Who would've thunk it? A government providing a guide that enables players to enjoy their online gambling experience.

The UK's Gambling Commission published a UK online gambling beginner's guide entitled "What to look out for when gambling online."

Being a beginner's guide, the document covers topics such as What to look out for when gambling online and What am I signing up to?

"It is estimated that there are more than 2,000 gambling websites available on the internet," says the guide.

"Here are some things that you will want to look out for when considering whether to gamble online and which company to gamble with. You should also have these issues in mind when gambling via mobile phone or the TV."

Among the notable *nuggets of information:

- A gambling company that is not regulated may not be fair or safe to gamble with. They may be operating unlawfully and there may be a risk of something going wrong when gambling.

- Many gambling companies are regulated in more than one jurisdiction and so their various products may be regulated by different regulators. Often the name of the regulator will be displayed on the homepage of the gambling website (the Commission requires this of the companies it licenses) and within the terms and conditions, but you should check where each particular product is regulated.

- Before starting to gamble, you should ensure that you know some basic details about the company. For example, where are they licensed and how you can contact them.

- There should be clear information about how to make a complaint against the gambling company and how your complaint will be dealt with.

- There are various forums on the internet where customers can discuss their experiences of particular gambling websites.

- Check if the website allows you to set limits on the amount of money you can deposit or gamble and review your gambling transactions. This will enable you to keep track of your spending.

- You should be able to understand from reading the information on the website how each game works, what the prizes are and what your chances of winning are. If, after reading the information you are still not clear, you should not gamble on that site.

More here.

* taken from www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk