If online casinos hadn’t mastered keeping your money and information secure, they would not have survived very long—especially in the early 2000s, when they were just finding their feet.
At the turn of the century, skepticism towards the Internet and its security was much more deeply rooted than it is now. In the modern age, many more people have a good grasp of how Internet security works. Back then, it was a scary new invention that few people outside the industry knew the capability of.
Advantages of a global market
Due to the global nature of online casino gaming, one of the many advantages the industry has is a gold standard that spreads right across the international casino gaming community—it doesn’t matter whether encryption, firewall safety, or an industry-wide protocol where only 128 or 256-bit SSL is used.
A safe online casino in New Zealand has the same protocols and measures in place as those at other international casinos, particularly in similar Western countries like Australia or the United Kingdom. All these sites must adhere to strict principles, including the firewall and encryption levels we’ve just mentioned, but there are other factors to be aware of, too.
The importance of security for an online casino
Online casinos are in a unique position as they hold your financial information, such as your card or PayPal details, to make a payment. Still, they must also have vast amounts of personal information to confirm your identity.
They’ll hold your personal and identifiable details on file, but they’ll accompany this with a verified photocopy of your passport or driving license (sometimes both). Online casinos hold just as much information as a bank, and given the amount of security a bank uses, ranging from e-mail encryption to physical branch security, it should be expected that online casinos do the same—thankfully, the majority of them do.
Characteristics of a secure online gambling provider
Although online casinos will often be at odds with each other and in direct competition for the same clientele, the top providers will have plenty in common, especially from a security perspective. Alongside the 128-bit and 256-bit SSL encryption we have already mentioned, casinos must also be vigilant of the growing threat posed by quantum computing. Here are some other attributes of online casinos that ensure their sites are as secure as possible
- Signposted proof of their encryption, usually on their home page or “About Us” section.
- A positive track record—no negative media stories about being hacked or breached in the past.
- A quick, easy way to report bugs on their website or a customer service channel where you can immediately raise technical or security concerns.
- Notable withdrawal and deposit options.
- A solid reputation on social media and customer review sites. These are often the best indicators of whether a casino emphasizes security or should do more to protect its customers’ funds and data.
Consequences for lax security
As you have probably ascertained by now, it’s hard to find an online casino provider with a lack of security or noticeably poor protocol. Security is the entire foundation of a site. If a casino is subject to a breach or hack, the material cost can spiral into hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on the casino’s size and the level of the breach.
Although security often means the firewall and strength of the site, there’s also another interpretation—responsible gambling. Unfortunately, some casino gamers will develop issues with their gambling, and the onus is on the casino just as much as it is on the individual to ensure they identify them and help them keep their funds secure.
Problem gamblers are susceptible to huge losses, and thanks to developments in AI, it’s becoming easier than ever to track these customers. Those sites that make a concerted effort to protect problem gamblers by clearly signaling problem gambling tools, such as cooling off periods and self-exclusion, are working in the best interest to protect problem gamblers from losing all their money.
Conclusion
With so many online casinos now available, we’d say that understanding what makes an online casino secure is the best foundation for gaming. You can quickly browse a home page, check the firewall encryption, put the name into a search engine, see if there have been any notable breaches or cyberattacks, and see what people say about the site’s security on social media. Your money should remain secure as long as they tick these boxes, as many online casinos do.