Wait. How did they do that?  Well, where there’s a Congress, there’s probably a big time crushing debate going on at one point or another. See Washington DC is in a unique position. Since they are the nation’s capital, they must pass all potential changes through Congress for approval. But if Congress doesn’t act in the required amount of time, legislation can automatically pass into law. Which is what happened with online poker. Congress was busy debating the budget for the nation and no one got around to reacting to DCs suggestion that they should be allowed to offer online poker. And suddenly DC had legal online poker.

Which never came to fruition because things stalled in the process of putting the online games into place. See, DC didn’t want online poker to be available everywhere but planned to restrict it to approved “hot spots.” But then the question came up — who was going to visit those hot spots to play? Which then brought up the question of “how many poker players actually live in DC?” Because DC’s online poker bill wasn’t to bring a big existing poker room into the district but rather to establish an internal poker room just for those in DC.

And that’s why it died. When the city council’s Finance committee got right down to it, they decided there just weren’t enough poker players in DC to keep an online poker room solvent.  So, the matter has been shelved and it looks like Nevada will be the first US location to put legal online poker into action.  Congrats Nevada!

You may wonder with the PPA is doing all this when we’re seeing states forming a line to bring legal online poker within their boundaries.  The reason is that while regulating online poker on a state by state basis might provide some relief for online poker players, federally regulated poker would be a much better option — for the players. Perhaps not so much for the states.  With federally regulated poker, the US would be more attractive to the top names in online poker, like PartyPoker.  For players, this would mean bigger sites to play on and a large base to play against.  Iowa is already trying to form an online poker bill that includes Nevada and New York players because Iowa is worried they don’t have enough poker players in the state to make an online poker room a reality.

Of course, Congress is often slow to act and in this case, they may prefer to leave the issue to be settled on a state by state basis so that they don’t have to go on the record one way or the other in an election year.

Nevada casinos have long been a voice against online gambling. After all, if people gambled online, they wouldn’t have to travel to Vegas to visit the casinos. But then the economy shifted and it became less a matter of whether or not people wanted to travel to whether or not they could travel. Discretionary spending is down. People can’t afford to travel to Las Vegas if they want to. So Vegas casinos are still losing revenue. Which means they need to find a way to replace that revenue and they’ve slowly come to realize that online gambling could work in their favor.

See, the question comes down to who runs and operates online gambling in the US. We’ve already seen MGM and Boyd entering into negotiations with the massive online gambling site bwin.party. This could serve both as bwin.party’s entry into the US market and a way for MGM and Boyd to increase revenue. If the online casinos are required to operate out of an existing and approved US gambling operation, then the Vegas casino brands stand to benefit. And oddly, so do the online casinos. Because players are always searching for a best online casino guide and wouldn’t that be easier to do if the casinos were actually the same casinos you could play with in Las Vegas?

Also, I can’t help but think of the great prizes and promotional benefits this could bring. Look, airline miles are a big promotion for credit card companies. Well, imagine if by playing at an online casino you could earn bonus points that could be traded for perks in Vegas. Imagine of the casinos could track your gambling and actually give you comps for their hotels, just like they do big Vegas players.  I’d love to earn a Vegas vacation while playing Video Poker at home.

But the DOJ is tasked with enforcing laws and justice requires making sure they understand the laws and are enforcing them correctly.  So here’s where it gets complicated. The DOJ had to enforce the UIGEA which essentially calls for enforcing the law against financial transaction occurring where internet gambling is illegal. The UIGEA doesn’t make internet gambling illegal. It just says – enforce the law where it already is illegal. So, first you need a law that makes internet gambling illegal.

Enter the Wire Act of 1961, a law written to guard against illegal activity in sports betting. The law that people were using to show that internet gambling was illegal because of the way money was transferred.  A law which some claimed really only applied to sports betting because casino betting and sports betting are very different. And the DOJ examined the Wire Act and decided, yep, it’s meant to apply to sports betting.

This changes the US gambling prospects for the future not by making online gambling legal, but my opening the door for states to make their own laws regarding online gambling without violating Federal law.  So I suspect we’ll see a lot of laws being debated around the country in 2012.

