A Guide to Online Casinos for Beginners

Online casinos are a type of iGaming site, in other words, a legally permitted website that is fully licensed and regulated to offer real money gambling services in certain major global jurisdictions.

Today, there are thousands of online casinos to choose from, so finding the right one that won’t let you down can often prove challenging, particularly for new players who haven’t ever played at an online casino before.

Here is a useful beginner’s guide for anyone who is looking to get started at an online casino for the first time.

What to look for in a good online casino

The things you should be looking for in a good online casino before deciding which online casino to join are the things most players overlook.

Not doing enough research can sometimes lead to disappointment, and not knowing what to expect from an online casino can lead to frustration and even anger.

The most important things every online casino player should consider before signing up anywhere are the following:

Make sure the casino is fully licensed and regulated by one or more globally renowned iGaming licensing authorities – never sign up to an online casino that’s not licensed by a reputable iGaming licensing authority
Only sign up to online casinos controlled by reputable operators with super track records
Don’t just sign up to an online casino because of the ‘too-good-to-be-true’ new player welcome bonus it’s currently offering
Go to the casino’s cashier/banking section before signing up to see if your favourite online payment methods (and currency) are accepted
Try to find out if the games at the casino are supplied by fully licensed and regulated online casino software providers/game development studios – from standard slot games to roulette live
Read several reviews and cross-reference/compare the reviews to get a better feel for the casino and to see if it’s recommended or not
Test the player support and see how friendly, professionally trained, helpful, and responsive they are
See if they have any safer/responsible gambling tools available to help players stay in better control of their spending
Try to find out if they have a loyalty/VIP program and other ongoing promotions/bonuses to take advantage of
Carry out basic website security checks – does the URL start with https://, and does it use 128-bit or higher SSL (Secure Socket Layer encryption)?

What else do I need to know about online casinos?

In most countries, you only need to be 18 to join an online casino. However, in the United States, you must be at least 21 years old, and in Canada, it’s 19, so don’t forget to check if you are old enough before attempting to sign up anywhere.

Most online casinos are required by law to get players to prove who they say they are by sending in account verification documents, also known as the KYC (Know Your Customer) process.

It prevents underage gambling, multiple accounts being opened by the same player, and other fraudulent activities.

To get yourself verified, you have to send in documents, such as a scanned colour copy of a gas or electricity bill (proof of address) or perhaps a mortgage or bank statement, and a scanned colour copy of your driving license, passport or nationally/internationally accepted form of identification.

The ID photocopy must be valid when you send in the copy, and your proof of address documents must be less than 12 weeks ago. Until you get yourself verified, you won’t be able to withdraw, much to the annoyance of most players, but it is required by law, nonetheless.

Final note

Finally, the other important thing to remember about online casinos is that most bonuses come with wagering requirements attached.

You MUST complete the wagering requirements in the given time before any winnings you have made from your bonus can be withdrawn. ALWAYS read the bonus Ts and Cs before accepting any offer to ensure you get the most out of your bonus, and remember to gamble responsibly at all times.