Are There Any Fair And Trusted Online Casinos ?

1.		Ignition				n/a	Ignition
2.		Bovada				n/a	Bovada
3.		BetOnline				n/a	BetOnline
4.		Intertops				n/a	Intertops
5.		Sportsbetting				n/a	Sportsbetting
6.		America’s Cardroom				n/a	America’s Cardroom
7.		Blackchip Poker				n/a	Blackchip Poker

Did I hear you say that you want to be one of those online gamblers that rake in tens of thousands of dollars per week? Well, we are certainly not one to try and rain down on anyone’s hopes and dreams, but before you can become any type of online gambler it would only make sense for you to learn a little bit about the industry first. If you were already a professional, then you’d know things like nine out of ten gaming sites are rigged or that some destinations will never pay out winnings regardless of how much you win. This comprehensive guide to online casinos will cover all of that and more, so buckle up and prepare for one heck of a ride.

What this guide will teach the average online gambler-

Our goal with this online casino guide is to expose the weaknesses within the industry today and what players should be looking out for when they choose a trusted gaming destination. We are going to fly through the entire industry and talk about things like house odds, certifications, fast payouts, security, and about a dozen other topics. These are issues that you, the player, have to know about in order to win money consistently in any online casino. Without them, you are literally betting blind on every hand.

What this guide will not teach the average online gambler-

A lot of other sites will say, “Hey, play at this casino…it’s awesome.” They are only saying that because they are an affiliate with particular gambling websites, meaning that they make money every time you make a deposit at any of them. Now, we obviously collect commissions as well but the major difference is that we independently review and actively play at every online casino that gets recommended on MyPokerBasics.

While you will see our staff picks above just like at the other sites, they are only there to pay the bills so we can continue to bring you awesome comprehensive guides like this one. From here on out, we’re only focusing on the industry in general…there will be no sales pitches or con games. If you like our site, support it by clicking our gaming links and registering through us at some of the best gaming sites in the world. If not, it’s no big deal either…as long as you learn a thing or two and become a smarter overall gambler. That’s really our only goal here.

I. What is a Trusted Casino?

Since we have to kick this off somewhere, we might as well get an important definition out of the way. When anyone on our staff mentions a “trusted casino”, they are not simply talking about a place that deals the cards fairly. Most online casinos handle that task adequately since it is required for them to receive a certification from a gaming authority, but that is only one of several aspects that players should be worried about when it comes to online gambling. Here are a few others that should carry equal importance in your mind-

Deposit Bonuses

Did you know that the vast majority of deposit bonuses are nothing more than a scam to hustle you out of your money? Here’s how the con works- You deposit $50 at Billy-Bob’s Online Casino and Slightly-Used Undergarment Bazaar and it gives you an instant $100 cash bonus for you to get wild with (wouldn’t it be nice if all lousy online casinos would pick a name this horrible?). It seems like a good deal and all so you enter that little bonus code for the free hundred bucks, but little did you know that you just lost all of your money without ever placing a single bet.

By accepting that bonus at a less than reputable online casino, you’re agreeing to forfeit ANY type of withdrawal until after you play a certain number of hands at the tables or meet a variety of other conditions. That means if you hit a blackjack streak and clear $1,000 in twenty minutes, you have to keep on gambling for another 50 or so hours before you can even take your initial $50 back. Congratulations, you went from being a winner to a victim in about .00931 seconds…and it is all perfectly legal!

To avoid this type of scam, always read the fine print on any type of deposit bonus. There are always restrictions when it comes to free money (even at our recommended destinations), but reputable online casinos may ask for you to play 20 hands per $1 bonus while crappy ones would expect for you to play 2,000 rounds per buck. One is obtainable for even the casual player; the other will never, ever happen.

Certifications

Now, you’re probably thinking that a place like Billy-Bob’s Online Casino and Slightly-Used Undergarment Bazaar could never be certified by a reputable online gaming authority, which essentially proves our point for us right off the bat. If you saw a fancy little logo on their website from some business that regulates gambling, would you have any idea whether or not the company was genuine? In our experiences, most of you would have absolutely no idea whatsoever.

