Gambling is possibly the most entertaining thing there is. Sure, some people prefer to play sports; others watch TV or go to social events. But gambling has an excitement that isn’t in any of those other activities. The thrill of betting on something or trying to outplay others is just unparalleled, and it’s a rare experience. It doesn’t hurt that you could make a lot of money out of it, too. Gambling was a bit complicated in the past, as people had to drive all the way to on-ground casinos if their cities even had one. Fortunately, with the advent of the internet, all of that changed.
It became possible for people to gamble from the comfort of their homes without ever having to go anywhere. All you need is an internet connection and a smartphone, tablet or computer. Like that, you can access thousands of online casinos and play all the games you love so much. Still, like anything in the online world, there is the problem of security and authenticity. You’ll come across a lot of casinos on the internet, and some are going to be very shady. So, how exactly do you determine the legitimacy of an online casino?
Check licensing and registration
Online casinos don’t just open their virtual doors out of thin air. They need licensing and registration from the concerned authorities and gambling commissions in the country. Those are usually very strict and detailed regulations that have to be met by online casinos before they are awarded their license, so you wouldn’t have to worry about your money and whether or not it’s safe with them. So, always look for those licensing and registration numbers on the casino’s website, and if they are not there, it should definitely be a red flag. It would also help if you read up on the types of licensing that online casinos could get, and where they could get them from. For example, US casinos get their licenses from Canada, Caribbean Island Nations, and Central America countries like Panama. So, knowing this piece of information might help you verify the legitimacy of a casino.
How fair are they?
At the end of the day, you want to ensure your money is safe, but you also need to make sure the casino is fair and would give you any earnings you’ve won. There are entire entities out there dedicated to testing just how fair and reliable an online casino is, and a legitimate one will want this kind of certification. These auditing companies run a lot of tests and play the games millions of times to finally give a verdict on whether or not this casino is fair. Some of the most well-known companies involved in this process are VeriSign, eCOGRA, and Gaming Laboratories International. You need to look for this kind of certification in the casino you want to play at, and it is best if you don’t try your luck with one that didn’t go through any of these tests for randomness and safety.
How known are they?
Online casinos are one area where going with obscure entities is never a good idea. Ask yourself, just how well known is this casino? If you’re in a country like Malaysia, for example, you’ll find thousands of online casinos, and you need to look for reliable ones. 918kiss Malaysia and SCR888 Malaysia are some of the casinos which decided to earn their gamblers’ trust by having a strong presence on social media, where you could interact with the people behind them to see just what they’re made of. It inspires confidence when you see an engaging social media page for an online casino, which brings us to the next point.
Check reviews
Perhaps the most important step in trying to know just how legitimate an online casino will be through reading reviews. You naturally do it when deciding to buy anything online. Whether it’s a pair of shoes or a phone, you automatically read reviews about the seller as well as the product. And you need to do exactly the same with online casinos. What do people have to say about them? How was their gaming experience, and what games had glitches and which worked perfectly fine? These and many other questions will be answered through people’s reviews, so you should never neglect to go through those because they can tell you a lot about the place.
Customer care
A legitimate casino will always offer access to decent customer care, and it will be quite effective and responsive. Gambling online entails a lot of finer details, and you naturally will have a lot of questions and concerns as you go along. A decent and legitimate online casino will have customer service agents ready to help you whenever you need, and it’s something you should always look for. Some even provide live options like chatbots and live chat, other than emails and phone numbers. Naturally, the more options you have to reach help, the better.
How secure are they?
Now, getting to the most important part, how secure is the casino? This is one angle you have to cover because you need your financial information and money to be well guarded throughout your entire experience with them. Always look for SSL encryption, which is basically the safest kind of encryption you can find online, and all reputable casinos use it. SSL encryption protects your transactions and money, and you will never have to worry about that angle while gambling online. So, always ask about it, and try to find any proof they’re using it. If they dodge your questions or you couldn’t find any mention of it on the website, run.
Online casinos are no different than any other entity you deal with online in that you need to be careful and selective. You naturally want to be more so here, considering you’re dealing in money, so you should do your best to find if a certain casino is legitimate or not. Take your time in the search, and don’t go with the first one that crosses your path. Chances are there are better ones out there.