I’ve been playing online casinos since 2003 and have tried pretty much all the different software platforms and probably in the region of 120 different casinos over that period.
The purpose of this article is primarily to explain how a player determines the good online casinos from the bad ones not only what to look for, but what you generally won’t find out by reading!
Before you start playing, there are essentially three basic points that are going to affect where you play: the casino’s games, the service they provide players and security.
Most online casinos licence their slots from one of several casino software manufacturers and you will find the games are therefore the same at different casinos. In the right hand margin you will see some of these groupings listed as Microgaming Casinos , RTG Casinos and IGT Casinos .
Microgaming Casinos
Microgaming, RTG and IGT are three of the largest casino software providers and, along with WMS and Playtech, are the largest in the industry. All are independently certified for fairness.
Online Casinos: What To Look For Personally, when I see the Microgaming , WMS or IGT logos on a casino site, I pretty much trust the casino from the off. Certainly if there was ever a problem where the casino was at fault, the licences from these two ensure that the responsibiliies are recognised.
This was recently highlighted when a long-time Microgaming casino group went under due to inept management following a takeover, and Microgaming ensured that all the players and affiliates were paid what they were due. IGT are similarly responsible. In their case, their software is browser based and the casinos are generally referred to as Flash casinos .
Microgaming, Playtech and RTG are principally software based (download and install) and offer more games, however they do in many cases have a cut-down Flash version.
All of the above providers carry a shedload of games all the ones you’d expect and lots more. For slots players, Microgaming and RTG are best check out the Microgaming Slots vs RTG Slots article I wrote up.
With RTG and Playtech, the trust issue is not quite so cut and dried.
There are in my opinion, 3 RTG casinos I trust (listed right) and while Microgaming casinos accept some US players, these RTG casinos accept ALL US players (ref. article Best Online Casinos For US Players).
Trouble is with RTG and Playtech that their licensing criteria isn’t as strict and you have a history of dodgy operators especially on RTG which means you really should know who’s good before you play.
It’s even worse for US players since US politicians passed the UIGEA in 2006, there are no regulated games online except in a few States like New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada.
Playtech software is very good actually second to Microgaming in my book but many of the casinos are what I would term money focused ie: their service to players isn’t as good and they rely heavily on bonuses to attract and keep players never a good sign, espceially when the bonuses come with some very strict terms attached.
Only the really, really savvy player is going to come out with a profit from a signup bonus, and that requires a lot of luck.
ID ; Security All players should be aware that online casinos will at some point ask you for Photo ID and some sort of proof of address normally a utility bill. These requests normally come when you first cashout a decent sum, or if you have played with a bonus in a way they would term you an advantage player IE: a player looking to turn a profit from free money.
You can photograph and email these normally but be aware they will be required at some point. Proof of age and money laundering regulations are strict .
Licencing Jurisdictions Take Care! Sometimes it’s not always possible to tell what software online casinos use some indeed use their own although with very, very few exceptions I try to avoid these because they are harder to prove fair gaming. In instances where you don’t see a Microgaming , WMS or similar logo, look for where the casino is licenced and regulated.
If the casino is regulated in Gibraltar, Alderney or the Isle Of Man, these are very stirct jurisdictions and personally this is a good flag. If they are licenced in Malta, a relatively new jurisdiction, this too at least means that they are probably UK whitelisted a governement regulatory requirement for pitching for business in the UK. If you see Kahnawake , then unless you see a Microgaming logo, I’d do further research.
Same applies to Costa Rica, Antigua & Barbuda and Curacao. That doesn’t mean all online casinos licenced in these jurisdictions are bad, but many are. Just be careful!
Obviously you won’t go far wrong with the online casinos listed here (see right margin) as long as you aren’t defrauding, underage or gambling in an illegal jurisdiction. Good luck at the tables!
Footnote: I have also contributed extensively to the list of online casinos on the website which provides background information including cashout times and software among other data, much of which only really becomes obvious by playing. The lists have safe and established online casinos for comparison purposes.
