When it comes to betting, it's absolutely paramount to ensure you know how to stay safe when you gamble online.
Whether you're playing Poker, an online Casino, or betting on football, there are some tried and tested basic rules and principles you will need to stick too.
These include only playing with licenced and reputable online brands, using safe passwords, and sticking to safe payment methods.
A lot of this work can be done by yourself, by reading reviews and looking for a common thread of established trusted brands.
There really is no excuse for not doing this. After all, you are about to hand this company your hard earned cash, so the very least you can do is read up on the worthiness of the establishment.
Tips to stay safe when you Gamble Online
Here at Football Gambler we are keen to help our readers stay safe online, so below we have put together a few helpful tips to help you be responsible with your online gambling.....
Check if and where the Casino is Licenced and Regulated
The first thing you should do is make sure the casino or online establishment you are looking to gamble with is licenced and regulated. Sounds obvious, but how many people don't do this?
And not only licenced and regulated, but licenced and regulated in a county with strict and thorough licencing regulations.
So for example, I would make sure any casino I gamble with is regulated in the UK, or in a country from within the European Union.
I know that the UK has a very strict and tough vetting process, run by the Government backed UK Gambling Commission, so I believe I can have more trust in them.
It may be the case that the particular casino you are looking at is licenced and regulated in the UK, and in a second country, such as Gibraltar or Malta. For me, this is fine, as a lot of this is for tax purposes.
Use safe Online Passwords
Another blindingly obvious thing to say, but one that I would suggest is neglected by many.
When it comes to passwords - try and think of your online gambling account like you do your bank account. Your bank won't let you have stupid obvious password, and neither should your casino. If they do, think twice about using them.
Two-Step Verification
Following on from the strong passwords, and using two-step verification is becoming more popular with gambling companies.
These days, I can't log on to some of my own bookmakers accounts without needing to use my 'Authenticator' app (this gives you a live passcode valid for a few seconds).
This not only gives me a second step of security, it also says that the establishment I'm about to place my cash with is taking its own security seriously.
Read Online Reviews
The next tip to stay safe gambling online is to do your homework - and you can do this by reading online reviews.
As well as being good for security, reviews can also tell you things like who has the best welcome bonuses. For example, a list with top 50 casino sites will help you find a good welcome bonus. You can find any offer you want there.
Reviews are great for other reasons though - such as a casino's reputation, and more importantly, it's security.
Yes, all reviews will have their element of moaners calling a casino a bunch of crooks. or something unsavoury. Don't take too much notice of those reviews.
The reviewer could have lost some money on a harsh outcome. And is therefore happy to call the establishment all the names under the sun. It's relevant up to a point, but not the biggest issue you should be looking out for.
Try and find reviews saying that a company isn't complying with it's licensing obligations. Or if they exposed someone's personal details, etc. That is far more crucial.
If the reviews highlight a common theme of bad practises, or security lapses, then avoid that casino at all costs. Even if they have the best welcome bonus!
Limit your Online Depositing Methods
Our final tip on how to stay safe when you gamble online, is looking after your depositing methods.
Keep it simple, have one separate bank account for all online gambling. This is what I try and do wherever possible. Whether it be my football betting, or my casino accounts, I use the same bank account.
It also helps me keep a better track on my profits and losses, which is another factor in staying safe.
There is little point following all of the above advice, and then blowing all your money in one day. That's also no way to stay safe when you gamble online!
No matter how good the security of any establishment, it is vulnerable to hackers. There is always some group of crooks trying to break into someone, somewhere.
Casinos and bookmakers are no exception to this. The less bank accounts you have registered with casinos and betting companies, the less bank accounts can be compromised.
I would also recommend only keeping a small amount of cash in your chosen bank account. Any large wins you have, once you have withdrawn them to your bank account, try and transfer it out to a separate savings account immediately.
This takes your larger pot of money further away from hackers.
Hackers may get your depositing account details from a casino, but they can't get the details of a savings account you haven't registered with the casino.
The harsh facts are that you will probably never be 100% safe, but there is so much you can do to stay as safe as possible. We hope these tips help.