of 95% while others like Intertops casino are well below 95%.

So if you’re an RTG fan, make sure you check on the Return To Player and Payouts before you play OR look around and compare others to your favourite RTG and you may just find that their offering is better.

After months of speculation regarding the entry of social media giant Facebook into online gambling for real money, the UK’s Financial Mail has reported that Facebook has in fact taken the plunge into offering casino games for real money. Its new online gambling offering will initially only be available within the United Kingdom to punters over the age of 18.

This means that British players over the age of 18 are now able to play online bingo for cash prizes. It has also been reported that online slot machines will be added to the offering in the weeks to come.

According to Facebook’s head of gaming for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Julien Codorniou, Gambling is an extremely popular and well regulated pastime in the UK and for millions of bingo players it is already a social experience, so it makes sense for Facebook to offer it as well.

This development confirms the long standing rumours that Facebook was considering entering the real money gambling market in order to boost revenues. According to the Financial Mail, Zynga, Facebook’s most prominent gaming partner is looking into introducing real money gambling versions of its bingo, poker and slots games in the year to come.

At present and for the foreseeable future, the United States will be off limits due to legal and political issues regarding remote gambling. Going forward Facebook will however expand its offering to the various European countries that have formalized online gambling laws and regulation.

According to Clive Hawkswood, CEO of trade body the Remote Gaming Association, Facebook’s recent move is a significant development. He stated that “Bingo is at the softer end of the gambling spectrum and online bingo often has chat forums alongside so it’s an obvious match for Facebook. A lot of people have asked why we haven’t done it before but this has been because there’s a difficulty in monetizing what they have – this is one way of bringing in revenues.”

Facebook in joint venture with Gamesys (one of the United Kingdom’s largest online gambling operators) will launch the Bingo Friendzy application to target the social network’s large online audience. According to Codorniou Facebook will act as a distribution platform for Gamesys who will provide the games for Facebook’s multi-million strong audience. He also mentioned that Facebook was in talks with other gambling companies with regard to expanding its offering to include other popular online casinos games like roulette and blackjack but at present no concrete agreements have been made.

What was once a promising group of online casinos, with what seemed to be a bright future ahead, has turned into a virtual player nightmare and a descent into what has become one of the most shocking falls from grace in recent years.

The Rushmore Group which is powered by Real Time Gaming (RTG) online casino software includes Rushmore, Cherry Red, Slot Oasis, Slotsville, Euro City and Pure Vegas Casino, and are all casinos that we recommend you avoid if you hope to ever get paid money or winnings owing to you.

Over the last three and a half years, the Rushmore Group of Online casinos has repeatedly experienced issues with regard to player payments especially when it comes to paying out winnings. Add to this the fact that no licensing jurisdiction exists for this group as well as the exodus of competent casino employees from the group and you find a group that has no level of customer service or integrity whatsoever.

Evidence of unacceptably delayed and non-payment of players can be found in a vast number of player complaints that occupy the major casino player forums across the web. One or two casino representatives have tried to smooth things over but at the end of the day, the issues still remain.

What is even more disappointing is that in light of their delayed and lacking payments to players, the group’s owner and top management don’t seem to care and neither the owner nor their customer support staff will respond to e-mails from industry watchdogs surrounding the subject.

In spite of promises by the casino to resolve player issues, no solid action has been taken and this has led to the casinos in this group being blacklisted or “rogued” by a variety of online casino industry watchdogs as well as information sites like ours.

So it is with great disappointment that we advise you to avoid casinos in this group, and if you do decide to play at them, you do so at your own peril.

The world of online gambling holds much excitement and interest among the millions of people from across the globe that play at online casinos on a regular basis.

It is little wonder then that the Hollywood spotlight has turned to the subject and it has recently been reported that a film about offshore online gambling and the deteriorating relationship between and online casino founder and his protégé is in the works.

According to reports, the Regency Pictures produced film entitled “Runner Runner” is a gambling themed thriller/drama written by the famous Brian Koppelman and David Levien of Rounders fame, and will be directed by Brad Furman who also directed Lincoln Lawyer.

