Is gambling at online casinos safe? This question has been asked since the first online casino games were introduced onto the internet. Concern about the ethics of online gambling sites was first raised in the late 1990’s when several dishonest gambling sites created havoc in the industry. However, in recent years, organizations designed to regulate online casino operators have changed the face of internet gambling by providing guidelines for fair and impartial gaming.While you will always find the odd internet gambling site that is less scrupulous than others, most internet casino operators offer safe and honest online gambling at licensed sites. Many of these are regularly monitored by a gaming regulatory body or a watchdog organization such as eCOGRA, which has revolutionized the industry for players.Internet gaming fans can minimize their chances of falling victim to suspect gaming sites by limiting their gambling to eCOGRA member sites. Although online casinos are not obliged to become members, many believe it to be in their best interests to do so.A casino online that is a member of a watchdog organization will usually display a seal or logo on its site in an attempt to increase a player’s sense of security. Players know that their site is committed to upholding the values advocated by groups such as eCOGRA and is serious about fair and professional gaming.Thanks to the efforts of watchdog organizations, the casino online industry has been cleaned up. It is fair to say that secrets in the online gambling world do not usually remain secret for long and if a casino is suspected of cheating its customers, the majority of its customers will simply move on to another online casino. Gambling game forums provide a useful means of communication for many casino players. You can find out which casinos fail to pay out in a timely manner, which offer substandard online casino software and which offer less than adequate customer service simply by reading the latest postings at one of these sites.Fortunately, the practice of cheating players has all but diminished since gambling online became more accessible and mainstream. However, it is still important to choose your casino wisely. Fairness and honesty are criteria you should always base your selection on. Researching the sites you frequent will help you to make informed choices and will ensure you and other casino players receive maximum protection. It will also help to keep the spotlight firmly on casino firms, which raises the professional image of the industry.Word of mouth is the best way to find the best casinos. Check at online casino forums to find out which sites are the most popular and highly recommended. Speak to friends and colleagues about their favorite sites and follow up recommendations that you will find in online gaming magazines. Remember to check the licensing information of your site along with its eCOGRA membership. Your online gambling experiences should be fun and stress-free, giving you more reasons to focus on winning cash playing all your favorite games.