The reason behind the departure – the Brits.  It seems we make them nervous. Or more precisely our confusing online gambling laws make them nervous. Bodog wanted a license to offer online gambling in the UK and they got it. But the UK Gambling Commission brought up one little detail – they weren’t thrilled with the fact that Bodog was operating in the US. The fantastic failures of the Cereus Network and Full Tilt Poker after being forced out of the US market was really making the UK folks stop and think. And they thought – this is the best market to be operating in.

Now, Bodog considered the matter and realized that their license with Mohawk Gambling was expiring at the end of the year and this would be the perfect time not to renew the license and just quietly pull out.   So they’ll be focusing on building their UK, EU and Asia business until the US gets its gambling act together.

The good news for Bodog players is that since this is a planned departure, they will be able to withdraw their money from their accounts. No one is losing anything!  The other good news is Mohawk Gambling has announced that they’ll be starting up their own gambling brand to keep the business running and that player will be able just to transfer their accounts if they wish.

Now, here’s the thing. I’m not against a Las Vegas vacation. It can be a great way to enjoy the city, the casinos and the nightlife. But I just can’t plan a trip to Vegas every time I want to play a slot game or some video poker. What I want is to be able to relax with round of slots or a little time at a video poker machine when I come home from work. And I don’t really want to risk that much money.

Which is where a free online casino comes in. All I need to play at an online casino is a good internet connection. Really, that’s about it.  Now, I can sign up for an account and make a deposit and play casino games for real money. Just like I would in Las Vegas. But many people don’t realize that with an online casino, you can play a wide selection of casino games over the internet without even making a deposit. Now this practice play or fun play mode offered by the top online casinos won’t allow you to win real money, but many people find that taking a little time during the day to play free slots or practice video poker strategy can be relaxing.  And if you want to play for real money, it only take a few minutes to make a deposit at the online casino. Since you aren’t paying for airline tickets and a hotel room, you’ll actually spend far less money than you would on a Las Vegas vacation but still get all the gambling fun you want.

Club USA Casino is, as the name would suggest, a US-friendly online casino.It possesses some great qualities, but is also weighted down by the heft of a few poor choices that keep it from being the best on the web.

Visual Style/Graphics

The first thing players will be greeted with is, naturally, the ‘lobby’. The site is slick, make no mistake. It features beautiful, scantily clad cartoon women – proving that they at least understand to whom they are primarily marketing. The layout is very user friendly, forsaking a mock lobby in exchange for a simple menu.

Here’s a look:

Now, the visual style of the games should come as no surprise to any one with cursory knowledge of RealTime Gaming’s software suite. The Table Games have been designed to carry a life-like look to their physical counterparts. While not so convincing as to actually make some one feel as though one could reach out and touch the felt, the table games still look less cartoony than many other online table games.

The slots are what one would expect; colorful, mostly eye-pleasing, and with enough diversity in symbols to make trying out each machine a worthwhile venture. These aren’t Vegas Technology machines, and so very rarely will players notice the same symbols showing up on different machines.

Variety of Games

Players looking for quantity as well as quality will be pleased, as there are more than 120 games just waiting to be played. Club USA’s games run the gamut, and there is literally something for every one. Here’s a brief breakdown for the curious:

• Online Slots: The bulk of the site’s games come in the form of their online slots. There are over 70, and they come in 3 Reel Classic Style, 5 Reel Video Slot Style, and the proprietary (and popular) Real-Series Slot Style.
• Table Games: There are 16 Table Games just begging for the attention of casual players and high rollers alike. These are strictly card games such as Poker and Blackjack.
• Video Poker: There are 10 Video Poker Machines, and while that number sounds impressive… the lack of any real visual distinction from one machine to the next leaves a lot to be desired. Frankly the machines are rather ugly, and it can be hard to stare at them for too long.
• Specialty Games: One thing to love about RealTime Gaming is that they always provide players with some strong Specialty Games. At Club USA there are 11 to choose from. Along with Bingo, Keno, and Scratch Cards, players will also find American and European Roulette.

That’s a lot of games, and I didn’t even include the slew of Progressive Jackpot games players can find. But some things are better discovered on our own, right?

Promotions

This is where, to me, Club USA falls flat on its face. It doesn’t stay down there, sucking up the dirt and grime, but it does slip in ranking while it struggles back onto its feet as other casinos pass it by. There are two distinct Welcome Bonuses, and while that alone is fine… they’re not very generous.

