Before venturing into any new field, you should check the terrain and prepare yourself for the challenges ahead. If you dive right in then you are bound to make costly mistakes. With this philosophy in mind, we have listed 7 golden rules for newbie online casino players. They cover different aspects of gambling with real money.
Rule #1 Treat Online Gambling as a Form of Entertainment
The first thing players must understand is that in gambling a win is never guaranteed. The results are random, so as the age old adage goes, you win some, you lose some. At the end of the session, you may be up or down – either way, you have to be ready for both. In fact, the pay-outs are set to give the online casino an advantage, and this is referred to as the house edge. It allows the establishment to cover its costs.
Whatever the outcome of your game, you should always treat online gambling as a form of entertainment. Just as you spend money for eating out or going to the movies, consider your set bankroll as a price to be paid for enjoying yourself. Never ever treat online gambling as a source of income.
Rule #2 Look Out for the Online Casino’s Licence
As obvious as a rule this may seem, it is often overlooked or taken for granted. But it should be highlighted that not all online casinos out there are reputable and licensed. So beware of the rogue operators and look out for renowned licences such as ones given by the MGA, amongst others.
Such regulatory bodies carry out a rigorous due diligence and monitor casinos’ performance of regularly before issuing their licence. Such checks are important as they ensure potential players’ safety and security before signing up. Sites like Kings Chance have a reputation of being fair and secure. Reputation is a key tell if a casino is worth your cash.
Rule #3 Don’t Make a Hasty Decision
As previously mentioned, playing your favourite online game should be an entertaining experience. Therefore you should be in no rush to choose a casino. Be sure to select the right one by checking whether they offer the games you like. And, if not, move on to the next.
It’s easy to get reeled in to playing at an online casino with their variety of games on offer. From the mesmerising audio-visual features of video slots; to the authentic brick and mortar feel many live casino games offer. You might even aspire to win life-changing progressive jackpots – if you’re super lucky, of course! Needless to say, there’s no point in playing at an online casino that doesn’t offer an extensive collection of your go-to games.
Some online casinos offer an exhaustive selection of games you’d be at a loss as to which ones to choose, while others may specialise in certain categories or game genres. It really depends your preference. So checking out their portfolio of games would be a good starting point.
Rule #4 Understand the Importance of Quick Withdrawal Options
There are many online casinos that remit your winnings by check or wire transfer only. You will get the money in your account after 10 to 15 days and after a fee is deducted from the amount. It goes without saying, this is not an ideal withdrawal option, and unless you’re okay with additional – easily avoidable – withdrawal fees (we’ll take a wild guess that you’re not!) you’d want to avoid these options. We advise you to not only focus on games’ selection and bonuses when choosing a casino. Be sure to pay attention to the available withdrawal options which are accessible and don’t come with additional fees. And before signing up, make sure that your winnings will be returned to your credit card or electronic wallet.
Rule #5 Remember Blackjack and Video Poker Are Games of Skill
All casino games and players’ chances of winnings are based on pure luck, this can be seen when playing roulette or slots. Other games, however, also require a fair degree of skill and strategy, as in the case of blackjack and video poker. Having a proper strategy in place can substantially increase your chance of returns. However, if you make the wrong choices the such favourable chances will dwindle. Of course, even having the best strategy in place is not a fool proof guarantee for a win, so it’s important to keep that in mind!
And, if you feel your strategy is rusty or you lack strategy altogether, fret not, because there are several online tutorials available, and before you know it, you can master the necessary strategic skills in no time. We recommend choosing a casino that offers a free demo mode, that way you can test your skill before you dip into your bankroll.
Rule #6 Playing Responsibly and Do Not Chase Losses
Responsible Gambling is something that’s being promoted so much that it’s become somewhat of a buzzword, and rightly so. It’s always advisable for players to gamble cautiously – whether novice or seasoned players. This is to ensure that they don’t fall into a downward spiral of addictive gambling. You know an online casino is a reputable one because it offers advice and to players about how to gamble responsibly.
Granted, no one likes to lose and inexperienced gamblers often face a rush of blood exhorting them to recover losses in the session. It’s also quite easy to into the trap of playing more in order to win whatever losses you would have had from previous games. This could be very dangerous territory. Our advice? When your bankroll for the session is over, cut your losses and quit for the day.
Rule #7 Learn to Set Personal Deposit Limits
Online casinos have default maximum deposit limits but these are usually kept with the big bettors in mind. However, they allow players to set smaller deposit limits that operate over a day or a week or a month. At some casinos you can set your personal limits on your own after logging in. Others give you the option to request customer support to do so. Work out how much you can afford to deposit based on your income and then set the limit accordingly. Keep in mind that some online casinos work with bet limits or loss limits instead of deposit limits, but the main objective for either is to control your gambling.