Realtime Gaming
Encyclopedia
Realtime Gaming is an online casino
company developing download-based casino software, licensed by various operators running their own branded RTG-powered casino sites. The company was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1998, but moved all development to Heredia, Costa Rica
in 2007-2008.
The company was acquired in January 2007 by Hastings International, Curaçao
, Netherlands Antilles
, a subsidiary of HBM Group, a company that describes itself as "the premier provider of international financial services for establishing trusts and foundations; establishing and managing legal entities; and tax and estate planning".
The player was accused of cheating by the casino, who said he used a robot (automated playing program), and that he would not be paid. Since the game has a casino of advantage (albeit a low advantage, somewhere over 0.1% ), the casino should still have held the edge, albeit that good luck can overcome an edge in the short and medium-term. The details of the player's final settlement with the casino was never published.
RTG subsequently limited the maximum bet size of the game to $5, before removing it entirely.
in July 2008, aged 34.
Aside from the Crystal Palace group, other RTG casinos have been the subject of criticism. The Casinomeister website maintains a list of RTG casinos, which lists several sites as 'rogue'.
Perhaps the best known RTG licensee is Bodog
, owned by Canadian billionaire Calvin Ayre
.
Realtime Gaming can be characterized by giving their operators a lot more freedom with their software. They do not give strict instructions against their licensees and leave the important part of this practice – the observance of gambling legislation to an online casino licensee. The last point for online casino
unfortunately is more likely to lead to neglecting of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act by accepting US-based players. And that’s one more point for thriving.
They have promised to limited operator liability for a single game to €£$50,000 by default, by reducing maximum bet sizes.
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
company developing download-based casino software, licensed by various operators running their own branded RTG-powered casino sites. The company was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1998, but moved all development to Heredia, Costa Rica
Heredia, Costa Rica
Heredia is a city located in the Heredia province of Costa Rica and is the capital of that province. It is currently undergoing a rapid process of industrialization and is located 10 kilometers north of the country's capital, San José....
in 2007-2008.
The company was acquired in January 2007 by Hastings International, Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
, a subsidiary of HBM Group, a company that describes itself as "the premier provider of international financial services for establishing trusts and foundations; establishing and managing legal entities; and tax and estate planning".
Caribbean 21 controversy
In 2004 the company hit the news when a player won $1.3 million from a $1,000 deposit, playing Caribbean 21 for high stakes at Hampton Casino. The same player also won $96,000 at Delano casino, another RTG-powered site.The player was accused of cheating by the casino, who said he used a robot (automated playing program), and that he would not be paid. Since the game has a casino of advantage (albeit a low advantage, somewhere over 0.1% ), the casino should still have held the edge, albeit that good luck can overcome an edge in the short and medium-term. The details of the player's final settlement with the casino was never published.
RTG subsequently limited the maximum bet size of the game to $5, before removing it entirely.
Operators
One of the largest RTG casino operators was the Crystal Palace group, mooted for a £140m flotation on London's AIM market in 2005. The group owned by South African Warren Cloud, made a pre-tax profit that year of £20.4m. Cloud's casinos were the subject of numerous complaints particularly over payment of players who accepted bonuses from the casino. Cloud died suddenly on his yacht off IbizaIbiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
in July 2008, aged 34.
Aside from the Crystal Palace group, other RTG casinos have been the subject of criticism. The Casinomeister website maintains a list of RTG casinos, which lists several sites as 'rogue'.
Perhaps the best known RTG licensee is Bodog
Bodog
Bodog is an online entertainment brand launched in 1994 by Calvin Ayre.Originally the company traded at but the brand was later divested and intellectual property rights were assigned to and consolidated in BodogBrand.com...
, owned by Canadian billionaire Calvin Ayre
Calvin Ayre
Calvin Ayre is the founder of the Bodog online gaming and entertainment brand, which he developed and launched in 1994. Ayre received a Bachelor of Sciences in General Sciences from the University of Waterloo in 1984...
.
Software features
The company indicates that operators are able to choose between payout settings for their slots and video poker games. In contrast to other huge corporations like 888 or CryptologicCryptologic
Cryptologic can refer to:*CryptoLogic Inc, a provider of online gambling software*Cryptography, the study of message secrecy....
Realtime Gaming can be characterized by giving their operators a lot more freedom with their software. They do not give strict instructions against their licensees and leave the important part of this practice – the observance of gambling legislation to an online casino licensee. The last point for online casino
Online casino
Online casinos, also known as virtual casinos or Internet casinos, are online versions of traditional casinos. Online casinos enable gamblers to play and wager on casino games through the Internet....
unfortunately is more likely to lead to neglecting of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act by accepting US-based players. And that’s one more point for thriving.
They have promised to limited operator liability for a single game to €£$50,000 by default, by reducing maximum bet sizes.