Published in cooperation between AskGamblers and the Pacific Sun
Exploring online casinos can be an overwhelming task, and given the enormity of the industry in the modern age, it can be challenging to know where to begin. Not to worry; today we will give you some pointers, as well as our top 10 tips for spotting legitimate casinos online.
1. What do the experts say?
Seeking out the opinions of the experts can help cut through the noise and establish which brands have the best overall package. They can also highlight the brands that are legitimate, providing you with the tools to begin noticing for yourself.
It can be challenging to determine which brands have the best reputation and offers available, which is why those selected by AskGamblers take into account several key variables, including the size of their gaming library, fairness in casino bonuses, the strength of their site security and licensing and whether or not they have been subject to a data breach or a cyberattack which has compromised information.
2. Where is the casino licensed?
Look for casinos that have been licensed by top regulators in the industry. Some regulators, such as the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission), have invested enormous amounts of money and time to ensure that their regulations are watertight, fair and leave no room for exploitation. If you notice that a brand has its main license issued by Curaçao, Costa Rica or Panama, be sure to conduct further research. Highly rated licenses include those issued by the UKGC, Malta, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man.
3. Quality of site security
In casino gaming, treating site security like you would for any other product or service is usually a good idea. Ensuring that the site has an https padlock next to the website name is a good start, but this alone is not enough to guarantee a site’s legitimacy. Online casinos will display their 128 or 256-bit SSL security certificate, which is an added layer of legitimacy and protection.Â
However, building a secure web application involves several expert and cutting-edge tools and is an ever-changing battleground. If a casino has not been subject to a breach and has a robust security team and processes in place, that is another strong sign of its legitimacy.
4. Positive social media comments and reviews
If a site has issues with paying customers on time or prematurely closing accounts, the best place to find out about it is via social media. You can check out Google Reviews, Facebook posts and comments or see what comes up on a search engine, but if a site is not legitimate, it won’t take long for you to find the evidence if you take a deep dive on social media.
If we were taking a trip to the theater, or checking out a band or going to see a movie, it’s usually a good idea to see what people have to say about it before puttingdown any hard-earned cash, and for the most part, casino gaming is no exception.Â
5. Range and quality of customer service
Gone are the days of customer service that operates only within office hours. Numerous casinos offer an email-only option or a phone number that isn’t available 24/7; however, they can offset not having a 24/7 option as long as what they’re offering is a high-quality customer experience.
Some sites are only available on social media, but provide an instant response, while others rely solely on AI chatbots or e-mail inboxes with no time window for when they’ll get back to you. These second sites are the ones to avoid.
6. Prompt payout speeds and payment options
Legit casinos will make it their mission to pay out promptly and on time. While you shouldn’t confuse this with casinos that delay your payment because you haven’t passed the necessary Know Your Customer (KYC) steps, if you encounter a brand that regularly takes weeks to payout, or people on social media are saying their accounts were closed after a big win, these are obvious signs that a casino isn’t legit.
7. Third-party auditing certificates
Overseeing regulatory bodies such as eCOGRA and iTech Labs are third-party auditors who test websites to ensure their games are fair and their platforms adhere to suitable regulations. Sites that display these certificates should link directly to the respective database, allowing you to verify that their certificate is valid and up to date.
8. Clear terms and conditions
Signing up for a new casino can often include registering for a promotion or a free spins bonus. However, you should ensure that you know what to look for in the terms and conditions. If a casino buries the more negative terms deep in its terms and conditions, it suggests that it does not prioritize customer experience at the forefront of its platform design and business model. If it’s leveraging subpar marketing to get you to sign up, then there’s a higher chance it could be in the industry for the short term, skirting the rules and trying to make a quick buck.
9. A strong working relationship with reputable game providers
As is the case in other sectors, a strong working relationship with reputable providers highlights that a casino is legitimate, has solid ties with the right companies and focuses on a long-term strategy rather than simply riding the positive wave in the current market.
10. An emphasis on safe and responsible gambling
The best casino sites clearly highlight their responsible gambling pages, which should include tools such as self-exclusion and time and deposit limits.
However, the primary thing to remember here is that sites that make it challenging to self-exclude, set time limits or do not have a responsible gambling page anywhere on the site often cut corners in other areas too.
It shows that their only goal is profit, not customer well-being, and this usually goes hand in hand with a provider that is not above board and not legitimate.
Conclusion
Once you begin familiarizing yourself with some of the factors we have touched on today, you will quickly be able to identify the casinos that are legitimate and those that could use some improvement.
You won’t need to go far to find a brand that is poorly rated within the casino gaming fraternity; it’ll be plastered all over social media. However, with the 10 tips we’ve touched on today, you will be able to do the research and draw your own conclusions.
