LCB and Monty Turn 15!

It seems as only yesterday he was blowing the candles on a delicious cake marking the celebration of his 10th birthday, and look at him now. Time goes by so quickly, so here’s Monty again, eyeing another mouth-watering cake and sharing some of the most significant moments which highlighted these exciting 15 years of LCB's presence in the online gambling industry.

For a decade and a half, Monty has been greeting visitors from what is now one of the most respected iGaming platforms. Fifteen years ago, LCB was a modest 5-page website with a bit over 30 casinos listed but it gradually grew to a gigantic directory filled with unbiased reviews, most rewarding bonuses, and the latest news.

Let us celebrate the momentum and recap all the significant events and occasions from the past 15 years!

Humble Beginnings of LCB

Fresh out of university in 2000, Joshua Chan, the founder of the platform, also known as LCB Admin on the forum, spent a couple of years developing flash ads for his brother’s company. He was no stranger to placing a bet or two at casino and poker sites and, at one point in time, that inspired him to venture into affiliate marketing in the online gambling industry.

On December 8, 2006, LCB went live. The modest 5-page platform with (only!) 33 casinos listed, was a popular destination for players looking for Blackjack bonuses- and that’s where Zuga steps in.

In July 2007, Zuga signed up on the forum. Already making some decent money from BJ bonuses, he started competing against the LCB Admin.

He was one of the most active members on the forum, sharing lots of insightful details about his cashout attempts, country restrictions, poor customer support, and more. Zuga had all it takes to become Josh’s right-hand man and so he did. A decade and a half later, the ambitious project transformed into a massive platform suitable for the most demanding consumers.

Small and Big Makeovers of LCB

In August 2016, a couple of months before celebrating a decade, we revealed the most drastic redesign LCB has ever had. But, that wasn’t the only makeover our platform has had.

Here’s one of the earliest childhood pictures from 2006, made only days before the website officially went live.

The next redesign took place in 2008, bringing lots of tabs for more convenient navigation.

A year later, the website was refreshed once again, growing notably in the number of reviews added and members joined. Was it because of the chance to win an iPod? All jokes aside, but the community seems to have recognized all the efforts our team has put in wanting to educate gamblers in the first place.

In 2011, the site was once again redesigned. Compared to older versions, the newest one looked far more sophisticated.

Five years later, the platform has changed radically, bringing a more personalized user experience. Improved search functions and lots of convenient filters are just some of the special elements aimed to help members customize their journey through LCB.

Some of the visitors were instantly thrilled, while the others took a while to accept, but one thing for sure- it was a huge step for our company. Having in mind that the iGaming industry is constantly undergoing drastic changes, think of it as a work in progress. We might just surprise you with another redesign sometime in the future.

As for Monty, the legendary mascot, the handsome fella got his name in 2012, following an exciting LCB Network $300 Mascot Contest. There were plenty of amazing suggestions, so making the final selection wasn’t an easy task for the team. That’s when LPB and LSB mascots, Big Tex and Oscar the Bookie, got their names as well, while Bingo Betty was introduced a bit earlier, in 2011.

What about the name?

Even though the short and sweet moniker was used among the members for quite a while, the official change took place a couple of years ago. In August 2018, the domain was switched from LatestCasinoBonuses.com to LCB.org, representing the next huge step in the company’s evolution and reinforcing the identity of the brand on the global iGaming stage.

Continuous Expansion of Network

Following a notable success with the launch of LCB, the team ventured into another project, and in 2007, CasinoListings.com was born. It quickly became a great resource for online gamblers, mainly thanks to an excellent feature- slot jackpot tracker.

Knowing that not all the players belong to slot fans, the next step was to come up with dedicated spaces which would provide an equal amount of valuable information to those interested in bingo, poker, and sports. 2009 brought three new additions to the network- Latest Bingo Bonuses (LBB), Latest Poker Bonuses (LPB), and Latest Sportsbook Bonuses (LSB).

Two years later, in 2011, CasinoSlots.net and Bingo Reviewer joined the ranks, while NoDepositBingo, NoDepositCasino, and FreeCasinoGames.net became part of the network in 2012. In 2014, we acquired OnlineBlackjack.com and GamesandCasino.com.

September 2014 was one of the greatest momentums regarding expansion so far, as we purchased three top-performing platforms- Wizard of Odds, Wizard of Vegas, and Wizard of Macau. The deal was inked with the Wizard himself, Michael Shackleford, the founder of the sites, who still closely cooperates with us.

Things slowed down a bit, but 2016 was marked with multiple successful acquisitions. In March, we added Bj21.com to the network, and six months later, in September, we welcomed BlackjackInfo.com. RealMoneyAction (RMA) was added near the end of the year, representing the final purchase for 2016.

Taking off with a bang, 2017 brought KeyToCasinos and World Casino Directory (WCD) and TwoLittleFleas (TLF). In September, we announced the addition of Affiliate Guard Dog (AGD), aiming to bring more value to our fellow casino affiliates as well.

