One of the quickest, easiest, and most reliable ways to tell the difference between a good online casino and an excellent online casino is to find out where it has obtained its operating license.
There are thousands of online casinos to choose from today, and finding out where they are licensed will give you a much better insight into their trustworthiness.
If the casinos are licensed by the same gaming commission/licensing authority and want to know what sets the best online casinos apart from the others, here are some of the other important factors you should also consider before signing up anywhere.
Why is licensing important?
The worst online casinos are ones that are completely unlicensed and unregulated by a reputable licensing authority. These sites are known as rogue casinos, fake casinos, or scam casinos. Fortunately, there aren’t too many of them, but they exist.
For experienced players, they are easy to spot, but for beginners, it’s more difficult to spot them.
When it comes to licensing authorities and their standards, there are three main tiers – bottom tier (aka rubber-stamp) licensing authorities (the worst kind with little or no background checks carried out over the companies they issue licenses too), mid-tier licensing authorities, and top-tier licensing authorities (the most trustworthy with the highest standards, strict vetting processes, best practices and legal frameworks in place to protect players and operators).
The UK Gambling Commission is classed as a top-tier licensing authority, meaning that industry leaders and experts regard UK-licensed online casinos as the world’s safest and most secure.
Some of the other globally renowned mid-to-top-tier licensing authorities that also issue licenses to the world’s most trusted online casinos are the following:
- Malta Gaming Authority
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission
- Gibraltar Regulatory Authority
- Swedish Gambling Authority
- Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
- Michigan Gaming Control Board
That’s not forgetting other trusted authorities, such as the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the Danish Gambling Authority, and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, to name a few.
What other important factors set the best online casinos apart besides licensing?
Apart from licensing, you can also tell a good online casino from a mediocre/below average online casino by how responsive its player support is and the levels of customer service its professionally trained player support agents demonstrate.
For example, the best online casinos will always provide 24-hour toll-free player support via live chat, email, telephone, and/or via several other channels, such as Skype or Messenger.
Today’s best online casinos will always have overwhelmingly positive reviews, excellent player feedback, and high-ranking scores on today’s most globally renowned online casino review sites.
They will process instant deposits and near-instant withdrawals, meaning you can typically get your hands on your winnings in under two hours from the moment you start the withdrawal process.
The best casino sites will always be protected by 128-bit or higher SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption, which works around the clock to keep cybercriminals at bay, protecting your PII (personally identifiable information), money, and preferred payment method details at all times.
The modern and stylish/fun/sophisticated websites will be well designed and will be easy to use and navigate, and there will be thousands of computer-generated and live dealer online casino games to choose from.
The best sites will also have a selection of exclusive games that can’t be found anywhere else, and they will be supplied by 30 to 50 or more multi-award-winning, market-leading online casino software providers and game development studios.
Also, the games will be known for having high or above-average Return to Player percentage (RTP%) payout rates, and the progressive jackpot games will have multi-million jackpots that can drop on any lucky spin.
A good online casino operator will accept a broad range of debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and digital wallets (aka web wallets or eWallets), and will not charge you for depositing or withdrawing on their site.
Finally, the best online casinos will offer a range of lucrative bonuses and prize-packed promotional offers for both new and existing members with low to medium wagering requirements attached.
Their terms and conditions and general policies will be fair and easy to read/understand, and they will be transparent in their day-to-day operations.
Final thoughts
The other sign of a good online casino that sets the best ones apart from the others is that it will actively promote responsible gambling to protect its players.
In other words, the best online casinos today will have a range of responsible/safer gambling tools that players can manually set to help them stay within their budgets. Examples include things like session time reminders, daily, weekly, and monthly deposit limits, and win/loss limits.
When deciding which online casino to join, remember to avoid unlicensed/unregulated sites, and if you live in the UK, ONLY ever play at online casinos that are fully licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission.
Always read the reviews on trusted review sites, and then compare the reviews before signing up anywhere to see which online casino might be the more suitable option based on the type of player you are and what you’re looking for in an online casino.
Always make sure the casino website, its features, services and products work well on your preferred device before joining, and check that your preferred payment method is also accepted by heading to the cashier section.
Finally, when claiming online casino bonuses on today’s best sites, ALWAYS take your time to read through the terms and conditions to ensure you get the most out of your bonus.
Please play responsibly. For more information and advice visit https://www.begambleaware.org