MAIL BAG – MY SOLUTIONS TO YOUR PROBLEMS

Are Online Games Really Fair?

Hey Liam,

Loving the site mate! One thing I have always wondered about online sites though…. what is stopping them just lying about the result of any game? My Uncle Dave reckons that most of the sites are a scam and he prefers to play the roulette machines that are in Ladbrokes down Freeman Street.

Mark Roberts Grimsby

Hi Mark, thanks for your email and I am pleased that you love the site. When I started writing this page a few years ago, this was one of the most common questions I would get. I’m getting quite used to it by now, so here goes;

The top online casinos and definitely the ones I feature on the site, are all subject to external testing by agencies such as Ecogra (http://www.ecogra.org/) and Technical Systems Testing (http://www.tstglobal.com/about/). These companies have no connection to the online casino sites at all and test that the random number generator (RNG) used by the casino is in fact random and fair. In all honesty, the companies make enough money, Mark, and the reputable ones quickly learnt that by looking after their customers and being fair and honest they will make more in the long run than by any short term scam. The funny thing is, Mark, the roulette machines that your uncle plays ‘Fixed Odds Betting Terminals’ or FOBT’s work in a similar way and rely on a random number generator.

Young at Heart

Hello there,

A friend of mine recently visited Las Vegas, where he wasn’t allowed to play at a casino, due to his age (he is 19). I am the same age and seriously consider playing online casino games. My question is: Am I old enough to legally play at online casinos?

Jeff, Nottingham.

Alright Jeff,

I can imagine you friend’s frustration, but any form of gambling (and not only that, I bet he couldn’t buy a beer either) is prohibited for under 21s in the USA. However, the minimum legal age for gambling in the UK is 18 (16 for the National Lottery), so there are no obstacles in front of you to play online casino froma  legal point of view. Just make sure you pick one of our featured casinos and not some dubious foreign operator.

Online Gambling – Is This My Path to Riches?

Hi,

I’m relatively new to gambling, thus I need your help. What do you think is the fastest and easiest way to make money by playing online casino?

Grahame Smith, Stockport, Greater Manchester

Hello, Grahame and thanks for the email.

Due to the nature of the casino games there is no straightforward answer to your question. If you feel like it’s your lucky day, then I suggest you try some slot machines, they can be really generous at times. Another option is to play some strategy games, such as Roulette and Blackjack, you will find plenty of them on any online casino. My last tip for you as a newbie in the casino world is to set up accounts with multiple operators. You will be able to claim their welcome bonuses, which usually more than double your initial deposit. That way you will get more than enough playing credit to discover the proper game for you and why not start winning big right away?

Is My Girlfriend Blacklisted?

Liam,

A lot of my mates play online casinos and a few of them seem to do alright money wise. I tried to sign up for an online casino about 6 months ago but they kept rejecting my girlfriends card. I use her card a lot online and I know it works but have had no joy? What’s the score, any ideas?

Gaz, Stoke.

Hi Gaz,

Sorry to hear your having problems, sounds like it could be that the name you have signed up with is different to the name of the casino account. To prevent fraud a lot of companies insist that it is the cardholders name that is on the account. One solution I can think of off the top of my head is if you have a Paypal account then why not transfer some money from the card into your Paypal account? Most online casinos accept Paypal as a payment method and it’s free to ‘gift’ a friend or relative some money. It’s very easy to set one up if you don’t already have an account. If that’s not possible, then try contacting the online support of the company you are trying to deposit with. Hope you get sorted Gaz.

Is My Internet Connection Costing Me a Fortune?

Hi Liam– I have a real dodgy internet connection in our village and in the past I have lost money playing online poker when my internet keeps dropping. Only ever seems to happen when I have amazing hands though! I want to play games online and I’m a massive fan of slot machines so will I lose my money if the connection drops.

Robert – Market Rasen.

Hi Robert,

I certainly feel your pain, I must admit your email made me chuckle as I also used to think there was a conspiracy when it came to losing internet when I had a good hand. A pair of pocket aces and my connection would simply disappear, if dealt a 2 and a 7 then suddenly I had the most stable connection in the country!! With regards to online casinos, you will be pleased to know that you won’t lose any money if your connection drops, any game result will be shown when you manage to reconnect. Again, this has happened to me whilst player a feature on the ‘deal or no deal’ slot game, I honestly felt like throwing the laptop through a window but when I reconnected the bonus round continued from where I left off. One little suggestion I would make, if you are using a laptop or PC have you tried connecting directly to the router as wireless can be affected by lots of different things but your internet service provider can give you more advice on that. Hope you get the problem solved Robert.

ExPat Mishap

Liam,

I moved to Bulgaria from the UK over a year ago, wouldn’t say I’m a prolific gambler but I love playing slots online and I’m a bit partial to live casino games. Everything was going great and I had a few small wins since I’ve been here but about 7 months ago I’ve not been able to access my accounts or the pages won’t load. It’s not just one or two either, I’ve had a message saying “forbidden in your territory” – anything I can do Liam?

Jack Summers, Bristol.

Thanks for your email Jack,

I sent an email to an ex-pat friend of mine who now lives in Varna, Bulgaria – here is what he put,

“Liam, the law changed here last year and we are no longer able to access websites for companies that are not licensed in Bulgaria. This caused a massive upset last year when Pokerstars suddenly became blocked, many of my friends used to spend a lot of time (and money) on the site. The Sites are blocked at internet service provider level.”

So Jack, that is the reason why! As for a solution, I spoke to another friend who uses a VPN (virtual private network) called HMA (Hide My Ass) which routes all your internet traffic through their servers and this gives you a UK (as well as 75 country choices) IP address. He states it works very well for this type of problem.

I must point out, Jack, that using this software may be contrary to local law where you live and I cannot be held responsible for any consequences of using this or any other software so please ensure you are fully aware of any potential consequences. We don’t endorse this product and you use at your own risk.