There is very little difference between the framework of casinos online and that of regular gambling. All genres and styles of gaming take place within this regular framework; the only thing that is different, is the fact that we play in a virtual setting. This certainly has more pros than cons, and we find many online gamers playing, who would not be seen dead in a live casino. By the same token, many live casino lovers also enjoy playing online games, and actually what’s not to love?

Casinos online emulate – almost to a ‘T” – the ambiance of a traditional live casino setting. This has become more and more possible with the advancement of sophisticated state-of-the-art gaming and back-drop technology, which now incorporates the use of three-dimensional graphics, even the sounds come through. If you like the feel and sound of a casino, even if it seems like you are being trapped inside a giant pin-ball machine, this now available from the comfort of your own living room. Light up a cigarette and recreate days-gone-by when Humphrey Bogart was lighting up around the roulette tables of Casablanca. Have a drink on yourself, only don’t have too many, this is a sure-fire way to lose.

If a casino is not your cup of tea, or glass of lager, don’t worry, there are tons of gambling options online. It might be the trill of the horses, dogs or Formula I that gets your motor racing. No worries; sign up today and play at a good Sportsbooks site – every big brand has got them. This is the second largest sector for online gambling, although it looks about to change and may become an industry leader. Sports betting is certainly leading the way for mobile gaming today. Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is and test your skill? Now you can even do this from the palm of your hand, wherever you might be.

We know that slots are available at casinos online and they are favourite games. Sticking to the framework of regular gambling, other random games are popular too and we even have dedicated lottery sites. These allow lottery lovers to play lotto from all over the world – live in the UK and want to play the New York Powerball – no problem, check it out online. Bingo is a similar game to the lottery, being completely random, where winning is decided by balls, and this is also one of the largest and most popular sectors of the online gambling industry. Take your pick of which site to play at, again, all the big brands have got them, and boy you should see the prizes.

We also find combination sites which encompass all of these different games, so basically, any gambling you want, you will find it legally, as long as you aren’t a US player, and you will find it online.

It is not only fun to play at online gambling casinos when you win, although this does make it much more exciting. It is also just as exciting to play for low stakes and while away a relaxing hour, possibly feeding the slots. This is an industry which has built up in a response to a huge demand, and is certainly here to stay, if the customer has any say. Long before real money games were offered online for financial incentive, playing internet games was big news, and this popular gaming activity has carried through to the online gambling genre. The user decides what their poison is, chooses a site which is safe and secure, then never knows what might happen if Lady Luck or sometimes skill comes through.

A whole slew of games can be played, through classic pub fruitie slots, to the most sophisticated of video slots, which are fast becoming a marriage of slots and arcade skill games. While these games are pure entertainment, and there are also great chances to win, there is not much to offer in terms of testing our skills at predicting a winner. There are some players who don’t like the slots – not many, but some – and for these players, desiring the thrill of the live casino may keep them from playing at online gambling casinos. Denying themselves these games is no longer necessary, and every site worth its salt today is now offering a ‘live’ online casino.

Live casino games online are in the table games genre. This means games such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat craps and even others. As technology becomes more sophisticated and there is more demand, we see more and more gambling options on offer. For example let’s look at live blackjack. This is brought to players through live video streaming, filmed from a TV-type studio. Just like in real live casinos, the gambler gets to choose to play at the table with their very own beautiful dealer. This form of ‘high-tech’ online blackjack has attracted and retains massive popularity. It is a stunning game which is endlessly exciting, because of its simplicity.

Playing live blackjack is simple, just download the application (if you are not already a member of a site), the online casino provides you with the link, and the aim of the game is the same. Just beat the dealer to win, by getting closer to 21. The dealer is a ‘flesh and blood’ croupier in this instance, and they deal the cards to the players at the table seated in ‘virtual’ seats. So it is a marriage of online blackjack and the live game, brought to players in real time. Unlike online gambling casinos which are open 24/7, 365, live dealer games might only be open at certain times. Check out the schedule at your favorite site, then why not give it a go?

