1. History of casino
The exact origin of gambling is unknown. It seems that gambling has accompanied people since the beginning of human civilization. For sure, the ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed gambling. The first reference to a modern casino dates back to XII century, when the first gambling house was established in Venice. This was the first casino which provided controlled gambling and offered various cash games. As the years passed, there were more and more casinos in the world. The game of roulette came into being, the rules for Blackjack or Baccarat were established and the first slots were invented. Nowadays, we can divide casinos into two categories: real-world and online. Real-world casinos are to be found in big cities all over the world. Las Vegas together with Monte Carlo are known as the capitals of gambling.
2. Types of casino cash games
We can divide cash games into several categories; as you may suppose, cash games differ in their appearance and rules, and also the chances for winning are different at each casino. The basic division takes into consideration table games, slots or videos.
2.1 Table games
These are the games in which "table" appears. The most popular games of this type include:
Roulette – one of the oldest gambling games, its history is estimated to stretch back to XVI/XVII century. The aim of this game is to indicate in which field on the roulette wheel the ball, thrown by the dealer, will stop. Currently there are two versions of roulette played: European and American. In European roulette there are 37 numbers and in American roulette there are 38 numbers. Players can bet not only on fields but also on their sets e.g. specific half, column or line. The chances of winning at roulette are relatively large and estimated to be around 97,3% in the European version and around 94,74% in the American version.
Black Jack – a card game in which the aim is to get a higher result than your opponent, however the number cannot be higher than 21. The opponent is usually the dealer. Each card has a specific value, starting from two to ten which have their nominal value, and finishing at Jack, Queen and King which are worth 10 points. Ace card can give 1 or 11 points depending on what is more profitable for the player. Black Jack is the most profitable table game because a player's chances while using the basic strategy are 100.15%.
Baccarat – a card game played between dealer and player. In order to win one of the sides needs to get a higher result than their opponent. Cards are counted according to the specific rules in which 2-9 have their nominal value, 10 and figures are worth 0 points, while ace gives 1 point. The result is calculated by summing up all the cards, however the unity number is important e.g. 4+7=1 (4+7=111)
2.2 Slot machines
These are simple machines, usually consisting of three lines, which are started after throwing in a coin. You can choose the rates and pointed lines. In order to win you have to hit a specific pattern e.g. three identical characters in one line.
There probably isn't any serious casino, whether real-world or online, which doesn't have slot machines as part of its offer. The best example is Casino Euro(
Casino Euro | 
Go to) offering 12 different slot machines including the great Jackpot 6000. It's a simple,five- reel and ten-line slot which additionally operates joker and extra options in the following forms: supermeter and heads or tails.
The second machine which is worth recommending is Magic Slots available at EuroGrand Casino( Eurogrand Casino | Go to) whether you can download it or play online. It's a rather simple machine, like Jackpot 6000, consisting of only 3 reels. An undoubted advantage of slots is their simplicity as well as their relatively high solvency.
2.4 Other
Nowadays you can find many gambling games at casinos which gained their popularity in other places. The best example may be bingo or keno. They are put into different categories, sometimes they are called arcade games and sometimes they are named "other". It all depends on the particular casino. Sometimes the game is very simple and intuitive as in the case of Keno and sometimes you have to immerse yourself into the game’s instructions, which can be exemplified by Derby Day at William Hill.
3. Payouts – which casino game to choose?
The solvency is the percentage chance, which the player has, to win against the casino. Its calculation is based on probability theory. The percentages presented below determines player's chances to compete with the casino. The higher the percentage is, the greater the probability that the player will win. The most profitable game is Black Jack of course, if the player adopts the suggested strategy. The least profitable among gambling games are so called hot spot machines. Below you can find the profitability ranking of the most popular games:
- Black Jack - 100,15% - when you use the game’s system
- Video Poker - 99,54% - while using the system of the game
- European roulette - 97,30%
- American roulette - 94,74%
- Online slots - ~95,00%
6. Security measures of online casino
6.1 Security at real-world casinos
There are several aspects that provide security at real-world casinos. Gambling houses try to protect themselves against swindlers, thieves or improper behavior. Thanks to the safety measures the players and the casinos’ staff are controlled. Usually casinos decide to invest in a closed circuit television system which keeps an eye on the casino’s floor, the staff and the gamblers. Apart from that, there are special patrols which react to certain acts of improper behavior, swindles or thefts. All the methods acquired at casinos also check and control:
- the age of the player,
- improper behaviour,
- the money gathered in the casino,
If someone is found to be breaking the casino’s rules, the patrol has the right to take them into custody.
Sample rules that are vital while playing roulette at real-world casinos are as follows:
- No mobile phones or cameras.
