We all know what casinos are from movies or from actually visiting a land-based (brick and mortar) casino. Rows of slot machines. Tables full of punters playing roulette or cards. Flashing lights and alarms and sirens and the sound of coins hitting the coin trays. And people. Lots and lots of people.

Online casinos are the tech age equivalents of these scenes. They offer all the same games and the same excitement but without the crowds of people. And without the unnecessary distraction that you often find in land-based casinos like fast food joints, cinemas, kiddies game arcades, parking lots, and extra costs.

You get to play all your favourite games in the comfort of your own home. With the rise of mobile casinos, you can even play while you’re waiting at the airport or sitting in a boring conference or in your hotel room on a business trip.

The only difference is how you choose to access and play on your chosen casino site. The worldwide growth in the mobile market – mobile phones, smartphones, and tablets – has seen casino games providers adapting their software to be playable on any device using all the most common operating systems.

An online casino is accessed using a PC or desktop computer. A mobile casino is accessed using a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet.

If you are playing at a premium international online operator, there is very little difference in game quality and choice apart from the size of the screen.

We spend our time scouring the ‘Net to bring you the most popular trusted and licensed online casinos for players around the world. These casinos are highly rated for their trust, their security, their licences, and their accessibility to numerous countries and players from different countries, and their variety and choice of online casino games. Our Top 5 international online casinos (which are updated regularly) are:

Jackpot.io

888Casino

Casino.com

LeoVegas

Sportsbet.io

Online casino games are all the games that an online casino offers. Slots, blackjack, poker, roulette, keno, baccarat, craps, spin and win, lotto – these are just some of the games you can expect to find at an online casino.

Technology has even brought the live, human, person-to-person aspect of playing in a land-based casino to online casinos with Live Casino games where you play against real, live dealers via web cam technology.

Online casino games are what drive online casinos and there are a huge number of software companies that are dedicated to developing and releasing new games for you to enjoy. Some these companies, like Microgaming, NetEnt, Play ‘n GO, Yggdrasil, Bally, Evolution Gaming, Wazdan, Real Time Gaming and more are multi-billion-dollar companies and the backbone of any successful online casino.

Real Money gaming is exactly what it sounds like: gambling at an online casino for real money. There are online casinos that allow you to play for fun and there are apps on most App Stores that will let you download a roulette or blackjack or slots game that you can play without betting real money, but most online players prefer to play for real – it gives a more thrilling edge to know that you are potentially winning or losing real, actual money that you have worked for.

Please don’t do this! Fun and success in the global online casino world comes from research. Research different online casinos, research different online casino games, be prepared before you begin playing.

Here are some tips for aspiring online casino players:

• Read reviews (like the CasinoPlay.com online casino reviews here) on different online casinos to see what other players are saying about the online casino.
• Check that the online casino is licensed. Online casinos must be licensed in at least one of various licensing territories around the world. These territories include Malta, Gibraltar, UK, Canada, Curacao, and others.
• Make sure the online casino offers banking methods that you know and are comfortable with for depositing and withdrawing money.
• Have a look at the different games on offer. The more games from trusted games developers, the better your online casino experience will be. Some online casinos are dedicated to one specific games provider. This is good because they concentrate on offering trusted games from a trusted developer but not so good if you want a variety of games from different developers. Generally speaking, more than 300 games is a good sign that the online casino is serious about offering players a thrilling time.
• Make sure you can play using your chosen currency. Playing in foreign currency can become VERY expensive when you have to convert and pay forex fees. Luckily, most premium international online casinos will automatically display the currency of the country you are playing from. Some casinos do have a standard currency on their games, like Euros or Dollars, but this is more like a placeholder for credit and shouldn’t affect your funds – but check to make sure.

A lot of online and mobile casinos are also beginning to accept cryptocurrency like Bitcoin to make transfers easier.

• Check out the bonuses on offer. Online casinos offer great welcome and loyalty bonuses for players new and returning. BUT, always check the terms and conditions and the wagering requirements before you start playing with the bonus money or free spins. Read more about bonuses and wagering requirements here.

At CasinoPlay.com we continually explore the world of online casinos to bring you the latest news and reviews on the industry, new online casinos and new online casino games. Check in with us regularly, sign up to receive our regular newsletter and remember: online casinos and online gaming is all about FUN – and maybe making some cash every now and then.