GamblingGurus was added in spring 2018, while Liveblackjack.co became part of the family in late 2019. Slotszar was purchased in January 2020, and a year later, in 2021 (again in January) Nettikasinot.bet joined the network.

Highlights and Milestones

As dynamic as it is, the iGaming industry is all about constant changes, rapid development, and surprises. There’s been plenty of those during these 15 years, and we are pretty sure more is yet to come.

Let’s start with the acknowledgments:

• 2013 iGB award for ‘Best Casino Affiliate’
• 2014 iGB award for ‘Best Casino Affiliate’ and ‘Best Overall Affiliate’

These are some of the crucial accomplishments of our journey so far, some of which perfectly coincide with our 15th anniversary:

• 150K+ forum members
• 15K+ news articles published
• 2,200 casinos reviewed
• 320+ casino reps on support forum
• 4,300+ casino bonuses
• 460K+ rewarded to LCB members via Shop
• Player rewards program with 90+ participating casinos
• YouTube channel with 2.5K+ subscribers

Ambitious Projects

Aside from numerous upgrades in terms of visuals and network expansion, the team diligently brainstormed new ideas and has brought tons of interesting concepts to life. The purpose of all these projects is the same- “To bring more value to the player”. That’s what our mission is about, after all.

• Bonuses

Believe it or not, the earliest ones you can find date back to February 2007. They are accommodated in the “Bonus Whoring” section on the forum, as well as in “No Deposit Casinos”.

• Contests

It’s in human nature to compete, which is why contests and tourneys are an integral part of our platform. So far we have hosted numerous authentic and themed contests, inspiring our members to be creative and earn cash rewards and chips.

Among the most interesting contests taking place on the forum was the one where we brainstormed on “New Member Group name” or the one where we invited members to tell us what kind of contest they would like us to organize. There’s a lot more where that came from, with new ones organized almost on a daily basis.

• Rogue Reports

Talking about values, keeping the industry safe is one of the key priorities of our community. That’s why we created a special corner for bad guys- casino warnings. We continuously educate players on how to spot the red flags, such as fake games, predatory Terms, delayed payments, and more, and which places to avoid. All those reports are equipped with tons of valid proofs and screenshots, for the sake of transparency.

• Rewards and Shop

Players are rewarded for making deposits in participating online casinos. When accessing the particular site via our affiliate link to deposit, they receive a $3 Chip. Those valuable credits are later used in LCB shop, the fastest-growing supermarket in the iGaming industry. Speaking of earning chips, those are collected in many ways- for daily activity, forum posts, comments, rating slots, and casinos.

• From the Players For the Players

Presented to members early in 2021, this project takes responsibility, accountability, and transparency to an even higher level. As a part of the procedure, the selected testers register, deposit, play a couple of games, go through KYC if necessary, and request the withdrawal. They record each of the steps, which results in the finest first-hand reports. So far, more than 50 online casinos and bingo rooms were put under the microscope, with more of them being investigated regularly.

• Video Production Sector

Sometimes things are much simpler to present when wrapped up in the video format, which is why our team ventured into video production as well. Test reports accompanied by insightful videos, monthly reports, and plenty of useful guides are just some of the videos available on the LCB YouTube channel.

A Word from the Team

Back in those initial days, it was only Josh and Nik, but as time went by, the team has gradually enlarged and is now gathering gaming enthusiasts from all over the globe. From Australia to Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Serbia, South Africa, Romania, UK, Ukraine, and the USA, the forward-thinking community is a mix of veterans with multi-year experience and passionate newcomers striving to make the iGaming industry a better place.

Some of them, who have been part of the story for many, many years were willing to share their thoughts and impressions.

• Nenad Ninic aka Luckynn – Office Manager & Admin

Being the manager of the headquarters, he is in charge of monitoring and updating all the crucial information on the website. When he joined the team in 2008, his initial duties were in the data research department, but he was a moderator as well. He’s the guy who made tons of members happy by posting all the exclusive deals and directing them where to look for the best bonuses and promotions.

As he sees it, teamwork is something that most adorns the LCB itself, as well as the opportunity to learn something new every day. He also added that the most challenging part is staying on top.

“I started back in 2008 as a data research guy and moderator on the forum. My job was to add and update all the data that was on the LCB (bonuses, promotions, languages, currencies, etc.). It was a golden time especially since I was almost 13 years younger.

LCB has made many contributions to both the community and industry. A handful of accurate and timely information makes this industry much more secure. Expanding the industry itself and sending a large number of people to it. Advocating for all its members as well as for casinos. And much, much more.”

• Ava Jackuard aka Lipstick- Chief Content and Land Casino Manager

“I became a member in 2008 and a Chat Moderator in 2009. From the get-go, I was very happy to be a part of the team but never anticipated being with the company on a full-time basis.

Zuga hired new positions from within, giving his team an opportunity to flourish for which I am eternally grateful! I transitioned from Chat Mod to No Deposit Mod which I was apprehensive to take over! It was Zuga who believed in me enough and said "you will do it, and do a good job"!

