There are hundreds of online casinos all making claims to be the best and some making big promises that sound too good to be true, for which there is always a catch. You can check reviews, ask your friends or search the internet for recommendations, but your own research is also important before you sign up. Here are some pointers to finding a secure online gambling site:
Licenses
Check that the online casino you want to play has a license for the country where you are playing so that you are not barred from withdrawing your money. Each casino has a licence number that you can check against the public register in the relevant commission, for example, Miami Club Casino operates under a license, granted by the government of Curacao, which is one of the first jurisdictions in the world to ever start regulating and licensing online gaming providers as of 1996. All regulatory bodies in the business have the power to suspend licenses and shut down rogue casinos.
Payment providers
A secure online gambling site will not charge a fee for registration or deposit. Instead, you should be able to choose a deposit method and simply transfer money to begin playing. Payment providers and withdrawal options should be available through a variety of accounts, including cryptocurrency and e-wallets. Check for strong user authentication to reduce the risk of fraud.
Withdrawal options
The best online casinos are those that have a proven good reputation, fair games and reasonable wagering requirements. When it comes to bonuses, all online casinos have wagering requirements which must be met before money can be transferred out from the casino. The most common wagering requirement is between 10 to 25 times the deposit plus bonus. Use a Wagering Calculator online to calculate the sites wagering requirements so that you can decide whether or not to participate in a particular bonus programme, as some have wagering requirements up to 250 times the deposit and bonus.
Check bonus offers
Nearly all bonus offers have a condition attached that the bonus itself cannot be withdrawn, only the winnings from the bonus, which must be placed on a set number of bets before being withdrawn as discussed earlier. In some cases, the bonus can only be cleared by playing slots and other high-risk casino games, so if you want to play only low house advantage games such as blackjack or roulette you may want to opt-out of the free money which must be played and cleared on games you are not interested in.
Security and Privacy
Casino software has to be certified to show it runs within the published house edge on each game. This is done by well-known certification organisations like eCOGRA and iTechLabs which give players the confidence that the games have fair RTP (Return to Player) and the house edge is not too high, giving the player a reasonable chance to win. These organisations also publish regular updates on the house edge and payout percentage reviewed by a third party.
Customer support
The best online casinos invest in the best customer support teams to resolve any issues raised by players or to respond to potential new players. Before signing up to a new online gambling site, check that the customer support offers a prompt and fast response. Make up a question if you cannot think of anything and call at any time to check they are available 24/7. You should be able to get the help you need and any of your questions answered straight away.