Interview with Dieter


Amuse: When did you gamble the first time, where and what game did you play?
Dieter: I was maybe 16 or 17 and hanging around in a pub a lot with my friends. I know it’s young to be in a pub and drinking, but in Switzerland, where I grew up, it is common. Anyway, in this pub there were two slot machines. One bet was one Swiss Franc (R5) and max payout was 100 Franc. I played with 10 or 20 francs and if I won I ordered more booze for my friends and I. We had a lot of fun that time!

Amuse: Follow up on this question: Did you win?
Dieter: I remember once I won twice the max of 100 Francs and I felt like I was a millionaire :)

Amuse: When did you gamble the first time online?
Dieter: I wasn’t an early adopter. Online Casinos were around for years before I gambled for the first time online. Playing cards for money and playing slots in the pub were the sum of my gambling life for a long time. I liked the social component. Getting back to the question: I believe it was in 2006, when I clicked on a Golden Palace Casino banner. They did crazy guerrilla marketing at that time (for example, they bought William Shatner’s kidney stones for $25,000 and the pope’s first car for around $240,000 on eBay). I played at Golden Palace for a couple of months and enjoyed the Slots and also really got into Roulette and Blackjack.

Amuse: How much was your biggest win/loss?
Dieter: On a holiday in Turkey I won about $3000 in local currency playing Roulette and lost it on purpose on the last night playing Blackjack before returning to Switzerland. There was just no point in bringing back millions in Turkish Lira because outside of Turkey the currency is worth next to nothing. That was my biggest win and loss.

Amuse: In your view, what is the difference in gambling online and in a land based casino?
Dieter: For me it is totally different. Going to a land based casino is a social event. I go with friends, have dinner, gamble a bit, go to the bar, gamble some more and hopefully finance the evening with the money that I win. Playing online on the other hand is pure gambling for me. I feel like on a Monday after work I need some excitement. The adrenalin really gets pumping when you bet R500 and need to decide to hit another card or stand.

Amuse: Do you believe casinos cheat?
Dieter: Of course! When I lose the casino is cheating and if I win, it should have been a better payout. Actually, I don’t think casinos need to cheat, maybe sometimes, I don’t know.

Amuse: Are online casinos safe? Do you get your money if you win?
Dieter: So far I have always received my winnings. Before making a deposit in any online casino I do a quick google search to find out what other gamblers say about the casinos. You’ll be surprised how fast you find out if an online casino has a bad reputation. It can sometimes be annoying to send documents before a casino processes a payout. I only use my Moneybookers account for deposits and winnings and it works well. A good online casino is as safe as any other online shop.

Amuse: What are the problems South Africans are facing when they want to play online?
Dieter: Some casinos don’t accept South African customers. I don’t know why. Not every casino allows you to play in Rand and you then need to choose US Dollars or Euros. Exchange rates are going up and down and there is a certain risk involved. You might lose 10% or 20% or you win once you exchange it into Rand.

Amuse: Why do online casinos have such a bad reputation?
Dieter: It’s not only online casinos that have a bad reputation but also gamblers. I have been in situations where I have told people that I gamble in online casinos and you should have seen the looks I got from some of them. I personally don’t understand the stigma and to be honest, I actually don’t care.

Amuse: Where do you see the future of online gambling in South Africa?
Dieter: I am not sure, but better internet connections will definitely help to make a download of a casino software faster. I personally like to see that Microgaming casinos would accept South African players. A while ago I downloaded the software from Golden Riviera and opened a guest account. The slots they offer are very cool.

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