Choosing an online casino can be overwhelming. Far too many casino sites look similar—slots on the home page, bonuses, payment methods and mobile support. Yet, the ultimate goal is to find a casino site that suits you well.
So, what should you consider when choosing an online casino?
Safety and Reputation
The first thing you need to look for in an online casino is safety. Check for a genuine license from a trusted regulator like Malta or the UK. This way, you’re assured the casino is legitimate and not a scam.
Next, look at the casino’s security measures. Does it secure its website using HTTPS? Does it have a data collection and protection policy? Also, learn how the site helps you secure your account, from passwords to 2-Factor Authentication.
On the flip side, find a reputable casino. Top-rated websites tend to provide better services than poor-rated gambling sites. However, read reviews at the right places: well-known review sites and forums.
Games and Software Providers
While looking for safety features, list up to 10 casinos with top-notch security features. After that, compare them based on the games and software providers they offer. If you’ve been gambling for a while, you probably know which games to find.
If you’re a first-time casino player, choose a casino with hundreds of diverse games. This way, you’ll have a lot of time to test out different games. Most casinos offer hundreds of slots. But which developers create the best slots?
- NetEnt
- Microgaming
- Betsoft
- BTG
- Play’n GO
- Playtech
- IGT
In other words, find a site with games from well-known software providers. This also applies to card games. Evolution, for example, has a solid reputation for supplying top of the line live casino poker, blackjack, baccarat and roulette.
Nowadays, it’s also essential to verify a casino’s payout rates. You see, every casino is in the business of making money. Operators make money through games with payouts of between 90% and 99%. Choose a site with high-payouts to increase your odds of winning.
Fast Payouts
There’s something amazing about most casino deposits. They’re fast, lightning fast. This is especially true for payments made through digital wallets like PayPal, cards like Visa and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. What’s more, most casino deposits come free of charge.
Unfortunately, casino withdrawals are a different ballgame. Most websites have withdrawal fees. They have varying withdrawal speeds, limits and policies. Owing to that backdrop, it’s highly important to find online casinos providing fast withdrawal times.
The fastest casino sites process withdrawals to e-wallets within a day. Payments to credit/debit cards take 1-3 days while bank payments are processed within a week. Importantly, you receive your winnings in one lump sum and not small amounts paid in instalments.
As mentioned, casinos have unique fees and limits. Pick a site with low fees and convenient limits. If you have a small budget, then you want an app that allows you to deposit from $10. If you’re a high roller, find a casino with a maximum withdrawal limit of $100,000 or higher.
Great User Experience
A good casino designs its website with users in mind. People love attractive and well-organized websites. They also expect a site to be quick. In fact, 53% of Internet users leave a site if it takes more than three second to load.
Fortunately, many casinos understand all the things we’ve mentioned above. And they react accordingly by designing professional websites. Take time to compare sites and chances are you’ll find a platform with great user experience.
To expound more, user experience ranges from the looks and speed to the layout and features. Start by testing a site’s speed and ease of navigating from one section to another. Next, look at its features.
Choose a site with personalized features. For example, check whether it supports your native language and national currency. Find out whether it can run on your iOS device or if it’s available on android devices only.
Bonuses and Promotions
For some, a casino isn’t worth your time unless it gives out bonuses. That’s a fair point. Bonuses make casino gaming exciting. They increase your bankroll to improve your chances to winning money.
But they’re not always free of charge. In fact, most bonuses aren’t free. They have terms and conditions you need to check before you grab them. The most important conditions are the withdrawal limit and the wagering requirements.
There’s no point in claiming a casino bonus you can’t cashout. Likewise, a bonus with too many wager requirements can be costly in the long-run.
That being said, find casinos with lots of fair bonuses. Fairness ensure you get good value from the promotions. Still, you want bonuses in generous amounts. Most casinos have welcome bonuses. But also look for reload bonuses, cash backs and VIP offers.
Mobile Support
In this age of mobile gaming, no casino worth its salt operates without mobile support. More than 51% of casino players gamble through their smartphones, anyways. A few years ago, people gambled through apps you could find on play stores.
These days, there’s also the option to play casino games through mobile websites. These casinos run through browsers to save you the need for installing an app. They operate smoothly and are as efficient as desktop-based casinos.
The only downside to mobile casinos is that some games have no mobile support. This is particularly true for classic slots. However, you can play most card games, including live casino games through your mobile device.
Contacts and Customer Service
Before you pick a site based on its looks or game variety, find out whether it provides efficient customer service. Find its contact details. The best sites offer customer help through live chatbots, email and phone support.
To be certain about a casino’s customer service, contact the help agents. Gauge their response time and the feedback they provide. Note: Slow response times and unhelpful feedback should act as red flags. By contrast, a fast, helpful response means the casino can come to your rescue when you need assistance.