Online Gambling Sites Reviews
Posted : admin On 7/28/2022With several types of online gambling available in Pennsylvania, picking a site can seem overwhelming. If you’re feeling unsure about where to go, you’ve come to the right place.
Below, you will find reviews for the best online casino and online sportsbook in Pennsylvania. We have carefully studied each site to determine what the strong suits are and, conversely, what things they need to improve.
Check out our list of top online casinos based on expert reviews and find the best online casino for you. Top 10 gambling sites and more. All (3148) Recommended (66) Newly opened (76) Big brands (1). The best online gambling sites will have a customer service team working 24/7, 365 days a year, and sports fans will be able to choose from multiple means of communicating with it, including phone.
- Expert Online Casino Reviews - Casino.org independently review & rank each online casino with our '25 step process'. Comparing games, bonuses + more.
- A review of an online casino, for example, will feature different information to a review of an online betting site. A lot of the sites we review are what we call “all in one” gambling sites. These are the ones that offer multiple forms of betting and gaming, and they’ve become far more common than those that specialize in just one form.
- In this article, we are going to review three of the best online betting sites, which are Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie. Bovada.lv also known as Bodog.com in Canada is among the best sports gambling websites that has been in existence since 1994. The site’s domain is registered in Latvia.
We also discuss some of the challenges Pennsylvania’s online gambling market is facing.
With things changing almost daily, it can be challenging to keep up with online gambling news in the Keystone State. Hopefully, by reading through our information below, you can determine which sites best fit your online betting needs. Most importantly, you must be comfortable with the site and aren’t worried about anything beyond winning.
Best PA online gambling sites for 2020
Our best casino bonuses and offers
Online casinos offer bonuses to their patrons to promote loyalty for the site. This practice is especially true for new players; every online casino has an offer for those who register for the site.
Several online casinos are active in Pennsylvania. Here’s a rundown of what bonuses are available on the best sites right now:
Unibet Casino
Unibet online casino in PA is one of the top options in the state, with $10 free just for signing up and a 100% match of your deposit up to $500.
For the free money, use promo code UBCASINO10. For the deposit bonus, use promo code UBCASINO500.
The trusted brand from Europe is hoping to make a big splash in PA with the biggest library of games in the state.
Read ourUnibet PA online casino review
SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse Casino offers new players a 100% deposit match on their first deposit. In other words, the site will match the player’s initial deposit dollar-for-dollar.
This bonus is good for up to $250. Best of all, PlaySugarHouse only requires a 1x playthrough on its bonus, so the money is quite easy to release. SugarHouse is the best PA casino when it comes to bonus offers.
All a new player needs to do is use promo code 250MATCH when he or she makes a deposit. This deposit bonus is likely the best available in Pennsylvania right now.
Read our Sugarhouse PA Casino review
Hollywood Casino
At first glance, Hollywood online casino’s bonus seems rather meager in comparison to the other two casinos. After all, $25 is not much compared to hundreds of dollars. However, this $25 does not require a deposit. It’s absolutely free.
All new players must do is register on the site. There’s no need to enter any promo code or other activity. As a result, the registrant will find $25 waiting for them.
Best of all, there’s only a 1x playthrough requirement. So, wager through the $25 once, and it’s ready for withdrawals.
Read our Hollywood Casino review
PA online casinos partnership tracker
The table below shows the Pennsylvania casinos that have applied for licenses. You can see their expected technology partners, and whether they have an additional online sports betting license.
| Casino | Online partners | Online Casino launch projection |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood (Penn National) | N/A | Launched July 2019 |
| Parx | GAN | Launched July 2019 |
| Rivers Philadelphia | Rush Street Interactive / Kambi | Launched July 2019 (PlaySugarHouse) |
| PokerStars Casino | 888 / PokerStars | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| Unibet | Kindred | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| FanDuel Casino | IGT / GAN | Launched Jan. 2020 |
| Presque Isle Downs | BetAmerica | Launched Jan. 2020 |
| Rivers Philadelphia | Rush Street Interactive / Kambi | Launched Jan. 2020 (BetRivers) |
| Harrah's | Scientific Games / 888 (Caesars) | Launched April 2020 |
| Wind Creek Casino | Pala Interactive | Launched July 2020 |
| Live! Casino | GAN | Launched Aug. 2020 |
| Barstool Casino | Penn National | 2020 |
| Hollywood (Penn National) | BetMGM | Launched Dec. 2020 |
| Golden Nugget NJ | NYX | Application pending |
Best sportsbook bonuses and offers
Here’s a look at our welcome bonuses offers:
SugarHouse Sportsbook
SugarHouse Sportsbook was the first online sportsbook to open its doors in Pennsylvania. So, fittingly, the book has a great dollar-for-dollar welcome bonus.
