{{Short description|Online casino}} {{Other uses|Golden Palace (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox company | name = Golden Palace | logo = | type = Private | location_city = Waterloo | location_country = Belgium | founded = 1997 | industry = Betting and gaming | num_employees = | homepage = {{URL|https://goldenpalace.com/}} }} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2012}} '''GoldenPalace.com''' is an online casino that operates under a license granted by CIGA (Curaçao Internet Gaming Association). They are known for their publicity stunts and large "bonuses" that had to be wagered up to fifty times before claiming. On several occasions, this led to controversy when the site refused to pay players seen to be only playing 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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Shackleford |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Shackleford |title=Golden Palace Bonus Abuse Lockout Controversy |date=2023-10-16 |url=https://wizardofodds.com/online-gambling/golden-palace/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Cullingworth |first=Brian |date=2000-11-17 |title=Analysis of the Golden Palace Scandal |url=http://www.winneronline.com/articles/november2000/opa1102.htm |website=WinnerOnline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415102108/http://www.winneronline.com/articles/november2000/opa1102.htm |archive-date=2014-04-15 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> This led GoldenPalace and its sister casinos to move to rival Playtech in 2003; since 2013, it uses provider IGSONLINE.
==History== [[File:Plecturocebus aureipalatii.jpg|thumb|The "GoldenPalace.com monkey", which the website bought the naming rights to.]] The casino has paid many boxers to wear temporary tattoos on their backs promoting the site. GoldenPalace.com has also been accused of far more disruptive ambush marketing stunts.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://slate.com/business/2003/06/golden-palace-s-experiment-in-nude-branding.html | title=Show Us Your Tats | magazine=Slate | date=2003-06-23 | last=Walker | first=Rob }}</ref> The casino 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.<ref>{{cite AV media |last1=Emery |first1=Dan |last2=Wacowich |first2=Mathieu |last3=Deitcher |first3=Jon |title=Jimmy Jump: The World's Greatest Streakers}}</ref>
GoldenPalace.com is also well known for its winning internet auctions, mostly for bizarre items. Notable examples include a $28,000 grilled cheese sandwich purportedly displaying an image of the Virgin Mary,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4034787.stm |work=BBC News | title='Virgin Mary' toast fetches $28,000 | date=2004-11-23}}</ref> a $75,100 plastic French fry from a McDonald's Super Bowl commercial,<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=2005-02-18 |title='Abe' fry fetches $75,100 |url=https://money.cnn.com/2005/02/18/news/funny/lincoln_fry/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331233600/https://money.cnn.com/2005/02/18/news/funny/lincoln_fry/ |archive-date=2025-03-31|work=CNN Business}}</ref> a car previously owned by Pope Benedict XVI,<ref>{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Luke |author-link=Luke Harding |date=2005-05-05 |title=Pope's old car makes more than £128,000 on eBay |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/may/06/pope.religion |access-date=2014-08-22 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> and William Shatner's kidney stone, for which it paid $25,000.<ref>{{cite news |date=2006-01-18 |title=Actor Shatner sells kidney stone |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4623280.stm |work=BBC News |df=mdy-all}}</ref> On March 3, 2005, they paid $650,000 for the naming rights of the recently discovered Madidi titi monkey. The "GoldenPalace.com monkey" was officially named ''Callicebus aureipalatii'', with "aureipalatii" literally translating into "of the golden palace" in Latin.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-04-14 |title=Internet casino buys monkey naming rights |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7493711 |access-date=2024-12-01 |work=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> GoldenPalace.com also paid a woman to permanently tattoo their domain name on her forehead in 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Falk |first=Aaron | url=http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,600145187,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070916131847/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,600145187,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=2007-09-16 |title = Mom sells face space for tattoo advertisement| work=Deseret News |date = 2005-06-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Haines |first=Lester |date=2005-07-01 |title=Online casino tattoos woman's face |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/01/casino_tattoos_womans_face/ |work=The Register}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== * {{official website}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldenpalace.Com}} Category:Online gambling companies of the Netherlands Category:Online casinos