Which online casinos are legitimate?

Last Updated on July 19, 2020 by Jennifer Wright

Online casinos have pretty much won the race with their land-based counterparts, as they rank higher in the preferences of modern gamblers. Prospective players are more likely to sign up for an account online than travel to a brick-and-mortar casino to fulfill their gambling expectations. The real challenge for punters is finding legitimate online casinos, while filtering out dishonest operators. There are many things to consider when making this decision, but these particular elements should be taken into account.

Never compromise on software quality

Legitimate casinos will never make compromises when it comes to the quality of the software powering their games. Rigged and pirated software is a major threat, as it renders any chance of fair games nonexistent. Such games will unfairly increase the house edge, while placing punters at a huge disadvantage. In the long run, it’s impossible to win at these casinos, which in turn, will make it almost impossible to have fun. Independent developers try the software of various casinos for fairness, to determine if the random number generator is truly unpredictable. Their conclusions should be taken seriously and players should also consider exclusively licensed casinos, whose software is verified.

Fast and transparent transactions are a must

Online casinos allow their players to try the games for free indefinitely and don’t compel them to make a deposit. When you feel comfortable loading your account with cash, you should be provided with several payment methods. Diversity is important, but it is just as meaningful to enjoy instant deposits and fast withdrawals with minimum, if any fees. Legitimate casinos don’t charge high commission and don’t use slow or delayed withdrawal tactics to keep players active. This is something that dishonest operators are known to be doing, whenever they want to prevent players from cashing out their winnings. They count on players to reverse their transactions and instead, use the cash out money for further gambling.

Check customer support in advance

Customer support is key when choosing a new casino site and the best online casinos go to great lengths to keep their players happy and always go the extra mile for their convenience. They don’t cut down on costs by employing an insufficient number of support experts. What usually happens is that players don’t take the quality of the customer support seriously until they actually need assistance. That’s why it is recommended to get in touch with their specialists immediately after signing up for an account to ask questions. By testing the responsiveness of the service, the friendly and professional manner in which queries are dealt with, you get a better sense of what to expect.

Legitimate online casinos are licensed

One of the best indicators of responsibility and trustworthiness is the license. Legitimate online casinos have nothing to hide and they play the long game, so they don’t mind applying for a license. Since they run a legitimate business and play by the rules, they don’t have a problem in securing such a license in the first place. The seal of approval from the regulatory body should be clearly displayed on their website for everyone to see. There are differences even between the licensing bodies, but British players are lucky to know that casinos licensed by the UK Gambling Commission meet the highest security standards.

Past performance predicts future results

Longevity and a solid track record in keeping players happy is a clear indicator that the online casino is legitimate and worth considering by prospective players. It is difficult to stay afloat and thrive in such a highly competitive industry and only the best succeed. Over the years, online casinos serve millions of players and it’s never easy to keep them satisfied, given the nature of the games. There will always be complaints against the casino from disgruntled players, but what matters is the general perception. A solid past performance suggest that the casino has the experience and resources to meet growing expectations.

Protection of funds and sensitive data

Contrary to popular belief, money is not the most valuable thing that players share with online casinos when they sign up for an account. Personal information and sensitive data is just as important, especially with the strict know your customer requirements. Legitimate online casinos will never sell the personal information shared by the players during the registration process or later on. They will also make sure that the data is well protected, encrypted and stored on servers that are beyond their grasp of cyber criminals. The inability or unwillingness to protect these vital details should raise huge and instant alarm flags.

Jennifer Wright is an online casino and slots writer since 2010. She has an eye for detail and take pride in her in-depth analysis of new casino sites that enter the UK market. A regular at iGaming conferences and events, she is also a keen follower of industry news. In her downtime, she is an avid gamer and regularly takes part in esports tournaments. Jennifer currently resides in the north of England.