When I saw the promotion Casino San Fran was running I couldn't believe my eyes. They're going to refund my losses yet I can keep my winnings? That, my friends, is a gambler's dream and an offer no professional gambler would refuse.

Before I go any farther, let me give you some details on this promotion, which I hope is still in effect when you read this review.

Make your first deposit into your Casino San Fran of up to US$200. Play as much as you want until Midnight (GMT) the following day. If you lose any money from that first deposit you will get a refund of the entire amount lost. Your refund can be withdrawn immediately, or you can use it to play some more in the casino.

But sorry, US citizens. Casino San Fran does not accept bets from the US.

On to the game. Casino San Fran is a download casino licenced from Radiate Software, a Swiss company. It's a little different from your usual Internet casino fare.

The graphics are first rate and Casino San Fran has executed the San Francisco theme extremely well with games like Alcatraz Video Poker, Chinatown Keno and Cable Car Five-Line, plus incredible images of the Bay Area. And here's a nice touch: the "Love Bus" slot machine revs its engine when you pull the handle and a hippie gives you the peace sign when you win. Groovy.

With $200 in my account I headed straight for the blackjack table for a single deck game, Vegas rules, shuffled after every hand.

With the refund policy in effect, I bet aggressively, doubled my money in five minutes using basic strategy (see our blackjack page) then cashed out.

Yes, I had a nice time at Casino San Fran. Hope you do too.

Two beefs with the games, though: 1) There was no voice or music and 2) The game moved a little bit slow on my Celeron 300 laptop. But overall I was impressed by Radiate's new software. I expect we'll see more of them in the near future.

Casino San Fran charges a $2 fee for withdrawals and sends your money to you by check in the mail. I'll let you know if there are any problems collecting -- I don't expect any but you never know.

My rating: A straight.

Update, 5 November 1999: Just wanted to let everyone know that my winnings were paid promptly. I received a check in the mail about a week after cashing out. -- Chuck