GoldenPalace.com is an online casino, hosted at Mohawk Internet Technologies, which is located in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory near Montreal. They are well-known for their publicity stunts. They are also known for large 'bonuses', free chips for play at their casino. On several occasions this has led to controversy when the site refused to pay players seen to be only playing in order to claim the free money and not for the entertainment value. One key incident led to the site's former software provider, Microgaming, terminating their agreement. This led GoldenPalace to move to rival Playtech software.

Promotions

The casino has paid many boxers to wear temporary tattoos on their backs promoting the site. GoldenPalace.com has been accused of far more disruptive stunts. The casino is widely believed to have sponsored serial streaker Mark Roberts in several of his escapades, including his "performances" at the 2003 UEFA Cup final and Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004; at both events, he wore a temporary GoldenPalace.com tattoo. Individuals sporting temporary tattoos for the casino have also disrupted other sporting events, including the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2006 Winter Olympics. Famed free climber Alain Robert also wore such a tattoo when he climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 2003.

In less controversial acts, it sponsored both Roberts (who was fully clothed) and former NBA star Dennis Rodman's participation in the 2004 Running of the Bulls as a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis charities. It also has sponsored several competitive eaters and competitive eating competitions, one of which was profiled on the A&E TV show Airline (ironically, a grilled cheese sandwich eating contest, which the casino famously paid for with the image of the Virgin Mary). It also sponsored the da Vinci Project's attempt to fly a reusable manned spacecraft for the Ansari X Prize, and was the cash prize sponsor on The Surreal Life: Fame Games.

Bids at Internet Auctions

GoldenPalace.com is also well-known for its winning Internet auctions, mostly for bizarre items. For example:

• On July 22, 2004, GoldenPalace won its first bid, buying a David Beckham missed penalty kick ball for €28,050.
• On March 3, 2005, they paid $650,000 for the naming rights of a recently discovered monkey species. The GoldenPalace.com Monkey was officially named Callicebus aureipalatii, "aureipalatii" literally translating into "Of the golden palace".
• On March 30, 2005, the casino paid Terri Iligan $15,199 to change her name to "goldenpalace.com".
• On May 5, 2005, it paid €188,938.88 ($244,524.73) to German student Benjamin Halbe for a VW Golf car which formerly belonged to Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now better known as Pope Benedict XVI. With over 8.5 million visitors, the auction became the most often viewed auction on eBay.de.
• On June 30, 2005, Karolyne Smith sold the right to permanently tattoo their domain name on her forehead for $10,000 US.
• On September 27, 2005, they paid NASCAR driver Robby Gordon $51,000 for a helmet which he had thrown at rival Michael Waltrip during a race. Gordon donated the proceeds to a relief fund for employees of Harrah's - one of Gordon's sponsors - who had been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
• On January 18, 2004, Richard Rowe, CEO of Golden Palace.com, bought a 1994 toasted cheese sandwich with Mary's image on the eBay auction website for $28,000. Florida resident, Diane Duyser stated that "the sandwich has never gone mouldy since she made it 10 years ago." Duyser claimed the sandwich gave her mystic luck - including a $70,000 win at a Florida casino.
• On January 16, 2006, Boston Legal actor William Shatner sold his kidney stone to GoldenPalace.com and raised money from other Boston Legal actors and bought a home for a Hurricane Katrina victim.

Notes

External links

• Goldenpalace.com