As the rise of Amazon has shown everyone, the days of physical stores are numbered. As the internet continues to innovate and offer new services, their physical competitors will begin to fall behind the platform. While physical casinos still dominate the industry, the presence of online casinos has grown considerably. According to Statista, “in 2015, the online gaming market had a volume of 37.91 billion U.S. dollars, this figure was forecasted to increase to 59.79 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.” That’s a predicted 50% volume increase in just five years. Combine this statistic with the fact that half of online casino gamers spend a minimum of two to five hours a week playing, and it’s obvious that online casinos are a force to be reckoned with.
If you’re hoping to get involved with an online casino, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of sites to choose from. But which site is right for you? Consider these three things when you select an online casino site.
“eBay Slot Machine” by Michael (CC BY 2.0)
The first thing you want to decide is exactly what kind of casino game you want to play. Are you more interested in poker or blackjack? Do you want to play video slots? Video slots come with unique animations and sounds integrated into the game, and cater for all tastes, with games based on blockbuster movies such as Bridesmaids or superheroes like Batman and Superman. It’s important to decide what kind of casino game you want to play before you decide which site to use, because many online casinos specialize in one game or another. Choosing a site that focuses on the particular game you want to play will give you a fuller and far more enjoyable experience.
Next, you will want to find a trustworthy site by checking out reviews. Sites like Bonus.ca compile major iGaming sites and rank them based on bonuses and promotions. Bonus.ca releases daily deals and specials happening on these sites. For example, Party Casino will match your first deposit 100% on the website up to $100, and BitStartz (a Bitcoin casino) will give you a 50% reload bonus up to $50.
The last thing you will want to consider is payment methods and payment security. Many people use their personal debit or credit cards to manage their casino money, but it may actually be easier (and safer) to use other money transfer systems like Neteller, Skrill or pay-by-phone methods such as Zimpler. Many online casinos now also accept Bitcoin, a digital or cryptocurrency that fluctuates in value. While this may seem a little rocky, Bitcoin actually offers a lot more privacy than traditional currencies and can be used in any country, so you don’t have to worry about conversion fees or other nuances.
Those are three basic things to look for when considering an online casino. But be sure to look into other features as well. Some online casinos have live dealers you can play with, which brings a new social aspect to the online experience. If you don’t want to spend any money, there are also plenty of free-to-play options out there.
