Gonzo’s Quest was first launched by NetEnt in 2011, and, to date is still one of the developer’s most popular releases. With the acquisition of Red Tiger, NetEnt have decided to give their classic title an exciting makeover, utilizing the Megaways game engine.

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways vital statistics

The original real money pokie has received a dramatic facelift but remains true to the original title, with sharper and crisper visuals.

The integration of Megaways has transformed the slot’s layout, giving players 6 reels, with 2-7 symbols per reel. Once the reels start spinning, you will have anywhere from 64 to 117,649 ways to win. The initial 2011 release had an Avalanche mechanic, making the move to the Megaways cascade mechanic a simple matter.

As far as features go, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways has plenty in store for you in both the main and bonus games. The game’s high volatility is justified by its potential, a massive 20,000x your bet.

Under the hood

With the Avalanche mechanic, when a winning combination appears, the symbols involved are removed from the grid and new ones will drop into the empty spaces. This can lead to new winning combos and repetition of the process.

Each new Avalanche win will boost the multiplier value which can go up to 5x. The randomly triggered Earthquake feature destroys all low-value icons, allowing only high-paying symbols to appear in their place.

Question mark symbols that appear on the reels are Unbreakable Wilds that stay on the reels even as part of winning combinations. The Free Spins bonus round gives you 9, 12, or 15 spins, depending on the number of Free Fall symbols that land. When this feature is active, you will have the choice between claiming spins and gambling them on the Royal Wheel.

NetEnt’s revived classic, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways will be released on 23 July 2020.​

Star Entertainment’s deal with the NSW government effectively blocks its upcoming rival, Crown Resorts from installing poker machines at its new Sydney casino for the next 21 years.

Further stipulations of the deal include a more favourable tax rate for gambling operations at its Pyrmont venue, where a restricted number of patrons were recently allowed in. This is the first time the venue’s doors have opened since March 23.

According to Star, the agreement with the NSW government means it will continue to operate the only casino in Sydney with poker machines, and that it is also entitled to compensation if Crown is permitted to install pokies at any time before June 30, 2041.

Crown has consistently denied industry speculation that the group is aiming to have the license for its $2.2 billion casino amended to permit poker machines.

“We now have certainty that it won’t happen,” said Star chief executive Matt Bekier.

“[It] guarantees the operating environment for which we’re paying our taxes, and it de-risks our business for the next 21 years, which is a great thing.”

Last month, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported that Crown was actively forging relationships with some of the larger clubs and RSL’s in Sydney ahead of the opening of its Barangaroo casino in February in a climate where it doesn’t have access to international high rollers.

The terms of the compensation clause are still classified and Crown has refused to comment further on the matter. In an official statement, the NSW Treasury said that “poker machines will not be operated at Crown Sydney at least for the duration of the agreement”.

“The agreement will allow long-term revenue certainty for the NSW Government and contribute billions of dollars to be directed to important projects.”

A 20-year tax agreement includes the requirement that Star’s table games are set at a fixed rate of 29 percent from 2022, the same stipulation that Crown operates under. Pokies will start at a fixed rate of 32 percent and increase to 34 percent after six years.

Macquarie economic analyst, David Fabris, predicts that the new deal will translate to an average tax rate of 30 percent in the years 2022 to 2024 for Star, increasing to approximately 31 percent from 2028. According to Star, its average tax rate was 31.5 percent in 2019.

These are higher rates than at Crown’s casinos in Melbourne (26 percent) and Perth (21 percent), and Star’s casinos on the Gold Coast (26 percent) and Brisbane (25.6 percent).

Star stated its intention to reopen its gaming rooms soon, with seating limited to 500 loyalty club members at a time and only by invitation. This decision follows extensive consultation with the state government.

Mr. Fabris advised that if Star invited its highest-spending gamblers, who typically spend around $1000 each on average per visit, the group could generate revenue o about $20 million in June to help cover its $20 million a month cash burn.

Star’s CEO revealed that close to 700 stood-down employees could return to work if the casino is fully reopened, but the reality is that the facility will likely operate on a restricted basis for another month or two.

“The way to look at the next month is really just to give everybody confidence that you can ease up without it blowing up into new outbreaks,” he said, however financially, “it’s not going to do much for us”.

​

Microgaming’s Mega Moolah progressive jackpot has had its first Mega jackpot win through Atlantean Treasures™: Mega Moolah.  The prize amount was a whopping $7,784,425.63, an early win considering the game was released on 25 February 2020.

The seven-figure prize was won on 8 May 2020 at River Belle Casino, adding yet another winner to Microgaming’s progressive jackpot network millionaire’s club. The network has paid out over $1.1 billion since it was first created and the $7.7 million jackpot will be paid over as a lump sum.