We cannot stress enough, how vitally important it is for newbie real money gamblers to use an online gambling guide. While the remnants of the US online casino industry is basically in tatters, the UK and European marketplace is faring very well and still growing in popularity. More new markets are opening, particularly in the EU arena, as with Italy and France, and regulation is in place for various new licensing jurisdictions. Although the UK industry is still licensing the majority of its business offshore, this may all change quite soon. However, and this is a big however; online casinos licensed in jurisdictions such as Malta, Cyprus, Isle of Man, Alderney and Gibraltar, are compelled to fall in with EU law, and this means they are both regulated and safe (in the majority).

A good online gambling guide is worth a Kings ransom to the new player, particularly if the player lands up at a winning site. These casino listings provide us with tons of useful (and some useless) information, comparisons, news, reviews, strategies, tips and tricks, and all of this data comes free. Any informed gamer will fare better than the uninformed!

There are very many variables which factor when playing at an online casino, and quite honestly we prefer the big brand or well-known names. The reason for this is quite simple – in a word – “recourse”. The player has recourse to dispute resolution mechanisms such as eCOGRA follow-up, and this essentially means even safer and more pleasant play. Websites in the big brand category are not going to cheat their members, they know on which side their bread is buttered, and they never fall into the class of rogue casinos.

Payment and withdrawal methods are tried and tested, encryption technology is used to secure sensitive information, and random number generators are tested for fairness. Sound customer service infrastructures are in place, and payout percentages are also independently audited. In essence all the steps are in place to ensure a fair, equitable and fun online gambling experience. An online gambling guide, provides all of this information and more, and they are there for a very good reason, not only to act as affiliates for the casino website.

Certification from socially responsible – problem gambling associations also lend an air of responsibility to a site. It means the business has been assessed for self exclusion and under age gambling checks. These are all very important variables which need to be taken into consideration. Surfing from site to site, checking out all of these details and more is an incredibly time-consuming, as well as tedious task. Let the online gambling guide do this for you, it cuts out tons of trouble and effort, and also makes sure that the site or sites where you choose to play will be fun, free from hassles and hopefully winning too. Now that the important boring stuff is out of the way, it is time to have some fun – race you to the casino, let’s play!

There are so many different online casino games that it is difficult to choose what to talk about first, so, I thought I would talk more generally for a change, about the various gambling modes we find on this particular channel (internet). There are also many other ways to gamble too; on television, by mobile, live, by telephone, between your friends, and if you are so inclined – even illegally, although we wouldn’t advise this.

When looking at the online gambling industry, we find bingo, sports betting, lottos, betting exchanges, financial and financial spread-betting, skill games, virtual games, live online games, mobile, poker, arcade, Vegas, day trader, scratchies and other stuff too. These games are generally sectioned off from the combination type sites to provide one particular sector of games.

The principle behind ‘Specialty’ type gambling activity is to interest the player, who only has an interest in this one gambling game. These punters might be fastidious or picky what they play and don’t want to be distracted. It means special offers and promotions are designed for what they enjoy playing best, and they get to take advantage of less combination offers, where there might not be too much that interests them. Although most combinations sites offering online casinos games, will offer specialty promotions for at least slots, blackjack and roulette. Some may diversify wider, depending upon the demands of their regular customers.

Expert players often prefer a specialty site, they can concentrate on their game, skill and strategy as well as qualify for competitions with more attractive, and usually, highly lucrative rewards. The best example of specialty sites, and of which there are many – is online poker, others are online bingo and sports betting. There is also quite a valid reason for specialty site, and this is the software platform, but again technology is one step ahead, and software such as Microgaming Quickfire allows all games to be played on all platforms.

In a brand new turn out for the online casinos games books, P2P play is also becoming popular; although not many sites offer this form of gambling, and it may be easier to find P2P at a combination site. The concept of P2P online gambling is rather like the betting exchange. What happens is players gamble against each other, rather than against a fixed structure like the house. It is a novel concept and hasn’t quite caught on yet – but you know how things catch fire online. It may take off, it may not, but often gamblers are driven by the size of the prize and not necessarily by the skill of the competition. We shall have to watch, wait and see what happens.

