Just because online casinos become more secure every year doesn’t mean that you should drop your guard. On the contrary, you still need to be vigilant when choosing somewhere to play. Fake casinos and scam sites are getting better at mimicking real casinos, just as real casinos are getting better at protecting their players. With that in mind, what should you consider if you’re starting out and looking for a safe casino to join in 2024?
Wonder no longer, as I’m here to bring my wealth of expertise and knowledge to help you. In this short piece, I will highlight five things that you need to be aware of when choosing an online casino in 2024 and why they are important, and I’ll share with you the ideal features to look for under each point. Let’s get stuck in.
#1 – Licence, Regulation and Fair Play
Firstly, and this should be rather obvious, you’ll want to ensure that you’re playing at a legal casino and one which offers you a fair shot of winning. This means that you should pay attention to UKGC-licensed sites if you want to go down the heavily regulated, national route. If you prefer a bit more creative freedom in terms of bonuses and promotions, then you’ll find all sorts of top international online casinos for UK players here. Just be sure that any site you choose is licensed by a reputable body, that it is regulated and supports fair gaming opportunities for members. A quick check of popular opinion (in the form of online comments) may help you do that.
#2 – Great Games for Every Play Style
Next, you’ll want to ensure that any casino you choose supports the types of games you want to play. As well as being home to those games, it should also offer fair gaming options. This means that any titles should be RNG-certified, ensuring that independent bodies and third-party auditors check them for fair play. These games should span all sorts of genres, and the more there are of them, the better it will be for you. Don’t hesitate to check the RTP rates in games, either. Ideally, you’re looking for 95% or higher with the fairest games.
A Surplus of Games Gives You Choices
Let’s revisit that topic for a moment because there are one or two things that I feel we need to discuss in a bit more detail. Ideally, you’ll want to find a casino which doesn’t just support lots of slots but has lots of the same types of games. For instance, a site with dozens of blackjack options is better than one with just two or three. This is because each game will have its own take on the rules, and some may suit you more than others. Variety is king here.
The More Developers, the Better Those Choices Are
One of the best ways to ensure that the gaming library at a casino is packed with plenty of options is to choose a site that supports games from dozens of developers, arguably more. By doing so, you can rest assured that you’ll get to play the same game from different software providers, each of which may approach the game differently. Clone slots, for instance, may look the same and have similar features but offer vastly different RTP rates, prizes, and wagers. It’s good to keep your options open.
#3 – Reliable Support and Responsible Gambling Services
Next, let’s discuss support and responsible gambling. These two aspects are often overlooked. You want a casino that offers you reliable, 24/7 support and assistance. Live chat is a must nowadays, so you can get support within seconds. Secondly, you should seek a casino that offers responsible gambling tools that include deposit, wager, and loss capping tools, as well as self-exclusion options. You don’t necessarily need to play at a GamStop site, as these are overly restrictive. There are lots of top casinos not on GamStop for you to choose from on this page, and any of these can give you the tools you need to prevent problem gambling issues while giving you flexibility in terms of what, when and how you bet.
#4 – Convenient and User-Friendly Banking Options
If you want to use PayPal to deposit and withdraw, then ensure that it is offered as your prospective casino. If you want to deposit large sums for high-stakes gameplay, then you need to ensure that those are options. Similarly, if you want to deposit in euros instead of GBP, ensure that you can. Look for sites that offer a wealth of payment methods, have reasonable deposit limits, no fees, and quick transaction times. You can discover this information on the cashier/banking page at any casino before you sign up.
#5 – Bagging Fair and Friendly Casino Bonuses
Finally, let me touch on bonuses and promos. It’s always tempting to claim the biggest casino bonuses that you can imagine. However, that isn’t necessarily the way you want to go. There are some key things you want to look out for before you decide where to play, and I’m going to end by touching on these below. They include:
- Ensure that any bonus you claim can be used to play the types of games you want to play.
- With so many bonuses and promos out there for you to choose from, there is no reason for you to accept sub-par deals.
- Only claim bonuses and promos with fair wagering requirements and playthrough rates. Anything above 45x simply isn’t worth your time.
- Bonuses and promos will have deposit limits, wager caps, and win caps attached to them. Ensure that these are fair and in line with what you want to wager.
- Some bonuses and promos require codes to trigger them, others have short expiration dates, and some are tied to specific games. Always read the terms and conditions of any bonus you intend on claiming first. This sounds tedious, but trust me, it’s worth it.
- Finally, compare a few different bonuses across the site and against those at other casinos. Explore what you get, what you’re asked to deposit, and the terms you’re tied to. You’ll want to see value for money. Bonuses are not worth claiming if they don’t offer value for money.
