Montreal-based Webstorm Media, a leading Internet gambling marketing firm, has launched a new service that routes unused exit traffic between casinos and gaming sites. The service is called CasinoPopup.com.
Here’s how it works: When a visitor leaves a gaming site without playing, a browser window opens in the background. This window contains another CasinoPopup partner, who then trades its exit traffic to other members. For every two visitors that leave their site, they receive one quality player from a partner site.
“Members don’t have to worry about losing loyal clients,” said Ilan Artzy, director of operations at Montreal-based WebStorm Media. “Regular site visitors aren’t lured away by competitors because the browser window only opens when the user hasn’t played on the current site. CasinoPopup gives members quality traffic in exchange for their ‘wasted’ traffic.”
Artzy said that CasinoPopup applicants are carefully screened to ensure their standing in the industry. Once approved, they receive the HTML code, which is easily added to their web sites. Members can track their statistics, checking the quantity and quality of the traffic. Statistics are provided online, in real-time, using member tracking codes.
“Recovering players from other good sites in the industry is an ingenious way to share leads without jeopardizing our established clientele,” said John Dunkley from Ace King Club Casino. “Highly targeted gaming traffic is valuable to us and it only makes sense to circulate prospective players.”
Similar exit traffic services are offered by Gambling Tour and Cluster Traffic.
PokerJack Changes the Rules of the Game
Interactive Gaming and Wagering (IGW), a division of Singapore Online Casino Global Entertainment Holdings/Equities, Inc. has partnered with software developers Windward Innovations to create a new online card game that brings a couple of familiar faces together.
The new Java-based game, called PokerJack, combines blackjack with 5 Card Stud poker and a progressive jackpot. Players decide whether they are going to play blackjack, or blackjack and poker before cards are dealt. They then bet on blackjack, blackjack and poker, or blackjack, poker, and the progressive jackpot.
Players are able to wager a different amount on each game, as well as on the progressive jackpot, and can win on any or all of the three betting options.
The game follows normal blackjack and stud poker rules, with standard payouts on blackjack hands. Payouts for poker range from 1:1 for Sevens or Better, to 500:1 for a Royal Flush.
Payouts for the jackpot are smaller in comparison, and players can only win with a Flush or better. A Flush pays 1% of the total jackpot, a Straight Flush pays 10%, and a Royal Flush pays 100%.
Players bet on the progressive jackpot by adding a separate chip to the jackpot circle. One dollar is subtracted from the chip for every hand played. The jackpot is based on the stud poker hand the player is dealt.
The game itself looks similar to many other online blackjack games, with a few differences made to accommodate the poker option. They include a slightly larger screen, tables of poker and jackpot payouts, and the current jackpot.
PokerJack demands a basic understanding of poker and blackjack rules, as well as strategy for both games. For example, players will have to consider whether they have a better chance of winning one poker hand or two blackjack hands when they are dealt a pair.
The developers of PokerJack are hoping to attract players by offering a new gambling challenge with more chances to win. Bryan Abboud, managing director of IGW, anticipates “growing end-consumer response as the game gains in familiarity through its unique combination of 2 casino bell weathers, blackjack and video poker.”
He went on to note that other gambling software companies will likely develop similar products as PokerJack grows in popularity.
PokerJack is only available to IGW licensees, including VIP Casinos, Gameday Casino, Five Card Charlie, and WSSB Casino. It is currently running on these casinos in both real money and free play versions, with jackpots varying between the different casinos.