That’s okay though because in about five minutes from now, you’ll be an expert on gaming authorities. For starters, get to know the big regulatory names, software manufacturers, and verification sites to help you get in the habit of looking for them wherever you play.

– Real Time Gaming (RTG)
– Kahnawake Gaming Commission
– Technical Systems Testing (TST)
– PlayTech
– Random Number Generator Certified (RNG)
– TopGame
– Antigua & Barbuda Gaming Commission

Of course, that’s nowhere near all of the commissions and regulators out there, but it encompasses somewhere around 75% of the reputable online casinos. When searching for a quality gaming site, they should always be affiliated with one or more of the names listed above. The only exceptions are the government-run casinos throughout various parts of the world, but you really do not want to be playing there anyway unless you’re forced to by regional legislation.

Withdrawal Procedures

Another glaring problem with many of the online casinos out there is the policies that they have in place when it comes to collecting your winnings. Typical gaming destinations that you should watch out for may have excellent table play and very competitive odds, making you think that there is little to worry about in terms of trusting them as a business. Once you go to collect, however, the fine print reveals all kinds of crazy terms that the average person simply will not be able to comply with on an average day.

For example, we’ve heard from many of our readers that one particular online casino chain requires players to place at least 500 wagers before they can submit a claim for payment. That alone may not sound too horrible, but the terms also stated that they have to be an active member for at least thirty days (for verification purposes) before they could request a withdrawal of funds. Then there’s the part that says that they must submit a proper claim form within thirty days of their initial wager; which directly clashes with the last statement we listed.

When you add the three rules together (which are usually located in three separate parts of their terms and conditions so you’re not likely to see them), you may have a fifteen minute window of opportunity in order to collect your winnings. Since these types of gambling sites are outright scams, however, the chances of them saying that they never received your claim form is just about 100%…even if it was sent in correctly. That’s not even the worst news either, because since you accepted their terms and conditions when you joined the site, it’s 100% legal for them to steal your money.

Legitimate online casinos do not play these types of con games. Their terms may state that it will require a day or two in order to process your withdrawal, but there will not be any other restrictions in you receiving your money.

Player Representatives/ Assistance

Of course, when problems arise with an online casino, it’s always nice to have a representative of the company to talk to in order to sort out any problems. A lot of the websites out there advertise things like “live 24/7 chat” but that’s just a fancy term for sending a priority email; there’s no guarantee that you will receive an answer within a minute or even an hour. The only form of customer service you should be concerned about when it comes to online casinos is a telephone chat or video conference; forget about these so-called “live chats”.

Sure, a live chat makes companies look user-friendly but half the time it’s not even an employee representative; it’s somebody halfway across the world that is paid a few bucks an hour to copy and paste pre-written scripts into the chat. Other gaming establishments use fully automated programs to mimic a real person- it simply scans your question for keywords and throws out the most likely answer. In either case, you’re straight out being intentionally lied to before you even ask a single question; that is not customer service at all…not even close.

Now, to be fair, there are a few reputable online casinos that do treat their chatrooms as an actual live conversation, including several on our recommended list above. Since you can never tell if a “live chat” is actually what you think it is, however, always demand to speak to a live human being over the telephone. If they’re reading from a script or they can not immediately answer your question, hang up and find another online gambling establishment quickly. It really is that simple.

Customer Loyalty Rewards

This is another tactic that all casinos use to trick players into thinking that they are receiving something for nothing, and all gaming establishments are guilty of making their loyalty rewards appear bigger than they really are. For example, on a recent visit to a major Las Vegas gambling establishment that will go unmentioned, I was handed a pamphlet that had a total of fifty-two total perks that players could receive over time. After doing some quick math though, forty-six (or 88%) of the benefits were services that any quality resort would extend to their customers free of charge.

When it comes to VIP reward programs, there are essentially four things to consider-

1) What kind of freebies do I really want/need?
2) What will the casinos give me as a starting player?
3) When do the rewards actually begin to be worth having?
4) How many hands will it take to reach that point?

