Is online gambling legal?
Are online casinos fair and honest?
Do I have to be an adult to play?
How do I choose an online casino?
Do I need to download software to play?
How do I purchase chips and get started?
How do I collect my winnings?
Q. Is online gambling legal?
A. That depends on where you are. The UK, for instance, is leading the world in it's legalization initiatives. "We want gambling to be safe" has said Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and that has been the spirit behind their drive to modernize the industry and make it more mainstream. Other countries, Antigua for example, have long allowed gambling and issued licenses accordingly. Quebec (Canada), the Philippines and others are moving in the same direction.
The situation in the United States continues to be more complicated. Seven states --Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota and Wisconsin-- have passed anti i-gaming legislation while several others have proposed related bills. At the Federal level there continues to be a number of such initiatives. No particular legislation has emerged as a front-runner and most remain mired in the seemingly endless political jockeying that has long characterized this issue in the US.
In response to the situation in the US many online casinos no longer accept wagers from United States residents. Even so, some estimates indicate that as much as 90% of online gamblers are in the US.
For more information on the legal issues concerning online gambling, see our Internet Gambling News and Features section (http://www.winneronline.com/content/Gambling/). You might also want to check out Gambling and the Law®: Status of Gambling Laws (http://www.gamblingandthelaw.com/status.html) and Gambling-Law-US.com (http://www.gambling-law-us.com/).
Q. Are online casinos fair and honest?
A. Generally speaking, yes. Legitimate casinos don't need to operate crooked games to make a profit because the house edge and player mistakes provide them with a steady source of revenue. The rake in online poker games serves the same purpose.
However, dishonest casinos do exist. The most common complaint is that some online casinos are slow to pay out winnings or lock player accounts claiming that players have abused their games or played suspiciously. In a number of widely discussed cases, casinos have not paid out at all. We strongly recommend that players check the prominent internet casino message board services for the latest information on these issues or on a given casino.
Our message boards are located at http://mb.winneronline.com/. If you have a problem with an online casino, post a message on our message boards so other players can offer assistance and learn from your experience.
Q. Do I have to be an adult to play?
A. You must be 18 or older to wager real money. If you're under 18, you can play for fun at most online casinos. Or play our free casino games (http://www.winneronline.com/games/).
Q. How do I choose an online casino?
A. There are many hundreds of online casinos but the vast majority of players are to be found at just a few of the better known and respected ones. We offer our Top Picks list (http://www.winneronline.com/toppicks/) to spotlight some of these. Our casino directory (http://www.winneronline.com/casinos/) offers links to nearly all online casinos. Before wagering real money, see our Beginner's Guide (http://www.winneronline.com/beginnersguide/) and check our message boards (http://mb.winneronline.com/) for tips and opinions from real players.
Q. Do I need to download software to play?
A. No. Most casinos offer no-download versions of their more popular games such as blackjack, roulette and slots. However, it is worth noting that the download games often offer better graphics, sound and animation.
Most casinos let you play the games for free before placing a real-money bet. That way you can "test drive" the casino and choose the games you like best. See our software section (http://www.winneronline.com/software) for more information, and read "To download or not" (http://www.winneronline.com/articles/november2000/todownloadornot.htm).
Q. How do I purchase chips and get started?
A. Casinos generally accept deposits by Neteller (http://www.neteller.com), FirePay (http://www.firepay.com/), Citadel (http://www.citadelcommerce.com/), check, money order, wire transfer or a number of other options. There was a time when most people used their credit cards but the major cards have since restricted and/or suspended this service.
Since the credit card companies withdrew from the casino business third-party services such as Neteller emerged as the primary source for many casino transactions. Since Neteller is now following the credit card companies out of the online gambling business that leaves the other third-party services such as FirePay and Citadel to take up the slack.
In some cases financial transactions are handled directly by provider-affiliated electronic cash systems such as InterCasino's use of Cryptologic's Ecash system.
Q. How do I collect my winnings?
A. This varies from casino to casino. Casinos offering Neteller services will credit your withdrawals back to that account. The same is true for the other third-party services. Cheques, bank drafts and wires are also popular options.
At some casinos you will have to wait for a PIN (personal identification number) to be sent to you by regular mail before you can make a withdrawal.
Some casinos charge for withdrawals, some don't. Always read the deposit and withdrawal policies before playing for real money at any online casino.
For more information about online gambling, see our Beginner's Guide (http://www.winneronline.com/beginnersguide/), and Internet Gambling News and Features sections (http://www.winneronline.com/content/Gambling/). Also visit our message boards (http://mb.winneronline.com/) for the latest casino and bonus offer discussions.