If you have ever played at a land based casino there are some differences between online casinos and land based casinos. Some of the differences can be confusing to new online players; we thought we would take some time to address what a newbie should know about the online casino world before playing.
Land based casinos are straight forward; you put your coins, tokens or electronic card in to the machine and pull the lever. Online casinos are similar but in the past the attractiveness of land based casinos was complimentary drinks etc while online casinos offer bonus options to entice new players.
You need to beware of bonus options, not that they are a bad thing, but there are terms and conditions that need to be looked over before playing. Most online casinos offer what are called a match bonus, which means that if you deposit for example 200.00 of a certain currency the casino will match that amount.
What new players often overlook is that in order to cash in your earnings you will need to play through a certain amount of times. This means you are required to spin or play a certain game for example 30 times, after you have met the play through requirements you may begin to withdraw your earnings.
Providing proper credentials and making sure you are of age is important, you can do a search on many online casinos and you will find many people cursing them because they were supposedly not paid or where ripped off, this is usually the result of not providing all the correct documents when signing up.
The biggest mistake many people make is not providing proper identification when signing up with a new casino, it is very important that you provide an identification along with a valid proof of address that matches who you are and where you live. Some casinos are very lax when it comes to this but others are not.
Search for good casinos, there are many fraudulent casinos, but then again there are just as many reputable ones. There is plenty of info out there as well as online casino guides that can help you choose the right casino.
For a list of rogue or bad casinos, there are plenty of lists out there that can point out the good from the bad ones.
If in doubt contact the casino, all casinos should have a valid e-mail address and phone number, before playing at a certain casino go ahead and contact them with any questions you may have before signing up, this will give you an idea of the support you can expect form the casino in the future.
Common sense is another thing to take in to consideration when looking for an online casino, if you have carefully read the terms and conditions but still do not have a good feeling about the casino, do not play there look, somewhere else.
Free Games
If you are trying out new casinos, most online casinos offer free games, go ahead and download the software, although some casinos may require credit card information when signing up many do not find ones that offer free flash or download casino games and try them before playing for real money. This will give you an idea of the games and let you get your feet wet before wagering with real money.