If you approach each online casino with those four specific items in your mind, it becomes very easy to sift through all of the BS when it comes to finding one with worthwhile VIP rewards. Since most of them work off of a point system that has a sliding scale for the amount of money you wager, players should always factor out a realistic expectation for when they will start receiving things like cash-back rewards and valuable prizes. Here’s an example-

Let’s say a gambler who wagers an average of $10 per hand/round joins Bob’s Online Casino and Slightly-Used Undergarment Bazaar. The tier two rewards actually have some decent benefits like free tournaments and a gift catalog, so our gambler sets his sights on acquiring the 2,100 loyalty points that it would take to advance to that level. Since a $10 wager grants .8 loyalty points at this particular casino, it would require 2,625 hands to reach his initial goal.

The number 2,625 means little though because we’ve yet to define how active our gambler in this example really is. Now, if he deposits around $150-300 at a time and plays for several hours per day, he could realistically reach the second VIP loyalty tier in less than a month. If he only deposits $30 at a time and plays until it is gone, then 2,625 hands may take him six months or a year. In either case, it’s simply not worth the effort for basic, run of the mill freebies.

Now, that’s not to say that some online casinos do not give away fantastic stuff to their high rollers and serious gamblers; we’ve heard of promotions where top VIP’s receive new luxury vehicles, extreme vacations, and even a profit sharing plan from their gaming destination. The average person will never see anywhere near this level of generosity, however, so treat loyalty rewards as what they really are…a long term goal with marginal overall benefits. If you plan on gambling online for the next several years anyway though, you may as well enroll in the best plan that you can find in terms of low/mid-ranged rewards.

II. Odds at Trusted Casinos

House Edge -versus- Chances of Winning

Although the overall house odds should always be a key factor on any gambling website, it really deserves its own section since the topic can easily be so darn misleading. We see players all of the time that completely confuse the terms “house edge” and “chances of winning” to the point where they end up making foolish bets, so let’s start with the definitions for both.

The overall house edge of any game is calculated by the difference between what the casino pays on a bet and the actual likelihood of that event occurring. For example, if we took a standard deck of cards (minus the jokers) and asked you to place a wager on which one would be turned face up first, the odds of winning would be one in thirteen. If the house paid 11:1 for any correct guess, then they would have an 8.46% edge of any wager. Pretty straightforward, right?

Misrepresenting the House Edge

That is essentially the principle that any casino is based on; to pay players slightly less than the true odds of that bet happening. Things get a little bit more complicated when we add some different types of wagers to the equation, however, which is why the house intentionally creates as many side bets as possible. Sticking with the same example from above, let’s say that we add two side bets to our standard deck of cards- picking odd/even and red/black.

We will say that they pay 1:1 which is the true odds of them actually happening, but the only catch is that you first have make the standard wager of betting on a number or face card at the 11:1 odds. Although the initial bet is still at an 8.46% edge for the house, the overall house odds for the game I just invented are now down to around 2.82% overall. It’s completely legal for online casinos to post that as true odds without an explanation as well, even though it is completely misleading to everyone involved.

Factoring Chances of Winning

That’s why some games like roulette, craps, and slots can completely drain your wallet in minutes with a meager 1.41% house edge…you simply do not understand what you’re betting on and how much of a true advantage it gives to the house. It is also how some online casinos advertise an overall house edge of 2.14% when many of their games give them a double digit advantage; it’s literally a slight of hand worthy of a world-class magician. The only true way to calculate the overall house edge on your favorite game is by doing the math yourself on the specific bets that you intend to place.

Now, don’t forget that the chances of winning remain the same no matter what the online casino happens to pay out, so it’s completely possible to hit a strong win streak and make money inside any gaming establishment if luck is on your side. The difference comes along quickly, however, when you lose a few hands because those smaller winning payouts do not stretch as far to keep you ahead of the game. That’s why professionals say that they are always gambling against the casino itself…not the actual table.

Making Odds Work at Trusted Casinos

Each of the gaming establishments recommended by our staff has low, single-digit house odds on almost every single game and so do many other reputable establishments around the net. The key for players to focus on is calculating the actual true house odds on each of their individual wagers; taking any gaming establishment at their word over something this critical to your success is truly an amateur mistake. This may appear to be quite a chore for a casual gambler at first, but in many cases it can tilt the table 8-24% in your overall favor when comparing a good and a bad online casino.

