Welp MagazineEach year, more and more gamblers fall victims to online casino frauds. Scam casinos may have a compelling way of displaying all the benefits while concealing the downsides. Thus, it is very easy to ignore the ‘red flags’ and go straight for your first deposit without taking into account that the casino might be fraudulent.
So, to guard yourself against potential online casino fraud, there are a couple of aspects you need to watch out for.
Go for licensed gambling platforms
Scam casinos could be at any step, and it might be challenging to spot them since their platform could be even more appealing than the one pertaining to a legit casino. Nonetheless, the ultimate marker that sets the two apart is the licensing.
For instance, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority are two reputable regulatory authorities that offer such gambling licenses. They employ multiple tests on that particular gambling platform which assess the conciseness and transparency of the Terms and Conditions, any software malfunctions that could inflict an unfair loss upon the player, bonus availability, Know Your Customer check and the overall casino experience.
Besides, the existence of other certifications from authorities like eCOGRA or iTechLabs is always a plus! These testing agencies decide whether the gaming variables (RNG, RTP and house edge) are fair and offer the player fair chances of winning.
Only access online casinos with accredited payment services
In recent years, many UK players have fallen victims to debit or credit card fraud. As this unlawful practice becomes more and more pervasive, many gamblers have lost significant sums of money without being able to appeal.
When you enter a new online gambling site, make sure that the payment services attached to deposits and withdrawals are internationally recognised as having a high degree of security. Safety can also translate into end-to-end encryptions or even fingerprint and facial recognition verifications.
And to enforce your decision, take a look at expert guides on how to avoid such transactional scams and what to do if you are actually already involved in one.
Read expert reviews before committing to a site
Generally speaking, when it comes to any other domain, if you decide to purchase a product, you do a complex research to see if it’s worth it. Why wouldn’t it be the same with online casinos? After all, there are considerable sums at stake, and experts know best which platforms deliver a high degree of safety.
Gambling professionals test these platforms themselves, and since they encountered so many discrepancies in their experience as experts, they can spot a fraudulent casino in an instant.
Moreover, besides finding out if that particular site is secure or not, you can seek an advised opinion for many other different reasons. For example, if you are a newbie and are still struggling with specific terms such as wagering, house edge and so on, and are not aware of what the average market values should be, these reviews may shed light on these matters, which leads to automatically improving your gaming strategy.
Look for casinos with additional verification procedures
A legit online casino imposes a KYC check (as a compulsory procedure set by the regulatory bodies mentioned above) right at sign up or, if not, at the first withdrawal.
This type of check is meant to obstruct any attempt of identity theft as well as money laundering. You will be asked to provide personal documents, such as scan copies after your ID, utility bill and bank statements, to attest that you are the rightful owner of the account, as well as of the money that is meant for depositing.
Some gambling platforms even repeat these procedures after a certain timeframe to ensure that the personal details of the player in question are still valid and there hasn’t been any account breach.
If there is an app available, read the player reviews
Certain casino sites also provide apps for Android or iOS play. Remember that this doesn’t mean that they are actually legit.
Before downloading any software onto your mobile phone or even on your laptop, go to the app official page and read the players’ reviews. Take into account the rating and the common errors that they have found along the way, as well as the gambling operator’s response, if any. Watch out for the tone, as well as the manner in which they fixed the issue.
What can you do if you’ve encountered a fraudulent casino?
Once you acknowledge that the platform of your choice is fraudulent, the first measure to take is to contact your bank service. They will most likely restrict the casino’s access to your card as well as to your financial details.
Then, get in touch with a specialised institution that deals with fraud in your country and seek professional help. You will also have to provide the police with all the details and circumstances that lead to the event in question. Remember to be very specific and to the point.
The other side of the coin: could a player be the fraudulent party?
A player may try to ‘hack the system’ and make the most benefit from that casino site. One frequent way to do so is by opening multiple accounts for bonus play. However, online gambling platforms are incredibly vigilant and can quickly spot bonus abuse when they see it.
This may result in serious repercussions to be placed upon the player, which mainly means account closure and permanent restricted access not only to that site but to each and every online casino that pertains to the company.
