There are hundreds of online casinos for punters to choose from nowadays, with the first one having opened its virtual doors all the way back in 1994. Many have come and gone in that time, with a large number having been shut down by authorities. Clearly, not all casinos are operated by honest people. Many gamblers have been scammed over the years and watched their money go down the drain, so how can you tell if an online casino is trustworthy or not?

License and Government Approval

Firstly, does the casino have a license? If not, don’t play there. If they have, who licensed the casino to operate? There are many regulating bodies in the world, and the one responsible for a casino of your liking depends on your country or the jurisdiction of the regulator. BitStarz, for example, is licensed by the Government of Curacao, a well-known gambling licensing body. Gambling licenses protect players from being unfairly treated, so you need to only play at an online casino that is properly licensed.

Portfolio of Games

If an online casino offers only a few games, this may raise questions as to why game developers don’t want to work with it. Software developers are gaming giants who treasure their reputation, and they will not taint their credibility by working with an illegitimate casino operator. If an online casino has little to offer, it must therefore not be credible enough for big game developers to risk associating their brand with it. At the very least, the online casino must have table games, slot machines, and a live casino offering like BitStarz.

Payment Options

An online casino that has secured all government documents to operate will have no trouble working with reputable payment processors. Beware of online casinos that only accept a couple of payment methods, as it is likely that these casinos were turned down by other financial institutions to handle their transactions. Legitimate casinos like BitStarz offer many ways to deposit and withdraw funds, including credit cards, global e-wallets, and online bank transfers, as well as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. This is proof that the online casino is up-to-date with the market trends and is conscious enough to think about client preferences, ease of transaction and privacy.

The Clues are Out There

Online casinos are dime-a-dozen, but these three areas present a fundamental checklist of how you can tell a legitimate one from a potentially fraudulent one. Sign up offers and bonuses can be tempting, but no amount of free spins is worth your withdrawal never making it to your bank account. Remember, when you gamble online, stay safe and only play at an online casino that has a glowing reputation for security and hot slots action – like BitStarz.