Atlantean Treasures: Mega Moolah is the first oceanic Mega Moolah adventure and was exclusively created for Microgaming by Neon Valley Studios. The slot has a 5×3 reel, ten-payline layout, and is fantastically costumed in an undersea theme, depicted through beautifully illustrated sunken treasures and marine life. The slot comes bundled with some great features, including expanding wilds and respins. Atlantean Treasures: Mega Moolah has had a flying start, delivering more than $14.2 million in wins over 238,594 jackpots, of which 45 were major jackpots.

Microgaming and its network of independent studios are hard at work, building up its progressive jackpot network with the constant development of new progressive titles, since the original Mega Moolah pokie. Atlantean Treasures: Mega Moolah and Absolootly Mad™: Mega Moolah (Triple Edge Studios) were just released in February and May respectively. February also saw Microgaming revealing its face-lifted WowPot jackpot as it released of Wheel of Wishes in partnership with Alchemy Gaming. This is the first title of many earmarked for addition to the jackpot and network. Sisters of Oz, developed by Triple Edge Studios will be up next on the roster.

Jean-Luc Ferriere Chief Commercial Officer at Microgaming was overjoyed at the news of the mega win and came forward to express his excitement.

“Congratulations to the winning player for hitting the first-ever Mega jackpot on Atlantean Treasures: Mega Moolah. The tremendous $7.7 million win marks another milestone for Microgaming’s progressive jackpot network, and we look forward to further enhancing our growing portfolio with additional progressive games to deliver even more entertaining gameplay experiences and opportunities to win”

Microgaming’s legendary Mega Moolah has handed a life-changing jackpot to yet another player with a gargantuan progressive jackpot worth €10,735,716.84.

The biggest digital progressive jackpot network in existence

Jackpot City Casino was the venue for this latest Mega Moolah win on Sunday, 5 April. The lucky player will receive the €10,735,716.84 jackpot as a lump sum following standard verification checks according to Microgaming.

Microgaming’s progressive jackpot network has paid out over €1.1 billion in prizes since its inception. 2020’s winnings account for €26 million of this amount with over 150 players winning €10,000 or more.

New Mega Moolah titles in the pipeline

In a press release, Microgaming detailed how their jackpot network continues to grow. This year has seen the releases of Atlantean Treasures Mega Moolah in cooperation with Neon Valley Studios and Wheel of Wishes, via a partnership with Alchemy Gaming. Wheel of Wishes features the WowPot jackpot which was overhauled in February 2020.

More progressive games are still on the way. An exciting example is Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah, set for a 5 May release across Microgaming’s operator network. The organization’s Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Clucas said that Mega Moolah continued to be an international player favorite.

“We are thrilled for the victorious player who struck this staggering €10.7 million win congratulations!” said Clucas, adding that more new progressive games were on their way this year.

Visit any of our reviewed casinos to try Mega Moolah for life-changing winnings.

​

Analytics firm AlphaBeta and Illion, an Australian credit bureau, combined their resources for a research study to look into the state of online gambling during the Coronavirus shutdown.  The study revealed a 67% overall increase in the online gambling sector of Australia over the past week alone, with definite links to the shutdown of non-essential services.

Under the hood

250,000 Australian consumers were surveyed as part of the study with the data showing that people have turned to real money online gaming for their entertainment needs while they are stuck at home. Other industries have also seen a significant rise in activity, the food delivery industry has seen a 63% increase in activity with online retail and subscription services showing an increase of 61%.

Data from asgam.com

The study does not go to the extent of breaking down the data to demonstrate how consumer engagement is split between legal and illegal online gambling. Australia has some strict rules surrounding gambling, with Wagering and sports betting being allowed but poker and online casino games technically prohibited by the Interactive Gambling Act.

The uptick in online gambling activity is an international trend.  In the US, an online social poker operator, Global Poker, has noted that participation in online poker has increased by almost 40% since lockdown began in various states around the nation. First-time poker player numbers have risen dramatically by 225%

Before the lockdown, around 7% of the American population had at some point played poker live, online, or with friends regularly.​

Mark Speakman, the Attorney General for New South Wales, has triumphed in his legal appeal to compel Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited to hand over certain confidential company documents.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported that the New South Wales Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority has the Hong Kong-based firm under investigation as part of a far-reaching assessment into whether local partner Crown Resorts Limited should retain their gambling license for the soon-to-be-launched Crown Sydney venue.

Crown under the microscope

This inquiry was set off by an announcement by Crown Resorts Limited, detailing their plans to have Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited purchase an almost 20% shareholding in its business. Even after the subsequent halving of this acquisition, the regulator is still set on investigating any possible ties between organized crime groups and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lawrence Ho Yau Lung. The investigation will also determine whether either operator has ever utilized corrupt individuals as part of efforts to attract foreign customers to their venues.

Vital facts

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited found temporary relief when they won an action before the Supreme Court of New South Wales in January to restrict the investigation’s access to documents the firm claimed were legally privileged. The argument presented by Melco was that they could not be required to produce these papers as the investigation did not possess the necessary powers to compel them to do so.

Turning tables

The newspaper went on to report that Speakman temporarily halted the inquiry late last month to allow his office to table a petition before the New South Wales Court of Appeal. The court eventually ruled on behalf of the politician, stating that Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited have to surrender the requested information to the New South Wales Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority.

