Online Casino Gambling

The basic definition of online gambling is gambling or wagering on the internet. In most cases, online gambling takes place in virtual casinos where online gamblers can wager as they would in a land-based casino.

There are two main types of online gaming sites: Webbased and download.
Webbased gaming sites require a high bandwidth and use browser plugins such as Flash, Shockwave or Java. Webbased sites are generally slower than downloaded casinos and don’t offer the same quality images, animation or sound. The main advantage of these types of online casino sites is that no download is required to play at these sites.
Download based gaming sites require some form of downloading (either from the website or from a CD, which will usually be provided by the casino on request.) Downloading the software allows the player to play without compromising their bandwidth. When downloading the casino, the software connects to the casino service provider without browser support. These casinos are usually faster than webbased sites and generally provide better images, animation and sound.

Thanks to the introduction of live video streaming software, live and download casinos are now becoming more popular. Many online casinos now offer this ‘live gaming’ experience, meaning that players are able to interact with actual games that are being played in a land-based casino environment. This technology allows players to connect with casinos around the world.

Most online casinos offer bonuses, promotions or competitions to entice potential online gamblers to sign up. These offers usually take the form of free sign-up bonuses, bonus giveaways, special offers or prizes. When taking advantage of these offers, always read and understand the terms and conditions attached to the offer – online casinos reserve the right to blacklist ‘bonus-abusers’ and you may find that you are banned from the site if you do not adhere to the terms and conditions of the bonus offers. Other reasons casinos may blacklist you include, but are not limited to: opening more than one casino account per household or computer, using some else’s credit card, disputing/threatening to dispute credit card charges, suspected fraud. Once you have been blacklisted, it is at the casino’s discretion to allow you back onto the casino site. As a general rule of thumb: do not get blacklisted! Other casinos are unlikely to allow you to play on their site if you have been blacklisted at another casino site.

Always make sure that you only gamble at reputable sites. There are various factors that determine whether an online casino is reputable or not, but here are some common signs to look out for:

• Are the terms and conditions clearly displayed on the website? A reputable casino will clearly display their terms and conditions. It is your responsibility, as the player, to ensure that you read and understand the terms and conditions of the casino before signing up with the casino. Terms and conditions differ from one casino to the next so it’s important that you are fully aware of the terms and conditions of the casino you have taken an interest in. Remember that casinos reserve the right to blacklist players that do not adhere to their terms and conditions.

• Is customer support available? Most online casinos offer a 27/7 telephone line, email facility or online chat facility. It’s always a good idea to ‘test’ the support facility – send an email or call the toll free number to ensure that customer support procedures are in place. The support team should be more than happy to assist you with any queries you still have at this stage. In any event, the customer support information should be readily available on the casino website.

• Do they list the payout results of their previous games? Casinos should generally list the previous results as this gives potential players a good indication of what can be expected. Beware that these lists are just an indication and in no way a guarantee of what will be won.

• Do they have a valid licence? Always choose a casino that has a valid licence – licensed casinos are usually more trustworthy than their unlicensed counterparts. If you are unsure whether the casino is legitimate, get in touch with them and find out.

• Do they provide company information on their website? A reputable and trustworthy casino should have an ‘about us’ or ‘company information’ section on their website. The casino should be willing to provide information regarding items like their management structure, history and software provider used. Some commonly used software providers are Playtech, Migrogaming and Real Time Gaming. If you are not sure about the software provider, do some research first. Casinos that are reluctant to give out certain company information should be avoided.

It’s usually a good idea to follow the recommendations of online casino/gambling guides when choosing which casino to play at. The members of these websites always try the casinos themselves before recommending them to potential players.

Once you’ve chosen the casino you would like to play at, you’ll need to download the software. The download button is usually found on the homepage of the casino website. Once you have installed the casino software, you will be asked to create a casino account. Casinos usually offer a ‘play money’ mode and a ‘real money’ mode. The play money mode allows you to try the casino features without wagering any real money. A real money account, allows you to gamble for real money. Before you are able to play for real money, you will need to deposit money into your casino account. To load money into your real money account, simply go to the cashier section of the website and choose your preferred payment method. Most casinos offer a sign-up bonus so you will have some extra credit available to get started with – make sure you take up these offers and familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions.

A vast amount of information can be found on the Internet about gambling online, online casinos and the best online casinos available on the internet. If you are unsure about anything relating to online gaming, visit some advice websites first. Make sure you are comfortable with the website you choose and remember to gamble responsibly – responsible gamblers know their limits and know when to stop.