I’ll put this in bullet-point form to keep it easy to read. All the information relating to each bullet is expanded within these pages, but it’s good to get a quick feel for what to expect. I remember some issues confused me initially. But that said, it may look more complicated than it actually is. Assuming you find a good casino to play, which isn’t tricky, the processes are all pretty straight forward.

• Some casinos are “bad apples”, but the majority are legitimate providing you play fairly yourself!
• Not all casinos accept players from all countries. Generally, if you live in a country where online gambling may be against the law (Italy, USA etc), check carefully. You should also check the minimum age limit at each casino.
• When you come to cashout, you will often be asked to provide some documentation/ID electronically or otherwise, the first time you cashout a sizeable amount. This will delay payment for up to 7-10 days (on average) the first time you do this.
• Most casinos run on one of several well-known casino software platforms so you will see similar games and interfaces at many online casinos. The software is also an important indicator as to the legitimacy of a casino and it is pretty easy to download and register a “real money” account. Note that almost all the casinos also allow you to sign up as a guest to play for fun and try it out first.
• Many online casinos have download and/or Flash/Java options available. Where there is an option, the download version will generally have a lot more games.
• Generally, casinos accept Euros, US dollars and UK pounds. Some also take Canadian dollars and S.A rands.
• Most casinos take credit and debit cards, but many experienced players set up a free eWallet account which speeds up payments and generally makes life a bit easier.
• Casino signup bonuses are common but need careful thought as they come with very strict terms and conditions which many players find obstructive (I rarely take them personally).
• All casino games have a “house edge”. How much this is varies, and in many cases is affected by your degree of skill in the chosen game. However most games online have higher expected odds of return compared to land-based bricks and mortar (“B&M”) casinos. I’d say, as a generalisation, you’d expect around 92% – 95% for slots, 97% – 99.5% for video poker, 97.5% – 99.5% for table games and Keno, which varies a lot, from 75% to 95%.