Online Casino Spotlight

Online casinos have opened doors most gamblers never thought possible. Gone are the days of having to reserve our gaming for once a twice a year when we could make the trip to Las Vegas. Now anyone of legal age with a debit card can gamble at many extremely popular and high rated, online casinos. However, certain inherited risks come with gambling online, the security of your personal information and home computer being the biggest.

Thankfully, a reputable online casino will work effortlessly to protect your personal information. Respectable online casinos have internet security staff and offer a level of privacy you would get from a bank, or online shopping site. However, it is necessary for any player to protect themselves as well. Below are some of the five best ways you can protect yourself, your computer, and your financial information when gambling online.

1. Only Play at a Reputable Online Casino: The internet is flooded with websites offering online gaming, and some of these are far more respectable then others. To reduce your risk, play at a website that you recognize.

2. Research Any Online Casino Before Joining: With a few dollars, any web owner can make a web site look like the most trustworthy site on the internet. This is especially true of websites that deal in monetary goods. To be safe you should research any online casino before you ever give them any personal information. A good source of research is online reviews. Other gamblers write reviews for people like you. Do a quick Google search with the online casino’s name and “review.” You are likely to come up with hundreds.

3. Protect Your Computer by Adding a Firewall: Despite an online casino’s best efforts, a hacker may still get through. To reduce your risk of getting spyware, or worse- becoming a victim of identity theft, you should do everything you can to protect your personal computer on your end. First, increase the security settings on your computer. If they are set to a lower setting bumping this up will greatly reduce your risk. You should also install a Firewall. Your computer manufacturer may have already provided this software for free. Once the firewall is installed, make sure you have it running before you sign on to the online casino.

4. Be Cautious of what you Download: Most online casinos have a software platform that they require a player to download before they can gamble at the site. Even if you have researched the site thoroughly, you should still run any program through a virus checker before you install it on your computer. If you notice the site asking you to download additional programs make sure it is necessary, and safe, before you download. You can ask around online forums frequented by online gamblers, or send an e-mail to the casino directly.

5. Consider Using an Alternate Credit Card: If you are able, consider using a credit source other then your primary debit or credit card. This way if the card is stolen, the thief will not have access to your checking account; and chances are you will be able to cut them off before they completely drain your financial resources. You may also consider using Paypal’s create-a-credit-card feature. If you have Paypal, the company will make you a temporary credit card number that can be used at any online site. The number works just like a Visa or Mastercard, is linked to your bank accounts, but is incredibly difficult to steal. Since the card number is only good for a short time, this method will only work if you plan on only visiting an online casino for awhile.

All said; online casinos are a safe and enjoyable past time. As long as you are doing what you can to protect your information and your computer you should not have any problems gambling online.

Many players in the United States and other countries will probably be sad to know that it is indeed legal to gamble online in the United Kingdom.  This is mainly because the UK government views the online gambling arena as a legit and more interestingly, a profitable industry that can deliver significant tax revenues under the right legislation and regulation.  The U.S. on the other hand, sees it as a potentially dangerous industry that is difficult to control and has therefore, elected to prohibit it, or at least this is their attempt with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Potential Revenues

The foreign countries where many online casinos operate openly embrace the internet gambling industry.  Operators pay these governments thousands of dollars to obtain gaming licenses in addition to taxes and other expenses.  Antigua, Grenada, Gibraltar, Curacao and the Dominican Republic are just a few of many small countries whose economies have received a significant boost from the online gambling business.  While the UK government does not regulate these offshore casinos, not all are corrupt or looking to cheat players.  Conducting business in general over the internet is risky whether the government is involved or not.  However, the online gambling space is becoming much safer and as a result, more trusted by UK citizens.

