Tag: Gaming

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Entertainment Technology

What Are the Best Online Games for the Festive Period

Andrea Piacquadio Pexels

 

Christmas is the merriest time of the year and it’s not just because of the presents we get. It’s the time spent with family that matters, as we often lead hectic lives that don’t really give us too much time for such occasions. At the same time, the Christmas break is a perfect time for us to revisit hobbies or enjoy the stuff we couldn’t before it.

Enter casino games. The iGaming industry is always the most active during Christmas. That’s when casinos get a Santa makeover and when a slew of Christmas-themed slots are released. There are many games online you can play during Christmas, and we’ve listed the best for you below.

Jingle Mingle Bingo

A game you can play via Zoom, it’s one of the favorites Christmas titles for many companies around the world. To start playing, you should split the group into teams via breakout rooms then give each team a bingo card. Marking squares requires a player to find another one who fits the description. The team that marks five boxes in a row wins the round.

As the name explains, you can mingle and play bingo online with this game, making it a Christmas favorite for many.

Christmas Carol Megaways

Online casinos these days are filled to the brim with great slots and casino games. For example, Casumo has the latest casino games from top providers. From Christmas slots to blackjack, poker, and roulette, you can have fun for days during Christmas break.

If you ask us, the first game you should definitely try is Christmas Carol Megaways. Developed by Pragmatic Play, it’s a Christmas Carol story with the Megaways engine in tow and 200,704 ways to win. 

It’s a high variance game, but it pays up to 20,000x your bet. It’s a game that features popular Christmas characters and a wide range of modifiers that can definitely spice up your eggnog this holiday period.

Christmas Movie Charades

It’s Charades, but with Christmas movies. And yes, Die Hard will be the favorite of many. For your info, we’re in a group of people who consider it a Christmas movie. You don’t need to come up with the movies on your own. There are several movie generators on the web that will make things easier.

This is one of the top Christmas games you can play with friends online or in person, so don’t pass upon it.

Aloha! Christmas

In Aloha! Christmas, NetEnt has paired one of its most popular slot games with the Cluster Pays mechanic and a tropical setting. The result is a very merry holiday in the tropics with great mechanics and medium variance as well as wins of nearly 2,000x your bet.

Aloha! Christmas is one of the most unique holiday-themed slots on the market. The fact that it’s brimming with bonuses and special features should make things even more exciting. And all those tiki totems smiling on the reels will surely cheer you up and put you in the right mood, as no one should frown or pout during Christmas.

 

 photo credit – Pexels Andrea Piacquadio

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Uncategorized

Video Gaming as a Form of Escape from Big City Life

Video game escapism is a common subject, although often, it comes with negative connotations.

The concept of escapism is literally to “escape” the banalities of everyday life, and for big-city dwellers, it also extends to the stress and problems of that reality.

Video gaming is a popular form of recreation around the world. It’s also the earliest form of internet gaming before online casinos and esports. While you would recourse to an online casino guide to learn about standard casino gameplay, video games are so versatile that there is no specific ruleset to follow.

Their popularity stems from the fact that they offer new, artistic, and interactive experiences. Considered in this light, it’s no more a form of escapism than any other lifestyle habit. However, they’re one of the most potent forms.

Unlike popular opinion, video games can, in fact, provide a form of escapism without necessarily destroying your life in the process.

A different reality is not always a bad thing

Many believe that the desire to escape reality has links to anxiety, eating disorders, alcoholism, addiction, and even suicide. This is understandable given some statistics which revealed that people spent 300 million minutes per day playing Angry Birds, or 170 hours per year in Call of Duty. However, other studies have shown that gaming also leads to happiness or higher grades in youngsters.

It’s easy to realize that the effects of video game escapism are subjective, and for the most part, depend on the reason for playing games in the first place. Are you running away from unpleasant perceptions and emotions, or are you seeking more positive experiences, stronger relationships, and new skills?

Gaming isn’t just about having fun or draining time, as is the case with playing your favorite sports, for instance. The art of gaming is a strong form of expression and a powerful storytelling mechanism. It engages not merely on a physical level but also mentally. It’s intellectually stimulating, especially when involving plots or circumstances that are challenging. The level of immersion is unmatched.

So, what does it entail?

