Online casinos have become one of the most popular forms of internet entertainment. In exchange for a small deposit, often not bigger than 20 USD or EUR, players get access to thousands of games and betting odds, as well as spectacular bonus deals. However, where crowds are looking for fun, there are also scams and frauds and unfortunately, the iGaming industry is no exception.
To help players navigate the often complex labyrinth of online gambling, portal SizzlingHotSpot brings the best strategies, techniques, and tips to find a safe casino that will live up to their expectations and give them their money’s worth.
Tell-Tale Signs of Safe Online Casinos
Anyone who has ever tried to find a legit casino online will tell you how difficult it can be to tell apart the weed from the grain. Almost every online casino these days has a flashy website, stacked with at least a couple of hundreds of games. They all offer bonuses, and naturally, claim to be safe and 100% fair.
To an inexperienced eye, they all look the same. Even so, some tricks can help players who are just entering the online gambling scene avoid making rookie mistakes.
Legit License
Any casino online free play will have a gambling license. The license guarantees the company adheres to the legal framework of a specific jurisdiction and has to operate games in line with high standards. Licensed online casinos and the games they offer are carefully monitored for any fraudulent activities. Losing the seal of approval, won’t only ruin their reputation, but also have a massive financial impact on the business.
Ideally, players will be able to choose a brand licensed in their country of residence. When that is not possible, they should look for offshore licenses, including:
- Malta Gaming Authority;
- UKGC;
- Curaçao licenses;
- The Alderney Gambling Commission license;
- Isle of Man license;
- Remote license issued by authorities in Gibraltar.
Transparent T&C
Legit companies have nothing to hide. Their terms and conditions are available to players before they sign up and cover every aspect of the play: from depositing to wagering bonuses and reaching out to support. The main downside of any T&C is it is an incredibly long document, written in so-called legalese very few gamblers can comprehend.
Despite that, players must put in some effort and take their time to read it all. By doing so, they’ll avoid any misleading stipulations that can be interpreted how the casino company wishes. It is better to be safe than sorry!
Company Information
The casino online free real money must disclose all the relevant info players could be interested in. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Full company name;
- Headquarters address;
- Registration number;
- License;
- Link to license on the authority’s website.
By knowing the company’s name, gamblers can easily look it up on the internet and find out more about it. Some brands will shine in Google search with news about prestigious awards. Others will end up being scrutinized for fines and unprofessional practices. The more players know about the brand they are about to join, the better.
Fair Bonus Rules
All players love getting a good and generous bonus deal, yet many forget bonuses are not free money. These marketing incentives come with a set of rules players must play by to cash out.
Fraudulent casino sites will offer massive deals, but keep the bonus terms value and the rollover requirement high. In other words, an average player will find it impossible to hit the threshold before the time runs out. The only purpose of such a bonus is to lock in the money and prevent the gambler from getting a decent shot at withdrawing.
Fair brands will have bonuses that are easy to understand and don’t put the user in an unfavorable position. Even if the wagering requirement is high, players will get to know all the details before placing the first bet, so they can decide.
5 Ways to Check If an Online Casino Is Safe
What does this look like in practice? Renowned market analyst Jan Michalski outlines five things any casino fan must do before signing up:
- Check the license and the validity thereof: In the footer of the website, look for the license number and the authority’s logo. By clicking the logo, you should be taken directly to the authority’s site. The info there and on the website must match.
- Read expert reviews to find out more about different online casino brands.
- Read user reviews to see what a certain brand is like from the player’s point of view.
- Check out bonus rules and T&C.
- If possible, test customer support to see how fast and accurate their answers are.
What to Do If You Encounter a Fraudulent Online Casino
Despite all the preventive measures, it can still happen that any player, no matter how responsible, encounters a fraudulent online casino. The first thing they have to do is avoid signing up with it and making a deposit.
They can report it to a local authority, as many industry watchdogs have blacklists of unfair brands and use advanced technologies to prevent players from accessing them in the first place. Another thing players can do is inform the gambling community by leaving reviews on sites such as Reddit and even specialized iGaming sites.
Players who fall into the trap of signing up don’t have much they can do, other than seek the help of a lawyer. Such processes are long, expensive, and tedious as companies are often located offshore and use different schemes to prevent anyone from filing a lawsuit. With a little bit of attention and research, it is easy to avoid expensive mistakes, so never feel sorry for the time you put into choosing a fair casino.
