When deciding which online casino to join, players shouldn’t just consider the welcome bonus they can claim when they make their first deposit, no matter how tempting it may seem. 

The most important thing is finding a safe and secure site that won’t let you down. New players often don’t know what makes a good online casino, so here is everything you should be looking out for to ensure you find a reputable site.  

What to look for in a good online casino

The most important tell-tale sign that you have found yourself a good iGaming site with the best security, award-winning games, and top-notch support (and one that accepts your preferred online payment method) is that it is fully licensed and regulated by a top-tier licensing authority/gaming commission, such as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. 

If you live in the UK, you should only look for UK-licensed casino sites. Fortunately, there are plenty to choose from, but some will cater specifically to your gaming needs and the bonuses you would like to claim more than others. 

UK-licensed online casino sites will always be controlled by trustworthy operators with excellent reputations. One such example is the Unibet website. Before being issued the necessary licenses, all online casinos must undergo extensive background checks and a strict vetting process. 

If you have found a UK-licensed site you are considering joining that’s controlled by a reputable company, some of the other key areas to focus on before registering your new account and to ensure you have found a good site worth joining are the following:

● Security
● Software and games
● Device/browser compatibility 
● Bonuses and promotions
● Payment methods and payout speeds
● Customer service/player support

Finding all this information isn’t too tricky, and when the site checks out, you know it will be okay to join. Let’s now quickly examine what some of the above means. 

Security

A good casino site will always be protected by 128-bit or higher Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology, and the website address in the URL section should always start with https://. 

Software and games

They will also have thousands of computer-generated and cutting-edge live dealer games from award-winning providers, such as Games Global, Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, Playtech, Red Tiger Gaming, NetEnt, Play’n GO, and Blueprint Gaming, to name a few. 

Games from these companies are frequently tested for fairness by internationally accredited online casino testing agencies. They will also have high or above-average Return to Player (RTP) percentage payout rates (typically anywhere from 92.00% to 98.00% or higher). 

Device/browser compatibility

The best sites will be accessible from pretty much every modern smartphone, tablet, desktop computer, and laptop, and you can visit them from any decent web browser. The games, services, and features will work equally well on whichever device you prefer to use.  

They will also have a good mobile application that can be downloaded and installed for free onto iOS and Android devices, with hundreds of fully optimised games. 

Bonuses and promotions

You will be able to claim an initial welcome bonus when you sign up, and that bonus will have fair and realistic wagering requirements attached. You will also then be able to look forward to plenty of ongoing bonuses and promotions after claiming your initial sign-up bonus. 

Payment methods and payout speeds

Another sign of a good online casino is that it will accept various secure online payment methods (e.g., debit cards, eWallets, mobile wallets, prepaid cards, and bank transfers) and will never charge you for depositing or withdrawing. 

The deposits will be instant, and the withdrawal times will be quicker than most other sites (anywhere from two hours up to a maximum of two days, depending on which method you use). 

Customer service/player support

Finally, the top sites will have reliable, friendly, and responsive 24/7 player support, and their friendly/professionally trained player support agents will always demonstrate high levels of customer service. 

Final note

If the casino you are about to join has passed all of the above with flying colours, you will have absolutely nothing to worry about on that site. The best online casinos will also provide players with a range of safer gambling tools to help them manage their bankroll, so you never overspend. 

The most effective tools you should always consider using on sites like this are session time reminders, win/loss/deposit limits, and spending caps.