Common Questions Asked by Online Gamblers.
Question: Is Online Gambling Legal?
Certain countries around the world have legalised online gambling and offer the issuance of gaming licenses to online operators. These include Antigua, Costa Rica, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man. The Philippines and Macau are now following suit.
In the United Kingdom, the final phase of the progressive UK Gambling Bill of 2005 will be implemented, making it the leader in online gambling legalisation initiatives, and ensuring online casinos are safe and accessible for the British gambler.
The United States' enacting of UIGEA ( The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 2006) has seen several states within the US, including, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin passing anti-gaming legislation, with several other states proposing related bills. Whilst UIGEA's purpose was aimed at anti-terrorism and money laundering through the prevention of fund transfers via the internet, the act is generally considered to be a massage from federal authorities that online gambling is considered illegal. As such, most online casinos refuse to accept US gamblers.
Question: Are Online casinos fair and honest?
In most instances, online casinos are indeed fair and honest. House edges and player mistakes are generally sufficient for online operators to turn a profit without having to resort to cheating. There are some smaller sites however that are slow to make payouts, and in some incidences, there have been reports that winners accounts have been frozen due to "suspected suspicious behaviour" on the part of the player. It is advisable that players research their casino of choice by reviewing online message boards for negative comments, as well as becoming affiliated with the casino's terms and conditions of use.
Question: Do I have to be an adult to gamble?
Yes, a player needs to 18 or older to participate in online gambling. Those younger are able to play for fun, but they cannot wager real currency.
Question: How do I choose an online casino?
It is recommended that a player chooses a casino that is well established and popular amongst other gamblers. These casinos have generally proven themselves to be reliable and ethical due to their vast membership numbers. Refer to the section entitled "Choosing an Online Casino" for more detailed information on what to look out for.
Question: Do I need to download software to play?
Most casinos offer a downloadable version of their casinos, as well as a flash instant play version. The downloadable version is more comprehensive and offers detailed graphics, sound and animation, whilst the flash casino is in essence an abbreviated version with diminished quality. The choice is generally up to the player, but it should be noted that the flash instant play option is not advisable for players with minimal bandwidth.
Question: How do I get started and purchase chips?
Non US players, there are a variety of deposit options including, Neteller, FirePay, Citadel, check, wire transfer and money order to name a few. There are relatively few restrictions. US players are limited due to the UIGEA enactment, but they are still able to purchase chips using ePassporte, Diners Club International, Debit cards, Ecco cards, Wire transfers (e.g. Western Union), money order, bank draft and pre-paid gift cards. In some cases, deposits can be made by provider-affiliated electronic cash systems such as InterCasino's Cryptologic's e-cash system.
Question: How do I collect my Winnings?
Withdrawal processes vary between casinos and are usually affected by whether or not the player is a US citizen or not, but generally winnings will be credited back to the account from which the deposit was made if the casino is using a third party payment service such as Neteller. Other options include cheques, bank drafts and bank wires.
Certain casinos require PIN verification which is sent to the player via the postal service which can be tedious. It is recommended that the player examines the withdrawal policies of the casino before making a deposit.