Online Casino Wikipedia
Posted : admin On 3/24/2022All of the recommended casinos here are Casino Online Wikipedia legitimate sites that keep players safe. They respect gambling rules and age restrictions, offering an excellent real money gaming experience in a secure environment dedicated to players' welfare and security online. Online, this is by far less common: many sites run just a poker room, or are just a betting exchange/bookmaker, or just a casino, etc., so 'online casino' covers only about a third of what could be called 'online gambling'. furrykef 20:05, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC).
Online casinos, also known as virtual casinos or Internet casinos, are online versions of traditional ('brick and mortar') casinos. Online casinos enable gamblers to play and wager on casino games through the Internet. It is a prolific form of online gambling.
Online casinos generally offer odds and payback percentages that are a bit higher than land-based casinos.[citation needed] Some online casinos claim higher payback percentages for slot machine games, and some publish payout percentage audits on their websites. Assuming that the online casino is using an appropriately programmed random number generator, table games like blackjack have an established house edge. The payout percentage for these games are established by the rules of the game.
Many online casinos rent or buy their software from companies like CryptoLogic Inc (now Amaya), International Game Technology, Microgaming, Playtech, and Realtime Gaming.
Types
Online casinos are broadly divided into two categories based on the software they use: web-based and download-only casinos. Traditionally, online casinos would include only one of the two platforms. However, with advanced technological changes, an online casino can now accommodate both.
Web-based
Web-based online casinos (also known as flash or no-download casinos) are websites where users may play casino games without downloading software to their local computer. Games are mainly represented in the browser plugins Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Shockwave, or Java and require browser support for these plugins. Besides the plugins and browser, a stable internet connection is required to have a seamless gaming experience as all graphics, sounds, and animations are loaded through the web via the plugin. Some online casinos also allow gameplay through a HTML interface.
Apple devices such as iPod, iPad, and iPhone cannot play Flash games as the technology is not supported. To access the no download casinos using the iOS platform, you'll have to download browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, or Opera Mini.
Download-based
Download-based online casinos require the download of the software client in order to play and wager on the casino games offered. The online casino software connects to the casino service provider and handles contact without browser support. Download-based online casinos generally run faster than web-based online casinos since the graphics and sound programs are cached by the software client, rather than having to be loaded from the Internet. On the other hand, the initial download and installation of the casino's software take time. As with any download from the Internet, the risk of the program containing malware exists, which makes it less popular among skeptical casino players.
Games
Virtual
Also known as software-based online casino games, the outcome of these games is determined using a pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) software. This software ensures that every deal of the card, the outcome of a dice throw, or the results produced by the spinning of a slot machine or roulette wheel is totally random and unpredictable. PRNGs use a set of mathematical instructions known as an algorithm to generate a long stream of numbers that give the impression of true randomness. While this is not the same as true random number generation (computers are incapable of this without an external input source), it provides results that satisfy all but the most stringent requirements for true randomness.
When implemented correctly, a PRNG algorithm such as the Mersenne Twister will ensure that the games are both fair and unpredictable. However, usually, the player has to trust that the software has not been rigged to increase the house edge, as its inner workings are invisible to the user. Properly regulated online casinos are audited externally by independent regulators to ensure that their win percentages are in line with the stated odds, and this can provide a degree of assurance to the player that the games are fair, assuming the player trusts the regulator.
Live dealer
Live dealer casino games are the complete opposite of software-based games. Instead of depending on software to determine the outcome of the roulette spin, dice throw, or deal of a card, these games depend on real-time results. This is possible as the games are streamed in real-time from a land-based casino or a studio recreated to mimic a land-based casino.
To ensure that players have an easy time playing these games and that the land-based environment is fully recreated, software developers include innovative features such as the chat feature. This enables the player to type your message to the dealer and they can respond back verbally. The live chat feature can also be used to communicate with other players seated at the table following a set of rules laid down by the casino.
The results of the physical transactions by the dealer, such as the outcome of the roulette wheel spin or the dealing of cards, are translated into data that can be utilized by the software by means of optical character recognition (OCR) technology. This enables the player to interact with the game in much the same way as they would with a virtual casino game, except for the fact that the results are determined by real-life actions rather than automated processes.
