Every country has its own gambling laws which will change over time, but sometimes that power can be devolved to state level, meaning that citizens of the same country may not be able to access the same websites depending on their location. Because it’s the internet, there’s always a way around every issue and some players may try a VPN to play, but that can cause many issues when it comes to paying out.
As a result, offshore sites are now more popular than ever and you can now play legally for real money on these poker sites, but it doesn’t come without its complications either. Offshore sites can circumvent rules because they don’t have to adhere to the same legislation as other outlets, so let’s take a look at what you really need to be aware of before using one.
Lack of protection
The biggest point to remember about offshore poker sites is the keyword, offshore. This means that they operate outside the jurisdiction and legislation of your location. While not always a problem, let’s say something untoward happens. The site decides to not pay out or suddenly disappears and the URL no longer exists. Well, if you were betting with a site licensed and ratified by your local government, then the authorities would be able to step in and help. After all, they would probably be infringing multiple laws. However, in the case of offshore sites…there’s very little they can do. The website is registered elsewhere so isn’t within their jurisdiction. The authorities might even have a problem with you as a result as you could have been frivolously flouting the local laws.
Different regulations
Closely linked to the lack of protection offered to overseas players, it’s worth noting that because these sites are governed by other nations the standards could be wildly different. I.e. sites in the UK and US have to ensure that players have a fair chance to win prizes, with tight policies on random number generators and other factors to ensure that games are operated amicably.
Regulations may also greatly differ in how players can withdraw their funds. Some sites operate bizarre means like only allowing users to take out wins in partial payments or specific banking options. The same is also true about the promotions that they offer. While they might offer the world in sign-up bonuses and additional incentives when you play with them, it could be that these never come to fruition. They might hide essential qualifications amongst small print. Or they could just void the promo altogether, as there is little legislation to stop them from doing so, they can operate as rogue as they want.
What is defined as ‘fair’ might not be a universal standard and therefore, when you gamble on an offshore site it might not share the concept of fair play, leading to customer dissatisfaction.
Unknown security protocols and measures
The majority of good online poker sites and casinos will have a decent level of security for their players. This would mean having an SSL certificate and ensuring that there are multiple levels of encryption. After all, customers are entering their payment details onto the site – it would be nice to know that your financial particulars aren’t going to be open to unwarranted third-party access. Unfortunately, a lot of offshore sites don’t have the protocols or measures in place to stop this, making them altogether a lot more unsafe.
It could be that the most nefarious of sites are storing your information themselves and using it for their gain in the future. After all, there’s little regulation to stop them from doing this. Or they might even sell your information to other untoward parties.
No guarantee of quality software
Most poker sites and online casinos are governed by local authorities and have to meet specific software requirements which ensure that games run smoothly and banking transactions are executed with no issue. This is a great benefit to domestic-based websites and platforms as they typically only work with bespoke software design teams to ensure top quality. Offshore poker sites don’t have to operate to the same set standards and therefore can operate on pretty poor technology that has multiple glitches and problems.
Very limited customer service
Given that offshore poker sites operate outside of regulatory and legislative hotspots, there isn’t as much requirement for customer service options. Some sites make it very difficult for users to get in touch with them with very few contact details listed on their site. There are some terrible tales of sites simply not replying to customer emails if they need help with something that has gone wrong.
Unfamiliar currencies and payment methods
When using an offshore poker site, it might be that you’re forced to use a currency that you don’t usually use. I.e. you’re in Spain but the site wants you to gamble in Indian rupees or even cryptocurrencies. It’s important to ensure that you feel comfortable in doing so. As the exchange rates can be volatile. There’d be nothing worse than thinking you’ve got a big win and during the game, the rate of NXTGenCoin has plummeted and is worth almost nothing.
A lot of offshore poker sites and online casinos use new payment methods like e-wallets and cryptocurrencies to maximize their profits. However, these neo-payment methods aren’t for everyone. Be sure that you understand and feel comfortable in using these funding processes.
Look at peer reviews
The online poker and casino community is a big entity these days. While there are a lot of people who simply want to part you from your money, there are plenty of good non-bias sites that provide honest assessments and reviews of many gambling sites, including offshore ones. It’s worth doing your homework to read specific reviews about sites – because there are a few decent offshore operators out there who operate fairly, you just need to be careful and exercise caution so that you don’t bet with a bad one.
