What should you need to consider when choosing an online casino?

If you already have an idea of what games you like to play then this is a great start in helping you narrow down your choices. Many online casinos actually cater to select games like slots and poker and even sports betting so knowing that you only want to play certain games can point you towards a specific casino. But don’t worry, if you have no clue there are plenty of casinos that offer a well-rounded gaming experience too.

Payout percentages This may sound a little complicated for a beginner but it’s something everyone should consider. Payout percentages will tell you what the possible return will be on your bet. All trustworthy sites will post their payout percentages and the really good ones will be audited by independent companies. A good rule of thumb is to only play at online casinos with payout rates of 95% or higher.

Casino Software What casino software really comes down to for you the player is the game experience. There are a variety of online casino software providers, each offering different games, graphics, sound and playability. Lots of online casinos will offer free play versions of their games – this is a great way to test them out and see which provider and which games you like best.

Playing for real After you’ve made the decision on a casino you can now register for an account and deposit some money. Online casinos offer a wide variety of deposit methods including credit, debit and wire transfers. You can also uses online services like Paypal and Neteller as well. Be sure to take advantage of the Welcome Bonuses that your chosen online casino is offering as well (and if they aren’t offering one, don’t sign up!)

Bonuses So as we mentioned above, one type of bonus that an online casino will give you is a Welcome Bonus but there are many other bonuses they can offer players. Keep an eye out for other incentives and promotions, VIP programs and more. It’s your money the online casinos want so make sure they are giving you the most bang for your buck! And remember, because there is so much competition out there, there really are some great bonuses to choose from.

Now, sometimes bonuses can be a little tricky because they come with different wagering requirements (See below for more details on this). So if you ever run into any confusion about bonus offers you can head over to the sites customers service pages. Most online casinos have top notch services including live chat. If that doesn’t solve your problem, drop us a line.

Wagering Requirements – Wagering requirements are essentially the rules surrounding a bonus offer. Now, the money is technically free but online casinos put limitations and rules on the money to make sure you spend it in their casinos. For example, if you deposit $10 and receive a 100% Welcome Match Bonus you would receive an additional $10 but this money often include certain wagering conditions such as limits on play time with the bonus money (say 30 minutes) before being able to withdraw. Sometimes online casinos will require you to wager a certain number of times the amount of the bonus, while others may only give you ‘casino chips’ to wager with instead of real money. Sometimes there are even restrictions on the type of games you can use your bonus on.

So as you can see, it’s always best to read the rules of the bonus, they should always be provided and shouldn’t be too complicated.

That’s it for the basics so get out there are start exploring all the exciting gaming action online!

At 5Casinos we understand players will have a variety of questions and concerns, some of which may not be listed here. If this is the case, please contact us at your convenience and one of our casino experts will be more than happy to help you in a timely manner.

Banking FAQ’s

I’m worried about using my credit card at an online casino. Is it safe?

All of 5Casinos listed sites are safe, online casinos offering 100% secure services where only you can view your credit card information. If you prefer not to use your credit card you can also use a web wallet service such as Neteller or Paypal.

How are the online payments protected?

All of 5Casinos listed casinos are digitally encrypted in the form of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) (128-bit). This is the preferred method, used around the world for online banking services.

What are the different deposit methods?

Each casino may have a variety of preferred methods of depositing money to be more convenient for you. It is safe to assume most will accept debit cards, credit cards, web wallets, wire transfers, echeques and pre paid cards.

How easy is it to withdraw my winnings?

Winnings are usually paid by the same forms as deposits can be made – by cheque, transfer to a debit card, web wallet transfer or wire transfer. Again, convenience for the player is the key.

Bonus FAQ’s

Why is there so much free money available?

Basically it comes down to the amount of competition out there. Online casinos want you to play at their sites and what better way to do that then to offer you free money!

What’s the catch with free money?

There really is only a small catch as most sites have requirements attached to their bonuses but the offers are legitimate and worth taking advantage of.

What are wagering requirements?

Wagering requirements are rules that players must comply with in order to withdraw any winnings. For example, if you have a wagering requirement of x4 on a 20€ deposit you would be required to wager €60 before being able to cash out. Essentially wagering requirements are there to stop players from taking too much advantage of an online casino. After all, they are a business so in order to stop players from just taking the bonus and hitting the road the casinos put wagering requirements in place to ensure you at least place a few bets in their casino.

