FREE $500

Online Vegas Casino is the latest Vegas Technology-powered online casino catering to U.S. players and bringing a highly realistic virtual Las Vegas experience to the desktop. Offering one of the largest and best welcome bonuses we've seen in a long time (more on that later in this review), Online Vegas caught our attention and prompted a review upon meeting Online Casino Suite's requirements for a listing and recommendation.

Licensed in Curacao (Netherlands Antilles), Online Vegas is owned and managed by Hambledon NV (HBM Management) and is a member of the Curacao Internet Gaming Association (CIGA) - one of the foremost licensing jurisdictions in the online gambling industry today. Both Hambledon and CIGA, in turn, are members of the internationally reputed Interactive Gaming Council. Members of CIGA consists of both operators (online casinos) and non-operators, including banking, insurance, software and trust management companies. Membership requires all operators to abide by a strict code of conduct that is in compliance with all licensing and regulatory requirements imposed by Netherlands Antilles.

Online Vegas' software platform, likewise holds credentials for inherent fairness and safety. According to software testing house, Certified Fair Gambling (CFG), which is an approved testing facility with the UK Gambling Commission, the source code in Vegas Technology software produces truly unpredictable results in accordance with normal statistical odds.

Designed after what you would expect to find at a top-tier resort casino on the Las Vegas Strip (minus the lodging amenities, shopping and restaurants of course) Online Vegas Casino offers a well rounded selection of what matters the most: Casino table games, slots (including several 5-reel and 7-reel video slots, traditional slots, 3-reel slots and wide area progressive jackpot slots), single hand and multi-hand video pokers (including Deuces and Jokers, Jacks or Better, Aces and Faces, Double Joker, Deuces Wild and more), and specialty games that you can only find online.

The game previews page on the Vegas Online Casino Website lists the entire repertoire of 80+ downloadable games, providing screen shots of playing screens for each game. This is a download-only online casino, so don't bother trying to look for a Flash platform. The download only takes less than a couple of minutes with a broadband or DSL internet connection anyways. There is, however, no obligation to deposit funds and all players can open a "Fun" account with unlimited credits to test out the games and practice betting strategy and money management skills.

Another Las Vegas touch at Online Vegas are the slots tournaments, which is more so a credit to Vegas Technology Software, which helps organize wide area tournaments between players registered at multiple online casino licensees, thus creating larger guaranteed jackpots on a daily basis. For more details on tournaments, see the current month's tournament schedule published on the Online Vegas website, via the Promotions page.

Speaking of promotions, Online Vegas has several to choose from, including one of the largest welcome bonuses on the Web. In addition to their ongoing slots tournament schedule, Online Vegas offers 15% cash back on all deposits made as a Wire Transfer, and hands out weekly surprise bonuses to active players. As for that Welcome Bonus, it is worth up to $5,125 free over the course of one's first ten deposits with the cashier. The wager requirement is only 10x the value of the deposit and bonus. And like with most bonuses, there are wagering restrictions on certain games (Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, Roulette, Tri-Card Poker, Hold'em, Let'em Ride, Red Dog, Caribbean Stud, Mulligan and Pai-Gow Poker and Casino War). Essentially, this is a slots bonus.

The first deposit is for 100% up to $500 Free, the second deposit is worth 125% up to $300 Free, the third deposit is worth 150% up to $500 Free, the fourth through the ninth deposits are worth 25% up to $1,000 Free, while the tenth and final deposit offers the best incentive of all at 200% up to $1,000 free. Players need only make a minimum deposit of $25 and then contact customer service with the appropriate claim code (retrievable through the cashier), to quickly receive the each bonus.

Players should keep in mind that withdrawing of funds before meeting the wagering requirement will result in forfeiting the bonus money and any winnings derived from the bonus. Also know that a maximum of $8,000 per week may be withdrawn from one's account. Any questions may be directed to Online Vegas' 24/7 customer support center - available through email or toll-free telephone.