Staying Safe in Online Gambling Sites

One major concern for most online punters is, undoubtedly, safety. You are probably concerned too about the safety of your personal information and banking details when playing online.

It doesn’t help that criminally minded people are always on the lookout for ways to hack accounts, steal personal data for cloning, and scamming unsuspecting punters off their hard-earned money.

And, as a responsible bettor, it makes sense to want to be sure you and your data are safe on any gambling site you decide to use. To help you ensure your safety, here are tell-tale signs that indicates a gambling platform is trustworthy and that you can safely place your bet without fear of being hacked.

First step, do thorough research before joining any gambling sites

Your first line of defense against any unscrupulous activity on your account, whether by hackers or unethical gaming sites, is conducting a thorough investigation about the platform you plan to join.

So, what are the things you should keep an eye out for when researching gambling sites?

How long has the site being in operation? You want to know the age of the site you are planning to commit to. The longer a gambling platform has been in existence, the safer it is. The thing is, an older site means, it has accumulated more information, there will be several information and reviews from users online – the insight you gain from reading these reviews from users like you will go a long way. It means that a gambling operator with over 20 years of experience, such as Unibet, will always be a good choice.

What is their online reputation like? While researching a gambling site, you also want to be sure it has a solid reputation. Does the site have a history of paying out on time and without hassles? How do current and previous users feel about the platform?

What safety measures are in place? The standard today is for gambling sites to implement banking level security on their platform. Do they have such up-to-date security features in place?

Are they licensed? All online casinos are required by law to be licensed before becoming operational. When certified, it means, the casino has satisfied the minimum-security requirement to ensure user safety. Also, you should check out the type of licensing they have and which body certified them.

Where is the gambling site located? It’s not like you will be visiting their physical office soon, but identifying the platform’s jurisdiction gives you insight into the body overseeing them. Some gambling commission takes their job seriously while others don’t.

What makes a site secure?

Next step after the first research is to dig a bit deeper to ascertain the security level of the platform. Here are security signals that shows a gambling site is secured:

eCOGRA Logo – An eCOGRA logo is the ultimate validation that a gambling site is secured. When you see the eCOGRA logo on a website, it means the platform has been certified safe by one of the strongest bodies in the casino world.

SSL Encryption – When you visit the gambling site, check on the URL tab for a locked key symbol that indicates the site encrypts and uses the latest SSL encryption technology to secure data transmission on their platform.

Random Number Generators – RNG software ensure the games on the site are fair and free from human interference. So be sure the gambling site you want to join uses RNGs to run their games.

Transparent Released Payout Percentages – Most trustworthy online casinos highlight their released payout percentages, which is a certain percent of your winnings they will payout at a time to ensure a seamless and secure transfer of your winnings to your bank account.

Red flags to watch out for

While it is important to know and research security features on a site before joining, it is equally essential to have an idea of the things to avoid:

Poorly designed site with outdated graphics – this indicates lack of maintenance and out of date software that could be vulnerable to hacking. It could also mean, the site is a knock-off of authentic sites, designed solely with the aim of stealing personal data from unsuspecting gamblers.

Have been involved in gambling scandals in the past – you don’t want to knowingly walk into a website that was involved in misdeeds in the past.

No trust badges and license numbers – stay away from such sites.

While you should be constantly vigilante about your safety online, these tips above will ensure you are generally safe.