Gambling in the yesteryears was pure, uncomplicated fun. These days, the evolution of casinos has given rise to a number of high-risk issues. The increasing number of online casinos puts gamblers at risk of numerous security problems, like fraud and identity theft.
When trying to choose an online casino to gamble at, there are several things to look out for. These attributes determine whether these casinos are safe and secure.
Here are some of the things that qualify a casino as safe and secure.
License
One of the biggest indicators of safe online casinos is a license from a recognised body or organisation like the Malta Gaming Authority and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, who keep a close eye on over 3600 licences. Licensed casinos are subject to strict rules and are mandated to abide by these regulations. A license also reveals that a casino is regulated, audited by an independent third-party company, and has structures established to protect players and offer the best.
Gambling at unlicensed casinos opens players to a plethora of risks. Most unlicensed casinos are unregulated and conduct business in a shady manner. There is no way a player can seek redress if swindled by an unlicensed casino of their winnings or have their personal information leaked to a third party.
Quick and Easy Transactions
One thing to look out for in a casino is how quick and efficient it is to deposit cash and withdraw winnings. A delayed payout is a major red flag and a powerful indicator that the casino might not be trustworthy or reliable. A site that withholds winnings is definitely not safe or secure and should be avoided at all costs. The process of making transactions must be clear, and all payment methods offered by the casino must be clearly listed. If there will be service charges, the specific amount must be stated without any hidden charges.
Transparent Transactions
The atmosphere at an online casino must be open, fair and clear. One of the biggest fear players who gamble online face is the house advantage a casino has. There are casinos that actually tamper with the system software to enhance the house’s advantage. However, prominent online casinos avoid rigging their software, as their reputation is at stake. Most notable casinos regularly subject their Random Number Generator (RGM) and software to external auditing companies to ascertain it is fair and unpredictable.
Bonuses must also be transparent and attainable without any hidden conditions or charges. To further strengthen transparency, some online casinos publicly release the auditor’s reports on their website for players to read through.
Customer support
Even with the best casinos, players are bound to face a problem or have a question while gambling online. A secure casino is expected to have fully functional customer support to proffer solutions and be ready to assist players with problems. A decent online casino should have 24/7 live customer service so players can always reach a representative for help. Casinos that limit customer service support to just email are not ideal.
Encryption Technology
Most online casinos place immense importance on the protection and safety of their players. This is done by incorporating encryption technology into the casino’s software system to ensure all financial transactions and personal information provided by players are kept out of reach of scammers and fraudsters. An encrypted website can be identified with the https:// web address. As with every other security system, encryption technology goes through updates. The best online casinos ensure their encryption system is up-to-date, so all information is not susceptible to external attack while being moved to a protected firewall server.
Some online sites go the extra mile to mandate a two-step verification process for all players and employ end-to-end encryption technology.
Online Customer Review
One of the best ways to gain better insight into the workings of an online casino is through in-depth research. Reading through reviews left by customers on the casino’s mobile application or website is one of the many ways of finding out about an online casino. Customers rarely leave dishonest reviews and will not mince words when giving their honest reviews.
Customers leave ratings, and this can also be a determinant of how reliable, safe and secure an online casino works.
