Best European Online Casinos

The number of Best European Online Casinos open to players from around the globe is simply mind-boggling and a deep exploration of each one with its relevant laws would take an entire library to explain, which is why we’ve created a comprehensive yet concise list of everything you need to know everything online casino Europe related from how to find the best ones to withdrawing once you win.

Try out the casinos from our list and see why we’ve ranked these as some of the best in terms of security and enjoyment. Be sure to claim your bonuses when you play too, and keep checking to see what new casinos we’re adding to the list.

Top European Online Casinos

1

200% Signup & 100% Cash Back Bonuses + R400 Free No Deposit Bonus
Currencies Available

Currencies

ZAR

2

R375 Free No Deposit Bonus + R24,000 Welcome Bonus
Currencies Available

Currencies

ZAR

European Online Casinos and the law

Though the formation of the European Union standardised the currency in many of the countries on that continent, the one place in which it did not create uniformity was in online gambling. Many of the countries that form part of the EU have their own laws governing online gambling, which makes it difficult to identify the laws that apply to one country but not to another. Though the standardisation of online gambling laws in Europe is on the horizon, there is no telling how long it will take for this to happen. Some of the laws you may need to know though include those for the following countries:

Belgium – the Belgian Gaming Act has made it illegal for international online casinos to operate within the country. This means that there is a list as long as your arm of casinos that are blacklisted by the country and the government of Belgium is consistently trying to get banks and other financial institutions, as well as internet service providers, to help them keep online gaming out of the country.

Germany – though Germany does allow for online gaming, the country has put a number of measures in place to try and stop illegal money laundering related to online gaming, as well as problem gambling. Germany has long been thought of to have a monopoly when it comes to online gambling and the various provinces and states within the country generally try to keep German players at German online casinos.

France – France is relatively lenient with online gambling since a law was passed in 2010. The law, referred to as ARJEL, states that legal casinos that are licensed can offer French players the chance to play online poker, bet on sports and bet on the horses. This type of licensing was put in place to ensure that online theft and other criminal acts can be prevented.

But what about Gambling in the EU?

The EU Commission has been pushing for uniformity for a long time and though this may be on the cards one day, it is currently too difficult to standardise online gambling when so many different countries has views on whether gambling is acceptable or not. Many sites from the United Kingdom have tried to encourage players from the EU to make use of their sites, by offering them the opportunity to play in euros, but competition is quite fierce from around the globe as many casinos accepting euro (€) have popped up and declared that they too have something great to offer players.

Generally, online gambling is allowed within the EU though countries are allowed to set their own regulations that stop player access to non-EU gambling sites. Generally, this kind of access could be denied either for social reasons or for reasons of morality. Interestingly, the EU Commission has stated that if a country wishes to stop access to online gambling for its citizens, it has to be consistent in this. This rule was put in place to stop potential monopolies and should the Commission detect this kind of monopoly in place, it can actually sue the country’s government and force it to change that country’s law.

One of the benefits to playing at EU-based casinos is that they are able to offer players special promotions and bonuses geared to EU players only. These can include promotions based on the seasons, on national holidays within certain countries or even on news events.

Accessing Casinos – your options

In Europe, there are three ways in which most players access online casinos. These include downloading a casino, instant play and gaming on mobile. Downloading a casino is by far the more popular option as it is also the most established. Many players choose to download as this gives them the option of a wider variety of games. Some players prefer the instant play option which, as the name explains, allows them to access games on their web browser instantly.

Due to the high speed of internet in the EU, many casinos have also started providing mobile options to potential players. Since people tend to be quite busy, it makes sense for European online casinos to offer them the chance to have a casino in their pocket, which they can access during their lunch breaks, in line at the bank or even when they’re home in front of the TV.

Paying to play at European Online Casinos

There are a variety of ways to make a real money deposit at European online casinos, some of which you may have heard of and some of which may be foreign to you. Options such as Visa and Mastercard are standard and you can use eWallet systems such as Neteller, Entropay, UKash and more. Some of the options you may not have heard of include GiroPay, ELV Elektronisches Lastschriftverfahren, Dankort and Nordea, many of which are specific payment methods for use in different European countries. Currently, the most common payment form (and withdrawal form) for European casinos online is PayPal.

What makes a European Online Casino great?

There are a few qualities that European casinos have that make them stand out, including:

• An EU gaming licence – of course, every country has its own unique set of rules, but being able to play at a licensed casino will not only give you peace of mind, it ensures you have a higher authority to report the casino to in case of illegal or unethical activity.

• A variety of games that are completely fair – one of the requirements that an online casino Europe knows it needs to implement in order to keep its players happy is a fairness policy. This ensures that players know that no matter what game they are playing, there is no secret algorithm that makes it impossible for them to win. Fairness and the ability to access a wide variety of games, make playing a better experience.

• Easy deposits and quick withdrawals – many people know that if you want to influence someone, you can do it by affecting their money. This is certainly true of online casinos and those players who try out casinos accepting euro (€) will often return time and time again to the casinos that make it easy for them to deposit and that process their withdrawals speedily.

• Customer support – one of the common problems EU players experience is that they struggle to communicate with casino customer service staff as there is no one who speaks their language. A great casino will keep this in mind when selecting its staff and ensure that there is someone who can assist players in all of the major languages, including German, Italian, French, Swedish, Russian and even Flemish, to name a few.

FAQ's

Is playing at online casinos legal in the EU?

While the EU may be one territory, each country within the union has its own laws governing online gambling. Depending on which country you live in, you may need to check your local legislation before you start playing at online casinos. If your country forbids online gaming, you may find that any attempts to play or make deposits are blocked by your bank and internet service providers.

Are European casino games fair?

Whether you play at an online or land-based casino, you will find that the games offered are usually completely fair. Regulated casinos have certain standards that they need to live up to and this means they have to ensure that their players have a fair chance of winning.

How do I deposit and withdraw?

Depositing and withdrawing cash at an online casino accepting euro (€) is a lot easier than you think. For deposits, you will need casino cashier and set the currency to euro. You should have no trouble making a deposit using just about any payment method from debit or credit card to ewallet. As for withdrawals, these depend on the casino but for most, they can take up to 10 working days and you will need to provide the casino with some form of identification, a proof of residence document and even proof of banking details, if you’ve used your debit or credit card.

How do payout percentages work?

A payout percentage is the percentage of money that a casino will pay out on a certain game, according to how much money is spent on that machine. For a game with a payout percentage of 95% for example, the amount you can win will be capped at 95% of the total money that has been put into the machine by players around the world. This means that the casino will take 5% of the money put into the machine for its own use. Games that have a high payout percentage are the ones you will want to play, since the amount you could win is higher and the amount the casino takes is lower.

What software do the best casinos use?

Most of the online casino Europe sites use software from one of the three major game developers, namely Playtech, Microgaming or Real Time Gaming. These developers have such an established history and so much experience that they are able to offer a wide variety of the finest online games out there.