If you haven’t yet heard of Absolute Casino you probably will soon, according to the Alderney-based owners Advanced Games Lab, which powers the new casino gambling operation with its proprietary software. AGL is itself a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guernsey firm HC Capital Limited.

AGL claims to be “a newly established and unique, community enabled online casino operator”, which has developed an innovative business model centred on social groups, networks and communities, all embedded in the gambling portal experience.

“Our model harnesses the infinite scalability necessary to exploit the real synergies generated by combining the power of social networking (such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other national and regional brands) with a state-of-the-art online casino experience,” the operator claims.

“Our proprietary core game server is built and designed to take advantage of cloud and grid-based computing networks to facilitate the number of communities and their members that Absolute Casino can host at any one time.”

Absolute Casino boasts “massively multiplayer” capacity and will be running tournaments and leader boards that can be tailored specifically for any online community….and it’s all accredited by the Alderney Gambling Commission on an unrestricted online gaming licence. from the Government of Alderney in the Channel Islands.

The software has been developed in-house over a 12 month period, with AGL boasting that it creates multiplayer game content that no other platform provider can facilitate at this time without fundamental systems rebuilding. The Strata engine is based on the latest cloud and grid computing technology, allowing scaling on-demand to meet constantly changing business volumes. The software can be configured for a variety of languages, currencies and regulatory requirements.

The Vegas Technology-powered veteran online casino group English Harbour has added four new online slots to its gambling portal suite.

Reel Deal is a five reel, twenty pay-line slot game with several bonus features, scatters and free spins wrapped in a business theme, whilst Safari takes players on a trip to the wild in a five reel, twenty line slot format. Big game sightings can deliver serious bonuses, and there are scatters and wilds to build winning combinations.

Super Market has the same five reel, twenty pay-line platform, but a vastly different theme as the branding suggests. Coupons count as scatter symbols, and three or more will grant ten free spins in which all winnings are doubled. There is also a bonus round triggered by three shopping cart symbols, and a wide range of wagering options.

Winter Wonderland takes another direction with a totally different theme to celebrate the coming festive holiday seasons with a higher than standard pay rate and outsanding snowy graphics. Bonus rounds and jackpots make for both excitement and entertainment.

Itai Pazner, chief operations officer at online gambling group 888 has launched a new GBP 8.8 million jackpot game - an internet gambling record - with a free GBP 24 chance of winning it for online casinos players.

Pazner is confident the game, dubbed Pirate Millions, will help introduce the company to a slew of new players, and claims: “This is the biggest ever online slots jackpot and everyone who visits the site will be allowed three free spins the first time they play the game, without having to deposit any money or enter card details.

“This will offer the unique opportunity for someone to become a millionaire without paying a penny, and we believe it will really appeal to everyone from on-line casino regulars to those who play the lottery or buy the odd Scratchcard.”

The marketing drive is supported in the UK by a television commercial showing a diver surrounded by a sea of money.

For most online gamblers, hitting a progressive jackpot just once is the experience of a lifetime, but there are on record numerous instances of particularly fortunate punters who have achieved multiple wins.

The latest of these is ChontelB, an australian gambler on the Microgaming-powered Royal Vegas Casino website who recently took home A$26 813 for a slots win on the Major Millions game…only two months after her A$33 000 hit in the Grand Slam of Slots tournament.

The Grand Slam of Slots tournament is still being played out, with a worthwhile Euro 1 000 000 grand prize jackpot still up for grabs.