|
Inter Casino Review
About |
Software
| Bonuses |
Games & Payouts |
Online Cashier
Gaming Policies |
Casino Customer Service |
Awards
About
Only
accepting non-U.S. players, InterCasino has managed to
become one of the most popular gaming sites to date.
Although nobody can agree on exactly who was the first actual online casino to
take bets on the internet, most will agree that a small handful of casinos can
be rightfully designated the "first" casinos to go online....and
InterCasino is
most definitely one of them. InterCasino's reputation can be traced back
to before 1997, when the "world's most popular online casino" first began
winning prestigious awards that they have continued to garner year after year
from players and industry professionals alike (see "Awards" section at the
bottom of this review for particulars). Endorsed by the Online Players
Association (OPA), InterCasino is owned by OIGE N.V., located in the UK
(Westgate Rd., Level 7 West Gate House, London, England, W5 1YY, UK), and could
be considered one of the top performing properties of CryptoLogic. And
although there are some bitter, ex-licensee sites devoted to bringing a bad name
upon CryptoLogic, InterCasino is arguably the most transparent and ethically
operated casinos on the internet. Licensed by the Department of Justice in
Curacao (within the Netherlands, Antilles - for more info. call 1-866-578-8338),
InterCasino also has three sister sites - all bearing the family name -
InterBingo, InterLottery and InterPoker. As they accommodate bettors from
around the world, there are several alias sites as well, catering to Chinese,
Japanese, Spanish, Italian and German languages.
Some of
the largest jackpots in the history of online gambling have been won at
InterCasino - not to mention the overall amount of individual jackpots awarded.
Last year alone, InterCasino awarded two individual jackpots, each totaling over
£1 million. Insured and regulated, InterCasino hosts a tightly audited and
monitored gaming environment, verified by a Quality Assurance team of engineers
and independent, world renowned accounting firm, Price Waterhouse Coopers.
To insure random betting results, all games are governed by a Random Number
Generator that evenly distributes unpredictable results. Generated by a
Unix gaming server, the algorithms of the RNG involve random sequences of
300,000,000 numbers, and are verified to conform to the rules of Atlantic
City casinos. This is determined by ongoing tests (backed by payout
percentage reports...see further down in this review) that run between 1 and 10
million bet on each game, which are then passed on to a Quality Assurance team
of Engineers who play all games in a real-time environment to verify proper
functioning of the system.
Back to Top
Casino SoftwareThe subsidiary software
company of CryptoLogic - WagerLogic - is the force
behind software system powering all of of InterCasino's
games, navigation features and integrated cashier.
With a portfolio of over 150 casino games, poker suite
and multi-player bingo, WagerLogic has proven themselves
to be a leading contributor to gaming software
technology and superior functionality. Available
as both a downloadable and No-Download Flash casino, the
multi-platform, Global Edition software is compatible
for both PC and Mac/NonPC users. For the
downloadable version, minimum computer system
requirements are Windows 98 or higher, a Pentium 200 MHz
processor, 48 MB of RAM, a 4 MB video card with 16-bit
color, Direct X 7 or higher (for sound and graphics
technology), Macromedia Flash Player 5, and 35 MB of
hard drive space. MAC operators should use the
Flash version, which still provides the same graphics
and navigation features (the only shortage will be
certain slots and progressive jackpot games) User's
should keep in mind that most standard PC's will have
these minimum requirements and should commence with the
download if they are unsure whether their system is
compatible or not. If lacking any of the necessary
requirements, they will be prompted during the download.
When the download is complete, user's will have access
to one of the largest multi-player suites (11 different
multi-player games), 3D rendered graphics and sound, a
vast selection of more than ten of the largest
progressive jackpots online, gaming tips, immediate
customer support (user's can request to be telephoned at
any time) and real-time chat - which brings up another
feature that sets InterCasino apart from its competition
- the casino lobby.
The
InterCasino lobby is quite
unique in that it facilitates one of the most social
gambling experiences on the internet. When players
are logged into the software, they have access to see
how many other players are online, which games they are
playing at, and who the recent big-money winners are.
