The ten-minute safe casino checklist
In short
- Licence and company first: a number you can match on the regulator's register, and a named operator.
- Read the cashout rules before the bonus rules. Limits on withdrawals hurt more than wagering.
- Red flags include licence claims that change between pages and sites that advertise VPN use.
- If two or more checks fail, move on. There are plenty of other casinos.
Most bad casino experiences were visible before the first deposit: a licence that didn’t check out, a cashout limit buried in the terms, a company name nobody could find. This checklist is the same reading we do before a casino appears on LocoBonus. It takes about ten minutes and you don’t need any special knowledge.
The checklist
| # | Check | Pass looks like | Fail looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Licence number | Shown in the footer and terms | Missing, or only a logo |
| 2 | Register match | Number, company and domain match | Not found, expired, revoked |
| 3 | Company name | Named operator with an address | No company anywhere |
| 4 | Terms and conditions | Complete, dated, consistent | Missing pages, contradictions |
| 5 | Withdrawal limits | Clear daily, weekly or monthly limits | Very low limits for new players |
| 6 | Payment methods | Methods you know, with withdrawal routes | Deposit-only options for everyone |
| 7 | Bonus terms | Wagering, max bet and expiry stated | Vague “fair play” clauses only |
| 8 | Restricted countries | Clear list in the terms | Your country listed but still accepted |
| 9 | Responsible gambling tools | Deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion | None, or only by email |
| 10 | Support | Live chat or email that answers | No reply to a simple question |
1 and 2: licence and register
The licence number should appear in the footer of every page and in the terms, next to the operator’s name. Then check it on the regulator’s own register, which you open yourself rather than through the casino’s seal. Match the company, the number and the exact domain. Our casino licences guide explains each regulator and links its register.
Two specific traps:
- Old Curaçao numbers. A number in the old sublicence style, such as 8048/JAZ, stopped being valid when that system ended in October 2025. A current Curaçao licence has a number starting “OGL/”.
- Places that don’t license casinos. Some sites cite a business registration in a country with no online gambling licence at all, such as Costa Rica. That is registration, not regulation.
3: a named company
A real operator puts its legal name and registered address in the terms. You should be able to tell which company you are contracting with and which regulator oversees it. If the footer says “operated by” and nothing follows, that is a fail.
4: terms that hang together
Read the general terms, the bonus terms and the withdrawal section. Look for a date. Look for contradictions: a bonus page promising one thing and the terms saying another, or a licence named differently in two places. We have read terms where one site cited three different licensing countries, depending on the page.
5: withdrawal limits
This is the check most players skip, and the one that matters most if you win. Look for:
- Daily, weekly or monthly cashout limits. Some casinos set much lower limits for new accounts.
- Pending periods during which a withdrawal sits unprocessed.
- Fees on withdrawals, or a minimum that is higher than the minimum deposit.
Our casino withdrawal times guide explains what normal looks like.
6: payments both ways
Every deposit method you use needs a way to get money back out. Prepaid vouchers, for example, are usually deposit-only, so you will need a second method for withdrawals. A casino where most listed methods are deposit-only is making cashing out harder than it needs to be.
7: bonus terms in writing
Before claiming anything, you should be able to find the wagering multiple, what it applies to, the max bet, the expiry and the game weighting. Very short windows, such as five days on a large requirement, are a warning sign. Our wagering requirements guide shows how to cost a bonus out.
8: restricted countries
The terms list countries the casino won’t serve. If yours is on that list and the site still lets you sign up, any winnings can be voided later. A casino that advertises itself as “VPN-friendly”, or whose main address redirects to a numbered mirror domain, is telling you how it treats rules.
9 and 10: tools and support
You should be able to set deposit limits, take a break or self-exclude from inside your account, without emailing anyone. Then send support a simple question, such as which documents verification needs. A clear answer within a reasonable time is a good sign. Silence before you deposit rarely improves afterwards.
Seals worth clicking
Testing lab seals from bodies such as eCOGRA, iTech Labs or GLI show that games or random number generators were tested. Click the seal: a genuine one opens a certificate on the lab’s own site naming the exact site you are on. A certificate for a different domain does not count for this one. A seal that doesn’t click through at all counts for nothing.
Scoring yourself
- All ten pass: a solid baseline. Still set a budget.
- One fail: read that area closely and decide if you can live with it.
- Two or more fails: pick another casino. Our casino lists show each site’s stated licence on the card.
Being safe also means playing within limits. If gambling stops being fun, our responsible gambling page lists free, confidential help.
Questions players ask
How can I tell if an online casino is legit?
Find the licence number and company name in the footer or terms, then look them up on the regulator's own register. Check the domain matches, the terms are complete and the withdrawal rules are clear. Our casino licences guide shows how each register works.
Is a testing lab seal enough on its own?
No. A lab seal shows that games or random number generators were tested, not that the operator pays on time. Click it: a real certificate should open on the lab's own site and name the exact site you are on.
What should I do if a casino won't pay out?
Complain to the casino in writing first and keep copies. If that fails, use the dispute route its licence offers: an ADR body or the regulator. Licences without a complaint route leave you very little to fall back on.
Are new casinos less safe than older ones?
Not automatically. Age alone tells you little. A new casino with a current licence, a named operator and clear terms can pass every check, while an old one can fail them.