When you play at an online casino, the primary concern is always whether the site creates a secure environment for real-money gambling. What exactly does that mean? It is a complex idea that combines secure payments, personal information protection and RNG fairness.
In fact, nobody wants their money stolen or their private data sold to a third-party company. That’s why you should always search for safe online casinos that combine security, transparency, and trustworthiness.
Tracing a trustworthy online casino is not always easy, as several factors must be taken into account. That’s why we have gathered the top, safest operators for you, after reviewing them thoroughly and ensuring that they excel in trustworthiness.
Most Secure Online Casino List
What Defines Safe Online Casinos?
A general rule is that the safest online casino would have obtained the most reputable licenses from the strictest regulators. Also, a legit online casino has been subjected to all the necessary controls (gaming fairness, security, data protection) passing every one of them with success.
Obviously, the partnerships a casino holds, play a significant role too. Top-notch iGaming providers and reliable payments companies won’t just put their names anywhere. You can take their presence as a sign of trust. Responsible Gaming guidelines should also be respected and implemented by all top online casinos.
Licensing and Regulation
Getting licensed is the only way for online casinos to be considered legal. While some countries only accept safe casinos that have obtained a local license, the majority of them will also let a gambling site hold a license by a respectable international regulator.
The most recognized gaming license globally comes from the United Kingdom, better known as the ‘UKGC (United Kingdom Gaming Commission) license’. As defined by the Gambling Act of 2005, the UK framework has strict rules and casinos that do not comply with them face vigorous penalties.
Then there is the Malta Gaming Authority. This license is prevalent in best rated online casinos in the EU, being a license that most European countries accept.
Last but not least, the jurisdiction of Curacao has become a sensation in the last few years, as many online operators resort there for a license. The reason behind this is the super low taxation (2%) and the low number of qualifications needed to have a license granted.
All information regarding the licensing status of a casino can be found on the footer of the page, with relevant links that lead to the online versions of the license, so you can cross-check their validity.
Personal Data Protection
All safe online casinos value players’ safety more than anything else. For this reason, there are several policies and methods used, including KYC verification and SSL encryption that guarantee that no sensitive information will leak to third parties.
In addition, a 2-step verification will ensure that no one else rather than you has access to your account and funds. All trustworthy sites keep players’ bankroll in separate accounts than the operator’s funds, enhancing the feeling of safety.
Independent Game Audits and Tests
Licenses are essential, but they aren’t the only factor to define which are the safe casino sites. More specifically, a “Random Number Generator” is utilised on most casino titles, to ensure a fair and unbiased result. This is why games must be tested by independent audit teams, guaranteeing that they are fair and not rigged in favour of the casino. The most established testing agencies are the following:
eCogra: Founded in 2003 in London, it’s probably the most recognized audit team in the industry, providing tests to top-notch providers and online operators.
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI): Established in the United States in 1989, GLI is one of the market’s oldest testing agencies.
Technical Systems Testing (TST): They emerged in 1993 and were bought by GLI in 2010. However, they continue to operate under their original name. They conduct tests not only for online casinos but for land-based ones, too.
iTech Labs: The Australians entered the business in 2004, and ever since, they have become a significant player in testing and certifying gaming solutions across the globe.
Reliable Payment Methods
The variety in casino payment methods signifies that an operator is legit. Why is that? Because payment processors are considered partners of the casinos, they wouldn’t desire to associate their names with scam ones.
In particular, PayPal and Trustly are two companies that hand-pick their partners, and they only collaborate with safe online casinos. If you see a gambling site offering them, then you can be confident to trust it.
Moreover, you should pay attention to the withdrawal times and transaction limits of a casino. Low maximum withdrawal limits, transaction fees or too long pending times could mean that the casino is shady. Nowadays, most casinos use SSL encryption and software that obstruct hackers. Have a look at the footer of their internet page to spot such stamps.
Well Known Game Providers
Like payment processors, software providers are also partnering with casinos by offering them their products. It’s apparent that industry pioneers like Playtech or Play’n Go wouldn’t just cooperate with a random site. In a way, iGaming suppliers are the first who give the green light to new casinos by allowing them to use their games.
It’s not unusual for casinos to buy a ‘ready’ platform created by an aggregator who has already integrated every provider. Once a platform gets approved by the regulators, you can rest assured that these types of places are safe online casinos.
Reputation and Owner Company
These intangible concepts, play a vital role in a casino’s reliability. First of all, a casino that has outlasted the test of time has loyal players who value it high. A visit to casino players’ forums can prove enlightening as you can check the popularity of each brand and the complaints it might be receiving.
Awards and participation in annual casino conventions are also indicators of the trustworthiness of a casino. The industry rewards secure online casinos, not scam ones.
Finally, transparency has to derive from the casino itself. A clear presentation of the owning company at the footer or, even better, a detailed “About Us” page, shows that the casino has nothing to hide.
How do Safe Casinos Enhance the Player Experience?
Licensing, cooperation with established payment and game providers and general reputation are not the only factors that shape a site’s reliability. It is important to keep in mind that safe online casinos will go above and beyond to facilitate your experience, by keeping their T&Cs as straightforward as possible, preferably in the native language of each country they operate in. The same goes for customer support as well, as communication should be immediate and intuitive.
Local Language and Currency
Having a localisation strategy can attract a large number of players who want to feel at home while visiting an online operator. International online casinos that are targeting many markets usually try to familiarize themselves with their local audiences by adding the local language, currency and native speakers as customer service agents and even special promotions or details in the site’s design.
Clear Promotions and Bonus T&Cs
Legit casino sites that don’t want to deceive players will have rational wagering requirements and reasonable terms and conditions. Also, trusted casinos don’t need to promise huge amounts to their players.
A recommendation that we cannot stress enough is to always read the Terms & Conditions. If you find them anything less than comprehensive, fair and transparent, contact the casino’s customer support. For example, the wagering requirements are usually feasible at most secure online casinos, meaning they range between 25x to 45x.
Reliable Customer Support
Safe online casinos typically offer a wide range of contact options, including email, live chat, phone and other alternatives like Telegram or WhatsApp.
Live chat should be available 24/7, while the response time should be quick. Customer service agents should be polite and knowledgeable as a gambling site that doesn’t take care of its CS probably doesn’t care much for its overall image, so the chances of being a scam site grow.
Responsible Gambling Tools
Regulators demand casinos to incorporate a Responsible Gaming page. There, players can choose to set up various safeguards, including limits for their payments and playing sessions, time-out and self-exclusion periods.
Casinos have to conform to such guidelines and place the page in a visible spot, typically at the site’s footer. You should become suspicious of a casino when that specific page cannot be easily spotted on their site.
The safest online gambling sites have trained support agents to trace questionable behaviours and treat them accordingly.