These games are a lot more expensive for websites to host than virtual games, as they involve a heavier investment in technology and staffing. A live casino studio typically employs one or more cameramen, several croupiers running the various games, an information technology manager to ensure that any technical hitches are dealt with swiftly, and a pit boss that acts as an adjudicator in case of disputes between players and croupiers.
In most cases, this requires at least a three-room setup, comprising a live studio, a server/software room, and an analyst’s room. The configuration of these rooms varies from casino to casino, with some having several gaming tables in one room, and some having a single table in each room.
The high running costs involved with operating live dealer games is the reason why online casinos only tend to offer a handful of the most popular games in this format, such as roulette, blackjack, sic bo, and baccarat. In comparison, the running costs associated with virtual games are very low, and it is not uncommon for online casinos to offer hundreds of different virtual casino games to players on their site.
Online casinos vary in their approach to the hosting of live games, with some providing live games via their own television channel, and others offering the games exclusively via their website. In the case of televised games, players can often use their mobile phone or television remote controls to place bets instead of doing so via a computer connected to the internet. The most common live dealer games offered at online casinos are baccarat, blackjack, and roulette.
Examples
A typical selection of gambling games offered at an online casino might include:
Bonuses
Many online casinos offer sign-up bonuses to new players making their first deposit, and often on subsequent play as well. These bonuses are a form of marketing that may incur a cost (potentially justifiable in order to attract a new player who may return and deposit many more times), since the casino is essentially giving away money in return for a commitment from the player to wager a certain minimum amount before they are allowed to withdraw. Since all casino games have a house edge, the wagering requirements ensure that the player cannot simply walk away with the casino's money immediately after claiming the bonus. These wagering requirements are commonly set to be sufficiently high that the player has a negative expectation, exactly as if they had deposited and not claimed a bonus.
Casinos may choose to restrict certain games from fulfilling the wagering requirements, either to restrict players from playing low-edge games or to restrict 'risk-free' play (betting for instance both red and black on roulette), thereby completing the wagering requirement with a guaranteed profit after the bonus is taken into account.
Welcome
The Welcome bonus is a deposit match bonus on the first deposit ever made in the casino or casino group. Welcome bonuses sometimes come in packages and may be given to match the first two or three deposits (First Deposit Welcome Bonus, Second Deposit Welcome Bonus, etc.). They can also be tied to specific games, such as the Welcome Slots Bonus or the Welcome Table Games Bonus. The casino may also offer Welcome bonuses for high rollers who make an initial deposit above the standard amount limit.
Referral
There are two types of Referral bonuses: one for the Referee and one for the Referrer. The Referee gets a bonus when he or she registers an account at the casino and mentions the Referrer. The Referrer gets a bonus when the Referee completes all the requirements, such as making the deposit and wagering it a certain number of times.
Cashback or insurance
Cashback or Insurance bonuses are offered as a percentage of all losses in the player’s previous gaming activity. Typically, only deposits that were not matched with bonuses count towards this bonus. You can additionally find websites that offer casino cashback payments based on your losses encountered while playing with one or more online casinos. Those types of cashback deals are usually paid back to players by the casino portal that offers those special cashback offers.
No-deposit
The most popular form of bonus is one that can be claimed without the need to deposit any of the player's own money - known as a no deposit bonus. These bonuses are used as acquisition tools by casinos wishing to attract new players. No deposit bonuses don't always take the form of real cash, as exemplified below.
Non-cashable
Non-cashable bonuses may be called 'sticky' or 'phantom' bonuses. In both cases, the bonus forms a part of the player's balance, but cannot be cashed out. The difference between cash-able and phantom bonuses comes at cashout time. A phantom bonus is deducted from the player's balance at the moment he places his withdrawal request. For example: if you deposited $100, received $100, played, and finished the wagering at $150. If the bonus is sticky, the player will be able to withdraw just $50. If the bonus is cash-able, then the whole balance is available for withdrawal.
