10 Things You Should Know About Online Gambling
- Read the T&Cs – the single most boring thing that you do at the online casino may be the most important (ain’t it always the way?)
- Explore the Bonuses – bigger isn’t always better, especially with big playthroughs. But bonuses can be a definite help to your bankroll, especially the No Deposit kind
- Customer Service – like insurance, it’s far better to have a good one that you don’t use than a bad one or none when you need it. 24/7 live support is a huge plus for me.
- Safety and Security – look for SSL 128-bit encryption, and make sure that you see an official promise not to spam you or share your information (maybe during step #1?).
- Variety – well, if you want it. If you just want to play Jacks or Better exclusively for the rest of your life, this category is not as important. Me, I have to know that there are many unexplored choices, especially online slots, for a bored rainy day.
- Reputation – reviews are good, but sometimes suspect. Try online gambling forums and even consumer sites (but remember – twenty players with good experiences may not inspire a single online review, but one player with a bad experience will always post a review!)
- Legal – do yourself, your casino, and your country a favor: make sure you’re permitted to play (online casino USA restricted is quite common). No matter how you feel about legal stuff, people have been denied big winnings because they foolishly ignored this rule and played from a restricted location.
- First Impressions – are usually right (sorry, Mom!). If the casino’s website looks haphazard and sloppy, they may not be too conscientious about business matters (such as paying you). On the other hand, an ugly but user-friendly site may put the players’ interests above mere decoration.
- Banking – this is the serious stuff. Check the deposit options, the withdrawal options, and (while you’re asking around for #6) how long you can expect to wait.
- Fun – maybe the hardest thing to pin down. I’d call it the most important, except that fun can on;y make up for so much…and it will dry up fast if you don’t have a fair number of these other categories.