Online Gambling Reviews & Guides

How We Rate Best Online Casinos and Sportsbooks

Not every list of online casinos is ideal for gamblers because some of these casinos are unregulated and unlicensed. We use seasoned players to verify the legitimacy of an online gambling house from registration to licensing and playing. Below are some of the basics we check before giving online casino the nod.

Licensing and Fair Play

Top of the list is licensing because only establishments with the government’s full authority can safeguard a user’s money and information. We check that the said casino online is regulated by PAGCOR and other known authorities such as the Malta Gaming Authority and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. Information on licensing is displayed at the homepage of a casino’s page, but we go a mile further to countercheck the license number with the said authorities since this information is available on request. Fair play ensures games are audited and presented in such a way that the luckiest wins. Unaudited games give online casinos an unfair advantage.

Variety of Banking Methods

Visa, MasterCard, and Amex are some of the banking methods accepted at most top online casinos. We look at more options, especially eWallets that are accepted in the country. PayPal, Neteller, and in some instances, Bitcoin have now become favorable options since they are cheaper than regular banks, and transactions are processed faster.

When looking at banking options, we consider transaction cost, the methods’ safety, the time it takes for payment to process payments, and whether it is popular. If it meets all these conditions, we give the casino a nod. We also prefer to give our uses a variety of banking methods.

Supported Mobile Devices

The best online casino right now works with developers who use the latest HTML technology for game development. Why? Because the demography of gamblers is changing, we now see younger and younger game table experts than we did ten years ago. The best casino site has slots in mobile versions to accommodate this change, while some have taken it further to live gaming. We look at compatibility with Android and iOS for mobile devices – that includes tablets and iPads.

Quality Customer Support

Users of a casino’s products will, at some point, need to contact customer care about its payment options, deposits and withdrawals, and several other issues. We test contact options to see how casino sites respond through email, phone numbers, live chats, and most of the time, their FAQ section. We first check to see whether they have a detailed FAQ section, and if not, we ask questions through the said means. We observe how long each method takes to respond on weekdays and weekends, and during varying hours of the day or night. We include this information on our reviews.

Rewards, Bonuses, and Promotions

Top casino sites incentivize their players with bonuses and regular promotions that go a long way in popularizing their products. We compare bonuses offers – deposit, no deposit – and advice accordingly. We also look in their terms and conditions to see playthrough requirements so we can fully understand their viability. As for promotions, we look at games listed to qualify and give you the full breakdown so you know what to expect.

Game Selection

The most popular game on most online casino sites is poker, closely followed by video poker and then slots as would be expected. These games come in different varieties though they are played the same way, and so we ensure that casinos on our reviews have the widest variety possible. Saying these three are the most popular doesn’t dim the light on table games, so gambling websites with every game found elsewhere in the world get favorable treatment from us.

Best Software Providers

Game developers play an important role when selecting a casino because they determine the kind of games it plays. The best casino sites endeavor to work with known developers whose games have been tested. We check whether the games are mobile-compatible and can be played on both instant-play mode and downloads. We also check a game’s features depending on its software since developers install those during inception. The software provider has to be licensed and games audited for fairness for their games to be any good to players at online casino site.

Security

Any site identifying itself as the best casino site has to first place this factor before offering its services. The information that users share with it should be protected with the latest SSL encryption technology so it is not used for any other reason that the intended. If possible, the casino should display on its homepage an eCOGRA certificate to show that user information is safe. The best casino sites have adopted Random Number Generators that produce fair results after an online spin, but these numbers should be tested and checked regularly for fairness.

Online Gambling Legal Situation Worldwide

There are various regions with distinct regulations when it comes to gambling. In many countries, gambling is regulated by state-owned bodies that license both land-based and online gambling establishments. Players can visit numerous licensed venues to place bets offline and, in some cases, online for selected games.

In certain areas, online casinos are controlled by specific economic zones or freeports that operate under unique regulations. These zones often cater to tourists, allowing them to enjoy gambling services legally. The global online gambling landscape has several loopholes that enable online casinos to operate within the law.

Gambling Regulatory Bodies

Many countries have established regulatory bodies to oversee land-based gambling. These organizations license betting outlets to ensure they operate legally and manage various types of casinos and gambling clubs. Some of the most flexible regulatory bodies worldwide also license both local gaming companies and offshore casino entities.

