How To Find Honest Online Casinos – 9 Tips For Locating Trustworthy Sites

| Last Updated: August 30, 2023 10:01 am PDT
Man giving thumbs up with magnifying glass on to to find honest online casinos with casino imagery surrounding
  • One way to spot trustworthy online casinos is to see if their registration process is fair and straightforward.
  • It’s important to know if the casino you’re signing up at has been blacklisted before.
  • Honest online casinos will publish their odds and RTP (return-to-player) ratings.

Can you trust online casinos? The short answer is yes. But there are some you should avoid, like a bear on a camping trip.

These days, it is slightly easier to avoid sites that exist simply to rip you off. But to suggest that they have gone away altogether is just… dumb.

Are online casinos honest? The good ones are, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Luckily, there are far more reputable ones out there than the pessimist may dare to believe.

I’ll be going over how to find honest online casinos, but if you want to visit some honest casinos right away, then check out my favorites right below.

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1. An Online Casino Should Look the Part

Way back when I was wet behind the ears, I remember reading through various articles about the safety of casinos.

One time, I typed a quick Google search. Something along the lines of, “Are online casinos honest?” In doing so, I was met with various articles suggesting ways to gauge the reliability of a site. Some were good, and some bad.

What pretty much all of them had in common was a condescending air. Not only were they written in ways that were insulting to the reader’s intelligence, but they omitted one crucial factor: the smell test.

Top Tip
One of my top tips for finding honest online casinos is to develop a first impression of the site.

Does it look legit? Does it use hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS)? These are good indications, without a doubt.

Conversely, are there any discernible spelling mistakes or absurdly designed pages? Does the site look outdated or just plain odd? If so, you might be onto something.

Your initial reaction to a site might invoke a “gut feeling” that something is off. Never be afraid to trust it.

If you’re looking for the most honest online casino, but aren’t sure where to start, use this guide to signing up.

2. Look for Straightforward Registration Processes

Honest online casinos will have their terms and conditions set out and available to read before you sign up. Furthermore, they will provide you with a registration form that is simple, direct, and non-intrusive.

While there are personal details a site may ask for as part of your agreement to play there, they should never exceed the industry norms.

What you will be typically expected to provide at safe online casinos will look similar to this.

  • Full Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Email Address
  • Postal Address
  • Contact Telephone Number
  • Banking Details

Now, you might have reservations about handing over these details. However, if you’re looking for the best honest online casino, they will most certainly ask you to answer these questions.

But you can consider some of the other factors in choosing reputable sites before signing up. Things such as licensing and regulation details, which we’ll look at next.

If you’re an absolute beginner to online gambling, however, now is a good place to halt for a second. The following guide covers some fundamental tips to understand before choosing a site.

3. They Have Not Been Blacklisted

If you’re looking for reasons why you can trust online casinos, their standing goes a long way.

Having doubts about whether the new online casino you want to play at is unscrupulous? Why not investigate their background? You could go one step further and check out our online casino blacklist to see what we make of them!

Sites that are utterly dishonest in their dealings will usually leave a trail of destruction behind them. But what if the casino is new?

As with any company, reputation precedes. That’s why corporations spend ridiculous amounts of money to ensure they are not perceived to be doing anything shady, even if the more enlightened souls among us know that their practices are far from wholesome and ethical.

But does it matter one bit that a particular company acts in a way that could be perceived as unfair? Not when they have their corporate philanthropy game in order. But do note that most companies who do good things are not looking to con you!

Unfortunately, the nature of online gambling means that many of the dodgy sites can still ensnare the average player. To the trained eye, however, things will look different.

If you need some tips on how to avoid sketchy online casinos, we’ll share the telltale signs in the post below.

4. You Can Find Published Odds and RTP Details

Chips with graph

As a seasoned slots enthusiast, I always check the return-to-player (RTP) percentage.

This is essentially a number assigned to a game that will, theoretically, provide the average expected return in a session. To arrive at this figure, the slot simulates millions of spins that are overseen by third-party operators.

A site that doesn’t publish RTPs raises red flags for me. The same applies to other games, such as video poker or craps. If a site doesn’t have these details, it could mean that they are a shoddy outfit. Or, they could be counterfeit gaming software, which is illegal.

Are online casinos honest with the odds and percentages they offer? They should be. And if you are a player paying for the privilege of using these games, you have every right to question the site.

If you suspect a casino isn’t playing by the rules, there are plenty of top sites we recommend that do. I’ll even offer some more advice for finding slots at online casinos.

5. They Have Recognizable Software and Games

Not all honest online casinos are excellent choices by that virtue alone. I mean, we want more than honesty. Although it is a necessary prerequisite to finding the right site to play at.

Allow me to preface my next point with this: just because a small site doesn’t have top games, it’s not an indication that they are shady. It could simply mean they cannot afford licenses for the big games.

There’s no need to feel bad for them, however. They are looking for your money, so avoid them.

All being said, one of my crucial tips on how to find a trustworthy online casino is to see what software a site has. The better the games and providers, the stronger the site should be.

The presence of some of the following software developers is a good sign.

  • RealTime Gaming
  • NetEnt
  • Microgaming
  • Playtech
  • IGT
  • Evolution Gaming
  • BetSoft
  • Rival Gaming
  • Aristocrat Gaming
  • Play’N Go

The list above is by no means exhaustive. But these are among the key players in the industry. Again, you shouldn’t choose a site based on the software it has.

Other factors will come into play, too. What you are looking to do is tick boxes and consider the bigger picture once all the critical elements have been addressed.

For example, it’s important to use a reputable online live casino, if that’s a feature you value highly.

If you’re interested in learning more about reputable online casino software providers, check out our guide.

