If there’s anything better than having a casino near your home, I’d imagine a nice casino, in a sunny beach resort, with the excitement of gambling at your doorstep, and a pina colada or mai tai in your hand as you stroll on the beach. The Sands of the Caribbean, one of the oldest casinos on the Net, tries to recreate this exact scenario.

The Sands of the Caribbean is a Cryptologic casino – the first one reviewed on Got2Bet – and surely, based purely on longevity, a very popular and prominent casino. Its recently upgraded software, version 4.0, gave this grand old dame of online gambling a newer, more sophisticated look and increased enjoyment for players.

So it was my turn to take a look at Sands of the Caribbean – as well as review the latest version of Cryptologic software. In doing so, I also enlisted the help of a friend who, while expert at gambling and video poker, had never played at a real online casino before.

The first thing one notices is high-quality graphic designs – certainly distinguishing them from many of the smaller providers out there, and easily on a level with casinos manufactured by Boss Media or Microgaming. On top of that, they have a wide selection of games, more than any manufacturer except Microgaming. And their recent addition of a number of progressive slots, video poker, and caribbean stud games truly brings the same excitement one can find at a land-based casino.

Those of you who are experienced casino gamblers may note some slight differences in the games here – for example, the spinning of the slot reels does not feel the same as in real casinos, and you may find a few extra clicks of the mouse where a simple push of a button or two would have achieved the same result at a game like video poker.

But that does not detract from the entertainment value and very real chance of winning a jackpot or two. I don’t doubt for a minute that a big winner would be every bit as excited as someone who hit a jackpot in Vegas – and sometimes the pots are even higher online.

Banking is handled by Cryptologic’s in-house subsidiary, whose e-cash security and reliability are well-known through other industries as well as the online gambling industry. You will require a PIN number in order to cash out, however, and that will take around a week if you live in North America.

The Sands of the Caribbean, in its long history, has had few, if any, complaints that I have come across – and its ties to the WWTS sportsbook and Intercasino undoubtedly help to enhance the honesty and reliability of the people behind this well-established operation. Unlike other casinos where I would do a lot of research before making a deposit, at the Sands of the Caribbean you have absolutely zero to worry about.

So go make that pina colada, grab a few snacks, and settle down in front of the computer – you’re going to enjoy this casino, and you might as well make the experience as realistic as possible!