Offshore Gaming Operators

Several countries allow the licensing of online casinos whose products are developed overseas. This permits residents to place wagers in these casinos, provided they are regulated in their countries of origin. The local gambling laws may state that residents can only enjoy online gambling if the services are provided by a casino licensed by a legitimate offshore jurisdiction. Tourists, on the other hand, may freely indulge in games developed by local online gambling sites regulated by national authorities or specific economic zones.

Special Economic Zones and Freeports

Special economic zones and freeports in some countries license land-based casinos to offer their services primarily to tourists. These casinos can also apply for licensing to offer online services to the same category of users. These zones are unique in their approach to issuing legitimate online casino licenses for gaming, sports betting, and lotteries. The establishment of specific offshore gaming operators has altered the landscape of online gambling regulation slightly.

Online Gambling

The question "is an online casino legal?" arises regularly around the world. It has been established that in many countries, it is not against the law to gamble online, thanks to various legislative nuances. Government bodies regulate all land-based gambling to ensure the safety and integrity of the practice. All betting outlets must operate under these regulations to guarantee player protection.

Globally, online gambling generates significant revenue for many countries. This income is expected to rise as the popularity of online gaming grows. Special economic zones and offshore gaming operators license both land-based and online casinos to offer their services to tourists and, in some cases, residents. These casinos must adhere to strict regulations to ensure the safety and satisfaction of players.

Software provision for online casinos is often managed by partnerships between local and international companies, ensuring a wide range of popular online games are available. However, certain games may be restricted based on local laws. Slot machines are among the most popular worldwide, strategically placed to attract players.

The regulatory bodies responsible for casino oversight enforce strict operational standards. The best casinos must have sufficient capital to meet all player obligations and are required to pay winnings promptly. This ensures that gambling remains safe, scam-free, and well-organized.

Gambling Taxation

Many countries collect substantial revenue from gambling through taxation, making it a lucrative industry for governments. Betting incomes are often taxed at varying rates depending on the amount won and the nature of the taxpayer. These taxes are usually collected in the form of withholding tax, which is final. The amounts charged income tax are those won by individual punters, with legitimate online casinos acting as withholding agents on behalf of the government.

Payment Methods for Players

Top online casinos provide a wide range of options for deposits and withdrawals for users interested in playing for real money. The most common options for payments are; conventional bank transfers and cards such as MasterCard, eWallets – PayPal, Sofort, Skrill, Neteller, and ecoPayz.

Here’s a breakdown into the mist common payment options:

• Credit cards and debit cards
• e-Wallets
• Prepaid cards
• Wire transfer
• Cryptocurrencies
• Money orders

Credit/Debit Cards

The most commonly used cards are Visa, MasterCard (Maestro), and American Express due to their convenience and general acceptability. Withdrawal and deposit limits will differ from one casino to the next, and there is usually a small fee attached to these transactions.

e-Wallets

If you are keen on the recent peer-to-peer digital wallet service from mobile/PC to your casino account, e-Wallets are the way to go. They are convenient since you can transact from a mobile device instantly, safe, and cheap since transfer costs are a small percentage of the total amount of a transaction. Some of the commonly used e-Wallets are Skrill, PayPal, Neteller, and Sofort. Prepaid cards are also just as convenient.

Cryptocurrencies

Digital currencies are gaining momentum in the world, and online gambling sites have caught up. Bitcoin remains the most popular and easily accepted thanks to its ease of transfer, security, and zero transfer charges.

Other options casinos adopt are; wire transfers and prepaid cards. Money orders have slowly lost their luster after more tech-advanced methods cropped up, but some casinos still accept them.

Online Casino Sites Accepting many currencies

Even though the is an important market, not all online sites offer payment options in pesos. They are developed without the multi-currency option that goes beyond common currencies, namely; USD, EUR, and BP. For these sites, layers have to incur the cost associated with currency conversion. The few sites that have pesos as one of their currencies make it so much easier for players.

Live Casino Games

Technology has taken international and PH online casino gambling from brick-and-mortar settings to live gaming in the comfort of your house. One of the things that made traditional table games enticing was interaction with fellow gamblers and dealers. Since online gambling eliminated the need for leaving the house to gamble at a casino, live gaming brought back the fun.

Using powerful computers and HD cameras, casinos can now bring action from studios to your house regardless of physical distance. You will log into your account, select a table, and get ready to play against your fellow gamblers. The Dealer acknowledges all players and sets the pace for the game. All players are asked to place their bets, and the dealer lets you know you can open chats amongst yourselves using a live chat option. The Dealer’s live dealings are translated into data through software – Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – that gives a brick-and-mortar casino feel.

