Online gambling has enjoyed an explosion in popularity over the past two decades as the internet became a central part of daily life. More recently, the creation of smartphones has led to mobile gaming’s rapid rise.
As a result, there are now countless online gambling operators that it can be difficult to know which one to join. By applying this guide, you will be able to filter the online casinos that are right for you.
Purpose of online casino
The first and most important factor to consider is what games you want the online casino to offer. All major platforms offer a range of slots, blackjack, roulette, poker, video poker, and other games but many specialize in certain areas.
For instance, if you plan to use an online casino primarily for poker, you will want to choose a company that provides the best poker features. The same applies if you’re interested mainly in betting slots as some casino platforms offer 500+ slot games while others may only have 20 or 30. Click here if you want online casino betting tips.
Do you want a Live Casino feature so you can play games with a live dealer at a table? While live casinos are a regular feature of most online casinos, there are definitely some that are better than others.
It also goes without saying that you want your online casino to be fully mobile compatible. Having an app is a nice added bonus, but at the very least the mobile site needs to be fully functional.
Deciding what you want out of the online casino platform will help you narrow your search down and filter out companies that don’t provide the services you want.
Location availability
After you have a selection of online casinos that provide the games you want, the next important step is to make sure the platform is available in your country.
If you’re in the United Kingdom or the European Union, you will have plenty of options, but if you’re located in Asia or North America, the choices will be more limited.
If you’re located in a country where online casinos are blocked, using a VPN could get around the issue but it’s worth checking as some casinos will not even let you register from certain locations.
Odds and bonuses
Now you have a selection of online casinos that are available in your location, take some time to research the bonuses and odds each offer.
Sign-up bonuses are common features as online casinos attempt to entice new customers. However, generous welcome bonuses do not necessarily mean those casinos offer the best odds and pay-out features once inside the casino.
If you’re playing slots, for example, take a look at the pay-out ratios and jackpot rules, while the same can be said of video poker. For blackjack, what does the casino pay out when you actually land blackjack?
As well as odds and bonuses, you will want to make sure the online casino offers games to suit your budget. If you require games with small stakes, your casino should provide a good enough library of games to match your financial expectations. The same applies on the other scale if you are looking for high-roller games.
Payment methods
Long gone are the days when online casinos only supported credit cards and wire transfers. Well, at least that’s the case in most instances. Most online casinos now offer a range of payment methods, including PayPal, e-money transfer services like Neteller, virtual payment cards, and even cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Therefore, it’s important to make sure your preferred payment method is supported, both in terms of deposits and withdrawals. For instance, some casinos accept credit card deposits but will not allow withdrawals to credit cards.
Additionally, is your local currency supported? If this is British Pounds or Euros, you won’t have any problems, but if your payment method is in another currency, check to make sure you’re not getting stung on exchange rates.
Customer support
Even with the very best and most sophisticated online casino companies, sometimes things can go wrong, whether a technical glitch, a problem with payouts, or any other issue that may arise.
It is therefore imperative that the online casino you choose has a solid customer service feature. Is there a 24/7 live chat? Is the customer support team quick in responding to emails? Do issues typically get swiftly resolved?
You can find this info by searching for reviews of your shortlisted casinos as many review websites place great emphasis on the quality of customer service.