Comp points
Comps are commonly available at land-based casinos, but also exist online. Comp points can usually be exchanged for cash, prizes, or other comps. The amount of cash given per wager is usually very small and often varies with game selection. A casino might offer three comp points for each $10 wagered on slots and one comp point for each $10 wagered on blackjack. The casino might give $1 for each 100 comp points. This example is equivalent to returning 0.3% of wagers on slots and 0.1% of wagers on blackjack. In addition, online casinos may offer comps such as free tickets to online tournaments, free slots online, tickets to other special events, extra bonuses, souvenirs, and payback.
Hunting
Bonus hunting (also known as bonus bagging or bonus whoring) is a type of advantage gambling where turning a profit from casino, sportsbook and poker room bonus situations is mathematically possible. For example, the house edge in blackjack is roughly 0.5%. If a player is offered a $100 cashable bonus requiring $5000 in wagering on blackjack with a house edge of 0.5%, the expected loss is $25. Therefore, the player has an expected gain of $75 after claiming the $100 bonus.
Disputes
A large portion of online casino disputes relates to bonuses. Casinos may label players who win using bonuses as 'bonus abusers.' Both players and casinos may commit fraud. An example of player fraud is creating multiple accounts and using the accounts to claim a sign-up bonus several times. An example of casino fraud is changing terms of a bonus after a player has completed the wagering requirements, then requiring the player to meet the new bonus terms.[citation needed]
Fraudulent operator behaviour
Fraudulent behavior on the part of online casinos has been documented, almost exclusively by player advocacy websites and forums. The most commonly reported behavior is a refusal to pay withdrawals to legitimate winners. An online casino with multiple confirmed cases of fraudulent behavior is often called a rogue casino by the online casino player community.
Many casino gambling portals and player forums maintain blacklists of rogue casinos. While some carry more authority than others, all blacklists constitute individual webmaster and player opinions rather than an official list from any type of regulating body.
Casino Movie Wikipedia
Often, casinos use buffer sites that offer free play of their casino games but in reality use different means of deceptive strategies to redirect or lure the visitors into signing up to their services via appealing bonus offers or exclusive reward programs. The majority of these deceptive 'free' sites lead to equally deceptive casinos.
Since almost all existing online casinos offer free play of their casino games, recognizing whether a casino is deceptive based on whether they offer free gameplay is no longer viable.
Legality
Online gambling legislation often has loopholes that result from the rapid development of the technology underpinning the development of the industry. Some countries, including Belgium, Canada, Finland, and Sweden have state gambling monopolies and do not grant licenses to foreign casino operators. According to their law, operators licensed on the territory of these countries can only be considered legal. At the same time, they can't prosecute foreign casino operators and only block their sites. Players in these countries can't be punished and can gamble at any site they can access.
Australia
The Australian Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA)[1] criminalizes the supply of online casino games by an operator anywhere in the world to persons located in Australia. It only targets operators of online gambling sites, resulting in the curious situation that it is not illegal for a player in Australia to access and gamble at an online casino. No operator has even been charged with an offense under the IGA and many online casinos accept Australian customers.[2] In June 2016, the South Australian Government became the first state or territory in the world to introduce a 15% Place Of Consumption Tax (POCT) modeled on the 2014 UK POCT.[3]
Belgium
The Belgian Gaming Act[4] went into effect in January 2011 and allows online gambling, but only under very strict conditions and surveillance.[5]
Canada
The Canadian criminal code states that only provincial governments and charitable organizations licensed by provincial governments may operate a casino in Canada. It also prohibits residents from participating in any lottery scheme, the game of chance, or gambling activity not licensed or operated by a provincial government.[6] In 2010, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation launched Canada’s first legal online casino, PlayNow, which is available to residents of British Columbia. The province of Quebec also operates a legal online casino through Loto-Québec.
Despite this legislation, the Kahnawake First Nation in Quebec has taken the position that it is a sovereign nation, able to enact its own gambling legislation, and has licensed and hosted nearly 350 gambling websites, without ever being prosecuted.[7]
Germany
A German state contract about gambling (German: Glücksspielstaatsvertrag [de]) between all 16 German states was ratified in 2008 and has been adopted in 2012. It regulates restrictive handling of online-gambling, including a basic state monopoly on public gambling with limited exceptions for a few commercial providers. Online gambling, and other forms of public gambling, against these regulations is illegal in Germany. The state contract, its implementation in contrast to the more lenient EU legislation, and possible further changes have been controversially discussed in the public, politics, and courts.