Big cities certainly have their appeal, but it’s impossible to deny that we live in a world where distressing headlines are the order of the day. After a rough day, a game of Super Mario, Pokémon, or Grand Theft Auto will let you experience things you can’t do in the real world. Each of these is set in a different virtual world, so you get to live a thousand lives.

Because video games are so vivid, they could also invoke memories of the happier parts of your youth when you enjoyed carefree days of gaming, probably alongside siblings and friends. And the nostalgia from reliving those memories provides immense solace.

Single-player games are one thing, but the multiplayer realm is a whole different ball game. Whether corporative puzzle games or intense MMORPGs, the social aspect of gaming adds a different dimension to the experiences. These social games also eliminate the adverse side effects believed to be associated with solitary gaming.

In a nutshell, playing games doesn’t always mean you’re running away from reality. You’re simply taking some well-deserved respite from a harsh one.

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Entertainment

Tips for Finding a Safe Online Casino to Play Slots

Tips for Finding a Safe Online Casino to Play Slots
Sourced from Unsplash

Although online gambling statistics are hard to find, we know the industry is receiving more interest than ever before. Recent reports show that roughly one-fifth of the global population has gambled online at least once. One study estimates that the global online gambling market will reach a valuation of $67 billion by 2025, up from $44 billion in 2019.

Like most people, most casinos are 100% legitimate. Unfortunately, bad apples have given the gambling industry a less-than-perfect reputation. Whether you’re an expert gambler or a novice, you should know how to select a safe online casino. These tips will help you stay safe when enjoying online gaming.

Look for Licensure

Many countries don’t license online casinos. However, their citizens won’t be penalized for gambling online. Although gambling regulations are known to increase casinos’ overhead, in turn leading to lower payouts, a lack of regulations leaves gamblers little power in holding casinos accountable. Never gamble at casinos that aren’t licensed. 

Playing slots at www.mansioncasino.com/ca/, for example, is safe because it’s licensed in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory in Europe. In addition, the company holds a United Kingdom Gambling Commission Remote Operating License. These licenses add to MansionCasino’s legitimacy, making it a safe place to gamble online. You can find these disclosures on the bottom of the casino’s website. On other websites, search for terms and conditions and “About Us” pages to find license disclosures. 

Casino owners understand how important these licenses are. They may attempt to falsely claim licensure to draw in more players. You should always look for these licenses on casinos’ websites. 

After finding them, search for their license online. Find the country’s gambling authority and ask them whether the casino in question is actually registered or not. Although this step may seem overkill, it’s not. Due diligence is essential to protecting yourself online.

Set Aside Some Money to Test Payout Protocol

Nobody likes losing money. However, as a gambler, you’re already prepared to lose money from time to time. Before trusting a casino with your hard-earned money, test its payout procedures. Some online casinos can be slow to pay out or make the process more difficult than it has to be. 

Set aside a small yet substantial amount of money. $100 is a good place to start. After making an account on a casino, deposit your money. Before withdrawing money, play a few games. Don’t bother gambling much, however.

Withdraw your funds. See how long it takes. If the withdrawal goes smoothly, the casino’s probably legitimate. Don’t bother with casinos that have shoddy, untrustworthy withdrawal practices.

Another method before opening an account is to read as many online reviews as possible. Get an idea of their withdraw practices, what the process is and how long it takes. Also, look for casinos who offer many different ways to get paid. 

Talk to the Casino’s Customer Service Representatives

Every business owner understands how important good customer service is. This holds true for casinos. Illegitimate casinos won’t bother with hiring high-quality customer service representatives.

When testing a casino’s customer service, you don’t need to conduct a full-blown investigation. Ask a few general questions to see how representatives respond. Make sure their responses include good grammar. You should always ensure these responses match the casino’s online terms and conditions. 

We know that most people don’t bother reading terms and conditions. You don’t need to read the entire legal document, however. Simply search for the company’s policies using keywords. If the document’s policies match up with what customer service representatives say, the casino is likely legitimate.

 

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Finance NYC Uncategorized

Best New York Casinos to Visit in 2021

Best New York Casinos to Visit in 2021
Photo by Aidan Howe from Pexels

So, it’s surprising that the Big Apple has very few casinos.

New York City is home to people from nearly every country on earth. Due to that, it has restaurants, shops, and marketplaces for almost everything. So, it’s surprising that the Big Apple has very few casinos.

