The biggest and best gambling sites are so for several different reasons, but one of the most important is that they pay a lot of attention to online casino security.
After all, if you’re not convinced that you’re going to receive any of the payouts you’re entitled to, or if you’re concerned about the security of your credit card information, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever want to use that particular site.
Just as exemplary physical casinos use a range of different techniques (such as automatic locks, closed-circuit television systems, and security guards) to protect their customers and prevent fraud, online casino security is provided using a variety of different methods.
Encryption and data storage
This security process begins with your first deposit. Transactions related to the purchase of credit and debit card chips are usually processed by a third-party merchant service, often operated by a bank or financial institution on behalf of the site.
For this reason, you will often be redirected to a dedicated Cashier when you make a deposit or withdrawal.
If a site is trustworthy, your data will be encrypted using 128-bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer), a security standard used by banks, e-commerce sites and financial institutions.
The purpose of encryption is to scramble your data so that if it is ever intercepted by hackers, it will be unreadable. This encrypted data is then stored on a secure server, which is often protected by dedicated security personnel and physical countermeasures as well as advanced firewall systems.
Random Number Generators and Fairness
There is more to online casino security than just the financial side of things; it is also important that people using the site know that they are not being taken advantage of.
To simulate a gambling experience, online casinos use random number generators. These random number generators dictate how the card decks and virtual slot reels behave and ensure that each card or spin is truly random.
Reputable casinos publish information about the random number generators they use and often hire third parties to test their tools.
After independent auditors inspect their random number generators to ensure that they are truly random and not biased in favour of the house, online casinos often publish the results of these tests online.
Third-party audits also ensure the security of the online casino by checking the site’s payout percentages.
This is usually fairly close to 100%, but this number varies for each type of game and refers to the ratio of player winnings to the total amount of money wagered by players, and can be used to ensure that the house has not rigged the games or altered the results in any way.
How to avoid rogue casinos
Rogue casinos – those that tamper with their random number generators, operate without a license, or don’t pay enough attention to their online casino security – rarely last long.
Because regulators want to preserve the reputation that online gambling is perfectly safe, they work quickly to shut down rogue casinos.
Of course, word of mouth is still very important when it comes to identifying rogue casinos, and word spreads very quickly about sites that don’t pay or seem to offer a bad or unfair experience.
There is always an element of chance in gambling, but there is no need to take chances when it comes to online casino security.
There are so many regulatory bodies in place and third-party audits required to obtain a license that it is very difficult for a rogue casino to thrive.
If you have a bad feeling about an online casino, it’s usually a good idea to follow your instincts. A little research, such as a Google search or a social media search, will usually confirm whether or not the site is safe.