The Do’s and Don’ts of Gambling - Casino Etiquette

General Do’s and Don’ts of Gambling Sites

Let’s start with elementary gambling house etiquette which applies no matter what game you play or best online casinos you visit.

1. Do know and understand the legal rules

The first thing you need to do is check if online gambling is legal in your area - international regulations vary by country.

In the UK for instance, the minimum legal age for gambling is 18, and gambling is regulated and supervised by the Gambling Commission. The Commission aims to keep crime out of gambling, protect children and other vulnerable groups, protect consumers, and ensure fair and open gambling etiquette is conducted, among other important things. They are also in charge of issuing licences to operators, so, to be sure, register with an online casino that holds all the proper licenses and permits.

A person who breaches the law can face huge fines, imprisonment and even permanent injunction.

2. Do expect to lose

How very optimistic of us, wouldn’t you agree? Well, we just want to pass on a piece of advice based on our experience.

No matter what they say, one of the best gambling tips we can offer is just to expect that the odds will always be in the casino’s favour. Also known as the house edge, this built-in advantage guarantees an overall profit to the casino. Doesn’t sound fair, does it? Just remember that online casinos are businesses after all, and that’s how they earn their profit.

What you can do to increase your winnings is to try to learn and understand whether or not the odds work in your favour. Try not to get too frustrated. Expecting to lose is a part of smart gambling.

3. Do learn the basic strategy

It’s completely fine to try out different games to see which one you enjoy most. But don’t sit at a table if you’re not at least familiar with the basic rules of the game.

The majority of winners are almost always game strategy connoisseurs who rely on tactics and skill. We’re not saying this as discouragement or to completely turn you off before you even try the game.

Losing and making mistakes is part of the learning process. The least you can do as a novice player is to learn the basic rules and stick to the basic gambling strategy. Otherwise, you can end up busting your gambling bankroll.

4. Do set a limit to your spending

One of the most important gambling tips is to determine your budget before you start playing. Set an amount you’re okay to lose. Proper bankroll management is the key to an enjoyable gambling experience.

When people play online, they tend to get carried away because they have a feeling that they’re not spending “real money.” Gambling can be fun if you can be disciplined about it, train yourself to have control over your wagers and apply top gambling tips.

You win some and you lose some, and that has nothing to do with whether or not you’re a beginner or an adept player. One thing you don’t want to do is burn through your monthly income.

5. Do play in a timely manner

As a gambling beginner, it’s perfectly normal to need more time to see what your next move should be. It’s true that some players are simply belligerent, and keeping them waiting for only a second can trigger aggressive behaviour. Don’t worry about it because if there is a breach of the online casino etiquette, the staff will deal with them.

Just be a good sport and don’t keep everyone waiting for too long. Online casinos and best poker sites in the UK have convenient “sit out next hand” options, so if you need some rest, just hit that button.

Pay attention to your concentration level as well. If you notice that it’s taking you more time to make a decision, it might be a good idea to take a break or end the session.

6. Don’t get intoxicated

This is one of the most emphasized don’ts of gambling.

You’re at home, you have that great bottle of Scotch waiting for you, and you want to have some fun and play a bit of blackjack. Sure, having a drink is totally fine as long as it doesn’t affect your decision making.

But remember: when it comes to blackjack, winning isn’t all down to pure luck like in some other games. Gambling involves having the skills, knowing the right strategies of how to gamble, and making the right decisions in a timely manner… all of which can be affected if you consume a bit too much alcohol. We’re not trying to ruin the fun for you - we’re just watching out for the community.

7. Don’t overbet

A typical mistake beginners make is overbetting their bankroll or risking spending all their money too quickly.

There’s a sort of a rule of thumb here you can apply. Slots, for instance, are highly volatile which means that you’re going to have a lot of losing sessions before you get a winning spin. To have the opportunity to get that big hit, basic gambling strategy says you should plan to play for three hours for which you’d need 250 times the bet in the bankroll. If a spin is 50 pence, you would need to have a £125 bankroll.

As for poker, the rate of play is slower, and to fill that three-hour window, you should have a bankroll which is 50x your bet. So if the bet is five pounds, you would need a £250 bankroll.

8. Don’t chase your losses

Losing is not fun. But, unfortunately, it’s part of the game. And it’s perfectly normal for players to get agitated when they run out of luck.

One of the biggest don’ts of gambling is thinking you can win your money back if you play higher stakes. This can potentially lead to a series of bad decisions and overspending because the more you lose, the less rational you are and the less able you are to make reasonable bets.

So instead of making ill-advised plays and “going on tilt” as they say in poker, admit that it’s not your day and gracefully tap out. Stick to your staking plan and save it for another day to come back and win.

9. Don’t blame your losses on other players or dealers

There are many superstitions among casino players - lucky and unlucky numbers, itchy palms, lucky charms, and whatnot. But one thing is certain: a poor gambling strategy brings bad luck, not other players and dealers.

You might think that their moves are hurting the table, and we aren’t saying that inexperienced players don’t make terrible moves at times. But if you’re on a losing streak, don’t blame other players or the dealer.

Just admit that you’re having a bad day, laugh it off, and move forward. Don’t forget that each casino has its own regulations and can easily ban your account or membership due to misconduct.

10. Don’t cheat

This should be a part of all casino gambling for dummies instructions.

Don’t try to abuse bonuses by creating fake accounts. Online casinos have state-of-the-art fraud detection software which makes detecting those types of schemes easy. So, if anyone tells you that they know a surefire way to win extra bonuses, ignore them.

Also, requesting reversed payments or requesting a chargeback once you’ve made a deposit is nonsense.

Don’t collude with others. It’s great if another player is friendly and chatty, but don’t get pulled into anything sketchy. Remember, cheating can get you banned.