If you want to play slots and card games in the big city, your best bet is to visit Indian-owned casinos or take a trip to New Jersey. That’s alright, though. You can access many casinos within New York in an hour’s drive.

Big Deal Casino

Located along 28th street, Big Deal is one of the few casinos at the heart of New York City. It’s a relatively small establishment, measuring 5000 square feet in size. It uses its small space accordingly, nonetheless.

For starters, it has two gaming floors that feature a wide range of games. It has eight blackjack tables. Then it features poker, roulette, craps, baccarat, and Pai Gow games. What’s more, it has halls where you can conduct birthday parties, team-building meetings, and charity events.

Big Deal Casino also features an indoor golf facility where you can simulate golfing with the help of 15-inch screens. It also features free parking, quick Internet, and gyms. Additionally, it’s a top-rated casino with hundreds of 5-star reviews.

Empire City Casino

Located on Yonkers Avenue, Empire City is a Casino Resort, meaning you get both gambling and hotel services. The hotel aspect of the business attracts top reviews from customers. But the casino side is problematic.

The problem is not a lack of slots or card games. The casino has 5000+ games, from slots and video poker to keno and blackjack. It also features low betting limits—from one cent to $100.

The problem with Empire City’s games is that they have low payout rates. To expound more, the games are mean and take away money without letting players win.

As a result, many people don’t seem to win no matter how many times they try. If you’re one of them, read the guide to online casinos in New York at online-gambling.com. Online casinos not only have lots of games but these games payout up to 99% of wagered money.

Turning Stone Resort Casino

Whether you want to feast, gamble, or lodge, Turning Stone New York has got you covered. This tribe-owned casino is located at 5218 Patrick Road, Verona. It’s pretty big, measuring 120,000 square feet in size, and houses all the amenities you can expect from a world-class casino.

You can play 32 table games, including poker tables that host up to 320 players. Or you could choose one of the 2300 slots to test your luck. On the flip side, you can play bingo, blackjack, roulette, or video poker.

What’s more, you can play golf at one of five courses—two 9-hole layouts and three 18-hole courses. If the weather is extreme, get indoors, and play virtual golf, get into the sauna, or book for a spa treatment.

Additional amenities at this casino include a nightclub, a dancehall, treatment rooms, salons, and BBQ place. Obviously, food and drinks are available too.

Jake’s 58

Jake’s 58 is a casino hotel in Long Island. It features 228 rooms on its 64,142 square feet premises, 1000+ gaming machines, and over 50 table games. On top of that, it features a sportsbook, making it a fully-fledged gambling enterprise.

Like many casino resorts, Jake’s 58 features concierge service to VIP players, smoking-free rooms, suites, and amenities. With that in mind, there are several restaurants at this casino. So, if you don’t like the food on the ground floor, walk to the first floor.

Unfortunately, Jake’s 58 features VLT and not real slot machines. As a result, they provide scratch cards, lotto, and pull-tab games—many of which have low payout rates.

Royal Flush Casino on Carnival Splendor

The Royal Flush is a cruise ship casino operated aboard the Carnival Splendor. It’s allocated a large 8000 sq/ft gaming floor and loaded with all the games modern casinos provide. The best part is that once the cruise ship moves three miles away from the Big City, it throws out New York’s gambling rules.

Instead, it lets you play real slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, and baccarat games with high RTP rates. What’s more, you get access to part of the cruise ship for wining and dining purposes.

On the flip side, you can book for a spa treatment, swimming, lodging, and all forms of hotel services. Is the Royal Flush Casino expensive? Whether you want to play slots, Texas Hold’em, or have fun on a cruise ship, you’ll find the prices at this casino fairly cheap. 

Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino

Based in Buffalo, Seneca is a casino resort offering 1000+ slots, over 100 table games, and a host of amenities. It’s a tribe-owned casino measuring 67, 000 sq/ft. It welcomes three million customers every year. 

That means it must be doing something right. And sure enough, Seneca is gorgeous on both the exterior and interior. Unlike many casinos in New York, Seneca has several rewards for high rollers, from comps to exclusive VIP rooms.

The food at Seneca is delicious and plentiful. The drinks are free and non-alcoholic. To spice up things, the games have relatively low payout rates compared to Internet-based casinos.

