Guide To Online Casinos

What you'll learn in this Guide?

1. Types of Online Casinos
2. How To Play at Online Casinos
3. How To Find The Best Online Casinos
4. History of Online Casinos
5. Best Online Casinos

There are plenty of reasons why players decide to play casino games online instead of at land-based casinos. Convenience is one of the reasons, safety is another, but you also get access to more games and better bonuses and promotions. We will cover all these aspects and more in our Guide to Online Casinos.

Whether you’re an experienced player or someone new to the online casino world, there are some things you need to know in order to have the best casino experience. As the online casino industry is changing at a fast pace, it’s important to be up to date with the latest developments and give yourself the most fun gaming experience.

Below we’ve put together a comprehensive Guide To Online Casinos to tell you everything you need to know about online casino gambling. After reading this guide, you’ll be familiar with the most important aspects of online casinos and will be ready to start your gaming adventure.

What is an online casino?

An online casino is an Internet-based version of physical casinos that allows people to play casino games in a virtual environment. When playing at an online casino, you are able to make online deposits and win real money. That allows you to play your favourite casino games from anywhere you want.

What Types of Online Casinos Are There?

In general, online casinos are divided into two categories, according to the software they use. We have web-based and download casinos.

Web-based online casinos are casino sites that allow you to instantly play from any web browser, without downloading any kind of software. These casinos allow gameplay through an HTML interface, which also allows you to play from a mobile browser without issues.

Download online casinos require you to download and install software before you can play. These casinos run faster than web-based online casinos because the games are cached by the software, rather than being loaded from the Internet. But, they require you to spend time downloading and installing the casino software.

What about the casino games?

When it comes to the games available at online casinos, we could say that there are two main types - virtual and live dealer.

Virtual casino games are software-based games that use a Random Number Generator. When playing these games, you’re actually playing with the computer which generates the numbers and gives rewards.

On the other hand, live dealer casino games are streamed in real-time from a land-based casino or a certain studio and they involve real people.

How To Play At Online Casinos?

If you have never played casino games online, you will find this Guide to Online Casinos particularly useful. That’s because we’re going to tell you how to play at the best online casinos on the market!

Of course, in order to play real money games at an online casino, you will need to choose a casino site, register and make a deposit. 

Choosing an online casino can be a challenging task, not because you can’t find a casino, but because there are too many. You can’t always be certain which is the right casino site for you, as most of them claim to be the best casino on the market. Fortunately, we only feature the best online casino sites, so choose one of the casinos displayed on this page and don’t worry.

Most online casinos offer a welcome bonus that you can claim as soon as you register and make your first deposit, or in some cases even before you deposit. Either way, once you’ve completed this step you can start playing.

Can I play demo games at online casinos?

If you like to play games just for fun, without making a real money wager, you can go to one of the multiple sites that offer demo games and play slots and other casino games in free play, or in demo mode. When playing in demo mode you won’t need to make a real money wager, so the game won’t cost you anything. You can try games in demo mode and decide which game is good enough to be played with real money. 

In addition to the welcome bonus that’s awarded when you’re new, casino sites often offer loads of other bonuses and promotions. In case you need any additional information, either about the site itself, or what they offer, feel free to contact customer support.

How To Find The Best Online Casinos?

We already mentioned that choosing an online casino site might be a bit challenging. But, it is not that challenging when you’re the online casino reviews #1 site for best online casinos.

SlotsWise is the top reviews site because we always check all aspects of an online casino before adding it to our selection and recommending it to our readers. As a result, we’ve compelled a list of the most important tips for playing at online casinos. Here they are:

Choose the right casino games

Players register with online casinos because they want to play online games, so the selection of games sure matters to them when they’re choosing an online casino. Before you register at a casino, make sure to check the casino games that are on offer. You wouldn’t want to join a site where you cannot play your favourite game, right?

Luckily, the casino sites we recommend at SlotsWise are offering a few hundred games each, some even as many as 1,000 titles. Quantity isn’t the only thing that matters, but we’ve got quality too! Namely, the games offered at our featured sites have been provided by the world’s leading game developers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, Eyecon, IGT, and many more.

On top of that, we have the hottest and new online slots to keep you up to date with the latest innovations on the market!

Claim the perfect bonus

All casinos offer bonuses and promotions to new and existing players. When you join a casino site, you can claim the Welcome Bonus that’s offered to newly registered players. Apart from the welcome bonuses, there are ongoing promotions and extra deals for loyal players. So, ensure that you’ve found the perfect bonus for you before deciding which online casino to join.

