Have you ever listened with envy as a friend recalled a big win they had spinning the online slot reels?
Perhaps you've seen a generous online casino sign-up offer advertised on TV recently.
Maybe a particular online casino is the exclusive home of a brand new slot release that has piqued your interest.
Whatever your reasons for jumping into the fast-paced online casino world, this step-by-step guide will take your hand and walk you through the account sign-up process from start to finish. Who knows, this time tomorrow, you could be the next big online casino winner sharing the good news with your friends!
Before you go ahead and open a new online casino account, there are some things all players should consider.
Shop Around
First of all, we recommend shopping around to find an online casino that suits your tastes and preferences. It might be that you're looking to recapture the thrill of traditional casino games like roulette or blackjack, or hoping to land the next big slot jackpot in a game such as Mega Moolah.
Keep in mind the games you find on offer at one online casino may not always be available at the next site you visit. What's more, titles from certain game providers may only be found at a small selection of online casinos. This is particularly true in the case of newer, up-and-coming game studios who have yet to fully establish themselves in the ultra-competitive online slot market.
It's also worth considering whether an online casino offers its full services to players in your country. Some online casino licenses permit the holder to operate in restricted territories only, while certain slot titles are not available in every single country for legal reasons.
Is it Regulated?
Then there is the extremely important issue of regulation. The best online casinos operating out of Malta will have all received full accreditation from the state's iGaming regulatory body - the MGA. Online casinos with full MGA approval are bound by tight protocols put in place to safeguard players' wellbeing and to ensure their safety and protection at all times.
As a requirement of an MGA license, all online casino operators are also compelled to keep player funds entirely ring-fenced from company operating finances - meaning your money is always safe at an MGA-approved site.
Welcome Bonuses
You should also consider whether your potential new home of gambling offers a welcome bonus. Most modern-day online casinos lure players to their site through attractive sign-up offers that pledge to double or even triple your initial deposit and throw in a batch of free spins as a bonus.
Miss out on a welcome bonus, and you may pass up some extra value that gives your bankroll a little booster from the outset.
Payment Options
What are the online casino's payment options? Do they allow the use of credit cards for deposits? And how long do withdrawals take?
An increasing number of online casino players prefer to make and receive payments using cryptocurrency. Accommodating to this growing demand, various online casinos now facilitate transactions using digital currency as the chief means of payment.
All these questions need to be asked before you commit to registering with your chosen online casino.
Sign-up Process
Having done your research and identified the online casino for you, it's time to jump in and open your account.
The whole registration process should take no longer than a few minutes.
To begin, click the big 'Register' or 'Sign-up' button that will be centrally positioned somewhere on the online casino's homepage to grab your attention.
Provide Your Info
You'll then be prompted to fill out a digital form in the same way as opening an account at many other online service providers.
The online casino will request basic personal information covering your name, surname, address and contact details, along with information specific to your online casino account - including username and password.
Note that providing all the above information is a requirement of law if you wish to gamble for real money at a licensed online casino.
Once you've given all the necessary information, click the next button to finish your application process. If all the fields have been filled in correctly, you'll receive a message notifying you that your registration was successful.
Know that some online casinos add in one final verification step before your account can be opened. Where this is a requirement of registration, you'll usually be asked to input a code sent to you via SMS, or complete verification by clicking on a link emailed to you.
Verify Your Account
To abide by licensing regulations, all modern day online casinos will require additional documentation from you in order to verify your account. These KYC measures prove to the casino that you are who you say you are, while helping in their efforts to combat money-laundering and fraud.
You'll likely be asked to submit electronic documentation that matches the address you gave upon sign-up, as well as identification that helps verify your full name, age and payment channels.
If you transact above specific thresholds, the online casino may also solicit additional documentation to evidence the source of your original funds.
Typically, ID is accepted in the form of passports, driving licenses or other government-issued ID, while utility bills and credit/debit card/bank/e-wallet statements are considered permissible for verifying payments and residence. Note that until your account is fully verified, you may find your playing privileges restricted and in some cases, revoked entirely.
After your account has been given the green flag, you can go ahead and play your favourite games with total peace of mind at a leading online casino.
One last thing to bear in mind: before placing your very first real money deposit with an online casino, check out whether they offer a welcome bonus. Such offers are only eligible on a player's initial deposit, so make sure you don't miss out.