iGaming has continued to grow at an impressive rate worldwide, with estimates suggesting that the industry will reach $449.67 billion in revenue by the end of 2025. Chief among the reasons for this is the significant number of new operators offering their services around the world.
While there are plenty of trustworthy and high-quality operators, there are also those that seek to take advantage of people. Some sites exist solely to scam people out of their money and leave them wondering what went wrong.
In this guide, we’ll explain how you can spot these scam sites and ensure that you only join the online action through reputable gambling sites.
The Non-Negotiables
Although operators from varying regions may provide services differently, there are a number of non-negotiable benchmarks that every operator should achieve, regardless of their location.
Proper Licensing
The most significant of these factors and the first thing you should check for is whether a site is properly licensed. Gambling licenses show that a site has been audited by a reputable governing body and that it has been found to operate according to required legislation. As such, a valid operating license typically indicates that a site can be trusted.
Licensed operators should prominently display their license number or badge in a verifiable location such as the footer of their web pages or in the About Us section of their site. The license should also be linked to the issuing body’s website, where it is possible to verify that the license is still valid.
There are three primary governing bodies internationally that, together, license the majority of online gambling websites:
- UK Gambling Commission: Known as one of the strictest governing bodies, the UKGC conducts rigorous checks on operators’ financial stability, responsible gaming tools, and customer protection mechanisms. As such, any site that holds a valid UKGC-issued license can be trusted.
- Malta Gaming Authority: As one of the primary licensing bodies for operators in Europe, the MGA has a strong reputation for balancing operator efficiency with player protection. The organization instils continual audit processes, strict data and digital security, and regular compliance checks. As such, casinos with a license from the MGA are almost always safe.
- Curaçao eGaming: Although sites that hold a Curaçao eGaming license have undergone required checks and audits, Curaçao eGaming is known as one of the least strict governing bodies. Requiring fewer player-protection mechanisms, sites with a license from this organization can still be cautiously trusted if they meet all other non-negotiable requirements.
Transparency
The next area that an operator must be compliant with to be considered is transparency. With the gambling industry already being inherently filled with risk, it is best to avoid any additional risk that is obscured through misleading or unclear terms and conditions.
This applies not only to terms and conditions associated with offers such as welcome bonuses and other promotions, but also base terms for gambling on the site. All conditions or rules should be written in a clear, understandable manner that stipulate any conditions of play (like wagering requirements), withdrawal guidelines (such as limits), and additional fees (like withdrawal costs).
In addition, all terms and conditions should clearly outline the process for dispute resolution. Failure to do this could mean that the casino has no active plan on how to manage player complaints, which means that if you run into a problem, you are unlikely to receive help.
Testing Practices
Although licensing from some governing bodies automatically requires independent, third-party testing, casinos that voluntarily publish their test results show their commitment to being fair to players. These tests independently verify the fairness and randomness of games by evaluating random number generators (RNGs) and return-to-player (RTP) rates.
Among the chief entities that provide verifiable results are eCOGRA, iTech Labs, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), and Technical Systems Testing (TST). Reports from any of these companies can generally be considered reliable.
Responsible Gaming Culture
Legitimate operators not only want to provide access to thrilling entertainment but also seek to ensure that players can enjoy this entertainment safely and within specific boundaries. As such, above-board gambling sites will always prioritize player welfare over revenue.
One of the best ways to do this is by enforcing a responsible gambling culture. This can be achieved through various tools such as deposit and loss limits, session reminders and time-outs, links to support organisations like GamCare or GambleAware, and self-exclusion programmes that allow players to opt out of playing for a specific period, such as six months or a year.
Additional Research
While the above should be offered by any operator you consider engaging with, there are also some ways to conduct additional research to see how a gambling site truly operates.
User Reviews and Online Reputation
Searching online can often bring forward a significant number of user comments, reviews, compliments, or complaints. These are commonly written by real users based on real experiences with an operator.
As such, even if a site looks reliable, if it has multiple bad reviews and a poor online reputation, it may be best to avoid it. Inversely, if a site has fantastic reviews and many online reviews encourage new players to try it, it is well worth considering as a safe option.
Curated Resources
Another good place to conduct research is by using websites that specifically curate resources to aid in finding the right operator for you. These sites conduct independent reviews on operators and thoroughly analyse every aspect to see if they are legitimate.
Because of this, if you read that you can confidently play slots safely on Casinos.com, chances are that the curated list of sites available there are ones that meet all the non-negotiable criteria and have a solid online reputation.
Reach Out to and Evaluate Customer Support
Finally, if you have any specific questions about a site, the best place to find answers is from the operator itself. To do this, reach out using the site’s available customer support options and assess the responsiveness and helpfulness of their replies.
Doing this will hopefully not only provide you with answers but will also give you an idea of how the operator handles customer support. Underwhelming support may be an indication of what you can expect when you’re a player, while helpful support can instil confidence that your future queries will be handled efficiently.
Conclusion
Knowing how to spot a reputable online gaming site is not just the domain of professional reviewers or online sleuths. By following the short checklist above and doing some simple research, you can easily and quickly uncover operators that will provide engaging online gaming experiences, without exposing yourself to undue risk.
