How to Choose an Online Casino

Choosing an online casino to play at can be daunting. There are literally thousands of online casinos, all clamoring for the next gambler’s attention and promising a fun time with tons of opportunities to win money but do they deliver the goods? Those reading this post may be just starting out in the world of online gambling and wondering how to make sense of figuring out which online casino is legit or what to look for in an online casino. Well, this is the right place to be because we will share what makes an online casino legit and how one can spot the reputable casinos from the others! We have eight recommendations for how to choose the best online casino for beginners. Let’s begin!

To pick the right online casino, we recommend the player first figure out what kind of games they enjoy playing. Do they prefer slots and progressive jackpots or table games like roulette and poker? Do they like playing live casino games or more sports betting? Some casinos offer all of these, everything from slots to poker to jackpot games while many offer most of these, and others specialize in one type of game. For example, there are online casino sites that have niched down and are dedicated to slot games. For the slot fans, it may be worthwhile to check out a slot specialty casino like this while others need an online casino that has all kinds of ways to win like poker or progressive jackpot. There is no right or wrong way – this is all about players’ personal preferences. Check out what kind of games the casino offers because if no games are appetizing, then there’s no point in going any further.
Next, we recommend players check for a license or accreditation by a legitimate governing body. Usually, the license will be at the bottom of the website and issued by the government in which the casino is based. For example, a casino based in England will have a license from the UK Gambling Commission. Some casinos have additional legitimacy by gaining further accreditation from a third-party auditor, like eCOGRA, an independent and internationally approved testing agency specialized for the online gambling industry. Sometimes a casino will have none of these and we caution our readers against these casinos. It could be that they are legitimate, but one would be taking an unnecessary risk.
Check their online reputation. Read online reviews on the casino and see what independent reviewers are saying about them. What are the pros and cons of playing at the casino? Have they been around for a while or are they new and just starting out? That’s not to say anything against new casinos, but one can get a good feel for a casino and how they operate by reading other peoples’ experiences. Read online reviews from other players. There are a number of sites where gamblers can comment on their rating of a casino and leave feedback. If there are a number of issues that have come up for other players, then one can bet that it might happen to them too! Steer clear of any casino that has repeated offenses and many customer complaints against them as this is a red flag indicating that the casino might be trouble!
Read their terms and conditions. We get it; this might not be for everybody because the language of terms and conditions is super dry and very boring. Perhaps purposefully because who wants to read it? Well, it’s important to be aware of what one is getting into, especially if it involves finances of any sort. If anything, try to make it work and skim through to get an idea of what to expect. This really makes a difference in setting apart a good casino from a great casino! We’ve reviewed some casinos where the bonus terms and conditions are so incredibly advantageous to the gambler that it was a dream come true casino! And we have come across the opposite – where the casino sounds awesome and is beautifully designed, but hidden in the terms and conditions were absolutely atrocious conditions. For example, there are almost always wagering requirements for bonuses so even if a free spins bonus on a favorite slot game sounds amazing, it is always wise to know what the conditions are. As the saying goes, nothing in life is free. Who wants to lose their bonus earnings from free spins because they withdrew their money before the wagering requirement was met? Do the work and research to make the most of the experience.
Check out what kind of bonuses and promotions the casino is offering. Many times, prospective gamblers do not need to open an account to peruse the casino’s bonus and rewards page. We recommend players simply browse the website and look for the promotions page to get an idea. Most casinos have it all laid out very plainly because they want to advertise their appealing rewards and promotions! Some offer great match deposit bonuses while others offer tons of free spins on slots as a deposit bonus, and some offer something totally different, even a free no deposit bonus! Depending on what one is looking for, one of these may be more appealing than the other. For a gambler who loves to play slots, signing up for an account with a casino that offers free daily or weekly opportunities to win free spins might make more sense than one that offers match deposits or something else. Maximizing one’s chances of earning money and having fun playing a favorite game is the name of the game, after all. This is why it is important to do research and find what works because there are all kinds of casinos out there and each does things a little differently. Gamblers should see what aligns with their needs and how they can win even more playing their favorite games.
Find out what their withdrawal and deposit options are. Not all casinos are created equal, as we know, and one marked difference is in how the casino handles financial transactions. Oftentimes, the biggest customer complaint against casinos is how they handle the payout process. Making a money deposit is usually not an issue but when gamblers want to withdraw their money, it could be a big to-do if it’s with the wrong casino. But one needn’t be worried. Many casinos are on the up and up and players will have no problem withdrawing their money, but again this is why it is wise to do research. When looking up this information, try and find out how quickly one can expect the withdrawal process to be. Usually, this information is located within the Frequently Asked Questions section of the website under the payment and deposit options or one can find it under the terms and conditions. For even easier research, look for a casino review that answers this question. Intuitively it might seem like it should be fast, but many times it is actually a multi-day process. Usually, casinos have a pending period in which the withdrawal request is being approved. Then, once approved, there is an additional wait time before the withdrawn funds land in the player’s account. Depending on the payment method, this time can vary, and from casino to casino, this can vary. Some of the best casinos we’ve reviewed have had payout speeds that are fast – near instant or just a few days. Other casinos can take up to weeks if withdrawing via bank transfer! Another aspect of the payment process to check out is whether there are any conditions to the withdrawal. Is there a minimum withdrawal amount? Is there a fee to withdraw? These are questions that should be answered before a withdrawal is needed so as to avoid any frustration.
Last but not least, our final recommendation for players is to check the mobile-friendliness of the website. Not all casinos are optimized for mobile play and there is nothing worse than finding a great casino only to realize their mobile version is a dud. We are in modern times, people! People need to be mobile and gaming must be convenient! Yes, sometimes gambling on a desktop is advantageous, but other times we want to play our games on the go! When the need arises, it is nice to have options. Take a look at the casino site on a mobile device, smartphone, or tablet, and see how it performs under those conditions. Do the games play well on cellular and WIFI? Is the quality of gaming maintained? Are all the games we love to play offered on the mobile version? If they offer a mobile app, are the user’s bonuses and promotions still applied, and are there any special promotions that come with the mobile app?
Verify their customer support team is legitimate and fast to respond. This is one of those things that is a huge help if they are good and a huge bummer if not. See what kind of customer support the casino offers and what way they offer it. Usually, casinos offer one, some, or all of the three: email, live chat, or telephone. Some casinos hide how to contact their support team – this is usually not a good sign. Any business that doesn’t want their customer contacting their support is not doing business the right way.

In conclusion, as one can see there are quite a few ways that gamblers can parse through the different options for a casino to find the best fit. There are so many new casinos popping up every day and all of them offer similar gambling services but there are nuances between all of them that make all the difference. Some of them lean more heavily towards this game type or another type of game, while others have generous bonuses and rewards. Some may have a terrible online reputation but promise gamblers the world while others have an amazing reputation, the best games, and fair terms and conditions! It is all contingent on the player to do the research and find the best one that fits their needs and preferences. To quickly summarize our main points, we recommend players look for the following when selecting their next casino: check the game collection, check for a license or accreditation, get a sense of their online reputation, read the terms and conditions, see what kind of bonuses and rewards they offer, familiarize oneself with their withdrawal process, verify the mobile-friendliness of the casino, and finally, check out their support team. We have reviewed many casinos in our days and are very confident in stating that knowing these factors will save players much grief and make the ride smooth! Happy gambling!