This article was submitted to WINNERonline by the webmaster for Skyline Casino. While I don't completely agree with all his online gambling recommendations, I thought you might be interested in hearing his perspective. -- Chuck Greene

As everyone knows by now, online gambling has truly arrived and has become big business. Online gambling has become one of the only true profitable businesses on the Internet and it has left everyone wondering how and why. This article has been designed as a guide to convey the truth to customers and to more accurately inform players of their rights and the responsibilities of online casinos.

The truth is that online gambling is a lot more convenient, safer, and quicker than a conventional sportsbook or casino and you don't have to worry about getting your arms broken and you can wager 24 hours a day. Customers to online casinos and sportsbooks are always in good hands as long as the casino or sportsbook is licensed. Yes there are licensing laws for online casinos as well. You can check whether a site is licensed to a certain country or territory on the website, and if you have further questions you can simply e-mail the webmaster. If a sportsbook is unwilling or unable to produce licensing proof then you should be wary of that particular sportsbook or casino. Licensed casinos and their gaming software provider have to be audited by a major accounting firm which makes sure they pay out a certain percentage to players and they don't "load the deck" as they say.

In addition, sportsbooks should pay out immediately after the game has been decided and should never delay payment upon withdrawal from your account. For example, Skyline Casino pays wins out immediately. Yes I am writing this article as a principle player in Skyline Casino but I have heard from many players who have switched from other casinos how much they appreciate a quick payout to a slow, drawn out payout. A payout is when you have won a wager and the casino credits your winnings to your account. After that happens you have the option of continuing to wager with that money or to withdraw your money and have your winnings sent to you.

A credible casino should pay out checks via FEDEX or a respectable delivery company within 48 to 72 hours. However, casinos should give you the option of other methods of payment as well. They should offer the option of a bank wire and a re-credit to your credit card you used in your deposit. In addition, a casino should also offer alternate ways to deposit money instead of only on your credit card such as Western Union Quick Pay and bank wires. A credible casino should always offer more than one option and if you find yourself pressured to use a credit card then once again you should be wary.

As a webmaster I know that customers always have a lot of questions and as a result of this, casinos should always have backup modes of customer support. Customer service in the online casino business as in any business is the most important aspect of the business itself because the players you do have are your most important asset.

Customer support should include a 24-hour customer service line with knowledgeable and capable phone operators. They should at any time of night be able to access all your account records and help you with your problems or inquiries. Casinos and sportsbooks should also offer a variety of e-mail support addresses such as a cashier, webmaster and customer support. In addition, they should offer the customer service phone number in a very conspicuous spot on the website along with a 24 hour technical support number from the software provider.

Knowing the gaming software provider is very important and should not be overlooked. There are only a handful of Internet gaming software providers in the world and most of them are very reliable but as in any other business I would recommend being wary of unknowns. Branding is very reliable when it comes to a business with very few software providers. Names such as Starnet, which is a publicly traded company under the ticker symbol SNMM are very well known and respectable and should be recognized as a quality provider of gaming software. As in any other business program and nowadays seemingly life as well, the experience is only as good as the software it is done with -- so be careful.

Finally, I would like to assure players that licensed online casinos are not the wave of the future but they are the future right now and for the years to come. They are safe, reliable and unable to taint any of the casino games to affect the outcome of a players gaming experience -- so don't worry. Moreover, online casinos are just like any other business in terms of service and overall experience. Also, casinos are always looking for ways to improve so don't be afraid to voice your suggestions or opinions to your webmaster. If you follow all these basic guidelines and things to look for you should be ready to rock and roll and experience the 24-hour excitement that millions around the world are experiencing right now. Good luck!