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The GameMaster on Internet Gambling

Althought much of this information is still accurate, we believe this page is best viewed as a historcal document.

Introduction to Internet Gambling

I am going to undertake a very ambitious project and that is to play extensively at a minimum of one Internet casino per month, evaluate their games and report all my thoughts, findings, fears and gripes to you. (true in 1999)The catch here is that I won't be playing for real $$$, simply because that appears to be illegal for me as I'm a resident of the Great State of Missouri (great, but not liberal). To some of you, the fact that I'll be playing only for 'fun' means that my observations may not be valid. Some of you, hell, maybe a lot of you, think that the on-line casinos can throw some sort of switch so, when I'm playing for 'funny money', I'll win, but the minute I buy in for real, I'll be getting a different set of cards. That might happen; heaven knows the technology exists, but I don't think so. I gave this some thought and came to the conclusion that a really nefarious casino operator could juice the 'fun' games (make it easy to win) to gain a player's confidence, then rig the 'real' games to shear the sheep, but I think I'll recognize a juiced game since I'm keeping very accurate stats on my play and I'm very familiar with the theory of probability. Of course, it could also be that the 'fun' game is straight and the 'real' game is rigged, in which case I'll never know since I'm not playing for real $$$. But if you really believe that, though, you should restrict your play to real-life casinos. You should only play where you're comfortable and if you're one of those people who thinks that any winning session you had was because the casino let you win or if you don't insert a slot club card into the machine because by doing so the casino will know you're there and will take back the $$$ you won yesterday, then you're never going to be comfortable at an on-line casino. But, if you feel as I do, that the on-line casinos have a built-in edge on every game they offer, don't have to pay dealers, don't have a lot of employees of any type, don't have an investment in bricks and mortar, don't have to comp anyone to dinner and have small daily operating costs, then you may realize that an on-line casino probably doesn't have to cheat. It's not to say that all on-line casinos are on the 'up-and-up', but I think the problem casinos will just keep your deposit or not pay off your winnings, rather than try to cheat you with their software. (I know those words don't provide a whole lot of comfort, but that's how things seem to be working.) But I don't know any of this with absolute certainty and you need to understand that. I'm going to analyze and theorize, examine and calculate, but I still might be cheated, one way or another.

Anyone who's smart is skeptical about an on-line casino; there's nothing wrong with being skeptical. But you need to remember a few basics about probability. Some time ago, a reader e-mailed me to say he had been playing at an on-line casino and, while he was playing Blackjack at $5 a hand, he had a good run and made some serious $$$. Then, he told me, he switched to $25 a hand and promptly lost all his winnings and a bunch more. His conclusion was that the game was rigged. But was it, really? He had a good winning session and that gave him the confidence to up his bets, but the reality of Blackjack is that even a skillful player will lose more hands than s/he will win. Were the losses while betting $25 a hand caused by cheating, or was it just the win/loss ratio getting 'even'? I practice my Blackjack on a computer program that keeps track of the number of wins, losses and pushes that I get and, when I'm way ahead on the number of wins, I'm not at all surprised when the 'dealer' starts pulling 20s and 21s; it's just part of the game. Will you feel that way if the same thing happens at an on-line casino? When it comes to Blackjack, you may expect to get a 'natural' (Ace and face or 10) on average about once every 21 hands or so. But you may go 100 hands without one, however that doesn't automatically mean you've been cheated. We human beings are amazing in our ability to look at something which has no rhyme or reason to it whatsoever and find a pattern. My favorite example of this is how we go outside and look up into the night sky, see seven stars that have no relationship to one another and exclaim, "Look! A dipper". Our creative minds attempt to discern a pattern where none exists and, if we think we're being cheated, we can fool ourselves very easily. But mathematics can explain a lot of what happens and that's what I'll try to do in this series; rely on math to explain things. By doing it that way, if events fall outside the parameters of probability, then we can at least suspect that we're playing at non-random games.

Getting Comfortable with Internet Casinos

I think there are some very positive steps one can take to make themselves more comfortable with the concept of gaming on-line. But first, let me remind you that some of the casinos which I'll be reviewing are advertisers on my web site and, if you think their $$$ will influence my opinions, then you need to take what I say with a grain of salt. From a personal point of view, I'm not going to let their ad revenues sway my opinion, simply because we have a waiting list of advertisers for our few spots and if I upset someone by telling the truth, then so be it. Of course, you don't know me personally, so this is meaningless, but I learned a long time ago to be honest with myself and that's what you're going to get: honest opinions. Just for the record, the only relationship my web site has with on-line casinos is the ads; we do not participate in any players' losses or by any other way in the revenues of any on-line casino.

As I said earlier, there are some steps you can take to make yourself more comfortable with the idea of Internet gaming. Please follow this list carefully:

1. Is it legal to participate?

First and foremost, find out if it's legal for you to gamble on the Internet from your location. A few states in the United States have rules against Internet gambling and I want it clearly understood that I am writing this ONLY for people who can legally participate. No, I don't have a list of states and/or countries where this is legal so you'll need to find that out on your own and that's the way it should be. By doing the research yourself, you can also find out what, if any, support you can expect from your local government agencies should you become a victim of fraud or cheating.

