Is This Casino Any Good? Here’s How to Find Out
Online casinos have been around for more than two decades – and today, there are more of them than ever. This competitive market can make it hard for newbies to choose which one is best for their needs, especially when most of them are outdoing each other with bonuses. To make the choice a bit easier, we’ve taken a look at some of the aspects that can help decide if a casino is any good. Here they are.
Where is it licensed?
One of the first things a prospective casino player should look at is the casino’s license. Which regulator has issued it? Is it valid in their country?
Most countries have their own local regulators, and most of the time, the casinos need their permission to offer their services in a country. In some countries, the industry is not properly regulated, though. There are regulatory bodies that are implicitly accepted as valid even outside their countries – like the gaming authorities of Malta, Gibraltar, or the UK – that are considered pretty strict, lending credibility to the casinos using their licenses.
There are also some that are pretty lax in their regulations, like those issued by the regulators of Panama, that is little more than “data handling” licenses that are way too easy to obtain. The consensus about these is that they are better avoided.
Bonuses and requirements
Take a look at the bonuses on Gambleonline: you’ll see that they range from “common sense” amounts to “too good to be true”. As you might expect, you should go with the former – if a bonus sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
There are a few things you should be aware of when considering claiming a bonus:
whether it’s cashable or not, how big the playthrough requirements are, and, in general, what terms and conditions you have to observe to receive it.
- A “Cashable” bonus means that when you complete the playthrough requirements, you can actually cash out the amount you receive as a bonus, as opposed to non-cashable, where only the winnings generated using it can be cashed out.
- “Playthrough requirements” means the amount you have to play through before you “clear” the bonus. This is usually expressed as a multiple of the deposit or bonus amount – e.g. a 30x playthrough requirement for a $100 bonus means you’ll have to play through $3000 to clear the bonus
- Any other terms and conditions that apply to the bonus have to be listed not only in the casino’s general Terms & Conditions but on the bonus landing page as well.
Games and fun
Although many would argue, online casinos are, at their core, real-money online entertainment outlets. This means that they are supposed to be fun. This also means that if a casino doesn’t have the kind of games you’d like to play, there is no reason for you to play there.
The misconception that online casinos are a viable method of making some extra money online is nothing but that – a misconception. Gambling, especially online gambling, is a form of entertainment. And, like all (entertainment) service providers, casinos expect to be paid for their services. The casino’s profit is built into the games – this is called “house edge” or “house advantage”, something you have probably already heard about. All casino games have a (theoretical and long-term) “return to player” (RTP) that ranges from around 95% for slot machines to circa 99% for certain types of blackjack. The remaining 1 to 5 percent represents the casinos’ profit margin.
Considering all of the above, you would be a fool to not have fun when playing at an online casino. After all, you pay for it – you’d better get as much bang for your buck as possible. You want to make sure that all of your favorite games are at your fingertips before you choose one online casino or another.
Rewards
Finally, here’s something that you should consider before choosing an online casino: the rewards. These are not the same as bonuses: you get them not as an incentive to make deposits or participate in certain tournaments or promotions but as a reward for your activity.
Many casinos have no reward program. Others, especially the older, more established ones offer their long-term, loyal players a variety of benefits, ranging from cash bonuses to real-life objects ranging from smartphones to luxury cars in some cases.
If you plan to play at a casino in the long run, choose one that has a VIP program that will turn your everyday gambling habit into a rewarding experience.
Final words
There are thousands of online casinos out there constantly outdoing each other with special offers, promotions, and bonuses. Look behind the flashy exterior and read the fine print so you can make an informed decision from the start.
