One of the main concerns when you purchase anything through an online service is safety. After all, the last thing anyone wants is to scroll through an unsafe and unsecured site which can be easily hacked into.
You will be pleased to know that if you play at a trustworthy online casino (more of which below), you really needn’t worry about your safety on the site.
In a nutshell: yes, online casinos are safe, but you choose where you play wisely.
Will My Payments and Details be Safe?
The biggest concern for many of us when using online services is whether our sensitive information is safe and securely tucked away from the reach of unscrupulous characters.
Online casino transactions are secured with premium encryption, of the kind used at major online retailers. Therefore, all your sensitive information is secured with top-rate protection.
Ultimately, any transaction you make at a professional online casino will be as safe as any other online transaction you might make.
How Do I know if an Online Casino is Safe and Legitimate?
This is a very good question. Unfortunately, there are rogue outfits out there, as with any industry.
However, if you keep the following points and questions in mind you will have the tools you need to be able to distinguish the good from the bad.
- Does this online casino have a licence? This is the first port of call. Usually at the bottom of the casino homepage, the licences which the casino holds will be displayed. If there is no sign of a licence which allows for UK players, you should look elsewhere or at the very least get in touch with the customer service team of the casino to ask. If there is no licence, the online casino is not permitted to offer online gambling services
- Is the support section easy to find? If an online casino has something to hide, it is very likely that they will make support options difficult to locate. If you cannot find any options, this is a bad sign
- Are there games available from reputable developers? Generally, if games from top quality developers are available, this is a good sign
- Does the site look professional and organised? A disorganised or extremely basic site are red flags. If the site looks and feels good, chances are you are playing at a reputable outfit
- Check reviews. You will find reviews for the vast majority of online casinos. If you find a significant amount of poor reviews, our advice is to steer clear of this outfit
- Are there lots of payment methods available? Although this isn’t a strictly necessary point, it is definitely a positive sign if there are several different payment methods available
- Is there support offered for problem gambling? If you cannot find evidence of support for problem gambling, which is pretty much a requirement nowadays, this casino is one you should be wary of
Online casino novices and seasoned players alike should always keep the points above in mind when deciding whether to play at a certain online casino or not.
Is Online Gambling Legal?
Yet, is online gambling actually legal for those residing in the UK?
In some countries such as the USA, there is some confusion over the legality of online gambling and perhaps this is where the confusion stems from.
We are here to bring you good news: it is perfectly legal to gamble online in the UK.
There are countless legal online casinos which are available to UK citizens and, truthfully, the choice is pretty much endless.
The Legitimacy
There are astronomical amounts of money floating around the UK online gambling market.
To give you some indication, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission reported that in the period from April 2015 to March 2016 online gambling operators generated a Gross Gambling Yield of £4.5 billion.
Furthermore, online gambling is now the biggest form of gambling there is. The numbers are even higher than the National Lottery, which generated £3.4 billion from April 2015 to March 2016.
In a study published by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission in February 2018, it was revealed that 18% of people who were surveyed in the previous year said they had gambled online in the past four weeks.
These figures show the popularity of online gambling, and in our digital age we can only assume that online gambling will continue to grow.
Traditional Casinos v Online Casinos
Traditional gambling in brick and mortar casinos is declining significantly, with land-based casinos closing at a considerable rate throughout the UK.
The main reason for this is the popularity of online gambling. The customers who once stepped inside their local casino joint are transitioning towards getting their fix online, and this appears to be inexorable.
Online Casino Benefits
Whilst the traditional casino has its perks, there can be no denying that online casinos provide customers with so much more.
The amount of games at your fingertips is truly astonishing with many online casinos offering you the chance to play thousands of games with the click of a button.
Players have an enormous selection to choose from whether it is video slots, classic casino table games, bingo and instant win games or live casino games.
Also, really, can the traditional casino compete with its online counterpart in comfort? The real beauty of online gambling is that you can do it wherever, whenever.
History of Online Casinos
Online casinos are certainly not a new creation. The process began in 1994 when the Free Trade & Processing Zone Act was passed in Antigua and Barbuda. This paved the way for the creation and regulation of online casino and gambling products.
One of the most reputable developers of online casino games and software Microgaming claim to have created the very first online casino and online slot machine back in 1994.
Of course, online casinos have come a long way since then and online gambling, in its many forms, is now the dominant force in gambling.
Problem Gambling
Another thing to consider with safety is problem gambling. Unfortunately, problem gambling is a very real problem in modern-day society.
The good news is that most online casinos display clear information of who you can contact if you suspect that you may have a problem.
Also, many online casinos provide you the option of adding a self-imposed limit of how much you can deposit per day or month, which is a great measure to safeguard against problem gambling in the first place.
Online Casinos are Safe and Here to Stay
The bottom line is that online casinos are safe, legal and here to stay. If you are diligent and responsible in the way you approach your online gambling, you really have nothing to worry about.
Just make sure that you are always careful when selecting online casinos to play at.