The Guide on Choosing the Best Online Casino for Real Money in 2020

16 min readJun 20, 2019

Contents:

● Online Casinos 101
 - The Definition of Online Casinos
 - Differences of Web Casinos
 - Real Money Plays and Demo Modes
 - Laws Dedicated to Online Gambling● A Step-By-Step Guide on Choosing Top-Rated Casinos
 - Decide on Your Goals
 - Find Eligible Platforms
 - Explore Other Players' Reviews
 - Read Terms & Conditions
 - Find the License
 - Discover Games Provided
 - Check Bonus Rules
 - Research Banking Methods
 - Test the Support Center
 - Enjoy!● DOs and DON'Ts of Casinos
 - Things to Avoid in Gambling
 - Things to Find in Gambling● Responsible Gambling Principles
 - Fighting Online Casinos Addictions
 - Organizations Which Oversee Gambling for Real Money● Checklist to Find the Best Platform● The Platform You Really Like Is the Best One!

What is gambling? Just a hobby? A money-making activity? A type of relaxation? A job? There are tons of answers, and each is true for particular gamblers. In 2017, the market was worth more than $50 billion compared to $46 billion in 2016. At the same time, the value of a global gambling sector was almost $400 billion in 2016! In 2018, the market hit the mark of $52 billion and is expected to grow more.

These facts imply that users have their interest in this sector, and deserve to know more. Maybe, you look for an insightful article covering casinos, RNGs, games, house advantage, rigged slot machines, bonuses, rollover features, money transfers, and more? This article is final stop to find all answers.

Now, sit back, relax, and check the best online casino guide with exhaustive info about websites which deliver gambling activities. The information array may look a bit overwhelming, so take your time and explore each section carefully. Remember that enough knowledge can save you money, time, and even health. Also, please, note that the authors share responsible gambling principles.

Without further ado, let’s count 1–2–3 and start our beginner’s guide that unveils suggested playing sites for all!

Online Casinos 101

Firstly, it’s crucial to know what’s the catch with the topic. Thus, the first section will be about web platforms and their basic ideas. If you are a professional gambler, feel free to skip this part. Still, we suggest refreshing information about basic things and realize why it’s important to carefully choose perfect gambling sites with real cash.

The Definition of Online Casinos

Traditional casino is a platform located on the Internet where people can gamble. It’s a traditional website similar to any other platform like YouTube or Facebook but focused on gambling. Via top-rated venues, users access different titles including slots, table games, bingo, etc. They are developed by teams such as ELK Studios, IGT, NetEnt, and Microgaming but are delivered to the audience via sites such as LeoVegas Casino, Betfair Casino, Betsafe Casino, 888 Casino, Dunder Casino, Genesis Casino, Casumo Casino, Royal Panda, Rizk Casino, Betway Casino, William Hill Casino.

Cooperation of the best providers and trusted platforms together creates the best user experience in wonderful web casinos. Hence, remember the first recommendation: opt for leading providers.

Differences of Web Casinos

The gaming universe features four categories of sites. They provide access to games like keno, blackjack, poker, baccarat, etc. Users are free to select the most suitable approach but, often, sites are compatible with all the options:

Instant play online. Gamble using browser and Flash/HTML5 technologies.
Download casinos. Gamble by installing casino clients on the desktop.
Mobile web gambling. Gamble using mobile browsers (Android, iPad, iPhone).
Mobile app gambling. Gamble using native mobile applications.

Apart from this particular classification, there are more differences related to innovations. Historically, all casinos are centralized, which means, they rely on servers just like web platforms. With the rise of blockchain, decentralized casinos appear. Projects like Edgeless, Wagerr, and TrueFlip allow users to access ideally fair games and use cryptocurrency like Bitcoin for gambling. For now, decentralized platforms are not as famous but you should be aware about them.

Since modern platforms host numerous gambling ways, people can select the most suitable one. Thus, here’s the second recommendation: compare all forms of online games.