Now, that’s not to say that a low house edge alone will allow for you to win consistently every time either; that only comes by mastering the game you are playing through learning the proper strategy and betting consistently. I’m afraid that those are lessons for another day though, so be sure to check out our detailed game-by-game strategy guides located throughout this site to get up to speed. In either case, hopefully we’ve taught you a secret or two today; thanks for being one of our loyal readers.

Common Sense

There is one general rule that everyone on the internet should quickly learn to follow; if you do not trust something then stay away from it. I would bet that over ten thousand people each day look at an email with a suspicious attachment and say, “I wonder what it is”…even though deep down they know that they have no business opening it. The same goes for all of those spam websites, fictitious backlinks that say you won a bunch of money, or those ridiculous never-ending surveys that promise you a free laptop if you just fill out three more pages of offers.

The same can be said about online casinos; if you do not personally know that the company is legitimate then stay away from them. It doesn’t matter what they sent you inside an email or how great their programs seems; 99.9% of the time it is a scam. In fact, a recent study concluded that 1,275,000,000 fictitious emails are sent out around the globe daily…that’s almost one point three billion solicitations for a product, service, or gift that doesn’t exist. During that same time period, over one million people click those links thinking that it is their lucky day…surprise!

From here on out, there is absolutely no reason for you to be fooled by an unfair online casino ever again. Below are the top five most trusted casinos in cyberspace and choosing any of them will guarantee that you will have a safe, enjoyable experience where you can wager without worrying about being taken advantage of.

Best Trusted Casinos

Rome Casino

Even though Rome Casino has only been around for a few years, they have consistently changed the face of online gaming by offering some of the biggest payouts ever seen at their slot machines and other jackpot games. They have also spent countless hours designing a website that makes visitors feel like they are entering a world class casino where the player is ultimately in charge, which is evident in the hundreds of game variations from blackjack to keno.

Another big plus at Rome Casino is how serious they take security; it is one of the most secure websites in the world. Once you couple that with a great customer service staff, dozens of deposit bonuses, and a great VIP program; you’ll see why they’re the number one online casino choice for millions of players around the globe.

WinPalace

If you happen to run into any of WinPalace’s current or former players, one of the first things that they will tell you about is how great the customer support team is. Not only do they go out of their way to help players around the world find the easiest deposit and withdrawal methods for their regions, but they also are more than happy to answer any questions that you may have about your gaming experience while visiting their website. In fact, WinPalace has won multiple awards for outstanding customer service over the years, which is why many players call this casino home.

As far as the actual betting goes, WinPalace is very competitive with their odds. You won’t likely find fairer bets at any casino around the net and that’s not even getting into the great kickbacks from their VIP program. This casino is a great all-around experience for gamblers of all skill levels, and a very trusted online casino.

Casino Titan

Casino Titan is another fairly new website that gained instant attention by offering the highest deposit bonus to ever be seen inside an online casino. While this would normally draw suspicion from many players, it turns out that the offer was completely legitimate and tens of thousands of players have made an enormous amount of money here over the past few months. It also helps that they are very familiar with the regional laws that give many player trouble when trying to make a deposit; they’ll make sure you get approved the first time.

Casino Titan has a wide variety of games that you’d expect in a casino of its stature, plus a whole lot of others that you wouldn’t even associate with online gambling. Their out-of-the-box thinking has led to the creation of one of the nest casinos on the internet so be sure and give them a try before they cut back on the huge bonuses. Casino Titan is a very honest casino.

7 Red

If we could only use one word to describe 7Red, we’d probably have to go with, “cool.” This website boasts some of the best graphics ever seen inside any casino and it is very easy to get caught up in all of the non-stop action. That’s not to say that their traditional games like blackjack and roulette are not just as exciting; somehow they’ve managed to put a new spin on all of your favorite classics. In fact, they have more new and innovative gaming options than almost all of the other casinos on this list combined, so if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary then 7Red is definitely a good place for you to start. 7 red is one of the most trusted casino in 2018.

Last But Not Least : Answering The Skeptics : Are the Random Number Generators Rigged ?

Ed from MyPokerBasics staff steps in and gives his view on the fairness of online casino RNG.

