Online gambling, sometimes referred to as iGaming, has seen a meteoric rise over the past few years, as it sees continued regulation and legalisation worldwide. Online gambling can offer many safety benefits not before seen in traditional gambling. For example, players can use free spins as a risk-free way of setting a foot into the world of online casino – and they can find plenty of options at Mr Gamble – while ensuring they stay safe by checking easily accessible licences and certifications.
Millions of people use their mobile devices to gamble, which can come with some risk despite the obvious benefits of convenience. Playing your favourite slots, table games, or iGaming experiences should be fun but, more importantly, safe, and you should be aware of the potential risks and dangers. We’ll be looking at the very best safety measures for online gambling on mobile devices, to help you stay safe while you visit your favourite online casino. Keep reading to find out more.
Table of Contents
Check Licences
Ensuring you are gambling on a safe and secure platform should be the first step you take before you place any sort of bet. Gambling on an illicit or fraudulent casino can have serious consequences, you could lose your money, have your identity or personal details stolen, or even land yourself in legal trouble, depending on the specific laws and regulations of the country you reside in.
Properly licensed and accredited online casinos will have their certification available to view, and should be clearly displayed or linked to on the platform’s website, often found at the bottom of the home page. Casinos licensed by reputable authorities have high levels of security and player protection programmes, so always strive to find out where your casino of choice is licensed.
Check Casino Reviews
Online casinos will have reviews, often many, from gamblers and customers giving their thoughts on the services offered. While reviews can be great for checking out a casino’s slots, table games, and sports betting options, they can also give you an immediate overview of the platform’s security rating. Unsafe or fraudulent casinos will be flagged immediately, with negative customer reviews and warnings.
Use Secure WiFi
While using your mobile device to gamble from anywhere you go might be easy, convenient, and fun, using public or unsecured WiFi connections can compromise your online safety and financial security. Many public WiFi sources have questionable, if any, security systems, leaving them open to attack by rogue actors. Avoid conducting any sort of personal or financial transaction when connected to a public WiFi source, this includes gambling, as well as banking and file sharing, as breaches to the network can make your personal details available to others.
To avoid risking your financial security or personal information, always use private, secured WiFi sources when gambling online with your mobile device.
Use Strong Passwords
All online casinos will require you to set up an account on the platform. This is where you will provide all of your personal identification information, bank details, and where you will deposit money and withdraw your winnings. To keep your account secure, always use the strongest password you can. Use combinations of lower case and upper case letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using common words and phrases, names of loved ones or pets, or dates, and definitely don’t use Password, Pa55w0rd or similar, or indeed any family names or dates of birth.
Many modern mobile devices have a suggested password feature built into their internet browsers. These can be extremely effective for providing that extra level of security. They randomly generate a string of letters, numbers, and characters for you to use as a strong password and remember it on your device to save you typing it for each future login.
Check for SSL
Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, is the name given to an encryption-based safety protocol between two devices on the same network. SSL makes sharing sensitive information, such as banking details with online casinos, far safer and more secure. To check if an online casino has SSL validation, have a look at the website URL. If the URL starts with ‘https’ instead of ‘http’, then that is an indication that the site is secured with SSL. A padlock icon at the start of the URL is another signal that the website is safe.
Remembering to always check for SSL validation will ensure you stay safe when sharing personal, sensitive information online.
Apps Are Your Best Bet
Downloading popular casino apps can work to ensure you stay safe when gambling online. Apps available on both the App Store and Google Play Store are highly scrutinised and assessed for safety and security before being made available for download. This can work to offer further security benefits that you would have when visiting a casino website through a browser.
However, when downloading apps be aware of any permissions it may ask. If the app asks for access to other apps or personal information like your contacts, proceed with extreme caution.
Consider E-Wallet Options
E-wallet payment methods like PayPal and Skrill offer greater speed and safety advantages over traditional methods like debit or credit card. Use these when gambling online to further protect yourself.
Conclusion
Online gambling has revolutionised the way we bet. With mobile devices, people can now place wagers from their living rooms, when out walking the dog, or anywhere they feel like. However, this added convenience comes with some security risks. Follow our guide and ensure you have a safe online gambling experience.
