Minimum Standards for Online Gambling
The minimum standards for online gambling are:
- Upfront information on licensing jurisdiction, operating company, other poker rooms and/ or casinos in the group, financial channels, promotions and conditions and software supplier. Be suspicious if the site is coy about these important details. Always read the terms and conditions (T&Cs) section carefully, especially when you have taken a bonus. If you do not comply with these to the letter, it can lead to disqualifications, stress and disputes. Remember, if the T&Cs are too draconian for your taste, there are plenty of other cardrooms out there.
- Round-the-clock, seven-day-a-week customer support that is instantly reachable by e-mail, live chat and toll-free phone or callback. This is essential if you need advice or run into technical or other problems. In addition, the top sites will often have escalation channels, in case you cannot obtain satisfaction at the support level.
- Fast and efficient accounting functions through reputable banking channels, offering you a range of deposit options. Many players find Neteller a quick and efficient instrument, but there are many more that good poker rooms will offer. Check the speed of payouts carefully, these days, the top sites are paying out in a matter of hours, depending on your method of deposit, and normal cash-ins should not take longer than a few days. Beware of sites with small-print rules that restrict payouts.
- Licensing. The value of a genuine licensing jurisdiction is that it is another channel for lodging a complaint. Some licensing jurisdictions are more player-supportive and conscientious than others when it comes to enforcement.
- Solid, encrypted security precautions to keep your private information, like bank and identity details, safe.
- There should be "play for fun" games for players to practice on before risking real money.
- To cater to other cultures, many sites offer their content in different languages.
There are many Internet poker sites that meet and even exceed these standards, thanks to the advances in online gaming technology that have taken place since the industry began.
Off-site marketing and other practices can also be used to judge whether a site is reputable. Many experienced players advise newbies to try small real-money transactions first to assess whether a site lives up to its claims of prompt and efficient service in support and payouts. And if you start receiving uninvited spam after giving a particular e-mail address to a poker room, their marketing ethics are suspect, as is their commitment to your privacy.
Online poker can be safe and a lot of fun, and there are many great and trustworthy sites out there. Don't spoil your first excursion into this fascinating and often rewarding world by neglecting to prepare yourself first.