So you’re thinking about registering at a new casino, giving you access to an avalanche of real money slots, card, and table games. But don’t get too excited about playing on one of these brand new casinos until you answer the following question…
How sure are you that you’re going to be playing in a safe online casino?
Do you have any doubts about the safety of an online casino that you’re thinking about joining or have just joined? Let’s delve deeper into this.
The only thing you need to do to confirm whether the site is safe enough to play on is to conduct a few simple tests. If everything turns out “A-Ok” after the tests, then you can relax and enjoy your gaming because the website is safe for you. We’ll also guide you on the next action to take if you discover some red flags. So, let’s kick off…
1. Check the State of Their Licensing
Genuine and reputable online casinos operate with licenses from reputable regulators like the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). Information about their licensing is also found at the bottom of the homepage of the website.
To confirm this, when you log into your account, scroll down to the footer section and search for their licensing information. No casino can operate legally in the UK without a UKGC permit.
When you see the UKGC logo and you know that the casino is licensed correctly, you should search for the license number. In most casinos, information about their licensing carries a hyperlink that you can click and it will take you to the official website of the UKGC.
If you click on the information and it takes you directly to the UKGC official site, rest assured that you’re in a properly licensed and registered casino. If you can’t find the licensing information on the website then you should think of closing down the account or not joining that casino, because it could be a fraudulent business or a genuine one that hasn’t been able to obtain the right license to operate, which should also be avoided.
2. Search or Security Information
Of course, you must’ve heard this many times. Here we are, reminding you that whatever happens, always search for the padlock sign at the beginning of the address bar if you’re not sure about how safe the site is.
The meaning of the padlock sign is that the online casino protects any data you input onto their site with an SSL encryption. All UK based online casinos must also be PCI compliant to ensure that account holders funds and financial data are protected. This also indicates that they operate with safe banking options.
Apart from having the padlock sign on their url and being PCI compliant, you should also check that the operator you want to stick with is UK-GDPR compliant. UK-GDPR was designed to make sure your data is 100% protected.
An additional layer of protection is also enforced by safe casinos, and that involves safe login details. The standard login details include an email address and password. However, the safe casinos may allow you use the Two-Factor Authentication or to create a security question for increased protection.
3. Study Reviews about the Casino
Reviews about an online casino may be the easiest way to ascertain whether a casino is safe or not. You’ll uncover a lot of articles and reviews about each casino operator by conducting a single online search. Through the search, you’ll get information about their licensing, banking options and how safe they are.
Some review sites create a section for blacklisted casinos. So, if you see the name of the casino you are researching on the list, close any accounts and cut ties with them. While reading the reviews, search for the views and opinions of the customers who have played at that casino for a while. You may find this in casino forums or by reading their comments in the casino comparison sites. Study and learn from their experiences on the platform and see if you can rely on the casino site in the long run.
4. Make Sure the Games Are Safe
Punters on online casinos enjoy different types of casino games. Some may be attracted to roulette, poker, or progressive jackpot slots. Whichever one you’re drawn towards, make sure the games are from reputable and reliable developers. The developers that create game software for all the top rated gaming platforms in the UK and the world at large are Big Time Gaming, Evolution Gaming, Play N Go, Playtech, Netent, Nektan and Microgaming.
They have the right license, the required years of experience and have developed hundreds of popular games. Though there are many other safe providers out there, these are the most prominent. British online casinos are fed games by many online game software developers. Some of them are based in the UK, but that does not hold any significance – you should play with online casinos that offer games from popular and reputable software providers.
5. Test the Bonuses
You‘ll get bonus offers from any online casino you visit. This is used to show that they’re safe and trustworthy. But you can only ascertain if a casino is really safe or whether they are using the welcome offer as bait by claiming the offer. You should start by claiming the easiest of the bonuses, which is usually the first deposit bonus or the free spins no deposit bonus after reading up on the terms and conditions.
Once you fulfill the play-through requirements in a safe online casino, you’re going to be allowed to cash out your winnings. But in fraudulent online casinos, that won’t be the case. The latter will try to frustrate you and keep the winnings. Some of them will do this by revealing some other requirements that weren’t there at the start, while some may accuse you of not fulfilling the wagering requirements, or even bring up some other lies to keep your money.
6. Test the Contact Channels
You can also discover the safety of online casinos by contacting them. Every serious casino should have the email, phone number, the social media and for the best casinos, live chat as means of reaching their care desk.
Contact them through any of these methods and make an enquiry. The trustworthy casinos will reply with quick and helpful answers as soon as possible. If the feedback is not helpful, or you fail to get a reply, jettison them. They are not safe.
7. Test Their Payment Methods and Problem Gambling Assistance
Before you fund your account with huge money, pay in a very small amount and test how swiftly withdrawal requests are processed. Fast and hassle free processing of payments is an attribute of safe online casinos. They aren’t safe if it takes them weeks or months to process.
Also, see if they are swift in assisting people with gambling addiction problems. Make the requests and see if they respond or ignore it. Will they keep your money if they close your account? What tools do they have to help you manage your budget?
