Table of Contents
- How we decide what elements of a casino are important to review
- What are the most important considerations for choosing an online casino in Ireland?
- What else is important?
- How do you know the reviews are impartial?
- Who writes these reviews and why can you rely on them?
- Online Casino Reviews FAQS
At casinos.win, we see ourselves as being a vital bridge between wary punters and casino sites whose reviews are often chequered. Yes, it has an online casino reviews affiliate website; we receive a fee from casinos when new players sign-up from our links, but the main point is that every online casino offers a similar fee for providing this service. Because of this, we are incentivised to write warts and all reviews about the casino sites that we inspect.
Our interests are best served when you find an online casino that provides a good range of games, provides decent bonuses and, most importantly, pays you out quickly when you have a run of good fortune. By doing this, you will trust us more, ensuring that Irish casino enthusiasts will return to our site repeatedly. The offers provided by Ireland focused online casinos are always evolving, so your continued support should help us all win at the end of the day!
How we decide what elements of a casino are important to review
At casinos.win, we always aim to write honest online casino reviews. However, many different aspects are involved in making a casino the brand it is, so how do we use our knowledge to weigh these sometimes widely varying elements?
Our first port of call in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of online casinos is to use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques to discover what it is that Irish is asking about casino websites that serve the Ireland market. By understanding what it is that Irish wants from their casino providers, from the web searches they have made, we can conclude the aspects of a casino’s output that Irish values the most.
Information from keyword analysis tends to fall into several content hubs.
For casinos, consumers generally want information about game types, casino bonuses, and specific features, such as the ability to use Euro on a platform and how safe online casino sites are.
Therefore, it stands to reason that features are placed at the heart of the casino reviews we undertake. Therefore, if you are a casino fan with a specific preference for Baccarat, Blackjack, Slots, or Roulette, we will fill you in on the range of these games that individual sites host.
Conversely, if you are one of the many Irish’s who likes to know if you can deposit on a site from €1 or €5 and whether these sites support a no deposit bonus deal, we will also factor this in on our casino reviews.
However, although consumer demand guides all that we do, it is also necessary for us to have the right people in place to understand all of the issues within the casino industry that relate to these important topics. For exactly this reason, the team at casinos.win is filled with content specialists who have had years of experience working in the gambling industry. After all, insider industry knowledge shines a light on some of the shadier practices that some online casinos use to hold on to your cash for as long as possible.
Although I am heartily cheered by the strengthened regulations that have been put in place by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) in recent times that have stopped trustworthy sites from enabling such things as withdrawal reversals from continuing.
At the end of the day, online gambling should be a pleasurable pastime. It is difficult enough to win at an online casino. It seems a little bit unfair not to complete a payout request. Some operators thought that it was acceptable to give you the option to bet with money that had already been earmarked for a payout. Taking away this temptation will help to level the playing field between punters and casinos, and not before time!
What are the most important considerations for choosing an online casino in Ireland?
Irish have a relatively easy time when it comes to playing at online casinos. The 2013 Gambling Control Bill asserts that Irish casino fans are legally entitled to play at online sites so long as the UKGC or alternative top-tier regulator has approved these. So, although Ireland is yet to appoint its own gambling regulator, Irish casino fans can be assured that they are well protected wherever they choose to play due to the protection that a UKGC licence affords.
Fortunately, fans of casino products in Ireland needn’t worry. We check the status of all casino operators during our review process so that we can tell you if you should have any concerns about not being paid out from a particular casino platform. As it happens, many of the online casinos that serve the Ireland marketplace are licenced by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).
The UKGC serves as an upholder of player protections when external casino sites operate within the Ireland jurisdiction. As a body with high standards, the UKGC demands that all of its licensees operate in Ireland per the restrictions imposed by the 2013 Gambling Control Bill.
Due to the involvement of the UKGC, casino players in Ireland should have a high level of trust that most of the firms that operate today will pay them out if they are fortunate enough to claim a win. If you take a look through our extensive range of safe Ireland casinos, you will see that many of them hold a licence that the UKGC issues.
Once it has been established that a Ireland casino will pay you, the next question that is normally asked is, ‘how quickly do pay-outs take to complete? Checking this out is another issue that is of high importance to our research team.
We scour the terms and conditions of all of the casinos that we investigate so that we can tell you exactly how long it should take to receive your payout once you have made a claim. Industry standards suggest that you should receive a payout from a genuine casino within 1-6 days.
