Tips for choosing a reliable online casino: what to look out for?

[TurnerScarlett112]

Hi everyone! I recently got interested in online casinos, and now I’m trying to be mindful of all the important details when choosing a platform to avoid any unpleasant surprises. I’d love to hear from experienced players what do you pay attention to when selecting a casino? Of course, a reliable license and positive reviews are must-haves, but I think there are other key factors as well.

For example, I’ve heard that bonuses can come with high wagering requirements, which can ultimately cancel out any winnings. I’m also curious about the withdrawal process has anyone experienced delays or limits on withdrawals? Which payment methods do you prefer to keep things fast and secure?

And, of course, what other features do you think are essential for a comfortable gaming experience? It would be great if anyone could share their experiences and recommendations. Thanks!

[Afi4wins]

@TurnerScarlett112 Hi there and welcome to the forum.

Yours is what most other newbies would usually ask about, but the right answers aren't always suitable for everyone.

Besides looking at casino reviews, it is best to choose a casino that is listed here in Askgamblers. That would be a great help when you need any assistance later on, especially if that casino also has an active casino rep for the forum.

Use the easiest deposit/withdawal method for you, for fiat or crypto currencies, as each method has got their own limitations and drawbacks. I personally use only Skrill, nothing else!

When taking bonuses, try to avoid those with very high wagering requirements, unless you really need their big bonus offer (a 300% or more deposit bonus can do wonders for certain needs). Certain wager-free bonuses are restricted for many countries, but they are the best to go for if not restricted.

When it comes to making withdrawals, getting your account KYC approved and verified is crucial, so check out what their KYC requirements are. I would avoid requirements for selfies wherever I can, and definitely would avoid Source of Funds (SoF) or Source of Wealth (SoW) documentations.

For my gaming comfort, I would only sign up at casinos that can pass all the abovesaid points, AND if they do have my favourite providers and/or games (this may differ considerably for each player's tastes and likes).

Personally for me and me alone I guess, finding a suitable European online casino could be one helluva search indeed! 

[TurnerScarlett112]

Thanks! 

[PlumBat]

On 11/11/2024 at 2:55 PM, TurnerScarlett112 said:

Hi everyone! I recently got interested in online casinos, and now I’m trying to be mindful of all the important details when choosing a platform to avoid any unpleasant surprises. I’d love to hear from experienced players what do you pay attention to when selecting a casino? Of course, a reliable license and positive reviews are must-haves, but I think there are other key factors as well.

For example, I’ve heard that bonuses can come with high wagering requirements, which can ultimately cancel out any winnings. I’m also curious about the withdrawal process has anyone experienced delays or limits on withdrawals? Which payment methods do you prefer to keep things fast and secure?

And, of course, what other features do you think are essential for a comfortable gaming experience? It would be great if anyone could share their experiences and recommendations. Thanks

For me, the most important things beyond license and reviews are how easy withdrawals are and whether the casino actually honors them without excuses. I always check if they support e-wallets like Skrill or PayPal — much faster than bank transfers.

[cocopop3011]

On 11/12/2025 at 2:43 PM, PlumBat said:

I don’t play much myself, but I’ve been curious about online casinos for a while. From what I’ve read, the big things seem to be checking for a legit license, reading player reviews, and seeing how smooth withdrawals are.

All of these things you can do on you casino review pages  

[JuanPedro27]

Checking casino licenses, for me, is a must, especially when it comes to new or sketchy casinos. Not only looking for a license, but actually checking if it's true. You can check its veracity with the organization that gave the license. I.e., UK Gambling Commission public registry. Another thing is to look at payment methods. 

User reviews are always good to check. Some people might have had problems withdrawing money, getting their accounts closed, etc... 

But if you can't find players' reviews, just take a look at the license, payment methods, and if it provides renowned games. That's it, pretty much for me.

[cocopop3011]

7 hours ago, JuanPedro27 said:

Checking casino licenses, for me, is a must, especially when it comes to new or sketchy casinos. Not only looking for a license, but actually checking if it's true. You can check its veracity with the organization that gave the license. I.e., UK Gambling Commission public registry. Another thing is to look at payment methods. 

User reviews are always good to check. Some people might have had problems withdrawing money, getting their accounts closed, etc... 

But if you can't find players' reviews, just take a look at the license, payment methods, and if it provides renowned games. That's it, pretty much for me.

Hi and welcome to the forum! Thanks for your insights  

[TommyVegas]

For me it’s mostly about trust and easy withdrawals. I check the license, read a few real user reviews, and make sure the rules are clear. I’ve tried a few sites over time, but Lottoland is the one I’ve stuck with since it’s been straightforward and hassle free for me.

[cocopop3011]

On 1/4/2026 at 1:31 AM, TommyVegas said:

For me it’s mostly about trust and easy withdrawals. I check the license, read a few real user reviews, and make sure the rules are clear. I’ve tried a few sites over time, but Lottoland is the one I’ve stuck with since it’s been straightforward and hassle free for me.

Thanks for your input and good to hear you’re enjoying it there. 

[formerPokerpro]

i recommend to check the various review sites and would only play on well rated casions. a little risk remais but that way you should dodge most shady ones.

[loceff13]

9 hours ago, formerPokerpro said:

i recommend to check the various review sites and would only play on well rated casions. a little risk remais but that way you should dodge most shady ones.

Yes some platforms may have more disputes listed on them which are useful to read over before signing up. There can be big differences in score where one might be 8 here and <4 elsewhere or vice versa.

[yernikola]

I've been playing online casinos for several years now, starting out of curiosity and small amounts, like many others. During this time, I've tried dozens of platforms, and honestly, not all of them are comfortable to play on. Some offer overly complicated bonuses, while others have interfaces that require instructions. I eventually settled on one that really suited my playing style—wageronbet. I liked the transparent terms: the rules are immediately clear, with no small print or "surprises." The interface is calm and logical, with everything at your fingertips, even if you're using a phone. It's important to me that the game doesn't become stressful, and here I feel like the platform is designed for people. I'm not advocating for anyone to do anything, I'm simply sharing my personal experience—I find it truly more comfortable to play here than on most other sites.

[formerPokerpro]

checking for the licensing is most important imo. 

mga usually has the most transparent wager requirements for playing with a bonus.

curuacao can be decent but there are huge differences between the casinos with that license

[Maiwen]

For me, the essential criteria for a reliable online casino are: an official license, a high level of security and bonuses without unfair conditions.

[marius1978]

Licensing isn't such a huge factor for me, good casinos can have worthless licenses and vice versa.

User reviews is an invaluable tool even though 80% of them aren't worth the paper they're written on. You just need to separate the honest ones from the bogus ones and this you will learn by visiting the same review sites over and over. For instance, if you come here to AG and find a review written by @Blackjax, @Fiekie247 or @Afi4wins you know this will be an honest review, based on a real user experience.

Every single casino will have unhappy players, sometimes rightfully so, sometimes just because people tend to get unhappy when losing money. How the casino responds to complaints, both unfounded and legit ones, is a huge factor and fortunately several sites, including AG, keep open records of the complaints history and dialogue. The tone of the casino rep is very often make or break for me.

I also like to check who they are related to and  look at those casinos' complaints history as well. Several sites list their related casinos and here on AG, if you go to a casino review and look under "affiliate program" it will give you an idea of the casino's relations.