Online Gaming Guide
by J Phillip
Vogel Getting Started: Finding the Best Sites Although becoming a successful online gambler involves many steps, the most crucial one is also the most obvious finding a place to play. Or rather, finding a good place to play. Below are some of the basic steps you need to follow when looking for a site: Make sure that the site is reputable. Always find out everything you can about any gaming site before depositing a cent. Read site reviews in respected gambling magazines, visit gambling portals and check out what’s being said about the different sites. You might also consider visiting gambling forums or chat room (available on many gambling portals) where players meet to discuss gambling topics. There you’ll find first-hand accounts of player experiences that may help steer you towards or away from a particular site. Ask yourself: Does this site fit my needs? Although choosing an online gaming site requires a lot of objectivity, it is also a matter of personal taste. It doesn’t matter if the site is praised on every forum and in every magazine, if it doesn’t have what you’re looking for it’s pretty much useless. For example, if you’re the sort of gambler who likes to mix it up, playing a little blackjack then maybe a couple of pulls on the slots while waiting for the results of the Yankee game, you need an online gaming site that caters to both casino gamblers and sportsbettors. On the other hand, if bingo is your only love, you’ll need to refine your search to include only sites that offer it. See for yourself. Once you have narrowed down your selections to a manageable level, begin visiting the sites and examining them. Really study them. Are the graphics top quality? Did the designers put some thought into the site's development or does it have that 'thrown together' look? Does anything about the online gaming site make you feel uncomfortable or wary? Your answers to these questions will help to determine if the site is a worthwhile contender for your business or just some fly-by-night operation. For a little extra insight, consider calling the online gaming site’s customer services department with some basic questions to see what kind of a response you get. If the associate is hesitant or unable to answer your questions, seems uninterested, or is just plain rude, consider that this might be the type of service that you’re likely to receive should a real crisis arise. Now that you have found a place worthy of your attention, the next step is getting down to the business at hand: becoming an online gambler. Becoming a Player In days past when the number of online casino could easily be counted on a single hand, getting online, downloading the software and establishing a player account was a tedious series of events that made the trip to the local casino more than worth it. But as technology advanced, so too did the entire process and what we're left with is the streamlined progeny of those early pioneers. Online Gaming: The Proper Tools: Hardware & Software At its most basic level, gambling online requires two critical components: a computer compliant with gambling software and access to the Internet. If you bought your computer within the last five years, chances are that you're already equipped with the necessary hardware to gamble online. (As a rule of thumb, if you have Internet access your system is ready.) While you don’t need to have the latest, state-of-the-art computer in order to gamble online, if you're working with an older model system, you will need to check to see if your computer is up to the task. Most online gaming sites provide a list of the minimum requirements needed to handle the software. This information can be found typically under the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQ) page and sometimes on the ‘Download’ page itself. Generally speaking, the typical minimum requirements are: Windows XP/2000/98/95/NT 64 MB of RAM (Random Access Memory) 256 color VGA monitor 30 MB of Hard drive space 14.4 Kbps modem In addition to these minimum requirements, you’ll also need an Internet browser such as Microsoft Explorer or Netscape. If you’re system does not have a compatible browser, updates may be downloaded from the Microsoft or Netscape web sites. Having established that your computer meets these minimum requirements, the next step is to install the gaming software from the selected site onto your system. This software contains all of the information your computer needs to allow you to gamble. In essence, the software IS the casino or poker room or bingo hall whatever type of site you have chosen to play. (Note: Sportsbooks typically don't require any software, only an active, funded account.) The software is always free of charge and accessible directly from the site or sometimes via a CD-ROM that can be requested from the site. While the majority of sites favor downloadable software (software that requires its key components be downloaded directly onto the users computer) Happily, many sites now offer players the option to choose the version they would prefer to play. Once you have selected a platform, the rest is easy. For a downloadable software package, click the link that says 'download' and the computer basically does the rest. For the other versions, simply choose the appropriate Flash or Java option and get ready to play. Online Gaming: Opening a Player Account The final steps before you can become an online gambler are to register and fund your account. To register, simply fill out the registration form provided by the site after the software has been installed. This form requires basic personal information (name, address, etc.,) as well as a selected user name and password so you can access your account. Always remember to keep this information in case your forget it. For details about various payment methods, use this resource. Casino City Online Gaming Payment Methods. Listed by popularity, number of sites accepting, by country and more. Very informative. While banking options vary with the site, the process is generally the same. Click on the 'Deposit' option; select one of the methods (i.e. credit card, electronic check, pre-paid ATM, etc.), choose an amount and transfer that amount into your player account. You’ve now learned what it takes to become an online gambler. While at first it may sound complicated, it's really nothing more than finding a site, getting the software, and getting cash into the account. Just as any gambler learns and grows, so too does the online gambling industry. Sites are always evolving, developing new and faster software with more realistic games, or creating specialized VIP and comp programs that provide patrons with bigger bankrolls and higher rewards. Some companies are even expanding into new directions such as mobile gaming and interactive television that will allow gamblers to play their favorite games just as easily as making a call or changing a channel. There’s truly no end in sight. So, while today you may be playing at the perfect casino or poker room, tomorrow may present you with an even better version, greater accessibility and even better selection. Online Gaming Guide is followed by 10 reasons to play online OR Go to the Online Gambling main page 
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