Online gambling is only increasing in popularity and it is here to stay. So many people have tried it so far, it is not even a novelty anymore. Now it’s more a question of what one prefers: to throw the dice from the comfort of their homes or go and have a fun night out at a brick-and-mortar casino.
One of the main concerns, however, for those who enjoy gambling on the Internet is safety. For sure we all agree gambling is risky. But it is one thing to lose money because it wasn’t your night or other players are simply better, and it cannot be compared to losing it because you were a victim of a fraud or scam.
You can read all the rules and be super prepared for your favorite game and still lose because luck just wasn’t on your side. And there is nothing you can do about it, luck can’t be controlled after all. But you can take control of your safety while gambling online if you follow the next simple steps.
Check if all the necessary security levels are present
Making sure the online platform you choose is safe is pretty simple. It requires a bit of your time and attention, but it can be more than beneficial for you. Remember, when you gamble at an online parlor with low security, you are not risking only your money, but also your identity.
The first thing you need to do is check if the website you are on is SSL encrypted. It may sound complicated but in reality, it is an incredibly simple thing to do: just check if the URL starts with “https”. If it does, the site is using an SSL certificate and you are good to go. If you only see “http”, that’s bad news and you should not stay on the website. If you are not sure how to check this, look for a padlock symbol in front of the URL. If there is one – you are safe.
The above mentioned is something all the websites should have, online casino or not. When it comes to your safety strictly on a gambling platform, you should make sure that it has a proper license. The nature of gambling is such that the country’s low makers are in charge of setting standards and protocols for casinos to work. And only if they live up to those standards, can they get a license. Once you choose an online place to gamble, make sure it was given all the green light necessary to work in your country. The laws on licensing casinos have well-defined security standards too and are designed to make players safe.
Choices to make to be safe on your end
What we mentioned in the previous lines is not to be controlled by the player. What a player can do about the things mentioned above is check if they are in place. And if they are, the player should then take the following steps as the next safety level.
The first thing one can do is check if their Antivirus and Firewall protection is in place. This is something everyone using a computer and going online should have. It protects you from viruses, identity thefts, and so on. So make sure you got it and it is up to date.
Once you choose a secure online casino website, it is time to sign up by creating a username and password. By all means, use a strong password because it can be the key to your protection. If you are not sure how to do this, you can install an extension to your browser that will make sure you have it, and then it will also safely store it for you, so you do not have to worry about memorizing a string of unrelated symbols.
While creating your profile, the website might ask you to provide proof of your identity, like a copy of your ID card or driving license. If you did your homework before and checked this site’s legitimacy this should not worry you. Because a website with all the necessary licenses in place, will ask for this to protect you and other players.
Another layer of protection that is under your control is choosing the best way to deposit cash winnings from casino. Credit cards are usually the safest option. However, if you do not want to share your card number, there are always e-wallet options, like Skrill for example.
What else you can do
There are a couple of more steps you can take, not just for safety but also to make sure you enjoy the game more and secure more money for yourself.
First of all, always read the Terms and Conditions carefully. You checked that the casino is secure and that is great, but the fine print in the terms can allow casinos to reduce your earnings fair and square because they told you so. You have to make sure you read the fine print. That way you will know what to expect if you win and what the conditions are to get to get your bonus. And if you do not like what’s written, you can change the online casino before it’s too late.
To protect yourself from losing too much money, set a limit for yourself. Whatever you do, do not cross that limit. It’s very important to make sure you lose only what you can afford to lose. And if you are winning, make sure you stop on time – while you are ahead, that is.
Lastly, even though it is a great way to find a casino ideal for you by reading other people’s reviews, we don’t recommend that you rely on these when it comes to security protocols. Other than that, reviews are a good way to know how much other people enjoyed the games and were satisfied with the online establishment generally. Be careful here though, people’s experiences in every place can be very individual, so try to find objectivity in what they wrote.
In a nutshell
Internet safety is a very important matter. For users, it is crucial that they know how much of it is actually in their hands and what they can and must do to protect themselves. That goes for just regular browsing and especially for activities that can put one’s identity in danger, and online gambling is one of them.