From there I became a writer and today am the Content Editor. I am proud to be a part of LCB as I have watched it grow from the bottom up. Our greatest accomplishment is educating players and providing the latest casinos, software, promotional offers, and news.

Never stagnant, LCB continues to thrive keeping up with iGaming industry standards and passing them on to what is most important, our members.

Congrats on 15 years! What a nostalgic journey it has been as I look forward to the next 15!”

• Melanie Attwell aka Melcb, Marketing Manager

“I joined the team in October 2010, I was presented the opportunity to handle all the marketing for the company so I resigned from my role as an affiliate manager and joined the LCB team. It was a life-changing decision, no regrets!

LCB is a reliable source for all things online gambling, providing visitors with the know-how, best options and arming them with a voice when they can't be heard on their own. LCBs forum in particular created a space for people with common interests to connect with each other and feel safe.

Being part of a diverse team of people across the globe all sharing the same passion for iGaming and providing value for players. A team that works hard by creating and contributing to an awesome community - a community that has flourished and grown with a culture of acceptance, belonging, and freedom some forums don't get to enjoy.”

As Mel stressed out, the constant change in country regulations and compliance is some of the most challenging parts of this job. Each country has its own set of standards. This makes it challenging from a compliance point of view.

She added:

"Being an SEO affiliate we are constantly working to keep ahead of the competition and always pushing quality content that is engaging and informative.

Innovation also needs to always be thriving and pushed, which means keeping up with industry trends and sustaining a space which keeps members and visitors coming back for more!”

• Ana Zugic aka Anchi, Head of Data Research and Analytics Department

“The main contribution of LCB is to make the entire community and its members feel protected in a way that they are well aware that they may ask us for any assistance related to the positive and negative sides of our industry. The precise updates of the latest news, trends, tips, and bonuses from the industry present on our site expose our hard work so that an expression of gratitude by the members makes this job amazing. The latest project related to the casinos’ testing is the one and only project which will influence expanding our community further and have the chief beneficial effects in the future.

The most challenging part of working in LCB is to keep performing all these above-mentioned activities at a high level, to be known for establishing an expected, required, and the desired standard of quality in our industry. It wouldn’t be possible without our LCB employees and they are the core value of our company. So, this is the most exciting thing about being part of the LCB team, working with these amazing people located all over the world and finding solutions to the current issues along having fun together.”

• Johnny Karp aka Johnny, Sports Moderator & Content Writer

A dedicated member of the LCB team since his first day on the forum, Johnny is in charge of bringing the latest results, promotions, and news among other things.

“I joined LCB in the summer of 2010, they were looking for someone to moderate the Sportsbook section of the forum and since I was and still am a sports enthusiast, I guess it was a good fit for both sides. Both myself and LCB have gone through a lot during these 11 years, the community has grown a lot and the LCB network has expanded immensely as well. However, I think the core value of LCB has remained the same: giving the gambling community honest information, swift support, and great bonuses. The most challenging part of the process for me was that I didn't know much about gambling when I started out, my focus was on sports betting, but now I have gained more knowledge than I would have ever imagined about slots, live dealer games, and casinos. The most exciting part of my experience at LCB was being part of this team and working alongside great people. It's difficult to feel like being part of a team when working from different parts of the world, but somehow I do feel that, and that's most likely the case thanks to the great quality of the people in the team.”

• Vladimir Bralovic aka Markotik, Content Manager

Joining the team in February 2012, he’s been actively providing numerous valuable information to the community in all crucial sectors, especially forum and Shop, which he took over in January 2021.

“I like to think that I'm pretty much an all-rounder here at LCB. I started off on the forums (LCB, LBB, LSB, and LPB), then I started writing casino and bingo blogs, which was really fun. Over time I got more responsibilities like link building (SEO), publishing, monitoring members' activity on LCB, and so on.

I think that LCB is constantly setting new standards in our industry and that's simultaneously the most exciting and most challenging thing about being part of LCB. Having such wonderful colleagues makes the work easier. :)”

NOW:

It is with great sadness to announce that we have lost one of the most valued members of our team- Carol, known as Blueday on our forum. Blueday joined LCB in 2008, as the first Global Moderator. As time went by, her duties continued to grow, leading her to the number one person for all LCB Shop-related things.

In her private life, she had a passion for dance, but her ultimate affection was family and being a grandmother. Associates describe her as kind, calm, optimistic, and very gentle. She passed away on October 1, 2021. A couple of them shared their precious experience of working with her on a dedicated Memorial to Blueday thread.

Closing Comments

Just like lines and wrinkles change our face, LCB’s face has changed a lot, but our vision remained the same- bring more value to players. That’s what we have been and will be doing for as long as it takes.

With champagne bottles popping in various corners of the world, we raise a toast to our members, in the first place, business associates and partners. Thanks for being part of the community for a decade and a half, and helping us make the iGaming industry a better place.

Cheers LCB’ers!