It's been a while since I visited Cowboy Casino so I thought I'd swagger on in to the ol' saloon to see what's what. Turns out there's been some changes thereabouts: spiffo polish job on the software, a new crop of dealers and fresh felt on the tables. Very nice looking. So far so good.

Sat down at the tables for a little Blackjack and whoa! things have speeded up since I had my keester warming the chair. That software really flies! And a new ambiance: music, background sounds, multimedia on the table play. (Not too sure about the looks of the Royals though. The guys and gals look a little ... odd, like they're related to the Elephant Man or been smokin' a little too much of the wacky tabacky.)

Anyway, the games at Cowboy are a lot slicker than I remember them. Faster, better graphics, improved animations.

Elsewhere at Cowboy, things haven't changed a whole lot. Their attractive 10% bonus program ended in July but we're hoping they'll think about bringing that back. It's a nice perk and something that helped Cowboy stand out in the crowd. And if you like using your e-mailer, you can request a "giveaway" entry form for each $25 you deposit. Each entry form puts you in a raffle for a total of $25,000 in prizes. You do have to specifically request and mail back the entry form each time however.

While things like support and help pages aren't too exciting you sure as heck want them to be there when you need them. Cowboy's got some nice help pages -- not too extensive, but helpful nonetheless -- for each of the games. There are a nice set of keyboard controls in case your mousing finger gets a cramp. And last but not least, the support is real and works. They've got toll free numbers, fax lines, email addresses, and local numbers to make sure you're not left with your long-johns flapping in the wind.

I called the toll-free number just to make sure they were as good as their word and sure enough, a nice lady with a Caribbean accent was there to help.

At the Cowboy, you aren't gonna get the red carpet and champagne treatment that some of the biggest casinos dish out. But on the other hand sometimes you just want the games and not the pomp and circumstance. I'd say the Cowboy is a respectable place to hang yer hat for a spell.