Free casino games are great fun to play; It is my job to write about them regularly, so I play a lot of games free. But then, I am a writer not a gambler! One thing needs to be borne in mind when playing free casino games, while these games are great fun to play free, when you win it is also not real. Sods Law tells us; that when playing for free we will win! Fortunately when playing gambling games online, there is also a ton of free money given away. This means many players; play free and win real money.

Virtually every gambling game one can imagine is available online. This means all casino table games, poker, slots, bingo, sports betting, financials, arcade and Asian games, scratchcards, Global lotteries, and even live casino games. Live games are brought to the online space, in real time through live video streaming, while being filmed in TV-type studio settings. Even live bingo makes a popular choice for many players. But, let’s talk a little about free money with which to play these games.

Every online casino and almost every gambling activity website, gives away what they call bonuses when a player makes a deposit. In most instances these bonuses must be earned by making wagers, but once they are earned, it boost the funds that the punter has available to play with. Some online gambling sites even give away a few free bucks, real money play time or free spins, to allow gamers to try before they buy. These are obligation free trials, and quite honestly if you take advantage of them, you really have nothing to lose. Do bear in mind if you win, you will be required to make a deposit, and meet terms and conditions before winnings may be withdrawn. Some sites offer better terms than others and my general rule of thumb is, stick to the brands that you recognize. In this way, you can be pretty darn sure that they won’t get tricky with you.

Amounts vary quite widely from website to website, but when looking at recognizable brands; bonuses are kept pretty standard. Special bonuses are also available for high-rolling players, and for players who only take a gamble on specific games. For example, roulette, blackjack and slots regularly feature their own special bonus amounts. The beauty for the slots lover is that regular freeroll tournament offers are also up for grabs, and sites often give away cash-back and tons of free spins; particularly when they are promoting new games. There are many great deals to be had to play free casino games, but also pays to be pragmatic about this, and realize that everything still comes at a price. Certainly new members of a live casino will never be offered deals such as these; although even these businesses are waking up to the way things are marketed online.

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for any online gambler to play at anything but the best online casinos. There are thousands of these sites to choose from, they absolutely all want your business; so, just make sure you know how to go out and get the best deal. When choosing the cream of the crop in cyber-gaming, this also does not necessarily mean that biggest in best. When we refer to ‘biggest’ we mean in the context of the biggest bonus, not necessarily the biggest brand. Certainly in the UK, the biggest brand names are the best, even though in what appears to be a paradox, these branded sites do not offer the biggest bonuses.

When we are discussing big brands and the fact that they are the best online casinos, we are talking about brands such as William Hill, Victor Chandler, Betfred, Littlewoods, Gala Coral, Mecca Rank, Ladbrokes, Befair and so on. Most are well recognised brands in the High Streets of Britain, however there are also a number of highly reputable, online brands too. Some names include 888.com, Party Gaming, Bodog and 32 Red. However if you conduct a short exercise and compare the land brands with the online variety, you might be surprised to find, that bonus offers are comparatively different. The online brands tend to offer bigger bonuses, while High Street brands which operate online offer far more favourable wagering requirements. This is where personal preferences come into play.

The online gambler needs to ask themselves this very important question ~ “Am I the kind of player who wants lots of bonus bucks, or wants to get my winnings out fast?” You can’t have then both, and there is a valid correlation between either premise. The bigger the bonuses are, the harder it is to meet wagering requirements, meaning in turn, the need to spend more money to get winnings and bonuses out. Making a decision of this nature is not really all that difficult, it is just case of examining the way that you like to play.

One word of warning however, always read all Terms and Conditions and make sure you understand them fully. In a recent case, a Russian winner of over $3 million on Betfair has been involved in a dispute for months to get his winnings out. This is actually not due to the site, but due to his chosen payment method which is only able to release $20 000 a month. Betfair has released the winning funds to the payment processor, who in turn is hanging onto the funds and releasing them strictly according to their own terms and conditions. One can hardly blame Betfair in this situation, but imagine the winner’s frustration?!

Remember the average punter online has a wealth of diverse choices to guarantee the satisfaction of even the most discerning player!

