If you’re thinking about gambling online in 2020, there are a few important things to know before you take the final step and sign up. Consider these things before you gamble your hard-earned money online.

Have you ever heard the expression “If it seems too good to be true, it usually is?” Well, that holds true in all areas of life, including playing at online casinos.

Almost all casinos offer signup bonuses for new players. These are designed to attract you in. Free spins on video slots, deposit match bonuses, and cashback on losses are all attractive, but they come with strings attached.

For example, most casino bonuses have wagering requirements. These are the number of times you’ll have to wager a bonus before you can withdraw it. For example, take a £100 bonus with wagering requirements of 30x. You’ll have to wager £3,000 before you can withdraw the £100.

That’s not impossible if you have a big in on a slot machine, but you’ll have to get extremely lucky. Keep this in mind when you accept casino bonuses, and look for one with the lowest wagering requirements possible.

As if wagering requirements weren’t tricky enough, you also have to contend with game weighting. Each game counts differently towards meeting wagering requirements. Slots and keno count most, and games like blackjack and video poker hard count at all.

Smart markets know that it’s better to over-deliver and pleasantly surprise your client than to underdeliver and underwhelm them.

Lots of online casinos let you try their games for free in demo mode to get you interested, but did you know that some of the best games aren’t visible until you sign up and confirm your age? For example, some of the adult slots aren’t visible for obvious reasons.

If you see a casino you’re interested in, make sure you register an account for free and explore the full games library. You should especially do this if the casino offers no deposit free spins or something similar.

Money laundering is a serious problem for online casinos, and authorities show them no mercy when they accidentally accept and process the proceeds of crime.

Therefore, you’ll have to verify your identity before you can make a withdrawal at most legit online casinos. This can involve sending in a copy of your photographic ID and a bank statement.

Think about this before you dive in: do you trust the casino site enough to send them your valuable documents? If not, think twice before signing up to play for real money. This is where it can be advantageous to play at big, trusted brands run by legit companies. Most people are more comfortable sending them their documents.

Some US States, most notably New Jersey and Michigan, have legalized online casino gaming. However, it remains illegal in the vast majority of states under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (2006).

Now, US players can play offshore, but it’s risky to do so. While you can’t actually get into legal trouble in most states, the casino can refuse to pay you and there’s nothing you can do about it. Many rogue casinos exist solely to exploit American players in this situation, so you have to be extra careful when picking an online casino.

If you’re thinking of playing in a state where it isn’t legal, we have one word of advice for you: don’t. It’s highly likely that you’ll have your funds stolen, your winnings refused, or your identity cloned. Wait until casino gaming is legal in your state. It’s coming.

Lots of people have heard of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies, and think of them as some sort of shady investment or pyramid scheme. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Cryptocurrencies aren’t investments at all. They are ways to pay anyone, anywhere in the world, almost instantly and without permission from any third party. Bitcoin has been revolutionary in this regard, allowing players from all over the world to gamble, even if they can’t access bank accounts or get credit cards.

It’s worth exploring the pros and cons of gambling with Bitcoin. However, that’s another topic for another day. You can do that research for yourself by researching BTC online.