Borgata Casino

Many casinos in New York City provide low paying VLT machines and slots. But that’s not Borgata, the biggest casino in New Jersey. It is located 127.3 miles from New York, which means you can get there within two hours.

It’s magnificent, inviting, and loaded with everything New Yorkers wish they could find in a casino. First, the games come from leading software providers, meaning the payout rates are high. 

Then the food is amazing, usually prepared by professional chefs experienced in cooking different cuisines. On the flip side, you can pay for standard hotel rooms that start at $99 or up to $1500 for presidential suites.

When it comes to amenities, Borgata is packed with casino goodness, from theater halls to spas, gyms to dancehalls. There are also rooms to hold meetings, live performance shows, and gift shops.

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NYC Uncategorized

Gaming in NYC Where to Play Online & In Style

Gaming in NYC: Where to Play Online & In Style
https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1562009172-7557ef041822?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1402&q=80

Whether living in the Big Apple or stopping by for a whirlwind weekend, the number of options for entertainment can be dizzying. Without a solid itinerary for travelers or an apartment with a prime location, it’s hard to catch it all.

Some prefer to make it to a Michelin-star restaurant or a Broadway show. Others may want to follow tour guides through the Lower East Side or head to the top of the Empire State Building.

However, gamers may feel a bit out of luck. Those traveling to New York City may notice the city isn’t home to brick-and-mortar casinos. The nearest locations include the Bronx, Queens, and even New Jersey’s famous Atlantic City.

Still, those looking to stay downtown have options for real-money action. Most of New York City is WIFI-enabled, which means that a mobile-ready online casino and a bit of cab fare is all a traveler needs to transform the Highline Park or Katz’s Deli into a truly unique experience—even by New York standards. 

When it comes to ranking locations where live gaming would be fun, three criteria are important: seating, WIFI, and the view. Any New York native knows these three factors are often mutually exclusive… but not always.

Seaport

The Greens Seaport District includes the famous Pier 17 facility in downtown Manhattan. This location doesn’t skimp on views or activities. Not only is it nestled in one of the most interesting parts of the city, but it’s also one of New York’s newest investments—and it shows.

The facility includes a rooftop bar, cinema, fitness center, public art installations, and a slew of brand-name and indie retail shops. Most of the Seaport district includes high-speed public WIFI, which means that this location is great for an online gaming session.

The rooftop of Pier 17, in particular, includes an area called The Greens. True to its name, this is a plant-friendly urban space with plenty of areas to lounge and relax.

Given that the Brooklyn Bridge will be twinkling in the background and the Pier is located near to Wall Street, this location would be a great spot to play card games that require some counting and strategy, like poker or blackjack.

 

Highline Park 

Like the Seaport District, the Highline Park is a relatively new addition to New York. The park is a minimalist and modern interpretation of what a park can be. It’s situated in an abandoned railway that’s raised above the busy West Village streets.

The WIFI offered here is reliable and quick, though seating may be tougher to come by. Most visitors spend an afternoon walking through the park, so find a spot and claim it as your own (just not on the grass). 

Given the mix of classic architecture with modern skyscrapers surrounding the park, this location will make any online game feel like outdoor activity. Not to mention, West Village was once home to some of New York’s earliest casinos.

The high energy of the park combined with the grandeur of surrounding architecture makes this location perfect for an exciting game like slots or roulette. Remember, in New York City, it’s okay to make some noise.

Staten Island Ferry – Unsplash.com/photo-1583244416356

Staten Island Ferry

Unlike The Greens at Seaport and the Highline Park, the Staten Island Ferry might raise a few eyebrows when posited as a tourist destination. Sure, locals know the massive, orange ferry as an easy way to spend an afternoon with no plans or, though less likely, a legitimate form of transportation from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island.

While not as refined as the other locations, the Staten Island Ferry is a cultural activity that straddles the line between utility and tradition. There’s plenty of seating, reliable WIFI, and a clear view of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, New Jersey, and, most importantly, Lady Liberty herself.

The Staten Island Ferry operates 24 hours a day regardless of the weather. Food and beer are available onboard but don’t expect a Pier 17 menu. Instead, sit back, open up a mobile gaming app, and watch the world go by.

Given the casual environment and the stunning views, the Staten Island Ferry is an ideal location for classic jackpot games or, if the Ferry’s moving fast enough, a casino race game.