On June 15th, Betsoft, an innovative iGaming developer based in Valletta, Malta, released Phở Sho™, another installment in its Red Dragon™ series, which focuses on the Vietnamese dish Pho, a delicate soup containing rice noodles, broth, herbs and in some cases beef, and is enhanced by exciting Hold and Win game mechanic. In addition, the provider’s previous Hold and Win hits include Golden Dragon Inferno™.
This newest slot invites players to see the gastronomic beauty of Vietnam and enjoy every bite!
A delicious visual:
True to its title, the main theme of the game is the aforementioned Vietnamese noodle soup dish Pho. The game takes place on the streets of Vietnam, with a street stall where the dish is made taking up a large part of the screen because it is in the middle. There are also black reels and a man in red standing holding a bowl of pho and chopsticks. In addition, the game can be played on any device.
To win, players must form a combination of 3 or more matching symbols on adjacent reels on any of the 40 paylines on a dynamic 5×4 grid. However, wins are required to start on the first reel on the left.
The basic low-value symbols are 10, J, Q, K and A, while the high-value bonus symbols are chili, onion, lime, meat and noodles. A combination of five low-value bonus symbols is worth between 5x and 7.5x, increasing to 10x and 200x a player’s bet for a combination of five high-value bonus symbols, with noodles rewarding 8 times more than any other symbol.
The game has high volatility, a default RTP of 96.20% and a maximum win of 4,000x a player’s bet.
Slot features:
Hold & Win Bonus – Bonus Symbols, aka coins, must first appear in all positions. After that, the player needs to land 6 or more of them to trigger this feature. However, the player can’t create regular wins with the aforementioned Bonus Symbols. The value of each Bonus Symbol is between 1x and 500x, and all symbols used to activate this feature are locked in their positions, while the rest of the grid is cleared.
As soon as this feature is activated, the player automatically get 3 spins and can land Bonus Symbols or blanks in every position. Therefore, if a Bonus Symbol appears, it remains until the end of the feature, and the spins are reset to 3. As soon as the player runs out of spins or each position on the grid is filled with symbols, the feature ends.
Additionally, this feature activates on average once every 282 spins.
Wild Symbol – the Wild, aka the noodle-eating man, substitutes for every regular paying symbol to trigger wins.
Free Spins – a Scatter, aka a plate of pho, may land on all reels. When 3, 4, or 5 Scatters appear on a spin, 5, 7 or 9 free spins are activated. However, the player may activate the Hold & Win Bonus throughout this feature. In addition, as soon as the player runs out of spins, the feature ends.
Furthermore, Free Spins are activated, on average, once every 266 spins. As long as this feature lasts, the Hold & Win Bonus feature is triggered once every 15 times.
Bonus Buy – the player can only buy the Free Spins feature, but the Hold & Win Bonus can only be activated in-game. Additionally, buying 5, 7 or 9 free spins costs 90x, 126x and 160x a player’s bet.
Commenting on the launch, Anastasia Bauer, Head of Account Management, Betsoft Gaming, said: “The Hold & Win bonus game has proved to be a big hit with players across all demographics. Phở Sho™ uses this feature beautifully but adds so much more to the experience. By including Free Spins, the high chance of the features overlapping each other puts Phở Sho™ into a league of its own. We are anticipating very positive feedback from our clients.’
The legal status of online casinos in India is complex and varies by state. While there is no federal law that explicitly addresses online gambling, the legality depends on state regulations and the type of gambling involved.
Key Points:
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No National Law: India does not have a specific national law regulating online casinos. However, the Public Gambling Act of 1867 prohibits operating physical casinos and gambling houses, but it doesn't cover online platforms, leaving a legal grey area for online gambling.
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State-Specific Laws: Some Indian states, like Goa, Sikkim, and Daman, have legalized land-based casinos, and others, such as Sikkim, have also licensed online gambling. Many states have banned gambling altogether, including online gambling.
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Online Sports Betting: Betting on sports, particularly cricket, is very popular in India. However, it's only explicitly legal in some states like Sikkim and Nagaland, which have laws permitting online gaming and betting.
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Legal Gray Area: Many international online casinos accept Indian players and operate legally under licenses from offshore jurisdictions (like Curacao or the UK Gambling Commission). As long as players are gambling on licensed platforms, the risk is minimal, but local authorities may still choose to regulate or restrict online gambling.
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Cryptocurrency: Some Indian players prefer using cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin) for online gambling, as it provides a layer of anonymity and security.
While online casinos aren't explicitly legal across all of India, many international casinos accept Indian players, and online gambling continues to grow in popularity. Players should ensure they use licensed platforms and understand local laws before engaging in online gaming.
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