How Do We Rate Online Casinos?

The number of online casinos on the market today is enormous. The good thing about this is that players are not limited when looking for a casino site to play at. Besides, the wide number of options creates competition in the market, giving players an edge. On the flip side, the large number of these sites makes it easy for fraudulent casinos to go unnoticed. Therefore, many players easily fall prey to scammers.

All these places players at sixes and sevens as they try to figure out reputable sites to enjoy casino gaming. We perfectly understand these worries, and that is why we want to show you our rating standard of online casinos at our site. We'll be walking you through all that we check before including a casino on our list.

Frank Mickens Project Manager

Author: Frank Mickens

Frank is a high-level specialist with an unstoppable desire to develop both himself and the project. He has been working in the company for 8 years and became the soul of the team. Currently, he is occupied with reviewing online casino platforms and developing new ones.

1. Casino Safety and Reputation

Safety and reputation is the first thing we dig into when checking out an online casino. The reputation of a casino based on its offers and reviews from players is very important. Also, the safety of players' funds and information is of utmost priority in our rankings. Here are some of the things we look out for in regards to safety and reputation.

Checking Online Casino License

Every reputable casino holds a valid license of operation. This is one thing we don't joke with. A license indicates that the casino's operations are duly regulated. It also shows that the site has been thoroughly audited by external bodies.

Are Casinos Regulated by a Reputable, Independent Player Protection Authority?

It's not enough that casinos have just any license; the license must be from reliable bodies. Top regulating agencies in the gambling industry include the Kahnawake, United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authorities (MGA). A valid licence from these bodies proves that a casino has good reputation. Specifically in Ontario, all brands must be approved by iGO (iGaming Ontario), so check for their logo on the casino sites to make sure that the operator is reliable.

Availability of a Current SSL Certificate

For a casino to be safe for players to play, its website must have the current SSL encryption technology. This is what secures your data on the site. The SSL tech also safeguards the site from being hijacked by attackers. We ensure that casinos on our site have the latest SSL certificate so you can play safely.

What Do Players on Independent Review Platforms and Forums Say?

Reviews from players on independent platforms go a long way in determining the standing of a casino. These are players who have likely played at the casino before. We, therefore, don't take their reviews lightly. They form a good part of our judgment of decent online casinos.

2. Games and Software

What's a good casino without great games? The variety of available games will ultimately determine your satisfaction at any casino. That is why we check for the gaming selections and software providers at casino sites. Let's show you how we do this.

The Variety of Games

A good casino has a pile of regular games and a ton of other new options. We check for the presence of slot machines with interesting themes. Our team also looks out for table and card game varieties, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, and many more. Great casinos also have a stock of progressive jackpots and live dealer games.

Is There a Free Mode?

Players should be able to try out the casino games without risking any money. Playing on demo gives a feel of how the games are on real money play. However, some casino games are restricted in free mode. For instance, live dealer games at many casinos are not available for demo mode. Nevertheless, players should be able to play several other games on the site without risk.

Which Software Developers Are Available on the Site?

Software developers are the big white chiefs that determine how games appear and the entire gameplay. Therefore, great games are a product of top-notch developers. Big names in the software industry include NetEnt, Microgaming, Play’n GO, and many others. Great casinos flood their lobby with games from several top software providers.

Are There Games to Download and What Are Their Features?

Many players prefer downloadable games to the web version. This is because these games appear better on their devices. Players with small mobile screen devices will find it easy to play the games because it adapts easily to their screen size. We make sure to include casinos with these features on our list.

Is It Convenient to Play in a Web Browser?

Latest web features like HTML5 technology makes web gaming very smooth. The tech allows casino websites to adapt based on users' screen size. This way, players can seamlessly play the casino games. It also saves the stress and storage requirements of downloaded games. Our casino list contains many casinos with this feature.

3. Payment Methods

Decent casinos give players several options for their payments. We look out for casinos that process deposits and withdrawals swiftly. Here's our payment method checklist for online casinos.

What Deposit/Withdrawal Methods Are Available?

You shouldn't be stuck to only certain methods for payments at online casinos. We check that casinos offer varying options for financial transactions at their site. This should include fast and secure means to deposit your money and cash out winnings.

How Quickly Can I Deposit/Withdraw Funds?

Players all get discouraged when casinos are snail-like in their deposit/withdrawals processing. That is why we make sure to look for casinos that process payments at flash speed. These sites also feature fast and secure payment methods.

How Easy Is It to Withdraw Money to Your Personal Account?

Some casinos make it very hard for players to cash out their money. They do this by imposing unreasonable requirements and unending verification processes. We make sure to sift out such casinos on this site.

Are Financial Transactions Safe?

The safety of your financial transactions at a casino depends on the safety of the casino site and payment methods. Reputable casinos put in the needed measures to ensure that deposits and withdrawals are not intercepted by attackers.

What Are the Withdrawal and Deposit Limits?

