How we rank casinos
Written by Adiela de BruynAt OnlinecasinoSouthAfrica.co.za, our mission is to help South Africans find the safest, most reliable and most entertaining gambling platforms. To achieve this, we review and recommend numerous casino sites. We also consider multiple ranking factors that put a casino’s quality and reputation to the test. From external factors like licensing and regulations to things related to the platform itself such as the UX experience and the quality of games, our experts thoroughly assess every platform before recommending them to users. Inthis guide, we explain some of the most important ranking criteria that we consider in ranking online casinos.
Table of contents
Licensing and Regulations
We only recommend casinos with a valid license to our readers. Generally, South Africa has a complicated legal gambling landscape. Slots and other casino games are prohibited by federal law. But the authorities in certain provinces issue licenses to operators. These licensed platforms are open to all South Africans. And they're safer for players because they’re recognized by law.
We may also recommend offshore casino sites. But, we only list those with a license from reputable international gambling authorities. Some of the licenses we recognize include Malta Gaming Authority, UK Gambling Commission,and Curacao Gaming Control Board. We understand that a license isn’t absolute proof of a casino’s quality. But, licensed sites are generally safer. These sites are more likely to follow player protection and responsible gambling standards.
Player Safety And Security
Gambling is a sensitive industry where player safety is of major significance. There’s a high risk of hacks and cyber attacks that may lead to loss of player funds. This is why we prioritize gambling sites that take safety seriously.
Security features such as advanced SSL encryption protect player data and transactions. The best sites also offer secure banking options. They also have two-factor authentication and other security features to help users protect their account.
We also check the casino’s commitment to player protection standards. We check details of their privacy policy, anti-money laundering measures and KYC verification. These measures are required by law, and they also help to protect players.
Bonuses and Promotions
To ensure players get the best deal when they sign up on an online casino, we consider how the platform incentivizes them. We check the casino’s promotions page to see available offers. Our goal isn’t just to check the number of bonus offers available on the site. We understand that the quality of a casino’s bonus isn’t just the number of free spins or the bonus amount. The true quality of a bonus offer is in its terms and conditions.
Our experts review the bonus terms and conditions to ensure they’re fair and reasonable. Some of the most important details to check include:
- Wagering requirements
- Eligible games
- Bonus expiry period
- Maximum cash out limits
The best casinos ensure that their bonuses have favorable terms. This way, players actually get to cash out wins from these offers. We also ensure that the conditions are clear, with no hidden terms that might make them impossible to claim.
Payment Options
Next we consider how easily players can get funds into and out of their gambling account. This depends on the deposit and withdrawal options available on the casino sites. The best sites offer multiple banking options, with specific focus on payment options that are preferred by South African punters. In addition to fiat payment options, the best sites also offer cryptocurrency support.
Aside from the variety of payment options, we consider the overall efficiency of the payment process. The best casinos process deposits instantly and cash outs within a few hours (usually 24 to 48 hours) so players don’t have to wait around for their funds. Beyond the promise of fast transaction processing, our experts put the system to the test.
User Experience
The reputation or popularity of a gambling platform matters very little if the overall gaming experience isn’t enjoyable. Before recommending any platform, we check various factors that contribute to the user experience. Some of the key things to check include:
- Site design: the look and feel of the gambling platform is a major factor that determines how well players can enjoy the experience. We check things like the site layout, navigation and loading speed before recommending any site.
- Casino games: We check the casino’s game lobby to see the number, variety and quality of games available. Offering more games provides players with more options and a more enjoyable playing experience.
- Mobile experience: Most players now prefer to access casino sites on their mobile device. This is why we always check to see if the site is optimized for mobile screens. The best sites offer dedicated mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices. But a mobile-optimized web platform works just great even without a mobile app.
- Customer support: No matter how good a gambling platform is, players may still run into issues. Some of the common issues include payment processing, activating bonuses, or assessing games. We test how well a casino responds to these issues when they arise. We do this by checking the number of support channels available. We also evaluate the responsiveness and overall quality of responses that players get.
- Site performance: finally, we check how well the site performs. The goal is to ensure that we only recommend sites that load properly without glitches or lags.
Overall Reputation
In addition to our own checks, we look at the casino’s reputation within the gambling industry. Our team objectively analyzes consumer reviews that have been posted on trustworthy third-party websites.
The truth of the matter is: despite the thoroughness of our checks, there are things which can only be identified through experience. The only way to have the real facts about problems such as payment delay, disputes, account closure, or bonus quality is to ask real users. A couple of complaints from a handful of users is not a significant problem, but if it’s about the same problems, then it’s a serious warning sign.
Conclusion
Casino ranking is not an endeavor to be taken lightly. As such, we at OnlineCasino-SouthAfrica.co.za are committed to our mandate. It is our dream to become that authoritative voice of expertise that can be trusted and relied on completely by gamblers in South Africa. It is on the basis of the above comprehensive review that our visitors can rely on our site.
Adiela de Bruyn
Adiela founded the website and has over 17 years of experience in the gambling industry. She reviews all listed casinos and carefully checks licensing, safety, and legal requirements before anything is published.