Golden Casino Review
GoldenCasino.com

So, Casino Scrutiny has been going strong for little over two years now. All of the reviews thus far posted here have covered casinos who are established - many of whom were amongst the first casinos to go online. Now that 2008 is fast approaching (at the time this review was initially published), I recently decided to scrutinize some of the newer online casinos out there. One such site is none other than Golden Casino (the next one on my list is Rushmore). You might have heard of them. They know how to get around. Apparently, both of them can process U.S. players.

Although Golden Casino is a relatively new face (they were launched in 2006), they are managed by a highly experienced team who knows players. How do I know this? It's common news amongst industry folks that Golden Casino is owned and operated by its namesake predecessor, Golden Palace Casino - who arguably had one of the most successful runs of any online casino to date. Although some players had issues with Golden Palace, I personally have to give them credit. They had become the Wal-mart of online casinos. And just like the real Wal-mart, Golden Palace couldn't possibly please 'em all. Sure, I'll admit there were players who had legitimate issues with Golden Palace. However, the larger majority were pleased. As for Golden Casino, although they lost their palace, they have apparently been off to a great start. It's nigh time to see what all this talk is about. I began my journey with a download.

Getting Started

I am usually hard to impress when it comes to software downloads. For the most part, I have only incurred relatively fast and painless downloads at all the casinos I've played. I don't know if there was a surge in the internet or what. All I do know is that the download and installation seemed to happen in lightning speed. When I logged in to play, I found out why. Golden Casino initially downloads and installs a limited number of games (the most popular one's). All of the other games download at a slow pace in the background so that you can get started spending your money even sooner. How convenient of the casino eh? If you want to start playing one of the new games right off the bat you'll have to wait about five to fifteen seconds longer, so I hope you're not extraordinarily impatient. As for me, I didn't mind waiting a little longer for "X Marks the Spot", which has quickly become one of my favorite new video slots.

Software & Games

Before I talk about "X Marks the Spot", it's worth mentioning that Golden Casino is powered by Vegas Technology. They are also licensed by the Curacao Internet Gaming Association (CIGA). On the homepage of GoldenCasino.com, the CIGA seal is displayed, and directly links to CIGA's player's complaint and disputes page. A nice gesture to say the least, even though we all hope to never have to use mediation, its always nice to know its there.

If you are at all familiar with Vegas Technology software, you will know it is a trustworthy, high-end software platform. Depending on the casino, slight variations in customized branding design will vary. The games themselves, however, are pretty much the same. I personally think Golden Casino did a great job designing their game lobby page, which I must say outdoes the look of English Harbour Gaming Venture (EHGV) casinos. Naturally, the look of the software is not going to make a difference in whether you win or lose. For some players it does, however, offer reassurance they are dealing with professionals. For me personally, it's my obsessive compulsiveness and appreciation for sharp, realistic graphics. Truth be told, I actually experienced more software glitches with Golden Casino than I did with EHGV. At one point, I had to close out an html program in order to get the Golden Casino software platform to open properly. It's not that big of a deal, but can get frustrating if it happens often.

In terms of individual games, I'm not going to go into detail about my foray at the table games. Let's just say there are eighteen of them, including four versions of blackjack (Vegas Strip rules apply), craps, European Roulette (why on earth would you want to play the American version anyway?), seven video poker machines (including single, two, four and mega multi-hand machines) and nearly sixty different slots.

X Marks the Spot

It's definitely worth mentioning this new five-reel, twenty payline video slot, which offers maximum payouts of $50,000 and a large option of coin denominations ranging from one penny to $10. I had a lucky streak playing this slot at Millionaire Casino, and wanted to see if it would be any different at Golden Casino. Little did I know my luck would be even better. I was up $36 in two minutes of spins. I hit the free spin feature (three scatter symbol cannons) for fifteen free spins in only two minutes of play and on the very next spin hit the bonus round (three treasure chests) and picked up an additional $40. I played for another ten minutes and decided to move on after going up $50 in winnings. I was actually considering playing even more simply because Golden Casino was throwing a tournament awarding 1,000 extra bonus points to the player who racks up the highest balance of combined wins over two consecutive weekends. Too much play and no work. I had to pass it up.

What's most important is that I had a great time playing "X Marks the Spot". It's themed after Pirates of the Caribbean, which had me playing the movie in my mind as the various pirate-themed symbols came up. I definitely have to give the game designers credit for making the the characters look very similar to Keira Knightly and Johnny Depp without actually being their likeness, if you know what I mean. I can only imagine what getting rights to this blockbuster hit would entail.

Welcome Bonus and Tournaments

Expect to get the same terms and conditions on all bonuses offered at Golden Casino as you will at other Vegas Technology powered online casinos. The welcome bonus, however, is larger than the rest of the pack. True to their "golden" name, Golden Casino offers a 100% Welcome Bonus up to $555 Free. The wager requirement is 20x, and has numerous game exclusions (your best bet is to use it for slots). Vegas Technology's weekly bonuses on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (25/50/100% up to $250 free each day), are available at Golden Casino, as are numerous tournament bonuses, which are part of Vegas Technology's popular casino games tournament network. I checked out Golden Casin's schedule on their website and it was packed to the gills.

Similar Sites and Overall Rating

If you are a fan of Vegas Technology software, bonuses and tournament offerings, you should consider hitting up one of the casinos from the English Harbour Gaming Ventures network, which includes English Harbour Casino, Millionaire Casino, Super Slots, Silver Dollar and Caribbean Gold. Just keep in mind that you are only eligible bonuses at one site within the EHGV network and one single Vegas Technology welcome bonus. If you cross over from Golden Casino to EHGV, however (or vice versa), you are still eligible to take part in tournaments and receive ongoing bonuses.