Playing with an online casino is more exciting and more profitable than going to a traditional casino. There’s just one drawback, you’ve got to be careful when playing online so you stay safe.
Being secure online is an absolute must, especially in today’s day and age. If you’re eager to start playing, or you’ve already started, you need to know how to play in a safe way.
I’ve thoroughly examined all the pitfalls of online casinos and I’m here to share what I’ve learned. Here are five ways you can play casino games online — but safely.
1. Check the casino’s license
Before you deposit a single dollar or pull that trigger on a virtual slot machine ask one question. Is this legal? The last thing you want to kill your gambling buzz is getting into trouble with the law!
Depending on where you live, you can gamble legally online. A number of states have legalized online casinos, and more and more will in the future. You can do some online research to see if the casino you’re interested in is licensed in your state.
It could also be an offshore casino, which could be licensed in another country. The popular places to register are Great Britain, Malta, or other European countries. While it’s not a guarantee, checking that a casino has a license means you can have a legal backup if things go wrong.
2. Know the ins and outs of casino bonuses
There are a lot of internet casinos out there trying to get a piece of the $59 billion that online gambling is worth worldwide. So that’s why you’ll see a lot of them trying to tempt you with bonuses.
Getting free money, or free spins to start using their online casino seems like a win-win. There are definitely some lucrative online casino bonuses out there. You can use them to make the most of your money.
But the general rule is: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Read the terms and conditions of the bonus beforehand so you know exactly what you are signing up for. One of the most common things to look out for is the wagering requirement.
Basically, this is how much the casino requires you to bet before you can cash out the money. So if a bonus has a 10x wagering requirement, and the bonus is $10, you’ll have to wager $100 to get paid out.
3. The Return to Player (RTP) percentage is vital
If you play a lot of online casino games you’ve probably heard the term RTP before. If not, here’s the breakdown. The RTP is the return to player or how much each game pays out (in theory). Calculations are made to determine how much of the money a player puts in will be returned to them.
Good games have an RTP of around 95%. This means that eventually, they will pay out 95% of the money put in. This is over a few thousand or more games though, so for short term players, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll get 95% of your money back.
The good news is that now licensed online casinos have to display their payout percentages. If you’re playing with a good casino, it will display the RTP so you know in advance if the game is worth your time or is going to be a waste of time and money.
4. Don’t pick unfamiliar games
Before you decide to play, it’s a good idea to test the games you choose at an online casino. Especially if you’ve never played them before. A lot of games have a demo mode or a free play option, so you can get familiar with them and see how your luck goes beforehand.
Sometimes when you see a new, unfamiliar game it can be tempting to play. But it’s not always a good idea for you to do it if the casino isn’t trusted. Sometimes new games are set up to look exciting but will drain you of your funds.
Don’t fall victim to a rigged or nonfunctioning game. Just test it first and see if you feel comfortable with it.
5. Verify the withdrawal methods
The whole reason we play is to win. So you don’t want any problems when you hit a jackpot and try to cash out. Some casinos make withdrawing difficult so you’ll keep your money in your account and keep playing. So test this by making an attempt to withdraw funds. Make sure the casino keeps its promise of paying out by a certain time frame.