• Slots-Specific Welcome Bonus: When new players with a taste for slots join, they get a 100% Match Bonus on a first deposit up to $777.
• Table Games Welcome Bonus: When players with a hankering for table games join, they get a 100% Match Bonus on a first deposit up to $150.

While it is nice to have options, the incentives are rather low. When one considers the Welcome Bonuses of other online casinos (some offering up to $10,000 in deposit bonuses), well, one can’t help but feel a little cheated.

Overall

Club USA Casino is a fine online casino, and the fact that it is still US-Friendly will go a long way in keeping it popular here in the states. However, given the bland visuals on several of their games (namely Video Poker) and their disappointing Welcome Bonuses… I might be inclined to direct players elsewhere.

Of course, it all comes down to what you want most out of an online casino. If you want friendly customer service that is available 24/7, Club USA has you covered. If you want safe, secure gaming, Club USA has you covered. More importantly, if you live in the US and want to gamble online… You get the point.

So, how do they stack up against other US-friendly online casinos?

Visual Style/Graphics

For better or for worse, ‘basic’ could very well be the best word to use when describing Casino Win Palace. The casino lobby avoids trying to simulate an actual lobby, something fairly popular amongst the site’s contemporaries. Instead Casino Win Palace opted to just provide an easy-to-navigate menu that runs along the left side of the game window.

As for games, we kind of get a mixed bag here. The Table Games (such as Blackjack) are all played on extremely convincing 3D simulated casino tables. They look so real, one might actually be able to feel the felt that lines their surfaces. On the other hand, all of the Video Poker games (and a few of the slots) offer nothing in the way of variety, and are, frankly, rather ugly.

Variety of Games

There are over 90 games for players to enjoy at Casino Win Palace. As you will see, though, it seems to sway more in favor of online slots players more than any one else:

• 58 total Real-Series Online Slots
• 19 Total Video Poker Machines
• 15 Total Table Games (such as Baccarat and War)
• 6 Specialty Games (such as Bingo and Keno)

Undoubtedly there are enough games to keep even the most die-hard online gambler satisfied.

Promotions

Players get their choice of many a superb bonus. There are easily six Welcome Bonuses, all of which target different kinds of players. I’ll only be taking a look at three of them, however.

• $1,000 Welcome Bonus: Get a 200% Match Bonus on your first two deposits up to $500 a piece.
• $3,000 Slots-Specific Bonus: Get a massive 300% Match Bonus up to $3,000 on your first deposit. Funds can only be wagered at any of the online slots games.
• High Roller Bonus: For those who live dangerously, when you make your first deposit of at least $750 (but you can go higher, of course) you will receive a 200% Match Bonus up to $2,000.

There are, as I’ve said, other Welcome Bonuses. Players interested should check the options out before signing up. In addition, Casino Win Palace also offers Weekly Bonuses that change from week-to-week.

Overall

Casino Win Palace offers players a very generous selection of games to choose from, and for the most part they all look fabulous. The only advice I would give would be to remove some of the uglier, more dated games.

Another thing that should be mentioned is that in the Instant Play version of the online casino, some of the games listed are not offered to players. There is also no option to turn down (or turn off) the audio, and on some of the games this can be quite a missed opportunity.

All in all, I would say that my experience at Casino Win Palace was about average. I have no qualms recommending it to any one in need of a good online casino, but that does not mean I wouldn’t have one or two suggestions of other sites as well. All the same, I would say the site is definitely worth checking out.

Visual Style/Graphics

The site is Wild West Themed, and it pulls off the potentially silly visual style perfectly. Menus roll out in cow skin maps, or in entertaining shooting gallery set-ups. Never has been picking a game to play been so entertaining. And speaking of the games…

They are powered by software developed by RealTime Gaming, which is one of the last companies still allowing their software to be played by members of the United States. You’ll be familiar with them as they have also supplied the software for the last few casinos we’ve reviewed here, but I’ll provide you with a refresher.

RealTime Gaming provides software that, visually, rests in the seeming “No Man’s Land” between the trenches of Traditional and Progressive casino software. Typically. At Highnooncasino.com, the graphics on the slots, video poker, and various table games seems mostly in keeping with software one might find from companies like Vegas Technology. The visuals of the games at High Noon are a little more subdued than are similar games provided by RTG at other sites.

Simplistic is a good word, and not at all meant to be implied as an insult.

