GameMaster Rating: 86 points (of 100)

General Comments: This casino is a cyber-only operation which is located in Australia and is a relative newcomer to the Internet. AugVegas is under the supervision of the Australian government and as a consequence, I personally have no concerns regarding the integrity of this operation. Please understand that all my play here was for 'fun'; so no real $$$ were wagered at any time by me. The software used is by Access Gaming and it's similar to Lasseter's OnLine Casino, at least in that regard. But, where Lasseter's has bets as low as a penny (an Australian penny at that), AusVegas has higher bet minimums, usually AUD $1.

Recommendations: Signing up for a play-money account was a long and involved process on a server which was running painfully slow. I didn't want to borrow the crown jewels for a weekend, I just wanted to download their software! That process can definitely be made easier, though I do understand the need for strict security. They appear to have that in abundance.

Games Analysis (All this information was correct on the date listed above)

Blackjack This game is dealt from a multi-deck shoe in what they call an 'infinite' style. This basically means that any one card has the same opportunity to appear as any other and that's roughly the mathematical equivalent of an 8-deck game where the dealer shuffles after every hand. Their rules are: Double on any first two cards, double after split; dealer stands on A-6. The dealer does not "peek", so all doubled bets or bets on splits against a 10 or Ace are lost if he (she, it?) gets a Blackjack. Pairs may be split up to 3 hands and insurance is available. The casino's edge is about 0.56%. Limits are $1-$500 (AUD).

Blackjack playing tips: If you decide to play here, you need to remember that both bets are lost if you double or split pairs against a dealer's 10 or Ace and he gets a 'natural'. This requires a change in basic strategy. Never take insurance.

*Theoretical Return is what a player who uses proper playing strategy may expect, long term.
Comments: This is a low-paying version of the game with a proportional pay schedule.

Slot Machines: Three different games are available and the casino has the theoretical pay back on them available at the site. The "Classic" is a three-reel, single-line game which they claim has a payback of 97.76%. It's available in denominations of $.50-$50 (AUD). The "Video" is a 1 to 9 line game in denominations of $.01-$.50 and they claim it has a return of 95.25%. The "Home Run Baseball" is a clone of the "Video" game with the same parameters and the stated payoff is 94.65%.

Roulette: This is a 'European' wheel with a single zero, so the casino has a 2.70% edge. The 'en prison' rule does not apply. Limits are AUD $1 minimum and $100 maximum.

Sic-Bo: This is an Asian dice game in which you're betting on various combinations that can be made by three dice. For example, if you bet that all 3 will show 'snake-eyes' (1-1-1), it pays 180 to 1. The only snag here is that the probability is 215 to 1. Any 'triple' pays 31 to 1, but the probability is 35 to 1. There are some pretty hefty house percentages here. Limits are AUD$1 to $50.

Baccarat: This appears to be a 'regular' game. The 'commission' on a winning Banker bet is 5%, so the casino's edge is 1.06% on a Banker bet and 1.23% on a Player bet. Ties pay 8 to 1. Limits are AUD $1-$500.

Summary and Rating of AusVegas Casino: Anyone has got to feel good about the security which is offered here and that is definitely worth something. But it's probably not worth playing a 93.3% return Video Poker game just to feel secure, nor is their Blackjack game anything special. But, the implied honesty due to Australian government regulation carries a lot of weight with me and their table games are at least average in terms of odds, so I'm happy to give AusVegas a rating of 86 points.