Real Money Plays and Demo Modes

The contrast between money plays and free modes is crucial. Obviously, the first approach stands for wagering cash or digital assets when gambling. You can insert your money or get bonuses from venues, but there’s a catch. Both your risks and potential benefits are pretty high. Lose — and you will finish with zero. Win– and you will get millions because of progressive jackpot features. Everything is real.

Or you can find demo games. They offer less stressful gameplay as they don’t force players to bet cash. Giant networks deliver free chips regularly, so users can enjoy gambling without risks. Most of all applications in app stores are focused on social gambling without real cash, as well. If you are fine with demo casino free titles, consider sticking to them longer.

Often, a real money casino combines two offerings by providing some free chips for newcomers, but also supporting real money projects including Live streamed projects. We suggest starting with free games like free slots. Transfer your cash only when you realize how things work!

Laws Dedicated to Online Gambling

The final point to talk about in that subsection relates to regulatory issues. As you may know, governments of different states are wary of risks, money laundering, and crimes such as hacker attacks. That’s why casinos must obtain a license to operate within specific countries. Surely, it’s almost impossible to block a website in the age of VPNs, but unlicensed casinos are in a less favorable position now.

A lot of official bodies with the right of issuing licenses exist worldwide. Among all, the most powerful are:

● Curacao Internet Gambling Association

● Gambling Commission of Kahnawake

● Gaming Authority of Malta

● Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation

● The Gambling Commission in UK for players from Albion

Apart from governmental bodies, there are some organizations which spectate for web plays and process of gambling. For example, eCOGRA is an international company which tests and approves RNGs and titles that utilize them. If you see an eCOGRA license mark on a website, keep calm as the games provided here are fully unbiased. Less popular testing teams include GLI, iTech Labs, and Trisigma.

Moreover, there are groups which fight for responsible gaming. We will look at them closer to the final section. As for this part, you should know that governmental and testing licenses are obligatory for trustworthy casinos!

A Step-By-Step Guide on Choosing Top-Rated Casino

Continuing our journey, let’s start the main section that covers key questions related to choosing top-rated web casinos and starting your play. Multiple platforms that provide playing services exist all over the world but you can’t trust all of the offers. Obviously, some casinos are just scams that steal money, while others list rigged software that give you tiny chances to be rewarded with hard cash.

Thus, we are going to help you define a solid real playing site and spot illegal alternatives. Using the sections located below, you can easily select only reputable web gambling projects with perfect games from top providers, safe banking methods, and great design. Don’t forget to check the key takeaways highlighted at the points’ final phrases to avoid being overloaded with info.

1. Decide on Your Goals

No, web search isn’t the first stop in your gambling trip! Beforehand, you’d better to unveil your expectations about gambling. There are a few questions to ask yourself to understand your wishes better:

● Which gaming titles you prefer: all that are available or only certain ones?

● Do you want to access broadcasted Live games?

● What about earning without initial deposits at all?

● Maybe, you want to enjoy free modes in advance?

● Will you begin via desktop, smartphone browser or apps?

● From which state you want to gamble?

● Does your local language support matter?

Surely, it happens that casino players definitely know what they need. However, more often, users realize that they don’t have strict rules and can gamble everywhere. Means, the most popular wishes are “I want play slots” or “Poker sounds as a good idea”. If it sounds familiar to you, feel free to proceed to the next sections that show how to sift through the giant casino selection.

Key takeaway: ask yourself about your playing desires and wishes

2. Find Eligible Platforms

The search itself hides some trouble. The online universe is really huge. There, you can find everything from minor slots-only top sites to giant poker networks and casino aggregators. Most likely, the websites on the first Google page will offer gambling guides with several casinos mentioned in them. Generally, these guides aren’t perfect as nearly all authors get money for promoting the listed sites. Take the info with a grain of salt.