New players at SugarHouse will receive a 100% match on their first deposit. All they have to do is enter promo code 250MATCH when entering their banking details.
Best of all, this match is good for deposits of up to $250. There’s only a 1x playthrough requirement, so it’s quite simple to release. Few bonuses are as good as this one in Pennsylvania right now.
Read our Sugarhouse Sportsbook review
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers’ online sportsbook does have a bonus that rivals SugarHouse’s deposit match. In fact, it’s the same.
Thanks to its shared corporate ownership, BetRivers and SugarHouse are sister sites. So, the two books are going to function as mirrors in many cases, including bonus offers.
Naturally, that means that BetRivers players can also receive a 100% match on their first deposits. This match extends up to $250.
New players must use the promo code 250MATCH to activate the bonus when they make that first investment. The 1x playthrough requirement is about as minimal as those restrictions get, so it should be no problem to recover a significant portion of free money from BetRivers.
Read our BetRivers Sportsbook review
FanDuel Sportsbook
To casual fans, FanDuel might seem like a strange addition to the sports betting landscape. However, the daily fantasy sports giant has become quite a force in online sports betting in the past few years.
So, Pennsylvanians can get a taste of what all the fuss is. New accounts at FanDuel online sportsbook will receive a risk-free bet of up to $500.
New FanDuel players don’t need a promo code to activate this deal. They simply must join FanDuel here and make their first wager.
There is a 1x playthrough requirement on the bonus, which means players must make another bet of equal size to release the funds.
Essentially, players are receiving two bets for the price of one. Still, that’s a great deal for most, mainly if one of them happens to win.
As an added bonus, there is also a FanDuel Casino integrated within the PA FanDuel sports betting app.
Read our Fanduel PA Sportsbook review
Full list of sportsbooks and partnerships
| Online sportsbook | Casino | Retail sportsbook launch | Online sportsbook launch |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlaySugarHouse | Rivers Casino Philadelphia | Dec. 15, 2018 | Launched May 2019 |
| BetRivers | Rivers Casino Pittsburgh | Dec. 15, 2018 | Launched June 2019 |
| Parx | Parx Casino Sportsbook | Jan. 10, 2019 | Launched June 2019 |
| FanDuel | Valley Forge Casino | March 13, 2019 | Launched July 2019 |
| Kambi/Hollywood | Hollywood Casino at Penn National | Nov. 17, 2018 | 2020 (Barstool Sportsbook) |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Harrah's Philadelphia | Jan. 24, 2019 | Launched March, 20020 |
| BetAmerica | Presque Isle Downs Casino | July 26, 2019 | Launched Dec. 2019 |
| Fox Bet | Mount Airy | Sept. 12, 2019 | Launched Sept. 2019 |
| Unibet | Mohegan Sun Pocono | Sept. 24, 2019 | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| DraftKings | The Meadows | Oct. 7, 2019 | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| N/A | Oaks Race & Sportsbook (Now Closed) | March 14, 2019 (permanently closed in July, 2020) | N/A |
| N/A | South Philadelphia Turf Club | Jan. 17, 2019 | N/A |
| N/A | The Downs at Lehigh Valley | Jan. 2020 (Unibet Sportbook) | N/A |
| Betfred Sportsbook | Wind Creek Casino | 2020 | 2020 |
| Live! Sportsbook | Live! Casino Philadelphia (2021) | 2021 | 2020 |
Many of these online sports betting offerings will eventually be tied to a PA online casino site. For example, Harrah’s will likely roll everything into its single Caesars Online Casino product. PlaySugarHouse offers a shared account between casino and sports betting as well.
