What is online casino gambling?

There are over 1800 casinos online. Most online casinos offer classic casino games such as blackjack, roulette, slots and all of the traditional casino games that you’ll find in land-based casinos.
It has to be said that not all casino sites can be trusted. It is important to be careful when choosing a casino to play at. Don't choose the first online casino that you find and take a good look around first. The majority of sites are operated by respected and honest companies and can be fully trusted.
Try to stick to casinos that run from top software brands. For example, any online casino powered by the Cryptologic brand can be trusted. Likewise, online gambling venues that use casino software developed by Microgaming, Playtech, Boss Media or RandomLogic are among the most trusted casino brands in the industry.

Why choose to gamble online?
Gambling at an online casino offers many advantages compared to land based casinos. These include:
• Online Casinos are open 24 hours a day.
• Casino software is free.
• You play at home. So, there is no "dress-code." This also means that you save on fuel, transport, beverages etc.
• Online casinos offer a higher payout percentage than their land-based counterparts.
• Online casinos frequently run great competitions and promotional offers for their players and most of them will give new players a welcome bonus when they sign up.
• You have the choice of playing for fun and practicing your skills before you decide to risk any real money.
• Winnings can be mailed to your home address or transferred directly into your bank account.

Is online gambling legal?
This depends on where you live. There are no records of players getting into trouble because they have gambled online even though it may have been illegal to do so in the state or country where they lived. The responsibility to uphold the law lies with the casino owner rather than the online gambler.
Online casinos will automatically block your access when you try to open an account with them if there are any laws in place that forbid them to accept wagers from you.

Why do some online casinos not accept bets from US or Canadian citizens?
This is often because they are scared that they may be breaking some law as yet unknown to them or perhaps that they may be in breach of their own licensing agreements. To be on the safe side and avoid the risk of prosecution, many casinos do not accept North American players. However, many online Casinos do accept bets from US and Canadian citizens.
There are actually no federal laws to enable the prosecution of online gamblers but there are laws prohibiting online casinos from accepting bets. Casinos, therefore, tend to obtain their licenses in countries where it is legal.
Each country has its own laws; in the UK, online gambling is perfectly legal. In Germany, the situation is similar to the US, so it is advisable to check before playing.

Is gambling online age-restricted?
In general, players are required to be 18 years or older to play for real money. Some countries even require players to be 21 before they are allowed to place bets.
However, even if you are under 18 you can enjoy the fun play mode at most online casinos.

How do I choose where to play?
There are hundreds of online casinos, with new ones being released all the time. Learn everything you can about an online casino before choosing to play there. There are companies and websites whose sole business is to review and evaluate online casinos.
Try to determine if the casino is licensed by a sovereign government and, if not, look for another casino.
Next, check if it has a toll free customer service number that operates 24 hours a day. If not, look for another casino.
Now find out if the casino allows you to play for free giving you the chance to check out their software before you spend any money. If they do not, look for another online casino
Once you are playing, check the smallest denomination of coin that may be used in their poker and slot machines. They should offer a wide range of denominations, such as nickels, quarters, dollars and five-dollar machines.
Look out for different types of video poker machines. A good casino will have at least three telling you that the operator has installed top-end software. Stay away from casinos with just a single version of video poker.
Now check for facilities on the site that allows you to keep track of your deposits, game play and cash-outs.
Finally check out the customer service by sending emailing them with a question and see how long it takes for an actual reply. Auto-responder answers should not be counted.

Are online casinos fixed?
The vast majority of online casinos are thoroughly honest. They pay out and they do not cheat with the odds. Online casinos have a built-in house edge that, overall, works in their favour, so they do not have to cheat to make money. This edge is quite enough for the casinos to make a profit and running an honest online casino ensures good business. The few dishonest online casinos get less and less business as the bad news travels on the Internet.
We recommend that you play only at online casinos powered by the major online casino software brands such as Cryptologic, Microgaming, Boss Media, Playtech or Odds On.
Many people are nervous about gambling online. Consequently, most online casinos are contracted to independent accounting or actuarial firms that perform monthly audits to verify that everything is fair and honest. This is not a guarantee of fairness or honesty, but it is a very good indicator. You should only play only at online casinos where the payouts are reviewed.

