We only want to recommend trusted casinos with an amazing reputation. Not rogue casinos that have recently reopened their virtual doors under a new name for the fifth time.

Our safety and security checks begin with exhaustive background checks. This covers everything from researching who the owners are to identifying player complaints.

We also check if the casino has been licensed by a trusted gambling authority, like the MGA, UKGC, or Curacao. A seal of approval from such regulatory bodies guarantees that you’ll enjoy a safe and fair online gambling experience. Your personal and financial information will stay secure while you play.

Game selection is one of the key factors we consider when determining how good or bad an online casino is. An array of Vegas-style games should be available. This should include hundreds of slots, your favourite table games, live casino options, and even specialty games.

Our internet casino reviews provide a list of software providers that are available at each site. Naturally, casinos with popular games from big-name providers like Bally, IGT, and NetEnt score the most points in our reviews.

It’s important that these games are available to play in different formats. Even if a casino still offers downloadable games, we expect to find mobile and instant-play options.

We also check that the games are fair and random. To do this, we see whether a casino’s games have been tested by third-party auditing companies, such as iTech Labs and eCOGRA. Casinos which have had their games tested will hold certificates from these companies.

We always take advantage of welcome bonuses to see if they are as generous as the online casino claims. Nine times out of ten, we are welcomed with a match bonus. However, many casinos also offer no deposit bonuses that let you try real money games without depositing.

We then claim the best promotions the casino has to offer. This usually includes free spins, reload bonuses, cashback deals, and even special refer-a-friend bonuses.

Unfortunately, many players get fooled by false advertisement promises when it comes to casino bonuses. Make sure you pay attention to our advice on how to read casino promotions (such as wagering requirements, or clauses about keeping what you win). It’s important to read the fine print of a bonus before claiming it to ensure you’re getting a fair deal.

Legitimate casinos should offer a selection of the most popular payment methods. It’s vital that these payment methods are easily available and widely used. We expect to be able to deposit and withdraw quickly and easily.

Cashout speed is a big deal to us. We time how long a withdrawal takes at every online casino we review. If we don’t receive our money within the allocated time specified in the cashier, we will penalize that casino by reducing its overall rating.

We also assess available currencies. We conclude this section of our online casino reviews by reviewing transaction fees and limits. We favor casino sites with low deposits, and ones with high withdrawal limits.

It’s vital to us that you’re in good hands if something goes wrong at the casinos you join. While issues are few and far between at the top online casino sites, our experts like to test each support option that is available by throwing all kinds of questions at the support team.

It’s always easy to identify casinos that have been set up to truly accommodate players. We expect support to be available 24/7 (or at least reachable for most of the day), and in a variety of contact options.

We also time how long it takes for our queries to be answered. A customer service representative should be available within a few minutes, otherwise we penalize the casino.

It’s imperative that an online casino works across all devices. To make a fair assessment, we navigate the site and play some games. We begin by ensuring everything runs smoothly on PC before checking that the casino is compatible with the various mobile devices that exist.

Our mobile compatibility checks involve logging into our player account across multiple devices. This includes Android, Blackberry, iOS and Windows tablets and smartphones.

The good news is that most online casinos recognise the importance of mobile gaming. Therefore, almost all casino sites that operate these days have been programmed using HTML5 technology. This means that the website stretches to fit any size of screen.

We give brownie points to online casinos that also offer a gambling app, for players who prefer even speedier loading times and faster navigation.