The gambling industry has been overtaken by the era of online casinos in the past two decades. The niche has grown to be the biggest revenue generator for the industry with billions streaming in every year in revenue. Online Casino gambling carries the massive advantage of being available anywhere and at any time, which is a luxury that is not afforded by a brick and mortar casino.
This element is stated as the niche’s driving force to overtaking the brick and mortar gaming scene, which has seen it become a vital pillar to the maintenance of gambling as one of the biggest global industries.
When online casino services started, they were not as popular as they are today in terms of fairness and security. In the nineties, when the web came to rise, safety was an issue for nearly every industry that operated on the web, which also goes for that of gambling. Over the years, the internet has shifted from being the virtual Wild West to acquiring better structure when it comes to the application of regulations that keeps operations in check.
Therefore, gaming sites like an Online Casino went from being reckless entities to amassing a good rapport among clients and earn seats among global corporations that operate the brick and mortar sites. Today, we see casinos like FortuneJack Online Casino that have gained followings in the millions thanks to these measures. Heck people are even reviewing gambling platforms now like beastsofpoker.com.
Even with the ability for safety measures on the web, punters should keep in mind that rogue casinos are still in plenty. It is no surprise to meet gambling destinations that have been scarred with scandalous reputations, which involve the failure to include safety measures at all. Such laxity has in the past left punters exposed to financial and identity theft since these are requirements for real money gameplay.
In some cases, rogue sites have gone as far as to rig games against players’ favour or flat out disappeared with deposited cash. Gamblers that have faced the wrath of these establishments are not shy in expressing just how devastating it can be. Therefore, it is smart to take the initiative to ensure that a casino’s security is top-notch before engaging in the real money business. Here are some of the tell-tales to use to sift reputable and safe gambling clubs from the chaff:
Licensing Information
Checking the license providers of a gambling destination such as an Online Casino is among the most turned to factors when trying to determine not only the security but also the legitimacy of a gaming site. The operation of a casino with a valid license means that it is vetted and its actions online are answerable to a bigger regulated entity.
The Online Casino license provider holds a lot of weight when choosing a gaming site. The UK Gambling Commission is regarded as the most reputable of all firms in the gambling permits provision sector. The UKGC, as it is popularly known, is responsible for overseeing the gambling sector in the United Kingdom in both the online and offline realms.
This institution is famous for the application of high standards for its licensees to meet the fairness and security of the real money services being rendered. With the help of the ADR service, the UK Gambling Commission has resolved thousands of issues between punters and their licensees mainly with regards to the processing of payments. The solid reputation of the UKGC has seen it earn the status of an international license, which means it holds weight in other countries aside from the United Kingdom.
The Malta Gaming Authority license is also one of the most highly sought-after online casino permits. This body is responsible for the casinos and gaming companies in Malta, which is among the most prominent gambling regions across the globe. When the MGA was first established, it had a reputation for laxity and the provision of licenses to less-than-deserving establishments.
However, all this changed in 2012 after the institution saw a change in management that led to the application of stricter rules that saw only casinos with the required safety and security measures granted permits. Like the UKGC, the Malta Gaming Authority holds the status of an international license. Other licensing entities that have attained the same solid reputation include:
- Gibraltar Regulatory Authority
- Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission
- Swedish Gambling Authority
- Alderney Gaming Control Commission
Each of these licenses is acquired in varying jurisdictions and laws that they apply to differ one way or another. However, they do not compromise on the security of their licensees, and they are required to hand over their Online Casino software for testing regularly.
Independent Test
Independent testing firms operate similarly as licensing bodies in the sense that they ensure that specific rules and regulations are followed by gambling destinations, including Online Casinos, for the safety of players and the club’s affiliates. However, they operate independently and are not tied to any form of government, such as is the case with the licensing bodies mentioned above. Even so, these independent firms rent out their services to licensing institutions to carry out the tests of places like an online casino on their behalf.
The massive nature of the online gambling industry has also led to an explosion in the number of certification institutions. Some of the most reliable in this niche are responsible for the testing of gaming servers, systems, random number generators, and business conduction of casinos. Those that have earned the trust of millions across the globe include:
- eCOGRA
eCOGRA is the most popular of all independent testing bodies and has garnered faith among casinos, software companies, and players in its time of operation. The body was established back in 2003 as a testing laboratory for the security of gaming sites. Being an independent and international body means that it is not bound to one jurisdiction. The entity covers gaming sites operating in the UK, Malta, Alderney, Estonia, Denmark, Switzerland, Isle of Man, Italy, Philippines, etc.
- VeriSign
VeriSign has been around since 1995, which means it opened its doors around the same time as the internet and the online gambling platform. The certification institution has its headquarters in Virginia and is one of the few firms that are successful in the niche in the United States. The fact that the entity is still around and thriving more than two decades after its establishment does wonders for its reputation.
Today, the firm operates with more than two thousand employees, and it is publicly traded on several stock markets. Since its establishment, VeriSign has granted more than three million certificates across the globe, making it a good contender for the number one spot as the most widespread vetting institution.
Affiliated Companies
Gambling destinations are only as good as the entities they collaborate with to ensure the running of operations. Therefore, if the entities a gaming site partners with have solid reputations, the high chances are that it also shares the same integrity in service provision. One of the easiest telltales is by looking through an Online Casino’s game providers. Most of the most revered names in this niche only table their games in institutions that pass fairness and security tests as per the high standards. Some of the most popular ones on this list include:
- Microgaming
- Evolution Gaming
- NetEnt
- Yggdrasil Gaming
- Betsoft
- Blueprint Gaming, etc.
In Brief
Online casino’s offer immense entertainment, but it all boils down to nothing if gamers are not secure when engaging in the provided services. The elements touched on in this review help shed some light on the gambling dens worthy of real money business and those that aren’t.
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