Guide to Real Money Online Casinos
Enjoying some casino games for real money is not only for land casinos players anymore. You can now gamble at home, all you need is a computer or a smartphone. The world of online casinos for real money is wide, and here are some facts that you should be aware of before joining it. With our ultimate guide to playing casinos for real money, you will learn all there is to know about online casinos.
A little bit of history
- The gaming industry is one of the most powerful, and the first online casinos have appeared right after the creation of the Internet. In the beginning of the 90’s, were created the ancestors of the online casinos. Isn’t it crazy to imagine that, knowing how much of a struggle it was to download a simple image?
- It all became way simpler with the first online casino software, developed by Microgaming and brought on the market in 1994. That year was also important for online casinos since it has been the witness of the First Regulation Act for Online Gambling Real Money.
- The business of Online casinos became big pretty fast, and only two years passed by between the first online casino games with real money and 1998, a year that counted already over 700 online casinos websites. The same year, the very advanced Microgaming company introduced the first online Jackpot Slot Machine.
- With the years 2000’, the business really took off and online casinos for real money were everywhere. The first live games from land casinos were launched in 2002, and they are still very popular today, 15 years later. Between 2004 and 2006, many regulations were created around online gambling, and the first Maltese online gambling license was granted.
- 2010 made the online casino world enter a new era, with the first online casino mobile app. In 2013, the real money online casino world celebrated the first player to ever win 1 million £ on a mobile.
These are facts from the past, but what about the future? With over 400 online casinos in the UK only, and mobile casinos becoming as popular as the websites, we might say that the online casinos for real money have a bright future ahead. The games and the graphics are improving every year, and the software becomes more reliable. The Internet has made it possible to have a customer service live 24/7. It is unlikely that land casinos would one day disappear, but there sure is a very wide online gambling community.
What to look for in an online casino?
When the time comes to choose and to review an online casino, there are many parameters to be taken into account. A good online casino should tick a certain number of boxes to guarantee that you will have a great time in a secure environment. These are the following:
- A valid license. Licences protect the website and the player in case of a problem. It is very risky to gamble on an illegal online casino and you will benefit from no help if something happens. Before you sign up on an online casino, make sure it has a legal license.
- Secure payment methods. The most worrying thing about online casinos is that you have to give the website your bank details. As you don’t want to risk a fraud or losing money that you did not wish to spend, make sure the website provides the players with secure payment methods. The ones mostly used on online casinos are a credit card, Skrill, and so on.
- Fair odds. When you are willing to make some extra cash on online casinos, you need to make sure it is even possible. By choosing a casino with high payout rates or with transparent games that have fair odds, you can make that happen.
These three are the basic requirement for any online casino for real money you would play. Of course, there are others that you can have based on your own preferences. These are:
- An efficient customer service. Customer service is really important when it comes to real money, and you want to know that someone competent will be there for you in case of a problem. All casinos have a help section; however, some are more helpful than others. For example, the bigger the casino, the most likely you will have a 24/7 live chat option. This is not mandatory, but it sure helps relaxing when you know the customer service team is not far.
Online casinos with a 24/7 customer service: Hopa, Mr Green, Ladbrokes
- Good software and compatibility. This one is all about comfort. The better the software, the smoother the games will run. With a powerful software, you will get a better playing experience and more fun. Always try to choose online casinos that have invested in the most recent available software. There is also the question of compatibility. Many players enjoy taking their online casino with them when they leave home, and to make that possible you will need an online casino that is available on mobile or that has an app. Nowadays, most online casinos will run well on your mobile Internet browser. An app is storage space consuming but will guaranty a better experience.
- The games. Of course, everyone has their own favorite ones and there isn’t a game that fits all. However, a casino’s game selection is really important. You can tell a lot about a casino by checking their game selection. If you are into casino games and live casino games, avoid certain online casinos that specialize in scratch cards and slots. You will most likely not find the best poker tables on these. It is always nice to have the choice, and there is a wide gap between the websites that offer 2 different Roulette games, and the ones that offer more than 20. You can almost always check a casino’s games selection before signing in, so don’t hesitate to have a look.
- Bonuses and promotions. Online casinos know how to reward their players. This is why most of them have very attractive bonuses. Let’s have a closer look at the different bonuses you can expect to get when joining an online casino.
The no deposit bonus. The no deposit bonus is the most appealing since you don’t even have to fill in your payment details to get it. A deposit bonus is most of the time some free spins, so you can test the games before putting some money on the table. Keep in mind that this bonus is often limited to some games if not only one. More rarely, the no deposit bonus is a certain amount of cash that you can spend on the various games of the casino. This usually means high wagering requirements, so it won’t be that easy to take the cash out.
Deposit bonus. Almost all casinos have a welcome bonus for their new players. Once you have placed a deposit – minimum 10£ in most cases – you will be rewarded. The offers go from a certain amount of free spins to doubling your deposit, sometimes both. The more famous the casino, the bigger the bonus you can expect. The best is finding an online casino that has both a no deposit bonus and a first deposit bonus. You will enjoy extra hours of fun without risking losing too much. Some big online casinos even have a second deposit bonus, so a bit of research can take the game experience to a whole new level!
Casinos that offer a no deposit bonus and a welcome bonus: 32Red, DrVegas, Casumo
VIP programs and rewards. Once the online casinos have set a welcome bonus that is attractive enough to bring new players, comes the time to guaranty that these players won’t leave for a younger, more exciting online casino. As a general rule in the online casino for real money world, the more you play, the more you earn. Many casinos have a great VIP program, that rewards their most faithful players with free spins, extra cash and other exclusive gifts. It goes without saying that you will have to play very often and spend quite a sum to achieve the highest VIP rank. However, some online casino reward all of their players on a regular basis, no matter how much you have spent. If you are not a big player, these are the casinos you should be looking for.
Some casinos that offer a good VIP program: Hopa
Responsible gambling
Gambling is not only all fun and making some money on well-designed games. There are some dangers associated with online gambling for real money, and every player should be aware of it. Still, there is no need to stress out. Some casinos use a responsible gambling system, that allows you to have better control over your spending. The system allows you to create a deposit and a loss limit for yourself. This way, you won’t exceed to amount of money you wanted to spend on the website. For those who can spend several hours playing, it is reassuring! You can play, knowing that you are not going to do something that you will regret.