Feeling safe and trusting online casinos is paramount to player retention and the industry’s continued growth. As the popularity of online gambling expands exponentially across the globe, the concerns around data protection and players’ safety remain a focus for those in the industry who are working hard to implement measures that protect users from fraud, identity theft, and unethical gambling practices. Reputable iGaming companies offer the safest websites for casino players, having been approved by trustworthy regulators.
Data breaches are one of the major concerns for online casinos, and the first line of defense that companies in the industry are using to combat illicit activity aimed at exposing players’ data is by implementing SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. This fairly standard technology is used to secure online communication and ensure that players’ personal information and financial transactions are not breached. These issues with identity theft and bank fraud and increasingly becoming more of an issue for the wider public, but SSL encrypts personal information and makes it unreadable to third parties.
All the best online casinos use at least 128-bit encryption, whilst the top-tier of online casinos now use 256-bit encryption for added security. SSL certification is prominently displayed on the online casinos using this technology to encourage trust with the customers, which pledges their commitment to customer safety.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures are another level of security that online casinos have committed to to keep their players safe. MFA requires players to identify themselves using more than two authentication methods before gaining access to their accounts, which significantly reduces the chances of unauthorized access to accounts. This combines nicely with KYC procedures being used by all the best online casinos, whereby players verify their identity by submitting documents like government-issued ID, proof of address, and payment methods to ensure the players are real and legitimate on their sites. These methods protect both the casino and the player from identity theft, underage gambling, and financial fraud.
As the industry continues to grow, the use of technology in its security measures is also growing. Biometric authentication is gaining traction in the industry to add extra layers of security, whilst the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important to identify unusual activity and anomalies in patterns. AI can be used to quickly recognise differing behaviour in betting for further investigation and adds another important level of security for online casinos sites.
Legitimate online casinos don’t just have their own technology and implemented safety measures in place to protect their customers, they also have to follow strict laws that are enforced by authorities as a further layer of protection. The likes of the UK Gambling Commission and the American Gaming Association are national bodies that enforce strict procedures on safety practices. Online casino sites under their jurisdictions are audited to ensure compliance and uphold regulations. Players can have access to a site’s licence and should be able to see if the online casino sites that they are using are part of these governmental regulations.
Safety measures don’t just come in the form of protecting the players from others. There are also several initiatives used by online casino sites to protect the players from themselves, with an increasing focus being placed on responsible gambling initiatives. The top casino sites are now offering self-assessment tools, time-out options, and educational resources to their players to ensure that they remain informed and on top of their gambling. This allows players to continue their enjoyment of the casinos without jeopardizing their healthy gambling habits.
