Online casino

From ArticleWorld

Online casinos, also called ‘’virtual casinos’’, allow users to participate in casino games through the Internet. The odds and payouts are comparable to traditional ‘’brick and mortar’’ casinos.

Reliability

The security and reliability of online casinos is questionable. Most use well-known software, in an effort to gain a reputation of being trustworthy. Those software manufacturers generally claim to use random number generators to ensure fairness. If they are using random number generators, the odds on most cards games will be the same as a land-based casino, as they are determined by the rules of the game. Some casinos advertise higher than average payout percentages on slot machines. Published payout audits are also offered on some websites, promoting trust through disclosure.

Fraudulent behavior had been documented, both by the online casinos, and by the players that use them. The most common fraudulent behavior by the casinos is refusal to pay when the user decides to withdraw their money from their account. Some have also been known to use cheating software, though this is less common. The most common form of fraudulent behavior from the players includes opening multiple accounts, in order to gain multiple sign-on bonuses, and using touched up screenshots to try and report unpaid jackpots. The latter is the less common of the two. Players and casinos suspected of cheating are put on a blacklist, or player forum. The public can view the lists, but should keep in mind, it is mostly opinion and not supported by any formal, regulating body.

Types

While some online casinos offer both options, most fall into one of two categories, web-based or download-based. Web-based online casinos require no software be downloaded to the users computer. At the risk of receiving malware, some users prefer to use online casinos that offer free software downloads. These generally run faster and smoother than web-based sites, once the software has been installed.

Games and bonuses

For new players, most online casinos will offer a signup bonus after their first deposit. It is generally a percentage of that first deposit, and the casino often requires the player to wager a certain amount before allowing them to cash out. Some bonuses are restricted to certain games, such as slots, that have unfavorable odds for the player.

The variety of games available at an online casino is more limited than at a land-based casino. Generally, several kinds of poker, roulette, craps and slots make up the majority of the games.