- One of the best ways to spot legit online casinos is by looking at their game selection.
- Reputable online casino sites will have robust security measures in place, such as SSL encryption.
- Read user reviews from reputable websites to gauge customer satisfaction with a particular online casino.
Online gambling has taken the world by storm over the last few years, but there’s one problem that could turn even the most diehard gambler off real money betting sites .: scams.
Like anything worth doing on the internet these days, you have to contend with a shady character or two whenever you visit online casinos. The good news is, there are plenty of legitimate online casinos out there, ones that aren’t just above-board but light years beyond reproach.
Today, I’m going to teach you the signs to look for when scrutinizing online casino sites. I’ll also share my favorite genuine online casinos to get you started on the right foot.
Without further ado, here’s how to tell if an online casino is legit or a scam.
How Are Online Casinos Not Scams?
Before we dig into how to spot a shifty online casino, it’s important to understand how they can be trustworthy in the first place.
After all, isn’t putting money into a digital ether just begging to be swindled? Not necessarily. There are several reasons why online gambling can be safe and legitimate.
The main thing setting genuine online casinos apart from the scammers is regulation. All reputable online gaming sites must possess a valid license from at least one recognized gaming authority before offering their games to customers.
This license should be clearly displayed on the homepage—usually at the bottom—along with the regulator’s logo. If a site claims to be licensed but cannot produce this evidence, it’s almost certainly a fake.
Reputable online casinos use audited random number generators (RNGs) to ensure fair play, too. A third-party testing agency like eCOGRA checks the RNGs to make sure the results are not biased in favor of the house, nor subject to any other forms of foul play.
Again, the logos of these testing agencies should appear on the casino’s website. You can click through to the relevant certificates for more information about the tests and their outcomes.
If an online casino is genuine, its games will come from well-known and trusted developers such as , Microgaming, NetEnt, Playtech, and so on. These companies would never allow their products to be used for underhand purposes, so their presence on a gambling site is a good sign.
With all that in mind, let’s look at some obvious warning signs of a scam online casino.
How To Tell If an Online Casino Is a Scam
I wish I could give you a bullet point list of things to avoid when choosing an online casino, but alas, whole sites dedicated to ripoff slots and bogus blackjack games.
However, I can give you a process to go through. By studying each site using the methods detailed below, you stand the best chance of finding a reliable and safe online casino.
1. Check the Game Selection
One of the best ways to determine whether an online casino is a scam is to study its game library.
As I mentioned in the previous section, all the games on that library must come from trusted developers. They should cover multiple categories, including slots, table games, video poker, live dealer titles, and specialty games.
Slots are usually the most plentiful, followed by table games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat. Some sites focus entirely on one or two categories, so they are not necessarily a bad thing. However, if a site claims to be a full-service online casino but only has a handful of poor quality games, alarm bells should ring.
It’s worth noting that some rogue casinos steal games from major developers and pass them off as their own. This practice is known as , and it’s rife across the web.
If an online casino appears too good to be true but boasts an eclectic mix of top games, it probably is. Always do your homework before signing up.
Use Google or a search engine to check the reputation of unfamiliar games, especially slots. If they belong to another developer, make sure that is authorized to use them. You can ask the casino’s customer support team to confirm this information if you’re unsure.
Can you tell me how online slot machines work? If not, check out the video below.
2. Look for Robust Security Measures
All the best online casinos have high levels of security, both to protect their customers and their own reputations. After all, no self-respecting real money site wants its users’ personal and financial details getting stolen.
best online poker sites floridaThere are several key security features to look for on any online casino site. First and foremost, the page should open with HTTPS rather than HTTP. The “S” stands for secure, and it indicates that the page is protected by an .
An SSL certificate creates an encrypted link between the user’s browser and the web server, making it much harder for hackers to intercept sensitive data. It’s pretty much impossible for an online casino to accept payments or process personal info without one, so walk away from any site that doesn’t have this basic level of protection.
Elsewhere, a reputable casino will give its security policies a prominent mention on the homepage. It may even display a security logo or seal to reassure users that it takes safety seriously.
When making a deposit or entering personal details, you should see a login box asking you to enter a username and password to access your account. This extra verification step is designed to prevent fraudsters posing as legitimate users.
3. Read User Reviews From Reputable Websites
Word of mouth is a powerful tool, and it can be very helpful when hunting for a new online casino. Of course, you must approach user reviews with caution because fakers abound.
