Choosing an online casino to visit with your hard-earned cash can be a daunting prospect. There is so much choice out there, how do you know which casino to choose?
Whether you’re a first time-player, or you’ve been playing for years, there are some important points for you to consider when choosing the right online casino. Here we will explore everything you need to think about before making that all important decision.
Best Casino Sites 2019
What Type of Online Casinos are There?
First things first, let’s look at the types of online casinos that exist. Typically online casinos can be categorised into three groups: Download, Instant Play and Mobile casinos. Some casinos can however, offer all three options.
A download-based casino requires the player to download the software in order to play the games on offer. The online casino software connects to the casino service provider and handles contact without any browser support – typically download casinos are Apps, available on both the Apple and Android App Stores.
An Instant play casino is essentially a website where customers can play and wager casino games, without having to download any software to their computer, laptop or device.
A mobile casino is a brilliant way for players to enjoy their favourite games no matter where they are; on the bus, on the train, in a coffee shop; essentially anywhere on the go! Mobile casinos are definitely rising in popularity, with many of the most popular online casinos creating mobile versions of their most popular games. Highly advanced online casinos are creating their own mobile version of the complete casino for their players to enjoy on their smartphone devices.
We advise you make a decision on where you want to enjoy playing and wagering in an online casino. If you know it’ll be on the commute to work, on your lunch-break or generally out and about, then we suggest finding an online casino that offers a fully immersive Mobile gaming environment. If you know that you’ll be playing and wagering on a shared device or machine, then we advise an Instant Play casino as you don’t need to download any software. If you know you’ll be playing at home on your computer or laptop perhaps the Download-based online casino would be your best bet.
What Type of Casino Games Do You Want to Play?
When thinking about the online casino you want to sign up with, you should begin by thinking about the types of games you want to play. With so many online casinos on the world wide web, you’ll be sure to find hundreds of different games to play. Some online casinos have a heavy focus on specific games, like slots whilst others may specialise in more table games. You’ll also find many specialist poker casinos online, and then there will be others that over a smorgasbord of gaming variety. If you’re a beginner or fairly new to the online gaming environment, we’d recommend trying a few different games out before identifying your favourites.
Look out for Attractive Welcome Bonuses
Most online casinos these days offer a generous and tempting welcome offer, which in most instances includes free playing money. If an online casino isn’t offering this it’s not worth joining. Typically a welcome offer gives a player a deposit match bonus, or in some cases even a no-deposit bonus, when they sign up to the casino, providing players with the opportunity to try out some games without spending their own money.
It’s important to note, before wagering any money (whether it’s your money or the ‘free money’) pay careful attention to the casino’s terms and conditions. If the wagering requirements are too restrictive, the actual welcome bonus may be or little or no value at all – remember every online casino is different, so read the terms and conditions carefully.
Certain online casinos offer free spins on certain games. As with the welcome bonus, do be sure to read the terms and conditions to make sure you’re clear how the free spins work and what’s entailed. In most instances any free playing money (including free spins) will be subject to wagering requirements – meaning you will have to play a specific number of times before you can withdraw your winnings.
Safe Casino Sites
Look at Casino Reviews
Once you’ve identified an online casino or narrowed down a few options of where to wager your hard-earned cash, you should learn everything you can about the casinos. The first place we’d recommend looking is our website, as we feature unbiased reviews on all major UK online casinos. Our reviews contain information on the casino’s history, the games they offer, the offers and promotions featured, the accessibility to the casino, customer service details and importantly terms and conditions and payment options. All of this information helps us to form a completely unbiased and informative review to help visitors to our website make the best decision for themselves.
Get to Know the Terms and Conditions
Let’s face it, most of us tend to ignore the ‘small print’ when it comes to terms and conditions. In the online casino industry it’s important to ensure you do read the terms and conditions before wagering any money, it’s also key to note that every online casino has its own terms and conditions, which act as a guide on how to use their online platform correctly.
Understanding the terms of how the casino operates may save you time and money when wagering. It’s important to identify whether or not you’re being subjected to any unreasonable rules or terms, and whether there are any red flags such as wagering restrictions on non-bonus cash, long cashout periods and low withdrawal limits.
If you notice any of the above, it’s worth doing more research around the casino – customer reviews and testimonials are always insightful. If you’re still unsure, find a more credible alternative. Or get in touch, and we’d be happy to help.
Casino History
Part of the decision making process when selecting your online casino must include checking out the history of the casino, specifically looking at how the casino has operated in the past. Firstly, look at when the casino was first established online. In theory, the older the online casino, the more readily available the information should be on its history, therefore making it easier to research. However, it’s important to note that the age of the casino doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better than a newly formed online casino.
Whilst reading reviews on an online casino is really important, you should also take into consideration customer comments and testimonials. It’s also worth visiting online casino forums to find out any further information.
Whilst you may not be able to find a perfect history or track record for an online casino, an online casino with minimal complaints and negative feedback is usually a safe place to play.
Pay attention to Customer Support
Paying attention to whether or not an online casino has a good customer support service is important. An indicator of whether or not an online casino offers good customer support would be to look at the following;
Does the online casino have a frequently asked questions section?
This is always a good place to find information about how the games and bonuses work
Does the online casino have a Live Chat service?
This is an important feature as it shows that the casino is committed to speaking and dealing with their customers in a dedicated and timely manner.
Is there a Contact page or contact details that include a phone number, an email address and a physical address?
A registered address can also be assuring.
Does the online casino feature a UK Toll free number?
This is another great indication that they are taking their customer support queries seriously, as there are no barriers in the way stopping a customer from contacting them.
Is the customer support function 24/7?
Another key indicator is having a dedicated customer support team available to speak to customers around the clock.
It’s definitely advised to check an online casinos customer support service before signing up and wagering, especially if they are international, as you want to feel assured should you need to contact them, you can!
Understand your payment and withdrawal options
Before finalising your decision of which online casino is best for you, find out how to deposit and withdraw money. With the more established online casinos, you can pretty much use most payment options available and be assured a speedy completion time. However, with the newer or less established casinos online it’s not so quick and easy – you may experience limited payment options, unreliable withdrawals plus delays and complications.
Some casinos, can charge customers for withdrawing their winnings, it can be a set withdrawal fee, or it could be a percentage of your winnings. It’s definitely crucial to look into this before making your decision of where you spend your hard-earned cash!