Before you dive into actually playing casino games, it’s a good idea to make sure you are aware of all the ways you can keep yourself safe when you gamble online.
Here’s a quick recap:
1. Choose a Respected Site
There are thousands of online casinos. While the majority of them have good intentions, there are sites that have been built and launched for all the wrong reasons.
Before you even sign up to an online casino, take time to review what other players are saying. You can even search for phrases like “Casino Name” Fraud or “Casino Name” Scam.
Thanks to the eagle-eyed gambling community, if a casino is even questionable, you’ll find out through review sites and forums.
2. Don’t Use the Same Password
Once you do find a good site, the first thing you’ll need to do is sign up for an account. As tempting as it might be to use the same, or similar, password to your other accounts, it’s not recommended.
In fact, when it comes to any password online, it should always be unique. A good password will contain upper and lower case letters, digits, and symbols (when accepted). So, if your password looks like “bestcasinoplayer”, take a minute to change it to something more like “bE3tCa$1nOpLA^y3R!”.
3. Look for the Green Bar of Trust
The green bar of trust will be located at the top of your screen in the URL bar. If it is not an actual green bar, you should see “https://www.etc…” This ensures the connection is secure and uses SSL encryption.
Some casinos won’t implement this security until after you have logged in. Remember, the payment carrier you use should also have this security measure too. If either site is missing this important piece if security, don’t deposit.
4. Be Mindful of Using Public Internet Connections
Public internet is great, but there are some vulnerabilities to know about.
Let’s say you are connecting to a public WiFi at a coffee shop. Their connection name is “TastyCoffee33”. Before you start gambling make sure you are using the actual connection and not another person’s device who may have set up a similar account like “TastyCoffee333”.
It sounds simple, but it happens and by connecting to the false account everything you do could be copied.
5. Confirm Your Mobile App Downloads
If you are downloading a mobile casino app from iTunes or Google Play, make sure the app is the real one offered by the casino and not a mock app from another developer or party.
Luckily many casinos will allow you to download their apps directly from their site. If this is an option, take advantage of it. If not, before you download the app, look at the name of the company who has released it. If it doesn’t match the casinos’ name, you may be downloading the wrong one.
6. If Something Doesn’t Seem Right….
Reach out to the online community for a second or third opinion.
