For hundreds of years, people have enjoyed the thrill of casino gaming action. Casino games have spread from the aristocratic gambling houses of Italy to the bright lights of Las Vegas and beyond. These days everybody – or at least everybody with internet access and who is over the age of 18 – has the opportunity to play the best casino games.
The spread of online gambling has only increased in the past number of years, with more and more people taking part. But there are still some who resist, worried about potential security issues. In this article, we are going to ask whether online gambling is really more dangerous for players than gambling at a physical casino. You may be surprised by what we discover!
Reasons to be Worried
First of all, let us examine the fears and concerns that people have about online casino gambling. There is the idea that the games are rigged so that the player can never win. People are nervous about giving away their personal information to a faceless online casino.
Related to that is the concern that payment details can be used to withdraw funds without permission, or that winnings will not be paid. In general, there is a distrust of the online casinos where you do not have the human interaction of a land-based casino.
The Bad Guys Sometimes Win
The truth of the matter is that in the years since casino gambling moved on, there have been shady operators who have basically stolen player’s money or acted improperly in different ways. There are stories of winnings not being paid out due to manufactured rules.
Of games which are fixed to work unfairly against the player. Tales of terrible or non-existent customer support, of jackpots which are never won, and player details which are not securely maintained.
History of Corruption
So, does that mean that online casinos are more dangerous for players than the land-based version? Well, only a casual glance through the pages of history will tell you that physical casinos have known more than their share of scandal and illegal activity as well.
Casinos have been linked to criminality and mobsters in the past and all manner of illicit behaviour has been known to take place. That raises a new question: should we just avoid all types of casino completely?
Protecting Clients to Protect Profits
While historical stories can make people nervous today, the modern world of casino gaming is very different from that which existed in the past. The main reason for this is that lawmakers around the world have introduced numerous regulations to protect casino players.
This extends both to land-based players as well as to those using online casino sites. Regulators give licences to online casinos to be able to operate in specific regions. If the casinos do not follow the regulators’ rules, then they will lose their licences and thus lose the opportunity to do business in a specific region.
Casinos are all about the bottom line – whether they are of the online or offline variety – and so a good regulator will make sure that casino players are fully protected. So, how do I know if my online casino of choice is regulated or not?
Who is Regulating my Casino?
This is the easy part. In order to find out which license is held by a particular online casino, simply scroll down to the bottom of any page on the site. There you should see a logo relating telling you where the online casino is licensed. Some will have multiple licences as they operate in different territories around the world.
The most trusted gaming regulators are bodies from the United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Malta, Gibraltar and Alderney. That is because these are the most proactive operators and the most likely to act if a customer of a casino makes a complaint. Sites licensed by regulators in Costa Rica and Curacao will offer less protection to players.
Reporting the Cheats
If you feel that the casino has acted in a way that is unfair or illegal, then you should first get in contact with the casino support team to register your complaint. If you are unable to get any results in that way, it is time to involve the regulators.
Check the bottom of the page to discover which licence is held by the casino in question. When you click on the logo you should be taken to their home page where you can make a complaint. Make sure to include all the relevant dates and sums of money involved, as well as giving detailed information on what has occurred.
A good regulator will then contact the casino and request an in-depth response, and the casino will be penalised if they are found to have been acting incorrectly.
Relax!
Before you start getting too concerned, remember that these days it is very unusual for a casino to act in an illegal manner. The fact is that this type of behaviour is just not worth it for the casino. Why will they risk their licence over a sum in the hundreds of euros, when losing that licence could end up costing them millions?
Casinos always have and always will make a profit. That’s why the concept of a ‘house edge’ exists. There are too many naïve players out there who just help to boost the profits of online (and offline) casinos. They do not need to cheat in order to make a profit, and the risks are just too great to make it worthwhile even trying.
Try For Yourself
If you are still nervous about playing online, then why not try one of the long-established casinos listed on these pages. Check to see that they are licenced by a respected regulator and start off by playing with smaller sums of money.
If you don’t trust random number generated animated casino games then we suggest you try a live dealer option, where you can see a live stream of the cards being dealt and wheels spun by a real croupier.
After you have made your first deposit and withdrawal, and hopefully won some cash in the meantime, then you should feel more confident to join the millions who love to play at online casinos.