The lone exception is if you are an iPhone user. Changes to the Apple app store guidelines make these shared apps difficult, so you might see a sports betting app before you get a real-money online casino app in the lineup. And there is a chance they will remain separate.
What’s legal and illegal for online sports betting?
Few newly legalized activities come without rules and exceptions to their legality. Pennsylvania’s online sports betting is no different.
The good news is that Pennsylvania residents and visitors can wager on any professional, collegiate or international sporting events. The only requirements are:
- Be at least 21 years or older
- Be physically within Pennsylvania state lines
- Wager on an approved, regulated Pennsylvania site
However, the betting must occur on sporting events.
So, non-sports events, such as the Academy Awards or political elections, are not permitted for betting.
Finally, people who are intrinsically involved with a particular sport cannot wager upon it. So, players, officials, coaches, and other sports personnel cannot place bets on their own sports.
Concerning online casinos, most people can play without any restriction. Adults who are at least 21 years old are more than welcome to take part.
However, there is absolutely no online casino play allowed across state lines. The sites use geolocation software to monitor every player’s physical location. You must enable this function on your mobile device or you won’t be allowed to play.
The other exception is people who have placed themselves on the self-exclusion list. There is a separate self-exclusion list in Pennsylvania specifically for online play. Unfortunately, gambling addiction is a real problem, and online casinos are careful not to exacerbate the issue for people who are in recovery.
PA casino apps
With Pennsylvania moving into the online casino space, there are a few points about using these programs that bear mention.
First and foremost, it’s important to know that each casino app will figure out what device you’re using automatically. So, whether you use a laptop or a mobile device, the app will size the casino to fit your screen.
For the most part, every online casino has a browser version that will always work on desktops and some phones.
With that said, many casinos have a dedicated app specific to mobile use. If you are a mobile user, you may find the app to provide a smoother experience.
The mobile apps may also have greater functionality than the browser version. However, the game selection on the app can be smaller because some games don’t translate to mobile.
Finally, no matter which platform you use, you will have to go through some steps for the app to work.
Apple users should be aware all PA casinos or sportsbooks have a native iOS app.
Android users can play on all of the casinos in Pennsylvania but they will need to download the app from the casino website. The Google Play store does not support the distribution of gambling apps.
What online casino games are available in PA casinos?
Online casinos feature many of the same games that one might find in a land-based casino. Here are some of the types of games you may find at your favorite site.
Because of the laws requiring Pennsylvania-specific servers for any game providers to PA online casinos, the selection may not be what you are used to if you’ve ever played on a New Jersey online casino, for example.
Slots
The bread and butter for land-based casinos, slots, are the main focus for most online casinos too. An online slot is technically not a machine, but it functions identically otherwise.
A slot game will usually feature several rotating reels with various symbols drawn on them. The reels stop, and the player wins (or doesn’t) based upon the patterns the reels come to rest.
Many slots also feature bonus games or features that provide extra chances for players to win. Bonuses tend to be mini-games and have a higher chance of success than the slot game at large.
Each online casino in Pennsylvania offers a selection of games. That variety depends mostly on the deals each casino has with the game publishers.
So, the following is a list of the most popular slot developers and their games that are playable at the best PA online casinos:
NetEnt: At this time, all games on SugarHouse Casino are produced by NetEnt Games. NetEnt became an industry leader in the world of online slots by providing players with realistic games that replicated those in a Vegas casino. The list of games below includes the top games you will find at Pennsylvania online casinos.
- Blood Suckers II
- Dead or Alive
- Divine Fortune
- Drive: Multiplier Mayhem
- Gonzo’s Quest
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Konami: Konami is a household name in the online casino industry. As of the time of writing, this slot developer is only available at select casinos and with only a handful of Konami slot games. Here is a list of games available at select PA casinos:
- African Diamond
- Ancient Dragon
- China Shores
- Full Moon Diamond
- Solstice Celebration
IGT: IGT is a massive global brand with more than 1,000 styles of slot machines in brick-and-mortar casinos and hundreds available online. But there is a limited number of IGT slots in Pennsylvania. This list includes the top games you’ll be able to find online.