How do I fund my real money account?
Before you can play, you must first deposit money into your casino account. Most online casinos accept credit cards, cheques, money orders, wire transfers or w-Wallets to enable the transfer of cash. Credit cards are the simplest and quickest way to get started. They allow you to start playing immediately and you will not have to wait while cheques are cleared by banks.
Some gamblers may be restricted from using their credit cards to purchase chips because of the laws in some jurisdictions. NETeller, a cash transfer system, is fast and easy to use. Any money you may win will be paid by the casino, on request, to your credit card, to a NETeller account, or by cheque. Other recommended methods of transferring money to the casino, if you are Click2Pay, PayPal, FirePay, Moneybookers and UKash, a prepaid voucher system.

How will I be paid out?
Usually, you will be paid by the same method used when making your deposits to the casino. Most casinos pay out winnings within a week of your request. If you made the deposit with a cheque or money order, the casino will send your winnings and your original deposit by cheque. If you made your deposit by credit card, the casino will credit your card with the amount of the deposit plus your winnings.
If you win more than your deposit, many casinos will automatically send you a cheque for the difference. Some may even courier your cheque. Be sure to understand the casino/s payment procedures before making your first bet and any applicable charges for the transactions. Details will normally be found on the casino’s Terms and Conditions page.

Could I become addicted to online gambling?
It is certainly possible to become addicted to any form of gambling. It is a recognized illness and known as compulsive or addictive gambling and is characterized by an uncontrollable desire to gamble. Addicts are unable stop and do not realize that they have lost control of their habit. They require help before they ruin their family's lives and their own. There are clinics to assist people suffering from addictions worldwide, were professionals restore addicted gamblers to a normal life. One such organization can be found at www.gamblersanonymous.org . A little discipline and following a few simple rules prevent any risk of addiction. Look for details on our Responsible Gambling page.

Does Blackjack card-counting work online?
Card counting is difficult and not as rewarding as it is made out to be. If it was a foolproof way of making money, everyone would be doing it. Most online casinos shuffle after every hand, especially when using a single deck. There are no statistics but online Blackjack players appear to agree that card counting does not work.

What casino games offer the highest percentage pay out?
In the long run, practically no casino game can be beaten consistently. Each game has a built-in edge to guarantee a profit for the casino. However, Online Blackjack and Online Video Poker are often proposed as games that, under certain conditions can offer the player close to a 100% return.
In both Blackjack and Video Poker, strategy can make the difference between almost breaking even and losing large amounts of money. It is wise to choose a game that offers you optimal playing. In Blackjack this means choosing a game with a deck as small as possible while for Video Poker, it means selecting the game with the best pay table.
Money management is also important and means comparing the size of bet in relation to your bankroll. Blackjack may offer almost 50/50 odds but betting an entire bankroll on one hand amounts to an all or nothing bet with adverse long-term prospects.
For players who are only willing to risk small amounts of money for big wins, slot machines and particularly progressive jackpot machines can appear very attractive. The vast majority of players, however, will never hit a jackpot and these games offer players relatively poor long-term returns.

Must I download casino software to play online?
Casinos, poker rooms and bingo rooms are largely offered in three formats. These are downloadable software, no-download versions using applets such as Flash or Java and no-download versions that employ HTML. Players, therefore, are not bound to download software to play online. Software is often available on a CD or DVD upon request and may be installed with little effort. Some casinos are now offering another alternative in the form of a mobile games lobby that may be downloaded to a cellular telephone.
However, the downloadable casinos tend to offer the most in terms of game selection, graphics quality, sound effects and overall playability. They usually offer added 'extras' such as perfect-strategy cards or auto-play functions. It is thus recommended that players choose a download casino for maximum enjoyment. Nevertheless, browser-based casinos are still be fun to play and, today, some highly-reputable casinos only operate this type of games lobby.