Are Online Casinos Out to Steal my Money?

Any new online gambler is weary of online casinos stealing their money. You put a lot of your private information online and hope they are trustworthy. There are steps to insure that your information is safe. First, you should make sure the casino is certified by an auditor like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) or TST (Technical Systems Testing). They exist to protect you. Once you find a casino you like, research some reviews on it. If you skip these steps, you may encounter a fake online casino. As the online gambling industry has evolved, these sites are being weeded out with new regulatory agencies but some are still around. This is how to spot them and avoid them.

Doing a quick Internet search can save you a lot of problems. There are quality sites that just review online casinos. Look up who owns the casino. Do they own other reputable online casinos? There are a lot of groups so you will probably run into plenty. If they use one of the big software operators, that is a good start. These software providers include Microgaming, Rival Gaming, Playtech, Vegas Technology and Wagerlogic. Realtime Gaming has run into a few problems but they are overall trustworthy.

A lot of fake online casinos share content. The easiest way to check this is to copy a paragraph or block of text from the site and paste it into a search engine. If the same content comes up on a few different sites, you could be in for trouble. While groups share the same types of bonuses, these rogue online casinos share everything so you should be able to spot them. As always, look for hidden wagering requirements. If they seem more unfair than usual, it could be a precursor to bigger problems. The same goes for payout procedures. Fair online casinos pay out on a weekly or daily basis. Monthly payouts are not a good sign.

Choosing the Right Online Casino

Choosing the right online casino is like choosing a fine wine. It can look good on the outside, but once you get in and taste it, you could be unpleasantly surprised. There are a number of things to consider before signing up so get your pen and paper ready.

First, look at the selection of games available on the website. Do they suit your interests? If you like to play card games, you might not necessarily care that they have 100 different slot machines to play. Instead, look for a wide range of poker games. Test out the streaming quality of the website. Make sure it offers 24/7 customer service. Most websites offer this in case you encounter problems with software loading, payments or withdrawals. Shop around for the best welcome bonuses. Some get up to the thousands depending on how many deposit matches are available. Other types of bonuses may come on your birthday, holidays or participation in tournaments. Most online casino games offer better payouts than land-based casinos so check on those as well. Do they offer free play for practice as well as playing with real money? Are there classes offering free games and tutorials on how to play? These are especially important for beginners who need practice.

Above all else, make sure the online casino is a licensed operator. Check for symbols from third party auditors like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) and TST (Technical Systems Testing). When you make payments and withdrawals, you can link up your bank account to the online casino. Be careful of identity theft by making sure your credit card and banking information is kept on a secured server. If you don’t find anything on the website that says it is licensed, it could be a fraud. Rogue online casinos have become a serious issue. Do an internet search on the casino and get some reviews on it. Some illegitimate casinos share content so copy a paragraph from the website and paste it into an internet search engine. If you find the exact same content on other websites, steer clear. Are the terms and conditions clear? Don’t fall prey to a hidden agenda on bonuses like wagering requirements.