Curious but uncertain?
- Heard about online casinos through a friend or by seeing an ad on a website or reading a casino guide??
- Wonder why on earth someone would want to play online rather than visit a casino?
- Not sure about how it all works?
- Can online casinos be trusted?
Playing at an online casino is a very new idea for many people, although you’ll be surprised to know that many online casinos have been around since the 1990s!
Why would you want to play roulette, slots, craps or blackjack online instead of going to a casino? Many people find that it’s simply a heck of a lot more convenient to to play at home – no need to get dressed up, no parking hassles, no expensive drinks…
Online casinos have developed immensely over the past couple of years to include a social element to it as well – you can play against live blackjack dealers, or chat with other Bingo or poker players or even take part in real-time slots tournaments against players from around the world.
Many people are concerned about their privacy online and the security of their money. IN FACT these are the two things you should most be concerned about – your person and your wealth. However there are things that you can look for to make sure that you’re playing at a trusted and secure online casino:
- Microgaming software: Microgaming is the oldest and largest developer of casino software in the world and is highly trusted by millions of players. Casino operators who run on Microgaming software are considered to be trustworthy Visit here to find out more.
- eCogra certification: eCogra (E-commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) is an independent online casino, poker and bingo watchdog and dispute mediation organization. Casino operators bearing the eCogra Seal of Approval have been stringently checked, audited and verified to be trusted and secure.
Banking at trusted online casinos involves secure 128-bit SSL encryption – the same as is used by online banks. Trusted casino bonus operators also have 24-hour fraud detection departments and systems for your protection – large teams of highly trained and qualified people and state-of-the-art fraud detection systems are working round-the-clock to keep your details and money safe.
How to play
Most online casinos give you the option to download the casino software to your computer, install it and play – or to play instantly online in a “Flash” version of the software (no download required).
There are usually two options when playing: play as a Guest (for free) or as a Real player (playing for real money). As a Guest you will be able to play risk-free and try out the games, and as a Real player you can win real money and also have access to play to win the Progressive Jackpot Slots (where people literally become millionaires with a single win).
How to buy casino credits
In order to play the games for real, you will need to load up your account with casino bonuses or credits (just like buying chips at a casino). After a session of playing you can close the software and come back later to carry on playing – your account balance will remain the same until you start playing again.
From time to time you may even receive extra credits as incentives from the casino. These bonuses get paid into a separate account called a bonus account, but the total of your cash money balance and the bonus account will be shown on your overall total balance. In order to cash out the bonus credits you receive you may need to wager a certain amount – this is known as online casino bonuses wagering requirements.