- The Big Easy
- Cleopatra
- Crown of Egypt
- King of Atlantis
- Pixies of the Forest
Other game developers entering the Pennsylvania market include Incredible Technologies, Everi Gaming, GAN, H5G, and Slot Symphony.
Video poker
Video poker games are often lumped together with slots. The main difference is that players retain a certain measure of control over the way the game proceeds.
Video poker creates a virtual simulation of a typical five-card draw poker hand. The player receives five cards, can choose to hold as many as they like and then redraws.
The goal is to make a five-card hand that qualifies as a winner. Exactly which rank of hand is required to win varies from game to game.
Table games
Players who prefer a more tactile experience tend to stick to table games. These are games that use a virtual simulation of activities that involve playing cards, dice, balls, or prize wheels.
Blackjack
The most common table game is blackjack. This card game is a competition between the player and the dealer to see whose combination of cards can get closest to 21 in value.
The catch is that the player must act before the dealer and rely on incomplete information to do so. As a result, the casino retains a slight mathematical edge.
However, players can mitigate this edge by using basic strategy. Basic strategy is a widely published set of behaviors designed to play blackjack optimally.
Roulette
The second-most common table game is roulette.
This French version of the game is found in almost any casino with table games. In fact, PlaySugarHouse elected to launch three variants of roulette in its PA online casino before publishing any versions of blackjack.
Basically, roulette involves a randomly released ball falling into a spinning wheel with numbered slots. Players wager based upon which numbers they believe the ball will fall into.
When playing roulette, you will choose between European and American roulette. European roulette features only a single zero on the wheel and boasts better odds for the players. American roulette, on the other hand, features a 0 and a 00, worsening the odds for players.
There are a variety of choices and combinations of numbers that players can choose to bet. Roulette is a staple for casinos due to its pace of play and chance at incredible winnings. A correct bet on a single number will pay 35:1.
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Craps
Craps seems to be a bit less likely to appear in PA online casinos. The game itself, which plays with dice rolls, a large tub-like pit, and myriad ways to wager, is likely a challenge for programmers to realize in a virtual setting.
Nonetheless, craps is a dice-based game, which involves players attempting to roll certain numbers on a pair of dice. Players wager based upon the likelihood of various combinations appearing on the dice.
The probability of those combinations often determines the prescribed payout for various wagers on the board. The casinos generate their profit margin by ensuring that the payout odds are worse than the event odds.
For example, a particular number may only have one chance in three of occurring, but a successful wager will only payout 2:1.
Other table games
Several table games are available from time to time at online casinos. These games are less common and, frankly, have a bigger house edge to them.
Nevertheless, they can be a fun option for someone looking for a change of pace. Some other table games include:
- Casino Hold ’em
- Caribbean Stud
- EZ Baccarat
- Let It Ride
- Pai Gow Poker
- Three-card poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold ’em
Live dealer games at PA casinos
People often speak about the “next big thing.” For online gambling in the US, live dealer games are that thing.
This style of online casino game has been nothing short of a revolution. It has propelled casinos in New Jersey to great heights. Live dealer games will come to a Pennsylvania online casinos as soon as the operators can get it off the ground.
Essentially, live dealer games are games dealt in real-time and broadcast live across the site. Real dealers run the games in an interactive studio located in or near the actual land-based casino itself. In fact, there are a few games conducted on the casino floor itself.
Players can place their bets, interact with the dealers, or even interact with one another. Some versions of live dealer games have even expanded to allow players to have multiple views of the game in action.
So far, the following games are available in a live dealer setting in New Jersey. Hopefully, they will appear in Pennsylvania soon:
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Casino Hold ’em
- Roulette
- Three-card poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold ’em
Stay on top of things with your favorite online site. Live dealer games are not something to miss.
More about PA’s legal online gambling industry
Online poker, online casino table games, and slots became legal in Pennsylvania as a part of a comprehensive gambling expansionpackagepassed by state legislators in October 2017.
The PGCB is providing regulatory oversight for the local online gambling industry. Casinos could get all three types of interactive gaming licenses at once for a $10 million licensing fee. The cost was $4 million each individually for slots, table games, and peer-to-peer games like poker.
