If you’re in Europe and looking to play in online casinos, things couldn’t be better for you! With a plethora of world-class gambling sites aimed at EU players, and the convenience that online world offers, playing your favourite casino games online can be a truly rewarding experience.
In the last decade, online casinos have grown in popularity, and currently are all the rage. As per the leading statistics & source information website Statista, the online gambling market in Europe was worth a staggering €30.5 billion in 2020 – accounting for more than 50% share of the worldwide online gaming market.
A quick Google search for ‘online casinos’ will literally dish out thousands of results at you. But, how can you be sure which gaming sites are actually the best ones?
While personal preferences regarding the type of games and payment methods will often decide which casinos you’ll want to play at, there are some crucial aspects which every punter must keep in mind before signing up at a casino site.
The below 5 tips will cover the most-important aspects that decide if a casino is really among the best European online casinos.
1. Licensed & Regulated in Europe
When you’re playing casino games for real money, safety and security takes the front seat. Scroll down to the bottom of a casino website and check if it holds a valid gambling licence from an EU governing body.
Two such respected regulatory bodies are the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the Gibraltar Gambling Commission (GGC) that make sure that all EU casinos that hold their licences are fair and legit. A gaming licence granted by these bodies is accepted in most EU countries.
However, since Europe is not governed by a unified gambling law, some nations have also framed their own gambling and betting laws. For example, Sweden casino players must play only in casinos licensed by the Swedish Gambling Authority; the Danish by the Denmark Gambling Authority, and the British players in casinos holding a UK Gambling Commission permit.
Top Euro online casinos, such as Casumo, hold an operating licence issued by such reputable authorities. Always play in a casino licensed for your country to avoid any loss of winnings, fraud, and issues related to payments and privacy.
2. Payment Methods Tailored for European Players
All real money online casinos support at least a few popular payment methods such as credit cards, debit cards, and ewallets.
But for an online casino to be among the European top dogs, it has to do much better. If you’re in Europe, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find many fast, secure, and easy payment options specific to your region.
So, apart from common casino banking options, like cards, you’ll get other great choices, such as Trustly instant banking (popular in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Germany), Klarna online bank transfers (for Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland,), and ewallets such as PayPal, Jeton, MiFinity, and MiFinity.
Moreover, the best European gambling sites support multiple currencies, and accept deposits and withdrawals in Euros, DKK, SEK, NOK, GBP, HUF, and CHF.
The advantages of playing in your local currency are twofold. Firstly, it helps you easily keep track of your spendings, and manage your casino bankroll better. And, secondly, you’ll get rid of any currency conversion fees that may be levied by your funding source, or the casino.
3. Huge Variety of Online Casino Games
The best Euro online casinos are well-known for providing both top-quality and a huge selection of games.
This is made possible because some of the biggest gaming software developers that power online casinos are from (or headquartered in) European nations such as Sweden, Estonia, and Isle of Man. Moreover, these top game providers (e.g., Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution, Playtech) cater only to the regulated and legal markets, like Europe.
As a result, when you play at top EU sites, you’ll get to enjoy the complete suite of high-quality casino games, including, online slots, progressive slot games, table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, keno, craps, poker, and the best live casino games.
The game count at these top gambling sites easily runs into a couple of thousands, or even more. Do note that not every EU-licensed online casino will have such an impressive range of games from the best gaming studios. Small, or newly launched operators usually have to start off with fewer games and providers due to budget constraints.
4. Quality Customer Support
Playing from the comfort of your home, or from literally anywhere with your mobile these days, is certainly convenient and also a lot of fun.
But what when you need immediate assistance with something? It could be a common question, such as ‘How to claim a bonus’, or something more pressing, such as a problem with your deposit or withdrawal.
Whatever your query, a top-drawer customer service can make or break your experience at a casino.
Partly due to regulation, most European online casinos deliver an A1 customer service. While most online casinos nowadays offer 24/7 support through live chat, the top ones deliver a premium, quality customer service via phone, email, and live help.
Their support staff are not only knowledgeable and efficient, but can also converse in local languages such as Finnish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Portuguese, and German.
5. Casino Bonuses that are Worth Claiming
Online casinos and bonuses go hand in hand. If you’ve ever visited an online casino, you must have seen various offers advertised there, such as, free spins, welcome bonus, cash backs, and other offers on the site’s ‘Promotions’ page.
While they all promise something free, or extra to gambling enthusiasts, the details are often in the smaller print – the bonus’ terms and conditions.
The best EU casinos give out bonuses that have fair terms and conditions (low playthrough requirement, high cashout limit, etc.). The bonus terms are also clearly presented alongside the offer so that players can make an informed choice.
Final Thoughts
The above points show that a little research beforehand can help you pick a casino site that best fits your requirements. Reputed and licensed Euro online casinos have a valid licence, good reputation, quality games, a variety of payment methods, quick payouts, and prompt customer service.
Last, but not the least, whichever casino you decide to play in, always play responsibly and for recreation only.