Choosing a Casino

You'd think that picking a casino would be all about the biggest payouts, right? Wrong! Deciding where you want to gamble should be based on a variety of different things, to make your initial gambling experience a good one. Not only that, but choosing the wrong online casino can lead you to some dangerous pitfalls. In order to help you make the best selection, we've ranked the most important things to look out for when choosing an online casino.

1. Make sure that the casino is licensed

Some licensing jurisdictions are more in tune with industry standards than others. Such places include Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and Cyprus. This can significantly improve the quality of the site and ensure fair game play and reasonable conduct.

2. Read reviews

A great way to know whether a certain casino is good or not, is to read online reviews and recommendations. There are hundreds of reviews out there offering honest and detailed evaluation of some of the best and worst online casinos. Some sites also have their own message boards and chat rooms that you can visit before gambling. Most people are more than happy to share their thoughts, and you can ask questions of your own without any form of registration. Let someone else do the dirty work for you!

3. Look for awards

Some online casinos have areas where you can vote for the site. At the end of each month, service sites collect all the votes made, and rank the casinos from most popular to least. Usually called a "top site" award, it is a good indicator of what's hot and what's not in the gambling public.

4. Get a feel for the software

There are heaps of gambling software providers these days, and all are different; some require download while others don't, some have better graphics than others, some are more user-friendly, etc. Unless you already have a favorite, there are a couple of ways to get a feel for the software before actually using it. Firstly, the better casinos will provide you with a preview of the gaming software, such as screen shots and "how to play" instructions. Secondly, many casinos allow you to set up a guest account and play for fun. It's always better to really see what you're in for before paying for it!

5. See what games the casino offers

Some casinos are game specific, while others offer up to 100 and more different casino games. Make sure that the casino offers your favorite games before signing up, or, your preferred game variant. Also, beware of using online flash versions of software, as this usually means a limited choice of games (as opposed to the download version, which has more).

6. Does the casino provide support?

Online support and customer services are there to help you when you get stuck, don't know what to do, or just have a question. As a beginner, you'll probably need this service a lot, and it's good to know that you're not alone. Try to avoid casinos that don't offer full time support, and give them a call before gambling to see if they're legitimate or not.

7. Check the approved payment methods

Most people favor a specific payment method. Yet online casinos won't offer you all of them, so be sure your preferred payment option is approved by the site. Also, check the site's terms and conditions to see how long it takes to receive your winnings, as some casinos will only pay up once a month! One week should be the maximum, yet instant transactions are obviously the best.

8. Search for good deposit bonuses and payout percentages

Almost all online casinos will offer new users a first deposit bonus, yet they differ greatly. Today it is considered reasonable for a site to offer a 100% match on a deposit up to $100, as well as a continual monthly bonus. As for payout percentage rates, reputable casinos generally offer 96 - 96.5% payout percentage. Rarely will they take less, but if they take more, stay away!

If you can checklist everything above, you have found a good site. In that case, move on to the next lesson, which will guide you in your first real money game. If not, however, we recommend you keep looking. Just in case, we have added a blacklist of all the online casinos that you should definitely keep clear from.