How to Play Online Casinos
Beginners Guide to Playing Casinos Online
It is easy to start playing at an online casino and only takes a few minutes to get you going. All you need to do is sign up, and you can play free casino games immediately. If you decide to play for real money, you will have all the real money games at your fingertips.
Read on and learn how to sign-up and what you need to know.
Online Casinos Now use HTML5.
Today, most online casinos operate with HTML5. So, you can play from your mobile or desktop device via a web interface without downloading a casino application.
But, if you prefer to play via a casino app, some online casinos allow you to download an app. However, you don’t need an app when you can play as quickly directly in the browser.
I use the play via the browser option on all devices, and it’s easy and fast.
Here are some of the best casinos you can use your mobile device or desktop on, and play via your browser:
Lets Get Started with The Guide:
In this guide we will walk you through:
- How to sign up to an online casino
- How to make a deposit
We will also cover how you can use bonuses and promotions to increase the amount of cash you have to play with at the casino you choose to sign up for.
Play for Free or Real Money on Multiple Devices
You can play free games or real money via your desktop, Mac, Smartphone or tablet, all available across all these well-known operating systems:
Play across multiple devices and operating systems
Once you have signed up to an online casino, you can play across multiple devices and operating systems using the same user ID and password.
What this means is that if you own an iPad, an Android Smartphone, and a Windows desktop PC, you can install the casino app or play from the casino’s web browser using the same account across all your devices. The same casino balance will show because you will be playing from the same account.
The only difference you may notice is that some operating systems and devices will not have the full suite of games available. For instance, if you play from a desktop, you will have a more comprehensive range of games available than playing on your Smartphone. This is because older casino games were not originally designed with mobile play in mind, and the older games have not yet been converted to function on mobile.
Note: LIVE dealer games are not available for free play.
Play For Real Money
If you want to play real money online Slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Craps, Casino Hold’em, Scratch Cards, or even LIVE dealer casino games for real money, you will need to make a deposit and below, we will be showing you how. You can find a list of the 10 Best Casino Options here.
Register and Start Playing
When signing up you will usually need to provide the following details when signing up:
First Name
Last Name
Country
Email Address
Date of Birth
Gender
Accept Casino T&Cs
Confirm you are over 18
You will usually need to provide the following details:
Username
Password
Security Question
Some casinos request a PIN
You will usually also need to provide the following details when signing up:
Your Address
Mobile Number
Occupation (Although not all casino will request this)
Bankroll Currency ( The Currency you wish to play with)
The App option
Some casinos you can also Download an App
Please note not all countries can use casino apps from Google and iTunes, so I recommend using the above browser play method instead of an app[/su_pullquote]If you have decided you would instead use a mobile app, all you need to do is click on the app download button at your online casino. If you play on desktops and laptops, you will need to choose where to download the app; please see the desktop install guide below.
- iOS – you will be redirected to the Apple Store
- Android – you will be redirected to the Play Store
-
Mobile Install
When you choose to download a casino app, you will be directed to click ‘install’ as you would with any other app that you install on your smartphone or tablet. The app will seamlessly install itself in the background, and when it has finished, it will add a shortcut to your phone.
-
Desktop Install
You will find the download for desktop in one of 3 places:
- It will be available after you log into the web browser’s casino lobby
- On the home page in the footer or as a menu option
- Or will be on the site map (Most casinos promote html5 browser play, so they do not make the desktop download location obvious anymore)
For the desktop install you can choose where to save the downloadable app .exe file. Once you have chosen the folder, the setup.exe file for the casino will be available in the folder you save it to.
Follow the steps install the app:
- Double Click to install the app
- Click ‘Run’
3. Choose your language and click Continue
4. Wait for the App to self-install
(Note some apps will ask you for a file location to install the app)
- Log in to your new casino app and start playing games for free, or read on to see how to make a deposit.
So after you have sign up for an online casino example via the browser, you have two choices:
How to Make a Deposit at Online Casinos
Making a deposit is easy if you have the casino payment methods available. However, every casino will have different available methods to deposit. Therefore, it is a good idea to make sure you have one of the available deposit methods before signing up. You can find the casino’s deposit method in all our online casino reviews. However, nearly all online casinos take visa and MasterCard.
