Are Online Casinos Safe?

The question of how safe online casinos are has been a contentious one, and has always sparked many varied responses from casino owners and players alike. One of the reasons the question of safety has been foregrounded is the immense popularity online casinos are gaining around the world. These concerns have been more or less addressed, as transferring money online is increasingly becoming a safe, hassle-free and low-risk mode of transaction. With a number of safeguards that ensure that your money goes where it is supposed to, and efforts to verify the identity of the various players in the casino, you can now afford to sit back and enjoy a session at one of the many online casinos on the Internet.

Online casinos, like their counterparts in the real world, are involved in movement of real money from one party to another. Consequently, being assured of the safety and security of these transactions is always a genuine concern for gambling enthusiasts. Losing money through a fraudulent transaction is infinitely more painful that losing as much money on a hand of cards. In the shadow of such fear and uncertainty, many players are reluctant to give away private information regarding their credit cards. So, the responsibility of putting the player at ease through adequate safety controls lies solely on the casino management.

Any online casino worth its name, therefore, would hasten to make sure that they have a safe and secure channel to transfer large sums of money quickly. Online casinos need to be registered with the government of the location they are operating from before they can start business. These casinos, therefore, are strictly regulated by government agencies to check business malpractices and encourage fair play. Most large casinos offer their customers alternative modes of payment in case they do not feel 100 per cent safe about divulging credit card information on the Internet, despite all the security measures put in place. With well-planned payment procedures, these casinos allow one to deposit money with trusted private money transfer companies.

Moreover, these bigger casinos make it a point to have all their accounts regularly audited with complete transparency, which ensures that all their activities are above board. This goes a long way in boosting customer confidence.

Major software firms like Microgaming, Parlay Entertainment, RTG, Boss Media, iGlobal Media, Cryptologic, Grand Virtual and Playtech are known to have many online casinos as their clients. Specializing in encryption technology, these firms look to provide casinos with mechanisms that are fail-safe and hacker-proof.

The best casinos also have a number of anti-collusion mechanisms in place to prevent potential foul play in the form of collusion amongst players over the phone or through instant messengers in order to manipulate any given casino game.

To be sure of the casino you are playing at, check at various online forums for possible blacklisted casinos and gaming portals. There are a number of such sites where you can learn from other people’s experiences and steer clear of potentially dubious online casinos.