User's can befriend other players and form private game
rooms, join multi-player tables and engage in live chat,
or simply play by themselves. The environment is
completely customizable, and even allows for
player-initiated software upgrades. Players have
access to an Upgrade Assistant that lets user's pick and
choose which new games they want to include on their
personal platform, allowing for free unlimited practice
or real-money betting.
The last thing worth
mentioning about the lobby is that it contains a horde
of information on each game. When a player scrolls
over a game, a screen shot of the game and a pop-up menu
of game rules and parameters shows up, including such
necessary information as betting stakes, payoffs and
number of decks. For slot machines, this feature
comes in great use, for it tells players how many lines
and reels the machine has, the minimum and max coin
values, max coins per line, top payout, payout scale,
and whether the slot is a progressive or offers free
spins, bonuses, multipliers and other perks. You
will hardly find this much transparency at other
casinos. Although it probably accounts for the
slower download on the software (which will take two
minutes with a high-speed internet connection and
adequate memory), it is well worth the convenience of
not having to enter a separate rules section to find
information on each game.
Back to Top
Bonuses & PromotionsOngoing promotions include a
monthly match deposit bonus, game-specific tournaments and competitions, and
monthly random bonuses handed out by infamous casino manager, Jane Bentley.
Players will usually have at least two different tournament/competitions to
freely compete in - usually awarding jackpots of at least £2,500. As for
the random giveaways by Jane B., these take place Friday thru Sunday and range
from £25 to £50, totaling thousands each month. If a player spots Jane
at one of the multi-player tables and says hi to her, she will give them £25 on
the spot. If the player challenges her to a hand of
blackjack and wins, Jane will give them a bonus
claim code for £50, which they can cash out later on by directly emailing her. (Keep in
mind that players are eligible for one bonus per month, and must wager at least
£50 throughout the course of the day that they were awarded the bonus).
As for the monthly match deposit bonus, every player is eligible to
receive up to £50 Free each month up to £600 free
per year as part of an ongoing 100% match bonus
offer. A minimum deposit of £50 is
required, and the monthly deposit must be made after the 1st of each month (Keep
in mind the casino server runs on Eastern Standard Time EST). Terms and
conditions on this bonus include a 30x wager requirement with a ninety day
window (on bonus amount only), and an exemption of Baccarat, Roulette and Craps
to meet said wager requirement. For those players who do not want to
participate in any bonus offerings (and so not be bound by terms and conditions)
must email support@intercasino.com with their request and account number before
making a deposit. This can take up to three days to process, so please
plan ahead accordingly.
InterCasinos Players Club
offers a sure way of earning more cash. Every player is automatically
enrolled into the club, which awards points for every bet made on every game.
Depending on the casino game, players will earn comp points that are exchanged
at a ratio of £1 per 100 points. Blackjack, for instance, awards 1 point
for every £10 wagered. On the 25th of each month, players points are
automatically credited to their Ecash Direct account (casino cashier) and are
converted into £20 cash for every 2,000 points (anything under 2,000 points
rolls over into the next month).
Another smart way that InterCasino
keeps its players abreast of the most current promotions are unique wallpapers
that can be downloaded every month. There also offer screen savers that
can be quickly installed. Both options will let players view the latest
news, recent winners as well as ongoing and upcoming promotions and
competitions. Last but not least, is a free service called InterCasino
Alerts. Without having to share any personal details, users can elect to
be notified of promotions the minute it is released by casino management.
There are no game interruptions, spam, spyware or viruses associated with
InterCasino Alerts. It is simply an option players have if they want to be
in the know at all times.
