CWC

CWC Gaming was founded in 2003 and is known as being the first iGaming software company to offer “Live Dealers” and audio streaming via a webcam to online casinos. In the same year, CWC launched their own online casino, called Casino Web Cam, becoming the first casino to use the live dealer/webcam features.

CWC’s offering is characterized by perhaps the largest team of live dealers in the live online casino market. The CWC dealer studio, along with Casino Web Cam is located and licensed in San Jose, Costa Rica. The company also has development, licensing, marketing, and support team offices located in Ottawa, Canada, London, and Asia.

Using real-time video streaming, casino players are able to play, hear, and see actual games of Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, Caribbean Poker, and Sic Bo. The enchanting, mostly female, live dealers throw dice, deal cards, spin roulette wheels, all in real-time. Players can communicate with the dealers using “text chat” and hear the dealer’s responses via streaming audio.

CWC Gaming boasts that the use of real-time female dealers and their software leads to greater monthly deposits, longer play times, and reduced costs related to player acquisition.

The CWC Gaming Casino Suite consists of a fully-customizable, multi-lingual, second generation Flash software, bundled with studio (Live Dealer hosting) services. Their software platform also features a robust back-end management system with standard reporting, cashier, bonus, marketing, and affiliate modules.

CWC Gaming software runs on an instant play platform that is compatible with most Web browser. Many of the online casinos that use CWC software have a download option available to their players as well.

The company claims that since 2003 their live dealer platform has enabled over 30 online casino operators and 100,000 players from around the world to "Play it Live". That may be true because they had a great start in the iGaming market with their cutting edge “live” technology. However, the company took a drastic turn in 2005 when the CEO of CWC Gaming, Adam Anhang, an enormously successful entrepreneur from Canada, was murdered on a busy street corner in Old San Jose in broad daylight.

Reports are that the multi-millionaire businessman was having marital problems and ending his six month marriage to his wife, Aurea Vazquez. They’d been discussing the details of the marriage’s dissolution in the Pink Skirt, a restaurant owned by Vazquez: she would receive monthly alimony payments, a sports car, and a huge lump sum that would cover the cost of a new ocean view home.

Upon leaving the restaurant, Anhang was attacked, brutally stabbed and beaten. His wife also had injuries related to a punch from the attacker and was taken to the hospital, where she was later released.

Long story short, Vazquez gave conflicting stories about the description of the assailant that contrasted greatly with other eye witnesses to this very public execution. One eye witness, who had stared into the eyes of the killer just before he ran off, said that Vazquez appeared to be observing the stabbing and beating rather than being afraid of it.

Upon further investigation, authorities discovered that Vazques had had an affair with an employee (of hers) from the restaurant, Jonathan Roman, who was later arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced for the murder of Anhang.

In a 2008 Dateline interview with Anhang’s parents it was revealed that during trial testimony prosecutors made it clear that they thought this was a “murder for hire” crime and all suggestions pointed to Anhang’s wife, whom many considered to be a gold-digger after Anhang’s $25 million estate.

Later Vazquez was charged by a U.S. grand jury with offering a man (Roman) $3 million to kill Anhang. She has denied the charges, and is currently living in Italy. U.S. authorities are seeking her extradition.

Anhang’s parents gained control of his assets, and in August, 2011, A U.S. federal court of appeals dismissed a multimillion-dollar charge filed by Vazques against the Anhang’s parents seeking the majority of his wealth.

Losing the drive and intellect of Anhang took its toll on the company. Today there are only a handful of online casinos using CWC Gaming software, some of whom integrate the Live Dealer Casino feature with other iGaming platforms.

Some critics blame it on CWC Gaming’s lack of re-investment into their technology. Their software has been surpassed by other brands, which have lured over 25 CWC Gaming online casinos clients to their platforms.

However, in an attempt to remain competitive, CWC Gaming recently made some significant changes. They fired most of their dealers, hired a high-end manager, and launched a series of new mini games. Some iGaming reviewers think this is a good move for the company but don’t know if it’s enough to raise their standing in the market.

For more information on CWC Gaming, visit their website at: www.CWCgaming.com.