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Online Poker Safety
Online Poker is not always a Safe Bet
Poker in general, and online poker in particular, have enjoyed a huge surge in popularity. Last month, almost 2 million people played online poker.
This means big money for the sites that host online poker games. Take some simple steps to make sure the game is fair before you go "all-in" for
online poker.
Television is increasing the popularity of poker by leaps and bounds
Televised poker is now broadcast regularly at all times of the day - even during prime time. Travel Channel, Fox Sports, ESPN and Bravo have led
the televised poker boom. With the increase in the popularity of poker it is only natural that new fans would want to play the game. Another
factor adding to the allure of online poker is the astounding success of players like Chris Moneymaker who won the 2003 World Series of Poker -
his first live tournament.
Online poker has implications for the casual player
The fact that online poker is illegal hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of the game. Many players are drawn by the convenience of playing online. Online poker rooms are run from offshore locations such as Costa Rica and Aruba. While the poker sites advertise themselves as being licensed and regulated, the reality is that any regulation comes from within the industry itself and not from any government entities.
The trade organization for online poker rooms is the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC). The IGC has a code of conduct for its member sites. Member sites are required to follow the industry rules, but risk little more than losing their membership privileges if they break the rules.
The good news is that is in the best interest of the poker rooms to treat their customers well. Even better news is that they usually do.
Avoid being scammed at online poker by following a few simple steps
If something does go wrong while playing online poker, you should first try to work it out with the poker site directly. If that doesn't work, contact the IGC for assistance. Of course the site must be a member. For a list of member sites, click here.
The best way to avoid disputes is to play online poker at a well-known, established site. Obviously, the sites with the most players and game compose this category of card room. At Fraud Guides we do not promote illegal activity, but if you are inclined to give online poker a try, we recommend the following online poker rooms:
- Party Poker
- PokerStars
- PrimaPoker
- Paradise Poker
- PacificPoker
Beware of Web sites that purport to rank online poker rooms as we have found that those sites are little more than affiliate sites for those same poker rooms.
The honest poker sites provide service and safeguards to their customers
Before you deposit money into an online poker account, check the site to ensure that it has the following services and safeguards:
- 24/7 customer support - You should be able to contact the site directly by e-mail or telephone at any time of the day, any day of the week. The easiest way to confirm this is to actually attempt contact.
- Collusion protection - Collusion is when two or more players are playing "team" poker. The reputable sites use software to track things such as how often two players are in the same game, unusually high win rates and other suspicious playing patterns. Poker rooms have a record of every hand played and can do ex post (after the fact) analysis. If you are suspicious about a hand or hands, you should record the hand number and contact the site immediately. Poker sites need and want to know if people are cheating so that they can run a fair and honest site.
- Disconnection protection - A fact of life when dealing with the Internet is that connections do get lost. Sites have different policies when it comes to this type of protection. Some sites will consider you "all-in" if you disconnect. The benefit of such a policy is that you do not lose all of the chips you've already bet into a pot as you would if your hand is folded. Other sites may require that you fold if you lose your connection. The important thing is to understand the policy before you play and play accordingly.
- Payout policies - How do the sites pay out? How fast to they pay? Is their a fee associated with payment? Is their a minimum payout? Remember, fees cut into profit.
If you follow these steps, you will reduce the likelihood of having a bad online poker experience. Being a winning player is up to you.
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