Online gambling was one of the most popular online activities even before the Covid-19 pandemic. During it, it experienced a veritable boom, vastly overshooting all projected growth figures from various experts. Online casinos saw record revenue in 2020, as millions of people worldwide faced lockdowns and were forced to turn to the Internet as the only source of entertainment at their disposal.
Set a Budget
Perhaps the most critical advice for beginners in the online casinos’ world is setting a budget and adhering to it religiously. We have all heard stories about people who couldn’t control their impulses and lost everything they owned in a single night of gambling. Don’t become one of those cautionary stories.
The size of your gambling budget is up to you, but never make it bigger than what you can afford to lose. Of course, that is just one part of the story. The second one, equally important, is to abide by it. Never, under any circumstances, should you spend more than you set aside. Not even for that one last spin or poker hand. That is how you get into trouble and end up blowing through your kids’ college fund. Our brains can act funny during gambling, and you need to control it firmly. It would be best if you also decided what you want to do with your winnings.
Some people divide it, with 50% going back to their budget, while the other half gets withdrawn immediately. We feel that it is a good rule of thumb, but what you do with it is up to you.
Not All Casinos Are the Same
There are hundreds of online casinos operating today. There are 40 of them in South Africa alone. So, how does a new player find a good one? The easiest way is to visit an online casinos review site and see what other players had to say about their experiences.
Some sites use a rating system to rank casinos. For instance, judging by Playcasino, Springbok and African grand casino are the best-rated casino in South Africa, with five stars rating. This method is highly popular because it is very hard to influence, and you can be reasonably sure that nobody has paid them to skew the data.
Since reviews and ratings come from players who had played in those casinos, the system is as trustworthy as possible.
Beware of scammers
The popularity of online gambling has attracted scammers like blood in the wonder attracts sharks. Whenever there is a lot of cash changing hands, criminals are sure to congregate, and the online industry is no exception.
One of their favorite methods of scamming people is setting up fake casino sites that offer great terms and bonuses to new players. Everything goes wonderful until you try to make your first withdrawal, then, all of a sudden, many problems start to delay your transfer.
They will stall you until you either give up or try to contact the authorities. Once the heat gets too much, the site will simply disappear overnight, and they will set up another operation, trying to rip off more people. Make sure that you are giving your money only to reputable sites.
For example, if you visit casino.com, you will see that they have a list of awards they have won, the Best Online Casino Operator in 2018, Best Customer Service in 2020, and the Most Responsible Online Gambling Operators also in 2018. All of these are easy to verify, and you can play freely without worrying about unsavory characters trying to scam you.
Familiarize Yourself with The Games You Want to Play
Some casino games are easier to learn and master than others. Whatever game you choose to play, make sure you are thoroughly familiar with the rules since learning on the go can get expensive. This is especially true for games like poker, in which you play against human opponents.
They will not hesitate to take advantage of any weakness in your playstyle they discover. You will have to have a strategy in place before even considering joining a live poker room. The trouble is those good strategies take time to understand and implement correctly, and not many people have the patience for that, so they rush in and get fleeced. If at all possible, try not to be one of those people. Remember, patience is a virtue.
Get Information About Casino Bonuses
Online casinos offer a wide selection of bonuses for both old and new players. There are so many of them that they can be quite confusing. Before deciding on an online casino, make sure you are familiar with the bonuses it offers and how they compare to the competition.
Perhaps the grass is greener on the other side, but you won’t know until you do your research. When comparing bonuses, pay attention to some of the most common ones, like welcome bonus, deposit bonus, and cashback bonus. Decide which one is the most important to you and make your choice accordingly.
Read Terms and Conditions
In the end, we have the most tedious part many of us prefer to skip. However, considering you will entrust an online casino with your hard-earned cash, it would seem prudent to inform yourself under what conditions you are doing that. Keep in mind that terms and conditions are a legally binding document, and clicking on that “I agree” button is equal to signing a contract.
Usually, every online casino’s terms and conditions are standard for the service industry. Still, there may be some fine print that can cause you a lot of aggravation down the road unless you know about it and are prepared. Things like wagering requirements for each bonus will be listed there, and if you aren’t familiar with them, you may be in for some nasty surprises once you try and withdraw your money. You can avoid them by spending 15 minutes familiarizing yourself with terms and conditions.
Online casinos, for the most part, are strictly regulated, and they must display them prominently.
