How to choose a licensed online casino (checklist)
A step-by-step checklist to verify licences, payments, bonuses and safer-gambling tools before you deposit.
Start with the licence - every time
Licensing does not guarantee you will win. It does mean there is a regulator, complaint path and baseline rules for fairness and fund segregation (depending on the authority). Unlicensed sites remove that safety net.
10-point checklist
- Licence name visible in the footer
- Licence number searchable on the regulator site
- Company legal name matches the licence entry
- RNG / fairness claims link to a real testing lab when shown
- Payments you can actually use for both deposit and withdrawal
- KYC timeline explained before you deposit large amounts
- Bonus terms readable in under five minutes
- Support available in your language (live chat preferred)
- Safer gambling tools: limits, time-outs, self-exclusion
- Reputation signals: consistent complaints about unpaid withdrawals are a hard no
Red flags
- No company address or licence number
- Pressure to deposit via crypto-only with no receipt trail
- Mirror domains that change weekly
- Support that refuses to answer withdrawal questions
After you sign up
Complete verification early, set deposit limits on day one, and test a small withdrawal before committing a large bankroll. A smooth €20-50 cashout teaches more than any review score.
Responsible reminder
18+ only. If gambling stops being entertainment, use self-exclusion tools and local help services immediately.