UK Online Casinos
This guide is going to be of great interest to anyone who is based in the UK and is looking for a very enjoyable online gaming experience, for within it I am going to be explaining to you the many different aspects on offer at a range of different Casino Rewards gambling sites that cater for UK players.
Whilst there have never been any shortages of casino sites that players based in Great Britain can sign up to and play at, there are some things that you do need to be aware of in regards to what aspects of such sites will enhance your enjoyment of playing at each of them.
As such please do spend as much time as you like reading though the following guide, for if you make a point of only playing at casino sites that do offer you everything listed below, then there is no doubt in my mind you will ever experience any problems and will enjoy gambling online at the new Golden Tiger Casino or any of our featured UK online casinos from the Casino Rewards Group.
For reference each of the casinos I will be showcasing to you throughout this website that do cater for UK players have some generous bonuses up for grabs!
UK Gambling Commission
It is very important that as a player who is based in the UK, you ensure the casinos you decide to play at have all been licensed and are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, for the Canadian Online Casinos there is a separate gaming commission for Canada.
By doing so then you are going to be assured that each individual casino game you play has been tested and certified as being completely fair and random, and
you will also be assured of playing at casino sites that adheres to a very strict and robust set of standards too.
By playing at UK Gambling Commission licensed casinos you will also be able to seek assistance from an approved third party adjudication services in the event of you ever experiencing any problems that a UK licensed casino is not prepared to assist you with.
Therefore no matter when you choose to play you are always going to have complete peace of mind that if you do experience any problems they will be addressed quickly, and also each game you do play will be a fair and random one too. Plus, of course you will find such casino sites will allow you to get paid out your winnings rapidly too.
GBP UK Online Casino Account Settings
As you will probably be more than aware of if you have gone abroad on holiday recently, the value of GBP is quite volatile at the moment, and as such one thing you should always ensure a casino site is going to offer you is the option of setting your casino account to operate in UK Pounds Sterling!
By doing so when you do make a deposit you are not going to be forced to exchange your Pounds into any other currency and you will not therefore be paying any exchange rate fees and charges, which will be imposed on you if you are forced to deposit in any other currency!
By playing in GBP you will also be able to select the stake you wish to play for and when you win and then go onto make a withdrawal you will be paid out your entire winnings in Pounds Sterling!
Thankfully all of our featured casinos that accept players from the United Kingdom do allow their players to use GBP as their preferred currency setting, and you will be given the option of choosing GBP when you register as a new player at any of those UK Casinos.
Accessing UK Online Casino Games
One decision that you are going to have to make as a UK based player is just how you intend and wish to access an online casinos gaming platforms, for there are in fact three different online gaming platforms that you will have access to.
In fact, if you want to play casino games on a mobile device then you will be given the option of downloading a casino app onto your mobile phone or tablet device which will allow you to then play your favourite games no matter where you are.
There will be a fully downloadable gaming platform on offer at each of our featured UK casino sites, and that platform when downloaded will offer the
biggest range of casino games, so it may be the one best suited to you if you do enjoy playing lots of different casino games.
You will also find each UK casino we feature will offer players an instant play gaming platform, and that one will be accessible via any web browser, and it is into the web browser the games will launch and load instantly. Live casino games are also available on each of the above gaming platforms too.
Multiple Uk Online Casinos with GBP Staking Options
You may be wondering if it is going to be affordable for you to play at an online casino site, for every gambler is of course going to have their own available gambling budget and will never want to be forced to have to play their chosen casino games for too high a stake level.
Well, I am very happy to let you know that when you make the very wise decision of playing at any of our top rated casino sites you are going to be able to select the stake levels you want to play any of their casino games for.
Most if not all of the slot machines you will come across and any fruit machines too will have stake levels that can be set as low as just one pence, however if you do want to play for slightly higher stake levels then that is something that you will very easily be able to do.
Plus, all of the card and table games such as Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat will offer you the ability of swapping and changing the chip values, and those games will come with some very low to very high table stake levels to suit all players budgets.
