Before You Play

If you do decide to play in online casinos, here are a few pointers to help you get started and stay happy.

You could just depend on luck, or your intuition and your gut feelings, and that's ok if it's right for you. There are many players who do just that, some of them consistently do well. But if you don't want to rely on luck alone, then knowledge, discipline and skill are the big keys to your success, and to your enjoyment of the games.

After all, you want to walk away a winner, don't you? One great thing about the online casinos is that most of them provide you with the choice of playing for fun or playing for realy money. Playing for fun can be a good way to practice, and get to know the games and the casino. Before you play for real money, maybe you can take a look at these brief pointers.

Do your homework. Find out all you can about the casinos that interest you. You should be looking for the casinos with good reputations, the ones with excellent track records. The better known ones have been around for a while and are usually good. Read the reviews, go to the casinos themselves and look around, go to the message boards and read what other players are saying about the casinos. At the Watchdog Sites, there is good information about certain casinos to avoid.

How does the casino's web site look? Does it look and feel professional? Do you get a good feeling from it? Trust is very important. They should provide you with all the information you'll need about them, including their license info, where they are located, they should give you customer service numbers to call in the event of a problem, they should also provide you with info about every aspect of their operation. The best ones make it as easy as they can to guide you through the process of downloading their software and registration, and purchasing and cashing out your winnings, and will be forthcoming in answering any of your questions.

If you have any questions about a particular casino, don't be afraid to ask them. Call them, or contact them by e-mail. Not only will you be getting an answer to your questions, but you'll also find out what their customer service is like.

Know the rules of the games. You may know the rules of the game you want to play, but some casinos can have their own variations of those rules. You need to know the rules of each casino you want to play in. Download the casino software. There is rarely any fee or obligation for doing this. Most casinos give you the choice between "No-download, Flash games" which is an abbreviated package of their games, and a full download of their game package, which is faster, and has the feel of the way the casino would be if you registered as a real player. And they also give you the option of playing for fun (free) or for real money.

Play the games for fun for as long as you want. It's a great way to get the feel of the software and the casino, and to sharpen your playing skills online. Different software gives different looks and feeling to the games. Some, for example, try to create an "authentic" feel to the casino, as though you were actually in a casino, while others use more animation. Download and play as many as you want, for fun. Then when you're ready to play for real money, you'll be prepared and comfortable.

Message Boards & Forums

Below is a short list of some message boards which you can visit as a guest, or you may register as a member. These boards are where you can find useful info, and plenty of personal opinions and experiences about playing online.

GPWA (Gambling Portal Webmasters Association)

Casino Affiliate Programs

The Poker Forum

Winneronline

Gambling.com

Interactive Gaming Council - Watchdog of The Online Gambling Community

Formed in 1996, the IGC is the leading trade association for the international interactive gambling industry with its membership operating or supplying services to most of the reputable interactive sites on the World Wide Web. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the IGC champions fair and honest interactive gambling environments. It includes casino portal owners, software vendors, and casinos. It charges a fee for membership, and each member voluntarily agrees to adhere to a strict code of conduct.