Online casinos can acquire a solid reputation for several different reasons. There are many casinos that are still around today since the first online casino was launched in the mid 90’s, but many of the weaker ones no longer exist. The UK saw a boom in online casinos that stemmed from major high street bookies, so players who already knew the operator instantly trusted their new online ventures, which gave these casinos a huge advantage in gathering new players.

Casinos that have been around for longer generally have a better reputation compared with recently launched casinos, because of their impeccable track record regarding customer service, payouts, security and overall integrity, as well as the countless reviews that show them in a good light. It’s impossible for a new casino to instantly gain a good reputation, unless they happen to be owned by an already trusted and responsible operator.

Some operators could own several online casinos/poker sites/sportsbooks that are all considered by the wider gaming community and regulators as being trustworthy, so anything new that they launch should have similar success because they are already a trusted organisation. There are many e-gaming awards and accreditations that a casino can win throughout the year. The best casinos have won one or more of these awards at one point.

A trustworthy online casino should have all of the necessary certifications and approval by the main regulators in the industry if they want to gain players trust. Being approved by e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) is important and having their software approved and regulated by auditors such as Technical Systems Testing (TST) is a good sign that the casino software and their outcomes are both trustworthy and realistic.

Players can trust an online casino that uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology. This provides players with a secure gaming environment, meaning that a third party cannot access a players individual account details or funds. These aspects are crucial in determining the reliability of an online casino, but players must still exercise caution.

There are some ruthless operators out there who use the stamp (seal of approval) of the regulators that were just mentioned even though they have NOT been certified by them. Some online casinos have also been known to use the logos from certain licensing jurisdictions when in fact they are not licensed there. By using these logos in an untruthful way, players can easily be fooled into thinking that the site is trustworthy. If a player has any doubt or is unsure, they should contact the licensing jurisdictions main website to see if the casino is actually licensed there or not.

The jurisdiction with the highest controls and strictest vetting procedures include the UK Gambling Control Commission, Alderney, The Isle of Man and Gibraltar. Several dodgy online casinos tend to have licenses (and are operated from) jurisdictions located in Central and South American regions including Costa Rica, Belize, Ajouan/Comoros or panama. However, there are some reputable online casinos that operate from here, but there are just as many that should not be trusted, and must be avoided at all costs.