2012 has been nothing short of newsworthy for the online gambling industry. On the heels of the U.S. DOJ’s announcement that the chief law presiding over online gambling activities – the Wire Act – only applies to sports betting wagers, there is a great deal of optimism brewing about for both U.S. players and operators with their eyes on the U.S. market.
With the likely possibility that more online casinos will be opening their doors for U.S. players in 2012, we thought it fitting to remind players about the do’s and dont’s of choosing an online casino to wager real money with. For anyone who has been making bets on the internet since before the passing of the UIGEA (and the consequent fallout), the following checklist should look familiar. In fact, it hasn’t changed at all, as the current state of online gambling in the U.S. has not received any more enforceable regulation than it ever had.
Now that there is far less recourse for prosecutors to take under the dominion of the UIGEA (which gaming experts say has basically no legal standing), all manner of gaming operators are certainly rethinking the prospects of opening their doors to U.S. players. And when I say “all manner” of gaming operators, I mean the good and the bad.
Needless to say, the internet betting industry has had its fair share of unscrupulous operators. And knowing how to avoid these operators is obviously the key to ensuring you will be playing with fair odds and that you will be paid your just winnings when the time comes. That said, always verify the following before opening a real money betting account at an online casino.
1) Licensing and software credentials – Not only should an online casino be licensed and regulated by a legitimate gaming body, the software platform powering the casino should hold testing accreditations for fairness. Before the UIGEA, casinos in many top-tier jurisdictions were accepting U.S. players. However, it’s most likely that Curacao and Antigua & Barbuda licensed casinos will flood the market before other legitimate jurisdictions like Gibraltar, UK, Isle of Man, Alderney and ….. Keep in mind that Costa Rica is often billed as a regulatory jurisdiction. However, to this day, Costa Rica only licenses businesses and does not provide any regulatory oversight.
2) Track record and test of time – While having the bare minimum of credentials has plenty of sway, it still doesn’t mean the casino is a sure bet. Casinos should either have a proven track record making winners and paying out players or operators of new casinos should have a proven track record operating other casinos or have established themselves in the gaming business.
3) Reputation with players – This is probably the most obvious of all. While a handful of disgruntled players is to be expected (especially at highly popular online casinos), an overwhelming number of complaints and lackluster ratings by players on the forum boards is a good warning sign and merit to keep clear from that particular casino.
As you embark on your internet gambling adventures in 2012, keep this checklist at the front of your mind. If a casino does not meet any one of them, do not play there!
