The online casino industry is probably one of the fastest growing entities on the World Wide Web today. As such there are hundreds of casinos out there competing for your attention and business making it increasingly difficult to determine which one to play at, especially if you are new to gambling online! We at Play4Prizes have therefore decided to put this article together to help guide you through the selection process at online casinos and discuss the important factors to be considered when choosing a place to play.

If you've found a casino that seems to be a place that you'd like to play, then check out the following to make sure that its looks are not deceiving:

Licensing and Regulation

Any respectable casino even worth considering will always display a logo somewhere on the homepage, although you should always click on these and make sure that the casino in question is still actively licensed (you should be able to see this on the licensing body's list of approved casinos). These licenses mean that the casino is licensed by a particular territory's government to operate and that certain regulations will then be imposed on them based on this licensing, which to a degree helps ensure trustworthiness. The most common and respected licensing jurisdictions include Gibraltar, the United Kingdom, Kahnawake, Malta, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and Costa Rica. When it comes to the regulation, the logos listed on the casino homepage can once again tell you a great deal about the trustworthiness of the casino. One logo that you will find at reputable casinos is the eCogra seal of approval. What is eCogra you ask? Well, this is a non-profit organisation and is the independent standards authority of the online gaming industry which oversees fair gaming, player protection and responsible operator conduct. Simply put, if you can see the eCogra seal of approval, the casino is probably a good place to play.

Two of the regulated and licensed casinos: Spin Palace Casino  Jackpot City

Audited Payouts

When it comes to ensuring fair gaming at a casino, you can check their payout reports (which are usually listed somewhere on the website). These are usually compiled by Top Independent auditing firms or eCogra. Basically these assure you that payouts on games are determined by a Random Number Generator (RNG), and that the outcome (and payouts) on these games are completely fair. Most casinos will list payout percentages for each games category as well as an overall payout percentage figure.

Safe, Secure Banking

When it comes to online banking transactions, most people feel at least a little uneasy due to the sheer number of fraud syndicates operation out there as well as the stories one hears as a result. Before playing at any online casino, make sure that they offer safe and secure transactions. You can do this by ensuring that they make use of 128-Bit SSL encryption when data is transferred over the Internet to protect your online transactions. There will also be an assurance that your details are confidential and will never be shared or sold. Payout should also be made promptly on request and you should never have to fight to get your money out of a casino. Unfortunately for most, they usually only find out that a casino does not meet this requirement after the fact. You can usually get an indication as to whether there are problems with a casino or not by reading the complaints section at any reputable player's forum.

No Hidden Terms and Conditions

Reputable casinos will ensure that they list both the general terms and conditions of play at the casino as well as any related promotional terms and conditions that will be applicable to any promotional offerings and bonuses at the casino for example, deposit and wagering requirements, cashouts, games applicable to the offer, promotional periods etc. If these ever seem confusing rather contact the customer support staff for an explanation than accept them blindly as you just might get a nasty surprise. Rather be safe than sorry! Which brings me to my next point…

Customer Support

Good casinos usually offer 24/7 customer support via a number of channels including e-mail, phone and occasionally live chat. This is something you should always test at the casino prior to playing! You should, at all times, be able to contact the casino and have someone respond. This should not take unreasonably long and if you can't get hold of anyone rather don't play at the casino!

Best customer support: RoxyPalace Online Casino

These are just a few basic criteria for you to consider when choosing a casino, and if you make sure that a casino meets these, you will be assured of peace of mind and can relax enough to enjoy your experience!

See our casino recommendations!