The newest online casino of the Casino Action Group, Music Hall Casino was developed with the intention of providing a musically themed atmosphere to online gamers. Succeeding at just that, Music Hall Casino is one of the only mainstream regulated online casinos with a "classically" musical theme. Classical music lovers should not get too excited though, for the theme is by no means an orchestral concert. One of the best assets of this casino are their payouts for table games and poker games (See "Games and Payouts" further down in this review). As for the credentials of Casino Action Group, they have been operating online casinos and internet gaming sites since the nineties, and are owners of UK Casino Club and Golden Reef Casino to name a few. Obtaining their gaming licenses through the Kahnawake Commission of the Mohawk Territory, Canada, as well as abiding by eCOGRA ethical gaming standards, Music Hall Casino is a safe and reputable place to wager money online.

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Casino Software

Microgaming takes credit for the branded software platform used at Music Hall Casino. Using the Viper package, all games come in sharp and intelligent graphics - complete with casino ambience, machine sound/visual effects and quick load times. Keeping with the "Classical" music theme, every time a player wins or loads up a new game, a chord of classical sounds is played. Although it isn't much, it helps to convey a certain ambience. 100+ casino games are available with a download of the software package, which takes less than three minutes on a broadband connection. Required disk space is minimal, and the Windows Operating System is entirely compliant. For players who prefer not to download and who have no penchant for playing progressive jackpots, the Flash version of the software will suffice - delivering the very same graphics and playing interface. Two excellent services that are part of the software platform are Microgaming's PlayCheck and CashCheck systems. PlayCheck is the interface that lets players view all of their gambling sessions, including detailed information on stake amounts, withdrawals/deposits and specific hand outcomes. When a player upgrades their real money account to cash, the CashCheck system lets players view all of their financial transactions, tournament wins and casino bonuses.

Bonuses & Promotions

It seems that Music Hall Casino prefers to give out multiple deposit bonuses in large sums. Their track record shows a consistent offering of large bonuses, which some players may or may not want to take advantage of. The way it usually works is that the first deposit a player makes will have a 25% match bonus with it (in the neighborhood of up to $200 free). The second and third deposit, which must be made in successive months, come with a 50% and 100% match bonus (in the neighborhood of up to $150 free). At the time of this review, Music Hall was offering $500 free in the manner just described. Players will be sent the offer via email for their first three deposits with the online cashier. The wager requirement is 30x, and all games apply a particular percentage to meeting it (see the bonus terms and conditions on Music Hall's website). New members should keep in mind that their first deposit will serve as a cap for their following deposits when taking advantage of the bonus. In other words, in order to receive the maximum bonuses from their second and third deposits, the player must make their first wager in an amount that will gain the maximum allowance in free bonus money.

Music Rewards is the Comp Program that all Music Hall real money account holders are automatically enrolled in. Depending on the frequency and amount of one's gambling, players can also be endowed with various levels of VIP membership status, which include Silver, Gold and Platinum. For every wager a player makes, they will accumulate Bonus Points, which can then be redeemed for cash. Every 1,000 points can be exchanged for $10. And with VIP status, the conversion rate between points and cash gets better. For instance, VIP Silver status is given $15 for every 1,000 points. Redeeming points is quite painless - only requiring the player to select the 'Music Rewards' option via the software platform. Players should keep in mind that comp points are not accumulated for playing roulette or craps, and that all points will be void if one's account is inactive for three consecutive months.

Games & Payouts

New games and upgrades are consistently being added to Music Hall's gaming suite. Microgaming alone is planning to release an additional sixty online casino games in the coming year, which has been the pattern in previous years as well. At Music Hall, nothing is spared in terms of gaming options. There are over 100 games at the time of this review, and eighteen different Microgaming progressive jackpots that have awarded nearly $200 million in winnings over the years. Blackjack hands can be played for as little as $.50, and there is a large selection of penny games. The payout reports (prepared by Price Waterhouse Coopers) speak for themselves, and can be viewed by visitors on the Music Hall Casino website. As you should know, the payouts date back the last twelve months and reveal a track record of high payouts for table and poker games. The monthly table game payouts (consistently hitting over 98%) are truly one of the best assets of Music Hall, and the chief incentive for many players. Poker games also payout very generously, often hitting over 99%. February and March of 2006, were consecutive months in which the poker game payouts were over 100%.

