Online casinos have been around for decades, but they’ve really come into their own in recent years. New technologies like smartphones and faster internet connections have helped iGaming companies to create better and better gaming experiences for players.
Demand for games like slots, blackjack, and roulette has increased significantly over the last ten years. As this has happened, more companies have launched online casinos to serve these customers.
For the most part, this is great as it means there is plenty of competition so that players get better value, bigger bonuses, and a greater choice of games. However, it can also make it more difficult for people to find the casino that is right for them. Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to discover which one best suits your needs.
Check the Casino is Legitimate
When you play games in an online casino, you want to know that everything is being handled fairly and that your deposits are safe. Thankfully, there are some really simple steps you can take to check that a casino is legitimate.
Firstly, online casinos need to be licensed by a regulator. In some parts of the world, this may be a body from another country like the Malta Gaming Authority, but in the United States, casinos need to be registered with each state that they operate in. This makes things really easy for American players because it makes it very clear which sites and apps you can use where you are.
To find which casinos are licensed in your state, you can head to your government’s gaming control board’s website and look for the list of licenses it has issued. Sometimes though, these pages can be a little cluttered or hard to navigate so you may want to find a reputable site; for example, here OLBG lists the legal online casino sites in the USA.
Browse Through the Casino’s Choice of Games
There’s not much use in joining an online casino if it doesn’t offer your favourite game. It is, therefore, important to check what is on offer before committing.
This is pretty easy to do, as most brands have an easy-to-use navigation system that splits games into slots and table games. Clicking on one will reveal a long list of different options for you to peruse. Alternatively, just use the site’s search function to see what’s available.
Almost every online casino on the planet offers at least one version of table games like roulette and banking games like blackjack. However, the choice of variants may vary from site to site. Some will offer a wide selection of live dealer versions and different sets of rules, such as American, French, and European roulette.
If you specifically want to play one of these games, then it’s worth checking what options are available.
Similarly, if you love baccarat, craps, or Caribbean stud poker, you might have to search a little bit harder to find the one that you want.
The same applies to video slots as, while each casino will have hundreds of titles to choose from, you won’t always find the same ones on each site. In fact, many of the biggest brands have their own exclusive slot games to help differentiate their offering.
Does the Casino Let You Play How you Want to?
If you want to play casino games on the go, then you’ll need to join one that offers a quality mobile experience. Some do this by offering smartphone apps, while others have made their games accessible through a mobile web browser thanks to HTML5.
On the other hand, some casinos only offer their games through mobile apps. If you want to play from your computer, then you’ll need to find a different one.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to check the casino has a website or app that meets your needs. You can check the suitability of the app by either downloading it yourself and testing it out, or by reading the reviews left in your app store.
Use a Bonus to Try Before You Buy
Before you commit to making a deposit to an online casino, you may want to try it out first to check if you like its software and games.
Some offer free games where you use play money to make bets. Alternatively, you can take advantage of a free bet or free spins bonus. The benefit of this second option is that it usually gives you access to more games so you can get a better understanding of how the casino works.
Most casinos have a promotions page on their website where you can see what the latest available offers are.