India
Online gambling is illegal in the state of Maharashtra under the 'Bombay Wager Act'. The most recent law to address gambling online was the Federal Information Technology Rules where such illegal activities may be blocked by Internet providers within India. Another act is the Public Gaming Act of 1867. States tend to operate on their own authority.
Online gambling legal issues in India are complicated in nature as Gambling in India is regulated by different states laws and online gambling is a central subject. To ascertain the position of Indian government, the Supreme Court of India sought the opinion of central government[8] in this regard but the same was declined by the central government.[9] This has made playing of online cards games like rummy, poker, etc. legally risky.[10]
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the Gambling Act 2005 governs all matters of online gambling, permitting online betting sites to have a Remote Gambling Licence in order to offer online betting to UK citizens. In 2014, the UK government put into law the Gambling Act of 2014 which in addition to the original 2005 law, required offshore online gambling operators catering to UK players to obtain a UK license. The new regulation required operators to pay a 15% Place of Consumption Tax (POCT), something that triggered an exodus of sorts of some operators from the UK Isles. However, this exodus did not last long in most cases as the benefits outweighed the stumbling blocks, due to the UK being a major market for online gambling.[citation needed]
In 2019 the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) announced a series of new measures that apply to online and mobile casinos to reduce underage gambling with the aim of increasing fairness and transparency.[11] The new measures will require casinos to have users verify their identity and age in order to gamble.[12]
United States
In the United States, the legality of online gambling is debated and can vary from state to state. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) limits the ability of banks and payment processors to transact with internet gambling sites that are unlawful under any federal or state law. However, it does not define the legality or otherwise of an internet-based gambling site. It was commonly assumed that the Federal Wire Act prohibited all forms of online gambling. However, in December 2011, the United States Department of Justice released a statement clarifying that the Wire Act applied only to sports betting sites and not to online casinos, poker, or lottery sites,[13][14] leaving the definition of legality up to individual states. Certain states such as Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey have started the process of legalizing and regulating online gambling and it is expected that regulation will continue on a state by state basis.
See also
Notes
- ^Interactive Gambling Act 1998 - Australia
- ^Cowie, Tom. 'Last Bets: around the world in online casinos — first stop, Gibraltar'. Crikey.
- ^SA to become a most expensive place in the world to wage a bet, betting agency says
- ^Gaming Act
- ^Platteau, Koen (23 October 2012). 'Online gambling is taking off in Belgium'. Olswang LLP. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012.
- ^'The Criminal Code of Canada (s.206 and s.207)'. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
- ^Crowne, Emir; Roy, Sanjay (May 2010). 'Maintaining Provincial Monopolies: The Legality of Online Gambling Sites in Canada'. Canadian Gaming Lawyer Magazine. Vol. 3 no. 1. SSRN1611862.
- ^'Supreme Court Seeks Centre's Response On Online Rummy And Card Games In India - Ground Report'. groundreport.com. 19 September 2014.
- ^'Centre: Let SC decide if rummy, poker are gambling'. The Indian Express. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
- ^'Online Rummy And Online Poker Remains Legally Risky In India - Ground Report'. groundreport.com. 13 September 2014.
- ^Miller, George (2019-02-11). 'UKGC: New rules to make online gambling in Britain fairer and safer'.
- ^'New rules to make online gambling in Britain fairer and safer'. www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
- ^Vardi, Nathan. 'Department Of Justice Flip-Flops On Internet Gambling'. Forbes.
- ^Dunstan, Roger (March 1997). 'II. History of Gambling in the United States II-1'. Gambling in California. California State Library. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18.
External links
- Online Casinos at Curlie
Industry | Gambling |
---|---|
Founded | 1970 |
Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 53 |
6,349 | |
Parent | The Rank Group |
Website | grosvenorcasinos.com |
Established in 1970,[1]Grosvenor Casinos (formerly County Clubs and Grosvenor Clubs) is a UK-based chain of 53 casinos located in major towns and cities across the UK, with two unbranded sister casinos located in Belgium. Grosvenor Casinos is owned by The Rank Group who operate exclusively in the casino, bingo and online gaming industries across Belgium, Spain and the UK.