All of the casinos on our review panel meet these requirements. However, we do criticise some brands, where processing periods of ‘up to 72 hours are sometimes employed. In our eyes, payment of any size does not require 72 hours! But, make your mind up by reading our latest reviews of leading Ireland online casino brands.
Once you have found a selection of Ireland’s safest online casinos, what might be the deciding factor that encourages you to sign up with an operator? An important aspect of every casino review is giving a fair assessment of the range of games a platform boasts. Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, and Slots enthusiasts will not be impressed by a casino site that hosts a poor selection of their favourite games.
At casinos.win, we understand this. We aim to indicate the true depth of each of the major content categories that Ireland casinos support and point out if a website hosts innovative features that could interest you. It is not only which games a casino boasts that are important, but also which software drives them. Evolution Live Gaming is considered to be the world’s leading developer of live casino output. Therefore, we give higher ratings to casinos that carry this range.
The same goes for Slots products. Ireland casinos that utilise NetEnt and Microgaming technology are more likely to be winners in our eyes.
What else is important?
There are many ways that an online casino can seek to stay ahead of its rivals. Once it has been established that a site is safe, what other features should be considered as being a necessity at gold-standard providers?
A hefty welcome bonus can set one casino apart from others. Welcome bonuses often come in multiple parts. Initially, casinos might look to sweeten you up with a no deposit or a no deposit free spins offer, but following this is normally the main event. Casinos in Ireland can offer a matched deposit bonus of up to €2000 for new customers, but the devil is in the details. Factors that might reduce the value of a welcome bonus deal include,
- Excessive wagering requirements
- Short redemption periods
- Restrictive fair play rules
- Small matched offers
We use our industry expertise to evaluate the value of all welcome bonuses. We always look to deliver a verdict on whether a deal is worth pursuing in full or whether it should be passed upon.
It is also valuable to understand the range of products that a casino supports. If a casino doesn’t provide a home for slots, Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, and Roulette, then it is unlikely to be of interest to most of you. However, when a casino also has a tag-a-long sportsbook, poker, or bingo facility, things get very interesting indeed. We always aim to provide you with this information so that you can make the right decision about your iGaming future.
Once the product range of a casino has been assessed, you will want to know how you will be paid all the winnings that will be (hopefully) coming your way. Most casinos that serve Irish offer a similar range of banking options. Ireland casinos normally accept payment via Skrill, Paysafecard, Visa, and Bank Transfer, but several sites offer a superior range in this department. We research everything there is to know about casinos and financial transactions so that you can make a choice that is right for you.
Transaction methods aren’t the only issue, however, when it comes to payments. Many of you will want to know a site’s deposit and withdrawal limits. Can you deposit from €1, €5, or €10 at your preferred casino, and when you win, are your withdrawals restricted over a weekly or a monthly period?
We aim to provide the answers to these questions and much more.
One feature of an online casino that has the potential to sway the opinion of the consumer of online casino content is whether a website has a good rewards system or not. A casino rewards system has the potential to provide you with a continual flow of offers, bonus cash, and free spins as you invest more in an operator’s products. A good scheme can help you to maintain your bankroll. For this reason, we investigate the loyalty schemes at all the casinos we review to give you an honest assessment of their true value.
VIP players are also often treated to additional merchandise just for being valued members of a casino’s community. Some of these are merely an extension of regular loyalty deals, while others exhibit an air of exclusivity by being invite-only affairs. Either way, VIP schemes can be highly persuasive in increasing brand loyalty. If this is the case, we must be on the ball.
We assess whether the benefits that are accrued by being a VIP at a casino are worth all the additional wagering that could be required as a pre-qualifier. If we feel that a scheme is too heavily weighted in favour of the house, be assured that we will be the first voices to shout.
At casinos.win, we are all too aware of the problems that gambling can cause. Therefore, when we find a website that does a great job explaining the rationale behind players’ limiters and time-out tools, we are quick to offer praise. Gambling should always be entertaining. If, for any reason, you find that you are chasing losses or betting with cash that you can’t truly afford to lose, then seeking help and using play-restricting functions can be of value.
We are delighted to report that all the recently reviewed websites have a wide range of player protections in place. Still, we will continue to monitor developments in this area so that you can enjoy your casino experience every time you play.
Player protections are, however, just one part of the customer services make-up of a website. If, for any reason, you have a problem at a casino, how can you get this resolved? Our reviews check out how casinos can be contacted in an emergency. In practice, this means that we have scoured hundreds of casino websites to look for contact information.
