How to Choose the Best Online Casinos

Anyone with an interest in online gambling will be interesting in finding the best casino sites to meet their needs. With countless online casinos jostling for space in the marketplace, it can be hard to make a decision. Users need to know that they have chosen a trustworthy operator who not only offers security of transactions but who also provide a good choice of gaming titles and a customer service that is second to none. To ensure that you have made the right choice from among the top rated online casinos, this useful guide will help you to identify all the features essential to a top quality casino. All online casinos are not the same and the best offer a host of features that cannot be provided by those that are less salubrious. From gaming platform quality and usability to range of gaming platforms it is important to know that user experience can vary between different operators. With more than 1000 operators to choose from today, it is important to know the essential elements of the most trusted casino sites and how to choose beween the many top online casinos.

Fascinating Facts About the Best Online Casino

While land based casinos have been around for generations, online casinos did not emerge until as late as 1994. However over the last two decades, they have risen to become popular with players all over the world. There are now countless operators offering a wealth of different gambling experiences to suit the needs of players of all kinds. It was in the Caribbean that the first online casinos emerged as a law was passed in Antigua and Barbuda which allowed casino operators to apply for online gaming licenses. Microgaming were the first ever software development company, but just a year later, Cryptologic emerged in the market offering the benefit of encrypted transactions. In 1996, the first money wager was made on the Intercasino website which only offered 18 different games, while the first progressive slot jackpot was not launched until 1998. By that time, online gambling had really taken off and there were more than 700 casinos on the internet offering real money games to keen players.

By the turn of the millennium, online casinos were turning over an annual sum of more than $2.2 billion, with 8 million players worldwide thanks to the gambling licenses issued by the UK Territories of Alderney, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man, and by 2008 online gambling annual turnover had reached $21 billion. Over the last ten years, developments in online gaming have come thick and fast with mobile gaming becoming so popular that a total of $10 billion had been placed in wagers via mobile devices in 2013 alone. Today, more than 85 countries worldwide offer legalised mobile gambling, and the industry is worth around $35 billion – equivalent to the GDP of a small country! No wonder there are always new online casinos popping up hoping to attract new gamers with promotions and bonus deals.

How do we Find Secure Casino Sites?

Finding secure casino sites is very important and reputation is the key factor. You will not want to run the risk of losing your money so you want to know that you are choosing an online casino that is known to be reliable and trustworthy. You should always find out about the history and pedigree of any casino before registering, and the length of time that it has been established. Reading reviews is a good way to discover how the other users feel about user experiences and this will give a good impression of whether or not this is one of the trusted casino sites. Players in bricks and mortar casinos are better able to judge whether the establishment is trustworthy, however there are online casinos out there that intend to rip customers off, so to minimise the risks you should visit one of a casino watchdog site. They detail the performance records of various casinos with regard to customer service and cash outs. Any casino with lots of negative comments should be avoided while those that have a lot of good comments can be safely assumed to be safe casino sites.

What do I Need to Know About Registration of the Best Online Casino Sites?

Licensing and registration information is very important when it comes to choosing an online casino, so you should check the home pages of trusted casino sites where it should state openly their registration and licensing information as well as the jurisdiction that they are operating under. It will probably be one of the most common jurisdictions that include the UK Gambling Commission, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, Alderney and Malta. A clear display should be made of registration and license numbers on the website. Compliance with their regulatory body is essential for safe casino sites and this means that they are reliable and trustworthy. Any casino that shows no evidence of their registration or licensing details on their homepage should be avoided.

How do we Know if Top Online Casinos are Secure and Fair?

Users playing at online casinos need to feel secure in the knowledge that all their personal details including any sensitive data and financial information is completely safe. Top rated online casinos always make sure that all details of this nature are always kept safe from hackers by adopting the latest 128-bit SSL encryption technology and powerful firewalls to ensure security of their site. Fairness is another important factor when it comes to choosing a casino operator, and one way to find out if your chosen casino is fair is to find the site's software's verified RNG (random number generator). You can also check to see if an independent company or organisation has vetted the casino and found it to be safe and fair. The most trusted casino sites have their fairness and safety verified by companies such as iTech Labs and eCOGRA. You should also check which software developer has created the casino's platform, and only choose one that has used a reliable and famous name like NetEnt or Playtech.

