Online Casinos - Risks and Dangers
There are thousands of these on line casino sites operating on the web today. It is very difficult to know how to pick the reputable site and avoid the dodgy or downright crooked sites.
Here are a few tips worth following to ensure you choose a reputable site.
With on line casinos the site or house can tweak the software to pay out whatever % of the stakes they choose. There are scam sites operating and you need to be alert to them before offering them your credit card, this can be done by checking if they are using approved software and are members of eCOGRA (e-Commerce & Online Gaming Regulation & Assurance) for details see www.ecogra.org
There are other gaming bodies and authorities, such as the ICG and the Kahnawakee Gaming Commission that also require high standards of compliance from the site operators. The seal of approval from one of these bodies should appear on the casino’s main page.
Are the site’s payout percentages independently audited by one of the major auditing firms such as Price Waterhouse Coopers?
What software are they using? Reputable software providers include Microgaming, Random Logic, iGlobalMedia, Playtech,Real Time Gaming, Playtech and Waterlogic.
Is the site on any blacklist? It is a wise precaution to check some of the lists appearing on the internet, if your chosen site appears on any list it is worth trying to find out the reasons before playing.
Does the casino site offer constant telephone, email or fax support. Is there a live chat option? Call or email their customer support service with some query and see how long it takes to get a sensible answer.
Safe banking is vital. Is the site banking transaction system protected by 128 bit data encryption as used by the giant financial institutions?
Where is the site licensed? A significant number are not and are most likely scam operations. Do not even consider using them
Even with licensed sites it is prudent to check the location. Casinos licensed in the West Indies, Australia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Gibraltar and the United Kingdom are usually very safe, casinos licensed in Eastern European countries, however, have had problems reported and should be treated with suspicion.
Before using any site be sure you understand all of the terms and conditions, especially those relating to the payout terms and bonus offers.
Be very suspicious of large bonus offers, a tactic used by many scam site to lure people in.
Play safe and ENJOY!