How to get started at an online casino
Online casino sites are the online versions of land-based casinos. While brick and mortar establishments are known for their glitz and glamor, online casinos keep rising in popularity due to their easiness. With online gambling, you can play whenever and from wherever you want, without having to travel anywhere or dress a certain way. They are open 24/7 and normally come with thousands of games to check out and bonuses to opt in for.
There are a few processes to go through but once your account is up and running, you can enjoy the many benefits of online gambling. Here are some of the major steps of playing at an online casino, explained for beginners who are just starting out:
Registering an account
The first thing you will need to do when playing at an online casino is to create an account. With the exception of some "no account casinos" available in certain countries, players always have to register an account to start gambling. Luckily, this is a quick and easy process, normally done within a matter of minutes:
- Find an online casino to sign up at. To get started, you can browse the online casinos in the top list in this guide. Check our overview and reviews for more information about each brand and find your favorite.
- Open the casino website you wish to register at. This can be done in your browser via a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Some casinos also have a dedicated mobile app you can download if you wish.
- Click to register an account. Normally there are buttons saying something along the lines of "Register" or "Sign up" at the top of and throughout the homepage.
- Fill in the registration form. Typically you start by submitting details such as your full name, phone number, email, date of birth, country of residence, and/or address. Some casinos will also ask you to add the preferred currency for your account (if several currencies are available and this is not chosen automatically based on your country). Some casinos also ask you to choose/opt-in for a welcome bonus in the registration form.
- Confirm your email. To get your login details, you will have to confirm your email address. Once this is done, you can log in to your account.
Making deposits and withdrawals
Many online casinos give players the chance to try their games for free in demo mode, just like we do here at Temple of Games. But if you wish to play for real money and potentially win real prizes, you need to play with real money. Therefore, you have to deposit real money to play for and later withdraw the money from your casino account. Both of these processes work very similarly:
- Log in to your casino account
- Open the cashier page
- Click to make a deposit or withdrawal
- Choose your preferred payment method
- Type in the amount you wish to deposit/withdraw
- Proceed according to the instructions displayed for your payment method
How the actual request will be confirmed depends on the payment method you choose to use. If you are using an electronic wallet such as PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller, you normally confirm the transactions from your account. Some payment methods might require you to confirm the payment using a specific code or link. As long as it is possible, you will usually have to use the same payment method to withdraw money as you used for your latest deposit.
Generally, deposits are processed instantly no matter the chosen payment method, with the exception of bank transfers. But for withdrawals, the process can take a few business days as the casino has to check and confirm the request. They also have to confirm your identity, doing a so-called KYC (know your customer) verification, which is usually done when you request your first withdrawal.
Opting in for casino bonuses
A unique perk with online casinos, as opposed to land-based establishments, is that the casinos normally hand out various bonuses and run promotions. This can be anything from some free game rounds or additional money on your deposit to competitions such as tournaments with a leaderboard and a prize pool. At most online casinos, it all starts with a welcome bonus for new players signing up.
In order to get the bonuses or join the promotions on offer, you have to follow the "rules" given – the terms and conditions of the bonus. It's always very important to read and understand this set of rules before opting in for a bonus, as failing to do so in the worst case can result in you losing the bonus or any wins obtained from it. Here are some of the most common bonus terms you will meet:
- Minimum deposit: Bonuses are most often given alongside a deposit. This means that unless you are getting a no deposit bonus as a free gift, you have to make a real money deposit to receive the bonus. And the minimum deposit requirement is the least you have to deposit in order to receive the bonus.
- Maximum bet: For the bonus amount awarded and especially for free spins, there's normally a maximum bet amount specified. This is the most you can bet per spin/round while using the bonus funds.
- Maximum bonus: Bonuses aren't infinite – they come with a cap. If you are for example getting extra money added to your deposit, this is normally shown as "100% up to €1,000" or similar. In that case, the maximum you could get is €1,000. Even if you deposit €2,000, you would not get a 100% match added as the bonus is capped at half of that deposit.
