Over the last decade the online gambling market has exploded. What was once a small niche is now one of the largest in the world, attracting huge numbers of people each day to take part in a range of gambling such as casino games and sports betting.
In an age where everything is digital, online casinos and gambling have been the introduction of the activity to many young people, who view gambling as a fun and enjoyable thing to do with friends, rather than a shady pastime that is seen to be something that can cause addiction, financial issues and a broken home.
The image of gambling in general has radically changed over the past 20 years, and more and more people like to indulge in a little betting once in a while.
The Birth Of Online Gambling
There has been a large increase in the number of online casinos and you will find hundreds of different places online where you can enjoy your favourite games such as poker, roulette or blackjack.
In addition, there are lots of sites where you can place bets on all types of sports from the classics such as soccer and horse racing, through to some of the most obscure sports such as camel racing and arm wrestling.
There are also many places online, as well as in local betting shops, where you can place bets on all types of things such as the sex of a celebrities unborn child, so who will win the Olympic Gold in the javelin event in the next Commonwealth Games.
The Benefits Of Online Casinos
There are many advantages that an online casino has over a real physical one. The main benefit is the accessibility. You’ll be able to get into the online casino from anywhere in the world at any time of the day. Just pop onto Google and do a search for something such as online casino uk, and you will find a great choice of sites to visit.
You won’t be limited to having to physically travel to the casino. As long as you have a computer or mobile device with a good internet connection, then you will be ready to start playing.
This easy access is what has led to the huge growth in the online gambling industry. When gambling was restricted to taking place in actual casinos or betting shops, then the amount of people enjoying a bet were significantly lower than what they are today.
Millions of people all around the world can get online and head into an online casino to enjoy a few hands of poker, whereas a real casino would never be able to attract nor accommodate so many people.
Staying Safe When Gambling
Another advantage that an online casino has is that a lot of people feel much safer playing from the comfort of their own home. They won’t be distracted by other players, or feel threatened or intimidated when playing. Also, the fear of leaving a casino with a pocket full of money is completely eliminated and everything will be done digitally.
There are lots of people who don’t enjoy crowds or close gatherings of people. This is especially true in the post Covid-19 world that we now find ourselves living in, where we are still all being encouraged to social distance when possible. This makes gambling at an online casino much safer in many aspects.
Your Online Privacy
Over the last few years there has been great emphasis on our privacy and security when online. Today most websites will be operating under the https protocol where all transmissions between a user and a website are encrypted. You’ll notice that padlock icon in your browser when you are on a secure website.
All online casinos should be operating with this protocol, and your privacy shouldn’t be anything you need to worry about. However, it’s always good practice just to make sure that any website that you are visiting where you will make a transaction or pass over important or sensitive information is running securely.
With regards to your own privacy on any online casinos that you sign up for, you should take the time to read through the privacy policy of the casino. In most cases, your privacy will be of great importance and will be taken very seriously. No casino will want to flaunt your private information, and most will be operating with very secure online systems that protect sensitive data from any prying eyes of hackers.
Ways To Ensure Your Privacy
Many casinos will offer you an option of using 2FA when you log into your account. This stands for Two-Factor Authentication, and will usually involve a unique code being sent to your mobile device each time you want to log into your account. It’s a good idea to use 2FA for any type of account you might have such as banking, or online shopping, and make it a part of your online privacy protocol.
Another important factor when gambling online is to online use licensed websites. There are hundreds of online casinos and betting sites available on the web, but not all of them are properly licensed, and there are some that won’t adhere to the rules and regulations of the local gaming authorities. Just be wary of which casino or gambling websites you visit and subsequently sign up for.
It’s also a good idea to use a VPN when gambling online, though there are actually many people who would say to use one for whatever reason you are online for. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network, which you use to connect to the internet, via the device of your choice, and which will allow you to be online anonymously, without revealing your IP address or any other details to the website.
A final way to stay safe would be to take care when selecting your methods of payment when signing up to an online casino. Will your credit card company help if you become the victim of fraud or deception? If a casino is asking for your bank details in order to deposit any winning, this is also a red flag and something you will want to be careful with.
Some Final Thoughts
You can have a lot of fun gambling online, but it is important to do so in a safe and secure environment. It is also important that you pay attention to the online casinó and gambling sites that you are visiting and make sure that they are genuine licensed sites, and not just spoof sites that have been created to obtain your credit card details and private information.