Back to Top
Games & PayoutsAs mentioned earlier, InterCasino
has a large selection of 150+ games, over ten progressive jackpots (including
their highly popular line of Marvel comic slot machines, Rags to Riches and
Millionaires Club slots - both of which start at $175,000 jackpots) and eleven
different multi-player table games, including European and American Roulette,
Baccarat, Progressive Blackjack (starting jackpot of $50,000), Super Fun 21,
Standard Blackjack, Craps, Casino War, Caribbean Stud Poker (starting jackpot of
$100,000), Three-Card Poker, Pontoon and Let-it-Ride Poker. All game rules
are covered in an easy to navigate rules index that is accessible directly from
the Casino Lobby. Other interesting games include Rapid Fire Jackpot Slots
(available in the most recent Global Edition software package), scratch cards,
classic slot machines, UK fruit machines and Bonus Video Pokers, and plenty of
game specific tournaments that impose some of the lowest tournaments fees
online. Highlighted coverage should be given to the aforementioned
Millionaires Club progressive slot, for it has awarded some of the largest
million dollar jackpots to date. At the time of this review, the grand
jackpot was for over $2 million, with a partying gift of a BMW Z4
roadster....enough said.
Payout percentages at
InterCasino
are impressive across the board. Whereas some online casinos tend to offer
consistently good payouts in one area, InterCasino has a track record of hitting
payouts above 98% for a variety of games. For instance, February '06 say a
98.58% payout for roulette and a 98.53% payout for blackjack, January '06 saw a
99.21% payout for Caribbean Stud Poker and a 98.69% payout for Blackjack, while
December '06 saw a 98.25% payout for the slot machines. Overall, the
highest payouts at InterCasino (consistently over 98%) happen at the blackjack
tables. As mentioned earlier, all payout percentages are tabulated by
independent accounting firm, Price Waterhouse Coopers, whose data log files are
all published on InterCasinos website.
Back to Top
Online Cashier
All financial
transactions/withdrawals at InterCasino are secured and
processed by ECash Direct Ltd, who has been processing
gambling related transactions since 1996, totaling over
$11 billion. Having developed their own propriety
encryption/decryption software, ECash Direct processes
over $2 million in winnings each month alone at
InterCasino - and continues to do so for a variety of
industries in over 240 countries worldwide.
InterCasino guarantees
account security and insures that all players personal
and financial information is incessantly protected,
monitored and transmitted (when need be) with 128-bit
encryption processes. No personal details are
shared with third parties, unless required by Law, as
InterCasino abides by a list of Gaming Ethics, which
they have published on their website (see Gaming
Policies further down in this review). Guaranteed
account security protocols (as enforced by cashier
services at InterCasino) include controlled access to
player accounts (which do not enable stored passwords on
computers), transparent access to account holders for
viewing transaction histories and betting logs,
withdrawal verifications, real-time account statements,
and unlimited support from cashier representatives
twenty-four hours a day.
Accepted deposit methods
include 900Pay, Citadel, NETeller, FirePay Check,
Electronic Check, instaCash, Telebuy and MasterCard/Visa
(although these may be blocked by certain banks).
Withdrawal methods include NETeller, Citadel, Wire
Transfer, FirePay, Check, Electronic Check, and
Visa/MasterCard when allowed. Registration is
simple, only requiring players to click on the Cashier
when in the casino lobby.
Back to Top
Gaming Policies
In addition to full compliance of
laws and policies set forth under a casino license from the Justice Department
of Curacao (Netherlands, Antilles), InterCasino follows an ethics and morality
guide in regards to their gaming policies, which is not just lip service, for
the players have overwhelmingly responded with high satisfaction ratings as
verified by the numerous awards InterCasino has won (see below). This
policy highlights such sensitive areas as compliance with laws and regulations
of their casino license jurisdiction, accountability policy that voluntarily
agrees to random inspections of their gaming software by governmental
authorities and legitimate gaming commissions, high standards of consumer
privacy and data protection that include security protocols for preventing
internal and external computer hacking, advertising ethics, meeting accepted
standards as set forth by financial institutions for processing transactions, a
commitment to timely handling payouts of all account holders, and protocol for
archiving transactions and financial dealing to insure proper compliance if
dispute resolutions are to surface. Speaking of which, InterCasino is one
of the only online casinos to voluntarily make a dispute resolution form
available on their website, which is directly forwarded to the online gambling
industry's "go to" casino dispute mediator and player advocate, CasinoMeister.
