By Jerry Whittaker

Many slots players who have a little more than average mileage on the clock seem to have an inherent disliking of the new generation of multi line video slots games. Which is understandable I guess as most of us tend to trust what we know best. This mistrust in the new fangled upstarts may be unfounded but does beg the question of how play on the new generation slots stacks up against the older, single payline varieties.

The multi line slots game as we know it today is a product of the need to make the traditional slots game more interesting and feature rich for more sophisticated players that raised on a diet of graphically slick PC and play station games. These new gen casino punters were becoming increasingly jaded with the older three and five reel, single pay line games and were baying for fresh content that would extend the slots experience to overlap more with the ultra sophisticated visual entertainment they were experiencing elsewhere. Enter stage left – the video slot.

The advances in AV technology made at the time were fortuitous for game developers a brought with them a degree of freedom previously unheard of with reel slots. Graphic themes were improved, touch screen technology introduced and more reels and pay lines were crammed into the same space that was originally reserved for a reel mechanism.

And did the games themselves change? Let’s make some quick comparisons. Wild symbols were introduced – nope, they already existed. Free spin features were included – wrong again. Progressive jackpots were introduced – wrong. The truth is the actual slots game has changed very little if at all and the only real difference between old school and new gen slots is the multi line features and the graphic bling.

Multi line play is not difficult to master and actually does improve the game experience and range of payout options on any given game. Other than that all the principles of slots play remain exactly the same. So, is the resistance to video slots justifiable? Not really. It is probably just rebellion against the change from the old format exacerbated by a lack of understanding on how the multiline games are wagered on and pay out.

For those who refuse to touch a video slot I can only say this. Take a chance and give them a try. The games are really rewarding both in terms of the amount of fun that can be had playing them and the way the multi line wager system tends to stretch the buck and supply more play for the dollar.

So, the next time you come across titles such as Fluffy Favourites or Aztec Rising don’t dismiss them out of hand. Sit down, drop a couple of credits and find out first hand what makes new generation slots so great to play.

By Jerry Whittaker

The decision to start to gamble online either as a rank beginner or as opposed to visiting land based casinos is not a hard one to make. Online gambling is cheap, convenient and safe and there are few downsides to playing your favourite casino games from the comfort of your own home. However, once that call has been made one has to decide which online casino to start playing at. This choice of online gambling sites is often the most difficult decision to make and can, on occasion, backfire and cause frustration and even financial loss is a dodgy operator is chosen.

It’s generally true of most things in life that the big name brand is often the best bet and online casinos are no different. This is, of course, not to say that the smaller brands don’t or can’t deliver excellent service and features because they do. Household names have reputations to maintain though, reputations that are worth a whole lot more to them than any gains there are to be had from borderline or unethical practices. Usually when one encounters complaints regarding these established companies it is rather a case of a dispute with an individual employee rather than the company itself.

If you have any doubts about a prospective casino site “who you gonna call” – Google of course. A ten minute web search for “ABC casino scams” or “XYZ casino complaints or reviews” will turn up pages of forums, blogs and review articles that can be used as a reference for both good and bad feedback. As a matter of fact this is good practice whether you have doubts or not. The cyber world is an unforgiving and featureless wasteland when it comes to hiding these days and if there is any dirt on a casino you’re sure to find it quickly.

One activity you are sure to partaking in when you do join an online casino is divulging personal and financial information and depositing and withdrawing funds. This is one of the biggest potential weaknesses of any online casino and it is a good idea to check out a potential sits privacy policies and transaction security before you make a call. Privacy policies need to be clear about the company’s practices regarding what they do with your personal details. The last thing you need is an avalanche of spam after registering.

Most sites use military spec 128-bit encryption to secure your card transactions which is as good as it gets. Just make sure that they do though. All of these details should be made available to you without hesitation. If the casino has some problem with transparency in this regard – hit the ground running and don’t look back.

If these basic tips are followed the choice of an online casino should carry very little risk and then become a simple case of personal preferences. Don’t hesitate to make the transition though – you won’t be sorry you did!