What Makes an Online Casino Reliable?

Meneer Casino is a veteran of the online casino industry and has tried out hundreds of different gambling sites over the years for his independent casino reviews. You can find out more and compare what is the best online casino for sites that deliver on both trust and service.

The following criteria are most important in determining whether an online casino is reliable.

1) Does the Online Casino Have a Dutch License?

This is, by far, the most important reliability factor.

Only play at legal online casinos in the Netherlands – i.e., casinos that have a license from the Kansspelautoriteit in The Hague. If a casino has such a license, you can be certain that many essential things are well taken care of:

You Play Fair Games

An online casino licensed in the Netherlands can only offer games that have been tested by an official testing authority. This guarantees the games are fair and the winning odds are accurate. The payout percentage of every game is tested over hundreds of thousands of rounds, so you never have to worry about fixed results.

You Play on a Stable Platform

Not only are the games checked, but the website and all the IT systems. Are they robust enough? Is everything smooth and quick? Are there backup servers if the main ones fail? That way, you can play at the online casino 24/7 without annoying technical issues.

You Won't Be Scammed

Prior to a gambling operator being able to obtain a Dutch gambling license, they are thoroughly vetted. What is the operator's reputation? Do they have a criminal record? Have they been involved with shady gambling sites in the past? And not just the owner – all of the major staff are vetted. When you play at legal online casinos, you can be sure all of that has been passed.

You Always Get Paid

The Kansspelautoriteit only provides licenses to financially healthy businesses capable of paying out all winnings to players. Even if one is fortunate enough to win millions, the casino will not go out of business – a certain indication of complete reliability.

Your Money Is Safe

If something happens to the casino – for instance, a legal seizure of accounts or fraud within the company – you still don't have anything to fear. Licensed casinos are required to keep player funds in segregated accounts, away from the company's operating funds.

Your Data Is Safe

Reputable internet casinos that are licensed must comply with strict data and privacy protection policies. Your personal information (address, email, banking information) is secure and will never be sold to third parties – meaning less spam for you.

Lower Risk of Gambling Problems

The Kansspelautoriteit requires that all online casinos have a robust responsible gambling plan. That includes employing addiction specialists and monitoring player activity. If it gets out of control, the casino is required to refer the player to professional help.

In Summary: A License Equals Trust

Getting a Dutch gambling license is very difficult. It's costly, the process is intensive and lengthy, and there is no guarantee of success.

An online casino that withstands the entire licensing process is generally trustworthy. Even after licensing, the Kansspelautoriteit closely monitors casino operations for fairness and safety. In the event that a casino makes serious mistakes, it can be fined or forfeit its license entirely. 

2) Clear Terms and Conditions

Another criterion Meneer Casino uses to establish trustworthiness is the site's general terms and conditions — the fine print you see when you sign up, which no one bothers to read.

Meneer Casino does — every word, dot, and comma. That's because terms often contain surprise clauses which aren't in the player's interest.

For example:

• Belgium casino Bingoal has a clause where they can shut down your account and confiscate your money if you use a roulette betting system. Complete nonsense.
• Jack's Casino Online doesn't allow you to take screenshots and post them on forums. Posting your big win could, therefore, be against their terms.
• Casino 777 can decide at their own discretion that you are a "bonus hunter" and stop giving you bonuses altogether.
• Mr. Casino always searches for and points out such red flags. Fortunately, most online casinos do not have such clauses.

3) Fair Payouts and Odds

Online casinos are all about winning money – or at least, getting the most fun out of your budget. That is why good odds are essential.

Some casinos sadly lower the payout percentages (RTP) of their slots. Your chances of winning are less, even though the game looks exactly the same. Only if you read the game documentation will you ever even notice.

Not illegal, but truly reputable casinos that are dedicated to delivering good games do not play with odds like that.

Meneer Casino will always inform you if a casino offers the best paying version of a slot machine – or not.

4) Good Customer Service

Even in the most honest online casino, something may go wrong – as it would in any business. What matters is how quickly and how well the issue is handled.

A trustworthy online casino has its customer support easily accessible and its representatives both polite and knowledgeable. You should not have to wait forever for live chat support, receive automated replies, or jump through hoops to get simple problems solved.