- Maximum win: Just like the bonuses themselves come with a cap, so do normally the winnings you can get from the bonus. This means that while playing with your bonus money or spins, you can only win up to a certain amount.
- Eligible and/or restricted games: Sometimes bonuses can't be used on all available games freely but are restricted to certain, specific games. This can either be listed as a few eligible games the bonus funds can be used on or selected restricted games that are not eligible for the bonus fund and/or wagering requirement.
- Wagering requirements: In order to prevent players from getting bonus funds and just withdrawing the money immediately without using them at the casino, the casinos normally specify that the funds have to be wagered X amount of times before a withdrawal can be made. This is commonly known as a wagering requirement. For example a wagering requirement of x40 means that you have to wager the amount 40 times before the money can be withdrawn. The amount to wager can also be very different and will be specified in the terms, as this can relate to the amount you deposited, the amount you got as a bonus and/or the amount you won.
Playing games
While bonuses can provide added fun, the games are the main event of any casino. And online casino games come in an abundance of different categories and versions. In total, you can browse through hundreds or thousands of games that all offer something unique. To make it easier to find what you are looking for, the game lobbies normally have filtering options where you can filter by a specific game type, game provider, theme, etc. The games offered can include the following categories:
- Slot games. Slots are one of the most popular categories for online casino games. These are online variants of the classic slot machines found at land-based casinos and other establishments around the world. You spin a set of virtual wheels that stop to reveal a set of symbols and, if you are lucky, the symbol combination results in a prize. To familiarize yourself with the gameplay and try some titles, see our selection of free slots.
- Card games. Many casino games are played using cards, therefore known as card games. These games are easy to play online with virtual cards and dealers – or with live casino games where a real dealer hands out cards in a studio and the game is streamed live. Here at Temple of Games, you can play a variety of free card games, including free blackjack, free video poker, and free baccarat.
- Table games. Card games like the ones mentioned above are sometimes referred to as table games as they are played on a table. And there are also some classic casino games that don't use playing cards – such as roulette. Roulette is a popular online casino game available in many different versions. To learn the many rules and bets available in this game, we recommend that you start out with free roulette games before playing for real money.
- Other games. In addition to these traditional types of casino games inspired from land-based casinos, some online casinos also offer some more unique forms of gambling. This can include online versions of games such as bingo and scratch cards, as well as lotteries and sports betting. Here at Temple of Games, you can try both free bingo and free scratch cards to see how these games work online.
Getting help
If you ever feel stuck or have any questions while playing at an online casino, help is normally never far away. Most online casinos offer customer support via different means of contact, either around the clock or during specific operating hours. The customer support can normally be contacted through one or several of the following mediums:
- Live chat
- Email
- Phone
- Social media
Responsible gambling
No matter which games you decide to play and where you decide to sign up, it is important to always ensure that you are gambling responsibly. What we mean by that is that you are in control of your gambling – not the other way around. Safe and responsible gambling can be a fun form of entertainment, but for players who are not in control, gambling can turn into a problem that can cause a lot of stress and other issues, and in the worst case become an addiction that takes over one's life.
There are many steps you can take to ensure that you are gambling in a way that is safe and responsible. First of all, we always recommend that you set aside a budget for your spending. The funds you decide to use on gambling should be money you can afford to lose. You should look at it as paying for a form of entertainment, just like you would at the cinema, and not money that you expect to get back or win anything from. Once you know how much you can afford to spend on a monthly or weekly basis, it is important that you stick to that budget and never play for more money to chase your losses.
It is also important to remember that even though you are not surrounded by other people when gambling online, you are never alone. Most online casinos have many helpful tools in place that can help you ensure responsible spending habits. The customer support teams are also trained to help and guide you when needed. And finally, there are many organizations out there that are dedicated to gambling problems – such as Gamblers Anonymous.
How to find the best online casinos
With so many casinos available online, it can be difficult to know which site is the best option for you. That is why it is a good idea to read casino reviews and recommendations to get an objective overview. Here at Temple of Games, we only list legit and safe casinos that are all good options. You can browse our recommendations and find a good match based on your preferences when it comes to games, bonuses, and payment methods.
