Golden Palace has been online since 1997 and has been steeped in controversy almost from their inception. They are licensed the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, Canada. They use Playtech software, however they started off with Microgaming, switched to Aqua (which isn't around anymore), and then ended up with Playtech about a year ago. Their browser casino is done is flash and is available for Mac users as well. Members of the IGC and ICRA. Customers can reach their support through email, phone (in North America), and Live Chat. However, Live Chat is available only through the casino itself – you won't find it through their website. In May 2000 Golden Palace was with Microgaming and fell into a bit of a quagmire. According to the message board on WINNERonline someone at Golden Palace was using the credit card numbers that people had used to deposit to buy computer equipment. This was just the start of the mess. Then there was the controversy of lock-outs for bonus hustlers. Apparently the ability to lock out bonus abusers was not in their terms and conditions and they did it after the fact by confiscating the whole lot and not even paying back the deposit. As we all know – locking out a bonus hustler is ok as long as you do it after you pay out what you owe. In addition they were caught posting security messages and advertising as if they were a player from the same IP address. (In other words they posted a message from the casino on a message board and a few minutes later posted again, only posing as a player.) They also double billed customers (which is actually easy enough to do when you're working on your billing system and someone in programming makes a mistake and doesn’t properly QA before going live – and yes I am speaking from experience here) Golden Palace wasn't going to go down without a fight. By July 2000 they had switched their software to Aqua and had started to give a no deposit bonus of $50 to get back all of the customers who left when the mess started. Things were going smoothly until 2002, when Aqua started to go in the red. In 2003 Aqua ceased to exist and Golden Palace switched to Playtech. Since then it's been smooth sailing with a great reputation. Speaking of fighting Golden Palace is a bizarre company famous for its guerilla marketing. It all started off in 2001 when they sponsored a boxing match and had the boxers fight with Golden Palace tattooed in henna on their backs. They like the body paint thing a lot. You might remember them for people streaking (yes, both men and women – but the women wear pasties) at sporting events such as the Olympics with Golden Palace henna tattooed on their chest. The website welcomes you with the "Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Song", done to the tune of "Do they know it’s Christmas". I wonder what Bob Geldoff would think of that (he's the guy who organized Live Aid and someone I think is an absolute genius) It welcomes you with this song because they bought the Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese that was auctioned off on eBay for $28,000. If you think that is a lot they bought the grandpa ghost walking stick from eBay for $65,000. Makes you wonder what odd thing you might have in your house that could interest them…
As if that isn't enough, they are also huge supporters of various charities using their name, money, and eccentric advertising expertise to raise money. They've sent Cabbage Patch versions of President Bush and Ellen DeGeneres to raise money for the Red Cross. They bought celebrity signed staplers from Staples and used them to make money as well. (The sandwich and the walking stick are also used to make money for charity) Basically this is the most charitable company I have come across online. They even sent my boss a doll (they are an affiliate on one of his sites) Basically, their marketing department is insane. Yet it works, as they've more than made up for their previous sins through their charity work.

