Visiting an online casino can be a great way to have some fun and potentially win money in the process. Indeed, the practice has become so popular in recent years that over a quarter of the global population now gambles in some form or another, according to recent estimates. That’s over 1.6 billion people worldwide!
Of course, the fact that gambling has become a multi-billion-dollar industry has inevitably attracted some rotten apples who are keen to take advantage of unwitting punters by stealing their cash and sensitive information. But don’t let the majority of legitimate sites be tarred by their brush; as long as you practice a few basic precautions, spotting a fake casino can be done easily and effectively. Here are some of our top tips on how to make sure an online casino is safe to use before you sign up.
Look for the SSL
Have you ever heard of a Secure Sockets Layer? This intelligent piece of computer coding, known as SSL for short, essentially decrypts all information that is sent on its platform. It’s a basic security protocol which prevents malicious hackers from accessing your data. You can check whether a site has an SSL certification by looking for the tiny padlock in the URL address bar, as well as whether it uses a “https” domain instead of simply a “http” one.
Check the license
In order to operate legally in any country in the world, an online casino must have obtained a license to provide its services there. These licenses are issued by the appropriate governing body in the jurisdiction in question; for example, in the UK, they’re issued by the Gambling Commission, while in the USA, they’re handled by the respective powers that be in individual states. Always check the small print on a casino’s website (normally their landing page) to ensure they’re allowed to operate where you live.
Test their customer service
Nowadays, it’s not enough for any business to offer the best products or services – they also must demonstrate they value individual customers, too. The same goes for online casinos. You can test whether the site you’re considering has robust customer service policies in place by exploring it at your leisure. For example, Rizk Casino has a comprehensive webpage dedicated to Customer Care, complete with FAQs and contact options. For the best results, it’s advisable to reach out to their team with a question and see how quickly they respond.
Read reviews
There’s no better way to discern just how safe and secure a website is than by listening to the opinions of those who have already engaged with it. Seek out impartial reviews from third-party sites to garner an impression of how the casino operates, whether it can be trusted to deliver fair games and how it responds in the event of any issues. After all, most people read reviews before they buy any product online these days, so why should an online casino be any different?
While it is true that some unscrupulous and opportunistic gambling sites are only interested in stealing your money, the vast majority of them are licensed and legitimate entities. With a little bit of detective work prior to signing up, you should be able to sort the wheat from the chaff easily enough.