If you listen to people talk at any land-based poker room or casino, you’ll hear people complain about how online gambling is rigged. They’ll often talk about how things don’t happen in the right ways, and that weird patterns and streaks happen that would simply be impossible when playing with real cards or dice. Do these claims actually hold up to scrutiny? Read on to see our list of fair casino sites with non-rigged RNGs, as well as the truth about online casinos!

When most people talk about rigged casino sites, they’re mainly concerned about the random number generator, or RNG. Since online gambling can’t use physical devices like cards, dice, or a roulette wheel, all the game results are determined by the RNG. This leads many to wonder: what’s actually going on behind the scenes in an RNG?

An RNG is a broad term for any device or program that’s designed to come up with streams of numbers that are unpredictable and random. In general, however, it’s impossible to actually create random numbers by simply using a computer program, no matter how complex the algorithm is that produces the number sequence. At some point, a pattern will exist, and the number of results is finite (though usually incredibly large).

These programs are actually known as pseudo-random number generators. To be clear, you’d probably never be able to tell a pseudo-RNG from a true RNG; the difference is in many ways academic. The reason a pseudo-RNG isn’t quite random is the fact that for any given “seed” – the key that sets the pseudo-RNG into motion – the results will always be the same.

While the odds of having anyone crack these pseudo-RNGs is very low, that’s still more risk than an online gambling site wants to take – and it would only fuel the theories of those who believe the games to be rigged. Instead, gambling companies go one step further to ensure the games are actually completely fair and random. While one of these pseudo-RNGs will still be used to determine the results, the casinos find essentially random ways of determining a seed value to start them. For instance, some combination of keyboard functions, mouse movement, temperature fluctuations and other essentially random factors can be used to generate a seed value, which in turn produces an entirely unpredictable result.

As you can see, while an online poker room or casino might produce results very quickly, but there’s actually a lot going on behind the scenes! The complexity of the process serves a couple of different purposes. For the casino itself, it’s a good form of protection against possible tampering by players. But for players, it shows that the results are truly fair and random – often even more unpredictable than the results you’d get in a live casino.

The sites we’ve recommended here certainly use RNGs that are completely on the level, and can be trusted to produce truly random results. But to be honest, that’s true of all legitimate online gaming sites; the RNG is at the heart of their operations, and site owners know that any questions about the fairness of their games can destroy their reputations.

Ed From MyPokerBasics Staff Gives His Take

Many people have concerns when it comes to depositing money at online gaming sites. However, there are a number of casinos that are trustworthy and reliable. These brands have built up a reputation over the years that allow us to confidently say that they’re among the most trusted online casinos in the industry.

There are a number of factors that go into determining which operators are the most trustworthy. Reputation, of course, is a major factor. If a site has had issues paying players or has been involved in any scandals, word quickly gets around – and they won’t be finding themselves on any “best of” lists. It also helps if a site has been around for more than a couple years; if a gaming company has operated for a decade or more, you know that they’re doing things the right way.

Then there are other factors that can be harder for players to spot at first glance. Most trusted online casinos will use advanced security features to ensure that both your money and your personal information remains safe and encrypted. Also, it goes without saying that a solid virtual casino will use a random number generator that delivers truly fair and honest results.

We took all of these factors into account when making our list of the best gambling destinations. Here are our top three choices for websites you can trust!

Rome Casino

Rome Casino is one of the most highly regarded casinos in the industry. They use advanced encryption methods to protect your personal information from being stolen or hacked, and helpful support personnel are available 24/7 to answer any questions or resolve any issues you’re having while playing there.

Rome Casino offers a new player bonus that they call “Romulus’ Welcome Bonus,” named after the mythical founder of Rome. The bonus certainly lives up to its name; you can receive up to $10,000 in bonuses on your first 10 deposits by signing up for Rome Casino today.

Rushmore Casino

Rushmore Casino is one of our favorite RTG casinos thanks to their excellent software and great game selection, but they take security very seriously as well. Sophisticated fraud control systems are used to protect your sensitive financial information, and all data transmitted between the player and the casino is encrypted at all times. Join Rushmore Casino to get up to $888 in bonus offers over your first two deposits into your casino account!

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