Variety of Games

HighNoonCasino.com has more than 50 titles to be enjoyed by players. The offerings are varied enough in terms of “types” that there is bound to be something for any taste. They offer anything from Roulette to Poker, Slots to Keno, and everything in between (even Scratch Cards). About the only thing that isn’t offered is Online Bingo, a huge hit in Britain but not as much here in America.

Bonuses and Promotions

HighNoonCasino.com offers new players two distinct welcome bonuses, tailored to specific tastes. One aims to please the table games players in the crowd, while the second aims to please players of slots and other specialty games.

• Welcome Bonus One: 100% Match Bonus on deposits up to $500. Good on Blackjack, Video Poker, and other table/card games.
• Welcome Bonus Two: 200% Match Bonus on deposits of up to $2,000. Good on Slots, Real Slots, Keno, and Scratch Cards.

Not only that, but players can try out the games at no risk with a no-deposit bonus of $60 in free chips. That bonus is subject to certain restrictions, of course. All three bonuses require special welcome bonus codes, which are provided for the players upon signing up.

Overall

HighNoonCasino.com may not have the largest selection of games, but they have more than many other sites. Not only that, but the quality of their games is fairly superb across the board – something some other sites cannot claim.

I would certainly recommend the site to any one looking for a US-friendly online casino, especially slots players. The welcome bonuses provided by HighNoonCasino.com alone are incentive enough to join, so players need not hesitate.

They are eCOGRA certified and their casino games software has been meticulously tested for fairness by TST Systems, an independent software testing firm.

But how is the casino?

Visual Style/Graphics

Much like CherryRed (who I reviewed a few weeks back) Bodog runs the popular RealTime Gaming software. I originally gave some of the software a hard time in the CherryRed review, and while some of the problems still hold true (we’ll get to that) I do not consider them as damning as they were last time.

I think a part of my good grace towards some of the ugly software comes from a recent bout of experience with the games from Vegas Technology. They are an equally popular supplier of online gaming software, and carry their own fanbase. Unfortunately I find their software to be dated and ugly. Fortunately, by comparison, the RealTime Gaming software is the pretty sister in this respect.

Where the Table Games and Video Poker are still as strong in appearance as one might expect, so, too, are the slots. Now, that isn’t to say that they come anywhere near the slots at SlotLand or WinADay — but they’re leagues easier to look at than the slots from Vegas Technology. In fact, I would say they look like the older brother to Vegas Tech’s slots — and still, they are the younger brother to WinADay’s. They are the middle child. Have a look:

Vegas Tech's unflattering slots...

... And Bodog's hotter alternative.

It is nice not having to see all the same symbols. It is an experience that Vegas Tech-run casinos should consider offering their patrons.

But I digress.

Variety of Games

Bodog comes out swinging on this count. The site offers 70+ games, mostly in the realm of slots games. Of course, the site is most known for its Poker. Any one looking to enjoy online poker in America need look no further. Bodog has you covered.

Every one else looking for anything else? Bodog has you covered, too. From Craps to Roulette, Slots to Video Poker — If Bodog doesn’t have what you’re looking for, it doesn’t exist.

Bonuses and Promotions

So, time to get to the real meat of the issue: What does Bodog offer its players in terms of casino bonuses?

For starters, Bodog offers a Welcome Bonus that really relies on the player to make it worthwhile. It might not sound like much at first, but for your initial deposit of $20 or more Bodog will give you a 10% bonus. The amount you get back is entirely up to you. It’s not visibly as generous as some others online, but it also doesn’t impose a ridiculously high limit for players to meet before they get it. In these economic times, that’s a plus.

Bodog also offers $100 for every friend a member refers. Some sites do the same, but they limit it to one referral per member. Not Bodog Casino.

As an added bonus, every game offers cash-back comps. There are requirements to be met (wagering requirements, play through requirements, etc.), but mostly they’re pretty fair.

Overall

The gang behind Bodog Casino really is out to give players something worth praising, and I would dare say they have done just that. They offer a wealth of games to choose from, provide plenty of incentives for their members to remain members, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Customer Service is the name of the game at Bodog, and their courteous  team of Customer Service Reps will work as quickly as possible to get to any complaints/concerns one might have.

This desire to provide high quality care and liberal play value goes a long way, especially when one considers how lucky players in the US are to so much as get accepted into an online casino. At Bodog Casino, it legitimately feels as though they’re catering specifically to us.