As of June 2014, revenue was reported at £391.2m, with an operating profit of £56.8m - coming from a total of over 1.7 million customers per year.[2] Of these 1.7 million customers, over 8.5 million customer visits occur every year. The Grosvenor casino network currently employs over 6,300 employees across the UK. Their online casino hosts over 250 games with themes spanning from traditional roulette, blackjack and poker - to the more modern slot styles and live gaming. Grosvenor are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.[3]
Originally ‘County Clubs’, the casinos came to be known as ‘Grosvenor Clubs’ and in 1969 on 2 January, Grosvenor Clubs officially changed name to ‘Grosvenor Casinos’.
Grosvenor Casinos is currently the shirt sponsor for Fulham F.C. Grosvenor signed a deal to become the London club's main team partner in July 2017.
History[edit]
Acquisition of the Ricoh Arena casino[edit]
In April 2009 Grosvenor purchased the casino inside the Ricoh Arena complex in Coventry for £650,000.[4]
Leaving the British Casino Association[edit]
During 2009, Grosvenor Casinos announced they were leaving the now defunct British Casino Association (BCA). The BCA existed to promote casino best practice and influence UK government legislation surrounding gambling. Reportedly the BCA began to fail in promoting and improving the casino industry, and once annual membership fees were raised to £140,000, it saw the departure of Grosvenor, just as the large Gala Coral Group had withdrawn in October 2008.[5]
Loyalty card scheme[edit]
In May 2012, the first roll out of a new plastic card service in Grosvenor Casinos was implemented with ‘Grosvenor Play Points’ entering 35 casinos across the UK. This came as a result of the Grosvenor Casinos and Play Points brands merging to create one loyalty card.[6]
Gala takeover[edit]
Grosvenor Casinos completed their takeover of 19 casinos from the Gala Coral Group across the UK on 12 May 2013 [7] making them the largest casino network in the UK. A similar deal to acquire 23 casinos from Gala had previously stalled in 2012 due to a decision by the Competition Commission and OFT.[8] The revised deal in 2013 saw 4 casinos removed from the agreement.
Redtooth partnership[edit]
On 28 April 2014, Grosvenor Casinos announced a two-year partnership with the world's largest live pub poker tournament group Redtooth Poker. Grosvenor Casinos hosted the regional and national UK finals and online events. The move integrated Redtooth Poker and Grosvenor's own poker tournament, the Grosvenor UK Poker Tournament (GUKPT).[9][dead link]
Live events[edit]
On 25 March 2011, Grosvenor Casinos announced they were to host new poker event called the Goliath. Designed to attract up to 1,500 players, the Goliath had an initial buy-in at £100 + £20 and offered a guaranteed prize pool of £100,000, with 25% of the registration fee going to the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity.[10] The most recent Goliath event in 2014 became the largest poker tournament ever held outside of the US with a total of 3,394 players entering.[11] For the 2015 event Grosvenor estimate over 4,000 participants will enter.[12]
Grosvenor employees also played the highest poker tournament on record at the top of Mount Snowdon in September 2011. The 3,500 ft. stunt was attempted to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity, with a total of £11,000 being collected.[13]
Controversy[edit]
In December 2006 staff walked out of four Grosvenor Casinos in London in a dispute over pay increases.[14] A month later, around 300 workers went on strike over the same ongoing dispute.[15]
In September 2014 Northern Ireland's Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland, dismissed the idea that a Grosvenor Casino could open due to the ongoing ban on casinos.[16]
Technology[edit]
In November 2011, Grosvenor installed software that would spot cheating at roulette tables. Developed by Ipsotek, the software detects a cheat called 'top-hatting', as well as detecting cheating after 'last bets' has been called. The software is linked to CCTV cameras monitoring the table at all times.[17]
In October 2012, Grosvenor introduced a new product to the casino industry, Pinball Roulette machines. The new machine offers single player roulette game and the ball is launched by a pinball-style trigger into the wheel. The main feature of the product is that it offered the player control over when they wished to spin the ball. Thirty of the machines, developed by Austrian Gaming Industries, were installed at 22 clubs across the UK.[18]
During November 2013, Evolution Gaming joined Grosvenor Casinos to create a ‘Live Casino’ targeting players on their online casino.[19] The games include blackjack, roulette and baccarat and are available 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. The live game system is designed to produce an environment more closely matching a real casino experience.
