Every online gambler has heard the horror stories: casinos that sell credit card numbers, gaming sites that demand bank information, others that refuse to pay altogether, and casinos that cheat. It is hard to get a “gut feeling” on the trustworthiness of an online casino. Unlike a brick and mortar establishment, you cannot base decisions based on the interior of the casino, for example on other clearly upset gamblers you see arguing with dealers, or on your impressions of the casino staff. However, there are still ways to determine if an online casino is honest and reputable. Below are our picks for the legitimate casinos of 2017.
1. Is the casino licensed or affiliated?
If you go to an honest casino, you should see a list of logos or fine print at the bottom of the homepage. One of those logos or a section of fine print should announce that the casino is under the jurisdiction of a gambling authority or gambling commission. Some casinos just offer the regional government, which means they are under the national gambling authority.
This is important. The gambling authority regulates online gambling to make sure the casino is honest. If you do not see a license or affiliation on a casino’s webpage, this is a bad sign.
Example: Bet365.com
Bet365.com is one of the most reputable and diverse online casinos. They cover an enormous number of athletic events in their sportsbook offerings as well as providing poker, bingo and casino games. Bet365.com offers a number of secure ways to make deposits, including major credit/debit cards and eWallets. Best yet, Bet.com has several licenses and affiliations. The casino is registered with the UK Gambling Commission, the government of Gibraltar, and the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS). IBAS is a third party mediation service that steps in to help resolve conflicts between casinos and gamblers. Since IBAS has no loyalty to casinos, it is completely neutral. The casinos affiliated with IBAS agree to honor the service’s decisions, even if those decisions do not favor the casino.
2. Does the casino offer secure payment options?
A casino that wants to protect its clients will offer secure payment options, such as a variety of reputable eWallets and major credit cards. Never trust a casino that only offers direct banking wires or a casino that requires personal account information. If a casino attempts to cheat you and you paid with a good eWallet or credit card, you can utilize the dispute resolution services offered by the eWallet or card. If you only used a bank account, you may be out of luck.
Example: Expekt.com
In addition to a solid lineup of betting choices, Expekt.com offers over 20 secure ways to deposit and receive money. The casino also offers excellent customer service in the event that something should go wrong.
3. Does the casino offer immediate customer service?
While any casino can inadvertently make a mistake, the difference between an honest casino and a disreputable one is whether the casino tries to make things right. To that end, good casinos have great customer service. This means you can get in touch with a live person right away via chat or phone. Casinos that only offer the option to email or fill out a contact form and wait for someone to get back to you are not trying very hard to make things right. If a casino does not care enough about your business to help you in a timely fashion, they are not worth your notice.
Example: CasinoTitan.com
Casino Titan offers a wide selection of poker, blackjack and casino games as well as a good selection of secure ways to pay. They have an excellent customer service department, which gives gamblers three phone numbers based on geographic region, instant chat, email contacts, and even a fax number.
Related Entries
Related posts:
