When online casinos first opened their virtual doors – over a decade ago – there were just a handful of options to choose from. Today, there are literally thousands of different online casinos to choose from, and this can make it difficult when deciding which one to choose. Before you join a new site it’s crucial you know what you’re looking for as online casinos can differ so greatly. For example, a casino specialising in live casino games may not be well suited to players look for video slots and vice versa.
To help you find the best online casinos to play at we’ve created this page to help you navigate through the hundreds of the sites. We’ll show you exactly what to look for, what to avoid, and how you can find the perfect online casino for your personal preferences.
Below, you’ll find a list of all the online casinos we’ve reviewed. All of these sites are reputable, trustworthy and hold valid gambling licenses, so you won’t experience any issues playing at these sites. You can choose to read our detailed reviews or get playing right away. We also have a rogue casinos page where you can find out which casinos you should avoid. If you’re interested, you can also learn more about how we write our online casino reviews at the bottom of this page.
Online Casino Reviews Process – Updated for 2019
Online Casino HQ aims to make it as easy as possible for players to find safe, trustworthy online casinos to play at. All of our online casino reviews are written with extreme care and aim to highlight the good and bad parts of the site in question. Our online casino reviews cover all aspects of a site including the bonuses and promotions you can claim, the software offered (and the games available), the banking facilities, customer support options and more.
Our reviews are not sponsored in any way, and casinos have no input into what we write. Online Casino HQ was founded on the belief that players should be able to find impartial, honest and unbiased information. This is especially important when it comes to our online casino reviews, and we tell it like it is.
At the top of each casino review you’ll see some basic details about the casino including who owns them, what year they were established and which gambling licenses they hold. You’ll also see information about any restricted countries and the software they use. Each review also has bullet points at the top of the page. This shows the site’s most attractive features and acts as a quick way for you to see if the site is suitable for you. At the bottom of each review you’ll see our overall rating and a start-based review system. Below, we’ll show you some of the main areas we cover when writing our online casino reviews.
Bonuses and Promotions
Virtually every online casino on the planet offers bonuses and promotions to tempt players into joining. Usually, this is a win-win situation as it allows you to claim deposit bonuses or free spins when you join a new site. As one of the first thing players look for when reading our online casino reviews, our bonuses and promotions sections are extensive and cover everything from the main welcome bonus on offer to VIP programs and more. A casino will often change their promotions structure every few months, and that’s why our team constantly monitor reviews to ensure they are up-to-date and accurate.
Still, it never hurts to check directly with the casino in question. We also recommend you have a full read through of the bonus’ terms and conditions. Things you’ll want to look out for include maximum stake limits, maximum cash outs and wagering requirements. If you’re new to online gambling and are wondering where to begin bonus-wise, we’d recommend you check out no deposit bonuses. These allow you to claim free chips or free spins without needing to make a deposit.
Software and Games
It should come as no surprise to learn that online casinos are powered by software. What you may not know, is that there are hundreds of different software providers in the online gambling industry, and each of them offers different games and a slightly different user experience. Some casinos use just one software provider, while others will offer games from multiple providers – this is purely down to the casino in question. When writing our online casino reviews, our team take great care to list all of the software providers available at a site.
It can be a bit confusing at first to figure out which games are from which providers. Thankfully, there’s a few main software providers who you’ll see mentioned a lot here at Online Casino HQ and at the sites you play at. Some of the bigger names in the industry include NetEnt, Microgaming, Playtech, IGT, and Evolution Gaming.
Banking, Languages and Currencies
Something that’s often overlooked at online casinos is the banking methods they offer. This is incredibly important as it affects how you can make deposits and withdrawals. In all of our online casino reviews you can view detailed information about the banking facilities offered at a casino. This includes the payment methods they offer, any minimum/maximum deposit or withdrawal limits, and the average time it takes them to process withdrawals. We’ll also state whether or not a casino offers manual flushing (the ability to “lock” your withdrawals.)
The languages are currencies offered at online casinos varies too. While most sites will offer all of the popular languages and currencies, some of the smaller more niche sites don’t – and that’s why we show you the language options and currencies offered at all sites we review.
Mobile Compatibility
Over the past few years mobile gaming has grown exponentially. Thankfully, most casinos have adapted accordingly, and most sites are now fully mobile-optimized, so you can enjoy the games on the go. Some casinos take things a step further and offer downloadable apps – these can be used on most iOS, Android and some BlackBerry and Windows devices. In all of our casino reviews we provide extensive information about the mobile compatibility of sites.
One thing you should be aware of is that while casinos themselves may be mobile-optimized, some of the games you’ll find aren’t. This is down to the game developers and not the casinos, so be aware that you won’t be able to play certain games from mobile devices.
Customer Support
There’s nothing worse than having a problem while playing online, only to find that the customer support facilities are poor. All of our casino reviews have a detailed customer support section where we show you the ways you can contact a casino’s team, and the times these teams operate. Virtually every casino offers help and support through email, but some offer live chat too. This allows you to chat in real time with a member of the support team and it greatly reduces the time it takes to get your issue resolved.
Some online casinos offer phone support as well, and we provide the contact number if applicable. You may also find that some sites have a detailed FAQ section. This allows you to browse pre-written help articles that may mean you don’t need to contact customer support.
Company Information, History and Gambling Licenses
In our online casino reviews we leave no stone untouched, and that’s why you’ll find information about the company who operate the casino and their history. We’ll cover topics like when they were established, whether they’re part of a casino group (or a White Label site), and any notable directors we feel worth mentioning.
All online casinos are required to hold valid gambling licenses. These are issued by governments and authorities around the world and they give the casinos the right to operate legally. You should never play at a casino that doesn’t hold valid gambling licenses. Doing so jeopardises any winnings, and you don’t have many options if and when things do go wrong. In our casino reviews, we show you which licenses each site holds.
Safety, Security and Other Considerations
The top online casinos all use state-of-the-art encryption technology to ensure your details are kept secure. This is especially important as you’ll be handing our your payment information when making deposits and withdrawals. In our reviews, we show you which safety protocols a casino uses. You should only ever play at a site if you can be sure that they’re securing your data properly. Failing to do so could lead to your personal information being stolen or sold.
We try to cover as much as we can in our online casino reviews without going overboard. We also like to give them a personal touch. All of our reviewers are avid gamblers themselves, and this means they know what they – and other players – are looking for. At the end of the day we want to make gambling safe and fun for everyone, and if you choose to play at one of the casinos we review, you shouldn’t have any trouble enjoying a fair, safe and fun gaming experience.