Have you set your sights on joining a brand new online casino?
Before you do that, I recommend that you read every word on this page. Because even the best new online casinos may not be as great as they look from the outside. They are certainly not as good as the established top casinos, such as the ones we recommend.
New online casinos are often a catch-22.
On the one hand, they are exciting. They may have new games. huge deposit bonuses. A rewarding VIP program and a lot of other things you’ll want to check out.
But many new casinos also have a dark side. She naive and unsuspecting players do not think or realize until it is too late.
Don’t worry, we’re going to tell you what to look out for. The signs to look out for will tell you if the casino you join will float, or if it will sink like a rock.
Many new casinos eventually become flakes. Even those who start well can drop out later.
We would say that most new casinos start out with good intentions. But for some reason they are lagging behind.
And instead of owning it, or even (temporarily) pausing deposits to regroup, they just carry on thinking they will dig themselves out.
However, what happens is that they continue to pay themselves and their staff. And they pay their players with money from other players. Without reserves, when cash flow stops, they cannot repay all their customers. And not just their winnings, but even their bankroll.
These casinos are sinking further and further into debt. Eventually, they go so deep that they can’t get out.
A minority of new online casinos started out on the dark side. They intend to scam players from the start. They take deposits with no intention of paying it all back. Then they give them the run-around or tell them outright to get lost.
We’ll discuss below how to avoid new online casinos that are likely to go that route, along with some other things you should know.
Why do so many new casinos fail?
We think it’s because of a deadly cocktail made up of these three mistakes:
- Thinking too much about how much a casino can make. This type of business has the potential to generate millions, if not billions, of revenue annually.
- See how easy it is to start an online casino. And then underestimate how much work and money it really costs.
- Failure to establish a USP.
We don’t think all new casinos are out to scam people. But instead, they are blinded by greed and optimism. Then they come over their heads.
It also doesn’t help how easy it is to start an online casino. It is much easier than a brick-and-mortar casino.
Offline you have to worry about building the casino. Obtain building, gambling, and alcohol permits. Hiring and training employees. Get all your licenses. And then pay for all those things.
It is much easier to start a casino online.
Especially since so many software companies offer white label solutions, these are basically casino companies in a box. They come with everything you need to get started; you get the software, payment processing, trading accounts, customer support, marketing, and so on.
It’s also not nearly that expensive to get started. You can get started for a five- or six-figure fee. This is nothing for a new business, let alone one that can make millions of dollars or more a year.
Online businesses also have less overhead. If the software company takes care of all those above, the new casino may only need to add staff, website hosting, and maintenance.
The bottom line: It’s easy to be overly optimistic when the process of launching a casino site is as cheap and as simple as having someone set it up for you.
What the hell is a USP?
Another mistake new casinos make is failing to identify what makes them different. They don’t answer this question: why would anyone choose me over one of the 100+ online casinos.
This is called having a USP or unique selling proposition. Without it, a company struggles to become something more than a commodity.
For online casinos, this means resorting to offering huge bonuses, progressive jackpots, tournaments (with overlays), and other big promises.
This can also get casinos in trouble. They offer many free money offers. But then they use money that they would otherwise use to pay for withdrawal requests.
Ultimately, not having a USP does not lead to money problems. Not by itself. Not having enough money leads to money problems.
But when a casino fails to establish their USP, they resort to tactics like offering big deposit bonuses, when that money would instead do a new casino better, tucked away in their reserves.
Why bother with new casinos?
After all, that, when you explain how and where so many new online casinos screw up, you might wonder why you should bother with a new casino. Why not just stick with the tried, proven, existing casinos?
It’s a fair question. You take quite a bit of risk when you join a new casino.
But people like new things. Shiny things. We do, and you probably do too. So here are some reasons why we love new casinos:
- Find new games to play. Perhaps the casino is partnering with a new software supplier that you have never heard of. If you’ve been around for a while and have had enough of Microgaming and Real Time Gaming games, then you’ll probably look forward to (and appreciate) this change of pace more than most.