Huge Range of UK Online Casino Games
Without a shadow of a doubt it will always be the games that each UK online casino is going to be offering you that will make one much more appealing than others, as each casino site could have a different range of games on offer.
However, one handy feature that you will find available at each of our featured casino sites that do accept and allow UK based players is that they all use microgaming’s range of casino games and their gaming platforms too.
As such that means you are going to be able to pick and choose the games you want to play and there will be well over 800 different types of games when you
play via the downloadable gaming platforms.
As each game will have its own unique set of payouts, and will be multi stake games too, you are always going to be able to play them no matter what gambling
budget you have set aside, in fact free play demo mode version of each game are also available too!
Best Valued Casino Bonuses
The only thing you will have on your side when playing at an online casino site is of course your set aside gaming budget and you will of course want that to stretch as far as it possible can do.
However, if you do want to get even more playing value then I would actively encourage you to check out the new player and ongoing casino bonuses that are
available at each of our featured casino sites, for there is some value packed and huge bonuses just waiting to be claimed.
The bonuses you can claim include deposit match bonuses, free slot spins and a plethora of additional bonuses too, and one thing that is on offer at each of our featured UK online casinos is a very fair and reasonable set of terms and conditions attached to each of those bonuses.
As such you will find the bonus credits are instantly credited t your account when you do claim each bonus and not only that but you will find each bonus comes with a low play through requirement and no maximum cash out limits either so you can win big when claiming any of them.
Comp and Loyalty Schemes
Getting lots of additional extras is all part of parcel of becoming an online real money casino player, and not only are you going to be showered with some
high valued bonus offers, but your real money gaming action is also going to be heavily rewarded too.
Take for example our top rated UK Microgaming software powered casino sites, those casinos all offer a generous comp club scheme and each time you play any
casino game for any stake amount you will be earning comp points.
The more you play the more points you then earn, and it doesn’t matter if you have a winning or losing session you will always be accumulating comp points.
You are then freely able to swap your comp points for playing credits at a time of your own choosing, and you swap them for additional playing credits.
That means when you are low of casino credits you are always going to be able to cash in your comp points and with some luck in playing your could turn them
into a substantial winning payout, and the more you play the more you will then be rewarded with win or lose!
UK Casino Deposit Options
One question you are bound to want to know the answer to if you have never actually played for real money at an online casino site, is how you are going to be able to transfer money into your casino account.
Well, what you will need to find is a range of casino sites that give you by far and away the largest range of different deposit option, as that way you can pick and choose how you make a deposit and will of course be able to pick one that is suitable to you.
Most people tend to use a debit or credit card to make a deposit, but keep in mind you may be hit with some fees and charges when using a credit card.
If you want to keep your gambling budget separate from your bank accounts then it may be worth your while opening up an e-wallet type of account, as by doing so you can then store your bankroll in one of those accounts and make deposit into any casino site at a time of your own choosing instantly.
Some casinos also accept prepaid vouchers such as PaySafeCard that you buyfrom any local shop that is displaying a Pay Point or Pay Zone sign outside.
Getting Paid Your Winnings Rapidly
Winning is what you will be hopefully doing when you set about playing real money casino games online, but always keep in mind not ever single session you have playing any type of casino game online is going to be a winning session!
However, when that day does arrive when you win then you will want to be guaranteed of two different things the first is that you are paid out your winning quickly and in full and also that your winnings are going to be sent out to you via a method chosen by you.
By making the very smart decision of signing up to and playing at any of our featured casino sites you are always going to be able to make a withdrawal of any amount, day or night and you will also have the added advantage of choosing how your winnings are sent out to you.
Plus, you are not going to be faced with paying any ridiculous fees and charges for making a withdrawal, which is something you may have to end up doing when playing at some other online casino sites!
New UK Online Casino Games
In addition to the hundreds upon hundreds of classic casino games that are on offer to you at our top rated and fully licensed and regulated UK casino sites you are also going to find that plenty of new games are also going to become available to you as a player at those casinos.
Each month without fail a brand new range of casino games are going to be launched which will offer you all manner of new and exciting features, and you will of course be able to give them a whirl for free and at no cost too!