From the source

Below is an excerpt from the court’s ruling

“The court held that the primary judge erred in concluding that the Royal Commission Act did not confer a ‘power or authority’ on a commissioner, with that section extending the general power to compel the production of documents to include the power to compel the production of legally privileged documents.”

High stakes

The Sydney Morning Herald’s report went on to say that the inquiry into Melbourne-based Crown Resorts Limited is being headed by former New South Wales Supreme Court Judge Patricia Bergin and is imbued with the power to restrict the firm from offering gambling at the $1.5 billion Crown Sydney. The venue was set to open later in the year, capping over 50 months of construction. The New South Wales Court of Appeal’s turnabout could mean that the inquiry may have to resume as early as next week although Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited will be taking advantage of their approved right to appeal.​

Recent global conditions have necessitated the postponement or outright cancellation of a wide variety of major sporting events, with some even being held spectator-free behind closed doors.  Luckily if you enjoy betting on such events, there are still options open to you while the world attempts to deal with a viral threat.

The Manchester City vs Arsenal Premier League game is one of the most recent casualties of the slew of match cancellations. Several Arsenal players are said to have met the owner of Greek club Olympiakos, who is a confirmed Coronavirus infection case. The virus’ effect has spread, affecting the ability of entire leagues to stage matches, with the fate of the UEFA EURO 2020 and the Olympic Games in Tokyo hanging in the balance and by a thread.

The show must go on

Amongst the rash of cancellations and postponements, there are still sporting events for you to place your bets on. The Champions League and Europa League are currently holding mostly closed-door matches, this is an obvious disappointment for fans who won’t get to watch their favourite players, but leaves an avenue wide open for you to place some wagers.

How will football fare?

You still can test your luck and bet on major European games through sites like bet365 sportbook.  This is encouraging news as the major football leagues have an exciting combined line-up for the season ahead.

Champions League and Europa League:  will hold some games behind closed doors like PSG vs Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich vs.

Premier League: The English top league had up until recently remained unaffected by the pandemic. Now the Manchester City vs Arsenal game has been postponed. No other postponements or cancellations for the weekend have been announced, with little to indicate whether the situation will worsen or improve soon.

La Liga and Ligue 1: Top two division games in Spain will be played behind closed doors at for at least the next two weeks. France some has restrictions in place until mid-April, but you can still bet to your heart’s content on all games.

The Bundesliga:  This is a bit of a mixed bag with some games being played in front of spectators as normal and others being played behind closed doors.

Italy: Italy is arguably one of the countries that have been worst-hit by the virus and all sports events have been cancelled until the 3rd of April. This naturally includes all Serie A games.

Smaller championships are finding themselves in similar positions to their larger counterparts. Japan’s top league is suspended until at least the 3rd of April and Poland will be holding games behind closed doors for the foreseeable future.

Whether the Euro2020 playoff games will be played behind closed doors is still up for debate as the tournament has remained unaffected to date.

Asian qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 World Cup are suspended until further notice.

Major sports events that are still happening

The start of a new Formula 1 season is a highlight for fans of the sport. The season will commence, as planned this weekend in Australia. The Chinese Grand Prix is the only postponement for the season thus far, with the second race in Bahrain being run without spectators. Other major sports calendar events like Wimbledon or the Tour de France are still safe for now, but events scheduled like Giro d’Italia are unlikely to take place as Italy are among the worst afflicted by the pandemic.

Will MotoGP continue?

The first race of the MotoGP season, due to take place in Qatar has been cancelled and Thailand’s chance to hold the 2^nd race has been postponed to October. The third race which was due to take place in Austin, US had been bumped up to season-opener status and was set to take place on the 5th of April, but a state of emergency declared for the city has thrown this possibility out.  The result is that the MotoGP season will likely only start in Argentina on the 19th of April. This information is subject to change as the impact of the virus’ spread creates an ever-changing situation.  Other racing events like World Rally Championship and NASCAR are still due to take place as scheduled, so there is still some fast-paced action for you to wager on.

Mostly business as usual for American sports

The US has not seen many confirmed cases or alarming infection rate as yet, so major American leagues, like the NHL and the MLB, are maintaining their current schedules without cancellations or postponements. There are currently no plans to exclude spectators from these sporting events but locker room access has been strictly limited to players and staff only, with the media being left out in the cold.   The NBA, by contrast, has opted to suspend their entire season after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the virus.

Mixed fortunes

Rugby fans have taken an unpleasant hit with the postponement of several highly-anticipated games.  The Six Nations game of Ireland vs Italy or France vs Ireland have fallen to the postponement hammer. Horseracing events seem to all still on track, the Cheltenham Festival had a normal start with some special safety measures being implemented.

The best advice you could take right now would be to stay inside as much as possible and enjoy your sports and wagering from the comfort and safety of your couch.​

Of course, you can also indulge in pokies and improve your winning strategy.