Will I Get Any Bonuses or Promotions?

While getting a bonus or promotion deal is not as important as finding a secure and reliable casino, there are lots of players who are interested in discovering whether the best online casinos will offer them an attractive promotion or bonus as an incentive to register with them. Many top casino sites give appealing bonuses to newly signed up players including deposit match and welcome promotions. The best casino sites do not forget existing customers and regularly extend to them offers like one-off deposit bonuses, rebate programmes and free spins. It is usually also possible to join a loyalty scheme where you can win points to exchange for a free play in the casino. There are also some casinos that give special deals to those who prefer a particular game, e.g. slots, or sometimes for those that choose a certain payment method like Skrill or PayPal. However no matter how impressive a bonus or promotion may be, you should still remember that overall user experience is the ultimate deciding factor so you should always weigh up all your options in conjunction with promotional offers in order to make the right choice.

What Sort of Games may be Offered by Top Online Casinos?

When you are coming to a decision about registering with an online casino, you should consider what type of game you prefer to play. Signing up with an online casino is pointless if they cannot offer you your favourite gaming titles, or if they have a limited range of games to choose from. The majority of the best casino sites will offer the traditional casino games like table games, popular card games and slots, but others will offer you something a bit more innovative. You should decide what you are wanting from your casino of choice. Do you like playing card games like poker, blackjack and baccarat or do you like slots or roulette better? Does the excitement of live dealer games appeal to you or are you wanting something more creative like 3D gaming, novelty slots or even video poker? Every casino offers something unique so you need to choose one that will meet your requirements. You may be able to find trusted casino sites which will let you download the software free of charge to try the games in demo mode before opening an account.

Which Platforms are able to be Used?

The best online casinos will offer their users plenty of different ways to enjoy their favourite games, providing the option of downloading software to a PC to get good stability and reliability as well as the greatest choice of titles. There are usually also instant play versions available through web browsers as well as mobile sites or apps available for gaming on the move. Most of the top rated online casinos will offer all these options to meet the needs of those who like to play at home and also those who play on the go, however the number of titles available on each platform can vary. Some casinos will only offer an app for Apple devices and therefore players on Android systems would need to use their web browser. Others have limited game selections through their instant play or app versions. Research the game titles available on each platform before you sign up to avoid disappointment.

How Can I Withdraw and Deposit Funds?

Top casino sites will always ensure users can deposit and withdraw money with ease and speed. There are usually lots of different methods available for paying in and receiving cash outs and these will include traditional modes like debit and credit cards as well as bank transfers. The best online casinos also offer popular e-Wallet options like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller. You should make sure that the method you intend to use is available through your top online casino choice. You should also find out how long credited funds take to appear in your account and how long it takes to cash out. The best online casinos will process withdrawals rapidly and ensure credits appear immediately so you can start gaming as soon as possible.

What About Customer Service?

When you sign up with the best online casinos you need to know that any problems or questions will be responded to quickly. Many online casinos will have a FAQ section on their web pages but top rated online casinos also offer 24/7 telephone helplines for resolving issues and responded to queries. Choose safe casino sites with lots of contact methods like telephone lines, email and online web chat facilities and this will guarantee you a good customer service experience.

What Payout Percentages will be Offered by Top Online Casinos?

Everyone playing in an online casino wants to maximise the amount of winnings they will receive so you should consider the payout percentage that is on offer from your chosen online casino. The best online casinos will clearly detail their payout percentages separated for each game to enable you to choose carefully. Higher payout percentages will mean players get more money, so if you opt for a casino offering high payout percentages you will be maximising your winnings.

There are plenty of things to think about when choosing from among the top rated online casinos. You should always weigh up all the features of your chosen top casino online to ensure they are the right one for your needs. While some features are nice to have, others are essential, for example getting a good welcome promotion is a bonus, but knowing your online casino is secure and reliable is paramount. You need to know exactly what you are looking for before starting to search for an operator and take your time researching all the top casino sites before choosing. In that way, you will be certain of finding trusted casino sites that you will love to play with for a long time.