Gambling online has exploded in popularity over the past couple of decades. Unfortunately, wherever there’s mass amounts of money changing hands, there will be unscrupulous characters looking to take advantage of unsuspecting punters.
Aside from that, there will also be plenty of amateurs putting together half-baked websites to try to cash in on the digital gold rush. These sites will inevitably be unsafe and can cause endless problems for players.
With this in mind, we decided to compile this list of safety tips for online gamblers. Make sure you’re playing at safe and secure online casinos in the future.
Always Check the Connection
One of the simplest safety tips we can give you is to always check that the web connection is encrypted with the latest Secure Socket Layer encryption.
You won’t need any advanced technical skills to do this. Simply open the website and check out the web address. If you see https:// before the domain, it’s secure. If you don’t, then it’s not, and you should not transmit money or financial information over this connection.
Why is this important? There’s a certain breed of hacker that specializes in snooping on web connections. If the information being transmitted is not encrypted, it’s like sending a letter in an unsealed envelope.
Look for a Valid Gambling License
Unlicensed gambling sites aren’t always scams, but they’re much more likely to be than licensed ones. You should always look for a gambling license from the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, or another credible and respected iGaming regulator.
When a gambling website has a license from one of these authorities, it means it complies with the laws and regulations in that jurisdiction. If it doesn’t, it will be fined or will have its license revoked. This can cause severe damage to the gambling brand, so operators are keen to play by the rules.
You can usually find information on an operator’s gambling licences in the footer of the website. You can also verify the license numbers and other information on the websites of the regulators.
Use Secure Payment Methods
Sharing or storing your financial details with any website entails some degree of risk. Even legit, safe gambling sites could be hacked, and any information you’ve stored on them can be downloaded and used or sold on by data thieves.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to use safe casino payment methods like PayPal, Neteller, or Paysafecard. The first two are e-wallets which provide a layer of protection between your bank account and the gambling site. The latter is a voucher system that uses a PIN to load cash onto the gambling website.
If a hacker does manage to break into your account or the gambling site in general, they’ll see nothing other than your email address and personal details. There will be no sensitive financial information to steal.
Staying Safe When Gambling Online
Don’t let the ideas of hackers and rogue gambling sites put you off. The vast majority are honest brokers, and most gambling sites are safe and secure.
Still, implementing these basic online gambling safety tips could save you a lot of headaches. Remember them and make them habits when finding new gambling sites to bet on.
