Online gambling is a lot more common than you might think. Try asking your immediate circle of friends or family – there’s bound to be at least one person who bets on football or who plays poker.
Gambling might bear some social stigma now, but the digital world is very much contributing to its normalization.
After all, football players wear bookmaker brands on their shirts and those bookmakers can be found in a single Google search.
So what’s it really like to gamble online?
It isn’t as scary as it sounds and you’re in no danger of falling down a rabbit hole as soon as you so much as look at an online casino’s homepage.
Online Casinos: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Those who didn’t grow up with the internet will know that when it comes to the digital world, the first thing you should be doing is protecting your private information.
Protecting yourself and ensuring that the sites you share information with are legit is still the number one safeguard against internet scams.
And it’s this attitude that you need to take with you when entering the world of online casinos.
Security and Legitimacy of Online Casinos
You might’ve heard already that in the UK, the online gambling market makes up about a third of the gambling industry in terms of yearly profits.
We’re talking millions of pounds of profits, so the industry had better be regulated. The best online casinos – the ones that make the most of that money – are usually pressured to play by the rules.
They are carefully monitored and regulated to make sure they don’t abuse players. Here are the signs of a good trustworthy casino:
- They operate under a governmental gambling license (UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, Alderney Gambling Control Commission, et cetera)
- They have an independently audited RTP
- They have a responsive customer service
- They are recommended by real gamblers
- Their site has features encouraging responsible gambling
There are casinos out there operating with no license, and others that have terms that give them total freedom to cancel bonuses or withdrawals for any reason they wish.
TL;DR: All in all – just exercise some caution, and you can absolutely find a great trustworthy online casino to play at.
What Casino Games Can You Find Online?
According to the type of casino you’re playing at, the game selection can be vastly different. Some casinos specialize in a single game, such as slot sites or poker sites.
Others are all-around casinos that include slots, card & table games, but also sports betting and horse races.
Every single gambling game you can think of has a digital equivalent. And every table & card game can also be played in live casinos.
It’s up to you to choose where you want to go.
Huge Online Casino Game Variety
Most online casinos offer demo and real money versions of their games. So you can choose to play for free if you want, and not deal with the pressure of redeeming bonuses.
Here’s a quick list of what you can find online:
- Slots: 3D, video, classic
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Poker
- Bingo & Scratch cards
- Sports betting (football, tennis, basketball…)
- Horse racing
As there are constantly new casinos popping up on the market, you can hop from one site to the next to try and find the best you prefer.
You can also gamble at multiple sites. For instance, many people play at well-established all-round casinos and scout for new slot sites for that on-the-go gaming.
More Frequent & Generous Casino Bonuses
It’s well known that online casinos offer much more frequent bonuses than their land-based counterparts.
A lot of the best casinos offer both welcome packages for newcomers, but also loyalty schemes for returning players.
Seasonal and regularly occurring promotions also help to keep players coming back for more. You definitely won’t find nearly as many offers of free bonus money and free spins at land-based casinos.
So it can be quite worthwhile to make the switch – choose online casinos if you’re only just getting started.
