For many players, gambling online can be a highly rewarding and fun experience but for many others, it turns out to be a devastating and disheartening one. Playing games online for real money is often seen as a risky endeavour but it needn’t be that way. The trick is to choose the right online casino right from the get-go and not settle for low-quality solutions that promise the world but never deliver.
Choosing the best online casino comes down to understanding the industry and spotting the deceptive tricks that some unscrupulous casinos might try to catch you out with. Don’t fall for click-bait adverts that promise unrealistic bonuses and huge payouts – make sure you follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to a winning streak in no time!
Read reviews!
The internet is your greatest source of free advice and information – use it! Always read as many independent reviews as you can from multiple different sites before selecting an online casino. Many casino operators will pay people to write fake reviews so don’t just go with the first good review you see – make sure that multiple review sites feature realistic-sounding reviews about the site from real people.
Check the licensing country.
Many smaller countries and island nations issue gambling licenses to pretty much anybody, meaning there is no player protection and almost no oversight or regulation. You may as well be giving your money to some dodgy street-side dealer. Gambling regulations change from month to month so there is no hard and fast list but countries like Antigua, Cyprus, and Costa Rica might not host the most reputable online casinos.
Check for a casino that is licensed in a well-known and trustworthy countries like the UK, Isle of Man, or even certain U.S. states that have begun awarding online casino licenses. These casinos have a legal requirement to operate “above board” and can’t simply disappear with your money.
What’s the payout policy?
One of the biggest tricks that sneaky online casino operators try to pull on unsuspecting players is a bad payout policy. Some have insane requirements like minimum withdrawals in the thousands of dollars or payouts via very rare methods that are unavailable to the majority of players.
Read the fine print and make sure the casino offers a realistic method by which you can withdraw your funds. Another thing to check is the delay on payouts: many casinos will hold your cash for days or weeks at a time for no reason whatsoever. The best casinos always payout within 24 hours, and some payout players winnings immediately.
Check the software
Many online casinos simply piggy-back their games on the back of cheap and untrustworthy software, with players reporting unfair hands and a high degree of losses. A good casino usually will develop its own proprietary software and provide clear and transparent information regarding its processes.
Blockchain technology has recently helped to make online casinos far more transparent and trustworthy, offering a platform that can’t be manipulated or corrupted by the operators or players alike.
