US players have long been wary of playing online blackjack or using online casinos, slots sites or poker sites but one German player has just fallen foul of the sometimes complex laws that can impact European players.

Many countries have laws clouded with grey areas and whilst US players are welcomed at all of the great casinos we feature here and can play with no trouble, luck ran out for a German blackjack player who saw himself hit with a huge fine.

A judge in Munich ruled that the UK site at which he played, which was licensed in Gibraltar, was illegal in Germany because playing games of chance that are not licensed in Germany is not permitted. The player, who was caught when police discovered a box of cash at his home, pleaded ignorance and said that he believed internet gambling to be legal having seen it advertised by tennis superstar Boris Becker at local soccer side Bayern Munich.

The judge clearly felt this was irrelevant and the unnamed man was hit with 70 fines, each of €30 and was also forced to suffer the pain of seeing more than €63,000 of blackjack winnings confiscated from him. An additional €10,000 of cash in the box was, so the man claimed, his mother’s, and escaped the confiscation order but even so, losing a total that is equivalent to around $74,000 has to be a pretty bad day at the blackjack tables for just about anyone.

Many US players feel they are the only ones for whom online gambling isn’t as easy as it should be and whilst some European countries, chiefly the UK, have very liberal gambling laws, it’s clear that it’s not just Americans for whom things aren’t always as straightforward as they should be.

The blackjack player in this case has lodged an appeal against the court’s decision and there seems to be a clear issue with his country’s law, that means it is fine to play at a bricks and mortar casino overseas but not fine to visit that same casino in a virtual sense. There are further complications surrounding Germany’s membership of the European Union and EU law and this debate looks set to continue in Germany.

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games around and is enjoyed online and in real-world casinos by millions of players every day. However, “blackjack” really is only a broad description of a game and in just about any Vegas casino or any good casino online site you will find, at the very least, a wide variation in exact rules but also a range of different games, all falling under the blackjack umbrella. Here we take a look at some of the most widely seen variants, differences and rules and explain what they mean for you – the player – in terms of the casino’s house edge and your likelihood of making a profit.

Rules Differences

In truth there is no widely accepted exact version of blackjack rules that you could be confident of saying “that is BLACKJACK”. There are so many slight variations possible with some similarities common in different parts of the world, but, more often, the precise rules changing according to what casino – online or otherwise – you are in.

Common variations include:

• Number of decks – this usually varies from four to eight, although you may find single-deck blackjack (if you’re lucky). The fewer decks, the better, as more decks increases the house edge.
• Double down – some casinos allow doubles on any total, others only on 9-11 and some only on 10 or 11. Doubling any first two cards gives the best return to the player.
• Blackjack – some less scrupulous casinos short-pay blackjack. Never play for less than the standard 3 to 2 return.
• Soft 17 – if the dealer hits on 17 rather than stands, stay away: it increases the house edge by a hefty amount.
• Double after split – look for games that allow the player to double after a split as this lowers the house edge.

Blackjack Variants

Aside from the rule differences listed above (which, by the way, are far from exhaustive) you will also find different versions of blackjack itself (often still subject to the above rule variations).

These are more modern versions of the game, designed to offer variety and excitement but, sadly, the player always pays for this with a higher house edge. Such versions include progressive blackjack (with a huge jackpot prize) and Blackjack Switch (allowing the player to change cards but with a reduced payout of evens for blackjack and a push if the dealer hits 22), although there are many others around too.

Remember though, whatever appeal these newer games may offer, they don’t offer as low a house edge as the more classic versions, so serious players should stay away.