Guts Casino is a young casino, having been established in 2013, that is owned by EveryMatrix N.V. Operating under a license from the Lotteries and Gaming Authority Malta, it’s a multi-software casino that has games from such providers as NetEnt, BetSoft, Microgaming, Sheriff Gaming IGT or OMI Gaming. That’s a really impressive offering that should be able to satisfy different tastes. Are other elements of this casino as good? 

Security at this casino is ensured with the use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption technology. SSL encryption is used by large banks to encrypt financial information. Players do not have to worry about anything, as any information they send to the casino is kept safe, secure and fully encrypted. The site also mentions that the casino’s Random Number Generator is certified, but no more details are provided. Still, to obtain a license in Malta a casino has to pass tests that prove the fairness of its games, so that itself shows that it is trustworthy. 

The library of games available at Guts is amazing, as it includes over 400 titles from NetEnt, BetSoft, Microgaming, IGT and OMI Gaming. With such names on board players will know that they are in for a great ride. They can select from the best games on the market, comprising such categories as classic and video slots, blackjack, roulette, table games, video poker and other. The list opens with such famous games like Battlestar Galactica, Gonzo’s Quest, Immortal Romance, Jack Hammer, Tomb Raider and goes on and on. This is a wholly Instant Play casino, which means you don’t have to download and install anything and can play directly from the website! Additionally the site has a mobile version that has been prepared specifically to display as best as possible on mobile devices. 

New players at Guts can obtain a €300 Welcome Package over three deposits. On the first deposit a bonus of 100% up to €100 + 50 free spins on Starburst is available, on the second deposit a 50% up to €100 bonus and on the third a 50% up to €100 + 50 free spins on Starburst. Before any funds can be withdrawn from their accounts, players have to meet a x35 wagering requirement. The only other promotion available at the casino is Free Spins Giveaway Every Wednesday, which is rather disappointing. 

The list of banking methods available at this casino is not really long, but includes all the necessary options. There are credit cards, e-wallets like Neteller or Skrill, prepaid from paysafecard, and instant banking and bank transfer options. The transaction limit for deposits is €5,000 and for withdrawals €2,000. 

If you need to ask any questions, you can contact the casino support team by using the Live Chat application, by filling a form with your contact information and your inquiry, which will result in the casino calling you to help you over the phone or by sending an e-mail. Support is not available 24/7 and sadly no information is provided on the operating hours.

Guts Casino definitely shines in terms of the selection of games, but the limited promotional offering and other issues here and there cast a small shadow on the whole picture. Still, they are definitely not deal breaking, so if you’re looking for a place where you can play great games from some of the best developers on the market then nothing should stop you. 

NextCasino was launched in early 2013 by OddsMatrix Ltd. It’s an online casino that has been licensed by the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta and runs using software from six different providers, including some of the biggest names in the industry: NetEntertainment, Microgaming, BetSoft, Sheriff Gaming, Play’n GO and OMI Gaming. The casino has a simple yet elegant design with high quality graphics that give it an exquisite feel and is available in twelve languages. 

The casino uses the internationally accepted industry standards SSL encryption algorithms to encrypt all information it receives from players. This means that personal and financial information is protected with high security technology used by banks and financial institutions all over the world. When it comes to fairness, the site mentions that all software used in the casino is certified and approved by third party certification agencies, but no certificates, or at least names of the agencies are mentioned. However, the providers used by here are known for the quality of their software and the casino is licensed in Malta, which also proves that it had to pass rigorous fairness checks. 

As we mentioned in the introduction, NextCasino uses software from six different providers, which is a really nice surprise. This gives players access to almost 600 different games, although they are not divided evenly among all software, as some providers have over 300 (like Microgaming) or 100 games, while others only 4 (like OMI). This is of course not really a problem, because it’s not surprising that some companies are bigger and have more games than other. The games are separated into the following categories: video slots, 3D slots, table games, classic slots, video pokers, jackpot games and other games. Some of the most known slots in this casino include Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack Hammer, Starburst, Immortal Romance, Reel Rush, Elements, the Dark Knight or Thunderstruck II. All games are available directly from the website, thanks to the Instant Play mode. The casino also has a mobile version that allows players to enjoy all content from their smartphone and tablet devices. 

After you create a new account and want to deposit money, you will be able to use the NextCasino Super Welcome Offer. It’s a 100% first deposit bonus up to $€200/£150 + 30 freespins in mobile Starburst and 50 freespins in Jackhammer. The minimum deposit to receive this bonus is $€£20 and the wagering requirement for it is 30x deposit + bonus amount, while freespins have a max win withdrawal limit of €100 (or equivalent in other currencies). Another promotion available at NextCasino is a Monthly Reload Bonus where the first deposit every month will receive a 50% bonus up to €300 (or equivalent). Sadly, these are the only promotions currently available at the casino, which feels a little unsatisfying. 

The banking section is definitely a strong element of the casino as it includes a wide selection of payment options. Players can use a number of credit and debit cards, e-wallets, prepraid cards, instant banking options and bank transfers. Aside of the popular international options such as Neteller, Skrill, Ukash or paysafecard, the casino also allows the use of methods specific to certain countries. The withdrawal limits depend on the option you use and can be found on the website. Additionally, when you make a withdrawal amounting to €2,300 or more the casino will require you to provide identification documents.

