Casino

Our casino guide to help you navigate the gambling world. We teach you how to play at casinos, and more importantly, how to win!

Learn how to win at casinos using our casino game guides and strategies. We broke down our entire website by game and casino type (online, mobile, land-based, live dealer, and more).

How to Choose the Best Casino

Whether you want to play online casino games for free or you want a date night at the local casino, it is crucial to know how to pick the right casino.

Choosing an Online Casino

When you want to gamble online, it is important to consider the following tips for choosing an online casino:

  • legal standing
  • promotions and bonuses
  • casino game selection
  • reviews for this casino
  • deposit and withdrawal options
  • customer support
  • security measures

One crucial factor in choosing an online casino is its security measures and fair play policies. Ensure the casino uses advanced encryption technologies to protect the players' personal and financial information. Look for casinos that are audited by independent bodies for fair gaming practices. This ensures that the casino's games are not rigged and offer a fair chance of winning. Remember, a reputable online casino will be transparent about its security measures and fairness certifications.

Some online casinos may be more suited depending on the games you wish to play. This will become apparent during the research phase. I would recommend to never pick a casino solely based on the bonuses, as enticing as they may be.

Choosing a Land-Based Casino

The most important points when choosing a land-based casinos are:

  • guest experience
  • game selection
  • comfortable layout
  • hospitality and entertainment

Unlike its virtual counterpart, going to a brick-and-mortar casino is a lot more of an experience. Gamblers going to the casino love dressing up, having dinner, and enjoying themselves. Therefore, suddenly, the game selection, while important, is no longer a crucial consideration.

Casino Reviews

Use online casino site reviews to get a good grasp of the pros and cons of the casino site you are interested in joining. Don't just blindly follow ads and TV commercials. Do your research and there is nothing better than other players' opinions to form your own.

For mobile casino app reviews, you can simply read through the app store (e.g., Apple Store, Google Play Store). Don't simply focus on one and five stars, try to see what three-star casino reviewers are talking about.

Lastly, I would recommend the good old Google Maps and TripAdvisor lookup for legitimate first-hand land-based casino reviews! The opinions seem well-rounded and fair, even though there may be a few odd/paid-for reviews at times.

Casino Bonuses

Online casino bonuses are marketing tools used by gambling operators to either attract new players to their platform or motivate existing players to deposit more money.

Essentially, a casino bonus is an attractive offer with benefits and constraints. Benefits include free spins, cashback, extra money upon deposit, and more. Constraints include wagering requirements, applicable games, new customers only, etc.

In the end, not all bonuses are good bonuses. Some incredible headline amounts but have a tight deadline for high wagering requirements. The devil is in the details and its friends, "terms and conditions".

Types of Casinos

Once you want to gamble your money away, you must decide what type of casino is best for you. There are multiple offerings, with some of the key online gambling giants present on several.

Online Casinos

Online casinos are web-based platforms allowing registered users to log in and participate in one of multiple casino games. Online casino sites have democratized gambling and made it available everywhere. There are currently many options in the market, judging by CasinoAlpha's list of operators updated recently. However, it is essential to compare them from an objective perspective, looking at their games, bonuses, and features. 

Mobile Casinos

Mobile casino apps are smartphone applications available on Android and iOS platforms that allow registered players to play casino games with real money.

Whilst mobile casinos are very convenient to play slots during your commute to work, the small screens tend to prevent them from being used for other games. Playing poker or craps on a smartphone is not the same experience.

Live Dealer Casinos

A live dealer casino is an online casino platform that allows players to see a real human dealer via a broadcast live stream of the table. These are the closest thing you can get to a real casino experience at home, especially with games like live dealer blackjack.

The main issue with online live dealer casinos is that they are as slow as land-based casino dealers since they are just that. Fully online alternatives automatically shuffle cards and count chips within a few milliseconds, so you play more hands.

Crypto Casinos

Cryptocurrency casinos are online casinos that accept cryptocurrencies as deposit and withdrawal methods. Generally, Bitcoin is the most common cryptocurrency used on gambling platforms.

