Online casinos have been around for close to three decades now, but many people are only just starting to pay attention to them. Recent events have pushed many traditional players to consider them as an option. You may have tinkered with the idea for a while, but are still hesitant to try them for some reason. If you think that they are less reliable than traditional casinos, or they’re rigged, you have nothing to fear if you know how to differentiate legitimate casinos from fraudulent ones. However, you will have to make adjustments to your game as the gameplay and atmosphere are very different with online casinos. Here’s how to make the transition from traditional to online casinos.
Start with the Right Casino
The most important part is picking a casino that you can trust. Thankfully, this is something that you can find out in a few minutes. All you have to do is check if the casino is accredited. This is what will tell you if the casino can lawfully operate. You have to make sure that the casino is accredited by a reputable regulatory body, however.
Some of the most respected bodies include the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, and the UK Gambling Commission. Casinos that are based in North America will often be accredited by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which is another respected body. Curacao and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority are two other names that you will see, and they are very respected as well.
In addition to accreditation, we would also suggest that you check out a few review sites. Sites like Online Casinos post reviews of online casinos and all the casinos on their list are accredited. This will help facilitate your search and enable you to see which casinos are worth trying. They run down some of the good and the bad for every casino and also outline some of the bonuses they have to offer.
Try a Few Casinos for Free
Speaking of bonuses, you need to take advantage of these to the fullest when playing online. It is the top perk of online casinos, and they constantly try to outcompete each other in that department. Most casinos will offer either free spins, deposit match bonuses, or both.
When looking at bonuses, there are a few things you’ll need to pay special attention to. In the case of free spins, you have to check on which games you can use them. When it comes to deposit match bonuses, you need to know on how many of your deposits you will get a bonus and what the wagering requirements are to make withdrawals. Some casinos will give you bonuses up to your fourth or even fifth deposit. But all of this will be useless if you have to spend insane amounts of money to withdraw your winnings, so be careful with that.
Play Live Games
Another thing you should look at when picking a casino is how many live tables they have, if any. This will feel closer to home for you. Some casinos will only have a handful of tables with live dealers while others use them as part of their theme. This is great not only for replicating the live experience but also for those who are sceptical of online gambling odds.
Have a Sound Bankroll Management Strategy
Bankroll and time management will be essential when playing online. Playing in a brick-and-mortar casino somewhat limits the amount of money you can spend. The pace tends to be slower, and you can’t just pop up into your favourite casino at any time of the day or night.
This is why you will need to set a clear budget for playing, and treat online gambling just like traditional gambling. This means that you have set times for you to play. You should set a timer and dedicate yourself to stopping if you spend all your bankroll as well. You might also want to deliberately slow down your play if you’re playing something like slot machines, for instance.
Look Up RTP Ratios
One of the great things about online casinos is that you can look up the odds for every single slot machine they have there. So, take the time to check return-to-player ratios and look up the games that offer the least edge to the house. You have to be careful to not pick games that have too slight of an edge, however, as the pay-outs tend to be modest as well. Look for middle-of-the-road jackpots with reasonable odds instead.
Be Careful
You should know, however, that there are real dangers to playing online, even if you go with a legitimate casino. You have to take steps to protect your personal information at all times.
The first thing we would suggest is that you don’t use your regular email address for playing online. You’d be surprised at how much information people can get on you with your email address, so pick one specifically for gambling. You should also make sure that it has a different password than your other accounts, especially your online casino accounts.
Another thing you should never do is allow the casino to log you in automatically. You could be in serious trouble if someone finds your device and ends up logging into your account.
You should be very careful about where you play as well. Online casinos are extremely convenient, and you might be tempted to play a few spins while you’re at a cafe or the airport, but you should never connect over public Wi-Fi. There are so many ways that your data could get intercepted over a public Wi-Fi connection. The admin or any other person who intercepts your connection can get information like your username and password. And, if you made a bank transfer while online, they could get crucial banking information too. If you’re going to play online and use a public connection, at least use a VPN.
Making the transition from offline to online play shouldn’t be that difficult if you go in prepared. Follow our few tips and you should be able to have a blast while staying safe.