Best Online Casinos for January 2026 – Expert Picks You Can Trust

There is no such thing as the best online casino for everyone. Different players are looking for different things when selecting an online casino site to play at. This means that a top choice for one player be completely unsuitable for someone else.

This is why we have dedicated so much effort in meticulously reviewing all casino sites we have been able to find on the internet, as it enables us to have an option for everyone.

This list of best casino sites in {currentYear} is the outcome of our efforts, with casinos ranked from best to worst based on the finding of our independent casino review team. If you are looking for a quick choice, you can find the best casinos overall at the top of this page when the 'Recommended' sort is selected.

If you are looking for something more specific, you can use our advanced filtering options or read our casino reviews, in which you can find information about safety, game selection, payments, user reviews, player complaints, and many other aspects that will help you make the right choice.

Of course, you can. However, there are some caveats we need to mention.

First of all, all online casino games are configured to give the house an advantage, which means that you are always playing at a disadvantage. You can get lucky and win, but it is virtually impossible to be profitable in the long run. Therefore, if you manage to win, it is certainly advisable to withdraw your winnings.

Secondly, to be able to win in an online casino and actually withdraw your winnings without issues, it is important to select a reliable casino site to play at. That's why we evaluate the safety and fairness of all online casinos we review – to help you choose the safest and best online casino for you.

Many online casinos are safe, but many are not. At least according to our methodology and what we consider to be safe and unsafe. Some casino sites put an utmost emphasis on fairness and player safety, and some online casinos actively try to scam their players. And most online casinos fall somewhere between these two extremes.

We consider all casinos listed in the 'Recommended' tab above good and safe options for most players, with the absolute best options appearing at the top of the list. Take a look at the Safety Index of the online casinos you are considering to get an idea about their safety. The Safety Index is our safety score calculated based on the information collected and evaluated during the review process. The higher the Safety Index, the more likely you are to be able to gamble safely and withdraw your winnings without any issues if you manage to win.

In general, yes. Casino games come with a house edge, which means that casinos have a statistical advantage that ensures their profit in the long run, but that does not mean they are unfair.

Reputable casino game providers state how much a game is expected to pay out statistically, and as long as the actual long-term results approach these figures, we can say that a game is fair.

That said, there are always people trying to scam others, which means you can find online casinos with bad intentions, as well as misleading or fake games that do not pay out as much as they claim. Choosing a top rated online casino should help you avoid unfair treatment.

If you choose a big and well-known online casino with good reviews, a high Safety Index, and a large number of satisfied customers, it is fair to say that you can trust it. That said, we should always be careful when deciding who to trust, especially online.

In general, established online casinos with good reviews are safer for players, as their size and player base allow them to pay out big wins to players without issues. Moreover, their popularity also adds to their trustworthiness, as it shows that they are already trusted by many.

To find an online casino you can trust, take a look at our reviews and ratings, and choose a site with a high Safety Index. Our methodology for calculating the Safety Index takes into account characteristics that go hand-in-hand with trustworthiness.

Modern online casinos are fully optimized for all types of commonly used devices, such as computers, tablets, and mobile phones. Some casino sites even come with mobile apps that can make playing casino games on mobile devices even more seamless and enjoyable.

If you want to make sure you select a mobile-friendly option, choose from our list of best mobile online casinos.

In most cases, the payouts you can expect depend on the games you are playing, not on the casino you are playing them at. Casino games are created by companies known as game providers, who then make their games available for real money play through online casinos. If you the same game at multiple casinos, you can expect similar results, at least at a statistical level.

That said, in-game wins don't matter if the casino you are playing at refuses to pay them out. That's why it's important you select a top rated online casino to play at.

Also, we should point out that there are cases in which game providers create multiple versions of the same games, each with a different RTP and house edge. In these cases, you can expect different results at different casino sites. To make sure you are playing the best option, you can check the RTP inside the game itself.

There are many authorities that license and regulate online casinos. Some of them focus on gambling within a specific country, while other have a more global approach.

From country-specific licensing authorities, UK's Gambling Commission and Sweden's Spelinspektionen are regarded as some of the world's leading authorities with the highest standards of regulatory oversight and player protection.

When talking about authorities that focus on a wider area, the Malta Gaming Authority is perhaps the most advanced and well-known one. Many online casinos are licensed in Curaçao; however, the country's licensing authorities are not known for having standards as high as the three mentioned previously.

All that said, we should point out that license is not everything. It is a good start, but having a license from a good regulator does not automatically guarantee that a casino will treat you well. At the same time, having a license from a bad regulator does not mean that the casino will be unfair and try to scam you. There are good and bad casinos on both sides of the licensing spectrum.

Yes, they do. However, there are some things you should know. Firstly, you need to choose a reliable online casino, so that your winnings are paid out to you if you do win. Secondly, you should know that you are always playing at a disadvantage in an online casino. So, you can win and get your winnings paid out, but it is more likely that you will lose.

The casino does not decide who wins and who loses. There is a level of randomness present in all casino games. In slots, there is a random number generator that chooses a random number, which determines the outcome of the game. In roulette, this is achieved by the roulette ball, which lands on one of the numbers at random.

Each bet can win or lose, and the chances of winning or losing are generally proportional to the sizes of potential wins or losses. For example, if bet on red in roulette, you will double your bet in 48.6% of cases. If you bet on a specific number, you can win 36-times your bet, but that happens only in 2.7% of cases.

Most of the top online casinos listed above offer a variety of bonuses. You might notice that a bonus is displayed next to each casino site on this page that currently has one on offer. We also list all available casino bonuses in our in-depth reviews, so you can learn more if you click on 'Read Review' next to any online casino of your choice.

If you are specifically interested in no deposit bonuses, simply head to our list of no deposit casino bonuses and browse our selection there. Be aware that bonuses come with certain rules, so make sure to read the bonus terms and conditions before claiming any of them. Remember to also check the Safety Index of the casino offering the bonus to ensure a safe experience.