Once you've found the perfect bonus, don’t forget to read the terms and conditions that come with it. Learn all the important things included in these conditions, such as the wagering requirements, time limitations, game restrictions, withdrawal limits, and winning limits.

Consider the payment methods

Playing online casino games involves depositing real money, so you must be comfortable with the payment methods available on a certain casino site. Confirm the casino where you want to join supports a variety of payment options and deposits through eWallets like PayPal. 

Other popular payment methods include debit cards, bank transfers, Paysafecard, Skrill, Neteller and more. Finally, check the withdrawal processing time to know if the casino supports fast withdrawals.

Play at licenced online casinos only

In the UK, the UK Gambling Commission is in charge of licensing and regulating the casino industry. All UK casinos featured on SlotsWise have obtained a UKGC remote licence. To ensure that you are protected, always play at licenced online casinos!

The licences guarantee that the Gambling Commission protects players and they can be certain that if anything goes wrong, they can address the issue to the Commission which will resolve it and protect their rights. The licences also guarantee that the casino is safe and secure and that they have a fair bonus policy.

The UKGC licence is one indicator that the casino is safe and secure. Casinos use encryption technology which ensures that all data is kept safely and is coded so that third parties won’t be able to use it, even if they manage to obtain it, which is highly unlikely. Payments are particularly well protected.

Know the type of casino you want to play at

Do you want to play on a desktop or a mobile device? Do you want to download apps in order to play at online casinos? Make sure to ask yourself these questions before you join a particular casino. It’s better if you know the type of casino in advance, so you won’t be disappointed later.

Fortunately, the online casinos we recommend here on SlotsWise are user-friendly and optimised to work on different platforms, including desktop and mobile. Some of them also have downloadable mobile apps for those who want to take their gameplay to the next level.

Check the casino’s customer service

Customer service is another integral part of a great online casino. If at any point, you come across a problem, you need to be able to ask for help and assistance from professionals. That’s why you should check the casino’s customer service before registering there. 

Interact with the support team and see how they respond to your questions. Plus, check if the casino has a FAQ section that answers the most important issues you could face.

Play responsibly

To play online casino games responsibly means that you will remain in complete control of your budget, making sure that your gaming will remain a fun activity. No matter how long you’ve been playing, you have to make conscious decisions to play responsibly every time you log in to a casino site. Online casinos are and should remain a fun activity to spend your free time on, so if you feel at risk when playing, you should stop.

Here at SlotsWise, we always encourage responsible playing and advise players to stay safe and secure whenever they play casino games. All the online casinos that we recommend support responsible playing by guaranteeing payment protection, players’ personal information, and a fun online gaming experience.

History Of Online Casinos

If there’s one industry that has benefited from the Internet the most, it’s the gambling industry. Today, online casinos aren’t seen just as a substitute for land-based casinos. They have become the most popular form of gambling. However, they have come a long way before becoming so popular.

It’s difficult to say when exactly online casinos began, but it was believed that the first online casino went live somewhere in the middle of the 1990s. The first online casino sites started operating from Antigua and Barbuda because these islands had the Free Trade and Processing Act. This bill allowed them to issue licences to online gambling businesses.

In the same year, one of the industry’s largest software providers, Microgaming, was formed. The company claims to have been the first provider of a fully functional real-money online casino called The Gaming Club. 

Among the first online casinos was also InterCasino, owned by CryptoLogic. Both Microgaming and CryptoLogic have played important roles in the development of the technology needed to power online casinos.

When online casinos were invented, the number of available casino games was limited, while the software was simpler compared to these days’ modern online casinos. However, they were still considered impressive, given the fact that they were the first virtual casinos on the market.

Following the initial birth, the online casino industry saw huge growth. By the end of 1996, there were 15 online casinos in operation. Moreover, in the following year, the number of online casinos reached 200. That’s when poker sites and sportsbooks have also started to develop.

As the popularity of online casinos grew, so the number of casino games did. In fact, games are what have helped casinos become so popular. Players got access to a wider range of games like slots, poker, blackjack, and roulette. 

Some of the recent developments include mobile compatible games, meaning you can play your favourite games from your smartphone. Mobile usability is a great example of how online casinos will continue to evolve. We’re excited to see what future casino advancements will look like.

Best Online Casinos

To conclude our Guide To Online Casinos, we would like to share some of the best online casinos on the market with you. 

On this page, you’ll find the current top online casinos that offer thousands of games, and a variety of bonuses and payment methods. On top of that, they’re licenced, secured, and mobile-friendly. So your job is to find the ideal casino for you, claim your perfect bonus and enjoy.

Check out our featured casinos and register today. When you make your first deposit, there are some incredible treats in store for you. From free spins to deposit bonuses, there really is something for everyone!