Online casinos have become a go to destination for entertainment. They’re more accessible and convenient than visiting a traditional land-based casino and unless you live in a resort casino destination, such as Las Vegas, Monaco or Macau, online casinos also have more high-quality games.

In the last decade, the online casino industry has boomed and now there is a massive selection of online casinos to choose from. For new players and players who have always stuck with one casino but are now interested in trying something new, it can be too many choices. When every online casino is saying that they’re the best, how can you distinguish the ones that really are the best?

Part of the success of online casinos is based on the rise of digital payment methods. Without a way for players to easily and safely make deposits, it simply wouldn’t be possible for online casinos to function. The biggest digital payment methods function worldwide and there are others that are specific to a certain country or region. GCash is a regional payment methods as it only operates in the Philippines, but within that country it is the dominant payment method.

Playing at a GCash online casino is the best way to get a fun and secure online gambling experience in the Philippines. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of what GCash is, GCash casinos and what to look out for when choosing where to create an account.

What is GCash?

Access to traditional banking institutions is still limited in the Philippines. Nearly 50% of the adult population do not have a bank account, a much higher rate than in most of the world. This can make life more difficult as an increasing number of companies are moving away from using cash. GCash has stepped in to fill that void, making it possible for anyone with a mobile device to have access to a digital payment method.

GCash was launched in 2004. Since then, it has expanded to include both a credit service and a bank partnership program to offer savings accounts. GCash is a digital payment app. They have retail outlets where users can deposit or withdraw physical currency through the app.

Since it uses two-factor authentication for purchases, GCash keeps its customers’ personal data and funds secure. This is one of the reasons why it is an ideal payment method for online casinos. There’s nothing wrong with adding extra layers of security when paying online.

While GCash does not have a purpose or client base outside of the country, within the Philippines, it is a major player. The company also has links with other major payment apps, so perhaps we will see an expansion or a partnership with these apps in the future. This would be ideal for users in our increasingly global digital society.

In the rest of this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about GCash casinos and online casinos in general so that you can enjoy the best player experience possible.

Payment methods

GCash casinos are online casinos that accept deposits and issue withdrawals through the GCash payment app. The majority of these online casinos also accept a number of other payment apps. This allows them to serve players in a variety of countries and regions.

Credit and debit cards are the leading payment methods at online casinos and across the internet in general. Perhaps this is because it is the payment method that older demographics are most comfortable using and part of why we’ve seen a transition away from bank and wire transfers, which were popular with even older demographics. E-wallets are a digital alternative to a physical credit or debit card and are linked to the user’s bank account. The leading e-wallet types are Samsung Pay, Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Alongside these are other payment apps that are similar to GCash. The best known of these is PayPal. Many of the other payment apps vary in popularity depending on the country. Some of the most popular in general are Venmo, Zelle, Skrill and Revolut.

Some online casinos that accept GCash also accept cryptocurrencies. While dedicated crypto casinos tend to accept a range of coins, regular online casinos typically only accept Bitcoin and/or Ethereum. Cryptocurrency markets can be volatile and are unregulated, so that shapes how comfortable many people are with crypto as a payment method.

Licensing

In order to operate legally, online casinos need to hold the appropriate licenses. Licensing requirements depend on the country where the online casino is based and where it is operating. There are several licensing bodies that are highly respected around that world and whose licenses are accepted in most jurisdictions.

The UK Gambling Commission is one of the most respected license issuers. Most of the leading licensing bodies are from small countries or territories who have developed a healthy gambling industry. Malta, Curaçao and Gibraltar are all examples of these.

Offshore casinos don’t technically need to have a license since they are operating in a legal grey zone. However, it isn’t a good idea to play at an unlicensed casino. Without a license, there is no outside authority overseeing the casino. This means that if something goes wrong, there are no protections for the player.

Games

GCash online casinos are attractive to players because they often have great game libraries. Since they don’t have any concerns about floor space, online casinos can offer more games than most traditional land-based casinos could even imagine. Slot machine games make up a large percentage of the games libraries of online casinos and some of the best game developers in the industry are now creating slot machine games to meet this demand.

Poker was one of the first card games to be taken seriously online. Online poker is still hugely popular at online casinos and the number of poker variants keeps things interesting. Other top table games are blackjack, roulette and baccarat. Some online casinos also offer video poker, bingo and keno.

One hot trend in table games at online casinos is the adoption of live dealer games. These games have an actual dealer that players can interact with. The cards on the dealer’s table are cards that the player can interact with. Some even have chat features for the players to talk with one another. Live dealer games bring the land-based casino experience even closer for online casino players.

Security

Online casinos that accept GCash take security seriously. Online casinos are a very attractive target for hackers and scammers because they maintain personal and financial data from their customers. Being an attractive target means that online casinos need to put strong security measures in place.

As we mentioned above, GCash has extra security measures in place, as do many other digital payment methods. Alongside these, online casinos should have SSL encryption to protect their users. A lock symbol in the search bar indicates that a site is encrypted and is something all good online casinos should have.

Bonuses and promotions

Welcome bonuses are a way for GCash online casinos to attract new customers and reward them for creating an account. Welcome bonuses typically include rewards that allow a new player to enjoy the casino without having to invest much of their own money. This can include deposit match bonuses, no deposit bonuses, and free spins on popular slot machine games. When an online casino also has a sportsbook associated with it, welcome bonuses can also include free bets and no risk bets.

Online casinos also like to reward loyal customers. Many have VIP programs. Typically, that means that the more a player plays or spends, the more perks they will unlock. VIP players can receive access to new games early, free spins or entry into special tournaments.

Customer support

Having a customer support team that can handle player complaints quickly and in a friendly manner is a powerful asset for any company. An unhappy customer is willing to overlook minor flaws and forgive mistakes if they’re treated in a respectful manner and don’t have to wait too long to get help. Online casinos are no different. With so much competition, negative reviews from unhappy customers can have a huge impact on a casino’s success.

At GCash casinos and other online casinos, customer support should be consistently reachable and they should have a good track record of solving issues. Leading casinos will have more than one way to reach customer support. While having a phone number to call customer support used to be the norm, today a live chat feature is the gold standard. Having both, or an email address as well, is even better.

Some customer support for GCash casinos can be reached 24/7, which is great for online casinos with an international audience. As long as they are helpful in a timely manner, however, it isn’t necessary for customer support to be available outside of normal business hours.