Home Cybersecurity and online casinos: Don’t be a victim
Local

Cybersecurity and online casinos: Don’t be a victim

Contributors
business security
Photo Credit: Jakub Jirsák

Not all online casinos are secure. It’s your responsibility to do your due diligence and figure out whether or not a website can be trusted. From our side, we can surely recommend G club as a reliable casino site. This largely happens because the user is not knowledgeable about online scams and how they happen. Don’t be a victim. In this article, we’ll tackle the issue of cybersecurity on online casinos.

Check the legitimacy of the website

The first step is to check the legitimacy of the website you’re on. Here’s how you do that:

  1. Check whether the website is secure or not. Right before the URL or website address of the online casino site, you’ll find a “lock” icon. Clicking the lock icon will tell you whether the website is secure or not. Also, make sure you’re running the latest version of your browser (go to settings > About > Check for updates). A green lock means secure, a red or cut lock means insecure. Don’t submit sensitive information like credit card details through insecure websites. Avoid them altogether.
  2. Legitimate online casino websites are run by legitimate companies. These are registered companies licensed under gaming laws of countries like Curacao. If a company is registered and licensed, it will not shy away from displaying such information on the website. Usually, licensing information and registration number are both present on the website footer. If you cannot find the information on the footer then try the Contact and About pages as well, just to be sure.

Prioritize transparent and reliable regulation of the website

Not all websites are fully transparent in how they operate. And that’s fine to some extent especially concerning online casino websites. However, the value of transparency and regulation cannot be underrated.

Try to find as much information about the parent company as possible. If the website has a registered address then you can dig deeper and find company-related information on the internet easily and freely.

Just run a Google search with the company name and location. You can also find some reviews this review website.

Install a VPN and antivirus software

Installing VPN and antivirus software are both great ways of protecting yourself from bad actors.

  • VPNs protect you against snooping. Being on a VPN makes sure that no one can ascertain the IP address that you’re accessing the website from, including the ISP or the government. The IP address is directly linked to your geolocation. Hiding your IP address is the first step towards anonymity and privacy.
  • Antivirus software ensures that you’re protected against any viruses or malware affecting your PC. A good frequently updated antivirus will protect you against the most common scam websites that try to download malware on your system. Windows Defender, the default antivirus that comes with all Windows PCs, is enough for this. Malwarebytes is a good add-on if you wish to enhance the protection level of your PC. Other antivirus solutions you can find on antivirusly.

Don’t fall for false bonuses

Many online casinos make false promises. If an offer seems too good to be true, and you can additionally find no licensing information for the website then it’s most probably a scam.

Usually, bonuses ask you to deposit first. And then they give a certain amount of money back or extra virtual money to use. They might even give stuff like free or risk-free spins and bets.

Bonuses are generally good but not too good.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.