Apparently in response to the US DoJ indictments which took place on the 15th April, against Full Tilt Poker (amongst other sites), the Alderney Gambling Control Commission has negated this sites license pending a hearing. Paddy Power is a famous sports betting site, and like most British betting sites, they love a proposition bet. One of the latest wagers they are taking money on, is that Full Tilt Poker will not reopen for real money online poker games after the hearing in London on the 26th July. If you read this article in time and are keen to take a wager; the odds are 8/1. Personally I agree with Paddy Power and believe they could safely offer even more attractive odds.

I don’t believe that the only reason for the Full Tilt Poker license being revoked was the DoJ indictments – but then this is just my opinion, which is also speculation. The AGCC had from the 15th of April to revoke this license and only did it months later on the 29th June?

In the meantime Full Tilt poker had re-opened their site again for business and ostensibly to allow US players to close their accounts, and make withdrawals of the funds owed to them. The withdrawals were not being processed and all kinds of sh#t was going down. I believe that it was time that this online poker brand was shut down, before things got even worse, and that the AGCC did the right thing. One week later the French regulator – ARJEL also shut FullTilt.fr down!

The AGCC is apparently conducting their own investigation and speculation is running rife. They were the second largest online poker site in the world at the time, and reputed to have owners in Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and other big poker names. People closest to this site, seem to also be oblivious as to what is really taking place also. The fourteen major players who make up Team Full Tilt have been tight-lipped about any action, although just prior to the license withdrawal, Phil Ivey had spoken up and was apparently suing the site, not only on behalf of himself, but on behalf of other players who not been able to withdraw funds. He also demonstrated solidarity with these players by boycotting the WSOP 2011, citing that if his fellow players did not have buy-in funds because of Full Tilt, he was also not prepared to buy-in.

In the meantime Jeff Ifrah, who is Full Tilt’s lawyer, has told certain reporters that a European deal is imminent for this site. In other word, some fool wants to buy it. This may or may not pave the way for players who have not been paid to get their money out – but we very much doubt it. In the meantime class action, and copycat suits are being dealt onto any Full Tilt poker tables that litigators can find.

The free online casino is not necessarily entirely free, although many players at many websites have the choice to play for free – usually in demo mode – this means winning is also not real. Real money players are also able to claim many free gifts, but ultimately everything comes at a price. In other words; the more the online gambler spends, the more they are able to claim free. In this instance, anything for nothing is a bargain, but by the same token, knowing what we are doing at an online casino and how to work the system, also pays.

In other words – knowledge is key!

A knowledgeable online casino player understands wagering requirements, whereas a newbie might not understand. There are still people who are naïve enough to believe that the bigger the bonus the better the site. Nothing could be further from the truth. We only have to conduct a comparison of the big brand online casinos vs. unknowns, or relative unknowns – to immediately see that biggest is never best. The better brand names offer smaller free gifts to facilitate more favorable wagering and withdrawal terms. Lesser known online brands offer huge free casino chip opportunities and in some instances unbelievable withdrawal terms and wagering requirements. These are the most important considerations, when online gamers start looking for the right online casino to invite into their homes.

It is very important to be realistic about gambling online. It is not that the less well-known brands are being ‘tricksy’ (as Smeagol would put it), every bonus that is handed out has to factored in to cash-flow and other operating expenses. Also without massive well-established infrastructures behind them, it is more difficult to just give money away, without expecting some serious loyal play in return first. This is where wagering requirements and withdrawal limits can be seriously restricted.

As to what constitutes a fair wagering requirement, we would say choose a free online casino that offers anything between $10 and $50 for free, and only expects 10 or at the most 20 x wagering requirements; as apposed to a casino which offers $500 as a bonus and expects wagering requirements of 40 or 50 times deposit and bonus. We have even seen some online casinos which expect their members to meet 100 x wagering requirements. It is not only naïve to play at these sites and deposit funds, it is actually seriously stupid, and the prizes are never that good.

There are some free online casino offers that can be taken advantage of, to try before the player buys-in; these are no deposit bonuses and although obligation free, still tie into wagering requirements. It is always important to read and understand these requirements because we never know if we might win with this free money, and no-one wants to be disappointed if they can’t get their winnings out, and first has to spend thousand of dollars.