What’s more is that Runner Runner will star Hollywood’s hottest actors, Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake in what is sure to be a complete box office hit. While little else is known about the film, production is said to start in June.

The film name may seem a little strange for an online casino themed movie but it is actually named after the poker term “runner runner” which refers to a hand formed by hitting two consecutive cards on the turn and the river.

With these writers, directors and stars involved this is definitely a movie to look forward to, but if you simply can’t wait for the movie to come out for a little excitement, then play online at Ruby Fortune Casino now.

Founder of the “Girls Gone Wild” franchise, Joe Francis recently had a court case against him for a $2.5 million casino debt at the Wynn Las Vegas Casino thrown out of court due to the fact that the casino reportedly waited 16 months before calling in a marker or IOU from Francis.

According to the presiding Clark County District Court judge, Linda Marie Bell, the Wynn had missed their chance to prove that Francis had indeed committed a crime stating that the presumption of fraud did not apply in the case against Francis as he possessed sufficient funds in his bank account to cover the marker at the time that it was issued by the casino.

Under Nevada law, unpaid casino markers are handled in the same manner as bad cheques, this allows plaintiffs to file criminal charges against those owing them money and collect a percentage of the settlement awarded by the court. Obviously this case will set a precedent and Las Vegas Casinos will have to become a great deal more cautious before awarding markers to famous guests.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Francis then mentioned that he would pursue legal action against both the Wynn casino and its CEO and founder Steve Wynn on the grounds of false prosecution with regard to his 2007 debt. Francis also released news statements proclaiming his victory while Wynn Resorts Ltd. spokeswoman Deanna Pettit was not available for comment.

While Francis may have been a clear victor and defeated the house in this instance, he has a past dogged with legal issues including assault, child abuse and prostitution and has also served time in prison for these as well as falsifying income tax returns and bribery. What he will do next waits to be seen… but from reports it seems that legal battles will continue to ensue between Francis and the Wynn resorts group.

Good news for Blackjack lovers, Jackpot City Online Casino will be holding a number of regular tournaments, and they have added a Blackjack Survivor title to the schedule so hurry over now!

Space is limited and only 250 players will be able to participate in this new format and registrations are open! A minimum of 14 players will be required for the tournament to go ahead but because of the popularity of Blackjack Survivor tournaments the 250 quota will more than likely be quite easily reached.

If you’re new to this format, Survivor games are played on the 6 deck European blackjack variant and the entry fee is a mere $20 with a guaranteed $280 prize pool. The prize money may not seem all that lucrative but it is only shared by the top three players and is distributed with $130 for first place, $90 for second and $60 for third.

The tournament will be played over three rounds with only the top 10 players surviving the first round. Each player commences the round with 2,500 with the minimum wager at 10 chips and the maximum at 250 chips. The round is then played over 8 hands.

Competition heats up in the second round with only 6 of the 10 players being able to make it through to the next stage. This round is played over eight hands and is started with 3,500 chips for each player, a minimum wager of 50 chips and a maximum of 500.

The third round sees the fiercest competition of all and requires you to make aggressive bets and bold decisions. Unlike the other two stages, this round is played over 6 hands only. Players begin betting with 5000 chips and limits are upped to 100 chip minimums and 1,000 chip maximums with only the top three players walking away with the prize money.

If this all sounds too much for you, never fear! Jackpot City Casino has a host of blackjack games for you to choose from and play at your leisure without the tournament stress. So whether you’re up for the tournament action or just in the mood for a truly superb game of Microgaming powered blackjack, visit Jackpot City now!

It’s not often that the Bettingcorp.com team decides to feature a blog on Rogue casinos because we really like to focus on the positive things in the industry, but it has come to our attention that Stryyke Casino /Poker/Sports has been at the centre of a great deal of player issues and controversy lately and so we decided to look into it to ensure that our visitors are informed and protected from unsavoury organisations.

After in depth research into various allegations of non-payment, non-communication, unjustified closure of player accounts, confiscation of winnings and dishonest business practice in general, it has been found that the Stryyke operation (encompassing its casino, poker room and sportsbook) is guilty of these and many more offenses.

