Criteria for Internet Casinos

Now that you’ve found an internet casino you like you still get this nagging feeling that something about this casino is not 100% kosher. As the old saying goes; when in doubt leave out! How does one really know when a casino is reputable? The answer to this question is pretty straightforward, before you sign up there are certain criteria an internet casino must adhere to. In this section we are going to provide you with the various criteria and a brief explanation of each.

1. Gambling Jurisdictions
2. Certification
3. Software provider
4. Wagering requirements for the sign up bonus
5. Casino forums
6. Self-exclusion option
7. Age

1. Gambling jurisdictions: Before we do the review of an online casino we always do a quick search to ascertain in which gambling jurisdiction the internet casino has been licensed. You’ll notice that a large proportion of the internet casinos listed on our website have been licensed in the following gambling jurisdictions: Alderney, Curacao, Malta, United Kingdom, Kahnawake and Costa Rica. The United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Alderney are known as white listed gambling jurisdictions. In other words internet casinos licensed and regulated in strict accordance with British Law and the European Commission (EC). The RNG (Random Number Generator) of their software providers are regularly tested and they must have the financial means to pay their players in the event of a big jackpot win. One of the main advantages of a reputable gambling jurisdiction is that they also act as an arbitrator between the online casino and the player in the event of a payout dispute.
2. Certification: This is one of the key issues that separate reputable internet casinos from dodgy outfits. What does certification mean? Every reputable internet casino has been certified either by eCOGRA, Technical Systems Testing (TST), and Affiliate Guard Dog (AGD). Although the latter is more geared to look after the interest of affiliates it also serves as a yardstick to determine whether a casino is reputable or not. We strictly advise players not to wager at internet casinos that have not been certified by the mentioned organizations.
3. Software Provider: There are a host of decent gaming software providers that internet casinos use to power their casino gaming platforms. We’re not going to mention every single software provider but just the most important ones that feature on our website. Top of our list is Microgaming followed by Playtech, Realtime Gaming (RTG), Betsoft, WagerWorks, Net Entertainment and Cryptologic. These gaming software providers not only afford players reliable and steady game play but their graphics and animations are very good and easy on the eyes. The software providers of some internet casinos are blurry, tend to stall and lack continues game play-avoid these!
4. The wagering requirements for the sign up bonus:It so happens that most internet players don’t read the terms and the conditions of the sign up bonus offered by internet casinos. At best of times this leaves many a player angry and disgruntled. There are various sign up bonuses (match bonuses) that range from 50%, 100%, 200% and even 400% is also known as “free money”. What is the purpose of a sign up bonus? The purpose of the sign up bonus is not only to boost your bankroll but also to try and get you to wager more. Let’s have a look at the most common sign up bonus of 100%. If the casino has a 100% match bonus up to $100 free on offer it simply means that the internet casino will match your first deposit by 100%. In other words, if you deposit $100 the casino will match your $100 with an extra $100. Great, your total bankroll now stands at $200. This is where the trick comes in; any amount of “free money” has a set of wagering requirements attached to it. Therefore, as per the stipulated wagering requirements of 20xd+b (20x$100+$100=$4,000) embedded in the casinos terms and conditions must be wagered first before any winnings could be cashed out.Internet casinos have different set of wagering requirements for their sign up bonus which ranges from 20xd+b, 30xd+b and even as high as 40xd+b. In addition the casino also stipulates that the sign up bonus could only be used to wager on certain casino games like slots, keno and scratch cards. The reason is that these games have a higher house edge as opposed to table games like baccarat and blackjack that have lower house edges. Remember the “House” always wins. If you don’t want the free bonus of the casino first contact the casino before registering an account, since many internet casinos have what we call “bonus traps”. Avoid casinos that have excessive wagering requirements, because it then becomes very difficult even impossible to cash out any winnings.
5. Casino Forums: This is arguably the quickest way to get valuable information about a specific internet casino. Should players or even affiliates have problems with an online casino they often approach forums to warn other players/affiliates and to request help in the event winnings are not paid out. The following forum that comes highly recommended by us is GPWA (Gambling Portal Webmasters Association). Many internet casino representatives are active at this forum and will help settle disputes in case there are any.
6. Self-exclusion option: The majority of internet casinos the reputable ones at least have stern policies in place especially when it comes to problem gamblers and underage gambling. They’re compelled by the gambling jurisdictions they operate in to include certain features in their promotional packages; one of these features is self-exclusion. Basically it means that if a player has a history of problem gambling he/she could contact the casino’s customer support section to ban them after they’ve wagered a certain amount for a certain period or indefinitely. CasinoLuck is one internet casino that has this policy in place and comes highly recommended by us.
7. Age: Internet casinos that have been in operation for many years have a proven track record, and they are financially capable and stable. We’re not saying that our list of criteria is fool proof and that only older internet casinos are 100% safe. But it will make your internet gambling exploits a bit easier and safer. Internet casinos like any business organization survives on profit, it’s your responsibility to always read the terms and conditions before registering an account. Make smaller deposits first before depositing larger amounts.