Online Casinos
If you don't want to go shopping for a CD to use at home, you can simply download software from an online casino. Most reputable sites have a “play-for-free” option that allows you to download their software and play by yourself without opening an account or depositing any money. In fact, it's a good idea to spend some time using the free-play option before signing up with an online casino; this gives you a chance to get familiar with the games a site offers and the rules they play under, without having to risk a penny.
Is It Legal?
The legality of Internet-based casinos is hotly contested in the United States. In 2003, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would require banks and credit card companies to block all transactions for online gambling, including debit card payments and other electronic transfers of funds. The U.S. Senate proposed its own legislation that included criminal penalties for gambling online and extended the prohibition against online gambling to other high-tech communications venues like satellites and microwave transmitters.
Some online gambling sites give you the option of downloading their software or playing through your Internet browser. Generally, downloading the software gives you the benefit of all the special effects — fancy graphics and sophisticated sounds — while some of these features may be limited if you use the browser-only option.
As of this writing, neither of these bills has become law, but the pressure to regulate, if not prohibit, Internet-based gambling is enormous. A handful of states have enacted laws that bar online gambling. North Dakota authorities have successfully prosecuted at least one online gambler who placed sports bets through Internet gambling sites.
Restrictions
Banks and credit card companies also are facing new restrictions under the U.S. PATRIOT Act, which was enacted in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to combat, among other things, money laundering for illegal activities. Under the PATRIOT Act, credit card companies cannot transfer or transmit money when they know the funds will be used for illegal activity. In addition, U.S. courts generally have ruled that federal laws prohibiting the use of telephone and telegraph lines for interstate betting also apply to the Internet.
In response to these pressures, most of the online casinos you'll find today are based outside the United States. Since 1995 or so, about 1,800 off-shore gambling sites have shown up on the Internet. Some countries, like Australia and the United Kingdom, regulate Internet gambling sites, even going so far as to license online casinos similar to the way bricks-and-mortar casinos are licensed. Still, although online gambling is legal in about fifty countries, most Internet gambling sites — up to 90 percent of them, according to some estimates — operate from islands in the Caribbean, European countries, or countries in the Pacific Rim.
Protecting Yourself
Given the uncertainty over its legality and the continually changing political pressures surrounding online casinos, you would be wise to exercise a little extra caution before diving into Internet gambling. First, find out whether your state has outlawed online gambling. Second, keep track of legislation in your state and at the federal level regarding online gambling. Third, if you are uncomfortable with the legal issues, forget playing online for real money and confine your Internet casino games to those you can play for free.
According to a survey commissioned by Peak Entertainment, NV, the average online casino player is of middle age, well educated, and has a middle-class household income. Men typically prefer to play blackjack online, while women prefer to play slots, a division similar to the profile of brick-and-mortar gamblers.
If you decide to gamble online for real money, there are some guidelines you should follow to protect yourself from unscrupulous or fraudulent sites. Doing a little research before you begin can save you money and frustration in the future and make your online experience more enjoyable.
Play-for-Free Options
The best online gambling sites allow you to play their games without setting up an account. Many sites even offer strictly recreational games, where players can participate in their favorite games and chat with other players while vying for points instead of cash. The casinos offer the play-for-free option because it's a good way to attract new customers; these days, most Internet-savvy consumers want to try something before they plunk down hard cash for it.
The play-for-free option is good for you because it gives you a chance to explore the software and get comfortable with it before you put any money on the line. You can find out which games are offered, study the rules for each game, and try a few practice hands to get a feel for the action. At some sites, you also can watch as other players gamble before jumping in yourself.
You probably should stay away from any site that does not allow you to take its gaming software for a test run before signing up. Some sites might ask you to fill out a short form before using the play-for-free option. As long as this form doesn't ask for banking or credit information, you're probably safe. If you have to give credit or banking information before you can try the software, leave the site immediately and don't go back.