Because cryptocurrencies are still in a gray area legally, it is difficult to find legal crypto casinos, if at all. Additionally, because blockchain-based currencies are paired with anonymity, the casino operators can disappear with your money and leave you with no recourse.

Land-Based Casinos

Land-based casinos are brick-and-mortar gambling arenas in which the public can enter and gamble in the games offered as long as they are of age.

Las Vegas, Macau, and Monaco, are some of the most popular gambling destinations for those who live the real-life casino experience. The main downside with real casinos is that you need to either live near one to gamble regularly, or must be a regular traveler.

Private Casinos

Private casinos are land-based or online gambling arenas for which membership is required to be allowed to play. Paris and London are popular for their private gambling scene with popular private casino rooms such as the now-closed Aviation Club de France in Paris or Les Ambassadeurs in Central London's Mayfair district.

Private casino memberships are often expensive and may require another member to vouch for you. Such gambling rooms are for high-rollers who enjoy privacy, safety, and high-stakes casino games.

Cardrooms

Cardrooms are gaming establishments specialized in providing and hosting card games. Some cards are effectively poker rooms as they only offer poker tournaments and cash games. Others do offer blackjack, bridge, and many other popular card games.

Card rooms tend to be popular in cities where games of chance are disallowed because most casino card games are considered to be partly luck, and partly skill-based games - therefore allowed in such conservative cities!

High-Roller Casinos

A high-roller or VIP casino is a private or public casino reserved for wealthy gamblers who can guarantee a minimum spend per session or year. High-stakes casinos usually exist within regular casinos as private rooms only accessible to rich players.

Casino Games

A top casino should offer a variety of games ranging from slots to table games. Ideally, they would provide multiple variants for each so you can have a wider array of choices.

Slots - The most popular game is now available in so many types!

Blackjack - The casino game with the thinnest house edge!

Poker - Try yourself to a Texas Hold'em tournament, or enjoy a cash game!

Roulette - Perhaps the craziest casino game out there!

Baccarat - Who are you backing, the player or the banker?

Craps - Can you guess which total will come up once you roll the dice?

Bingo - Score that lucky line and win the top prize in this simple game!

Video Poker - Just like regular poker, but it's you against the machine!

Casino - FAQ

Some very common questions about casinos answered as concisely as possible!

How do casinos make money?

All casinos run various games that embed a house edge, which will statistically allow the casino operator to win a little more than the payout. With footfall and gamblers wagering on their platform or building, casinos are almost sure to win more than they lose.

Some games offer great odds for players but would require gamblers to follow a very strict optimum strategy.

In each jurisdiction, a registry or gambling commissions is in charge of sanctioning gambling operators, both online and land-based.

Your local gambling authority's website should contain a directory listing all casinos and casino sites registered with them, along with their status (e.g., active, outdated, banned).

Do casinos allow credit cards?

If local legislation allows, most land-based and online casinos accept credit cards. They may charge an extra fee on top of your desired amount.

In some countries, like the United Kingdom, gambling businesses have banned credit cards from being accepted. This is to avoid problem gamblers accruing debt to recover losses.

Are casinos fair?

Casinos are diligently regulated and audited by third-party and governmental institutions. They are fair.

However, casinos are in business to profit off of players' losses. Each game has a small part of all wagers being held by the casino. This is how casinos make money in the long run.

Can you really win money with casinos?

Casinos thrive due to their house edge. Therefore, in the long run, a casino should always win. However, in the short run, anything can happen.

Gamblers should favor games with a thinner house edge such as texas holdem poker, high-RTP slots, and blackjack.

Do online casinos payout more than land-based ones?

Casino games generally have a same payout rate whether played online or in a land-based casino. However, online casinos operate have lower operating costs.

How many casinos are there in the world?

As of 2021, there are nearly 2,000 casinos in business. Most of them are concentrated in gambling destinations such as Las Vegas, Macau, or even the Bahamas.

How much revenue does a casino make?

Land-based casinos in Las Vegas can generate nearly $100 million per year. Other cities in the world tend to generate a fraction of that.

How big is the casino industry?

In the US, the gambling industry is worth over $261 billion and accounts for 1.8 million jobs. The global online gambling revenue is estimated at $60 billion in 2020.