Online casinos have always been a favorite of gamblers due to their convenience and the chance of a payout. In the early days, when online gambling was just starting to take off, picking a good site to gamble at wasn’t a problem, since there were only a few places to choose from. But with the evolution of the industry and more casinos popping up by the day, finding a decent gambling platform is a task in itself. This is where online casino reviews come into play.
I’ll bet that, more than once, you typed in a casino’s name in a search engine to find out whether it’s a good idea to give that site a try. What if I told you there is way more behind each published review? Today, I want to give you an insider look at how online casinos are tested, where to look for reliable reviews, and why they matter to online players.
Signing Up as a Tester
This is the first thing a gaming rater will do when they start to test a casino. This is when they create a player account and log in to a casino to check the whole process.
Signing up as a player, making a deposit, triggering bonuses, and claiming them are all elements of the review. This includes placing bets with real money to make sure everything is running as it should, and this is an added value that sets a particular rating website apart from others.
Casino Licensing and Regulatory Body
This is probably the first and one of the most important details a casino review should include in its write-up. Why is this crucial? Simply because this lets you know which gambling authority is responsible for regulating the casino in question. Of course, any online casino will claim to be secure and fair, but unless that is confirmed by a third-party authority, that’s a risk you will have to take if you decide to sign up.
When conducting the license analysis, reviewers will determine which regulating authority issued the online casino a license to operate. You should take a look at some of the most popular gambling authorities, such as the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority, just to name a couple. Both regulators are well-known and have very strict requirements when it comes to operators. They are also not shy to retract the license from any operator that’s breaking the rules.
On the other hand, there are some regulatory bodies with more lenient practices that may not offer the same level of player protection.
Explaining the Bonus Terms
Gambling sites are a world of big numbers and figures that look ever so tempting. For instance, one online casino may offer a “welcome bonus” that has the details “Deposit $100 and get $500”, or another one boasts “Claim 50 free spins on game XYZ”. But what is not written in the fine print? Where can you find out about wagering requirements, time frames, eligible games or things to avoid when claiming a bonus?
Review sites will test the bonus terms and conditions and help you understand them, giving you the details in simple language. They will explain what it takes to clear the wagering requirements, which games can be used to play through the bonus amount, the expiry time limit, and what happens if you try to withdraw the bonus winnings.
This is one of the main reasons why people look up online slots reviews in particular – slots tend to offer more bonuses than other games, and having everything together in one place makes things so much easier.
Testing the Payment Methods and Withdrawal Times
Online casino reviews will also include transaction testing to see how fast it is to fund an account or withdraw money from the casino. This is an area where a lot of lesser-known casinos fail or are found to be not quite what they seem.
Some of the sites might make deposits fairly simple, but as soon as you request a withdrawal, there will be a problem. Some casinos may take days to process withdrawals, while others can charge ridiculous fees.
Casino review sites also test the different payment methods that a casino accepts, and check how long it actually takes to deposit and withdraw funds using various methods.
Casino Customer Support
Online casino reviews will also test customer support services to see how well they perform under pressure. Are they able to answer questions and assist with bonus terms?
Casino reviewers will contact customer support and ask them a few questions, either by email, live chat or by phone, where applicable. Are they able to answer the questions? Do they take long to answer? Do they provide generic or standard answers, or are they able to properly assist with queries?
Any online casino player will at some point need to contact a casino’s support staff for help or information. So, knowing what to expect from them is also crucial to providing an accurate review.
Final Thoughts
Online casinos are not going anywhere, but the more casinos that come on the scene, the more difficult it is to choose the right one.
That is where online casino reviews step in. And that is why more and more gamblers are taking the time to read casino reviews before they decide to join an online casino.
