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A brief overview of the online casino industry
The internet has brought a whole new dimension to casino gambling. Firstly, casino games are made accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which means that the pastime can fit into any busy work or life schedule. Casino games can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home, and played with an array of like minded opponents from across the globe. New friends can be made through the interactive chat and online forum facilities, and private tables where you and your friends can play together can be organised on many sites. The games are varied, and sites will offer a variety of table limits, from micro deposits to high stakes. Tournaments and offer value for money play, with excellent big prizes, and progressive slots offer big payouts.
Online casinos offer a variety of deposit and withdrawal methods, which are clearly stated on each site. Deposits and money withdrawals are completely secure, with the most up to date security software used. Information is encrypted so your information remains completely private and secure, giving you piece of mind. Online casinos are cost effective, offering players accounts where the games are played for free. Practice play members use all the same facilities as money play members, but with virtual chips that can be replenished if lost. Opening a new account is simple, with software safe to download and the process taking only minutes. All casinos offer a bonus for new members, and there are ways to earn further cash bonuses in a variety of ways such as inviting other new members and for the casino loyalty.
Considerations in picking your casino and our recommendations to newbies
Each person expects different qualities from their online casino, and these requirements need to be met for the experience to be enjoyable. The most time efficient way to select an online casino is to read some independent online reviews that have done the research for you. Decide what criteria are important to you, and then search those criteria before taking a look at the casino site. Always play the free money option before committing to a money play account. This will help you get a feel for the games, the software and special features, as well as the other players.
Elements to consider include the playability and stability of the software. If it is not enjoyable to play, this will ruin your online casino experience. Look at the welcome bonus options, and choose a casino that has the best bonus for you. A first deposit bonus is a percentage of your initial deposit amount and so is only awarded once you have deposited funds. A sign up bonus is placed immediately into your account once registered, but is generally but smaller in amount. Make sure you will meet the terms and conditions before you open the account to avoid disappointment.
Look at the game variety and decide whether these meet your needs. Also consider the traffic; if you like to play with others at the tables then there needs to be traffic at the times that you are available to play. Consider special features such as the casino game tutorials, chat facilities and forums. Online casinos are meant to be an all round fun experience; make sure that the one you sign up to has all the features that will make the casino experience fun for you. Particularly good sites for newbies include Casino-on-net and Mansion Casino.
Brief guide to the payment options casinos accept
Payment options vary from casino to casino, but the same general types are consistently used. These include credit cards, debit cards, e-wallets and bank transfer methods such as e-checks. Different countries have different payment method options, which are clearly stated on each casino site. Payments can be made online in the deposit section of your real money account, and some methods can also be deposited over the phone. Whatever method used, your information is kept safe and secure. Online casinos use the most up to date security equipment and encrypting techniques for your money safety, and these update regularly to cope with changes in laws and security.
Debit cards take a direct payment from your bank account, but the types of debit card are restricted. E-checks work in the same way, with electronic instructions enabling a payment direct from your bank. Credit card payments are a popular choice, but sometimes credit card company ethics prevent the deposit from being accepted. This is where e-wallets have become extremely popular. E-wallets are online accounts which are pre-funded using a variety of methods such as credit card. They are simple to activate and can be used immediately, with funds transferred to your bank roll immediately. There are no charges made by online casinos for deposits into your account. However, check the monthly management and transfer fees of your chosen method before using it.
Wise gambling advice
Online gambling is meant to be an enjoyable recreational pastime. To make sure that you continue to enjoy gambling without any detriment, make sure that you are aware of the amount of money deposited. Firstly, only deposit what you can truly afford. Money should not be borrowed to deposit into a casino, as this puts added pressure on making a return and is more likely to cause bad decision making and create more losses than wins. Do not chase winnings to pay off bills or debts. Walk away when you are feeling emotional or are on a losing streak, to prevent excessive loss. As with any task we do not perform at our best when emotionally stressed.
Also make sure that you do not expose your children to gambling. Although it may seem harmless, gambling is illegal to under18s and should be treated as such. The number of underage gamblers and addicted underage gamblers is rising, so make sure you keep your details and your site inaccessible to children. One way to do this is to create separate profiles on your computer, and store your login details securely.
It is also sensible to watch the amount of time that you spend playing. If your family or work is suffering as a result of excessive playing, then take some time away from the casino. Make sure that others are aware that you play as secrecy can lead to excessive gambling. If you are worried about your gambling habits then ask for advice from the customer service team at your casino. You can request for your account to be closed. If you have any concerns, online casino sites have direct links to gamblers anonymous and other support services. You can use these anonymously to get support and advice.
Casino & gambling glossary
All casinos use similar technical jargon to describe their product, terms and conditions. Here are some of the most popular to get you started;
Action the amount of money wagered, or the amount of game play
Add-on to buy additional chips in a tournament
Baccarat a card game using 6 or 8 decks of cards
Betting limits all table games have a minimum and maximum amount that can be bet; these are clearly marked when you select an online table
Blackjack a card game where the aim is to beat the dealers hand, without exceeding a 21 total Bonus a sum of money awarded to a member by the casino for real money play, subject to terms and conditions
Burn to discard the top card before dealing
Buy-in a single fee paid in exchange for chips for tournament play
Chip money is exchanged for chips which are played on the tables
Cashout to withdraw funds from your casino account
Craps a game of multiple bets played with dice
Deposit the real money that you place in your casino account
Even Money a bet that pays out the same as the amount wagered and returns your original wager also
Hole Card a card that is dealt face down
House Edge the chance of the casino winning written in percentage format
Keno a game of number matching
Odds the chance you have of winning, or the amount paid out on a winning bet
Pay-out the amount of money won from a successful bets
Rake an amount taken by the casino for playing on their tables
Random Number Generator the computerized system that randomly selects the numbers in every online game to ensure fair gaming
Roulette the most common casino game where bets are placed on numbers on a roulette wheel
Slots online slot machines
Stake the amount of money bet
Tournament play which requires a single buy-in, with each player receiving an equal amount of chips Players compete for prize money in a knockout situation
Wager a bet or the amount bet
Wagering Requirements- restrictions placed by an online casino on bonus amounts to prevent bonus abuse
A selection of free games to practice on and casinos offering practice modes
All online casinos offer free casino games in practice or free money mode. These are an excellent starting point for various reasons. Firstly, they allow you to practice and learn how to play any casino game. Many new members are aware of roulette or blackjack, but there are many other options such as keno and pai gow poker to try. Any free casino account membership enables you to use the full range of casino site facilities, and so players can use the tutorial sections to learn the rules and then hone their skills in practice mode whilst gaining confidence.
This means that even the novice casino member can quickly familiarise themselves with any casino game, including betting structure and strategy as well as the rules. Players can try out new bets such as an any 7 bet in craps, or try insurance in blackjack, and create their own style and tactics without losing any real money. Free casino games enable you to familiarise yourself with the software and its features also, such as chat facilities, shortcut keys, and automatic bets. Understanding these enables you to perform at your best. A final benefit of free money play is that members are often eligible for free tournaments that can lead to real cash prizes.
All casino sites have free money play options, but some of the best are at Casino-on-Net, and on any site provided by Microgaming and Playtech. The best games to play for free are blackjack, to learn strategy, and craps as the betting is multilayered and more complicated than many other games.
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