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Last updated on December 17th, 2021 at 08:51 am
Online gambling can be fun, entertaining, and profitable, but it can also be risky.
People are trying to find the best way to spend their time and have fun, and gambling is a common choice among adults. According to casino.org over 20% of the world’s population gambles in any way. Whether it is a landbased casino or an online room, it turns out that a lot of people like to play, or at least try their luck every once in a while.
If you want to try it yourself or if you are a less experienced player, we have prepared this ultimate guide for you. The purpose of the guide is not to encourage you to play, but to prepare you for the world of online gambling.
How do we know all that?
We are a team of online gambling professionals with over 10 years of experience in the industry. In the last decade, we have worked with some major brands and game providers in the gambling world. Our experience is related to customer experience, and at the same time is based on the business point of view. Driven by our motto “Know more, bet better” we decided to put our knowledge in one place and provide you with some valuable insights through this ultimate guide.
Before we begin
There are certain things you have to make sure of before you start.
1) Gambling is for adults. This rule is pretty straight forward. You cannot play if you are underage. If you think that you can evade this by playing online, you are wrong. Actually, online rooms have a strict policy regarding underage players, and breaking this rule can lead to severe consequences.
2) Don’t play if you have gambling problems. Gambling addiction is a serious issue and should be addressed in a timely manner.
Visit this website for more information.
3) Don’t play if you have money problems. This point is related to the previous one. You shouldn’t think of gambling as a source of income or a solution to a financial problem. You should be aware of your budget and be able to control your spendings. Gambling is a paid entertainment with a possibility of profit, but this profit is not guaranteed. The amount of money you put into betting should be reasonable. You should be willing to risk losing this money without suffering any substantial budget losses.
Once you make sure you have the previous points covered, we can move on to the next thing on the agenda.
Myth Busters
There are so many myths going around the Internet regarding online gambling. Sometimes even skilled players believe in them due to negative experience in a particular casino. Nevertheless, if you want to get into the online gaming world, you should get your facts straight. It’s good to be cautious, but it’s better to be well informed.
Myth N1 – The online casino games are manipulated
Truth be told, online casino games are safer than real-life slot machines. Big gaming providers develop the majority of games, and then they stand with their names and reputation behind their work. These providers are licensed and qualified to produce the games. Each game is tested before being launched and has to cover international standards and compliance regulations in order to be certified. This whole process also costs a lot of money.
No one will benefit from manipulating the games in the long run. Nowadays, the market is full of different games and casino operators. The competition is so big that the sites are actually trying harder than ever to make their players fill comfortable and safe.
Myth N2 – The game will freeze if you are winning
The answer to the first myth applies to this one as well. The casino will not benefit if you have game issues and if you’re unable to make bets. Of course, game freezes are possible to happen. They can be caused by internet connection problems or server issues. The good thing is that usually, the casino software also knows that the game is stuck and needs just a simple restart in order to pick the game where you left off.
Myth N3 – The casino won’t pay you your winnings
Actually, this is not a total myth. You might even have stumbled upon a similar story around the internet. The truth is, if you are playing by the rules at a decent and legit casino, you won’t have any problem getting your winnings. How to make sure of that? You will find all the information needed in our How to gamble online guide.
How to gamble online
Now that you’ve learned the essential things, we can move on to the guide itself. As we already said before, the purpose of the guide is not to encourage you to play, but to help you make the best decisions if you want to gamble online. It is designed for people with none to very little experience in the sphere.
Safety First
Safety in the online gambling world doesn’t include only your money. Gambling is a sensitive topic in terms of legislation, licensing, and responsible gambling.
First, you should make sure what your country’s legislation says about online gambling and if there are any limitations.
Second, you should always check the casino/poker room/sportsbook you want to play at for a license. Usually, the license information is placed in the footer of the website. It states where the brand is registered and regulated.
Here are some of the main Online Gaming Regulators and Licensing Bodies:
- UK Gambling Commission
- Malta Gaming Authority
- Curacao Internet Gambling Association
- AAMS (Italy)
- Spanish Gaming Commission
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission (Canada)
The existence of a license is crucial for the operators as well as for the players. The licensing body ensures that all provided games are fair, random, and safe for the players. It also ensures responsible gambling by obligating the operator to follow a strict responsible gambling policy. This policy includes different tools that help the players control their gambling level, such as: deposit limits, bet limits, loss limits, self-exclusion, time out, etc.
Before you start playing in a casino, it is always helpful to look at some reviews. If you want to find players’ reviews and think they will be more objective, keep in mind that this is not always true. It is proven that people are more likely to leave a review when they have had a negative experience. In the gambling world, this means that you are more likely to see negative feedback from a player who didn’t win at a given casino. And this doesn’t mean that the website is not worth it.
Terms of Use
Nobody reads the T&Cs, right? But at gambling websites, you should definitely do it. The terms and conditions contain pretty important information that you should know before you start playing. First of all, they will show you if you are allowed to play on the website. The new and bigger brands use more advanced technology and GEO targeting, which means that if players from your jurisdiction are not allowed on the website, you won’t be able to open it and register. But not every casino is technologically up to date. In some cases, players from specific countries are not allowed to receive bonuses, for example. There might be other important points like withdrawal limits or even the so-called small print, and it is your obligation to familiarize yourself with all that before you hit the accept button.