There is no limit on the number of skins, or alternatively branded online gambling operations, that can operate under each licensee. However, regulations designed by the board stipulate branding for the skins must clearly identify the licensee. Plus, players can only create one account per licensee, not per skin.
Potential PA online casinos
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), there are 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos and two smaller resort casinos operating inside the state. Plus, a 13th casino, Live! Philadelphia, is coming to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex area, home of Philadelphia’s professional sports teams.
All of these PA casino operations could have applied for online gambling operator licenses in the state beginning April 16, 2018. The properties had until July 16 to turn in applications for a $10 million comprehensive interactive gaming license. With this license, casinos can offer online poker, online slots, and online table games.
There were nine casinos which applied:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Parx Casino
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
- Wind Creek (formerly Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem)
- Rivers Philadelphia (formerly SugarHouse Casino)
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- Live! Philadelphia Casino (under development)
After applying, Rivers Casino Pittsburg eventually rescinded its application, electing to punt on online gambling. Stadium Casino, now called Live! Philadelphia, did something similar, opting to forgo an online poker license.
Meanwhile, both Presque Isle Downs and Mohegan Sun Pocono applied for a la carte licenses. Presque Isle opted to skip poker. Mohegan surprisingly signed up for all three at a cost of $2 million more than its competitors. However, like Rivers and Live!, it too abandoned its online poker plans.
That left 12 unclaimed interactive licenses. PGCB opened up a process for qualified gambling entities (QGE) from outside of Pennsylvania to claim them.
Only two groups applied. MGM Resorts has preliminary approval for all three categories of license. Golden Nugget Atlantic City can offer table games and slots, but no online poker.
These two major US gaming players will be among the last to launch online casino and sports betting products in PA. They will also be the only sites without a PA land-based casino partner.
Potential PA online poker sites
The first online poker site to go live in the state was PokerStars PA when it fully launched on Nov. 6, 2019. The global poker brand is offered in conjunction with its land-based counterpart Mount Airy Casino Resort.
Today, 10 of 12 Pennsylvania casinos have poker rooms. Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin and Valley Forge Casino Resort are the only casinos in the state that do not have poker rooms.
More than 220 live poker tables are operating across the state with the 10 rooms pulling in an average of $4 million in revenue every month.
Plans for Live! in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex area include opening a poker room when the facility opens its doors in early 2021.
In addition to Mount Airy, six more PA casinos plan to offer an online poker counterpart. Those that will launch an online poker room in Pennsylvania (MGM is applying as an out-of-state entity) include:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Parx Casino
- Wind Creek Casino
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- MGM Resorts (QGE – no land-based partner)
PA online gambling site safety
PGCB will regulate all online gaming sites in the state. This is the same branch of the state government that regulates all land-based PA casinos.
Other important points regarding PA online gambling security
The regulations designed by PGCB will include several security measures specifically designed to:
- Ensure player balances are held in a separate account from operating funds
- Force sites to implement a rigorous player verification process
- Prevents minors from gaining access
- Deal with problem gamblers
- Force sites to implement geolocation software making sure all players are within the state
- All deposits and withdrawals are processed securely
It’s incredible to see what the internet has done for the world of gambling and sports betting. For most of us that didn’t live near a casino, we were limited to only being able to gamble when we made a special trip hours (sometimes further) to the closest casino. This cost time, money, and turned what should be a fun and enjoyable pastime into a chore.
The internet changed everything. We can now play our favorite casino games, pull the arm on our favorite slots, and bet on our favorite sports team without leaving the comfort of our own home. No more dealing with traveling, traffic, parking, finding a babysitter, or any other responsibilities we would normally have to take care of first. We can have just as much fun, if not more, from the comfort of our favorite chair or curled up in our beds.
While these innovations are great, they created a new issue. With literally thousands of online casinos and sportsbook to choose from, it can be a daunting task to find the best site for you. Sadly, not every site is a great site, and there are certainly a lot of bad apples trickled throughout the industry.
On the flip side, though, there are some sites that “have their act together”. These sites offer a top-notch, exciting, and trustworthy experience that will meet or exceed your unique demands. They pay fast and provide game choices and quality that put even some brick and mortar casinos to shame.