While the previous section leaves a positive impression, customer support proves to be disappointing. The only way to contact the casino is through the e-mail form available on the site. There’s no phone number, no live chat and no information on how long should you expect to wait for a response. At least there’s a Help section that covers a lot of important questions. 

NextCasino appears to be a mixed bag. It definitely has strong suits, like its selection of games or banking options, but then there are elements like bonuses and customer support that leave you wishing for more. Hopefully the casino will develop further and its weak points will disappear with time. 

PlayGrand is a relatively young casino that has been established in 2013 and is operated by Secure View Services Limited with a licence in Curacao. The casino is powered by the White Hat Gaming platform that includes games from a number of popular providers, such as Sheriff Gaming, Aristocrat, NYX Gaming, Leander Games, NextGen, OMI Gaming and iGaming2go, as well as slots from BetSoft Gaming. The website has a simple but elegant design, without many flashy effects or too many colours. 

The casino’s site is protected by a 128-bit SSL encryption protocol, ensuring that all communications are safe and secure. This allows customers to provider their personal and financial information without worry. The casino also has a TST Labs Certified logo, meaning that it’s Random Number Generator has been tested and verified to provide random and fair results. 

PlayGrand is definitely a great place if you’re looking for a wide variety of games. Running on the White Hat Gaming platform, it offers titles from some of the best providers around: Sheriff Gaming, Aristocrat, NYX Gaming, Leander Games, NextGen, OMI Gaming and iGaming2go. Added to the mix are great slots from BetSoft Gaming. With so many companies, listing their best titles would create quite a list, so let’s just mention a couple of gems like The Amsterdam Masterplan, Irish Eyes, Merlin’s Millions or Slotfather. The casino ‘games room’ is separated into the following categories: slots, classic games (blackjack, roulette, craps, etc.), poker games (includes both video poker and table games), scratch cards, fun games (keno, pachinko and other), bingo and virtual games (like Virtual Racing or Virtual Racebook). All games are available directly on the website, without any unnecessary downloads and installations. 

On your first deposit PlayGrand will give you a choice between a Casino signup offer and Bingo signup offer. The first one is a 250% Bonus up to €250 with a wagering requirement of 30x bonus amount. The second one is a 300% Bonus up to €150 and has a wagering requirement of 4x bonus amount. Other than the welcome bonuses, the casino has an Ongoing 10% Deposit Bonus, as well as a list of weekly promotions. 

The payment options supported by this casino include Neteller, Visa, iDeal, Poli, MasterCard, Paysafecard, Maestro and Ukash. There’s a minimum withdrawal amount of €50 and a maximum withdrawal amount of €2,500 per week. 

Contacting the casino is possible with Live support chat, which is available 10am – 11pm GMT, 7 days a week. It’s also possible to send a message using the form available on the website. There’s also a FAQ question but it’s rather small and only covers a couple of basic questions. 

PlayGrand Casino is a site with a really good offering when it comes to games. The promotions are quite decent too, with bonuses both for casino and bingo games. Only complaints could be made about banking and support services which, while not bad, leave something to wish for. 

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission has approved several new mobile games from Sweden’s OMI Gaming. Following the approval, OMI will be able to offer to operators its new mobile slot titles - Benny The Panda, Princess Fortune and Jungle Fruit.

The games have been tested, evaluated and certified by an independent software testing service SQS India.

“OMI Gaming is committed to create high end, triple-A, mobile casino games entertainment that generates revenues to our partners, so quality assurance is a natural part of our day to day business,” said commercial and marketing director Tobias Lindgren. “We are absolutely thrilled that we now can begin to offer our mobile games to operators and platform providers on Alderney,” he added.

Betting exchange group Betfair faces unexpected blow as its shares have dropped around 4.5% after Cyprus introduced regulation to restrict online gambling. The beleaguered eurozone state said it would restrict online casino and poker as well as exchange betting.

The British company said Cyprus contributed around 4% of group revenues last year, and around us$ 13.9 million of profit. Its shares have lost us$ 0.52 to us$ 1.11 on the news, but it is taking advice on the legality of the move. It said: The company believes the legislation contains serious flaws and, in certain areas, is inconsistent with European Union law.

Betfair will be taking all necessary steps to reduce the impact on profitability through both legal action and cost management. Analyst Michael Campbell at broker Daniel Stewart said he believed Cyprus also planned to introduce a new betting tax of 13% of gross profits.

This is another blow to Betfair's exchange betting business. The stock trades on around 6.6 times 2012 consensus EBITDA which appears reasonably priced, though our biggest concern remains whether other markets will, like Cyprus, ban exchange betting which will hamper the business's ability to grow outside of its core UK market.

Karl Burns at Shore Capital said full year forecasts were likely to be reduced after the news: “We retain our hold recommendation, highlighting that whilst we believe the exchange is a unique and highly cash generative business model, in addition to reporting strong underlying revenue growth recently, we continue to harbour concerns over the pace of exchange regulation in Europe, with Europe around 40% of group revenue, whilst comparatives will toughen through the year.”