What is KYC?
KYC is another important point you should be prepared for. It means ‘know your customer‘ and consists of a standard verification process. Some players find it intrusive, but it is actually a logical safety process.
Depending on the casino’s license, you might be asked to provide personal documents such as ID, driving license, proof of address, proof of payment method, etc. Those documents might be requested upon registration, prior to withdrawing or upon withdrawing a given amount of winnings. They will be used for the sole purpose of verifying your identity. The KYC process also prevents crime like ID theft, payment method theft, underage gambling, and money laundering.
Usually, the process is made very simple. Most casinos have a specific page where you can upload your documents and see the verification outcome.
Bonuses and Wagering Requirements
The bonuses are one of the most important aspects of online gambling. This is the main tool that the casinos use to attract their customers. But not all players are keen on playing with bonuses.
The idea of the bonus is to boost your bankroll and give you the ability to play more. There are various types of bonuses:
Deposit bonus.
Most of the bonuses represent a given percentage of your deposit. For example, many casinos will give you 100% bonus on your first deposit, which is the so-called match bonus. It means that you will receive double the amount you invest.
E.g., if you deposit 100, you will play with 200.
However, the bonus money is not actually real money. Or at least not yet. Once you receive this additional amount, you have to play with it first to withdraw any winnings. This is called wagering requirement.
It represents the number of times you have to bet the bonus amount before you can withdraw.
E.g., if you received a bonus of 100 and the wagering requirement is 40 times the bonus, this means that you have to make bets on the total amount of 4000.
Each casino has its own wagering requirements. You can even see some formulas like (B+D)x30. This means that you have to wager both the bonus amount and the amount you deposited 30 times.
No deposit bonus.
Some casinos use free bonuses to attract new customers. This is a good way to test the casino games, although nowadays the majority of the operators offer demo play. Some players look specifically for free bonuses, thinking that they can win without depositing. However, this is not that easy.
First of all, free bonuses have more restrictions and requirements. Free bonuses usually have bigger wagering requirements, and it’s much harder to complete them with a small amount like 10eur.
Second, even if you manage to complete the wagering, you will be required to make a deposit, in order to withdraw your winnings.
Third, there will be a restriction regarding the withdrawal amount. E.g., you will be able to withdraw no less and no more than 100.
Free Spins.
The free spins are another type of bonus, that represents free bets on a slot machine game. They can be valid for a specific game or for any slot you like. There might be a limitation on the bet amount you can make with the free spins. However, they work just like regular bet and can trigger all kinds of features of the slot game like bonus rounds, etc.
The free spins wagering is usually based on the amount you manage to win after spending them.
No wagering/cash bonus.
You can also get a bonus free of wagering conditions, this is the so-called cash bonus. Usually, these types of bonuses are not available for new customers (for first deposit), but you can always ask the casino support for more information.
The amount of the no wagering bonus is usually much smaller than the regular one. Depending on the promotion, the bonus amount itself might not be withdrawable. Only the winnings accumulated with it can be withdrawn, free of any conditions.
Cashback is also a type of cash bonus, which is based on your loses in the casino. This is a common promotion for loyal players. It might be a weekly offer or included in the casino VIP program.
Comp Points.
Some casinos offer complimentary points or comp points, which are accumulated while you play. This is how the casino is rewarding you for playing. For example, Magicazz Casino will reward you with 1 point for every €10 you play at the casino. Once you accumulate 100 points, you can exchange them for 1eur cash.
N.B. Always read the bonus terms before you start playing. Besides the wagering, there might be other requirements related to the bonus. Usually, there are bet limitations. For example, while playing with a bonus you can make bets only up to 5eur.
There are also game limitations. For example, you can’t play jackpot games with a (free) bonus. Furthermore, games like roulette and blackjack usually don’t count for the wagering requirement.
Many casinos have bonus limitations concerning the deposit method used. For example, deposits made through Skrill/Neteller might not qualify for receiving a bonus. Other operators do the opposite and give an additional bonus percentage for specific payment methods.
All this valuable information you will find in the bonus term section of the casino.
VIP Program
Online casinos are not concerned only about the new players. They also take very good care of the loyal ones.
Becoming a VIP or a loyal player is pretty easy – you just have to play. The more bets and deposits you make, the more valuable you become.
Every casino has its own VIP program. Climbing the VIP ladder can get you to different upgrades. Their key benefits usually include special bonuses, or bonuses with better wagering requirements, higher withdrawal limits, better comp conversion, personal account manager.
Getting incentives for playing more can be tempting. However, don’t forget to play responsibly and to stop when the fun stops. You can always seek help from the casino customer support regarding limitations of your deposits or bet limits, and even for more strict measures such as closing your account.
Also, you can always contact us if you think that some information is missing in this guide and if you have some more questions about online gambling.