Whilst you are always going to be able to pick and choose just which casino game you do get stuck into playing, do occasionally try out some of those new casino games if you are looking for something new to play.
As both new and old games are available via either free play demo mode versions or real money version of each game, if you do want to put any game through its paces for free initially to judge for yourself whether it will be one you can and will enjoy playing for real money later, then that is something you can easily do.
Around the Clock Player Support
If you are unsure about anything associated with playing at an online casino site then by playing at our UK casinos you are going o be able to make contact with an around the clock customer care team at any time of the day or night.
However, what you are also going to find in regards to every single casino game offered at those sites is that there will be a very comprehensive set of help files that you can consult and find out how to play each game and also find out about any unusual features they have to offer.
The payouts on offer on each game will also be listed on the respective help files and also on the pay tables attached to each game too and you will also find the payout percentages for each game at those casino sites have been published and made available to.
You can contact those support teams via instant chat, email or even use free phone telephone numbers too, so you will always get the answers to any questions
you do have quickly and with the minimal of fuss and effort too, which is always worth knowing!
Safe and Secure Banking Interface
The banking interface at any casino site is something you need to have complete confidence in, for it is going to be how you both make your deposits and also make withdrawals to and from your account.
The ones you will find available at our UK online casino sites utilize the very highest of safety protocols and as such all information you supply is fully encrypted before you send it, meaning your personal banking information is always handled in the most secure way.
You will find more than enough different deposit options available to you and plenty of withdrawal options too, and you will also have a full audit trail on offer also that will allow you to keep track of all deposits and pending withdrawals.
To access the Cash Check audit feature you simply need to click onto the Cash Check button when you are logged into your account and then by doing so you will
get a full overview of every single deposit you made and also a full round up of all of your withdrawals too and the status of those withdrawals.
Multi Player Casino Games
Never let it be said you are going to find gambling online at one of our top rated UK casino sites boring, for each of them are going to be offering you some community styled slot machines.
Those multi player games are going to allow you to play the same slot as other people and also communicate with those other players via a built in chat room, so you can egg each other one and have a bit of banter as you play those slots.
However, one added benefit of playing much slot games, no matter at what chosen stake levels you choose to play them for, and there are some very low
stake settings by the way, is that when the bonus game is triggered, you and all other players get to play off the bonus games at the same time.
If you have never played such game online then I would actively encourage you to give them a little bit of play time, for they are going to be fun to play slots and ones that many players do tend to want to play time and time again and they can be high paying slot machines too!
Trusted and Established British Online Casinos
One final thing to be aware of is that the longer established any online casino sites are, then the more experience they will have at giving players a fully rounded online gaming experience.
The UK casinos that you are going to find fully reviewed throughout this website have all been around for many years in fact they are all owned and operated by the mighty Casino Rewards Group.
So if you are looking or a safe and reliable casino site at which to play from the UK and want to have the added benefit of getting some of the biggest and best valued bonuses offers, plenty of comps and rapid winning payouts then ensure you get stuck into playing at those casino sites.
By doing so you are going to have completely hassle free gaming experiences online and will have by far and away the biggest range of casino games available to you too, and remember that when you win they are always going to ensure that your entire withdrawal is paid back out to you on time and by your chosen banking method too, and that is reason enough to give any of them some play time soon!
Frequently Asked Questions about playing at UK Online Casinos
If you play at our approved online casino sites, and you are from the UK then you are going to have a fully rounded gaming experience. For any first-time online players that have any additional questions, feel free to read on as I will now be answering several questions that you may just have.
Do UK online casinos have progressive jackpot games?
I just know that you are going to be impressed by just how many progressive jackpot awarding games will be available to you at all UK online casino sites. It is not only slot machines by the way that offer such jackpots, as a wide variety of different categories of casino games now have such jackpots on offer.
Can I play for low stakes?
It doesn’t matter if you are a high stake or conversely if you are a very low stake gambler, you can play at online casinos for any stake level. All the games that are available at our featured and top-rated UK facing online casino sites come with fully configurable staking options.