In order to help you navigate this sometimes confusing landscape, we’ve done the heavy lifting. Below, you will find our reviews of some of the most popular online casinos and sportsbooks available to you on the net. Underneath the reviews, you will see our breakdown of what criteria we look at when reviewing a site and how our reviews are different than almost every other review site on the net.
The most important thing for you to know before reading these reviews is the following:
REVIEWS CHECKLIST
- Sign Up Bonuses
- Promotion & Rewards
- Deposit Options
- Customer Service
- Withdrawal Timescales
- History & Reputation
Online Gambling Site Reviews
If you don’t want to sift through tons of reviews of potentially bad apples, we’ve pulled the top sites with the best reviews and listed them here for your convenience. As your options are dependent on where in the world you live, we’ve separated the top sites into those for US-based customers and those for those in rest of the world. We also frequently update this list as the best options in the industry are always changing, and an old list does you no good.
At the bottom of the lists, we break down all of the different criteria our staff uses to evaluate sites and how our process is different from other review sites. This information is important to understand how we come to our conclusions and how to protect yourself if you choose to search on your own. As you can see, we take our reviews seriously and ultimately just want you to have the best online gambling or sports betting experience possible.
Why Our Reviews Are Different
As we’ve already stated, we take our reviews and the review process very seriously. Have you ever been to a review site and realized that almost every site they reviewed sounded amazing? Or have you noticed that the sites at the top of their recommended lists aren’t that great? We will tell you why that is.
What Other Review Sites Do
The reason for this is that a lot of review sites will allow online casinos and sportsbooks to pay for better reviews and higher placement on recommendation lists. It’s fairly obvious what the problem with this is. You aren’t ever getting a real picture of what the casino or sportsbook is like. All you are getting are rainbows and roses blown up your tailpipe so the review site can make a few extra bucks.
Reviews like this do you zero good. You’ll end up at a sketchy and terrible site that has no problems using sleazy practices to get new customers. This is a recipe for disaster. Do you think that a site that doesn’t have integrity in their marketing practices is magically going to have integrity in how they deal with customers?
If it feels like everything in a review is positive, you’re probably at a review site that is being paid for better reviews. Our team has reviewed thousands of online casinos and sportsbooks, and we can say confidently that EVERY single one has at least something they can improve upon. Even the best in the business have something they could be doing better.
Our Review Process
As we stated earlier, we will not let a site pay us or give us anything for a more favorable review. Our reviews are 100% based on what we think of the site and how they treat their customers. This means that our reviews are just that, actual reviews. They’re not “ads” masquerading as reviews and deceiving customers into going to sub par online casinos and sportsbooks.
This ensures that our reviews are useful and ones that you can rely on. But we take things a step further. We are constantly going back and reevaluating sites and updating reviews as we find out about changes to the site or within the industry. A site review is ONLY of good use if it is current and up to date with the latest and most accurate information.
Regarding the actual process, we use a highly experienced staff of reviewers who have years of experience in the online gambling and sports betting industry. These reviewers are educated on the inner workings of these sites and the industry and know what to look for and what to expect. Thanks to their experience, they aren’t fooled by some of the tricks and sneakiness some sub par sites will try and pawn off on users.
- Expert review staff
- Reviews updated regularly
- An honest approach
- Never the ability to be bought
All of these things work together to allow us to provide you the highest quality and most trusted online gambling site reviews on the web.
The Criteria We Look For
One of the most important things needed to understand how we arrive at our conclusions and recommendations is to look at what criteria we deem important and specifically what we look for within each. Some review sites seem to be captivated only by how “pretty” an online casino or sportsbook looks and not a whole lot else. While graphics are important for overall user experience, they can be used easily by subpar sites to hide their imperfections.
Trustworthiness, Integrity, and Reliability
While we haven’t listed the criteria we look at in any specific order, we did make sure to put the top two criteria at the top of the list. The trustworthiness, integrity, and overall reliability of an online casino or sportsbook are hands down the most important factors to consider. No matter how great the site may seem, if you can’t trust the integrity and reliability of the operations, then you shouldn’t even spend a millisecond on the site.
