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UK
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English Harbour Casino
Interview
29 July
2005
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We talk to
Elizabeth Richfield, Customer Relationship
Marketing manager for English Harbour Casinos,
about the future of online gaming and the
technology that drives its
development.
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CasinoTimes:
Tell us a bit about English Harbour's history - for example,
when did it launch?
Elizabeth: We began
in 1997, when we were licensed in Antigua and Barbuda and
launched our flagship casino brand, English
Harbour. Since
then we've launched many other successful sites, such as
Silver
Dollar,
Caribbean
Gold and the
Super
Slots online
casino, as well as several that showcase our multi-lingual
platform - Millionaire
Casino,
Cassino
Aposte and
Casino
Bleu Blanc Rouge.
We're passionate about
making sure that we offer the best gaming software in the
industry, and upgrade regularly. Earlier in 2005 we released
a new Web-based Flash version of the casino to ensure
maximum accessibility to every level of player.
Another source of pride is
how, in 1999, we became the first online gaming company to
launch an affiliate
scheme. It's gone
from strength to strength ever since, with our pay-outs
soaring too. We paid $234,623 to one American gamer who won
playing European Roulette in 2003, a new record at the time.
And we broke the $1bn-mark in wagers for the first time as
long ago as 2001.
"I'm
here to make sure gamers have a good time in our
casinos"
CasinoTimes:
You work as English Harbour's Customer Relationship
Marketing manager - what does that job involve in a business
like an online casino?
Elizabeth: Put
simply, I'm here to make sure gamers have a good time in our
casinos and want to come back. I ensure we have the widest
possible range of targeted 'Customer Relationship
Management' (CRM) programs, ranging from VIP programs and
big-ticket sweepstakes to targeted cash-back bonuses,
rewards programs and everything in between. If online
gamblers want to play it, I want to provide it for
them.
CasinoTimes:
So does English Harbour plan to add any new games? And what
games do you think will grow in popularity in the near
future?
Elizabeth: We're
always looking to improve the experience for our players and
regularly add new games, especially slots. As in everything
we do, our aim is to bring players closer to Vegas than ever
before and give them the most dazzling and exhilarating
casino experience imaginable.
We recently relaunched two
of our casinos - Super
Slots and
Caribbean
Gold - with a
brand new state-of-the-art software engine we call "Vegas
Technology".
It's a complete
reengineering of our casino into a high-tech software
package with a new set of classic slots games familiar from
land-based casinos in Vegas. These include:
- Cash Grab - Bonus
Game
- Crazy
Cherry
- Double
Gold
- Flamin' 7s
- Liberty 7s
- Lucky Fruity
7s
We chose these particular
games as the first to be included in the new Vegas
Technology because of their huge popularity among
casino-goers. We're confident that each game will draw in
its current following of players, but we also think that in
this new superbly designed form they will attract a whole
new audience too.
CasinoTimes:
What online games do you think involve the most skill? And
do you have a personal favourite?
Elizabeth: I think
any game where the player can influence the outcome
obviously involves a level of skill and discipline, so it's
difficult to pick just one out. On a personal level, I've
always felt that the English Harbour video poker games are
superior to anything else on the market.
CasinoTimes:
There are a lot of online casinos in the market - what do
you think people should look for when they choose somewhere
to gamble?
Elizabeth:
Undoubtedly security is top of the list. Questions to ask
include: Has the casino been in business for a while? Is it
listed on reputable sites such as CasinoTimes.co.uk?
After that, I think it's all about the experience: do you
like the software? Is it fun to play?
CasinoTimes:
So what does English Harbour do to attract new customers and
retain its existing players?
Elizabeth: We offer
generous match bonuses and additional purchase bonuses to
attract new customers. For existing gamblers we have a whole
lot of exciting programs - regular cash-back bonuses,
rewards points, contests and tournaments, big-ticket
sweepstakes, all sorts of excitement.
CasinoTimes:
Some people are still suspicious of online gaming and even
suspect that games are fixed. How do you make sure that
games are fair?
Elizabeth: We
recognise this is a major worry for some people but, at the
end of the day, you don't stay in business if you're not
playing by the rules. Gamers should be reassured that all
our software is audited regularly - we are also an active
member of the Interactive
Gaming Council.
"You
can't go to Vegas for 15 minutes while the kettle's
on"
CasinoTimes:
Why do you think so
many people are choosing to gamble online? What advantages
do you think they find there?
Elizabeth: Well,
choice and convenience are major incentives, as with
everything else online. But I think there's an extra benefit
in online gambling: it's much more flexible.
You can't go to Vegas for
15 minutes while the kettle's on, and you can't find a seat
at a blackjack table where you can play for a dollar a hand
in most land-based operations. Even at the top end of the
scale, if you want to play roulette all day in your
underwear, you can do that online and no one will ever
know.
CasinoTimes:
So do you think the number of online gamblers will continue
to grow over the next few years or has online gaming reached
its peak?
Elizabeth: I don't
think there's any doubt that online gaming will continue to
see significant growth over the next few
years.
Our players tend to be
from the "Baby Boomer" generation and upwards - people who
are looking for ways to enhance their leisure time. More and
more of them are deciding there's no better way to do that
than spending an hour or two playing at one of English
Harbour's many casinos - without leaving the comfort of
their own home.
All new players at English
Harbour Casino are welcomed with a free cash bonus when you
make your first chips purchase. Get up to £125 FREE (or
$275 for US$ players).
Click
Here To Visit English Harbour
Casino (play
in UK£ - get £125 FREE!)
Click
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in US$ - get $275 FREE!)
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