Who ensures online UK casinos are fair?
All UK online casinos that are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission must prove their games are completely fair and random. Only once they do so, are they then allowed to operate such games so you will always have the peace of mind in knowing you are always playing random games.
Do UK online casino players have access to auto play settings?
If you do not want to have to send each game into live play manually, then consider using the auto play settings attached to each game. All the featured casinos on this website will be offering you a range of configurable settings via their respective auto play option.
Are lots of high valued bonuses offered at UK casinos?
Make no mistake about it, you really are going to be showered with plenty of casino bonuses when playing at online casino sites. But always be on the look out for UK online casino sites that offer the very highest and best valued bonuses. One that does is Zodiac Casino which comes very high recommended.
How many games are available at UK online casino sites?
Hundreds upon hundreds of different casino games are available at UK online casino sites. So, it is very true and fair to say that no matter which games you love and enjoy playing the most, you will have no difficulties being able to track them down when playing at any online casino sites.
Online Casino NZ
The Zodiac online casino NZ is open for players that reside in New ZealandAustralia, therefore we have compiled a list of casinos offering Online Pokies that accept real money bets in NZD and CAD.
All sites have a mobile casino platform and the full download option.
Trusted online Casinos have added new video slots and mobile games to their portfolio in player rewards are excellent including fast payouts of winnings !
Our online casino listings will provide you the recommended Aussie orientated and more important NZD approved and top rated casino sites however each of the casinos you will find listed below are ideal for players based in NZ. If you are one such player then please do read on to find out what makes Canadian Online Casinos the very best ones you can sign up to and play in $CAD.
Spin Casino – There are casino games of every possible description and category and a 1000 Bonus on offer at Spin Place Casino NZ, however it is their range of slot machines that you may be interested I, if you do enjoy playing slot machines online or course! You will find classic slots, three reel slots and also bonus game awarding video slots too plus a huge and varied range of life changing progressive jackpot paying slot machines are also on offer too!
Jackpot City Casino – Microgaming designed casino games are what you will be able to play at Jackpot City Casino NZ and you will have the option of playing on three different gaming platforms when you play there too. They have both an online instant play and fully downloadable gaming platform along with their own brand new state of the art casino app too with a huge selection of pokies with 1600 in bonuses.
One thing you may like about playing there though if you are a slot player is that if you utilize their downloadable gaming platform you will be able to take part in lots of online slots tournaments too, some of which are free to enter and some of which have a very minimum entry fee.
Ruby Fortune Casino – You will be made very welcome as a player at Ruby Fortune Casino NZ as they have some excellent offers and promotions exclusively available to new players. All of the bonuses you will qualify for are added into your account instantly once you have claimed them so there is no need to wait for the support staff to manually add the total of 750 in match bonuses to your account!
They are also a very fast to play casino site so when you do have a winning session you can request a withdrawal safe in the knowledge it will be paid out to you very quickly and with no fuss or delays. Also they do tend to have one of the largest ranges of both deposit options and withdrawal options listed don their very safe and easy to use banking interface so you will have plenty of banking options and methods available to you!
Lucky Nugget Casino – You will find the range of casino games at Lucky Nugget Casino impressive for they utilize the Microgaming gaming platforms which means if you choose to play via their downloadable gaming platform over 850 games will then be available to you at stake levels you will be able to adjust yourself! Preferred High Roller Casino that offers a big 1000 match bonus deal.
If you want to dip your toe into the water and play casino games from Australia for the very first time then be aware each of the casinos listed above will allow you to sign up and play for free, and by doing so you can sample playing lots of different games and see how the software platforms work and operate too!
What Makes an Online Casino Great?
We always like to include real player feedback on each of our casino guides, and as such we asked our website visitors that are based in Australia what they look out for gambling at the pokies for real money at the best online gambling site and what makes those casinos standout as good ones to play at.
Below you will find the feedback and opinions sent in by our website visitors, and as such please do read on and make sure that you look out for anything mentioned below as that way you will be sure of getting a fully rounded and first class casino game playing experience!