Here are some of the most common deposit options:
- VISA/Mastercard Credit Card
- VISA Debit or Debit Cards
- E-wallets: Neteller, PayPal, Skrill
- By Phone
- Wire Transfer
- Internet Banking
- Bitcoins
-
Using a payment method in the cashier section
To use a payment option for your newly opened online casino account, you must go to the cashier section in the lobby.
It will be easy to find the Cashier as the casino wants to make it easy for you to deposit cash into your casino account. The Cashier will present you with a list of payment options and an amount to deposit in the currency you chose when you signed up for your account.
-
Card Payments
For card payments, you may need to provide an ID. Once you have done this, all your deposits using your chosen card payment method will instantly show on your casino bankroll.
If the Casino requires ID, you will need the following:
- A copy of the front and back of your card
(You can blank out some of the numbers)
- A utility bill with proof of your address
- Government verified ID
-
E-wallets
- Using e-wallets is easy. Most of the time, you do not need to send additional ID for varication because you have already done this with the e-wallet company. However, at the very least, you may be asked for a government ID.
- Most other payment methods require a government ID
- Confirming a deposit
Once you have set up your payment method, all you need to do is confirm your deposit. You will then have cash in your casino account and can play real money games on the online casino.
Depositing at an online casino is as easy as that.
How to Use Your Bonus Codes
Most online casinos have welcome bonuses for all new members.
Online casinos love giving away free cash. In contrast, land-based casinos rarely give you free bonus money. However, land-based casinos might give you a free $/£10 chip with a Social Media promo. In addition, if you are a regular member, you might get some comps occasionally.
But land-based casinos never seem to come close to online casinos when treating punters with a flurry of opportunities to ramp up their bankroll with free cash giveaways.
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Claiming Your Welcome Casino Bonus
Many online casinos automatically add a bonus to your account when you make your first deposit. However, at some casinos, you must use a bonus code when you deposit. These can be welcome bonuses if you have just signed up for a new account or regular promotion bonuses.
Look out for Welcome Bonuses split into 3, 4, or even five parts. You will then sometimes need to go to the promotions section and get the bonus code ID, which you will use alongside your deposit. If you cannot find it on the promo page, then the code will be in the terms and conditions section of the Welcome Bonus code.
Here are some examples:
- 100% Welcome Bonus: 1STWB100%
- 2nd Welcome Bonus 50%: 2NDWB50%
- 3rd Welcome Bonus 50%: 3RDWB50%
-
Regular Bonuses
Once you are a full-blown casino member, keep checking for regular bonuses and promotional offers. Some casinos will send you bonus offers via text or email. However, others will have a casino section dedicated to regular bonuses offered daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonally.
Furthermore, this can be Free spins for slots players, free credits for all players, and deposit match bonus deals. Most of the time, these come with a bonus code that must be used in conjunction with a deposit.
Here are some examples:
- 50% Deposit Match Bonus: 50%MATCH
- 20 Free Spins: 20SPINS
- 20 Free Credits: 20CREDS
All you need to do is use the bonus section provided in the cashier’s area where you will be making a deposit.
Recommended Games For New Players to Play
Once you are a casino member, you have access to most games to play for free except for the LIVE Casino games. However, if you have deposited cash, you can play any of the games on the casino using real money bets.
Video, Classic, and Progressive Slots are Easy to Play
A good place for beginners to start is online slots. They are fun and the easiest to play.
Slot players are the most spoilt for choice at any online casino. As a result of the competition between slot machine providers, new slots are being released monthly by NetEnt, NYX, Microgaming, QuickSpin, Playtech, PlayNGo, Elk Studio and other big-name online casino developers.
Many online casinos have more than 1 of these software developers contributing games to their slot sections. Therefore, with multiple slot developers releasing 1 or 2 new slots for desktop and mobile play every month, the slots sections are some of the busiest in the casinos.
New players can also find our recommended list of the 10 best slot machines for beginners here.
Which Slots do we Like The Most?
