The online gambling industry is booming and there are new casinos popping up just about every other week, all claiming to be the best in the industry. Those who want to play at online casinos will find plenty of them if they do a simple Google search.

However, finding online casinos is easy but ascertaining their legitimacy is difficult. Guest author Klara Czerwinska shares more info on how to find out if an online casino is legit or not. To find out more about Klara Czerwinska, click here.

You need to be an expert at identifying legit online gambling sites. Or you need to trust a third-party site that claims to be an expert at uncovering online casino scams and guiding players to legit online casinos.

This is because there are a number of rogue casinos that also offer online casino games to players with loads of attractive bonuses and special promotions. A lot of players end up signing up with these rogue casinos because of this but end up paying the price later when they face issues with withdrawing their winnings or worse find out that the games are fixed.

It is not always easy to spot these unlicensed or illegal online casinos because they do their best to mirror licensed gaming sites. Here are a few tips to help you identify legit online gambling sites.

Check for Licensing

The best online casinos never hide their licensing details from customers. Scroll down to the footer of an online casino site to find out their licensing details. Double check if the license is still valid by finding out if the website of the licensing authority lists the online casino. This is because many online casinos don’t bother to renew their licenses, and playing at such casinos is dangerous.

Can’t find the licensing information on the casino website? The online casino may still be legit if it is willing to share the details with you. Contact the online casino through phone, live chat, or email to find out. Avoid the online casino if it is not willing to provide the information you are looking for.

The online casino market in Poland is blossoming with every passing month as casino operators launch new casinos to cater to the growing interest amongst Polish players. However, there are also rogue casinos popping up. If you are looking for a reliable online casino in Poland that has good bonuses, try kasyno bez depozytu.

Are the Games Fair?

Several rogue casinos offer pirated software and online casino games on their platforms. Researching the online casino’s software partners is, therefore, of great importance. You can trust an online casino that has partnered with multiple well-known and reputed software providers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, Playtech, Real Time Gaming, Betsoft Gaming, and others.

The above-mentioned software providers have valid online gaming licenses and subject their games to multiple fairness tests before releasing them into the industry. Online casinos also partner with independent auditors such as Technical Systems Testing (TST), eCOGRA, iTech Labs, and others to test their game payout percentages regularly. You can view the fairness certificates that these auditors issue on the casino website.

So that’s another sign of legit online casinos. They are honest and transparent about their payout percentages.

Fast Payouts

Your online casino is legit only if it processes your payouts fast.

Usually, online casinos keep your payout request pending for two to three days. During the pending period, legit online casinos verify your account details. They expect you to cooperate with the verification procedure by providing copies of your identification documents. A customer care representative may also call you during this time.

Online casinos review and approve your payout request after the pending period, and this may take another day or two. The speed of the transaction after this depends on several factors including your preferred payout method, bank, country of residence, and others. Withdrawals through electronic wallets are usually instant while bank wire transfer payouts may take up to seven days.

An online casino is undoubtedly a rogue if it withholds your winnings without any valid reason and takes several weeks or even months to approve your payout request.

Do They Support Responsible Gambling?

Some of the most reputed gambling regulators are located in the United Kingdom, Malta, Gibraltar and Isle of Man. They have strict gambling regulations that require their licensees to support responsible gambling. Legit online gambling sites, therefore, dedicate a separate section of their websites to responsible gambling.

Their responsible gambling policies encompass issues such as minor protection and prevention of compulsive gambling. They may include questionnaires that help players determine if they are prone to problem gambling.

Online casinos that support responsible gambling offer player protection tools such as setting limits, cooling-off periods, self-exclusion, reality checks, and others to help you gamble responsibly. They guide you to non-profit support organizations if you experience any sort of gambling harm.

Security and Privacy

This is probably one of the most challenging areas for the average player to identify and verify. A lot of these illegal online casinos do not have robust security and safety protocols in place to protect and safeguard their player’s personal and financial information. There are a few rogue casinos that tend to use player’s financial information illegally or worse sell this information over to third parties. Always take a few minutes to check the privacy policy and security policy. Some of these rogue casinos do not bother to have a privacy policy or list any of their security measures in their terms and conditions. If this is the case, consider it as a red flag.

If they do have a security and privacy policy, look out for spelling errors and poor grammar as this is another red flag. Sometimes you will find another casino’s name mentioned in this section which tells you that the text has been copied from another casino – which is another red flag.

Conclusion: Research Your Online Casino Well

Are online casinos legit? Most online casinos are legit but not all. You have to research your online casino very well before signing up. Read the casino terms & conditions and clarify doubts, if any, with the customer support. Discuss the online casino with fellow players on social networks and gambling forums and register only when you are sure about its legitimacy.

Always keep an eye out for some of the red flags that we have listed below. Finally, even if you think everything is good with the online casino on the surface but your gut instinct tells you that something is wrong, go with your gut instinct and find another online casino for it is better to be safe than sorry!