Gambling Online 7 Great Tips

The world of cyberspace gambling can be somewhat confusing, and to some extent even a bewildering experience. If you have never played any casino game online, you’re probably not sure how to go about it.

Truth be told online gambling is still pretty much in its infancy shoes, because of this there are still many casinos ”less reputable” than others. In this article I’m going to share some valuable tips with you, as a player and as an affiliate who has more than a decade experience in this bustling industry.

Tied in with the above, there are also many online casinos that are trying to be reputable in an industry that’s still pretty much unregulated. The world of cyberspace gambling is often compared to the ”American Wild West”. You simply don’t know what you’re going to get when you mosey up to one of the cyberspace saloons. The reputable operators are in competition with the unethical ones vying for acceptance and market share.

One of the questions most players ask about online casinos, are the games rigged? I’m not going to discuss this in detail here since I’ve already covered it in this article. By ”rigged” they mean tampered with or ”fixed”. Although it’s very easy to do, luckily ninety-five percent of the operators are honest. However, this also brings to mind an old Roman proverb: caveat emptor which means, buyer beware. Sadly, there’s no way a player can know for sure if an online casino has rigged games. You’ll have to be a computer expert, or hacker to be able to access the casino’s source code to find out whether or not the games are rigged.

Most web casinos already keep 75 percent of the cash that is deposited. This translates into an average household percentage of 25 to 30 percent of all the games combined. In other words, for every dollar you deposit, the casino will keep a quarter either through rake (online poker rooms), or by the built-in house edge on the games they offer. There are still many operators that are not regulated, therefore they don’t have to answer to any regulatory body, such as gaming commissions that regulate brick-and-mortar casinos in the United States. The slots machines in most land-based casinos will pay back at least 90 percent, some even pay back as much as 98 percent. Video poker machines often offer payback percentages over 100 percent.

When it comes to gambling online the casinos have no such restrictions. What you see is not what you always get. Even if a casino states that the average payout for a certain slots is 98 percent, this might not be the case. Luckily most operators are reputable and the owners won’t stake their reputation-they are not in it for the quick buck but for the long haul. They already make so much money from their high built-in house edge games.

7 Tips That Will Help You When Gambling Online

1. Quality

One of the best ways to see if a site is reputable is to look at its quality. Does it have that ”thrown together look” or did the owners hire a professional web designer? Are the graphics in the games good? Does it have clear call to actions? Are the links working? These are just some of the spot checks you can do. When a site looks professional it’s usually a sign that the owners of the operator are financially sound and that it’s a legitimate operation. Once the site has passed the visual test you must do a bit more snooping before investing your hard-earned cash.

2. Test the Games

Visit the game pages and try out as many games as possible for free. Most operators allow you to play their games for free. Read the gaming instructions and compare them to books that are available on the various games. If you’re a table game player, check if the games on that site corresponds to the games that can be found in land-based settings. Also check if the rules by which they play these games in cyberspace corresponds to the land-based casino games. If they don’t, or altered to a certain extent it’s an immediate red flag.

3. Owners Of The Operator

Find out who are the owners of the online casino or the company under which it operates. This can be found when you click on the ”About Us” link. If the information on this page includes a physical address, email, telephone and fax numbers, very good. Send an email to their customer service to see how long they take to respond to your email query. If the response is immediate, or within 24 hours, great. If not, take your business elsewhere. Also, see what kind of response you get. Is it ”canned”? By this I mean is it prepared. Did they answer your question? Did it look like someone who knows the site, or just someone to write emails? Was it generated by an automated response system, or was it answered by a real person?

Last but not least, check if the operator has a live chat text facility. Such facilities are costly and require well-trained staff to handle all manner of queries about the online casino. If the site takes good care of its customers, it’s an indicator that it’s a good site, with fair, great games and technical support. If you can tick all the boxes so far you’re in good hands.

4. Legalities And Security

Read as much as you can , even though most of it might be in ”small print”. This will tell you more about the people running the establishment, where it’s based and operated from. Have a look at the site’s security protocols. Does it offer SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology to protect a player’s private information? Is it licensed in a reputable jurisdiction such as Alderney or Gibraltar? Does it look and feel honest? If so, take the first step, make a small deposit and play. If the games are jittery, stop playing immediately, there are many other online casinos that will be more than happy to have your business.

5. Withdrawal Speed?

If the casino has passed all your tests, deposit $50. Play a few games and cash out. This is the ultimate test. See how long it takes to process your withdrawal and what the steps and procedures are. Most operators nowadays process a withdrawal within a couple of hours up to 5 business days. Some operators might even charge you a withdrawal fee if you use wire transfer or check by courier. You shouldn’t pay more than $15 in wire transfer fees. American banks normally charge a wire fee of $10.

In principal, getting your money out of the casino should be as easy as getting it in. If this is not the case then you must consider another site. If you’re based in the United States, be aware that most operators are based offshore and might give you the run-a-round or use some delayed tactic. The best way to get your money out is by check since it’s usually free of charge. If checks take longer than three or four weeks, take a wide berth. Some operators are based in the Caribbean, South America, Curacao, England or Central Europe.

6. Download or Flash Software?

Downloadable software is faster and normally comes with all the ”bells and whistles”. Unfortunately it also takes up huge chunks of space on your computer, the download time can be quite extensive if you have a slow Internet connection. Java based casinos on the other hand, don’t require any downloads at all. They simply load up the moment you signed in and you can start playing immediately. This is the good news. The bad news is that speeds can be slow and action-to-completion lag time can be a significant problem. This is because Java-based sites basically stream data between their server and your computer on a continuing basis. It requires a cable or DSL modem.

Such exchange of information called a data stream can also be interrupted. If you are playing for real money, and you start winning and the data stream gets interrupted the casino will refund you at the point of the disconnect. Luckily these are very rare, it’s also called a screen-freeze. When a disconnect happens in a land-based casino, the malfunction disclaimer voids all winnings. The casino is not liable to refund your deposit or to pay you the win.

I prefer Java-based sites especially when playing online poker. I’m not a fan of the downloads simply because of the storage problems it offers and getting rid of the data once it’s been downloaded. Downloads include execution codes that overwrite a portion of your computer’s operating system. Once you’ve opened your account, invest in a pop-up blocker.

7. Consider The Following Before You Deposit

There are literally thousands of online casinos all vying for your business. They’ll offer you some fantastic comps like free money and bonuses just for signing up. Competition is fierce and so are the bonuses. Most casinos will first require a deposit before they credit your account with a bonus. The bonus normally constitutes a percentage of your deposit. Once you become a regular player you’ll receive virtual points also known as comps which can be exchanged for cash.

• Don’t just sign up at the first operator, make notes and compare their offers.
• Don’t select a site solely on its promotions. Many casinos may offer what seems like great promotions but in actual fact they are terrible.
• Does the casino offer a huge game library that’s divided into slots machines, table games, 7-figure progressive jackpots and a live casino?

Conclusion

Hope you enjoyed the article as much as I have writing it. We’d really like to hear from you and invite you to share your insight and opinion with us.