Online gambling is a huge industry, but not without its risks, and we’re not talking about the risk of betting – many websites are simply fronts for scams or employ certain tactics to get more money out of you without even realising it.
While it’s true that you should always research any online service before using it, this becomes all the more important when big money is involved – that is why we’ve compiled a guide on what to research when it comes to online casino websites, and why it is essential to know a bit about them beforehand.
To avoid getting scammed
This should come as no surprise, but the main reason you research your online casino choice is to avoid getting scammed or having your money and earning stolen or locked away. Some casinos will employ bad tactics to keep you invested in your winnings and play for longer and increase your chances of losing those earnings.
For example, you should research the withdrawing rules of any casino you play at – some have a set minimum of how much money you can withdraw at a certain time, making you play for longer and play more money just to achieve that minimum. Some casinos also block their banking on certain days of the week, so that you can only withdraw on certain dates, again increasing your chances of losing more money in the meantime.
To see which games fit your style best
On the other side of gaming of course lies your overall enjoyment of your gaming experience. After all, there is no point in playing something if you don’t get any pleasure out of it. If you enjoy simple gameplays with rules that are easy to follow or even no rules involved, perhaps online casinos that offer a large selection of slot machines are better suited for you. If you are more interested in using your maths and problem-solving skills, then you may look for websites offering original Poker or its variants.
To know which ones offer the best bonuses
Online casinos sometimes get a bad reputation when it comes to customer satisfaction, but some may actually offer various bonuses to get you to choose them – for example, some websites will offer generous bonuses to new players, so why not choose something that is also in your best interest? However, always make sure bonuses come at little to no cost, to reduce your chances of getting scammed.
To read public reviews
Another great reason to research your preferred online casino before getting started is to check what others have said about their experiences with it. For this, it is important to know how to recognise genuinely good reviews from bot-generated ones – reviews written by bots will tend to use similar language, be published around the same time and even by profiles with similar usernames. You can also look at review websites specialised in online casinos such as Fruity Slots, that have done the research into public reviews so you don’t have to.
Of course, if you can’t even find reviews or find poor ones, that is your sign to stay away from that website – one bad review among many positive ones is not necessarily a red flag, but it can help you make a better-informed decision before playing.
To know the house edge
Every game you play online will have a house edge – that is the mathematical advantage the casino will have over you, expressed in a percentage (e.g. a house edge of 4% will mean you lose about 4% of the money you put into the game). However, you can research the games you are interested in, and choose the ones with lower house edges to maximise your earnings.
