The safest way to use online casinos.
The decline of the traditional bricks and mortar casino arguably began in 1994 when the first online casino went live. By today’s standards, the late 90’s model was a crude affair, the huge range of online games available today almost unimaginable.
The online gaming industry continues to grow as well. By 2028 it could reach as much as $144.74 billion and with new games added constantly, we may only be scratching the surface.
And we’ve hardly started with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Machine Learning (ML) Virtual Reality (AR) and Augmented Reality (AR).
All told online gaming is a relatively new addition to gaming as a whole. A new, virtual world awaits around the corner, these are exciting times indeed -but buyer beware.
With the rise and rise of online casinos, it’s somewhat inevitable that a criminal element will get in on the act. So, what can you do to ensure your online safety when it comes to playing online? You can find more info at bonusfinder.com.
For starters, you’ll be pleased to know there is more than one way to protect yourself online. And it’s very much in the interests of casinos to protect themselves and you, the gamer.
Having said that, not all casinos are reputable, with some fairing far better than others. The good news is that with a few simple checks, you can ensure your casino is one of the good guys.
- Check the Licence. A reputable casino will have a licence, if it doesn’t have one of these, walk away. Also, check out the casino in online forums, what are your fellow gamers saying about it?
- Check the Reviews. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that bad reviews are bad news, so do your research. If they’re not good there are a load of other online casinos out there, so move on.
- Check to see if the Casino is SSL-encrypted. A Secure Sockets Layer will, essentially, encrypt any information or data that passes between you and the casino. And yes, that includes financial transactions.
- Contrast and compare. Take all the above into consideration and apply it to a bunch of preferred casinos. And when you’ve made a choice, check out all the games in advance before playing for real money.
As you may have figured the onus on being secure and safe when using online casinos is on you. For example, even before you carry out the aforementioned checks, make sure you’re even allowed to gamble from your location!
Once you’re sure you’re not going to be spending time behind bars for breaking local gambling laws, watch how you’re connecting online.
- Ensure you’re not using public Wi-Fi. Consider this rule number one, because if you’re exposing your private information to the world at large, everything else becomes irrelevant.
(That means no internet cafes, public transport or any of that free stuff offered by city councils. If you’re in any doubt about the security of your connection, stay offline until it’s safe to do so.)
- Use a VPN. Belt and braces never did anyone any harm and a VPN (Virtual Private Network) adds that extra layer of security from unwanted eyes. There are plenty available online, just don’t be fooled into thinking the free ones are any good, they’re not.
- Make sure you have a strong password: when it comes to online security, it’s the simple, easy things that can be your undoing. So, don’t use that trusty old password for fear of forgetting a brand-new one.
(And choose a password with letters, numbers and symbols that have no direct connection to you. And so, what if you do lose it? It’s better to lose that than lose all of your money.)
- Think about payment methods. Arguably using Bitcoin is the safest because all the transactions you make are completely hidden.
Of course, you’ll need to do some research to set yourself up, and not all online casinos will accept crypto. But these are in the minority and, sooner or later, they will, so what’s stopping you from getting started now?
In the meantime, traditional payment methods are acceptable, though we suggest you use Mastercard, Visa or other well-known companies. Better still, E-Wallets, such as PayPal are good because transactions take place within PayPal, not between you and the Casino.
Pre-payment cards are also a good bet because you’ll only be handling relatively small amounts of money at any one time. Besides, they’re good for helping you to know when to stop playing and walk away.
That’s pretty much it, save for one small caveat that we alluded to earlier. The greatest threat to your online safety, assuming you’ve followed our advice, is you.
Even if you’ve followed our best-practice steps, know your limits, set a budget and stick to it.
With a solid foundation in technology, backed by a BIT degree, Lucas Noah has carved a niche for himself in the world of content creation and digital storytelling. Currently lending his expertise to Creative Outrank LLC and Oceana Express LLC, Lucas has become a... Read more