Online gambling is lots of fun and casinos go out of their way to offer a vast number of games to punters. The iGaming business is certainly booming, and new casinos open up their virtual doors almost daily. As a Canadian player, you have extremely many options for where to play but unfortunately, not all online casinos are safe online gambling sites. In this article, we will discuss what you can do to make your gambling sessions safer and how to pick the right casino safety-wise. A Canadian iGaming expert, Michelle H. Thomas helped us by providing us with safety tips.
Licensing
Just like land-based casinos do, online casinos need to have a gaming license in order to operate legally. Since online casinos can operate in multiple countries, they usually apply for one (or sometimes several) international gaming licenses from regulatory bodies such as the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, or the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. When a casino is licensed, these regulators conduct regular audits of the site including checking the fairness of games and overseeing the data protection and payment handling procedures of the casino.
If you as a player have a complaint about a casino, you can contact the regulatory body and they can investigate on your behalf. This is the reason; you should make sure you only play at licensed casino sites. There are several online casinos for real money that accept Canadian players and hold a gaming license so finding one shouldn’t be an issue.
SSL Encryption
Casinos handle your personal and payment details, so it is paramount that they encrypt data between you and them. Otherwise, your personal details or worse, credit card details could be stolen by hackers. When you see a little padlock sign at the address bar it is a sign that the site you are on is encrypted by SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). Your internet browser or virus protection program may also warn you if you are on a site that doesn’t use encryption. If you come across a casino that is unprotected by SSL you should leave the site immediately. Although security protocols are not cheap to keep in place, safe online gambling casinos will always ensure their players’ safety.
Don’t use public Wi-Fi
Using public Wi-Fi for checking out restaurant recommendations or getting directions is fine, however, you should never send sensitive data using them. Public networks don’t have strong protocols and security measures and it is relatively easy for hackers to hack them. They could steal your login details to your casino site or steal your payment card details while you enter them. If you must use public Wi-Fi, at least use a VPN while entering personal or financial information on any website.
Using mobile devices while gambling is on the rise and is in fact one of the trends that are changing the gambling market this year. Most people don’t have VPN installed on their phone, so it is always safer to use your data than Wi-Fi.
Use a strong password
Using your date of birth or your pet’s name as a password for your casino account is not a good idea. If somebody manages to enter your casino account by guessing your password and they spend all your money, there’s little the casino can do about it. Make sure you choose a strong password with upper case, lower case, numbers, and special characters that are not possible to guess. You may want to use a password manager or a browser extension so that you wouldn’t forget that complicated password.
Use a safe payment method
Different casinos offer different payment methods. You may use your Visa or Mastercard credit/debit cards or one of the reputable e-wallets (Paypal, Neteller, or Skrill). Several Canadian banks issue virtual credit cards that can be frozen when not in use, therefore impossible for hackers to use.
Conclusion
To have a safe gambling experience make sure that the casino you are playing at is licensed and has SSL encryption in place. Don’t use public Wi-Fi and make up a hard-to-guess password for your casino account. Using a safe payment method gives extra security to your financial transactions.