- Take advantage of new and more aggressive promotions. We recommend starting small (which we’ll explain in the next section). But the good news is that even if you start small, the offers are likely to be big enough (match percentage) that you can get a lot of miles with them.
- Play more modern or updated games. This could be because of another software company or because it has upgraded its software to newer technology, such as HTML5. This can also mean joining a casino that is better at adopting mobile casino games.
- They have a different payment option, cheaper rates, or faster processing times. This is especially useful if you are an American player.
There are many reasons. But mostly, it comes down to something new (novelty) or improvements in software or banking.
Whatever your reason, here are some tips to get you started.
How do you avoid joining a Sucky New Casino?
If you are determined to try out new online casinos, we recommend that you use the following eight tips to do everything you can to avoid joining the suckers.
1 Search for new casinos on casino blocklists.
Casino blocklists are lists of casinos that have done shady things or screwed up so badly that it is recommended to avoid them. This can be for several reasons, including non-payment, bad terms, bad games, etc. If a new casino is already blocked, they must have really screwed up.
2. Don’t be a beta tester.
In other words, don’t be one of their first customers—the reason why is simple. Think of new drugs – people who often try them first get sick…sometimes, they even die. Someone has to. How does anyone else know if they work or if the formulas need to be changed? The same goes for new casino sites – let someone else take the risk and wait for their experience.
3 Start small.
We usually recommend that our readers make as big a deposit as they can afford. Because most casinos only allow you to deposit once to take full advantage of their new player deposit bonus. But we don’t recommend doing that at a brand new casino. Instead, make a smaller deposit, such as 10 or 25 percent of your total bankroll. This way, you will not lose a lot of money if the casino turns out to be a bad apple.
4 Don’t fall for big bonuses or other promises.
A normal deposit bonus can be a 100% match up to $1,000 or even $2,500. But a casino that offers a 400% match bonus up to $10,000 should ring your warning bells. These types of offers are signs of desperation and scams.
5 Check for licenses.
Licensing – by itself – means little in the grand scheme of things. It doesn’t stop thugs from scamming people, especially with how lax some jurisdictions and regulators are. But we still recommend checking it anyway. It’s still a barrier to keep out the lowest scum.
You can find this information at the bottom of a casino’s website or on the casino’s page about the casino. You can also check this on the licensor’s and game tester’s websites. They will usually post when they have licensed or tested a casino and whether their approval is current and still valid.
6 Look for another parent/sister company.
Many companies – often shady companies – will launch a new casino when their existing casino has worn out its welcome. You’ll want to check their parent’s name or license information against regulator databases and blocklists. This is also a way to see if an existing casino has been bought out by another company (and if that company’s reputation is good).
7 Beware of casinos that work with certain software companies.
Some software companies, such as jurisdictions and regulators, are more relaxed than others. An example is Realtime Gaming. There are several casinos they partner with that are listed above the board. But then there are plenty of others who aren’t. While we recommend several RTG-powered casinos, we can’t even deny that it’s easier to avoid them altogether. Otherwise, be prepared to do your research (starting with our casino reviews).
8 Look for other products the casino may offer.
A good example is Lock Casino. If you research the casino, you might not find anything bad enough to keep you from signing up. But what if they owed their poker customers millions of dollars? Wouldn’t that stop you from signing up? What Lock did until they finally closed shop, showing the importance of doing comprehensive research into whatever company you’re considering joining.
Six Ways New Online Casinos Can Succeed
There are plenty of ways new online casinos can fail, but some manage to last long enough and even succeed in the highly competitive online gambling industry.
Let’s look at the key points that allow them to make it.
Make sure you have enough money
If you want to get a good license, attract enough customers, and keep it in the long run, you have to invest money. There is no other way around it in an industry that already has hundreds of online casinos.
You need an initial boost, and you need enough cash reserves to land a runway so your project can start making money. Therefore, all new online casinos must collect enough money in advance.
