Casino rankings - how we evaluate and rank each casino gaming site
In our casino reviews, we cover all the Bulgarian and online casinos worth trying out at the moment. Each of our ratings is a result of personal experience we've had with the brand in question. We're happy to show you the positives of the best 10 casinos online, but we don't shy away from pointing out their weaknesses either. Our reviews are prepared according to an absolutely objective criterion, and our main goal is to help you navigate through the great choice that is available on the market nowadays.
Among the attributes of each casino site we evaluate are the security of its platform and its overall quality; the bonuses and promotions offered; the variety of games and entertainment available; the design and interface; the quality of the real-time gameplay, if offered; the strengths and weaknesses of the mobile gambling apps; the ways to perform financial transactions and the performance of the customer support departments. We also look at the issue of licenses that the companies in question have or do not have to operate on Bulgarian territory. We make a serious effort to prepare a qualitative assessment of what you have seen, so that you are well prepared in terms of what awaits you in each of the brands discussed.
Gambling regulation and casino bookmaker licensing in Bulgaria
Gambling in Bulgaria is permitted for persons 18 years of age or older, but the law categorically prohibits the organization of gambling activities and games, including online casino, without a license issued by the State Gambling Commission. All bets and winnings should be in Bulgarian levs or euros, unless the gaming casinos have permission from the Commission to the contrary. Both Bulgarian companies and legal entities and foreign ones have the right to organise gambling activities in the country as long as they have obtained a licence from the State Gambling Commission.
The Gambling Act obliges organisers of gambling activities, including online casinos, to make annual contributions to the state budget for so-called "socially responsible behaviour". For the organisation of online betting, the annual contribution is BGN 50 000, while land-based casino owners have to pay BGN 10 000 per year. BGN 5 000 is the annual fee for all other organisers of gambling games and activities.
The law categorically prohibits gambling activities in the vicinity of ministries, schools, state administration structures and health care facilities. The same applies to residential buildings unless there is written consent of the residents. Currently, the State Gambling Commission is governed by four members, and on the Commission's website you can find the names of all bookmakers, including online casinos, with a license obtained and denied. Every three months, gaming halls in Bulgaria pay a tax on their equipment, and bookmakers are required to pay a monthly percentage on bets placed with them.
Is our money and personal data protected in online casinos?
We can categorically state that the best casino sites go to extraordinary lengths to make sure that their customers' money and personal data is impeccably protected. We would also never recommend an online casino operator to you unless we are completely sure of the reliability of its security mechanisms. The leading companies on the market have impenetrable protections on their platforms, as well as encrypted connections to access accounts and games. At the same time, online casinos are required by law to protect your personal data and not use it for their own purposes.
Users of all licensed online casinos can also rely on the protection of third parties who regulate what happens and take care of the overall fairness towards players. An example of such an organisation is the London-based eCOGRA, which in 2003 introduced the industry's first self-regulatory programme in online gambling. Strict control over all online casinos in Bulgaria is also exercised by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), working in close cooperation with the European Union and national authorities. An important role in the development of the industry is played by the iTechLabs organization, which is among the world's leading laboratories for testing and certification of online betting systems.
We don't wish it on you, but even with the best online casinos, disputes can arise between you and the company whose services you use. Quite often, things come down to money that players cannot withdraw from their accounts at the casino site in question. In such a situation, you could seek assistance from the software companies that provide the games for the online casinos. Examples of such companies are RealTime Gaming, Microgaming and Playtech. Many of them offer dispute resolution services. The truth is that software companies are always on the lookout for maintaining their good reputation, which definitely rules out any unfair actions on the part of the casinos using their services.
Casino bonuses and promotions - the most enjoyable of online casinos
Bonuses and promotions are an essential part of all casino reviews, as there are hardly any players who are not vividly interested in them. Especially if they have experience and have been customers of an online casino before. Pressed by fierce competition as well, the best online casinos are waging a constant battle for new customers on this front as well. Often, different brands try to present their bonuses and promotions in the most striking way possible, making it prominent on their homepages. Among the most preferred bonuses are those that casinos present to their new customers at the very moment of their registration.
Here is the time to remind that there is no free lunch and every online casino requires bonuses to be "rolled over" before they are redeemed by players. In other words, the money that is credited to your account is not really yours until you meet the casino's requirements. The requirements are always stated when accepting the bonus, so we advise you to pay close attention to what is written so you know how to play it.
At the same time, you would probably also be interested in the loyalty programs that online casinos offer to their most loyal and regular customers. Very often, these are expressed in points that you add to your account with every single play. Some casinos also offer the opportunity to get into the so-called VIP club, where gifts, pleasant surprises and various privileges await you. The truth is that the aim of casinos is to get you to play as much as possible, which is why they are willing to tempt you in different ways. Be on the lookout for such "tricks" from any online casino.
Here is the time to say that almost all Bulgarian online casinos try to be competitive with the others, also tempting their players with mouth-watering bonuses. PalmsBet, for example, offers ten free spins per day, while at efbet we find the so-called Matchplay bonus that will double your deposit.
Types of casino games and software at the best online casinos
Unless you plan on playing roulette or slots for the rest of your life, you'll probably agree that a wide variety of games is another key factor in any online casino ranking. Games like roulette, slots, blackjack in casino online and baccarat are classics, and you could easily find them practically anywhere and in any online casino. What sets the best in the business apart is the availability of a host of other games as well. Examples of these are keno, craps, bingo, etc.
Casinos themselves do not rely on producing their games themselves, for this purpose they always use the services of external companies that specialize in online casino software development. Among the biggest in this business are brands like Playtech, Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, EGT, Pragmatic games casino, etc. The gambling industry is definitely booming, which is why new and new developers of this type of software are constantly appearing. Of course, this makes us expect more and more quality products in the future.
Our advice is, when reading a comparison of online casinos, to also pay attention to the software companies they work with. This could be a really important testimonial to the quality of the online casino in question.
As we have already clarified, casinos mostly rely on specialized software companies that create the games that are then offered to the players. Among the most proven companies on the market we can distinguish NetEnt, Playtech, Evolution Gaming, Ezugi and Authentic Gaming. They are the guarantors of quality gaming in your online casino.
Trying to provide the best possible service, all Bulgarian online casinos also offer games produced by the biggest companies on the market. efbet, for example, uses the services of Casino Technology Interactive and Euro Game Technology, while at Palms Bet you could find games by Amatic and EGM. As we have already pointed out once in this text, partnering with such renowned casino software manufacturers is a sure testimonial that the games at the place in question will meet all the requirements for impeccable quality.