2. What is the software behind the casino?

Many on-line casinos are 'turn-key' operations which are sold to operators, independent or otherwise, by companies which provide the consumer interfaces (the 'casino' which comes up on the screen), the games (selected by the operator from a long list), e-commerce functions and technical support. There are four primary companies providing these services: Microgaming of South Africa, Starnet's Softec Systems from Vancouver, British Columbia, CryptoLogic of Toronto, Canada and Boss Media which is based in Sweden. There are others, but these four have most of the market and their value to the player is that these companies usually do not let the individual operators have access to the logic systems of the games. In addition, these 4 companies have each established something of a 'network' of casinos and it's reasonable to assume that they will want to protect their reputations as responsible companies. No company has done more , to the best of my knowledge, to promote the Internet as a safe place to gamble than Microgaming. Some of their casinos have advertised on my web site for a long time and I have never received word from any of our readers of an unresolved complaint about a Microgaming casino. There are no guarantees here, but knowing who has provided the software for the casino of your choice may raise your confidence.

3. What games are available?

As I review specific casinos, I'll report on the games I find there, but remember that there are some general rules you should check (See the "Casino Survival Guide" section of this site for more information on most popular casino games):

A. Roulette - Does the game have one or two zeros? A single-zero game has a house edge of 2.70%, whereas a game with two zeros has an edge of 5.26%. I haven't yet seen an on-line casino with the 'en prison' rule, but that, combined with a single zero, reduces the house edge to 1.35% on the even-money bets.

B. Craps - Are multiple free odds available? Do you understand the concept of the free odds bet? Not that you should ever bet the field, but there are some layouts which pay more for that than others.

C. Video Poker - What are the payout schedules for the games? Few, if any, on-line casinos are going to offer 100+% payback games, but there are a lot which are in the 99.5% payback range, if you bet the maximum. (In most games, if you don't bet the max., you're giving the house more of an edge.) You should obviously play games with the highest possible payback. Also, most on-line casinos offer the 'double up' bet which carries with it no house edge. But I recommend you not use it, because if you're skeptical, you're going to thing it's rigged, even though it may not be and why put the extra pressure on yourself?

D. Baccarat - Check the rules of the game to see that they are following the industry standard; don't take it for granted! Also check to see what 'commission' is charged on the winning Banker bet; it should be no more than 5%.

E. Slots - Remember that a slot machine can be set to return virtually any percentage and that each state in the U.S. has minimums which the 'real' casinos must pay back on the slots. I'm not aware of any such minimums for Internet casinos. Therefore, my specific advice is to avoid ALL slot machines. Look at it this way, you're currently on a computer hooked into the Internet, because you're reading this. That means you're smart. Smart people can learn Video Poker or Blackjack or Pai-Gow or Baccarat, so why would you want to play a slot?

F. Blackjack - Again, as I review each casino, I'll comment on the games I find there, but the thing to remember about Blackjack is that, in most cases, card-counting won't work because the deck(s) are shuffled after every hand. But, a single-deck game has a lower house edge than a multi-deck game and the various options for the player, like doubling on any first two cards, surrender, etc. have a value. The object here is to play at a game which has the lowest house edge. Another thing to check is that in a lot of the Internet casinos, the dealer does not take a 'hole' card and should you double, say an 11 against a dealer's 10, and the dealer then pulls an Ace, you'll lose both bets. That rule requires a change in the Basic Strategy of the game and it gives the casino an additional .1% edge.

G. Caribbean Stud - Most on-line casinos don't offer the $1 side bet for a progressive jackpot and I've seen weird pay schedules on some of the games. Before you play, see if the pay schedule is 'standard' and then try to talk yourself out of playing; the average edge for the casino is about 2.7%.

H. Pai-Gow Poker - At on-line casinos, the dealer is always the Banker and, much like Baccarat, the Banker has a natural edge in this game. Combined with a 5% 'commission' on a winning bet, the casino has an overall edge of about 3% against a skillful player. You can imagine what the edge is against a player who doesn't know what s/he's doing.

I. Keno - A lot of the cyber-casinos have changed the pay schedule for various 'picks' in that they pay something out at the low end, but have reduced the payoff on the high end. For example, at most 'real' electronic keno games, a hit of 1 out of 4 pays nothing, but it might pay a half-bet at a cyber-casino. That's good, but the 'jackpot' for 4 out of 4 has been reduced, so the overall payout may be lower, though your $$$ will last longer. Again, I'll examine these at each casino.

4. What is the minimum bet?

Of the casinos I've visited up to this point, it appears that the minimum 'coin' size is 50 cents and, for video poker, that's expensive! To realize the maximum return at most games, you'll have to bet $2.50 a pop. I'm going to keep looking for quarter games. A point to remember: make sure you check on the coin size you've chosen for each game; you'll find that at the top, usually marked, "options". You don't want to mistakenly play a hand of $25 Video Poker.

