How to know if an online casino is legitimate

Let’s start off by saying that if an online casino is listed on GamblingMetropolis, then you can rest assured that it is a trusted and legitimate operator. However, if you have come across another casino that is not listed here, you must be wondering if it is trustworthy. How do you check if a casino is legitimate or not?

If you want to stay safe and secure, it is always best to stick to the bigger casino names, those that usually have years of experience and operation under their belt and which are scandal-free.

If you want to be extra safe, there are many factors you need to take into consideration such as licensing, game fairness, payment methods, responsible gambling and even shares on stock exchanges. If you have a question mark on one of the factors, see it as a red flag and move on.

How to spot a trustworthy casino?

Online casinos thrive on their reputation so a casino with a good status looks after its players and makes sure that they are not being treated unfairly. Even though a casino has thousands of players flocking to it and a good reputation, remember that there is something called the house edge that will make the casino richer over time.

Once a casino has been on the market for a number of years, at least 5, you can say that it has built a good reputation for itself and is considered valuable in its own right. But the buck doesn’t stop there. There are many other factors to take into consideration to ensure you’re on a legitimate online casino.

If you are unsure about the following list, just find a more reliable casino:

• Licensing: All trusted online casinos hold operating licenses at a government level. Most notable licenses are the ones issued in Malta, UK, or Gibraltar.
• Fairness: Trustworthy casinos go to great lengths to prove to you that their casino games are fair. They do this by employing the services of auditing companies who do all the necessary checks.
• Responsible Gambling: One way to ensure that players are protected is by giving protection to problem gamblers and underage gambling. It is a fairly broad subject, but it gives added security to players with gambling problems.
• Payment security: One of the areas that mostly concerns all players is payment security as well as prompt payments. Delays in cash withdrawals is usually a warning flag. Always research properly any casino by reading reviews to ensure that your payment information does not fall in the wrong hands.

If you have any doubts whatsoever about the above-mentioned factors, it is best to keep on looking. You would also want to see a physical address, phone numbers and email addresses listed on the casino’s website for added security.

Let’s dive deeper into some of the above-mentioned factors:

Trustworthy casinos: Are they licensed?

A license is not enough on its own, though a lack of one is usually a warning sign. There is a difference between legitimate casinos and shady ones.

The oldest gambling licensing jurisdictions are usually based in Europe. Amongst the more reputable ones include Malta, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.

Trustworthy casinos: Is that deal fair?

As part of the licensing agreement, all online casinos must submit to audits, which are carried out by companies specializing in testing such as eCogra.  What these companies do is to put online casinos through numerous statistical tests. We are talking about millions of spins or table game rounds.

The outcome would then be compared to the Return to Player numbers prior to certification being published. These audits are also in place to ensure that the software cannot be changed by the casinos or altered in any way.

Trustworthy casinos have these audits done on a regular basis and are too happy to share to results. In fact, they display their certification usually at the bottom of the page.

Legitimate casinos: Are they fair to you?

Problem gambling is only one small factor of responsible gambling. While it is of crucial importance to treat people with problem gambling delicately and responsibly, it is also important that the casino is transparent with you.

If you think you may be suffering from a gambling problem, you can exclude yourself from the casino for either a set period of time or for the long term. This page should be easy to find. If it is difficult to find, you might want to reconsider moving on.

There should also be ways to set limits on your deposits. This would stop you from spending more money than you can afford to. Granted, you can always play at multiple casinos at one go, but at least it can stop you from one casino at a time.

Will you be able to make a cash withdrawal?

This should be the number one priority. Payment details is the one way for a casino to lose its players. You should be asking yourself questions about minimum and maximum withdrawal amounts, administration fees as well as how cashing out would affect your bonuses.

Trust takes a lot of time to build and casinos need to prove themselves in numerous ways including fast payments, clear terms and conditions and fair treatment towards players. New casinos have good intentions too, but it will be difficult spotting the good ones, especially if they are starting out.

If you want to ensure that you stay safe online, your best bet would be to stick to popular brands that have been around at least 5 years.

Sign up to a legitimate, trustworthy online casino

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