I start with something that a lot of people will consider boring. Laws. Anyway, this is worth the reading especially for those running casinos, and participating in affiliation programs (but I suppose wise guys know a lot more on this subject than me ). The basic customer/player should read it too, as I tried to find a quick overview of the legal issues that are part of a common day of any webmaster running gambling websites and business men owning them.

1. I've heard that online gambling could be forbidden. What about the federal/state/local laws ?

Once upon a time...

Lets go back in 2001. Jay Cohen with his company World Sport Exchange targets from Antigua the American customers and accepts bets via the Web. The court (of New York) said he was offending the Wire Act, and charged him. Even he tried many defenses, he was sentenced to 21 months.

That's true, in some states or country, it is illegal to play money on the web. So, ask yourself the question and know the legal status in your country before playing cash at online casinos. Online gambling laws is a fast moving sector, where attorneys make a living of. But, I would like to make the point, for what I know, on what is going on in Europe and in the USA. This is what comes after carefull reading and I humbly hope a good understanding.

First of all, USA.

You probably have already heard that online gambling is forbidden in the USA ? Nevertheless, 90% of online gamblers are American citizens. What ? How is it possible ?

The greed surrounding this new-making money opportunity has blinded a lot people, despite the fact that, under state and federal law, online gambling remains an illegal activity, even if some describe this area of the law as unclear and grey.

Do you know about the "Wire Act" ? The Wire Act says : people or companies accepting a wager over devices like phone lines (internet) or providing assistance to place wagers are punishable by two years in jail...

But, and you will see how it is easy, this Wire Act has not dissuaded people to make profit from the online gambling industry. Are you a software and hosting company ? Want to run an online casino ? Ok, so lets create an offshore gambling site and provide yourself all the bandwith. Now, you understand why you won't find an online casino in the U.S. but rather in Gibraltar and in other very specific locations (Antigua...)

But does it sound as good as it seems, especially when you are facing the court ? Hard to say in fact.

What to do ? A solution should be the exclusion of US customers from gambling programs, but in fact, it's technically nearly impossible. If the Cohen case should be accepted by other courts, this could really cause a lot of troubles to this industry. So, it is a risky business for casino owners and people promoting their affiliation programs.

I tried to explain, doing my best, what was the Federal point of view. But what about the State point of view ? It differs really from state to state and usually a lawsuit brings a lot of tricky jurisdictional considerations. I do not want to describe all this different laws as it's not my job and as I have no time for that.

What you should remember is that every state has its laws concerning gambling and that it is a good advice not to ignore them.

So, as there are many laws different from state to state or from country to country, you should find out for yourself if online gambling is legal for you in your state/country or not.

For those who are still interested in this business, please consult www.gameattorneys.com

2. Learn about your casino and be curious.

Is it a newly opened casino or an old one ? Where are they licensed ? What is the company owning and running them ? Is it a well known company or something you never heard about ? What are the rules, and what are the different policies concerning money deposit and withdrawal ? What is the policy concerning the use of bonuses ? Who are you going to contact if you need help ? Do they provide a toll free phone to contact them ? The more details they give in their T&Cs, the better. It's a proof of good business practice.

Do not hesitate to ask questions, and check the boards (the real ones, because fake boards exist).

3. You wager money ? You deserve premium customer support !

At least email support is necessary. But this is the minimum requirement. A good online casino should offer its customers support 24/7 & 365 a year, with toll free numbers and internet chat, with responding staff solving problems in a swift and professionnal way. Test them, play the idiot, ask nothing and everything. Challenge them, it's their job after all. And it's your money you play ! They should always answer : "master, your wish is my command".

4. How do I take my winnings ?

I have already written a couple of lines about the withdrawal possibilities that come with Neteller and this option is spreading very fast among the very best casinos. That's what I noticed. This is becoming the standard for online gamblers who prefer manage their casino money with an online digital wallet. Forget about checks, I think it's to slow for the 21st century...and I don't trust the mail - personal opinion - after they stole my Kill Bill 2 Dvd.

5. Playtech or Microgaming games ?

Those 2 companies are the 2 main software makers of the different games you will play at your favourite casino. As an online casino is just "a piece of soft", every software has not the same engineers or developpers behind it. Their algos differ of course and, logically, they should give similar but nevertheless different results. I do not know if one or the other should give the player an edge or not.

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