The state of Washington has a new law that makes gambling online a Class C Felony. Those who gamble online will now be charged with the same crime as someone who possesses child pornography. Live in Washington and like to play poker? Doing so is now a crime that will land you in jail for up to 5 years. You can also be fined 10,000. Washington is setting a new precedence in the legal arena.

For years the federal government of the United States has tried to pass specific legislation to revise the Federal Wire Wagering Act. The most recent attempt is expected to pass the house, but it will most likely fail in the Senate. Washington State legislators decided to take matters into their own hands by passing this new law. Since there is no contradictory federal law, the Washington State law will face clear sailing.

The legislation does more than ban online gambling. It also bans talking about online gamblingquite the communist move by legislators. The legislation specifically outlaws the passing of any gambling information. Furthermore, gambling information is defined as: information as to wagers, betting odds and changes in betting odds shall be presumed to be intended for use in professional gambling. Technically, a blog that talks about a nationally televised sports game and mentions the spread would be in violation of the law and subject to penalty.

As expected, legislators are quick to point out that the law would not be used against individuals in this way. While that is all warm and fuzzy, the fact remains that the law is still on the books. Perhaps a better way to put it is that they dont currently plan to use it in this wayjust wait until they need it. Also, if there was an ounce of truth to those statements, then how do you explain the official statement by Rick Day, the Executive Director for the Washington State Gambling Commission? When asked whether or not a site simply linking to an online gambling destination was in violation he said, If the site also has a link to a gambling site, then to us that’s no different. According to this statement, simply linking to a site can get you charged with a Class C Felony.

There is further cause for concern here, in regards to the way laws are written and the precedence they set. Its possible other states will look at Washington States actions and decide to enact something similar. Even if you are against gambling, are you also against censorship? Today it is gambling; tomorrow it is something you care about even more.

Before you step into the world of online gambling entertain yourself with the pros and cons of playing online
Once you read about issues like addictive gambling, you will be more prepared to face it or deal with it
Value the money you have earned at work. This will help you save and spend the money very carefully
Dont put in more money than what you can afford
A game of poker or slots is fun. Dont lose the fun with obsessive, immature gambling streaks
Try to make good friends online so that there will be enough people to help you out when in need or let you know that you need to slow down on your money spending spree
When you have an undying urge to play continuously for hours, beware and stop playing for a while.

Gambling scams were never as recognized and as widespread as when it finally came in contact with cyber space. Online gambling, although beneficiary for those gambling aficionados, allowing them to gamble and avail of the enjoyment at home, also has some of its downsides more specifically the existence of online gambling scams.

Online scams usually include the refusal of a certain game company to give you your winnings. Some gambling scams may even go as far as totally refusing to let you win with absurd probabilities, and then refusing to let you cash out the remaining money youve got left.

One way to avoid these scams is to know what they are. Here are two most prevailing online gambling scams that you should be aware of, and should be able to detect easily.

Illegitimate Bonuses

Some gambling companies even go as far as inviting their former scammed customers under the ruse of bonuses telling them how sympathetic they are about you being scammed, and offering a bonus if you play with them instead. Just think, where did they get your contact details? Well they got it from that short form you filled out when you joined the first scam casino, and theyre actually looking to rip you off again.

What do they do? When its actually time for you to claim your bonus, they say that you are ineligible to receive the bonus.

To avoid being re-scammed, never fall for these types of offers. Even if you havent been scammed yet, theyd still send you a bonus offer then refuse to give it to you once youve deposited your money. A good rule of thumb with online gambling, if its too good to be true, then it probably is.

Piracy

One way to know a legitimate online casino is its affiliations and memberships; one such is the Interactive Gaming Council (ICG). However, logos provided by such organizations can easily be copied on the net, and what scammers do, is they imitate, sometimes, go as far as duplicating the design of a legitimate casino to pass off theirs. It is a good measure to look up the name of the online casino on the members list of the certain organization. ICG and others usually provide an easy to browse and search members list on their web sites.

