Issue N1, 2012
January 4, 2012
Big Jackpot Hit on Lord of the Rings Slot Game
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings slot game, which is among Microgaming’s most popular slot games, recently paid out a staggering sum of cash to a very lucky player who hit the jackpot on this game. Susan C. who was playing at Platinum Play online casino on December 28th, made sure that she started 2012 off with a bang worth just under £2 million after she won the prize on Lord of the Rings slot game. Although the win is still to be confirmed by Microgaming, details of the windfall appeared on Platinum Play’s website.
Last year, Microgaming updated the game which is based on the iconic trilogy of books and subsequent award-winning movies. The software group enhanced LOTR’s features so that it could pay out a progressive jackpot that was linked to the Mega Moolah jackpot fun. Other games linked to the jackpot include Isis and Summertime slots. The bonus round leading to the four tiered jackpot is randomly triggered in Lord of the Rings, and players then need to spin the wheel to reveal which of the four jackpots they’ll be taking home.
Celtic Casino Released New Slot Games
The innovative online casino, Celtic Casino announced that it has released no less than eleven new online slot games to increase its games portfolio significantly. The 3D slot games have fantastic themes and excellent bonuses for maximum reward potential.
The eleven new slot games at Celtic Casino are as follows: Dr Magoo’s Adventure, Crazy Jewelry, Dog Chaser, Murphy’s, Fortune of the Pharaohs, Beretta’s Vendetta, French Cuisine, The Temple of Shangri-La, Funky Chicken and Jack’s T-Rex.
According to a statement issued by Celtic Casino: “The games are actually not three dimensional but are best described as an animated rendering that offers a new forum of online entertainment."
“Each three dimensional slot offers a fun storybook plot weaved into an interactive animation,” explained the site in its statement. “The rich interactive media is generations above standard online slots. The new technology will give players who love online slots a new dimension of enjoyment.”
Celtic Casino, created by Visionary iGaming SA, was introduced to the online gambling market in 2010 and has been constantly updating its games to bring players an all-round gambling experience. Today, the site boasts over fifty games and titles, including slots, table games and card games.
Belgium Awards its First Online Poker Licenses
The central European country of Belgium has announced that it has awarded the first three online poker licenses to operators who applied for them under new laws introduced at the beginning of the year.
The Belgian Gaming Commission awarded the licenses to Poker Stars, Partouche and Casino777 due to their ties with Belgium gambling groups. It is expected that in the near future, licenses will also be awarded to four online casino groups who have ties with live Belgian venues. Two sports book sites are also expected to get approval from the Belgian authorities.
Under the new laws, which took two years to work out, the four main Internet Service Providers in the Belgian market will have to block all online gambling sites which are not authorized by the commission. All operators who try to service gamblers in Belgium without the necessary authorization will be blocked by these ISP’s. Sites such as Party Poker and iPoker will now be officially out of bounds to Belgian gamblers.
One issue that still hasn’t been worked out is how much tax players will need to pay on their winnings, and the matter is still being discussed by the relevant authorities.
Macau Gambling Market Five Times Larger than Las Vegas
According to recent reports, the gambling market in Macau is five times larger than Las Vegas’ market and continues to grow at a staggering pace. Revenues for Macau rose by 42% compared to the year before, thanks to constant visitors from the Chinese mainland who spend literally millions at the luxurious casinos dotting the peninsula. Revenues for 2011 closed at just over $33 billion.
The most successful operator in Macau’s market, according to the Wall Street Journal, was the Galaxy Entertainment Group, which saw its shares rise 62%. Melco International Development, its nearest rival, saw shares rise by 30%.
Yet, despite these amazing numbers, 2012 may not be as successful for Macau’s gambling market. Growth will slow down dramatically, according to analysts who also believe that VIPs, who make up 75% of the peninsula’s gambling revenues, won’t be able to sustain these numbers throughout the year.
Nevertheless, Macau is far from a collapsing market, and analysts predict that growth will remain at around 11% for the entire year. One thing is for sure – Las Vegas is so far behind that it seems that will never catch up to Macau.