Beginner’s Guide to Online Gambling

This page is for all the young hatchlings out there who like to gamble but who are a bit unsure doing so online. All your questions are answered here!

 Q. How do I sign up?

A. Whoa! Before you sign up, you need to first find a casino that is going to give you free chips for doing so, in the form of a sign-up ‘deposit bonus’ (see below for definition). Click here to to see all the sign-up deposit bonuses currently on offer. Once you have picked a casino with the sign-up bonus that suits you best, you need to download the casino software to your computer. (Many casinos also have a no-download instant play version, although the variety of games is limited and the sign-up bonuses are not as lucrative as for the download version. Click here to see all the casinos that have a no-download version.) Downloading the casino software can take anywhere between 2 and 10 minutes, and depends on the casino and your internet connection speed. Once you click ‘download’ from the casino website, the downloading process is automatic and will result in the casino icon on your computer’s desktop. The next step is to try out all the games for free. You can do this by double clicking on the casino icon on your desktop. You can play as many games and bet as much as you like with no risk. You won’t risk any of your own money until you open a ‘real’ account. Once you are confident with playing your favorite games for free, its time to start playing with real money! Just select the ‘open real account’ or ‘play with real money’ option. You will then be asked to fill in your contact details and make a deposit with a choice of a number of different payment methods. Each casino will have slightly different sign-up procedures to these, but every casino featured on RichChicken has easy download procedures and safe and secure deposit systems.

Q. Why are casinos so generous with free cash offers? Are they genuine?

A. Online casinos can afford to offer free cash bonuses because their overheads are low compared to traditional land based casinos. They don’t need to pay for croupiers, building leases, cleaning etc. In addition, they can have an almost unlimited number of players at the one time because they are not limited by the size of the premises. In other words, they are usually more profitable than land based casinos so they can afford to attract players with lucrative bonuses! The offers are genuine, although most will come with strict conditions which you should read before signing up. With sensible betting, these offers can be a huge bonus to players. You can search for the best free cash offers by selecting the type of offer you are looking for using the form on the left hand side of the page, then clicking the ‘go’ egg.

Q. What is a no deposit bonus?

A. This is a rare free cash offer from online casinos that is paid simply for opening up a new real money account. You don’t need to make a deposit, although you usually need to register a valid credit card. These offers are becoming increasingly rare because the casinos are losing money from them. Q. What is a deposit bonus? A. This offer is similar to the above, although with this deal you need to make a deposit into your new account to qualify. Most of these deals are expressed as a percentage of your deposit amount. For example, a common offer is the ’100% deposit match bonus up to $100′ which means that if you deposit $100, the casino will give you $100 free.

 Q. What is an ongoing deposit bonus?

A. Another free cash offer, although this type of deal is for existing players. It can come in many forms, a typical example being the casino offering free chips based on the player’s deposit and playing habits over a preceding time period. This is a strategy by the casinos to encourage loyalty in a competitive environment. Another strategy to encourage loyalty are the ‘loyalty programs’ or ‘comps programs’. You can find details of these programs by using our advanced search option.

Q. What is a deposit method bonus?

A. Casinos often offer free cash based on your method of making a deposit. A common example is a 10% bonus up to $100 if you make a deposit using NetTeller. Q. Can the casino software be trusted? A. Yes. It is in the casinos best interest to offer fair games that offer good payouts. A casino that is found to be cheating would be exposed and out of business very quickly. For further peace of mind, look for casinos that have their payouts audited by a third party such as PricewaterhouseCoopers. Most casinos will advertise their audited game payouts on their websites. Q. Is it legal to gamble at online casinos? A. It is legal to play at online casinos in most countries around the world, although if you are unsure you should check with your local jurisdiction before signing up.

Q. What is CashCheck and PlayCheck?

A. CashCheck and PlayCheck allow you to view a history of your financial transactions and game play respectively. This means you can get a detailed statement of each and every wager, deposit and withdrawal. Use our advanced search to find the casinos that offer these options. Q. How do I cash out? A. Online casinos make cashing out easy. You can usually withdraw money from your player’s account using any number of methods including check, NeTeller, Firepay and wire transfer. Note that some methods may be restricted by minimum withdrawal amounts.