Rules of Blackjack
Blackjack is played at a table with one dealer and up to 7 players. In front of each player spot is a betting square for bets to be placed. The number of players is irrelevant, because each player is playing ONLY against the dealer. Bets are in the form of colored chips. Each color means a different denomination and vary from casino to casino. All bets are to be made BEFORE each hand is dealt and once the first card is dealt bets cannot be removed. If you do not place a bet the dealer will not deal you any cards. Bets are to be stacked in a single pile, with highest denomination chips on the bottom of the stack. At each table there is a sign clearly stating the minimum and maximum bets allowed at that table. On the same sign, you will find any special instructions for the game, (ie. this is where you will be able to note whether Surrender is an active play) Find a table that suits your pocketbook, (in other words, don't bet more than you can afford to lose) Because there are many table games, it is important to make sure the table you are at is a BLACKJACK table. On the table surface you will see the phrase: "Blackjack pays 3 to 2" underneath you will find the dealer instructions concerning draws and Insurance payment. Now that you are at the correct table, it is necessary to find out what KIND of game you are playing. The choices are Multi-Deck and Single-Deck . Multi-Deck vs. Single-Deck For a beginner, it has been suggested to start with the Multi-Deck game which consists of 6 or 8 decks and are dealt from a Shoe , (a box for holding the cards) The cards are dealt "face up", so all the cards in play are showing. The reason for this is to get you, the new player, comfortable with the game and the casino enviroment. Also when selecting a table for "getting comfortable", choose one that has the lowest minimum bet in the casino. The more decks being used, the more of an advantage the casino has. Once you play for awhile and get the hang of the game, you may want to switch to the Single-Deck game, where the cards are dealt face down and the dealer only has one card showing face up. Values for the Cards Each player is given two cards, either face up or face down, and the dealer gets one card face down and one face up. The value of the hand is the sum of the cards. If anyone is dealt a "ten" and Ace as their two dealt cards, they have twenty one and are paid back at a ratio of 3 to 2. The suits are ignored, they don't count in the game at all. The cards with two to nine showing are taken at face value. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings are valued at "ten". Aces can be counted as One or Eleven. Mission of the Game The player's mission of the game is to get a score higher than the dealer and as close to "twenty-one" as possible. If the player or dealer exceed a score of "twenty-one, this is called a bust and that person loses the hand. If the dealer and player have the same score, it is called a push and nobody wins the hand. As explained before, the players DO NOT play against each other. The player must play first, if the players hand exceeds "21", (busts), the player loses their bet, even if the dealer busts on his hand. Soft and Hard Hands Because Aces are capable of having two values, when they are first dealt, the value is indistinguishable. For example, if you are dealt an A and 6, the value of the hand can be viewed as 7 or 17. This is called a SOFT hand because it doesn't exceed twenty one. If the player asks for another card and gets an 8, it is now considered a HARD hand because the value of the cards, (A+6+8, if the A is counted as eleven), is more than 21.

Basic Rules of Play
The dice are tossed from one end of the crapstable to the other making sure that both dice bounce off of the back wall of thetable.

Moving in a clockwise direction, players take turns rolling the dice. TheShooter's first role is called the "Come Out" role. This Shootercontinues to role as long as he or she makes winning roles.

The "Come Out" role is very important in craps in that it establishesthe Shooter's "Point." "The Point" is the number that theShooter must role again before he or she roles a 7. A 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10establishes the point. Rolling a 7, 11, 2, 3 or 12 on the "Come Out"role results in the dice being passed to the next Shooter.

The Puck - This two-sided disc indicates whether or not a game is inprogress and if a "Point" has been established. The puck displays"OFF" and remains on the "Don't Come Bar" until a"Point" has been established by the shooter. The dealer then turns thepuck to the "ON" side and moves it to the numbered location on thecraps table to denote the "Point" number for this shooter.

Betting On Craps

Pass Line Bet - A simple and basic even money bet. You are betting thatthe first role of the dice will add up to 7 or 11. On this bet, a 2, 3, or 12loses the bet. Any other number establishes the "Point." The"Point" number has to be rolled again before a 7 comes up to win,otherwise, the bet is lost.

Deuces Wild also contaisn wildcards just like Jokers Wild. In this game 2's are wildcards and can be used for absolutely anything no matter what 2 it is. This is a huge bonus and helps winning alot easier, but this means that the smallest winning hand is three of a kind. Here is the full win table. :-
• Three Of A Kind - Three cards that are the same numberwise. Achieving this returns your bet.
• Straight - All 5 cards consecutive but not in the same suit. For example, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Achieving this pays 2X your bet.
• Flush - Any 5 cards of the same suit, the numbers do not matter. Achieving this pays 2-3X your bet.
• Full House - Two cards of the same value and three cards of the same value such as 7, 7, Queen, Queen, Queen. Achieving this pays 3-4X your bet.
• Four Of A Kind - Four cards of the same numerical value such as four 10's. Achieving this pays 4-5X your bet.
• Straight Flush - Five cards of the same suit in numerical order such as 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 of hearts. Achieving this pays 8-10X your bet.

• Royal Flush Without Deuces - Five cards of the same suit, MUST be 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Achieving this pays 250X your bet if you bet 1 to 4 coins and 4000X your bet if you bet 5 coins.
The following can only be won when one deuce (2) or more are present in the hand.

• Five Of A Kind - Five cards of the same number and has to include one deuce (2) or more. Achieving this pays 15-16X your bet.
• Wild Royal Flush - Five cards of the same suit in numerical order ending at Ace, must include one or more deuce (2) For example 10, 2, Queen, King, Ace. Achieving this pays 25-30X your bet.
• Four Deuces - A hand that contains all four deuces (2) Achieving this pays 200X your bet.