When you gamble or sports bet, you are using your hard-earned money. A great online casino or sportsbook will know and respect this and provide an above board operation that puts you at ease. This is one criterion that we refuse to allow excuses for. If we get even the hint that something might not be on the up and up, the site is instantly blacklisted by us.
In our process of determining the trustworthiness, integrity, and reliability of a site, we look at all of the following things:
- Company History
- Industry Reputation
- Management Team
- Management Team History
- Payout Practices
- Customer Complaints
- Licensing and Regulation
- Third Party Auditing
Safety and Security
Equally as important as trustworthiness, integrity, and reliability are the safety and security of your money and your personal information. It’s no secret that the internet is a scary place filled with a lot of bad people that are trying to do you harm. When money gets involved, that risk goes up no matter what the activity is.
This is why it is of the utmost importance that the online gambling sites and sportsbooks you choose to play at go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to protecting you. Outdated software, patchy and insufficient security and unencrypted connections have no place in this industry.
When you’re gambling, you don’t need to be worrying about whether or not your money is safe. You should be gambling with the games you play, not with the security of your money. Ok, that was a cheesy line, but in all seriousness, this is of the utmost importance and again is something we don’t accept excuses for.
It’s also important that the sites not only secure your money but that they secure your personal information as well. This means not selling your information to third-party companies and using the highest levels of protection available to keep your private information safe and only in the hands of those that need it to facilitate your gaming experience.
Payout Speed and Options
What’s the best part about gambling or sports betting? Winning and getting paid! What could be the most annoying part about gambling or sports betting? Winning and having to wait forever to get paid. In the early days of online gambling, getting paid on your bets took a long time, and the speed was far from reliable.
Thanks to advancements in the industry, you can now get paid instantly or within a few days from a site that has their act together. One of the most important things that we review are the payout options, speeds, and processes that each site offers. Unlike most review sites, we don’t just trust what the site says. It’s all fine and dandy if they tell you that you’ll be paid in 15 minutes, but if in reality, it takes 3 weeks, that’s an issue.
When you win, you deserve to be paid quickly and without hassle. Period. End of discussion.
Deposit Options
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While not quite as important as how quickly and easily you get paid out your winnings, deposit options and speed are something that we review as well when looking at online casinos or sportsbooks. If a site makes you jump through hundreds of hoops just to get playing, it’s probably not worth your time. Depositing should be easy and should only take a few minutes at the most to get started. The sites should also offer you a bunch of different deposit options in case you have a personal preference of a method that works best for you.
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Game Options and Quality
Trustworthiness and security…check. Fast and easy withdrawals and deposits…check. Must be a great site, right? Well, not quite yet. All of the above factors only matter if the site offers the games you want to play. If you love to play Blackjack but the site doesn’t offer it, what do you care how fast their cashouts are?
Out of all the criteria listed here, this is the one that you’re going to see the most variance across the board. Some sites will be heavy on casino games and weaker with their slot listings. Some will be the exact opposite and be a slot player’s dream with limited table options. The home run, though, is the sites that offer a huge mix of all games including table games and slots neatly arranged in a tight little package.
In addition to game selection, we look at the quality of the games, graphics, and game play. If the games look like they were crafted in someone’s garage or basement, it’s a no-go from us. We want high-quality graphics, smooth and seamless gameplay with no lagging, and lights and sounds that look realistic and get us excited.
Part of the reason we love online gambling is that it SHOULD do a great job of mimicking the same experience we get in the live brick and mortar casinos without all the added hassle. If this isn’t the case, what’s the point? While this criterion is up to personal preference quite a bit, we tend to be fairly hard on sites.
User Interface and Overall User Experience
In addition to a lot of game choices and great graphics, we look to see how well the online casino or sportsbook has laid out its website. Things should be easy for you to find, games easy to play, and anything else you need to accomplish shouldn’t make you want to pull your hair out and launch the computer against the wall.
You would think this was something simple and that most sites would be on top of this. Unfortunately, that is not the case. It seems that a lot of the sites are built by software engineers who don’t fully understand the end user and how they like to navigate a site. This results in a website that feels clunky and getting anything done is a chore.
Gambling online should be fun and relaxing. If the user interface is lacking, this is impossible. Much like the game quality criterion, this is one that we are personally particularly harsh on if it is lacking.
