Before signing up for an online casino you know very little about, which could be a rogue/unlicensed casino, each player should do their own due diligence into a website by carrying out a few basic checks and simple research.
In other words, before you register an account with any old online casino you randomly stumble upon, think before you act. Here are some of the most important things to consider when choosing a safe online casino to join.
Important things to look for when choosing an online casino in 2024
Today, there are hundreds of online casinos to choose from, which means finding the right site that won’t let you down in any way can sometimes prove challenging, especially for newbies who haven’t ever played at an online casino before.
The most important things to look for before choosing which online casino to join are the following:
- Licensing and regulation – if you live, for example, in the United Kingdom, a safe online casino UK website that you decide to join in 2024 should ALWAYS have obtained a license to legally operate from the UK Gambling Commission – the region’s official iGaming industry governing body
- Ownership and reputation – if the UK Gambling Commission licenses the site, it will have been through a rigorous vetting process and checks before being issued a license, meaning it can 100% be trusted, like the globally renowned Unibet operator, for example. This operator has an excellent track record and unblemished reputation in the iGaming industry
- Website/app security – always ensure the website/app is secure and protected by 128-bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption or higher. Ensure the app is from a verified publisher and the files don’t contain any malware/spyware, preferably by running it through an antivirus program. Also, make sure the URL starts with https://. Finally, click or tap on the padlock icon (or similar icon) in the address bar to check the website is safe and learn more about how secure it is
- Reviews – the safest and most secure online casinos will have excellent/overwhelmingly positive reviews by iGaming experts/players on reputable review sites
- Banking options/payment speeds – today’s most trusted sites will offer a range of popular UK online payment methods, so check that yours is accepted, and they will accept your local currency (in this case, GBP – £). Deposits will be instant, and cashouts will be quick, hopefully processing your withdrawal in just a few hours up to no longer than 24 hours
- Compatibility – check that your chosen casino site is accessible from your preferred device. Today’s top sites will be easily accessible from most desktop and mobile devices
- Responsible gambling – the most trusted iGaming operators will provide a range of safer gambling tools to help you remain within your budget. Examples include daily, weekly, and monthly deposit limits, spending caps, session time reminders, time-outs, win/loss limits, and more
What else should I be looking for in a good online casino?
You can also tell a lot about the transparency and integrity of the operator by finding out how good/friendly/responsive, and professionally trained its player support agents are, the different ways you can get in touch with them, and how good their customer service levels are.
The best sites tend to provide 24-hour, toll-free support, usually reachable via several channels, including live chat, email, and telephone. Trusted operators will also publish the latest payout rates for their games, enhancing transparency and fostering trust in them and the industry.
Final thoughts
When choosing which online casino to join, make sure it has a decent selection of computer-generated and live dealer games (at least 1,000 to 2,000 or more) from well-established, award-winning, market-leading software providers and game development studios.
Also, if you want to mix things up and place sports bets, bingo, or poker, not just casino games, try to find ‘multi-product’ sites that offer all these services under one roof.
As mentioned, Unibet is a great example and always an excellent place to start for newbies looking for their first casino site to join, or seasoned pros who are looking for a change of scenery from their regular site.
