Are you interested in online gambling? In other words, does playing games like poker, blackjack, slots, and roulette interest you? If so, it is vital to ensure your online safety while you gamble.
It is a well-known fact that the rise of the Information Age, including the ease with which people gain access to the World-Wide-Web, has increased the availability of access to online gaming opportunities. Statistics show that almost 50% of the world’s population has access to the Internet via one or more devices.
Similarly, this phenomenon has given rise to the rapid increase of the number of online casinos, both legitimate and fraudulent, that are open for business.
Therefore, the question that needs to be asked and answered before you sign up with an online casino site, is how to protect your personal data and yourself from being hacked or abused while you are online. Actually, the first part of this question should be how do you determine the difference between a bona fide and a scam operation?
Online casinos: What, why, and how
Before we answer this question, let’s take a brief look at what a casino is. At this juncture, it is important to note that the only difference between an online casino and a brick-and-mortar casino is the fact that an online casino has a virtual location and can theoretically be accessed by anyone living in any part of the world. In practice, this is slightly different. Some countries, like parts of the USA, actively block residents from gaining access to online casino sites.
A brick and mortar casino, on the other hand, has a physical location and can only be accessed by visitors who “walk through its front doors”. It cannot be accessed by anyone who does not have a physical presence in the city that the casino is located.
Furthermore, it should also be noted that many brick and mortar also run online casinos. Therefore, when searching online for a virtual casino, it is important to be cognisant of this distinction.
Staying safe while gambling online
The most important point to be cognisant of is that it is vital to ensure that you open a gambling account with a legitimate service provider. This is especially important as you will have to deposit monies to fund your bankroll so your bank account (or credit card) details will be stored on the casino’s servers.
Some of the ways you can determine whether an online casino is bona fide or not is to confirm the following:
Usability of online gaming platform
Is the casino’s website, especially the gaming platform section, usable and user-friendly? If the online casino’s gaming platform is clunky and confusing, it is far better to stay away from the casino.
Wide variety of games
Does the casino offer a wide variety of games like poker, blackjack, slots, video slots, roulette, bingo? There is nothing wrong with opening up a gaming account with a smaller casino that only offers a few games. However, if you are a gambler who enjoys playing a wide range of casino games, it’s best to sign up with a brand that offers an extensive selection of games that you are looking for.
KYC procedures
Does the company ask for KYC (Know Your Customer) documentation when you open a gambling account? These are vital documents that are required to be collected by all financial and retail companies where clients are required to open an account. The aim of the KYC process is to ensure that all of its customers are bona fide, legitimate people. They are not front companies created to launder money, terrorist organisations or anyone associated with a terrorist organisation, or any other illegal individuals or companies.
Risk warning
Does the casino’s website have a risk warning visibly displayed? Essentially, online gambling is a high-risk venture and, as a gamer, you should not risk money you cannot afford to lose. If the company leads you to believe that gambling on their platform is a low-risk (or risk-free) activity, then you should avoid signing up with them. The risk that they are a fraudulent company is too high.
Online security
Does the casino prioritise online security? It is no secret that hackers are becoming increasingly skilled at breaking into company data servers to steal customer identity and banking details. These are then sold on the dark web to the highest bidder. Therefore, it is vital to ensure that the online gambling platform that you sign up with has implemented the latest Internet security measures.
Final Thoughts
This article’s content is akin to being nothing more than the “tip of the iceberg” with respect to the importance that should be given to ensuring that you are able to gamble safely from your home. However, paying attention to these pointers will go a long way towards ensuring that you are able to gamble safely and securely online.
