Poker is one of the most popular casino games. It has a long and rich history that dates back to the 19th century. But it didn’t get popular until it appeared in Las Vegas casinos in the 1950s and 1960s.
Today, poker is the most recommended game for people that want a casino game with consistent wins. It’s a game of skill. So, once you understand how it works, you could turn it into a profession.
Top 6 Errors on Online Poker Sites
Before you dream of defeating Daniel Negreanu or Patrik Antonius, though, choose a good poker site. As a guide, look out for these errors on poker sites. And if present, find better websites.
1. No License or Security Certificates
Poker sites, like all online casinos, are regulated businesses. They require licenses to provide poker games for real money. Also, they must adhere to certain codes of conduct and meet specific security standards or lose their licenses.
In the UK, poker sites acquire licensed from the Gambling Commission. However, it’s not unusual for an operator to have two or more licenses – Gibraltar, Alderney, or the Malta Gaming Authority.
An SSL certificate, denoted by a padlock sign on the search bar, is one of the most basics indications of a secure poker website. Even browsers, like Firefox and Chrome, display an error message that a site is unsafe if it lacks HTTPS/SSL encryption.
Nowadays, the lack of a data privacy policy is also a red flag. That’s because it’s a law that all genuine casinos need to follow. It’s also a sign of goodwill from casinos, showing you how they use your data.
2. Unresponsive Games and Web Pages
Nothing is more unnerving when playing online poker than a game freezing immediately after you win. All you can do is contact customer service and hope they fix it for you. Better yet, hope they will add your profits to your cash balance.
Although some casinos take responsibility when their games and web pages freeze, the frustrations involved are not worth it. You lose momentum and waste your precious time talking to the technical department asking for help.
In light of that information, avoid poker sites whose games and web pages crash often. Instead, pick a legit website, preferably one of the best online poker sites available in your country. The reason you need a top-rated platform is that it’s more likely to have a user-friendly site than a poorly rated app.
Speaking of apps, not all poker websites have apps. These days, many operators provide Texas Hold’em and other games through mobile websites. The explanation is that they help reduce storage space. On the flip side, casinos avoid problems with Google and Apple—both companies keep flip-flopping their policies on gambling apps.
3. Hidden Payment Policies and Betting Limits
Casinos are businesses and as a result, display their payment partners openly. If there’s no page about deposits, you can conveniently view support banking choices at the bottom of their websites.
Although you want a poker site with a great variety of banking choices, the absence of many banking companies isn’t an error. A red flag is when a company makes it so hard to find vital banking policies: limits, charges, payout days, and speed.
If you can’t find out whether a poker site charges you deposit and withdrawal fees, make a point of asking customer support agents. If they can’t provide a satisfactory answer, look for a different platform.
In case you’re wondering, the best poker sites have small minimum deposits and large maximum limits–€10 to €20,000. The same case applies for withdrawals. They allow you to withdraw from €20 to as much as you win, sometimes millions of euros.
4. Non-Functional Emails and Chatbots
Emails and chatbots are the main communication channels at poker websites. Some operators might also accept phone calls. But more and more companies are eliminating phone support in favor of chatbots.
With that in mind, the best poker sites provide 24/7 customer service. So, not only do their emails and chatbots work; but also, they’re operated by professionals who provide helpful feedback.
If you email a poker website and receive an error message because the email doesn’t exist; leave the website. In fact, also avoid poker sites with genuine emails and chatbots but poor customer service.
5. Low-Paying Games
A lot of things come to mind when you play a poker game regularly without winning. If you’re a patient player, you might believe you’re just unlucky. Or you might suspect the game is unfair. To clear your doubts, always check a game’s house edge, more so, RNG poker games.
Live casino games don’t involve RNG software because you play with real people. As such, there’s little room for getting cheated unless you’re playing against a cheat—some people use cheat bots and systems to win at poker.
6. Can’t Access your Account
It goes without saying account access denied errors are a serious problem. It could be a sign someone hacked your account, the casino did it purposefully or you entered the wrong password. When it happens, the first thing you should do is to check your password.
If it’s correct, then you’ll get access to your account. If you’re unsure you have the correct password, reset it. If you still can’t access your account with a new password, contact the customer help department.
A good poker website will help you solve account login issues. But if they’re unhelpful and you don’t have money in your account, join a new website. It’s never worth it to stay at a site that doesn’t help you when you run into account issues.
Your Turn
Like many websites, poker sites sometimes display error messages when there’s a technical issue. For example, you get an error if a game crashes or there’s a problem fulfilling a payment. That’s alright.
The problem is a poker site with too many errors and red flags, from fake licenses to non-functional emails. Avoid such websites at all costs and take your money to sites that value your presence.