Only table games get this kind of treatment since their players love that old-school gambling feeling. Background music will be just right, and there is the usual buzz you get from a casino since the action is live. Usually, winners at online gambling site are determined by the RNG technology, but for live gaming, it is done by human dealers. Naturally, only those who wager real money can play live games at casinos. Some of the games you can look forward to playing live include;

• Live Roulette
• Live Blackjack
• Live Casino Hold’em
• Live Baccarat
• Live Three Card Poker
• Live Caribbean Stud Poker
• Live Stars Texas Hold’em

Mobile Gaming

Last year, the had over 43 million gamers who contribute handsomely to the total collected tax. Though they range in age from 21 to 50, 74% of them do it from their mobile devices. It makes sense to choose this mode of gambling since most people are on their phones most of the time, and smaller gadgets are portable.

Developers working with casinos develop games in HTML5 to allow the compression of games without compromising quality. You get the same graphics, sound effects, and game quality from mobile as you would PCs since they are designed to fit these spaces ideally.

For mobile gaming, players can opt for downloadable games to play when offline or instant-play games require a good internet connection. These games are designed to fit any screen, whether an iPad/tablet or a regular smartphone. Not all games are available for mobile gaming, but most slots and table games are. These games are available on devices powered by Android and iOS.

Online Casino Games

There is no limit to the variety of games an online casino can line up for its players. Since slots and poker are two of the most popular games, casinos have them alongside Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Pai Gow, Sic Bo, Red Tiger, and Live casino games.

Online Slots

Most players seem to prefer slots over other casino games. Firstly, they are easy to play even for newbie gamblers, and secondly, they are available in different exciting variations. Three reel and five reel titles are the most popular. They come in different themes such as Fruit machines, Ancient Egypt, Mythology slots, Horror themes, Oriental themes, Movie slots with celebrities, Music, Adventure, Alien, and Irish themes.

Slots are available on free (practice) mode as well as wagering for real money. Being a game of chance, players don’t need too much skill when playing these games that involve finding the right combination of symbols. Their returns are way lower than those of table games because the concentration and skill-level required is equally minimal.

Online Roulette

There are three main variations of roulette; French, European, and American. European roulette, the most popular of the three, has 37 pockets with one zero and a 2.70% house edge, which is the lowest. American roulette comes second with its 38 pockets and double zeros. It has a higher house edge at 5.26%. The third option that is the least favorite among players globally is French roulette with a single-zero wheel similar to that of European roulette, but with a much higher house advantage. Roulette is developed by most game developers – Microgaming, NetEnt, and Playtech – and it is one of the most played table games in the world.

Online Blackjack

Blackjack is the one game with the most online variations of all table games. These are some of the options online players at casino have.

• Atlantic City Blackjack
• Super Fun 21
• Single Deck Blackjack
• Multi-Hand Blackjack
• Spanish 21
• Double Exposure Blackjack
• Blackjack Switch
• Pontoon
• European Blackjack
• Perfect Pairs Blackjack

When playing this game, the plan is to come as close to – or hit – 21 without surpassing it. Players get two cards, with one face down, while the Dealer gets the same number of cards. Ace is the most valuable card in Blackjack. These variations above have different house edges. Blackjack is a game of skill as much as there is a level of chance involved.

Online Baccarat

The goal in this game is to hit a perfect nine, and players do that by drawing the first two cards with values that bring them close to this number. The third card will either take you further from nine – a burst – or closer, in which case you win.

There are four main baccarat variations; Mini baccarat, Punto bunco, Chemin de Fer, and Baccarat Banque. Mini baccarat, mainly played in America, accommodates seven players instead of eight since it is indeed a mini version. Punto bunco is more Italian than any other, while Chemin de Fer is mostly played in Argentina. In Baccarat Banque, only one player gets to play Dealer the entire game, unlike other variations.

Bonus Types

It is not just casino sites that entice players with bonuses to keep them coming back and playing more regularly. Bonuses and promotions are given in different forms to new and existing players. There are welcome packages that target new players, while free spins are for both new and continuing players.

Here is more on bonuses and promotions.

Welcome Bonus

As the name suggests, this bonus is reserved for players registering an account with a casino for the first time. When you sign up, you are assigned a bonus code that then ushers you into the world of freebies. Most casinos dictate the type of games you can use for this bonus, and there is also a time limit. It is mostly tied to a deposit, making the bonus a percentage of the first or a number of subsequent deposits. Further, there are requirements to be met before this bonus, and associated winnings are withdrawn, and all this information is available in the casino’s terms and conditions.

