Online gaming is one of the fastest-growing entertainment markets in the world today. This is because it brings all the excitement of traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, and makes them readily accessible to gamers around the world, as and when they want to play.
In recent years, online casinos have enjoyed significant development and investment as a result of the increasingly central role of smartphone operating systems like Android have played in how people choose to access and engage with digital experiences.
Now most online casinos are fully optimized for mobile, and this format has become the leading way people play casino games in the world today. But suppose you’ve never yet had the pleasure, and are curious as to all that this captivating pastime holds – what first steps are recommended for those embarking on their online casino journey for the first time?
These platforms are intrinsically accessible, but there are some useful considerations to take in mind if you’re to make the most of them.
Figure Out What You Want
This may sound silly at first, but it’s important to consider that there are over 20,000 online casinos operating today fulfilling virtually every potential niche in the market. A high-rolling baccarat player? There’s a casino for you. Only interested in live casino games? There’s plenty to choose from.
Spending some time figuring out what you’re actually looking for can save you a lot of effort later on. While most big casinos will offer a range of services, specialist casinos will always trump these in terms of selection on their area of expertise.
For example, while many large online casinos offer hundreds of slots games, dedicated slots casinos have been known to furnish over 10,000.
Stake levels are another important consideration. Not everyone wants to bet big, win big and run the risks associated with that. In fact, most prefer a more leisurely experience. Either way, it’s good to figure out where you sit on this spectrum, and what your loss limits are as there will be a casino pitched just right for your budget.
There are a profusion of so-called penny casinos that offer all the thrills of other online casinos, with none of the investment – and, naturally, there are also VIP high roller casinos for those that want to try their hand.
Getting the Right Deal
Those new to the thrilling world of online gaming may not know just how instrumental a part welcome offers have come to play in the way the sector promotes itself and enjoys organic reach. With such a competitive space, this method has emerged as a means of differentiating gaming platforms.
Whereas with a physical casino, you may have one or two special offers available that are designed to cater to the widest range of players possible, online casinos have no such restrictions. This frees them up to offer hundreds, or even thousands of bespoke deals to new and returning players.
This may sound daunting at first, but it’s actually a huge asset to gamers. Today there are reputable platforms dedicated to collating these offers together and ranking each individual casino based on a range of merits.
The advantage of this, is that it means those accessing the likes of bonuses.com can choose from a huge selection of bespoke and highly competitive deals, ranging from free spins on slots, to no deposit bets. This is where the advantage of this process really shines – as there is bound to be one or two deals that are uniquely well suited to your specific tastes, requirements and stake level.
Suffice to say, spending some time shopping around can result in your not only saving money, but getting a service preferential to your needs, whether you’re a high roller, or only interested in playing blackjack.
Double Check They’re Legit
Unfortunately, the world of online gaming is not immune from scams or malicious actors, and as a result, it is always recommended to exercise caution and common sense when vetting a new gaming provider for quality and security before handing over any confidential information.
There is a silver lining, however – and that is because the sector has one of the most robust regulatory systems of any entertainment sector. This flows forth from the changeable legal status of gambling in different regions around the USA and the world beyond, but benefits gamers themselves by ensuring they’re interacting with quality products.
Responsible gambling initiatives play a pivotal role in ensuring player welfare within the online gaming landscape, with reputable providers often prominently displaying resources for setting limits or seeking support for those who may be at risk.
There are a number of ways to check whether the casino you’re using is legit. The most common, and easily most important, is to check whether they’re licensed by a recognized regulatory body.
Now this can be slightly complicated by the fact that there’s more than one of these, a result of different regional requirements and the open-market nature of online gaming. So it’s always good to double-check any you see in a casino, especially if you don’t recognize them.
However, large licensees like the Malta Gaming Authority, the Curaçao Gaming Control Board, and the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission are well-known and widely trusted due to their excellent vetting and licensing standards. If you see a casino covered by one of these, you can rest assured that it’s operating at the highest levels of quality and security.
Beyond this, there are some useful tips to employ when scanning the world of online casinos. For example, in general, it’s a good idea to stick to websites that look relatively modern in design. That’s because sites that haven’t been updated in a long time may be open to security exploits and malware through running outdated web protocols.
It’s also a good idea to check that the website URL of the casino is covered by SSL certification – a modern web standard that encrypts data traveling between your local network and the platform’s servers. Most modern web browsers like Safari will alert you if you’re navigating to a site without SSL, but to make sure you can just check the web address – a site with SSL will begin “https://”, whereas those without will lack the “s”.
