Online casinos form a massive worldwide market with thousands of operators and websites. As a result, players have an abundance of choices on where to play and win some money, especially in countries where online gambling is more accepted. However, an issue comes with that, which is separating legit ones from the rogue.
Illegitimate online casinos are mixed within the many websites players can gamble on online. They victimize those unsuspecting ones by disguising themselves as a legitimate online casino to steal their money. Fraudulent practices like that have been a thorn to the side of both players and fair online casinos.
Thus, players need to be informed to avoid those undesirable sites. Good thing there are different ways to know if an online casino is legitimate or not.
Read all about these 5 crucial criteria in this blog post on secure online casinos for safety when gambling.
1. Check For A License
While different countries impose their regulations on online casinos, a license is a general requirement before they can operate. That’s the first thing you need to check whenever you visit one. Knowing whether they can legally operate helps a lot because it’s the easiest way to avoid falling victim to possible illegalities.
The license is usually found at the bottom of online casino homepages. It carries a unique license number, the licenser’s name, the online casino’s web address, and the license’s expiration date. Since it expires, online casinos will undergo inspections to get their license renewed.
Licensed online casinos are also monitored by the licensing body that awarded them their license to ensure fair play and the legal protection of players. For example, Bet88 Philippines is monitored by the gambling market regulator of the country.
2. Learn Your Country’s Online Gambling Laws
As mentioned earlier, different countries have their rules and regulations for online gambling. Some impose strict limitations, while others have no problem with those websites. Some countries prohibit them and do not allow any online casino or gambling site to operate under their jurisdiction.
If you find out that your country or state prohibits online casinos, then you should abide by the law. Playing on illegal websites is not safe, regardless of their legitimacy. That’s because you don’t have a regulator backing you up if things go wrong, which is risky, especially when money is involved.
3. Look At Blacklisted Websites
Known gambling regulation sites have a list of rogue online casinos that will help you avoid them. There you will find fraudulent and bad casino providers you should stay away from.
So check their blacklisted websites to avoid getting your money and personal information stolen by undesirables.
4. Check For Responsible Gambling Protocols
In support of the worldwide movement of responsible gambling, legitimate online casinos implement protocols that help players manage their gambling habits. That means those protocols and tools will also help determine legit online casinos from rogue ones. Check to see if they have any of the following tools that protect vulnerable players:
● Deposit Limits: This feature helps manage player spending.
● Loss Limits: A feature that prevents players from playing after losing a certain amount of money.
● Session Limits: A tool that some online casinos use to let players set a time limit on their game sessions. Once the limit is reached, the casino boots the player from their website.
● Cool-Off Periods: Some online casinos implement a cool-off period to give players a break for about 24 to 72 hours. During this time, you will not be able to log in to your account.
● Self-Assessment Questionnaire: Respectable online casinos provide a questionnaire that will help players evaluate how gambling affects their lives.
5. Payment Policies And Cashout Criteria
Look at their payment methods and cash out policies Legitimate online casinos should have legitimate payment methods. Check the payment methods an online casino uses before playing their games. Not using preferred ones like credit cards is a red flag because it raises security risks.
Besides paying, you should also take note of an online casino’s ways of cashing out your winnings. Respectable gambling apps and websites should have a withdrawal processing time of at least two business days.
Casino Conclusion
It is your responsibility to inform yourself as a player to avoid undesirable online casinos. Take note of these ways to protect your money. You deserve to have fun gambling online without worrying about such things.