No Deposit Bonus

This deposit is quite rare since, as the name suggests, players do not have to make any deposits to get it. All you do is register an account and use the bonus code, where applicable, shared. You will then receive a credit in your account that you can only use on predetermined games.

These bonuses have stricter playthrough requirements than deposit bonuses as most casinos will demand you play 20 to 50 times of the bonus before finally withdrawing it. Casinos put time limits to these bonuses so you know you only have a set number of days to exhaust them.

Free Spins

Slots require players to spin to play, and so free spins qualify as one of a casino’s well-loved bonuses. They are usually restricted to slots, and most times, time-barred. There are wagering requirements for punters to meet before they can withdraw winnings from these spins. This form of bonus is for both new and regular players and is the go-to reward when a casino is testing new slot games. They are mostly tied to game developers as they are part of a game. Most casinos and game developers are quite generous with free spins.

VIP Programs

When you register an account at casino site, your name is entered into a loyalty program, but you have to become a frequent spender to qualify for unique treatment. High-rollers (players that spend a lot of money) are rewarded with tickets to grand Prix, safaris, and raffles for luxurious presents that lower spenders are not privy to. They also get to try new games first and are given bonuses unique to only them. Sometimes, casinos give these players a cashback option for between 25 and 30% of their bets.

Online Casinos vs. Offline Casinos – 2020

Before online casinos became a hit, all everyone knew was land-based gambling. Old-school gamblers had their doubts about this new concept of gambling – and they probably still do – but time has shown this may the only form that will be left standing in a few years.

Online and land-based casinos have their unique features as well as differences that make each stand out.

We compare them using the following parameters:

• Payout
• Registration
• Game variety and selection
• Jackpots and bonuses
• Convenience

These resorts have several tables for table games and hundreds of slot machines. Since they are located in top cities that attract thousands of tourists each year, these casinos offer nothing but luxury and opulence. Since the law is clear on land-based gambling, these casinos receive their fair share of business from local and international gamblers. In 2018, about $687 million of the country’s gambling revenue came from land-based casinos.  Since they serve as both resorts and casinos, they pull large numbers of facility users, and over weekends patrons flock these places for betting and other forms of entertainment.

Responsible Gambling

Even though gambling has been legal for long, the government saw the folly in legalizing online gambling without an oversight body. The formation of PAGCOR was to regulate the industry so the government could mitigate the addiction associated with gambling.

PAGCOR introduced a program that does the following:

• Trains gaming employees so they can tell signs of addiction in users and act accordingly
• Limits access to a group when it foresees addition
• Prohibits types of games of gambling that have adverse effects on society
• Runs adverts warning of the dangers of uncontrolled gambling

Through regulation and licensing, PAGCOR sees trends of gambling and acts on them before they become distractive. It also ensures only casinos with the right certifications work in the country. This control has seen to it that the 43 million gamers play within their control limits to avoid unnecessary addiction. Players can also seek free help on the – Gamblers Anonymous.

History of Gambling

There are no clear records of when gambling started, but the 19^th century gets a fair share of mentions. During the Spanish colonial period, residents sent their money and time on horse-race betting and lotteries, two activities that have kept up to date. At some point, Cockfighting became a popular sport and betting option that is said to have led to the growth of other gambling activities. The government of the day banned it got out of control.

The National Charity Sweepstakes was in charge of lotteries but was later disbanded in favor of the state-owned Amusement and Gaming Corporation. This body oversees all gambling licensing and is the first of its kind in Asia to license land-based casinos and regulate gaming. While online gambling is not restricted, no online casino site is authorized to offer these services to locals. They can, however, play through Offshore Gaming Operators, comprised of online casinos formed internationally. Currently, Cock-fighting, Sweepstakes, Lotteries, Horse race betting, Casino games, and Street games are legally overseen by PAGCOR.

Future of Online Gambling

Every casino online operating under the Cagayan Freeport license offers its gambling services to tourists and not the country’s residents. POGOs, on the other hand, are free to provide gaming services to residents as long as they meet requirements – they should be licensed and regulated by authorities outside the. This means online gambling is legal in the country under these set conditions.

Under PAGCOR, the government oversees gambling to prevent online gaming from leading to addiction, and this is expected to continue. Since gambling incomes are rising to levels too significant to ignore, it is unlikely that the government will ban online gambling, but it is also unlikely to get its foot off the gas. We expect residents to continue enjoying their slots and online poker into the foreseeable future under the watchful eye of PAGCOR.