For years, London casinos were the preserve of the rich and well-to-do, with many potential players limited by time, funds and even the ability to simply visit a brick-and-mortar casino establishment.
Moving forward to the present day, plenty has changed, with many people working from home and more staying indoors for entertainment, embracing online services, including film, tv and music.
However, the biggest increase in the various forms of online entertainment available has come in the gambling sector, with players able to play slots and games without leaving the comfort of their homes and for as little as 10 British pence.
So where do I start?
If you have never played or even thought about joining an online gambling establishment, it can be a little daunting, but if you are considering joining an online casino, there are a number of factors to consider before signing up to play at any online site.
Reviews
Reviews are the backbone of any trustworthy online casino, with plenty of websites dedicated to reviewing sites independently, such as www.bookiesbonuses.com, which has been reviewing online gambling sites since 2009 and features information on over 120 different online gambling sites across both sports and casino gambling.
The great thing about independent reviews is complete transparency, with poor sites held to account and information passed on to you, the potential customer, with no ulterior motive from the reviewer.
Check out a review for this highly recommended casino here for instance.
Licensing
When joining an online gambling site, knowing they are legal and bound by UK laws is important.
The easiest way of doing this is to see if the casino has a UK Gambling Commission license.
Many sites will have their license number displayed onsite, but if they do not, a quick online search will garner the information required.
A UK license means that the casino is bound by UK laws and therefore you are fully protected against fraud, data mishandling and other potentially illegal activity.
Incidentally, all UK gambling sites are also part of Gamstop which helps combat problem gambling.
Games
So what do you want to play? Slots, table games, live games?
It is important to find a site that will fit your interests, with some sites offering a complete suite of slot games, while others have a focus on roulette, blackjack and poker for instance, with live dealers.
Most casinos will let you have a look at what games they feature before signing up, although you cannot play them unless you have an account, unfortunately.
Many casinos do allow members to demo their games, with players able to try out and understand a game, without using any real-life funds, which is useful for new players.
Although some sites can offer as many as 2000 games to play, a vast majority of titles will be slots (fruit machines), so if you are looking to take on variations on the one-armed bandit, you are very much in luck.
Payments and customer service
Most online gambling sites have started to catch up, when it comes to payment options, with PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay now able to be used to deposit funds to a betting account.
This is a great way to add an extra layer of security to your play, with these third-party sites, acting as a middle-man between your banking details and the online casino, with less data shared directly.
When adding payment details, it is important to understand how withdrawals work too, as some payment methods like Google Pay are not able to make withdrawals, while some options take longer than others and can have processing fees attached.
Customer service is also important, with many sites now offering 24/7 web chat for queries, alongside phone and email options.
It is worthwhile checking to see what customer service functions a site has prior to joining.
Bonuses
Online casinos will offer incentives for new players, with various options offered.
These can range from deposit bonuses to free spins but usually have caveats attached, such as a wagering requirement which requires bonus funds to be gambled multiple times before being able to be withdrawn.
Once again, review sites have the best information about bonuses, with details on what the requirements are to qualify for a deposit bonus or free spins at each casino site.
Have fun!
Remember, the priority is to have fun. Don’t get bogged down by the plethora of promotions that are thrown at you, play the games you want and how you want to play them.
No matter whether you are playing 10p or £10, make sure it is fun and you are in control of your spending and make sure to be gamble aware.
