If you like playing games, and you enjoy the excitement of potentially winning real money, then you might already have been to a casino and had the pleasure of playing blackjack, poker, roulette, and other games while dressed up to the nines.
However, this isn’t always the best way to play, and thanks to the prevalence of both fast Wi-Fi connections and widespread data connectivity, the world of online casinos might be right for you.
If you are just getting started with online gambling, you might feel a little bit overwhelmed by it – which online casino is the best (and the safest), what games you should try, and what technology you need to have for the best experience.
Below, we will look at some of the considerations that you should think about before you make the decision so that you know you are getting the most out of your online gambling experience.
What is Online Gambling?
If you watch a James Bond movie, or a Scorsese thriller, you will already know a bit about the world of casino gambling. You’ll enter the casino, exchange your cash for chips, and get seated at a gaming table to play your preferred games. Some people will choose to go to the bright and noisy slot machines instead.
Online casinos are essentially the same – except you won’t need to dress up or even leave the house. You’ll set up an account with the online casino and deposit your cash, then choose the game that you want to play.
Most online casinos are available both online through your computer and as a handy app on your smartphone, which means you can take your gaming wherever you go. To get started, you can head to Bonus Finder who have a great section on their site dedicated to the top casinos available in your region.
What to Look For in an Online Casino
New Customer Bonuses
When you do a search online for casinos, you will be bombarded by sponsored posts and websites that are giving new players various promotions and bonuses.
The online casinos will offer things like deposit matching and free spin bonuses, some of which will be available with no deposit.
These are designed to draw you in, but make sure that you look at the other criteria before you make your decision.
Regulated and Licensed
In the UK, all businesses that offer gambling services need to be licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
To become licensed and regulated, gambling providers must meet some strict legal and financial safety requirements, which protect you as a customer from fraud among other things.
Playing games in online casinos that are not licensed and regulated is a risky choice and could lead to issues like fraud and identity theft.
Variety of Games
Whether you are a slot player extraordinaire, or you have the perfect blackjack strategy, you will want your online casino to have the right games available for you.
Choosing a casino that only delivers your favourite games might seem like the obvious answer when you are looking, but it might be better to look for an online casino that has a wide range of types of games, too.
Look out for online casinos that also offer live games – these are delivered by real, professional croupiers and give more of the atmosphere and excitement that you would find in a physical casino.
Real Customer Reviews
This is important for many reasons. Online casinos are not all equal in the way they are perceived by real customers, and understanding what other people are describing about their own experiences should help you make your own decisions.
The best way to do this is to find real, unbiased reviews. This means choosing not to use the reviews on the online casino’s website, but rather those shared elsewhere. You want to look at things like customer service, how fast withdrawals are, and whether problems are dealt with quickly.
Remember that many players will lose money in these games, so discount those that are complaining about their luck in the games.
What Do You Need to Bring to the Table?
Technology
Pretty much any PC or laptop can keep up with browser-based online casino games, so you won’t need to splash out for a proper gaming PC if you want to play.
However, many people prefer to use their smartphones to play for better accessibility and availability, so you’ll need to make sure that you have an updated operating system. The best online casinos have native apps created to work properly with both Android and Apple handsets.
Limits
You might want to go all in when you first get started with online gambling, but to make sure that it stays fun – and so that you can play for longer – you need to make sure that you set your own limits. Choose a budget that suits you, and don’t spend more than you can afford.
