Factors to take into account when choosing an online casino?

[Mpasa]

Hello! New in the online gaming, I would like to know how do you actually choose one or another casino? There are so many and a huge research has to be done in order to know details about all of them. What are the main factors you take into account when choosing one or the other?

Any recommendation to start with as a beginner?

[ValDes]

Hi Mpasa and welcome to the AskGamblers forum!

 

I think it would be a good idea to start with reading some of these guides:

 

How to choose an online casino safely? 

 

 Withdrawing from a casino - the whole truth!

 

Casino licensing, regulation and certification – are they really so important?

 

SOS, I got troubles with my casino, what to do?

 

Let me know if you have any other questions or simply need further assistance.

[Mpasa]

Thank you so much for all the information. It's very good to learn from all the experiences that the others had. Good posts, very complete. I was investigating a bit the preferred casinos from different threads there are here. 

[cocopop3011]

Hello! New in the online gaming, I would like to know how do you actually choose one or another casino? There are so many and a huge research has to be done in order to know details about all of them. What are the main factors you take into account when choosing one or the other?

Any recommendation to start with as a beginner?

Heelloo! And welcome!

 

Oooh this is such a hard question I always say that because it is. I have a few I like to recommend in these situations...the reason why I recommend these ones are because they have simple bonus terms and simple wagering!

 

I would try Paddy Power, Stan James, Mr Green...

[Adebisi213]

I always follow the following steps when I choose a specific online casino:

 

1) Reliability - I cannot stress enough how important this is. Do your research before selecting an online casino. There are several great forums including AskGamblers to see how a casino is rated and if they have any complaints. Sometimes you won't find any negativity on the internet at all, most often that's a good thing if a provider is a reliable and has a good reputation. Be careful with new casinos though, since they might not display any negativity online because of their new status.

 

2) Games - The second thing I check is which games do they have? If they have games from Microgaming or NetEnt, then they usually are a reliable operation from my experience. Those are the best two software providers hands down. A trend in the online casino industry is that more and more casinos offer a multi-software platform these days with even more games. I usually go for them to play only the best of the best.

 

I also check if they offer live casino games such a roulette, blackjack and baccarat. I like to play table games against real dealers, since the software version is quite boring and doesn't appeal to me. The presence of online poker and sportsbetting at an online casino is always a plus IMO.

 

3) Cash out speed - I like to be able to cash out, just as easily as I can deposit. Of course that's not possible due to security verifications. However, some online casinos do come pretty close to that just like Redbet (less than 15 min via eWallets), Guts (less than 2 hours most often via eWallets), Mr Green & Unibet (within 24 hours). Some online casinos enforce "pending time" where they hold your fund for a few days before releasing the. If an online casino wants my business they better offer either a no deposit bonus, or a withdrawal time of less than 48 hours max.

 

That's the reason why providers like 888 and Europa Casino don't get to profit from my choices. They take way too long to process - 4 days? Are you guys kiddin me!

 

4) Bonuses - Last but not least I think bonuses can be very beneficial as well. Don't let yourself be fooled by high bonus percentages though if the wagering requirements are very high. I don't use bonuses too often, but I like if the wagering requirements are low (30x or lower), and that the casino rewards loyal players in form of freebies or free spins. Some online casinos do this better than others.

 

5) Terms & Conditions (transparency) - There is almost no industry where terms & conditions are a must-read like in the online casino industry. When playing at an online casino, you have to obey the rules. No multi-accounting or filing false information, these can lead to confiscation of funds. But some (dodgy) online casinos have made it an art to confuse players as much as possible by enforcing ridicolous terms & conditions to fleece people from their funds after a misstep. Terms & Conditions are especially important if you use a bonus, because using a bonus always has set rules.

 

The most reliable online casinos have full transparency and clearly state what you CAN DO, and what you CANNOT DO. That's why it's always smart to only play at casinos that have a proven reputation or at least decent scores.

 

The above mentioned steps are the guidelines I basically follow when choosing an online casino. I'm happy to say that I never had a problem cashing out somewhere, and always receiving my winnings on time.

[ValDes]

Finally a member, who's not lazy to type a decent and thorough explanation of how and why to do something! Kudos, adebisi!

[cocopop3011]

Finally a member, who's not lazy to type a decent and thorough explanation of how and why to do something! Kudos, adebisi!

That is definitely a dig towards me!

 

Ignore my comments mpasa

[ValDes]

That is definitely a dig towards me!

 

Haha, no way, how it is even possible for one to have anything towards you, my dear?! 

