In many ways, online casinos are much safer than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Why? Because the casinos do not, generally, operate their own games. Even the live dealer games are coming from live studios owned and independent operators.

Of course, the game developers and live casino studios, often run by the same international companies, do get paid for their service, this comes in from all the casinos they work with.

Whatsmore, any evidence that they are trying to scam players has much wider consequences. If a big corporation, for instance, loses its UK license, it will no longer be allowed to provide casino games to any UK casino. The risk-reward is simply not there, and of course, the UK Gambling Commission also actively enforces its regulations.

That means new casinos UK are, at least from the perspective of the casinos cheating you with their games. The New Jersey license has the same properties in the US, and the same goes for most local licenses. However, there are still things you should look out for, that will help you pick safe and reliable casinos.

Lack of customer support

One of the biggest warning signs at an otherwise safe online casino is the lack of a customer support chat. If the casino makes it difficult for you to contact them, you will have trouble getting help when you need it.

This does not mean that you will get scammed, far from it, but it does mean that you may be stuck with severe issues for hours, if not days, ruining your gaming experience. In more severe cases, such as withdrawal difficulties, it may even mean that your money gets stuck for a long period of time.

Varying bonus requirements

While all UK-licensed casinos are required to list the key terms and conditions for every bonus offer, this is not the case with most other licenses.

It is easy to just assume the conditions are the same. This is why you should check what kind of offers the casino has on the promotion page before you sign up.

If you see different wagering requirements, different bonus expiry times, etc. it means you will need to pay extra attention every time you accept a new offer. That’s a big waste of time. Pick casinos with standardized offers, and enjoy that degree of predictability. The casino games are exciting enough in and of themselves.

Read Casino Reviews

It is a very good idea to find out what is being said about the casino you are interested in. Casino comparison sites are a good start, and you should be able to get a clear overview of what a casino offers from sites like Mr Gamble.

If you are still unsure, however, you can also find user reviews, and compare just how well the casino seems to be performing in comparison to the competition.

Avoid casinos licensed outside your jurisdiction

If you are in New Jersey you should not play at a Nevada licensed casino and vice versa. In many jurisdictions, such as in the UK, known casinos without a license are actually blocked, though a VPN can still get you through to the casinos you want. This is never advised.

Casinos not licensed in your state or country are not under your jurisdiction’s regulations and laws, and it can be difficult to get help. Exceptions include more general EU licenses, like Malta Gaming Authority, which cover EU countries without their own license.

It is even possible that playing at a casino you are not meant to, especially if using a VPN and attempting to cheat the system, means your money would be locked. If your country is not accepted by the casino, you are not actually meant to be playing there, and at best it is just your winnings that are forfeit.