Although the popularity of online gambling is increasing, there are some important precautions you should take before you get started. First, you should only play at licensed online casinos. Regulators are increasingly regulating this industry, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t unscrupulous operators who would rather take advantage of players than provide them with good service. Make sure to check out the online casino’s licensing and other paperwork. It is a good idea to sign up with a reputable offshore operator if you are from the US.
Once you have registered with a gambling website, you can use a number of different payment methods. Credit cards are the most common way to make deposits, and they’re one of the easiest to use. However, some sites don’t accept credit cards. Using a pre-paid card allows you to limit your spending while playing and track your spending habits. Online casinos may also accept checks if your financial institution supports this payment method. Checks aren’t always available, so check beforehand.
Legalities of online gambling vary from state to state, but many states have legalized certain types of the activity. In the United States, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 limits banks’ ability to transact with illegal online gambling sites, but it doesn’t define what constitutes a “gambling site” under federal law. Although the federal Wire Act was traditionally considered to prohibit all forms of online gambling, it doesn’t apply to online casinos and poker sites.