Proceeding with Caution

Due to the fact that offshore casino operators are not subject to scrutiny by the UK government, players need to be more cautious than ever.  Even though the country is more open to the internet gambling industry, if someone happens defrauds you, it will be very difficult to prove your case to any type of authorities.  Therefore, the best approach for UK players to take is to “wager with caution.”   Also keep in mind that all online casinos exist to make money by attracting as many new players as they possibly can.  The only way this can be achieved is by offering an honest service and establishing a good reputation.   If it starts to become known that the casino is not paying out winnings or involved in other questionable practices, word will travel fast and damage any credibility they have established.  The good thing is that most casinos, with the exception of the fly-by-not operators, have proved to be safe and reliable.

If you are someone who is concerned about transmitting sensitive personal information such as your name, address and credit card numbers over the internet to an online casino, you must understand the same risks exist when doing business with  other companies whether they are licensed in the UK, involved in the gaming business or not.  The internet can be a haven for criminal activity and not even legislation and regulation from the government can stop it from occurring.  Fortunately, reputable online casino operators take every to ensure that the information you share with them remains private and secure.  This is made possible by the use of secure servers and encryption technologies that protect data and prevents hackers from intercepting and thieving confidential information.

Online casinos emerged right alongside the mainstream introduction of the internet.  Software developers such as Boss Media AB, Cryptologic and Microgamming are credited with pioneering the development of internet casinos and online gambling in general.  Microgaming is known as the first to introduce software that allowed players to play free casino games while Cryptologic is famed for creating the first casino software platform able to facilitate financial transactions.  Boss Media got its start by powering Golden Club Casino and many casinos in the Europe, a jurisdiction where online gambling is arguably the most lenient.

In the Beginning

In the mid to late 1990s, online casinos evolved in terms of features and overall quality.  One of the most notable features introduced during this time was the progressive jackpot.  Still popular today, this feature allowed players across a network of online casinos playing the same game to contribute to a growing jackpot that grew large very quickly.  Another feature added in the late 1990s was a built-in function that gave players the ability to view details on their gaming and financial transaction history.

Evolution

Once the new millennium rolled around, online gambling had grown to become a phenomenon.  A large majority of the online casino software vendors improved their platforms significantly and new players were signing up at an amazing rate.   The 2000s saw the launch of many new features, including Flash implementation, which enabled casinos to be compatible with operating systems other than Microsoft Windows.  This revolution also provided players with a way to play casino games directly through their browsers without needing to download them.  With the industry growing fast, multilingual and multi-currency casinos were introduced to service new players emerging in the continents of Asia and Europe.  Around this time, the self regulation framework came into play and casino operators began to have their software platforms tested and audited by independent organizations such as TST (Technical Systems Testing) and eCOCRA.

The UIEGA Shakes up the Market

The popularity of online gambling continued to explode through the middle of the decade and it appeared as if that growth would proceed without interruption.  However, in 2006, the United States Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, a legislation initially put in place to prevent terrorist organizations from laundering money through internet casinos.  Under this act, it was now illegal for financial institutions to process and transfer funds for players involved in online gambling.  With leading online casinos such as PartyGaming already facing legal ramifications over the Wire Act, Cryptologic, Playtech and many other prominent software providers fled the market by closing their doors to American players.  Microgaming is another well known vendor to recently flee the U.S. market.

Online gambling has come a long way but its progress has not been without controversy. And while several software providers have abandoned U.S. players, vendors like Real time Gaming, Wizard Gaming and Vegas Technology have remained and actually strengthened their brands in the United States following the departure of Microgaming.  Will others follow suit?  Only time will tell.

Online casinos have exploded to popularity in recent years as more players come to grasp the intricacies of web-based wagering.  The major draw to these casinos is the array of games up for grabs.  The most common options you have are table games and there are quite a few to choose from.  Because there is such a wide variety, it is good to know just what is available so you don’t find yourself wondering aimlessly from room to room.

Head up with the Dealer

Table games are generally the same games you will find at the tables in brick and mortar casinos.  Two of the most popular choices are baccarat and black jack.  Both of these games are favorable to the player and make a great option for beginners.  Baccarat has become such a hit because it is simple and doesn’t require any real skill to play.  While the concept isn’t difficult, blackjack tends to be a little more challenging.  However, the fact that it does require a little know-how and gets so intense makes a favorite among serious players.  Because winning against the dealer is much harder, you will probably want to get familiar with blackjack before placing a wager online.