Scammers often leave glowing reports about specific sites on forums and review pages to lure unsuspecting players into their traps, so you must gauge user satisfaction with a critical eye. Here are some tips for separating the authentic reviews from the fakes:
- Look for reports across multiple sites. If a single source contains overwhelmingly positive or negative feedback about a site, it might be a plant. However, if the same complaints/praises appear elsewhere, there might be some truth to them.
- Trust the opinions of named authors over anonymous posters. Anyone can write glowing reports about an online casino if they are not identifiable, which kind of defeats the purpose of user reviews.
- Consider the tone of the review. Honest reports are factual and free of hyperbole. If a person describes an online casino as the best site ever created, even though they have only gambled at five places, alarm bells should ring.
- Verify the author’s credentials. Can they back up their comments with examples? Do they explain how they know the site is good or bad? Opinions are great, but hard facts are better.
- Check the date of the review. Some scammers flood the web with old reports to boost a site’s rating, unaware that Google and other search engines can now see through their tricks. Always look for recent reviews to get a sense of how a site operates today.
Of course, you can save time by reading .
We have real casino experts that test and rank every site we recommend. You can read in-depth reviews on every page, plus find FAQs, casino tutorials, and more.
Don’t take our word for it, too. Our team members have Twitter accounts, and you can find plenty of named authors across our site.
4. Test Out Customer Support Channels
What is the best way for an online casino to ensure it is not a scam? Be contactable!
No legitimate online casino would expect players to struggle with a problem and then be unable to offer help. Therefore, all reputable sites provide multiple customer support channels for users to exploit.
Email is the most common option, but the best sites also offer live chat and phone support. Note that the latter is often a callback service, simply because it is expensive for international companies to operate a freephone number in every country.
Whichever option you pick, make sure you assess response times. A good site will answer emails and live chats within a couple of hours, while phone lines should have minimal hold times.
You can test response times yourself by posing a simple question, such as “what bonuses do you offer?” or similar. If you don’t receive a response within a few hours, the site could be a scam.
Alternatively, you might consider calling the site if it offers a phone service. If nobody answers or the line is engaged every time you call, it may be best to look elsewhere.
Remember: the point of testing customer support is to gauge its effectiveness, not to waste your own time. If something feels off, listen to your instincts.
Check out our guide to the for more advice.
5. Research Bonus Terms & Conditions
Online casinos entice new players with welcome bonuses.
For example, a site might offer to match a new player’s first deposit by 100%, up to a maximum of $1,000. That player would effectively receive $1,000 in bonus credits, giving them double the chances of winning big bucks.
Of course, no genuine casino gives away thousands of dollars with no strings attached. If it did, it would soon go bust.
Therefore, bonus funds are always subject to terms and conditions. These terms dictate how many times a player must wager the bonus before cashing out.
For instance, the previous bonus would likely carry a 30x wagering requirement. That means the player must bet 30 x $1,000 = $30,000 before they can cash out any winnings derived from the bonus.
Unique Las Vegas Casinos You've Probably Never Heard OfAre online casino bonuses worth it? They can be, but you need to choose the right one.
Look for a few key points when assessing wagering requirements:
- Games contribution. Different games contribute differently to wagering requirements. Slots tend to be set at 100% these days, while other games are lower. A blackjack games contribution of 20% is typical, for example. This mean $20 of wagers at blackjack games would count as $4 toward your wagering requirement.
- Time limit. Bonuses typically come with a 30-day expiry date on completing the wagering. This means if you don’t hit the playthrough during this period, the bonus and any winnings become void.
- Maximum bet. Most bonuses cap the maximum bet you can make with bonus funds to $10 or less. Trying to clear wagering requirements with bigger bets will result in the cancellation of the bonus and any winnings.
- Game weighting. We just touched upon this under games contributions, but different games contribute differently to wagering requirements. Not only that, but some games might be prohibited altogether. For example, a casino might not let you clear wagering requirements by playing certain video poker games, progressive jackpots, or other lucrative games.
Welcome bonuses are not guarantees of scams, but eye-wateringly large deals that can be cleared on low stakes or within a few days sometimes raise red flags. Use your common sense and, if in doubt, ask customer support for clarification.
I discuss welcoming bonuses and their terms in more detail in .
