Gambling Online provokes many conflicting strong view points when ever the subject is raised.

Online gambling (in my opinion) is a better financial proposition for most gamblers than land based casino gambling.
My reasons for making this claim for online gambling are -

• online casinos have substantially higher payout percentages than land based casinos (usually about 8% or slightly more) with the margin for slot machine players providing the greatest difference

• when gambling online, skilled poker and blackjack players can play at multiple tables simultaneously thus allowing them to play many more hands per hour than what they can play in a land based casino thus increasing their average winning rate per hour

• for skilled blackjack players using a basic strategy, it is a way to avoid or at least limit the unwanted attention one usually receives when identified as a highly skilled player in land based casinos. One prominent investigation company provides services to casinos to assist them to identify known card counters

• the ability to play when you choose and for as long or as short a time as you choose in the comfort of your own home

• the skilled player is not restricted to only playing at busy times to reduce the risk of gaining unwanted attention as often happens in land based casinos

• no expenses are incurred in getting to or from the casino

• when gambling online, no time is wasted traveling to or from a casino

• no time is spent getting dressed to go out

• you do not run the risk of being mugged for your winnings on your way home

• the online player has the ability to play regularly at many different and geographically dispersed online casinos - doing the same at land based casinos would incur major travel expenses and for most of us, time and budget constraints would make this an impossible dream. This also allows the skilled player to keep a lower profile by having accounts at multiple casinos and playing only a limited number of times per month at each casino

• almost all online casinos give players the option to register and play for free so that they can familiarize themselves with the software and hone their gaming skills before they start playing for real. When they feel comfortable with the software, they can, if they choose, make a deposit and play for real

• some online casinos will give you ten dollars and a few will give you up to twenty dollars so you can play for real without making an initial deposit. There are published accounts of people who have won very substantial amounts of money with their free ten dollars

• a few online casinos offer bets as low as one cent. This allows novices to play for real and learn to play the games properly without risking any serious amount of money. At times when play money is short, one can while away a few hours for the outlay of a small amount of money, even when Lady Luck is frowning upon you! It also allows the experienced player to test new gaming strategies without risking serious money - no land based casino can afford to offer such low bets because of their higher overheads

• Large new player cash bonuses (for registering as a new player at an online casino) on first deposits, gives the player a substantial advantage over the casino when playing with their combined initial deposit and cash bonus.

• both multi player poker and online bingo players have access to live chat which provides a social atmosphere which at times also prevails in land based casinos