Although the management of the operation has been aware of these types of player issues and has even sat down with a variety of the so called industry regulators and watch dogs at conferences in the past promising to rectify the situation immediately, players continue to have issues and encounter dodgy business dealings with this operation, proving that they are not interested in dealing fairly with their paying customers.

The group has been rogued by major sportsbook and casino review sites across the net and Bettingcorp.com is adding Stryyke Casino, Poker and Sportsbook to its blacklist. Please avoid Stryyke’s properties at all times to ensure that you do not become yet another statistic on their long list of unhappy players.

For casinos that do know how to operate their businesses with honesty and integrity, please visit one of the recommended, honest casinos featured on our site.

Winner of several “Best Mobile Casino” Awards, Casino Tropez Mobile continues to expand its portable gaming horizons. Now casino games on Casino Tropez’ mobile gaming platform are available in both Swedish and Italian on more than 750 compatible handsets.

User-friendly, mobile-compatible casino game play is all the rave and Casino Tropez introduces this new offering with several exclusive promotions. Players will receive a $100 bonus with any deposit of $20 or more and a 20% extra bonus on subsequent deposits. To qualify for these bonuses, Players must deposit using their mobile handset. This process is very convenient and straightforward, giving Players the ability to play and win at their favourite game at any given time.

To find out if your handset is compatible with Casino Tropez’ mobile gaming platform, contact Customer Support.

So, what are you waiting for? Head over to Casino Tropez Mobile and play mobile casino games in English, Spanish, and now Italian, and Swedish.

What is a “Bad beat”? In Poker it refers to a win by a weaker hand over a stronger, more dominant hand. How the heck could this happen, you wonder? Believe it or not, and as much as Poker Players wish it never would, it does happen, even to the best of us.

Many newcomers don’t realize the value of a bad beat. They don’t understand the odds of a bad beat hand like pushing all in with AdJc and beating AsKs by spiking a Jack on the river. Likewise experienced Players are often amazed that they could lose to a newcomer or less experienced Player with such an underdog hand. They don’t grasp that they lose to the hand because they have the more dominating hand. The important thing to always be mindful of when playing Poker is that bad beats will happen at some point.

But the real question here is, do they happen more online than in land-based casinos because of fraud? Many Players argue that online Poker rooms are rigged; that they create large action hands for the Players in order to increase the pot size. This is in no way true. If it were, then one could easily argue that a bad beat would tend to happen more frequently in an online poker room than in a land-based casino because of fraud. However, online poker rooms, just like online casinos, undergo rigorous testing and verification to ensure complete randomness of hands and randomness of games at all times.

The fact of the matter is that more hands are played in online poker rooms more so than in land-based casinos. Whereas in a real live Poker game, perhaps 40 hands may be dealt in an hour, the number is almost double in an online game. The action in an online game is faster, perhaps about a 40:60 ratio in favour of the online poker room where more hands are dealt per hour. Additionally, one Player can play at two or more separate Poker tables when playing online; thus also increasing hand play. This is not possible in a land-based casino.

Also, in an online game, Players are more willing to “Call” their hands, despite what their bankroll is and despite the fact that calling the hand may not even be necessary at that moment. In the case of a real live Poker game, Players are sometimes hesitant to go “All-In” especially when playing with a large bankroll. Think about it – in which situation is it easier to part with your cash: in an online game where the dollar value is displayed on a screen or in real life where all the chips are laid out in front of your very eyes?

So, taking into account the fact that more hands are played in an online poker game than in a real one at any time AND considering the fact that Players tend to bet safer in a real live poker game, the chance of experiencing a bad beat hand online is greater than in a land-based casino. However, it isn’t greater because the game in the online Poker room are fixed.

Again, it is important to remember that bad beats will happen to you as long as you play Poker over a period of time. Don’t get caught up in the frustration of it, though; just dust yourself off and get back in the action once you have a clear head. Sometimes, a bad beat can be a good thing (if you’re not on the receiving end that is) because you need Players who will make bad calls. After all, they help maintain your bankroll and keep you in the action and playing the game you love the most.