The Many Faces of Poker

There are many other card games available but most fail in comparison to the popularity of poker.  With poker you get options such as Texas Hold ‘Em, Let it Ride, Caribbean Stud Poker, Tri Card Poker and the list goes on.  In many of these games, you aren’t necessarily playing against other players, but against the dealer, similar to black jack and baccarat.  There are numerous poker rooms online, most of which offer generous incentives such as bonuses, promotional offers and huge progressive jackpots that seem to never stop growing.  Competition is heavy in the poker room so you definitely don’t want to approach the tables without your skills and virtual game face intact.

Dice and the Big Wheel

The main table games that don’t involve cards are craps and roulette.  Arguably the most popular land casino game, roulette typically gives the house a higher edge but that doesn’t take away from the excitement involved with spinning the wheel.  This game is often a first choice of beginners for the simple fact that it doesn’t require any skills – roulette is the ultimate game of luck.  Roulette comes in many niche variations such as French, European and American, which ironically is the least popular.  Craps is another risky game filled with plenty of sucker bets that make it harder to distinguish between the good wagers.  Though exciting an nearly as fun as the real life version, this isn’t a table you want to try without your head in the game.

The plethora of online casino games is enough to make your head spin.  While many of the rules are the same, it would be wise to get some information on online play before heading into a room.  Fortunately, there are numerous communities and tutorials that will provide you with essential tips on how to play virtually any game.  Even better, there is also a nice variety of casinos that will allow you to play for free and gain the confidence you need to play for money.

While many casino games are identical, there is no hiding the fact that online casinos are far different from their real-world counterparts.  Depending on how you look at it, these differences could be for the better or worse.  Having an understanding of these differences is very important for someone preparing to make their first wager online.  This article will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of online gambling as they relate to the experience in a land casino.

The Good Side

For some, the beauty of online casinos is the mere thrill that comes along with playing.  However, several more are attracted to all the incentives and promotional offers.  Because the competition has become so heavy over the last few years, casinos are doing whatever they can to attract new business.  This is made evident by the wealth of bonuses that are offered to new customers.

Some casinos will give up to 100% of your initial deposit as a bonus, free money that provides you with added depth to your bank role.  The other advantages of online casino play are in the convenience.    You don’t have to worry about traveling out of your way or dealing with noise, smoking and all the other irritations associated with real life casinos.  You can play right from your computer, at your own pace, and even save a little money because there is no waitress to tip nor gas charges.

The Bad Side

Even when dealing with a reliable casino, there are many drawbacks that can take away from the experience.  For example, cashing out your winnings can be a slow and difficult process.  Aside from the waiting periods on the casino’s end, there may also be delays with your credit card company.

You can expect to wait anywhere from two to four weeks in between cashing out your account and waiting for it to be applied to your credit card.  Wire transfer and debit cards usually go much faster at around 3 to 5 business days.  Another disadvantage with online casinos is often the lack of customer support.  There are some companies that provide excellent service with a toll-free phone number or email but others aren’t so responsible.  You will have a rough time with a company that takes days to answer emails and has no phone number to call.  When deciding to play online, you are also binding yourself to the rules of the casino.  This means that fighting disputes is usually a loss cause, especially once you sign your name on the dotted line.

Stay on Top of the Rules

While you certainly need to be cautious of the casino, it is the players who pose one of the biggest threats to the online gambling industry.  This issue has boiled over so much that a few casinos have started to blacklist players looking to defraud the business.  Players are getting themselves blacklisted for seemingly trivial matters like disputing or threatening to dispute charges, as well as more serious offenses such as using stolen credit cards and manipulating the gaming software. Unfortunately, a couple of bad apples are making it a bit harder for everyone.

While there are pros and cons, it is a must that you know the rules to ensure a smooth gaming experience. In taking time to work with a reputable casino, you are sure to enjoy the many benefits and profits that are available at online casinos.