6. Look for Transparency Over Payments
No honest online casino will hide its payment options or impose unfair terms over deposits and withdrawals.
Free Online No Deposit Bonus Casinos for US Players in 2023On that note, here are some key areas to examine when gauging an online casino’s honesty over payments:
- Range of payment options. The more, the merrier! Any real money site should accept credit and debit cards, plus eWallets and possibly bank transfers and prepaid cards. Cryptocurrency payments are becoming increasingly popular, too.
- Deposit limits & fees. All payment options should come with deposit minimums and maximums. Maximum limits are particularly important, as it would be frustrating to complete a deposit only for it to be rejected. Equally, all limits should be prominently displayed on the casino’s depository page, along with any associated fees.
- Withdrawal limits & times. Withdrawal limits are equally crucial, but the focus here is on the minimum and maximum amounts you can draw in a single transaction. Why? Because this will determine how few times you need to make withdrawals from a site, given that most players want to draw their entire bankroll balance in one go.
- Verification processes. When initiating their first withdrawal, users should be asked to verify their identity. This usually involves sending a copy of photo ID to customer support. Only once this process is complete should a person be able to withdraw money.
- Processing times. The casino should state how long it takes to process each withdrawal method. Credit card and bank transfers usually take two to five business days, while eWallets are much faster (think 24-48 hours). Processing times are important because they indicate roughly how long it will take to receive your money once approved.
- Transparency over delays. Even the best online casinos can experience delays with withdrawals, especially on larger sums. However, they must inform users of this possibility and state the average delay. Equally, the site should explain what causes these holdups and what it is doing to resolve them.
If any of these areas seem sketchy or too vague, it may be wise to look for an alternative site.
Top Tip
Withdrawing your banking information after making a deposit is a good idea. This makes future withdrawals quicker and easier, as the casino will not need to verify your payment details again.
7. Gauge Payout Rates
Payout rates, also known as , show how much a casino game will pay out over time.
They are calculated as a percentage of total wagers, with 100% signifying a break-even rate. Anything above 100% is a sign that players are winning more than they lose, while rates below that figure indicate the reverse.
Of course, individual games vary depending on their design. For example, most slot payouts range from 92-97%, although some can go much higher (or lower). Table games tend to offer 95-99% payouts, with some variations creeping above the 100% mark due to side bets and other features.
A reputable online casino will publish payout rates for each of its games. They should be easy to find, ideally listed on the homepage beneath the gaming licence numbers and SSL certificate.
If a site does not display payout rates, ask customer support for the average payout rates for each category. They should be able to send across the details within a few hours.
Low payout rates are not necessarily a sign of a scam. Some games are inherently less profitable than others, and it costs money to run an online casino. However, extremely low rates or a refusal to divulge payout info should raise red flags.
8. Review Gambling Software Providers
As mentioned earlier, legitimate online casinos use licensed games from reputable providers. In fact, checking the software providers is an easy way to gauge legitimacy.
Most sites are powered by half a dozen major firms, including , NetEnt, Playtech, and Evolution. If you recognize any of the games in an online casino’s library, it is almost certainly on the level.
Equally, a site with only well-known games could be trouble. Anyone can buy a single slot or table game and put it on their site, even if they have no intention of paying out winnings.
The only way a solo game can make much money for the operator is by rigging it in favor of the house. Therefore, numerous titles by recognized developers are a sign of legitimacy.
Bonus Casino Sites UK 2023 - Best 400 Bonus CasinosIt is also worth noting the types of software providers that power a site. All the major game developers are legit, but some smaller ones are questionable.
Some providers create only slot games, while others focus on live dealer titles. Take a look around the following companies’ portfolios:
Slot Software Providers
- (slots pioneer; known for Bonanza, Starburst, and Rainbow Riches)
- (slots specialist; known for Mustang Gold, Tomb of Osiris, and 777 Deluxe)
- (slot and table games; known for Bird of Fortune, Downtown Diamond, and Buffalo Bounty)
- (casual and social gaming leader; known for FarmVille, Bejeweled 3, and Cleopatra Plus)
- (known for Egyptian Oasis Super Wheel, All American, and Golden Dragon Inferno)
- (known for Wolf Fang, Temple of Athena, and Centurion Maximus)
Live Dealer Software Providers
- (live dealer market leader; provides tables streamed from Riga, Latvia, and Puerto Rico)
- (live dealer specialist; partners with authentic venues, including a Stavanga casino and an Arabian tent)
- (live dealer rooms based in Latvia, Portugal, and Italy)
- (live casino and slots from Yggdrasil founders; streams from a Malta studio)
- (live casino and slots from NetEnt founders; offers original games and classic tables)
These companies are all above board, but you should perform some additional research on any other developers you do not recognize.