Am I free to play any game I want to clear my wagering requirement?

Most likely the answer is no. Online bonuses often restrict the type of games you can play because some games carry a higher edge. For example, Blackjack will have higher requirements attached to them because the player odds are better.

Do I need to make a deposit in order to claim my bonus?

Yes, in most cases you will be required to make a deposit before you can claim your bonus.

General FAQ’s

Are the games rigged?

Definitely NOT! We at 5Casinos can say without a doubt that it is never in the interests of an online casino to rig the games simply because it would ruin an online casinos reputation as soon as someone caught on. All online casinos use random number generators to ensure the fairness of all their games. And you can be sure that all casinos listed at 5Casinos.co.uk have fair, listed payout rates from an independently audited source.

Here are some important questions you need to ask before choosing a bonus:

What are your favourite games to play? This question will help you decide on a bonus because the games dictate how good the bonus is. Take slots for example – with this game you are more likely to receive a better bonus because the house edge is higher than say, blackjack.

Are you required to make a deposit to receive a bonus? Most sites will require that you sign-up for an account and make a deposit of a certain amount to get your bonus money.

Do you need to play with both your deposit money AND the bonus money? Most casinos require you to play with both as playing online with only the bonus money is classified as bonus abuse.

Is the money actually real? You might think this an odd question to ask but a lot of online casinos will give you ‘free casino chips’ or vouchers to play with. This means that you can play to your heart’s content with the chips but you cannot withdraw them because they don’t actually represent any real money.

What are the wagering requirements? It’s often common to require players to deposit a minimum amount AND wager a minimum number of times before the casino will release your original deposit. The average amounts and number of times varies with the games you play. Luckily, if you prove to an online casino that you are a valuable player they will often lower the requirements.

Are there any monthly bonus offers available? Getting a great sign-up bonus is fantastic but what other bonuses are available to you? If you don’t find many others listed you might want to look elsewhere, after all you should be rewarded for your loyalty and game play.

So is there a catch? Wondering how they can give away so much free money?

In actuality there are no catches. The competition among the hundreds of sites out there is so strong that online casinos need to offer attractive bonuses in order to get your attention AND to keep you playing at their casino. Even software provider giants like Microgaming, Wagerworks, WagerLogic and Playtech all offer specialised bonus software that ensure all the terms and conditions have been met before handing out your money.

Remember, at 5Casinos we’ll only recommend to you the best, most trusted, secure online casinos that are willing to go that extra mile for you and your money – after all, the bonuses are designed to allow you the time to enjoy your gaming experience while getting the most out of your money! Think of it as a big thank you from the online casinos for choosing them!

Bonuses

Remember to always take a look at the wagering requirements on bonus offers so you know how much of your own money you need to wager before you can withdraw.

Slots

Progressive slot machines are a great option to take advantage of. Not only will you get to play some exciting video slot games but you’ll also be able to take a crack at winning a huge progressive jackpot, a jackpot that climbs as every player takes another spin!

Blackjack

Learn and practice playing the best strategy for Blackjack on our Strategy Page.

Roulette

There are two kinds of Roulette, American and European. American Roulette is the favoured casino game because of the extra ‘00’ spot on the table.

Choosing a Casino

Look for more than just great sign-up bonuses. Your time is worth a lot to an online casino. Make sure they reward you for your loyalty as well with things like comp points and VIP programs.

Beginners

Decide whether you’d like to play download-free or with a download. Remember, no-download casinos are often limited in the number of games they offer but are more convenient.

Did you know?

We only list casinos that are independently audited by a third party to ensure games are fair and random.

We only refer online casinos that have proven to be safe and secure at handling personal details and information.

The verification processes at online casinos are designed to be strict to ensure your safety and identity. There are numerous validations being done behind the scenes and at times you will be asked to provide validation information such as your address – a standard process conducted for your financial safety.

Payments

Make sure you’ve located and read the payout times for withdrawals – there is nothing worse than winning a nice sum of money and finding out you have to wait three weeks to get it!