How to Stay Safe When Gambling Online?

    How do you stay secure when gambling online?

    It’s important to look for safe casino sites that display full details of their license and registration. Those safe gambling sites will employ the strongest levels of encryption to ensure that sensitive details, including financial information, are kept secure and out of reach of third parties.

    Check the Licensing of the Casino

    A number of territories are available to license online casinos. Licenses can typically be issued in one of the following regions:

    When setting up in business, an online casino can look to obtain a license from one of those locations and their choice may depend on their individual needs. In some cases, there are more favourable tax rates, lower up front fees and length of time that the license processing takes. In other cases, some of these regions are considered to be more trustworthy within the industry than others.

    The important thing is to check that a license is in place and that the operator is regulated by the relevant gaming commission. Full details should be shown on their website, usually at the bottom of the homepage and all information is checkable with those licensing authorities.

    Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

    There are a number of potential benefits that can arise from using a VPN and there is a key advantage in terms of safety. The system will automatically hide any personal information and that’s clearly a logical way to stay safe online.

    If a casino customer intends to use a VPN in their quest to find a safe online casino, it should be approached with care. The process can be used to disguise a country of origin and that’s not an acceptable use of the network as far as some operators are concerned. The advice is to check the casino’s terms and conditions and to contact customer services if there is any further doubt.

    Use an Antivirus Software

    This is an elementary piece of advice and it’s the first point to consider when anyone goes online. Whether searching for information or making a financial transaction, anti virus software is vital but what, exactly, does it do?

    In simple terms it will remove viruses from your system. When newly installed, the most effective programmes will detect any issues and remove them from your device. Moving forward, it will then work to prevent new viruses coming in.

    Antivirus programmes can also remove items of malicious software, known as Malware. They can steal your data and encrypt it so that you are unable to retrieve it from that point onwards. This is where antivirus software is most important in terms of finding a safe online casino. A provider can store your personal information and, potentially, your financial details so it’s imperative that you have antivirus software in place in order to safeguard against this happening.

    antivirus

    Do your Homework and Double Check the Ts and Cs

    All safe gambling sites should publish a list of general terms and conditions. This is where they outline their business practise while underlining instances where players can transgress the rules and can be suspended from playing. For example, attempting to open multiple accounts is against all regulations and is a certain way in which to get banned from a casino.

    Details regarding VPNs and whether the company in question is happy to tolerate their use can also be found here. In general, checking the Ts and Cs is recommended for anyone looking to sign up with a gambling operator.

    Check the Lock Sign in the URL – look for SSL Certification

    If a site has a padlock symbol in front of the url, this is a sign that it is secure. It should be coupled with an address carrying the suffix HTTPS which confirms that the website in question is encrypted and that personal information is kept away from third parties.

    That lock sign also indicates that the site has an up to date SSL certificate. SSL certificates confirm that the website owner provided proof of ownership and identity at the time of purchase and that the details are current. In turn, this offers further safeguards against rogue casino sites becoming established on the web.

    It’s advisable, when signing up with any gambling website online, that the site in question carries the lock sign. While it is not an absolute guarantee, it confirms that the connection is secure and that adds an extra level of safety.

    Consider Your Payment Options: EWallets

    All funding options that are accepted by an operator should be safe and secure. Encryption helps to make sure that this is the case but eWallets carry an important extra level of security.

    When using an eWallet for deposits and withdrawals, no financial information should be shared with the operator. All of those details are stored with the eWallet provider who doesn’t need to pass them on to the merchant.

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    PayPal is the world’s biggest eWallet while other common providers in the gambling industry include Skrill and Neteller. Other, less well known providers might include Trustly and Qiwi.

    Many safe casino sites offer them as forms of funding and this can be useful to know when safeguarding financial information.

    Password Management

    Advice on logging in to a safe online casino or any merchant site has now extended beyond the simple task of choosing a strong password. This remains an important point, however, and that’s why many sites ask for complex combinations of lowercase letters, upper case letters, numbers and special characters. Google can also choose exceptionally complex passwords that are impossible to remember.

    However, in order to protect those passwords fully, customers shouldn’t play on public networks. The opportunity for hackers to decode the logins and break into the site is much greater in these instances. Even the most safe gambling sites can’t help out when this advice isn’t taken on board.

    Avoid Rogue Online Casinos and Blacklisted Casinos

    It should go without saying that customers should avoid using a casino that is blacklisted but just how do you spot a rogue operator? The basic steps start with considering that license. Has it been issued in a recognised region and is the site regulated by the relevant gambling commission in your jurisdiction – UK, Malta etc? If there is any doubt then this point can be cross referenced by the particular authority that issued the licence.

    Rogue casinos may also list games that are ‘rigged’. Look for the presence of an independent governing body such as eCogra who certify random number generators and confirm Return to Player (RTP) levels. The list of games at a safe online casino will generally include titles from well-known developers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, Red Tiger, Yggdrasil and many more.

    Other sites may simply be poor when it comes to handling the finer details. Payments out and deposits in may be slow to land or they may not arrive at all. When addressing this or any other type of query, the site may be slow in responding or they may simply ignore you completely. All of these are danger signs and could show that you are signed up with a rogue casino.

    Closing Thoughts

    The question of safety should be an issue for the operator to address. In an ideal world, we would all be able to relax and visit any website, safe in the knowledge that all of our sensitive details are secure.

    That is the case with most sites but, sadly, there will always be rogue operators. The good news is that the majority of companies provide safe online gambling sites. Whenever there is any doubt or you simply want to confirm their secure status, just follow the steps outlined in this guide.