Once the potential online gambler has learned the rules of the game, found an online casino, and opened an account so they can bet real money, then the fun begins, right? Maybe not. There are still doubts about the safety of internet gambling. How do you know the casino, the “house,” is playing fair?

This is not always an easy question to answer. Some gaming software has back doors that allow the dealer to “see” the hand you are dealt in poker. Also, other players can team up to artificially raise the pot, then one player folds, his partner wins the hand, and they split the winnings. Of course, there always is the possibility that the random number generator in the computer program running the game could be rigged in favor of the house.

These are some of the most common and obvious ways online casino games can be rigged to make sure the operator makes a profit and the players lose money. There also are any number of other strategies players and casinos use to stack the odds in their favor. There are even web sites devoted to teaching players cheating strategies.

Because of this, the online gaming industry has set up trade and watchdog organizations to regulate itself and blow the whistle on those who would take house’s natural advantage too far. Most of these organizations, which can be found online just like the casinos, keep lists of the most popular gambling sites and give their seals of approval to those that operate clean games.

Among these groups is the Internet Gaming Commission, which claims to be an independent watchdog organization offering a directory of casinos categorized by license category. While there is some dispute about some of the sites it licenses, it boasts a code of conduct and audits these sites.

One of its rules is that a licensed site must have its random number generator approved by one of the big six accounting firms. Still, experts say that disreputable internet gambling sites can manipulate even approved random number generators.

The way this works is that the gaming software generates extra hands (for a game such as blackjack) or spins (for games such as roulette). The software then selects the best hand or spin for the dealer, increasing the odds for the house from close to 50-50 to more like 85 percent in favor of the house.

Experts say players can detect when the gaming software is doing this because the speed of play slows down due to the software generating the additional hands. This usually occurs when the player is making very high bets. Using this system, the random number generator can be totally fair, but is being tricked by the gaming software.

Internet gambling experts also say that the best way to check the fairness of online casinos is to know the odds of each game. The only way to do that is to wager real money, play multiple times, and record the results. Playing in the free practice rooms will not do since the odds are likely to be more in the player’s favor to encourage players go try the real thing.

One last tip to determine if an internet gambling site is fair is to use common sense. In brick and mortar casinos the profit margin for the house usually is less than 10 percent, closer to five percent. With millions of dollars wagered each year, that percentage means a hefty profit. Therefore, if a site offers high payouts and discounts totally 10 percent or more, the numbers simply will not add up. They are offering more than they are taking in.

Perhaps the best source for checking on internet gambling sites is to check with other online gamblers. The Internet Gaming Commission has bulletin boards where players can post comments. There also are other organizations, such as the Online Player’s Association, where you can go for answers.

Finally, do not forget about online news groups related to internet gambling. If someone is willing to start a “flame war” over their favorite television program being cancelled, imagine what can be found there if an online casino has been cheating players out of their hard-earned money.