The best way to web search is to be a skeptic. Consider casinos as platforms which have to convince you to choose them for serving you. The industry is highly competitive so customers are in a favorable position as businesses should attract their attention. Thus, begin with guides but also do your own research by checking casino sites independently. We will mention the exact steps of research in subsequent parts of this article.

Key takeaway: don’t rely on casino guides only, but explore websites on your own

3. Explore Other Players’ Reviews

Often, feedback is the most priceless thing you can obtain. The only problem with online reviews is that it’s never clear whether a certain user is a real gambler or a copywriter that creates paid texts to improve the casino’s reputation. The conclusion is that reviews are cool but you want to consider them with close attention.

For fair feedback, you can go to forums where users have a profile history with all the posts and messages they have written. Check complaints and, especially, issues with withdrawal times. Finally, you may want to start cooperating with platforms that have quick response time and dedicated support teams on the top-rated forums. Despite the importance of feedback, it can’t be the major indicator of casino reliability, so let’s move further.

Key takeaway: find reviews of active players on forums, but don’t trust them blindly

4. Read Terms & Conditions

Okay, nobody likes long texts with complicated definitions, vague wording, and links to regulatory papers. Respectively, only a few online players read T&C of the chosen site from A to Z. That’s a huge mistake! You can never be sure in the fairness without checking rules, so spend some time and explore them before signing up. If it’s too difficult, look at basic points such as licenses, promos, T&C, and WR.

Among the red flags, there are five the brightest ones:

● Texts which are stolen from another project

● WR on your own cash or bonus

● Low limits for cash outs

● Long pending time

● Misprints, misspellings or missing parts

Key takeaway: don’t neglect to explore terms & rules as they can save your money

5. Find the License

Overall, people wish to play in a licensed real casino because those operating without official documents are scams, mainly. However, things are getting more complicated because different countries have different regulations. For instance, the areas like Antigua or Cyprus are less demanding when it comes to KYC/AML policies. The site located within these areas can have poorer terms and other rules.

Otherwise, territories like the Isle of Man or our beloved UK have stricter requirements to licensing casino operators. If you are deciding between two platforms controlled by different regulators, opt for one with a more reputable license. Plus, countries with legal online gambling always have national regulatory bodies, so it’s better to join a local casino instead of overseas brands.

Key takeaway: opt for casinos backed by reputable government institutions

6. Discover Games Provided

Maybe, you know that web pages don’t create games (e.g. online roulette or blackjack), but purchase them from providers. Titles are defined by a developer or developers who cooperate with a given casino. There are multiple brands with several really famous, so we suggest opting for operators that list products of these teams:

● Playtech
● Evolution Gaming
● Habanero
● Microgaming
● RTG
● Rival
● Yggdrasil
● NetEnt

Some devs create everything from games to back-office solutions, while others aim at specific types such as casino Live roulette or other titles for Evolution Gaming. If you don’t prefer certain teams, choose the most trusted all-in-one team like Microgaming or NetEnt. Or, explore the offerings and find good brands for a specific market like already mentioned Evolution Gaming.

The choice of poker, baccarat, 21, and other stuff impressive. You can start online run by choosing any titles available: slots (video or classic), card projects, baccarat, poker, keno, lotteries, etc. Some web platforms combine casino experience with booking offers, so you can also bet on sports and other events.

Key takeaway: know about providers and choose only the perfect ones

7. Check Bonus Rules

Modern platforms deliver best bonuses to gamblers. You can get a multiplier on your transfer, spins or even a small amount of free cash. Usually, newcomers get the most benefits but casinos also try to engage the existing or ‘retired’ players to gamble more. The most famous promotions are:

● Deposit bonus. Increases your own money with a certain multiplier, e.g. 50%, 100% or even 200%. Bonus cash can be valid for the first deposit only or for several first transactions.● Free no deposits. Grants free money without obligatory deposits. Means, you can register and get a small amount immediately to start playing.● Free spins or bonus spins. Let you play slots without betting money from the account during bonus rounds. Extra spins are often considered games with the minimum available bet (like 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 777, 998, 1000, or more dollars or cents).