- Gates of Olympus ranked #1 – The best online slots ever? Yes, we think so. It’s also one of the all-time most popular games at the casinos.
- Nitropolis3 ranked #14 – is one of the best online slot machine ever. However, Nitropolis3 might be a little more challenging for new players, and the RTP is 95%.
- Age of Asgard ranked #10 – This is of the most exciting online slots to play and one of our absolute favourites.
- The Dog House Megaways ranked #8 – is a top game and one of the most popular.
- Wild Toro 2 ranked #21 – One of the best online slots ever; however, its RTP is only 95.00%, while the industry average is around 96.00%.
- Starburst ranked #3 – This game has been a popular slot at the casinos since 2013 when it launched. However, it’s an older game and to be honest we all here at onlinecasinos.net little tired of it by now.
- Divine Fortune ranked in top 40 – Is a fun, modern jackpot game, but the progressive jackpot is local (meaning each casino has its own jackpot for this game).
- Guns & Roses ranked in top 30 – Won the best slots award 2017
- Legacy of Egypt Ranked #12 – Unlimited number of free spins, with up to 10X multiple and one of the best slots. Some of our biggest wins have been on this game.
- Book of 99 Very high RTP of 99% – If you like the Book of Dead or Legacy of Dead slot, then you should definitely try it, as the RTP is much higher.
You can also see a list of all the highest rated slot games 2024
LIVE Dealer Suites
Arguably one of the most popular section of any online casino is the LIVE casino section. Ditch the Random Number Generators and get stuck into the real thing with web cams streaming LIVE dealers, croupiers, tables, and most excitingly, LIVE results in real-time.
If you are looking for an authentic casino experience, LIVE dealer suites are the answer. They are available to be streamed to both desktop and mobile devices giving rise to their increasing popularity.
- LIVE Dealers
- Live Tables
- and Live Results
Games available to you will be dependent on the LIVE dealer suite that your online casino is hooked up to.
There are four main LIVE Dealer Suite providers:
- Evolution Gaming
- Extreme LIVE Gaming
- Pragmatic Play Live Dealers and Games
- Playtech
All of these LIVE dealer suites have an amazing range of tables available. In some online casinos more than one LIVE dealer suite provider will be present. All the above mentioned LIVE dealer suite providers have been known to team up and offer their LIVE games back-to-back on the same online casino.
You will find each one of these LIVE dealer suites offers an array of LIVE Games:
- LIVE Roulette see more
- LIVE Blackjack see more
- Baccarat
- Casino Hold’em
- Texas Hold’em
- 3 Card Poker
- Caribbean Poker
- Dreamcatcher
You will find that there are mix of European and US style Roulette tables or Roulette with 2 balls, Bonus Pairs, and other Blackjack variants, plus Baccarat comes with No Commission, Speed, and Mini Baccarat styles of the game.
- Double Ball Roulette
- European Roulette
- American Roulette
- Blackjack Bonus Pairs
- Blackjack Multi-Hand
- Baccarat No Commission
- Speed Baccarat
The LIVE dealer experience is the most realistic online casino game compared to playing at a land-based casino with the ability to bet your chips directly on the tables. In addition, the live dealer cards are real, and the roulette and dreamcatcher wheels are real.
LIVE dealer suits bring land-based gameplay to your screens.
VIP tables for High Rollers
We highly recommend the LIVE Dealer VIP tables for high rollers as they offer the chance to get down some huge bets. VIP tables come in different VIP categories with some starting as low as $/£50 per bet and other taking bets as high $/£15,000 a shot all via a web cam.
It really does not get much better than this, and we highly recommend giving the LIVE Dealer Suites a shot!
Virtual Table Games
Some of the virtual table games at the online casinos have an extremely high RTP. So if you are a Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Poker, or even a sharpshooting Craps fan, and you have your strategy optimized, then you could be playing for a good time with some of the RTPs the online games offer.
Which table games have the highest RTP?
