Playing casino games online isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. There is no way to guarantee a win, and that element of risk, put simply, can turn people off. Yet, millions of people around the world do play at online casinos and are able to enjoy themselves responsibly.
As mentioned, there are no guarantees of knowing where the ball will fall on the roulette wheel, or how the cards will fall, but that’s the nature of casino games. However, there is some important information you should learn if you do decide to play at an online casino, which should help you play smarter and safer. Below is a guide to what you need to know:
Understand what “casino bonus” means
You might see a sign-up offer informing you that you will get $50 extra when you deposit $100. This is not free money, as such. You can’t, for example, withdraw it as soon as you get it. The idea is that it is bonus money: It can be withdrawn, but you will have to meet certain requirements – i.e., it must be wagered a number of times before it changes into real cash. Some games will help you turn over the bonus faster and more efficiently than others. Thankfully, most casinos will provide this information clearly on the site. It might sound a little tedious – but have a look at the terms and conditions.
Only choose a casino with credentials
The internet still has a touch of the Wild West about it, so you should always be careful when you register your details at a site. Customer service is vitally important, and you want support-staff that can help you quickly. For instance, Casino.com Canada has language support for both French and English speakers, and these small details can make all the difference. Besides, a top site will list its credentials at the bottom of its homepage, providing links to the national gambling commission of the local country and other regulatory bodies that oversee its license. This is crucial, as these bodies will ensure the games are fair and your details are secure. Keep an eye out for certificates from independent bodies like Thawte (security), IBAS (disputes) and TST/eCOGRA (gaming testing).
Use the tools provided on the site
We mentioned above that you should only choose credentialed casinos. These sites are encouraged to offer you tools to keep your play under control. This means you can set deposit limits on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Or, you can adjust settings to limit the amount of time spent playing casino games. All of these options are signs of a responsible operator, helping you keep a cool head and have a more enjoyable experience regardless if you win or lose.
Learn to pick the right games
Do you know the traits of different casino games? They use software to determine a random outcome in a specific way. Slots, for example, are a bit more volatile than tables games. They have much bigger prizes, but there is also a bigger virtual house edge for the casino. The likes of blackjack and video poker have much lower profit margins for the casino but might require a bit more patience to turn a profit. Check out each game’s rule page before you play, which can often yield important information on the games payouts and so on.
The best advice we can give is to build a strategy – and stick to it. This might entail setting a win/loss limit for the day or month, switching up games if you are losing or learning the optimum strategy for blackjack. If you set your own boundaries, you are more likely to enjoy the experience of playing at an online casino.
Photo credit: The feature image has been done by Benoit Dare. The photo “playing cards” was taken by Josh Appel.
Source: David Berreby (The Guardian)
Editorial notice: This article has been prepared in collaboration with our partners.
