Take a moment to reflect and consider the criteria you use when deciding to make an online purchase. When you want to buy a new product, use a service, or play a game, what do you look for when making your choice? Reviews. Reviews are one of the most important factors in deciding whether to use online services and products.
With the seemingly endless list of online casino providers that can be found on the internet, it is difficult to make the right choice. No one wants to be the first to test a game, deposit money, and end up having a bad experience. That’s why reviews are so important.
Not only users but also providers rely heavily on reviews, as they confirm the quality of their product or service and can thus increase user numbers and purchases. New providers and products, in particular, find it difficult to establish themselves in the market when there are no reviews yet. That’s why some companies resort to creating fake reviews to convince users that others have rated the product well and spark their interest.
What Makes a Review Trustworthy?
There are different types of reviews. Google reviews are probably the easiest way to submit a quick review and are popular and widely used. Some casino providers also offer the option of leaving reviews directly on their websites. Then there are dedicated websites and blogs for writing casino reviews, which may be run by hobby gamers or industry experts.
To avoid falling victim to fake reviews, this is how you can tell a review is legit:
Transparency
Whether written by an expert or a hobbyist, transparency is essential. If the name “anonymous user” appears instead of an actual name, reliability drops significantly. A review site should include the author’s name and profile. Who is the author? What makes their opinion about the casino relevant?
An excellent example of a reputable review is the cryptonews non gamstop casinos list. The author’s name and professional experience are disclosed: Mark Hoover has been working in the industry for several years and knows what he is talking about when he says he has found the best non-GamStop casinos for British players.
Methodology
However, anyone can make claims. “Best game” is not convincing. Why is it the best game? Mark Hoover from Cryptonews shares the criteria he uses to evaluate casino platforms and what constitutes a good non-GamStop casino:
- no self-exclusion systems
- licensed providers
- bonus size
- variety of games
- flexible payment methods, including crypto.
Knowing the reviewer’s methodology is crucial, as you may well have different criteria that are important to you. This doesn’t mean his methodology is bad. However, if you are looking for a casino that offers a self-exclusion system to help you control your gambling behavior, you might be more interested in other options. Or maybe you are only interested in poker, in which case you don’t care about the wide game variety.
So, go for reviews that share their rating criteria to ensure you and the reviewer are on the same page.
User Experience and Game Tests
While experts can give valuable information on the legal framework and regulations, user experience will give you insight into the actual gaming experience. Here again, the more information the better: How long did the user wait for their payout? Was the interface user-friendly? How reliable is customer support? These are the questions you should find the answers to in user reviews.
In addition to hobby testers, there are also companies such as eCOGRA that specialize in iGaming certification and testing. They test games for online gambling jurisdictions across the globe and provide information on functionality, performance, compatibility, integration, and security. Those who don’t trust hobby gamers can refer to testing specialists to ensure that game mechanics, features, and gameplay meet their own standards.
How to Identify Fake Reviews
Reviews are usually very subjective and have their own voice. Fake reviews, however, often follow similar patterns and tend to have a common tone. Here are a few signs that may indicate a fake review:
- The wording is vague and not particularly informative.
- There is no author name or profile to be found.
- Many reviews were written on the same page in a short period of time.
Fake reviews are a real problem worldwide as they mislead users. The US is leading the way in addressing this issue, as the Federal Trade Commission has announced that it will define rules to ban fake reviews and impose penalties against violators to stop wasting people’s time and money.
Do Your Own Research
The more you know, the less likely you are to be misled. Official market figures can help you determine what you are actually looking for and which providers (regardless of reviews) are relevant to your gaming experience.
Better Collective is currently leading the industry with a solid $0.85 billion valuation and has a strong presence in key markets like the US and Europe. Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) and Gambling.com are also renowned providers. There is a reason why these providers are successful: they meet specific standards. As a player, you can therefore assume that the next game released by these well-known operators will also meet established standards and will be of accordingly high quality.
To sum it up
A reputable casino review is transparent, trustworthy, and informative. Use this authenticity check and avoid falling victim to fake reviews.
