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Reputation is everything in gambling. That’s been true since the dawn of time. Back before the internet changed the game, a gambler’s credit was only as good as their reputation. A handshake and consistently honouring bets was all someone needed back in the day. Today’s news and technology landscape is constantly evolving. Yes, brands have a certain ethereal reputation that’s been built up over years of service. This is true in all industries.
Why do we trust Coca-Cola? There are some practical reasons why, but, in general, people trust Coca-Cola because it’s Coca-Cola. The brand is ubiquitous so, if everyone knows it and buys it, it must be good. Rightly or wrongly, that’s the way we think about big brands. We do the same in gambling. Names such as William Hill and Ladbrokes have certain reputations because they’ve been around for decades and they’re known by the masses.
However, in an age of information and digital technology, relying on a sense of what’s good or bad is senseless. We no longer need a proverbial handshake to know whether a gambling company is legit. There are plenty of empirical and easily accessible qualities you can assess as a consumer. With this in mind, here are three ways to assess a gambling company’s reputation.
1. Longevity
Time in the game doesn’t always equal quality, but it’s a good place to start. Gambling is a competitive industry. In the UK, for example, land-based and online gambling revenue topped £14.1 billion in the 12 months to March 2022. Of that figure, £6.4 billion was generated by online gambling operators. A market worth more than £14 billion, particularly in a country with a population of 67 million, tells us that it’s a competitive industry.
Any gambling operator that’s stayed afloat in a sea full of major players is clearly doing something right. William Hill, for instance, has been around since 1934. Not only has it stayed in business that long, but it’s also moved with the times. That’s the sign of a high-quality operator with a solid reputation.
2. Certifiability
Perhaps the best sources of empirical, objective ratings are certificates. Specifically, gambling licences and certificates of fairness from recognised gambling regulators. Sticking with the UK, all legit operators have a licence from the Gambling Commission. Licences can be seen as markers of trust because they’re only issued to operators who pass a series of checks.
These checks take into account the services on offer, the security provisions an operator has and whether the software has been assessed by a third party. For example, online casino operators (and software developers) need to have their games tested for fairness.
Companies such as iTech Labs do this and, assuming a game is fair, a certificate is issued. Like gambling licences, certificates of fairness and security prove that a platform is safe. This helps to bolster the reputation of a gambling company. Essentially, the more credentials an operator has, the better its reputation is likely to be.
3. Credibility
The final way to assess the reputation and, therefore, the potential of a gambling operator is to see what other people think. What are experts and users saying about the company? Reviews for real money casinos are independent sources of information. On a basic level, casino reviews outline what an operator offers, such as its games, bonuses and payment options. However, on a deeper level, reviewers are experts in the business.
That means they’re trying to educate as well as inform. The best casino reviews explain why things such as security are important. They garner feedback from users and rate casinos so you can compare one to another. Besides reviews, you can look to see if an operator has won any awards.
Tapping the “casino awards” link on our site takes you to the latest event. These events showcase the best operators in gambling and what they do well. All of these viewpoints can help you get a better idea of which companies can be trusted.
From this, you can consider the other qualities we’ve outlined to get a better overview of the industry. Gambling is a great industry to be in if you use reputable platforms. Thankfully, it’s easy to see which companies are reputable, and you don’t need to shake anyone’s hand to find out.