In addition, any modern online casino with real money holds special events with exclusive bonuses granted on weekdays, weekends, holidays, or noteworthy sport, cultural, and historical events. Often, redundant bonus cash will disappear after specified time.

What’s more important about best promotional offers, you need to know the difference between bonus terms and WR. It’s clear that casinos can’t simply gift money, so they set withdrawal restrictions. Typically, you can’t cash out the bonus amount until you have wagered more money, e.g. 10x or 20x this amount. This is called a rollover. Usually, it varies from 20x to 40x (mostly, it’s subject to 35x wagering) depending on the real money casino, bonus type, and games. For example, titles with low house edge like blackjack feature increased rollover because your bets count as 50% or even 10% from traditional wagers.

Key takeaway: always check at least 1 bonus offer per player, bonus package rules in terms & conditions, as well as privacy policy and cookie policy

8. Research Banking Methods

Real money sites feature vital transactions for both gamblers and operators. Money-related processes include depositing (when you send money) and withdrawing (when you cash out). While the first approach is pretty simple and smooth because casinos always want to get money fast, and thus try to simplify the process, the second one can be painful, especially if you don’t know the rules.

The cashing out process features a few important aspects which you should remember:

● Methods: usually, they duplicate options for deposits. They include cards with debit or credit functions (Visa, Mastercard), direct transfers, web wallets (Skrill, Neteller, PayPal), e-checks, PaySafeCard, pay-by-phone, and, rarely, cash.● Currencies: casinos always accept their national currencies, and almost always work with USD or EUR. Plus, you can find platforms which accept crypto.● Reverse time: the period when you can change mind, and ask to return money to your account. The best range is between 0 and 12 hours.● Pending time: the time when your request is being processed. Obviously, the lower the pending time, the better. But a common range is 24–48 hours.● Withdrawal limits: the amount of money that you can cash out per day, per week or per month. Try to find a platform with high limits to be able to withdraw big money winnings suitable for high rollers.

You should look for a suitable combination of these features. Even the casinos with long pending periods or few banking options have their loyal clients who are satisfied with their service.

Key takeaway: explore conditions and choose the mix which suits your demands of a high roller who wins big, or a random player with min deposit who enjoys gaming from mobile-friendly devices

9. Test the Support Center

The final option which helps gamblers evaluate the casino’s high quality and fairness is customer service. Usually, websites don’t provide much information about transfers or WR. In this case, feel free to chat with the support guys and ask burning questions. By interaction, you can understand how the given real money casino treats its users.

Moreover, it’s possible that you will have to contact operators to solve issues. Thus, you can create a pilot account and open a ticket in the support center to reveal how the casino solves user problems. Also, make sure that the website provides convenient interaction options like live chat support, phone calls, emails, etc.

10. Enjoy!

Yeah, that’s it. Further, we will cover some crucial points once again in more detail, but this step-by-step casino guide is enough to begin playing via good casinos online. Just remember the pieces of advice and follow them carefully.

DOs and DON’Ts of Casinos

Okay, what about a brief conclusion now? Using the mentioned stuff, we will help you to identify stuff to avoid, plus we will help to find positive features for the perfect online playing platforms that allow inserting real cash. Surely, these lists aren’t comprehensive enough, but they will act as a starting guide for the gambling universe.

Things to Avoid in Gambling

● Newly launched casinos. Brand new websites which don’t have testimonials at all or have tons of positive feedback are pretty suspicious. Better, stick to trusted famous brands.

● Casino bonus lock-in. All top online casinos block only bonus money which you can’t withdraw until you meet the rollover requirements. However, other less popular websites block ALL the money from your deposit (10, 20, 50 or 1000 dollars, whatever).

