Staying Safe in Online Gambling Sites

We've all heard the horror stories about people being scammed online or having their personal details stolen. For all the great things, the internet has given us, it's also opened up a new world of criminal activity and allowed the most devious of scammers to target unsuspecting punters. Online gambling is just one of the many areas that's been attacked.

On this page we're going to look at the security measures online gambling sites can take to protect players in Canada, and also how you can avoid playing at sites that put you at risk. At Gambling.ca we're intent on keeping you completely secure online and making sure you only play at trustworthy outlets with the necessary precautions in place.

Why is it Important?

Let's start with the basics. To be safe, a gambling site needs to be using secure banking software that protects your details when making transactions. Security software can be used to keep transactions between you and the site safe, and that way there's no chance of a hacker intercepting your information and cloning your bank information.

Another thing to look for is a gambling site that is licensed and regulated. Licensed sites have to meet certain standards set by their governing body, and these typically include a minimum level of security to keep players protected. The regulation of sites ensures they keep their software up to date and take all the necessary measures to remain safe.

It's a good idea to check whether your gambling site has been accredited by an independent third party like eCOGRA. An endorsement from an unbiased third party illustrates that the site is taking measures to monitor their fairness and security, and for experts in the industry to assess how safe they are.

What Makes a Site Secure?

There are various validations and registrations that a casino site has to go through before being labelled a safe and secure environment for gamblers. Here are a few pointers of how to recognise the safest casinos:

eCOGRA Logo – An eCOGRA logo is your selling point for the safest casinos. When a casino is eCOGRA certified, it means that it has been successfully validated by one of the strongest bodies in the casino world.

SSL Encryption – Most casinos employ the latest technological SSL encryption methods to keep financial data safe and secure. These encryption methods will encrypt all your banking and personal details to avoid fraud and intrusion from hackers.

RNGs - All the sites listed at Gambling.ca are approved for fairness and meet our standards for security. Games at the sites we highlight are run using Random Number Generator (RNG) software to ensure that every spin, or deal of cards, happens in complete isolation.

Released Payout Percentages – Most casinos give out a released payout percentage. This is to further protect you and your real money that will go into your bank account. The payout percentage will limit the amount that goes into your account to keep the process safe and secure.

Seals of Approval – All the casinos on our approved lists has seals of approval by strong bodies. This means that the casinos have been approved by the strongest bodies in the casino world. They are the safest casinos to gamble at. You can never go wrong if a casino obtains a seal of approval.

Online Gambling Licensing Explained

The answer to this one all depends on the site you play at. If you stick to the destinations we've highlighted, you'll be visiting a safe and secure environment for your online gambling action. If you go elsewhere, we can't guarantee your safety or the legitimacy of the site you're playing.

A good yardstick is to check whether the site is licensed and regulated. If there's any doubt, you can cross-reference the license number provided with the issuing body to be absolutely certain of validity.

Other Things to Look Out For

No one wants to realise that they're playing at an unsavoury website after you've deposited money and accepted bonuses. Make that mistake, and your hard-earned cash is trapped with little to no way of cashing out.

Fortunately, there are some obvious warning signs to look for in unsafe sites. Make sure to check out online casinos for any of the following tell-tale signs:

Poorly designed site with out of date graphics.
Lacking trust badges and license numbers.
Have previously been involved in gambling scandals.

Be sure to reference Gambling.ca to see if the site you want to play at has been blacklisted. Ultimately the best piece of advice we can give is to stick purely to the trusted sites we recommend for you, as they have been thoroughly tested and reviewed to ensure their quality is top of the range.

Finding Your Perfect Site

With all of these tips and suggestions you should now be well equipped to face the world of online gambling. Every site that we suggest has been tested for safety & security, and should anything go wrong they all have dedicated customer service teams ready to assist with your issue.

Security is a top priority but so are games and bonuses. Make sure that your preferred casino ticks all your required boxes. We've tried and tested a variety of casinos and only chose the best of the best for our approved list.

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