What does the perfect online casino look like?
Is there a perfect online casino? And if so, what does it look like? Because that's what you're really looking for when you sign up to a new online casino.
With so many options available when you’re looking for a new online casino, choosing the right (perfect?) one can be overwhelming. That’s where we come in. We’ve considered everything that makes the perfect casino to help you make an informed decision.
From a fair welcome bonus and a good mobile experience to fast pay-outs and plenty of games, there’s a lot to consider. In no particular order, here’s what the perfect online casino will include:
- Simple sign up process
- Fair and attainable welcome bonus
- Promotions for existing players
- Well designed site with search and filtering options
- Popular, and simple, payment methods
- Fast withdrawals
- Large selection of games from leading developers
- 24/7 live chat support
And while it's not a feature as such, the perfect online casino for UK players will always be UKGC-licensed.
Simple sign up process
A casino may have everything you’re looking for, but if you can’t register easily, what’s the point? I’ve experienced a poor sign up process far too many times. ‘Your username is already taken’ is a frustrating one.
Forms are mandatory, which is fine. But it’s paramount for any casino to make the registration process as simple as possible. If it’s not, it doesn’t give a great first impression, does it?
In my opinion, many online casinos are too heavily focused on getting numerous snippets of information for their internal systems that they’ve probably lost you by page 2 if there are a few pages to fill out.
Keep it simple, please. Betfair Casino is a great example. They’ve got one page with clear instructions and then it’s on to depositing funds and playing.
Fair and attainable welcome bonus
The best welcome bonuses will have no wagering requirements and ideally no cap on potential winnings. Betfred Casino is a great example at the time of writing – up to 200 free spins with no wagering and no maximum win.
What I don’t want to see is a great welcome offer – on the surface – that is then ruined by unfair terms and conditions. So, for example, you might see a banner advertising a bonus of 100% up to £400. That sounds great initially, but when you read the T&Cs, you may see that the wagering is 65x on the bonus and the deposit amount and the max pay-out is capped at £50. If there’s ever a bonus to deter new players this is it! It's important that casinos offer fair and attainable welcome bonuses.
Promotions for existing players
While a bonus for signing up is great, having ongoing promotions for existing players is just as important. As a player, you want to be looked after, and casinos offering loyalty programs or additional bonuses go a long way to keeping you happy.
There are a few casinos on the market that don’t have regular ongoing promotions for existing players, which is poor. Whether it’s another deposit bonus, cashback, free spins or slot tournaments, the best online casinos will have offers that are updated regularly.
Well designed site with search and filtering options
A top casino will have a website that’s easy to navigate on both desktop and mobile. Some casinos look great, but they don’t have any filtering options or even a search bar. We’re living in a mobile-first world now too, so a casino’s design must be fully responsive.
The overall theme is important, and the best sites tend to be ones that are bold and colourful with a modern design. MrQ is a prime example. The striking blue and pink colours look great on any device and the navigational menu with dedicated sections for each type of game is well put together. The site is easy to navigate and I’m never guessing where I need to go for certain things. It’s all very clearly laid out, even down to the choice of font, which allows players to read everything easily. The overall design of MrQ also allows the brand to be marketed easily, which is what all casinos should strive for.
Additionally, what MrQ and many other casinos do well is display licensing and certifications in the footer of the website to demonstrate their reputation and instil trust.
Popular payment methods
It’s often a misconception that the best casinos will list every payment option available. That would be nice of course, but some operators have PayPal listed with fees involved. That’s a huge negative. The perfect online casino won’t be charging fees for deposits or withdrawals. If they do, it’s a casino you want to think twice about playing at.
The ideal casino will have the usual debit card option, PayPal, Apple Pay and other e-wallets such as MuchBetter, Neteller and Skrill. E-wallets are a popular choice as it’s an anonymous payment option that allows you to receive pay-outs a lot quicker than some other methods.
Fast withdrawals
This is arguably at the top of many players’ lists when it comes to important things to look at when considering the perfect casino. A casino might tick every box on our list above, but if you’re waiting days to receive your money, it’s a casino to avoid.
Ideally, you want to choose a casino that will pay out within minutes. There are plenty of them around that offer e-wallet and debit card pay-outs in under 10 minutes or even instantly in some cases. A couple of hours is OK too if you don’t mind a short wait. With many sites offering fast withdrawals, it’s easier to disregard ones that have longer processing times. You could be waiting up to seven working days at some casinos!
Large and varied selection of games
Casinos need to offer plenty of games and numerous variations of them too. But what’s a good number? Over 1,000 I’d say. And they should be made up of the following:
- Video slots
- Jackpot slots
- Roulette
- Blackjack
- Baccarat
- Live game shows
Some casinos offer 2,000+ or even 4,000+ games, which is fantastic. But remember they must also meet the criteria listed above to be considered close to being 'perfect'. The leading sites will list plenty of slots from the top providers in the industry.
24/7 live chat support
Offering customer support around the clock is great, but unless it includes live chat, it’s less than ideal from a player’s point of view. We want answers to queries as quickly as possible, and the best way for that to happen is via live chat. Email support is fine, but you’re often waiting a day or more at many casinos for a response.
The best casinos will offer live chat 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They will respond quickly and have knowledgeable and professional advisors. All British Casino is a great example of a site that offers 24/7 live chat support with fast response times. There aren’t many better in my opinion – they're close to perfect in this regard.
Conclusion
While I’ve highlighted what I believe makes the perfect casino, it all comes down to individual preference. You might want withdrawals within minutes but you may not be too fussed if there are only 600 games to choose from. That’s OK. Not every casino is going to meet every single one of the points I’ve outlined above. But those that do will offer you a great betting experience overall. There are plenty of fantastic casinos around but there are also some awful ones. Don’t settle for less.