5. Does the casino have a 'slot' club?

Yes, they exist in Cyberspace, though the best cash-back I've found so far is .1%. But you should sign up for it, no matter how low the return is.

6. Can you play for free?

What I mean by this is, does the casino have a 'play' money mode? Don't ever, ever, ever risk real $$$ at an on-line casino without trying it for a while in the 'play' mode. That's when you'll discover any oddities about the games and will get a chance to see if you enjoy playing there. With all the choices a cyber-gambler has, you should only play where the conditions are exactly right. That means you have to like the graphics, the choices of the games, the rules, the minimum bets, etc. before committing one red cent.

7. Is the casino licensed

I realize that a piece of paper from some banana republic that you've never heard of is scant comfort, but there are some jurisdictions that are taking the licensing of on-line casinos fairly seriously. Australia is VERY serious about it (and yes, I know it's not a banana republic) and a few others seem to be on the right track. The point I want to make here is that some on-line casinos are licensed, but most are not. If an operator will go to the trouble and expense of getting licensed, it will almost undoubtedly state that on their home page and it MIGHT mean you have some recourse in getting your $$$ back should they fold up their tent and steal away in the night.

The Disadvantages of On-Line Gaming

Beside the obvious ("Will I ever see my money again?"), the on-line casino raises to new heights the test of discipline which any casino imposes. Are you with me on this? Casinos aren't so much a test of your skill or luck (though both do have their impact), but more a test of your self-discipline. The drinks are free or inexpensive, there are no clocks, and few casinos allow you to bet with currency; it's all converted to tokens or chips. Those all contribute to the 'carefree' feeling that the casinos want you to adopt when you go in there. These factors are not a problem at an on-line casino, but consider this: at most 'real' casinos, you have to take $$$ out of your pocket and either change it into tokens or chips, or at least put it into a machine. At an on-line casino, you never see any $$$; you input your credit card info and then just point and click. Money under those circumstances becomes almost abstract and that can really work against you. Some casinos impose a daily or weekly limit on credit card purchases and some allow you to set a limit for yourself. I strongly urge you to set such limits, even if you're Mr. Gates himself.

The other 'disciplinary problem' is impatience and the scenario usually goes something like this: You've been playing dollar Jacks or Better Video Poker for a few hours, haven't seen a Four-of-a-Kind even once, are down $250 and figure that a 4K is 'due', so you switch to playing a $5 game, figuring that just a Full House or two (let alone a 4K!) will get you even. Whoa, pardner! Remember that a Video Poker game is just a mouse click away, so take some time off and go after your $$$ when you're rested and your head is clear. It's difficult to win when you're 'steaming'.

The Advantages of On-Line Gaming

I've always been in love with the idea of playing Blackjack in my shorts....well, not IN my shorts, but while I'm in my shorts.... you know what I mean. Now I can do that. Secondly, have you ever ordered a glass of 'house' red at your local, friendly casino? Barely drinkable, right? Now I can play Video Poker whilst contemplating a lovely '82 Chateau Cos d'Estournel and a bit of good Asiago cheese! Take it easy on the booze when you're gambling, dear reader, but if you hate the fact that almost every gambler smokes, ta da! No smoking at your place, I'll bet. Also no travel expenses, no begging for a dinner comp, no........well, you get the idea. Sure, going to Vegas is fun and there's a lot to do there which you can't do on your computer, but there's one other very important thing you may not do in Vegas which you can do at home on your computer.

Did you know that it's illegal to use an electronic device to help you play a game in a Las Vegas casino? But it's not illegal to do that at home. When I'm playing Video Poker on the 'Net, I have my VP software open so if I get a hand that I'm not absolutely certain about how to play, I just check it out, then I play the hand. This ability mostly applies to Video Poker, Blackjack and Pai-Gow Poker, though there might be other games out there for which this option applies. But think of it: perfect strategy decisions! No more guessing, no more, "I think that's the right play." At home you can play any game perfectly.

A Few More Tips

1. Logging on to most Internet casinos does not require the use of your web browser, like Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer and I recommend you keep them, as well as your e-mail program, off while you're playing at an on-line casino. That's because those other programs may tie up your connection at times (like when Eudora checks for mail) and you may freak out if cards are being flipped over at that moment. Because a signal is coming down your line from the casino, a delay can occur and you might think you're the victim of 'cheating' when you're not.

2. If you're nervous about giving out your credit card info over the 'Net, most casinos will accept checks, money orders, etc. by snail-mail, but an even better idea is to contact your bank and ask them to issue you a new Mastercard or Visa with a small credit limit, say $500 or so. Jerks who want to steal credit card numbers go after big credit limits and, if you have a balance on yours most of the time, it's not a tempting target.

3. Please e-mail me with your questions, comments, experiences and complaints. We are hoping to be your one-stop shop for on-line gaming and will do all we can to help you. I can be reached at aceten1@mindspring.com.