Online Gambling: How to Stay Safe and Avoid Scams
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By PAGE Editor
There is no doubt that online gambling has well and truly taken the crown from the traditional brick-and-mortar varieties, but there is still one thing that remains a slight sticking point for the entire industry. Internet-based scams are as old as…well as old as the internet, really, and if there is a way for a nefarious actor to swipe something from you, whether that be data, money, or both, they will certainly try.
While many reputable casinos invest heavily in their security solutions to avoid this unfortunate state of affairs, there will always be a weak link inherent in the system: you. This post will proffer a few tips that anyone who regularly gambles online can utilize to ensure they stay safe and reduce their chances of becoming yet another statistic.
Verify The Site's Legitimacy
Before even looking for a sign-up page, your first course of action should be to scour the website for signs of legitimacy and trustworthiness. But, what does this mean in practice, you might be wondering? The answer lies in first understanding what a quality website looks like. When you observe sites that cater to enormous audiences every day, like stellar spins and similar ones, you will soon see a pattern emerging. Firstly, they have spent a lot of money on making the site appear professional and enticing. If an online casino looks like it was thrown together in an afternoon, it probably was.
Even if that particular site isn't after your personal data to farm off to some Russian hacker, the fact that they have such disregard for design should be a sign to avoid. Secondly, double-check that they use secure protocols to encrypt the connection between you and their site. We will cover this later, but you can see this if they use the HTTPS protocol, indicating they have a valid SSL certificate. The next step is finding out how they accept payments and whether other users have had a bad experience.
Look For Secure Payment Options
Unless you plan on using a practice account from here on in, your main aim is to try to win more themes than you lose and hopefully walk away with a fatter bank balance than when you began! You can only gamble if you have money in your bankroll, and to do so, you will need to sign up and eventually enter your card details. This is typically the part most fraught with danger because you simply don't know who is watching your every action and if they'll pounce on your card data to buy as many gift cards as possible.
Hopefully, the casino you chose should send you to a dedicated payments portal that has been hardened to avoid these kinds of interceptions. If you are really concerned, you could always use a VPN that obfuscates your location and IP, as well as use industry-standard encryption techniques to fully conceal your accounts.
Read Reviews And Ratings
Perhaps the best way to get the true measure of anything online is to read honest reviews from real people. However, before you head out and start typing in your chosen casino + reviews in Google, you should know that there is a skill involved with reading and understanding said reviews. First of all, where you search for reviews is just as important as the reviews themselves. If you use a website called www.casinoreviews44499.info, chances are that any information you glean will be slightly compromised. Instead, head over to user-generated websites and forums like Quora and Reddit and join the various gamboling-related groups that exist on such platforms. Here, you can ask questions or simply read the content of others who have used different sites and can tell you firsthand what the score is.
Additionally, be aware that a few bad reviews do not automatically equal bad. Some people were simply born to complain, and the web has made it easier for them to pursue their hobby of trashing anything that has been unable to meet their demands. As long as there is a higher ratio of good to bad, you should be fine. Just make sure to read the negative reviews and see what they're saying before dismissing them offhand.
Never Share Personal Information
You would be surprised at how many people are so willing to freely part with their personal data with websites and people that they have never visited or met before. Don't be like those folks; instead, practice good data hygiene, which involves you being a little more discerning with whom you share your information. While you will have to enter your details when creating an account, this tip is aimed more at those who prefer playing more social games like live poker. Many casinos will offer the chance to chat with your fellow players, whether via voice or chat. Whatever your options may be, you should avoid handing over any data that you wouldn't want falling into the wrong hands.
Avoid Offers That Seem Unrealistic
You already know the famous adage: "If something is too good to be true, it probably is." This adage tends to be correct most of the time, and if something looks like it's a little bit over-optimistic, you should avoid it. For example, some casinos will offer you a broad range of bonuses to make use of as you play, and in most cases, they are perfectly legitimate. However, if you receive all manner of notifications regarding free money, etc., just take a step back and think about what's in it for them.
Check For SSL Encryption
As mentioned earlier, you should only use sites that actually use encrypted connections. These should have an SSL certificate and will use unique protocols that keep the entire connection from you to their server safe. You can find out if they are using an SSL certificate by checking the URL bar in your browser. If they are using HTTPS, it is likely it is secure. You can dig a little deeper by clicking on the toggles to the left of the URL itself, which should offer a load of information from the connection to the cookies it uses and, in some cases, even more info.
Ensuring your safety is a fundamental principle of good web usage. These tips apply to anything you participate in online and are applicable to all forms of web use. As long as you use common sense and make sure the connection is secure, you should be fine.
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