The foray of gambling into the online space is highly accelerated as COVID-19 locks us home. And while gambling aficionados can use their knowledge to switch from land-based venues to their online successors, such a transition might be a pain in the neck for those without a background in gambling.
There’s so much to say about choosing the right online casino! If we elaborated on each and every nuance that might affect the choice, this piece would be times longer. The good news, though, is that you don’t even have to go into detail to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff – in fact, even perfunctory research would be enough to understand whether this or that online casino is worth your time and money.
But before we proceed with the top-5 indicators of a worthwhile casino, let’s just mention you can browse through Boomerang casino while reading as this casino is an apt example of an all-round perfect online gambling platform.
#1 Licenses, Certificates, Seals of Approval
The official side of the question does matter. The documentation – licenses, certificates, seals of approval – is the only real guarantee that the online casino lives up to the global gambling standards. Choosing an online casino without a license means taking chances as it may simply not pay you, inventing unbelievable reasons to reject your withdrawal request. Or it may just be gone for good with all your money one day. You can never be sure.
On the other hand, the casinos licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, the Curaçao Gaming Control Board, the Malta Gaming Authority, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and credible licensers alike are by times safer. For maximum safety, though, you can also look for certificates, awards, and seals of approval – for example, such as the ones issued by eCOGRA and similar independent software testing agencies.
#2 Gaming Library
Not only must the casino of your dreams be safe, but it also must have an all-encompassing library of games – desirably from multiple software providers – so that you could switch between different titles, plots, designs, and features whenever you want. Even if you have one or a few specific games in mind, those may become boring over time, and then you will realize that trying out new games is much more comfortable without the need to change your casino.
The required minimum of games would include slots (classic slots, video slots, 3D slots), table games (poker, blackjack, baccarat, etc.), dice games (craps, Sic Bo), wheel games (roulette, wheels of fortune), progressive jackpots, and live dealers. As for the software providers, it’s quite subjective, so let’s just mention the most renowned brands: Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Playtech, iSoftBet, and more.
#3 Bonuses & Wagering Requirements
No matter the effervescence of the bonus offer, it usually comes at the price of a wagering requirement, which is an amount of money you must wager on casino games to unlock the bonus. In other words, most casinos will ask you to deposit real money and then play it through – which is not easy at all – to obtain the allegedly free bonus.
But let’s generalize bonuses so that you could wrap your head around them. The most widespread are welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, cashback, weekend/holiday bonuses, discounts, free spins, and tickets to tournaments. The best of them, though, are no-deposit bonuses – small bonuses of a few dozen dollars, given for opening an account with the casino – as these are the only types of bonuses offering truly free money.
The ultimate advice regarding bonuses would be to peruse the bonus terms & conditions webpage at your casino as it must have every single detail on all the current bonus offers. And if some crucial info isn’t specified, you can either ask the casino customer support or just pass this casino by if you think not having all the details on bonuses is a reason strong enough for that.
#4 Banking Methods
Depending on your location, budget, and preferences, you might want to pay with credit/debit cards, wire transfers, electronic/mobile wallets, prepaid cards, or cryptocurrencies. A worthwhile casino would employ at least a few alternative payment methods and it will not charge any extra fees.
Another important factor is transaction speed. While deposits are almost always instant, withdrawals are usually delayed as most casinos take some time to check the player’s profile in accordance with the AML policy of the jurisdiction. This is a common practice, but the checking shouldn’t exceed a reasonable timeframe of 24 to 48 hours; anything longer looks suspicious.
#5 Anonymity
Verification is an obligatory requirement with the majority of casinos, but the two most important things to know are:
- Some casinos will require verification only upon withdrawal, which may come as a surprise.
- You still can find platforms that don’t require verification, especially for small withdrawals.
On the same note, you can use anonymous payment methods, such as cryptocurrencies, prepaid cards, and some e-wallets.