Online Cashier

Fifteen different deposit methods and nine different withdrawal methods make up the online cashier at Music Hall, and help facilitate highly secure financial transactions on a Secure Socket Layer using 128-bit encryption technology. Many of the transaction methods can be used to process both deposits and withdrawals, as well as receive refunds. Each method is different, and it is up to the player to decide which one will work best for their needs. FirePay and NETeller are the preferred methods at Music Hall's cashier, and guarantee very fast payouts. Depending on how much much money one plans to process each month or how fast one needs funds processed, a deposit/withdrawal method will be right for each individual account holder. Alternative methods that can be used for both withdrawals and deposits are NETeller, Click2Pay, MoneyBookers and Instadebit. Of course, players can also cash out winnings via check payment through the mail. For all other methods, the Music Hall Casino website provides a brief description and a direct, helpful link to every financial processing method, which are all accessible through the online cashier of the software platform.

Gaming Policies

In addition to a 100% transparent gaming policy with terms and conditions posted on their website, Music Hall Casino abides by a strict ethical code regarding customer treatment, time-efficiency, as well as underage and problem gambling prevention and mediation. Direct links are provided to problem gambling websites and the top child protection filters currently on the market, including NetNanny, Cyber-Snoop, CyberSitter and CyberPatrol.

A summarized version of the terms and conditions, which each player must agree to when downloading and installing the software, are presented here:

1. Taxes on Earnings - Winnings are not taxed when collected by the player.
2. Registration Process - When opening an account, players must confirm they are over eighteen years old, and are advised to install a child protection filter, as well as stray from saving their username and password on personal computers, which doing so will automatically forfeit a players protective rights if a third party logs in with their username and password.
3. Deposit Limitations - Deposits made with debit and/or credit cards will be kept to maximum limitations by the day and month.
4. Private Information - All personal details, such as address of record, birth date, and telephone number, is considered sensitive and shall not be shared with other parties unless required by law.
5. Competitive Events - The casino holds competitions, which if the player signs up in, will be obligated following the terms and conditions governing the event.
6. Casino Promotions - All promos and bonus offers are regulated by specific terms and conditions, including wager requirements, which the player must agree to if taking part in the promotions. All conditions are displayed on the website under the section of Promotions.
7. Exclusion From Account - A player may be denied access to their account if caught in illegal activities with the casino.
8. Winnings - All funds earned from gambling must be verified by the casino and shall be subject to identity authentication at the time of withdrawing.
9. Legal Bindings - All players are bound by the laws of the gaming authority in which Music Hall Casino has its gaming license, that being the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
10. Disputes and Mediation - In the unlikely event of disputes, players are required to abide by the presiding gaming authority of the Kahnawake court system.
11. Account Suspension - All accounts are subjected to suspension and expulsion if these terms and conditions are breached by the player.
12. Account Dormancy - Player account inactivity for more than ninety consecutive days is contingent to warrant a closing of the account and clear all remaining funds.
13. Disclaimer of Illegal Activity - Illegal activity of any kind on the player's behalf will be reported to legal agencies.
14. Exchanging of Currencies - Exchange rates at the time of currency exchange will be used to calculate currency changes at the players request.

Casino Customer Service

Building off the experience of the other casinos operated by Casino Action Group, Music Hall understands the concept of providing friendly customer service and solutions to a players needs. Direct links from the online software platform provide live chat with an operator in under thirty seconds, while all emails are guaranteed a response within thirty minutes. You really can't ask for much more than that, but there is also a helpful Frequently Asked Questions section that helps explain the use of passwords and account numbers, the procedure for cashing out earnings, gambling in the free-play mode, registration procedures, buying credits and minimum credit amounts, fairness of games, and how to navigate the software and play the games.

Awards

Most players forget the fact that Music Hall Casino has not won any awards, considering they are a young online casino. However, Music Hall is powered by Microgaming, which has won several "Best Casino Software" awards in numerous competitions, including the player's poll via Online Gambling Magazine. The Casino Action Group has likewise been recognized for their achievements in the land-based gambling industry.