This week's column covers the last three items on a checklist I've thrown together to use for the selection and registration process when gambling online. There are no ingenious winning strategies offered here, nor are there insider secrets or magical formulas. There are only common-sense pointers to educate beginners and remind seasoned Net bettors where the pitfalls are on the path.

In all, I offer nine morsels of advice. Today's three involve the government licensing of online gaming sites, a very common way undesirable gaming sites lure customers and how to research sites before you play. But, first let's recap the six items already covered:

• Read the rules/policy page(s) to determine whether the game rules are to your liking as well as to make sure the operators of the site stand behind what they're selling.
• Don't submit any credit card or banking details until you verify that the registration is carried out on a secure server.
• Do yourself a favor (unless, of course, you have an affinity for junk mail) and check, before disclosing personal and contact information, whether the site has an acceptable privacy policy (or whether it has one at all). Also, be careful not to unknowingly opt into mailing lists of which you want no part.
• Avoid sites that don't make it easy for you to contact them. Call and e-mail them to verify their accessibility and helpfulness.
• Make sure that pay-out percentages are offered.
• Look for verification that the site's software has been audited by a reputable third-party firm.

Tip No. 7 entails making sure the site is regulated by a government entity.

Here's where I used to advise all gamblers to seek sites that are licensed by Australia's state governments because they're regulated there more tightly than anywhere else. Unfortunately, Australia's federal government is in the process of banning online gambling for Australians themselves.

The good news for most bettors is that Australia's gaming businesses may be allowed to offer their services to players in jurisdictions outside Australia, but if you're from Australia, or perhaps even from anywhere that regulated online gambling is not wanted, you'll be out of luck.

Beyond Australia, there are dozens of other countries, territories, states and provinces that issue online gaming licenses. Some of the more common ones for online casinos are Antigua, Dominica, Kahnawake (located on Indian land near Montreal) and the Netherlands Antilles. All of the above jurisdictions also license sports betting services, as do England, Ireland, Malta and Gibraltar.

The next question is, How do you know whether a site is licensed?

Most online gambling services that are government licensed will advertise it somewhere on their sites. It might be advertised big and bold on the front page, or it might be buried somewhere on the rules or FAQ page. Many sites display a government seal that signifies that they're licensed and regulated. Others actually display a copy of the license itself.

Of course, you must keep in mind that anyone operating a gambling site can put up a bogus claim that it's government licensed. To avoid such scams, I recommend seeking verification. Jurisdictions such as Antigua are more desirable because they actually display online a list of sites that are licensed there as well as a list of sites that claim to be licensed there but are not. You can see for yourself by visiting AntiguaGaming.com.

The next item on the list is simply a reminder to always subscribe to the "too-good-to-be-true" philosophy. Simply put, if a site posts irresistible odds or offers what appears to be a no-risk shot at free money, it should be avoided. This was the premise of the first Cybergambling Tip of the Week, and although it's among the most elementary of concepts, it's easily brushed aside by the idea that you've stumbled into a room full of gold.

And even if a "too-good-to-be-true" chance of a lifetime is legitimate, keep in mind that the person(s) offering the great deal might not have the money to pay you because too many opportunistic bettors cashed in and sucked up all their cash.

Finally, I recommend that you research any online gambling site before you register to play for real money. One way of doing this is the aforementioned license check. A second way is to see what other players are saying (or not saying) about the site at online forum pages. It's also a good idea to check out what magazines (both online and offline) as well as portal sites such as WINNERonline have to say about the site. Conduct an online search and see if you can find any reviews or articles written about the site. (Keep in mind, however, that not all magazines and portals are necessarily objective sources.)

The world of online gambling is not comprised solely of renegades out to rip everyone off, as opponents of legalized Net betting would like you to believe, but a certain amount of ugliness does still exist. Internet gambling hasn't yet evolved to a point in which consumer protection guaranteed, so keeping a checklist like the one I've offered can go along way.

Read the other parts of the Online Gambling Checklist
Gambling Checklist, Part 1
Gambling Checklist, Part 2

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