In general, this involves a 24/7 live chat facility, an email address, a phone number (occasionally), and (sometimes) a social media presence. By extracting this information, you can use our directory of reviews as an important source of data regarding your favourite casinos.
Finally, one of the most important factors that you should consider before signing up for any casino website is where they are licenced. Licencing bodies have varied reputations. The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) is considered the world’s leading actor in this field. This organisation ensure that its members have the highest levels of player protection in place. This is great news for Irish players as nearly all locals enjoy playing casino games, and the UKGC licenses table game classics.
How do you know the reviews are impartial?
Our readers can easily verify much of the information that is provided in our casino reviews if they wish to do so. At casinos.win, we would always advise that our casino reviews should be only one of the pillars of information that you should rely on before deciding on becoming a customer at any online casino. Indeed, we would suggest that you have a good look around every casino that you are thinking of signing up for. After all, our biases about what makes a good casino might be somewhat different to our personal views.
At casinos.win, we also aim to take a clear-eyed view of the iGaming industry. As a casino gambler myself, I understand the thrill that can be derived from beating the croupier after a deal or a spin. However, I have also been a gambler for long enough to know that the outcome will likely be less favourable whenever I play my next hand or place my next pile of chips.
In this position, gaining a certain amount of clarity about betting online is easy. Yes, the cut and thrust of a casino session can be exhilarating. Still, at the same time, it is also easy to understand how some players develop issues regarding their gambling behaviour from time to time. Casino betting is a high-octane pursuit that can be all-consuming if you have not implemented the appropriate defence mechanisms.
As a result, it is with a certain amount of pride that I can point out that many of the reviews that have been posted to this site in recent months have as much focus on the levels of player protections that casinos offer as they do on the promotions that are advertised there. Like most forms of consumption, finding a good balance between these issues is often the most appropriate outcome to achieve.
We also go to great lengths to point out that the house will win in 99% of cases. There is absolutely no reason you cannot attempt to be the ‘1%’, but with a sense of realism, we like to point out that turning over a profit at any online casino is difficult to achieve.
The fact that we like to dwell on many of the negative connotations regarding the iGaming industry, highlights that we are not here just to make money but to make you think hard before embarking on your next tie-up with a Ireland casino operator.
Who writes these reviews and why can you rely on them?
The content team at casinos.win is formed of a small group of individuals who are passionate about casinos. Just as we would be cheering you on if we were seated at your table in a land-based venue, we wish you the best of luck with your online pursuits.
To aid your quest, we like to ensure that everything is in your favour to succeed. To do this, we like to point you in the direction of the safest casinos, with the best offers and the most effective forms of player protection.
We can do this because all of our team has a long association with the casino industry.
We know when something doesn’t look right. We will be the first to tell you if this situation ever arises.
Also, know when a promotion is too good to pass up.
In our experience, casinos are sometimes fallible and sometimes give a little bit more cash away than they should!
But that is exactly why we are here.
Passing on our knowledge of the casino industry in Ireland is our reason for being.
Ensuring that the information that you will find at casinos.win has a unique perspective of the online casino industry in Ireland.
Online Casino Reviews FAQS
Can Online Casino Reviews Be Trusted?
As a casino reviewer, this is a bit of a loaded question. But, yes, in my opinion, most casino reviews can be trusted. However, as part of my job, I must read several reviews about different platforms, and like everything else, some reviews are better than others. Occasionally, you can tell that a review has just been commissioned to direct casino fans to whichever casino site is paying more for referrals.
I don’t agree with this practice. I believe that a casino review should provide a service. If you are reading this column or any of the casino reviews that have been amassed on this site, then it is clear that you require guidance or information about one casino site or another. We meet this need by offering fair reviews based on the most important issues to iGaming consumers.
What Is The Most Important Factor In A Casino Review?
If you take nothing else out of our reviews, you should note where a casino is licenced. To be entirely confident that you are playing at a trustworthy casino site, you should ensure that your casino preference is licenced by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). This body is the most thorough in the world, demanding the highest standards from the business owners of all brands that it approves.
Do The Casinos Reviewed Online Accept Ireland Players?
Absolutely. All of the casino reviews that appear on this platform accept players from Ireland. One of our core aims is to connect Irish casino fans with brands that currently serve the Ireland market. As more entrants become aware of the vibrancy of iGaming in Ireland, we will update our review lists accordingly.