Deposits and withdrawals must be capped at reasonable amounts. Decent casinos allow players to deposit moderately low amounts. They also don't place sky-high minimum limits for withdrawals.

4. The Appearance of the Website

Truly, all that glitters are not gold; however, in the case of online casinos, the glittering matters. The appearance of a casino site can either attract or repel players. Let's walk you through the things we consider in terms of appearance.

Clear and Simple Navigation on the Site

Players should be able to surf the casino site with ease. Good casinos ensure this by making several tabs available that link different pages on the site. Besides, the lobby should indicate the category of available games. Players should also be able to explore the available options by clicking the button of each category. All these make it comfortable to navigate around the casino.

Availability of Different Language Versions

Great casinos bridge the language barrier by making different languages available. This gives players the feeling that the casino website was designed for them. Some casinos even have region-specific sites for players.

Graphics and Design

Many casinos have a central theme for their site. Therefore, it is crucial to crafting their website design to fit their theme. It's no news that casinos with sleek graphics and design easily attract punters. Players find it easy to go with a casino that can appeal to their senses with great website quality. We consider this in our rankings too.

Quality of the Game

The outward graphic quality of the website must extend to the games on the site. We look for casinos that have games with great audio and video quality. This ensures that players have a great time every time they visit the site. So, the quality of games at the casino lobby is one important factor for us.

5. Bonuses and Promotions

Bonuses are like the icing on the cake at every casino. It spices the gaming adventure of every player. That is why we make sure to check that casinos on our site feature reasonable bonuses to new and existing players. Here are the things we look out for.

Does the Casino Provide a Welcome Bonus?

Every new player at many casinos receives mouth-watering offers after sign-up. This could include deposit and no deposit perks. In our rating of casinos, we strongly consider the availability of decent bonuses. Based on our standard, decent bonuses are offered with modest wagering requirements. This gives players an opportunity to get something out of the bonus in the long run.

What Are the Conditions for Receiving the Bonus?

We check that the casino did not put up stringent requirements for players before they could enjoy their bonuses. We also confirm that players can make something out of the bonus. That is, the offers should come with modest requirements.

Are There Any Bonuses for Regular Players at the Casino?

Bonuses shouldn't be limited to new players. Existing punters should also get regular perks from the casino. Bonuses give players the needed motivation when they play. Therefore, we lookout for casinos with regular offers to existing players at the site.

Is There a VIP and Regular Player Bonus Program?

VIP programs give loyal players the feeling of recognition at the casino. It also encourages them to continue playing. Great casinos set up a solid loyalty scheme in which players rise the ranks as their activity on the site increases.

6. Playing on Mobile Phones

The number of mobile users on the internet today is huge. Many players access casino sites on the go with their mobile devices. Therefore, casinos must have a good structure to accommodate users of mobile phones. We check out the following at casinos on our site.

Is There a Mobile Version of the Site?

If the casinos feature a mobile version, users of mobile devices wouldn't have a hard time playing at such casinos. The casino site should be tailored to mobile users with varying screen sizes. This makes gaming smooth. Websites that make use of HTML5 tech can easily create responsive sites for players and encourage mobile users to play at their site.

Does the Casino Have Its Own Mobile Application?

Downloadable mobile applications make casino games easy to play for mobile phone users. Mobile applications are great because they are tailored to fit the size of any accepted mobile device. This makes it a great option. Casinos with mobile applications, therefore, have an edge with players using mobile devices.

What We Don’t Do When Writing Casino Reviews

We have strong values that we abide by when writing a review on an online casino. These standards are what distinguish us from many other casino review sites on the web. Let's break it down to you.

We Don’t Sell Rankings

Every casino review you see on our site is a product of our detailed analysis and in-depth research. We don't receive money to hype a casino on our site. We make sure that every review we provide is honest and unbiased based on our experts' judgment. You can be rest assured then that whatever you read on our site is the true reflection of things.

We Don’t Ignore the Negative

You've probably found casino reviews that talk all about the good but forget the other side. We don't do that when we write reviews here. Our casino reviews contain full information on both the pros and cons of playing at the site. This gives our readers a complete picture of what the casino is and what to expect if they sign up.

We Don’t Forget to Update Our Rankings

We are diligent in constantly updating casino reviews and rankings based on current happenings. Therefore, you'll find that casinos may either rise or drop in ranks based on changes at the site. If we consider a site to be better than what it used to be in terms of features, we quickly update it on our site. Likewise, casinos that have lowered the bar are ranked lower.

Summary

Our goal is to ensure that players can play comfortably and profitably at online casinos. That is why we go beyond the surface to find out the offerings at these gambling sites. We then rank these casinos based on current standards in the industry.

Newbies to casino gaming can therefore save themselves from fraudulent sites as they start gambling on a strong foot. Likewise, long-time players can get updated about the best sites to place their wagers and info on the latest advances in online gambling.