Of course, the majority of online casinos appear to be reputable at first glance, which is why they may look misleadingly safe to sign up to when viewing their ads. Yet, you must remember that before you do proper research, you won’t know for certain whether this is the case. And until you confirm this, an advertisement should be taken for what it is and nothing more than paid marketing.
To guarantee that you’re indeed registering at a trustworthy provider, you need to be judicious enough and invest some time doing proper research. Google is your friend: a simple search exercise will generate relevant results – be they in the form of positive or negative reviews.
You certainly don’t want to be reeled into what may possibly be an unlicensed, or, worse off, a blacklisted casino. Moreover, since online gambling laws are quite specific in the jurisdiction of Australia, filtering out your options is all the more important.
We decided to take our own advice and look up a few great operators and found that Hell Spin Casino is an excellent provider to play at. Not only that, you’ll be able to benefit from so many offers such as the 15 free spins no deposit bonus and even unlimited match bonus + 50 free spins upon your first deposit!
We couldn’t resist mentioning that casino, but we don’t want to hand you our full list of recommended casinos on a plate either. Instead, we’re here to help you learn what to look out for. Check out the below information to understand how good research can help you prevent yourself from falling victim to a rogue casino.
What are Rogue Casinos?
These are casinos that aren’t adequately licensed, which essentially means that players are treated unfairly. Lack of fairness towards the player can take multiple forms, namely the following:
- The offers made by the casinos are simply scams and you won’t really benefit from anything at the end of the day
- Games do not use a random number generator but are instead tampered with by the casino so that it has more than the acceptable house edge as an advantage
- The casino’s website is not encrypted, therefore your personal and financial data are not protected
- Customers are not supported through a customer service team, so that any complaints about game unfairness or leakage of data are not addressed.
Why are Reviews Worth Reading?
The short answer to this question is: they’re worth reading to avoid falling prey to rogue casinos. But, I hear you ask, how can I know whether reviews are actually trustworthy or biased? Fair question; a casino review might very well be unreliable. But that is where the importance of reading multiple reviews comes in. It is unlikely that a rogue casino would have many positive reviews; and the opposite is also true – multiple bad reviews about a particular casino makes it unlikely that the casino is a legitimate one.
Reviews are also worth reading because in the most part, they are testimonials of avid players who have frequented that casino and can speak from experience.
Main Points to Look Out for When Reading a Casino Review
First and foremost, the tone of the review will instantly tell you whether the player’s experience was a positive one or otherwise. Still, always read reviews with a critical eye. It’s normal for a player to be annoyed after losing a bet. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the casino is a scam.
Another thing you want to learn from players’ reviews is how long it takes for the casino to process deposits and withdrawals. Having an efficient withdrawal and deposit system in place is an indicator of a well-oiled machine.
Casino reviews also typically comment about the quality of the customer support service. This is something you need to keep your eyes peeled for, especially if you’re a newbie who is still learning how to navigate the website, how to use payment methods, or even how to play a particular game.
But Wait… Don’t Limit Yourself to Casino Reviews
The answer is a resounding no. Information is everywhere. Maximise the value of widespread, free information on the internet. The following are other a few great sources of information:
Expert casino guides – these are often legitimate and reliable, and contain both the pros and cons of playing with a particular casino.
Business documents – if a casino is really transparent, their financials and legal filings should be available for players’ perusal.
Terms and Conditions – these vary from one casino to another and although they’re in fine print, the information they contain is crucial for you to gauge whether the conditions are fair and generous. For instance, by knowing the wagering requirements you would be able to decipher whether you can meet them. Furthermore, knowing games’ RTPs can give you a clearer picture of how fair the games are. The RTP stipulates the return to player percentage, which represents the average amount of money that online slots or casino games pay back (or return) to the player over a long period of time.
Word-of-mouth recommendations – feel free to ask family, friends and colleagues who might have tried a particular casino, so that they can give you their two cents worth about it.