iGaming in 2022: A Modern Guide to Online Betting Safety
When we were children, Smokey the Bear taught us, “Only you can prevent forest fires!” As adults in this technological age, I’m here to teach you another very important lesson, reminiscent of that signature catchphrase. When it comes to safety and security in online gambling, “Only you can prevent fraudulent activity!“
There are some very real threats out there. Every day, we hear about things like identity theft, credit/debit card numbers stolen, financial accounts hacked. No one wants to become a victim. Instead, we look to anti-virus and anti-malware software to protect us. We install such programs, cross our fingers, and forge onward without much of an afterthought. But the truth of the matter is, every one of us is responsible for our own internet safety.
Yes, anti-virus programs are important. They can stop hackers from infiltrating a system. They can detect malicious software, like trojans and keyloggers, preventing harm or exposure of sensitive information. But these are only the foundation of a good protection strategy. What you really need is the knowledge and fortitude to make smart decisions when interacting with websites.
Online Betting Safety in 2022
There are five basic lessons to learn here. I’ll keep them as brief as possible, without skimping on the important details. Just remember, this is a fight that never ends. It’s a perpetual and thankless job, but one that will ensure the absolute safety of your personal and financial information. Never get lazy about protecting it.
1. Only Bet at Reputably Licensed Online Casinos
This is the most common reason people experience security issues when gambling online. Not every website is trustworthy. If you think it’s impossible to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys, you’re wrong. It’s not as simple as knowing that long-lost Nigerian Prince who emailed you about sharing his inheritance is a fraud, but it’s not too difficult, either.
There’s a reason government regulation and laws exist. It’s to protect people like you and me (and to make money, of course). A government-licensed gambling website is regulated by its local jurisdiction. It must abide by the laws of that jurisdiction. So long as the laws are strict and compliance mandatory, the website can be trusted.
You’ll find the licensing info at the bottom of the operator’s home page. It should contain the name of the country, territory, and/or government body responsible for its regulation. It doesn’t hurt to double-check on that license to make sure its valid and in good standing. To do so, click the licence logo. If it’s not clickable, that may be a red flag. If it is, it should lead to the regulatory authority’s website, with a notice of official licence status (active, suspended, expired, etc.)
2. Never Log On from Public / Unsecured WiFi
Did you know that an unsecured WiFi (a.k.a. WiFi hotspot, public WiFi) gives everyone that connects to it access to the devices of everyone else who connects to it? Think of it like a bunch of tributaries feeding into the same river. Most of us are just debris in the water, floating downstream. Hackers are more like hungry fish. They can swim downstream, upstream, through any connecting tributary, looking for food. If your device is floating in that body of water, they can see everything you’re doing on it.
Does this mean that every time you use an unsecured network, you’re being watched? No. But I’ve always proscribed to the theory that, “just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not after you”.
So, to protect yourself, never use unsecured WiFi to do anything that requires a password or financial data of any sort. Gambling online for real money most definitely falls into that category. In fact, just stay off public WiFi and hotspots altogether. And while you’re at it, make certain your home WiFi is protected with a strong password. Which brings us to…
3. Use Strong Passwords for Everything
Your security is only as strong as your weakest password. When it comes to financial accounts – and by that, I mean any online account that you send money to or through – only the strongest of passwords will do. The rules are simple.
- Never use a password anyone could guess (no middle names, pet names, special dates)
- Never use the same password more than once.
- Combine lower and upper case characters with numbers and symbols, without using real (correctly spelled) words.
Good Examples:
- 4Jft91#hBK8!49m
- 2m@nyKraz3PeePull
- K@duKlyzM!c
Bad Examples:
- One2Three4Five
- P@ssw0rd
- 1StrongPassword!
For additional advice, see what the FTC has to say about Creating a Strong Password.
4. Utilize Prepaid Deposit Methods
If you never put your bank account, credit card or debit card information out there into the cyber-verse, what’s there to steal? Odds are, you’re already well beyond that point. Most of us do our banking online as it is, paying bills, buying merchandise, and what not. And there’s nothing wrong with that, if we’re using reputable websites and following the safety tips above. But if you want to be extra careful – especially with an international website you’re not 100% sure about – don’t use a payment method that links back to you or any of your financial accounts.
There are plenty of ways to make an online casino deposit without using your bank account. The most obvious is a gift card, prepaid card or voucher. You’ll find these available at most retail outlets in Canada. Just be sure to choose a prepaid card/voucher your online casino readily accepts.
Refer to our section on Prepaid Deposit Methods for more information.
As for withdrawals, you can’t put money back on a gift card. You may want to consider signing up an account with a web wallet, or using an intermediary banking service like Interac or iDebit.
5. Employ Responsible Betting Behavior
One way to protect your financial security is to manage your money wisely. If you can afford a $500 sofa, you don’t go out and buy a $1,500 sofa. Likewise, if you can afford to lose $500 at the blackjack tables, you don’t deposit $1,000 and hope for the best.
If you are intelligent enough to employ basic strategy in blackjack, you should be intelligent enough to manage your bankroll responsibly. Don’t place bets you can’t win. Avoid wagering more than 5% of your bankroll at once (1-2% is better). Never, ever wager money you can’t afford to lose. This is just another way you can control your online betting safety and security.