Level of Customer Service and Options
Whether you’re brand new to online gambling or someone who’s been doing it for years, there are inevitably going to be times that you need some assistance. You may need help with a cashout or deposit, help with a game, or just have a basic question about a rule or promotion the casino is running. Whatever it may be, you don’t want to be stuck with no good answer or having to chase people around to get the answer you need.
For this reason, we take a lot of time in looking at the quality and level of customer service provided and the various options the site has. Live chat and email support and the two must-haves that we look for. Without these, it’s hard to believe that a site really cares about its customers. The only exception is if the site offers phone support in place of the live chat.
Ideally, we would like to see all three, and we would like to see them available 24/7, 365 days a year. Phone support used to be something that was a diamond in the rough if you found, but it’s quickly becoming an industry standard, and we are beginning to treat it as such.
In addition to a lot of options that are readily available, the quality of the support must be good as well. Getting in touch with a customer service agent quickly doesn’t help you much if they can’t actually help you fulfill your request. They need to be polite, prompt and educated on the ins and outs of the business. It’s pretty easy to spot when a company outsources their support to the lowest bidder.
Bonuses, Promotions, and VIP Programs
While this should be the last criterion that you look at when selecting an online casino or sportsbook home, this is still one that you do want to pay attention to (and we do too). Thanks to the fact that there are thousands of online casinos and sportsbooks, the competition level is extremely high for your business. This means that sites are going to compete by offering freebies and bonuses just to get you in the door and then offer you more to keep your business.
Online Gambling Sites Reviews
These sorts of incentives come in all shapes and sizes and are constantly changing and evolving. The reason we say that this should be the last thing you look at is because we will leave an overall bad site with a good bonus for a great site with a mediocre bonus any day. But, we won’t leave a great site with a bad bonus for a bad site with a great bonus.
Basically, in simpler terms, the quality of an online casino or sportsbook is MUCH more important than the level of bonus programs they are offering. Where it can come into play is if you are down to deciding between a couple of sites and need to push one of them over the edge somehow.
Why Picking a Good Site is Important
For some reason, some people really don’t think it’s that big of a deal where you choose to play. Unfortunately, this is the wrong mindset to have and will most likely result in you having a bad time or worse gambling online. Picking where to play online is probably the single most important contributing factor to whether or not you have a bad, good, or great online gambling experience.
It really does not take that long to flip through a few reviews and make sure that the site you are interested in is also interested in making you happy. Here are a few of the reasons why picking a good site is so important.
It Can Save or Make You More Money
This one should be a no-brainer, but we’ll gladly explain it out in case you’re new to online gambling or sports betting. If you gamble at a site that is not reputable and not trustworthy, you may have issues getting paid on your winnings. This may be in the form of delayed payments or issues with their terms of service trying to deny you money you’ve won. This should be the single reason you need to make sure you are playing at a reputable online site.
In addition, sites that are not well laid out with a strong user interface are notorious for players making betting mistakes at. If it’s not easy to see what you’re betting and how much you are betting, you are running the risk of making mistakes that will cost you money. Don’t expect the casino to repay you for mistakes either. Take the time now to find a site with a user-friendly interface and avoid these problems altogether.
Getting the Best Overall Experience
Online gambling is supposed to be fun and exciting. It’s supposed to be something that gets your blood moving and is enjoyable. If you’re playing at a subpar site, your experience is also going to be subpar. It does not cost you anything extra to play at a better site. You deserve the best when you play with your hard-earned money.
Protecting Your Money and Your Information
We’ve already harped on this one pretty hard, but we need to mention it again. You are responsible for protecting your money and your personal information when you do anything online. Sadly, there are a lot of bad people in every corner of the web looking to steal your money and information and do you harm.
This is not meant to scare you or make you run away from the web. It’s merely mentioned to make sure that you take the time and put in the effort to find a site that puts in the time and effort to protect you.
Our Closing Thought
Have fun! Seriously, online gambling and sportsbooks were created to give you an awesome way to enjoy your favorite games from the comfort of your own home. Take advantage of the technology, but just make sure you do it in a smart and safe manner, and you’ll have an absolute blast!