9. Look for Transparent Ownership
Most legitimate online casinos are owned by large corporations, although some are run by small businesses or affiliate groups. Either way, a reputable site will state the owner’s name and corporate structure somewhere on the page.
It need not go into huge detail, but a brief overview of who runs the site goes a long way toward building trust. Without this info, you have no idea who you are dealing with.
One final thought on ownership: beware of sites claiming to be founded by famous celebrities. Many Rogue casinos use the names of movie stars, athletes, and musicians to lure unsuspecting players onto their platforms.
I highly doubt that Drake’s busy schedule leaves him much time to run an online casino, despite his claims to the contrary.
What Are Some Examples of Legitimate Online Casinos?
I promised you some recommended legitimate online casinos at the start of this guide, and here they are:
All three of these sites boast hundreds of slots, table games, video poker titles, specialty games, and live dealer tables from leading developers like Pragmatic Play and NetEnt. They also offer lucrative welcome bonuses with fair wagering requirements.
We have actually negotiated exclusive bonuses for new players at each of these sites. You can click through to any of the links in the table above to claim them.
Here are some additional highlights from each of our recommended real money sites:
Wild Casino
Wild Casino is our number one choice among genuine online casinos.
It offers a massive range of games, a slick platform, and a generous welcome deal. Indeed, you can bag up to $5,000 and 200 free spins across your first five deposits.
This site accepts a wide range of payment options, draws consistently high reviews for its customer support agents, and boasts some fantastic promotions for existing players. Want weekly reload bonuses for slot players and table game deals, too? How about regular cryptocurrency bonuses and cashback offers?
Guide to Online Casinos in New York State - PokerlistingsYou can find out more about its features and services in . Alternatively, head there now to grab that welcome deal and start playing!
mBit Casino
Do you want an excellent bitcoin casino that is honestly running?
Look no further than mBit. This site welcomes players from all over the world and lets them deposit and play games in BTC, as well as VTC, ETH, XRP, AND various fiat currencies.
Any new player can claim 110 free spins and up to 1 BTC (£50) with the welcome bonus, while existing players benefit from daily rewards, tournaments, and weekly bonuses. Add to that a stellar range of live dealer games, and it is easy to see the appeal of this site.
For more details, refer to !
TrustDice Casino
Want the most advanced crypto gambling site on the planet?
TrustDice could be the perfect online casino for you. Its blockchain-based system ensures total transparency over payments, bonuses, and gameplay, while its games library contains thousands of slots, table games, video poker titles, and live dealer tables.
New players can claim four deposit bonuses worth up to 15 BTC (£450) and 25,000 free spins. You can earn more free spins every day, climb a loyalty program, collect NFT avatars, and even play dice games and cranes.
If that sounds interesting to you, learn more about TrustDuce in .
Are Online Casinos Rigged?
Not if they follow the guidelines outlined in this post.
Every game on a reputable online casino’s library is audited for fairness, and payouts are verified at between 95-97% for most slots and 95-99% for most table games.
In addition, all legit casinos accept multiple payment options, provide a variety of customer support channels, and offer transparent ownership details.
Some sites are indeed scams. As I explained earlier in this piece, these sites often promise too much for little investment, offer none of the protections listed above, or steal games from other developers.
Of course, even genuine online casinos can receive a bad batch of games or mismanage payments temporarily. If you experience any issues with a site, I recommend talking to its customer support agents before jumping to conclusions.
Explain the nature of the problem and give the agents time to resolve it. If they fail or you receive your deposit or withdrawal but cannot win on the rigged games, walk away.
Any genuinely honest sites will welcome your feedback, too. After all, no operator wants a bad reputation, and most will strive to improve.
Footnotes:
- Statistic is courtesy of the Annenberg Program on Media Politics & Public Policy.
- Data is taken from .
Anthony is a sports writer for GamblingSites.com covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. He also covers other various topics such as entertainment, general sports betting tips, and more.
His favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and Blackhawks. He also will be a temporary fan of any team if it means winning him bets.