[Adebisi213]

You're welcome guys

 

I hate to see players having a rough time to get paid by dodgy casinos. The right information is key, I think your thread dedicated to this is great Valdes! I'm glad if we can help players to make a much better decision on where to play, and where not to play.

[Mpasa]

I always follow the following steps when I choose a specific online casino:

 

1) Reliability - I cannot stress enough how important this is. Do your research before selecting an online casino. There are several great forums including AskGamblers to see how a casino is rated and if they have any complaints. Sometimes you won't find any negativity on the internet at all, most often that's a good thing if a provider is a reliable and has a good reputation. Be careful with new casinos though, since they might not display any negativity online because of their new status.

 

2) Games - The second thing I check is which games do they have? If they have games from Microgaming or NetEnt, then they usually are a reliable operation from my experience. Those are the best two software providers hands down. A trend in the online casino industry is that more and more casinos offer a multi-software platform these days with even more games. I usually go for them to play only the best of the best.

 

I also check if they offer live casino games such a roulette, blackjack and baccarat. I like to play table games against real dealers, since the software version is quite boring and doesn't appeal to me. The presence of online poker and sportsbetting at an online casino is always a plus IMO.

 

3) Cash out speed - I like to be able to cash out, just as easily as I can deposit. Of course that's not possible due to security verifications. However, some online casinos do come pretty close to that just like Redbet (less than 15 min via eWallets), Guts (less than 2 hours most often via eWallets), Mr Green & Unibet (within 24 hours). Some online casinos enforce "pending time" where they hold your fund for a few days before releasing the. If an online casino wants my business they better offer either a no deposit bonus, or a withdrawal time of less than 48 hours max.

 

That's the reason why providers like 888 and Europa Casino don't get to profit from my choices. They take way too long to process - 4 days? Are you guys kiddin me!

 

4) Bonuses - Last but not least I think bonuses can be very beneficial as well. Don't let yourself be fooled by high bonus percentages though if the wagering requirements are very high. I don't use bonuses too often, but I like if the wagering requirements are low (30x or lower), and that the casino rewards loyal players in form of freebies or free spins. Some online casinos do this better than others.

 

5) Terms & Conditions (transparency) - There is almost no industry where terms & conditions are a must-read like in the online casino industry. When playing at an online casino, you have to obey the rules. No multi-accounting or filing false information, these can lead to confiscation of funds. But some (dodgy) online casinos have made it an art to confuse players as much as possible by enforcing ridicolous terms & conditions to fleece people from their funds after a misstep. Terms & Conditions are especially important if you use a bonus, because using a bonus always has set rules.

 

The most reliable online casinos have full transparency and clearly state what you CAN DO, and what you CANNOT DO. That's why it's always smart to only play at casinos that have a proven reputation or at least decent scores.

 

The above mentioned steps are the guidelines I basically follow when choosing an online casino. I'm happy to say that I never had a problem cashing out somewhere, and always receiving my winnings on time.

Thank you for the well detailed answer Adebisi213. It feels almost unexpected this kind of detailed in our busy lives, right?! Many important factors have been pointed out very good in your answer. I have notice all the tricks with the bonuses that sometimes one must think twice or three times before accepting a bonus from certain casinos.

The cash out speed is definitely something we all like to have. It's "unfortunate" that the security laws condition the casinos in this case, but as we see things can be checked and approved also fast so, more of those casinos out there could think more about speeding the cash out process. Regarding the games, I have read in some forums that NetEnt games have been loosing in terms of payouts, but instead have focused on design (which we can also see with the Alien game recently launched). It could be nice if they would work on rewards of the games as well, I think. 

 

Where do we see the ratings of the casino normally? There are these ratings from affiliates but I would rather go for a less biased rating source.

[Adebisi213]

You're welcome mate

 

Yes, always read the terms and conditions, especially when taking a bonus. Nothing is worse than winning big and not getting paid by finding out you've breached one of the terms.

 

I wouldn't say they have been losing out in terms of pay out percentage. These are the same I think. However, a trend I do notice with NetEnt's newer additions is that they focus more on the entertainment aspect. I find it hard to have moments to be 'ahead' during a session. They have the habit to give a lot of dead spins, while giving out 50/100x bet size only every now and then.

 

That's why I prefer playing the older NetEnt games more. I haven't seen or experienced NetEnt's newest Alien game yet, but the advertising material def looks great

 

Regarding the casino ratings, I believe AskGamblers together with Casinomeister to be one of the fair affiliate sites with unbiased ratings. In the casino directory here http://www.askgamblers.com/online-casinos-p10 you will find each casino with their rating.
 

All the most important information you need is available there to base your decision on. Another important point of reference is the number of complaints a casino has. You can easily see if there are any and how they were dealt with. Good luck!