Making the decision to play online is one that can be a daunting prospect for some players. Others may find the choice of sites overwhelming. Then there are those who will simply join up to a casino where their friends are or just pick a platform from a TV ad.
There is a lot that goes on in the mind of a new player, and many paths to potentially follow and cross. How you find your perfect casino comes down to your passion and habits. This casino review guide is here to help and give you an overview of what we do as a service and what we recommend you do to help you select the right online casino or casinos for you to join.
We are a trusted affiliate of online casino websites. Our reviews are our own thoughts, and we will only ever recommend legally licenced services for you to join.
We believe that new and old players should have access to essential information that can help them to acquire legitimate services that are safe to join and are legal in their country.
Here is how we formulate our casino reviews so that our readers can understand the operator and their business, should they potentially sign up.
The most important part of a casino online is its foundation. With this, we mean security and licencing. These are the key components of the casino that look after the player’s data and finances along with providing legitimate services to their country.
Our team of reviewers check that the casinos are legally licenced by a regulatory body and then double-check with them to confirm the information is correct.
Known governing bodies include:
With security, it’s about making sure the tools and software in place are the latest models, but more importantly, that they are in date.
Right now, the best tool and the one most used by casinos, as well as online banking firms, is the Secure Socket Layer encryption software at 128-bits. This is a coding system that is, as yet unbreeched by any online cyber-attacker.
We put the game to the test with our own money and see how fair the gaming system is. Whilst all other play demo games or do not even try what’s on offer, we give our reader a true insight into how these games play.
We will provide a summary of every gaming area the casino provides. You will learn about the general casino games offers like slots, blackjack, roulette, and video poker. We will also highlight other main gaming areas like the live casino and sports betting, should they feature.
You will also be teased with a selection of gaming titles that give you a brief insight into what’s available for you to play once registered.
When it comes to discussing software, the gaming companies may mean nothing to new players. But we feel it is still important to mention those that are powering the platforms with their award-winning products.
Gaming software is a very important aspect of gambling that players need to be taught. Software dictates how games perform and affects the odds of winning. These points are known as:
Once a player has knowledge of these programming factors, it changes how players approach games thereafter.
Here are some of the software companies you can expect to find amongst the top sites:
✅ Red Tiger
✅ Microgaming
✅ Evolution
✅ NetEnt
✅ Playtech
We make sure that the gaming software that you have access to is licenced by the regulator. Plus, that they provide proof of independent testing on their games to show fair play certification.
Banking can often be forgotten about, because, hey, it’s so obvious, right? Wrong! Not all casinos use the same services and not all services provide the same support. We check that the casinos have PCI verification to assist their members with reputable regulated banking. We make sure your local currency is supported, and you also have enough choice to help you deposit and withdraw whilst signed to the casino
Payment options we check that should be available as standard:
Bonuses are optional services that can provide and support players during their membership. Our focus in the reviews is not about how big the advertised prize is, we are more interested in the casino’s quality when it comes to the bonus terms.
We understand that terms and conditions are a bore to read, so we have done all of it for you. We present bite-sized pieces that give you the need-to-know basics of how the bonus works and what the casino costs are.
We want you to have honest information, so even if they are great platforms, but their bonuses suck, we will still share that with you.
Plus, bonuses are always subject to change. We felt assessing the terms would help to define more about the operator rather than pushing the bonus itself which may be flawed.
For a customer to get in touch with a Customer Support team is actually quite rare. But we want to make sure that in those rare moments, members have access to the right information at the most important time.
We try and test these services first-hand to see if they can rise to the pressure. We make sure that players have around-the-clock access to some form of support, that players can access e-mail and live chat services.
Beyond this, we see if FAQ services are available and if there are any Responsible Gaming features for players that may wish to better manage their finances and time.
Lastly, we want you to have the casino with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How so? By it being available via your mobile smartphone.
Mobile gaming is the number one option for casino players and has been since mobiles officially overtook PCs back in 2017.
We test the goods ourselves, downloading mobile apps where offered or playing via the mobile browser. We detail the services they provide and how they can assist you whilst playing games on the go.
What are the need-to-know bits of advice that will help you select the right casino or casinos for you to join?
Here we give you a simple breakdown covering the 5 key areas that must be checked before filling out any online registration form.
It’s simple to say, but very few do this. Research is free, it’s easy to do, and painless. It’s remarkable how many players just know where they want to join, but do not know what the casino offers. This may be down to catchy advertising, but it’s like buying a car and thinking it’s good because it looks good and has four wheels.
You must become familiar with the signs of what makes a casino legitimate and safe. You may not select any of the casinos we recommend, but at least the knowledge will help you should you go it alone.
We look into historical data and background checks. We want to make sure the casino operators are legit and have not picked up past fines for breaching the codes of conduct. This can only be done through research.
It covers all areas of the platform also. Researching what games you like most and if provided, and if provided, are there any bonuses to support you playing these games.
Checking the licence may sound complicated but it’s very easy to locate and verify.
A casino’s licence should be displayed on their home page. If not, it should be logged within their FAQs on the subject of licencing or security.
If you cannot locate a licence, treat it as a red flag and move on to another operator.
The licence numbers can be verified with the governing body, sometimes the link is already on the website, which takes you to the licence verification page.
If that licencee is registered outside of your location, then they are most likely legal for you to join. This is because a majority of gambling laws prohibit remote websites, thusly, only making foreign casinos, the legal sources.
There is absolutely no rush to play for real money. There is lots of it online and it will still be there when you are ready to play.
We are huge advocates of playing free demo games online. Demo mode features offer players authentic gameplay on official products that are risk-free, cost-free, and available 24/7.
We encourage players that are new to gambling to learn how casino games are played with free demos. It’s far more productive than learning to play a new game with real money and suffering losses as a result of learning as you go.
Demo games can also introduce you to the importance of learning about gaming software. Plus, it’s a good way to learn about which games are more profitable than others.
Demos are available from several online sites that will give you the choice to play for fun or play for real.
Read bonus terms and conditions. It is so important to understand how bonuses are to be used correctly.
You need to make sure the casinos are providing honest information, even if the bonus itself might suck. Operators must make a number of factors clear so they are conforming to the regulatory protocols.
Costs must be clear, what you receive must be clear, an understanding of what games are eligible and what games are eligible towards the cost of the wagering requirement.
There are many points highlighted with the terms and conditions, and though not obligatory to use, should you be inclined to try them, read the small print first. Not everything is free just because it’s labelled that way.
If you cannot pay, you cannot play. It’s as simple as it gets. Make sure that before you register with any casino online, that you are offered banking services that can to support you in putting money into the casino as a deposit to play. Also, that they can support withdrawals so winnings can be cashed out.
Your banking details will not be added during the registration process. Not until after you have made an account, verified it, and activated it, will you then get to enter your payment method of choice once logged into the casino.
We have a team of reviewers that, like you are dedicated to the entertainment casinos provide. They know what’s good, and what is not good enough. Those that make our list of recommended casinos are sites we have signed with and remain as customers.
We share a first-hand experience and good or bad tell you how it is with all services and features.
You have many platforms that you can pick from, and you can join as many sites as you like. Take your time to check through our reviews and see which operators are able to meet your expectations and perhaps go beyond them.
Once you have signed with a casino, there is no obligation to stay. Many new sites come around and what may be the perfect casino now, may change in two years’ time.
We are always here to keep you informed of any changes involving casinos within our top 10 list. Our reviews are regularly updated as and when needed. Plus, we hope you get to find your perfect casino from amongst our reviews.