888.com Casino Interview

Here follows an extract of the interview we conducted with the affiliate manager of 888.com

OGI: When did you first start taking wagers?

888.com: We accepted our first member deposit in 1997.

OGI: Where is your casino licensed and why did you choose this jurisdiction?

888.com: We are licensed by the government of Gibraltar, having moved from Antigua in 2003. This location offers 888 clear tax advantages. Gibraltar is also a British international finance center regulated by European Union and UK standards. The recently introduced Gibraltar Gambling Ordinance further consolidates Gibraltar’s position as a first-class online gaming jurisdiction.

OGI: Many new players have concerns about fair gaming and security. What would you say to them to put their fears to rest?

888.com: 888.com has always been at the forefront of responsible gaming. Our CEO, John Anderson was a founding member of the eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) initiative, a regulatory framework that delivers safe, honest and player-sensitive online gambling. John remains a Board Member eCOGRA.

He is also a member of the Interactive Gaming Council, a non-profit organization that establishes fair and responsible trade guidelines and practices that enhance consumer confidence in interactive gaming products and services. The company understands the importance of explaining how fair and secure gaming works. Our casino “dealer” is really a computer. We use the trusted MD5 Random Number Generator (RNG) to ensure that performance is truly random.

We also provide our members with an online log of their game results. This information may be reviewed any time and includes amounts wagered, game results, as well as deposit and cash out records. We currently provide 22 different payment processing systems to give consumers the ultimate choice for safe, secure transactions including industry leading names such as Visa, NETTELLER, FirePay and Instadebit among others.

888.com retains the services of international independent auditors to review our payout percentage and post the monthly results on our website.

OGI: Please give us a short overview of the number of games you support with an indication of your most popular games.

888.com: 888.com’s Casino-on-Net offers Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Baccarat, Keno, Caribbean Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Video Poker and over two dozen Classic and Video Slot Machines with an ever-growing Jackpot. Our most popular games are Blackjack, Roulette and our newest Video Slots Freaky Fruit, Knights and Maidens, Mystery of the Tarot and Globetrotting.

Pacific Poker offers Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi, Omaha Hi/Lo, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. Texas Hold’em is by far our most popular game. In addition, we feature WSOP qualifiers, no limit $50,000 guaranteed tournaments as well as numerous other tournaments and special events.

OGI: How much has your biggest winner ever won and playing which game?

888.com: The biggest Casino-on-Net jackpot ever won was $919,949.74 on the Millionaire Genie Classics Slots Machine. Our eight slot jackpots hit all the time and a few members have even won twice or three times! The Millionaire Genie jackpot is currently in excess of $1,000,000.

Pacific Poker has just launched Royal Flush and Bad Beat Jackpots on selected games, where the jackpots start at $5,000. Two members have already won the Royal Flush Jackpot.

OGI: Please tell us a little about your comps program.

888.com: Casino-on-Net has achieved a reputation in the industry as one of the most generous online casinos. Twice a month we reward our active players with a share of $1,000,000 just for depositing and playing. At 888.com bonuses are credited instantly so our members can play with them instantly. Our ongoing calendar events and promotions such as Invite a Friend offer our members even more chances to score huge bonuses. Bonuses are also given before new members even place a bet, as first deposits are matched with a 100% bonus.

Pacific Poker is one of the few online poker rooms that offers a 25% first deposit bonus up front; no points to be accrued, just instant bonuses waiting to be played with. Both Casino-on-Net and Pacific Poker have a generous Comp Point Program where every $10 you bet earns you 1 Comp Point, and every 100 Comp Points may be converted to $1. Even higher rates of conversion are offered to Casino-on-Net VIP members.

OGI: Are you planning any new promotions in the near future?

888.com: In addition to our many calendar events and ongoing promotions, Pacific Poker is looking forward to sending dozens of winning members to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, as well as the UK Open. Plus, you can be guaranteed big-ticket tourneys and free rolls online each week. Casino-on-Net will be unveiling some exciting new events in the coming months, and our efforts to continuously improve the games and services will be highlighted by some thrilling launches soon. So stay tuned!

OGI: Do you see any major changes in the online casino industry in the foreseeable future and what is your overall outlook for the industry?

888.com: The online casino industry is growing fast in terms of revenues (more than $2 billion in 2005) and players. The growing penetration and usage of internet and e-commerce penetration coupled with the publicity of online casinos created a safer and known industry that will continue to grow and attract new players.

OGI: Why should a player choose your online casino above the many others out there?

888.com: We are the biggest and most popular online casino with a reputation for being an established operator with fast and reliable cash outs. We are a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange which proves our strong financial position. Most importantly, we offer the most exciting online gambling experience with our cutting-edge casino and poker games, attractive bonuses and incredible events that have so far attracted over 20 million members to 888.com.

OGI: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your casino?

888.com: We are looking for long term relations with our members and provide them with customer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in 11 languages.