It is important to be cautious when playing Poker Online, as fraud is a common occurrence. This is because the poker sites invest the money that players place in their bankrolls. The laws governing online poker restrict the risk that these sites can take, but these investments are important sources of revenue for the sites. In addition to the danger of fraud, players can also be protected by following good security practices. Here are some important tips for safe online poker play.
First, make sure to provide proper proof of address. This may be a utility bill, bank statement, or a driver’s license. Once you have the required documents, you can play for real money. Most online poker rooms allow you to play for free before you can deposit money. It is important to keep in mind that winning in a freeroll tournament is unlikely to yield much cash. Instead, depositing money into your player account is the best way to play poker for real money.
Sadly, not all poker websites are trustworthy. In April 2011, the US Department of Justice seized domain names and frozen player bankrolls. PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker were accused of running a Ponzi scheme and scamming players of hundreds of millions of dollars. Although the companies were eventually shut down, the players were repaid by PokerStars as part of the Black Friday settlement. The government appointed claims administrator, the Garden City Group, processed more than 53,000 valid claims and paid out more than $118 million to players.
