BEGINNER'S GUIDE

Choosing Your Online Casino
There are a number of various types of Internet casinos at which you can play. Many of them are Java-based and load directly in your browser. Some of them use Flash or Shockwave, which also runs in your browser but may require the Flash (or Shockwave) plug-ins available from Macromedia.

Both of these types are usually referred to as no-download casinos, even though you have to download graphics and sounds every time you play. The biggest advantage of a no-download casino is that it can be played on most computers and operating systems, and many of these will also work on WebTV.

Then there are the downloadable software casinos, which will only run on Windows-based platforms. File sizes generally range from 5-15 megabytes, so you should make sure you are definitely planning to play at this casino before investing the time to download. If you run Windows, I recommend that you stick to these download casinos. They are generally more stable and secure, and once downloaded minimize communications between your computer and the casino game server, making them ideal for those of you with dial-up connections.

Choosing the right casino is a personal matter. For guidance one should look for a casino that is reputable along with knowing that the casino is financially stable. Check that the casino has the proper insurance, is legally licensed, is bonded, and is properly owned. Also, make sure that the site has proper functioning, that the games run smoothly without interruptions and that their clients are comfortable with their service.

How the casino represents itself visually is equally important. If a casino site looks shabby, most likely it´s not committed to serious gambling. The casino that takes the time to put together a well-planned site gets high marks for reliability and long term success. It is possible to check the validity of the casino by looking to see if it is a registered member of an industry trading organization. Also, look for a casino that has been around for at least two or more years.

Licensing & Software
In order to obtain a license, casinos are required to show the software that they are using. However casinos are not overly watched in this regard. The best way to tell that a casino is worth its grain of salt is to check if they are using systems that are most desirable in the industry. Generally you won't make serious mistakes when trusting brands like Cryptologic, Boss Media, Microgaming, OddsOn, Net Entertainment, Diamond and Playtech.

Customer Service
Next you should find out what kind of service level the casino offer - because this generally is a good indication of the overall quality of the casino's other aspects. Usually the casino has a section called "Support" or "Contact". All respectable casinos offer customer support by telephone and e-mail. More and more also offer the possibility of chatting live with an online representative. This is by far the fastest way of getting anywhere if a problem should arise and you don't want to call them on the phone at international rates. To get a clear picture you have to actually get in touch: Try sending an e-mail with some kind of inquiry or just some words showing your interest in the casino and see how long time it takes before you receive an answer and what this answer is like. A delayed answer or an insultingly short one is a sign of arrogance and should turn on a few red lights in your warning panel.

Promotions & Bonuses
One of the biggest advantages to online gambling is the wide availability of bonuses that online casinos offer. Some casinos give you money right off the bat for you to test out their games. The bonuses offered by a casino has of course nothing to do with the quality of the casinos service, games or reliability. So what is a good bonus?

First of all you have to look for three things: What is the maximum bonus amount? What must be deposited to receive it? And what are the terms that must be met before you can withdraw your money - wagering requirements for instance? Knowing these things and the house edge in your game of choice makes it possible for you to calculate the statistical probability for you to walk away with a net win: If you must wager 4000 and the house edge is 0.43% your bonus must be bigger than 17, $2 (0,0043 x 4000) in order to be statistically profitable.

Generally casinos offering percentage bonuses gives you the better odds for making a profit - but you also need to deposit a larger amount to receive them. The reason that online casinos can offer bonuses like this is simply because they have a much lower overhead cost. Less staff, less equipment, no construction required, etc. And on top of that, they make you wager your deposit (and usually your bonus) at least three times over before you can collect your winnings.

It is very important that you read the terms and conditions which are either posted on the web site or included in your e-mail offer—how many times you must wager the deposit and the bonus, the validity period of the bonus offer, and which games you can or cannot play in order to ensure your winnings are valid.

All casinos require that you play for bonuses before collecting your money. Bonus policy varies so make sure to check each casino's policy.

Banking Options
Because of the increasing problems with VISA, Mastercard and now PayPal vs. the gaming industry it is as important as ever to find out what banking options a casino has to offer. Online payment methods like Firepay, Neteller, PrepaidATM, Gaming Card and Citadel are becoming mandatory for any ambitious casino together with more established off-line alternatives like courier checks, FED-EX deliveries and Wire Transfers.

What you must look for is any statements of time intervals between your withdrawal request, the time of processing your request and the time of delivery to your account, bank account or mailbox. Wire transfers should be within a week and check deliveries ranges from 5 days to 5 weeks depending on the courier service chosen. Note that if you made a deposit with VISA or Mastercard you cannot withdraw more than the deposit back to the credit card - any winnings will be paid using one of the mentioned alternatives.

Collecting Your Profits
Casinos have different collection policies. The best advice is to read each casino's policy. Pay attention to the options you might have. Pick your casino according to the most hassle-free requirements!

If you decide to collect your money, expect to be charged a fee. This charge might be a fixed rate, while other casinos might charge a percentage. Make sure there are no hidden costs, and that the collection of one´s winnings is paid out promptly. Beware of bank fees. Most casinos will give you a special number called a pin number. Although it can take a while to receive it, it is important because it prevents casino fraud.

The most important aspect of casino collection, is the attitude of the casino in its response to problems and payouts through adequate customer service. Most gamblers feel that telephone reps are more responsive than E-mail reps. Even though there is easy access to the money, it can take a week or two to receive a check. Be patient, most casino collection policies are sound-except for the hassle of waiting.

Playing the Games
Last but not least you must find out if the casino offer the kind of game you want to play. Most casinos offer a pretty good selection of table games. At the very least, you should be able to find blackjack, baccarat and roulette online; many casinos offer additional table games like Caribbean Stud, Craps, Red Dog, even Casino War and Three Card Poker—but sometimes the names are slightly changed.

Video poker is one of the more popular gambling games—while a few casinos only offer one or two types of video poker, the best casinos may offer as many as 10–15 different games, and some even offer multi-hand video poker.

And then there are slots: hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of different slot machines. Whether it’s single-line, three-line, 9-line, 3- or 5-reel, progressives, bonus games, you name it, they’ve got it somewhere on the Net. The best are the progressive slots, which often pay more—and hit more frequently—than the progressives you’ll see in Vegas. Check daily to see how much is waiting to be won by visiting our "Best Progressive Jackpots" page.

All of these games are simple to learn—usually just a click or two—and they play as fast as, or faster than, land-based casinos. Some are multi-player, some are single-player; but after you take a break for dinner, or perhaps take the dog out for a walk, there will always be a seat waiting for you when you come back.

It is important to find out the rules of the game in order to get the optimal strategy (see our section on Game Rules). In Blackjack, for example, the rules vary from casino to casino. Everything from 1 to 8 decks of cards can be used, at some casinos you can double on any two cards, at others you can't and so on. I recommend you use the Blackjack Strategy Engine at BlackjackInfo.com for making customized strategy charts and thereby minimizing the house edge.

Decide whether to download games, or for easier access make use of games from the web directly. If you choose to download games, install software and click on the casino icon, and first play for fun to get a feel for the game. You should have no problem running casino software on your computer unless the computer is very outdated. Casinos have technical support, so use it!

Problems with a casino - visit Internet Gaming Commission