According to the new Celebrity Apprentice Joan Rivers, professional poker players are “beyond white trash.” But I bet you could find millions of poker fans who disagree with that assessment. As a matter of fact, poker is wildly popular right now and so are its practitioners. This is evidenced by the fact that professional poker stars such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Gordon, Mike “The Mouth” Matusow and many others have achieved huge celebrity status in the last decade.

This surge in popularity has caused many to try their hand, so to speak, at making a living playing on online poker sites. Some have actually been very successful and as a result, poker has created a whole new wave of Internet millionaires. These successful poker players are sometimes surprising, because there are almost as many teenagers and people in their early-twenties as there are seasoned professionals. Unfortunately, for every new batch of successful poker players, there are also those who have been victims of casino gambling scams. Mostly new players fall into this trap, because they don’t know how to check a online poker site’s bona fides.

To make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you, the following tips can help you assess whether a site has the potential to be a scam:

• If the site doesn’t have professional-looking graphics and technology, play somewhere else. Sub-standard construction could be an indicator of the work of a quick-buck artist or a cash-strapped owner who may go belly-up and take your winnings with him.
• Check if the site or its owners are members of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC). IGC members agree to adhere to a code of ethics.
• Make sure the site has 24-hour support with a toll-free phone number and e-mail.
• If a site passes the first three requirements, do several small test transactions before you do any major gambling. These will reveal a lot about the integrity of the site.

Every poker player got his or her start somewhere, so with some luck and a lot of skill and practice, you too could become one of online poker’s new stars. Just be sure to do your due diligence first, so any success you achieve won’t be spoiled by regret.

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