Last year, with the ongoing pandemic crisis, we were forced to stay home to comply with new health protocols and social distancing measures. After much time spent inside going through the same streaming catalogs, playing the same old video games, or listening to countless hours of podcasts and playlists, most of us found ourselves looking for new entertainment alternatives to pass some time or even as a distraction from the world news.
Therefore, online gambling, or iGaming, became an attractive alternative for casual and avid players all around the world, as the offer of online casinos and sportsbooks has never been higher, with the latter being one of the most popular online activities last year. The opportunity of playing casino classics, such as roulette, blackjack, and craps, enticed online players worldwide, and the industry recorded significant growth in this period.
When online casinos and gambling websites were created, following the internet boom in the mid-1990s, there weren’t many trustworthy alternatives, and the industry was frowned upon by people who feared being scammed or defrauded in these websites. Today, however, the introduction of security protocols and data encryption allowed operators to provide much safer platforms, impervious to malicious attacks and data breaches. And what was initially seen as a shady business has evolved today into a popular pastime, and an important market in the online entertainment industry.
With the never-ending selection of iGaming operators and websites, it’s easy for beginners to get confused when trying to find the best websites, bonuses, and even the most reliable operators. To aid these players, this article will cover some of the initial steps to venture into the iGaming world, from deposits and withdrawals to bonuses and the games available, but if some doubts still remain, there are online solutions that help to find a trusted online casino in Canada.
24/7 gaming
Smartphones and mobile devices have become our most loyal companions, and it’s hard to remember life without these tricky gadgets. Today we use our phones to shop for groceries, order meals, play games, and even invest in stock markets. So it’s no surprise that the iGaming industry has also reached our mobiles, and today most operators offer mobile-friendly platforms for players to enjoy casino games and sportsbooks anywhere, anytime.
But there are also providers that have launched their own mobile apps, focusing on easy access, and simple navigation, with the possibility of playing any casino game or placing any wagers in different sports leagues and tournaments. These apps are usually available on both Android and iOS app stores, and even feature safe deposits and withdrawals, access to bonuses and promotions, and customer support.
Deposits and withdrawals
After choosing the website, players must first deposit funds, before they can start playing real-money online casino games or placing wagers with an online bookmaker. This can be done in a number of ways, as payment methods vary with each operator, but options usually include credit and debit cards, wire transfers, money orders, and even cryptocurrencies. The time in which funds are made available also varies with the different deposit methods, with cryptocurrencies being the fastest.
The same options are available for withdrawals as well, and once players earn a win, they can choose to cash out. Transactions via credit cards usually take between 2 and 10 days to be available, as opposed to cryptocurrencies withdrawals, which are processed within a few hours. It’s important to notice that trustworthy operators must conduct all their financial transactions through reliable payment platforms, such as PayPal and Visa Checkout.
Special bonuses and promotions
Today, most online casinos and sportsbooks offer several special bonuses and promotions to both new and returning customers. These offers usually provide multiple advantages, such as special deposit conditions, extra funds, free spins, and even cashback programs.
There are many different types of offers, ranging from welcome bonuses to loyalty and referral promotions. To prevent malicious use, however, there are a few special conditions players must meet before claiming these promotions, so it’s important to check all the rules and conditions disclosed by operators.
Casino classics
Today, the offer of online casinos is incredibly high, and players can choose from a wide array of operators to play some of the best casino games. The selection of games is also pretty huge and includes classics like slot machines, roulette, and blackjack.
Slots are certainly the most popular online casino game, and there are thousands of titles, featuring different ways to win, paylines, and jackpots. These games are developed by major software providers in the industry, and even include licensed games from renowned pop culture franchises such as Jurassic Park, Game of Thrones, and Resident Evil.
There is also a huge variety of table games, including roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, and craps. Operators usually offer multiple variants of these games, and different bet limits. It’s even possible to play live dealer games to experience an authentic casino feeling, with games operated by professional croupiers and streamed to players from studios or land-based casinos.