6. The Casino Has a Solid Reputation

So, how do you find the most honest casinos online? One good way of gauging the strength of a site is how big the brand is.

For example, Ireland’s Paddy Power is a household name due to its ubiquitous presence, sponsorship commitments, and innovative marketing approaches.

If you’re looking for an honest casino online, check to see if they do the same as Paddy Power.

Across Europe and other continents, some sites enjoy a similar status. Advertisements are everywhere, creating a sense of trust. Aside from being legal and a part of the furniture, they also have strong reputations based on brand awareness.

Now, this isn’t quite the case in the United States. The model works differently as parts of the US are still anti-gambling. But we could see a rapid acceleration of honest online casinos for US players entering the mainstream, with many companies increasing their presence and target demographics.

Just like any other major corporation would.

But how honest are online casinos just because they do advertisements well? Being a major player doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a great time playing on their site.

What can you do? Start by looking for reviews from players.

You’ll likely find some people that are pissed that things haven’t gone their way but try to remain objective and find some balance with the good ones. Also, lend special consideration to reviews on reputable sites requiring registered commenters.

A safe site won’t be completely crapped on from a great height by everyone. But at a time when fake reviews are very much a thing, perhaps you could consult the experts on what the top casino apps are!

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7. Look at Payment Methods and Payout Times

Are there any honest online casinos that can pass the smell test with flying colors but fail in other areas?

Yes. But remember, we are looking to build a bigger picture here. Some sketchy sites will also look the part, have the right software providers, and fool you into spending your money there.

It’s when you go to collect winnings that things can fall apart. So, as a matter of caution, make sure to check the following before you deposit.

  • Banking Options Available
  • Deposit Limits
  • Withdrawal Limits
  • Withdrawal Timeframes
  • Requirements When Withdrawing

Do online casinos lie to you about how long it takes to get your money?

The ones to be avoided might. Furthermore, they could refuse to pay you until you jump through a series of hoops to prove who you are. Not because you are different from who you claim to be; instead, it gives shady operators a “reasonable excuse” to stall on paying you.

If you happen to be a player unlucky enough to be caught out and don’t have the types of documentation they are asking for, you might never see that money.

8. Casinos Have Responsive CS Options

How honest are online casinos, you ask? Well, you could just contact their customer service to see how open they are to the discussion.

I always recommend trying out the function before you need it. In other words, test it out as though there was a matter of urgency you need to resolve. By doing this, you’ll find out the ways a site offers its help.

And how long it takes. The best sites have at least one way of getting through to their agents. And it shouldn’t take long.

The most common way of speaking to a representative of a site these days is by live chat.

With most of the leading casinos I have played at or reviewed, you don’t even need to be a registered customer to get hold of someone.

Furthermore, a great site will offer a phone number, email, and live chat functions. This indicates that they are serious about catering to their clientele.

Do casinos lie to you through customer support? Well, if they did, they would be in a lot of trouble.

If you can prove that you have been misled in any way, I’m sure it would help you further down the line if you encounter a bad experience.

Look, good customer support matters. So, make sure the casino feels the same way. That’s just one of the many things that should be on your online casino checklist.

9. They Care About Security – And Make It Clear

We started this piece aiming to answer a question: Are casinos honest? Not all casinos can be lumped together.

In much the same way that a bite from a crisp and fresh apple will refresh, munching a rotten and soggy one will suck. But unfortunately for gamblers, looks can be deceiving, unlike fruit.

One of the most important ways to pinpoint honest online casinos is by seeing how seriously they take your security. Even if the onus is on you to protect yourself online, it can be jarring to get stung on account of a site that you thought was safe.

These days, there’s more than a casino’s credentials to think about. Hackers and fraudsters are finding ways to access personal details, including payment methods, from lax casinos.

As such, you should ensure… no, you should demand a casino has the following measures in place. At a minimum.

  • Firewall Software
  • Basic Encryption
  • SSL-Encryption
  • Password
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you can notice even a slight hole in the safety of a site, you would be a fool to play there.

Finding how a casino keeps your details safe should be easy enough, as details are usually available on the site. If not, reach out to customer support.

Now, I know 2FA can sometimes be a pain in the neck. But it is a very useful tool to ensure you are protecting yourself at a time when online gambling revenues in the US alone are hitting record levels.

Read the following piece to find out more.

How to Use 2FA When Gambling Online – Top Sites That Offer It, Set Up Tips, and More

Two factor authentication (2FA) offers an additional layer of protection for online gamblers. Setting up 2 factor authentication is easy and makes things much more convenient for the sites you are playing on. I’ll give you the lowdown on using 2FA and...

Read More

Finding the Most Honest Casinos Online

Want to know how to find honest online casinos? Put the nine tips above together, and you’ll easily discern honest online casinos from those that are best avoided.

Once you have ascertained the ones you want to play at, you could look at narrowing the list down to a few.

Top Tip
Choosing multiple online casinos to use is actually really smart, too. Provided they’re all trustworthy options, you get access to more games, as well as more bonuses and rewards.

One of the biggest advantages to registering for multiple casinos is that you can grab several bonuses to play with. These can also help you to bolster your bankroll when you gamble for real money online

You now know how to find the most honest online casino, but why don’t I just point you in the right direction? If you are looking for trustworthy online casinos, consider signing up at Ignition Casino!

Footnotes:

Anthony Haage
Anthony Haage Author

Anthony is a sports writer for GamblingSites.com covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. He also covers other various topics such as entertainment, general sports betting tips, and more.

His favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and Blackhawks. He also will be a temporary fan of any team if it means winning him bets.

More Articles by Anthony

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