Your Guide to the Best Real Money Online Casinos

Real money online casinos in Ireland are so attractive to players because of the possibility of winning real cash. The best casinos provide a safe, entertaining, and easy-to-use platform that gives their customers a great all-around experience, as well as providing great opportunities for them to win. Below, I will take you through everything that makes a real money casino great.

To start right at the beginning, real money online casinos are websites that players can go to, deposit their own money, and play a variety of casino games in the hopes of winning more money. The most popular groups of games are slots, table games, and live dealer games. 

Slots are the most popular real money online casino games, and most casinos will be dominated by full libraries of these provided by different game developers. Table games are also very popular, with blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and poker, all popular with Irish players. Live dealer games try to provide authentic, real-life casino game experiences with actual human dealers on your screen. A good casino will offer you variety in these categories.

That's the entertainment side, but there is a lot more that goes into legitimate online casinos that pay real money. Safety is a big factor I look out for, so I want my casino to have a reputable license, and I want to know that my financial information and data are protected. Payment variety, customer care, and mobile optimisation are just some of the other things that can make or break a casino, which I will discuss below.

In this section, I am going to take you through my top 3 real money online casinos. I’ll take you through why, and there will be a handy table for players to refer to, highlighting the main standout features of each casino.

Originally launched as Omnibet in 2003 and later rebranded as Tonybet, it's now one of the best casinos and sportsbook combos available to Irish players. It has a United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence, meaning it is very safe for Irish players to use. It offers a wide range of real money online casino games to its customers.

Launching in 2024, Spinsy Casino is a new kid on the block but has already made a massive impact. It's operated by NovaForge Ltd [2], which has plenty of experience in the industry. It has a licence from the Government of Curacao which isn’t as good as a UKGC one, but still more than serviceable.

FatFruit is another 2024 casino that is operated by a company with plenty of casino experience in Hollycorn N.V.  It also has a license from the Government of Curacao. In recent times, it's known in Ireland as one of the best online casinos that pay real money.

There are plenty of real money online casinos in Ireland, and the more there are, the more detail we need to research to separate the good from the bad. Here is the criteria that my fellow team members and I use to find the best brands for Irish customers:

Game Variety and software providers: A casino is only as good as its games. I want plenty of variety from my online casino games with real money. This means a nice balance of slots, jackpots, Megaways, table games, and live dealer games. I also want to see the best software providers supplying games like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play.

Payment methods and withdrawal speeds: These two go hand in hand. What I want from my casino is options from the three main payment methods: banking, e-wallets, and crypto. After this, I want to see that my casino is processing their withdrawals nice and fast.

Licensing information: First off, I want the licensing information of my casino to be clear and visible; having to dig for it is a red flag. After this, the safest online casino real money brands will have a UKGC or an MGA licence. A Curacao licence or similar, however, is also okay.

Security and safety: This isn’t glamorous, but the security of a casino is very important. If they use SSL encryption technology, that's a huge plus, and I also only choose casinos that apply AML and KYC security procedures.

Mobile Experience: Most of my gaming is done on my mobile, and the same goes for most players of real money online casinos in Ireland these days. So, mobile experience is crucial. An app is a huge plus, but as long as the site is mobile-optimised and works smoothly on my mobile browser, I’m okay.

There are more dodgy casinos out there than ever before, so players need to be extra vigilant. There are a few red flags that should set off alarm bells while you consider real money online casinos:

No licence: The most important thing players should look out for. If there is no licence, you are not protected by the laws and regulations that licensed casinos are bound by.

Negative reviews and player complaints: A savvy move before choosing a casino is to look at some of the reviews on Google. It's a good way to see how many complaints there are and if the casino deals with them.

Poor customer support: Not necessarily as important as the other two, but poor customer support can be a canary in the coal mine. If they are not treating their customers well, what else do they not do well?

The best real money online casinos in Ireland offer a huge variety of casino games, but there tend to be a certain few categories that always remain popular. Here are the most popular game types broken down for you.

Slots: The most popular casino games due to their fast-paced and entertaining nature. There is also a great variety in slots, from standard 5x3 reels to the more unique crash play games. Some of the most popular slots are Starburst, Book of Dead, and Aviator.

Table games: These attract players who are looking for more strategy and skill from their games. The best real money online casinos will offer you plenty of variants of roulette, poker, blackjack, craps, and other table games.

Live dealer games: This separates the men from the boys. A good live dealer section will make you feel like you’re actually in Vegas. Roulette, blackjack, and most of the other table games have live titles as well as some special game shows like Deal or No Deal or Monopoly.

To make things simple, here is a little comparison table that breaks down the most popular games into digestible bite-sized information. It should help you figure out what kinds of games you like.

The backbone of every good casino's online real money game collection is its software providers. These are the game developers that supply casinos with their titles. I want variety here, but I also want to see the brands I know deliver my favourite games and other top-tier content. Some providers are known to be experts in certain areas, for example, Evolution and their live dealer games.

Here are some of the best software providers and some of their most popular titles:

Before players choose a casino, they are faced with an important question: do they want to risk real money for the potential to win real money, or do they prefer to play for fun and not risk or win any money? There are benefits and downsides to both roads, of course.

Playing for free is a perfect move for beginners, in particular. A lot of the Irish casino brands will have demo modes available. This allows players to test games without having to risk real money. That way, you can get a feel for certain games and casinos before promoting yourself to the real money world. No-deposit bonuses and free spins can also provide no-risk fun.

Playing for free is great, and for some people, it's all they need. Personally, I love a bit of thrill, and that's where real money online casino games come in. Obviously, you have the risk of losing money here, but players should be sensible and only bet what they can afford. If they do that, real money gaming can be an entertaining and rewarding experience.

Here's a table that weighs up the positives and negatives of both:

While we do as much work for you as possible in curating our lists of the best real money online casinos in Ireland, at the end of the day, it's a matter of taste. So, what you like best is all that matters. Here are a few factors that may influence your choice:

Game variety: Every player will have a different taste in games, so find the casino that best suits yours.

Customer care: Some may value how they are treated as a customer very highly, so how good a casino's customer care is comes into play here.

Loyalty programmes: Regular players want to be rewarded for their loyalty so, having a loyalty programme can be crucial to them.

Bonus T&Cs: Wagering requirements and other factors can be an important factor in what casino a player chooses.

Some Factors to Keep in Mind Before Signing Up

Just a little bit of housekeeping from me here, as there are some things to remember before you sign up for any casino. All the decent online casinos that pay real money will make you go through a KYC security process. For this, you need to be over 18 and a resident of Ireland. You will need to provide a copy of your ID and a copy of a utility bill or bank statement that proves your address.

So, as you can see, a lot goes into choosing the perfect real money online casinos. What you like best is most important, but we can definitely lend a helping hand. Find out what you value most, be it game selection, payment methods, or something else and then check out our recommended casinos to find a perfect match.