I’ve always found casinos to be fun for adults. There’s so much to do, from the slot machines to the roulette tables. The potential of winning games becomes exciting entertainment. Now, with online casinos, I can experience all this from the comfort of my home.
When someone hears the term online casino, I’m always met with a lot of apprehension. Most people are extremely wary about online banking, let alone online gaming casinos! The apprehension isn’t wrong. However, just like choosing a new credit or debit card or checking a bank’s reputation, verifying everything before playing an online casino game is best. So, how does one separate the fake online casinos from the real ones and find verified and certified online casinos? I admit I’ve also been fooled a few times.
I’m here to share my five tried-and-tested tips for finding verified online casinos where you can play from home. I should remind you that my list is not exhaustive; there are more ways to find verified casinos to play.
1. Encryption
Have you ever walked into a traditional casino? There is security at the entrance, CCTV cameras everywhere, motion detection lights, cameras that follow you, plain clothes security personnel walking around, and locked doors with limited access. Now, imagine walking into a casino where there’s no security. What will happen? You will probably get looted and robbed of whatever money you have. Security matters!
An online casino also needs to have visible security. SSL encryption is necessary to encrypt and protect your financial data, personal information, and more. I’ve faced issues protecting my data on sites that do not have the added security layers to protect their customers. Always check that the online casino site has the https:// at the start of the address bar. Another aspect to look into is the padlock sign that assures you of a secure connection.
2. Research Reputable Game Developers
Irrespective of online casinos or not, whenever I play a game, I pay attention to the game developers. Understanding the developers’ reputation helps with the game’s quality and security. There are a few well-established game developers for online casinos, like NetEnt, Playtech, and Microgaming. Such game developers have been around, and I trust the quality and security of their games. There are many others, too, that have excellent reputations. These developers are known for their visual masterpieces, their games have exciting features to click on, and the play is usually quite fair.
The ‘About’ section of an online casino provides information on the game developers. You should understand that the casino cares about the security and verification of its games. Such casinos will offer a good player or customer experience. Conversely, casinos that look shady, have pixelated graphics and look like the games have been put together by an intern should be on your avoid list.
3. Regulation & Licensing
We’ve all seen movies where the hero goes undercover at a seedy, underground, illegal gambling den and catches the villain. Unlicensed online casinos are like illegal gaming parlours. I have realized that licensed casinos have strict gameplay, work with a regulatory body, protect young people from gambling harm, and ensure everyone practices responsible gambling.
Another way to check the regulations and licensing is to look for logos of the country’s governing body from which you are playing. In some cases, online casinos must display the logos of the gaming commission or authority regulating all the games. Despite seeing these logos, I still do a quick online check to verify the licensing authority, their logo, and whether the online casino I like is registered with them.
4. Reviews & Feedback
I don’t purchase a mobile without checking for reviews, so why would I play online games without checking what other players have to say? Online reviews are like diamond mines. The best part is disgruntled players leave more reviews than happy ones, so I can always find negative reviews faster than positive ones.
When checking the reviews and feedback for online casinos, ensure the online publication or website is independent and not biased. A casino with good and bad reviews is usually a genuine one. I avoid only positives or negatives.
5. Payment Methods
I’ve found that reputable online casinos have multiple payment methods. They also have options for card payments, withdrawals, and NetBanking. I avoid casinos that do not accept popular or widely used payment methods because they feel shady to me and may not be genuine.
Quick payouts with a transparent process are usually how reputable casinos operate.