If you are looking for the best casino payout, you really do have to play slots online. In fact you hear more about big winning players in this gambling genre, than you do of any other games. Online gambling can be highly lucrative, and the biggest and best casino payouts by far are from the Microgaming networked online casino progressive jackpot prize slots. These are fun and exciting to play – just look at the size of the prizes – to date the biggest payout by far was won by a Greek small business owner.

This player won a mahooooosive € 6 374 434.00 ($8.69 million, or thereabouts) prize!!

Judging by the size of this prize, and the fact that Microgaming has made more than one online millionaire, it stands to reason that this PJP network is one of the best places to play. It includes games such as Mega Moolah, which is seeded at $1 million and was indeed the game being played by the winner we mentioned. Currently the PJP for Mega Moolah stands at $/£/€3 061 664.88 and this prize money may be played for over four different slots. These are Mega Moolah (MM), MM 5 Reel Drive, MM Summertime and MM Isis. Other games on the network are; Major Millions- not as big a prize as MM, but still with over a million as a cash prize, Treasure Nile, King Cashalot, Poker Ride, Cyberstud and various others. In fact there are 37 different PJP games, and they can be played at more than 120 of the most profitable online casinos.

Mega Moolah is unique in that it carries a guaranteed single cash payout, which made the win, the single largest ever online casino payout – literally history in the making! If you want to know where this player won – it was the River Belle Online Casino, on the 12th May 2009, for a single €5 bet. Imagine paying out €5 and getting nearly €6.4 million back – I’ll wager some bells and whistles went off! But that is the beauty of playing the online slots, the probability of winning is low, but the change of winning very big for a very small wager is always randomly there. You just won’t know if you don’t at least try.

While this particular prize was one of the best casino payouts ever, it is not the only ‘biggie’ to come from the Microgaming network of progressive jackpot prize games. In another turnout for the books; more than $5.5 million was won – actually $5,556,753.68 million for a 50c bet on 22nd April 2008. A player from Turku, Finland was playing at Blackjack Ballroom and became one very lucky player after winning this incredible prize – also on Mega Moolah. If there was ever an online game to play for slots players, this one is definitely it.

One of the most regular questions I am asked; is to name the top rated online casinos. In an industry where there are thousands of these, plus hundreds of other gambling websites, this question is a little like asking “how long is a piece of string?” The answer is relative! In this instance relative to what the player enjoys, what they are looking for in a site, and despite the fact that gambling online should be gambling without borders; where the gamer is situated in the world, is also becoming very relative. However, when punters ask “well…aren’t all online casinos the same?” Truthfully, I have to reply an emphatic “NO”!

There is no disputing tastes when it comes to gambling online, one player may look at a site and despite the fact that wagering requirements are 1 million times first deposit and bonus, they still insist on gambling there. Eye candy is important too – and no, I don’t know of any casinos with 1 million x wagering requirements – although some come pretty close. As far as top rated casinos are concerned… it all depends.

For some players this may be determined by what their trusted review site or online casino listing advises. For others it may be the fact that 2 years ago more than €6 was won at the River Belle Casino. While this prize was won on the Mega Moolah networked slot which is available at more than 120 online casinos, this matters not to the player who believes they will only win a prize like this when playing at the River Belle. Do you see what we mean about ‘relative’?

Every online casino is different in some small way, even the sites which operate on the same software platforms. But it is not only about brand, looks and prizes, the choice of top rated online casinos is often driven by the way a player ‘feels’ about that site. Gambling online or anywhere is taking a risk, so, the player wants to feel as intrinsically comfortable as possible, when they are taking that risk. This is where we get into the school of subjective psychology.

Some players find playing at online casinos, a more social experience, while others may not. So, demographics play a role too. A chatty player who likes to stick the odd penny in a slot, wants to find and chat to like-minded people. A casino which encourages this type of activity will obviously be top of their pops. All kinds of variables work together for a subjective experience, by players to whom the game is all relative. Bonuses, promotions, brand name (or not), whether Aunty May plays there (or not), and what kind of big wins have been had.

As for me, I just say stick to the brands that you know, these are all top rated online casino. There are many of them, and they offer wide enough choice for all peccadilloes to be catered to.