Frequently asked questions about gambling online
In the last few years, the online gambling industry has exploded in popularity. At the same time, playing mobile games has become the norm - this combination of factors means that a lot of the negative perceptions regarding gambling have faded away.
As more and more people have begun to enjoy playing online casino games on their mobile phones, they have been able to separate their assumptions about gambling from the reality. These changes do mean that many people who have never been interested have noticed that they’re missing out.
If you’re someone who’s intrigued by gambling online but unsure of how to get started, you’re not alone. This article will talk you through some of the frequently asked questions about online gambling so that you can place your first bets with confidence.
How do I find a trustworthy online casino?
New online casinos are appearing on the market all the time, some are independent while many are associated with major casino brands like William Hill or MGM Grand. Unfortunately, just as with any booming industry, unscrupulous companies will try to take advantage of the situation.
Scam online casinos aren’t common but they can cause you serious problems. One of the most commonly reported issues is that they will accept deposits but then make it impossible to withdraw your winnings. The other big concern is the potential for personal data theft.
Finding a trustworthy casino isn’t hard though, it just takes a little research. An online guide like CasinoSource can point you towards the online casinos with the best ratings and reviews. A good guide will also tell you what welcome bonuses and special offers are currently available.
Are all casino games playable online?
Poker was the first table game to find a following online. From there, blackjack and roulette were adapted to the digital world. Nowadays, every table game you can play in a land-based casino has an online equivalent.
Thanks to the popularity of repetitive, brightly coloured mobile games with engaging graphics, slot machine games are among the most popular online gambling games. Some online casinos have libraries of slots numbering in the thousands!
Alongside the games, many online casinos now offer their own sportsbooks. Just like traditional betting shops, online sportsbooks allow you to place bets on all of your favourite matches, from big international events like the Six Nations to Exeter City FC’s home matches.
Don’t think we’ve forgotten about one of the classic elements of the British gambling environment — bingo. Not every online casino offers bingo but the ones that do make it a great experience for their players.
What types of payment methods are accepted?
Initially, many online casinos only accepted payment through debit cards or bank transfer. This was quite limiting and luckily times have changed. Most online casinos now accept digital payment services like PayPal and Skrill and other major digital wallets. Some even let you pay in cryptocurrency.
A recent law passed in the UK means that you can’t make payments to an online casino using a credit card. This law was designed to protect consumers from developing problematic gambling habits because credit cards make it very easy to ignore any spending limit you’ve set.
The majority of online casinos accept more options for making a deposit than they do for making a withdrawal. In addition, the amount of time it will take to process a withdrawal generally depends on the method used. These are things to be aware of when choosing an online casino.
What are the odds?
If you’ve ever hit a streak of bad luck while playing a mobile game, it can feel like the AI is working against you instead of just being a neutral opponent. Being on a losing run at an online casino can make you feel the same way.
One of the great things about today’s online casinos is that it is very easy to find out what your odds are for every game you play. For slots, you’re looking for each game’s RTP — that stands for Return to Player. A high RTP means that the game pays out well.
There are some exciting developments to keep an eye on in this area as well. Researchers and developers have begun exploring the use of blockchain technology to make all actions and transactions at online casinos transparent and clear to follow.
Similar research on supply chains has shown that blockchain does increase transparency and that leads to greater customer trust. Trust is essential to feeling comfortable playing at an online casino, so this is a great potential development.
If you’re still not entirely comfortable playing against the computer, consider playing live dealer casino games. These games use exciting new technologies to enable players to interact with a dealer and each other in real time. No need to worry about your computer going HAL 9000 on you!
How do I keep from developing a problematic gambling habit?
For the last several years, gambling advertisements on the television have usually ended with the slogan ‘When the fun stops, stop’. Recently, the Betting and Gaming Council has introduced a new message: ‘Take time to think’.
Both of these phrases make a lot of sense and seems obvious but it can be worryingly easy to get swept up in the emotions of it all, whether you’re winning or losing. And what if you take time to think but it just makes you want to gamble more?
The most important step you can take to protect yourself from developing a problematic gambling habit is to set a limit and stick to it. Work out the amount of money that you feel comfortable losing, either every time you play or as a weekly or monthly expense.
Once you’ve set a safe, comfortable limit for yourself stick to it. There’s no point in having a limit if you ignore it because one more bet sounds good or you’re sure the next hand will be a winner. This limit will keep you safe and allow you to play without worrying or putting pressure on yourself to win. Some casinos even enable the enforcement of the limits you set through a spending parameters specified in your account profile.
