Galewind Software Corp.

Galewind is a Vancouver, British Columbia software developer who has been in business since 2007. They began developing games in 2000 and supplying various casinos in 2004. The current corporation was formed in 2007. Top management is involved in all aspects of the business assisted by game designers, statisticians, Adobe® Flash® developers, 3D modelers, graphic designers and animators. Were one to enter their offices, rather than seeing a bunch of junior programmers in cubicles, they would see the CEO and other highly experienced staff (over 15 years experience each) in a design and engineering environment.

Quality, reliability and integrity might be empty catch-phrases some places, but not at Galewind. They received Certified Fair Gambling's (CFG) "Seal of Approval" after an RNG audit in early 2009 and were again certified by iTech Labs in July 2010 and October 2011. They were given a "Core Service Provider Associate Certificate" by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) in 2012 which is no mean feat and places them head and shoulders above many other trusted software suppliers in terms of the quality, reliability, and accountability.

But even beyond licenses and certifications the word, "integrity" truly applies to Galewind Software Corp. As of this writing, Galewind games can be played at the highly rated Pinnacle Sportsbook (no US allowed). The games had previously been available at Heroes Casino but when the casino tried to renig on a player's blackjack winnings of almost $40,000.00 Galewind stepped in with an ultimatum; pay the player or lose your license. The casino refused, so Galewind shut them down and paid the player themselves. Not even the multi-billionaire giants of the industry have been known to do that and it tells almost all we really need to know about Galewind.

Software

Galewind casino software is easily integrated into any existing platform. The games are delivered as no download Adobe Flash and play in a pop-up web browser on any computer OS. The same RNG and controls are used for all games in each of their three casino products. The Performance Casino is used for real money play. Galewind's Practice Casino can be used to practice strategy, test the games before placing real wagers, and simply as a fun diversion. They also offer a Tournament Casino which venues can configure for public or invitational play.

The casino lobby loads in under a minute and has a no nonsense and very attractive interface. Clicking on one of the game suites such as "Video Pokers" for example, immediately brings up graphical representations of the games available. Then pressing the Jacks or Better button loads a well designed game in less than five seconds with subsequent accesses rendering immediately. Galewind makes their audited game returns public with the house edge and RTP listed for specific games rather than an overall percentage of all games together. Players can view the keno Pick/Catch statistics and compare them with historic results. Galewind is perhaps the most transparent casino games provider out there.

Games

While not providing hundreds of games like some of the behemoth makers, Galewind offers a nice choice of classic casino games like Blackjack, Baccarat, Poker, Craps, Pontoon, Pai Gow, and Roulette as well as Video Poker, progressive and standard Video Slots. The table games have decent 3D graphics. Although they are not quite as crisp and detailed as Playtech or Microgaming, they are still superior to many other providers. Game play is smooth and as mentioned earlier, load time is negligible. Game help is immediately available while playing in a pop up FAQ format that includes house rules as well as answers to any questions a new or advanced player may have. Blackjack rules are generous and of course, roulette rules are standard. The six video poker games on offer are all single hand versions. Jacks or Better offers a 9/6/4000 pay table and has a house edge of only 0.46% giving players who use perfect strategy a RTP of 99.54%.

Slots

Galewind currently offers 11 slot games, two of which are single line 3 reel games, 7 are multiline video slots and two are progressives. An in depth analysis of each slot is available on the Galewind web site that includes among other data Theoretical RTP%, variance, hit frequencies in regular play and during free spins if any, and the average number of spins between bonus rounds. Hot Peppers is a low variance 5 reel, 20 payline slot with wild symbols, scatter pays and free spins that pay 3x. Bowl-A-Palooza is a high variance 5 reel, 9-line game with a bonus feature and scatter pays. Both games have a 10,000x line bet jackpot. Bells and Whistles and Silver Spurs are both 3 reel, 5-line games with progressive jackpots.

Security

Players can be assured of a fair game as the Galewind RNG has been certified by the two most important auditors online. The Core Service Provider Associate Certificate issued by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) is another assurance players can be confident with. Financial processing and personal details are in the realm of the venue you play at. Currently the option is Pinnacle Sports who are widely considered the top sportsbook in the world and carry A+ ratings wherever they are honestly reviewed.

Conclusion

Although somewhat a small offering at around 30 games, Galewind has been selective and deliver a great core casino suite that should appeal to serious classic game players and slots aficionados alike. The game graphics will not "knock your socks off" but neither are they boring nor amateurish renditions. The games all play well and offer very fair returns (none of the slots have less than 97% RTP). The company's credentials are impeccable, and as evidenced by the Heroes debacle, Galewind stand behind their product 100%. Given the regulatory accountability, certificates of fairness, and Galewind's history of fair play above and beyond the call of duty we can certainly recommend their games.