- Atlantic City Blackjack: Comes with a 99.65% RTP
- Bonus Blackjack Gold High Limit: Another high 99.62% RTP
- Pontoon Gold: Play a classic card game with a 69% RTP
- Multi Wheel European Roulette: Play 8 wheels on 1 board with a 97.30% RTP
- Baccarat:99% RTP in one Asia’s most popular card games
- Vegas Craps: Sharp shoot your way to riches with an RTP of 98.64%
- Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker: Test your poker skills versus the house at a 99.47% RTP
- 3 Card Poker – Multihand: 3 cards, dealer Vs player, multiple hands, and a 96.24% RTP
Video Poker
For poker fans, Video Poker is the ultimate test getting down to the old ways of 5-Card Draw battling it out in the same way poker was played back in the Old West in the USA. Video poker comes with tons of fun thanks to wild cards, bonus payouts, and very high RTPs.
Our favourite video Poker games:
- Bonus Deuces Wild: Land poker hands with deuce wild cards giving you a 99.15% RTP
- All Aces: No other game can beat its massive RTP of 99.92%
- Deuces and Joker: 07% RTP with 10 plays, 100 Plays, deuces, and joker wild cards
- Jacks or Better: Land a hand higher than a pair of jacks to win with a 99.54% RTP
Slots and Blackjack Tournaments
Slots players and blackjack players can look for an online casino like Jackpot city that offers them the chance to play their favourite game in a tournament race versus other players. Just like in the poker rooms, there are buy-ins, prize pools, and pay-out positions for those that make it to the tournament’s final spots.
- Low to high stake buy-ins to play slots or blackjack tournaments
- Beat the bubble and make it to the cash spots to win cash
- Moderate to potentially huge prize pools
Why Play at an Online Casino?
If you are looking to kill some time and have some fun, no matter whether you are at home with access to your PC or if you are on the move on your mobile and you love casino games, then online casinos are great fun.
Firstly, you don’t have to play for real money. All the online casinos we recommend also have free play sections on their web browser and downloadable app versions. The free games are also available whether you play on your laptop, desktop, Mac, smartphone, or tablet. Furthermore, all the free games are identical to the real money games. So free play gives you online casino gaming that does not cost you a penny, but you don’t win real money if you win in free play mode.
Secondly, if you want to play casino games for real money, there is no need to go through the expense and hassle of going to a land-based casino. The same action of a brick-and-mortar casino is available via LIVE Dealer Suites or Virtual Casino Gaming. Furthermore, the RTP’s on many casino games at online casinos are higher than on brick-and-mortar casinos and on some slot games, even much higher.
Next, you get the red-carpet treatment when playing at the best real money sites in Canada. Unlike land-based casinos, you will get tons of free cash because that’s just what online casinos love to do – help you keep playing. On the contrary, land-based casinos cannot wait to take your money as quickly as possible and turn you out to free up their floor space.
Another great and valid point to be made about online casinos is that they cater to low-stakes players and high-rollers. You can bet $/£0.10 per spin on the slots or $/£500 a spin. So if you want to place low stakes $/£0.10 coups on Roulette games or lay down an unfearingly high $/£15,000 wager, it is all made possible online.
Plus, you will be treated with loyalty points every time you place a bet. Depending on the casino, you can redeem these points into cash, bigger and better bonuses, and make a trade for tournament tickets or merchandise that includes electronics, fashion accessories, and apparel.
It’s super easy to get started playing at an online casino:
- Sign up
- Play for free
- Make a deposit to play real money games
- Get even more cash using the Welcome Bonus
- Keep topping up your bankroll with regular bonuses
- Play virtual or LIVE dealer games with high RTPs
Have fun on your desktop or mobile, you can see the top safe and legit casino sites.
ONLY play at trusted licensed online casinos see all of the rated ones here. That way, you are safe if you win, and you are sure to get paid. There is nothing worse than winning and getting scammed, and unfortunately, there are some shady casinos out there. Last but not least, play safe and set a budget. You can read more here about playing safe. Have fun!
Cons of Playing at Online Casinos
- You can play 24/7 anywhere as long as you have a mobile device, so for some it can be more easy to get addicted.
- Some might miss the felling and the atmosphere land-based casinos have.
- There are also some unlicensed online casinos. that you want to stay away from at all cost.
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