AUD banking options – If you are going to play at any online casinos and you live in Australia then do what I do and make sure that you are going to be allowed to set your account to use Australia Dollars as your account setting, as that way you will not have to pay Forex fees when making a deposit or withdrawing from your account. Not all casinos will let you do so but the best ones will. – Jack
Instant pay within 48 hours – Never play at any online casino site that takes longer than around 48 hours to pay you out your winnings. If you do not make a point of playing at a fast paying casino site you then run the very real risk of having to wait sometimes weeks to get paid out your winnings. Also if you are not paid out rapidly by the casino sites you play at you will also run the risk of reversing your withdrawals and losing back what you won in the first place and possibly more besides! – Michael
Low of new casino games – One thing you should always look out for when selecting a casino to play at is whether they already have a huge suite of casino games and also whether they get lots of new ones added to their gaming suites regularly. By doing so and only playing at sites offering lots of games and lots of new games too you are then going to have plenty of new and exciting casino games to play whenever you do want to play them online! – Wayne
Free play options – I always like to spend some time playing slot machine for free and at no risk before I start to play t new casino site, as that way if I do not like the slot games on offer I will not have wasted any of my own money. Therefore, I would suggest that anyone reading this signs up to a new casino site initially as a free guest player and then make an informed decision whether to play for real money once you have put the slots through their paces. – Joan
Frequently Asked questions about NZ Online Casinos
I like to ensure that all website visitors can find the information they are seeking when using this website. Therefore I am now going to be asking a wide and very varied range of questions that are related to playing at an NZ online casino site, so read on to find out the answers to any questions that you may just have.
Can I test drive casino games online at no risk?
Players are always going to be more than welcome to play any casino game they come across on offer at any of our top-rated casino sites for a stake level they can afford. But all games will also be available in a no risk mode too, so consider playing for no risk to allow you to get used to playing online and to allow you to pick out the games to play for real money at a later date.
Can I deposit small amounts into an NZ Casino?
Never think that you are going to have to make some very high valued deposits when playing at any NZ casino site. In fact, those sites I have handpicked for you throughout this website will allow you to deposit some very low amounts of cash so that is good to know of course if you are a low rolling player that is based in Australia.
What bonuses do NZ Casinos Offer?
Both deposit match bonuses and no deposit bonuses are readily available to new players at most NZ player friendly online and mobile casino sites. Those casinos I have listed upon this website though will also give you access to plenty of ongoing bonuses too.
Which are the best NZ Casino Games to play?
The best games that any player can play are those that offer by far and away the very highest payout percentages. Card and table games that have the very lowest house edges are also the very best games you should be tracking down and playing.
Where do I find the RTP of NZ Casino games?
By playing casino games that high the very highest payout percentages, which are often simply known as the RTP of each game, you will get more winning payouts over the long term. That information is always going to be displayed on the websites of each of our featured casino sites, so make sure you look that information up, to allow you to find the highest paying games at any casino site.
Do NZ casinos have live dealer games on offer?
Live dealer games offer some of the best card and table game experiences for online players. That is one of the main reasons each of the featured NZ player friendly casinos that you will see listed upon this website all have plenty of live dealer games on offer to all players.
How quickly do NZ casinos payout winners?
You will find some casino sites that accept NZ players can take weeks to payout their winning players. However, by making the very smart and wise decision of playing only at our featured casino sites or apps, you are never going to have to wait very long at all to get paid out your winnings. Those casinos do by the way have some very high cash out and payout limits too.
Are progressive games available at NZ casinos?
You are not going to have to make any compromises regarding the type of casino games that you can play online if you are based in Australia. So be aware that you are going to have access to a rather large number of progressive jackpot awarding games which include slot machines, video poker games, and plenty of card and table games do have progressive jackpots attached to them too.
How can I access new casino games online?
If you play at a fully downloadable casino or even an instant play casino site, you will always find new games on offer at those sites. They tend to be listed prominently in the casino lobby of those casino sites, so do be on the lookout for those new games if you fancy trying any of them out.
