GP: My Introduction to The World of Online Gaming

I am probably the least typical type of online gamer you can imagine. As a 50-something year-old woman I had never considered playing online games until my twenty-something year old daughter told me she had started to play blackjack online at 32Red. I had no idea what she was talking about, but 32 Red is a casino site where you can play a whole range of different casino games online. We then found ourselves on a train journey for a holiday to Cornwall together during the summer and she introduced me to the games I’d previously eschewed – all via her mobile.

Somewhat reluctantly, I gave it a try and I couldn’t really make head nor tail of it at first; but as I got to grips with placing different bets (which you can do at tiny levels or even for nothing in demo mode) I began to really enjoy it. Gradually, I began to see what all the fuss was about and why millions of people around the world are playing these kind of games every day. Since then, my daughter has shown me how to download the app to my own phone and whenever I get  a few minutes spare, and particularly when I’m travelling, I find that I’m trying out a different game on the site. I’ve even tried the sister site which is all about bingo so if I have five minutes to spare I get my “eyes down” for “two fat ladies, Kelly’s eye, legs eleven, One Little Duck, Buckle my Shoe” and all the rest of it. And what fun it is! I’ve even managed to win a few times and I’m still ahead thanks to the generous welcome bonus that you get when you first put a cash deposit in.

Personally, I find it a great way of forcing myself to relax whilst thinking about nothing other than the game. I play slots games a lot – which are pure games of chance. I find that concentrating on the games becomes akin to meditation. My mind is quieted; I stop thinking about work and all the things I really should do when I get home – and all the rest of the “white noise” that we all seem to carry around with us these days. Then, before you know it, I’ve arrived at my train stop and I’m feeling mentally refreshed because of the time I’ve spent playing games that don’t require me to think too much.

What I also find thrilling is the ever-present possibility of a big progressive jackpot win – even when playing essentially for the fun of the games for a penny per card stake. I don’t really mind if I win or lose at this sort of level – but the possibility of a win running into a significant sum certainly keeps it interesting. Overall – I’m certainly an online gaming convert!