Online gambling is a real hit in India. Young and tech-savvy Indian residents do everything online these days, and playing casino games certainly fits the narrative. The variety of games available in online casinos and the number of casino sites on the Indian iGaming market is incredible, so it’s no wonder why players flock to them.
However, it also creates a certain conundrum. While the market tries to push out scams as hard as it can, the sheer number of casinos popping up make it a challenging task. It’s not easy to weed out the unsafe casino sites unless you learn how to recognize safe Indian online casinos yourself. We’ll help you in that search, showing you the most important factors that you need to check and ensure the casino you plan to join is perfectly legit.
License and Security Matter
The first thing we must mention when talking about online gambling in India is that you should always look for licensed casinos. That’s a must – you don’t want to be stuck with an unlicensed casino which doesn’t have a jurisdiction that will be on your side if things go awry (and they will). The best Indian online casinos are licensed by the UKGC, MGA, or Curacao. Those are the three most common and top governing bodies you can trust.
Besides the license, it’s also a good idea to test the security measures. Top casinos will at least have SSL encryption. You can check the SSL certificate by clicking on the small padlock icon left of your browser’s address bar. If it says Connection is secure and glows green, you’re good to go. If it’s red, the browser will have already prevented access to the website, warning you that by proceeding you’re risking your private data.
Online Reputation
Reading online reviews is of crucial importance when choosing a casino. You need to know if a casino is legit beforehand, so make sure to check expert and user reviews. That shouldn’t be too hard – just Google it and you’ll get a lot of hits. Expert reviews might be biased, but real user comments in the section below the article will give you a clearer picture of what to expect.
Many players praise the casino where appropriate and bash it for lacking features or games. Some will criticize the payout times or problems with certain payment methods. For sports betting sites, users might warn you about low betting odds or lack of cricket news, tips, or tricks. Those kinds of comments are more than enough to make you change up your mind and pick one online casino over another.
Safe Games
The best Indian online casinos will have a wide range of games to play. The variety is another important factor, but what’s more important is the safety of said games. Many casinos will have an RNG certificate to boast with. You should be wary of the casinos without an RNG certificate or at least a mention about the games’ fairness.
Check the About Us section or read extensive reviews to see if the casino’s games are fair. Slots and table games are all controlled by Random Number Generators these days, but it’s also important for the RNG to be certified and games to be tested by independent audits. eCOGRA and iTech Labs are the most common testing agencies, and if a casino has a valid certificate issued by one or—even better—both, then you’ve found a great pick.
Customer Support
The best online casinos will have quick and extensive customer service. While many disregard the importance of a quality customer support team, we think it’s a crucial factor when choosing casinos online in India. As a new player, you will have a lot of questions, and you should have answers as quickly as possible. A top-notch customer support service will be live 24/7 over several channels including live chat and email among others. The latest casinos may also opt for social media support channels which have reasonable response times.
Safe Gambling Procedures
All online casinos these days have a Safer Gambling badge or a policy in their footer. It’s a standard, but in reality, most of them just copy-paste policies from one another simply because it’s a legal requirement. To make a difference, safe Indian online casinos will have a meaningful safe gambling guide that’s not just legal mumbo-jumbo. The best online casinos will also have various self-exclusion tools that are aimed to help players in need of help by preventing or limiting their access to these websites.
Don’t ever hesitate to use these tools if you think your gambling is turning into a problem. Safe casinos will even point you in the right direction if you think you need professional help.
Test Bonuses Extensively
Every online casino in India has all kinds of bonuses and promotions. They’re more than just a gimmick. Casinos use them as a powerful PR campaign that can make all the difference for some players. Bonus hunters base their casino search by how good or fair their bonuses and promotions are.
But, it’s safe to say that not all casino bonuses are worth your time. As a matter of fact, some casino sites will have unreasonable terms and conditions such as high wagering requirements that makes turning bonuses into real money simply impossible. Always test bonuses before you claim them, and extensively. Read the terms, see if there are any loopholes that will prevent you from claiming what you win. Safe casinos differ from scam sites by offering reasonable terms that players can complete.
Payment Options
It goes without saying that trusted payment methods will only collaborate with trusted casinos. Take banks, Visa/Mastercard, or PayPal for example. They are very careful who they partner up with. If a casino doesn’t have the standard payment methods, but instead has shady options, you should think twice before joining.
Always choose casino sites with trusted payment options. That will give you a shot at fair gaming without worrying where your money might end up.
Conclusion
There you have it – the most important factors that can help you recognize safe Indian casinos. From the license and SSL encryption to game fairness and other important factors such as the payment methods and customer support. Follow these guidelines to choose a safe online casino in India and have fun gambling online as the industry intended.