While it is tempting to sign up for whatever casino is offering you the biggest bonuses or the best games, there’s more to choosing a casino than this. On the contrary, the first criterion to consider is whether a site is safe, secure and legal. Learning how to choose an online casino from the start isn’t as difficult as it sounds, and it’s worth taking a few extra minutes to critique a casino and analyse all its criteria before committing to playing there. In this article, Go Spin will show you exactly how to do that.
Appropriate Licensing and Regulation
No number of games or bonuses are worth sacrificing security and safety when playing online. These should be at the forefront of any decision to choose an online casino. The best online casinos won’t cheap out when it comes to licensing and regulation. Important things to consider include playing at a casino that is appropriately licensed and regulated for your region, as well as choosing sites that feature RNG-certified games and publish RTP rates.
Ideal Game Selection
There’s little point playing casino games if they aren’t fun. Firstly, it’s worth taking a few minutes to browse the available software providers and games at a casino. You’ll naturally want games that speak to and interest you. Consider whether you want to play table games, slots, or live dealer titles and whether additional options such as internet sports betting, bingo and poker interest you. Then, pick a casino that provides those options.
Fair Bonuses and Promotions
Alongside having great games and licenses you can trust; secure gambling sites will also support fair bonuses and promotions. This may not necessarily mean bonuses that offer life-changing sums of cash. In our experience, it isn’t so much the amount of money that determines whether a casino’s bonuses are decent – it is the terms and conditions attached to them. Here’s what to look for:
- Wagering Requirements: These should be as low as possible. Ideally, cash matches shouldn’t have playthrough rates higher than 30x to 35x, while free spin bonuses should be lower, at 15x to 20x or less.
- Game Eligibility: Only choose casinos that have bonuses you can use on the games you want to play. If you want to play live games with bonuses, for instance, you may need to choose a casino that offers these dedicated deals.
- Min/Max Deposit, Wager and Withdrawal Caps: Explore what sort of limits are associated with the bonuses at a casino. You’ll likely encounter min/max deposit, wager and withdrawal limits, so ensure that you’re comfortable with these before committing.
Responsible Gambling Tools
The best casinos are ones that care about their players. The next step in learning how to choose an online casino is to select sites that meet this criterion. One of the best ways you can guarantee that a casino has your interests at heart is by exploring the responsible gambling tools it supports, like so:
Wager, Deposit and Loss Limits
You need to protect yourself from the perils of online gambling at casinos. The best way to do this is to look for casinos that give you the option of setting deposit, wager and loss limits. You can’t adjust these once set, thus ensuring that you’ll never end up in financial strife when playing online.
Reality Checks and Session Limits
Keeping tabs on how often you play or how long your current session is will also help you avoid problem gambling issues. The right sort of casino for your needs will likely be one that understands this and allows you to set timely reminders to take breaks.
Self-Exclusion
Finally, a casino that cares won’t mind if you need to take a breather. By having in-house self-exclusion options, a casino is showing that it doesn’t just see you as a customer or its meal ticket. We’ll even award brownie points to casinos affiliated with genuine problem gambling programs.
Suitable Payment Providers and Timetables
You want your casino experience to be comfortable, and you’ll definitely want to avoid any transaction or conversion fees when depositing and withdrawing at the site. The best way to avoid these is to choose a casino that has appropriate payment options for your country of residence. Choose casinos that support your local currency and payment methods, that process winnings rapidly, and that don’t charge you unnecessary fees for taking home your winnings.
Reliable Support Whenever You Need It
Casinos that shirk their responsibilities to assist you or who refuse to answer your questions aren’t to be trusted. Also, beware of sites that support a threadbare FAQ guide. You want to be able to access 24/7 live chat help and assistance from a human support member, not an AI chatbot. If you get into trouble, you need to know that the casino has your back and will help you out in any way they can.
An Airtight KYC Process
It may seem like a casino is invading your privacy if it has a thorough KYC process. It’s in your interest, though. KYC and AML processes ensure the casino that you are who you claim to be and that you are trustworthy. They also protect you by ensuring that nobody can pose as you and use your personal or financial details in a malicious sort of way. An airtight Know Your Customer process is, therefore, an advantage.
A Positive Reputation Amongst Players
Lastly, you need to be careful here to ensure that your casino has a positive reputation amongst players. We’re not talking about casino reviews that have been written by amateurs and that feature all sorts of flattery about the site. We’re talking about impartial reviews from industry professionals (like those at Go Spin), as well as comments and feedback from players, which can often be found on forums. These should help you build up an idea of just how trusted and reliable a casino is before you sign up as a new player.
Finally, amalgamate all the information you’ve come across and compare it to other sites. Doing so should enable you to clearly see which of your chosen sites is the right online casino for your needs.
