11 Common Mistakes for New Online Casino Players to Avoid

Read our tips on how to avoid common mistakes that new casino players often make

(iStock)

Anyone who is new to online casinos knows that it can be a slightly overwhelming experience when you begin to use such sites.

While it can be exciting to explore new online casinos, the world of online gambling can be both confusing and difficult to navigate when starting out, from using the sites themselves to making sure you stay within the parameters of terms and conditions attached to promotional offers.

To that end, we’ve compiled a guide to the most common errors made when starting out with using online casinos which you may wish to use as a practical checklist for avoiding newbie errors.

1. Skipping the Verification Check

This is the first mistake that new online casino players may make.

In the UK, casinos must comply with rules around age verification. For users, it’s always tempting to skip this stage and go right to the games, but it will delay your ability to withdraw winnings and could even delay making your first deposit.

Tip: Always make sure you have ID documents at the ready when signing up.

2. Not Setting a Budget First

One of the main casino mistakes to avoid is that of “chasing losses”. This term refers to when punters continue to bet in the hope of recouping whatever they may have lost in that session.

Of course, this is a dangerous road to go down, as losses can quickly mount, and there is no guarantee of making anything back in any given session.

One of the first things any punter should do is set a budget before playing, making sure to only bet what you can afford.

Tip: If needed, casino sites offer tools like deposit limits to help control spending, while banking apps and e-wallets also offer ways to limit the amount spent on gambling sites.

3. Joining Without Claiming a Bonus

One of the main things to check when signing up for a new casino site is the welcome offer and any casino bonuses.

While they are often advertised clearly on sites, it can be easy to miss out on deposit matches, no wagering free spins, cashback and other offers when you’re first registering.

Tip: Always check the promotions page before your first deposit, and be sure to check terms.

4. Misunderstanding Game Rules

In addition to the overwhelming range of things to bet on and play, casino sites and their games may have a wide range of different rules.

And among the most important beginner casino tips is this: make sure you understand the rules of whatever game you are playing.

For example, blackjack is about beating the dealer, not hitting 21. Another example could be roulette games, and making sure you understand the odds of each colour or number.

Tip: Make sure to read individual game strategy guide before playing. For example, we have put together guides on how to play online slots and ‘what is RTP?’.

5. Forgetting to Join the Rewards Club

In a similar vein to forgetting about welcome offers, some players may miss out on cashback and other perks by neglecting to opt in to rewards programmes.

Most casino apps, both new and established, tend to have rewards clubs or loyalty schemes under their promotions section.

6. Not Reading Wagering Requirements

In simple terms, wagering requirements are the requirements put in place by casinos to make sure that any winnings or bonuses may have to be wagered again by the user.

For example, requirements of 35x means the user must wager the bonus 35 times before they can withdraw any winnings made.

Thankfully, the UKGC is limiting wagering requirements at licensed casinos to 10x later this year.

7. Relying on Luck or Superstitions

In terms of what not to do in a casino, one of the main things is to follow superstitions or common ‘urban myths’ related to casinos and various games.

For example, “hot slots” or “due wins” are two common myths, both related to slot games. The first one suggests that a certain machine (or game) could be on a ‘winning streak’, so players should use it. The second states that certain games could be ‘due’ a win as they have not paid out in a certain timespan.

Tip: Instead of following these superstitions, you should learn basic strategy instead. In terms of online casino strategy for beginners, we have compiled some relevant guides including a ‘best time to play slots‘ explainer, a piece on ‘how to win at online slots’ and ‘the best time to play online slots’.

8. Drinking or Playing When Tired

A major mistake that players of any level can make is gambling when drinking alcohol, or when tired.

This is obviously tied into decision-making and responsible gambling, but it is easy to lose track of losses and to gamble more than you usually would if tired or under the influence of alcohol.

Tip: Users can make use of self-imposed session limits on gambling sites, and you should make sure you take regular breaks when using gambling sites.

9. Using the Wrong Payment Method

Some deposit types don’t qualify for bonuses. For example, deposits made using Skrill or Apple Pay often do not qualify for welcome bonuses, though some casinos do provide welcome offers that are specialised to certain payment methods too.

Tip: Use a debit card such as Mastercard for your first deposit as they typically qualify for promotions. Always check T&Cs to be aware of accepted buy-in methods on general promotions.

10. Overusing Auto-Play

Auto-play allows users to set slot reels to automatically play a certain number of times on slot sites. Of course, this can disconnect players from spending awareness, meaning that the amount wagered can quickly add up.

Tip: Stick to manual play or make use of session time-tracking tools when playing slots.

11. Not Knowing When to Stop

In a similar vein to setting a budget before playing, you can make use of stop-win and stop-loss thresholds. These are simply limits to losses or wins that you set before playing.

This approach emphasises the emotional discipline in gambling. Simply put, you have a better chance of staying in control of your gambling if you set limits and avoid chasing losses.

Tip: Remember to set a threshold for how much you’re willing to lose every time you start an online casino session and stick to it, stopping play when that amount is reached.

Summary

Remember to gamble responsibly when starting out with a new casino site, making sure that you set spending limits and do not exceed them.

Avoiding the above mistakes leads to a safer and more rewarding experience, and helps to avoid a negative gambling experience.

Be aware that betting and gaming can be addictive. Please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you’re using betting sites, poker sites, bingo sites or any other gambling medium.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any free bet offers or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:

• NHS Help
• GambleAware
• Gamblers Anonymous

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.