Starting anything new can be challenging, and even more so if you don’t know what you are doing.
So here are a few tips to online casino novices to help you get spinning.
Why Play Online?
The first thing to consider is why you would play online in the first place. For one thing it’s much more convenient than going to a casino. You don’t need to get dressed or schlep all the way to a brick-and-mortar casino.
Playing online also give you the chance to try out games like slots and table games for free.
To entice you to choose their casino, Canadian online casinos offer a number of bonuses including no deposit bonuses, such as free spins.
The ease of access also makes it much easier to climb the leaderboard and benefit from better rewards as you make your way to the top.
Regulation and Licensing
Next up, you’ll need to decide on which casino to choose. There are a number of aspects to look out for, but first and foremost should be to look out for a casino that holds a reputable licence. Any casino that doesn’t, probably won’t respect any financial obligations they have to pay out your winnings. This is the easiest way to spot a dangerous online casino.
Ideally, look out for casino that holds a licence either from the Malta Gaming Authority or the UK Gambling Commission. While a licence from Curaçao is legitimate, they are much easier to acquire and have less requirements than the other two. On top of that the Curaçao Gaming Control Board doesn’t intervene in disputes between players and gambling operators, so you’ll be left high and dry if any issues do crop up.
Reputable sites will link to their licence in the footer of their site, so click through to check the license is legit.
Finding A Safe Online Casino in Canada
On top of a lawful licence, there are a few more things to look out for to ensure a casino is safe.
In order to protect your personal and financial information, casinos use 128-bit encryption technology, which is the same technology used by financial institutions.
Any decent casino will also have strict privacy policies in place and make a commitment to responsible gambling, in order to protect their players from the risks of problem gambling.
Safe online casinos will use KYC (Know Your Client/Customer) where you’ll need to prove you are who you say you are. This protects you from fraud and underage gambling. And protects the casino from money laundering and fraud. It’s a pain going through the process, we know, but a real win-win for both you and the casino.
Opening a Casino Account
Next up on our list of online casino tips is the process of opening a casino account. Luckily, it stays pretty much the same regardless of the online casino.
Simply follow these steps and you’ll be good to go:
- Click on the “Register” or “Sign-up” button; you’ll usually find it on the top right-hand corner of the page.
- A pop-up screen will appear, with an online registration form. You’ll need to fill out a few personal details including your full name, email address and telephone number. Fill in your birthday to prove that you are of legal gambling age and your address, which later needs to correspond to your proof of address.
- If you want to accept a welcome bonus, you may need to check a box at this point.
- Open your email account and click the enclosed link to verify your account.
- Go back to the casino to log-in. You can either play games for free, or if you want to wager real money, you’ll need to make a deposit.
- Either at this point or when you make your first withdrawal, you’ll need to send in documentation such as a copy of your ID, copy of your payment method and proof of residence.
Depositing and Withdrawing from An Online Casino
Different casinos online in Canada offer different payment methods. Some are pretty basic, offering only bank transfers, credit and debit cards as options. While others have a much bigger variety including a number of e-wallets, pre-paid cards and Cryptocurrencies.
You’ll be able to make deposits and withdrawals by visiting the online casino “cashier” or “banking section”.
Some casinos even specialise in specific Cryptocurrencies, offering this as the only payment method.
You’ll also find special online casino bonuses, created solely on the payment method you choose.
Where to Play
There are plenty of options when it comes to playing online casino games. Most games are available to play right from the browser on your laptop, while others can be downloaded for easy access. Online casinos are also adaptive and make it easy to play anywhere you find yourself on your mobile device.
What is RTP?
RTP is basically the flipside of a house edge. It stands for “Return to Player” and it represents the likelihood of what you might win over time.
Most online casino games fall somewhere between 80% and 98%. As an example, if the RTP of a game is 95%, and you wager $100, you are likely to get back $95. Of course, this isn’t a set amount, it is worked out over millions of games played, so don’t take it as a hard and fast rule, just see it as an idea about how favourable the odds are.
Understanding Bonuses
There are many bonuses available to new and current casino players alike. When you sign up, you can usually benefit from a welcome bonus which could include several deposit bonuses, and maybe even a set of free spins.
These are the main online casino bonuses available:
- No deposit bonuses: This is a great way to try out a new casino. With this bonus you’ll be able to play for real money, without making a deposit. It is usually offered to new players and comes in the form of free spins on popular slot games.
- Deposit bonuses: When you make a deposit, you can often benefit from extra money in the form of a bonus. The bonus is expressed as a percentage and tells you how much extra you’ll get. So, if you make a deposit of $100 and opt in for a 200% bonus, you’ll have $300 to play with. In the case of a 100% deposit bonus, it’s often referred to as a match bonus.
It’s important to mention that even the best casino bonuses come with a wagering requirement. Wagering requirements refer to the number of times you need to wager a bonus before it can be withdrawn from the casino.
Make sure to find out what wagering is required before choosing to take the bonus. 40 and under is a fair requirement, albeit tricky to actually withdraw, but anything over 40 is almost impossible to withdraw.
On top of that, not all games count equally towards the wagering requirement. For example, games with a high RTP such as blackjack, may only count 5% towards the requirement, meaning it will be even trickier to wager it through.
Final Thoughts
You’re almost ready to sign up at your first online casino. Before you go, though, remember to budget wisely, keep your cards close to your (virtual) chest, and above all – have fun!
Underage gambling is an offence. You must be over 18 years old to gamble.
Any form of gambling should always be fun, playing in a way that is right for you. It’s good to set limits, take time out or set up reminders.
Please gamble responsibly and in moderation.
For more information on the tools available to help to keep you safe or if you want advice or support you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (England, Scotland and Wales or visit Gamblingtherapy.org).