● Unfavorable odds. Sometimes, sites host free games with high house edge and low RTP such as American roulette instead of European roulette. Also, it’s possible to find rigged RNGs.

● Sites without licenses. We will emphasize this point once again. Never play in unlicensed casinos as they can’t provide any guarantees of your personal information or money safety.

Things to Find in Gambling

● Regulations’ compliance. Look for platforms which are compliant with the requirements of your local territory or country (United Kingdom, United States, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Suomi, Sweden).

● Payment options. You can access sites with different option to find the best pair of deposit and withdrawal system.

● Variety of games. This point is required for players who wish to get the all-in-one platform with best payouts percentage. Otherwise, look for specific sites which focus on certain game types.

● Reliable providers. Regardless of the casino features, you want to enjoy safe and secure projects from top-rated casino developers.

Responsible Gambling Principles

For this part, we have prepared some important and socially significant info. Read it carefully if you want to protect yourself and other gamblers from any harm. A lot of irresponsible casino operators violate laws and moral rules, so we should know how to spot and fight the problem.

Fighting Online Casinos Addictions

Today, psychiatrists officially recognize problem gambling as an addiction. Means, the problem is a real disease which should be identified and treated just like any other addiction. While physicians take care of addicts, online casino sites can prevent the problem by using a few simple strategies and tools.

For example, casino websites can add support of a self-exclusion option. With this feature, gamblers are able to block their own accounts for a specified term without the ability to unblock them earlier. Less severe methods include regular alerts and time/wagering limits. Players should have access to these tools to control their gaming experience.

Another approach provides for setting KYC/AML policies to prevent fraud or underage gambling. Using the system of identity verification and money transfers oversight, casinos can easily ban unfair gamblers who are suspected of digital crimes or simply can’t play.

Organizations Which Oversee Gambling for Real Money

To help people reach the glorious goal of totally fair and responsible gambling, various enthusiasts and experts unite in communities. They work as local national groups or international companies, as non-government organizations or dedicated departments of regulatory bodies. These communities do a good job of holding various events to educate people about gambling, supporting vulnerable groups online and in-person, delivering consultations, etc.

Here are some organizations which may be helpful:- GambleAware- GamCare- National Center for Responsible Gambling- National Council on Problem Gambling- Responsible Gambling Council

Checklist to Find the Best Platform

In this final pre-conclusion section, you can find a pretty useful list which we suggest to bookmark or even print out. By marking points of this checklist, you can end up using the platform of your dreams. Just ensure that you have checked all the bullet points:

Choose a type and specifications.
Find info to define the casino’s reputation
Look at T&C including bonuses and licenses
Check out the available games as well as providers
Explore transfer ways to be sure that they are suitable
Sign up by defining the name and the pass
Test the support center by creating test tickets
Grab promos and/or send a bit of cash
Gamble in the favorite casino with favourite games
Try to withdraw cash

These points are enough to realize whether the site is good. If you have completed these stages without issues and the site looks reputable, stick to it and try investing more money. But don’t forget to follow casino news because even the best casino sites can leave the market or even declare bankruptcy.

The Platform You Really Like Is the Best One!

Wow! That was difficult but we can congratulate you as you are getting to the end of the guide. The detailed conclusion could take a few more pages here, so we are not going to focus on every point. Instead, we will talk about the most essential things.

There are two golden rules of gambling including desktop platforms and mobile apps. Firstly, you want to wager only the money you are ready to spend because gambling is all about luck, usually. Secondly, you should play via the systems with good reviews and licenses. Surely, both insights are fair enough to mention here but the platinum rule is as follows: choose a casino which suits your style, your feelings, and your wishes. Make this choice based on your knowledge (particularly, obtained from our guide) but also listen to your heart. Remember that gambling is about good feelings and joy.

And here comes the last tip: always play responsibly via the numerous games, fight scammers, report underage gambling, help other players in risk, and play safe!