How to choose a casino and start playing!

Choosing an online casino can be very difficult, there are so many different options to choose from. Does the casino have a great welcome bonus? Fair and trustworthy games? a helpful customer service? is the casino licensed by any gaming authorities? These are questions that an experienced player knows to ask, but if you are new or if you need some extra explaining we go through the most important things to think of when choosing a new casino and start playing.

Gaming Licenses and Regulations

The first thing on the list of things to do before you check anything else is to see if you are eligible to play at a certain online casino. One way of doing that is to check what gaming authorities that license and regulate the casino. For most European players it is important to check that the casino is licensed by the domestic authority. If it is not then the Malta Gaming Authority and The UK Gambling Commission are two of the best authorities. Some countries might still be exempt from being able to play at the site. To be 100% always check the casino's terms and conditions, where they specify what countries are accepted.

Does the Casino have a Welcome bonus?

The second question we recommend you ask the casino that you are interested in is whether or not they have a welcome bonus. A welcome bonus will give new players a chance to test the casino and in many cases get a little added perk by for example having their first deposit matched or being given extra spins. There are many different types of bonuses and it is hard for us to tell you which one is the best but we can explain the different kinds that exist and guide you to find your favourite. Remember to always take a look at the bonus terms before agreeing to partake in any bonus offer.

No Deposit

If an online casino offers this kind of welcome offer then the player will receive the benefit before making any deposits. This means that the player will only need to complete the casino registration and make sure no one else in the household has claimed the offer before. No Deposit Bonuses are divided into Extra Spins or Free Cash. The spins are usually allocated to a specific slot machine. Emu Casino is one of these casinos, it offers players 12 Free Spins to the popular GameArt slot "Dragon King".

Cash offers more often than not allow players to choose whether or not they want to use this complimentary cash on online slots or playing video poker or other table games. 888 Casino offers new players €88 to play on a variety of slots while One Casino offers new players €10 to play on any game/s of their choice. The wagering requirements for No deposit Offers lay around 30-80x.

Match-up

Most online casinos will offer Match-up bonuses. As the name entails the casino matches the players deposit up to a certain amount. Most casinos offer a 100% March-up on the first payment only while others offer match-ups on several deposits. King Billy for example offers a 100% match-up on the players first payment and an additional 200 Free Spins. Combining Extra Spins with Match-up is very common. Match-up perks usually come with wagering requirements between 25-50x.

No Wagering

The third type of perk is also connected with Extra Spins. The player gets a perk and gets to keep the winnings. Usually, the winnings need to be wagered but in No Wagering benefits, all winning become real money. PlayOjo offers 50 Free Spins to new players to one of the most popular games "Book of Dead" from Play'N Go and these are wager free.

Find your Favourite Game

The best casinos will offer fun, thrilling online games. Playing games is the reason why we head to online casinos, it is, therefore, important to check that the casino offers different games. The best casinos will offer table games, slot games, roulette, craps and blackjack as well as other games. There will also be the possibility to try different variations of the same game, like for example American and European roulette. A good online casino will also give players the chance to play table games live, with professional dealers and other players. There will be tables for high rollers as well as for inexperienced players. If you do not know the rules of a game, you are interested in the casino will help you with instructions.

Some online casinos also have sports betting in their repertoire, this gives players the chance to gamble on live sporting events such as American Football, Ice Hockey, Football and many other sports. Some casinos might even give you the chance to bet on eSports. Betting sites usually have their own bonuses, if you choose to opt-in to a bonus remember that your winnings will have to be wagered before being able to be withdrawn.

Regardless of whether you are playing blackjack, poker, baccarat or placing your bets on a particular sport we need to remind you that gambling online is difficult and one will often lose before one sees a big win. Therefore it is important to only play while it is still fun and never play with money that you do not have. Most games can be played costless, the casino will then state that this is the case. We then recommend playing once or twice costless before playing with your own money. Remember Fun should always be at the centre of your attention.

Are the games trustworthy and fair?

The next thing to ask is whether or not the games on the online gambling site are fair and honest. It is important to know what the house edge is and whether or not this is specified by the casino. The more information the casino offers about the games the more you can trust the casino. It is also good if the casino specifies that they are approved by eCOGRA - eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance. This agency is independent, they test the games and work for player protection. Always keep an eye out for an eCOGRA logo at the bottom of the casino site.

Customer Service

Once you know that the online casino games are fair and trustworthy, and you are sure that the casino includes some of your favourite games then you are almost good to go. We recommend you also check the information about customer service. The best online casino will have 24/7 Live Chat and the possibility to contact the casino by phone or email, unfortunately, this is not something that all casinos have. Most online casinos offer email help and additional Live Chat for some hours of the day. Good customer service will help you with setting limits as well as answering all of your questions.

How to start playing?

Once you've gone through the entire process of asking yourself the questions above and you have the right online casino for you, the next step is to set up your account. To do so is simple, most casino review sites like this one will lead you directly to the casino sign-up page where you can claim the welcome bonus/welcome bonuses (many online casinos that offer No deposit offers will also include a match-up offer for the first deposit). Remember there are different rules one must adhere to before being able to withdraw the winnings.

When you create your account, you will have to fill out a username as well as a unique password. We suggest you use a secure and unique password. Then you will have to confirm your account - usually through a link on your email or a link on text message.

Once you are a member you can make your deposit. Remember there are various options for how you can place money into your casino account. We recommend you choose a method you feel most comfortable with, perhaps an E-wallet or a credit card.

Now you can start playing!

Here are some suggestions of our favourite online casinos - maybe one of these is the right online casino for you!