Online casinos are popping up like mushrooms nowadays, and the competition is nothing less than fierce. The market growth of the iGaming industry is expected to reach $55 billion in 2019, and the pace will go higher year after year. With such a high quantity of online gambling sites available out there, we need to know how to choose the best online casinos.
In the case of iGaming operators, it is crucial to know which characteristics will help attract more new registered customers (NRC) from around the world and make your online gambling sites hit the top of the chart.
To do that, we have highlighted all the important criteria that the best casino websites should have.
We are here to help you win BIG…Be it as a player, an operator or an affiliate!
1. Acceptance of international players
Amongst all the criteria that we are going to describe in this article, this one is the most crucial – Always check if an online gambling venue accepts players from the country you are currently residing in. It would be a shame if you skipped this step and browsed the website, just to find out later that you are not eligible for playing.
As for iGaming operators, higher flexibility to play on your online gambling site means attracting more new registered customers (NRC) from around the world.
Rules and regulations for online gambling vary from country to country so make sure you read the T&Cs carefully to save some disappointment. Often, accesses to these websites are blocked depending on the IP address detected, i.e., if you are using it from a restricted region.
2. Safety, Security, and Reputation
Safety is the utmost priority in assessing online casinos and licensing is one of the best indicators in hunting down the top casinos. It is mandatory that an operator is legal to run business in your country and is licensed by respective authoritative bodies. Some of the most reputable organizations include The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), The United Kingdom Gaming Commission (UKGC), and The Isle Of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC). Any legitimate online casino operators will include the logos of these organizations in the footer of their websites, just like how ‘Betway’ did it.
Moreover, if there are logos of eCOGRA (E-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), TST (Technical Systems Testing) or GLI (Gaming Laboratories International), it means that this operator hires agencies to analyze the random number generator (RNG) and the RTP for the fairness of the game.
One more way to know if the casino has a good reputation is the track record of the prestigious awards received from well-recognized organizations. These include EGR Awards (eGaming Review), IGA (International Gaming Awards) and the Global Gaming Awards.
For instance, LeoVegas has rolled up to the top by winning “Brand of the Year Award Winner 2018” for EGR Marketing and Innovation awards and also “Online Casino of the Year” at the Global Gaming Awards 2018.
3. Game Selection
The best online betting venues offer top-notch quality games with a wide selection for each game type. For this category, William Hill Casino and 32Red ranked top for their best game collections and for having a good balance across different game categories.
When it comes to variety, popular games such as roulette and blackjack should not just be limited to classic variants but also include more exciting options like 3D roulette, live blackjack, and blackjack surrender.
Usually, online casinos take pride in the fact that they can serve all types of players and will most likely show the numbers off on the front pages. This is how 32Red proudly presents the number of game options on their homepage:
4. Welcome Bonuses, Rewards, and Promotions
Every online casino gives out attractive bonuses to the visitors as a welcome package. Some websites double your deposit and let you play the game while others provide you with free spins or chips worth hundreds of Euros. If used the right way, an attractive welcome bonus deal can effectively reduce the expense of the player. While these may seem as a generous amount, do look out for the secret hook (aka) T&Cs as well.
Some really good gambling sites even let you play certain games for FREE. In that way, players can test the water before fully committing to that website.
CasinoEuro, for instance, give out almost half a million free spins and tens of thousands of deposit bonuses to their customers all over the world every month!
5. Payment Options
Whether you win or lose, gambling is all about money. Taking the gambling world to an online platform makes it a little bit more complicated than it already is.
It is important to check the currencies the casino is operating in before you start playing virtual casino games for real money. As you can see, localization for the iGaming industry is no joke. For cryptocurrency fanatics, some operators even accept bitcoins as payments!
Any top casino operators will provide a wide selection of payment options with a sprinkle of alternative methods. The popular options include credit/debit cards, PayPal and e-wallets such as Skrill or Neteller.
When it is time for you to withdraw your winnings, you should look into factors such as deposit/withdrawal methods, pending time and charges. Some big casinos like William Hill and Betway payout the winnings as fast as within 1-2 days. You don’t want to wait a lifetime to receive your own money!
6. Language and Localization
A great online casino company knows the importance of localization and uses it as a major advantage over its competitors. Imagine you want to play online poker, but you don’t speak English. What kind of website would you opt to play? I am sure we all know the answer.
Some great online betting operators have multilingual websites with content that is tailored towards their target market. A perfect example of an online casino which can break this language barrier is Betsson. On the first page itself, you will be provided with a list of languages to choose from. Depending on your choice, you will be redirected to different local websites (and that is exactly how Nike has done it!)
Here is how it looks like:
However, the definition of localization does not end with translating words into several languages. It is just the beginning of it. In the online casino industry, the essence of localization lies in focusing on the sports/games that locals are interested in and boldly portraying it on their websites.
Let’s take a look at these two pictures. The first image is Betsson sports betting website for French Audience and the second one is for those in the UK. How many differences can you spot?
Within this identical framework, the details are all different; starting from a list of popular leagues (left pane) to Live Sports betting table (right), they change according to the chosen region. That is impressive because online gamblers are taken straight to the correct betting page without losing time….and patience. Everything is just a click away!
7. Customer Support
One of the biggest advantages of playing at online casinos is that you can play WHEREVER and WHENEVER you want. Opening the virtual doors 24/7 to the players around the world also means the customer support must be available round-the-clock. That can be through various options, including Live Chat, Phone calls, and emails.
The faster the response time is, the better the ranking will be as well. It is also fundamental that these help centers can assist you in the language you are comfortable with (one more importance of localization!)
8. Cutting Edge Technology
The core of an online gambling platform are the “games” themselves. Many online casino sites are usually powered by a third-party software company for their state-of-the-art virtual games.
Some of the best and most-trusted software providers include Microgaming, Playtech, Real Time Gaming, and NetEnt. Each company produces its own creative storylines, unique game features, and kick-ass graphic designs.
This is just a snippet of the games that NetEnt offers:
The reason why it is crucial to assess the software providers as well is that the most reliable companies can handle all the technological hurdles and ensure that the hosting of the casino client is up and running smoothly.
As a player, it would be a nightmare if the game crashed or froze during the best part of the game. For online casino owners, it would mean losing business and customers to their competitors!
9. Mobile Gambling
In an era of technology where mobile devices rule the world, iGaming operators have extended their reach to online customers beyond PC. “Mobile First” has almost become a slogan for any digital marketer nowadays. Casumo, LeoVegas, and Dunder are some of the top online casino games that offer this Play-on-the-go feature.
This is especially true when you want to market your online casino to a younger audience, namely “Millennials”, as this target group can be attracted easier through next gen casino technology.
10. Website Design
Great design always appeals to the younger crowd. Gone are the days when a website looks like you just walked into an old hotel with outdated furniture.
Usually, gambling websites have an average look, and front pages are populated with overly-colorful thumbnails that will make you faint. If you have a unique taste for graphic design, then do check Casumo and Rizk out. They definitely deserve 10/10 for their outstanding graphic designs.
Visual appearance is more of an icing on the cake for online betting businesses since companies decide to invest more in building a high-tech platform with maximum security. While this is undeniably true, putting an extra effort into the design work proves that the company is willing to walk an extra mile for seamless user experience.
Playing online casino games is a thrilling experience like nothing else. To make sure that your gambling experience is memorable and pleasant, always seek casinos that meet the criteria mentioned above.
Now that you are well-equipped with all the essential knowledge to pick out the best casinos, you are now ready to check them out yourself. Happy Hunting!
Header Image Source: fabrikasimf on freepik.com
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