As well as reading reviews which is always good practice, one almost infallible way to test whether or not a casino is reputable is by checking out their customer service levels.

Poor casinos with bad payment terms, low bonuses and meagre jackpots almost always also have a lack of https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1518895312237-a9e23508077d?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80 customer service options available. It’s a real tell-tale sign. Staff not being available at any time of day and no fast online option to get in touch are real red flags and the quickest of searches for ‘customer service’ at the bottom of their webpage will reveal this.

All of the top online casinos have operators available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone and email. Above all else, the best casinos have a live chat option and this is always the one we’d recommend you use. This way, rather than waiting for a response that may or may not answer your query, you can iron out any issues you have live before you decide to deposit or play.

The top, reputable casinos have little to hide and so it is no coincidence that the best ones offer great service at all times. If it looks like you’re not getting this or your options to get in touch are somewhat limited, avoid at all costs.

Responsible gaming, sometimes listed on casino sites as ‘responsible gambling’, has been a political hot potato in the UK for some time with casinos now agreeing to uphold the highest possible standards ensuring that players are kept safe.

Online casinos are now expected to run in a responsible way meaning that vulnerable players are protected, underage gamblers cannot get through the system and that sufficient protection is offered against fraud with privacy always being of paramount concern.

The code also attempts to ensure payments are made promptly, though it’s still a bugbear with players that you can deposit instantly while always having to wait a while for cash outs, with responsible gaming also ensuring that casinos allow for players to ‘self-exclude’, i.e. set their own limits on how much or how often they are able to bet.