To make sure that the casino youre subscribing to is legit, type the company name and the word review in the search engine and read about them, youll more or less get an idea of how they work.

Gambling is a world where it seems as though everyones trying to give you money. But the reality is that all the casinos and gaming dens lure you hoping to see your wallet shrink in size. Every gambler dreams of that one big win, but for most it remains a dream.

Slot machines are a comparatively less harmful way to take charge of how much you loose and win. It is a way wherein you can play with a relaxed mind and dont need to plot, plan, or guess. Here the luck takes charge. Well, almost!

Here are a few tips to help you come out a winner when gambling on the slot machines:

Dont play on borrowed cash. This will only make you tense and keep that jackpot miles away from you. A positive and relaxed mind attracts treasures as you are less prone to overlook clues and information that could lead you to a win.

Be very clear as to why you are near the slot machines at all. Are you there to enjoy yourself while you win some money doing just so, or are you after the big win. This will govern the type of slot machine that you will choose because the machines for small frequent small pay outs and less frequent big jackpot will be different from each other.

Read your destiny in the symbols on the slot machine. When you select a slot machine, check how many symbols it has. The number of symbols is directly proportional to the combinations that can be made and therefore the number of times you are likely to win. But remember more wins mean less winning amount.

When to go for that biggie? Small wins will not keep you satisfied for long. Your palms will itch to play for the progressive big jackpot. Do not succumb to this desire until the progressive jackpot becomes exceptionally big. History says that when the progressively building jackpot becomes really big, it is very likely to burst. Wait for such an opportunity.

For your own safety play slots at reputable online casinos that offer a bonus. This will not only give you peace of mind but also generous bonuses to play on.

Remember to stop. Many players forget this simple rule and loose all the money they earned from playing slots and sometimes much more.
It is easy to get carried away when you see the money roll in. True winners quit when they are still at a high.

5 Things To Consider When Youre Thinking Of Playing At On Online Casino.

Online Casinos try very hard to create the real-world gaming experience on your home pc. The best casino software offers astonishingly realistic graphics along with fast paced action and a user friendly interface. While most of todays online casinos do their very best to ensure that the games are fun and fair, as an online casino newbie, heres a few thing you should consider before you plunk down your money.

1) Read the fine print! Before you even consider playing for real money you need to know the rules. Some casinos charge a fee to send your funds, others restrict how frequently you can withdraw funds. “Look before you leap”, find a set of rules that you can live with before you make a deposit

2) How does the casino handle customer support? Is there a toll free number for you to call? Do they offer real time chat mode support? Is support simply handled via email? Better casinos will have several convenient ways for you to contact them. Heres a tip; don’t be afraid to call their toll free support line and ask a few general questions, just to get a better feel for the casino.

3) What do other players have to say about the Casino? Visit the various online gambling forums and see what others are saying. Reputable online casinos do their best to keep their customers happy. Disgruntled players can cause quite a few problems for a casino with only a few mouse clicks. With that said, if you see a rant against a particular casino, try to determine if it was simply posted by an unhappy player who lost his money. In other words, go deeper then just looking at a single post; see if others share this players view.

4) Understand how the bonus structure works. Because competition is so fierce, virtually every online casino will give you a bonus for signing up with them, this is very nice, but there are always strings attached. First, there are almost always play through requirements. In other words, if the casino is giving you 50, youll have to bet that money some number of times before you can cash it out. Also, there are often restrictions on the games you can play using your free money. Games with a smaller house edge (like blackjack for example) are sometimes excluded from the games you can play using the bonus money. Also, there may be maximum cash out amount when youre playing with the bonus money. So once again, its up to you to read the fine print and make sure you understand what the restrictions are when playing with the bonus money.

5) The Edge is always with the casino! While we all dream of hitting that huge jackpot and being set for life, the odds against that ever happening are simply astronomical. Gambling, whether its online or in Vegas, is designed to be a fun way to spend some time if you win a few bucks great, but more then likely youll wind up with less money then you started with. Thats the simple truth. Gamble for the thrill and the excitement, not for the rent.