Create a safe gambling environment
One of the most important factors for success in the online gambling industry is gaining the trust of your customers. The new online casinos have to prove that they have no intention of stealing their players’ money and they are also determined to prevent third parties from doing the same.
The easiest way to achieve both goals is to install the latest security measures and obtain an online gambling license from a legitimate regulator. If a new online casino wants to succeed, this formula is mandatory.
Deliver unique games
This one is hard to achieve these days, but delivering some unique games could be the key to success. The new online casinos could do that either by developing them in-house or by making deals with some of the many popular studios in the industry.
You don’t need a unique selection of titles. In fact, going that route can be harmful. Getting several exclusive products of the highest quality on top of a portfolio full of proven games is the best way to attract new players.
Launch big promotions
There is a great balance for all new online casino sites regarding bonuses and other deals. They are forced to launch better promotions than the established gambling operators to compete. This is almost unavoidable if you want to attract new customers.
At the same time, you want to maintain some balance. You have to stay within some realistic limits to don’t go bust or lose your players once you lower the value you give up.
Provide impeccable customer service
Most online casinos do not have a skilled staff. You often spend hours explaining to an agent what the problem is, and that is so exhausting. As a result, a new player in the business cannot afford to lose customers.
The best internet casinos hire people with experience and invest in their education, making their customer service impeccable.
Hit a particular niche
The success factors mentioned so far are mandatory for all new casinos, but the latter is slightly different. One of the ways that can deliver a unique sales proposition is by targeting a particular niche.
It is much easier to become the best place for Egyptian slots than the best site for slots. Of course, this entails certain risks.
The market has to be big enough and the ,competition has to be beatable. Otherwise you may end up with a small target group as a new casino that is not worth chasing.
On the plus side, identifying a particular underdeveloped niche can lead directly to success.
Inference
Our tips are not foolproof. There’s still a good chance one or two bad apples will pass under your radar. But they should eliminate 99% of the new waste entering the market.
Not that there’s anything wrong with new blood. It’s great for you because it drives all the other (legitimate) casinos to step up their games, to come up with unique offers, add new games and improve in general. Otherwise, they risk falling behind.
Make sure to do your research first. And when you find a new casino that you think is worth checking out, make a small deposit to minimize your risks in case you missed something.
That is the safest way to join a new online casino in 2022.
Here are some frequently asked questions we received about researching and joining new online casinos.
What are some blocklists you recommend?
We recommend starting with ours. But it’s a good idea to check other blocklists to compare the results. Some other blocklists we recommend are:
- Casinomeister’s Rogue Pit
I have read bad reviews and complaints about a new casino. Should I believe them?
It depends. Some people complain about stupid things. They claim that a casino is rigged when they lose (reasonable). Or they yell “scam” when a casino takes 24 hours to respond to their email (instead of 24 minutes). It would help if you ignored this stuff.
The same goes for review sites. Many sites are biased. They get paid when they refer new customers. Some don’t understand the reader (you) at all. They will recommend shady areas because they pay more while not recommending the legit ones.
This is of course not always the case. But if you are determined to join this new casino site, you should be able to distinguish the dodgy reviews and complaints from the legitimate ones.
But if you want our honest opinion – if you’re just not sure about a new casino and the reviews and complaints don’t make it any easier, just go for now. Play somewhere else. There are so many casinos out there. There is no reason to risk your bankroll.
In addition, you can always give the casino 3 or 6 months to see if their ratings improve.
Are there any other warning signs you recommend looking for?
We’ve covered the important tips before. That’s the best choice if you want to avoid bad new casinos. Other things you can do include:
- Play their free games. The company may be above the board, but testing their free games will tell you if their software or games are bad.
- Research forums. You want to look for experiences and complaints from other players. We recommend looking for bank details such as processing and delivery times. You also want to see if they’ve had any issues with bonuses and/or payouts.
That should give you a good idea of whether it is worth joining the casino or not. And you can do all this research in an afternoon or two.