This act alone should stand as proof of InterCasinos confidence and commitment
in providing a safe, honest and fair online gaming environment.
Back to Top
Casino Customer
Service
InterCasino has openly made
"Customer Service" a top campaign from day one. When they were finally
awarded "Best Online Casino Customer Service" in 2005 by the readers of Gambling
Online Magazine (see below), it became clear that all those years of hard work
had finally paid off for this highly decorated casino. In addition to some
of the fastest responding customer service on the Web (available through email
and toll-free telephone), InterCasino has taken steps to set their service apart
from the rest. One way in which they have done this is by enabling the
"Phone Me Know" protocol in their casino lobby, which lets players send a quick
request via the gaming software to be called by a customer support
representative, which they do with impressive, breakneck speed. Emails can
be sent directly to casino manager, Jane Bentley at janeb@intercasino.com for
any queries on navigating the software or playing games. All other
inquiries for advice can be sent to support@intercasino.com or by calling
1-866-687-7926. The InterCasino Digest is another good reflection
on the Customer Service here, for it is a well-thought-out email publication
that keeps players abreast with the latest news, and not just promotional
gimmicks or giveaways. For players who opt to explore InterCasinos website
firsthand, take a moment to peruse their FAQ's, which cover all the basics and
then some, including tips on getting started, the Practice Playing Mode,
installing the software, player account information, promotion terms, computer
connection issues, and game fairness protocols.
Back to Top
AwardsWhere does one possibly begin, when
talking about the host of accolades and awards that InterCasino has garnered
from respected gambling publications and the players themselves? I suppose
from the very beginning....so here goes:
In addition to receiving green
lights from the OPA, Excite Web Directory, Rolling Good Times Magazine and PC
Computing, InterCasino first hit fame when they snatched up the Top Picks Award
by AnteUp Gambling in 1999. 2001 marked the longest winning streak for
InterCasino getting the Best Casino award from the readers of Gambling Online
Magazine (GOM) (since that time, they have won the highest coveted award five
year in a row). Having polled over 60,000 online gamers each year from across
the globe, the Top Casino Award from GOM is a testament to InterCasinos overall
management and customer satisfaction. 2002 was a good year for InterCasino, when
they grabbed two awards - One from CasinoMeister for Best Casino and for Top
Casino again from GOM. 2003 saw much deserved attention given to
InterCasinos tournament action when they were awarded Best Tournaments by
CasinoMeister. If any of these prior years had not established InterCasino
as one of the internet's leaders in online casino gambling, 2004 assuredly did -
InterCasino won five different awards, including "Best Casino Bonuses", "Best
Online Casino For Slot Machines" by Strictly Slots Magazine, "Fastest Payout for
an Online Casino" and "Best Casino Runner Up" by Casino Player Magazine, "Best
Online Casino" by Gambling Online Magazine, "Best Promotions" by Got2Bet, and
"Best Tournaments" by CasinoMeister again, and "Customer Excellence Award" by
the Online Players Association (the only OPA recommended casino that did not
receive a single complaint the entire year of 2004). And just when
everybody thought InterCasino could not do any better, 2005 outshined 2004 with
the casino bringing in five more awards, including "Best Online Casino" from
both GOM and Casino Player Magazine, "Best Player Reward Program", "Best Online
Casino for Slots", and the highly touted "Best Customer Service" from Strictly
Slots Magazine. InterCasino has won GOM's Top Casino in 2006.
Back to Top
Visit
InterCasino for more information.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
Online Casino Conditions.com is an independent,
non-affiliated reviewer of online casinos and poker
rooms, which are to be used for entertainment
purposes only. As such, OnlineCasinoConditions.com
shall be indemnified by anyone accessing this site
and who has incurred damages and/or losses, whether
financially or criminally, as a result of
participating in online gambling activities. Since
the internet is a global activity and online gambling is deemed illegal
in certain jurisdictions around the globe, it is
each player's responsibility to determine the legal
status of internet betting in the jurisdiction which
he or she resides. It is the responsibility of those
who reside in illegal jurisdictions to not access
this website. |
|