- A dealer cannot rearrange the chips, even when the player asks him to.
- You are not allowed to rearrange, withdraw the bet or add to it when the bet is finished.
- You can only have chips, money, drinks and cigarettes on the table.
6.2 Security at online casinos
Safety at online casinos is different from that at real-world casinos. Here it's all about securing the player's interests, his financial resources as well as the compliance with fair entertainment. Online casinos must have a license in order to operate. They are granted this by state institutions dealing with gambling.
In addition, online casinos often have additional certificates e.g G4 and sometimes they are checked by external auditors. An important element of the player’s safety is to ensure complete game randomness, so that the casino could not intervene and change the cards or the numbers. To this end, the random number generator was created. In order to make them usable, they are tested by independent institutions.
Safety of deposits and withdrawals
An important aspect is the safety of financial transfers. The safety standards in the majority of casinos meet the most rigorous standards. Before paying in the money it is worth noting where the casino is licensed. The safest casinos are mostly located in Malta and licensed by the European Union. The duration of transfers depends on the method which was used to deposit or withdraw the money. In case of virtual wallets or credit cards it takes a few minutes. If you prefer to pay by cheque then it may take a few days. The same is true of ordinary bank transfers.
Most casinos don't charge commission for paying in or out money. In order to ensure the protection of resources, online casinos very often co-operate with external financial institutions, mostly with banks. The second element in ensuring the security of transfers is to adopt global standards e.g. those laid down by the PCI Security Standards Council.
How can I withdraw my winnings?
Usually you have many withdrawal options. Below are four of the most popular ways of paying out the money:
Cheque: You can withdraw money using a cheque. A cheque will be sent to you via normal mail, so it may take a few days. Some casinos may charge a fee for sending it, however it's usually free. Also remember that casino may have an extra charge for cashing the cheque.
Cheque delivered by courier: In order to accelerate receipt of the cheque , you may make use of a courier service e.g. UPS. Then the cheque will be delivered within a few days. You will be charged around $30, depending on how much you win.
Bank transfer: If you use bank transfer you get the money within 4-5 days. This is a very simple means of withdrawal, however usually casinos charge you additional fees for the transfer. So the bank transfer option is recommended only when you win a really big amount of money.
NETeller/Moneybookers/Paypal account: Well-known companies situated in Europe and the United States (listed on the stock exchange) that provide safe online money transfers. Opening an account is free and you can use it to make deposits and withdrawals at all online casinos. You don't have to pay any premium. In a few days you will get the money- so this method is the most desirable.
How can I deposit money in my online casino account?
There are several ways to deposit money in your account:
Credit Card: you can deposit money using a credit card (e.g Visacard, Mastercard, Eurocard) at all online casino.
MoneyBookers: account registration in this internet wallet takes only a few minutes. You need only a few mouse clicks to transfer money from Moneybookers into a player's account at an online casino. I recommend this method of payment because of its speed and convenience. An additional advantage is the bonuses offered at online casinos given for using MoneyBookers.
Neteller account: the other option to deposit money at an online casino, in case your card is blocked as a result of transfer limits or your bank's restrictions, is NETeller. As mentioned above, you can open this account for free and use it both for deposits and withdrawals. This is a very convenient method of payment. The money transfer takes place immediately after the transfer order has been made. You can also get additional funding for playing at online casinos only for using Neteller.
Bank transfer you can also transfer money using bank transfer, however it takes a few days before money gets to the player's account. The method of bank transfer is recommended when credit card transfer is not possible e.g. due to limits on the transfer card.
Paysafecard Paysafecard can be purchased in a printed form, which contains a PIN code. With its help you can make online payments at all places on the Internet even if you don't have bank account. To obtain information on where you can get PaySafeCard (280000 points of sale worldwide) visit www.paysafecard.com.
7. Is gambling right for me?
For some people playing in online casino games may be very dangerous. Compulsive gambling affects a large number of players who treat playing at casinos as the most important thing in their life. People become addicted to gambling and they lose touch with reality. Mainly it's due to the loss of a large sum of money, often borrowed, and the desire to play at all costs. Unfortunately, it's hard to draw the line where "healthy playing" ends and where the compulsive gambling starts. It's worth sticking to the gold rule and spend only as much as we can still bearing in mind that we can lose it. It's common sense, remember that gambling should be primarily entertainment. For more information about responsible gambling visit gambleaware.co.uk.
8. Online casinos - is playing legal?
It depends on the country you are in, as countries have different legal restrictions concerning online gaming. If you have any doubts, you can always contact official representatives in a particular country, who will definitely answer your questions. However the most important rule is that if the online casino allows you to play online it means that it takes all responsibility for that and you should not be worried. Just download software and play in online casino games.
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