In July 2013, Grosvenor Casinos in London, Reading and Coventry created the world's first multi-site cloud casino experience called the IGT Cloud. The new technology offers analytical reporting tools which offer insight into product performance on a game-by-game basis. Operators can remotely change the games on the floor to provide a more customized gambling experience.[20]
Grosvenor Casinos partnered with Tensator in 2014 to create virtual casino hosts. The Tensator Virtual Assistant Ultra stands 50 cm x 50 cm and replicates a live game in real time. The assistant also offers a range of information for players and other frequently asked questions.[21]
In February 2014, The Rank Group and Grosvenor Casinos joined with Jumio to use their Netverify solution. This was integrated into the casino's online database and is designed to provide customers with a more efficient identification procedure. Customers are required to scan their passport or driving licence via their device camera, and Netverify then authenticates it using a range of security features.[22]
In November 2016 Grosvenor Casinos has confirmed the launch of new sports betting offering for its online and land-based players.[23]
Awards[edit]
International Gaming Awards[edit]
Sharon Stone Casino
Grosvenor and Rank were awarded the 'Casino Operator of the Year' award at the 2013 International Gaming Awards.[24] Rank Group were awarded the 'Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Land Based' award in 2014 and 2015.[25][26]
Women in Gaming Awards[edit]
Grosvenor Casinos’ HR team were awarded Team of the Year at the Women in Gaming independent annual awards in June 2012. The team, led by Fiona Regan Head of HR, were awarded for their successful Hearts and Minds initiative, which focused on internal and employee recognition.[27]
In 2014 they won the same award whilst also picking up the Inspiration of the Year award.[28]
References[edit]
- ^'Rank - Grosvenor Casinos'. Rank.com.
- ^'Rank - Grosvenor Casinos'. Rank.com.
- ^'Gambling Commission'. Gambling Commission.
- ^'Sold Ricoh casino in £1m revamp'. BBC News.
- ^'Casino operator's withdrawal leaves trade body floundering'. Financial Times.
- ^'Grosvenor Casinos places bet on Plastic Card Services'.
- ^'Mecca Bingo owner Rank buys Gala casinos for £205m'. BBC News.
- ^'Rank takeover of Gala sent to Competition Commission - BBC News'.
- ^'Redtooth wins at Grosvenor Casino'. The Star.
- ^'1,500 Runner Grosvenor Goliath Announced in Coventry'. UK Poker News.
- ^'World poker: Goliath smashes record for biggest poker tournament held outside US'. The Mirror.
- ^'Goliath Poker Tournament 2015'. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^'Stakes are high for Snowdon poker'. Wales Online.
- ^'Casino staff to strike in row over pay deal'. The Guardian.
- ^'Casino staff walk out over pay'. BBC News.
- ^'Nelson McCausland says casino ban will not be removed'. BBC News.
- ^'Casino cheats snared by smart camera system'. New Scientist.
- ^'G Casinos get pinball roulette'. InterGame.
- ^'UK – Evolution doubles Grosvenor's online live dealer offer'. G3.
- ^'Grosvenor Casinos to manage gaming machines from the cloud'. TechWorld.com.
- ^'Tensator's Virtual Assistant proves safe bet for Grosvenor Casinos'. Tensator.
- ^'Rank identify Jumio as new partners'. SBC News.
- ^'Grosvenor Casinos launches new sportsbook with Kambi'. SBC News. 16 November 2016.
- ^'IGA Winners 2013'. Gaming-Awards.com.
- ^'IGA Winners 2014'. Gaming-Awards.com.
- ^'IGA Winners 2015'. Gaming-Awards.com.
- ^'Grosvenor Casinos HR team wins prestigious award'. InterGame.
- ^'WIG Winners 2014'. Gaming-Awards.com.